Shows
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will393 Being Direct and Intentional in Conversations393 Being Direct and Intentional in Conversations It can be far too easy to let yourself be passive in conversations, whether it be to let another person make a decision or to avoid conflict. However in doing so we rob ourselves and others of deep meaningful connection, which is why it is so important to be direct and intentional with your words. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins talks about these points while also bringing up times in her life where she was passive and direct in conversation, and why it is so important to...2025-08-1207 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will392 Intention and Mindfulness In Conversation392 Intention and Mindfulness In Conversation Inevitably we will have to confront the reality of how certain comments, remarks, and individuals make us feel, especially when it is in a negative way. Unspoken expectations lead to resentment, and if we do not have the hard conversations and practice curiosity and active listening we not only do a disservice to them but to ourselves as well. In this episode Sarah Elkins takes us on a hike with her dog Jocko, while teaching us the importance of mindfulness and intention in conversations, and how important it i...2025-08-0510 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will391 Stories and Connection391 Stories and Connection It is vital to our own communities that we remember our stories and share them with one another, not to dwell on regrets and what ifs, but to reach out and connect with one another so that we all can learn and grow together, and hopefully create more grand stories on the paths we walk together. In this revisited episode, Sarah Elkins and Lee Keylock discuss their own stories and how they have healed through sharing stories and listening to the stories that others share with us. Highlights2025-07-2950 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will390 Good Service Goes Both Ways390 Good Service Goes Both Ways Anyone who has ever worked in customer service has at some point or another dealt with that one customer. You know the type, the huffy, irritable, “My issues are more important than your wellbeing and rules” that insist and demand everything, while demeaning you in the process. Unfortunately, these people will always exist, however what we can change is how we allow these types of interactions to affect us. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins tells the story of one of her own unruly customer moments, as well as how she cho...2025-07-2210 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will389 Identifying and Acting On Problems You Can Solve389 Identifying and Acting On Problems You Can Solve We are surrounded by problems everyday of our lives, some manageable and others seeming too monumental to handle alone. Which is why it is so important to build a community of like minded individuals with the same goal of making a true difference. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Tessa Clarke discuss the relationship people have with stuff, food waste, and how Tessa’s company Olio have been making a real difference in the face of the climate crisis. Highlights ...2025-07-1554 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will388 Changing Dynamics388 Changing Dynamics Growth is something that cannot easily be stopped. Whether it be the weeds in a garden, or the inquisitive mind of a child, growth in all is something that should be encouraged and nurtured, even if it’s by our own hands, so that we can become the people we know we can be. Someone better than who we were yesterday. In today’s episode, Sarah Elkins and Carlos Joaquin discuss the importance of Curiosity, Growth, Unity, and the Dynamics in not just the work place but in the home life, and h...2025-07-0836 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will385 Beacons of Fellowship385 Beacons of Fellowship In a world so full of division, strife, and polarization, it can be easy to get caught up in the chaos of which path to follow. Which is why it is vital to put your own voice out there, not just to speak up for your beliefs, but so that those who you support and care for will know you are right beside them in this fight. In a world so obsessed with hate, there is no more powerful weapon than love and community. In today’s episode, Sarah Elkins uses...2025-06-1710 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will384 Caring For Our Communities384 Caring For Our Communities In todays episode Sarah Elkins and Amy Daughters discuss a variety of topics, from finding their calm, to how they try to reach out to those in need of a friend, and the various ways they make others in their lives feel seen. Highlights Where do you find your calm? Polarization and how it destroys our community. How do you make people feel seen? Quotes “I didn’t set out to do anything. I set out to...2025-06-1052 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will383 Your True Enemy Is Self-Doubt383 Your True Enemy Is Self-Doubt Our internal messages shape who we are, whether they be positive or negative messages, shape who we are and how we carry ourselves through life, which is why it is so vital to stop and reflect on our messages and the input from those around us. We can learn alot from our personal board of directors, they encourage and guide us with their own personal experiences allowing us to grow, including when their input is critical. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins dwells on the importance of the word...2025-06-0311 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will381Rock n Roll381 Rock N Roll Authenticity and living your life in a way that reflects who you are and how you hope to be perceived is something we all strive for, however it can be easy to forget that change and growth is a constant changing cycle, even from moment we are allowed and expected to invent who we are. In this episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on when she joined the rock band she is apart of and how it has helped shape her authentic self as well as how important fun and joy is to the...2025-05-2015 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will380 Breaking Cycles280 Breaking Cycles We are hardwired to remember the stories that are far more painful and life altering, than the happier stories we lived. Perhaps it is our survival instincts or it is just easier to remember the bad, regardless it is important to sit back and truly think about how we frame our narratives using these experiences and decide for ourselves that this story is one we want to change. In todays episode, Sarah Elkins and Erin Weninger discuss the cycles both of them have lived as women, business owners, and parents, and t...2025-05-1353 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will379 Leaving The Legacy You Choose379 Leaving The Legacy You Choose Inevitably, we will be faced with the endless march of time, we will have a moment when we have the thought of how we want people to speak about us when we are gone. Are you making stories that reflect how you want to be remembered? Are you living in a way that solidifies the legacy you want to leave? Do you surround yourself with people who inspire, drive, and temper your ambition? In todays episode, Sarah Elkins and Bryan Abdul Collins discuss the importance of living a life without...2025-05-0652 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will377 The Art of Storytelling: A Controlled Burn in The Forest Of Life377 The Art of Storytelling: A Controlled Burn in The Forest Of Life Throughout life we have a tendency to collect things, whether they be stories, memories, or physical objects, and more often than not we cling to these things despite them no