The Next Chapter

“I think these guys see the demise of the republican party and we are watching it right before our eyes.” Marcus Dell’Artino, a Republican strategist from the firm First Strategic in Phoenix, Arizona says this is the most politically bizarre string of events he’s ever seen. “If Rubio loses Florida, if Kasich loses Ohio and…

"Even if no one says you can do it, God believes in you. He has given you that faith and vision."

Fitness Expert, Author and Speaker Kim Dolan Leto has walked what some might say is an improbable path. At the age of 30, Leto found herself overworked and out of shape. She was, like so many Americans, exhausted both mentally and physically. "They say sitting is the new smoking," she says. "I wanted to so badly to have mental clarity and that was not happening at all."

Leto had a lucrative job in pharmaceutical sales. And then a family health crisis caused her to stop and make some major changes.

"My dad had a stroke. Prior to that I had never taken care of myself. I wanted to get healthy but I didn't know how. Seeing my dad in that hospital bed was devastating," she explains. "He was completely paralyzed down one side and he was only 47 — the age I am now."

Doctors thought her father's stroke might have been caused by an autoimmune disorder called Wegener's Granulomatosis. His health problems persisted. He would later need a quadruple bypass. In his 50's he needed a kidney and Leto's little brother, Billy, made the life saving donation. During the transplant, however, Leto's father had a heart attack. At age 61, he died of a massive heart attack.

Throughout all of this, Kim Dolan Leto was inspired to transform her own life, becoming not only fit, but a fitness model.

"I am probably the oldest person in fitness," she laughs. "I think for so long I put all of these labels on me. I had no background in fitness going into this."

She has gone on to huge success in the health and wellness industry, making a name for herself as a woman who proudly shares both her fitness and her faith. "Without faith, fitness is just a vanity project," Leto says.

"As a Christian, I give God all of the credit. I know that he was telling me what was causing all of that fear."

She calls it "people bondage"; being afraid to be who you are and constantly seeking approval.

"I don't think there is any smaller or sadder place to be than seeking approval from others."

Her fitness success story is now the inspiration for hundreds of thousands of women. Leto is a role model and she has done it on her own terms.

Along the way people encouraged her to sell "sex" or "sexy", to write a "Hot Over 40" book, but she resisted. Instead, Leto followed a faith based path, writing her book FIT: Faith Inspired Transformation, where she encourages women to love the Lord and themselves. "It's not too late. You're not too old. You can go and become your best you — right now."

The book features equal parts fitness tips, healthy eating, and scripture. Leto outlines the path to health that worked for her: FAITH.

(F) Be faithful and specific

(A) Accountability

(I) Inspiring

(T) Timely

(H) Healthy goals

At age 47, Leto says she feels better than ever. As a mother to a young daughter, she wants to set a healthy example.

Leto's Faith Inspired Transformation was inspired by personal tragedy. That, she says, is her "why". It motivates her, inspires her, and keeps her walking forward in faith.

"You need to have the why. And know that you are worth it. That lasting motivation is looking at my dad."

The post What You Don't Hear In Church: Fitness Expert Shares Her Faith Inspired Transformation appeared first on Inspired Media 360 TV - Inform | Inspire | Engage.

“Even if no one says you can do it, God believes in you.  He has given you that faith and vision.” Fitness Expert, Author and Speaker Kim Dolan Leto has walked what some might say is an improbable path.  At the age of 30, Leto found herself overworked and out of shape.  She was, like…

"Back in 1994 I was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and conspiracy, and I was sentenced to 55 years. All was suspended but six years."

Carolyn LeCroy is the CEO of The Messages Project, a nonprofit organization that enables children of incarcerated parents to maintain and rebuild relationships with their mothers and fathers.

LeCroy has two sons, and says she realized when she was locked up for marijuana possession, how horrible the situation really was. In her case, the kids supported her and came to visit. But many inmates, she says, are estranged from their families.

Since 1999, the project has recorded and delivered more than 10,000 video messages from parents to their children.

"Children of incarcerated parents have a lot of trauma," LeCroy says, "they take on responsibility."

A report from the National Resource Center for Children of the Incarcerated based at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey, says:

"While many of the risk factors children of incarcerated parents experience may be related to parental substance abuse, mental health, inadequate education, or other challenges, parental incarceration increases the risk of children living in poverty or experiencing household instability independent of these other problems."

