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Ep.139 From Struggles to Success: How Chris Cannon Turned His Story Into a Business Empire

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 15 May 2025 11:00:00 GMT

In this engaging conversation, Chris Cannon shares his journey from struggling with reading in school to becoming a successful entrepreneur and author. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling in business and personal development, discussing how his experiences shaped his perspective on success and the value of high-ticket offers. Chris also highlights the significance of supportive relationships, particularly in marriage, and how they contribute to personal and professional growth. The discussion touches on overcoming fear, the impact of mentorship, and the transformative power of writing.

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Takeaways

Chris discovered the power of storytelling from his own life experiences.
Expectations shape our experiences and outcomes.
Entrepreneurship was a natural path for Chris due to his family's background.
Supportive relationships, especially in marriage, enhance success.
High ticket offers can lead to greater investment in personal growth.
Fear often distracts us from our true purpose and potential.
Investing in oneself is crucial for personal development.
Writing can have a profound impact on others' lives.
Mentorship plays a key role in personal and professional growth.
The journey of entrepreneurship is filled with learning and transformation.

Chapters:

00:00 Podcast Introduction
01:57 The Power of Storytelling in Business
07:31 From Struggles to Success: Chris's Journey
13:05 Entrepreneurial Roots and Early Ventures
18:36 Building a Life and Business Together
21:49 Ad Break – Learn about the all-in-one platform entrepreneurs use to run their business
23:33 The Show Continues: The Impact of Writing and Sharing Stories
29:12 Creating High Ticket Offers with Storytelling

Learn more about Chris:

https://compellingstorytelling.com/

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

Resources:

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IG:

https://www.facebook.com/ImpactCommunicationCoaching/

Facebook Page:

Ep.75 The Surgeon Who Said No to Surgery: Dr. Doug Lucas's Mission for Optimal Bone Health

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:00:00 GMT

In this insightful episode, I had the privilege of hosting Dr. Doug Lucas, an individual whose career trajectory is as impressive as it is diverse. He has transitioned from being a professional ballet dancer to an orthopedic surgeon, and now to a pioneering entrepreneur with a mission to transform healthcare approaches.

Our conversation centered on the critical role of nutrition and prevention in maintaining bone health and avoiding surgery. He shared his personal journey, revealing the challenges and rewards of leaving a secure, well-paid position as a surgeon to pursue his entrepreneurial aspirations. His commitment to this path is fueled by a deep passion and purpose – to educate and assist people in preventing the very surgeries he was trained to perform.

A significant part of our discussion was dedicated to Dr. Doug's critique of the traditional healthcare model and how his company, Optimal Bone Health, is leading a paradigm shift towards more proactive and preventative measures.

Moreover, we ventured into the realm of artificial intelligence, engaging in a thought-provoking conversation about the pros and cons of tools like ChatGPT for research and information dissemination. Dr. Doug’s insights on this topic were particularly enlightening, considering the evolving landscape of technology in healthcare.

Get in touch with Dr. Doug

https://www.optimalbonehealth.com/

https://www.instagram.com/dr_douglucas/

Learn more about Lifewave X39:

https://lifewave.com/healthyandwealthy

RESOURCES

Social Media:

YoutTube: https://www.youtube.com/SabineKvenberg

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Ep.43 The Accidental Entrepreneur - How to survive bankruptcy and thrive

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 11:00:00 GMT

Paul Baron is an Entrepreneur at heart, and at Age 71, he shows no signs of stopping. Paul shares his journey of becoming an accidental entrepreneur, developing, selling, and buying many different businesses, earning lots, and losing it all. From starting a sporting goods retail store to high-end restaurants and a high-tech Vertical Printer Company, he experienced it all. In his words, as long as I find passion and can stand behind a product or company, it’s a go.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. How Paul Baron become a lifelong Entrepreneur

2. How he overcame bankruptcy and started several new businesses

3. How he spots new opportunities

To get more information and get in touch with Paul visit

The Wall Printer: https://thewallprinter.com/ Paul's Personal LinkedIn for connecting: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbbaron/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wallprintingusa/ On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thewallprinter On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheWallPrinter On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewallprinter/

Connect with Sabine Kvenberg:

Free Resources: https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/resources

Victoria Pelletier Website

Sabine 0:07

Hello, Paul, how are you today?

Paul 0:11

I couldn't be better. I'd have to be twins. Again. Thank you for inviting me to join you and your audience.

Sabine 0:16

The pleasure is all mine. Paul, you are the founder and CEO of the wall printer USA, which is a vertical printer. And this is really fascinating. I've never heard of a vertical printer and my question to you is, how does it work? Why would we want to have a vertical printer and who uses it?

Paul 0:40

So those are all great questions. And the fact that you have never heard about it before, does not make you a loan setting. The vertical printing while it's not a very new technology, it's about 15 years old. It originated in Southeast Asia. And that's where most of the users of this technology have been until I came on board and discovered it. And they have the same reaction that you have that most people have. Well, gee, I've never seen anything like this before. And for the benefit of your audience. This is a machine that is a printing machine like an inkjet printer on steroids that moves up and down as opposed to your desktop printer that prints on a piece of paper. This is designed with a printhead that is exposed to the wall and will go up and down a vertical rail and print any digital art on any wall surface, indoors or outdoors. There's no limit to the width or the height of the mural, or the picture or the text that you can print. It's whether you want to use it for signage or artwork. But that's who uses it people who want to put artwork on walls.

Sabine 1:50

You started very recent just in 2019. So that leads me really onto your journey. Did you always know that you wanted to become an entrepreneur.

Paul 2:03

So I wanted to be a math teacher. That's what I started doing. But early on, while I was in college to supplement the good graces of my parents financial support, and to have some spending money beyond that. I got a job stringing tennis rackets and something turned out I was very good at and people liked the result of my work. So after I graduated college and got a teaching job, I also opened up a littles tennis sporting goods store with a friend and who's also involved in the tennis community that I was in in the upstate New York town where I went to college. And that store became one store two stores, three stores. And it was a successful venture. And it was taking more and more of my time because I was enjoying learning not only the interactions with the customers, but the vendors, looking at what people wanted looking forward in terms of not only tennis equipment, but then it be expanded beyond that into other areas of sporting goods and clothing and different equipment and things. And so I really enjoyed the process of not only understanding on things like inventory management and the financial aspects of that venture. And mostly the customer relationships is what I enjoyed more than anything else. So early on. I kind of learned the hats I like to wear and the ones I didn't like to wear. What got me passionate about something and what didn't. And I gravitated towards those situations that allowed me to have those interactive relationships with whether it be customers or vendors or whatever. And and so I stopped teaching after three years because basically, the school administration gave me an ultimatum they knew that I had a interest in the retail sporting goods store that was growing rapidly. And they said, Paul, we'd like your teaching. We'd like to keep you here. But we understand that your attention is divided. You've got to make a decision. And so basically, in my early 20s, they helped me make that decision. And I decided I really enjoyed the business world. And so I went that route

Sabine 4:11

this is really the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey. have can you think back at a time that you really had to face a big challenge in your business life? And that was probably nerve racking. Was there something like that or did you just sail through very smoothly?

