Have you ever thought about meditation and gone, "Hmmm...seems kinda weird to me..."? Or have you liked the idea, but thought there was no way you could sit silent for 30 seconds – much less 10 or 15 minutes? Or do you currently meditate or pray regularly, but you're wondering how to keep growing in your practice? No matter what bucket you fall into, this episode has something for you!

Greg W. Anderson is the CEO of OneMind, a meditation app that brings together people from around the world to experience the power of reflection and contemplation. In this episode, Mark and Greg talk about:

• The benefits of meditation in a variety of life roles
• The difference between multi-tasking and switch-tasking
• The impact a group can make when they come together with a singular intention
• How meditation and being present creates opportunity for greater emotional, mental and physical connection
• How energy shifts when we start to be more present and thankful
• ...and more!

If nothing else, our world is chaotic. Taking the time to create space in your mind can be a powerful tool to quiet the noise – even just for a little bit. Enjoy!

Episode Resources:

• Greg W. Anderson on Facebook and Instagram
• OneMind Meditation
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

How do the beliefs you developed in childhood continue to impact you today – in your career, relationships and beyond? That's what Mark is digging into with this week's podcast guest. Tiffany Toombs is the owner of Blue Lotus Mind and, through her work and business, she is on a mission to inspire men, women and children from around the world to reconnect and love themselves, unconditionally – from the inside out. Her passions and expertise include fitness and nutrition, meditation and mindfulness, and a variety of coaching techniques (including archetypal, emotional and negative influences, and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP)).

In this episode, Mark and Tiffany talk about:

• The breakdown that led to Tiffany's breakthrough
• The relationship between information coming into our brains vs. what our conscious/subconscious actually processes
• Why the subconscious mind is like a garden
• What Tiffany means when she says "Perspective is projection."
• How we can start rewiring our subconscious to overcome old beliefs and unhelpful wiring that could be holding us back
• ...and more!

Sometimes the biggest roadblock to breaking out of survival mode is getting over our own inner workings. This conversation will give you some tools to start doing just that. Enjoy!

Episode Resources:

• Stop Being a Selfish B*tch by Tiffany Toombs
• The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Deborah Ford
• Loving What Is by Byron Katie
• Tiffany Toombs on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
• Blue Lotus Mind
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

It's pretty common that, when starting a new professional development initiative, leadership will pick individuals, teams or departments to try it out first. And, while we're not opposed to anyone investing in growth and development, we sometimes ask ourselves: what if leaders themselves were the first ones to try out a new program? Because, after all, leaders set the tone for an organization and the company culture – what would happen if they were the ones that modeled the importance of continuous self-improvement?

In this episode, Amanda and Wade talk about:

• Why leaders are sometimes the last ones to invest in their own growth
• What gets in the way of self-improvement starting at the top of an organization
• The benefits we've seen when an organization puts its own leadership team through training+coaching
• How starting at the top can actually make the ROI on training down the corporate pyramid more impactful and long-lasting
• ...and more!

Sometimes, when you've made it to the upper level of your organization, it can be easy to think that you've arrived – that you're good where you're at and that it's the people "downstream" that need the most help. But, the reality is, each of us is ever-evolving and growing – and it's time for leaders to start going first when it comes to investing in themselves. Enjoy!

Episode Resources:

• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
• Wade Johannes on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Snapchat (user: wadejohannes)
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

We have the good fortune of meeting lots of amazing people through our work and today you get to meet two of them! Jessica Parrish is the Executive Director of the Ohio FFA Foundation and Alex Schnabelrauch is the Director of the Center for Education and Leadership Development at Michigan Farm Bureau.

These ladies are both freaking rockstars.

Neither Jessica nor Alex has hit 30 yet and they already hold significant leadership positions within their organizations, lead teams of incredibly talented people AND are navigating the waters of babies, spouses and taking care of themselves along the way. Trust us – these are NOT the Millennials that everyone wants to complain about!

In our conversation, we dig into:

• What it's like to navigate this season of career ambition and having a young family
• Some of their most rewarding and challenging experiences so far
• Who is in their support network
• Advice for those who are going through this season of life or will be in the future

While this is probably especially relevant for young women, our takeaways are relevant for anyone who is questioning how to keep all the plates of work, family, community and self-care balanced. Enjoy!

Episode Resources:

• Jessica Parrish – Facebook, Instagram
• Ohio FFA – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Website
• Alex Schnabelrauch – Facebook
• Michigan Farm Bureau – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Website
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

Alex's photo credit: Meg Sprague Photography

Trauma. It's something we all go through in life. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or a medical procedure, we will all experience something traumatic – something that shakes us to our core, leaves us confused, and makes us feel as though we're lost in the darkness. We may never get over what we've experienced...but we can get through it.

