MINDSET ZONE

“With any habit, especially drinking, it’s important to have an accountability source. Declaring what you’re doing to others makes it more real.”

- Rose Ann Forte

Rose Ann joins me today to describe her journey to becoming alcohol-free. She points out the lack of conversations about alcohol consumption and the options available to those trying to overcome it. She outlines how alcohol can causes an individual’s mental health to spiral by stealing self-esteem, purpose, productivity, and connection.

Rose Ann also discusses finding purpose after quitting alcohol and highlights how accountability helps create the mindset shift needed for freedom from alcohol.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

Different mindsets, belief systems, and relationships with alcohol

Psychological triggers and different kinds of drinking problems

What made Rose Ann decide to join the coaching program to become alcohol-free

Shame, labeling, and why alcohol problems become a hidden issue for many people

Why accountability is a critical piece of quitting alcohol

Writing The Plans He Has for Me and creating a faith-centered program

Forgiving oneself and others and finding purpose after quitting alcohol

How having the right community helps people thrive and grow

The Guest:

Rose Ann Forte is an Alcohol-Free Coach, a Positive Intelligence Coach, and the best-selling author of The Plans He Has for Me: A 12-Week Daily Devotional for Freedom from Alcohol. Rose Ann is a former C-suite executive who served as the Chief Financial Officer of Southwest Capital Partners from 1995 until she became an executive coach in 2021.

Resources Mentioned:

Book: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Connect with Rose Ann Forte:

The Plans He Has for Me

Book: The Plans He Has For Me: A 12-Week Daily Devotional for Freedom from Alcohol

Rose Ann Forte on LinkedIn

Rose Ann Forte on Instagram

Rose Ann Forte on TikTok

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“Most of us start our businesses because we want to make a difference out there—it’s a way of living our mission, and we are in love with that mission.”

- Ana Melikian

In this episode, I speak with Toby on the Moving Conversations Podcast to share my life growing up in Portugal and how my curiosity and desire to understand led me to study psychology and pursue a career in academia.

I explain why I decided to move to the United States after studying in the UK and working in Portugal. I discuss how I found myself in the world of life coaching and how it helped me make sense of my values and aspirations.

I describe the challenges I faced when I first started my coaching practice and the health crisis that impacted my life and career. I also underscore how our businesses can be our way of living our mission in the world and highlight how we can live with happiness as a way of being.

***This episode was rebroadcast here at the Mindset Zone with explicit consent fromToby Goodman, the host of Moving Conversations.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

What life was like for me growing up in Portugal

Why I decided to pursue a career in academia

The intrapreneur mentality and my journey from Portugal to the UK and US

How I found myself in the world of life and executive coaching

How I made my coaching business stand apart from others in the market

Why I disliked marketing and sales when I first started my life coaching practice

Finding the Book Yourself Solid® system, how it saved me and my business, and what it taught me about marketing and sales

My fight with breast cancer and the power of humor

The “When…Then” habit cycle and how we make conditions of happiness for ourselves

The habituation effect and why happiness can’t be forced

Choosing happiness and making the best of what we have in the moment

Toxic positivity and positive psychology

The interviewer:

Toby Goodman is a podcast producer and strategist who helps coaches, course creators, and service providers grow their businesses. In his bestselling book, Narrow Podcasting, Toby shows professionals how to make profitable connections and scale without paid ads, sponsors, or thousands of listeners. He is also the CEO and Director of the podcast post-production company, Podcast Network Solutions, and owns Listen Better Marketing Ltd. In addition to his work as a podcast expert and producer, Toby is a professional musician who has spent over 20 years performing with some of the world’s greatest musicians.

Our Favorite Quotes:

“People in academia find marketing and selling abhorrent—that’s programmed in us.” - Toby Goodman

“I found life coaching as a way to make sense of what was going on with me, what I really wanted to do, and what was important.” - Ana Melikian

“I’ve been around enough Ph.D. students to know it’s really hard to do it and, when you finally get it, the door slams and you have to find a new way.” - Toby Goodman

Resources Mentioned:

Original Episode: Moving Conversations - Choosing the Happiness Mindset Zone with Dr. Ana Melikian

Book Yourself Solid®

Book: Book Yourself Solid: The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling by Michael Port

Book: I’m Just a Person by Tig Notaro

Book: Toxic Positivity: Keeping It Real in a World Obsessed with Being Happy by Whitney Goodman