Paul 4:36

There was no selling involved except the kind I did on the war. There was there were there are pivots all the time there are challenges always being presented, whether working for a company deciding whether or not that's what I really liked doing enjoy doing and was getting out of it. What is would contribute to my growth path and career path, both personally and financially. But, you know, if there was one thing that that happened that may have, well, like I said, there are multiple pivot points. After three years of going to tennis businesses, a family friend, who saw what I was doing asked me to come work for him for his company, because he was at a at a juncture where he wanted somebody with what he saw with a kind of independent skills that I possessed in growing my stores, and he wanted me to join his company and he made me the proverbial offer I could not refuse. And my partner accepted a buyout where I was able to sell my interest in my sporting stores to my friend and partner at the time. And I went off to on this next journey of mine, which was really the next second path or third path after teaching to my sporting goods store, to being a manager and a salesperson for this jewelry manufacturing company. And I was making more money than I could have thought of I was I was doing really well. I was working very hard two weeks traveling a lot. visiting customers and then two weeks managing factory and overseeing orders. I was learning a lot about manufacturing, distribution, managing people, and I was learning more about the things I enjoyed doing the things I didn't enjoy doing. Once again gravitating to those relationships. I enjoyed the sales process. I enjoyed marketing, finding customers, and then engaging with them. And so after two years with this company I had that I received a bonus from them at a Christmas time which was very generous at the time. And like I said I was doing very well I was still in my 20s making more money than I really thought I would be making had a very good life as busy as it might have might have been with the work environment. But I also know that the owners and the company as soon as I was aware of the finances, they benefited tremendously as well as they should because they own the company. They are the risk takers, and that's something else I appreciated and learned early on from having my own small business that I went to the owner and I said to him, I said look, I really enjoy working here. But I really think I deserve a raise even though I've been making good money and being paid fairly. And he said something to me which carried me through which is kind of like the answer to your question about you know, things that that you learn and things that help you identify the pivot points in your life, should they should they be faced the old Yogi Berra when you come to a fork in the road taking? And so at this point, I said, you know, I think I deserve a raise. And he said to me, he said Paul, I'm going to tell you this and take it for whatever it's worth. It goes. When you work for me, I will make sure you're paid more than anybody else will pay you. But know this you will never make what you think you're worth. If you don't work for yourself. And so I took that to heart because that again, exemplify that whole aspect of risk taking. You could win you could lose when you take risks, but if you're but if a company succeeds you you you are going to and you will benefit more than you would otherwise. And so I took that to heart and I quit.

Sabine 8:27

Let me hop in here real quick to share something with you. Have you ever tried to build your own website, start a newsletter or build a course and charge for it? Have you ever wanted to make money online but I'm totally confused by all the different systems you need to have. That's why I use Kajabi Kajabi is the most popular system for online marketers, coaches thought leaders and influencers Kajabi helps online entrepreneurs take off. Over 100 1000s of us use Kajabi and have made over $4 billion. Why not be part of it? The best thing is you don't have to figure out tons of systems or crazy technology to start your online business. Kajabi helps you do all of that. And it's all on one platform. That's why I use it. It makes my life so much easier. And I can even earn money while I was sleeping. You can build your web pages blogs and membership sites you can create offers checkout pages, and collect money. You can host your videos. You can start your newsletter list capture emails, start your marketing funnels all in one place. It makes it fun and easy with awesome tutorials and support. Since I've joined Kajabi from the beginning, I have a special affiliate link that I would like to share with you a 30 day free trial. So nothing to lose but everything to gain. Just go to my link that's in the show notes. Sabine kvenberg.com forward slash resources and we will redirect you to the free trial page. If you are just starting out and want to get you offer out for sale just three days. Let me help you do that. Visit my webpage by the way that I build on Kajabi and apply to making it happen. So now let's get back to the show.

Paul 10:39

I quit the job and I ended up going to work for a competitor of his that allowed me to work for half the time doing only the sales part of the job not any of the factory manufacturing distribution, employee management part of things that I was doing so I worked two weeks a month traveling around engaging customers doing sales and then the other two weeks. Basically I was off just waiting and planning my next two weeks of customer journey. So that was a very successful venture that allowed me to make enough money to put aside and then go to my next venture which after I got tired of the traveling, which started wearing on me. I had another friend who was in the restaurant business and he wanted to he was in the bar business and he wants to have a really nice upscale restaurant that he had designed in his mind. And he asked me if I wanted to become involved with him. Not because I knew anything about restaurants. Unlike a lot of doctors and lawyers who go out to eat and think they can be in the restaurant business. Nothing could be further from the truth. I don't I don't suggest people do that. Just because you eat out. You can't be in the restaurant business. And but I stayed in my lane. I knew what I liked doing. I liked the whole aspect of identifying maybe the location and the business aspects and dealing with the vendors. And dealing with the customers having absolutely nothing to do with the food and beverage part of the business. That was my partner. And it was a good it was a good marriage. It lasted 12 years we built the restaurant that in 1979 that I feel very, very proud about even though I exited in 1990 About 12 years later. That was it was a great success for me, both financially personally and any other kind of business was it

Sabine 12:24

What kind of restaurant was it an upscale seafood

Paul 12:28

steakhouse about 75 miles north of New York City and it is still open today. So we're talking 2144 years later for a restaurant to be in business 44 years is pretty impressive. And again, I was only in it for the first 12 of those years but I found that it and the menu and the concept that we developed still there in place today and I learned how to 10 bar and I learned how to cook then I learned how to wash dishes. And I did all those things because that's the way that I am about something. But that wasn't the job that I had with that business. I dealt with the people for the most part and the vendors. That's what I enjoyed doing. And you have to learn early on what hats you like to wear and what hat you don't like. Absolutely and when I sold that business, yeah, when I sold that business, that's when I went on and that's at a point shortly thereafter, is when I founded my software company because I kind of went back to my math roots to decide what I wanted to do in my next phase of life.

Sabine 13:26

Talking about the next phase in your life. I see from our conversation, you you got the entrepreneurial bug so to speak, and we're always looking for new opportunities growing out of the one business and to an next business. With all of that said I kind of have the feeling you are you can can be I don't know if you are like a workaholic, you're really focusing on the business. But we also know life and business has to be imbalanced that your personal life and the business. Did you see or did you have an experience that your business life took over and you had challenges in your personal life, either health relationship or whatnot?

Paul 14:20

Sabine it's a great question. Probably one better asked of my wife than me. You know, God bless her are married 30 years now. She's put up with an awful lot.

Sabine 14:31

Congratulations.

Paul 14:32

Thank you. Congratulate me and please give her all your sympathy. So she she's put up with a lot. And because I get passionate about something and then you know, I may may want to pivot and do something else and and I don't want your audience or you to think that this was a trajectory in my life. There was that took those 12 years that were very successful in the restaurant business. I relocated from New York to Florida because I wanted to play tennis more. And I wasn't working that much in the restaurant. My partner, it was functioning just fine without me really. And so my parents really look retired and moved to Florida. So I decided to follow them and not only to be near them as they were aging, but also because financially I was able to afford to to be where I wanted to be. And I wanted to be someplace I could play more tennis. So I moved to Florida, but then when I got there after several months, I said well what's all going to do when he grows up and had to figure out what I wanted to do in the most recent successful thing that I did was the restaurant business. So I opened up a restaurant in Florida, in Delray Beach, Florida. That was a beautiful restaurant kind of copying my restaurant in New York. But I wasn't very smart or wise about the market and the research and also the partnerships I developed in creating this restaurant. And so what I made in 12 years in New York I lost in one year in Florida. And it was a it was a situation that result in bankruptcy. And, again, I don't say that proudly or negatively. I say that because that was just the circumstance the way it was. And that's when I have to back fail. That's when I bounce back to my roots of the education and the mathematics and computers.

Sabine 16:13

I let me let me interrupt you right there because I think this is a very important point for for my listeners to understand. And that goes back to the advice the other one of your bosses gave you to say, hey, go in your own business, you will get all the rewards, but you also have to carry all the risks. And believe me, I know what you went through because I did the same thing. I had a very successful performing art school, but then I ventured out into something that I was not really educated in, going into real estate and invested wrong time. Wrong area wrong everything basically. And I lost everything that I worked for those years. I know exactly. What you what you said. And I, too, had to go through bankruptcy. And I want our listeners to understand that. Yes, you take risks and you make mistakes. We all make mistakes. That's how we grow but I also truly believe if we don't take this as a oh my gosh, now I've failed. Oh my gosh, The World Ends no but take this as the stepping stone to our next greatest self. And I would like to know from you, Paul, when you went through there, first of all, number one, how did you feel about the whole situation? And what helped you because I'm sure losing everything that you made in 12 years is painful. How did you get through that? Time of Your Life to that pain and turn it around to make it a stepping stone for your success?

