Music Playlist: Suggested By Friends

I posted on facebook: what’s a song I should check out?  The result was a diverse and exciting range of musical suggestions.  To capture the magic, I created a playlist based upon these answers.

Taken from Ibeyi's debut album. Buy it now from iTunes: http://x-l.co/ibeyiiT Amazon CD: http://x-l.co/ibeyiamazCD Amazon Vinyl: http://x-l.co/ibeyiamazLP XL US Store: http://x-l.co/IbeyiXLstore Directed by Ed Morris. http://ibeyi.fr http://xlrecordings.com

In no particular order: 

  1. Just Hear Me by 6 Deep The Messenger
  2. All Night by The Vamps feat. Matoma
  3. Don’t You Wait by Solange
  4. River by Ibeyi
  5. Magic by Amel Larrieux
  6. Rose Golden by Kid Kudi
  7. Negro Jig by Carolina Chocolate Drops
  8. Shekinah & Kyle Deutsch - Back To The Beach (youtube only)
  9. The bitch is back - Tina Turner recorded 1990 (youtube only)
  10. My Faith, My Voice by Native Deen
  11. A Long Time Ago by First Aid Kit
  12. Yesterday by Noname
  13. The Art Teacher by Rufus Wainwright
  14. Stop This Train by John Mayer
  15. Eternal Sunshine by Jhene Aiko (spotify only)
  16. Shine by Blitz The Ambassador
  17. Playing God by Paramore
  18. Legend Has It by Run The Jewels
  19. FDT by YG
  20. Say It To Me Now by Glen Hansard
  21. FInal Day by Young MArbles
  22. Courage by The Villagers
  23. Comme d’habitude by Claude Frances
  24. Agolo by Angelique Kidjo
  25. Indian Moon by State Radio
  26. We The People by A Tribe Called Quest (spotify only)
  27. Owner Of A Lonely Heart by YES
  28. Riot by Childish Gambino (spotify only)
  29. Ego by Bibi Bourelly
  30. Papaoutai by Stromae (spotify only)

Listen to the playlist on Spotify or YouTube:

Live and Online: Expression Session - January Edition

Live and Online: Expression Session is back!  Our next session is on Sunday, January 22nd at 12 PM PST - 2 PM PST (That’s 3 PM - 5 PM if you’re on the east coast).  

Click here to register!

Our feature is the amazing, the brilliant, the coolest: Xavier CoolKid.  In anticipation of his feature, Xavier joined me for an interview.  In addition to performing 3 powerful poems, he shared many insights into his creative journey and process.

Here's the interview:

Live and Online: Expression Session is back! Our next session is on Sunday, January 22nd at 12 PM PST - 2 PM PST (That's 3 PM - 5 PM if you're on the east coast). Click here to register! Our feature is the amazing, the brilliant, the coolest: Xavier CoolKid.

Or listen to the interview as a podcast:

Click here to listen to it as an iTunes podcast. 

My 2017 Vision Board!

Adaora and I had created our 2017 Vision Boards this week!  We brought out the chips, salsa, guacamole and inspirational magazines and had a great time.

Creating a vision board is a great way to begin with intention and purpose. The process takes the ideas that are in our mind and subconscious, and visually displays them for us to see.  If you have not created one this year, I highly recommend it!

Here is what my 2017 Vision Board looks like:

Adaora and I had created our 2017 Vision Boards this week! We brought out the chips, salsa, guacamole and inspirational magazines and had a great time. Creating a vision board is a great way to begin with intention and purpose. The process takes the ideas that are in our mind and subconscious, and visually displays them for us to see.

After you have created the vision board, what comes next?  What are the practices and mindsets that will allow you to bring your dreams to fruition?  

I’ve created a FREE - 3 part video course - designed to answer those very questions.  It will walk you through the everyday actions and practices that cultivate achievement, confidence, and fulfillment.  

