How excited we are to welcome back Chief Kindness Officer (and now Author!) Leigh Clark! She's back to tell us all about her new book-- a compilation of stories from amazingly kind humans + authors. We'll chat also about kindness to self, as well as how to teach our children to be kind.

If you're in need of an uplifting treat, this is the episode you don't want to miss.

Released this week (June 8), Living Kindly: Bold Conversations about the Power of Kindness is a glimmer of hope! In a world seemingly riddled with incessant pressure and persistent negativity, Living Kindly emerges to prove just how gentle and bright that world really is—and the unlimited potential we possess to spread that kindness, even in the darkest times. The collection of experiences inspires readers to commit even the smallest act of kindness and uniquely portrays the humanity that resides in all of us. What better way to prove how good-natured the world really is than with honest stories of ordinary humans who bring purpose to their lives (and others) by simply being kind.

Do you know how many of the Instagram influencers you follow rarely look in real life the way they do in those photos? Thanks to photo editing, we can make ourselves look wildly different than we really do. This can be really damaging for young (and old) people who are basing their appearances off of those influencers.

We chatted with Phung Tran, an exercise physiologist, about how to look good (and really just stay healthy) without the crazy unrealistic expectations set by influencers.

Listen in to this fun discussion and get some health inspiration today.

More About Phung Tran:

Excited to achieve your ideal body with healthy habits that last forever? Then Phung Tran is your new fitness bestie.

As an ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist, Phung has helped young women of color like you, to implement science-backed methods to lose weight, with personalized exercise routines and the joy of eating. Her fitness strategy has prompted her clients to be more health-conscious while continuing to enjoy life as it should be.

When she’s not busy breaking a sweat, you can find Phung cuddling with her black cat on the bed, and crocheting her latest amigurumi project.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phung-d-tran/

Andrea Lende has overcome Lupus and other autoimmune issues naturally as she shares in her first book, Life After Lupus, where she journals her path from sickness to health. On this episode of The Insomnicat Show, we'll chat about her natural processes that are not only helpful for those suffering from autoimmune diseases, but for anyone who wants to remain healthy. You'd be surprised how many natural and little tweaks you can make in your daily life.

More About Andrea:

Andrea has authored four additional books supporting her online ministry, Believing Him, where she writes daily devotions and prayers as well as hosts a podcast, Downloads from God. She enjoys speaking on various topics such as overcoming the obstacles in our lives which lead us to discover our genius and operate in our true super-powers.

Donald 'Skip' Mondragon is a physician, retired Colonel who spent 30 months in combat zones, and a National Wrestling Champion. While these seem like some "tough guy" titles, there was a time Skip found himself struggling with depression. That's because even tough guys get depressed. The only way to help others now is to talk more openly about this reality! Skip now speaks and writes to help other men struggling with this disease.

There are some things we can do to proactively avoid the depths of darkness. We'll chat a little bit about that as well.

Let's talk communication with an incredibly effective speaker!

Tina will shed light on some common speaking don'ts and let us know what we can do to improve our public speaking. Even if you're just a beginner and you're feeling nervous, a little practice is key...

Listen in to Tina's wisdom!

About Tina:

Tina has started her own company, Tina B LLC, to provide public speaking coaching and communication consulting to help individuals and organizations communicate more effectively. With 16 years of teaching communication and theatre (10 years at Creighton University), a TEDx speaker and coach, Tina is passionate about educating others to become more self-aware and enhance their speaker style. After earning two BAs from the University of Northern Iowa, one in communication studies and psychology, and the second in theatre and English teaching, she completed a master’s degree in communication studies through the University of Nebraska-Omaha and completed certificates in Advanced Professional Writing, Keirsey’s temperament theory and two levels of improvisation training.

Her past positions have included Malvern Bank’s Chief Creative Officer, assisting with community development and coordinating financial literacy and educational opportunities for Mills County and Golden Hills RC & D as Outreach & Communication Coordinator, promoting the arts and local foods in southwest Iowa.

Tina has performed and coordinated multiple storytelling shows in southwest Iowa, including two teen shows. She continues to use her creativity, leadership, and passion for the arts to help people communicate effectively and solve problems. Tina lives at Maple Edge Farm, a 150-year old family farm in southwest Iowa, with her husband Jon and son Anderson.

