The Simplifiers Podcast

Today, Tuesday, November 6th, 2018, the day this episode is released is a very important one in US history. Midterm elections.

No matter where you sit on the political spectrum, the impact of the midterm elections today are incredibly significant. As CNN Politics puts it…

"President Donald Trump isn't on the ballot, but the results [of today's election] will be a referendum on the polarizing US leader and his policies… President Trump could have more power or less in Washington by the end of Election Day."

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives will be voted on, plus 35 seats in the Senate and 36 governors will be decided on November 6th.

Bottomline, the party that ends up in control of Congress can sway how (and what) policies are written and passed in the next two years. And ultimately, this affects women's rights in the United States.

So, health care, the US economy, immigration, women's reproductive rights. You name it… it's all at stake here.

There's also a historic number of women appearing on the election ballots in congressional and Senate races… 256 women, to be exact.

So please. I'm begging you. Each and every American that listens to our podcast MUST vote today. No matter what. Girl scout promise… you'll go #DoTheThing, okay?

And if you need more reasons why…

While the world feels like a bit of hot mess at times (girl, I feel it too) Renee shares hope and simple, practical tips on how one person (ahem, YOU!) can ripple out and change the world.

• What is "feminism" and why now?
• In what ways can I make a positive impact on women's issues (big or small)?
• How to handle the backlash or "mansplaining"
• Where do I find other feminists like me in my community?
• What is Renee's hope and vision - in her lifetime?
• What does it mean to be a "feminist life coach?"

Gone are the days of thinking that feminists are some radical group of people on the fringe. To be a feminist in my mind, is to be a humanist. It's gender non-specific, really. It's time to speak up, speak out, stand up and be brave.

Take a stand and let your voice be heard today with your vote.

We need you. You need you.

Let's do this together.

Let's #DoTheThing.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/038-renee-powers/

Today, I want to talk about sleep. Are you getting enough? Are you feeling well rested? Or are you lying awake at night, staring at the ceiling with 80 billion swirling thoughts, and not getting a wink?

If your sleep is a bit of a hot mess right now, let's talk about it and figure out a way to simplify it for you, so you get better sleep tonight.

Recently, I read the book The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time by Arianna Huffington. Let me tell you, it was EYE-OPENING!

Arianna said she used to only get three to four hours of sleep a night, which is not surprising in the 'hustle and grind' society we live in these days.

CEOs and business owners are drilled to 'work harder, put in the long hours… hustle, hustle, grind, grind! If you want it bad enough, you gotta work MORE!' mentality, which sadly, gets taken to the extreme by so many of us.

Arianna said that when she was sleep deprived, she was also

"more irritable, more reactive, less present and absolutely less joyful in (her) life… focusing on what is not working rather than what is working."

It all came to a head in 2007, when Arianna, the found of the Huffington Post collapsed and broke her cheekbone. Doctors immediately told her she was exhausted… and needed to get more sleep.

So, based on simple, practical ideas from Arianna's book, here's what's working for me in my own life.

Listen in for my 3 simple tips for better sleep.

I know you. You are like me. People depend on you to #DoTheThing… heck, you probably do ALL the things!

But if you don't get regular sleep, you will crash and burn soon. I can guarantee it.

No matter if you've convinced yourself that you don't need much sleep at night… spoiler alert - you do.

No matter if things are big, scary or super stressful at work right now. Trust me, I know that feeling and it sucks.

Can I just give you this one gentle, loving thought to ponder… what if you went to bed tonight at a reasonable hour?

Give yourself the gift of a good night's rest… and then wake up 1 hour earlier tomorrow. That way you can tackle whatever challenge you've got before you, first thing in the morning when you're bright eyed, refreshed and raring to go?

Rather than pull an all-nighter tonight… give yourself the gift of deep rest (not Netflix binging!). You can get back to it in the morning.

Try it. Let me know how it goes.

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/bonus-034/

One of my very favorite things to do, is introduce you to a few of the undercover superheroes in my life, right here on the podcast. The people who've helped me and inspired me and well... are just all-stars in their zone of genius.

Lord knows, you're on the go. You don't need another person to tell you to go get a pedicure. This episode goes a LOT deeper than that.

