Think Courageously with Deb Cummins Stellato

Ellen Oberholtzer Kalinosky is a true superhero. In this episode, Ellen shares her 30-year health journey and what she's learned.  And what it means to never give up. Ellen's remarkable story around faith, hope, and courage is nothing less than extraordinary. She talks about everything from her professional journey, to the "perspective meter", to her miracle baby, and the power of choice. And, the love story that weaves through all of these experiences.We talk a lot about courage. Ellen's definition of courage is about leveraging fear for positive movement. We talk about pivots and about what success means. Her wisdom is particularly relevant today as we face the coronavirus and a changing world. Ellen is my "shero" and I can't wait for you to find out why.

It's Women's History Month, and we're celebrating! In this solo episode of the show, I'm sharing the 10 Lessons I've Learned about Courage from my guests. Having interviewed almost 50 women for the podcast, I've seen some common threads on what it takes to #thinkcourageously. In this episode, I share ten characteristics that lead to courageous thinking: Pivots come in all shapes and sizesFind your TribeBe Mindful of who makes the rules in your lifeInvest in working on youPractice gratitudePivot towards alignment through actionBe resourcefulAuthenticity is how you pay courage forwardEat an elephant one bite at a timeTrust Your IntuitionCurious about your own Courage Quotient? Take the Think Courageously Quiz! at http://www.thethinkgoodcompany.com/pivot-quizAnd please join our Facebook Community at Think Courageously...the place to be if you are a woman seeking the courage to make a pivot!

Danny’s Ride… A Story of Love, Courage, and Legacy with Nancy KnoebelThe Think Courageously Podcast is all about success, courage, and pivots. Some pivots come by choice and some happen because of unimaginable circumstances. Meet Nancy Knoebel. From play therapist to a Wharton MBA, to full-time mom and now President and CEO of Easterseals of Eastern Pennsylvania, Nancy shares her very intentional career journey. A planned pivot. But what about the pivot that you never expected. Never wanted. And could never imagine. In this episode, Nancy shares her very personal story about her son Danny. Danny’s journey began 10 years ago with opioid addiction; heroin. We begin by talking about what it feels like to be a mom who’s questioning how to show up in the most powerful way for her son. Danny asked for help. And Nancy and her family did all they could to get him the help he needed. Danny was on the recovery journey...in and out of addiction. Nancy shares what that journey felt like as a mom. And the spiritual practice she developed to support Danny in his recovery. And of course, we talk about Danny and his recovery. Nancy then shares the story of  the unimaginable events that led to Danny's death. And the courage it has taken Nancy to create a legacy in honor of Danny and his life. Nancy introduces us to Danny’s Ride. A nonprofit organization that Nancy has launched. (www.DannysRide.org)Danny's Ride was created to ensure that people with substance use disorder addiction can get to where they need to go...for free.  "Because I know getting places is hard when you're living with addiction. For a lot of people, it's a barrier to recovery."This is a powerful story about creating a legacy from a place of love and courage. “I'm living in a different world right now, the world I knew is no longer the world I live in, and here's a new world and I'm going to have to try to figure this world out.”-Nancy Knoebelwww.DannysRide.orgOur mission is to honor Danny’s legacy of compassion and generosity, we provide free rides to recovery services for people living with substance use disorder. You can help Danny’s Ride achieve its vision of a world where transportation is no longer a barrier to recovery. www.DannysRide.orgLink to Nancy's interview in the Washington Post about Danny's story: (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/kratom-is-hailed-as-a-natural-pain-remedy-assailed-as-an-addictive-killer-the-us-wants-to-treat-it-like-heroin/2018/02/10/aaf4bf7c-077e-11e8-b48c-b07fea957bd5_story.html)

