Checkbox Other with Nikki Innocent

If the pandemic has you battling cabin fever or wishing you could hop on a plane to head on vacation or to relocate, this episode is for you! Margo Gabriel, freelance writer and new cookbook author did just that, in the fall of 2020 she took the leap and is now an expat living in Lisbon Portugal. Margo shares her story all about leaning into uncertainty to discover opportunities beyond her wildest...

How often are you doing things because you feel like you "should?" Not because you want to, or need to, but because you feel the pressure to do it in order to avoid criticism, gain approval or to meet other people's standards. If you don't do what you "should do" how does it impact your relationship with your self worth, self confidence and motivation?    If you have been trying to find your footi...

If you've ever doubted yourself, wondered if you are enough or battled feelings of imposter syndrome, the world around you has had you question your self-worth. What would your life be like if you operated with the knowledge that you are born worthy and nothing you can do or say will take that away? In this episode, Dr. Adia Gooden, licensed clinical psychologist and self-worth specialist joins Ni...

In the world of self-improvement and professional development we are so caught up in where things need to be fixed and we miss the beauty that is around us. We are encouraged to buy things to find our fulfillment and strive for things to reach happiness.  During the holiday season, things tend to get more complicated, you are pressured to do more, buy more, and give more. What if this year, you ga...

Ever wish you could have learned about diversity, equity and inclusion in school instead of in the headlines? This week's episode features Kiana Pierre-Louis lawyer, professor and the co-creator of the new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion major at Bentley University, the first ever at a business university. Kiana shares her experience of co-creating the curriculum with a cross functional team, advo...

Counterterrorism and national security expert, Ryan Greer, joins Nikki to talk about white supremacy, domestic terrorism and the imperative to understand and dismantle the oppressive foundations of both on an individual and collective level. Ryan talks about his time serving in the US Department of Homeland Security, the White House, the US Department of State and the US House of Representatives a...

Twenty one babies are born every minute, which means with every minute numerous women's bodies are going through the trauma of childbirth, but our culture doesn't prioritize healing in the same way we do all other significant body traumas. Post birth rehab, strengthening and healing are topics that are often not spoken about or even acknowledged as part of the birthing process until after the baby...

Do you know the feeling when a goal you've worked so hard for is finally becoming a reality and it scares you, overwhelms you or you find yourself second guessing if it's even what you wanted in the first place? This is a very common reaction to success, especially when you've put all your energy, blood, sweat and tears to make the achievement happen, in work and in life. In this episode, Nikki ta...

Trish Fontanilla is the ultimate community builder, everything she does she creates such a welcoming, encouraging and humanity driven environment for people to show up as themselves and connect with one another. In this episode, Trish shares her story of how she entered the startup world and has become an expert community builder in a time when we need true community more than ever. Trish and Nikk...

If you've been thinking about taking a leap, making a change or stretching outside of your comfort zone, now is a great time to start -- even if it's just taking baby steps. In this week's mini episode, Nikki shares her recent leap, an impromptu extended trip to Portugal!   What ways have you been thinking about making a chance in your life or betting on yourself?  We want to hear about it: www.ni...

Mixed-race Americans are the fastest growing racial group in the US based on the 2020 Census. One of the most common and often most frustrating questions that biracial and multiracial people get is "What are you?" it can be dehumanizing and extremely "othering." In this episode, our host Nikki Innocent, a mixed-race Haitian American woman, flips the dynamic on its head and dives into the question...

When you progress in your career, your life and your relationships, oftentimes making decisions becomes more complex. There is a more complex level of nuance needed as each call impacts both the long and short term, both you and other, both the big picture and what needs to get done today. In this episode, Nikki talks about the coaching technique she uses to help clients and herself navigate the n...

As an entertainer, rejection comes with the territory as does resilience. In this episode, Andrea Dora, Broadway actor, entrepreneur, mother and all around game changer joins Nikki to dive into the nuances of taking up space in a world that tells black, biracial women to be quiet and play their part. Andrea and Nikki dive into the dynamics of belonging and confidence, families of origin and the wi...

