Carlos Mendiola

Michelle Lederman: The Connector's Advantage

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, we had a conversation with Michelle Lederman, speaker, author, coach, and CEO. Welcome to another episode of Art of Authenticity! Joining us today for a second time is the resourceful Michelle Lederman who has just released her new book The Connector’s Advantage: 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact. One of her many accolades include being named by Forbes as one of the 25 networking experts to watch. She’s a former NYU professor who has since made her mark as an accomplished speaker, trainer, coach and, of course, esteemed author. Her passion is really to help individuals and organizations build better relationships and achieve greater results through her company, Executive Essentials. Michelle has worked with an array of big-name organizations of all kinds, has been featured in The New York Times, and she’s here today to advise us on implementing the most important networking skills that she has learned over the years. Michelle shares with us what it means to be a connector, the different type of connectors, how we are to approach our networks and the mindsets that are required to become better at relationships on all levels. This thought-provoking conversation is guaranteed to pique your interest, so don’t miss out on this one!

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes:

  • Michelle’s personal history with connection and when she learned its true value. [3:44]

  • What a connector is and looking briefly at the different levels of connections. [6:01]

  • Initiating and responding as means of becoming a better connector. [7:14]

  • Developing the depth of our connections and an example of a niche connector. [7:40]

  • How a super-connector adds breadth to their already deep connections. [9:16]

  • Why being a better connector is advantageous on many different levels. [10:18]

  • Having a clear vision and asking for what you want without risking the relationship. [12:09]

  • Timing, manner and generosity as factors to consider before making an ask. [13:11]

  • Protecting the relationship by making someone comfortable with your “no”. [14:16]

  • Learning how to say “yes” and “no” in the most constructive ways. [15:32]

  • How establishing boundaries and “yes” criteria cultivate thoughtfulness. [17:41]

  • Using “no, but” to set boundaries while also extending another opportunity. [18:55]

  • Compiling three questions as the basis of your criteria for saying “yes” or “no”. [20:31]

  • A list of the seven mindsets, the four pillars of trust and what they mean. [23:08]

  • Why it is impossible for trust to be maintained without authenticity and consistency. [26:17]

  • The behaviors and attitudes needed for trust to be restored. [28:02]

  • And much more!

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by Carlos Mendiola

Cal Callihan: Wall Street to Spiritual Warrior

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, we had a conversation with Cal Callihan, Trader, Sport's Team Owner, and Coach. Today we are so lucky and happy to have an old friend on the show, none other than Cal Callahan! Cal is here to talk about his authentic life and the journey that he has been on from leaving a high paying job on Wall Street, leaving Chicago for Austin to own and run an athletic team, to immersing himself in a spiritual and philosophical works.  Cal will be the first to admit that he has been through trials and tribulations on his life’s path, but wouldn’t have it any other way. We speak a lot about following your truth and intuition and becoming a spiritual warrior in the fight for authenticity.He has such a beautiful story and his honesty and openness blew me away and I am confident it will impact you as well.  There is so much wisdom and many nuggets of truth for all of our listeners in this conversation, so listen in close! We discuss cutting ties, moving on, fulfillment, and the amazing value of forgiveness and surrender. For all this and more, tune in to today’s episode!

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes:

  • Cal’s history and what he has been up to professionally. [3:08]

  • Risk taking, changing cities and Cal’s evolving mindset. [7:02]

  • Reasons that Cal initially went into investing and then exited. [8:50]

  • Tough decisions and listening to your heart and being. [15:18]

  • Balancing intuition and knowledge for a healthy future. [18:30]

  • When to grind and when to bounce. [19:57]

  • The never ending moving targets and hamster wheel. [23:08]

  • How Cal became a coach, moved to Austin and then pivoted. [24:30]

  • A new opportunity that was presented to Cal by his coach. [28:01]

  • What does success actually look like? [30:25]

  • Exercising mindfulness and implementing healthy practices properly. [34:16]

  • Cal’s power animal and the lessons he takes from this. [38:34]

  • Looking back at the particular arc of his learning. [40:59]

  • Forgiveness and the power of moving on from shame. [43:25]

  • The meditation practice that Cal has been using recently around redemptive love. [48:40]

  • Redefining success and opening your horizons. [51:35]

  • Cal’s definition of an authentic life! [53:02]

  • And much more!

