Hey friends! I know its been a while! Last year, my sister and I launched our lifestyle company, By Deaven Taylor. In a few short days, we are launching our podcast where we talk all things entrepreneurship, lifestyle, health, and wealth. Here is an exclusive listen to Episode 1 of Bespoke: Creating Tiny Luxuries

Connections During Quarantine is a series I created to bring me a little closer to family and friends while exploring my creative outlet. My guest today is not only a colleague, but fellow podcaster, Kurtis Cameron. Kurtis is a married father of two adorable little boys. As a result, Kurtis is passionate about all things fatherhood. His podcast The Fatherhood Perspective, highlights the joy and learns of fatherhood featuring a wide range of guests with varying experience as dads.

As I catch up with Kurtis we talk about the experience of creating a podcast, what he’s learned from his podcast, and how he’s experiencing podcasting and fatherhood differently during this time of sheltering in place. Check out our chat, here on the View 112 Podcast.

I am continuing my series, Connections During Quarantine. This series has given me a wonderful gift of time to connect with family and friends while introducing you to some of the brilliant and talented people I have in various faucets of my life. Today I am chatting with a colleague, Robin Haymon. Similar to me, Robin recently made a professional decision to move to another city for a promotion. When I went through the experience of moving for work, I learned it took me quite a bit of time to get used to a new city and establish a new routine. I look forward to learning how Robin feels about his move and how he’s adjusting. Robin is also an artist and has a beautiful blog, mrhaymon.com. I want to connect with him on how he is leveraging his creative outlet during these unprecedented times. Check out our conversation here on the View 112 Podcast.

Well, its been about 70 days since I last recorded a podcast and…WOW. Things escalated quickly didn't they?! We are truly living through a time I couldn’t have imagined possible, certainly not 10 weeks ago. I’ve been working from home in isolation for 11 days now. As an extrovert and a person who works around thousands of people on a weekly basis, its been quite the adjustment to be in a 600 sqft corporate housing apartment 24 hours a day. It took me about 10 days into this to get a schedule/routine in which I wasn’t working round the clock, catch up on some rest, check on family and friends virtually, and take extensive breaks from the news. Today’s the first day I’ve felt calm, and ready to connect in new ways.

So I wanted to kick off a new type of series within my podcast: Connections During Quarantine. During this series, I will spend time connecting virtually with different people on various topics. My first guests, my nephews AJ and Justin. Both of them are one week into online learning and so I’m putting my inquisitive auntie skills to good to use to see how productive its been. Also I’m curious to understand how they are feeling during this time and what’s being discussed amongst their friends. While I’m recording this episode, we use an app for the first time and they share an app I’ve never heard of. Finally we talk about my favorite topic, reading. We share a love of reading and have bonded over Harry Potter in particular. Check out our chat:

I love tackling my year one quarter at a time. I purchased the Savor Life Planner titled The Next 90 days. Already, its been a great tool in my progress toward success. Here I review how.

Architecting Habits

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”-Aristotle or nah?

I’m sure you’ve heard this quote before. For many years this quote has been attributed to Aristotle, but new research proves that Aristotle didn’t write it at all. I just finished reading a book titled Atomic Habits by James Clear. I want to share how I am working to build powerful, effective habits for my success in 2020 here on the 40th episode of the View 112 Podcast..

Happy New Year! As I record this 40th episode of the View 112 Podcast celebrating my 42nd birthday, I have been thinking about what I will do consistently this year. Over the past decade, I’ve tried and failed at quite a few things. I would love to look back in 2021or 2030 and be proud of the effort I consistently made starting right now.Over the last 3 years, his podcast has inspired to do a few things that I can build on for success into 2020 and beyond.

1. I finally got a therapist

*Article she sent me:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-savvy-psychologist/201912/5-tips-calm-restless-mind-going-sleep

2. Create more stuff

3.Continue to read

4. Skill build

5. Schedule and calendar

What’s the point of working hard if you never take the opportunity to enjoy life? Is there a fine line between comfort and complacent? I believe, like most things, its up to you. You can have intention to be comfortable and you can also take action to avoid complacency. I’m going to share my game plan for tips to flourish this fall here on the View 112 Podcast.

Happy summer friends!

I promised a colleague that I would create content in the month of June. I’m not proud I let the whole month go by, but here I am getting it DONE!

As we go into July 4th week, celebrating Independence Day in America, it got me thinking not to take for granted the freedoms I have and others I still fight for every day to access or maintain. In the last couple of years specifically, I’ve enjoyed quite a different life.

I googled a definition of access and its “ a means of approaching or entering a place”. Two things come to mind when I think of access: 1. How am I getting it and 2 How am I giving it. Part of the way I measure success at this point in my life is by the environments of which I have access. I don’t like being boxed out of a situations based on limits. In the past those limits have been based on money or belief that I should be in certain room for environments. I’m motivated to work hard, excel in my career, work on side hustles, finish school because I know these things will give me access to spaces and places I didn’t have before.

