Dreamcatchers District Podcast - Mindset, Authentic Marketing, Coaching, Goals, Creative Entrepreneur, Online Business, Fear

Today on the Podcast, Time to Clean House.

With Summer just around the bend, and before all those mid-year reflections start rolling in, this week is an ideal time to talk about how to 'Spring Clean' your business and your relationships. Declutter any victim mindset, rethink your approach, and engage with your projects (and your people) more intentionally.

So that you can look at what's working, what's not, and give yourself the space you need to go about doing things differently. Doing things, better, Dreamcatcher.

Whether that's stopping procrastination, 10x-ing your productivity, getting back to the goals you'd set at the beginning of the year, giving up emotional eating, or learning to become a better boss — the invitation is to work "on" your business rather than "in" and to be "with" folks rather than "at" folks.

And to trust that there's more than enough time to get it all done, EVEN IF you take a break. And that, sometimes, the best thing we can do is getaway for an in-person, immersive, planning retreat or VIP coaching day. And allow someone else's eyes and ears and hands to laser focus on what we need most: perspective, direction, and bandwidth.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• The guilt-free vacation I cannot WAIT to take,
• Why it's time to get honest with yourself (radically honest),
• When it's a good idea to walk away and change your environment,
• How to give and receive constructive, collaborative feedback,
• The reason it's so, so important to stay Agile with your projects & tasks,
• Where you might want to rethink your workflow and refine your systems,
• What's a BIG bottleneck in my own podcasting creative process,
• How to command more respect, attention, as a leader or a team member,
• Why CYA corporate culture is old paradigm and how to lean in,
• The times I completely embarrassed myself in my 20's,
• Why rushing (even if you pull things off) always loses in the end,
• Where you can connect with me (online & offline) during our Spring Cleaning hiatus,

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow & Message Me: Instagram
• Events Mentioned: Dreamcatchers District Summer Solstice Soiree, June 2018, in LA (Get on the List to be the first to grab Early Bird seats. This will sell out!)
• Past Episodes: Ep 036: The 5 Things I'd Tell My 19-year-old Self  , Ep 026: How to Dance with Doubt (3 Types)
• Look For Upcoming Episode Topics: Should You Start a Podcast?, My Biggest Mistakes in Business, Should You Join a Mastermind or Hire a Coach?
• The Dreamcatchers District: Creative Direction for Your Beliefs, Body, Biz & Brand GET INVITED TO SUMMER SOLSTICE SOIREE 2018 in LA 

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

• Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!
• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? A guest you want interviewed?
• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .

Today on the Podcast, Lessons Learned + Our Future Selves.

Hard to believe but it was exactly 19 years ago (this month) that I moved from small town NH (grew up in a tiny town of just 10,000 people) to big city La La Land. Wilder still? Those 19 years ago? I was exactly 19 years old. And, I gotta tell you, there’s something kind of full circle about that.

Given so many of our recent episodes have been about how to get mentors, how to pitch influencers, how to find your tribe, and how to know when the whole transformation / personal growth process will happen (cuz DANG is change hard!) — I thought this week a perfect time to walk down memory lane.

In thinking about what I'd tell my 19-year-old self (having since worked as an actress, a photographer, a filmmaker, speaker and coach; weathering my fare share of failures and embarrassments, heartbreaks and betrayals; trauma and injustices) I can't help but think what my future self might ALSO want to tell me, now, sharing with you.

So if anything feels full circle, in your own life, use this conversation less as peek into my world and more as an opportunity to gaze into your own. What doors need to be closed? What windows want to be opened? Time to get curious and compassionate about it all.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Why podcasting actually feels so, so weird (+ How you can help),
• Our upcoming Summer Solstice 2018 Live Event in LA,
• The 5 Things I'd Tell My 19-year-old self,
• When "quick studies" & innately talented folks are the most challenged,
• Why doubt can be as addictive as any drug,
• When talent, looks, smarts, humor, money, contacts have nothing to do with it,
• The #1 lesson I had to learn over and over and over again,
• Who you need to forgive right now, no matter what,
• The question(s) to ask yourself this week and every week.

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Me: Instagram
• Events Mentioned: Dreamcatchers District Summer Solstice Soiree, June 2018, in LA (Get on the List to be the first to grab Early Bird seats. This will sell out!)
• Past Episodes: Ep 035 "Pitch Influencers, Find Your Tribe, Surrender with Nitika Chopra" , Ep 033 "Why is Change so Hard? (4 Phases of Transformation)" , Ep 032 "Tips to Find Mentors, Market Authentically, Meditate Easier with Ben Decker"
• Look For Upcoming Episode Topics: How to Secure Brand Partners, My Biggest Mistakes in Business, Should You Join a Mastermind or Hire a Coach?
• The Dreamcatchers District: Creative Direction for Your Beliefs, Body, Biz & Brand GET INVITED TO SUMMER SOLSTICE SOIREE 2018 in LA 

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

• Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!
• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? A guest you want interviewed?
• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .

Today on the Podcast, The Knocking on Your Heart.

You know when you're at one of those huge conferences and you're meeting all kinds of creative entrepreneurial folks from all kinds of places?

You're chatting quickly here and there between speakers. Passing by briefly between bathroom breaks.

Wishing you could chat with influencers but find yourself seated with the friends you came with cuz there's barely time to eat and pee — let alone introduce yourself in a non crazy-person way.

You feel a weird mix of excitement and dread.

There are specific names you want to "connect" with and certain folks you want to avoid. So you're racking and stacking who to prioritize. Maybe you practice your elevator speech on the plane, in the taxi, at your hotel. No doubt you dress to impress and ya come camera ready, costs be damned!

If this is you, know this is also about 99.9% of every conference goer on the planet. Even the ones you most look up to have that same twinge of "conference crazy" as I call it. One part nerves, one part thrill, one part pressure. You've put a lot of time, money, and energy into going. It makes sense why you might be thinking, "This HAS to WORK." But oye is that a slippery slope!

And then suddenly the weekend's over?! You're flying home, bombarded with a billion BIG ideas, already starting to feel the high coming down and thinking ...

"Wait, it's over? I met sooooo many people; why do I feel like I barely talked to anyone." You're looking through your phone and it's all detail shots and flatlays and boomerangs and photo booth groupies. You think, "It looks like I had a great time. Why did I feel so lonely? So spastic? So desperate?" And you're wondering, "How the heck do I make this count?"

So, you skim through your pages of notes ...

• Sift through your stack of acquired business cards, try to put conversations to faces and all those new instagram handles but, honestly, ya kinda got nothin. You're thinking, "Wait, which brand strategist was she?" or "Dannnng, how did they get to lunch with her!?!?" or "Gawwd, I look awful in that shot. Why did they have to tag me?"
• Before you know it — it's Tuesday morning and you're too tired to reach out like you said you would. But it's OK. You'll do it tomorrow. Gotta update the website first anyway.
• Then it's 3 weeks later. Website's still wonky. Haven't reached out. But it's OK. You'll sign up for that 8 week course and reconnect in the private FB group.
• Now you're in the FB group but there's thousands of members and it's a whole lot of white noise, TBH.
• So you bounce because, after all, it's a giant time suck (and, truthfully, it made you feel pretty anxious. Pretty behind. Pretty not good enough. Pretty exhausted).
• Ya think, "I gotta get offline. Go somewhere! No one even knows I exist online."
• Only, you just went somewhere offline. So you say, "No. You can't afford it. That was thousands of dollars. And you're still paying off your Nordstrom's card."
• So back to DIY marketing hacks you go. Thinking, "Well, if I could just beat the Instagram algorhythm. Maybe I should spend the money on Ads."
• You do. But still, nothin. Like hitting your head against a brick wall. The doubt seeps in. "Maybe I just need to go get a J-O-B." Then the shame seeps in.

Sound familiar? It's a vicious cycle. One every entrepreneur has been on at one time or another. Know you're not alone. You're in the exact right place.

Build your business "small but mighty; slow and steady."

Now more than ever, when so many women are launching offerings from their laptop (juxtaposed by registering for 1000+ person swaggy conferences with tracked themes or enrolling in monthly online memberships for hundreds of folks at all different stages of business and seasons of life), you need to remember that the BEST businesses  — the ones that thrive creatively, spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically AND financially — are the ones built on real life, genuine, intimate relationship circles. They are the brain trusts. The collectives. The masterminds. Not only sustainable in business but in life. Because ...

Quickie conference chit-chat like, "Oh, hey! So, what'd you think of the panel?" is great but not enough.

Loop giveaway partners are smart but not enough.

Instagram Lives are fun but not enough.

Private Facebook Groups are 24/7 but not enough.

What is? Truly investing in others (& they'll invest in you).

Giving more than taking. Sharing more than competing. Learning more than preaching. Not with hundreds. Not with thousands. But with a precious few, we hold on.

• When life hands you a storm you didn't see coming.
• When success doesn't look how you thought it would.
• When hustle no longer works and burnout hits ya hard.
• When pivoting feels essential but starting seems impossible.

It's the people you've supported, the ones you've truly gotten to know and serve, who will get you through. Not the room you tried to "work" nor the list you promo-blasted last week.

Better yet? They're the ones who'll remind you who you are, what you want, why you started.

They're the ones who'll look you, dead in the eyes, call the elephant out in the room, and say, "Sister-friend, what's up? I see you're struggling. What do you need?" They're the ones who roll up their sleeves, offer their resources, and introduce you to the right people, at the right time, in the right way.

And that, friends, is how authentic marketing and genuine sales funnels are made. One slow, sincere, surrendered conversation at a time. We draw the circle wide. So come sit by us.

