Speak Your Mind Unapologetically Podcast

Find out the secret sauce to speaking up with assertive communication in a heart-driven way. Heart-centered assertive communication is communication that brings people together to help each other out while at the same building the relationship. These are the 10 principles to keep in mind as you are assertive in a heart-centered way. 05:39 Courage 07:20 Candid 09:19 Curiosity 12:25 Centered 13:26 C...

The top reason people shy away from speaking up and expressing their needs, boundaries, desires, true thoughts, and feelings are their fears of speaking up. This happens especially with those who don't like to confront others or to engage in conflict because of these fears, that many are very aware of but don't know how to overcome. Any people pleasers out there? Nice people? When you don't fully...

Do men not take you seriously at work? Being a woman in a male-dominated workplace is not easy.... Do guys question everything you do? Your credibility? Underestimate your intelligence? Even guys with less experience! Do you feel like you have to constantly prove yourself? Unfortunately, sexism and gender bias is a real thing! And being the only woman in the room or one of the few around makes it...

If you are the kind of person that is very nice, or if you want to make sure you don't hurt other people's feelings, or if you really want people to like you, chances are you dread conflict and confrontation. Ironically, by avoiding conflict and not bringing up important issues that bother you in a timely manner, you may end up hurting people, being mean, and pushing people away from you. Sooner o...

Is fear holding you up from speaking up? One of the biggest challenges people face when trying to speak up comes from inside: it's their fears. Fear of backlash, fear of being misunderstood, fear of upsetting other people, fear of retaliation, fear of being reported on, fear of not being liked, fear of being labeled difficult, fear of bothering people, worry that you'll be ignored no matter what,...

It can hurt when someone responds to what you say by saying, "are you on your period?", "you're too sensitive," or "you seem very emotional." In the example I share in this episode, this businesswoman responds to the accusation in a very assertive way in five simple steps. She imposes her boundaries and stays positive in the end. Get the show notes here. Responding to unfair accusations is part of...

This is the best time of the year to review and celebrate your accomplishments, learnings, and experiences. How do you review your year? Join me as we honor and acknowledge your year together! This episode is part 1 of a 3-part series that will walk you through your year-end review with eye-opening questions. These annual review prompts will help you reflect on, appreciate, and celebrate your year...

Many people think they have to be aggressive to get ahead in their careers because of the aggressive work culture in many companies. But they are not willing to be that kind of person. And the worst part is they feel that if they don't want to be an aggressive, rude person, then they will certainly stay stuck forever. The reality is that you can be a nice person and get ahead at the same time. You...

Do you feel like you're always being judged by others? Do you feel like people judge you unfairly? Does it bother you? Let me show you how to worry less about being judged. Judgement always feels like a threat, but most of the time it isn't. And in the few moments where there is a real threat, you have more influence over the outcome then you think. Not all judgement is created equal. You can't ge...

It can feel intimidating to speak up in meetings with many people, that have people more senior than you, or where everyone speaks at the same time. Speaking and participating in meetings doesn't have to be difficult!  In this episode, you'll discover 7 great techniques to easily insert yourself into those meeting conversations, so that you never have to enter and leave a meeting in complete silen...

No one likes to be interrupted. Everyone likes to feel heard. If you feel like people interrupt you often, walk all over you, and don't listen to what you have to say, then there are some techniques that can help you better handle interruptions in an elegant way. In this episode, you'll find out many strategies to handle rude interruptions graciously. To learn more about how to stand up for yourse...

In this interview, Asia shares 3 ways to promote your work in a non-weird way, how to become the CEO of your career, and the dangers of people-pleasing for your career. Asia is the founder of the bad boss breakthrough initiative and Bridgewell professional services. Asia is a leadership and empowerment expert, professional coach and speaker, and coaches accomplished professionals who are already t...