We’re taking a journey into "Level 7" energy today with my special guest, Tal Mandelbaum. Tal is a social psychologist living in Israel. Her community, Choosing to Connect,  brings practical applications from social psychology and the Science of Connection (also known as The Wisdom of Kabbalah). In this episode, we explore what connection look like in the time of COVID. Our focus, exploring what we need to do collectively to rewire connection. Moving from an external focus to an internal consciousness. Our conversation ignites Level 7 energy by exploring spiritual topics including: The paradigm of loneliness and over connection.How the world has forced us to expose ourselves and show up authentically. The role of empathy in building connectionThe role of social networks in connectionHow the rapid rate of change in technology since the start of the pandemic has affected how we show up at home, at work, and in life. What it means to be in community. And what it means to create the sacred space that allows for us to #thinkcourageously, Letting go of judgmentThe role of nature in our ability to connect with the "big picture" and "big questions" in lifeAnd as always we explore courage, success and pivots. And how to access internal power to create change. Learn more about Tal’s “Choosing to Connect Community” at https://choosingtoconnect.com/about-tal-mandelbaum-relationship-and-spirituality-tips/ 

Today's episode is a personal reflection on Black History Month. What does a middle-aged, white, Jewish girl from Jersey have to say about Black History Month?⁠ In this episode, I'll share Why I believe my journey  is important to share with othersHow we can think courageously about current events and thinking differently? How we can learn and listen to the conversations happening around us about issues of race and ethnicity.⁠Today's show allows me to connect the dots...reflecting back to two past shows and looking at things through a 2021 lens. ⁠I replay a previous episode-Bursting My own Bubble. And, add insight into what's happened in the past seven months in the world that has fired me up about my own using my own voice in courageous ways. 

In honor of Black History Month, we're doing a #replay on one of my favorite past shows.  Danielle Adams is the owner of Queen Suite Coach and has been a leadership coach since 2014. In this conversation between coaching, friends, and a couple of Jersey Girls, we talk about the notion of matriculating into your womanhood. "It is just this funky, ugly, beautiful, gorgeous, perfect transition that you make. It happens in phases and it doesn't stop... because when you are matriculating into your womanhood, you're starting to understand the core of who you are and why and how you, you do things that you do."Danielle also shares the story of her magnificent crown and her RESET coaching system.  A system that grew out of her own pain and dysfunction and her willingness to grow and develop after challenges. Let's #ThinkCourageously with Danielle Adams.To learn more about Danielle and Queen Suite Coaching, visit https://www.queensuitecoach.com/

Sometimes pivots come in incremental moments. Sometimes pivots are transformational. And unexpected. And challenge us to redefine expectations. Meet Molly Watson. Molly takes us on the extraordinary journey of her 32-year career. From the midwest to the Big Apple, Molly shares her remarkable story from media planner to Senior Vice-President and COO. The glamour and grind of life in the big city feels a bit like Mary Tyler Moore meets Mad Men.We talk about climbing the corporate ladder, the power of saying “YES” and living a life without regrets.Molly also shares the unforgettable story of her life as a mother.  And how her lifelong dream of being a mom to three children has challenged her to redefine expectations and think courageously. Molly generously shares the story of her 21-year-old daughter Maggie, her SHERO. Maggie was born with a missing chromosome. Maggie can't walk, talk, sit up, or feed herself. She's, non-verbal,  visually impaired and wheelchair-bound. Cognitively, she’s three months old.  This is a story of unconditional love. A story of realigning expectations when faced with remarkable challenges. And the heart of thinking courageously. Today, Molly is the founder and owner of Evolution Engine Consulting.Her work helps people and businesses who may be stuck in getting to the next level of growth through an enterprise perspective. She brings everything she learned in the C-Suite to drive meaningful growth.Learn more about  Molly at:linkedin.com/in/mollykuehnwatson/evolutionengineadvisors.com/about/mwatson@evolutionengineadvisors.com

