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417 Being Fully Present

Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

Release Date: 02/03/2026

429 Lynn Harris - Comedy, Creativity, and Community show art 429 Lynn Harris - Comedy, Creativity, and Community

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 show art 428 Building Bridges Through Kindness and Compassion

Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

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 show art 427: Eat Your Feelings - A Cooking Show Demonstrating True Connection, Featuring Sam Nathews

Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

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 show art 426: Ending the Cycle of Family Trauma Featuring Sharon Weinstein

Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

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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425 Something To Contribute  show art 425 Something To Contribute 

Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

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 show art 424 The Art of Story Making and Being Present

Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

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 show art 423 We Need Each Other

Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

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 show art 422 Experience Awe

Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

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 show art 421 The Lives We Live

Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

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 show art 420 Ted Talks: Let's Start Sharing Stories

Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

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...

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More Episodes

417 Being Fully Present

 

Being present for those in your life can be a difficult matter at times, yes we can be in the same room as them, but it is far more meaningful to be there for them emotionally which can triple the difficulty of a situation. Which is why it is important to take a step back and to take stock of your emotions before responding, so that you can be your best self and not one that lectures or reacts with anger.

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Phil Friedman discuss the importance of patience, empathy, and seeking one’s one fulfillment in life that is not tied to a career nor who we associate ourselves with. 

 

Highlights

  • Do you tie your identity to others?

  • At times, understanding and gentleness is far better than a lecture. 

  • Are you an observer of your own life?

  • How do you treat yourself when you aren’t at your best? 

  • How do you find satisfaction day to day?

 

Quotes

“It’s one thing to observe emotion in somebody else, for me I can’t observe it that same way in myself.”

“There are so many things to write about and so little time.”

“If I worried about everything that could go wrong, since half of the things that could go wrong don’t go wrong, then I’ll spend my life being worried about things that half the time will never happen.” 

 

Dear Listeners it is now your turn,

When have you had an experience where you didn’t recognize your emotion until after the fact? Is there something you can do, a strategy you can use to try to be more aware in the moment of where your emotions are coming from? Maybe it’s an angry reaction, an angry response to something that should have been a more empathetic response, but in the moment you were fearful for the safety or the health of the person in front of you. 

And, as always, thank you for listening. 

 

About Phil

As a former university professor and college instructor, I spent years helping students think clearly and write with purpose. I also created and led North America’s first fully certified two-year post-secondary program in boatbuilding and boatyard management, experience that honed my skills in curriculum design, educational program development, and mentoring learners at every stage.
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Alongside my teaching, I’ve written, edited, and published more than 2,000 feature articles for major print and digital media channels. That experience helps me guide writers not just to overcome resistance, but also to approach their craft with the mindset and skills that lead to real publication.
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My coaching style is supportive and judgment-free. I meet writers where they are and help them silence their inner critic, build strong writing habits, and trust their unique voice. Whether you’re writing for personal fulfillment, launching a blog, or aiming to get published, I’ll help you take the next step with clarity and confidence.

During 30+ years in the marine industry, I’ve worn numerous hats — as a marine marketer and ghost writer, boating magazine writer/editor, yacht designer, boatbuilder, marine operations and business manager, marine industry consultant, yacht surveyor, and industry educator.

I’m also trained and experienced in interest-based negotiation, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution for parties in the marine business sector. In a prior life, I taught logic and philosophy at university.

Be sure to check out Phil’s LinkedIn and Facebook! As well as Port Royal Group, Port Royal Marketing, and Social Philosophy and The Art of Boatbuilding!

 

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!