The Simplifiers Podcast

What a year, what a season of greatest hits it's been on the podcast! HOLY COW! That's another 52 interviews and 52 more bonus episodes for the books, helping people simplify their work and life. We've tackled how to manage cash flow, panic attacks and everything in between this year. And through this work, I've learned a few things about you…

You love when we simplify these four cornerstone topics:

• Self-care and simplifying down to avoid burnout
• Gaining clarity by setting laser-focused goals
• Time management skills, doing less to accomplish more
• Sales mastery, building lasting relationships with your clients over time

These are the most downloaded shows, the ones where we drum up the most conversations amongst SUPER Insiders, and these are the ones you ask for, over and over and over again.

Looking back, this year together I'm thrilled at the deep conversations I've been able to have. But more importantly, I love hearing from our listeners and clients (like YOU!) who share their results gained because of the podcast. Big AHAs as you're doing the school run or that tiny spark of an idea you had while tuning in at the gym… all of it, leading to a more simplified life.

You know how to laser-focus in on higher yielding tasks and delegate the rest. Atta girl, I'm super proud of you!

So, here are a few of the very best conversations from our top 5 episodes of season two. It's like the Cliff's Notes version of The Simplifiers Podcast, to remind you of how far we've come and what we've learned together. And if this is the first time you're tuning in, welcome! I'm so glad you're here and I can promise you more of this awesome goodness coming to you in the year ahead.

Enjoy and I look forward to helping you simplify in the new year and beyond.

And don't forget to #Dothething!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/greatest-hits-2019

Ready to create a strategic plan for the year ahead? Now, my focus in today's talk is primarily on your business, but honestly, the principles ring true if you want to put a simple plan together for your personal life, as well.

Earlier this week, I spoke to Dr. Daniel all about how to improve your gut health and it really inspired me. He reminded us that when it comes to your health, you don't necessarily need to make big, sweeping changes like throwing the baby out with the bath water. (Guilty, as charged… I find that's my knee-jerk reaction, as well.) But rather it all comes down to the 80/20 rule. Keep the 80% that's working, refine the 20%.

And I find that when I've got a plan in place that maps out (in broad brushstrokes) where I'm headed each month, it's like having a steady north star for the journey ahead.

So, let's talk about the 5 things to consider while mapping out your plan for the year ahead. It all boils down to:

• 12 months, 12 challenges, 12 sprints
• Laser focus in HIGH
• Set a clear financial and non-financial goal
• Track your results
• 3 weeks on, 1 week off to reflect

Let's simplify that…

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/how-to-create-a-strategic-plan

Raise your hand if your gut is feeling bloated, gassy, or is just plain ANGRY at you right now? 'Tis the season for super rich, super sugary, and super indulgent food and drinks that are totally throwing your gut health outta whack! Trust me, I'm right there with ya and I'm calling in the BIG GUNS to help.

My special guest today is Dr. Daniel and he's simplifying how to improve your gut health. No matter if it's the holidays or you've had a spell of eating all the wrong things for a long period of time… if your digestion is off, EVERYTHING is off in your body, am-I-right?! So how do we turn this ship and get back to center? Dr. Daniel is gonna sort us out without prescription drugs or guilt and shame.

Here's how.

• What 'functional medicine' is and why improving our gut health is so darn important
• What the 'Gut-Health Axis' is and how our stomach affects nearly every other part of our body and mind
• What the warning signs are when your gut health isn't doing so great
• The 4 primary triggers of stress and how to overcome them, especially during the holidays
• How to take the first step towards a positive change, including how to do 'the elimination technique'
• Let's talk about poop! - what to look for and how to track if things are improving (or not)
• What foods are better to eat and which are best to reduce down or avoid
• What are the other simple steps you can take to improve the health of your gut beyond what you eat and drink

And like me, you'll stop feeling like you're in a battle with your body, but learning that when you improve your gut health, you unlock a greater potential deep down inside that is fascinating.

