Marriage & Miracles

Today, we welcome Michael Robert Eck! He is a SuperHero Coach with a mission to help individuals access and activate their power so they can lead heroic lives. Michael is also a cancer survivor, father, and grandfather!

Whether you're fighting a physical, mental, or emotional battle, having people in your life who are able to support you is so important! It's essential to have at least one person you feel comfortable asking for and receiving help from. Make sure you communicate with the people supporting you because no one knows what you need unless you're willing to ask for it.

Michael is a big proponent of fun and making sure laughter is a part of everyday living. Laughing is SO good for you. Here are some health benefits of laughing!:

It's not always easy to find the good in a hard situation, but you don't necessarily need to. Whether it is finding something light hearted about your situation, talking with a friend, or watching a funny show, finding ways to laugh will all around improve your wellbeing!

Faith over fear is a wonderful mindset to have when tackling tough circumstances. Stepping into faith, whether it be faith in God or something else, having something to set your focus on is so important.

Join the Gratitude Gang here!

Check out This Book Will Make You Dangerous here.

Action Item:

Make a list of things that will increase your powers spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally, and then act on what you've written down. Remember, everything you do in life will either increase or decrease one of those four powers.

Michael Robert Eck is a SuperHero Life Coach and founder of the full-day workshop, SuperHero Revolution. He consults with and helps individuals, organizations, and community and corporate groups uncover and reclaim power in order to achieve their own meaningful objectives, and to lead their personally particular, authentic, heroic lives.

Michael is also a cancer survivor with addiction recovery experience who works with people battling physical and other illness who seek lifestyle transformation, as well as guiding clients to achieve life-changing relationship, career, and other goals.

Connect with Michael Robert Eck on IG @MichaelRobertEck or on his website www.SuperHeroRevolution.com

In today's episode we'll be answering questions like:

Check out my very first podcast where I share the depression and dark thoughts that I've struggled with: Click Here.

"You are not alone."

Most of us have felt depressed at some point in our lives whether it be an extreme depression or in smaller ways that still affect your life.

It may sound cliché but one of the most important things you can do for yourself during these times is remember that you are not alone.

There will always be someone who cares about you whether it's family, a friend, or a complete stranger; they're out there.

"Human Beings want to help you."

Along the lines of remembering you're not alone, know that there are people in the world who want to help you. It's important to share what you're going through. You'll be amazed at how much better you'll feel when you talk to someone about how you're feeling. Make sure the person you choose is trustworthy and compassionate. Accidentally choosing someone who doesn't have your best interest at heart can give opposite results to what we're looking for.

But what can you do right now to help yourself out?

The first of our ten tips to kick depression is to get into a routine. You don't have to plan out every single day but creating a morning routine that you follow more often than not can really help keep you moving and pull you out of the depression.

"Our world was created for love, connection, and belonging. It was not created for depression, drug overdose, and suicide."

Our second tip is to set obtainable goals. Setting goals can give your life visible meaning when you feel like you have none (which is totally not true, but we've all been there!). It's important to keep these goals realistic so you are able to achieve them. Making too lofty of goals will only back fire when you aren't able to reach them. It's better to make a bunch of small goals that will all amount to a much larger goal.

Check out WebMD's list of 10 Natural Depression Treatments

Listen to the the full episode to hear all 10 tips plus some extra ones from yours truly!

Janelle Lynnae, the Founder of Next Level Confident, is a Confidence Coach and Corporate Workshop Facilitator. She primarily focuses on women in STEM industries and believes all women deserve to grow their confidence muscle in order to face their fears, set audacious goals, and take leaps of faith.

Janelle has years of experience coaching women how to break through psychological barriers unknowingly placed on self. She empowers each woman with the tools and practical action steps she must take in order to live a life she’s proud of.

Connect with Janelle on IG @janelle_lynnae and facebook, or email us at [email protected]

In today's podcast, we hear from Lance Essihos, Host of Top 100 Podcast University of Adversity + Founder and CEO of Mic-Up Podcast Productions.