Connect with Toby Goodman:

Podcast Network Solutions

Narrow Podcasting

Book: Narrow Podcasting: Make Profitable Connections and Grow your Business, Without Paid Ads, Sponsors, or Thousands of Listeners

Podcast: Moving Conversations

Podcast: Moving Conversations on Amazon

Podcast: Moving Conversations on Apple

Podcast: Moving Conversations on Google Play

Podcast: Moving Conversations on Spotify

Podcast: Moving Conversations on Stitcher

Podcast: Moving Conversations on iHeartRadio

Podcast: Podcast Business Coach

Podcast Network Solutions on LinkedIn

Podcast Network Solutions on Facebook

Toby Goodman on Instagram

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“Transformation changes your identity. If we change habits, our identity is changed.”

- Sue Stevenson

Sue joins me today to discuss how shifting our mindset can shift our physical health. She describes her journey in the corporate world and explains how her ability to navigate through change contributed to her success in life.

She details the diagnosis that set her on a path of healthy living and changing her relationship with stress. Sue also highlights better methods for building habits and underscores the therapeutic power of humor.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

Sue’s background and life in the corporate world

What the “corporate brain” is and how Sue’s mindset about women’s role in the business world evolved through the years

How her ability to navigate and adapt to change contributed to Sue’s success in life

Corporate culture’s tendency to reward toxic dedication and the social, physical, and emotional costs to Sue’s success

Our tendency to accept sub-optimal health

How Sue moved into radical action despite facing the impossible

Neurostrategies and the gut-brain connection

How long it took for Sue to feel improvements in her health

Mental fitness and how our mindset can impact our physical health

The Guest:

Sue Stevenson is the founder of the global executive coaching firm, Lifted Fog LLC. Sue is dedicated to facilitating learning and positive change through brain-based coaching and consulting that utilizes the latest research in neuroscience, strategic humor management, and positive psychology. She is the co-founder of The San Diego Brain Club and serves as the Editor of The Humor Voice. She is the author of Impossible to Possible: Neurostrategies for Healing, Humor, and a Reimagined Life.

Resources Mentioned:

Book: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Connect with Sue Stevenson:

Lifted Fog

Book: Impossible to Possible: Neurostrategies for Healing, Humor, and a Reimagined Life

Lifted Fog Photography on Instagram

Sue Stevenson on LinkedIn

Sue Stevenson on Instagram

Sue Stevenson on Facebook

Sue Stevenson on Twitter

The San Diego Brain Club

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“When confronted by uncertainty, first adapters win not by pushing harder with willpower, but by unlocking the game of patterns.”

- Steven Feinberg

Steven joins me today to discuss what NeuroStrategy is and how it can help leaders and organizations triumph. He shares how growing up in a world of uncertainty shaped his path to becoming a NeuroStrategist.

He explains the characteristics of a “first adapter” and outlines the principles of NeuroStrategy. He also reveals why using willpower alone is one of the biggest mistakes people make when they get stuck in a problem and provides an example of how higher-order pattern recognition can empower leaders and entrepreneurs.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

Steven’s background and his journey to becoming a NeuroStrategist

NeuroStrategy and its applications for entrepreneurs

What it means to be a first adapter

Seeing your options through Game Spotting

Defying expectations with Pattern Busting

How framing the future can help you create the exception

The Task Commander and the Complexity Thinker

How coaches and trusted advisors can help leaders overcome blindspots

The difference between a “first-order” and “second-order” change

Why we get stuck in solving problems

The power of higher-order pattern recognition

The Guest:

Steven Feinberg is a NeuroStrategist and executive coach. The leading authority on applying NeuroStrategy and game-changing leadership, Steven has been working with entrepreneurs and organizations to strive for exceptionality. He has consulted and coached owners, executives, and C-suite leaders from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies such as Apple, Google, and Wells Fargo. Steven taught at the University of San Francisco School of Business and Professional Studies for over 30 years, focusing on Organizational Behavior and Leadership. He is the author of several books, including the international bestsellers, Do What Others Say Can't Be Done: Play the Meta-Game and Advantage Makers: How Exceptional Leaders Win by Creating Opportunities Others Don't.

Connect with Steven Feinberg:

Steven Feinberg Website

Book: Do What Others Say Can't Be Done: Play the Meta-Game

Book: Advantage Makers: How Exceptional Leaders Win by Creating Opportunities Others Don't

Steven Feinberg on LinkedIn

Steven Feinberg on Twitter

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“In your brand, you tell a wide range of stories about yourself. Reflecting that journey with your photos is an opportunity to create an emotional connection with clients.”