It's a celebration! Today marks the one year anniversary of The Think Courageously podcast! I couldn't be more excited to have my dear friend, my coach, and my mentor, April Adams Pertuis, as of today's special guest as we celebrate the one year anniversary of the Think Courageously podcast. April Adams Pertuis is a former journalist, video producer, content creator, and founder of the Lightbeamers Facebook community. She is a self-proclaimed storytelling junkie who believes that when we share our stories, we shine a light.In this episode we talk about:The continuum of courageVulnerable storytellingThe myths of vulnerabilityThe process April used to pull the story out of me (it wasn’t easy!)How I found the three pillars of the podcastIgniting your own light and illuminating the way for othersBeing in service and sharing our stories with othersMaking life pivots and the act of decision makingDrawing a line in the sand, and then showing up for it.The powerful public declaration that she asks each of her new members to shareThe role courage and pivots have played in her business success and her own line in the sand momentAs always, we talk about the courage that we find in sharing our stories.The courage it takes to be open and expose ourselves to things as we navigate life.Join us as we "thinkcourageously" with #AprilAdamsPertuisYou can find April at:IG: @lightbeamers communityFB: LIGHTbeamersPodcast: The Inside StoryWebsite: lightbeamers.com

Join me on today's episode, a replay from 2020, for a tribute to my mom. On this special Mother's Day edition of the podcast, I'm sharing the powerful stories that my mom taught me to face life courageously. You'll get a glimpse into my mama (otherwise known as The Force of Nature) and her childhood. I'll share some of the stories and lessons she shared with me that are foundational to my own mindset. And to Thinking Courageously.I'll talk about spaghetti fights, being the daughter of a strong woman and how her lessons helped me navigate grief after she died.  I'll also share a parable that I recently learned about from one of my own coaches, Alexandra Taketa. It's proven to be such a powerful story for me during this uncertain time. I think it will resonate with you too. 

In honor of Black History Month and elevating Black  Women's Voices, I'm relaunching Coach Kofi Williams October podcast. Since October, Kofi and I have developed a very special relationship.In January, Kofi joined The Think Good Company as the Client Success Coach. Together, we are having on-going courageous conversations about race and gender. And supporting each other as we build our businesses.Kofi is on a mission....to help 10,000 Black women live empowered. In 2007,  she heard 10 words that shook her world and changed everything “When you change your thinking, you can change your life.”In this episode, Kofi shares her powerful journey of self-discovery. From 30 years of clinical depression, being a teenage mom and being on her own and leaving home at the age of 16 to her career in the corporate world and...Her 2020 Pivot. On May 25, when she saw George Floyd, murdered on national television, it changed everything for Kofi.  She clarified her vision.  And now, she proudly says that she boldly serves black women... helping them to find their vision, their value in their voice, so that they live more and suffer less.We talk about suffering. And the two basic reasons that we suffer in life... because number one, we don't truly understand how life works. And number two, we don't truly understand who we are. We believe that we've been that person that's been conditioned by our family. Coach Kofi talks about her own way of protesting by helping black women to live empowered lives. And teaching them what an empowered life looks like. And by providing the opportunity for black women to release some of that old baggage and reframe their thoughts. And in essence, reframe their whole life experience.We talk about the duality of life. the notion that you cannot have good without bad, up without down left without right. black without white and death without birth. which means there is no place called Happyland.And of course, we talk about courage and the everyday decisions that we get to make and how we show up. Join us as we #thinkcourageously with #CoachKofiUnfiltered. Kofi Williams, CPC, ELI-MP, is a certified Empowerment & Leadership Coach and founder of the Next Chapter Academy, a transformative personal and professional development groupcoaching experience for women of color who want the clarity, confidence, and power totransform their lives from the inside out.  Kofi is also a business strategist for small and emerging women-owned businesses helping them streamline, automate and build efficiencies.  As a coach, Energy of Attraction MasterPractitioner, transformational speaker, and digital course creator, Coach Kofi has helpedhundreds of women break through personal barriers and limitations, create a clear sense ofidentity, and unleash their power to set and achieve goals beyond what they thought possible.Kofi has 30 years of corporate administrative experience and is the mother of two adult sons and four grandchildren.  For more information visit: www.coachkofi.com

I am...a white woman with brown-eyes., Petite, with short hair. That's what you see.  What you don't see is that I am a Jew. I am a Jersey girl. I am an advocate. I am an ally.  I am a sister, I am a step-mom, I have one daughter. I grew up in an upper-middle-class family.  I am a wife. I am an orphan. I am a pet mama. I am a survivor. I am an anti-racist. Our identities are complex. I am so much more than you can see. And, we rarely get a chance to share some of these details with others. In this episode, I draw my own line in the sand. My line around bigotry, hatred, and what my parents taught me about "never forgetting".  And I share why I believe we are all connected by different pieces of our identity. A web of connectedness. It's time for all of us to #thinkcourageously about this broken world we live in. It's time to rise, speak up and make a difference.