Paul 18:07

So a great observation question, Sabine. And the answer for me was very simple. I had wonderful people around me people that supported me, and not just financially although that was an element that helped me go day to day until I find my next path. But family and friends that were there to support me who were as confident in me as I was in me that I was going to get through that phase of a financial setback, which is all it was, well, that's not true. It's also somewhat of an emotional one that I like use that invested in the wrong market at the wrong time. Even though my restaurant was very successful. We have great four star reviews right at the beginning, but it was a market in South Florida that I didn't understand that well. I had people around me, people around me that believed in me. I believed in me, I figured okay, this just didn't work out what's next. And I looked for different, different avenues to explore. You know, some things were presented to me some things I looked for, which is really where I am today and actually the last 30 years looking for different opportunities to go back to your original point and question about you know, the not and this as well, about the having the people around you so I had my wife she when she sees me these days, and over the last 20 years or so, as companies were approaching me to market and serve and support their products with trying to help them grow. I would I would look at it first and make sure it was something I could get passionate about. And that I would believe in so that I can really get behind it because that was absolutely number one important to me before I took on a job or invested in something. And so when I would typically be in my home office, which is where I am today talking to you and your audience, and I would call into the other room in the house and I deal to Maureen my wife, and I say Hey, honey, come here. Come take a look at this because I found something that was interesting to me. Well, invariably, she learned over the years not to come into my office and said she would go ahead and cut up my credit cards and hide the bank account. Because she said oh here we go again. Paul's going to invest in something crazy. But she's been very supportive over the years and this particular wall printing machine or vertical printing machine as it's called. When she saw this she kind of dug it to and again to your audience. One thing I didn't mention early on and as we become a conversation, he spent 15 seconds to 30 seconds on my company's website, the wall printer.com You'll learn everything there is to know about what I'm doing. And it was a machine that was just fascinating to me and she said, Okay, you can sell this and even though it was the same reaction you had Sabine never seen anything like it. I just figured if I could create business opportunities for people, and it solved the problem putting artwork on walls in a different way. And there was a market for it that I could articulate this to people and help them thrive in their business journeys by making a business out of this. Yeah, so so for that for that reason, you know, I look for things like that, that I can get passionate about. But ultimately, the whole journey it's because I've had just wonderful people in my network. And and that's really what I've done my whole life really is all of these jobs that I've had and all these businesses I've created or supported, had the role I've taken the hat I chose to wear because I think I was very good at it was those relationship building hats. I wasn't good and still I'm not good in the financial aspects. Still not very good in legal still not very not good. In managing hiring and firing. Although I've been blessed with a very good team. I've got 15 people working for me. Let's see,

Sabine 21:59

that's what it's all about. You don't have to be a master in every aspect. But if you have a good team around you that can handle that. Hey, that's all you need. You are the creator. You are the one with the ideas.

Paul 22:17

What makes a good leader. It's very simple. It's somebody who's smart enough to hire the best people to do a job but wise enough to back off and let them do it. I love it. I love it. And so people people who think that they can do everything, you know, maybe you can Okay, but that doesn't mean you should know business. I mean, I couldn't possibly support the customers. We have 120 customers today. I've got a team of three people that deals with the customer and technical support. Even though I know everything there is to know about the machines and how to service them. I can't be doing that and also having a conversation like this with you or a potential customer. I can't be doing the social media marketing and video production necessary to let people know what is a vertical printing machine or a fluid printing machine and create those ads in him deliver the message so to speak of what this business opportunity can offer. And so people are doing that that are better qualified than I am and I just back off and let them do it right and hopefully try to keep it all together.

Sabine 23:20

So that was a very insightful conversation. If you could leave our listeners with like one or two tips or pieces of advice that would help them get through a, you know, challenging situation. What would you tell them?

Paul 23:46

Don't look within yourself and look to your network. Look, you know, just seek counsel. And what I mean by that. I don't mean necessarily psychological counseling. I mean, seek counsel from people you trust. For whose opinions your value, you know, tell them what your situation is, be honest. And tell them either what you think you'd like to do or why something may have not gone the way you wanted it to or what you're looking for. And and then just you know, leverage the network you have yours whether you think you have a network or not. You do there's got to be somebody out there with a family or friends or colleagues current former that understand you maybe better than you understand you and so take for granted the fact that somebody else is happy to offer that you know, there's the same be Be nice to the people you see on the way up because they're the same people you're going to see on the way down.

Sabine 24:48

I like that. Thank you Paul for sharing your story tips and wisdom with our listeners today.

Paul 24:55

Thank you for being I appreciate the opportunity to talk to you and your audience.

Sabine 24:58

That was my interview. And if you enjoyed it, give us a five star review. Leave a comment and share it with your friends. Thanks for listening until I see you again. Always remember. So from the heart. Follow your passion to live the life you imagine.

Ep.42 Unstoppable - We Can Have It All

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 11:00:00 GMT

After being abused by her drug-addicted mother, she was adopted at the age of 4. Victoria has been driven to show the world that no matter your circumstances, you can create a successful and happy life. Today she is a wife, mom, and Corporate Executive who received many awards. Victoria’s message is that we CAN have it all as long as we live a life of NoExcuses.

Shownotes:

Victoria Pelletier was a determined 11-year-old who wanted to be better than what she had. Even though she had to deal with a lot of trouble and trauma as a child, she was determined to do well and worked her way to the top, becoming COO at 24, President at 35, and CEO at 41. She learned to pick herself up and keep going, and her drive helped her achieve many things. Victoria now serves on many boards, coaches and mentors female entrepreneurs, and speaks on leadership, culture, diversity, and inclusion, all to make the world a safer, more welcoming place. In her book, "Unstoppable," she talks about her motto and life philosophy, which she hopes will inspire other people to be brave and take charge of their lives.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. How Victoria Pelletier achieved success in business despite extreme adversity and trauma in her childhood.

2. How she developed resilience and overcame challenges to become an unstoppable force.

3. How she encourages others to take control of their career and build a strong personal brand.

Connect with Victoria Pelletier:

Victoria Pelletier on Linkedin

Victoria Pelletier on Instagram

Want to hear more of Victoria Pelletier’s story? Grab your copy of the Unstoppable book here.

Connect with Sabine Kvenberg:

Free Resources: https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/resources

Brenden Kumarasamy on Linkedin

➤Are you looking for the finest online course platform to build and sell courses swiftly? Why not try Kajabi? All the tools of Kajabi make it easier for you to create online courses, podcasts, coaching, memberships, and more! Try the 30-day free trial and make the most out of it. And if you're just getting started and want to put your offer up for sale in three days or less, click this link https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/making_it_happen to apply to "MAKING IT HAPPEN."

TRANSCRIPT

00:00:00 Sabine: Hello, my name is Sabine Kvenberg, founder and host of BECOME. The content will inspire you to reach your aspirations and become the best version of yourself. I feature interviews with successful individuals from various industries, delving into their personal and professional journeys and their strategies to achieve their goals. We have to become the person we are meant to be first, so we can live the life we are destined to live. That means we must overcome challenges and to work through difficult times to learn, grow, and become the new, more fabulous version of ourselves. I'm so glad that you're here. Let's get on this journey together.

00:00:54 Sabine: My guest today, Victoria Pelletier, has an unstoppable spirit. She is a prolific speaker, whose personal story carries so much strength. After being abused by her drug addicted mother, she was adopted at the age of four. Victoria has been driven to show the world that no matter your circumstances, you can create a successful and happy life. Today, she is a wife, mom, and corporate executive who received many awards. Victoria's message is that “We CAN have it all, as long as we live a life of NoExcuses.” Welcome, Victoria, I'm so happy to have you as my guest today.

00:01:42 Victoria: Thanks, Sabine. I'm happy to be here.

00:01:44 Sabine: And I must say, reading your bio, it seems like you must be already ready for retirement. But I see you're here in front of me and you're this beautiful young woman, have accomplished so many things. But I'm sure that you also had to go through some of challenging situations. But before we go into your unstoppable mentality and vigorous character, why don't you give us just a quick background of who you are? What you have done?

00:02:25 Victoria: Sure, happy to. So I am, as you said, a long time in business, which is why you expected to see more gray hair here. I do cover them, mind you. I had been working since I was 11. And by 14, I was already in my first leadership role and promoted up through the ranks. What's really interesting is I expected to be a lawyer. That's what I was studying and was about to transfer to law school when I had the opportunity to take a promotion from the bank that I was working at, at the time. And when I decided I was never after that work for a number of years, I was like, “I guess I'm not going back to law school or going to law school, nor moving back to my hometown.” And continue the progression from there and became a COO at just age 24, president by 35, CEO at 41.

