Coaching as Benevolence

L' Shawn and Eryn focus on the "Act" section of their guided journal, exploring how feedback informs curiosity and enhances living. They discuss personal experiences with receiving feedback, with L' Shawn sharing how feedback from her cousin helped her reassess her decision-making process and Eryn describing how a colleague's feedback about caring too much about her career led to a career pivot. T...

L' Shawn and Eryn focus on the "float" prompt in section two of their guided journal, exploring the metaphor of floating in a large open sea as a way to surrender control and allow life to guide them to new places. L' Shawn shares how a recent YouTube video about Bashar's teachings on following what excites you inspired her to pursue two new passion areas: co-facilitating civic academies through C...

L' Shawn and Eryn conduct discuss prompt six in section 2 from their journal series focused on exploring heart space and ways of being. L' Shawn imagines her heart space as a luxurious palatial estate with nature surroundings where people could retreat and connect with their bodies. Eryn shares how her recent cardiac CT scan results were unexpectedly positive, leading her to explore how physical a...

L' Shawn and Eryn focus on journal prompt 5 in section 2 of their guided journal. The prompt is about grief and authenticity in supporting loved ones who are grieving. L' Shawn shares a personal story about losing a friend named Angus who died unexpectedly in Italy, discussing how geographic distance made the grieving process more complex and how Eryn's coaching helped her process the grief authen...

Eryn and L' Shawn conduct a guided journal discussion on prompt number 4 in the second section of their guided journal, "Coaching Nuggets of Wisdom to Inspire. Explore. Act. Flourish: A guided journal to live your best life." This section focuses on deeper exploration of their ways of being in the world and the prompt looks at emotional resilience. The prompt introduces the concept of buoyancy as...

Eryn and L' Shawn continue their review of their guided journal "Coaching Nuggets of Wisdom to Inspire. Explore. Act. Flourish: A guided journal to live your best life," focusing on the third prompt in the Explore section. L' Shawn shares how inspiration from a workday planting trees led to a powerful metaphor about plant roots growing in circles and how this connected to considering homeschooling...

L' Shawn and Eryn continue their survey of the "Explore" section, focusing on the journal prompt about believing in oneself and capacity to do hard things. They discuss how to approach past challenges by observing them objectively as if through an anthropologist's lens, identifying strengths, and applying lessons learned to current situations. L' Shawn shares her experience transitioning from teac...

L' Shawn and Eryn explore the concept of seasons as metaphors for personal growth and ways of being. They discuss how different seasons represent various life stages and emotional states, with L' Shawn sharing how she identifies with spring in her career transition and Eryn connecting seasonal imagery to personal rhythms and preferences. The conversation explores how individual ways of being can s...

Eryn and L' Shawn discuss prompt number seven from their guided journal's "Inspire" section, which explores how to lean into authenticity amidst fear. They examine the concept through a dinner party metaphor, where authenticity, fear, and growth are represented as different beings at the table. The conversation includes creative visualizations of these concepts as animals (squirrel for fear, swan...

L' Shawn and Eryn explore joy and its role in their lives. They discuss how joy can coexist with difficult emotions, using L' Shawn's experience at her in-laws' 60th wedding anniversary as an example of finding joy even in moments of grief. The conversation includes a brainstorming exercise where they list words associated with joy, including appreciation, connection, happiness, and playfulness. P...

Eryn and L' Shawn discuss prompt 5 of their guided journal about surrender. They explore the concept of surrendering to higher powers, processes, and situations beyond personal control, using metaphors like floating in an ocean current. L' Shawn shares insights about surrender in coaching and how it involves trusting the process rather than focusing on specific outcomes. They discuss how shame can...

L' Shawn and Eryn discuss the fourth prompt in their guided journal about "The paradox of change," exploring how contradictions and complexities show up during life transitions. Eryn shares insights about how paradox serves as a container for holding both difficult and hopeful aspects of change, while L' Shawn connects the concept to the fluid nature of human existence and the challenges of embrac...