An estimated 2.7 million kids in the United States have a parent or parents in jail or prison. For her efforts in helping thousands of those families connect, LeCroy was named a CNN Hero and honored on the national stage.

The Messages Project started at a women's facility in Virginia, where LeCroy, an award winning film and video producer, is based. The Project has expanded to Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, California — and as far away as Malawi.

Criminal justice reform is a hot topic in the 2016 election season — especially among Democrats.

In a speech last year, Hillary Clinton said that America needs to end the era of "mass incarceration":

"Of the more than two million Americans incarcerated today, a significant percentage are low-level offenders, people held for violating parole or minor drug crimes or who are simply awaiting trial in courts. Keeping them behind bars does little to reduce crime but it does a lot to tear apart families and communities."

Currently, Senators are locked in negotiations over a bipartisan bill that centers around lowering mandatory minimums. It has stalled amid growing conservative opposition

Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, has voiced loud skepticism, suggesting that the legislation is based on a "false premise" that non-violent first-time drug offenders are being locked up with lengthy sentences.

LeCroy believes the legislation would be a huge step forward. "I think it is time we got smart on crime, and I think what Secretary Clinton said in her speech is right on target."

She makes the point, as do many advocates for criminal justice reform, that keeping low level, non-violent offenders behind bars for lengthy periods of time is an overwhelming cost burden. According to LeCroy, it costs an average of $27,000 to keep a healthy inmate locked up in Virginia for a year — and she points out that there are close to 40 thousand inmates in the state system alone.

While lawmakers battle it out on Capitol Hill, LeCroy and her team from The Messages Project continue to try to unify families all across the country.

"When a child's parent is incarcerated and a healthy connection is maintained, it reduces the child's risk for social, emotional, and educational problems," it reads on The Project's website.

"For the incarcerated parent, family connection decreases the likelihood of recidivism. Maintaining and enhancing the bond between the child and the incarcerated parent through video messages and other media are the focal points of The Messages Project.

LeCroy has also recently published a book titled, "A Parent's Message". It is an interactive program that supports the bond between parent and child.

For more information visit http://themessagesproject.org/

The post Criminal Justice Reform: A CNN Hero Fights To Be Heard appeared first on Inspired Media 360 TV - Inform | Inspire | Engage.

“Back in 1994 I was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and conspiracy, and I was sentenced to 55 years.  All was suspended but six years.” Carolyn LeCroy is the CEO of The Messages Project, a nonprofit organization that enables children of incarcerated parents to maintain and rebuild relationships with their mothers…

"Being able to be vulnerable and authentic makes you more desirable."

Joelle Hadley, Founder of The Culture Coaches and Co-Founder, Southwest Institute for Emotional Intelligence, has found tremendous success teaching people how to show up and work well together.

On her website, www.theculturecoaches.com Hadley and her team list their "5 Keys To Culture" as values, legacy, structure, relationships, and communication.

Much of it, she says, has to do with emotional intelligence.

"It's actually rooted in neuroscience," Hadley explains. "Understanding how our brains work or don't work when we are under pressure, going through change, or have some of these negative emotions."

Hadley teaches people how to manage themselves under pressure so they can better connect with others.

It is especially important for businesses to embrace a positive work environment, Hadley says, as more and more millennials are demanding a fun and rewarding place to work.

"I start with a team's values and beliefs. As a company we might assume that we know that values, but they are not always clear."

One of the #1 drivers of employee engagement, she says, is for employees to feel valued and appreciated.

How to get there?

A crucial component is management; whether or not those people in charge lead by example in the way they handle their own stress and pressure.

"You may have good intentions," Hadley explains. "But people judge on the impact. Emotional intelligence is the space in between. Can we manage the emotions that come up to the surface?"

There are a lot of people who are unhappy at work, and Hadley believes much of it is fear based. Fear of fighting for yourself and what makes you happy.

She works with brands and businesses, large and small, to cut through fear and tap into the happiness that she believes is possible in every work environment. Individuals get to their happy place, she says, by being alive with their "true talents and gifts".

"When we are in alignment with our work," says Hadley, "we can actually increase our output, we can triple it."

The post How To gain More Emotional Intelligence appeared first on Inspired Media 360 TV - Inform | Inspire | Engage.

