I’m recording this Sermon with two hopes:
1) To bring life to single women everywhere who can relate to what I’m about to share and maybe even need to hear some or all of it.

2) As a tool for connection and understanding that single women can share with each other and loved ones to say something like, "Hey, this describes how I feel in so many ways, I’d love for you to listen to it and if you want we can even discuss it."

These are a few ways we can create the world we want to live in: to find opportunities to see each other in deeper, truer ways, and question our programming, expectations and needs to be right about how things should be.

Enjoy and share, share, share!

xo,
E

I’m calling this Sermon “Real, Kind Progress” because I want to take two mindsets that are pervasive and detrimental in our culture and offer you an alternative. Those two mindsets are the all or nothing mentality and perfectionism.

In her book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Anne Lamott speaks about perfectionism:

“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it.”
? Anne Lamott

So today we're going to unpack these mindsets and explore kinder, gentler and still very effective ways to move and be moved towards progress.

xo,
E

Today's interview is a long time coming, our guest is Tara Mohr and she is all about Playing Big, which of course, we love! During our chat we got into being of service, the ego vs the soul, how we play small and how we can play big instead, and we spent some extra time on playing big in motherhood specifically. We talked about the difference between fear an intuition, a question I get a lot, and we wrapped up with creative expression and how to be discerning with our words so we don't "kill things."

Enjoy!

About Tara Mohr :

Tara Mohr is an expert on women’s leadership and well-being. She helps women play bigger in sharing their voices and bringing forward their ideas in work and in life. Tara is the author of Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead, named a best book of the year by Apple’s iBooks and now in paperback. In the book, she shares her pioneering model for making the journey from playing small–being held back by fear and self-doubt–to playing big, taking bold action to pursue what you see as your callings. Tara is the creator of the Playing Big leadership program for women, which now has more than 1,500 graduates from around the world, and creator of the global Playing Big Facilitators Training for coaches, therapists, leadership development professionals and other practitioners supporting women in their personal and professional growth. A Coaches Training Institute-certified coach with an MBA from Stanford University and an undergraduate degree in English literature from Yale, Tara takes a unique approach that blends inner work and practical skills training. Her work has been featured on national media from the New York Times to Today Show to Harvard Business Review, and has captivated women from all walks of life.

In this episode, Tara shares:

1. The surprising biggest challenge of playing big within motherhood
2. How coming from service can be a game changer
3. The effects of giving words to things

Since 2010 the month of December has been a month of big decisions and massive change and transition for me. I don’t know if it has to do with where Gemini and Sagittarius fall in my astrological chart, the momentum of an impending New Year or what. Now that I practice more surrender and trust in life, am way more accepting of what is, have very little need to control or manipulate anything, and have cultivated deeper patience than I ever thought I was capable, instead of ripping through my life like a hurricane, these decisions, changes and transitions are like a sacred unfolding, orchestrated by the divine, working with and through me.

This year December has been all about two things.
Emotional Freedom and coming out of hiding. It's these two things that had me ruminating on the relationship between harm and healing - so that's what today's Sunday Sermon is all about.

Enjoy and share!

Andrea Owen returned to the show today and she has a new book out called How to Stop Feeling Like Sh*t: 14 Habits that Are Holding You Back from Happiness. What I love about Andrea is that she is so good at focusing on the basics that people really need to master before they move onto more “advanced teachings” – because guess what? The advanced stuff doesn’t matter if you don’t have the basics down!! So we talked about how to fast track your self-awareness because it has to come before knowledge to be effective. We got into numbing and isolation – something so many of us can relate to, specifically how to spot the ways that seem normal, go under the radar, and how we do it so much because modern living is very conducive to both. We covered doing friendship as an adult, especially a growth-oriented adult, real, deep listening, shame, triggers, and feelings. So many juicy things, enjoy, share, and let me know what you think!

xo,
E

About Andrea Owen:

Andrea Owen is an author, mentor, and certified life coach who helps high-achieving women let go of perfectionism, control, and isolation and choosing courage and confidence instead. She has helped thousands of women manage their inner-critic to create loving connections and live their most kick-ass life.