What happens when you're in the midst of a successful career, achieving so many things, but you have this nagging feeling in your stomach? The one that questions why you're doing what you're doing if it's completely draining you. Are you being true to yourself and your passions? This happens often these days, and some are fortunate enough to recognize it and make a shift that is more aligned with their true skillsets.

Tammy Euliano was leading a successful career as an academic anesthesiologist and medical educator and researcher with several teaching awards and patents. She co-authored an introductory anesthesia text, became director of the anesthesiology residency of 88 residents, rose to full professor... then completely shifted gears and became a fiction author.

Listen in to learn more about what Tammy's journey looked like, learn more about the writing process when it comes to fiction works, and get inspired to walk along your true path -- whatever that might be-- and even if you have to do it while still working your "regular" job.

When do we have conversations that matter while trying to understand both perspectives? Here's a man who is inspiring others to do just that by creating a movement to be the change we want to see in the world. He's doing this through the power of: conversations. As a Conversational Activist, he's decided to dedicate his life to having tough conversations with those he disagrees with or who are different from him. Listen in to hear about what happens when he does that and how we can follow in his footsteps to have less arguments and more powerful conversations that matter.

Patricia Roberts knows more than a thing or two about saving for college. She's here to tell you everything you ever wanted to know about saving for your child's higher education-- which isn't limited to traditional college!

She'll share some knowledge about the benefits of 529 savings plans, how they work, how to get started ... and when you should really start saving for your child's future.

She's successfully sending her son to college debt free with the help of these programs. Listen in to learn so much more and pick up a copy of her book, Route 529 today (link below).

More about Patricia Roberts

Patricia Roberts is both a higher education savings expert and a mom who’s getting her own son through college debt-free and she’s on a mission to teach other parents how to save for higher education so that their children can pursue their academic and career dreams without the crushing weight of student loan debt. She’s also on a mission to encourage employers to help employees pay down student loan debt and to save in advance to avoid it ---as higher education costs weigh heavily employees’ minds.

She is currently Chief Operating Officer at Gift of College, Inc. and prior to this she held key legal and program management roles in the education savings areas of Citigroup, Merrill Lynch and Alliance Bernstein Investments. Through her work with 529 college savings plans over the past 20+ years, she’s helped tens of thousands of families avoid millions of dollars in student loan debt and with her newly released book Route 529: A Parent’s Guide to Saving for College & Career Training with 529 Plans, she’s helping even more.

With $1.6+ trillion in outstanding student loan debt and with 65% of Americans unfamiliar with one of the easiest and most effective ways to save for higher learning (529 plans), she provides much-needed information in easy-to-understand terms.

Patricia attributes her attainment of higher education as THE reason she was able to lift herself, her mom and siblings out of poverty -- and this fuels her determination to help others attain education after high school with as little resulting debt as possible. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Political Science from Duquesne University and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and she is admitted to the practice of law in New York and New Jersey.

How do you connect with your dreams, even in the "tears" moments of life? Gina Bell, author and empowerment guide, reveals some secrets and reads her beautiful story "Tears and Tulle" on this episode of The Insomnicat Show. And don't worry, she's soon releasing a version great for tapping our boys to become more emotionally connected as well. "Tears & Taffeta" will release this year so stay tuned. And get inspired now.

About Gina Bell

Gina Bell is an empowerment guide, author, speaker, workshop host, and creator of The Tears & Tulle Movement. She is the author of a women’s empowerment picture book called Tears & Tulle. Gina uses art, metaphors, and rainbow tulle to help people all over the world remember their color. She loves eating batter straight from the mixing bowl on an old wooden spoon, playing board games with her family, and stealing her husband's comfy socks. She is busy these days writing Tears & Taffeta, the story of a boy and his ever-growing, multicolored cape.

Following up on our conversation about mindset vs. mentality. Now we're brining you 7 things you can do now to change your mindset.

1. Constant Maintenance

2. Define (and FOCUS on) Your Goals

3. Work on your mentality

4. Follow the evidence (in your own or others’ lives)

5. Be realistic, don’t beat yourself up

6. Avoid the vampires

7. Just keep going—self-belief

Listen in :)