• Guest Name: Sandra Bellamy, also known as the Asexual Entrepreneur.
• Notable Works: Author of "Asexual Perspectives: 47 Asexual Stories About Love, Life and Sex."
• Achievements: Speaker at Blue Talks in Oxford, co-author in "Business Life and the Universe, Volume 11."

Key Topics Discussed:

1. Understanding Asexuality:

• Definition: Asexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by a lack of sexual attraction.
• Personal Perspective: Sandra identifies as a hetero-romantic asexual, meaning she is romantically attracted to men but does not experience sexual attraction.
• LGBTQ+ Inclusion: Asexuality is part of the LGBTQ+ acronym but is often misunderstood.

2. Discovering Asexuality:

• Personal Journey: Sandra realized she was asexual after a counseling session in 2014, leading her to research and discover asexuality.
• Community and Awareness: Sandra emphasizes the importance of recognizing asexuality as a valid sexual orientation globally to reduce fear and ridicule.

3. The Asexual Community:

• Population Statistics: Approximately 1% of the global population is asexual.
• Support and Resources: The online forum www.asexuality.org is a major resource for asexual individuals and their allies.

4. Asexual Perspectives Book:

• Content: The book answers common questions about asexuality and includes diverse personal stories from 46 asexual individuals.
• Purpose: To dispel myths and provide real-life examples of what it means to be asexual.

5. Misconceptions about Asexuality:

• Common Myths: Asexuality is often confused with celibacy or abstinence, which are choices, whereas asexuality is not a choice.
• Diverse Experiences: Asexuals can have different levels of comfort with sex, ranging from sex-neutral to sex-repulsed, and may engage in various sexual activities without sexual attraction.

6. Personal Boundaries and Challenges:

• Overcoming Fears: Sandra had to overcome shyness and fear of discussing sex openly.
• Mindset Mastery: Emphasizes the importance of taking action and pushing through personal fears to achieve goals.

7. Advocacy and Education:

• Public Speaking: Sandra's experiences with public speaking and organizing meetups have boosted her confidence and ability to advocate for asexuality.
• Education: Uses her platform to educate others about asexuality and promote understanding.

8. Publications and Contact Information:

• Books: "Diary Confessions of a Hyper Romantic Asexual: 78 Life Lessons to Ace Your Life" and "Asexual Perspectives: 47 Asexual Stories About Love, Life and Sex."
• Blog: www.asexualized.com
• YouTube: Asexualize My Asexual Life
• Social Media: Facebook (asexualized), Twitter (asexualized), Instagram (asexualized official)

Social Media:

Website: alansimberg.com and lifemasterywithalan.com

Email: alan@alansimberg.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlanSimberg.LifeMasteryConsultant/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-simberg/

Instagram: alansimberg.therapy

Show Notes: Interview with Khara Croswaite Brindle

Introduction

• Guest: Khara Croswaite Brindle
• Licensed Mental Health Therapist in Denver, Colorado
• Roles: Financial Therapist, TEDx Speaker, Burnout Consultant, Author, Professor
• New Book: Understanding Ruptured Mother-Daughter Relationships: Guiding the Adult Daughter's Healing Journey through the Estrangement Energy Cycle

Pathway to Becoming a Mental Health Therapist

• Khara shares her journey
• Personal experiences with therapists and being a confidant for others
• Emphasizes the importance of having someone to bounce ideas off and heal

Personal Experience with Mother-Daughter Relationship

• Teenage years were challenging, bordering on a rupture
• Improved relationship in adulthood
• Insights from personal experience informing her book

Assumptions About Estrangement

• Common misconceptions: impulsive, spiteful, petty
• Painful assumption: therapists encourage estrangement
• Therapists focus on boundaries, trauma, abuse, and neglect
• Importance of bridging gaps and understanding relationships

Teenagers and Parental Boundaries

• Teenagers often influenced more by peers than parents
• Developmental stage of independence and defiance
• Importance of parents meeting their children where they are