FREE Sign Up Here

I am really excited to share this with you.  I hope you join me on this learning journey :).

As always, I am wishing you peace and blessings.

Want to take a deeper dive?  Listen to this week's podcast!

Or listen to it on iTunes!

T.H.E. Celebration Academy Has Launched!!

I am so very excited to share with you that T.H.E. Celebration Academy has officially launched!

T.H.E. Celebration Academy is a place for leadership, inclusion, and expression; where we live is the best version of ourselves.

It is a six-week course designed to connect you with your purpose and gifts, while taking your leadership, relationships, and communication to the next level.


Why am I so excited?  Here's three reasons why:

  • Personal development rocks! Online courses have had a HUGE impact on my life.  And yet, so many people are missing out.  This is my way of inviting you in!
  • This is a first time ever moment! Until now, these trainings were only available if you worked at an organization I was training or if you were an executive coaching client.  Through this online course, it is now available to you!
  • This is what I live for!  Coming together with people who want to learn is what I live for.  It is the reason I jump out of bed excited every morning. And now, I get to share my energy, knowledge, and trainings with you!

Can you feel my enthusiasm?  This is a huge moment! 

Will you join us?  Will you invest in yourself in 2017?  Let's take this journey together!  

Click here or the video below and enroll in T.H.E. Celebration Academy today!

The Benefits of Gratitude!

Join me in sharing one thing you are grateful for everyday! www.tomearl.com

I am a HUGE fan of Gratitudes!  You probably already know that, especially if you follow me on FB or Snapchat.   While we are wrapping up presents and 2016, it's especially important to be grateful.  

There are numerous benefits of having a daily gratitude practice.  Here are three of my favorite:

  1. It genuinely makes me smile :).
  2. It provides positive perspective.
  3. It cultivates resiliency and the ability to see positive in any situation.
Get Rihanna's eighth studio album ANTI now: " Download on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/i_dlx_ANTI " Download on Google Play: http://smarturl.it/ANTIdlxgp " Download on TIDAL: http://smarturl.it/downloadANTI " Download on Amazon: http://geni.us/amzANTI " Stream on TIDAL: http://smarturl.it/streamANTIdlx " Stream on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/19O3rXe4nDu9YDcc2tOQVn

Our gratitudes don’t have to be huge.  They can be everyday things like, I’m grateful for the smell of fresh bread.  I am grateful that I can blink.  I am grateful that I can speak.  I am grateful for Rihanna.  

Do you have a gratitude practice?  Here are mine:

  1. Share with someone. Every day, Adaora and I share with each other three things we are grateful for.  Plus we share one thing we are grateful for about each other.
  2. Share on social. I post my gratitudes on social media and invite others to join me.
  3. Write it down.  Every morning, I write down at least 3 things I am grateful for.  Yesterday, I wrote down 20 :).

Do any of these practices resonate with you?  Pick one and start there!  

If you need a gratitude partner, post your’s on my gratitude videos, email me, or send me a snap!

What are 3 things you are grateful for in 2016?  Shared below are some of my favorite gratitudes of the day from this year.  Enjoy!

Today I am joined by some amazing friends to share our Gratitude of the Day! What are you grateful for today?
Ramy and Neda joined me for a Gratitude of the Day!
My mom joined me today for my Gratitude of the Day! And Adaora too. What are you thankful for today?

Want to take a deeper dive?  As always, there is a podcast that goes along with this.  Check it out below.

Or listen to it on iTunes.

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Music Playlist: Favorite 9 Songs From the Past 7.5 Days

Here's my favorite 9 songs from the past 7.5 days.  

Posted every Thursday!