Enter my conversation with Nitika Chopra ...

Nitika Chopra is a certified life coach, wellness entrepreneur, go-to resource for young women around the globe, and a motivational lifestyle guru.

On a mission to inspire radical self-love, she began her entrepreneurial journey as the founder of the popular online magazine Bella Life in 2010. The host of the talk show Naturally Beautiful on Z Living, which focuses on a holistic approach to beauty from the inside out, her passion for beauty and self-love recently landed her a job with a luxury skin care brand as their on-air beauty expert for QVC.

While she is a passionate, colorful, and inspirational voice supporting people in their journey to access more self-love by creating a lifestyle reflective of it — she's also as real as they come.

She's a woman I'm grateful to have deep-dived with and look forward to hosting again soon. Listen in, share this episode, and let's give Nitika a giant Dreamcatchers hug.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Why self-love begins with rage
• The truth about what it takes to manage chronic illness
• What sitting on Gabrielle Bernstein's floor gave her
• How to find your tribe (and why you gotta treat it like a job)
• The right and wrong ways to pitch yourself to influencers
• How she approached her goals 10 years ago versus today
• Why you must "faith it til you make it" (and believe unapologetically)
• The surprising truth about introverts who look like extroverts
• How to keep asking questions about the knocking on your heart
• When it's smart to quit and why to take a step back (your adrenals will thank you!)
• How creating for creating's sake and "showing up" builds immense opportunity
• When Nitika finally made peace with deciding not to have children
• Plus: why we've both built our businesses on relationships

Today on the Podcast, Face off with Yourself and Fly.

There's that saying, "wherever you go, there you are." And if you've ever thrown your hands up in the air and spontaneously moved across country, quit a job, ended a relationship or swan dived into a last minute Bali Yoga Retreat (ha! I get it!) — you may have learned just how true that statement really is.

Turns out? Almost as soon as we get "there" we realize we're still "here." Like trying to shake your own shadow, you may soon realize you're the same person with the same thoughts, feelings, and actions ... only now you're in a new surrounding, or novel experience, which will (of course) soon become normalized again. Maybe even boring. And then what? Do you leave, again?

Variety is a Human Need. So is Certainty.

Don't get me wrong. Getting away is sometimes just what the doctor ordered. In fact, unique environments with opportunities to make fresh relationships is one of the absolute best catalysts for change!!!

Think about why camp was so great as a child or why so many of us prioritize attending personal/professional development workshops and conferences. We love them because why? They're full of surprise and variety! More than that? They're just the catalyst, the spark, we need to get fired up again.

But how many feel that hangover let down come Monday? When all the new faces have flown back home and you're back, alone, behind your desk. Day after day after day. All the clarity and conviction, all the certainty, from the weekend quickly begins to wane and you're (again) sitting in doubt; in overwhelm. Alone.

Change your Mindset and your Skillset.

See, it's not UNTIL we learn to change both how we think about things AND how we act on things that we FULLY shift the core thing that made us want to suddenly flee in the first place. Only then do we really feel momentum. Only then do all those seeds of ideas start to blossom into real world realities.

And the KEY? To have intimate, deep, genuine accountability partners and frameworks to keep you motivated and focused even when the going gets tough. Even when you can't hop the next flight to Costa Rica. That's where mentorship, coaching, masterminds and membership communities make all the difference in the world. Taking you from ignition, to insight, to implementation. That type of ongoing support is what keeps stoking the fire and keeps helping you recreate those fun, memorable, connections and inspiration at home.

Enter my conversation with Jeannette Ceja ...

Jeannette Ceja is a bilingual travel journalist and a travel host with over five years of experience on the red carpet. She has interviewed countless of celebrities, athletes, politicians and travel experts including: Anthony Bourdain, Samantha Brown, Pauline Frommer, Rick Steves, Mira Sorvino, Chris O'Donnell, Jim Carey — to name only a few. Having adventured alone to over 20 countries, and traveled to more than 50, Jeannette is a proud Global Ambassador for Synergy of Empowered Women, Kind Traveler, the Free Wheelchair Mission and an International Public Speaker.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Why late bloomers have an advantage when success finally comes
• The truth about what it takes to "make it" in Hollywood (or any industry)
• What empaths need to look out for to avoid toxic relationships
• The single tactic that will 10x your results (forget hacking algorhithms)
• Why fame and fortune are the anthesis of intrinsic motivation
• When comfort zones and financial security almost killed her 19 yr dream
• Why traveling for speaking gigs isn't as glamorous as you think
• How to book cheaper flights, get upgrades, manage jet lag, travel safe
• Who is and isn't a good candidate to travel with (retreat hosts, listen up!)
• How to become a Global Brand Ambassador (it's easier than you think)
• What selling out her first workshop taught her about her own value
• Plus: The #1 Best Place to Travel in 2018 (I've been and it's INCREDIBLE!)

