The Simplifiers Podcast

Can we talk about money? Is that taboo? Does the thought of this topic give you the heebie-jeebies? If so, PERFECT.

Because let's face it, a few of us have a love/hate relationship with money and wouldn't it be nice to shake that off?!

My guest today is Meriflor Toneatto and she is the author of the new book: "Money, Manifestation & Miracles."

Stop. Pause. Just imagine those 3 words together for a second. Money - Manifestation - Miracles. Doesn't that SOUND nice together??

She is going to simplify how to overcome your love/hate relationship with money and get you back to thriving in this area of your life. It's time to stop yearning and start earning.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

• Why do women (typically) struggle with money? • Why is money an "emotional currency" and she shares the 4 driving forces behind it - fear, guilt, anger, shame… that keep us playing small, not charging enough and/or not have a right relationship with money. • How to simply and practically heal from your money issues… and how to become a Difference Maker in other people's lives

Her wisdom really taps into a truth that is worth bringing back into the spotlight: We as women are natural community builders. When we lean in to each other, abundance grows. When we share what we learn with each other, the tide rises for all. When we become Difference Makers, we all win.

I hope you find this conversation incredibly inspiring and that it helps you approach money with a different set of lenses.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/018-meriflor-toneatto/

Today, I want to talk about self-love. Do you love yourself? I mean, like really, truly, madly in love with yourself?

Or are you like me and you wake up, pinch at the softness around your midsection and feel a bit…bleh.

What's that about, you guys??

It's funny, when I look back at pictures of myself, 5, 10, even 20 years ago, I think, "dang, I looked pretty good!"

But when I look at the reflection in the mirror today, right here, right now, all I can muster up is a big, fat UGH.

Never pleased, never satisfied. Never feeling like enough.

If you had an illusion in your head that my life was perfect, I'm sorry for popping that bubble. There are definitely areas where I feel like my life is soaring and I'm doing my life's work.

But in this aspect of my life, the struggle is real. And I'm still on the path towards healing, right there with ya.

So, how do you love yourself, really, truly, simply?

Here are three things I'm committed to doing this week:

• Get moving - When I work out, dance, walk, and sweat it out, I always feel stronger, more aligned and centered, afterwards. It's as if my body is screaming to me, "hey, let's get moving! This sitting at a desk thing really isn't your BEST LIFE. I gotta move and stretch!!" • Get still - And ironically, the same is true when I slow down and just BE. Take a blanket to the park nearby and lay down flat on the ground. Sink my toes into freshly cut grass, smell the warm sunshine replenishing my soul. Take time to pray, meditate and just simply listen. What is your Intuition trying to tell you right now? (PS> put your phone away…not everything needs to documented on social media. This is sacred time.) • Get connected - I'm willing to bet your girlfriends are silently struggling right alongside you, but no one is talking about it. Gather the troops for a cup of tea and be brave. Have an honest conversation about this stuff, what you are really, truly feeling underneath, peel back the curtain and start healing. Remember, the people who know you best admire and respect you on levels beyond your understanding. It's time for you to see what so many others see in you.

And just one final whisper, just from me to you, dear friend…come in closer.

You are so beautiful. So fierce. So graceful. So gentle and wise. Your body is trying to whisper to you right now what it really, truly needs. Be brave, ask her to speak. Tell her she can trust you to deliver. You don't need external validation to BELONG in this world, this city, this community.

You are already connected to the Source. To Love. To yourself. It's time to come back home.

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-014-how-to-love-yourself/

Let's talk Fashion. But more importantly… body positivity, personal branding and how all of that really plays a part in how you show up in the world as a creative and an entrepreneur.

My guest today is Carrie Montgomery and she's an Image and Brand Consultant who is going to help us simplify our style to match your personal brand.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

• How to create your visual identity and start to define your "soul style" • What are the 3 key factors to consider? (lifestyle, body image and body shape) • What is her "body mapping" system and how to choose colors that work for your style • What to do if you don't LOVE your body. She shares simple tips to help you begin to heal and move closer towards body positivity and self-love.

As someone who's struggled with loving the shape of my body for years…really decades, friends, let's be real, I share a bit more of my personal story in this episode and peel back the curtain. We are all the same, we are one.

And you, my friend, are not alone…

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/017-carrie-montgomery/

Today, I want to ask a really important question, girlfriend to girlfriend, REAL talk time:

Yeah, but are you happy?

Yowch, Mary! Going in the for the gut, eh?

I know, I know…this one is not an easy question to answer, especially when you're trying so hard to build a business that is thriving….and well, pay the bills.

And especially in light of the heartbreaking news about Kate Spade.

Desperate. Sad. Heartbreaking.

Bottomline is this…As an entrepreneur, the buck stops with you. You set goals and milestones, hire a team to support you and then go after it all.

Some days, it feels like a MOUNTAIN of to-do's, a never-ending supply of curveballs and things that go wrong and a whole lotta of UGH.

Let me be clear, I still feel that too, every now and again…and I've been at it for over 15 years now.

Those days come and go and yes, this too shall pass, as well.

But, what are the checkpoints to keep in mind along the way?