In no particular order:

  1. Rise Up (MSTR ROGERS Remix) by Andra Day
  2. Baptized in Fire by Kid Cudi feat Travis Scott
  3. Vowels by Capital Cities
  4. Blended Family (What You Do For Love) by Alicia Keys FEAT A$AP Rocky
  5. Trouble by The New Respects
  6. Just Hold On by Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson
  7. Star Dust by Twin Shadow & Zeds Dead
  8. C’est La Vie by Tinashe
  9. Creeping by OBONGJAYAR

I wanted these on the list, but they are only available on iTunes or Tidal:

  1. Immortale J. Cole
  2. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever by ZAYN &. Taylor Swift

Once these are available via streaming, I’ll add them again :).

Also available as a Spotify or YouTube Playlist:

Official Music Video for "Trouble" by The New Respects Get it now on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/TNRTrouble?IQid=vevo Stream it on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/TNRTrouble.sp?IQid=vevo Follow on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/TNRSpotify?IQid=vevo Subscribe to TheNewRespectsVEVO channel: http://smarturl.it/TNRVEVOsub?IQid=vevo Like The New Respects on Facebook: http://smarturl.it/TheNewRespectsFB?IQid=vevo Follow on Instagram: http://smarturl.it/TheNewRespectsIG?IQid=vevo Music video by The New Respects performing Trouble.

New playlist every Thursday! Be the first to know, sign up below:

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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.

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.

You Deserve Love Without Requisite!

You are worthy of love without requisite! We don't have to prove ourselves or win people over to be loved. We are worthy just as we are. My journey to this truth started with Brene Brown and all her awesomeness. I began to understand that I believed I had to prove myself before I deserved love.

You are worthy of love without requisite!  We don’t have to prove ourselves or win people over to be loved.  We are worthy just as we are.

My journey to this truth started with Brene Brown and all her awesomeness.  I believed I had to prove myself before I deserved love.  Or that first, I had to accomplish _________ or succeed at _________ .  I notice that when I’m feeling anxious or insecure, this belief is right there under the surface of it all.

The truth is, we are all worthy of love just as we are!  Do you ever find yourself running through this same line of questioning?  Have you ever felt you had to prove yourself first?  

Here are 3 practices that have really helped me:

  1. Positive self-talk in-front of the mirror!
  2. I am statements.
  3. Daily Gratitudes.

Do you ever find yourself running through this same line of questioning?  Have you ever felt you had to prove yourself first?  Have you ever felt you had to first do _______ and then you’d be worthy?

This week's 'Year of Expression' explores these questions and the solutions I use.  If you’d like to take a deeper dive, listen to this week’s podcast as well.  

You can also listen to it on iTunes.

Music Playlist: Favorite Songs From the Last 7.5 Days

Here's my favorite songs from the last 7.5 days.  Which do one you like best?

Starboy ft. Daft Punk (Official Video) Taken from the new album Starboy http://theweeknd.co/StarboyYD Connect with The Weeknd: http://www.facebook.com/theweeknd http://instagram.com/theweeknd https://soundcloud.com/theweeknd https://twitter.com/TheWeeknd https://www.theweeknd.com Directed by Grant Singer Produced by Julien LeMaitre & Nina Soriano For Anonymous Content Music video by The Weeknd performing Starboy ft. Daft Punk.

In no particular order:

  1. Starboy by The Weeknd and Daft Punk
  2. Black Barbies by Nicki Minaj (play on Black Beatles)
  3. Daddy Lessons By Beyonce Feat Dixie Chicks (via Tidal)
  4. Garden by Emeli Sandre, Jay Electronica and Aine Zone
  5. Rockabye by Clean Bandit feat Sean Paul and Anne-Marie
  6. CRZY by Kehlani feat. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie
  7. Thick of It by Mary J. Blige
  8. Timmy Turner (Remix) by Desiigner feat. Kayne West
  9. Everybody Dies by J. Cole

Spotify and YouTube Playlist:

Music Video for "Everybody Dies" by J. Cole Directed by Scott Lazer http://dreamville.lnk.to/everybody '4 Your Eyez Only' by J. Cole available everywhere 12/9 Dreamville.com

New playlist each week.  Sign up below to stay updated!

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.

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!