Chasing Dreams with Aimee J.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I’m excited about 2020, and I have confidence and good feelings that it will be the Year of Awesome for me---and I hope for you, too!

In today’s solo episode by me, I’m sharing Ten Lessons I’ve learned from my past. I hope you’ll listen and take action as we count them down from ten. 

10. You can’t do it alone. You need a coach or mentor or someone to help you. I share personal experiences I’ve had with taking online courses, of which some are great, and some, not so much. The ones that include a coaching component are the most helpful. Find someone who will coach and guide you on your journey.

TWEET: Find someone to guide you on your journey. #chasingdreams

9. It’s the journey, not the goal. Work toward your dreams, even if you don’t achieve them. The journey to the goal should be joyful and invigorating. Enjoy the journey with all the highs, the lows, and each experience of your adventure.

TWEET: Enjoy the journey! #chasingdreams

8. Allow yourself the grace to make mistakes and keep moving. We are our worst critics and worst enemies. We hold ourselves back because we don’t allow our mistakes to happen, and we don’t offer ourselves forgiveness. We feel like we have to punish ourselves for our mistakes. Don’t let your mistake last longer than it needs to.

TWEET: Allow yourself the grace to make mistakes. #chasingdreams

7. Find opportunities for yourself along the way. Humble yourself and find the power and value of volunteering or being an intern. Take a chance. You never know what will happen in your story. Don’t stay in the box. Get a shovel and make your own path. Listen to the inspiring story of my podcast producer, Ruth, in Kenya.

TWEET: Be humble. #chasingdreams

6. Embrace your fears. This is my new motto for 2020. Fear is what holds most people back from chasing their dreams. What are you afraid of? Make a list. Do your research and figure out how to overcome those fears. If you don’t know how, please message me and let me help.

TWEET: Embrace your fears and overcome them.  #chasingdreams

5. Be happy. Life is too short for anything else! You can’t be happy 24/7, but there can be more ups than downs. Spend time with your loved ones. Go on adventures. Do what makes YOU happy, not what makes other people happy.

TWEET: Do what makes YOU happy. #chasingdreams

4. What are you waiting for? Don’t follow society’s rules for what everyone else thinks you should do. Don’t let anyone tell you what the deadline is for marriage, having kids, a certain job, or a vacation. Don’t wait! You never know what life will throw at you.

TWEET: Don’t wait. #chasingdreams

3. Take care of your mental health. I found myself anxious, stressed, and depressed after a car accident earlier this year. I saw a therapist who helped me talk through what I was feeling and why. It is vitally important to advocate for your mental health.

TWEET: Be your own mental health advocate. #chasingdreams

2. Make your own choices. This has been a struggle for me, and it’s a lesson that took a while for me to learn. This is YOUR life, so don’t let other people pressure you to make certain choices. I was 28 years old when I made the first decision for myself about my education and my career.

TWEET: This is YOUR life. #chasingdreams

1. Do random acts of kindness. Look for ways to do things that make other people happy without looking for recognition. There is great power in living this way.

TWEET: Do random acts of kindness. #chasingdreams

0. My theme for 2020: I am enough. There are things I want to do to improve myself, but I am enough right now. 

TWEET: I am enough. #chasingdreams

OUTLINE OF THE EPISODE:

• [2:25] Ten Lessons
• [4:03] You can’t do it alone
• [10:07] It’s the journey, not the goal
• [14:26] Allow your mistakes and...

No one else can determine what it takes for YOU to feel content and fulfilled in life. Society tries to put each of us in a mold, prescribing the steps we should take and the path we should follow. Today’s show focuses on why you need to approach your dreams in a way that is best for you, and not based on what anyone else says. 

Kacie Main released her debut book in February 2019. It’s titled, I Gave Up Men for Lent: The Story of a Jaded, Hopelessly Romantic, Health-Conscious Party Girl’s Search for Meaning. Born and raised in Florida, Kacie enjoyed a successful career in the corporate world before leaving it all behind to pursue her dreams of becoming a full-time writer. Kacie holds bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Communications and a master’s degree in Business Administration.

Is writing a real job?