One of the best ways I’ve gained access is remaining a life long learner. In addition to reading all the things, I ask all the questions. I’ve learned to put my fear of asking even seemingly intimidating question aside to gain access to information. I met a man on a flight recently and we started talking about boats, that conversation through my questioning quickly evolved to talking about chartering yachts and exclusive yacht memberships. In the past I would have let the conversation stop, limiting myself on what I could/could not attain. Instead I kept right on asking more questions. I didn’t even hesitate on what before I would have deemed inappropriate. Not only did I receive an invite, the very same week, I met another person inviting me to lunch at the same exclusive spot. I’m not sure I want or need a membership but now I understand a whole space exists where business networking and affiliation happen in my own neighborhood. I’ve gotten access to a seat at the (lunch) table.

I’ve stopped looking over my shoulder for someone to join me. Moving away from the DC area, my home for 40 years, has actually given me the best freedom of my life. Back home, I had a lot of friends and family. I could plan dinner or trips based on other people and their availability. Living alone and away from everyone, I do a lot of things alone. Trust me no one is flying out of Norfolk International Airport if they don’t have to LOL. If I want to have experiences here in town, I mostly have to do them alone. i’ve been all over this place alone and met lots of fantastic people, wonderful experiences, delightful food and drinks. As a result, when I travel, even for work, I’ve learned the art of choosing that one amazing spot in town, going alone, sometimes with a book and enjoying the night. I have shared the benefits of traveling solo in the past but I’ll just emphasize how helpful people are when you travel solo. I’ve gotten invites and info to amazing experiences just deciding to go it alone.

How I give access is similar. I love sharing what I learn to help others out. Its partly why I share my experiences here and on my podcast. I’m very passionate about having a transparent leadership style. I don't want the path to my success to be coded. As a leader, I love talking out loud with my team and getting the to hear my learning and thought process. It’s important to me that they see how I reach a decision or for them to be apart of the decision making process because if I’m doing my job right, they will be in a position to make large scale decisions and moves themselves. My favorite thing about leading is giving people access to rooms, conversations, decisions, opinions, info that they would not have on their own. The times in my career when I’ve grown the most have come when I’ve been given access to things bigger than my current role. Every time someone has surprised me by turning and asking me for my opinion has made a difference in my career. I love doing that for other people. What’s the point in being a trailblazer if you’re not leaving an actual trail that is helpful for others to reach you?

My simple thought going into this week: How do I continue to push the envelope of gaining and giving access?

According Merriam-Webster.com, the definition of a limit is "something that bounds, restrains, or confines”. When considering the definition of limit as a verb, it’s "to restrict the bounds or limits of". Today, I want to discuss self-imposed limits. What are the things we voluntarily assume that are limiting us in life and work? I’ll share a few things we can do to battle ourselves here on the View 112 Podcast.

How many L’s have you taken in life due to your own limitations? Self-imposted limitations come in the form of confining thoughts, beliefs, actions/inactions. With self-imposed limits, sometimes we fail because we don’t even start. We miss the full potential of an opportunity or situation because we don’t see the whole. We get some of what’s available, instead of all of it. What can we do to remove self-imposed limits?

1. Be First. I read a book, ‘Purposeful: Are You a Manager Or a Movement Starter’ by Jennifer Dulski.  Jennifer is the Head of Groups and Community at Facebook and the Former President and COO at Change.org. In her book, Jennifer shares example after example of how ordinary people contribute incredible change in the world leading with purpose. There is a chapter in the book titled "Spark a Standing Ovation". Jennifer shares a concept we've all seen in action: a standing ovation. A gradual standing ovation begins when one person stands up and begins clapping, leading others. I've seen this at church and different programs a countless times. Even times when I’ve intend to stay seated, one person stands and claps, then a few more, and more, until eventually everyone, including me is standing and clapping. Of all the movement starters profiled by Jennifer, one thing commonality they share is being the first to stand and clap, metaphorically if you will. The idea of simply being first is a good discipline for me as I work to remove limits in my life because it gives me less time to contemplate failure. No time to contemplate failure, I’m already doing. In the same chapter there is a quote from Amy Poehler "The doing is the thing. The talking and worrying and thinking is not the thing." The discipline of going first for me prevents analysis paralysis. Insecurity and then time constraints kick when when I take too long to decide. When I was younger playing spades, sometimes I'd over think my play and my uncle used to tease the warning, "You think long, you think wrong". In my role as a leader professionally, people look to me. Sometimes you have to be the first to leap to show it can be done and spark others to move too. I know its cliche to say it only takes one person to make a difference or one person to start a riot but it really is true. Find situations in your life in which you can advance progress by being first.

