Tutum Talk with Cara Nance

Change can be uncomfortable, uncertain, and even overwhelming. But what if navigating change starts with reconnecting to your vision and recognizing the progress you're already making?In this episode of Tutum Talk with Cara Nance, I reconnect with Dr. Jesse Erdheim to explore how we can approach change with intention, build confidence through small wins, and embrace what's next without losing sight of how far we've come.Inspired by the experience of someone in our shared community embarking on a new career chapter, Jesse shares practical wisdom for navigating transitions, overcoming negativity bias, and staying focused on what matters most.We also explore how reflecting on our accomplishments can help us move through rejection and setbacks. Jesse shares a personal story about supporting his daughter through the challenges of musical theater, illustrating how documenting our progress can remind us of our growth, strengths, and potential.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeAlign with your vision: Get clear on where you want to go so you can navigate change with greater purpose.Count your wins: Recognize the small steps that move you forward, even when progress feels slow.Challenge negativity bias: Shift your attention toward what's working instead of focusing only on setbacks.Honor your past while embracing the present: Appreciate your experiences without allowing them to define or limit your future.Help others recognize their growth: Use reflection and tangible reminders of accomplishments to rebuild confidence after rejection or disappointment.About Jesse Erdheim, Ph.D.Jesse Erdheim, Ph.D. is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist with 20 years of experience working with individuals and groups to enhance well-being, resilience, and connection. He is passionate about empowering others to flourish using evidence-based strategies from PositivePsychology, Mindfulness, and Behavioral Change. In his private practice, he works with individuals, couples, and groups to strengthen resilience, deepen connection and create intentional thriving lives.Connect with Jesse Erdheim, Ph.D.Website: https://www.jesseerdheim.com/LinkedIn: Jesse Erdheim, Ph.D. (hyperlinked text)📖 Check out Jesse's new book!  A FULL CUP: Reflections on Living Well ☕️ ❤️Connect with Cara Nance & Tutum Leadership CoachingCara Nance is a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and founder of Tutum Leadership Coaching. Through strengths-based coaching, team development, workshops, and retreats, Cara helps leaders and teams move from chaos to clarity and connection.If you're ready to better understand your strengths, strengthen your leadership, and create a workplace where people can do their best work, 1:1 coaching may be your next step.💻 6 in 6 Experience: https://tutumleadershipcoaching.com/mastermind-registration🌐 Website: https://www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranance📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tutumleadershipcoaching📅 Schedule a conversation: https://calendly.com/tutumleadershipcoaching/let-s-connect🎙️ Subscribe to Tutum Talk with Cara Nance wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone who believes leadership begins with people.Together, we can create workplaces, schools, and communities where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.About Tutum Talk:Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.Music provided by Music_Unlimited

What does it mean to live authentically and remain grounded in our values when the world feels heavy?In this solo episode, Cara Nance shares personal reflections on identity, representation, compassion, and the importance of speaking up when something conflicts with what we believe. Through an exploration of Ubuntu and the practice of choosing again, Cara invites listeners to consider how everyday choices can foster greater connection, understanding, and humanity.This is a conversation about choosing love over fear, honoring our authentic selves, and remembering that our humanity is interconnected.In This Episode, We ExploreAuthenticity and representation: Why seeing ourselves reflected in the world matters and the freedom that comes with honoring our identities.Living your values: The importance of naming what you stand for and responding when events in the world conflict with your values.Ubuntu and interconnected humanity: How the philosophy “I am because you are, and you are because I am” reminds us that our lives and well-being are connected.Choosing love over fear: How we can make intentional choices rooted in compassion, even during challenging times.The practice of choosing again: Inspired by Gabrielle Bernstein, Cara explores how we can take one small step toward a more helpful feeling or perspective without expecting ourselves to move instantly from despair to joy.Creating connection in everyday life: How our words, choices, and actions can help us build a more compassionate world.A Few Reflections to Carry With YouAs you listen, consider these questions:Where in your life are you being invited to show up more authentically?What values are most important to you, and how do your everyday choices reflect them?When fear, frustration, or despair shows up, what might choosing again look like for you?What is one small action you can take today to create more connection, compassion, or understanding?You don't have to change everything at once. Sometimes, meaningful change begins with one intentional choice.A Message from CaraOur humanity is interconnected. We may not always agree, and we may not always know what to say or do, but we can choose how we respond to the world around us.Choosing love doesn't mean ignoring difficult realities. It means staying connected to our values and looking for ways to respond with compassion, courage, and intention.Thank you for being part of the Tutum Talk community. Your presence here matters, and I'd love to hear what resonates with you in this episode.Connect with Cara Nance & Tutum Leadership CoachingCara Nance is a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and founder of Tutum Leadership Coaching. Through strengths-based coaching, team development, workshops, and retreats, Cara helps leaders and teams move from chaos to clarity and connection.If you're ready to better understand your strengths, strengthen your leadership, and create a workplace where people can do their best work, 1:1 coaching may be your next step.💻 6 in 6 Experience: https://tutumleadershipcoaching.com/mastermind-registration🌐 Website: https://www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranance📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tutumleadershipcoaching📅 Schedule a conversation: https://calendly.com/tutumleadershipcoaching/let-s-connect🎙️ Subscribe to Tutum Talk with Cara Nance wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone who believes leadership begins with people.Together, we can create workplaces, schools, and communities where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.About Tutum Talk:Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.Music provided by Music_Unlimited

