Coffee Break

This is an episode we recorded back in July 2020 before the election madness. It's about how things like working on yourself, personal growth, and other seemingly "trivial" things can help you find a little balance amidst the craziness. Along with a few digressions about the pandemic and other current events, as per usual. Enjoy!

Music from Epidemic Sound:

- Enjoy the Heartbreak by Martin Hall
- Yes Darling by Orjan Karlsson

Back from what some might consider a vacation, but I just consider a ton of WORK. This episode is one that Carter and I felt we needed to do, even though it felt weird, and a little awkward. Like many of you, we're trying to be better. Come join us as we talk through the idea of "all lives matter" versus "black lives matter". See what you think, and if it maybe gives you a different perspective. 

I hope you all are staying safe, being healthy, and taking good care of each other. Be good to one another. Talk to you next week!

Music via Epidemic Sound:

- Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Sting Version) by Martin Hall
- Limited Edition Love (Sting Version) by Anders Ekengren

Today I'm joined by my friend Carter and we're continuing in the same vein of militant authenticity talked about in Season 3 Episode 6. Listen in as we discuss being an authentic jerk, how you may be defining yourself, and how - perhaps - patent leather pants aren't quite the thing for work. 

Being true to who you are is important. It can get in your way sometimes, too. How do you find the balance? How can you think about who you are in a way that still lets you be flexible, adaptable, and open to growth? Join us for a discussion!

Referenced in this episode:

• S3E6: Militant Authenticity: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/when-authenticity-gets-in-the-way/

Coffee Break Podcast: making personal development accessible and helping people grow. One episode at a time.

Have a wonderful week!

Music via Epidemic Sound:

• Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Sting Version) by Martin Hall
• Limited Edition (Sting Version) by Anders Ekengren

Multitasking is kind of one of those things where you might feel like you SHOULD be doing it, or maybe you think you should be doing it better. The reality is though, multitasking prevents you from doing an individual task well, it prevents you from actively listening, can damage your relationships, and can be flat-out dangerous. 

Join me, Emily, and John for a great discussion on multitasking, how it can hurt you, and what you can do to avoid it.

Coffee Break Podcast: making personal development accessible and helping people grow. One episode at a time.

Have a wonderful week!

Music via Epidemic Sound:

- Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Sting Version) by Martin Hall

Even in the best of times, self-care and self-compassion are so very important. In these times, it becomes even more critical to safeguard your mental and physical wellbeing. Even though you may be locked down right now, there are things you can do to do your self-care even when stuck at home.

Referenced in this episode:

• Coping with the Quarantine: 102 Self-Care Ideas & Activities to Do At Home | TCN Behavioral Health: https://www.tcn.org/news/2020/3/24/coping-with-the-quarantine-100-self-care-ideas-amp-activities-to-do-at-home

Coffee Break Podcast: making personal development accessible and helping people grow. One episode at a time.

Have a wonderful week!

Subscribe to my mailing list at: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/subscription/

Music via Epidemic Sound:

- Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Sting Version) by Martin Hall

Militant authenticity is when you have such a strong allegiance to "you being you" that you get in your own way. Or worse, you have a negative impact on those around you or their respect for you. I have always been a strong advocate for people being themselves, and I still strongly believe that. I also believe that we have choices about when and how to express that authenticity, and we can do it in a way that still allows us to be present to the needs and feelings of those around us. 

Referenced in this episode:

• The Fine Line Between Helpful and Harmful Authenticity | Adam Grant | NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/smarter-living/the-fine-line-between-helpful-and-harmful-authenticity.html
• Book Review: Option B: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/book-review-option-b-by-sheryl-sandberg/
• Coffee, Grit and Inspiration on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CGInspo/
• Coffee, Grit and Inspiration on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coffeegritandinspiration/

Coffee Break Podcast: making personal development accessible and helping people grow. One episode at a time.

Have a wonderful week!

Subscribe to my mailing list at: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/subscription/

Support the show: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/support-us/

Music via Epidemic Sound:

- Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Sting Version) by Martin Hall

Coffee Break Podcast: making personal development accessible and helping people grow. One episode at a time.