Raj Bandyopadhyay

Raj joins me today to discuss how you can tell your personal brand’s story through photos. He explains why he’s passionate about helping people navigate their reservations around having their photos taken.

He describes ageism and the age-related biases present in social media and the entertainment industry. He outlines the four limiting beliefs that hinder people from showing their authentic selves in their personal brand.

Raj also reveals how you can bring your relaxed, playful, and spontaneous side when posing for portraits and how you can elevate your brand’s story through photos.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

How representation for older women has improved in the media over the years

The struggle with impostor syndrome and self-worth

The manifestations of perfectionism and how social media has taken it to a whole new level

The culture of perfectionism in branding

The cure for perfectionism

How to use your photos to build a deeper connection with your audience and clients

Why physical and emotional safety are vital to great portraits

How to bring your spontaneous and playful side when posing for photos

Telling a multi-dimensional story using photos and images

Photography as a cure for the impostor syndrome

The Guest:

Raj Bandyopadhyay is a personal branding photographer and the founder of Series A Photography, which helps coaches and entrepreneurs convey their full, multifaceted, vibrant stories on camera. Before launching Series A Photography, Raj worked as a data scientist for Springboard, an EdTech startup in San Francisco, CA, and served as the Chief Data Scientist for Pindrop Security. He holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Rice University. Today, as an expert in personal branding photography, Raj is on a mission to help people express themselves fully while building a deep, genuine, lasting connection with their audience.

Connect with Raj Bandyopadhyay:

Series A Photography

Series A Photography on LinkedIn

Series A Photography on Instagram

Series A Photography on Facebook

Raj Bandyopadhyay on LinkedIn

Email: [email protected]

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“Many women are on a mission to make a difference and create an impact but are very hard on themselves. Relax, do the best you can, and be gentle on yourself.”

Ana Melikian

In today’s episode, I joined Sandy, the host of the Instagram live “Hey, I’ve Got Something to Say,” to discuss the importance of being gentle with ourselves. We describe how women tend to doubt themselves and how they get critical of themselves before, during, and after their mission to change the world.

We discuss mental fitness and how training our mental capacity for resilience takes time, practice, and patience. We also highlight the important role of negative emotions and underscore how we can cultivate the conditions where happiness can thrive and flourish in our lives.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

Why women doubt that they can make a difference in the world

The important role of negative emotions

Training our mental capacity for resilience like a muscle

The importance of taking brain breaks, resets, and rests

“The Happiness Fallacy” keynote and why we can’t force happiness to happen in our lives

Creating the conditions where happiness and joy can spontaneously happen

How positivity can backfire

Honoring grief, bereavement, and mourning

How to reset your brain after years of being conditioned with toxic positivity

Changing the prince charming/damsel in distress narrative

Our Favorite Quotes:

“It’s so true that it’s time to get women in the spotlight. We’re good behind the scenes—but we need to challenge ourselves to go out there.” - Sandy Joy Weston

“We have to allow ourselves to take the time to rest and restore, to go out of our routine and see things from a different perspective.” - Ana Melikian

“Everyone thought that as soon as I graduated, I’d be on fire, but I took some time in the garden, weeding and planting. I felt I needed to take a break mentally to rejuvenate and get my energy back out.” - Sandy Joy Weston

The interviewer:

Sandy Joy Weston, M.Ed., is an author, entrepreneur, and media personality. A motivational speaker and fitness guru, Sandy is on a mission to spread joy and positivity. By using fitness and her gift of motivation as her tools, she helps individuals achieve their goals with ease and flow. She is the host of the podcasts “Let’s Keep It Real,” “Positive Power Lady” Live on Facebook, and “Hey, I’ve Got Something to Say” Live on Instagram.Her book, Train Your Head and Your Body Will Follow, guides readers in redirecting their thoughts in a positive, focused manner.

*This episode was rebroadcast here at the Mindset Zone with explicit consent from Sandy Joy Weston, the host of Hey, I’ve Got Something to Say Live on Instagram.