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/dr-daniel-gut-health

What makes a great story (truly) compelling? Whether it's a part of pitch deck or a marketing campaign or even just sitting around the campfire with a handful of friends, storytelling is a powerful tool to convey feelings, facts, and deepen relationships with the people around us. Story is the lifeblood that connects us. And when you get it right, your audience is not only receptive to your message, they are compelled to take action.

Earlier this week, I spoke with Amber Williams all about how to identify your brand voice and it sparked a new idea in me. When you are clear on the exact role your Ultimate Ideal Clients needs to you to play (as their guide), everything else falls into place. Authenticity is second-nature because you're embracing your role as an 'encourager' or 'clarifier,' 'motivator' or 'enlightener,' or even 'assurer' or 'cultivator' as you deliver your products and services.

So, let's breakdown the five parts that make up a compelling story and discuss how this can help you the next time you've got a captive audience. This includes:

• relatable characters
• visual setting
• engaging plot
• against-all-odds conflict
• a satisfying resolution

Let's simplify that…

Tell your story, peel back the curtain. Do it a hundred times until it becomes second nature. And as a storyteller, you will find your true self right here, in the work.

You can do this, I believe in you.

It's time to SIMPLIFY.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/how-to-tell-a-compelling-story

Are you aware of how your clients perceive and identify you, your brand voice… your persona? I mean, when they hear your name, what's the first thing that comes to mind for them? What role do you play in their lives?

My special guest today is master brand strategist Amber Williams and she's simplifying how to identify your brand voice. Ultimately, this is so you can better connect with your clients and prospects and grow your business. Utilizing principles of storytelling in marketing, we go deep so you can clarify who you are as a brand, how your clients relate to you, and what sets you apart in the marketplace.

Here's how.

• How she defines what a "brand voice" is and how to use the "hero's journey" framework when cultivating yours
• What "characterization work" is and how to identify your persona and role in your customer's story

• Are you the...

• assurer
• motivator
• clarifier
• cultivator
• encourager
• enlightener

• Does your role stay the same throughout the customer's buying journey or evolve over time?
• How to craft language to attract your target audience
• What to do when you DON'T want to show up on camera or be visible as the face of your brand

When you understand the role you play in your customer's minds, you begin to understand how to show up on social media, in your marketing materials and how you deliver your products and services.

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/amber-williams-brand-voice

Who here considers themselves a patient person? NOT ME! I joke with my friends… if you believe in reincarnation, I think for this lifetime, my one big life lesson this go 'round is patience. UGH! It seems like most of the big hurdles I jump through in life revolve around me learning how to be more patient.

Earlier this week, I spoke with psychotherapist Terri Cole, all about how to invite Real Love into your life. And while that was a tricky conversation to have on such a public forum, I also started to see where my own negative patterns in relationships were caused (in part) by my impatience.

I want things in my life to go, go, go… like, yesterday. I want big strides to be made in my business. I crave that most all of my relationships, working or otherwise, to go deep and fast… because there's no time to lose. Or so I thought.

But what I've learned over time is that patience is key and there is no fast forwarding through life to get to the prize. So, how do we become a more patient person?

It all boils down to these 4 simple things:

• laser focus in
• work backwards
• build the muscle
• pause for reflection

Let's simplify that…

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/how-to-be-more-patient

We are continuing on in this season of self-reflection and this time, let's talk about love… Real Love. When your love tank is full, you're in the flow, your business is buzzing, and life is good. However, when you feel detached from Real Love, I find that's when hope diminishes, your cash flow starts to tank, and everything just feels hard. Am-I-right? So let's have an honest conversation about Love!

My special guest today is Terri Cole and she's simplifying how to invite Real Love into your life. If you're finding yourself repeating negative patterns that seem to always leave you in feeling 'less than' or 'not enough' in your relationships, Terri shares insight on the root cause and how to shift it.

Here's how.