She is the proud author of 52 Ways to Live a Kick-Ass Life: BS Free Wisdom to Ignite Your Inner Badass and Live the Life You Deserve, (Adams Media/Simon & Schuster). Her second book: How To Stop Feeling Like Shit: 14 Habits That Are Holding You Back From Happiness is due out in January 2, 2018 (Seal Press/Hachette Books).
When she’s not juggling her full coaching practice or hosting retreats, Andrea is busy competing in triathlons, chasing her 10-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter or making out with her husband, Jason. She is also a retired roller derby player having skated under the name “Veronica Vain”.

Learn more about Andrea at http://yourkickasslife.com and join the fun and wisdom at http://facebook.com/yourkickasslife

In this episode, Andrea shares:

1. “Unwanted identity”
2. Small gestures of kindness and presence
3. What to do when you don’t know what you need

This Sunday's Sermon is a case for starting before you're ready. In the episode I speak most specifically about creative projects, using my first book as an example. Truly, this can apply to anything though. Something I say a lot is that we're never ready - which also means that we're always ready. Readiness is something I believe people put a little too much weight on. If there is a spark, a desire, something you know you must do, be, create, taste, experience, or even just try (sorry Yoda, I believe in trying, deal with it!)...I say go for it. We just never know what's on the other side of giving things a shot.

Enjoy the episode and let me know what one thing is that you've been not doing that you just might move forward on after listening!!

xo,
E

Today’s sermon is inspired by Brene Brown’s most recent book, Braving the Wilderness. There’s a whole chapter called Speak Truth to Bullshit. Be Civil. Last week we got into the speak truth to bullshit part, if you haven’t listened to that episode, I do recommend pausing this one and listening to that first. It’s episode #212 and you can find it at untameyourself.com/episode-212 or whatever player you listen to podcasts on.

If you’re all caught up and ready to dive into being civil, like last week, I’ll read a good bit from the book, and chime in with my own reflections and experiences. And you’ll be able to tell I’m really geeking out on this because courageous communication is one of my favorite topics. I have seen so much healing and transformation happen in my life when people learn how to speak to each other, say what they mean, be brave about it and not cause harm with their words. Enjoy this episode and share with anyone you know who would appreciate it, too! xo

I love this interview so much. It was part catch up, part exploration, part jam session with an old friend, Jade Teta. The common threads throughout each topic we covered were making sense and meaning out of ourselves, life, and the world. Jade shared why he hates the term "vulnerability" for men, and what he finds helpful instead. We talked about openness, flexibility, and perspectives on spirituality and power. He also shared some sage advice he received from his mom during a time of great suffering in his life, how he constructed his personal honor code, and the importance of creating a legacy. It was so so good. You might want to listen to it more than once. xo, E

About Jade Teta:

Dr. Jade Teta is an integrative physician, author and sought after expert in the realm of metabolism and self-development. He spent the last 25 years immersed in the study of strength and conditioning, hormonal metabolism and the psychology of change and success. He is the founder and creator of the international health and fitness company, Metabolic Effect, and the author of several books including the best sellers, Metabolic Effect Diet and Metabolic Aftershock. He has also contributed both, the exercise and sports nutrition chapters, to The Textbook Of Natural Medicine.

In this episode, Jade shares:

1. Social MVPs
2. Living your way into the answers
3. The relationship between longing, yearning, and desire

Today’s sermon is inspired by Brené Brown’s most recent book, Braving the Wilderness. There’s a whole chapter called Speak Truth to Bullshit. Be Civil. In this episode I’m going to focus mostly on the speak truth to bullshit part, next Sunday we’ll get into the be civil piece. They are both super important and intricately connected.

In a time when authenticity is a super hot topic, I want to call attention today to one of the number one threats to authenticity and that is Bullshit. Brené Brown does an exquisite job in this chapter of her book in helping us understand exactly what bullshit is, when and why we do it, how we can stop ourselves, AND address it in others - with civility.

