Fearfully and Wonderfully Me: Become the Leader You are Destined to Be

A computer program is what tells a computer what do to, and the computer cannot do anything EXCEPT what it is programmed to do. Our brains are similar to the computer and our thoughts are similar to the program. Our brain cannot override the thoughts, but you can change the thoughts and therefore change the "program" in your brain. And, when we do, we change our lives. If you want different "outputs" in your life, then you've got to change the "inputs." 

You are, at the same time, the most important and the most difficult person you will ever try to influence. We all know things we should do - that we haven't done. And, we all know of things we shouldn't do - that we do anyway. The key to success is learning how to lead yourself at a higher level, which will ultimately allow you to increase influence with others at a higher level. 

At just seven years old, Shavontana “Starr” Davis was sexually abused at the hands of male family members, leaving her feeling paralyzed, confused and ashamed. For nearly two decades, she remained silent about her pain. Without the knowledge of programs to support her as a child, it wasn’t until she had a heart to heart with her beloved grandmother, the late Maxine Davis, that she learned the power of choosing joy.  That choice led her to her purpose.  Her passion to ensure that no child should have to suffer as she did, led to the creation of The Starr Institute, Inc. (TSI), which seeks to educate, engage and empower youth and the community about child sexual abuse and exploitation. TSI offers interactive, culturally relevant, age-appropriate workshops for youth aged 12-17 and the adults who support them.

Since 2017, more than 2,400 youth and adults have participated in TSI’s awareness and prevention programming. Another 600 people across 31 states and 3 countries have raised funds to support TSI’s efforts through an annual 5K run. In 2021 Starr was named as one of ten L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Honorees and she debuted of her first book, “The Abuse Algorithm,” which shares stories of child sexual abuse survivors, explores how adverse childhood experiences impacted their lives and how this widespread issue is a preventable public health crisis.  Driven by the desire to positively shape the lives of others, she is working to build a world where young people avoid – and not just recover from – abuse.

Overcoming limiting beliefs is one of my FAVORITE things to talk about because limiting beliefs 1) apply to all of us; 2) hold us back in way; and 3) are possible to overcome, outgrow, and overthrow. In this episode, I share a personal example of how I shed one of the biggest limiting beliefs in my life on my journey to qualify to run in the Boston Marathon. 

This episode is the audio from my (very first) Facebook Live where I talked about the 7 things you can STOP doing in 2022 to take yourself and your success to the next level - and beyond. 

Many women are frustrated by a lack of influence. The question is, how do we get more of it? At home, at work, in our relationships, we know life gets better when we are able to increase our influence. This episode is the first in a series of episodes where I break down leadership and influence principles for specific situations - this one, talks about how to increase your influence at work with your boss. 

Everyone feels the momentum of the new year coming and with it, the excitement of a new chapter or new beginning. However, most people will be setting goals or new year's resolutions that they will simply forget about by the end of January. Why? Because there is a difference between being interested in a goal or committed to achieving it. In this episode, I break down some of the key points you need to know to take yourself to the next level in 2022 - whatever that looks like for you. 

In this episode, I share the "best" books of the 50 non-fiction books I read in 2021 - and why they were good. If you are looking to up-level your personal growth plan, reading is a great way to do it! 

In this episode, I talk about the biggest leadership myth, how it holds us back, and what we can do to bust it!

As the year draws to an end, it's time to think about the fresh chapter we will be starting for 2022 and the new year. Do you know what the three most important questions you can ask (and answer) for yourself and your goals for 2022 are? I share them in this episode!