longer serving us in any meaningful capacity. Which is why it is important to sit back, look at your hoard and realize you are not a dragon who must keep every single piece of scrap. You can thank the item, story, or memory and leave it behind so that you can open up t...2025-04-1507 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will376 The Art of Storytelling: What Makes A Good Leader?376 The Art of Storytelling: What Makes A Good Leader? What is it that makes a leader someone worth following? Is it the way they approach problems? Is it how they treat those who follow them or those who don’t? Or is it something more unique to each individual? In today’s episode Sarah Elkins demonstrates through her art of storytelling how she has led others and helped them to lead in turn, and how important it is to follow a leader who makes you see the best in yourself, and to help others see the be...2025-04-1010 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will374 Passion and The Road To Fulfilling Success374 Passion and The Road To Fulfilling Success When we were kids we all wanted to be something extraordinary. We wanted to be magicians, doctors, paleontologists, astronauts, ballerinas, but somewhere along the way some of us lose that sparkle. We get sucked into the everyday routine of work and taking care of those around us. However that spark is not lost forever, sometimes existing as a fleeting ember of ambition that only needs to be cultivated to turn into a roaring flame of fulfilling success. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Jimi Gibson dis...2025-03-2543 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will373 Making Space and Time To Truly Enjoy Life373 Making Space and Time To Truly Enjoy Life In life we will often be distracted with things we feel like we have to do: Go to University, get a normal job from 9-5, participate in every extra curricular activity that is presented to us, and in doing so we fail to take into account what we need. We need community, we need to experience the beauty of the world we live in, we need to live not just survive. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Joyce Perrin discuss the many adventures they both have liv...2025-03-1849 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will372 The Art of Storytelling: Connection Over Persuasion, One Relationship At A Time372 The Art of Storytelling: Connection Over Persuasion, One Relationship At A Time Time makes a folktale of the storyteller, and yet even hundreds if not thousands of years later, the stories that mattered -that we connect with- endure. To tell a story effectively means you need to connect with the person who is listening to you. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Jeff Ikler discuss the importance of genuine connection over persuasion in the art of storytelling, and how it is far more meaningful to build a bridge between one another, rather than...2025-03-1138 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will371 The Frequency Of Fear371 The Frequency Of Fear It’s easy to be afraid. To stick our heads in the sand and watch another episode of a show that we like to ignore what’s going on. But if we do that than we can never grow. We’re all afraid, but we must act through our fear, refuse to be compliant, refuse to be quiet, and enforce the change we want to see in ourselves and the world around us. In today’s episode, Sarah Elkins and Nir Megnazi discuss the use of fear in driving us forward...2025-03-041h 00
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will370 Whatever Will Be, Will Be370 Whatever Will Be, Will Be We can often have expectations of how the world is supposed to work, like we are running out of time or that we have to hold on desperately to ideas and beliefs that no longer serve us. However, it is imperative to our growth as individuals, and in turn, our business ventures, to let go of the beliefs that no longer serve you and to learn to accept that whatever will come to you when you are ready, and in its own good time. In this episode Sarah Elkins and R...2025-02-2538 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will369 Nurturing Community369 Nurturing Community We’re all human. We all have family, we all have struggles, we all have experienced some sort of adversity, which means we’re more alike than we are different. It can be easy to view the world with blinders on, to ignore it all and keep your nose to the ground, but then your community suffers for it. The people who rely on you, whether it be your friends and family, or a client or customer, by choosing to nurture only our corner of existence, the rest of our community suffers. Just like...2025-02-1843 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will368 Choose To Step Up And Step In368 Choose To Step Up And Step In It’s a strange and frightening world we are living in right now. With divisiveness and anger seeming rampant, it falls to us to maintain our community, to show up with a heart of love and understanding for each other and ourselves, to save our village from burning and refusing to let a lack of empathy and communication drive us to destruction. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Erin Miller discuss the vital importance of community and taking care of one another, of building bridges and allo...2025-02-1135 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will367 Manifesting Humanity367 Manifesting Humanity It can be easy to forget that we’re human. When work is stressful and all consuming, when dealing with people stuck in the past and the past versions of you, it’s easy to forget we are a person with needs to lead a fulfilling life. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Alison Miller discuss how the stories we carry with us alter the people we are, often making us revert to the person we used to be and not the person we are now or the person we want to be...2025-02-0450 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will366 Fortunes For The Future366 Fortunes For The Future Throughout our lives we will have to wear many hats and perform many tasks on our paths toward success and personal fulfillment, sometimes these wayward paths lead us to doors that we would never expect to come across. We only need to have the courage to reach out and open the door. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Russel Rowland discuss the many different paths life leads us down and the lessons we learn on our way to fulfillment and success. Highlights The work we fin...2025-01-2842 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will365 Tools For Success365 Tools For Success In the path to thriving and enjoying your life you must be able to identify and utilize the tools unique to your skills and values. Not everyone can use the same tool kit, just like plants require different soil to grow, we also require our own unique environment to grow. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Gina Riley discuss the importance of the unique tools we acquire through life and the best way to utilize these tools. Highlights The influences that shape our lives, developing our cla...2025-01-2254 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will364 NLV 2025364 NLV 2025 This year in Austin Texas February 10th and 11th is the eighth annual NLV Summit hosted by Sarah Elkins. A meeting of great minds, incredible opportunities, and a sharing of impactful stories. In today’s episode Sarah reminisces on many of these stories from the previous several NLV Summits and how they have helped her shape her path going forward. Highlights Gaining perspective on life, especially when you feel hopeless. Incorporating the lessons your friends and peers don’t even realize they’re teaching you....2025-01-1415 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will363 Taking Inventory363 Taking Inventory As the New Year begins it’s time for us to take a step back and reflect on the stories, messages, and values we want to bring into 2025. Just like tending to a garden by removing weeds and adding nutrients, we must also tend to the garden of our lives. In this episode Sarah Elkins, Emily McVey, and Chris Wang discuss the stories that shaped them into who they are as well as how they have chosen to tell their stories through thoughtful and meaningful actions. Highlights What...2025-01-071h 04
