The Social Scholars Podcast

"Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands the Resistance." 

Your worst enemy isn't who you think it is.

The enemy that does the most damage is the one inside your head that you lay down every night with and wake up to every morning. 

If there's something you've been putting off - writing a book, a meditation practice, training for a marathon, getting back on the dating scene, starting a business, sharing your experiences and opinions more on social media, moving, a bedtime routine that could help you sleep better - you've most likely encountered what Steven Pressfield calls the Resistance. 

It can't be seen, heard, or touched, but it can be felt. 

It takes form as procrastination, fear, drama, excuses, victimhood, self-doubt, unhappiness, even love, logic, and healing. It's anything that stands between you and the person you are capable of becoming. 

It's self-sabotage and sabotage by others who may even care for and love you, but are dealing with their own Resistance. 

It's something that has to be managed every day. It never goes away. 

And it's not always so obvious. Instead of encouraging you to never start, it will whisper that you're going to do it - starting tomorrow. 

So the best way to combat Resistance is to start. As messy, imperfect, uninspired, and not ready as it might be - start anyway. Because otherwise you're cheating the world of your contribution and gift to the world.

Inside the Book of the Week, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battle, you'll find 15 other ways to move through the Resistance so that whatever idea that's has been growing inside of you - the one (or more than one!) you've most likely been shoving down because it doesn't make sense or it's not the right time or you're not the one to do it - can finally be brought into existence for your own sake and for the benefit of the world around you. 

Is this thing you've been thinking about (for week, months or maybe years!) what you were meant to do and be? The only way to find out it to sit down and do it. 

I hope this week's BOTW inspires you to go out and not only add this one to your shelf, but to take that feeling seriously that's telling you to do or be something more. You don't have to knock it out of the park on your first try, or 10th try. The only thing that matters is that you sit down, put your time in, and give it all you've got. xoxo

>>> You can grab this week's book HERE: https://amzn.to/3gu2cNe

Paul Rahn is the Founder and Owner of the ClassPass top studios SWEAT on State and Maple Leaf Crossfit in and around the Chicago-area. 

Back in 2013 he was at the height of his career at Starbucks, leading a team of 50+ employees at the busiest store in Chicago and one of the top stores in the US. He had the best benefits, a big paycheck, and an impressive job title. 

But yet, he knew he was capable of more. 

Not more money or status, but more meaning. 

Can you relate to things being good enough? But maybe there's a tug that won't go away for some crazy idea or you just know where you are right now isn't where your supposed to stay?

If so, you're going to love this episode that is one example of what's possible when you consciously choose a path of purpose and happiness, despite it being terrifying at many points along the way (including actually getting started). 

AND since Paul is the owner of a fitness business, stay tuned at the end for some his best tips for getting into shape and feeling your best. 

Get more doses of Paul's inspiration over on:

The title from this episode comes from my favorite cookbooks - Thug Kitchen (more cookbook recommendations at the end) and the Book of the Week is one that transformed how I eat forever. 

"Everything you need to know to captivate, excite, and motivate an audience (turtleneck not included)." 

Standing up and speaking out whether on stage for a presentation, a Facebook live, or even in a team meeting, can be one of the scariest things we do. It can be terrifying to think of having the spotlight on you and to know what others could be thinking about you. 

But, without getting visible and sharing our thoughts, opinions, and what we know, it's hard to help others and it can be hard to move towards your goals. 

Whether you are running your own business sharing your offers and products or are looking to apply for a new job or promotion, knowing how to captivate, excite and motivate the person or people in front of you can help you make those goals happen. 

In this book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience by Carmine Gallo, you're going to learn how to:

• create an inspiring brand story
• answer the question that matters most to your audience
• paint a memorable and consistent vision
• make numbers meaningful 
• build visually engaging slides
• master state presence 
• make it look effortless
• rehearse effectively
• have fun 

I also share at the end about how to use what you learn from this episode and apply it to podcast guesting with another great resource coming up in December with my former business coach, Christine McAlister of Life with Passion. She's hosting a training called 100 Interviews in 90 Days that is going to teach you how to find and book shows, what to say when you're on a podcast, and how to be the best guest they've ever had with a follow up strategy very few people are doing. 

Natalie Williams has lived the "Liz Gilbert in the wild" life - traveling all over the world and experiencing all this planet has to offer. In this episode we get to not only hear her biggest life lessons learned while out in the "wild" that you're going to get so much from, but also what can unfold for you when you start getting your stories and opinions more visible and how to navigate when you're not your old self anymore but also not yet fully blasted off into your new self. 