• The difference between resources and resourcefulness - how to take what you'
• Simple, practical tips on how to incorporate self-care in to your busy life
• What part nutrition and conscious eating plays, and where to begin
• More about The 5 Pillars of Self-Care:

• Cooking
• Exercise and/or moving your body
• Meditation
• Sleeping
• Silence

Carly is a straight shooter and a dear friend of mine. I hope you find our conversation refreshing, raw, real and inspiring, especially if you're feeling a bit burnt out and frazzled around the edges in life right now.

Let's #DoTheThing.

It's time to SIMPLIFY.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/037-carly-pollack/

Today, I want to talk about something that's been itching under the surface for me lately. How much is too much to share on social media, especially if you use social media professionally for your business?

Can we simplify that?

I don't know about you, but my relationship with social media has really changed in 2018. I've been actively using social from around 2007 up until March this year, consistently posting things daily on pretty much every platform out there.

However, that all changed when the Cambridge Analytica data scandal was revealed in the news. Something changed in my brain. Maybe it's an awakening of sorts, where I really, truly started to realize just how much social media was affecting my brain and my wellbeing - some times in a good way. Most times, not.

In today's episode you will learn all about the TRAPS, Taking Inventory, the questions to ask yourself before posting online and how it's important to make your Client the Hero.

If it's been awhile since you've taken a little inventory, I highly recommend you stop, pause and check in with yourself…

Simply ask yourself:

"Do I feel better or worse after using this social media platform?"

If it makes you feel 'less than' or gives you feelings of 'bleh' like you've just consumed empty calories for your brain, dear one, consider deleting the app off your phone, even just for this week.

Give yourself this gift by taking a break for a little bit to reset. Get back to center. Breathe.

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/bonus-033/

Friends… if you don't know about StoryBrand, built by Donald Miller, oh man… you are in for a treat today!

If you're a business owner who struggles to succinctly describe what you do for a living or instinctually eye-rolls when someone says, "okay, so what's your elevator pitch?" - this one is for YOU!

The owner of Wildpreneur, and StoryBrand Guide, is here with us!

• What is "story driven marketing" and why it's so important for entrepreneurs to start here first
• What the StoryBrand framework is and how you can use it in your marketing efforts
• How to create a mission statement for your business
• The three things you need to grow your business; Clarity + Intuition + Analytical Analysis... and why
• What role "Magic" plays in all of this

You'll also get a taste of what it's like to create a StoryBrand BrandScript for your business and how she helps her clients create a Wildpreneur™ Marketing Map.

We are big fans of Donald Miller and his team over at StoryBrand, so we knew we wanted to get one of his Certified Guides on to first introduce the Storybrand framework to you guys.

It's so incredibly powerful in how SIMPLE it all is to implement in your business marketing.

Bottomline, if you do the simple things that Carmen mentions in this episode, you'll notice more engagement, more inquiries and ultimately, more sales.

Let's #DoTheThing.

It's time to SIMPLIFY.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/036-carmen-schreffler/

Today, I want to talk about that feeling we get when we're totally, utterly OVERWHELMED.

Maybe you're feeling it right now. That unbearable feeling like, "Holy crap, I've got 80 billion things that NEED to be done (like yesterday!!!)… people are depending on me and I'm bound to drop a ball (or twenty!) right now."

In those moments, life feels relentless, totally intense, and if the weather is murky outside, you just want to hide inside your duvet rather than face what's ahead.

Girl, I feel ya.

But I also know something else about you. You're persistent. You are capable of so much. People DO rely on you, because you are incredibly reliable. You're the one they ask first to join a committee. You're the one they approach for advice and answers when they're stuck. You're the one that everyone thinks, "Man, she's totally got it ALL figured out in life… out of all of us, SHE'S the one I'm betting on who's got her ISH together!"

And some days, you certainly do.

But dear friend, I want you to hear me… you don't always need to have it all together. You don't need to carry the load. The worry, the anxiety, that overwhelming feeling in the pit of your stomach… that's not yours to carry.

So, do you want to know my one simple way that I overcome the overwhelm?

Listen in to learn my one simple way to overcome the overwhelm.

This practice will only take you 7 simple minutes.

Are you up for the challenge?

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/bonus-032/

Today, I want to talk about that big hairy elephant in the room.

The one that holds you back, keeps you frazzled and working from a place of fear and not one rooted in love. The thing that's strangling your creativity and whispering in your ear, "play small, it's safer that way."

Let's talk about ANXIETY.