00:03:16 Victoria: And where it comes from quite honestly, use the phrase and title of my book, Unstoppable. It is my mantra and my life's philosophy. And I often talk about diversity, equity, inclusion, and understanding people's why. And that's their lived experience, what gets them to where they are today. And your listeners are probably wondering, and as do many of the people that I speak to, where did the drive? Where did this all come from? How did it come into being? And it's because I overcame extreme adversity in my youth, abused by the teenage drug addicted mother, who gave birth to me, for a number of years. I was fortunate to be adopted. And a series of other unfortunate events that occurred from there through my childhood. And I believe that you have a choice in terms of how you react and respond to things and pick up and how do you move forward. So it is those early years that really pushed me to be better than either the biology that I was born into or the circumstances, which I had otherwise experienced too, to get to where I am today.

00:04:17 Sabine: So at what age were you adopted?

00:04:21 Victoria: At four.

00:04:22 Sabine: Okay, okay. So, obviously, the first few years are very, very pregnant for us as human beings, but we get there and a lot of the stuff lives in our unconscious mind even up into adulthood. So when you said you had some of abuse and challenges in your childhood, can you remember what that was?

00:04:49 Victoria: I can and it's unusual because a lot of children don't remember things before the age of six or seven perhaps. And for me, I can very much remember being two and three years old, and abused by my biological mother, whether that was pushed up and down stairs. I had teeth that had been impacted as a result of that, even my baby teeth. Even to this day, one of my eye droops a little bit lower than the other because I had a cigarette in my eye and I wore a patch for months.

00:05:20 Sabine: Oh, my goodness.

00:05:21 Victoria: So I remembered a lot of it. Those were, ended up being quite formative, even though we would say it's a little bit later in children's lives just because of the trauma that I dealt with.

00:05:31 Sabine: Wow, wow. That is something. I've never heard of this, that you remember. But obviously, it was very traumatic. During your years of being adopted, how was that for you as a child? Did you really see them as your parents? Or were they just basically taking care of you? What was that bond that you had with your adopted parents?

00:06:03 Victoria: I very much saw them as my parents. And that's grown into how I view it today. You parents are those that raise you, quite frankly. And so they are my parents. And so I viewed them that way. But what I will say is the trauma and feeling, like I internalized a lot of the abuse I received at the hands of my biological mother as something I did wrong, and then ultimately to be removed. And/or she agreed to give me to my adoptive parents so that they knew one another. But still, I felt a sense of rejection and insecurity always. So even though I believed my parents were my parents, and my mum, especially I had a much closer bond to her than I did to my dad. I was still pushing away. I remember my mom saying to me many times, like “Tori, you need to stop. We are not giving you away.” Because I would push and I would challenge out of fear, quite honestly. Like if I can push you away before you do me, maybe it's a less hurt, is what I viewed it. So it took a lot of years to get comfortable in that setting.

00:07:09 Sabine: Yeah, I mean, this is one of those coping mechanism that we have as human beings. And I know what you're talking about. And fortunately, I was not abused, but I lost my birth father when I was just three years old. And I didn't remember much. But in my adulthood, way later in my adulthood, I had really fear of rejections, fear of being left alone, and I didn't know where this come from. I had separation anxieties, when I was in my adulthood, until I really worked through it. And it came about, that it was from those childhood experiences. And I totally get it, we have to work through it. Now, obviously, what was it in your upbringing? Was your foster parents or was your adopted parents that led you to who you are today, that unstoppable personality that you have, really wanting to succeed? Where are they going? Were they acting as role models for you? Did they give you some push? Was this something evolved other than yourself?

00:08:31 Victoria: I think, I wouldn't say it was, role models for my parents. My mum, at one point said, “You have to do better than us.” She actually meant socioeconomically and vocationally because my dad was a school janitor. And my mom was a secretary. She had wishes of being an artist or whatnot. And her own father pushed her down a very different path. And so they encouraged me to do more and better in their eyes. Sabine, I think hearing that from my parents, it was nice and helpful. But the reality is, I became so driven. The early years for me were outside of my control. And so for me, my schoolwork and then my paid work were all things that I could control, my work ethic, how hard I worked, how much learnings and credentials I received to be better and better from a work perspective. And so it was that drive that I think really propelled me, not because I had role models. I just was determined I was going to be better than biology or circumstance.

00:09:34 Victoria: And then the other thing is, I had a number of things happen to me throughout childhood. So the height I am now, we can't tell through this, for the subtle screen. I mean, I was five foot eight by the time I was 11. Maybe I remember being taller than my teachers. I was gifted academically in a time where the kids made fun of it whereas I feel like in today's society, in generation, they admire that. So there were just lots of challenges to a teenage rape for me as well. So it was all of these things that just came in to me. And I think at some point, you have a choice to pick up and move on or wallow in that. And I worry about what that would look like. So long way of saying, I think my mum helped and pushed me, but I was running towards something, always.

00:10:25 Sabine: It is definitely something that, if you get this recognition, if you are the best that you can be, then you feel good about yourself and knowing that you're worth something versus how you grew up and how you were treated like you were worth nothing. I think that could have been a coping mechanism. So you mentioned you had to go through a teenage rape.

00:10:57 Victoria: Yeah, it was hard, me raped when I was 14 by, I'll say a man because technically, he was an adult. He was 18. I skipped a couple of grades in school, so I was younger in high school. And this was a high school senior that I had just started dating, had been introduced me from another friend. And sadly, that didn't end very well for me. And I always look back at that. And I'm a big believer in now around developing a healthy level of resilience. And I very much didn't have that, as I said, picking yourself up and moving forward. But a lot of times, I think I just compartmentalize the feelings, emotions, and really didn't process whatever has happened. And so for me, now I can look back on that, and no rape victim should ever be blamed.

00:11:46 Victoria: So I'm going to say that as I make this next statement. I think I often put myself in a bad situation, when I was younger, to be liked, to be loved, to be accepted. And so some of the ways in which I did that could be considered some riskier behavior and has put myself not in the best situation. And so this was one of those. Again, there's no victim shaming or blaming for this. But at the same time, it's part of what caused me to remember with my mum, who was aware, and we talked through it, like how did this come to be. And I'd, just a couple years before, been hanging out with much older boys. And I think all of that was, again, as I said, just an attempt to feel good and liked and loved and accepted.

00:12:30 Sabine: I'll thank you so much for sharing this because there was so much wisdom with what you just said, that we do things in our lives, risky things in our lives, that led us to an undesirable experience. But at the same time, we were just trying to do our best, to trying to fit in, trying to be loved because that's our human nature. We want to be loved. We want to fit in. And sometimes, it ends up in a not so good situation. But the most important part, what you also shared is that, “Hey, we have to work through it. And we should not be feeling shamed or blamed, any of the situation.” So I really appreciated that you share that part of it because sometimes, it's being overlooked. It's just like, “Oh, my God, how sad it was.” But we also have to see the whole of a picture. And I believe every situation will make us stronger and leads us to our life's path, where we are now. So bringing us to where you are now, tell us what engages you? What are you passionate about? What drives you today?

00:14:01 Victoria: So there are a number of things. And what's funny is I put in my email signature line that I made multipotentialite. And that being that I had a ton of different interests and passions that get me motivated and bring me joy. I will say I do enjoy working. My husband jokes that I'm never going to retire. I enjoy the challenge of leading large scale businesses and the complexity of those. After I left the bank and got recruited at 24 to be a COO, my journey from there has been almost exclusively in the business to business, professional services space. And that in itself is complex because you're dealing with corporate clients who pay a bill and either their customers or employees to provide some kind of a service. And so that's, still excites me, the work that I do.

00:14:48 Victoria: But it shifted to getting joy from many, many other things. And so for me, I sit on a multitude of boards or I have over the last many years, a number of which were not the profits, but they align very much with the things that matter to me. One was a national vocational services organization. So you know, new immigrants to the country, that's when I was living in Canada. So new immigrants to Canada or those that were underemployed and helping them find employment. The other one was being a part of Canada's largest child welfare agency. They're fundraising arm, the Children's Aid Foundation. Being the children from the system, I wanted a way to give back. And then I also do that on for profit boards on things that I care about or I think are great opportunities. And I coach and mentor female entrepreneurs. And I have been staunchly committed to a much more diverse and inclusive world, not just the workplaces that I work in, but the communities I live in and in creating safe spaces for people to belong. And so I do a lot of talks. I'm a public speaker, as well. And I talk on a number of those things, leadership, culture, diversity, inclusion, being just some of them.