Do you have a passion that you would love to make a full-time job? Kacie wasn’t aware of her dreams to be a writer, but writing has always been the way she feels most comfortable in communicating feelings. As a child, she didn’t realize writing could be a “real job.” Her childhood dreams ran from wanting to be a doctor to a child psychologist, and then to the world of business. Her business major was a fallback at the advice of Kacie’s father, and communications and public relations were also areas of interest. 

TWEET: Getting outside into nature and away from our screens can greatly improve our mental state. @kaciemain_write #chasingdreams

Writing as an outlet

Have you lost touch with your goals? Kacie came to a point in her life when she had completely lost touch with her goal of becoming a writer, even though she always wanted to write a book someday. During her big, self-reflection, check-in session at Lent, Kacie went through a time of journaling every day because it felt satisfying to get her thoughts on paper. After a couple of weeks, she wondered if this journal could turn into the book she had always wanted to write. Taking one step at a time, and not even thinking forward to the publishing process, Kacie dedicated her weekends to writing and put a singular focus on the writing process.

TWEET: Some of us need to realize that we need to jump from the corporate train. @kaciemain_write #chasingdreams

Why people stop chasing their dreams

Why DO people stop chasing their dreams? Kacie believes it comes down to the pressure we put on ourselves to achieve certain goals and deadlines, and that we plan too far into the future. A big dream is best reached by taking one little step at a time. Kacie says to give yourself space to step away when you need to because that gives you the fresh perspective to press on. One myth we let society tell us is that we have to fit into a certain mold and timeline to be happy. Society’s mold works for some people, but not for everyone.

TWEET: I realized how much I’d allowed outside influences to direct my life. @kaciemain_write #chasingdreams

Guest Recommendation: ONE action for a dream chaser to take--”Just take the first step. Don’t think too far into the future. Start with step one.”

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE:

• [1:45] Get to know Kacie
• [6:23] Young Kacie and her dreams
• [10:37] The disconnect that prompted Kacie’s book
• [13:14] Living in dissatisfaction and comparison
• [14:53] Writing as an outlet
• [17:05] Living in the writing process
• [18:48] Why people stop chasing their dream
• [21:36] When you don’t fit into society’s mold
• [23:36] The book and self-reflection
• [25:28] Amazing reviews of the book
• [27:03] Kacie’s jump from the corporate track
• [28:43] Why most of our fears are just assumptions
• [30:50] Making the leap and handling the stress
• [34:58] Ask for help when you need it
• [36:24] Be mindful of

Is your work your passion? Sadly, for many people, work is just something they do to earn a paycheck. Today’s show is all about how much more fulfilling your work can be when you commit to being “all in” on chasing your dreams. 

Paul Ollinger is a nationally-touring stand-up comedian. After achieving success in the corporate world as one of the first 250 employees of Facebook, Paul finally decided it was time to give in to his true passion---stand-up comedy. Since leaving his job at Facebook, he made the world of stand-up comedy his full-time job and now provides his audiences with a hilarious, but honest, no-nonsense approach to everyday life. Crowds of all ages embrace Paul as a straight shooter who talks about how it is, rather than how we wish it would be. Today, Paul’s comedy career takes him to clubs and corporate events all over North America, where he has opened for top comics and been featured at major comedy clubs and festivals. Paul is also the host of Crazy Money, a podcast in which he interviews entrepreneurs, celebrities, authors, and artists with a humorous perspective on money, wealth, and careers. The show focuses on how we think about and live with money, both as a society and as individuals. 

Flip-flopping along

Have you ever floundered between careers? Paul flip-flopped between his corporate and comedy careers for about 15 years, simply because he was fearful to launch into comedy as a full-time endeavor. When he first joined Facebook, he left his comedy dreams behind completely, but always felt much tension and conflict in that decision. He says that his creative inner self ate away at him until he knew he had to leave Facebook and do something else. At the time, he was too scared to admit to himself that what he wanted was to focus full-time on comedy.

TWEET: What would happen if I gave it my all? @paul_ollinger #chasingdreams

Take a big-picture view

Is your career what you should be doing? Paul loves his career in comedy today and is glad he dared to leave the corporate world behind, but he admits that some days are just a grind. He explains why it’s important to take a big-picture, high-level view of your career. Some days come when he feels like he isn’t getting the traction he needs in the comedy business, but there are other days when he knows he’s on the right track to accomplish his goals.