Helping Parents with Acting Out Teenagers

• Initial step: Listening to parents and validating their concerns
• Family therapy: Facilitating communication between parents and teenagers
• Recognizing patterns in behavior and underlying causes

The Estrangement Energy Cycle

• Eight stages:

1. Cycle of Abuse
2. Questioning
3. Relationship Rupture
4. Estrangement (Physical and Emotional)
5. Grief and Loss
6. Discovering Sense of Self
7. Deeper Work (Attachment, Parenting, Breaking Generational Trauma)
8. Redefining Self-Worth

Challenges in Mother-Daughter Relationships

• Difficulty for mothers to acknowledge mistakes without feeling like bad parents
• Emotional reactions from mothers can hinder reconciliation
• Importance of acknowledgment, apology, and action from mothers

Individual Healing

• Many women end up doing solo work if reconciliation isn't possible
• Therapy focuses on self-healing and moving forward

Advice from Khara's Book

• Book aimed at adult daughters and their supporters (therapists, mentors, coaches)
• Normalizing experiences and providing relatable stories
• Practical advice and stages of the estrangement cycle

Golden Pearls of Wisdom

• Communication and understanding are key
• Each person's journey is unique, and reconciliation timelines vary
• The importance of neutrality and compassion from loved ones
• Do's and don'ts for supporting someone experiencing estrangement

Conclusion

• Estrangement and healing are complex, requiring time and effort
• Khara emphasizes the need for personal work and mutual action in relationships
• Her book provides a roadmap for understanding and navigating

• Host: Dr. Allen Lycka
• Guest: Corey Poirier
• TEDx speaker (5 times)
• Wall Street Journal USA Today best-selling author
• Recognized as one of Success Magazine's 15 Emergent Entrepreneurs

Corey Poirier's Journey

• Background: Raised in a small town by a single mother
• Early Challenges:
• Barely graduated high school
• Didn't read his first book until age 27
• Turning Point:
• Influential Books: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
• Serendipitously discovered stand-up comedy and professional speaking

Stand-Up Comedy Beginnings

• First Experience: Tricked into performing, faced fear by going first, bombed twice but persisted
• Career Development:
• Continued performing despite early failures
• Performed approximately 700 times over nine years
• Transitioned from comedy to professional speaking

Becoming a TEDx Speaker

• First TEDx Talk: Gained an opportunity after a cancellation, applied late but got selected
• Strategy for Success:
• Reverse-engineered the process of getting selected
• Built relationships with organizers
• Plans to retire from TEDx after five talks

Public Speaking Insights

• Building a Career: Emphasizes the difficulty and competitiveness of the field
• Importance of Relationships: Critical for securing speaking engagements
• Proving Worth: Demonstrating the ability to solve problems for the audience

The Power of a Purpose Statement

• Definition: Similar to a mission statement for individuals
• Corey's Personal Mission: To motivate, donate, educate, inspire, and entertain daily
• Using a Purpose Statement:
• Helps in decision-making (what to say no and yes to)
• Example of how to say no without burning bridges

Finding Your Purpose

• Ikigai: Japanese concept for finding purpose (combination of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for)
• Passion as a Gateway to Purpose:
• Identifying passions through a list and baby steps
• Passion leads to discovering one's purpose over time

E + R = O Formula

• Explanation:
• Event (E) + Response (R) = Outcome (O)
• The pause between event and response is crucial
• Practical Application:
• Helps in controlling reactions to everyday events
• Example: Responding calmly to someone cutting you off in traffic

Conclusion

• Corey's New Book: The Enlightened Passenger
• Final Thoughts: Emphasizing the importance of purpose and thoughtful responses in life

BIO:

Corey Poirier is a multiple-time TEDx Speaker, a Wall Street Journal / USA Today Bestselling Author, and was recently announced as one of just 15 SUCCESS Magazine Emerging Entrepreneurs (a first-time award).