It’s so good, I read to you a lot in this episode and insert my own reflections. I also highly recommend checking out the book for deeper context. xo, E

Today's interview is probably one of the most gentle conversations I've ever had about some seriously charged topics - race, social justice, boundaries, capacity, positions of power, and more. The nature of the conversation totally speaks to how our guest, Andréa Ranae Johnson shows up in the world - with tons of compassion, curiosity, and commitment to contributing to solutions and better systems. In the interview we talked about the larger system we're all part of, and all of the identities we hold. We talked about the sense of care we need to have for ourselves as women (and humans) during these intense times. And we explored how to have our needs and wants met, to not only be OK, but to thrive. Enjoy!

About Andréa Ranae Johnson:

Andréa Ranae is a vision-led facilitator and coach who believes that together, we rise. She is deeply committed to doing her part in cultivating a world that works for everyone and does so by placing her work at the intersections of personal growth, social justice and conscious business.

As the creator of Coaching as Activism, she supports people doing transformative work to deepen their impact by taking a critical look at how their work and lives are connected to social change. As the co-founder of Whole / Self Liberation, she offers and uplifts practical tools, resources and wisdom for those who want to make change happen in their lives and communities. As a coach and consultant, she works with entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations that want to be more inclusive and impactful do so through their approach to leadership, their marketing and their company culture. She's a huge fan of #blackgirlmagic, sunsets and veggie burritos.

In this episode, Andréa shares:

1. Becoming aware of when and how we cause harm
2. Expanding your capacity while staying in your lane
3. How fast things move online

A study back in 2011 revealed that we are bombarded with the equivalent of 174 newspapers a day. That’s 5x as much information since 1986. And that was 6 years ago.

Our responsibilities and stressors are off the charts. A lot of what doesn’t work in our cultural, social, environmental and political systems is breaking down before our very eyes, without viable new solutions in sight, let alone in place yet. AND all of that feels extra scary because of the amount of images, articles and videos we see about it online every single day.

The bottom line is in spite of all our advances in the 21st century, it’s easier than ever to be overstressed, over worked, over tired, overwhelmed, and overconsumed. The good news is, even with life’s challenges and complexities - it’s possible to unconsume yourself, and to tend to your mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and energetic health in a way that makes 21st century living way more manageable - even fun. That's what today's Sunday Sermon is all about.

Today's guest was my roommate at an event earlier this year and I instantly fell in love with her. She's the type of person you feel instantly comfortable and welcomed with. Jill Wesley is a professional speaker coach, an expert on messaging, and truly a brilliant and incredible woman. In this interview we talked about messaging and communication in the context of corporate environments, the TEDx stage, and everyday life, no matter what it is that you do. Jill shares how speaking is a soul bearing exercise, and how to connect big ideas and hone in on your values. We also explored refinement in a few different areas of life from the difference between constructive feedback and personal attacks, how resiliency is not a constant thing, and focusing on essential relationships. We ran the gamut on a ton of interesting topics in this conversation - enjoy and share it up!

About Jill Wesley:

Jill Wesley is the Pro Speaker Coach and she's taught the Science + Soul of Speaking ™ for 25 years. She works with business leaders, entrepreneurs, experts, authors, speakers and trainers who are the real deal. She helps speakers in the fields of leadership, health and wellness, technology, environmental protection, media, education, relationships, sports, entertainment and social justice.

Jill is the speaker coach for TEDxSanFrancisco and she's trained speakers for multiple TEDx events. Jill has trained and coached over 80,000 executives and high-performing employees in some of the world's top companies and institutions (LinkedIn, Twitter, Square, Adobe, NetApp, Cisco, Stanford Law School, NFL Players Association, Johns Hopkins University and Panasonic, to name a few). As a speaker, she's delivered more than 300 keynotes in all 50 states and in 25 countries. She's been the "secret weapon" for leaders who give major keynotes on massive stages (TEDx, Wisdom 2.0, Women@Google, NPR, and global corporate and industry conferences). Jill received her M.A. in Speech Communication from the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at NYU and she taught Communication and Management for California State University, Long Beach. She helps leaders ignite a movement and change the world through TEDx talks and signature keynotes.