New York Times best-selling author, magazine editor, yogi and podcaster, Anne Alexander is on a mission... to help others unleash their awesomeness. In this episode, Anne shares her journey from super-achiever to a super transformer. Through her personal awakening, she has learned how to use her media and personal voice.   We talk about speaking up, listening deeply, healing what hurts... all in service of unleashing your brightest light.A self-proclaimed "extraordinary disapappearer and people pleaser",  hiding has been the story of Anne’s life.  Yet, in spite of her conditioning, she found the courage to become exceptionally successful in traditional terms.    Her past motto of  "how can I help you" has been replaced by "just be."   Today, we talk about:Courageously redefining success. Living your life in chapters.Navigating life’s external experiences, while also processing it internally.Unlearning what we've learnedAnd the role of the universe and intuition play in our lives as women.Anne shares three basic principles that she practices daily. Accepting your feelings, knowing your purpose, and doing what needs to be done.  And, as always, we talk about courage, success, and pivots. The courage found in the everyday decisions we make. And, the courage it takes to be open and exposed ourselves to things as we navigate this thing called life.  Join us as we “thinkcourageously” with #AnneAlexanderUnleased.Learn more about Anne at:https://www.soulcandy.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-alexander-666908/https://www.facebook.com/SoulCandyFounderhttps://www.instagram.com/soulcandyfounder/ 

On today's show, I'm taking a little stroll down memory lane.  I'm reflecting on the lessons learned through the remarkable women who happened to share their stories during this remarkable time. I've been fascinated by what connects my guests. And this show tackles what I've learned this year.  The messages are powerful. And as diverse as these women are, each of their stories is connected in powerful ways. This show is full of wonderful nuggets about lessons in success courage and pivots. And it honors these guests who have become my tribe. Women who are willing to speak truth to triumph. 

On today's episode of the Think Courageously Podcast, I'm taking listeners' questions about...podcasting!From finding dynamic guests to insights into my favorite shows to the possibility of highlighting men on the show...you'll get a birdseye view into what it takes to bring this weekly show to you. You'll learn about my role in getting the show ready for launch, what I am seeking in guests, and why podcasting is my passion project. I'm also offering a #courageouschallenge to listeners. Consider your own story of courage, success, and pivots. I'm offering YOU the opportunity to be a guest on the show in 2021. 

In this first of three episodes, I'm taking a deep dive into listeners' questions. Some of the topics I cover today include:My daily mindset and routineMy favorite thing...right nowGetting unstuckWhat's ahead in 2021My courageous inspirationsMy superpowersConfidenceAnd a peak into my wild and crazy blended family (including furbabies!)

Melanie Curtis has jumped out of an airplane over 11,000 times. She has competed at the highest levels in the sport of skydiving, set world records, stunt doubled in commercials and has worked around the world as a headling professional skydiver.Her collective experiences, Melanie leads and creates from her belief that courageous self-expression is one of the most powerful avenues to our deepest healing and highest contribution to others, ourselves, and the world. Melanie is also a life coach, speaker, author and activist. In our conversation, we start at the beginning...her days as a banker. We journey through topics including happiness, passion, and alignment. We talk about the limiting beliefs we have around pivots. And harnessing your greatest resources and inner passion. 