You'll also hear from Natalie on: 

• how to get going when you're ready to uplevel but not exactly sure what that looks like 
• noticing when you might be creatively repressed and what to do about it
• dissecting fears to uncover a common theme 
• overcoming the fear of other people's opinions and realizing they are actually none of your business
• being aware of jealousy and the important message it may be trying to tell you
• realizing the biggest thing everyone who's getting negative feedback does
• how to know if you're sharing too much? or maybe not enough?
• becoming unstoppable in uncertainty 
• why ignoring the call won't make it go away
• identifying what it feels like in your body to be in alignment (and what it's like when you're not)
• getting rid of the stigma around changing your mind and pivoting 
• truth bombs for anyone else ready to embrace the fullest expression of themselves 

Natalie recommended 2 books that have helped her along this journey:

1. Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life by Radha Agrawal 
2. May Cause Love: An Unexpressed Journey of Enlightenment After Abortion by Kassie Underwood

This resource by Patrick Michael Ryan is a little different than the cover to cover reads I've recommended in past episodes, but still one for the bookshelf. 

Understanding our own emotions and developing emotional intelligence towards others has been something that I've been exploring for the last couple of years, and this book was the gateway for a lot of that. It's also been a big help in better understanding how I feel beyond simply happy, sad, and mad. 

While we may not always want to act on our emotions and say or do something we might regret (I know this from first hand experience...), there are benefits to feeling those emotions fully, however ugly or hard they might be.

In this episode, we get into that a little more along with: 

• how to avoid anxiety when we feel joy or happiness because we're thinking it's too good to be true or about what's around the corner
• why the goal isn't to feel happy all the time
• what can happen when we embrace our sadness 
• anger being a secondary emotion and how expanding our emotional vocab can help get to the primary emotion
• the question my therapist asked me when I was engulfed with rage for weeks that changed my outlook to this day
• and how by better understanding our own emotions we can more fully show up for others in our lives dealing with their own feelings.

Today's guest expert interview is private conversation we had inside the Season 2 of the paid group INSTABrand: A 21 Day Personal Branding Program that Leverages the Power of Instagram and I'm excited to pull it out and share it with you as a compliment to our Book of the Week from Monday: The Kickass Single Mommy (episode 089.). 

This was such an empowering conversation with Eirin that busts through unhelpful stories women and society have about their investing abilities and how to become truly wealthy through a well-researched investing plan. You'll also hear from Eirin on: 

• The 4 step path to being reading to invest
• High level considerations for fees, interest rates and inflation
• Why women are actually better investors :)
• Long, medium and short term investing
• Limiting beliefs you overcome as women investors
• Mindset around savings vs investing and earning vs. buying 
• Her top money book - Tony Robbins Money Master the Game - and she answers our investing questions! 

"May you always have the freedom and courage to create the family that you want and need."  - Emma Johnson 

Certain stats out there about single mothers would have you believe that you are doomed to a life of welfare, struggle and your children are destined for trouble and probably prison.  While some of those stats might be true, that doesn't have to be true for your single mom journey. 

This week's Book of the Week is a helpful resource for any single mom or mom that is considering decisions that would put her in that situation in the future. 

The Kickass Single Mom: Be Financially Independent, Discover Your Sexiest Self, and Raise Fabulous, Happy Children by Emma Johnson is a book I read a few years ago that had a huge impact on how I saw myself as a single mom and inspired me to take full responsibility for my situation and creating the best life possible for my son and me. 

In this episode you'll hear about several of the topics covered in Emma's book - some inspiring and others that might be triggering at first - but all will make you think and give you hope how you can not just survive single motherhood, but really thrive in it. 

The book is broken out into 4 main sections:

1. Single 2.0
2. Money 
3. Parenting
4. Dating

Within each section, I share some of the specific chapters that stood out to me and lessons learned from my own experience as a single mom, including how I become one, finally detaching from the child support chase, letting go of anger and bitterness, the experience of having an involved father figure for my son from a past relationship, getting over my selfish need to be the only one my son could have fun with, the self-sabotaging strategy of being a mom martyr, allowing for help, what I learned from dating single dads and seeing the "other side," and intentionally seeking fulfillment outside of motherhood and work. 