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Jeannette: Instagram 
• People Mentioned: Jim Rohn , Simon Sineck,  Abraham Hicks , Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith and Agape International
• Past Episodes: Ep 033 "Why is Change so Hard? (4 Phases of Transformation)" , Ep 032 "Tips to Find Mentors, Market Authentically, Meditate Easier with Ben Decker" ,  Ep 025 "Side Hustles with Intrapreneur & Driven Yogi Founder Keisha Courtney" 
• Look For Upcoming Episode Topics: How to Launch a Podcast, The 8 Triggers of Flow, Should You Join a Mastermind or Hire a Coach?
• The Dreamcatchers District: Creative Direction for Your Beliefs, Body, Biz & Brand GET INVITED TO LIVE LA + VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

• Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!
• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? A guest you want interviewed?
• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .

Today on the Podcast, Face off with Yourself and Fly.

There's that saying, "wherever you go, there you are." And if you've ever thrown your hands up in the air and spontaneously moved across country, quit a job, ended a relationship or swan dived into a last minute Bali Yoga Retreat (ha! I get it!) — you may have learned just how true that statement really is.

Turns out? Almost as soon as we get "there" we realize we're still "here." Like trying to shake your own shadow, you may soon realize you're the same person with the same thoughts, feelings, and actions ... only now you're in a new surrounding, or novel experience, which will (of course) soon become normalized again. Maybe even boring. And then what? Do you leave, again?

Variety is a Human Need. So is Certainty.

Don't get me wrong. Getting away is sometimes just what the doctor ordered. In fact, unique environments with opportunities to make fresh relationships is one of the absolute best catalysts for change!!!

Think about why camp was so great as a child or why so many of us prioritize attending personal/professional development workshops and conferences. We love them because why? They're full of surprise and variety! More than that? They're just the catalyst, the spark, we need to get fired up again.

But how many feel that hangover let down come Monday? When all the new faces have flown back home and you're back, alone, behind your desk. Day after day after day. All the clarity and conviction, all the certainty, from the weekend quickly begins to wane and you're (again) sitting in doubt; in overwhelm. Alone.

Change your Mindset and your Skillset.

See, it's not UNTIL we learn to change both how we think about things AND how we act on things that we FULLY shift the core thing that made us want to suddenly flee in the first place. Only then do we really feel momentum. Only then do all those seeds of ideas start to blossom into real world realities.

And the KEY? To have intimate, deep, genuine accountability partners and frameworks to keep you motivated and focused even when the going gets tough. Even when you can't hop the next flight to Costa Rica. That's where mentorship, coaching, masterminds and membership communities make all the difference in the world. Taking you from ignition, to insight, to implementation. That type of ongoing support is what keeps stoking the fire and keeps helping you recreate those fun, memorable, connections and inspiration at home.

Enter my conversation with Jeannette Ceja ...

Jeannette Ceja is a bilingual travel journalist and a travel host with over five years of experience on the red carpet. She has interviewed countless of celebrities, athletes, politicians and travel experts including: Anthony Bourdain, Samantha Brown, Pauline Frommer, Rick Steves, Mira Sorvino, Chris O'Donnell, Jim Carey — to name only a few. Having adventured alone to over 20 countries, and traveled to more than 50, Jeannette is a proud Global Ambassador for Synergy of Empowered Women, Kind Traveler, the Free Wheelchair Mission and an International Public Speaker.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Why late bloomers have an advantage when success finally comes
• The truth about what it takes to "make it" in Hollywood (or any industry)
• What empaths need to look out for to avoid toxic relationships
• The single tactic that will 10x your results (forget hacking algorhithms)
• Why fame and fortune are the anthesis of intrinsic motivation
• When comfort zones and financial security almost killed her 19 yr dream
• Why traveling for speaking gigs isn't as glamorous as you think
• How to book cheaper flights, get upgrades, manage jet lag, travel safe
• Who is and isn't a good candidate to travel with (retreat hosts, listen up!)
• How to become a Global Brand Ambassador (it's easier than you think)
• What selling out her first workshop taught her about her own value
• Plus: The #1 Best Place to Travel in 2018 (I've been and it's INCREDIBLE!)

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Jeannette: Instagram 
• People Mentioned: Jim Rohn , Simon Sineck,  Abraham Hicks , Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith and Agape International
• Past Episodes: Ep 033 "Why is Change so Hard? (4 Phases of Transformation)" , Ep 032 "Tips to Find Mentors, Market Authentically, Meditate Easier with Ben Decker" ,  Ep 025 "Side Hustles with Intrapreneur & Driven Yogi Founder Keisha Courtney" 
• Look For Upcoming Episode Topics: How to Launch a Podcast, The 8 Triggers of Flow, Should You Join a Mastermind or Hire a Coach?
• The Dreamcatchers District: Creative Direction for Your Beliefs, Body, Biz & Brand GET INVITED TO LIVE LA + VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

• Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!
• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? A guest you want interviewed?
• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .

Today on the Podcast, Discover Which Phase of Transformation You're In.

One of the things I hear so often from coaching clients, workshop attendees, even colleagues and friends is how much they "love" surprises. That, in fact, they actually crave MORE of them.

Turns out? The day-to-day banal operations, the 24-7 hustle, and the pressure of working behind a screen has got them bored to pieces. They'll say, "it's so redundant" or "it's so lonely" and that they're absolutely desperate for ...

• New projects,
• New adventures,
• New relationships,
• New opportunities,
• New memories + new environments to shake them out of their stupor!

Funny, enough? Those are the very reasons they chose to launch their own business (versus work for someone else) in the first place. To feel that sense of wonder, excitement, and variety.

And, yet, those experiences of newness and surprise are (often) the very things that elude them. It all just seems so dang predictable. And there's nothing fun about that.

Where they thought they'd get to be spontaneous, they now find themselves stuck in a rut.

Especially when the fantasy of what they "thought" something (or someone) would be doesn't match the reality of what it (or she / he) actually is. And when that happens? We start to feel real restless, which makes us crave novel experiences and new people even more.

Cuz, truth? Freedom is (typically) the #1 reason why so many of us take the risk to launch our own creative endeavors.

• The freedom to shift gears.
• The freedom to come and go as we please.
• The freedom to set our own rates and choose our clients.

YET, often, freedom's the furthest thing from what we've carved out for ourselves — especially if you've unknowingly built your career castle without the necessary foundational supports and systems to have the space to take a step back, regroup, and redesign as you go.

So, if this is you, huddle up. Cuz there's this one tiny, tiny blindspot (we all have), which I want you to look out for the next time you say, "I'm over this! I want more surprise! More spontaneity! More freedom to make sudden shifts and do what I want!" And that's this ...

We love surprises (as long as we're in CONTROL of them).

Adorable, right? See, the truth is, you probably didn't go into business by yourself ONLY because you're a freedom seeker and a spontaneity junkie. Nope. My bet? You, like me, like so many creative entrepreneurs — mayyyyyy also be a wee bit of a creative control freak.

You love surprises, yes. That's true. Give ya all the swag bags and snail mail, right? What's also true? You (probably) really like the surprises you kinda-already-know-about and can plan around. The ones that feel a little less surprise-y. Inconvenient, ain't it?

Cuz surprises that don't end the way we want them to, that don't leave us feeling all warm and fuzzy? Those? Those we call  change.

And as much as we lifelong learners and seekers and artists may love the idea of growing, of expanding, of becoming our best selves and reaching our fullest potential and healing our past hurts — I've yet to meet a-one-of-us who ENJOYS actually doing things differently or having things not go our way.

But here's the truth about change ...

We can't expect everything (everyone) to transform AND ALSO expect everything (everyone) to stay exactly the same. We've gotta get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Fact is: if you want to play a bigger game, you've got to be willing to shuffle the deck. Deal a new hand. Play another round. And even know when it's time to toss in. You know? That whole "know when to fold em" bit. (Kenny Rogers, anyone?)

And the best way to do that? Surround yourself with A-players, learn which phase you're in, and remember: the only thing constant is change.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• How to Identify the 4 phases of Transformation,
• Discover which phase of the Change Cycle you're in (today),
• Why some people get ahead and move through these phases more quickly,
• The chain reaction you must learn to have creative control over,
• Which phase you want to capitalize on quickly so that you don't lose confidence,
• When you might be focused on the wrong things at the wrong time,
• How each of us may be dancing between multiple phases simultaneously,
• Which phase you want to stay in the longest AND which phase you don't,
• Where Imposter Syndrome lives in the Change Cycle,
• Why you may be catching yourself isolating, procrastinating, and unable to take action,
• The link between language, following through on our goals, and physical pain,
• What we ALL need to look out for as we age so that we don't become THIS

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Me: Instagram
• Past Episodes: Ep 018 "Getting to the Root with Naturopathic Doctor Emily FitzGerald"
• Look For Upcoming Episode Topics: How to Launch a Podcast, The 8 Triggers of Flow, Should You Join a Mastermind or Hire a Coach?
• The Dreamcatchers District: Creative Direction for Your Beliefs, Body, Biz & Brand GET INVITED TO LIVE LA + VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

• Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!
• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? A guest you want interviewed?
• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .

Today on the Podcast, Finding Your Path.

If you find yourself feeling disconnected, replaying past events, dress rehearsing worst case scenarios or routinely questioning, "What is my purpose?" — this is the episode for you.

If you have a love / hate relationship with marketing, with sales, with pitching yourself or launching your offerings — this is the episode for you.

If you want to find a mentor but you've got absolutely no idea how it works or where to start or if it's paid — this is the episode for you.

