Stop Telling and Start Listening

On the next episode of Stop Telling and Start Listening we will be shedding light on the power of storytelling and amplifying voices often unheard. My guest, Deb Shapiro, is dedicated to helping others share their stories, even those that explore dark, uncomfortable topics like human trafficking, incarceration, breast cancer, and more. She coaches and empowers courageous survivors and advocates to...

Are you tired of fear holding you back from the life you've always dreamed of? Good news! My next radio show episode, Fear: An Unhealthy Distraction to an Inspired Life, will transform the way you view fear and experience its impact on your journey to fulfillment. Join ShaRon Rea and me as we embark on a profound journey into the depths of fear's influence in our lives. Through our candid discussi...

In today's polarized and argumentative climate, many people often get truth and belief confused. The confusion, combined with a determination to win the argument, only increases the frustration in an intense discussion. These concepts are deeply interconnected and subject to interpretation and individual perspectives. Because the are so closely connected it is easy to fall into an argument as the...

It's incredibly important to recognize that trauma is indeed a deeply personal experience. What may be traumatic for one person might not be the same for another. This individual variability makes it even more vital for us to create safe spaces to share our struggles and seek support when needed. Connecting with others who can provide understanding, empathy, and support can make a significant diff...

Values are principles or beliefs that guide our behavior and decision-making. Staying true to one's stated values is important for maintaining personal integrity and authenticity. It can sometimes be challenging, especially when faced with difficult choices or external pressures. What do my values say about me? What are my core values? How do I live them out? To what extent am I living in integrit...

Time is a commodity - you either invest it or you use it. Once gone, it cannot be reused, so we need to make the most of the time we have. For those who say they don't have time, I say find time. The challenge in finding time, is developing habits and routines that maximize your time and minimize wasting it. In today's episode, I will talk about forming habits that serve your higher priorities, le...

While I have never really thought about this before, there are multiple ways to listen. People can listen actively, passively, empathetically, critically, and in various other ways depending on the context, their intentions and needs, and the general situation. Listening differently, depending upon context and situation is a big shift from my blunt, impolite, and less than teaching directive, "jus...

Join host David Cooke for a discussion on personal leadership and the four pillars or principles behind effective personal leadership. Personal leadership involves taking responsibility for your actions, making informed decisions, and inspiring others through your behavior and values. It's not only crucial for your own growth and success but also impacts how you influence and lead those around you...

When intellectuals believe they are right, it's often due to their confidence in the thoroughness of their analysis, research, and understanding of a subject. However, it's essential to maintain humility and openness to consider alternate viewpoints, as intellectual thinking should involve continuous learning and adaptation based on new information and perspectives. Often it can be difficult to en...

Behind the Badge: The other story Behind the Badge explores the stories, experiences, and challenges as shared by my guest, Korky Vander Ploeg, a retired law enforcement officer with twenty-seven years direct experience. While we are often exposed to the negative side of law enforcement in our media, we are reminded, there are more than two sides to every story. In today's podcast we will delve in...

Democracy or Republic – what is the United States? What does that really mean anyway? How important is the distinction for us, as citizens? What are our rights AND responsibilities as citizens? No, this is not a civics class, or a discussion on government. My guest, ShaRon Rea and I are going to engage in a discussion about citizenship and what that means in terms of rights, responsibilities, and...

How do you invest and prioritize your time? Are you investing your time and and energy in alignment to your passions, life purpose, mission, and what feeds your soul? What are you spending your time on that drains you and steals your joy? If you're out of alignment with where and how you invest your time, this podcast episode is perfect for you and worth the hour to listen. This week's guest, Jess...

They say there are two things we aren't supposed to talk about in public – religion and politics. In the next episode of "Stop Telling and Start Listening" my special guest, Doug Vrieland, and I are going to break that rule and wade deep into a discussion about religion in politics and politics in religion. Join us for an interesting discussion about these two subjects in relation to evangelical c...

We may not realize it, but the phrase "blazing a trail" is an apt summary of path of our life. When we start our journey, it's a blank map and then, day by year, year after year, every experience and event leaves a mark on the map of our lives. We are blazing our own trail! But, what does that really mean? How do we leverage the experiences from our past with inspiration and enlightenment? Today's...

It started out as a consultation about one of my clients and the Gallup survey on employee engagement they had taken. We were reviewing and discussing the results and their implications and indicators, when it hit me… …This would be a great discussion for a Stop Telling and Start Listening episode. In the context the interactions I have had with my guest, Engagement has a corporate application to...

We all have certain subjects or topics that, depending on the participants, are almost guaranteed to lead to an intense discussion. And, I use the term loosely. Some subjects simply trigger passionate arguments which often result in the engaged parties passionately and rapidly taking sides, fighting from their position, and not really engaged in trying to learn or understand alternative or controv...

How do you make others feel seen, heard, and understood? What does this allow for as we develop our ongoing, valued relationships? Discover how tactical empathy removes trust issues, facilitates safe and open dialogue, while supporting smoother problem or conflict resolution and better identification of next steps and strategic opportunities. This is going to be a fast-paced, deep conversation. Yo...

Be kind, you never know what someone else is going through! Most everyone has a story about a difficult and challenging struggle. For some, like my guest these stories can be about lifelong physical or emotional challenges. Though I am not as empathetic to the difficult experiences of others as I could be, I am thankful that my own transformational journey makes me more interested and concerned to...

We have all had that experience where we felt disrespected: • Something we said or did was ridiculed or criticized • A thought, request, or feeling was ignored or diminished • Been made to feel less than, or insignificant, in relation to others In today's episode we will explore what is feels like to be disrespected when we share our experiences, desires, with perspectives with others. Listening,...

While this is the third episode associated with Listening and Parenting, I can promise you this conversation will be significantly different than the previous two. If you are a parent, or will be someday, you are simply not going to want to miss this! In this episode, my guest and I will be talking about parenting in the context of substance use disorder in the family and the lessons we have embra...

Life can often be confusing and challenging. Faced with a multitude of issues, decisions, and opportunities, it is often difficult to know what to do. When we find ourselves in that space of needing to make a move... ...how do we know or trust the decisions we are about to make? ...who can we count on to give us good advice or guidance? ...what is the best place to go for answers? ...how do we sti...

Every one of us has a set of beliefs that molds us, guides us, and defines how we engage the world. Each of us come to our beliefs in a variety of ways – environment, culture, family, education, life. If you are like me, many of my beliefs are quite strong – they are truths which I hold on to closely and trust as a guide for all of my decisions, behaviors, and interactions. What happens when our b...

I often wonder how many of us realize the power found in our inner voice. That inner voice speaks often and it isn't always kind or generous. It can also be insightful, inspiring and helpful. If you're like me, the challenge can be that I listen to the unkind inner voice more than I connect with the supportive inner voice. Join me today for a discussion about listening to and trusting that inner v...

Join me today for a sequel to a discussion on an earlier episode about parenting. When it comes to listening, being to be a parent who knows how to listen effectively is a gift. Listening and parenting is less about getting a report from our children about the day's activities and is much more about creating a safe space to hear, learn, and understand what our children are experiencing and struggl...

I believe that any complex problem can be solved provided the people who are working on the problem are able to openly, willingly, and curiously explore the deeply embedded issue before taking action. The societal challenge we have today is we want problems solved, but do not understand how difficult it is to really fix things that are broken. We speak of simple answers, but do not address the cor...