Other chapters that are touched on but Emma gets more into the juicy details on inside the book itself include:

• Busting through the Stereotypes for You and Your Child(ren)
• The Importance of Being Financially Independent No Matter What
• How Alimony and Child Support Could Keep You Stuck 
• Estate Planning for Single Moms 
• Outsourcing = The Secret Formula to Single Mom Success
• Good Guys Like Women Who Are Financially Independent 
• Co-Parent Like a Pro
• The Argument for Equally Shared Parenting 
• Your Relationship with Your Ex's New Girlfriend 
• A Sexually Satisfied Mom is a Happier Mom 
• If You're Stuck and Not Dating 
• Where Are All the Good Men?
• Dating and Your Kids 

If you have any questions about single motherhood that you want to ask me don't hesitate to reach out and message me over on IG at @sarahlynn.co or email at hello@sarahlynnco.com! xoxo

Below are the Single Mom Tribe resources I mentioned at the beginning of the episode: 

BOOK OF THE WEEK 

My friend Katie Taylor (IG: @_katietaylor) changed my life a little when she sent me this book as a gift earlier this Spring.

Simple Abundance is a daily devotion type of book that shares messages of creativity, spiritual practices, and reflections for a living a more authentic self. 

I don't just have books on a shelf - I have book children so it's hard to pick a favorite, but the fact this one rarely is sitting on a shelf and instead, in whatever room I was last in tells you how much I love and how often I read this one. 

Sarah starts each day with a short title and a quote dating back from the 1600s or all the way up to Lady Gaga, so if you're at all a quote person, you'll love it just for that. 

If the size of the book intimidates you - don't let it. Each "chapter" ranges 1 -3 pages, so totally do-able to read daily while your coffee brews or while you let the dog out. 

At the end of each month, she shares practical ideas for implementing the topics from the month. For example - November she had themes of following the Light, so one of her "Try This at Home" tips was to create a Caution Closet that had a portable light and other items needed in an emergency situation. 

Right after those, she shares a list of "Simple Abundance" ideas to make your life easier or better in some way - like having a battery drawer that's fully stocked so you never get frustrated because you don't have a battery for the TV remote or your child's favorite toy.  

Listen to episode 88 on the podcast today to get the details on why you might want to pick this book up for yourself (or as a gift!) and one of my favorite exerts about How to Start Over. 

"Too many of us don't know how to treat ourselves well, almost as if we feel like we don't deserve to, don't have time to, don't want to feel guilty about doing so."              -Dominque Browning, American Writer and Editor

Ashley Mondor is one of the brightest lights of a human being you'll ever come across in real life or here on Instagram. And in today's episode she's schooling us on what in the world the Akashic Records are so that we can uncover answers to our spiritual gifts, tap into our intuition, and create the life we want, not just the one we think we should have. 

We get into wide range of other though-provoking and inspiring spiritual and subconscious topics including:

• How listening to a single podcast episode started her on the journey from toxic work environment, getting yelled at by her boss and putting in long hours to the dream life and work she's doing now. 
• The shift from her first business as a social media content consultant to talking more about what she was curious about despite the thoughts of "People don't want to hear what I have to say," or "People will think I'm flakey or that I'm loony." 
• Pivoting and worrying about being "off-brand" 
• How she began channeling messages and pivoted again into Akashic Record readings to help with self-love, worthiness, and deconditioning
• The struggle with what to call herself and what her niche is (can you relate?) and what she did about it
• Common struggles that hold most people back
• The fact that you have the desire for something, that means something! Follow it. 
• How she's reframed the word "work" 
• Developing new habits that stick
• Her rituals around taking care of her mental and spiritual well-being (includes winking at yourself ;) ) 
• What steps to take if you feel like there's something more inside of you, but are afraid to do anything about it

Resources that Ashley mentions:

Bashar Channeling on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basharchanneling/

Gaia Network: https://www.gaia.com/

This idea comes from the book, Growth Hacker Marketing by Ryan Holiday. It's a super short, but very powerful read that, while it mostly applies to startups and companies, you can absolutely take apply them to your own personal brand or small business for creative ways to grow. 

1) To add this book to your bookshelf, grab a copy here: https://amzn.to/3j42cDp

Inside "The Book of Beautiful Questions: The Powerful Questions That Will Help You Decide, Create, Connect, and Lead" by Warren Berger you'll find pages and pages of truly amazing questions to ask yourself AND others. There's that saying that goes, "the quality of you life, is determined by the quality of your questions" and this will absolutely give you next-level ideas for asking better questions to uncover better answers inside yourself and to have more meaningful conversations with others. 

