Episode 16: Connections with Aundrea DeMille

Ways to connect with Aundrea~
thewakeupstories.com
@aundrea_d_
twitter.com/aundrea_demille
www.facebook.com/wakeupstories

You're listening to the Love Tidbits Podcast, where you'll discover a small, tasty, delightful, bite-sized tidbit of love. I'm your host, LeAnn Austin.  

Hey y'all, welcome to Love Tidbits, episode #16: Connections with Aundrea DeMille.  
I love observing and connecting with other humans, especially noting how they feel and implement love into their life.

We have the amazing Aundrea DeMille sharing some beautiful love insights with us today. Alright, my Georgia girl, will you briefly introduce yourself. 

A: It's always awkward when people, when I introduce myself, it's like tooting your own horn. But, I'm Aundrea DeMille.  I've been in Utah for four years. I am the author of: Is it racism? How to Heal the Human Divide. Owner of 360 True Design Real Estate Photography.  Mom of five boys, four still at home, one who has left the nest. And I do a lot of diversity equity and inclusion work. I was commissioned by the governor to do inclusion work here in the state of Utah; like a lot of trainings and speakings. And, I love all things, peanut butter and hate all things chocolate. 

L: I love it, Aundrea. That's awesome!  So fun all the things you do and I can relate to a mama of boys. 

So three questions for you today. The first one, how do you incorporate love into your business and/or life? 

A: So I would say with both, the way that I incorporate love, is leading with empathy first.

When we have clients in our real estate marketing company come to us with problems, the first thing that we do is listen with empathy and compassion, rather than getting defensive. And then we help solve that problem together.  And I definitely do that personally as well. I'm not saying it's always easy, especially when tensions and feelings can get high in the DEI space.

If I'm doing a diversity, equity, and inclusion training, and there's, you know, a little bit of hostility in the audience, it can be very difficult to come from a place of empathy.  But I make a conscious effort to pause, really listen and understand what they're saying, and then to empathize. I work really hard to tap into their energetic frequency, so I can feel what they feel and understand where they're coming from.  And when I do that, it's easier to come together, and lead out with love. So I would say definitely with empathy, both in my photography company and when my diversity, equity, and inclusion space. 

L: I love this, and I've witnessed this as I've listened to your amazing podcast; Wake Up Stories.  It is so, ahh, just refreshing to hear how you do this, see how you live this, and it's beautiful. So yes, such a wonderful example of this. Thank you, I love that. Yeah. Alright, so the second one, what is something you love about you and why? 

A: Again, that's hard to answer with one question. One of the things I love about myself is my God given talent to connect with people. People are naturally drawn to my energy and I've been blessed with the gift of articulation, and so I use that. I use that in all aspects of my life. I try to use it at home. It's not always as easy at home. It's actually easier with strangers. But that's one thing that I love about myself. 

And I love my natural athletic ability. I'm naturally athletic, and I've always been involved in sports since I was a kid. I've always, once I hit high school, I was captain of my high school teams, captain of my college teams, just kind of a natural born leader. But my athleticism has actually led to me being more spiritual, because here where I live, I'm able to get out and hike a lot and connect with nature. And I'm not winded, I'm just naturally kind of in shape always.  I know that kind of sounds arrogant, or maybe because I'm always moving my body, you know, if I don't hike, I'm doing a mile and a half walk up mountain hills with my dogs.  You know, or paddle boarding in the summer, I ski in the winter. And so I use my natural athletic ability to connect with nature, which really helps me stay grounded in my spirituality, because I have my most spiritual experiences when I'm connected with nature, not when I'm in a church, or in a room, or it's just, if I'm barefoot in nature, it really helps me.

So I would say those are probably my two things and I guess it comes full circle because by using my athleticism to be out in nature and stay grounded, it helps me to let my light naturally shine and connect with other people. So, yeah, I would say those two. 

L: So beautiful. I love that, and how the connectedness is, you know, with other humans as well as yourself through, I love that, connectedness, one of my favorites.

Okay. Well now, before I ask you the last question, is there anything else you want to share and where our audience can go to find out more about. 

A: Yeah, for sure. If your listeners would like to connect, if you need help with business coaching, if you need a diversity, equity, and inclusion training and your environment, and your workplace, and your group, you can find me at: thewakeupstories.com  That's s t o r i e s.  You can also follow me on Instagram @aundrea_d_. And that's a u n d r e a. So the easiest place to find me is thewakeupstories.com, and to follow me on Instagram. 

And if there's one message that I would leave with your audience is: I know it's easier said than done, but just walk the walk, you know, so many times we say, oh I love everybody. And well, I just teach people to be kind and teach my kids to be nice. But are we really?  Right, when we have a difference of opinion, and we have passion behind those differences of opinions, no matter what it is, are we really coming from a place of love, and being open and listening to what others are saying from a place of empathy, or are we just defending our own points of view?

So if there's anything that I could leave, it would be; be open, because we're all here to evolve and change, and leave an impact.  Everyone has gifts that God and the universe has given us. So I encourage everybody to tap into your specific gifts, and make a difference in your community and your home and your neighborhood. You don't have to write a book or have a podcast to make a difference. You can make a difference with your neighbors, your friends, your family members, just by having one conversation at a time. 

L: I love the walk the walk, and I highly recommend listening to Aundrea's podcast: Wake Up Stories is fantastic. And she has so many, I mean, different backgrounds, genders, ethnicities, sexualities, everything. It's beautiful to hear all different takes on it. I enjoy listening to it too. So thank you for sharing that with our audience as well. Thank you. Alright, so the last question, what is your favorite question or quote about love?

A: Yeah, my favorite quote is, "You move towards and become that which you constantly think about and believe. And when I, I don't know who said it, I know who said it to me. I was early twenties, very well mid, actually late twenties, but very recently divorced and single mom. And I was at an event, when a fellow person in the neighborhood and from church, said this to me.  And I don't know if she made it up or if it's a special quote, cause I've kind of heard it around before.  But that, you know, if you move towards and become that which you constantly think about and believe, and if you do that from a place of love, your world will be amazing.  Like miracles will unfold. You'll like walk with a beautiful peace and light within you, that inherently gives others permission to let their light and peace shine as well.  

But it impacts everything. It impacts, you know, your academia, if you're in school and studying.  Even if you're in higher ed, it impacts that.  If you are wanting to grow a business, it does that. If you want to focus on being the best homemaker, it impacts that.  You know, anything that you want to create, I think we forget, we have the power to create, right? If you believe in God listeners, or the universe, or creation in any shape, form or fashion, then you come from a power that created you, which means you have the power to create.

Just like if my dad was an athlete, I inherited his athletic genes. You inherit the power to create from your creator, and it's up to us to make our lives and this world a better place. And you can do that by focusing on, and I circled back to the quote, "you move towards and become that which you constantly think about and believe."

So, what are you thinking about? What do you believe? What are you becoming? What are you creating? And I encouraged to do that from a place of love. 

L: Hmmm, something to think about y'all. 

Thank you so much Aundrea. What a blessing you are, and it's so fun to see how you are truly changing the world. Thank you. 

A: Oh, thank you. It was a pleasure. Thanks for having me on LeAnn. 

L: Thanks y'all, have a good one, and here's to love. 

A: We'll see ya.

L: If you would like to become an expert at loving yourself, check out my Lovin Me Program at leannaustin.com