Communities are powerful when they pull together. In times like these, the strength of a community will help people come out the other side. As a leader, you have a large impact on the communities you're a part of. How are you showing up? Are you building up your community, or are you tearing it down? Let's give our people strength and fortitude by building bonds with them and doing what we can to build up our families, teams, and communities.

Show Notes and Transcript: 

Referenced in this episode:

• Listening with respect and engagement | CPB S2E10: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/active-listening/
• Keep Calm and Lead On: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/calm-leadership-during-a-crisis/
• How to Inspire Community Spirit in Times of Social Isolation | Alexandra Laxmi Iyer | Salesforce.org: https://www.salesforce.org/how-to-inspire-community-spirit-in-times-of-social-isolation/
• The Kindness Postcard and Other Heartwarming Gestures Sparked By Coronavirus | Lucy Handley | CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/16/coronavirus-compassion-the-kindness-postcard-and-other-heartwarming-gestures.html
• Compassion in the Time of the Coronavirus | Nicholas A. Christakis | The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/11/compassion-time-coronavirus/
• Facing COVID-19 With Community Instead of Fear | Lornet Turnbull | Yes Magazine: https://www.yesmagazine.org/health-happiness/2020/03/10/coronavirus-covid19-community/

Face Masks:

I found this set of tutorials super helpful in sewing my own face masks for my husband, son, and their coworkers: https://sweetredpoppy.com/how-to-sew-a-surgical-face-mask/

Have a wonderful week!

Subscribe to my mailing list at: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/subscription/

Support the show: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/support-us/

Music via Epidemic Sound:

- Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Sting Version) by Martin Hall

If you're one of the millions of people being asked to work from home, you might be struggling with some of the challenges that working remotely can present. Or maybe you're just looking for some tips to make your work-from-home life a little bit easier! Either way, never fear, because us three veteran remote workers are here to share some of the challenges, benefits, and our best tips for working from home. 

Whether you're working from home or not, I hope you're staying safe and healthy, in both body and mind. Be well. 

Referenced in this episode:

• 5 Tips to Build Stronger Relationships
• 
  

The world is going crazy right now. Our personal worlds are turned inside out, upside down. In situations like this, it's easy for our emotions to jump in, take control, and ruin our ability to make rational decisions about what's happening. We get emotionally hijacked! I struggle with this a lot, and found some ways that I think will work well to help us to regain control over our emotions and get some mastery over our emotions when they threaten to overwhelm us. 

If you're struggling, please don't wait to ask for help. Times like these can make us feel more alone than usual, maybe than we've ever felt before. Everyone needs help sometimes.

Referenced in this episode:

• Empathy and Emotional Intelligence | Coffee, Grit, and Inspiration
• Strong Emotions: Name It To Tame It! (video)
• The A-Z Guide to Feelings and Emotions | Laughter Online University
• Reduce Emotional Hijacking With Emotional Intelligence | TTI Success Insights
• Tame Reactive Emotions By Naming Them | Mindful.org
• What Was I Thinking? Handling The Hijack | Dr. Relly Nadler, True North Leadership | Psychology Today

Coffee Break Podcast: making personal development accessible and helping people grow. One episode at a time.

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• Support the show: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/support-us/
• Find us on Facebook and join the Coffee, Grit and Inspiration Community!

Music via Epidemic Sound:

• Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Sting Version) by Martin Hall

This week I'm talking about what happens when we use "but" to say something and then immediately negate it, or when we start our sentences with "no", "but", or "however". This seemingly harmless habit can cause our communications to break down, or to cause us to be seen as ineffective communicators or people who don't listen. 

Note that no butts were harmed in the making of this podcast. 

Referenced in this episode:

• S2E9: Overapologizing and Minimizing Yourself
• What Got You Here Won't Get You There [affiliate link] by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter

Have a wonderful week!

Instead of being a "know-it-all", be a "learn-it-all"! People that cultivate curiosity about the world around them experience greater levels of satisfaction with their lives, are more innovative, have better ideas, and are more engaged. You can cultivate curiosity in your life and at work to enrich your experience and get the most out of what you have. 