In this episode, Jill shares:

1. Identifying the messages you got growing up and checking in on how well you lived them or not
2. If a message is for everyone it's not for anyone
3. Turning point moments

In today's sermon, I'm sharing an experience I had recently that has two parts and a story from a book I’m reading. The two parts of my personal story have to do with facing my own shadow, and finding deeper forgiveness for a situation I thought I had forgiven thoroughly because I had be working on forgiving the situation for more than an entire year already, yet I discovered, there was still more to forgive. The story from the book is about unconditional forgiveness. This episode is about depth, possibility, and liberation through one of the most timeless and loving practices there is. Enjoy.

Ever have a visceral response to seeing someone do what they do best? That's how my first encounter with today's guest, Elana Meta went. Watching her dance at an event literally made me cry. We talked a lot about dancing in this interview - both in her career (she's toured the world with various artists), and in her life, dancing between the masculine and the feminine. We also talked about mastery, the important of practice, and commitment. She shared the creative process and evolution for her upcoming Wild Vessel event, and she even introduced me to a term I'd never heard before, 'biomimicry" - have a listen to find out what it means and to hear the rest of our juicy chat.

About Elana Meta:

Elana Meta is a dance catalyst, teacher and creative. She is the founder of the META Method, a form of movement that connects dance with the four natural elements. She is one of the largest international influencers in the festival dance community. She brings the Meta Method to events, corporations and conferences. She performed for artists such as Beyonce, Michael Franti, Nahko and Thievery Corporation. Elana is lucky to call LA her home where she launches her online courses, and leads events and retreats for women globally.

Teacher at : Wanderlust International Tour, Esalen, Summit Series, Lightning in a Bottle, Symbiosis, Hive, and Burning Man.

Model: Elana is represented by Abrams Artist Agency in LA & NYC and has been featured in commercials such as Dannon Yogurt, Gillette, Boost Mobile, Target and more. She’s been featured in music videos with Hoodie Allen, New Politics, and does flash mobs globally for social change.

Performer: Elana has performed at venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheater and Lincoln center alongside artists such as Beyonce, Skrillex, The Glitch Mob, Michael Franti, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Thievery Corporation and more.

Current: Elana is currently working at the intersection of dance, mindfulness and Virtual Reality as head of Global Outreach for an LA based VR company, Empact Labs. She is also leading multiple online courses alongside LA based women’s groups and private clients.

In this episode, Elana shares:

1. Polarity in all of life
2. What a "protector" actually is, does, and why we crave it
3. There is no blame in responsibility

Surrender is something I've been exploring, practicing, and teaching for years. Back in 2013 when I was at a crossroads in my life where not even the next step was clear, the only thing that kept me moving forwards was surrender. And just a few weeks after I really committed to letting life live through me, rather than trying to hustle so hard to make things happen, things started falling into place in beautiful and miraculous fashion. This doesn't mean I don't work or effort anymore, but it does mean there is space for grace, prosperity, ease, and much greater outcomes than I could imagine on my own.

This is what today's Sunday Sermon is about - enjoy and know that no matter who you are, where you are, or what's going on for you right now, there are possibilities within close reach for you if you know what to look for and are willing to be receptive. Big LOVE, E

There are a few things I reference on the show a lot that I’ve been wanting to get guests on to take us a bit deeper with for those who are interested and Astrology is one of those topics. Today’s guest, Jenn Racciopi is one of my favorite astrologers to follow for daily doses of what’s going on in the cosmos, how it may be affecting us personally, and how we can work with these energies. We took the “skeptic question” head on, and I love the way Jenn addresses this for those who aren’t sure whether or not they resonate with Astrology. She shared the personal health challenges that originally led her into the study and practice when she was 19 years old, and she defined the significance of three basic aspects - the Sun, Moon, and Rising signs. Aside from signs and planets, she talked about following the moon cycle and how to use it as a manifestation tool through understanding the different qualities and potentials of each phase. This is a fun and informative interview - and she also loaded us up with resources if you want to take your study deeper. Enjoy!

