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In today’s episode of The Uplifters Podcast, you'll meet Tai Abrams, nominated by episode 25's Kymme Williams.
Tai is the founder and CEO of Admission Squad Prep, a test prep company that helps talented students from underserved backgrounds in New York City place into the city's most competitive high schools. She's also the author of four books, including Who Am I? An A to Z Career Guide for Teens and Teach Me How to Invest Mommy, which supports early financial literacy.
Tai has now turned her focus to helping Uplifters create passive income portfolios so that we can fund our inner fires and enjoy personal, professional, and financial freedom.
It is never too late to design the life of your dreams. Always remember that your best life is contained in the details. Get clear. Get specific. Get focused. Before you know it, your life can completely change as long as you take the right action.
Here are a few of the tips and resources she shares in this energizing conversation:
Calculate Your Freedom Number:
Diversify Your Income Portfolio:
Automate and Delegate:
Venture with Values:
Keep Exploring:
“I have committed myself to eating foods that provide top-tier nutrition and boundless energy. I also enjoy running so I hold space for it in my life. By creating digital, passive income, I have been able to get time back to do more of the things I love.”
Connect with Aransas Savas and The Uplifters Podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aransas_savas/
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theuplifterspodcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aransas
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theuplifterspodcast
LinkedIn:
Get full access to The Uplifters at www.theuplifterspodcast.com/subscribe
“One of the things that I strongly believe will lead you to succeed, is undeterred resilience: Fall, but get up. Be rejected, but try again. Don’t take no for an answer for something you really want. If you’re tired don’t quit, but rather rest, and come back with a plan. The best way to develop resilience is to nurture that inner conviction that you will succeed, eventually. Do a victory dance and celebrate the good times, and build relationships that will provide guidance, support, and acceptance during the bad times (and invite them to do the victory dance as well!).”
Claudia Castellanos, founder of Black Mamba Foods, is an accidental entrepreneur.
When she turned 30, she had what she calls her “awakening crisis.” Her journey for purpose carried her to Africa. She fell in love with her husband, spicy foods, and Eswatini. Together, her new loves turned her into a “food rebel.”
Claudia believes that the way we are thinking about food is fundamentally wrong. The only way that food can be truly good is if it's good for you, good for the planet, and good for the communities that produce it.
Here are 5 key takeaways from this inspiring conversation:
* How Claudia found her “Massive Transformational Purpose”
* What it means to be a “food rebel”
* The role we, as consumers, play in influencing the food industry towards more ethical and sustainable practices
* Why relentless optimism is valuable for founders, pioneers, and Uplifters of all sorts
* How Claudia finds her balance as a passionate entrepreneur, mother, and wife
Claudia was nominated for The Uplifters Podcast by Sarah Dusek from episode 29.
You can always listen right here in your email, where you’ll also receive full transcripts (edited and condensed for clarity). But please also subscribe directly to The Uplifters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or YouTube, or follow our TikTok for uplifting daily videos. Just click one of those links to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
If you want more conversations like this one, consider going paid. Paid subscriptions make all of our work possible!
About Claudia
Claudia Castellanos, a Colombian impact entrepreneur and food rebel, came as a volunteer to Eswatini in 2008, fell in love with Africa, and made it her home. She is the co-founder and CEO of Black Mamba Foods, a growing brand with a strong social and environmental ethos based in Eswatini that manufactures and distributes specialty food products worldwide, and supports over 1000 individuals from rural communities. Through Black Mamba, Claudia has become a vocal activist for transforming food ecosystems through a simple yet powerful premise: food can only be truly good if it’s good for you, good for the planet and good for the people that grow it and make it.She is a fellow of Vital Voices (an organization that works to elevate women’s leadership around the world) and The DO (a global platform for accelerating a new economy that is sustainable, innovative and equitable), a member of EY Winning Women (worldwide network of successful and inspiring women entrepreneurs) and Ecco (Eswatini Climate Coalition). In 2020, Claudia received the Women in Africa Award for her work with Black Mamba.
Follow Claudia’s Work: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiacastellanos/
“One of the things that I strongly believe will lead you to succeed, is undeterred resilience: Fall, but get up. Be rejected, but try again. Don’t take no for an answer for something you really want. If you’re tired don’t quit, but rather rest, and come back with a plan. The best way to develop resilience is to nurture that inner conviction that you will succeed, eventually. Do a victory dance and celebrate the good times, and build relationships that will provide guidance, support, and acceptance during the bad times (and invite them to do the victory dance as well!).”
