It's a special thing to witness when someone leverages their passion and authenticity to break down barriers and do the unexpected in their personal life. Even more special is the effect that it has on others to pave the way and create new worlds of connection and possibility. Dylan Kennedy is a dancer turned teacher and young professional who lives his creed and is perpetually focused on sharing our passions and love through dance, entrepreneurship, and obtaining alignment to get to where we want to be.

Nothing comes from nothing, and often the brightest outlooks come from some of the darkest places. It's simple to agree that it's good to have a positive mindset, but often much more complicated to embrace amid adversity. Erica Day embodies what it means to persist in choosing an attitude of joy, grace, and gratitude while channeling energy and enthusiasm to make a difference for the people around her. Remembering that we are human means acknowledging that not every day is going to be easy. So more important than a smooth and perfect journey is the ability to get back to the focused mindset that we want to cultivate. Rather than being frustrated or upset about circumstances, the perspective to be grateful for all that we have keeps us aligned. Resilience is not that we are never knocked down, it's how quickly we get back up.

Happy Thanksgiving!! Today and every day, let's be grateful for the special people in our lives that have made us and everyone else around them better. Matt Totlis embodies the characteristics of what it means to leverage your superpower and unique abilities to benefit everyone; making them smarter, more resilient, or just comforted by being heard and feeling valued for their effort and presence. Matt is a leader by example and someone who any of us could connect with as perfectly flawed, yet still striving to align the person that he is with the person that he wants to be. Walking the walk is never as easy as expected and requires us to sacrifice where we are, for who we will become. Matt reminds us that as we are along the journey, more important than searching for happiness and satisfaction as a goal, is to allow the full breadth of our emotions to meet us where we are. Our perspective is everything and guides our actions which make us worthy not only to be loved but to be lovely as well.

Not every day is pretty. Not everything is going to go as smoothly as we expect it to. We know this, but somehow get surprised when it catches us in the moment and we are faced with difficult choices for navigating conflict. It's not something we look forward to doing, but the way that we handle conflict is almost always more important than the original issue. Courtney Robertson shares her experience in dealing with conflict and the extra challenges that come with confronting those close to us who we care about. She opens the conversation for us to consider actionable insights to learn from and strive to meet every challenge with the best of intentions. There will undoubtedly be mistakes, but making them requires the effort to act in the first place. Reflecting on them and correcting for the future is how we improve and evolve.

"So often people view things through their own lens." They see the output, but they don't see what was there before or what it took to get there. We judge the product in front of us and overlook the process. It's easy to be critical of the results, but it's more challenging to understand and assess the intentions in the heat of the moment, especially when emotions are running hot and we are frustrated. Mark Seasholes shares more of his experiences that have shaped his mindset and perspective. Communicating with the intention to understand reminds us of the person on the other side and their efforts. When we shift our lens to see things, not only from our own point of view, we learn more and find productive ways to persevere through conflicts and adversity.

There is always more to the story than what we see on the surface. With all respect for titles and the dedication and grit which earned them, it's the qualities of the person behind the title that we need to focus on and remember because they determine the character and conviction that produced the results we see today. Ned Wellman, Ph.D. reminds us that you can't be outstanding unless you are willing to stand out and shares his experience making sacrifices to be where he is today. We get more insight into his top three leadership quotes, learn more about how they have shaped his mindset and personal narrative, and get to spend quality time with Ned beyond the confines of titles and labels.

Too often our overly critical selves overlook our power to show up and make a difference. We downplay not only our ability to contribute and deliver but our potential for all that we can be.  Getting to the person/position you want to be involved insecurity, uncertainty, frustration, and a number of overwhelming emotions. Amy J. Hillman, Ph.D. shares her experience overcoming "negative forces" to persevere to where she is today and continues to drive her to give more for others. She is a powerhouse role model for women and all people as she embodies true executive presence at its finest.

It's one thing to do well for yourself and it's ideal when you can get to a place where you are able to do good for others. Rather than waiting for someday, why not make a difference today? Trauma and challenges shape our identity and relationships with the people around us. Pitu Sim is an outstanding example of leader who has overcome hardships and carried the lessons learned to connect resources with those in need through education and information technology. Like almost everyone at one point or another he has walked the path of imposter syndrome and been the benefactor of privilege. The extraordinary thing is the way he not only is driven to make a difference, especially for those who experience systematic disadvantages, but his actions and follow through are consist and keep him aligned in his mission and purpose.

It doesn't happen overnight. There's a long winding path of obstacles and trials that we battle with to get to greater places. Making room for the "success" that we define requires the patience to wait for and the bravery to act on an opportunity. The growth we experience from the situations that make us uncomfortable sets the foundation for the new level that we are about to reach. This episode gets personal with Christine De La Cerda. The challenges she has overcome and the lessons she's learned are what fuel her each day to share energy, enthusiasm and fill the buckets of the people she loves and cares about.

Imagine devoting 13 years of your life to what you thought you wanted, getting right on the doorstep, and then finally realizing that it's not the right decision for you. Fulfillment doesn't come from any single element. It's the intersection of passions, skills, and what brings value to other people. To truly transform requires introspection and deep reflection about the right metrics to define our "success". John Wisneski, Ph.D. talks about the challenges, doubts, and frustration that it took to come to his realization. He shares his experience so that others on their journies can put into perspective what really matters and get closer to that realization in their own process.