Wisdom of Friends with Kal Aras

When life doesn’t hand you opportunities, you create them. Think Bigger Lina has never stepped away from a challenge and inspires others to face the impossible and experience unprecedented success. At just age 14, growing up in communist Bulgaria, she realized that her future lay in earning a scholarship to an American university. Undeterred by the overwhelming political and social challenges, Lina pioneered a way for countless other student athletes to achieve the same dream. After graduating as an Academic All-American with a degree in Biology, Lina turned to beach volleyball in pursuit of her Olympic dream. In mere months, Lina climbed from the bottom of the ranking to represent her home country at the Olympics. Lina and her sister played at both Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004. Since then, Lina has pursued her post sport career with equal passion and determination. This resulted in her launching an international company, guiding student athletes to achieve their goals by learning crucial skills for success at the next level. She also works with former elite athletes and Olympians, helping them find success in the business arena

Lauren Gibbs is a bobsled brakewoman who has been on the U.S. national team since the 2014-15 season. In her Olympic debut at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Gibbs earned silver with pilot Elana Meyers Taylor. Gibbs has also earned 2016 world championships bronze and 14 world cup medals. Follow her journey to the 2022 Winter Games on Instagram and Twitter.

Born from a cumulation of my skills as an Olympic Athlete, my love of fitness, coaching, Shamanic training and teaching while working with clients worldwide in helping them to step into their highest and best selves and lastly as a student of life. I have a holistic view on fitness, health and overall wellbeing (healing). While my coaching style works with the conscious mind, much of the healing work I offer works patterns, new life skill while working with the subconscious mind to identify and easily release out grown patterns, beliefs, and imbalances that ripples throughout our lives. In turn, real change happens which is that of standing in our truth, our power and our passions. – Jillian Vogtli

Show Notes:

Website, Linked In, Social Media

Pearl Milind Colvalcar was recently honored with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2020 (President’s Medal - National Award Winner for Children 2020) by President of India Ram Nath Kovind, for her excellence in sports. The 13-year-old student is a champion at sailing – skiff and windsurfing – and aims to represent India at the Asian level in near future.

“Skiff sailing is not known to many. It is heart-warming to see Pearl Milind Colvalcar excel in this unique area. Interacting with her, I got to know that she has also won the “Youngest Sailor” Award at a sailing event in Hyderabad”. ~ Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India congratulating Pearl Colvalcar

Breeja Larson is an American competition swimmer who specializes in the breaststroke, and is an Olympic gold medalist. She earned a gold medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Larson was born in Mesa, Arizona, one of seven sisters. She later moved to Boise, Idaho where she attended Centennial High School in Boise, Idaho for three years and graduated from Mountain View High School in Mesa in 2010. She swam for the Centennial Patriot and Mountain View Toros high school swim teams. As a senior, she was the state runner-up in the 100-yard breaststroke. She also lettered in softball and track and field. She attended Texas A&M University, where she swam for the Texas A&M Aggies swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 2011 to 2014. As a freshman, she finished second in both the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke at the 2011 NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championships; as a sophomore in 2012, she was the NCAA national champion in the 100-yard breaststroke, and finished third in the 200-yard event. She was a senior during the 2013–14 school year. She also graduated from Titans of Investing, A&M Class 19

Show Notes:

Breeja Larson Linked In, Instagram

Michelle Dalbec, E-RYT 500, is a passionate professional level teacher and educator.  Michelle hosts educational and experiential yoga programs, delivers dynamic and motivational workshops, and directs professional teacher trainings all over the country.  She teaches with the intention to inspire authentic alignment, expression, and movement.  Whether she’s teaching restorative yoga or vigorous vinyasa, meditation or conscious communication, she leads with an inquiry based approach that empowers students to realize their full potential and individuality.  Michelle believes that yoga is for everyone, a life-long journey of self-discovery and growth both on and off the mat.

Michelle feels it’s her passion and purpose to educate people about everything yoga so they can use the tools of yoga to create a wholehearted life.

Show Notes:

Website, Blog, Resources

Holly Duckworth, CAE, CMP, LSP is a trailblazing keynote speaker and applied mindful leadership advisor. As a contributor to the New York Times, Producer/Host of the Everyday Mindfulness Show, and columnist to countless industry publications she works with stressed-out leaders to create, peace, presence, and profits. Holly’s career began in the world of non-profits and volunteer leadership teaching thousands of association staff and volunteers how to “reboot” for success. Today she takes the best of her strategic vision expertise, blends it with mindful leadership practices and her event background to curate experiential events that change hearts, minds and companies. Our world has become mind less. Thru mindfulness training Holly works with you to know what mindfulness is, what it is not. Then apply your mindfulness techniques to produce more productive and profitable organizations.

Holly’s was named Meetings Today 2018 Trend Setter for her applied mindfulness work and 2016 Smart Meetings Woman of the Year. Holly’s current book Mindful Leadership: The Stress-Free Guide to leadership is a best seller and her award-winning book Ctrl+Alt+Believe: Reboot Your Association For Success has won two national awards. Holly believes mindfulness builds leaders and organizations that work for everyone.

Show Notes:

Website, Blog, Resources

Melanie earned her Executive MBA at the University of Washington, Foster School of Business. As a powerful national speaker speaking on topics about brand building, customer experience, generational marketing, and social media. She is the founder and president of Omicle LLC, a brand experience firm and Brand or Culture, a publishing company. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her two children, a four-legged cat and a two legged son. She loves to hike, experiment in the kitchen, and dance. 

Show Notes:

Website, Blog, LinkedIn

David George Brooke – That Gratitude Guy, has been a speaker, coach, and bestselling author for over 25 years. His published works include “The Brooker’s Daily Gratitude Journal”, “Six Word Lessons to Embrace Gratitude”, and a number of other books on gratitude.

Show Notes: Website, Books, Coaching

Anna Liotta, creator of Generationally Savvy™ Communication Solutions, is an award-winning speaker, business consultant, and author. She engages audiences with her practical strategies for attracting, growing, and retaining top talent and loyal clients from every generation.

Anna integrates communications, sociology, business psychology, and demography to unify workplaces and dramatically improve company performance. Her expertise and insight have helped such companies as Pike Place Market, Intel, Wells Fargo, Microsoft, Amazon, the PGA, NBA, and United Way.

Show Notes: Website, Book , Blog