Eryn and L'Shawn discuss the third prompt in their guided journal: Coaching Nuggets of Wisdom: A Guided Journal to Live Your Best Life. Eryn reads the prompt out loud and shares insights into the prompt including reading some definitions of "congruence." Eryn and L' Shawn discuss how congruence shows up in different aspects of their lives, and how congruence has a sense of fluidity and ease. They...

Eryn and L' Shawn discuss Prompt 2 from their guided journal "Coaching Nuggets of Wisdom to Inspire, Explore. Act, Flourish," focusing on growth and challenges. L' Shawn shares how she's experiencing multiple life changes simultaneously, including professional responsibilities and family dynamics with aging parents and in-laws. Eryn reflects on how her perspective has evolved from seeking control...

This first episode of Season 8 focuses on L' Shawn and Eryn's new guided journal titled "Coaching Nuggets of Wisdom to Inspire, Explore, Act and Flourish." They discuss how wisdom and insights often come from unexpected sources, including friends, family, and strangers, rather than just professionals, and how emotional connections help these nuggets stick with people. The episode centers on the jo...

Eryn and L' Shawn reflect on Season 7 of their podcast, discussing highlights, themes, and key episodes. They note how the season was bookended by guests with different approaches to coaching and life organization, and identify themes around agency, conflict engagement, and the balance of joy and grief. The hosts highlight the importance of process throughout the season, including topics like lett...

The podcast episode features Rachel Zurer, founder of Wild Genius Coaching, discussing her journey from magazine editing to coaching and her integration of body awareness and spiritual practices into her work. Rachel explains how she helps clients connect with their "wild genius" through body awareness techniques and presence-based coaching, emphasizing the importance of state before strategy. She...

In this episode, L'Shawn and Eryn discuss the topic of inspiration and change, exploring how AI, community organizing, and personal growth can drive societal transformation. They share personal experiences and insights, including L' Shawn's attendance at a lecture by Dr. Erica Chenoweth on civil resistance and Eryn's work on coaching and community engagement. The conversation touches on the import...

L' Shawn and Eryn explore the complex distinction between supporting and enabling loved ones, particularly in the context of L' Shawn's experience with her daughter who has PDA (Persistent Desire for Autonomy). L' Shawn shares how she navigates her daughter's medical and educational challenges while maintaining a collaborative parenting approach, which contrasts with her own upbringing in a more a...

Eryn and L' Shawn discuss strategies for managing stress, drawing from personal experiences and coaching techniques. They explore various approaches, including breathing exercises, mindfulness, and the importance of intentional pauses during stressful situations. L' Shawn shares insights from a workshop on making stress a superpower, emphasizing the need for outlets to release adrenaline. Eryn hig...

Eryn and L' Shawn have an in-depth discussion about personal growth, exploring different perspectives on how to measure and define it, and share their own experiences with intentional self-improvement and emotional development. The conversation concludes with a reflection on the balance between stability and transformation, using the metaphor of "roots and wings" to explore how individuals can nav...

In this episode, Eryn and L'Shawn discuss values, conflict resolution, and the importance of listening in coaching and personal development. L' Shawn and Eryn explore how values shape personal and professional roles, particularly in leadership positions. They discuss the concept of slowing down and giving space for meaningful conversations, as well as the challenges of providing feedback in high-c...

This episode focuses on discussing a church series on conflict, where Eryn shares her experience implementing a curriculum developed through the Colossian Forum. The series aims to help congregation members engage conflict in a Christ-centered way rather than avoiding it, with key themes including going Godward, getting curious, listening with humility, and repairing misunderstandings. L'Shawn and...

Eryn and L' Shawn focus on goal-setting and planning for 2026. They discuss challenges around creating intentions and navigating personal and professional goals. Eryn shares her struggles with motivation and clarity, while L'Shawn offers insights on using flash-forward exercises and asking reflective questions to clarify priorities. They explore the importance of external accountability, the value...

In this podcast episode, L' Shawn and Eryn share their experiences from an impromptu retreat in Denver after their planned trip to Idaho Springs was canceled due to power outages. They discuss how they pivoted to embrace spontaneous experiences, including a visit to a Nordic bathhouse, dining at an Indian restaurant, attending a dueling piano bar, and exploring the Denver Botanic Gardens. Througho...