Here's what works for me.

I take inventory of things by checking in on 3 key areas: • Financial Targets - are we hitting our revenue numbers every month, every quarter? • my Freedom Barometer - did you say goodbye to the 9to5 to say hello to the 7to11, instead? (And no, I'm not talking about the one with Slurpees!) • Core Desired Feelings - as my mentor Danielle Laporte who wrote The Desire Map puts it…is the work I'm doing in the world helping me achieve how I want to FEEL in life?

For me, happiness comes when these 3 checkpoints are in the positive and not the other way around. When one is out of whack, I try to pay attention and see what shifts I can make either in: • my day-to-day work or • the projects we put out in the world or • even just checking in with my internal feelings and thoughts.

That "stinkin' thinkin'" creeps in and can do some SERIOUS damage to your mind, your motivation and your mental health. Girl, I know.

So, you might have an incredible business on paper, totally rolling in the dough, an incredible Instagram feed of pretty pictures but if you're drowning in to-do's or coming home mentally drained with nothing left for your family and friends and on the verge of an absolute mental breakdown, the question bares answering…WHY?

Why continue that pace? Why do this if it isn't your best life?

Instead, what is one tiny, simple change can you make TODAY to shift things? That's the very next step.

Pray, meditate or journal it out by setting a 7-minute timer. See what God or your intuition is trying to tell you here.

You might be surprised at what you hear.

And just one final whisper, just from me to you, dear friend…come in closer:

If your life sucks right now, you have the power to change it. Yes, even this. Even you. Even if it seems insurmountable, dark, scary or sad. You always have a choice. And you too can break free.

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-013-are-you-happy/

As a small business owner, you might fall into the trap of thinking, "oh man, I need to come up with a million dollar idea to build a million dollar business. How the heck am I gonna do that?!!"

Well, my special guest today, Nigel Collin wants to challenge that thought and teach you how to grow your small business in simple, little ways.

He calls it, the Game of Inches. And he's simplifying how you can create achievable and sustainable growth, inch by inch, one step at a time. That's how you create BIG results! IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

• What small, simple steps you can take that will help you grow your business • How working with virtual teams can help you get there • What to look for when hiring your first virtual assistant • What's the difference between a "fixed" mindset vs a "growth" mindset? • How to gain clarity on your WHY and empower your team to also jump on board

…and how to cultivate a champion's mindset as a leader in your business.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/016-nigel-collin/

What do you do when you're feeling mentally blocked?

Okay, promise you won't laugh… but seriously, this totally works for me!

Imagine this, you're working at home, mindlessly scrolling Facebook, falling down the rabbit hole that is social media. (Girl, I do it too sometimes…there's no shame!)

There's your to-do list, sitting there, staring back at you and what do you do? You make another cup of tea, then double tap over to Instagram and look at pretty pictures, instead of doing the thing.

Want to know my secret to snap out of it and clear your brain? Take a shower.

No really, stop what you're doing right now and go take a shower!

When I stop the vicious cycle of procrastination and focus on something that'll actually nourish me instead, it works wonders. You're breaking the habit loop, you're giving yourself some breathing room to think and BE, instead of attempting to do, do, do.

And this is important. Your creative brain needs a change of pace and I'm willing to bet, especially if you're a solopreneur working at home, you probably need a wash. (ha!)

When I take the time to shower, that's when my intuition ALWAYS comes up with clever new ideas on how to overcome my challenges. Every single time, without fail.

Water is MAGIC, you guys. No really. Just 10 minutes to wash it all away, I always come away with 3 new ideas.

So, make sure to have a notepad on the sink to write down those new ideas. That way, they don't slip away.

Put on a fresh set of clothes and feel like an absolute HERO in the fact that you flipped the script in your brain and got a fresh perspective.

—

For those who work in an office and there's no showers anywhere nearby, here's how to make this simple idea work for you: Go wash your hands.

But don't rush through that moment. I mean, really slow down, take a good 5-7 minutes to lather up your hands, warm up the water, feel the soap between your fingers and do the task mindfully. Lock the bathroom door and have a moment for yourself. And don't forget the hand lotion.

The key here is sloooooooow down. Take this time for yourself. Don't try to multi-task. Just focus on the moment itself.

And see what your intuition is really, really trying to tell you right now.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/bonus-012-clear-your-brain/

I'm willing to bet one of two things happened when you saw the title of today's episode…either you thought, "well, this doesn't apply to me, I don't tell lies" or "ohhhhhh, girl…we're about to get down into my ISH, aren't we?"

And my response is simply this… Girl, I'm right there with ya.

My special guest today is Dr Dana Marrocco and she received a PhD in Educational Psychology and is absolutely passionate about unpacking what chronic self-deception really, truly is and how we can laugh at it and ultimately, diffuse it's power.