2. Stop Labeling. I am no longer interested in confining things to simply what I've seen done before. I've been practicing a lot professionally. We hire insanely smart people but then limit what we think they are capable of understanding or doing. I no longer underestimate what can be achieved based on a particular role an individual may have. Why limit people to roles instead of enhancing roles to the capability of the incredible people we hire? In an act to increase my expectations of people and results, I am removing the prejudgment of what can be accomplished. There have been times in my career, I've also decided that I'm not smart enough or have the credentials to apply for a particular position. Already limiting myself mentally in advance, just imagine the lack of accomplishment taking those limiting thoughts into a role. I’ve been guilty of labelling situations in my life too. Believe it our not, I still decide there are things I should not have or places I should not go. This is on my mind because I’ve been near shopping. A couple of years ago, I when I purchased my Jeep Cherokee, I first looked at an E class Mercedes coupe. The car had black on black interior and black leather interior with beautiful finishes, a super nice car. Sitting inside the car, I decided (and literally said out loud) this car is too nice for me. In fact, I felt a bit embarrassed sitting in the car. I created an image in my mind about the type of people who drive luxury cars. I don’t have friends or family who own luxury coupes. I’ve never even been in a car that expensive. So who do I think I am to drive a car this nice? I should have been focusing on the truth: I am me. I can afford this car and I like it a lot. That is enough. Instead, I got out of the car and left the dealership without so much as a test drive. I love my Jeep, but I think about that Mercedes all the time and why I didn't buy it instead. Pray for me on this step. I am a work in progress. 

3. Create Options. Financial Planners always advise to diversify your financial portfolio because relying on one vehicle to acquire and grow money is too risky. Should that vehicle or source default, so does our wealth. Contrasty, when we have multiple sources and vehicles for our funds, the risk in losing it all in one shot is reduced. We should have such options in other aspects of our lives as well. While I am blessed to have a diverse savings portfolio, I really only have one main source of income. A question posed in the August 2018 edition of O Magazine, asked “What would you do if you quit your job?”. It’s a question that certainly got me questioning my true limitations. Due to my one source of income, if I quit my job today (Disclaimer: Not going to), I would most certainly be looking for another! Seriously though, the question got me thinking about else could I be doing and how can I monetize it. Everyday I am thinking about what I could be doing to build for myself and my future. Options are not just about money, but experience as well. I've shared a lot about the value of being a life long learner. The value of personal development cannot be stressed enough. I was purposeful in using the word "create" when talking about options. We can remove limits by deciding to learn new skills. These skills can be beneficial for a variety of different ways to improve our quality of life. You know the saying, "when you know better, you do better". I learned another lesson about options and diversification while listening to the Myleik Teele Podcast. Myleik was interviewing Claire Sulmers of Fashion Bomb Daily. Claire shared Instagram deactivated her account (which had millions of followers) and how she’s reconnecting with that audience on other platforms. The sudden deactivation taught her a lesson around ownership of her platform and work. It never occurred to me how someone could lose their business like that in an instant. Thankfully her page has been since restored. I’ve heard Claire on more recent interviews and it appears the reactivation of the page connecting her back with her large audience did not come without much time and money. Think of how many companies build their entire platform solely on the strength of social media. As a writer wanting to help others grow and monetize my work, I will need to focus on various platforms for connecting and also put more into my own site view112.com. I cannot be limited to few or outdated ways of connecting my art to my audience.

4. Drop Timelines. We are our worst enemy when it comes to limiting our successes in life to timelines. You know what I’m talking about, accomplishing this…by that age, or confining milestones to a calendar timeline. Just because some or even most people accomplish things in a particular time doesn’t mean your accomplishments are any less.  With my current employer, I’ve earned 3 promotions in 6 years. 3 months before my first promotion, I thought about looking for another job because an external candidate was selected the first time I went after a position. I shared my intentions with one of my girlfriends and she didn't hold back in telling me how impatient and stupid I sounded. At the start of 2017, I confided in a friend, I’d feel like a failure if the whole year went by and I didn’t get this next promotion. It would be time to look for another job as I’d been in my role for over 2 years. There is no mandate of how long people take to move from one position to the next and on average I’m sure the time is more like 3-5 years for the promotion I was after. As you can imagine, yet another friend pointed out my stupidity. I love my career and the work I do, especially now and if I would have let a simple date on the calendar drive my happiness, I’d be without this incredible experience. I have to think about this as it comes to my writing.  The late Maya Angelou’s autobiography, ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ was her first published work and it happened when she was 41 years old. Same age as me. 

There has not been a failure, I have yet to survive. Not a single one. Failure is hard, but not impossible to push past. Think of how liberating it is to approach each day, moment, or opportunity like you cannot fail. What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

What's really stopping me from flexing the power of my perspective as a writer? Today I'm going to share my experience and the surprising lessons learned from my first writing class at The Muse Writer's Center.