Claudia Castellanos, founder of Black Mamba Foods, is an accidental entrepreneur.
When she turned 30, she had what she calls her “awakening crisis”. Her journey for purpose carried her to Africa. She fell in love with her husband, spicy foods, and Eswatini. Together, her new loves turned her into a “food rebel”.
Claudia believes that the way we are thinking about food is fundamentally wrong. The only way that food can be truly good is if it's good for you, good for the planet, and good for the communities that produce it.
Here are 5 key takeaways from this inspiring conversation:
Claudia was nominated for The Uplifters Podcast by Sarah Dusek from episode 29.
You can always listen right here in your email, where you’ll also receive full transcripts (edited and condensed for clarity). But please also subscribe directly to The Uplifters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or YouTube, or follow our TikTok for uplifting daily videos. Just click one of those links to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
If you want more conversations like this one, consider going paid. Paid subscriptions make all of our work possible!
Subscribe now
About ClaudiaClaudia Castellanos, a Colombian impact entrepreneur and food rebel, came as a volunteer to Eswatini in 2008, fell in love with Africa, and made it her home. She is the co-founder and CEO of Black Mamba Foods, a growing brand with a strong social and environmental ethos based in Eswatini that manufactures and distributes specialty food products worldwide, and supports over 1000...
Get full access to The Uplifters at www.theuplifterspodcast.com/subscribe
Hey, Uplifters.
Even if you’ve never listened to a single episode of our show before, please go put your headphones on, take a walk, and listen to this episode. I am so much richer for these moments with Katie. I believe you will be too.
You can always listen right here in your email, where you’ll also receive full transcripts (edited and condensed for clarity). But please also subscribe directly to The Uplifters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or YouTube, or follow our TikTok for uplifting daily videos. Just click one of those links to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
As a little girl, Reverend Katie O’Dunne loved the color pink, but she didn’t let herself wear it because she didn’t believe that she deserved joy. She believed that the survival of the entire world was dependent on her selfless goodness. So, she did what was required of her.
I have navigated OCD since before I can remember. Some of my earliest memories, even as a seven or eight-year-old child, had to do with going throughout the room and touching things in a particular order as my compulsion to alleviate my intrusive thoughts, which, even as a kid, was being terrified that the earth was gonna get too close to the sun. I thought everyone on the planet was going to die and it was going to be my fault if I didn't do everything right. But if I do everything right, if I touch things right, if I do my homework right, then somehow I will save everyone.
It took Katie 20 years to recognize her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but when she sought treatment she was told to keep quiet and manage it alone, to preserve her career.
I wasn't sleeping because I was engaging in compulsions so frequently. I was driving back to churches that I was interning at in the middle of the night to make sure doors were locked, candles were blown out, and everyone was safe. I was spending upwards of 17 hours a day doing compulsions - a lot in my head - so that nobody knew. I confided at the time in a mentor and said, “I think I need to get treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.” They said, “No, don't do that. You are up and coming in ministry. It'll mess up your psych evaluations for ordination. You need to keep this quiet.” So I did.
In this week’s episode, you’ll hear the extraordinarily moving, vital, and hope-filled story of her recovery from OCD, how it led her to her life’s purpose, and how she has cultivated abundant, rose-tinted meaning and joy in her life since.
I am willing to risk all of the scary stuff that OCD is telling me for a chance to do something meaningful with my life to help people.
If you think you might have OCD or love someone who does, Katie’s story is a must-listen. But, honestly, if you’ve ever tried to fit yourself into someone else’s box, or dimmed your bright shiny self, or wondered what your purpose is, please listen to this episode.
Lessons for every Uplifter:
* Permitting ourselves to feel the full range of emotions is a crucial step toward healing.
* Repeatedly facing the fears that limit our experience of life is the surest way to move through them.
* Compassionate commitments invite us to grow without expecting perfection.
* Sharing our stories is a powerful way to connect and find purpose.
If listening to this conversation prompts you to learn more about OCD and related disorders, connect with Katie. IG: @revkrunsbeyondocd / website: revkatieodunne.com / email: [email protected]
Huge thanks to Leslie Shapiro for nominating Katie for The Uplifters.
