Epic Exchanges

In this week’s exchange, we talk about self-acceptance and how this can have an effect on your story. How often do we consider our relationship with ourselves?  How much time and effort do we put in to our own self-acceptance even?  How many of us can honestly say we’ve come to a place where we love ourselves – warts and all?

Exchange Quotes:

“What self-acceptance does is open up more possibilities of succeeding because you aren’t fighting yourself along the way.” – Shannon Ables

“Option A: Spend your life trying to get others to accept you.  Option B: Accept yourself, and spend your life with others who recognize what a beauty you are.” – Scott Stabile

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Most people don’t talk about mental illness.  But the numbers speak volumes about the urgent need for action and acceptance. Mental health affects us all - whether world-class athlete, Oscar-winning actor, Grammy-winning musician, political leader, CEO, stay-at-home mom, or student.  All ages, education or income levels and cultures.

This episode of Epic Exchanges provides tips and tricks for managing our own mental health and wellness and adding our efforts to help end the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

Exchange Quotes:

“You can’t tell just by looking at someone what they are dealing with inside.” – Danielle Rupp

“The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of the world, but those who fight and win battles that others do not know anything about.” Jonathan Harnisch

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But First, Prepare to Listen - Exchange #2

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Few people start out with the intention of changing the world with their ideas or dreams.  Most of us simply want to change something in our immediate vicinity and then the dream grows wings and the idea takes hold.

Why?  Quite simply because our best ideas are shared.  Shared ideas ignite passion and motivate involvement.  As evidenced by Dr. King’s story; his ideas, passion and motivation helped ignite an entire country – even the world – to work through boundaries, walls and established thinking and practices to advocate for a better world.

Exchange Quotes:

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.  I hope someday you’ll join us.  And the world will live as one.” – John Lennon

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One of the things that many people struggle with is where to start in telling their story.  It can feel overwhelming because we often think we need to start from the beginning and tell it chronologically.  That’s just not the case. 

In this week’s Exchange, we share 3 tips around overcoming the roadblocks to telling our stories and give some prompts to get you started on your own.  Because nobody can tell your story better than you yourself can.

Exchange Quotes:

“A day will come when the story inside you will want to breathe on its own.  That’s when you will start writing.” – Sarah Noffke

“You own everything that happened to you.  Tell your stories.  If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.” – Anne Lamott

“Ever read someone’s story and think, ‘this is exactly what I needed to hear today?’  Your story will do that for someone else.” – Anonymous

Exchange Links:

Exchange #15 – Your Story is Never Too Boring

Exchange #30 – That “Who Do I Think I Am” Feeling

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In this week’s exchange, we talk about resolutions – particularly New Year’s Resolutions – and whether or not they can have an effect on your story.

A New Year’s resolution is a promise a person makes for the new year.  Regardless of what resolution – or resolutions – you decide upon, the goal is to improve your life in some way in the coming year.

Resolutions look different for everyone.  For some it’s quitting a bad habit like smoking or (quite likely these days) limiting refined sugar in our diets.  For others, it’s focusing on putting better habits into place – like an exercise program or a more organic diet.

Exchange Quotes:

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” Carl Bard

“The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude.” – Oprah Winfrey

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Many of our modern celebrations and customs – and even the WAYS in which we celebrate any special day on the calendar – are rooted in tradition.  Tradition is defined as the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.

And each family has its own ways – or traditions – of celebrating every holiday, but especially Christmas.  Have you ever wondered how these started?  Or who started them?

These can be the source for finding part of your own story.

Exchange Quotes:

“It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition.” – Henry James

“The most treasured heirlooms are the sweet memories of our family that we pass down to our children.” – Unknown

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After last week's discussion on Empathy, guest Sarah Michelle Brown and I continued our discussion and we thought it might be valuable to many of you.  So here it is - pretty much unedited.

Exchange Quotes:

“Empathy is about finding the echoes of another person inside yourself.” – Mohsin Hamid

“True empathy requires that you step outside of your own emotions to view things entirely from the perspective of the other person.” - Unknown

Exchange Links:

Sarah’s Documentary

Sarah’s Website

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Over the past few weeks, we’ve discussed recognizing and dealing with our own anger towards ourselves and others; and we’ve learned about the power of forgiveness to help us let go of that anger and any other negative emotions keeping us from living a life filled with more peach and happiness.  In both exchanges, we talked about empathy being a strong piece of being able to have more understanding around the roots of the anger and hurt.  Today, we dig deeper into what empathy is and how we can encourage it in our own lives as we welcome Sarah Michelle Brown, writer and director for film and stage.

Exchange Quotes:

“I think we all have empathy.  We may not have enough courage to display it.” – Maya Angelou

“Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the heart of another.” – Alfred Adler

Exchange Links:

Sarah’s Documentary

Sarah’s Website

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At this time of year, Thanksgiving week in the United States, and the start of the holiday season – Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, whatever your belief, it’s a time acknowledging our blessings, exchanging gifts, gathering friends and family together, celebration. 

But what about when we are alone?  When there is nothing to celebrate?  When we experience loss or pain or something else equally as devastating or tragic?  How do we find gratitude then?

Researchers have proven the benefits of intentional gratitude.  That it lowers stress, promotes better sleep, increases kindness and compassion, leads to a greater sense of calm and even strengthens our immune systems.

Exchange Quotes:

“I’ve come to believe that living in gratitude is the gateway to grace.” – Ariana Huffington

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” – Brian Tracy 

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Forgiveness, as opposed to revenge, is the act of releasing the desire to punish someone – or even yourself – for an offense.  It does not mean that you forget it and move on.  It also doesn’t mean that the other is absolved of their actions.

Instead, it is choosing to release the desire for punishment or revenge.  And it is only in this release that we can once again find peace of mind, and even happiness.

But practicing forgiveness is not easy, nor is it quick.  This exchange discusses the benefits and importance of forgiveness – both for others and for ourselves. 

 Exchange Quotes:

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” – Lewis B. James

“When you forgive, you in no way change the past – but you sure do change the future.” – Bernard Meltzer

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