joy

Express Session Featuring SuperB

Original Air Date:

On this week’s episode, I interview one of my favorite poets, the genius SuperB!

We really went deep on this one.  We even took a pause and just soaked in the beauty of where the interview went.  

SuperB’s talked about his origin story, creativity, connection, how he almost became a Catholic priest, and on pursuing one's dreams. 

I highly recommend you take listen!  Enjoy! 

SuperB will be the featured poet for this month’s Live and Online: Expression Session.  Taking place on Sunday, October 15th, the LO:ES is an online writing workshop that culminates a performance by our feature SuperB.

tomearl.me/sb

Gifts for My Child Episode 6

Featuring: Alex Sullivan, Dermot Givens, Irmina and Ace Vedo

Episode 6 of ‘Gifts for My Child’ has arrived. This will be the second to last episode. If you haven’t yet, be sure to start with episodes 1 & 2 so you can learn the context behind this series. 

There have been moments where I am holding Jayanma and listening to these interviews and I just get tears in my eyes. The advice, words of wisdom, and love that people shared just brings me such joy. 

As you’re listening to this week’s episodes, be sure to let me know if you have any additional reflections you’d like to share!

Enjoy. 

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If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

The Real Talk Project and Gender Justice With Amreen Karmali

Today, I talk to educator Amreen Karmali about the power of education and founding The Real Talk Project. Amreen and I mostly discuss gender justice, allyship, intersectionality, and approaching difficulty with creativity and love. We also ponder ideas of shame and guilt and how they play into both approaching patriarchy and patriarchy itself.

Amreen Karmali has been an educator and organizer for over 15 years. She spent 10 years as a middle school science teacher and holds a Masters in Science Education from CSULA. She has also facilitated a Young Empowered Women's class and a Student Organizing class, which melded her passions for all things justice-oriented with her love for teaching.  

This past year, Amreen left the traditional classroom to start The Real Talk Project, where she combines her understanding of contemporary schooling with critical lens to provide educators and community members with spaces where they can tackle ways in which patriarchy, white supremacy, and other forms of injustice manifest themselves in schools and relationships while working towards creating new ways of teaching and being together. She is also a founding member of The People’s Education Movement - Los Angeles, and is passionate about spreading health, healing, and joy to both her students and the community around her.

Learn more about the Real Talk Project by visiting its webpage.

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If you'd like to learn more about T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  Here's 30 days of Free Membership.

T.H.E Celebration With Special Guest: Leah Williams

This week we have special guest: Leah Williams, joining us at T.H.E. Celebration.  Leah is a Spelman College Graduate with a B.A. in Economics, a passionate advocate for social justice, and a powerful role model of inclusive leadership.   

I first met Leah while I was serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Community Tampa Bay.  She was the president of the youth leadership program (F.L.Y.) that I was facilitating.  The last time Leah and I spoke she was just graduating High School!  Not only did I enjoy catching up, but I also learned a lot from Leah’s insights and the stories she shares during this interview.  

You will walk away feeling inspired and empowered!   

Bonus: Click here for this episodes FREE give-away! The List of Leah’s Top 5 Favorite Books. 

This episode is also available as a podcast:

Prefer to listen on iTunes? 

The Spark Within

Inside all of us is a Spark.  Inside all of us is Greatness.  Inside all of us is a Giant.  Inside all of us is a Choice - do we tap into our inner power or let it remain dormant?

How do we do that? Activate our strengths? Translate potential into action? Manifest our visions into reality? These are the questions that I LOVE exploring.

One of my biggest “ahas” on that learning journey is: BIG Transformations come through small, everyday actions and decisions.  It’s like stepping into the fog, and then coming back inside and realizing, “Oh my gosh! I’m wet.”  We often don’t see the incremental changes taking place until, all of a sudden, we look around and realize we are living the life we envisioned!  

Check out this week’s video to learn 3 of my favorite micro-adjustments!

This weeks podcast takes a deeper dive!

Plus, I share the 4 things I do every night before bed. It has had a HUGE impact on my life.

Or listen to this podcast on iTunes!


Want to take massive action and boost your productivity?

Sign up for T.H.E. Achievement Roadmap.  I designed this FREE 3 Part Course to empower you with the tools, mindsets, and latest research for: achievement, stress-management, and confidence.  

Momentum, Accuracy, and Power! (Inspired by a Soccer Coach's Wisdom)

I love running in parks!  Not only am I inspired by nature but also by the people around me.  For instance, the other day I heard a soccer coach tell his team:

“Momentum is Power.”