About Katie
Rev. Katie O'Dunne is the founder of Faith & Mental Health Integrative Services, an organization helping individuals with OCD and related disorders live into their faith traditions as they navigate evidence-based treatment. Before this, she spent 7 years serving as the Academy Chaplain and the Pauline and R.L. Brand Jr. '35 Chair of Religious Studies at Woodward Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. While serving in this role, she also served as a consultant on interfaith programming for schools around the country. Katie is proud to be an IOCDF lead advocate, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and an endurance athlete tackling 50 ultra-marathons for OCD. She is currently pursuing her doctorate at Vanderbilt to continue with her focus on faith & mental health. She graduated from Candler School of Theology at Emory with her Master of Divinity and Certificate of Religion & Health in May 2015.
If you want more conversations like this one, consider going paid. Producing a weekly podcast requires a significant investment of time and resources from several talented people. Paid subscriptions make all of our work possible!
Even if you’ve never listened to a single episode of our show before, please go put your headphones on, take a walk, and listen to this episode. I am so much richer for these moments with Katie. I believe you will be too.
As a little girl, Reverend Katie O’Dunne loved the color pink, but she didn’t let herself wear it because she didn’t believe that she deserved joy. She believed that the survival of the entire world was dependent on her selfless goodness. So, she did what was required of her.
"I have navigated OCD since before I can remember. Some of my earliest memories, even as a seven or eight-year-old child, had to do with going throughout the room and touching things in a particular order as my compulsion to alleviate my intrusive thoughts, which, even as a kid, was being terrified that the earth was gonna get too close to the sun. I thought everyone on the planet was going to die and it was going to be my fault if I didn't do everything right. But if I do everything right, if I touch things right, if I do my homework right, then somehow I will save everyone."
It took Katie 20 years to recognize her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but when she sought treatment she was told to keep quiet and manage it alone, to preserve her career.
"I wasn't sleeping because I was engaging in compulsions so frequently. I was driving back to churches that I was interning at in the middle of the night to make sure doors were locked, candles were blown out, and everyone was safe. I was spending upwards of 17 hours a day doing compulsions - a lot in my head - so that nobody knew. I confided at the time in a mentor and said, “I think I need to get treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.” They said, “No, don't do that. You are up and coming in ministry. It'll mess up your psych evaluations for ordination. You need to keep this quiet.” So I did."
In this week’s episode, you’ll hear the extraordinarily moving, vital, and hope-filled story of her recovery from OCD, how it led her to her life’s purpose, and how she has cultivated abundant, rose-tinted meaning and joy in her life since.
"I am willing to risk all of the scary stuff that OCD is telling me for a chance to do something meaningful with my life to help people."
If you think you might have OCD or love someone who does, Katie’s story is a must-listen. But, honestly, if you’ve ever tried to fit yourself into someone else’s box, or dimmed your bright shiny self, or wondered what your purpose is, please listen to this episode.
Lessons for every Uplifter:
If listening to this conversation prompts you to learn more about OCD and related disorders, connect with Katie. IG: @revkrunsbeyondocd / website: revkatieodunne.com / email: [email protected]
About Katie
Rev. Katie O'Dunne is the founder of Faith & Mental Health Integrative Services, an organization helping individuals with OCD and related disorders live into their faith traditions as they navigate evidence-based treatment. Before this, she spent 7 years serving as the Academy Chaplain and the Pauline and R.L. Brand Jr. '35 Chair of Religious Studies at Woodward Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. While serving in this role, she also served as a consultant on...
Get full access to The Uplifters at www.theuplifterspodcast.com/subscribe
When Meera Hardin, host of the Brown Girl Trending and Woke & Pretty podcasts, immigrated to the US as a child, she and her parents were separated. She understood, even then, that huge sacrifices had been made to give her the best life possible. So, she vowed to make it all worthwhile. She made good grades, got scholarships, and after finishing school found a job that would make her community proud.
“I sacrificed my entire senior year to apply and interview and get school paid for. I interned in high school. I did extracurriculars. I did everything possible. I never stopped to reflect on whether there were other things that I could have done outside of working to be successful.”
She continued at breakneck speed, climbing the ladder even if she wasn’t sure she wanted to go where it was taking her. But, everything changed when she had a baby just before the pandemic. Making her family’s sacrifices worthwhile began to take on a new meaning.
“I didn't come all the way here, give myself all these opportunities, have my family sacrifice for me to do what they think I'm supposed to be doing, and still not be happy. That doesn't make sense.”
In this episode, you’ll learn how Meera rebuilt her life, as one that brings her authentic joy, meaning, and purpose: every parent’s greatest dream for their child.