And why? Because we've all been there.

At those crossroads in life (and in business) where we just don't know which way to go; what to share along our journey; or who to travel with.

• For some? That's our cue to ask for directions.
• For others? It's when we seek out new experiences. Getting lost, exploring and seeing where things lead.
• For risk takers? We might put the cart before the horse; riding off on a wing and prayer.
• But for many? These fork- in-the-road decisions can create paralyzing standstills in our lives; turning momentary uncertainty into chronic inaction and self-doubt.

What if you could learn to trust the path you're on?

What if instead of only seeking guidance from someone else, or only wanderlusting, or only hustling, or only waiting — you learned how to:

• Find mentors,
• Keep a beginner's mind,
• Act on faith to take a chance on yourself,
• And ... slow down to speed up

Because if you've found yourself planted at the intersection of No Longer and Not Yet, feeling aimless and alone or racing and rushed, there's a better way.

But here's the thing, the journey is the destination:

And the road back home is not outside of yourself. That purpose you seek? It's not to be found but to be remembered. And that type of Creative Direction, both inner and outer, doesn't just spontaneously happen. It's revealed little by little and step by step.

It's the reward of study, of discipline, of quietude. Of consciously doing whatever it takes to put yourself in empowering environments, surrounded by mindful and motivated people, and practicing the Art of Being along with the Science of Success so that you know when to take in the view and when to hit the gas; when to ask for assistance and when to call upon your own inner guidance.

Enter today's conversation with ...

Friend, Ben Decker. A man who is both our instructor and our peer; blending mindfulness with social activism and entrepreneurship into all that we do.

A meditation teacher — who follows a cross disciplinary approach — Ben is the author of Practical Meditation for Beginners, which introduces ten meditation techniques over a ten-day program.

As a political activist, Ben has hosted fundraisers for progressive candidates including Senator Bernie Sanders during his 2016 Presidential Campaign, Congressman Tim Ryan, and Congressional Candidate Marianne Williamson, with whom he worked closely throughout her Los Angeles Congressional campaign.

And once praised by Forbes as a "legendary PR maven," and "a shining example of the talent the philanthropic community needs to attract," Decker left a prolific career in Hollywood to dedicate his professional life to conscious activism where he is passionate about peace, social justice, and reading rare books on ancient wisdom, spirituality, politics, and comparative religion.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Where Ben first learned to value learning & to look for role models,
• What it was really like growing up in a Mormon home,
• How he readied himself for when his teachers would come,
• The right (and wrong ways) to find (and keep) a mentor,
• What to do if your work, life, or relationships don't feel resonant,
• How Ben left a prolific career in celebrity PR and pivoted his career,
• When an unexpected tragedy hit & how he processed his grief,
• The reasons you want to practice "Giving Consciousness" right now,
• Why the most successful, most creative, most athletic folks meditate,
• When you want a "Wisdom Council of Support" or Mastermind,
• How to make marketing feel sincere versus manipulative,
• When online learning can still create really valuable community,
• Why you won't always get it right (HINT: No one ever does),
• The biggest myth about quieting the mind + the #1 thing meditation needs of you,
• How meditation really has roots in every spiritual tradition and diverse culture,
• Plus ... how mentor Marianne Williamson has impacted his life and career

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Ben: Website
• People: Ora Nadrich , Marianne Williamson ,  David Kessler's Books & Trainings on Grief
• Past Episodes: Ep 028 "The Simplest (Hardest) Practice to Attracting More Abundance"
• Look For Upcoming Episode Topics: How to Launch a Podcast, The 8 Triggers of Flow, Should You Join a Mastermind or Hire a Coach?
• The Dreamcatchers District: Creative Direction for Your Beliefs, Body, Biz & Brand GET INVITED TO LIVE LA + VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

• Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!
• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? A guest you want interviewed?
• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .

Today on the Podcast, Why Women Need Women to Check In.

Radical honesty hour: When's the last time you asked a woman how she was doing ... AND really asked?

You know, as if you truly cared. As if you weren't trying merely to be polite. But as if you truly wanted to know?

Not so that you could fix her but so that you could witness:

• The hurt.
• The overwhelm.
• The exhaustion.
• The pressure.

Feelings that, frankly, TOO MANY WOMEN are secretly shouldering day in and day out.

And, more importantly, so that you could celebrate:

• Her business.
• Her ideas.
• Her strengths.
• Her wins every time she's overcome!

Was it last week? Last month? Last ________????

And how many of those asks have been solely in the online world?

• A quickie text you forget to go back and check?
• A passive DM while you multi-tasked 10 other screens?
• A lightening-fast comment as you promoted your post?

On a scale of 1 -10, how genuinely present were you? How sincerely interested?

Better yet, when's the last time YOU (yourself) really answered honestly. And really shared openly?

You know, as if you wouldn't be judged. As if you trusted it would matter. As if you could be wildly raw.

