If you're feeling isolated or misunderstood and your seeking connection but unable to find it, then you are not alone! Maybe you've been reaching out to others, hoping for understanding and empathy, but you're still left feeling lonely. What you're experiencing is a reminder of the deep human need for genuine connection and understanding.
Meet my special guest Amanda Allard, from her humble beginnings on a Texas farm, she has cultivated through life experience and education a deep understanding of loneliness and the power of empathy. As a child, she bore witness to her mother's wrongful incarceration, which influenced her trajectory in life and her pursuit of education. Today, she is a PhD candidate in communications, empowering individuals to use empathy as a tool to navigate loneliness and foster authentic relationships. She has honed her communication skills and her empathetic approach to life, making her a much sought-after expert in her field.
"I'm a big believer that if you hold on to secrets, it just eats you away slowly." - Amanda Allard
More about Amanda, Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur, and Researcher:
As the saying goes, adversity builds character, and for Amanda Allard (PhD), this couldn't be truer. Picture a young girl facing the unimaginable trauma of her mother's wrongful incarceration at the tender age of 9. Today, that same girl is a communication specialist who is about to defend her dissertation and obtain a PhD in Communication Studies, known for her exceptional research on interpersonal communication pertaining to gossip, support, and healthy relationships. From life-altering events to her time as a scholar, Amanda has emerged as a resilient leader who went on to become a TEDx speaker, a soon to be first-generation PhD recipient, and founder of her successful business, Wedded Words: Wedding Speech Consulting.
Episode Highlights:
04:07 It started out as a typical childhood then Amanda's foundation was ripped out from underneath her
14:44 Lessons learned as she faced her fears and visiting incarcerated boys as community service
17:33 The epidemic of loneliness and doing the work to understand others perspectives
22:47 Understanding the 5 personality traits as a pathway to improved empathy
34:53 How to reconnect with someone and communicate again
To follow along with Amanda go to:
TEDX talk: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vXudIW4StYs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaallard2020/
X: https://twitter.com/AmandaAllard15
Michigan State University: https://comartsci.msu.edu/our-people/amanda-allard
Website: Wedded Words Consulting
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Website: love-colette.com
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In Health,
Colette