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by Carlos Mendiola

Dr. Frankie Bashan: How to Find Authentic Love

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, we had a conversation with Dr. Frankie Bashan, psychologist, matchmaker and relationship guru.On the show today we are joined by Dr. Frankie Bashan, psychologist, matchmaker and relationship guru! She has over 20 years of experience working with couples and individuals and has managed to find her calling and passion in a life devoted to helping others to find love. Her company, Little Gay Book, serves the lesbian and bisexual community but you better believe that the ideas she shares on the show are applicable to everyone!Frankie is so honest and hilarious as she tells us about her early pull towards matchmaking and how she found her father a new partner when she was just 14-years-old! In our conversation we dive into online dating, setting up her business, balance, vulnerability and she offers a strong message about the powers of hope and love. For this beautiful and inspiring chat, be sure to join us!Dr. Frankie Bashan has specialized in working with the LGBT community, and specifically with couples and individuals with relational difficulties. After nine years of clinical experience Dr. Frankie Bashan sought a less formal and more dynamic setting to apply her talents. She followed her passion of connecting people and bringing happiness to their lives by becoming a professional matchmaker. Dr. Frankie Bashan launched Little Gay Book and quickly became the premiere lesbian matchmaking service in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York, Boston, San Diego, Hawaii, Denver (and growing).

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes:

  • Frankie’s personal and professional journey from psychologist to matchmaker. [3:21]

  • First clients, building a database and the business model in the beginning. [7:25]

  • The feeling of finding her purpose and balancing this healthily. [11:08]

  • Frankie’s advice to those struggling to find love! [13:40]

  • What it really means to put yourself out there. [15:45]

  • Is there a difference working in the gay community? [18:45]

  • The evolving sphere of sexualities and identities. [20:31]

  • Frankie’s guide to online dating and dating apps. [24:05]

  • When is it the right time to leave a relationship? [27:22]

  • Waiting too long to seek help from outside. [29:38]

  • The vulnerability of trust and the task of repairing it. [34:12]

  • Differences between loving and being in love with someone. [35:12]

  • Working on things and a healthy level of effort for a relationship. [39:22]

  • Frankie’s definition of an authentic life! [43:07]

  • And much more!

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by Carlos Mendiola

Jacqueline Sinclair: Art, Personal Balance, Spirituality, and Jazz

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, we had a conversation with Jacqueline Sinclair, Artistic Director for the Joel Hall Dancers and Center.Jacqueline is the Artist Director at Joel Hall Dancers in Chicago and has pursued a life in dance as long as she can remember. We chat all about her journey to this point and the decisions she made along the way that have defined her. We also talk about finding the passion for dance in high school and her early and instinctual attraction to jazz.

Jacqueline repeatedly says that from that age she ‘just knew’ that dance is what she wanted to do and had to find a way to make this a reality. This ‘knowing’ that she refers to is difficult to pinpoint but is also something ever present in her life. She does identify the intuitive feeling and the influence that the act of dancing had on this intuition and she had serious epiphanies while actually dancing, accessing trance-like states and what she calls her sweaty realizations. For a tremendously inspiring conversation, be sure to join us!Jacki was a professional dancer for 28 years for the Joel Hall Dancers and Center. She is a teacher at Maine South and is now the newly appointed Artistic Director for Joel Hall. She has danced on countless stages in literally hundreds of performances.

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes:

  • How Jacqueline found dance and discovered her passion. [3:30]

  • Starting dance formerly and an immediate magnetism to jazz classes. [6:54]

  • The certainty and self belief that Jacqueline maintained. [9:06]

  • Realistic goals and the development of her career. [8:00]

  • The trance-like states that Jacqueline reaches through her art. [8:00]

  • Joel Hall and the movement of which Jacqueline is a part. [16:26]

  • The importance of discipline, sacrifice and work that goes into the passion. [21:38]

  • Immediately realizing that cosmetology was not the right fit! [23:30]

  • How Jacqueline put in the hard work and sold herself. [25:48]

  • Gut instincts, Akashic Records and instinctual and spiritual knowledge. [29:48]

  • The transition into the role of Creative Director at Joel Hall. [32:29]

  • Jacqueline’s own definition of an authentic life! [35:40]

  • Looking to the future with Joel Hall Dancers. [36:35]

  • And much more.