Lance was able to turn years of adversity into a life he's proud of and is able to live out his passion every day.

We'll answer questions like:

"I just believed in myself that I could do it."

You need to be your own number one supporter. Believe in yourself because you can not guarantee there will always be someone else who does. Having a solid support system in whatever your venture is, is amazing. Building relationships and trust with others is so so important, but the belief that you are 100% capable needs to start with you.

So many people don't try a second time when they don't get the responses or results that they wanted the first time. Whether it's regarding a relationship, business inquiries, or anything else you might be working on, having persistence is necessary to get what you want. Lead with a firm belief that you CAN do whatever you set your mind to and use that to propel you forward on your journey and give you the confidence to go back a second, third, fourth, fifth time to get what you want.

"Being a victim is not the way to go."

It's easy (and quite frankly, natural) to attached yourself to the hardships and pain you've gone through. Your adversity is a part of your story but it is not your whole story. There's a difference between acknowledging what you've been through and using that/those piece(s) to help yourself (and maybe others) grow, and letting your adversity keep you stuck and stagnant in life. Your experiences and emotions are valid and at the same time labeling yourself as a victim can be extremely harmful to you and your life.

When you let go of the victim mindset, you can start getting to know yourself as a distinct person. Don't let yourself be defined by what you've been through because you are so much more than your past. It isn't until you are able to make peace with your past and take it for what it is that you will be able to move on and start doing everything that you want to accomplish without a heavy heart.

"Get quiet because the quietness is when things start to come in."

What do you actually want to do? It starts with your imagination. Don't worry about the "how" right now, just honestly answer what you want to do if anything was possible. What do you enjoy doing?  Take time to write these answers out. Journal or messily brain dump onto a piece of paper what it is that you enjoy and want to truly spend your time doing.

Let go of any of the thoughts you feel holding you back or making you doubt yourself. Be still and get connected to yourself, God, or whatever else it is that you believe in. You can continue to journal or you can meditate, but get quiet and simply listen.

Action Step: Whatever it is that you feel called to do or be, answer that call. Follow your intuition, follow your passion, and lead with your heart. Don't wait, act on it now.

Connect with Lance on LinkedIn and follow him on IG @lance.essihos

We'll be answering questions like:

"What is your message that you live by?"

Don't suffocate who you are with things, people, or routines that take away from your true identity. When most people think of minimalism, they think of it in regards to tangible clutter. However, minimalism can be extended way beyond that. Samantha likes to make three environmental categories: physical, social, and habitual.

Physical refers to the things we have. It could be clothing, books, any physical objects that you own. Social refers to the people we spend time and interact with. People can have a big impact on who we present ourselves as. They can make a positive impact on our lives or they can drag us down. It's important to be discerning in who you choose to spend your time with. Habitual refers to our routines and the things we our consistently doing. Are there people you are always trying to please? Are you living for yourself or for someone else? Does your daily routine make your day easier or harder? We have to note which of our consistent behaviors are adding to or taking away from our lives.

"There are a lot of things you have to work through to be okay with being by yourself."

How do you feel when you're completely alone? No phone. No music. Nothing. Being alone with our thoughts can be very unsettling, uncomfortable, and sometimes scary. Who are you when you're by yourself with only the company of your own mind? You might not be able to answer that question.

We often use distractions to suppress memories and thoughts that we don't want to come up. So when you strip away everything you use to keep those unwanted thoughts away (people, work, music, social media), they come about and we are completely unprepared to deal with them. In order to feel okay being alone with your mind, you need to confront those things that you are trying so hard to suppress.

Only once you're at peace with your mind will you be at peace with your life.

"Things can change because we can change."

Humans are not complacent beings. We grow and we change. One of the best ways to do so is learning how to say "no." Start showing up for yourself and your needs. If we don't treat our time as sacred then who will? By not constantly saying yes when you want to say no, you'll start recognizing your own worth. When you start recognizing your worth, others with start recognizing that same worth within you. Once we are able to change, we start seeing our perspectives change.