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will362 Stories Influence Our Identity and Personal Narrative362 Stories Influence Our Identity and Personal Narrative As we close the chapter on 2024 and begin to start anew in 2025, it’s time that we take a step back to reflect on the narratives and stories that we have been harboring. We must take it upon ourselves to determine if these stories still serve us or if it is time to let those stories stay a product of their time and remain in the past so that we can create new stories that reflect us who we are now. In today’s monologue Sarah Elkins...2024-12-3116 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will361 Tools For Change361 Tools For Change Change is an unstoppable force of nature. From the great Rocky Mountains to the spring flowers, all of us are subject to change, whether it be for positive or negative is entirely up to you and the choices you make in utilizing your skills and natural talents. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and her guest Sally Magee discuss how change can be dealt with in a constructive and helpful way to not only better yourself but those in your life as well. Highlights Personal experience affe...2024-12-2440 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will360 Taking Your Own Advice360 Taking Your Own Advice Sometimes in life we are told by those who come to us for guidance how valuable and insightful our input can be, however it is often difficult for us to take our own words to heart. This can be for a myriad of reasons, but if our personal board of directors insist that we have a good head on our shoulders, certainly we must turn inward and offer advice to ourselves. In this episode, Sarah Elkins ruminates on the importance of taking your own advice and being mindful of ho...2024-12-1711 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will359 What is Success?359 What is Success? Success and our paths to reaching it look different for every person, especially when it's to someone who isn’t an achiever and doesn’t care for titles. Our own personal success is often more meaningful than a trophy. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Robin Hamilton discuss their own personal definitions of success as well as the trials and hurdles on their paths to self discovery and success. Highlights Showing appreciation for your stories and the stories of others. Don’t forget t...2024-12-1046 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will358 Inner Leaders358 Inner Leaders No matter how much of a master we think we are at the things we do, we can always learn more. Whether that be in the form of learning a new hiking path, learning a new crochet stitch, or how to best use your behavior in the workplace to encourage others to thrive. In this episode Tanya Bugbee and Sarah Elkins discuss the importance of having a coach, and using the skills that connect us to others. Highlights Sometimes it takes time for us to accept and share the im...2024-12-0341 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will356 Sarah's Hike357 Sarah’s Hike Many times in life it feels like we’re in the plot of a movie franchise from 2003, hopelessly watching and waiting for the inevitable drop of the other shoe, the logs or cars to fly off of a semi-truck on a highway that we have to take. Often this stress and future-tense fear can become all-consuming, blinding us to the people we share the car and road with. However if we remember to take a breath and slow down, letting those in your car offer their insight and assurance, you will make it to your...2024-11-1905 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will356 Anchored in TimeLabels and judgment are an unfortunate symptom of society, more often than not people will be framed in a particular light without any chance to defend themselves or for a full explanation to be given. Because of one person saying something, one bad interaction, or one misinterpretation a person can be frozen in time under whatever label was given to them. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on enlightening experiences that have recently occurred that have helped continue to shape her perspective on the damage of labels and unfair judgment. Highlights A...2024-11-1210 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will354 Amy's Mess354 Amy’s Mess Hunger, for the lucky among us, is an inconvenience, the final straw during a bad day that fuels a bad temper, or an awkward moment in a silent room. But for many in our community hunger is painful, difficult, and inescapable making it near impossible to do anything let alone attend school. Approximately 2.5 million children are homeless in the United States, many of whom somehow still have to attend school, often hungry. But we can help, whether it be through donations or time, we can help the children in our communities. Today Sa...2024-10-2927 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will355 Create The Community You Need355 Create The Community You Need Building a community can be a daunting yet very rewarding task, in order to find this community often you need to spread out and meet strangers, expanding both your world view and understanding of others. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Emily Carlson discuss the importance of building community and making your very own personal board of directors to work together for a better tomorrow. Highlights Knowing what really matters to you and never compromising your values. What you want fro...2024-10-2738 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will353 Food Stories Revisited353 Food Stories Revisited Revisiting episode 292 “Food Stories” Sarah Elkins reminisces on the importance of love languages and how important it is to show those you love how much you care. Love languages come in many different forms; gift giving, words of affirmation, and for today’s episode specifically, the act of cooking and giving a good meal to those you hold close. It is vital to the health and continuation of relationships that we discover these languages and think about how these actions impact how others view us. Highlights 2024-10-2212 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will352 Human Curriculum352 Human Curriculum Human connection is imperative to our growth and success as people, however if we do not take time to work towards creating a community to feed our social needs we will end up stunted and spinning our tires unable to continue. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Christopher Filipiak discuss the importance of community and growth, which often comes with the fact we must allow ourselves to be vulnerable by loving and being loved in return. Highlights Growth often means vulnerability. Creating community and...2024-10-1441 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will351 Communication Is In Everything We Do351 Communication Is In Everything We Do We are always communicating in everything we do, from overtly talking to or texting someone, to smiling and nodding to strangers you pass on the street, it’s human nature to want to be seen and heard and to give that to others. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Jim Collison discuss the importance of communication and how understanding your strengths leads to better communication not just with others but with yourself. Highlights Choose to put yourself into situations where you can t...2024-10-081h 02
