The Social Scholars Podcast

I didn’t want to leave you hanging so I’m sharing what I’ve been up to in the last 8 months since the last episode and why I’m signing off on this podcast.

Sometimes the thing that is most caring, loving and respectful to yourself may also be the most painful thing you need to do. When I trained for my marathons back in the day, the running was challenging in ways you’d expect, but the recovery and self-care in between could be challenging and uncomfortable too. Despite that, it was just as important so that I could be ready and injury-free to take on the next training day and be the person I wanted to be after that experience. On a run earlier this week, I was thinking that while this type of physical self-care was needed during that time, there’s times where the same can be applied to your emotional, mental and spiritual self care. The most caring thing you can do for yourself might also be the hardest. It might hurt or feel uncomfortable. While hot baths and getting your nails done can be self care, the kind of self care you need most to rise up in the new year may not feel relaxing, fun, or easy. But to step into the highest version of you, it's needed in order experience the abundance and joy in life you're absolutely capable and deserving of.  Painful self-care might be getting your taxes ready, being still, saying goodbye, or allowing yourself to fully experience happiness.  We'll be getting into it more in this final episode of Season 2. See you on the inside! xoxo 

Her dream was becoming an air traffic controller. Over the course of 6 years she had put in endless amounts of schooling, 6 hour long tests, and navigated setbacks to even have a chance at making that dream come true when she finally got accepted into the one and only air traffic school.  But after a rigorous training schedule over months of the academy, in the final hour of her final test, she failed.  No redo's. No coming back for another chance. It was over.  Within minutes, the dream she had been planning her life around was completely gone.  As you can imagine, she was crushed. As what she lost began to sink in more and more, so did her anger, sadness and sense of purpose. It was a rough patch that lasted years of feeling lost, uncertain and disappointed, but when you tune into this final interview episode of Season 2, you'll hear about how a mix of more closed doors and tenacity finally opened the one door that explained why all the other ones had been closed.  With everything that's happened this year, I thought Emilie's story was the perfect way to close this Season out as a reminder you're not alone or a failure if you've had your own closed doors and and rugs being pulled from under you. I think you'll also find it uplifting and hopeful that the story isn't over until it's over and there's plenty of opportunity to change the narrative along the way.  AND if you're at all interested in aviation, you're going to hear some interesting behind the scenes of what goes on when you step on your flights!  Be sure and connect with Emilie on Instagram and let her know what you most related to or enjoyed about her interview! https://www.instagram.com/emilieann10/

"Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands the Resistance."  Your worst enemy isn't who you think it is. The enemy that does the most damage is the one inside your head that you lay down every night with and wake up to every morning.  If there's something you've been putting off - writing a book, a meditation practice, training for a marathon, getting back on the dating scene, starting a business, sharing your experiences and opinions more on social media, moving, a bedtime routine that could help you sleep better - you've most likely encountered what Steven Pressfield calls the Resistance.  It can't be seen, heard, or touched, but it can be felt.  It takes form as procrastination, fear, drama, excuses, victimhood, self-doubt, unhappiness, even love, logic, and healing. It's anything that stands between you and the person you are capable of becoming.  It's self-sabotage and sabotage by others who may even care for and love you, but are dealing with their own Resistance.  It's something that has to be managed every day. It never goes away.  And it's not always so obvious. Instead of encouraging you to never start, it will whisper that you're going to do it - starting tomorrow.  So the best way to combat Resistance is to start. As messy, imperfect, uninspired, and not ready as it might be - start anyway. Because otherwise you're cheating the world of your contribution and gift to the world. Inside the Book of the Week, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battle, you'll find 15 other ways to move through the Resistance so that whatever idea that's has been growing inside of you - the one (or more than one!) you've most likely been shoving down because it doesn't make sense or it's not the right time or you're not the one to do it - can finally be brought into existence for your own sake and for the benefit of the world around you.  Is this thing you've been thinking about (for week, months or maybe years!) what you were meant to do and be? The only way to find out it to sit down and do it.  I hope this week's BOTW inspires you to go out and not only add this one to your shelf, but to take that feeling seriously that's telling you to do or be something more. You don't have to knock it out of the park on your first try, or 10th try. The only thing that matters is that you sit down, put your time in, and give it all you've got. xoxo >>> You can grab this week's book HERE: https://amzn.to/3gu2cNe >>> If your have a business idea you're ready to bring to life based on your experience and expertise, but would like a little help getting it started or overcoming a specific roadblock, I'm hosting 1:1 Personal Brand Builder Power Hours between now and Christmas and would be honored to be a small part of your journey bringing it to life. If you like my style and are ready to get started, you can book yours HERE or reach out on Instagram with any questions (@sarahlynn.co). 