00:15:57 Sabine: I love it. That's what makes a difference. Each individual person can make a difference by the way they show up. And you show up in so many different ways. If you had a magic wand and you could wish anything to change in this world or in your own life, what would that be?

00:16:21 Victoria: Hmm. I've always said that when I talk about my children. So I have two children, who are both technically adults now, because my younger one is 18, that my job was to raise two really good humans. And so first and foremost, I work hard. I spent 220 days traveling on the road one year when my children were quite young. And as much as I love that, I love being a mother. What I would change however, is my younger one. If I could bring some of that fairy dust over, my younger one is bipolar and has lots of mental health challenges. And I wish a better life for Jordan, my youngest, and then I could just flick a switch. One of my nicknames in businesses, the turnaround queen, because I fix things. And this is one of those things that I can't fix. So I wish that genie in a bottle to come in and sprinkle some of that dust on my youngest.

00:17:24 Sabine: Oh, that is beautiful. That really shows how much you care. And sometimes dealing with family members, knowing they could be better if ABC would happen, right? But at the end, I believe we all are dealing our own fate. And sometimes, as an outside person or somebody very close, like you as a mother, we might see this as an unfortunate circumstance. But then you never know what comes out of it and why this happens. Maybe this is exactly what she needs to go through right now to later on maybe talk about it, maybe help some other person go through it because she went through it. So I always try to see if I can find the silver lining to everything. And sometimes, it also means we have to let go of the attachment of that person, right?

00:18:37 Victoria: Yeah.

00:18:37 Sabine: Yeah, yeah.

00:18:39 Victoria: Yeah, it's tough.

00:18:44 Sabine: Just sprinkle some light, to send some light in this direction because everything is energy. And so for whatever it's worth, I hope that she is getting through there with ease and fast. So, right now, you are also a contributor to a book that was called Unstoppable. What was your contribution to that book?

00:19:12 Victoria: Yeah, so there were a number of authors who each wrote a chapter for the book. And the funny thing is it was a friend of mine, who had worked with his publisher before, and she got me connected. And when I found out the subject of the book was Unstoppable, about changemakers, who dare to make a difference, that's the full title of the book. I was like, “That is me through and through.” So I was really excited to become part of it. And actually, the publishers decided to make me the first chapter in the book, which felt great. And it was nice to be alongside other Unstoppable individuals, those who have moved and/or made great changes in their or other's lives.

00:19:54 Sabine: Yeah, that is fantastic. Congratulations. What was the topic that you were talking about?

00:20:00 Victoria: I shared my story. The chapter is called ‘Courage To Live.’ And so I shared some of what I share with you here today in the listening audience and some of the things and advice I would give others around their own courage to live or to be unstoppable.

00:20:15 Sabine: Oh, wow. I encourage everybody to get that book. And where can they get that book? Can you share your site with our listeners?

00:20:28 Victoria: For sure, and thanks for asking. I have a personal website, which is victoria-pelletier.com. And there, you'll find that, not only the book, but for those who are interested in a public speaker, you'll find samples of me speaking there. And otherwise, I publish regular articles and content, both on my blog and for other news outlets.

00:20:50 Sabine: Wonderful. And I'll make sure that I put this information into the show notes. If there is one piece of advice you would like to leave our listeners with, what would that be?

00:21:07 Victoria: I'm a big believer in this notion of control. And therefore, I talk and coach a lot of people about, “You're the CEO, a brand you.” And so taking complete charge of that, whether it's around building a strong personal brand, which I think is critically important for. Even if you're straight out of post secondary, I think it's important to start building a brand there and that tells people who you are, what's your unique value proposition to the world and into business specifically. So you need to control the narrative around that and how you show up. But it also means, when I say CEO of you, that you don't put your career in someone else's hands. You take charge in terms of maintaining your skills and making sure you're relevant for where the market and the world is moving, and not just assuming that your good performance is going to move you to the next level. So really being in charge. And I have the saying, “You don't ask, you don't get.” My children know that well now, but I think that's important. And I'd encourage your listeners to do that for themselves.

00:22:11 Sabine: I love it. You don't ask, you don't get. Yes, I always say, “Ask and you shall receive.” And that's the truth. I always, always have done that in my life. And I can second that, that this does work. Thank you so much, Victoria, for being here with my listeners sharing your story and your wisdom. So thank you so much.

00:22:38 Victoria: Thank you.

00:22:41 Sabine: That was my interview. And if you enjoyed it, give us a five star review. Leave a comment and share it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Until I see you again. Always remember, so from the heart, follow your passion and live the life you imagine.

Ep.41 Master Talk - Becoming A Skillful Communicator

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 10:22:00 GMT

In this episode, Brenden Kumarasamy described how his desire to prove his father wrong led him to become an extraordinary speaker and communication coach, only to realize that his father's influence was the greatest gift all along. He shares his story growing up in a family with his alcoholic father, whom he stopped talking to at age 15, and how he overcame bullying because of his physical disability. During our conversation, he revealed a few of his secrets that not only helped him to become a skillful speaker but is also helping his clients to become better communicators.

Shownotes:

At the age of twelve, Brenden Kumarasamy discovered the exciting world of competitive presentations, and his career path was set. Teaching people how to articulate their thoughts allowed him to hone his own communication skills. Brenden's life was fraught with difficulties—from his family's dysfunction to the paralysis of his left arm—but he channeled these difficulties into determination to become a world-class communicator. Brenden was able to mend and leverage his talent hence, MasterTalk, a coaching program for ambitious executives and entrepreneurs to become one of the top 1% of communicators in their industry. He also has a popular YouTube channel, MasterTalk, to provide free communication tools for everyone worldwide.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

What were some of the challenges Brenden had as a kid, and how did he overcome them?
What is the correlation between talking about your goals and achieving them more quickly?
Highlighting the significance of utilizing technological advantages.

Connect with Brenden Kumarasamy:

Brenden Kumarasamy on Instagram

MasterTalk

MasterTalk on YouTube

Rockstar Communication

Get in touch with Sabine:

Free Resources: https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/resources

Connect with Sabine Kvenberg:

Your Guided Health Journey

➤Are you looking for the finest online course platform to swiftly build and sell courses? Why not try Kajabi? All the tools of Kajabi make it easier for you to create online courses, podcasts, coaching, memberships, and more! Try the 30-day free trial and make the most out of it. And if you're just getting started and want to put your offer up for sale in three days or less, follow this link and apply to "MAKING IT HAPPEN."

Ep.38 Don't Wait For Your Wake-Up Call

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 12:00:00 GMT

After 24 years of service, Melissa was given 1 hour to clear her desk with no word of thanks! However, this allowed her to rethink her life. She was open to being guided as to what was next. She shares her story of how a seemingly devastating circumstance led her to step into her true passion & purpose!

Show notes:

Melissa embarks on an unexpected path of self-discovery and empowerment after being suddenly let go from her corporate position, eventually leading her to become a health coach and create a foundation to help girls in undeveloped nations access school and break the poverty cycle.

Melissa Deally is a health coach, podcast host, and founder of Your Guided Health Journey. She is passionate about helping people optimize their health and guiding them through their health journey.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. How to optimize health to avoid getting sick and not needing to wait for a "wake-up call".

2. The power of investing in one's own health journey to achieve better results.

3. How a series of unforeseen circumstances led to her becoming a successful health coach.

Connect with Melissa Deally:

Melissa Deally on Linkedin

Connect with Sabine Skvenberg:

Sabine Skvenberg on Facebook

Sabine Skvenberg on Linkedin

Sabine Skvenberg on YouTube

Empowered Women on Purpose

➤Are you looking for the finest online platform to build and sell courses swiftly? Why not try Kajabi? All the tools of Kajabi make it easier for you to create online courses, podcasts, coaching, memberships, and more! Try the 30-day free trial and make the most out of it. And if you're just getting started and want to put your offer up for sale in three days or less, follow this link and apply to "MAKING IT HAPPEN."

TRANSCRIPT

00:00:00 Melissa: So I had a really good mindset around understanding that I just have to get started. I may not feel ready, and that's okay. If I wait to feel ready, I will never start.

00:00:15 Sabine: That's right. And to quote the great Zig Ziglar, "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."