Keri Kenney is the owner of Alignment 8 Yoga & Cycle, but her story runs far deeper than health and fitness. In this episode, she and Amanda talk about:

• The tragedy that struck Keri's life and changed her trajectory forever
• How trauma manifests mentally, emotionally and physically
• The importance of self-care and community after tragedy
• The role physical activity can play in processing trauma
• How Keri has found hope and light in the darkest of times

Keri's story has had an enormous impact on her community and the people she meets. We hope you find as much inspiration in her authenticity, vulnerability and courage as we have.

Episode Resources:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255
• National Domestic Violence Hotline – 1-800-799-7233
• Alignment 8 Yoga & Cycle – Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• Yoga to Transform Trauma
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

All of us are pretty familiar with stress. Work stress. Personal stress. As responsibility grows, so does the pressure to succeed and not let people down. But too much stress is dangerous. We've got to find a way to handle it, process it and minimize it if we're going to thrive in a sustainable way. The question then becomes...how?

In this episode, Amanda and Jon talk about:

• How we can use our strengths as a stress-control strategy
• When we need to be careful of our strengths creating stress (instead of reducing it)
• Why awareness of your strengths is Step 1
• Where managers need to watch out when it comes to strengths and stress
• ...and more!

Stress is a given. It tells you that something needs to change – but we can't let us control us. Consider using your strengths to reframe stress and turn negative energy to the positive! 

Episode Resources:

• Learn more about Strengthscope (contact us to get your assessment!)
• You Do You – Dealing With Comparison (SG2T Episode 90)
• Jon Anderson on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat (user: jdanderson4274)
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

Customer service is a term most of us have heard before. Maybe you need to return an item or ask a question – you visit or call the customer service department. In today's business environment, though, it's not just about answering questions or fixing problems. We have to be purposeful about creating a complete customer experience.

In this episode, Amanda and Wade talk about:

• How customer service and the customer experience are different
• Where we fall short in creating a great experience for our customers
• Who is responsible for creating that experience
• What we can learn about this topic from Chick-Fil-A
• ...and more!

Whether you're a retailer, wholesaler, entrepreneur or something else entirely, your business probably depends on serving customers or clients somewhere along the lines. These tips can help you serve them even more effectively!

Episode Resources:

• Wade Johannes on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Snapchat (user: wadejohannes)
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

Whether it’s personally, professionally, spiritually, or in your relationships – you’re going to experience change at some point in your life. And, for many of us, we can see that change as something to be scared of, to balk at, to avoid. Today’s podcast guest wants to help us start looking at that a little differently.

MarkSteven Reardon is the founder and CEO of Centrepoint Leadership, and he is passionate about helping people magnify their impact. He knows one or two things about what makes us tick – and today we’re going to tap into his expertise as it relates to how we experience change – at work and beyond. In our conversation, we dig into why change isn’t actually hard, how our mindset about change affects how we experience it, and how we can make change initiatives more successful.

Whether you’re going through a company merger, have new leadership, or are just trying to reach a personal goal, there’s something in this episode for you. Enjoy!

Episode Resources:

• Connect with MarkSteven on Facebook, Twitter or on his website
• The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of Learning Organization by Peter Senge
• Buckminster Fuller – Inventor and Visionary
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

Do you ever struggle to make big decisions? Do you question what is the most important among all the things you have to do in a given day? If you ever find yourself in those spots, today's guest has some great advice for you.

Joe Fuller is the National Farm Production Consultant Leader with Purina Animal Nutrition and he is passionate about helping people become the best version of themselves possible. In this conversation, Joe and Amanda dig into the importance of identifying your personal mission, values, roles and goals and how getting really clear on those items can help you work through big choices in life. We also talked about internships, mentorship and guiding young professionals.

We always appreciate Joe’s insight and wisdom and hope you will too. Enjoy!

Episode Resources:

• Connect with Joe on Facebook
• Learn about Purina Animal Nutrition
• Make a Life, Not Just a Living by Dr. Ron Jenson
• I Dare You! by William H. Danforth
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)

Do you ever find yourself falling into a trap of comparing your abilities, looks, habits, etc. to others – and not in a good way? Do you question whether your goals are big enough? Does the negative self-talk creep in when you're not feeling ________ (fit, accomplished, patient, etc.) enough?

You're not alone.

In this episode, Amanda sits down with MJST Success Coaches Christina Schroeder and Staci Martin to talk about where we find ourselves falling prey to unhealthy comparison, what triggers those gremlins, and how we guide ourselves and our clients through it to more healthy striving and inspiration.

We've never met anyone who didn't struggle with comparison from time-to-time (especially in the age of social media). Hopefully some of our thoughts, experiences and ideas will help you work through it more effectively. Enjoy!

Episode Resources:

• The Power of the Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy
• Mel Robbins – Speaker, Coach and Writer
• Staci Martin on LinkedIn
• Christina Schroeder on Facebook and Instagram
• Mark Jewell Speaking & Training on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
• Mark Jewell on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: markjamesjewell)
• Amanda Sollman on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat (user: sollmana)