What if the people who shape our educational journeys are just as important as the education itself?In this episode of Tutum Talk, I’m joined by Dr. Taj Smith, a higher education professional, social justice educator, and advocate for creating more inclusive and supportive academic communities.Taj and I talk about his own journey into higher education and the people behind the scenes who made a meaningful difference in his experience as a first-generation college student. Those experiences shaped not only his path, but also his commitment to creating spaces where students, faculty, and staff can feel supported, seen, and like they truly belong.We explore the often-overlooked role of higher education staff, the energy and creativity students bring to our work, and what it looks like to foster diversity, inclusion, access, and engagement across an entire institution.But perhaps one of my favorite parts of this conversation is Taj’s reminder that working in education means being a lifelong learner yourself. Whether he’s learning more about different cultures, engaging with deaf and hard of hearing communities, or adapting to the changing landscape of higher education, Taj approaches his work with curiosity, humility, and a willingness to keep growing.And underneath all of it is a question that I think applies far beyond higher education:Who are the people behind our journey, and how are we becoming that person for someone else?In this episode, we talk about:Taj’s unexpected journey into higher educationThe people behind the scenes who support student successHis experience as a first-generation college graduateWhy student energy and curiosity continue to inspire his workDiversity, inclusion, access, and engagement in higher educationCreating belonging for both students and employeesThe importance of professional development across an entire institutionLearning from communities and experiences different from our ownWhy adaptability and lifelong learning matter in leadershipThe impact we can have when we create spaces where people feel supported and seenTaj’s story is a beautiful reminder that education is never just about classrooms, degrees, or institutions. It’s about people. It’s about relationships. And it’s about the people who choose to show up along the journey and help someone else find their way.If you’ve ever had a teacher, mentor, staff member, colleague, or leader who made you feel like you belonged, this conversation may remind you just how much that person mattered.And perhaps more importantly, it may leave you asking:Who might need you to be that person for them?Connect with Dr. Taj SmithLearn more about Dr. Taj Smith and his work in higher education, diversity, inclusion, and social justice education through his professional and social media channels.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-taj-smith-38570124/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtajsmithEmail: [email protected] with Cara Nance & Tutum Leadership CoachingCara Nance is a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and founder of Tutum Leadership Coaching. Through strengths-based coaching, team development, workshops, and retreats, Cara helps leaders and teams move from chaos to clarity and connection.If you're ready to better understand your strengths, strengthen your leadership, and create a workplace where people can do their best work, 1:1 coaching may be your next step.💻 6 in 6 Experience: https://tutumleadershipcoaching.com/mastermind-registration🌐 Website: https://www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranance📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tutumleadershipcoaching📅 Schedule a conversation: https://calendly.com/tutumleadershipcoaching/let-s-connect🎙️ Subscribe to Tutum Talk with Cara Nance wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone who believes leadership begins with people.Together, we can create workplaces, schools, and communities where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.About Tutum Talk:Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.Music provided by Music_Unlimited

Sometimes the signs we need arrive in the most ordinary places.In this deeply personal solo episode of Tutum Talk, Cara Nance reflects on the spiritual nudges she has been receiving from two beloved souls who are no longer physically here: her brother Devin, who passed away in 2007, and her beloved dog Schatze.For Cara, those nudges have shown up as three dimes and an Elsa sticker.She shares her belief that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, and that our souls are here for continued growth and development. She also explores what it feels like to move through a season of life where not everything makes sense, while still choosing to trust that there is something unfolding beyond what she can currently see.Three Dimes and an Elsa StickerThe three dimes have become a familiar sign from Devin. They show up unexpectedly, sometimes in the most mundane moments, and serve as a gentle reminder that Cara is not alone and that everything will work out.And then there’s Elsa.An unexpected Elsa sticker became another meaningful little nudge, connecting Cara to Schatze and reminding her that love, connection, and support can continue even after someone has crossed over.Whether you believe these moments are signs from loved ones, meaningful coincidences, or simply invitations to pause and pay attention, Cara invites you to consider:What signs might be showing up in your own life?When the Path Doesn't Make SenseCara also gets candid about her current season of work and life, including Tutum Leadership Coaching, her work at the bar, and other opportunities that have found their way into her life.It doesn't all fit neatly into a traditional career story. And she's learning to be okay with that."When none of it makes sense, that's when you're right on track."She talks about the reality of diversifying income, particularly for coaches and entrepreneurs navigating an evolving economy, and the importance of releasing the shame or judgment that can sometimes come with having multiple streams of work."There's no shame in diversifying your portfolio for income."Each experience can hold purpose, even when we don't immediately understand what that purpose is. Sometimes a job is about income. Sometimes it's about community. Sometimes it's about the people we meet and the conversations we have along the way.And sometimes, you're coaching someone at a bar without ever intending to.Trusting the JourneyAt the heart of this episode is a reminder to stay open.Open to the signs.Open to the unexpected.Open to the possibility that the path you're on doesn't have to make perfect sense right now.And open to the idea that the people and souls we love may still find ways to remind us that we're supported.Cara's journey is a deeply personal one, but the invitation is universal:Pay attention. Trust yourself. Notice the nudges. And remember that you may be exactly where you're supposed to be, even when you can't yet see why.Thank you for being here and for continuing to explore leadership, life, and all the spaces in between with me.Connect with Cara Nance & Tutum Leadership CoachingCara Nance is a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and founder of Tutum Leadership Coaching. Through strengths-based coaching, team development, workshops, and retreats, Cara helps leaders and teams move from chaos to clarity and connection.If you're ready to better understand your strengths, strengthen your leadership, and create a workplace where people can do their best work, 1:1 coaching may be your next step.💻 6 in 6 Experience: https://tutumleadershipcoaching.com/mastermind-registration🌐 Website: https://www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranance📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tutumleadershipcoaching📅 Schedule a conversation: https://calendly.com/tutumleadershipcoaching/let-s-connect🎙️ Subscribe to Tutum Talk with Cara Nance wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone who believes leadership begins with people.Together, we can create workplaces, schools, and communities where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.About Tutum Talk:Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.Music provided by Music_Unlimited