Paul Rahn is the Founder and Owner of the ClassPass top studios SWEAT on State and Maple Leaf Crossfit in and around the Chicago-area.  Back in 2013 he was at the height of his career at Starbucks, leading a team of 50+ employees at the busiest store in Chicago and one of the top stores in the US. He had the best benefits, a big paycheck, and an impressive job title.  But yet, he knew he was capable of more.  Not more money or status, but more meaning.  Can you relate to things being good enough? But maybe there's a tug that won't go away for some crazy idea or you just know where you are right now isn't where your supposed to stay? If so, you're going to love this episode that is one example of what's possible when you consciously choose a path of purpose and happiness, despite it being terrifying at many points along the way (including actually getting started).  AND since Paul is the owner of a fitness business, stay tuned at the end for some his best tips for getting into shape and feeling your best.  Get more doses of Paul's inspiration over on: Instagram: @prmfit and @sweatfitnessstudios Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweatfitnessstudios If you're in the Chicago area looking for a gym home or are anywhere in the world looking for a legit virtual workout, check out the options over at SWEAT: https://sweatfitnessstudios.com/ Paul books recommendations:  Declutter Your Mind: by SJ Scott

The title from this episode comes from my favorite cookbooks - Thug Kitchen (more cookbook recommendations at the end) and the Book of the Week is one that transformed how I eat forever.  In today's conversation, we're getting into the book, The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health by T. Colin Campbell PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II.  It's filled with research, studies, and resources on the benefits of minimizing the meat and dairy we consume and the case for adding in more (real) plants.   You'll get a sneak peek of the wide-range of areas this book covers as we go through today, 13-fun and random facts that will give you something to chew on (cheesy pun intended) and might entice you to go and grab this book for yourself.  It is VERY "sciency" so if you like that kind of thing, ,you'll appreciate this. If you're not so much into that level of detail, there's plenty of charts and graphs to follow along and still get the point. Either way, once you get into it, I think you'll find it very eye-opening and maybe even binge-worthy as you learn more about how to live longer, be healthier, and prevent/reverse disease.  You'll hear how despite being a vegetarian since college, I wasn't that healthy (mostly because I didn't actually eat that many vegetables), and how this book significantly shifted my perspective on what I put into my body and what goes into the food I put into my body.  After committing to this transformation a little over 10 years ago, my acne and "backne" that I was still majorly struggling with in my mid-20s became almost non-existent,  my skin also felt brighter, I rarely was ever constipated (I thought this could me TMI, but I know you can handle it), I lost weight, and I was able to complete a full marathon, 100% on a plant-based diet, in less than 4 hours (sharing this not to brag, but to highlight the strength and energy I had from this shift).  When you think about food, I always like the approach of how I can add in more healthy foods instead of  focusing on all the will-power you're going to need to cut things out. I have found almost by default that will happen overtime by getting crowded out by all the food that's bringing you health and energy. *I think we all already are aware of this but just in case - I am NOT a medical professional of any kind. The information I shared today is directly from this book or my own personal experience, which most likely will be different from yours. I know you're smart and will consult with your doctor on any major changes this book might inspire. xoxo.  Additional Resources:  Grab The China Study here: https://amzn.to/3fPez5U Thug Kitchen Cookbook: https://amzn.to/36jxQta The Joy of Vegan Baking: https://amzn.to/37g2B1s Prevent and Reverse Hearth Disease book: https://amzn.to/36nswVU The Truth About Cancer: https://amzn.to/2VkdTvX Thrive - The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports: https://amzn.to/2JwEZxd Forks Over Knives documentary: https://www.forksoverknives.com/ Food Inc. documentary: https://youtu.be/IJDGUxqEdYY Mayo Clinic article - How plant-based food helps fight cancer: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/how-plant-based-food-helps-fight-cancer/art-20457590 The Gerson Therapy method: a natural treatment that activates the body’s extraordinary ability to heal itself through an organic, plant-based diet, raw juices, coffee enemas and natural supplements - more here.