Five of my favorite lessons in this beautiful story:
1. How to trust your intuition: Meera followed her gut and embraced opportunities that aligned with her happiness, leading to a life she never knew existed.
2. Overcoming the fear of judgment: Meera faced her fear of judgment by putting herself out on social media, and the outcomes were both surprising and encouraging.
3. Challenging societal norms: Meera questioned conventional paths and redefined success on her terms.
4. Living in Alignment with Personal Values: Meera got clear about her values, priorities, and sources of joy, and then attracted a life that aligned with them.
5. Little Acts of Bold Truth Build Confidence: Discover how small acts of big truth let us manufacture the relationships and situations that are right for us.
Are you feeling stuck in a life that doesn't align with your true self? Do societal expectations and norms leave you yearning for a path that brings you genuine joy and fulfillment? Please listen to Meera’s story and share it with the Uplifters in your life.
You can always listen right here in your email, where you’ll also receive full transcripts (edited and condensed for clarity). But please also subscribe directly to The Uplifters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or YouTube, or follow our TikTok for uplifting daily videos. Just click one of those links to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
If you want more conversations like this one, consider going paid. Producing a weekly podcast requires a significant investment of time and resources from several talented people. Paid subscriptions make all of our work possible!
Thank you to Sara Axelbaum for nominating Meera for The Uplifters! Check out her story on The Uplifters here.
More about Meera:
Meera Hardin is a trailblazing figure in the media industry with a remarkable career spanning nearly two decades. Today, she is the driving force behind Amplifyer's Media and Entertainment properties.
Follow Meera:
* TikTok
* Brown Girl Trending Podcast
* Woke & Pretty Podcast
When Meera Hardin, host of Brown Girl Trending Podcast and Woke & Pretty Podcast, immigrated to the US as a child, she and her parents were separated. She understood, even then, that huge sacrifices had been made to give her the best life possible. So, she vowed to make it all worthwhile. She made good grades, got scholarships, and after finishing school found a job that would make her community proud.
“I sacrificed my entire senior year to apply and interview and get school paid for. I interned in high school. I did extracurriculars. I did everything possible. I never stopped to reflect on whether there were other things that I could have done outside of working to be successful.”She continued at breakneck speed, climbing the ladder even if she wasn’t sure she wanted to go where it was taking her. But, everything changed when she had a baby just before the pandemic. Making her family’s sacrifices worthwhile began to take on a new meaning.
“I didn't come all the way here, give myself all these opportunities, have my family sacrifice for me to do what they think I'm supposed to be doing, and still not be happy. That doesn't make sense.”In this episode, you’ll learn how Meera rebuilt her life, as one that brings her authentic joy, meaning, and purpose: every parent’s greatest dream for their child.
Five of my favorite lessons in this beautiful story:
1. How to trust your intuition: Meera followed her gut and embraced opportunities that aligned with her happiness, leading to a life she never knew existed.
2. Overcoming the fear of judgment: Meera faced her fear of judgment by putting herself out on social media, and the outcomes were both surprising and encouraging.
3. Challenging societal norms: Meera questioned conventional paths and redefined success on her terms.
4. Living in Alignment with Personal Values: Meera got clear about her values, priorities, and sources of joy, and then attracted a life that aligned with them
5. Little Acts of Bold Truth Build Confidence: Discover how small acts of big truth let us manufacture the relationships and situations that are right for us.
Are you feeling stuck in a life that doesn't align with your true self? Do societal expectations and norms leave you yearning for a path that brings you genuine joy and fulfillment? Please listen to Meera’s story and share it with the Uplifters in your life.
You can always listen right here in your email, where you’ll also receive full transcripts (edited and condensed for clarity). But please also subscribe directly to The Uplifters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or YouTube, or follow our TikTok for uplifting daily videos. Just click one of those links to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
If you want more conversations like this...
Get full access to The Uplifters at www.theuplifterspodcast.com/subscribe
Are you struggling to take the first steps toward your dreams or keep them moving forward? Author Kara Cutruzzula and I have become experts at this. But we don’t do it alone, thanks to a superpowered weekly phone call + run that we call VFTR (Virtual Friday Therapy Run). In celebration of Kara’s awesome new book Do It (or Don’t), the third in her bestselling series which includes Do It For Yourself and Do It Today, we wanted to invite you along for a VFTR with us! You’ll hear us challenge and inspire each other, and our hope is that you’ll be able to take some of these ideas and apply them to your own big dreams — no running required!