00:00:24 Sabine: Welcome to my podcast, BECOME. The content will inspire you to take steps towards reaching your aspirations and becoming the best version of yourself. I feature interviews with successful individuals from various industries, delving into their personal and professional journeys and their strategies to achieve their goals. We have to become the person we are meant to be so we can live the life we are destined to live. That means we must overcome challenges and work through difficult times to learn, grow, and become the more incredible version of ourselves. I am so glad that you're here. Let's get on this journey together.

00:01:10 Sabine: My guest today is health coach Melissa Deally. She is the host of the podcast “Don't Wait for Your Wake Up Call!” and founder of Your Guided Health Journey.

00:01:23 Sabine: Welcome, Melissa. How are you today?

00:01:26 Melissa: I'm doing wonderfully, thank you. How are you, Sabine?

00:01:29 Sabine: Oh, I'm fantastic. So where are you calling in from?

00:01:34 Melissa: I'm actually coming in from Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. So the ski hill is right out my window.

00:01:40 Sabine: Boohoo! Another international guest. I love it. Yeah, we recently met during Podapalooza, which is an event where we both were featured as podcasters, and we didn't have the chance to meet then, so we thought we'll catch up here.

00:01:59 Melissa: Exactly.

00:02:00 Sabine: Yeah. Your podcast is called ‘Don't Wait for Your Wake Up Call!.’ Can you tell us more about your podcast?

00:02:07 Melissa: Sure, I would love to. Thank you. I named it back because what I am doing with that podcast is bringing health information to people so that they can be able to make better choices in their health journey. And our health is always a journey from the moment we come onto this planet to the moment we leave. However, we often don't get taught how we can truly optimize our health through our education system or even through our medical system. Our medical system is often helping you once you get sick, but why do we have to wait till we get sick? And so that's what I'm trying to give people, is that education on how to optimize our health so we don't have to wait to get sick, and hence, don't wait for your wake up call.

00:02:56 Sabine: So, Melissa, we had a prior conversation, and before you started your health journey or health education journey, you were in a totally different field, and you were actually in the corporate world, and you worked there for 24 years. And then you got this devastating quote, unquote in that moment, I'm sure it was devastating news that you were laid off. So tell us first, what did you do for 24 years?

00:03:38 Melissa: I worked in a hotel company in Canada, and it was a brand that had over 40 hotels across the country. And it was my responsibility to bring all of the Asian guests to the hotels across Canada because I had the good fortune to be raised in Asia. I speak Japanese, I understand the Asian cultures. So it was a really good fit. And I absolutely loved this job. It allowed me to travel back to Asia on business. I could also then see my friends. So I absolutely loved this work.

00:04:10 Sabine: Can you still speak Japanese? Can you give us a sentence of Japanese?

00:04:17 Melissa: Sure. I do still speak Japanese. And yes, "Ohayou gozaimasu. Genki desu ka? Ikaga desu ka?" is, you know, "Good morning. How are you?" As simple as that.

00:04:29 Sabine: I love it. I love it . So you are in Canada and then you lost the job, but then a big fish bought the little fish, and then you were basically given 1 hour to clear out your desk without even a thank you.

00:04:51 Melissa: Yes.

00:04:52 Sabine: How was that experience? What did you feel and were you angry? What was that experience for you?

00:04:59 Melissa: I was a, first of all, shocked because we had been told as salespeople that we were not going to be the first ones let go because we would need to have time to transition our client base to other people, et cetera, et cetera. And so that's a, first of all, what we had been told when we heard the sale was happening, and then to find out that I was really one of the first to be let go and the hour to clear out my desk, that was shocking. But it just hurt that there was no words of thank you through that entire process. And it was probably about five days later when HR contacted me. And I wasn't the only one being let go. Hundreds of us were being let go. So HR was very busy and it took them probably about five days until we were able to connect.

00:05:53 Melissa: And I said to them, they were checking in, how are you doing? And I said, "You know what, I get it. This is business. This is what happens. But I just want to say that I'm just the most hurt. It's simply that there wasn't even any kind of thank you for my years of service." And then the HR person said, "Well, that was actually going to be the next thing I said, which sounds really inauthentic now that you've told me that. I'm sorry that you didn't get that in that moment when you got the phone call that you were being let go."

00:06:24 Sabine: Wow. So what did you do after finding yourself without a job?

00:06:29 Melissa: Well, I was grateful for the fact that because I had been there 24 years, I did receive a payout. And so I didn't feel like I had to rush into another job tomorrow in order to make the mortgage payments, et cetera. So I did give myself that gift of space to figure out what it truly was that I wanted to do next. I didn't want to stay in the same industry, I did look at this as one door closes, another door opens. This is an opportunity for me to do something completely different with the second half of my career, and that's what I consider it. So I needed time to figure out what that was, and I was open to being guided.

00:07:16 Melissa: And over the course of the next four or five months, I was actually introduced to a supplement company. And I thought, "I don't want to do supplements. Everybody does supplements." Until I found out that it was supplements specifically for the brain. And I found that interesting because I knew there was near epidemic levels of Alzheimer's and dementia. And if I could share this with the world and start to reduce the rates of Alzheimer's and dementia by educating people about looking after their brain, well, that would be one of those touchstones that I said I wanted to help humanity more, and that would help. So I looked at it and I went, "This is interesting."

00:07:59 Melissa: And it got me thinking, because my grandmother was 99 at the time, and she lived at home all by herself, cared for herself, and fully cognitively functioning. And so I knew that I had good genes, but I wondered is that enough? If I want to be on her path versus the Alzheimer's and dementia path, are my good genes enough or do I have to do more? And then I started comparing her life to my life. And she was born in little old Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1916, you know, bottom corner of the Earth, before all the toxins we have in the world today. Growing all their own food on the property. And then I was raised in Tokyo, Japan. Amazing life. However, it was in the 1970s with manufacturing plants, spewing out toxins, and I realized I'm way more toxic than my grandmother was. I need to do more.

00:08:54 Sabine: Absolutely.

00:08:56 Melissa: So I started learning about the brain because I was intrigued. You use your brain 24/7, right? So I was like, "If I can do more for my brain, I probably should." So I started learning about the brain, learning about toxicity and how it impacts the brain and the body . And about four months later, my oldest daughter got a concussion in her first grade. 12 soccer games of the season.

00:09:19 Sabine: Yes, we are living in a different world, and I totally understand where you're coming from. The matter of the fact is, my mother-in-law just passed away last year from Alzheimer's, and I know how difficult it is for many, many people. So talking about being guided, you took the time and just let the universe direct something to you. And now, your daughter had a concussion. So how did this all work together ?

00:10:08 Melissa: So she had that concussion and she had literally just started using this supplementation for the brain, and I realized as I looked at what the supplementation for the brain was doing, that it would be very beneficial in her recovery. So I continued having her use it, while also ensuring that she was getting treatment with local physiotherapists that specialize in concussion therapy. And my piece was kind of bringing the nutritional piece to it. She also didn't have the cognitive ability to go to the appointment and come home and tell me what they said she needed to do before her next appointment because of the concussion. So I wasn't working full time, right? Everything happens for a reason. Now, I'm able to go to the appointments with her, so I can capture that information and then also remind her to do those things each day because the healing isn't at the appointment. The healing happens between the appointments, right ? So that's what we were doing. And it's a very difficult injury because she didn't ask for the concussion.

00:11:16 Melissa: And now she's in grade 12, she can't go to school, she can't do any of the fun things that all the other grade twelve kids are doing. She's very isolated, has low energy, can't be around lots of noises, and so it's very hard and a lot of people will go into a depression. So I was trying to manage that along with the good nutrition. Two months into her recovery, I got a phone call when I was driving to Vancouver from the high school to please go and pick up my younger daughter who had a suspected concussion from grade 8 gym class. And in that moment, I looked out my windshield, across the water, up at the heavens and said, really? This is how you show me my path? Please stop taking out my children. So now I have two daughters with two very different concussions, both using very good brain supplementation, both going to therapy, et cetera, and guiding their journeys. And I realized people need more support in their health journey.

00:12:23 Melissa: The body only heals in a relaxed state. And when you're trying to figure out your health journey on your own, you're still in a stress state and the body can't heal because you're wondering am I doing it right? Is this the right information? You can go on Google and get ten different things that you should do, or diagnose yourself as imminently passing away tomorrow, which is very stressful. So people need more support and a little bit more hand holding.