Not so that you could wallow but so that you could be seen. And stop forcing yourself to try to look:

• "Upbeat"
• "Busy"
• "Perfect"

Enter today's conversation with ...

Dear new friend, Hafsa of HappilyHafsa.com. A woman whose courage to speak out and speak up, to turn her pain into her purpose, reminds us we're not alone. AND we need each other. Now more than ever.

Hafsa is a mompreneur, photographer and blogger at Happily Hafsa. Her goal is to inspire and motivate fellow moms and help them unlock time through productivity strategies so they can achieve their goals. She loves adventure walks with her kids, catching reruns of The Office and solo trips to Target and Sephora.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• How to change the conversation about women + their bodies
• The power of Instagram Stories for building an audience as a micro-influencer
• How Hafsa garnered over 1800 views + 350 DM's with her first IG LIVE
• Why vulnerability, transparency, and shared experiences go viral
• What to do when family members cross your boundaries
• Why we're more disconnected now despite being more "connected"
• How to be a good neighbor online and offline; remembering life is short
• Why grit without THIS will kill your creative stamina and momentum
• How to know when to give up versus when to take a step back
• The #1 question to ask yourself before taking on a new creative venture
• Why some creative entrepreneurs focus + follow through but others don't
• Hafsa's best advice if you're trying to choose what to do and where to go
• One sneaky habit to look out for when you feel like you've reached your capacity
• Plus ... Why we're more alike than we are different + the hope that's all around

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Hafsa: Website , Instagram
• Past Episodes: Ep 030 "How Committed Are You? (Test Your Grit in 8 Reflections)
• Look For Upcoming Episode Topics: How to Launch a Podcast, The 8 Triggers of Flow,  Should You Join a Mastermind or Hire a Coach?
• The Dreamcatchers District: Creative Direction for Your Beliefs, Body, Biz & Brand GET INVITED TO LIVE LA + VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

• Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!
• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? A guest you want interviewed?
• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .

Today on the Podcast, How Badly Do You Want It?

You know what I'm talking about. That big dream you've been fantasizing about for weeks, months, (dare I say) years?

That lifelong vision, which now keeps you up at night but at one time (not so long ago) had you bursting outta-your-body excited and ready to do whatever it took?

Yeah, that SCARY goal. The one with more soul, more heart, more truth than anything else — that one!

How committed are you?  ... REALLY?

When you hit an upper limit?

When your desire isn't enough?

When you don't feel motivated?

When the daily grind has you trudging through the mud?

How gritty are you then? How self-aware? How compassionate? How focused?

Cuz, while there's huge value in imagining our desires, in designing our ideal business, in identifying our innate strengths, and in staying in our lane (80% of the time) so that we can experience more ease; more fun; more freedom — we will feel brutally mislead if we don't ALSO love, honor, and accept the harder demands of creative entrepreneurship.

That there will ABSOLUTELY be moments when you want to:

Throw in the towel.

Blame everyone around you.

See everything that's NOT working.

Convince yourself it's too late, it's too hard, it's too unfair.

But here's the thing. Those moments (Side note: I share one of my most recent meltdowns in this episode) are the moments to remember: YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK. And my bet? You're a lot closer, too.

Enter today's Pop Quiz borrowed from National Geographic:

As usual, grab a pen + paper and test your mental toughness. Dive in with me as we (each) rate our true grit; answering the 8 reflections that are science backed.

After the episode (once you've got your score)

Reach out to me and let me know how ya did. Share a little bit about where you are, where you want to be, and what you think keeps getting in the way.

I'll send my own grit test score to anyone who opens up over email. You might be surprised, this grit muscle is one we all gotta flex. Day in and day out.

While it does get easier, it's a practice like anything else. Let's do it together.

In this Episode We Talk About:

• Confession: my most recent upper limit + the ugly cry that followed
• How to discern between feeling out of your element + heeding your intuition
• Why knowing your "desire" isn't enough + How to not be a Toddler with your goals
• When your own "emotional drivers" subconsciously impact everything you do
• Why focusing on what everyone else is chasing will leave you unmotivated
• The #1 thing I'm most proud of right now (even if it still isn't matching my vision)
• When long format + short format creative projects require different things of us
• Why some of the most innately talented people are often the least committed
• And 8 Reflections to TEST how gritty you really are (What's your score? Message me!)

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Message Me Your Grit Test Score: Instagram 
• Listen to Why I'm Not a Content Creator: Ep 245 Catching Dreams and Fully Living Your Life with Karen Christensen on Truth Telling with Elizabeth DiAlto
• Past Episodes: Ep: 026 How to Dance with Doubt (3 Types + Practices), Ep 024: Feeling Lonely & Distracted? Answer these Questions  , 
• The Dreamcatchers District: Creative Direction for Your Beliefs, Body, Biz & Brand GET INVITED TO LIVE LA + VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

• Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!
• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? A guest you want interviewed?
• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .
  