Today, we're talking about the question most of us are looking for in life with practical advice for how to finally find the answer. 

1) Add this one to your bookshelf for future reference: https://amzn.to/31fmIeo  [affiliate link] 

I recently discovered Carl Lentz on an interview with Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man on YouTube. He's not your typical pastor, so I was curious what he was all about. I learned he was at Justin Bieber's wedding and baptized Kevin Durant and had a book out called Own the Moment. I gobbled it up in a weekend and found so many inspiring and very practical takeaways. In fact, at the end of each chapter he has a "own the chapter" section where he gives a recommended action step to put what you just read into practice. 

Carl is the lead pastor at Hillsong East Coast out in NYC, but regardless of how religious you are or not, there's still a ton of value you'll get that will expand your mind, remind you about basic human kindness and love, and inspire you to go after big goals. 

1) You can grab Carl's book on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3hlkzn2 [affiliate link]

If you've ever felt guilty for changing your mind about what you thought you wanted or felt like you were somehow not "cut out for this" because you haven't yet gone full-time on your business of passion, this episode with the talented email copywriter, Joanne Bourgault is going to help you shift the story you might be telling yourself. 

In addition to helping online business owners write really good emails, she's also a former accountant, turned dentist, wife, and mother of two. In this episode we talk about the journey of learning about yourself and what you actually like to do, and how it most definitely is not a straight path in discovering it. 

In episode 64, you'll also hear Joanne open up about: 

• How she got into marketing when she was working to get her dental practice noticed
• When she realized dentistry (or accounting) wasn't here calling
• Still wanting your parent's approval as an adult (who else can relate??)
• Trying to explain your budding business to your family and friends
• Where to find the right community based on where your business currently is
• How she handles pricing as a service provider
• How to effectively communite your offers
• Managing all the things - what works, what doesn't, and what to just let go of
• Deciding whether when and when it's not time to go "all in" 
• ...and of our since she's here I had to tap into our copywriting genius to help us avoid mistakes and what to do instead

While Facebook has guidelines around selling from your personal Facebook page, there’s still ways you can use it to promote who and how you help.

This can be especially helpful if you’re active in Facebook groups so that when people click on your profile they can learn more about you fairly quickly.

In this episode, you'll learn 4 ideas for putting your personal page to work for your business.

If you found this helpful and think your business bestie would too, share it with the so they can get their profile updated too. 

I got so many marketing and personal branding practical takeaways from KNOWN: The handbook for building and unleashing your personal brand in the digital age by Mark W Schaefer. You'll probably here something more than once from this one, but in today's exert, you'll hear about why trying to be Google won't help you and what to do instead. 

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1) If you're looking to get more help on getting known and want Mark's book on your shelf, grab it here:*

https://amzn.to/3ivIhgr

2) To check out the current book pick for the Beyond the Book club, visit the website here:

 Craft a Life You Love: Infusing Creativity, Fun & Intention into Your Everyday by Amy Tangerine is the most beautiful book I have on my shelf. It's bright and colorful and it's packed with inspiration AND practical tips for channeling your creative energy to making things, and making things happen! 

I love the message she shared about nervousness because sometimes it can feel like a negative emotion, when in reality it might actually be the sign you're looking for. 

Listen in to find out what your nervousness is trying to tell you! 

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1) If you want to brighten up your book shelf and channel your creativity to craft a life you love, grab Amy's book here: 

https://amzn.to/2DTxKg6

2) To check out the current book pick for the Beyond the Book club, visit the website here:

A few month's ago I heard Jim Kwik, brain coach and author of Limitless, on a the James Wedmore Minding Your Business podcast. And I'm so glad I did. Today's quote was something he shared on that podcast and one that he talked about in more detail in the book. It's quickly become one of my mantra's and  I think you'll appreciate it too. 

The book description says that, "Limitless gives people the ability to accomplish more--more productivity, more transformation, more personal success and business achievement--by changing their Mindset, Motivation, and Method."  Who doesn't want that?? :) 

I have been skipping around this book and it's been fun to dive into whatever chapter I'm most feeling at the moment without feeling like I have to go in order.  

Have a book recommendation I should read and share on the podcast? DM me over on Instagram at @sarahlynn.co and let me know! 