“Being able to be vulnerable and authentic makes you more desirable.” Joelle Hadley, Founder of The Culture Coaches and Co-Founder, Southwest Institute for Emotional Intelligence, has found tremendous success teaching people how to show up and work well together. On her website, www.theculturecoaches.com Hadley and her team list their “5 Keys To Culture” as values,…

"When I let go of the package that I thought things had to show up in, the dreams came true in ways bigger than I could have even dreamed for myself."

Former CNN News Anchor Daryn Kagan found herself on a journey that was not of her own doing. After 12 years as one of the main faces of CNN, she was told her contract was not being renewed. A shock for Kagan who had excelled in the world of sports and news broadcasting since her 20's, rising through the ranks of local news to shine at the network level.

Kagan's friends and family were surprised when she announced that she wasn't going to pursue another traditional news job. In fact, Kagan says, she even surprised herself. It happened after she took some time to reflect and read — mainly self-help books.

"I saw a line that said: Create What You Seek," Kagan says. "I was seeking inspiration. I wanted to show the world what is possible."

Rather than allowing herself to sink into an identity crisis, Kagan began to reinvent with a focus on deeper inspiration and meaning.

"Hope is something that I have been holding on to for a long time. My story and my life has pretty much reinvented in the last few years."

Kagan, who has written about failed romances in her syndicated column "What's Possible", got married. She fell in love with a single father, and the first time, Kagan says, she fell in love with more than just career. Now she was a wife and mom. "I found what I wanted to do in life, and that is being a caretaker."

Kagan has continued her inspirational journey, writing books and publishing uplifting and positive stories on her website www.darynkagan.com

"With time even things that you think are bad, and you would have never chosen, can actually be an opportunity," she says.

By writing about her personal journey and all of the uncertainty, searching, learning, and love she experienced along the way, Kagan hopes people will be be reminded: Hope Is Possible.

Find "Hope Possible!" on Amazon http://amzn.to/1RYBmw0

Daryn and Her Family

The post She Lost A High-Profile Job And Gained Hope: Former CNN Anchor Daryn Kagan Talks About New Book "Hope Possible!" appeared first on Inspired Media 360 TV - Inform | Inspire | Engage.

“When I let go of the package that I thought things had to show up in, the dreams came true in ways bigger than I could have even dreamed for myself.” Former CNN News Anchor Daryn Kagan found herself on a journey that was not of her own doing.  After 12 years as one of…

(Image courtesy of JayBaer.com)

"Customer service is now a spectator sport and most businesses are not prepared for it."

Jay Baer is the Founder of Convince & Convert, a strategy consulting firm that helps companies gain and keep more customers through technology, social media, and customer service. He is also a New York Times best selling author whose most recent book is all about the haters.

Love them, he says, and love them hard.

"The most overrated thing in life is praise, because it makes you feel terrific, but it teaches you nothing. What teaches you something is criticism," says Baer. "Every time somebody goes out of their way to tell you that you are less than perfect, you can learn and grow."

First things first: Haters can help you.

Jay Baer points out research that shows while 80% of businesses say they deliver superior customer service, only 8% of customers agree.

In his book, Hug Your Haters, Baer drives home the point that it is foolish to hide from criticism, even worse to ignore it. Instead he says we should use it to make us — and our businesses — better.

Baer talks about how crucial it is to actually answer your haters, and to do so in a personal, genuine and timely manner. This provides a unique opportunity to turn a negative into a positive, and perhaps turn a hater into a loyal customer (brilliant!).

While many businesses choose to spend their time, money, and resources recruiting new customers, Baer points out the importance of not just keeping the old ones — but keeping them happy.

Jay Baer questions corporate culture that pays too little attention to how customers feel, and asks if businesses will go "above and beyond to keep a customer," because he says, "that is part of the fabric of an organization…which says a lot about the values and priorities."

In Hug Your Haters, Baer advocates for increased focus on customer satisfaction and retention. "Just a 5% increase in customer retention can increase profits," he points out.

All of this begins with embracing the hate. Don't run. Don't even think about hiding. In today's "on blast" social media world, avoiding the issues only makes things worse.

"Haters are not your problem," Jay Baer says, "ignoring them is."

(get this book by clicking here)

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