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by Carlos Mendiola

Neil Pasricha: The Happiness Equation

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, we had a conversation with Neil Pasricha, author, blogger, speaker,  and podcaster. 

On the show today we are so lucky to welcome the wonderful and inspiring Neil Pasricha! Neil is an author, blogger, and speaker who has poured himself into helping people achieve happier, more authentic lives. We chat about his book,

The Happiness Equation,

and touch on his new audiobook,

How to Get Back Up

. Neil gives us great insight into our programming and design as humans and how to use this rather than get weighed down by it. He tell us about a few of the chapters in

The Happiness Equation

on retirement, motivation, and controlling our reactions before unpacking some real strategies for moving towards a happier life. We discuss success and fulfillment, the Saturday morning test, and Neil’s own podcast and TED Talk and he gives us a great definition of what an authentic life means to him. For all this and more, join us and listen in for what Neil has to say!Leadership Keynote Speaker, Bestselling Author, Positive Psychology Researcher Leadership. Neil Pasricha helps people live happy lives. He is a top-rated leadership keynote speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and positive psychology researcher focused on the relationship between happiness and leadership in business.

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes:

  • A little about the Neil’s book and the ideas in The Happiness Equation. [1:43]

  • The way we are designed and understanding this. [4:56]

  • How to start training yourself to be more happy. [7:05]

  • The importance of reaction and the control of our perceptions. [12:30]

  • Getting the retirement dream all wrong! [14:12]

  • Why action causes motivation and not the other way around. [17:02]

  • Attitude, awareness and authenticity. [19:20]

  • Jumpstarting your own Saturday morning test! [22:48]

  • Neil’s new audiobook, How To Get Back Up.[24:25]

  • A little information on Neil’s podcast, 3 Books. [26:33]

  • Neil’s definition of an authentic life! [28:43]

  • And much more!

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by Carlos Mendiola

Paul Jarvis: Company of One

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, we had a conversation with Paul Jarvis, Writer, Designer, Podcaster, and Software Creator. His new book, Company of One 

In this episode of the Art of Authenticity, we are joined by Paul Jarvis, the author of the new book,

Company of One

. Paul has worked for himself and by himself for the last twenty years and is a strong believer that smaller businesses are the way of the future.  While he attempted to grow his company, as conventional thinking would suggest is the 'right' path for any company, Paul determined classic growth models weren't authentic to him. His writing and ideas focus around the contrarian view that business growth isn’t always good, and isn’t always required. In our conversation, we cover some of the foundational aspects of his book and a few of the chapters on passion, goals, and achievable lists before Paul tells us all about how he stays motivated and energized. We also get into when to pursue something and when to quit, opportunities and obligations, and finally, we hear from our guest about his own ideas about what an authentic life means. For this great and honest conversation, be sure to tune in!His writing has been talked about by everyone from 

Ashton Kutcher

 to 

Arianna Huffington

. He’s worked with clients, such as Microsoft, Danielle LaPorte, Mercedes-Benz, Marie Forleo and Warner Music. His ideas and words have been featured in WIRED, Fast Company, Vice, USA Today and more.

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes:

  • Paul’s background and the ideas behind Company of One. [2:00]

  • Deciding not to grow through experimentation and doing the work. [5:46]

  • When passion is the problem and the lack of introspection. [9:30]

  • Incremental steps and Paul’s opposition to goals. [13:43]

  • Staying present through your ambitions. [15:02]

  • Achievable lists and acknowledging the setbacks in life. [16:32]

  • Busyness and maintaining energy levels. [18:44]

  • Finding your brand of success and knowing what you love. [21:13]

  • How Paul knows when to quit. [24:35]

  • Differentiating between opportunities and obligations. [28:11]

  • Your own unique authenticity and discovering your path. [29:40]

  • Paul’s own idea of an authentic life! [30:55]

  • Daily rituals and practices that have helped Paul. [33:42]

  • And much more!

