Mpowered with Magna

Have you considered the impact of your definitions or lack of definitions? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #26, where we discuss the importance of reflection, clarity and communication when it comes to defining important terms in our lives. Defining terms is essential to improving communication, fostering trust and understanding, eliminating ambiguity, highlighting assumptions, and av...

Have you ever felt like an imposter? I think we all have, at some point or another. Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #32 with my guests, Carolina Capitan & Cotiso Bogdan Nistorica, where we discuss our experience with imposter syndrome and how we use comparisons to our benefit. Comparing ourselves to others can be toxic especially when it’s from a place of judgment or diminishing y...

Balancing busy lives with relationship needs takes thoughtfulness. Most challenges in relationships arise from a lack of understanding and communication of capacity, availability, and basic requirements. Sometimes we’re the ones asking for more than we’re receiving and other times the tables are reversed. In order to have healthy, mutually fulfilling and nurturing relationships, we need to be hone...

Have you ever wondered what qualities make your friendships and relationships last as long as they do? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #31 where we discuss how self-development and understanding yourself is key to building meaningful connections with others. By reflecting on why your closest friendships work, you can identify the positive qualities like respect, support, and communica...

Are you asking the right questions to unlock the full potential of your life’s journey? Life is full of a variety of experiences, and while challenges undoubtedly offer valuable lessons, it's crucial to recognize that the majority of our time is spent in moments of contentment. Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #31 where we discuss the importance of asking questions in those quieter...

When is it time to toss the spoiled milk? Like milk, relationships naturally expire. But how do you know when one has soured? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Ask Magna Live Chat #16 where we explore the signs a meaningful connection has curdled into something unhealthy, how to check your emotional "fridge," and how to identify when it's time to discard rotten relationships so you...

Have you ever wanted to be a more impactful speaker? Not sure what to focus on to create an engaging presentation? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #30 - How to Use Contrast to Captivate where we dive into the challenges of presenting ideas, formally or informally, and explore strategies to captivate your audience effectively. LINKS : Live Chat #30 How to Use Contrast to Captivate ▶️ h...

Have you ever thought about the principles that guide your life? What are they and what steps do you take to make sure you are applying them consistently in all areas of your life? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #7 on Communication & Expression outlining the 5 guiding principles of my life and my MPowered Coaching Program. Approaching and interacting with life with a solid set of...

When was the last time you truly reflected on your strengths, weaknesses, triggers, skills, priorities, boundaries, and potential? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #24 - How To Live Your Life With Integrity. In this episode we delve into the importance of self-awareness and relational awareness in our lives and how understanding ourselves, our triggers, and our boundaries can lead to p...

The majority of us can say that we’ve changed and grown as individuals and leaders in life, but how often have we stopped to reflect on why we’ve changed the way we have? Today’s episode is from a speech I delivered for Toastmasters on leadership styles. I knew my style had changed over the years, but it wasn’t until I reflected on those specific moments in my life that I truly understood how and...

Compared to your younger self, do you find yourself to be more or less expressive? More or less curious? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #9, Dealing with Judgment from Friends Family & Much More, where we discuss how external pressures and demands can stifle our inner voice and how we combat that through reflection. My goal for us is to reconnect with that child-like curiosity and...

Have you ever thought about when, why and how you show appreciation? Are you aware of the impact of your engagement or lack thereof? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #28, The Benefits of Amplifying Your Positive Voice, where we discuss why it’s important to amplify our positive voice, through gratitude and appreciation, not only for the person on the receiving end, but also in encourag...

Have you ever wanted to express yourself but didn’t do so out of a fear of judgment? There are many areas of our lives where the fear of judgment can hold us back from expressing ourselves authentically, connecting with other people, getting creative and reaching our potential. Today’s episode refers primarily to my experience within the dance community but it can easily apply to any other pursuit...

Have you ever found it difficult to forgive someone? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat 15 on Forgiveness & Ownership. Our past experiences and more importantly, the emotions attached to those experiences, can often interfere with our ability to acknowledge change and growth in the present moment. Our attachment to the past often clouds our view and impedes our ability to live and be...

Have you ever felt discouraged or unmotivated to continue? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #13 Is What You’re Chasing Worth It? We discuss the impact of comparisons, with others and ourselves, the importance of pinpointing the source of our discouragement, and the importance of reflecting on what we’re actually trying to achieve to overcome self-defeating beliefs. If you want to watch...

There are many types of addictions that we know of, observe, or that we have engaged in ourselves, that can have a huge impact on our relationships. Most of the time we think about substance abuse but it could even be an activity like dance, which most people would consider harmless. Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #18 Tips for Effective Communication. In this episode I talk about the...

Have you ever felt like you were asking too much? We've all been in situations where we felt hesitant to demand what we truly need and deserve, be it in our professional lives, personal relationships, or friendships. Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #17, Asking for Too Much or Asking the Wrong Person, where we discuss the importance of setting boundaries, clarifying our needs and w...

Have you ever wondered why your style of communication works great with some but is completely ineffective with others? Today’s episode is from a speech I delivered on the similarities of effective communication and relay races and how success at both requires you to perform at your best, adapt to your environment, and reframe your relationships. LINKS : ▶️ https://youtu.be/XCbxs-FvUJY MORE INFO:...

Have you ever felt disappointed by the way other people show up to something they said yes to? I sure have. Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #17 Asking for Too Much or Asking the Wrong Person where we discussed the difference between just showing up, our presence, and how we show, the quality of our presence. We often have expectations and sometimes complaints about others, but we don’...

Accepting rejection is a necessary part of life in dance, relationships, and the pursuit of any goal. Asking someone for something doesn’t always mean you’ll get a yes. Since we always have something to ask for, we all face the possibility of rejection. The more comfortable we get with receiving it gracefully and delivering it gently, the more likely we are to reach our goals and have healthy rela...

Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #27, How to Enhance Your Own Learning Experience. I received 3 questions in particular that are incredibly important in our development as dancers, especially as beginner dancers. The first addresses the question of timing your dance requests. The second relates to the best approach to applying what you learn in the classroom. And the last question is a...

❓Have you ever considered how you approach your learning and growth? Specifically, have you thought about how your ego might be hindering your progress? In this episode, I share an excerpt from Live Chat #27: How to Enhance Your Own Learning Experience. I talk about my experience learning from one of my peers in the dance industry, Franklin Diaz, and how the best way to approach learning is by st...

Have you ever felt nervous before going on stage, either to speak publicly or for a dance performance? Today’s episode is a response to a question I received from one of my students about how to calm your nerves before a big performance. The main tool that I use is breath control. Have a listen and let me know if it works for you. If you have other methods, feel free to share them in the comments....

Have you ever wondered why some relationships, no matter how much interest you show, or how much effort you put in, don’t work out? Today’s episode is an excerpt from my Monthly Live Chat, #16 on Relationships & Expiration dates and discusses the importance of identifying different commitment styles and managing your expectations accordingly. ▶️Live Chat #16: Relationships & Expiration Dat...

Have you ever thought about how important your “yes” really is? Today’s episode is an excerpt from Live Chat #24 on the topic of Choice, Commitment & Integrity. We discussed how our “yeses” are like parts of an assembly line and how a failure to follow through often has a negative impact on the outcome and usually the relationship also. ▶️Live Chat #24: Choice, Commitment & Integrity https...