5 things you’ll learn:
* How to overcome the paralysis of inaction by breaking down tasks and focusing on the first steps.
* How closing Open Loops can contribute to a calmer, focused mindset.
* How to work with your mind’s natural rhythms, create deep work blocks, and align your schedule with your priorities.
* The power of authentic connections and building a supportive community around your goals.
* How we embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, learning, and refining our paths.
Lace up your shoes (or not) and let’s goooooo!
You can always listen right here in your email, where you’ll also receive full transcripts (edited and condensed for clarity). But please also subscribe directly to The Uplifters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or YouTube, or follow our TikTok for uplifting daily videos. Just click one of those links to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
If you want more conversations like this one, consider going paid. Producing a weekly podcast requires a significant investment of time and resources from several talented people. Paid subscriptions make all of our work possible!
After you listen, order journals for yourself and everyone on your holiday list! What better gift could there be than working through these prompts with someone who uplifts you? Links below for easy access:
Do It (or Don't)
Do It Today
Do It For Yourself
More about Kara:
Kara Cutruzzula is a writer, editor, playwright, and musical theater lyricist. Her work is meant to inspire and delight viewers and readers. Her most recent book, Do It (or Don’t): A Boundary-Creating Journal, encourages readers to say “no” more often and reclaim their time for what matters most.
Where to find Kara:
Website: www.karacutruzzula.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/karacut
Are you struggling to take the first steps towards your dreams or keep them moving forward? Author Kara Cutruzzula and I have become experts at this. But we don’t do it alone, thanks to a superpowered weekly phone call + run that we call VFTR (Virtual Friday Therapy Run). In celebration of Kara’s awesome new book Do It (or Don’t), the third in her bestselling series which includes Do It For Yourself and Do It Today, we wanted to invite you along for a VFTR with us! You’ll hear us challenge and inspire each other, and our hope is that you’ll be able to take some of these ideas and apply them to your own big dreams — no running required!
5 things you’ll learn:
Lace up your shoes (or not) and let’s goooooo!
You can always listen right here in your email, where you’ll also receive full transcripts (edited and condensed for clarity). But please also subscribe directly to The Uplifters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or YouTube, or follow our TikTok for uplifting daily videos. Just click one of those links to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
If you want more conversations like this one, consider going paid. Producing a weekly podcast requires a significant investment of time and resources from several talented people. Paid subscriptions make all of our work possible!
More about Kara:
Kara Cutruzzula is a writer, editor, playwright, and musical theater lyricist. Her work is meant to inspire and delight viewers and readers. Her most recent book, Do It (or Don’t): A Boundary-Creating Journal, encourages readers to say “no” more often and reclaim their time for what matters most.
Where to find Kara:
Website: www.karacutruzzula.com
Substack: www.brassringdaily.substack.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/karacut
Ever wondered what it takes to break through barriers and pursue your dreams relentlessly? In our latest episode, we talk to Shannon Eastin, the first woman to officiate in the NFL, and the author of Lady Ref: Making Calls in a Man's World.
Tune in to the full episode to gain valuable insights, practical lessons, and a dose of motivation to pursue your dreams despite the challenges.
A few highlights from Shannon’s Story:
* Separating Emotions from the Game: As an official, Shannon discusses the necessity of separating emotions from the game, offering valuable insights on staying focused and calm in high-pressure situations.
* Resilience and Overcoming Challenges: Shannon's journey involves setbacks, disappointments, and even a personal assault. Her ability to overcome these challenges is a wonderful reminder that every Uplifter has a deep well of resilience and determination.
* Surrounding Yourself with Supportive People: Throughout the conversation, Shannon highlights the impact of mentors, supportive colleagues, and her family in helping her navigate obstacles and achieve her goals.
* Value of Communication: Shannon shares her approach to diffusing tense situations through effective communication, a valuable skill applicable beyond the football field.
* Dream Big, Work Hard, Trust God: Shannon emphasizes the importance of dreaming big, working hard, and trusting in a higher power, and the significance of faith in her journey.
Listen to the full episode right here in your email, where you’ll also receive full transcripts (edited and condensed for clarity). But please also subscribe directly to The Uplifters on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or YouTube, or follow our TikTok for uplifting daily videos. Just click one of those links or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more about Shannon:
Website: www.shannoneastin.com
Instagram: @rileysmilescoopercares
If you want more conversations like this one, consider going paid. Producing a weekly podcast requires a significant investment of time and resources from several talented people. Paid subscriptions make all of our work possible!
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