Show Notes and Transcript:

Referenced in this episode:

• Psych Central: 6 Ways to Cultivate Your Curiosity: https://blogs.psychcentral.com/everyday-creativity/2018/01/6-ways-to-cultivate-your-curiosity/
• Psychology Today: Cultivate Curiosity: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200609/cultivating-curiosity
• Harvard Business Review: 4 Ways to Cultivate a Culture of Curiosity: https://hbr.org/2013/09/four-ways-to-cultivate-a-culture-of-curiosity
• How to Fail Like a Champ: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/overcome-failure/
• Growth Mindset: An Introduction: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/growth-mindset-intro/
• Email me at: dianne@coffeegritandinspiration.com
• Submit comments and feedback at: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/contact/ 

Coffee Break Podcast: making personal development accessible and helping people grow. One episode at a time.

Have a wonderful week!

Subscribe to my mailing list at: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/subscription/

Support the show: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/support-us/

If you liked this episode, please follow and give it a rating!

Music via Epidemic Sound:

- Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Sting Version) by Martin Hall

Active listening is much more than just inserting "yeah" or "okay" at regular intervals in a conversation. Active listening also means listening with respect, with engagement, and listening with your whole body. Thinking before you speak. Creating connections with people and helping to ensure that they don't leave a conversation with you feeling bad about it, or about you. Join me in Season 2 Episode 10 while I talk about active listening, what it is, the attributes of a good listener, and some tiny tactics you can employ to make yourself a better listener. 

Remember that Season 3 starts on February 26. There won't be a podcast on the 19th - try not to miss me too much!  

Referenced in this episode:

• What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter: https://amzn.to/2Nx1Sjt [affiliate link]
• How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith: https://amzn.to/2NBeYw8 [affiliate link]

Marshall Goldsmith's Tiny Tactics (https://www.marshallgoldsmith.com/articles/the-skill-that-separates/):

• Listen. 
• Don’t interrupt. 
• Don’t finish the other person’s sentences. 
• Don’t say, “I knew that.” 
• Don’t even agree with the other person. If he praises you, just say thank you. 
• Don’t use the words “no,” “but,” and “however.” 
• Don’t let your eyes wander elsewhere while the other person is talking.
• Maintain your end of the dialogue by asking intelligent questions that show you’re paying attention, move the conversation forward, and require the person to talk (while you listen).

Coffee Break Podcast: making personal development accessible and helping people grow. One episode at a time.

Have a wonderful week!

Subscribe to my mailing list at: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/subscription/
Support the show: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/support-us/

If you liked this podcast, please follow, subscribe and/or give it a rating!

You can also find me here:
- Coffee, Grit, and Inspiration Blog: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com
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Music via Epidemic Sound:
- Enjoy Your Heartbreak (Sting Version) by Martin Hall

It's amazing what comes out of your own mouth, and at times, how much of what you say seems designed to "make yourself small" - to minimize yourself and what you're saying. In today's episode, I am joined by my dear friend and long-time coworker Emily Hastings, and we're revisiting the topic of over-apologizing with some additional tips and insights, plus exploring how apologizing, like several other speech habits, doesn't serve you. In fact, it can serve to minimize you and devalue what you have to say in the minds of those you are speaking to. 

Please forgive any audio issues, we tried out a new program for remote podcasting. It will get better! Also, I used a swear word. #sorrynotsorry.

Referenced in this episode:

• S1E4: The Effects of Overapologizing
• Poem: Our Deepest Fear by Marianne Williamson

More on minimizing in a future podcast! In the meantime, you can learn more by reading How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith [affiliate link].

• Check out the Show Notes for this episode!
• Give us a review and ranking to show your support!

Last week we talked about when you get feedback, to say thank you and then shut up. Feedback itself is a whole other topic! There is an art to giving feedback, and a perspective that, if you can develop it, will help you implement feedback in ways that enrich your life and your relationships with other people. In this episode I'm talking about the different types of feedback, how to give it, how to receive it, and what to do with it once you've got it. Plus I define "synthesize" which is helpful no matter who you are. <3

A lot of the material in this podcast I got from the following books, which are affiliate links. This means I get a commission if you use my links to purchase something. You can see more info here.