• Why she believes that women who over-deliver and are over-functioning, people pleasers tend to fall into unhealthy relationship habits
• Why it's important to "define our racket," taking an assessment of the limiting beliefs and anchors that might be lurking in our mind, currently
• Terri's "5 Pillars of Self-Mastery" that will help us invite Real Love into our lives
• How to create positive outcomes in your life in 3 simple steps

• What our "Downloaded Love Blueprint" is and how to discover your own today
• How to honor our own boundaries and stop slipping into codependency
• How to spot a narcissist and avoid getting into a relationship with one

This conversation was a doozy for me, I'll be honest. But I hope my courage is to peel back the curtain, revealing a bit more of my personal story, and that I ask the questions that might also be sitting on your heart today.

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/terri-cole-real-love

Are you unsure how to let go of the past? As you know, it's all of those stories that are swirling around in your head that anchor you down, right exactly where you are today. If you're feeling stuck or not sure how to create a brighter future in your work or life, consider this a direct download, personal message just from me to you this time. No one else is listening.

Earlier this week, I spoke to author Nancy Davis Kho, all about how to cultivate gratitude and lasting happiness in our lives… and it got me thinking. There truly is power in writing a handwritten letter, maybe way more than we actually realize. When someone takes the time to send me a letter, my heart sings. So, could the same be true if I wrote a letter to myself?

Would the same euphoria wash over me and could it be just the right tool to help us let go of the past and any negative self-talk we might be holding on to?

It's worth a shot.

So, what should we write, where do we begin? I think there's 3 things to consider:

• remember the 8 year old
• say it with love
• listen closely

Let's simplify that…

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/how-to-let-go-of-the-past

When was the last time you received a handwritten letter in the mail? My heart skips a beat when I get one. The idea that someone took the time out of their busy schedule, found some stationery, took it to the post office, and then sent it off with love means so much to me. (Obviously, I don't feel the same way when someone sends me a bill.) Yet, when I get a letter, I'm eternally grateful and it likely sits on my desk for months to come. Every time I spot it, I get the warm and fuzzies. And maybe that's the secret to life?

My special guest today is author Nancy Davis Kho and she's simplifying how to cultivate gratitude and lasting happiness in your life by writing one letter at a time. Nancy has found healing through writing and her latest book, 'The Thank-You Project,' recounts her experience of writing thank-you letters to 50 people, places and pastimes that have shaped her lifetime so far. If you're looking to heal old wounds or cultivate more gratitude in your life, this episode is for you.

• How she defines the practice of "deliberate gratitude" and why it has the power to be restorative in our lives and mental wellness
• How writing thank-you notes (even ones you DON'T send) can help you create more resiliency, happiness and connection in your work and life
• What the "Thank-You Project" is and how to try it yourself in 3 simple steps… see, say, savor
• How to decide which letters you could write first and why
• • Who has helped me and how?
  • Who has shaped me and how?
  • Who has inspired me and how?
• How to decide which letters to send and which not to send… and why
• What profound life lessons she learned in this year-long experiment that helped her change the trajectory of things, in a good way

#DoTheThing!

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/nancy-davis-kho-cultivate-gratitude-happiness

Headed to see your in-laws soon for the holidays? If so, Lord knows, we need to cover this topic… and quick! The truth is, no matter what your relationship is like currently with your parents or in-laws, you always have the power to choose. Even when you think you don't.

Earlier this week, I spoke with Kathi Lipp all about how to have a clutter-free Christmas and one of the funniest things she said was this: "traditions equal peer pressure from dead people." It made me totally laugh! And boy howdy, isn't that true!!?! The stories, the obligations, the guilt and the nonsense that we pass down generation to generation… what a mess.

So, let's vow to do the holidays differently this year, my friend. With these five simple tips, here is a better way to deal with the in-laws during the holidays:

• expect less
• do less
• deflect like a superhero
• know your threshold
• be a 'kindness punk'

Let's simplify that…

Here's how to deal with the in-laws during the holidays - 5 simple steps.

You can do this, I believe in you.

It's time to SIMPLIFY.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/deal-with-in-laws-during-holidays