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by Carlos Mendiola

Nadja Pinnavaia: The Other Side To Finding Peace

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, we had a conversation with Nadja Pinnavaia, Founder of  Euphebe. 

Today on the show we are joined by Nadja Pinnavaia. Nadja is the founder of Euphebe Healthcare and she is here to talk to us about how we can really change our lives by the way we eat. Prior to founding Euphebe, Nadja was an undergraduate student in Chemistry from King’s London College. She gained her Ph.D in Quantum Chemistry from Saint Catherine’s College in Cambridge, and then went on to become managing director at Goldman Sachs. Nadja has certainly got the education, the background, and a ton of amazing accomplishments under her belt. However, because of a personal experience dealing with cancer in her family, Nadja decided to switch her focus to food; why it matters, why it can really change your life, and how it impacts our health and wellness.Inside this episode we get into more detail about Nadja’s program and exactly what it offers. This is a topic that I am certainly passionate about. It changed my life to get educated about the food we eat and it has made a significant difference. We talk often on this show about finding a life that is meaningful and authentic, but we also have to deal with the physical. If we don’t take care of ourselves and our bodies, all of the consequences can get in our way of living that authentic life. Tune in to hear Nadja’s advice on how you can take charge and change your life for the better.

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes:

  • The back-story of how Nadja got into the food, health and nutrition industry. [3:28]

  • How the immense amount of sugar in our diets affects our risk for cancer. [5:55]

  • Why the conventional advice of “eat less, move more” is doomed for failure. [6:51]

  • What is the “Crappy Food Cycle” and how does it hurt our bodies? [8:18]

  • Nadja’s “aha” moment that caused her shift into the food and health sector. [10:03]

  • The dopamine and serotonin shifts that occur and how it affects our bodies. [13:46]

  • Understanding the “hidden” sugars within our foods and how to properly read labels. [16:23]

  • Why it is critical to recognize and understand the addictive voice to create change. [20:49]

  • The Euphebe 28-Day Reboot Program and what it involves. [23:29]

  • Learning to recognize the presence of sugar in our every-day foods. [26:34]

  • And much more!

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by Carlos Mendiola

Kate Swoboda: The Courage Habit

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, we had a deep dive into courage with Kate Swoboda, Coach, writer, and Director of the Courageous Living Coach Certification. 

On today’s show, we have Kate Swoboda joining us. Kate is the creator of

YourCourageousLife.com

, Director of the Courageous Living Coach Certification at

TribeCLCC.com

and author of

The Courage Habit

. Kate is a writer and facilitator on the topic of habit-formation and psychological courage, where she particularly explores how these tools can be used for women’s wellbeing and leadership–at home, at work, and in our communities. In this episode, we are going to talk about courage, how to accept your fears, release the past, and live your most courageous life. A lot of people want to step forward and live a more authentic life, and Kate shares with us how courage plays a very large role in that experience. She lays it out in incredible detail, with a four-part process that she believes will help you step into the life that feels right for you. Kate has been featured in

MindBodyGreen

,

Entrepreneur

,

USA Today

,

Forbes

, and many other publications. I definitely learned a lot from this episode and I hope that you will too. Tune in to hear all about how you can take charge, seize your courage, and really grab ahold of that authentic life you’ve been dreaming of living.

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes:

  • Kate’s story on how she started her life’s work surrounding courage and fear. [2:16]

  • Understanding your willingness and tolerance to be in the discomfort. [5:02]

  • Learning to identify the gift that is revealed in hindsight of the discomfort and fear. [6:40]

  • Reasons why you should feel your feelings and strategies to face it. [10:10]

  • The predominant ways we deal with fear: avoid it, please it, or attack it. [12:35]

  • Courage habits and strategies for addressing your fear in the long-term. [13:22]

  • The four courage-based behavioral responses that replace fear-based patterns. [15:02]

  • Why fear is a wounded part of who we are and triggers self-preservation instincts. [17:22]

  • Understanding that fear is a primal response that overrides logic. [19:27]

  • Learning to access your body: mindfulness, conscious crying, dancing, cathartic exercise. [20:02]

  • How to listen to your fear: learning to recognize your fear pattern. [22:20]

  • Four predominant fear patterns: perfectionism, martyrdom, pessimism, self-sabotage. [24:16]

  • Why it is critical to take the time for cognitive reframing of limiting stories in your life. [26:36]

  • What it means to reach out and create community to help you cover your blind spots. [29:14]

And much more!