He was teaching them about soccer but I immediately began to apply it to leadership.  Before I could finish my thought, I heard him clarify:

“Accuracy is greater than power.”

By this point, I was thinking, “Wow! Middle school soccer coaches are the best!” Throughout the rest of my run, I kept turning these two points over in my mind.  By the end, I had developed three takeaways.

This week's 'Year of Expression' breaks down how Momentum, Accuracy, and Power apply to our Leadership!

Here's the three Take-a-ways:

  1. Momentum is the action we take towards a goal, vision, or dreams.
  2. When we are stuck, momentum is what gives us our power.
  3. Intentions and strategy are the ‘accuracy’ that creates focus rather than just powering through.

For a deeper dive, listen to this week's podcast!  It covers the same subject but goes more in depth.

You can also listen on iTunes.

Does it always have to be hard?

I've been telling myself a story and it goes like this: "Everything has to be hard.  Growth must come through bumps and bruises.  If it wasn’t difficult, I didn't try hard enough.”  By making this my belief, I was demanding it be my destiny.  Like most limiting beliefs, I had no idea it was even within me.

My first big ‘aha moment’ came while recording T.H.E. Celebration Academy.  After recording half the lessons, I was feeling like I did something wrong.  That I somehow didn’t give it my all.  Then it hit me.  I was feeling that way because the process was so easy and natural.   I had anticipated it the road to be rocky and when it was smooth I felt anxious.  

Have you ever felt that way? That because it wasn’t hard or painful it wasn’t done right.  It took me 29 years to realize I held this belief.  

One key to self-awareness is recognizing our repetitive thoughts.  Receptive thoughts that diminish our self-worth become limiting beliefs.  These are the beliefs that tell us not to try, to give up before we start, and that we are not worthy.  They are the thoughts and beliefs that plague us with insecurity and doubt.   I say boooo to them!

So what can we do?  First thing I did was to get a big ole’ flashlight.  Our limiting beliefs like to hide in the shadows.  Once you shine a light on them, they are no longer able to influence us in stealth.  Asking questions is the brightest light you can shine on a thought.

Here’s the process I used:

1.  Name it and say, “I see you limiting belief!” 

2.  Get curious and ask questions.

3. Envision a different possibility. 

Here’s an example:

A few days ago I came home from work feeling like I hadn’t given the day my all.  I got curious about my emotions, and asked myself questions.  In response, I started listing off all that I did that day.  To my my amazement, I had actually accomplished a lot! So I asked,  Why am I feeling like I somehow failed? Then it hit me, I am operating under my limiting belief that if it wasn’t hard, it wasn’t done right.  

Since the day wasn’t filled with stress and fires, I could only conclude that I did something wrong.  Naming that instantly gave me the choice, do I really believe that? Is that the only way I can be successful?   I then began to envision a different possibility.  That I can feel fulfillment and accomplishment without the presence of turbulence.

I know that a diamond is created under pressure.  That muscle is built through resistance.  That with difficulty comes ease.  These mindsets propel me through each challenge that comes my way.  However, I had began to believe that success could ONLY come through adversity.  

Rather than being empowering, I had transformed my philosophy into something that was holding me back.  I now have a more balanced belief system. I have a healthy relationship with challenge. While at the same time, I know that I can also grow through happiness, laughter, love, and ease. 

I’d love to hear your perspective and thoughts.  What does this bring up for you?  Do you see this showing up in your life?

Let me know if you have any questions.  

Peace and Blessings!

This is also available is an iTunes podcast episode!

How Do You Measure Success?

Have you ever felt that you got exactly what you wanted, but when you got it, it didn't feel like what you thought it would?  Or have you felt that you work for something so hard, but once it
was there, this is not what I thought it would be?

We've all been there, that's why it's important to, any time you start something, ask yourself, how am I defining success?

In this video - I'll go over exercises and questions you can use to create your definition of success.

This episode has a podcast that dives deeper into this subject.  If you enjoyed this video, you will love the podcast.  Check it out below!

Prefer to listen to the podcast on iTunes? Click here or the link below.

This is About Happiness!

This episode is about happiness. Your happiness! Here's how we can infuse happiness into our life. www.tomearl.com

This is about happiness!  When is the last time you have written down all the things that make you happy?  Have you compared those to the things that you are currently doing? 

Let's reflect this week on does what makes me happy match with what I am doing.  In this video is an exercise you can do to walk yourself through this process.  You got this!

This episode also has a podcast that goes deeper into the content.  It is on the same subject but goes more into depth.  Check it out!

Prefer to listen to this podcast on iTunes? Click here!