The Great Resignation is in full swing, June 2021 brought record numbers in resignations and job openings but with the pumping of the brakes from the Covid19 Delta variant, everyone is waiting to see how that impacts the job market. In this episode, Nikki talks about why the Great Resignation is happening right now and the key trends that have been catalyzed and amplified due to the pandemic. She...

If you were asked to write a note of gratitude to one person in your life, who would it be? What would you say? Today's guest Brian Doyle talks all about his passion for bringing more gratitude in all it's nuanced beauty to the world. Brian is a lover of storytelling with a deep background in the TED community and as an event producer for vital organizations like the LGBT Community Center in NYC a...

September is Self Improvement Month -- our culture has a tricky relationship with the idea of it. Perfectionism, hustle culture and capitalism have us jockeying for position over one another and seeking validation and achievement outside ourselves. Host Nikki Innocent believes that self improvement is truly rooted in self discovery, that all of the power you need is within you, that the improvemen...

Public speaking coach, Rhonda Khan, joins Nikki in today's episode to talk about the power of activating your voice, moving through fear, and owning the room by sharing your story. Nikki & Rhonda shine a light on the importance of public speaking over the last few years and how the Millennial & Gen Z generations differ in their relationship to public speaking, using their voices and having a platf...

MIT's women's basketball head coach, Lucia Robinson-Griggs, joins Nikki to dive into the incredible influence and impact that sports, athletes and coaches have on our society. Lucia shares her experiences of growing up as a biracial Black girl in Boston who has followed her passions that led her to playing in the NCAA tournament, to playing on Boston's women's full contact football team, to coachi...

How many times in your life have you heard "trust your gut" and felt like cool, great but what does that mean!? In this episode, the final installment in this 6-part series on surviving burnout, Nikki talks about what it means to trust your gut/intuition/inner knowing; why for so many of us, a relationship with our gut has been underdeveloped, discouraged or punished; how to determine what's your...

Failure is a scary word for so many of us. We've been brought up to believe it is the worst outcome and we should avoid it at all costs, but what if that is false? It's time to flip the fear of failure on its head. What if failure holds the clue to the wisdom we most need to learn? What if failure is a faster way to finding the solution?  In this episode, we dive into the importance of acknowledgi...

The power of positive thinking, the importance of being open and receptive, the need to keep your cool and have a smile on your face are all things we've been told lead to success, but in order for those tactics to work, first we must have authenticity. Authenticity in our yeses and our nos. In this episode, Nikki dives into the vital tools of discernment and self trust and the power of honoring t...

Whether people know it or not, they react almost reflexively when you tell them you are taking a risk to do something outside of what is expected of you. The "Oh I could never do that!" or "I'd be too scared" or "that's crazy!!" responses are all too common especially when you are putting yourself and your needs first after long periods of neglecting them. This episode dives into what Nikki views...

Being right, being certain, being perfect, being confident and unwavering. These are all things that we've been told are the penultimate goal in life and are what make you a successful winner or leader. But with the world changing so rapidly, being stuck in your ways or fixed on the old will create more problems for you than solutions.    In this second episode of a six-part series from Nikki's ke...

Everyone is talking about "being your authentic self" but what does that really mean? For me, it's accepting who I am and embracing what my experiences have taught me. Growing up we learned science, math, history, etc but we didn't learn how to get to know ourselves. As we navigate re-entering society, there's a pull between what you've learned about yourself and the world around you over the last...

Old school job searching is out, it's time for a reframe. If you left your job, are considering leaving your job or looking to re-enter the workforce, the interview process can feel daunting.  In this episode, Nikki talks about the workplace trends in play with the increase in remote work and the prioritization of diversity, equity and inclusion -- especially in the hiring and HR industry. She hig...