Today on the Podcast, Does your life no longer fit?

One of the things I see over and over again? When smart, talented, high performing, creative women in their 30's suddenly realize: "Oh, no. I built the wrong castle."

Despite having done everything "right," they're left feeling like everything's wrong.

And while no one would ever know it — because, heck, they've made the 6 figures and they've built a beautiful brand and they look great online — they're secretly feeling embarrassed and exhausted; wondering ...

Where did my energy go? Where did my enthusiasm go? Where did my self-esteem go? Shouldn't I be happy?

On the outside everything looks impressive. On the inside? Everything feels off.

And even though they've overcome odds before, they've faced failure many times, and they've been no stranger to achievement — this time feels more tender.

They're scared. They're worried. And they're afraid to share. After all ...

What would people think? Wouldn't that hurt my reputation? Who could I turn to, confidentially?

Because the stakes seem far higher at this stage of business, at this season of life, than they ever did when they were first launching. By now, they "should" feel satisfied with what they've accomplished. They "should" feel proud of what they've created.

Mostly, they "shouldn't" knock a good thing when they're simultaneously trying to balance marriage, home ownership, and maybe even starting a family. They "should" just stay put.

Problem is? They can't help but notice that their relationships, their business — maybe even their jeans — all (suddenly) feel 3 sizes too small. And that "what got them here, won't get them there," as the saying goes. And even if they were to hang on with iron hands to what they've got, their heart wouldn't be in it. Eventually, they'd be found out.

SO, What do you do when you've outgrown it all? But you're scared to start over?

You ask for help. You don't go it alone. You surround yourself with other ambitious, resourceful, genuine, empathetic women going through those same growing pains.

And you hold the vision for one another with the guidance and creative direction of a mentor coach and mastermind framework. You don't keep secrets. You don't isolate. You don't "fake it til you make it."

You learn new ways of being, new systems, new strategies, new steps. Ones that feel custom tailored to you and your needs, values, desires.

Now, more than ever, you dig deep and you slow down to speed up. You take a bird's eye view, you synthesize, and then you redesign and retool. What we call Rebranding From The Inside Out. 

Enter my Conversation with friend, Kay Fabella.

Kay Fabella is a storyteller and business strategist, who crafts words for entrepreneurs to pivot their business efficiently and connect with the people they were meant to serve. She's a world-recognized speaker, author and trainer who's been featured in international media like the Huffington Post and El País. She also co-founded a bilingual brand + website agency in 2016, Brand in a Bottle.

A Los Angeles native based in Spain, she creates communication strategies to connect brands with their buyers and believers. When Kay's not making brand story magic, you can find her with her Spanish husband and their cat, eating her way through Europe, or jet-setting between LA and Spain (which will land her at a future Dreamcatchers District live event, no doubt, and certainly as a Mentor Masterclass teacher virtually).

In this Episode We Talk About:

• How the tools designed to bring us closer are actually driving us further apart,
• What to do if you built the wrong business, outgrown your brand, or feel like your life no longer fits,
• The problem with online courses & copycat offerings,
• Why potential clients aren't interested in what you're selling,
• The #1 thing to do BEFORE building a new website or designing a new logo,
• Why ideal customer avatars and target markets aren't enough,
• How your unique lens, through which you see the world, doesn't match a one size fits all online business,
• When to use your story to speak to another person's journey,
• What is was like growing up a second generation Filipino American,
• Why you may be attracting the wrong client, the wrong audience, and the wrong relationships in your life,
• When to make a case for boredom, for day dreaming, for un-consuming and unplugging,
• How to know which stories to share (when it's not your first rodeo and you're in your 30's and 40's),
• What Kay does to combat loneliness, feeling behind or overwhelmed by business (especially as an expat),
• How investing in mentors and coaching communities connects you to upgraded people in your life,
• Where she still feels doubt and the super power that guides her home

Get Ready to Hear All The Behind-The-Scenes Stories & Insights.

Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Follow Kay: Instagram , Website
• Links Mentioned: The Couragecast Podcast
• Past Episodes: Ep #003 "Why Integrity, Identity & Instagram Matter with Tyler J. McCall" , Ep #023 "Truth Telling, Business & Boundaries with Wild Soul Elizabeth DiAlto" , Ep #008 "How to Take Nothing Personally & Live For Today with Alex Albrecht"
• The Dreamcatchers District: Creative Direction for Your Beliefs, Body, Biz & Brand GET INVITED TO LIVE LA + VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES

This is Not a Monologue, Chime In!

• Rate, Review and Subscribe. Share this with your friends. Listen with your team. Send it to yo mama!
• Got a question you want answered on the podcast? A guest you want interviewed?
• Email your biggest challenges, aha’s, and guest nominations to info @ DreamcatchersDistrict.com .