"Everything you need to know to captivate, excite, and motivate an audience (turtleneck not included)."  Standing up and speaking out whether on stage for a presentation, a Facebook live, or even in a team meeting, can be one of the scariest things we do. It can be terrifying to think of having the spotlight on you and to know what others could be thinking about you.  But, without getting visible and sharing our thoughts, opinions, and what we know, it's hard to help others and it can be hard to move towards your goals.  Whether you are running your own business sharing your offers and products or are looking to apply for a new job or promotion, knowing how to captivate, excite and motivate the person or people in front of you can help you make those goals happen.  In this book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience by Carmine Gallo, you're going to learn how to: create an inspiring brand story answer the question that matters most to your audience paint a memorable and consistent vision make numbers meaningful  build visually engaging slides master state presence  make it look effortless rehearse effectively have fun  I also share at the end about how to use what you learn from this episode and apply it to podcast guesting with another great resource coming up in December with my former business coach, Christine McAlister of Life with Passion. She's hosting a training called 100 Interviews in 90 Days that is going to teach you how to find and book shows, what to say when you're on a podcast, and how to be the best guest they've ever had with a follow up strategy very few people are doing.  You can sign up for the 100 Interview in 90 Days Masterclass through my affiliate link HERE or shoot me a message and I'll send you the link directly.  IG: @sarahlynn.co  email: [email protected]

Natalie Williams has lived the "Liz Gilbert in the wild" life - traveling all over the world and experiencing all this planet has to offer. In this episode we get to not only hear her biggest life lessons learned while out in the "wild" that you're going to get so much from, but also what can unfold for you when you start getting your stories and opinions more visible and how to navigate when you're not your old self anymore but also not yet fully blasted off into your new self.  You'll also hear from Natalie on:  how to get going when you're ready to uplevel but not exactly sure what that looks like  noticing when you might be creatively repressed and what to do about it dissecting fears to uncover a common theme  overcoming the fear of other people's opinions and realizing they are actually none of your business being aware of jealousy and the important message it may be trying to tell you realizing the biggest thing everyone who's getting negative feedback does how to know if you're sharing too much? or maybe not enough? becoming unstoppable in uncertainty  why ignoring the call won't make it go away identifying what it feels like in your body to be in alignment (and what it's like when you're not) getting rid of the stigma around changing your mind and pivoting  truth bombs for anyone else ready to embrace the fullest expression of themselves  Natalie recommended 2 books that have helped her along this journey: Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life by Radha Agrawal  May Cause Love: An Unexpressed Journey of Enlightenment After Abortion by Kassie Underwood Be sure and follow along with Natalie for more inspiration and goodness over on Instagram at @natalieintheraw and let her know what you most enjoyed about this one! 

This resource by Patrick Michael Ryan is a little different than the cover to cover reads I've recommended in past episodes, but still one for the bookshelf.  Understanding our own emotions and developing emotional intelligence towards others has been something that I've been exploring for the last couple of years, and this book was the gateway for a lot of that. It's also been a big help in better understanding how I feel beyond simply happy, sad, and mad.  While we may not always want to act on our emotions and say or do something we might regret (I know this from first hand experience...), there are benefits to feeling those emotions fully, however ugly or hard they might be. In this episode, we get into that a little more along with:  how to avoid anxiety when we feel joy or happiness because we're thinking it's too good to be true or about what's around the corner why the goal isn't to feel happy all the time what can happen when we embrace our sadness  anger being a secondary emotion and how expanding our emotional vocab can help get to the primary emotion the question my therapist asked me when I was engulfed with rage for weeks that changed my outlook to this day and how by better understanding our own emotions we can more fully show up for others in our lives dealing with their own feelings. You can grab Patrick's Dictionary of Emotions on Amazon here or at your local bookstore.  As always I'd love to hear from you about anything that resonated or what you got from the book when you read it - message me on Instagram @sarahlynn.co or email at [email protected]. xoxo 

Today's guest expert interview is private conversation we had inside the Season 2 of the paid group INSTABrand: A 21 Day Personal Branding Program that Leverages the Power of Instagram and I'm excited to pull it out and share it with you as a compliment to our Book of the Week from Monday: The Kickass Single Mommy (episode 089.).  This was such an empowering conversation with Eirin that busts through unhelpful stories women and society have about their investing abilities and how to become truly wealthy through a well-researched investing plan. You'll also hear from Eirin on:  The 4 step path to being reading to invest High level considerations for fees, interest rates and inflation Why women are actually better investors :) Long, medium and short term investing Limiting beliefs you overcome as women investors Mindset around savings vs investing and earning vs. buying  Her top money book - Tony Robbins Money Master the Game - and she answers our investing questions!  Once you have a chance to listen, be sure and drop @eirin.holmeide a quick note over on Instagram (here) and let her know a top takeaway for you! I know it always means so much to hear from how you helped someone.  You can also find her over on LinkedIn here.  She'll be running another program soon so be on the look out when you follow her on social media!