00:12:51 Melissa: And soon after I was invited to work at a holistic clinic, and I wasn't able to get insurance to work there because I didn't have a certification. I only had my own research that I had done in order to guide my daughter's healing. So that led me to go back to school, and I contacted a friend who was a life coach, because life coach had kind of been ruminating in the back of my head. Is that something I want to do? But it hadn't landed. And I called this friend and said, "Look, I need to go back to school. I need to get a certification under my belt. Where did you do your life coaching training?" And he said you don't need to be a life coach. You need to be a health coach. And I went, "What? What's that?" I've never even heard the term. That landed. And I considered that another gift from the universe through my friend.

00:13:40 Melissa: And I researched health coaching schools, found one that I absolutely aligned with because of its focus on the brain as well, and jumped right in. And within 10 days, I was in this new cohort of students. And from that moment, I have never looked back. I couldn't get enough of this information. And I was like, "I'm in my 40s, why am I only learning this about my body now?" And then I realized, well, if I don't know this because I've been busy with my corporate career and being a mom and being a wife and having a life, I bet there's all these other people out there that don't know this either. And what if I learn this and then I teach it to them in ways that they can easily work it?

00:14:24 Sabine: Let me hop in here really quick to share something with you. Have you ever tried to build your own website, start a newsletter or build a course and charge for it? Have you ever wanted to make money online, but are totally confused by all the different systems you need to have? That's why I use Kajabi. Kajabi is the most popular system for online marketers, coaches, thought leaders and influencers. Kajabi helps online entrepreneurs take off. Over hundred thousands of us use Kajabi and have made over $4 billion. Why not be part of it? The best thing is you don't have to figure out tons of systems or crazy technology to start your online business. Kajabi helps you do all of that and it's all on one platform. That's why I use it. It makes my life so much easier and I can even earn money while I'm sleeping. You can build your web pages, blogs and membership sites. You can create offers, check out pages and collect money. You can host your videos. You can start your newsletter list, capture emails, start your marketing funnels all in one place. It makes it fun and easy with awesome tutorials and support. Since I've joined Kajabi from the beginning, I have a special affiliate link that I would like to share with you. A 30-day free trial. So nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Just go to my link that's in the show notes, sabineskvenberg.com/resources and we will redirect you to the free trial page. And if you are just starting out and want to get your offer out for sale in just three days, let me help you do that, visit my web page, by the way, that I build on Kajabi and apply to “MAKING IT HAPPEN.” So now let's get back to the show.

00:16:34 Sabine: I love it because this and just seeing you when we have this interview, it's also on video. So just seeing you, when you explained how you kind of found your calling, you were lit up. That means you really pursued your passion, what you are passionate about, and you found something within, but you also took the action, the right action to get the right education to start something on your own. And when I work with my clients, this is the first thing that I go through to guide them, to really find, to let go of the old things that don't serve them any longer and then really being open to receiving the news. Because you see, if you are preoccupied, like with your job or whatever else in your life, you're not open to receiving something new.

00:17:40 Melissa: True.

00:17:40 Sabine: And sometimes something devastating has to happen to become our next greater self. And I totally can see this with you. So you did the health education and then what? How did you then start your own business?

00:17:59 Melissa: So what I did is I completed one level of my health education and learned so much there. And one of the things that I learned is that your learning never ends either. The program was excellent, though. And this was another aspect that I enjoyed, is that they have included in my training, business coaching to help you get started in your business. And that was phenomenal because I'd been in the corporate world, there was people that did the marketing, people that did the accounting, people that did all the aspects. And now as a solopreneur, you're wearing all those hats and you need to learn how to do all of these things.

00:18:43 Melissa: So my program included that training at a very basic level, but it was enough for me to get started. What I also loved about the training was the focus on our mindset and how our beliefs impact our behaviors, which impact our results. And I had also read the book, ‘The Growth Mindset' by Carol Dweck. So I had a really good mindset around understanding that I just have to get started. I may not feel ready and that's okay. If I wait to feel ready, I will never start.

00:19:22 Sabine: That's right. And to quote the great Zig Ziggler, "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." So you just got started. And when was that? When did you start your business?

00:19:36 Melissa: That was in 2017. And another step that really helped me get started was part of our training required that we do some case studies with clients and that we actually take clients through the entire program. And that was required for completion of the program. And it was up to us as to whether we charged the clients or whether we did it for free. And we also had to do six enrollment calls as practice. So that's the phone call where you're talking to the person, and then you're enrolling them into your program, and they give you scripts and everything. So it's all very helpful. So I did six of those calls, and five people wanted to work with me. That was wonderful. And what I did is I charged them a fee. I didn't do it for free. I didn't charge them full price. I wasn't ready to charge full price, but I offered them to work with me at a discounted price because I was just getting started. And they loved that idea.

00:20:44 Melissa: And what I loved about it and why I decided to do that is because I knew myself if I didn't invest anything in it and it was free, I wouldn't take it seriously. And if I had five people go through the program not taking it seriously, at the end of that, I might feel like I'm not a good coach. But if I had five people that had invested something in it, then I knew that they would put more effort in and they would see the results, and then I would feel confident to move out into the world and charge people full price because now I'm certified.

00:21:19 Sabine: I love it. I really applaud you for that because we all are just human beings, right? And on top of that, if somebody gets something for free, they don't value the program or you, in that case, as, "Oh, yeah," I mean, "She's just doing it for free." I totally are on the same page. So basically that whole what we think, bad situation really being let go of a job that you had for 24 years. And in that moment, it might seem horrible, but actually it was a blessing in disguise.

00:22:07 Melissa: Oh, I agree. You've just given me full body truth bumps because... yes, I agree. And it didn't take me long to be able to look back upon it and see that. And in that process, I learned that everything happened for us, et cetera, et cetera. So this whole entire process happened for me so that I could really land in my purpose and my passion and everything that came beforehand just better prepared me to be the coach that I am today.

00:22:39 Sabine: I saw on your website that you support a nonprofit organization called Girls Matter. Tell us more about that.

00:22:48 Melissa: I do. That's my passion project. So I saw a documentary with my Girl Guides, or in the US, they're called Girl Scouts. Probably in around 2013, 2014, called Girls Rising. And it was a wonderful documentary about the plight of girls in 3rd World nations not being allowed to go to school. And I watched that documentary with tears coming down my face as these girls were begging to go to school and simply being denied because they were female. And I'm in a room of females knowing that each and every one of them at different times has begged not to go to school. And I did that myself as a child. We take school for granted in our first world countries. And I just thought, at some point in my life, I need to change this and do something about it. And I didn't know how to get started.

00:23:41 Melissa: However, one day, again, in 2017, I was at a conference where somebody said we are all put on this Earth to never stop learning, to find our passion and be of service, and you don't have to know the how. You just have to know the why, and the how will happen. And all of that really resonated with me. And I realized I just have to get started with Girls Matter as well. And I contacted some friends who had a nonprofit and said, "How did you start this nonprofit?" And they said, "What are you doing?" And I told them, and they said, "We'll do it with you." So the whole premise of this is to keep girls in school and give girls access to school. And by doing that, we are stopping teenage marriages, and we are breaking the poverty cycle one girl, one family, one village at a time. There is a statistic that I saw in that first documentary that if India educated just 1% more girls, they would grow their GDP by $5 billion.

00:23:48 Sabine: Wow.

00:23:48 Melissa: So there's the answer.

00:24:50 Sabine: Yeah.

00:24:50 Melissa: Where is the answer? So simple. It's not necessarily easy because there's cultural things as well. But if we just educate the girls, we can bring entire countries out of poverty.

00:25:03 Sabine: That shows me again, that we don't have to wait for something big to happen or some big money stay behind a cause. No. We can start if we have that passion in our heart. And as you mentioned, people will come to you and say, "Hey, what can we do? We want to help." And what I love about your organization is that 100% of the proceeds go to this nonprofit. So everybody is donating their time and resources even to that cause.

00:25:48 Melissa: I had just literally last week launched a Go Fund Me campaign for Girls Matter, for a very specific project, and that is to raise enough funds to provide the girls with menstrual pads so they can go to school every day because right now they don't have menstrual supplies. So they have to stay home for one week of every month and not attend school.