What if you stopped trying to become who you think you’re supposed to be and started discovering more of who you already are?In this episode of Tutum Talk, I’m excited to welcome Sheneka Johnson, MBA, ACC, a leadership development and mindset coach and fellow Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. Sheneka is the first Gallup Certified Strengths Coach to join me on the podcast, making this conversation especially meaningful for me!Sheneka and I explore what becomes possible when we understand and embrace our unique strengths, challenge the limiting beliefs that can keep us playing small, and intentionally invest in our own growth.One of the ideas that stayed with me from our conversation is Sheneka’s reminder that “I’m one of one.” There is no other you. No one else brings your exact combination of experiences, perspectives, talents, relationships, and strengths to the table.And yet, how often do we spend our energy comparing ourselves to others or trying to become someone we think we should be?For Sheneka, strengths awareness creates an opportunity to name what is already present, build greater self-awareness, and begin to unlearn the beliefs and narratives that may have shaped how we see ourselves.We also talk about the importance of investing in yourself, the influence of family and education on our personal growth, and what happens when we connect our internal alignment to the way we lead.In this episode, we explore:✨ What it means to truly embrace being “one of one”✨ The transformative power of strengths awareness✨ How understanding our strengths can shift the way we see ourselves✨ Limiting beliefs and the process of unlearning✨ Why investing in yourself is an important part of growth✨ The connection between internal alignment and leadership✨ How our experiences and backgrounds shape the way we show up✨ What becomes possible when we stop trying to be someone else and start leading from who we areThis conversation is a beautiful reminder that you don't have to become someone else to unlock your potential.Sometimes, the work is about becoming more aware of who you already are, learning how to use what you bring to the table, and giving yourself permission to lead from there.If you’re curious about your strengths, navigating a season of growth, or simply wondering what might be possible if you stopped comparing your journey to someone else’s, I think you’ll find something meaningful in this conversation.🎙️ Listen to Ep. 52 of Tutum Talk: One of One: Unlocking Your Strengths & Leading from Who You Are with Sheneka Johnson.And then ask yourself:What might become possible if I fully embraced the fact that I am one of one?About Sheneka JohnsonSheneka Johnson is a leadership development and mindset coach who helps high-achieving women overcome internal barriers, deepen their self-awareness, and create meaningful transformation. As a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, Sheneka brings a strengths-based approach to helping people recognize and leverage what makes them uniquely themselves.Connect with ShenekaLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/emergecoachingsolutionsllcInstagram: @emergewithshenekaFacebook: Emerge Coaching Solutions, LLCWebsite: www.emergecoachingsolns.comConnect with Cara Nance & Tutum Leadership CoachingCara Nance is a Gallup Certified CliftonStrengths Coach and founder of Tutum Leadership Coaching. Through strengths-based coaching, team development, workshops, and retreats, Cara helps leaders and teams move from chaos to clarity and connection.If you're ready to better understand your strengths, strengthen your leadership, and create a workplace where people can do their best work, 1:1 coaching may be your next step.💻 6 in 6 Experience: https://tutumleadershipcoaching.com/mastermind-registration🌐 Website: https://www.tutumleadershipcoaching.com💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranance📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tutumleadershipcoaching📅 Schedule a conversation: https://calendly.com/tutumleadershipcoaching/let-s-connect🎙️ Subscribe to Tutum Talk with Cara Nance wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, leave a rating and review, and share it with someone who believes leadership begins with people.Together, we can create workplaces, schools, and communities where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.About Tutum Talk:Tutum Talk with Cara Nance is a podcast for leaders who lead with heart - even when they doubt themselves. Through honest conversations about presence, intuition, courage, and connection, Cara helps listeners build leadership rooted in humanity, not perfection.Music provided by Music_Unlimited