It's been some time since I've done a solo show. And I was feeling like we could all use a boost of positive energy. On today's episode, I'm talking about one of my favorite topics.. managing our own dynamic energy. Coronavirus. Crazy election season. Homeschooling. Disrupted holiday plans. Zoom fatigue. Our 2020 reality.Anxious. Angry. Overwhelmed. Depressed. Disconnected. Overworked. Depleted. All words that any of us might use right now to describe our own energy.  How is all of this catabolic energy serving you right now? What can you do to shift your energy? Understanding and choosing how you want to show up... in spite of the circumstances is a game-changer. I introduce you to the 7 levels of energy.  And I share a bit about my own daily energy dynamic practice. You'll also get a sneak-peak into my 5 C strategies for combatting catabolic energy:controlling what you can controlcelebrating the small stuffcreating contemplation timecommunity engagementand commitment to connectionsThink about this show as a shot of Vitamin C for your spirit.

Sometimes we choose the pivot, sometimes the pivot chooses us. Meet Annie Scranton. Annie is a former TV producer working on shows on FOX, CNN, MSNBC, and ABC's Good Morning America, and NBC's TODAY Show. Now, as a PR-pro, she helps craft messages for brands like Hint Water, Fast Company, Saffron Roads, and travel darling, Away suitcases.Over a decade ago, Annie Scranton was a producer for some of the biggest networks on TV. But when her show was canceled, she found herself an unexpected entrepreneur. Utilizing her own story as inspiration.Our conversation focuses on Annie's rebuild after a setback in the high-pressure media industry. Annie shares tips and tricks on how to face your challenges head-on and turn them into your biggest successes. Including: getting blunt and honest feedback from your network of friends and familiesgetting granular about your skillsetyour personal value proposition...what can an employer get from working with youpositioning yourself as an expertand celebrating your successesIn this episode, we share our mutual admiration for Katie Couric,  the concept of career currency, celebrating small wins, and imposter syndrome.  This is a great conversation into #thinkingcourageously about your career with a media maven.

Taylor’s expertise is in inspirational leadership, talent development and facilitation. Taylor began her career as a consultant with Mercer Human Capital, and has since held roles with a variety of organizations around the world, including as an advisor to Rio Tinto in Mongolia and as President of the nonprofit Born Free Africa. Her experience spans North America, Africa and Asia.Taylor, and her business partner, Mollie Khine,  are the creators of Convers(ate) ...a time-tested method for sparking conversation, rooted in the art of asking thoughtful questions. During this episode of the podcast, we talk about the "birth" of the Convers(ate). And what it's like to be an entrepreneur and working mom. Convers(ate) has three grounding principles...be present, be curious and be respectful. In this conversation, we talk about getting uncomfortable. Especially in the political season of 2020. How do we navigate challenging discussions with families and friends? How do we show up in a place of curiosity and growth? How do we move forward with those who have political views that don't align with ours?  What values are at the core of our differences? How do we find common ground? Bottom line...we talk about the importance of trying first to understand..then be understood " Let's listen and learn before we pitch and persuade..." This episode is about the  power of courageous conversations in our lives. 

 Academic. Student. Scientist. International Activist. Entrepreneur. Mother. Survivor a childhood sexual abuse, Khine lives her life with the hope of impacting one person at a time. " Basically, my own trauma allowed me to see the world with a different perspective that we all need to be kinder."Khine was born and raised in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) and came to United States in 2013 with her former husband who is Allentown-native after obtaining her Ph.D in Human Security from University of Tokyo. During this podcast, we explore Khine's fascinating journey and stories of courage. From getting a full-scholarship to leave Myanmar to study to the incredible encounter with a young girl she met that forever changed her life. And the courage this meeting had on her ability to make the ultimate pivot. We explore finding your voice and the power of impacting one person at a time; throwing that small pebble into the ocean and seeing it ripple. And of course we talk about Khine's entrepreneurial journey and her business; Khineder Creations. Khine talks about the courage it took her to choose a different path in her traditional family. And challenges our limited beliefs on external expectations.At 24, Khine understood that "whatever I was going to become from that point onward, I wanted it to be of service. I wanted to be of service to especially girls. And helping them was helping my own wounds."This is a remarkable story of #thinkcourageously and #livingcourageously.