Connect on IG @samantha_joy__

And check out her website! www.thelesseffect.com

On today's podcast we hear from Christina Stathopoulos, a certified women's leadership coach who helps women in the workplace amplify their voices.

We'll be answering questions such as:

What does it mean to be a leader?

"If you're secure in who you are then feedback helps you grow. If you're insecure then feedback is very personal."

Let's talk about feedback. It can sometimes be hard to hear right? But it is SO important. Whether you work for someone or have people working for you, feedback is necessary to have open communication and goes both ways! Regardless of your position in work, you will find yourself faced with feedback.

"We were born and bread on achievement culture."

Don't let achievement culture take away your enjoyment. Everyone likes to "win" in whatever they do, but there is a point at which this winning mindset is more of a detriment to your life than it is a good thing. This can especially become an issue when we talk about leading in the workplace.

"There is such an opportunity to sit back and listen."

Active listening is necessary in the work place. We all need to show up inquisitive of how others do things and truly listening to what others have to say. Active listening and receiving feedback go hand in hand. A person may think that they're great at listening to feedback because they don't react negatively to it. However, if you're just waiting for the person giving you feedback to be done so you can brush it off, that still has no benefit to you. Engaging in the conversation and responding to what is said to you is what's going to help you grow.

Don't just assume it's on you to have all the answers all the time. Practice listening and learning from others as much as you practice trying to assert or be heard yourself.

Today's Action Step: Practice noticing how many conversations you have where you are really listening to the other person.

Check out the Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown

Christina Stathopoulos, is the Founder and Head Coach of Hear Her Roar. She is a Professional Certified Coach and International Speaker dedicated to coaching women's leadership and amplifying their voices.

Christina has degrees with high honors in Chemistry and English from Mount Holyoke College. In addition to her private practice, Christina also serves as a Leader in Training of Accomplishment Coaching’s Coach & Leadership Training Program.

You can connect with Christina on IG @hearxtinaroar or on her website hearherroar.net

Do you ever feel overwhelmed thinking about your finances? 

You are not alone! Unfortunately, how to handle finances is not typically taught in our adolescence/young adulthood so it’s not uncommon to feel a bit lost. 

In today’s episode, we’ll be hearing from financial advisor, Denaye Austad, all about handling your finances! 

We’ll be answering questions such as: 

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if you feel like you should know the answer already.” 

Ask questions. Ask questions. Ask questions. 

For most people, handling finances is not some easy task. There are many different components to consider, making the whole process very complex. And like I said previously, so many of us were never taught how to effectively do our finances which can make it even more of a challenge. 

Never be afraid to ask questions. If you’re ever wondering whether or not you should ask, that typically means you should. You’ll never get better at what you’re doing if you’re not actively trying to learn. 

Much of the time, that will look like being vulnerable enough to ask questions when you aren't unsure of something. 

You might be wondering who to ask your questions to. Financial advisors like Denaye are great resources to use! 

In today's podcast, Denaye will also be talking about steps that you can take in your personal lives to help get yourself into a sound financial position. “The context of your specific point in life makes a really really huge difference.” 

Let’s talk about debt. It seems as though shame has often been connected to debt. Should you feel shame for having debt? No! Here’s the thing, beating yourself up about having debt will not fix the problem. You won’t gain anything from keeping a negative mindset about the situation. Whether the debt was in your control or not, mindset has everything to do with getting out of it. 

The number one cause of debt in America is from medical expenses. Emergencies and unexpected events happen all the time, sometimes leading to debt. Shame has no place here. Sometimes our debt is a result of our own excessive spending and shopping. Shame has no no place here either. 

However, it is incredibly important that you learn from your mistakes and start building new habits that will lead you in the right direction. A key element to tackling both kinds of debt, is to make everything conscious. Sit down and actually do the math to understand how much debt you’re dealing with. 