Social Media:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/speakercoreypoirier/

https://www.facebook.com/corey.poirier.1

Todd Crandell

BIO:

Todd Crandell is a sober suicide survivor who has beaten the odds to become “The Original Sober Triathlete SM,” completing over 113 IRONMAN competitions around the world. He has dedicated his life to helping those in recovery with a holistic approach to clinical support, with a focus on proper plant-based nutrition and exercise. Crandell’s program delves into the “why” of trauma and the accountability of choice. A natural entrepreneur, Todd founded Racing for Recovery™, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, in 2001 as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC-S) and a Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LICDC-CS).

Crandell is a six-time author, subject of four documentaries, public speaker, celebrity addiction and mental health counselor, anti-bullying ambassador, a Vegan (2/1/16), and is celebrating his 31st anniversary of sobriety with the release of his 6th book, “Creating Todd Crandell” on 4/15/24.

Social Media:

*all videos are found at https://racingforrecovery.org/todd-crandell/

website: www.racingforrecovery.org

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/RacingforRecovery

IG: @racingforrecovery

IG: @soberultraman

TikTok : soberultraman

LinkedIn: Todd Crandell

Podcast: Ignite Euphoria

Interview with Kurian Tharakan

Introduction

• Host: Dr. Allen Lycka
• Guest: Kurian Tharakan, founder of Strategy Peak Sales and Marketing Advisors
• Background: 27 years in sales and marketing, VP of Sales and Marketing for a software firm in Alberta, Canada, author of "The Seven Essential Stories Charismatic Leaders Tell"

Key Topic: Reasons for Failure in Companies and Organizations

• Main Point: Companies fail not due to their products or services but because their stories fail.
• Insight: The first thing people buy is the story, not the product. Relevance is key to survival.

Understanding Human Nature and Storytelling

• Human Nature: Basic human motivations have remained the same for thousands of years.
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Physiological needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem, self-actualization.
• Application: Translate human motives into relevant stories for your audience.

The Power of Great Stories

• Religious Influence: Great marketing takes cues from great religions which tell compelling, interlocking stories.
• Examples: Stories from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc., create a meta-plex of storytelling.
• Impact: Stories attract, convert, and retain followers.

The Seven Essential Stories Charismatic Leaders Tell

1. Creation/Origin: Where did we come from?
2. Identity, Beliefs, and Values: Who are we and what do we stand for?
3. The Big Idea: What is the central organizing principle?
4. The Enemy We Face: Who or what are we fighting against or for?
5. The Mighty Winds: Macro trends affecting the market.
6. The Journey We Must Undertake: The path forward based on the previous stories.
7. Meta Narrative: A comprehensive story tying all the elements together with keystone elements (superior gods, technology, strategy).

Application of the Seven Stories

• Brand Polarity: Great brands attract and repel. Not everyone should be part of your movement.
• Demographic Targeting: Tailor stories to specific demographics to ensure relevance and engagement.

Case Study: Social Media for Seniors

• Concept: Facebook-like platform for seniors focusing on ease of use and nostalgic elements.
• Testing: Use data-driven methods like surveys and ad campaigns to gauge interest and refine the product.

Marketing and Data-Driven Decisions

• Importance: Make decisions based on data, not guesses.
• Example: Gradually increasing ad spend based on successful data-driven campaigns.

Conclusion

• Relevance of Stories: Stories are essential to understanding and engaging with the world.
• Truth and Perspective: Different perspectives on the same fact create different truths, leading to disagreements.

Closing

• How to Learn More:
• Book: "The Seven Essential Stories Charismatic Leaders Tell"
• Services: Strategy Peak Sales and Marketing Advisors

BIO:

Kurian Mathew Tharakan is the founder of StrategyPeak Sales & Marketing Advisors, a seasoned expert with 27 years of experience in sales and marketing. He has consulted for various industries, including Manufacturing, Technology, Software, Non-Profit, and Life Sciences. Prior to founding StrategyPeak, he served as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for a software firm in Alberta, achieving significant success with multiple US Fortune 500 companies. Tharakan is also the bestselling author of "The 7 Essential Stories Charismatic Leaders Tell" on Amazon.

Social Media:

www.strategypeak.com