Connect with Sandy Joy Weston:

Sandy Joy Weston Website

Book: Train Your Head and Your Body Will Follow: Reach Any Goal in 3 Minutes a Day

Podcast: Hey, I’ve Got Something to Say on Instagram

Podcast: Let’s Keep It Real on Apple

Podcast: Let’s Keep It Real on Google Play

Podcast: Let’s Keep It Real on Spotify

Podcast: Let’s Keep It Real on Stitcher

Sandy Joy Weston on LinkedIn

Sandy Joy Weston on Instagram

Sandy Joy Weston on Facebook

Sandy Joy Weston on Twitter

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“Our definition of success has to continue to grow, change, and evolve as we continue to grow, change, and evolve.”

Laura Gassner Otting

Laura joins me today to share her wisdom on success and being limitless. She defines success and explains why we need to allow our own definition to change as we grow.

She describes why we need to plan for success and why planning for failure gets us stuck. She also discusses why being successful doesn’t necessarily make us happy, underscores what consonance is and why it matters and highlights the importance of frequently reevaluating our lives as we continue to grow as people.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

Laura’s definition of success

How the meaning of success evolves throughout our lives

Why we need to allow our definition of success to grow and evolve

What encouraged Laura to leave law school to pursue something that mattered to her

How working in executive search inspired Laura to write Limitless

Why being successful doesn’t mean being happy

The four C’s of consonance

Identifying your calling and your connection to it

Assessing the contribution of your calling and your control over it

The importance of frequently reevaluating our lives

Why finding your consonance as a leader means understanding the consonance of the people around you

The Guest:

Laura Gassner Otting (a.k.a. LGO) is an author, executive coach, and the founder of Limitless Possibility. Laura inspires people to push past doubt and indecision by helping them think bigger and accept greater challenges that reach beyond their current, limited scope of belief. Her 25-year-long career as an entrepreneur began when she joined the presidential campaign for Bill Clinton—an opportunity that led her to become a Presidential Appointee in the White House and Program Officer for AmeriCorps. Before becoming the renowned keynote speaker and coach that she is today, Laura served as the founder and President of the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group, one of the fastest-growing search firms in the country.

Resources Mentioned:

Why doesn’t success bring happiness? | Laura Gassner Otting | TEDxReno

Stop Asking “How Can I Help?” | Laura Gassner Otting | TEDxCambridge

Limitless Life Assessment

MyFourQuestions.com

Connect with Laura Gassner Otting:

Laura Gassner Otting Website

Book: Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve Your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life

Podcast: LGOtv Big Talk

Laura Gassner Otting on LinkedIn

Laura Gassner Otting on Instagram

Laura Gassner Otting on Facebook

Laura Gassner Otting on Twitter

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“We will never say we’re going to solve hunger—that’s a much bigger issue tied with many layers of public and social policy. What we’re going to do is not let really good food go to waste while people need it.”Cathy Snyder

Cathy joins us today to discuss food insecurity, poverty, and how the Rolling Harvest Food Rescue movement is alleviating food waste and hunger in the country.

She shares how she became aware of what poverty and food insecurity really look like in the country. She describes the events that led to the founding of Rolling Harvest Food Rescue and explains the importance of dialogue in solving problems.

She also elaborates on how movements like Rolling Harvest create a ripple effect and highlights how alleviating food insecurity benefits society entirely.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

How Cathy became aware of the realities of food insecurity, hunger, and poverty in the countryThe first steps Cathy took toward improving the food pantry she servedCreating and innovating the Rolling Harvest Food Rescue modelHow food is spoiled and wasted in the fieldsHow dialogue creates, sustains, and improves solutions to problemsWhat it takes to create a more sustainable food system for everyoneThe value of nutritional educationWhat gleaning organizations are and how to find themOvercoming the lack of awareness about food insecurityThe Rolling Harvest take on food justice and equity

The Guest:

Cathy Snyder is the Founder and Executive Director of Rolling Harvest Food Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit gleaning organization. After a decade of working a sales career in broadcasting, Cathy began her social impact journey and awakened to the depth of food insecurity while volunteering at a food pantry in New Hope, PA. Since then, what started as Cathy’s efforts to connect farms and food pantries has grown into Rolling Harvest, a vibrant network of volunteers, farms, food producers, and hunger relief sites. Through effective delivery and distribution of local food producers’ surplus, Rolling Harvest Food Rescue increases access to donated fresh produce and other healthy foods to hunger-relief sites that serve at-risk, food-insecure populations—including domestic violence shelters, low-income senior centers, children and family homeless shelters, and others.