You don’t have to tell the world but get it out in the open with yourself and whoever else may be involved in your finances. Pretending the debt isn’t there will not make it go away. 

“Exactly how it is right now is not how it’s going to be forever.” 

Budgeting tools:  

1. The Mint App and Every Dollar App (These are great if you have a stable income with consistent money)

2. The Truebill App (This app is great for entrepreneurs or those with an inconsistent paycheck) 

Connect with Denaye through her email [email protected] or through her facebook!

Your confidence journey is never over.

Everyone can benefit from continually challenging their limiting beliefs and growing their confidence. 

In today’s episode, we’ll be hearing from Lisa Thompson, the founder of Self Love Beauty. 

We’ll answer questions like: 

"You don't know what you don't know until all of a sudden you know." 

The quote above is my favorite quote from today's podcast. At first glance you might say "what?" Another glance and you might say "well, yeah duh that makes sense." But we tend to overlook the realities that come along with this statement. It's easy to stay where we are in life because we don't know what we're missing out on, resulting in no motivation to change. 

When it comes to confidence, the same thing can happen!

We get comfortable where we're at (even if it's not where we want to be) and because we don't know what our lives could look like when we grow our confidence, we don't try to change. You have to be willing to take the first steps blinded so that you will be able to know and experience what you once couldn't imagine.

 "It starts at home." 

Confidence affects humans of every stage in life. A lack of confidence is usually talked about in regards to the younger generation, however, so many adults still fight confidence struggles as they did in their adolescents. The only difference is how they perceive and respond to it. This creates a cycle of children and adults consistently struggling with their confidence. 

As adults, we need to focus on our own confidence because we are the role models for our children. 

You create the environment your child grows up in. It can either be one that helps them step into their own confidence or one that gives them a lack in confidence. It's easy to try to put your child first. But when it comes to confidence, it starts with you. 

"How we act and the behaviors we have are all backed by confidence." 

What are some confidence tools you can implement into your life? Try these!: 

Action step: Reflect on what area of your life needs the most attention regarding confidence and choose one small behavior to implement in your life that will help you reach your goal. (Ex. 3 affirmations) 

You don't want to miss out! Self Love Beauty is holding an upcoming virtual women's conference: Girl Unfinished: Uncover the Unstoppable You Join October 18th from 10am to 3pm EST to reach your full potential and uncover your unfinished journey. 

Connect with Lisa on IG/FB @selflovebeauty or email [email protected] 

Or check out her website selflovebeauty.com.

In today’s podcast, Janelle Lynnae will be giving us 10 of her unique and easy ways to get healthier and treat your body right!

We’ll be talking all about your health, looking at it from a mind, body, and soul perspective. You don’t want to miss out!

Want a sneak peak?

Our first tip is to get your greens in! Almost all of us have heard at some point in our childhoods to “eat your vegetables!” But it’s true! Eating greens is SO good for your body. And it doesn’t have to take a long time to make or look gourmet. Sure it can be fun to season or roast your veggies but sometimes it’s more realistic to have something quick. Janelle’s top fast veggie trick is to buy pre-cut bags of broccoli and then all you have to do is pop it in the microwave and voilà! Yummy. Fast. Easy.

"Try to eat two greens a day."

"Everything in moderation."

Another important thing to keep in mind is water. Now I’m not just going to tell you drink more of it (although do that too) but the kind of water you’re drinking is actually really important! Water is essential in areas such as: protecting the spinal cord and other sensitive tissues, removing waste through urination, sweating and bowel movements, regulating temperature, and lubricating and cushioning joints. What most people don’t pay attention to, though, is the pH levels of their water.

I recently started drinking Kangen Water®. Now what is Kangen Water®? It's delicious water created from Enagic's innovative water technology. Not only do these devices filter your tap water, but they also produce ionized alkaline and acidic waters through electrolysis. These waters can be used for various purposes, including drinking, cooking, beauty, and cleaning.