She wants to help us see the lies we tend to tell ourselves that keep us from achieving our personal and professional goals in life and more importantly, how to stop living them.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

• how to balance the relationship between inner peace & outer success • how to stay in the present moment while working towards your big picture goal(s) • how our judgments of others & self, either support or sabotage our success • how our hidden, negative affirmations and unconscious thoughts are the ones that really create our reality and how to stop that cycle (basically, how to stop the stinkin' thinkin') • how to overcome the struggles you might have in arguments with your partner or spouse • how to shake off negative stories we've told ourselves from our childhood experiences, once and for all

Using humor and a solid base of academic and practical knowledge, Dr Dana helps us gently undo the lies we all tell ourselves.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/015-dana-marrocco

What if fear is holding you back?

Today, I share my experience and what I learned at the Big Magic workshop, lead by author Liz Gilbert of Eat, Pray, Love.

Incredible. Transformative. Powerful. Moving.

Those words only scratch the surface of what REALLY happened in that magical venue called the Friends House in London.

It's funny, I went into the writing workshop thinking it was all about how to write a book or memoir. But I quickly realized about minute 6 (at which time, I was totally BAWLING my eyes out) into this 5 hour workshop that it was SOOOO much more.

We started the workshop with 2 minutes of silence and deep breathing to center ourselves in the room, slow down our heart beat and truly become present.

She then lead us through the six chapters of the book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. They are: • Courage • Enchantment • Permission • Persistence • Trust • Divinity

As she says, "these are the major necessary emotional components to living a creative life."

I had no idea we would be doing this deep, soul work as she immediately had us pull out our journals and let Fear write a letter to us, right straight onto our paper.

Here's how we did it.

Throughout the day, she had us write letters to and from parts of ourselves.

In Liz's words: "Fear deserves a voice to be heard and acknowledged. Let it sit down at the kitchen table and fully speak. Don't debate or argue with her, just listen. Just let her/him speak."

So, the first letter I wrote to myself was this… (and feel free to do the same, using these writing prompts):

Dear Mary,

I am your Fear & this is what I wanted to tell you…

(Go ahead, pull out a pen and paper, set a 7-minute timer and see what comes up and out onto your paper. )

And I wrote and wrote…and the tears came barreling out of my eyes, onto the paper. I just let it free flow out of me without judgment and without editing.

You won't believe what happened next?! To find out, check out the full show notes below.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/bonus-011-big-magic/

Ever questioned if you're on the right path or not? What if you could FINALLY figure out your soul's calling in life? This episode is dedicated to those who feel stuck in life, struggling to claw yourself out of the muck, out of anxiety, depression or sadness. I hope my conversation today helps you take one tiny step towards healing…and more importantly, towards clarity.

My special guest today is Bev Barnes and as a life coach for the last 20+ years, she's created a roadmap to help people figure out the work you were meant to do in life.

How to Unlock Your Soul's Calling.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

• How to navigate through the Soul's Calling Roadmap, step-by-step to figure out where you are now, in the journey of life • Why it is important to find a group to travel with you • A few simple techniques to help you tap into the "Inner Brilliance of our Soul" • How to face your fear, resistance and doubt along the way

...and why it's so darn important to define your Soul's niche and core message - and how to do it, simply.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here:https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/014-bev-barnes/

Today, we're talking about online summits and why they make you smarter.

One of the very best things about going to some of my favorite in-person conferences is the fact you get top quality education and the ability to network with like-minded businesses and superstars you admire.

However, my LEAST favorite thing is the cost to travel! Since moving to the UK from Austin, Texas, I travel back to the states about once a quarter to speak at events and meet with clients.

And while I do enjoy those cute, little airplane dinners from British Airways, I don't enjoy how much my international flights, hotel, Ubers and more cost to get me to that side of the planet.

All in all, I could easily spend $3000-5000 USD on travel alone for each trip. WOWZERS.

That's where online summits start to look like a really, REALLY smart alternative.

Take for example, the Social Bee Online Summit, which kicks off on May 21, 2018.

It's a 3-day summit that happens 100% online. So that means, no expensive flights. No hotel costs. No huge hits to my business bank account. And I can attend in my workout clothes from the comforts of my office, if I so wish.

How does it work?

Step one: Click here to reserve your spot in the Social Bee Online Summit - https://socialbee.teachable.com/?affcode=25958_dpw-qrrs

It's totally FREE to enroll in the course.

From May 21st - onwards, you get access to the on-demand videos for 48 hours and can binge watch all of them at once or spread it out, as you wish.

In this summit, I'm giving a talk on "How to Create a SUPER Event" - detailing insider secrets that'll save you loads of cash when you plan your next business event and not to mention, it'll save you a heck of a lot of headaches and stress as well.

Simple, practical tips that'll help you create a super memorable pop-up party, launch event or soiree to impress clients and prospects.

There are also 15 other incredible speakers sharing their wisdom on how to raise your visibility and as a result, boost sales and grow your business online.

You'll also learn about: • how to use Linkedin like a Super Connector • easy tips to gain more PR • quick start guide to using Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube smarter

If this sounds of interest, reserve your spot in the summit for free.

Click here to join us: https://socialbee.teachable.com/?affcode=25958_dpw-qrrs

Online education like this will definitely help you build skills, grow your business and become smarter, every single day.

Show notes available with all LINKS mentioned here: https://thesimplifiers.com/podcast/bonus-010-online-summit/