Connect with Cathy Snyder:

Rolling Harvest Food RescueRolling Harvest Food Rescue on InstagramRolling Harvest Food Rescue on FacebookRolling Harvest Food Rescue on TwitterCathy Snyder on LinkedInEmail: [email protected]

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“Being purposefully productive means you’re feeling in control, crystal clear on goals, making progress on your most important goals, and conscious about how you invest your time.” Don Khouri

Don joins us today to discuss shifting our mindsets and vocabularies around busyness and productivity. He explains why we get into trouble with our to-do lists and offers advice on prioritizing tasks.

He outlines the different cognitive biases we need to be aware of when making decisions and underscores why multitasking is an illusion. He also reveals why it may be better to learn how to say “yes” and highlights the importance of being purposefully productive.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

People’s tendency to wear busyness as a badge of honorConquering your to-do listsThe power of deadlines and consistencyMoving from to-do lists to action lists and how to prioritize your tasksCircadian rhythms and identifying your most productive time of the dayThe Pomodoro Technique and the concept of microbreaksEntering a state of flow and avoiding the illusion of multitaskingDecision-making and the importance of being aware of cognitive biases when managing prioritiesUnderstanding the sunk-cost fallacy and how to avoid it

The Guest:

Don Khouri is a speaker, author, and executive coach. He is the Founder of Khouri Coaching & Consulting, a coaching firm dedicated to helping tech leaders and healthcare providers improve their productivity through leadership development, team-building, and communication improvement. He previously worked at Fidelity Investments, where he held several key positions during his 21-year-long tenure. Among these roles was Vice President of Software Development, where he headed global teams and complex multimillion-dollar programs. Don holds a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University and a Master of Business Administration degree in Organizational Behavior from Boston University. In his book, When to Say Yes, Don shares a revolutionary approach to productivity and time management derived from his decades of knowledge studying the subject.

Resources Mentioned:

Book: When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel H. Pink

Connect with Don Khouri:

Don Khouri WebsiteKhouri Coaching & ConsultingBook:When To Say Yes: The Five Steps to Protect Your TimeKhouri Coaching & Consulting on LinkedInKhouri Coaching & Consulting on TwitterDon Khouri on LinkedInDon Khouri on FacebookDon Khouri on Twitter

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“The arts transcend race, religion, politics, gender, sexuality—it is our humanness that we feel through the creative process. Art is medicine for the soul.” Lane Gardner

Lane joins me today to discuss why creativity is our superpower and how it helps us become more innovative, courageous, and authentic. She explains why creative expression is not limited to traditional arts such as music or painting and outlines how creativity is beneficial to our well-being.

She describes why creating a safe space is essential to creative expression and discusses why adults become intimidated by the notion of creativity. Lane also underscores art’s function as medicine for the soul and highlights how the power of collaborative creation allows for individual and collective healing from trauma.

This week on The Mindset Zone

Why Lane believes that creativity is a superpowerLane’s definition of creativity and the different forms of creativityThe inner critic and why adults get intimidated by the notion of creativityWhat adults can learn from children about creativityThe role of trust and play in the process of creative expressionHealing through music and the power of collaborative creationUsing music as a means to cultivate mental wellness and develop team collaborationTranslating emotions into art and how creativity helps us get through social change and collective trauma

The Guest

Lane Gardner is an award-winning art educator, singer-songwriter, and trailblazer in the therapeutic arts. She is the President and Founder of THREAD Connects, a non-profit organization that brings the therapeutic power of creative expression to individuals and communities living with trauma. Lane graduated from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Her credits as a musician include leading roles at Lyric Opera Cleveland, Seaside Music Theater, and the West End Theater in New York City. In 2015, Lane released her debut album, Fertile Ground, through her own label, Third Road Records. As an arts educator, Lane has taught in public schools, special education schools, and youth centers across the country. She has also worked in various arts organizations, including The Metropolitan Opera Guild and the Conservatory of Performing Arts.

Resources Mentioned:

Can Creative Expression Help Our Rising Mental Health Crisis? | Lane Gardner | TEDxBoston

Hear Me Out

Connect with Lane Gardner:

Lane Gardner WebsiteTHREAD ConnectsTHREAD Connects on InstagramTHREAD Connects on FacebookTHREAD Connects on TwitterLane Gardner on LinkedInLane Gardner on InstagramLane Gardner on FacebookLane Gardner on SpotifyLane Gardner on SoundCloud

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