Some say these waters can help slow the aging process, regulate your body’s pH level, and prevent chronic diseases like cancer. So take a look at what kind of water you’re drinking and the pH levels!

Listen to today's podcast to learn more easy ways YOU can be healthier!

"Balance is the key to a healthy lifestyle."

Do you want to step into a leadership role in your career? Untapped emotional intelligence and communication skills might be holding you back.

A study conducted by Workplace Strategies for Mental Health showed that 83% of leaders perceive themselves as emotionally intelligent, yet when these leaders were being scored by others, 47% of them were rated as “challenged” in certain areas of their Emotional Intelligence.

In today's podcast, Matt Shaver, marketer and business strategist, talks about the different aspects of emotional intelligence and effective communication in the workplace and why they are important.

"When it comes to effective communication, how a message is received by others is more important than how the message was created from yourself."

We will be answering questions such as:

"People don't know what's in your heart or what your motivators are unless you're communicating them effectively."

Sometimes it can be hard to conduct an objective evaluation of oneself. This can often result in a skewed perception of reality because we feel like we should be good in certain areas that we score ourselves higher. We might not even realize when this happens! Gathering feedback and evaluations from an unbiased eye are extremely important.

"Feedback is critical."

Action steps you can take:

You can find the high emotional intelligence chart here!

Matt Shaver has spent the last 10 years of his career in sales, marketing and strategy. From working with a startup, selling on a trading floor, to Cisco where he has spent the last 6 years and just celebrated his anniversary a few weeks ago.

While he has had success in many different areas of sales, his true passion comes from the strategy that goes into making customers and organizations successful, and leading internal strategy initiatives.

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn!

Stop talking crap about yourself. It's your choice!

Repetitive action becomes habit. The more consistently you talk crap about yourself, the more natural and unforced talking negatively about who you are becomes.

In today's podcast we will be answering questions like:

"Take the time to know yourself and what you have to offer."

Talking poorly about oneself is SO common. However, after years of working with women trying to build their confidence, Janelle Lynnae has seen this specifically present in women. Women have a huge habit of talking poorly about themselves and have a hard time seeing their worth.

Often, this negative self talk comes from a fear of being perceived as anything less than perfect. Whether it stems from trying to look, act, or talk perfectly, when you start beating yourself up about it, those words not only become habitual but also do not benefit you in any way! Remember: hating yourself does not make the world a better place.

We also might find our negative self talk coming from a place of not wanting to come off as "too much" or cocky. Remember, you are never too much and don't let anyone try to shrink who you are. It seems as though our society has started confusing what it means to be humble and a nasty mix of negative self talk and self deprecation. Being humble is saying thank you and smiling after someone compliments you. Being humble is not rejecting compliments and giving a reason as to why their compliment doesn't apply to you. Being humble is being happy for your victories. Being humble is not disregarding anything you do well because it's not "good enough."

"Look for ways to celebrate yourself."

What if we started celebrating ourself instead of beating ourselves up? Maybe you're already on your way to shifting your mindset for good or maybe the idea of not engaging in negative self talk seems impossible. Wherever you're at in this journey, just know that you CAN and WILL make it to a place where positive self talk is natural and instinctive! Whatever you choose to do in life becomes a habit. However, it is totally possible to create new pathways and rewire our brains!

Start by simply recognizing when you talk crap about yourself. Because these habits can be done unconsciously it's important to start by recognizing and differentiating between self talk and negative self talk. Don't be afraid to call yourself out!  After you start recognizing the negative self talk, start replacing it with either neutral or positive words. This might look something like:

Negative: "I mad a mistake and I'm a failure."

Neutral: "That didn't go as well as I had planned."

Positive: "I tried my best and it didn't work but I'm going to keep trying!"

"Your value is intrinsically set inside of you."

I challenge you! Make a list of 20 things you have to offer the world, or 20 things you love about yourself. Journal it out!

Head to our website www.nextlevelconfident.com to learn more about us!