• What does anxiety look and feel like?
• How to know if you've got anxiety or not
• What 'embodiment' means and why so many people disassociate from their bodies when they get anxious?
• Why living life with 'good vibes only' mentality is a bad idea
• What you can learn when you slow down and listen to the 'wisdom of your body'
• More about Uma's blueprint for restoring joy - what are some simple things you can do to heal?

At the very beginning of our conversation, she leads us through a powerful visualization exercise to help you get a taste of what "embodiment" actually feels like. So, if you're driving your car or on a treadmill, hit pause, get somewhere safe where you won't be interrupted and give yourself this gift to slow down and reconnect with your body-mind-spirit.

It's sooooo good!

Let's #DoTheThing.

It's time to SIMPLIFY.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/035-uma-sanghvi/

Today, I want to simplify something that I feel in my own life as a parent… UGH, how to make friends with other parents! You guys, I know, I know… it feels like dating all over again. Some of you guys have messaged me on Instagram recently, asking me to simplify this topic on the podcast. So, here we go...

Keeping the names and identities 100% confidential… you've shared that this is "painful, awkward" and one person even said, "Mary, I'm more inclined to have a root canal than have to talk to other parents at the morning school run."

GIRL, I feel ya.

But how do we make friends with other parents in our community, so that we can build our village and support network? I mean, an article in the the Independent newspaper recently states "loneliness is on its way to becoming Britain's most lethal condition". The Office for National Statistics published that 2.4 million adult British residents (of all ages) suffer from chronic loneliness.

Bottomline… isolation is killing us. And I'm willing to bet, it's having an affect on you right now. First and foremost, it all starts with you.

Listen in for my 5 simple things you can do today to make a change and to build a parent community.

To gain a friend, you've got to be a friend first.

But don't be afraid to ask for help.

Just take the leap and see who smiles back on the school run today.

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/bonus-031/

Okay, so imagine this situation. It's 5am and your youngest has been awake for God knows how long, crying and craving your attention.

You go to him, half-awake, half-asleep, as he whimpers from an all nighter of exhaustion and teething pains. All the while, your eldest is singing the "Let it Go" song at the top of her lungs and you're just praying you don't go in to work today with toilet paper stuck to your shoe… again.

Ahhh, being a parent. It's messy, it's beautiful, it's all the things. And it can be downright exhausting. (can I get an AMEN?) Have no fear, help is near!

• What does "conscious parenting" even mean? She says, "it's a way of BEING, not doing."
• Why she believes we need to get rid of the word "parenting" all together - instead consider that we are in relationship with these people, helping them understand the world around us. They teach us, too. It's a total paradigm shift.
• What to do when you (as a parent), have a meltdown or are negatively triggered.
• What "micro, medium or large" means when it comes to self-care - it's simple to nourish yourself
• Why everything boils down to these three simple things: slow down, connect (with yourself & others), enjoy (finding more pleasure)

Let's #DoTheThing.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/034-carrie-contey/

Today, I want to talk about masterminds. Maybe you've heard this word thrown around here and there, but secretly, you don't have a clue about what they're talking about? Yeah, I know, it all sounds a bit Pinky and the Brain, at first. Or if you live in the UK, then you're probably thinking about Mastermind, the British game show that's well known for its super difficult questions, Gestapo-esque set design of intimidation and an uncanny air of seriousness.

In short, it's none of that. I thought I'd do a quick solo episode all about online group masterminds, in case you're thinking about joining one in the near future.

Basically, it's a collective of like-minded professionals led (typically) by a business coach. It's somewhere you can find a combination of education, brainstorming, peer accountability and support in a group setting.

Participants learn from each other in a safe environment of mutual respect. We celebrate each other's wins and boost each other up when someone's faced with a business challenge.

Listen in to learn my Tips to find a mastermind.

I lead a group coaching program called the Super Mentor Academy, which is an 8-week online group mastermind, created specifically to help business owners and solopreneurs learn how to:

• simplify their workflow,
• find new clients that they LOVE to work with,
• overcome the overwhelm, and
• smash their financial goals.

We will teach them how to simplify and optimize the operations side of their business. So things like cash flow, sales, hiring/firing, time management and more.

It's like getting an MBA in 8 weeks but a heckuva lot SIMPLER - in short, you'll learn how to run your business better.

Join a mastermind. And be amazed how far you've come in a year from now.

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/bonus-030/