The Life You're Made For with Dr. Heather Penny

Have you ever chosen a word for the year? I couldn’t let the month of January slip by without sharing a practice I’ve adopted – to select a Word for the Year. In this week’s podcast, I’ll share more about my word for 2022 as I invite my husband into the conversation. We’d love to hear what your word of the year is. Jump on Facebook or Instagram and tell us yours! Let’s cheer each other on in this journey to being more intentional about how we live life!

Gain the clarity, confidence, and courage you need to step into this new year with my book, The Life You're Made For

Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!
heatherpenny.com
@heatherpennyphd
Music & Production by Jason Squires

Do you ever feel like it's too late to live the life you were made for? Recently I spoke about aging with my new friend Stephanie Nelson, host of the Pivotal People Podcast. We kept circling around the idea of Aging vs Saging. Our culture likes to tell us that getting older means it's all down hill from here. But, what if we considered another approach to aging? What if we valued how the years are turning us into sages?  Could we bring our experience and wisdom to bear to lift people up?  Everyone has a dream and purpose. How can we become pivotal people in others' lives to help them live the life they were made for?

Visit Stephanie Online: stephanienelson.com
Follow Stephanie on Instagram: @stephanie_nelson_cm

Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!
heatherpenny.com
@heatherpennyphd
Music & Production by Jason Squires

How do you strengthen your identity if you don’t remember who you are? And what's the difference between your story and your identity? This week, I had an incredible conversation with CJ Casciotta that dives into how we rediscover our identity. CJ is a Media Producer and the Author of Get Weird. Truly, this conversation was so great! CJ offers insight into the problems we face today in discovering our identity, and how it is often confused with our story. If you’ve felt like you have lost yourself along the way and need to make your way back, this is a great episode for you! Plus, you will want to hear CJ read the poems he wrote!

Find CJ’s work at recultu.re
Follow and support his Company, Ringbeller at makeuskinder.com

Now check out CJ’s Poems…

The Dust You Were Made From

You know the truth deep inside you.
May you doubt a thousand things but never that.
Let it steady you and guide you home instantly.

Do not search for my voice (or perhaps the voice you might wish I had)
 when lies disguise themselves and try to disguise you as well.

But look for yours alone, not far off on some unreachable island
or locked behind a certain threshold.

There is a strength that begins in the dust you were made from and branches out broader than your body 
for you to run freely in

or sit, or lie down in— 
whatever you know it’s meant for. 

Copyright CJ Casciotta.


A Soft Voice
I hope you develop a soft voice.
While this comes naturally to some
For others it is learned, or else it is forced.

For many, we must unlearn the clanging of pots and pans,
The fist punching at airwaves,
The curriculum that taught us to annex 
Decibels and frequencies
From gym class to calls with customer service.

Only when a voice realizes it needn’t try to breathe under water
Does it rise to the level of sunlight
Branded by an ancient silence, a fiery strength.

Copyright CJ Casciotta. 

"We have the choice of two identities: the external mask which seems to be real and which lives by a shadowy autonomy for the brief moment of earthy existence, and the hidden, inner person who seems to us to be nothing, but who can give himself eternally to the truth in whom he subsists.”
- Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation

Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!
heatherpenny.com
@heatherpennyphd
Music & Production by Jason Squires

Do you ever feel the pressure to meet other's expectations? This week, I talk with my friend Michelle Haakenson as she shares her story about overcoming her tendency to people please. And in so doing, gaining clarity and confidence in her own identity to step out in courage and be who she is truly made to be. Even when it feels like life is falling apart, you can seize the opportunity to do the work, find your identity, and move forward in freedom!

Explore these topics more in my book, The Life You're Made For

Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!
heatherpenny.com
@heatherpennyphd
Music & Production by Jason Squires

Are you looking for stability in your schedule, relationships, and life in general? Then listen in on part 2 of my Strengthening Your Identity series. This was such a great conversation with my friend, Havah Polstolksy about how she found stability, set up boundaries, and stepped into the life she wanted. The life she was made for!