TWEET: It’s the relationship between what you want and what you have that defines your wealth. @paul_ollinger #chasingdreams

Work: much more than a paycheck

Is your work just something you do to earn a paycheck? Paul says that work is about so much more than a paycheck! It’s about relationships, camaraderie, and identity. When he didn’t have work in his life, he felt lonely, depressed, and adrift. Work helps you meet new challenges, learn new things, and have a sense of belonging; Paul didn’t realize he was missing out on these things until he went through a time when work wasn’t part of his life. All of these attitudes played into the decision to start his podcast to explore how our relationship with money affects our decision-making and our overall happiness. 

TWEET: If you have a Plan B, then you’ll be tempted to use it. @paul_ollinger #chasingdreams

Guest Recommendation: ONE action for a dream chaser to take--”Think in decades.”

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE:

• [1:22] Getting to know Paul
• [5:46] An interesting career that began at Facebook
• [9:15] Why Paul bailed on comedy completely for a while
• [11:55] Why Paul left Facebook
• [13:03] How Paul came back to comedy
• [14:51] Feeling compelled to do comedy
• [17:37] Taking a high-level view
• [20:22] Not keeping still
• [21:59] What work really is
• [24:55] The most surprising thing Paul has learned
• [28:43] One thing...

Brand is everything! Whether in your personal brand or your business brand, defining yourself to your audience is vital. You have to clarify who you are and how you want to be viewed, along with identifying your strengths and weaknesses. We are diving deep in today’s show in learning why your brand is a reflection of you.

Thalia Toha is a brand and business strategist for busy entrepreneurs looking to more strategically manage their business and grow their brand. Thalia is currently launching her website, where she shares practical techniques for entrepreneurs looking to get their brand strategically positioned without selling their souls to the expectations of social media. Unlike most brand experts, Thalia does not believe that social media is the be-all and end-all. In her free time, she loves exploring new food trends.

Becoming a brand expert

What are the brands that stand out in your mind? We can all think of certain brands that have a catchy logo, well-known tagline, or an unforgettable spokesperson. Thalia explains that her path to becoming a brand expert happened organically. Through her work in construction, architecture, and real estate, she was introduced to many national brands. She established relationships with executives and gained momentum through one-on-one work on their business strategy. She says that it’s the people attached to the brand names that make the difference because the brand is a reflection of the person behind the brand.

TWEET: “Honesty is a very important currency.” #chasingdreams

Defining yourself

How would you define yourself? The question isn’t an easy one to answer, but it’s the foundation of Thalia’s work as a brand expert. She describes the three-step process she uses with her clients. The first step is flash-lighting, which means you look to those who know you and see you regularly. Get feedback and information about who you are and what you need to do. The second step is highlighting, in which you look at the feedback received and highlight the aspects of yourself that you most want to display. Thalia says we shouldn’t overlook highlighting our weaknesses because they are the things that make us unique and different. The third step is spotlighting, in which we focus on others, what we have to offer them, and how we can help them be better.

TWEET: Just because you CAN do all things doesn’t mean you SHOULD do all things. #chasingdreams

When a weakness isn’t a weakness

Do you view your weaknesses in a negative light? Thalia says you have to identify and know your weaknesses, but that you shouldn't keep them hidden or be embarrassed about them. A weakness is only a matter of perspective. What you might view as a weakness in yourself might be something that others see in you as a strength. 

TWEET: ”Just start. Don’t wait until things are perfect. Movement creates momentum.” #chasingdreams

Guest Recommendation: ONE action for a dream chaser to take--”Just start. Don’t wait until things are perfect. Movement creates momentum.”

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE:

• [1:46] Let’s get to know Thalia
• [9:03] The path to becoming a brand expert
• [15:30] How to define yourself and your brand
• [20:35] The skewed perspective of ourselves
• [23:32] The significance of “spotlighting”
• [26:16] Don’t be a “jack-of-all-trades”
• [28:05] The clear WHY (not HOW or WHAT)
• [30:38] The evolution of who you are
• [32:20] Know your weaknesses
• [35:32] Be what no one else is
• [38:55] The importance of honesty
• [42:05] How to show the other side
• [44:03] Define yourself
• [47:07] ONE action for a dream chaser

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Thalia on