If you don't have a confident assertive non-verbals and body language, people won't take you seriously even if your words are impressive. Non-verbals include posture, eye contact, hands, head, voice, and gestures. In this episode, you'll discover how to master your non-verbals so that you feel more confident, feel respected, and heard. To learn more about boosting your confidence with assertive co...

Do you struggle with any of these communication challenges at work? Feel underappreciated, under-valued and not recognized for your hard-work? Often find yourself quiet in situations where you wish you had said something? Ruminate and replay responses over and over in your mind?  Feel conflicted between speaking up and being a decent nice person?  Are afraid of sounding mean, aggressive, or rude w...

Saying no and setting boundaries is challenging for giving people. Do you ever: skip your already short vacations; take work calls during dinner? Work more after hours more than you'd like? Accept unreasonable deadlines? Take more work trips than you'd like; Take on a work that is other's responsibility? Take the hit for other people's mistakes? Work often during your vacations? My friend, it's ti...

Confidence makes us feel good, increases our performance, and also changes how other people treat us. The question is, how can you quickly increase your confidence? I interview Paulette Dale, Ph. D., professor Emeritus, and author of "Did You Say Something, Susan? How Any Woman Can Gain Confidence With Assertive Communication" to find out how to build confidence with assertive communication. In th...

Want to be a better advocate for others without coming across as difficult while still taking care of your own needs? Attorney Dorian Morello describes her best strategies to achieve that fine balance. She also talks about how she handles people who challenge her credibility as a female lawyer.  And how to earn respect from people who don't take you seriously. Find the transcript and key points fr...

Moving to a new country can be overwhelming, lonely, and stressful. What's the secret to thrive in a new culture? I interviewed Henri Nkuepo, international lawyer and author of "New Immigrant Playbook – Strategies for Success in Your New Country" to find out. Henri gives inspiring examples from his own experience adjusting to a new culture as a professional. He shares how to get the right sources...

We all want to be successful and to have several opportunities to get ahead. The good news is that you don't have to wait for opportunities to happen for you. But you have to create the ecosystem for opportunities to show up in your life. Here's how to increase opportunities for yourself in your career and life: Have clarity in your goals. Help others. Show your work and do so with passion. Get ou...

Three of my favorite examples of ordinary women and moms who achieved created and sold phenomenal businesses are housewife Debbi Fields, dancer Brynn Putnan, and tax saleswoman Sara Blakely. There are many reasons why these women were immensely successful. Here are some of the most important reasons:   How this young mom and housewife without any business education created a business grew into 400...

Do you want to fast-track your career, create endless opportunities for yourself to thrive and be successful? Then this is the series for you, on creating opportunities for your career advancement and fulfillment. On this episode you'll find out more about the importance of networking. You'll also learn how Sal Khan, listed among TIME's 100 Most Influential People for 2012, created opportunities f...

In this episode international lawyer Henri Nkuepo, author of "New Immigrant Playbook - Strategies for Success in Your New Country", shares several tips that can help professionals be their best advocate in new cultures avoid big mistakes, be successful, save money, get the right advice, and much more! He says that to thrive in a new culture, you must be selective with the advice you get, reach out...

Civil Engineer and Project Manager Joy Makumbe shares her thoughtful stories on how she got her first job managing a team, her philosophy on why she always negotiates her salary without any guilt, how she dealt with non-supportive coworkers even though she was scared of their reaction, and how she commands respects as the female joyful boss in a male-dominated industry. Read more about Joy's journ...

Have you ever wondered how ordinary people create extraordinary opportunities for themselves? Well, if you want to join that club, and you want to create more opportunities for yourself and for your career advancement, than this episode is for you. You'll learn how to assess the value of what you bring and follow through with people. You'll also see that it's not about being extroverted. To learn...

The most selfish and unreasonable request I've ever made to a boss was to ask for a loan after working only 6 months with him. Get this: to leave the company. And not just any loan. It was worth many years of my salary! You'll never know their answer to a request until you actually express your desire and invite people to support your goal. How do you find the courage to ask for what you want, eve...