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will350 Growing Through Failure350 Growing Through Failure It is vital to our success to fail, we need to try things that are new and be comfortable in the fact failure is normal and expected. By letting ourselves be uncomfortable and fail at new things, we leave room for growth and success. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Paige Arnof-Fenn discuss the importance of trying new activities and accepting our failures as opportunities to grow. Highlights Building a community of people who know when to reach out for help and who you ca...2024-10-0141 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will349 Community Building349 Community Building How we choose to spend our time directly impacts the way we live both in our careers and in our day to day lives, however if we are spending our precious time surrounding ourselves with negativity and naysayers we are very unlikely to succeed. Which is why it is so important to find a community that encourages and supports each other. In this episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on the path that led her to success and satisfaction, the importance of the individuals that helped her along the way, and the community t...2024-09-2410 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will348 Artistry in Community348 Artistry in Community Art has always brought people together, even in the darkest times of human history there is always a creative trying to give the world just a little bit of light. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Al Swanson discuss how community and artistry often go hand in hand, as well as the importance of giving back to your community. Highlights Community. Passion for the path you chose. People will fall in love with the creator, not the product. Qu...2024-09-1740 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will347 Find The Hidden Prize In Failure347 Find The Hidden Prize In Failure Everything you do, starts and ends with you. From habits we try to make consistent, to our careers, everything we do comes from ourselves, and sometimes we fail which is just as important as success. Often we must fail and learn from those mistakes in order to succeed. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Charles Clark discuss the importance of the evolution of the self, accepting our successes and failure, as well as the importance of stopping to check in with yourself and ensure you are still in...2024-09-1049 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will346 The Words You Use346 The Words You Use You lead from wherever you sit, which is why it is so important to be intentional with your thoughts, words, and motives as you go through life. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Erin Diehl discuss the importance of picking the right words for yourself and being intentional with the energy we bring to any situation. Highlights Picking the right mantra for yourself. Nothing is one size fits all. Letting others voice their thoughts so they feel seen and heard. ...2024-09-0355 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will345 Staying Embodied As An Artist345 Staying Embodied As An Artist Like everything in existence, we change and grow and it can become difficult to stay involved in the things that make our lives fulfilling and enjoyable. Our passions can come and go which is normal, but it is always important to remember to take care of yourself and what makes you thrive in order to return to your passions. In this episode Mary Riitano and Sarah Elkins discuss how acting has come and gone in Mary’s life and how honing numerous skills can help us return to the passions th...2024-08-2744 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will344 Evolving Stories344 Evolving Stories Returning for his second episode, Tom Jackobs and Sarah Elkins discuss how storytelling has changed for both of them since their last conversation, how their tools and strategies have changed, as well as how important storytelling is as a medium for both of them. Highlights It is okay to look for coaches, especially when you yourself are a coach. Find your own strategies and tools for writing and working. You can be good at things and not be the best at them. Q...2024-08-2042 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will343 Incremental Improvements343 Incremental Improvements Our environments influence how we function and how we are able to deal with the things in our life mentally and emotionally so that we can choose to rearrange or shed the stories or things that no longer serve us. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Mark Ainley discuss the importance of giving everything our own style, facing the parts of ourselves we hold onto that need to be reframed or allowed to rest, and finally how we all collect little trophies of our adventures and that these “imperfections” should be treasured. ...2024-08-1352 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will342 The Best Teacher Is Life342 The Best Teacher Is Life Throughout life we all have to learn some difficult lessons, some lessons are harder than others, but if you persist and remember your core values you will succeed with more knowledge of yourself and your capabilities than you started with. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Gail Harris discuss the importance of learning the harder lessons in life and coming out the other side to share these experiences with others. Highlights Loss strengthens us by how we move through it. Tur...2024-08-0641 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will341 Cycles of Relationships341 Cycles of Relationships Growth, change, and accepting that sometimes we are just as much at fault as anyone else, are vital to the health and longevity of the relationships we build. It is only through growth, change, and acceptance that we become the best version of ourselves. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Hope Marshall discuss the natural courses of relationships and how they affect us even after they’ve ended. Highlights It’s okay to pick up something to try and then leave it behind. It’s part of what...2024-07-3040 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will340 Unity in Connectedness340 Unity in Connectedness How we present ourselves with our intentions and energy is as important as a freshly pressed suit when building community and connection in both our work and personal lives. In helping others and accepting help, by being positive and allowing positivity to thrive, in accepting ourselves and others we can build true connectedness. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Sophie Lechner discuss the importance of connectedness in our lives and how building true meaningful relationships can shape our lives. Highlights Connectedness unites us. Real conn...2024-07-2346 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will339 Help Is Not A One Way Street339 Help Is Not A One Way Street Our personal narratives and clutter can take up a lot of mental bandwidth, often leading us to hold on to the stories and labels that no longer serve us and keep us living in the past with a version of ourselves that has changed drastically. It’s incredibly important to take time to assess what in your life no longer serves you, thanking it for the time it did serve you, and letting go. In this episode Sarah Elkins reminisces on her backpacking trip to Utah and...2024-07-1610 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will337 Invest In Yourself337 Invest In Yourself Life is complicated. Just like Frank Sinatra’s song That’s Life, we could be on top of the world one moment and the next we could be pushing boulders up an endless hill, however these moments do not define us. It is how we choose to tell our stories about these experiences that shows us and the entire world who we truly are. In this episode Sarah Elkins and John Henry discuss the importance of investing time and energy into yourself, as well as how events from our formative years...2024-07-0237 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will338 Potential Prospect338 Potential Prospect Throughout our lives as we work towards our goals, whether that be in a company or in our own personal pursuits, we often need to reflect on whether or not what we are doing is in alignment with our values and what we want to do in the future. Then we take the steps to ensure that our actions are in alignment and working in tandem without desire for a better future. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Bryce Arii discuss the importance of self reflection, legacy, and staying in alignment with your...2024-06-3044 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will336 Personal Brands Just Got More Personal336 Personal Brands Just Got More Personal In life there is a point we all must choose how we want to be perceived and how we want people to feel around us, and we need to make the conscious effort to keep the energy we want to be known for not just in our private life but in our work lives as well, so that through living each day aware of our impact we can grow and help others to do the same. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Portia Obeng discuss the importance of our...2024-06-2539 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will335 Seasons of Life335 Seasons of Life Regret and wondering what could have been is one of the most universal human experiences, it’s normal to feel guilt and regret over not achieving something or making mistakes, but it’s how you learn from these experiences and move into the future that defines you. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Hope Marshall discuss regret, healing, and allowing life to move on especially when it’s hard to do so. Highlights Part of what makes people interesting is when they try things the...2024-06-1840 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will334 Growth Is Never Ending334 Growth Is Never Ending Finding awe as you grow and change in life can be challenging, it can feel impossible to reclaim that childlike wonder at times, but through hard work and dedication one can find wonder and awe again. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Demetrius Fassas discuss the importance of taking risks to fuel your awe, as well as healing and continuing on despite our lived experiences. Highlights You need to take risks to enjoy life. Be aware of signs that you are on the ri...2024-06-1158 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will332 The Indomitable Human Spirit332 The Indomitable Human Spirit Trials and tribulations are as common on the path of life as sand is on a beach, but like the sand you can make something beautiful out of what you’ve gone through, even if it’s only for a moment. It is our indomitable human spirit that has gotten our species to where we are now, sometimes it can be easy to forget but we are capable of amazing things, all it takes is that first step towards growth and healing. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Sarah Lines d...2024-06-0425 minYour Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them WillEpisode 333 Communal GrowthEpisode 333 Communal Growth In life we all put aside something when life becomes to busy, maybe it was a hobby you used to enjoy, or a new project you swear you’re going to get to you just need to finish this other thing first, or maybe it’s a skill from your childhood like playing the flute that you decided to put away because of limitations or self intimidation. But that’s the great thing about life, we have all the time in the world to pick back up those things and enjoy them again.2024-05-2839 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will331 Are You Ready For Change?331 Are You Ready For Change? Change is inevitable however it is up to you on how well you deal with that change and if your preconceived biases will influence you in the future. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Divya Ramachandran discuss change, biases, and how important approaching change with curiosity. Highlights Acknowledging the differences between yourself and others and approaching those differences with curiosity and kindness. Taking accountability for what has shaped you and learning to move forward in the best way possible. Being is...2024-05-1447 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will330 How Trials Facilitate Growth1330 How Trials Facilitate Growth It is a normal and natural part of life to encounter obstacles and challenges on our way to success and fulfillment, it is our choice for it to either overwhelm us and destroy us or for us to learn from these instances and grow with grace. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Sarah Russell discuss the importance of growth and self actualization through hard work and dedication, especially through hard times. Highlights Random acts of kindness can create life long friendships. Eve...2024-05-0743 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will329 Hello Fellow Storyteller329 Hello Fellow Storyteller The art of telling stories is something that unites us, but it is also something that can tell us so much about the person after they tell their story, especially if the story is awkward or funny, or if it’s about another person. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Karen Eber discuss the art of storytelling and how there are opportunities to collect and tell stories everyday. Highlights Awkward questions are unavoidable, one day you will look back on them fondly. Activ...2024-04-3038 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will328 What Is Soul In A Business?328 What Is Soul In A Business? Serving your clients, team members, and the community you live in is vital to the health and wellbeing of not just your company but to yourself and those you serve. In serving others and your community you will find that you will be more fulfilled and enjoying your life and work even more than before. In todays episode Sarah Elkins and Steve Ramona discuss servant leadership and the life and soul brought to your business and life. Highlights Remember people’s names...2024-04-2321 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will327 The Company We Keep327 The Company We Keep It’s a fact of life that we will make poor decisions, sometimes in the form of negative influences like people, often times repeatedly when we’re young. It’s normal and completely natural to make mistakes, as human beings we are allowed and expected to grow and change, rarely we are ever the same moment to moment, which is why it is vital to choose actively everyday to do your best and put your best foot forward despite all previous hardships. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Ricky Birk...2024-04-1646 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will326 Giving What You Get326 Giving What You Get Skills and talents -our “magic”- manifest differently in everyone, but what matters is how we use these abilities to achieve our dreams and to lift up others around us. In helping others we will often find ourselves more fulfilled and happy in our daily lives. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Alicia Branham discuss the importance of loving what you do and giving yourself the same grace you give others while also continuing to strive for the future you want. Highlights See ever...2024-04-0939 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will325 Writing Our Own Stories325 Writing Our Own Stories Although hard work and dedication can get you quite far in life, it helps immeasurably to have someone at your back who believes in you and inspires you to strive towards your goals and future. Our stories, though valuable, do not define us and should be used as kindling for the fires of ambition. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Kïrsten Blake discuss the importance of how our stories shape our paths in life but most importantly how the people involved in our stories inspire and guide us to...2024-04-0235 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will324 Facets of Value324 Facets of Value Valuing every facet of where you work, especially if you work with other people, is vital to the survival and prosperity of any company. From treating your customers with integrity and respect, to rewarding the hard work and dedication of loyal and valuable employees, in order to thrive in the world as a business you must value every facet of that business. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Blake Hutchison discuss the importance of appreciating the skills and abilities of everyone in a company, while also giving the absolute best t...2024-03-2652 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will323 Authentic Connections323 Authentic Connections Authentic connections can be difficult to find, whether it be from not being taught the skills to form these connections or simply losing touch with former acquaintances, it can be difficult but not impossible and with the proper tools and a heartfelt message, authentic connections can be found anywhere. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Amy Daughters discuss the importance of authentic connections and how having meaningful conversations with individuals can lead to long term relationships. Highlights You’ll never know how profound a connect...2024-03-1951 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will322 Give Yourself Grace322 Give Yourself Grace To give yourself grace for mistakes you’ve made or for expectations that seem unattainable is something that can be more daunting than many of us want to admit. As difficult as it can be to be gracious with ourselves in order for us to grow and thrive as human beings, it is vital that we do be patient with ourselves and own our mistakes or failed expectations so that we can grow. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Nikki Campbell discuss the importance of resilience, growth, and grace with our...2024-03-1254 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will321 Your Innate Worth321 Your Innate Worth Throughout life we are told from an early age what to do, what jobs would be best for us, and what society expects of us. Quite often this leaves us in a job that doesn’t bring us fulfillment, so we end up looking for that fulfillment and sense of worth by exploring other career paths as well as life paths, and exploring what makes us feel our innate worth. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Corree Roofener discuss how labels impact us and our skill sets from an early age...2024-03-0547 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will320 Anchored in Time320 Anchored in Time Labels and judgment are an unfortunate symptom of society, more often than not people will be framed in a particular light without any chance to defend themselves or for a full explanation to be given. Because of one person saying something, one bad interaction, or one misinterpretation a person can be frozen in time under whatever label was given to them. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on enlightening experiences that have recently occurred that have helped continue to shape her perspective on the damage of labels and unfair jud...2024-02-2709 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will319 Cultures, Conversations, and Community319 Cultures, Conversations, and Community The beauty of humanity is that we all share different cultures, from the differences in our food to whether we take our shoes off in the house, culture shapes how we interact with our community and our career which is why it is vital we have conversations about culture, so that we may find our community, teach others, and learn about another person’s beliefs and values, in doing so we will all be stronger together as a community. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Kevin Hamm discuss the imp...2024-02-201h 00
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will318 Cultivation Of The Self318 Cultivation Of The Self Change and growth are seen everywhere in life, from caterpillars becoming butterflies, to saplings becoming towering trees, it is a normal and expected part of life that should be encouraged and embraced, especially when seen in ourselves. Change can be frightening but if you keep pressing on and contributing with the best of your ability, you will come to a better place. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Kristopher Lopez discuss the importance of appreciating the version of yourself from the past and cultivating the person you want to be...2024-02-1353 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will317 How Our Stories Frame Us317 How Our Stories Frame Us Taking the time to reflect on our stories and consider how they frame us and others is a uniquely powerful tool for storytellers. When we take a step back to look at how and why we are telling our stories we can see the lessons and the messages that are built into our stories and we can see just how important our stories are. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Amanda Edgar discuss how important our stories are, how they shape us, and how through time they are s...2024-02-0647 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will316 Community In The Age of Social Media316 Community In The Age of Social Media Want to join this year’s NLV Conference? Register here! Throughout our careers we will all need to make decisions to benefit ourselves and others by being a good leader and building up our teammates. In the age of social media and technology it is easy to focus on progress and monetization over the health of your community and your team. It is vital to your growth as a person and a business owner to choose community and growth for the betterment of your busi...2024-01-3051 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will315 The Risks Of Following Your Passion315 The Risks Of Following Your Passion In life we are bound to do any number of things on our path to a successful career, adding to our portfolio of stories and skills in our pursuit of happiness. These things do not take away from our skills but instead add to them and our expertise, it all depends on how you choose to apply these acquired tools in our life and career. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Elaine Belson discuss how walking the many paths of life have helped shape them into the s...2024-01-2344 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will314 What Builds Community (Like Chickens)314 What Builds Community (Like Chickens) Want to join this year's NLV Conference? Register here! Community is the life blood of our growth and success as human beings, even in the very beginning of humanity’s first steps across the globe we were hyper social creatures who relied on one another to survive, whether that be to have enough food or blankets for the cold months or maybe even knowing you could go to your local carpenter to ask for a new chair. We have always relied on one another to build ourse...2024-01-1649 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will313 Rediscovering Yourself313 Rediscovering Yourself Change is a fundamental law of nature, nothing stays the same forever. This is especially true when it comes to people, we are never the same even from moment to moment, we are allowed and expected to change, to grow, to become a version of ourselves that we can be proud of. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Michelle Cooper discuss growth, change, and the pains that come with it. Michelle brings warmth, empathy, and a depth of emotion that will make you laugh, maybe cry, but certainly bring you some h...2024-01-0947 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will312 Approaching Differences With Curiosity312 Approaching Differences With Curiosity Differences between people are as certain as night and day, however it is entirely up to us to determine if we will embrace these differences and learn more about them or to further isolate ourselves into an echochamber of similar ideology. In this episode Sarah Elkins reads from her upcoming book Authenticity is Overrated and ruminates on the importance of embracing differences as opposed to getting frustrated over them. Highlights What are some personal blinders you are wearing? Life is boring wit...2024-01-0209 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will311 Admiration And Action311 Admiration And Action Inspiration is a necessity for growth and success, whether inspiration be drawn from daily life or from attending a keynote doesn’t change the importance, all that matters is finding it and determining whether you will admire said inspiration or take action because of it. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Seth Dechtman discuss their roles as storytellers and how hosting or participating in keynotes and similar functions have helped shape their craft and outlooks on its importance. Insightful, compassionate, and an equally wonderful storyteller, Seth makes this episode enjoya...2023-12-2647 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will310 Painting A Picture Of Yourself You Can Be Proud Of310 Painting A Picture Of Yourself You Can Be Proud Of Stories. We all have them and we all share them at some point or another, those stories may make your listener laugh or they may make them cry, what is equally important in storytelling is how you tell stories about other people in your life, how you talk about others says just as much about you as your own personal stories. By exploring the world around you and experiencing the diversity and unique qualities that every place and every person has to offer, you will f...2023-12-1942 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will309 Building Stories To Last309 Building Stories To Last Dedicating your time to something that fulfills you is a vital part of the human experience, an example from today’s episode being home improvement projects on a property that’s almost one hundred years old. Dedicating time to something that was loved so it can be loved again and in turn become a testament to your skill and care for details, can only empower you and elevate your skills and reputation. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Dylan Cinti discuss the power of putting time, effort, love, and curiosi...2023-12-1252 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will308 Change For The Better308 Change For The Better Change is inevitable. It’s a fundamental rule of the universe that everything must change, however it is entirely up to you for the perception of that change to either be a blessing or a curse. Perhaps that change was what you needed to become the person you are today and shed the identity you once held. It's understandable to mourn the person you were but you must look to the future and the new changes that will come. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Chase Dalton discuss the imp...2023-12-0538 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will307 An Analogy For Happiness307 An Analogy For Happiness In today’s environment that is so rife with the use of social media it can be both bewildering and disconcerting to not know what is or isn’t manufactured for content, as well as the perceived obligation to have to participate in social media. Although both overwhelming and exciting one must always remember to have their values at heart and to put forth what you want in the world while also keeping in mind how to support your friends and family online. In this episode Sarah Elkins and AJ Ku...2023-11-2840 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will306 The Escape of A Good Book306 The Escape of A Good Book Following the theme of art and how it inspires us, this week is writing. We have all picked up a book that shaped us in one way or another, and maybe we’re still looking for that next book capable of bringing us comfort and escape from our busy lives. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Adina Edelman discuss the importance of how writing impacts us and how working with authors has given Adina the opportunity to read and contribute to these works of art. 2023-11-1444 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will305 The Anthem of Poetry305 The Anthem of Poetry The arts have always been impactful and meaningful to humanity, however one stands above all the rest in this episode and that is poetry. Poetry conveys emotions and thoughts that are often difficult to put into words, making it one of the most important avenues for both emotional understanding and human connection. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Maya Williams discuss the importance of poetry and how Maya’s experiences and life paths shaped them into the artist they are. Highlights You’ll never kn...2023-11-0755 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will304 Women's Relationships304 Women’s Relationships Whether it be in the workplace, in daily life, or anywhere we go in the world, we meet exceptional individuals that make life both enjoyable and enlightening. It is vital to not only appreciate these people, but to seek out more kindred spirits to lift up and to be lifted up by. In this episode Sarah Elkins and her friends Kimberly Davis and Heather Younger discuss the importance of support and relationships in both our careers and in our down time. Highlights Surprise someone with...2023-10-3131 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will303 Hang On Little Tomato303 Hang On Little Tomato To achieve personal success in life is a feat worthy of celebration, only at the end of a long road can we triumphantly declare our dreams have been achieved. However it can sometimes seem like that road never ends. Whether it’s dreams of career success, or dreams of a healthy environment, the road to success can be daunting. What is vital to remember is that even the smallest action can make a difference. A snowflake does not know it will become a snowman or an avalanche. In this epis...2023-10-2448 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will302 Spread Love302 Spread Love With how the current world is it can be incredibly easy to become desensitized and disheartened, especially when we are surrounded by ignorance, hatred, and suffering. Feeling helpless and heartbroken in times like these is completely normal, but it’s important to take a breath and consider how you can help others, your community, and yourself. Traumatic events like these take time to heal from and no one is going to be okay overnight, but we can try to spread kindness and love even when we are hurting and mourning for others. ...2023-10-1708 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will301 Sharing Meaningful Stories To Portray Your Values and Skills301 Sharing Meaningful Stories To Portray Your Values and Skills Storytelling has been a part of human culture since we lived in caves, from stories of great heroes to warnings not to go into dangerous places, knowing how to tell stories has been vital to our existence more now than ever. Knowing how to tell stories and knowing what meaningful stories to