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1) If you want to dive into Limitless, you can grab your copy here: 

https://amzn.to/2XQNZSk

2) To check out the current book pick for the Beyond the Book club, visit the website here:

I know that you are pouring so much into your business, your side-hustle or getting your big idea off the ground. 

I also know there's other things happening in your life that need your attention and they can play into how you show up in those areas.

Your relationships - whether romantic, a friendship, a parent, or a leader - can have big impact, for the good, or can make things harder. 

To help us build and maintain healthy relationships in our lives so that we can be the best version of ourselves in our businesses, Enneagram Coach and author of, The Enneagram in Love: A Roadmap for Building and Strengthening Romantic Relationships, Steph Barron Hall is on the podcast today to drop some Enneagram knowledge on us. 

In this interview, you'll hear: 

• How Steph became an Enneagram Coach (a story you might be able to relate to)
• How understanding your and your partners number can help your love life thrive
• Why it's not enough to only look at your partner's behavior in conflict
• An overview of strengths and weaknesses in a relationship by Enneagram type (we go thru all 9!)
• Your questions answered! I asked awhile back what you'd like me to ask Steph and you had great questions she digs into

 Additional resources from Steph you want to know about:

I've been hearing about The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz for years, but always thought I don't need another book like that to read. I knew it all or had at least heard it all :)

But I was wrong. 

This book expanded my perspective and views and made me think every time I picked up the book.  Today's quote tip comes from Agreement One: Be Impeccable with Your Word and I think it's going to inspire you to get out there and be more visible - and vocal!

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1) If you don't have The Four Agreements you can check it out here: 

https://amzn.to/30NGoGc

2) To check out the current book pick for the Beyond the Book club, visit the website here:

In his This is Marketing book, Seth Godin breaks down for us why all critics are right. He also drops a very interesting stat about the amount of people that gave the bestselling book, Harry Potter a 1-star review and what you can learn from it for your own offers.

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1) If you don't have This is Marketing yet, you can grab it here:

https://amzn.to/3isGcSw*

2) To check out the current book pick for the Beyond the Book club, visit the website here:

Today's quote comes from Conversations with God, Book 1 by Neale Donald Walsh.  It's been dubbed "The Life Changing Bestseller" and I have to agree. Despite what the title suggests, it's not a book about a specific religion, but has more of a philosophical take. 

This specific exert has to do with what happens when you don't live up to your potential. What it describes has rang so true for me in the past.  Listen in to this  "Message in a Book" episode to learn more! 

______________

1) If you don't have yet, but want this one on your bookshelf, you can grab a copy here: 

https://amzn.to/2DXYvzS

2) To check out the current book pick for the Beyond the Book club, visit the website here:

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is one of those books, you'll want to re-read at least once a year. This won't be the last time you hear me talk about this one because it's full of quotes and exerts that make you think and even challenge some of the beliefs about the world and yourself that you've been holding on to. 

This exert is about how to show up like a pro and who determines when you are one.  Listen in to this first "Message in a Book" episode to find out! 

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Welcome back as we get Season 2 going with a new name and a new look (learn more about why the changes in Episode 48) - I couldn't be more excited to kick things off with this one! 

If you've ever been called too emotional, or too sensitive or just "too much" you're going to get so much from this episode with Licensed Counselor and Self-Care Coach, Maegon Renee. 

While we typically think of self-care as something we DO for ourselves, Maegon's focus is around caring for our emotions - whether they be happy or hard feelings, we talk about the importance of being aware of them, allowing ourselves to feel them fully, move through them as needed, and to never judge them. 

As someone who probably seems happy and positive a lot of the time, while that is true, I also go through periods that are super dark and full of sadness or anger that I historically I didn't want to fully feel, or feel at all (hello Enneagram 7), or just be super embarrassed that I even felt that way. In this episode we get more into why that is the opposite of self-care along with these important topics below: 

• The emotional side of self-care
• What happens when you feel good about yourself
• Why you need to shorten your to-do list to just 3-5 items
• How to ask for help - in YOUR way
• How to say no (and actually feel good about it)
• Setting boundaries of all kinds
• The benefits of stillness (and no, you're not lazy or unproductive when you do this)
• How to identify emotions beyond happy and sad (and why that even matters)
• When to reach out for help to process hard emotions 
• What Maegon is learning AND unlearning

If you know someone who could use this episode with Maegon, please share and definitely connect with her over on Instagram at @maegonrenee_co and let her know what you got from this one. I know it means the world to guests to hear from you.