Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will
429 Lynn Harris - Comedy, Creativity, and Community In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Lynn Harris discuss the importance of comedy and creativity in the heart and soul of a community and how overcoming the doubts and assumptions of others can not only strengthen yourself but as well as the people around you. Highlights How we defy the expectations and assumptions of others. If we can’t talk about a problem we can’t even begin to fix it. The power of community and contributing to it and encouraging others to contribute. Quotes “As with all...
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428 Building Bridges Through Kindness and Compassion In being human we are able to connect more authentically with people not just in the workplace but in everyday life, by allowing them to see us for who we truly are and what we are capable of. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Neal Foard discuss the importance of compassion and connection. Highlights Being present and aware of your actions on others and the world around you. Building trust and genuine connection that lasts lifetimes as opposed to a quick and easy contract. The importance of working...
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427: Eat Your Feelings - A Cooking Show Demonstrating True Connection, Featuring Sam Nathews Highlights from the show: Sam initially wasn't sure about cohosting the show with Cory! He can be shy about performing or entertaining people he just met. It didn't take long to realize how grateful he was that Cory was persistant in starting the project and about Sam joining the show. Sam shared how the show helped him process his grief over losing his mother, and how being able to talk openly about his emotions has been healing for him. He emphasized the importance of normalizing...
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426: Ending the Cycle of Family Trauma Featuring Sharon Weinstein "How did you ever come out of that household? How did you ever evolve into who you are and what you've become from that background?" We met in Washington DC at the final competition for the People's Choice speaker for the next TEDxUStreetWomen event scheduled on November 3, 2025. And when she won the coveted spot, all of us were thrilled. She earned it. In this episode we discussed her TEDx talk, "Think Differently to be Unstoppable", the use of the 4W framework to reframe personal trauma into recovery and growth. She...
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In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Matthew Johnson discuss their work in their communities, from work with the city to their own personal endeavours as well as how this work helps the community grow and retain the character that makes it unique. Highlights Why education in a community is important and how it has the potential to connect us. Loving to serve. Lead as those you look up to lead. Quotes “It’s a delicate balance between community growth and character, because both are necessary.” “People don’t always know what questions to ask to even begin...
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424 The Art of Story Making and Being Present In today’s episode Sarah Elkins talks about her recent vacation and the reminder to remember a past lesson from her son about learning from your past regrets and choosing to live in the moment instead of allowing expectations or worries for the future to take away from the joy of the present. Highlights Being present for the stories you want to share. Learn to just go with the flow and to take ownership of your own happiness. Don’t grieve for the future, instead live for the present. It will still hurt...
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423 We Need Each Other In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Cory Brown discuss their ideas and the influences in their lives that they have had that gave them the push to act on their ideas or to think them through, as well as the importance of putting something into the world that will make a genuine authentic change. Highlights Eat your feelings, coming together over a meal to discuss your feelings. The importance of mental health and reaching out to others for their sake and our own. You must be the one to take the first step to make a change. ...
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422 Experience Awe The natural world is one of few places in the world where we can truly feel at peace. Whether it be to get away from the hustle and bustle of life, or even just to get away from all the screens and pollution, we can find a moment to center ourselves and find genuine awe in the world. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Thomas Reed discuss the importance of the natural world, finding awe, how we talk to ourselves, as well as finding our own courage to seek the paths that call to us. Highlights How we interact with the natural world around us. The...
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421 The Lives We Live In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Kuti Mack discuss their unique experiences in being selected for a TED talk, the process in getting to their own important story they needed to tell, as well as the people who supported them along the way. Highlights The benevolence of somebody else and admitting when you need help going hand in hand with not assuming people are capable when in reality they need help. Knowing we are all human and we all need somebody to lean on and to let ourselves lean on others as well. You need to try things out of your comfort...
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420 Ted Talks: Let’s Start Sharing Stories In today’s episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on her preparations for her Ted Talk, as well as seeing the need that had to be filled, and how she is filling that need in society with clarity and authenticity. Highlights Seeing a problem and figuring out how you can fix it. Let your ideas loose in the world, you never know who needs to hear it. Bring yourself to whatever you do and good will follow. Quotes “The answer wasn’t to explain away what was happening.” “I realized I wasn’t just...
info_outline412 Ego and Soul
When was the last time you were proud of yourself? When was the last time you took a moment to truly look at yourself and say “I am proud of the person I am and I want other people to see how amazing I can be.”? When was the last time YOU fed your soul? It’s easy to forget when we’re cheering others on that we also need to cheer ourselves on, because if we don’t then who will?
In this episode Sarah Elkins and Sharon Rolph discuss their own personal growth and the pride they feel in the people they have become and are still growing into.
Highlights
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The desire to be visible and relevant as we grow.
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The importance of ego in our growth. Be proud of yourself and how far you have come.
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Embracing visibility.
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Just because something is uncomfortable, doesn’t make it inauthentic. It only makes it uncomfortable.
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The importance of having Soul and Ego in an authentic manner.
Quotes
“I think a lot of us women have been too quiet.”
“The butterflies flying in your stomach, just get them flying in formation.”
“I decide what stops me.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
What are you doing consciously or unconsciously to remain relevant in your daily activities? What are you thinking about when it comes to being somebody who matters, someone who contributes? What are you choosing in your life to make sure you have ongoing relevance, whether that’s directly to the planet, whether that’s to your family, whether that’s to your home, to your fur babies, or to your community. I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Sharon
For most of her life Sharon felt invisible and when retired, she wondered how she'd know if she was productive.
Today she's a motivating influencer at 78, as an author, podcast guest and the Queen of Courage on Instagram.
Her days now feel "right" since finding her Spark. This transformation she experienced is being offered to the public, for the first time.
Sharon is the perfect person to help others matter outside of work, live meaningfully, impact life with wisdom and confidence and find their inner Spark.
Sharon's sparkle, passion and her youthful appearance easily confirmed. Mental strength and faith have given her a healthy lifestyle.
Potential has intrigued Sharon from a very young age, and she loves uniqueness. That's what she sees in people, from her Behavioral Science perspective. She inspires curiosity and possibilities in everyone.
Be sure to check out Sharon’s LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook! As well as, her Youtube Channel, FRESH COURAGE in Retirement: finding purpose, essence and fulfillment, and her Calendly to schedule your session!
About Sarah
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!