• What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter
• How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith

Also referenced in this episode:

• Times We Should Just Say Thank You and Then Shut Up (CBP S2E7)
• Stop Drop and Roll: Practice Taking Constructive Criticism
• Email me at: dianne@coffeegritandinspiration.com
• Submit comments and feedback at: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/contact/ 
• Subscribe to the newsletter at: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/subscription/

"Thank you" is such a versatile phrase! After bingeing on several personal development books over the last week that have to do with behavioral changes and forming and ending habits, it occurred to me that there are three situations (at least) where you should just say thank you...and then shut up. Enjoy!

Referenced in this article: 

• CBP S1 E4: The Effects of Overapologizing: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/s1-e4-effects-of-overapologizing/
• How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith: https://amzn.to/2NBeYw8 [affiliate link]
• What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter: https://amzn.to/2Nx1Sjt [affiliate link]
• Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://amzn.to/2GbbEn7 [affiliate link]

Stress is a pervasive, unavoidable part of life. For better or worse, it happens, and it's a good idea for us to get better at managing it. The more resilient we can be in response to negative events, the more we can respond to rather than react to them, the less stress we will let into our lives. Join me as I talk about stress, some causes, how our reactions can actually compound the stress we feel, and some ways to manage stress. 

Referenced in this episode:

• Give Yourself the Gift of "I Will Handle It": https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/i-will-handle-it/
• Stress and Personality | Psych Central: https://psychcentral.com/lib/stress-and-personality/
• Respond vs. React | Mindful Minutes: https://mindfulminutes.com/respond-vs-react-how-to-keep-your-cool-in-times-of-stress/
• 10 Ways To Change the Way You Deal With Stress | Lifehack.org: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/10-ways-change-the-way-you-deal-with-stress.html
• Causes of Stress | WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/causes-of-stress#1

This week's episode was inspired by a presentation I heard last month about helping others shine, and the comment that "helping others shine doesn't decrease your own shine." Sometimes we get our egos tied up with our contributions, and it can seem like helping others shine somehow reduces our own value. In this episode, I talk about why I struggled with this concept a little bit, and talk about some ways that we can help each other shine. Shine on!

Referenced in this episode:

• How you can support us
• Critical Thinking Theme content

Additional shine sources: 

• Shine Theory
• 9 Ways To Help Others Shine | Advice For My Daughter
• 10 Ways To Make Others Shine | Leadership Now
• Make Your Success About Shining Your Light On The People Around You | John Addison | Success.com

Happy 2020! The new year is here and in an effort to stretch ourselves this year, we're looking at what's in our backpacks that we want to unload. From family relationships to failed relationships, there's a lot we have to let go of if we're going to continue to grow. Join us to see if you identify with anything we're talking about! What's in YOUR backpack?

• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/subscription
• View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RodYJU6GixI

In today's episode, I am talking about emotional wake: how people feel once you leave a room. Is it positive or negative? What do you do to control it and clean it up if you need to? How blinding IS my Bob Ross Christmas T-Shirt? You might have to check out the YouTube below to find out the answer to that last one. 

Referenced in this episode:

• Fierce Conversations | Susan Scott: https://amzn.to/2ZbSNEC [affiliate link]
• The Effects of Overapologizing | S1 E4: https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/s1-e4-effects-of-overapologizing/

To see my Bob Ross Christmas T-Shirt, check out the YouTube video of this episode! https://youtu.be/O1HNW6U0fCs

To submit topics for the podcast, do any of the following:

• Send an email to dianne@coffeegritandinspiration.com 
• Go to https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/contact/ and submit your idea or request using the form
• Go to https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/podcast/ and use the form in that page

Have a wonderful rest of the year!

Counting your contributions - your wins - can have a huge impact on your emotional resilience, your confidence, and your sense of self worth. Show yourself some self-compassion and spend a few minutes each day writing down a win, something you're proud of, that you accomplished or achieved today. No matter how small. Do it for you!

Referenced in this episode: 

• Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy | Sheryl Sandberg [affiliate link: https://amzn.to/2Sakysx]
• Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude (https://coffeegritandinspiration.com/cultivate-an-attitude-of-gratitude/)
• Subscribe to our newsletter at: https://www.coffeegritandinspiration.com/subscription