About Jenn Racioppi:

Jennifer Racioppi is an Astrologer, a Holistic Health Counselor (AADP), a Behavior Change Specialist, a Duke Certified Integrative Health Coach and a Registered Yoga Teacher who blends her expertise in astrology, positive psychology and women's health to coach high achieving women in reaching their next level of success. Her Lunar Logic philosophy integrates the deep wisdom of both science and astrology, helping women build a foundation of resilience, step into their authentic selves, and stay faithful to their dreams. Her motto: Success isn’t a race, it’s a rhythm. You can find Jenn on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

In this episode, Jenn shares:

1. What is the Sun Sign?
2. What is the Moon Sign?
3. What is the Rising Sign?
4. How to use astrology in a practical way to inform your everyday life without being obsessive or giving your power away to it

In light of some recent events in the online coaching, spirituality, and self-help worlds, as well as some deep and important conversations I’ve been observing and participating in both online and offline, I am dedicating today’s Sermon to being crystal clear about the values I hold, and therefore that are also held by my team and my company across the board.

This is not about proving anything, it is about setting clear and proper expectations. Because even though we may not know each other personally, if you listen to my podcast, follow me on social media, or participate in any of my programs, events, or workshops, we are in a relationship, and I value you as an individual human being.

In this episode I’m letting you know how specifically I "do sacred activism," and also what I do on an ongoing basis to continue improving how I show up in this realm, so if or when I mess up, and I might, you can hold me accountable in a way that is kind and loving, and therefore useful and productive. This way we can grow closer as a community and create healing, transformation and change, rather than drama, turmoil, further injustice, or separation and disconnection. And I want you to know you are always welcome to come directly to me and the team by emailing hello@wildsoulmovement.com. We will listen, you will not be dismissed, and if appropriate, I will respond personally, if not, please treat my team as extensions of me.

For many years I denied anger I'd been holding on to practically my whole life, which allowed it to silently and not so silently impede my progress in a few different life areas. It caused me and others a lot of pain and suffering. Once I learned how to connect with my anger I realized it's a holy emotion - so today I'm reflecting on how that can be. I'm sharing a personal story, a related blog post from Danielle LaPorte and a poem. My prayer is that this one can help us all connect with, and use our anger for healing, connection and discernment, rather than destruction, disconnection and to perpetuate pain. Enjoy and share with those you know could use it. Big Love, E

You know I love every interview, but sometimes, a favorite emerges and this week was an ALL TIME FAVORITE. Sonya Renee Taylor, founder of The Body Is Not An Apology is about radical self-love for everybody and every body. This woman honors all of the humans at all of the intersections better than anyone I’ve ever seen. She is wildly inspiring, compassionate, intelligent, focused, diligent, and strong. This is an interview to share with friends, gather around, listen together and discuss what you learned afterwards. We talk about what she calls, “Body Terrorism” - a structural, systemic apparatus that informs how we think about our bodies, and how the information of the world around us forms our language. She shares the origin story of her movement and the RUCHUS Project with us (you’re going to LOVE this!), AND her definition and practice of radical self-love. We explore a lot of relevant things throughout this conversation that many of us are impacted by and likely don’t even realize. It’s so juicy and illuminating down to her description of womanhood in the 21st century as a container whose walls are threatening to burst. Listen to this one more than once and share it up, wild ones!

This is episode #200!! Such an exciting milestone, I want to take a moment to thank all of our listeners. We very literally could not do this without you! At the end of the episode, I share with you how we’re going to celebrate that this week - some of you will be super jazzed about it. And part of it is a surprise to one of our guests which is why I'm not writing it in the description here ;)

Today I'm talking about being "on the way" as a better way to view your journey than, "I'm not there yet." Not there yet opens the gateway for judgement, self-comparison and criticism, beating yourself up and being disappointed. Reframing that to acknowledging that you're on the way and reaching your destination (or goal, dream, etc), is inevitable, opens the gateway for possibility, opportunity, collaboration, plot twists, growth, and more. Enjoy the episode, and many many blessings for whatever you're on the way to!