share is a skill that is important to hone and practice daily. In this episode Sarah Elkins shares another meaningful story that exemplifies her values and skills as a professional and person, w...2023-10-1007 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will300 An Accidental Podcaster300 An Accidental Podcaster Sometimes when we’re trying to give others an opportunity we don’t realize that we are the ones that would benefit most. We try our hardest, using our talents to the best of our ability, and through that hard work we can achieve greatness or sometimes stand in our own way. In this episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on how she began this podcast and how it has given her the opportunity to hear the stories of others as well plenty of time to reflect on her own stories and how s...2023-10-0315 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will299 Clarity and Having The Courage to Do What You Aspire To299 Clarity and Having The Courage to Do What You Aspire To The constant pressure to do the best and be the best is something many of us grew up knowing. Thinking we had to have straight A’s in school, trying to be the best in our extracurriculars, and even taking up tasks that should have been given to someone who’s skills would suit the task better, whether it’s because of our own internal voices or external pressures we need to learn to seek clarity and focus on the skills that make us invalua...2023-09-2642 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will298 You Have To Take Care of Yourself In Order To Be Your Best298 You Have To Take Care of Yourself In Order To Be Your Best Everything we do, whether it be work, caring for our families, or even going for a morning walk, all starts with ourselves and in today’s work culture of burning the candle at both ends, it can be easy to forget that we need to take breaks and prioritize our well being in order to do our best in everything we do. Hopefully by doing so we can model a behavior that others can follow and make a change for the better. In...2023-09-1928 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will297 Change, Growth, and Hope - How The Belief Others Have In Us Can Move Us297 Change, Growth, and Hope - How The Belief Others Have In Us Can Move Us Change is an inevitable part of life, how you choose to handle that change is what defines us as people. Will you crumble and erode like an immovable boulder, or will you bend and grow like a sapling waiting for it's time to reach the sky? We never know what we are capable of until we are put to the test, even though sometimes others see our potential better than we ever could. In this episode Sarah Elkins re...2023-09-1254 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will295 Personal Stories and How They Matter295 Personal Stories and How They Matter The relevance of stories in career and life is something that is undeniable, whether it be a professional story about a time you were vital to your team at work, or a more personal story that demonstrates skills that are so second nature to you that you don’t even think about them any more, learning when and how to share every story and how they put your talents and values on display is a skill that can take you above and beyond. In this episode Sarah Elk...2023-08-2912 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will294 Communication is Key294 Communication is Key Frustration and irritation is common in every relationship, more often than not it stems from not understanding others or hearing out what others have to say. It is up to us and those we work with to find a peaceful and healthy resolution. In this episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on the early points in her career and how she saw her talents even before knowing about Strengths Finder, but most importantly how she was able to help her company and colleagues. Highlights The bad part...2023-08-2212 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will293 Self Reflection: Assessments293 Self Reflection: Assessments Fear of the self is something that has existed for hundreds of years, it’s been something remarked upon by Plato and Socrates, and it is a very common human experience. However if we approach our talents and sense of self with curiosity we can foster a healthy, loving relationship with yourself, your career, and your future. In this episode Sarah Elkins reflects on the assessments she was hired for and found that some of the audience didn’t “buy into” her assessments, only for said audience members to discover things about themselv...2023-08-1510 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will292 Food Stories292 Food Stories Love languages come in many different forms; gift giving, words of affirmation, and for today’s episode specifically, the act of cooking and giving a good meal to those you hold close. It is vital to the health and continuation of relationships that we discover these languages and think about how these actions impact how others view us. In this episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on the concept of love languages and how important they are to understand and how they influence how we are perceived by others and ourselves. 2023-08-0811 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will291 The Stories We Keep291 The Stories We Keep As much as we all may wish for life to be sunshine and daisies we can often end up focusing on the storms and trials that accompany them. It can be easy to lose yourself to grief and bitterness when viewing your life through those storm clouds, however it is important to remember that it is only a passing thing that shadow and even darkness must pass, and how you tell your story after those times can reframe how you see your life and give hope to others who may be g...2023-08-011h 09
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will290 Ideation290 Ideation Working on ourselves is a never ending yet very worthwhile endeavor that shapes who we become as people, and where we want to go in life. Sometimes that work is hard and can seem intimidating or at the very least tedious, especially if our strengths have been criticized or used against us in the past. However, like anything worth doing, growing as an individual takes hard work and support, especially from yourself. In this episode Sarah Elkins poses this thought to the listeners of Your Stories Don’t Define You How You Tel...2023-07-2513 min
Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will289 Fear Is A Liar289 Fear Is A Liar Doubt, fear, and feeling awkward is a normal human experience, although it is important to celebrate the great and amazing things you do and are capable of, it is just as important to acknowledge that we all have limitations and we all feel fear in trying the new or the not quite perfected. It is only through facing and accepting that fear and persevering onward that we can continue to grow into our ideal selves. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Tammy Hader discuss how fear influences our decision a...2023-07-1845 min
Human Meets Being: One Voice Of Love, Activating Your GenesisWhispering Like The WindXoxo.By Sarah Elkins, SparklesBlue Ray of Light Starseed✨💎💙🔮🌀🌞🌈🌍🦋🐳🐬🎶🎤🙌✨HumanMeetsBeing.comIf you enjoyed this meditation with light codes activations and healing energy to clear, balance, and restore the Chakra systems please feel free to share.I dedicate my entire Being to serving the highest and best good of all and Mother Earth, through only love donations and sliding scale.If you feel inspired to gift an energy exchange in form of love donation it would be a great blessing.Thank you, please reference the details below.I accept payment via :https://www.paypal.me/sarahmarie1183Venmo: @Sarah-Marie-711--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way t...2020-06-1507 min