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by Carlos Mendiola

Mike Bundrant: A Model To Live More Authentically

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, we had a deep dive into meditation with Mike Bundrant, Coach, Therapist, and Founder of the INLP Center. 

Today on the show we welcome Mike Bundrant. Mike is the Founder of the iNLP Center and if you’re interested in coaching, or in neuro-linguistic programming in particular (which is the program I went through), this is an awesome school. Mike is here today to talk to us about a model from that program called the VAK Model, which stands for Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic. Pictures, sounds, and feelings all work together within us and this model really represents the science behind the Art of Authenticity – the intuition and the deeper sense of self. A lot of us are trying to figure out what we want to do with our lives and how we can live a more authentic life and this episode is really a deep dive into how to use the tools that are given to us: our feelings, our visual ability and our auditory ability to make decisions and move forward in life. All of us have a dominant component of these three and if we are unable to connect the Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic within us, it can lead to impulsivity and inauthentic decisions. Mike shares his insights on how we can use this information to our advantage and help us to navigate a life that feels truly authentic.

Take a listen!

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes:

  • Learn more about the Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic components of self. [4:10]

  • Why one of the three components tend to be dominant for each individual. [5:30]

  • How to figure out which of the three components is more dominant for you. [6:00]

  • Connecting minds-eye images with feelings: How do we know what we truly want? [9:10]

  • Impulsivity and what happens when we shut out one of these three main channels. [10:40]

  • Creating balance between the three components of Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic. [12:57]

  • The effect of fear, approvals and unprocessed feelings can have on our decisions. [18:30]

  • Distinguishing the difference between authentic feelings and irrational feelings. [19:50]

  • Tips for enhancing the visual processing component of one’s own life. [22:50]

  • Mike’s advice for tapping into these modalities to help us move forward in life. [27:20]

  • Why you’ll know you have the right image when it explains the symptom. [35:00]

  • And much more!

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by Carlos Mendiola

Amy Owen: How You Can Change Your Life Just By Changing Your Breath

In this episode of Art of Authenticity, we had a deep dive into meditation with Amy Owen, yoga teacher and dula. 

Today on the show we are joined by repeat guest, Amy Owen. Amy is a mother of three, a birth doula, a retreat leader, a yoga instructor at Yoga View in Chicago City, and has been practicing meditation since 1986. Amy came on the show a while back, where we had an amazing discussion on breathing correctly and we’ve invited her back to share her amazing insights. Although it may seem like a simple concept (breathing is something we do without even thinking after all!) but the truth is breathing can help tremendously with a range of things from anxiety to high stress. You can alter your entire nervous system just by altering your breath and learning how to breathe properly from somebody like Amy, can really change your life in a matter of twenty seconds. In this episode, Amy shares the basics of proper inhaling and exhaling and walks us through a few simple Prana breathing techniques that you can use to calm your mind and become more present in any given moment.

Take a listen!

Thanks for Listening

Again, thank you so much for your support! Please subscribe to the podcast if you haven’t already!

Show Notes:

  • Learn why it is important to think about the way we breathe. [2:10]

  • Why most of us are shallow breathers only using 30% of our lung capacity in daily life. [3:40]

  • How deepening the breath can create vitality and energy. [4:34]

  • What happens when we bring our mind to our breath? [6:10]

  • Amy walks us through the basics of proper inhaling and exhaling. [6:40]

  • The importance of realizing that our breath starts in the belly. [6:57]

  • Amy’s tips for getting people to breathe in different directions. [8:30]

  • Finding a balance between energy and ease in your breath. [10:20]

  • Moving your breath into six parts of your body and envisioning the helium balloon. [10:50]

  • Join Amy in a simple breathing technique helpful for anxiety. [12:41]

  • Amy’s helpful breath tip before walking into any stressful situation. [15:27]

  • And much more!

More about Amy

by Carlos Mendiola