I enjoyed this conversation with today's guest, Laura Coe so much. We talked about some really practical things and laughed a lot at ourselves and how humans behave in today's interesting world. We explored how in every moment there's an infinite number of ways to interpret what happens and reclaiming the word "authenticity" which is both overused and misused in our content-heavy society. And we dove into some "big" topics like existentialism, self-regulation, and how suffering happens when we try to hold onto pleasure and push pain away. It's a very illuminating discussion, can't wait to hear what you get out of it! xo, E

About Laura Coe:

Laura co-founded Litholink Corporation, a healthcare company serving over 350,000 patients per month nationally. When Litholink sold to a Fortune 500 company, she left corporate America to pursue lifelong passions.

Even while working in corporate healthcare, Laura always specialized in breaking down complex concepts for to make them easy to digest, understand, and apply. Now she channels that unique skill into “translating” philosophy and ancient wisdom – breaking down monumental, life-changing wisdom in a way that everyone can apply to their own lives.

Laura currently devotes her energy toward writing, coaching, helping others implement spiritual teachings in their everyday lives. Her first book, Emotional Obesity, is available for purchase. And now she is the host of the popular podcast, The Art of Authenticity.

In this episode, Laura shares:

1. Navigating the difference between resistance and dissonance
2. Reclaiming the word “authenticity” and living in your truth
3. Letting go of keeping up with the Joneses

Today's topic addresses something I get asked about a lot and it was top of mind for me as I just spent a week visiting my family on the East Coast. For me it was the most fun and enjoyable visit I've had with them since I moved out of my parents' home after college and more significantly, decided to leave the religion I was raised in, and decided to pursue a very different and non-traditional path both personally and professionally. All of this has required some real healing, adjusting and re-orienting of things. That's what I'm focusing on in today's Sermon.

I also want to add that we recently surveyed our audience and one question I asked was if people listen to the sermons, and then why or why not. Many people who said no mentioned being triggered by the word Sermon - which makes sense. So I want to remind you all that everything I do and create is centered around the belief that everything you’ve ever needed has always been inside of YOU - and even these sermons are for that purpose. To spark your own truth, power, wisdom, and right action. Sometimes they’ll land for you, other times they won’t. Always trust your own discernment.

That said, I hope today's topic is useful for you - and if you know anyone else who would benefit from it, please share. xo, E

Today the Sunday Sermon is about The Courage to Transform Doubt. Moving to Malibu has had me thinking a lot about the energetic intersections between social and cultural impact and prosperity mindset. Some of the conversations I am engaging in these days aren’t the “highest vibration” - which is not a judgement, it simply means the energy is heavy, the topics are super charged, there are negative elements. This is no reason to be afraid of them or avoid them though, because they are also valid and important topics. So today I've got a really beautiful and demonstrative story from Edwene Gaines' Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity to address utmost courage, and how to alleviate doubt in your life. Whether your doubts arise from your own life experience, paying attention to the experiences of others' or somewhere else. Have a listen and let me know what you think! xo

Today I'm talking about ONENESS. We hear this, and it’s one of those things that if we try to understand it intellectually, the brain might freeze and reject the notion, but by looking at how it actually functions, how it works and shows up in our lives, we can cultivate a way of living, a way of being that honors and respects that yes, in fact, we are all ONE. One mind, one heart, and one energy body - specifically.

In this episode, I'm reading you a passage from my journal the day before my birthday as I explored and felt into the application of oneness in my own life. Enjoy! Oneness is such a beautiful topic. Please share your opinion, curiosities and experiences of oneness in the comments if you'd like.

This week's Sunday Sermon is about progress, resistance, and holy consistency. I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting lately on progress. My own progress, and the progress I get to witness and also facilitate in my various programs and offerings for clients. And when I think about progress I have to think about alchemy because much energy is required to create progress. Progress results from transformation and transmutation, and there can be no progress without an object to PRO-GRESS. Sometimes it’s a singular object, others it’s a collective object.

For example, you and I. We are individuals and we can make progress. Our “culture” is an enormous object…and requires the individual pieces to be progressing in order for the whole to progress. This is why we do our work. This is why we keep showing up and don’t zone out, because we know we are part of the fabric, and for the fabric to progress, every thread has to do it's part. My focus in today's episode is about the antidote to all of this being what I am calling HOLY CONSISTENCY. Enjoy!