Order my book, The Life You're Made For on Amazon

Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!
heatherpenny.com
@heatherpennyphd
Music & Production by Jason Squires

Do you have a big dream that you haven’t been able to get off the ground? If so, you’re going to love this week’s episode. I can’t tell you how excited I am for you to hear this conversation with NY Times Best Selling Author, Bob Goff. Bob is a friend and mentor of mine and one of the most incredible human beings I have ever met. He embodies joy, authenticity, and wisdom in everything he takes on, and he takes on some BIG things. In our conversation, Bob shares how he gets his big dreams in motion. Whether that’s building a school in an impoverished part of the world, playing basketball with prisoners at San Quentin, or taking his friends on a hot air balloon ride at his camp in San Diego. Bob goes big and we get the joy of hearing what drives him. Realizing your dream starts with recognizing the life you have so that you can get clarity on the life you want. As Bob says, a hope without a plan is just wish. So listen in and let’s get your dreams in motion!

Order my book: heatherpenny.com/thelifeyouremadefor

Follow Bob on Instagram
Find Bob Online

Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!
heatherpenny.com
@heatherpennyphd
Music & Production by Jason Squires

Are you looking for strategies to stay grounded and be who you are? Well, have a listen this week as I sit down with my friend Sami and talk about identity. Just like her husband Joe in our last episode, Sami shares her wisdom and perspective in a way that coaches me and makes me think differently. We also dive deep into the concepts found in my first book The Bracelet and my new book, The Life You're Made For.  Sit back and take in Sami's gentle wisdom about slowing down, eliminating striving, and staying grounded in who she is. This is a great episode for parents to listen to as well!

And don't forget, you can pre-order my book, The Life You're Made For right now. If you order before November 15th, you'll have the chance to win free prizes from some great companies who are making the world a better place. Visit heatherpenny.com to learn more!

Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!
heatherpenny.com
@heatherpennyphd
Music & Production by Jason Squires

In this episode, I talk with my long time friend and coaching client, Joe Kaufman. Joe has spent a lot of years working on his clarity, confidence, and courage, and I've had a front row seat to the amazing things that have come from that work. I love having these conversations, because I always learn something! Listen in as we talk through some of the process he's gone through and the wisdom that he shares.

After the episode please take a moment to go pre-order my book, The Life You're Made For. 

Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!
heatherpenny.com
@heatherpennyphd
Music & Production by Jason Squires

 Our theme for May is “The Power of Friendship” and today Heather is going to discuss the Pains of Friendship. From growing pains to jealously to relationships that ebb and flow with the seasons of life, we need to savor the moments that we have with unique friendships and be okay with how they may grow or when they need to be released. 

Questions to Think About:

1) Heather shared that we’re all sojourners on this journey of life and we need to live with gratitude for the people that enter into our lives for a season; okay when that season ends. What are your thoughts on this perspective? How can you approach new friendships with gratitude?

2) Heather mentioned that we need to show each other grace to adapt and grow and learn how to love each other. Friendships should be comprised of joy and love. What friendships in your life need to be evaluated? What expectations need to be discussed and what is your close friend’s love language to express your friendship?

3) Is there jealousy hindering one of your friendships? What is it trying to tell you? What’s the deeper message?

Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!
heatherpenny.com
@heatherpennyphd
Music & Production by Jason Squires

Our theme for this month is "The Power of Friendship" and a strong friendship is knowing that it's okay to be comfortable with your differences. Learn how to agree to disagree, ways to avoid destructive conversations, and when to dig into the deep issues.

Questions to Think About:

1) We all are going to face conversations that trigger us. What are some ways that you can deflect the conversation?
2) Heather said that agreeing isn't giving up your sense of self. Do you agree or disagree? 
3) Heather and Christina discussed harmony versus unity. What do these two words mean to you? 

Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!
heatherpenny.com
@heatherpennyphd
Music & Production by Jason Squires