00:26:10 Sabine: Wow.

00:26:11 Melissa: And again, the universe gives back. So I was at a rotary meeting just a few weeks ago, talking about the girls, how we were supporting them, and this project for menstrual pads that I wanted to start. And lo and behold, the rotary organization in my local town is connected to one in Uganda, in the same country where the girls are that we're supporting, and they've just built a manufacturing plant to make these menstrual supplies. So now we just have to fundraise the funds in order to be able to support the girls. And for just $20, you can provide a girl with these reusable washable pads, enough of them for her four years of high school.

00:26:53 Sabine: Wow. That's amazing. Yeah. I will be giving those $20 to support one girl for four years, so sign me up. Melissa, thank you so much for being on this podcast. If people want to get in touch with you, how can they do that?

00:27:14 Melissa: Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it. And the easiest way is simply Melissa at yourguidedhealthjourney.com.

00:27:23 Sabine: And I will make sure to put it in the show notes. Once again, thank you so much, and I look forward to another conversation sometime in the future.

00:27:32 Melissa: Thank you very much for having me and for helping me share the work that I do in the world. I appreciate it.

00:27:40 Sabine: That was my interview, and if you enjoyed it, give us a five star review, leave a comment and share it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Until I see you again. Always remember, serve from the heart, follow your path, and live the life you imagine.

Ep.37 Getting Things Done, Even If You Don't Like Doing It

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 12:00:00 GMT

We have to do these three things if we want to get things done. Whether you want to achieve things in your personal or professional life, you must follow these three steps I share in this episode.

Go to https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/resources to get the 30-Day Kajabi trial and more.

Have a question? Email me at Sabine@SabineKvenberg.com

Ep.94 When Opportunity Knocks: Speaking Up to Land a Role in Clint Eastwood's Jersey Boys

Sabine Kvenberg — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 18:46:00 GMT

Uncover the unexpected secret to Renee Marino's journey from Broadway stardom to becoming a trailblazing communication expert. You won't believe the pivotal moment that led to having lunch with Clint Eastwood and the jaw-dropping twist that secured her role in Jersey Boys. Find out how this surprise turn of events prepared her for a powerful transition to entrepreneurship, setting the stage for her groundbreaking success. Want to know more about her unbelievable journey? Listen to discover the unexpected twist that changed everything for Renee.

In this episode, we talk about

Mastering the art of communication to elevate your career and personal relationships.
Embrace rejection as a stepping stone to success in the creative industry.
Discover how your Broadway skills can fuel your journey as a thriving entrepreneur.
Unlock the power of effective communication to drive business growth and success
Explore authentic listening and speaking strategies to enhance your professional and personal interactions.

The key moments in this episode are:
00:00:01 - Introduction to Renee Marino
00:01:27 - Following the Dream of Becoming a Broadway Performer
00:04:46 - Dealing with Rejection in the Entertainment Industry
00:08:33 - Achieving the Dream of Performing on Broadway
00:13:01 - Landing a Role in Clint Eastwood's Jersey Boys Film
00:15:23 - Seizing Opportunities
00:17:21 - Transition and New Beginnings
00:22:16 - The Power of Listening
00:25:34 - Recent Achievements
00:27:48 - Collaboration and Rising Together

Get Renee's Book

Follow Renee on IG:

Learn more about:

Get on Sabine's VIP Book Launch Guest List

07_Growing Ageless - Think Young, Live Younger

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 11:00:11 GMT

When Sabrina’s life went through a massive upheaval, she sank into a deep depression and wore black from head to toe for three years. Listen to how a dinner with 15 strangers changed her life. A story of how she reversed her mindset and began to put life back into her life. She made a conscious decision to focus on how she could help others, which started a ripple effect that propelled her to the successful, positive woman she is today.

How to Become an Author Without Writing - Sheila Slick

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:57:00 GMT

In this conversation, Sabine Kvenberg and Sheila Slick explore the journey of becoming an author without traditional writing, the importance of visibility in business, and how technology, particularly AI, can assist in transforming spoken content into published works. Sheila shares her experiences as a serial entrepreneur and software developer, emphasizing the value of gamifying education and the unique propositions that entrepreneurs can offer. The discussion also highlights the role of podcasts in amplifying messages and the significance of networking through speaking engagements.

I am Interest in speaking or attending event: https://forms.gle/gj3oV1KgG1G5Qn9h9

Chapters

00:00Becoming an Author Without Writing 08:58The Journey of Software Development and Education 18:03Visibility and Standing Out in Business 27:39Transforming Spoken Words into Published Works Get in touch with Sheila: https://fivemilestones.com/ Connect with Sabine:

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/SabineKvenberg

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sabinekvenberg/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabine-kvenberg/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sabine.kvenberg.2025/

Networking and Photography in the Digital Age - Andrew Darlow

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Andrew Darlow, The Memory Preservation Guy. In this engaging conversation, Andrew shares his extensive experience as a photographer, author, and digital management consultant. He discusses the benefits of the OWL app for networking and personal growth, his journey in photography, and the importance of managing digital files effectively. Andrew provides valuable insights into cloud storage, data management, and the significance of gratitude in both personal and professional life.

https://sites.google.com/view/sabinekvenberg/home

Learn more about Andrew and his services:

https://backup.fm/become/

Chapters 00:00Introduction to Andrew Darlow 02:47The OWL Experience and Networking Benefits 05:49Andrew's Journey as a Photographer 11:08The Evolution of Photography and Digital Management 16:32Cloud Storage and Data Management Tips 22:19Organizing Videos and Content Creation 27:56Gratitude and Life Lessons Connect with Sabine:

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/SabineKvenberg

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sabinekvenberg/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabine-kvenberg/

Ep.98 Podcasts, Books and You - The behind-the-scene story

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 02 May 2024 11:00:00 GMT

In this special episode, Sabine delves into the origins and impact of her podcast, which ultimately led to the creation of her best-selling book, "Become Empowered: Echoes of Grace and Strength." Sabine shares a personal story about how the recurring word "become" awakened her at 3 AM, serving as a catalyst for both the podcast and her book. The episode offers a deep dive into Sabine's journey of self-discovery, the power of storytelling, and the transformative experiences of various women who contributed to her book.

Sabine explains how a meeting with a colleague sparked the idea of using her podcast as a platform to share powerful stories of personal growth and resilience. Highlighting key events, such as speaking at the PodFest Expo and the subsequent creation of her podcast, Sabine emphasizes the importance of communication and connections in achieving one's creative and personal goals.

Get in touch:

Get your copy of Become Empowered: https://amzn.to/3U1Iv3d

Free Resources: https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/resources

Empowered Women on Purpose Call: https://calendly.com/coachsabine/ewopcall

Follow Sabine on Social Media:

Youtube:

IG:

https://www.facebook.com/SabineKvenberg

Facebook:

Twitter X

https://bit.ly/becomebooklaunch

Transcript:

[00:00:00] Podcasts, books, and you. This episode will be quite different than all the previous ones. First of all, we will talk about those three things. Now you might wonder, what do I have to do with this? Well, let's wait and see. Well, let's begin with,

So in today's episode, I will share with you how this podcast came about and how through this podcast the book Become empowered echoes of grace and strength real life stories Of women's transformation and triumph. And that book was released last week and became a bestseller. So let's stay tuned, and let's hear [00:01:00] the whole story.

It all began when I was waking up in the middle of the night. Well, actually it was in the morning. It was three o'clock in the morning. And then this one word came through my mind again and again, become, become, become. I had to get up and write it down. I didn't know at that point that this will become a podcast and that this will turn into a book and that this also impacted you.

So let's step back a little bit. I had a visit from a colleague and we kind of brainstormed together how we want to move forward with our online business. And it was such a great, great meeting but throughout that meeting, I [00:02:00] was sharing part of my story and I was singing a song to her Her eyes were getting this big.

And she said, Sabine, you must share this. And then she asked me, what is it that I was teaching? What is it? What is the message that I wanted to share? And I said very clearly, we have to become the person we are meant to be to live the life we are destined to live. And that eventually became my tagline for this podcast, because I truly believe that there is greatness within each one of us.

And I even wrote a book about it, or not about that, but rather, about the fact that we can [00:03:00] unlock that full potential that is within. So that's how it all began. And then now I found myself getting up early in the morning, become, become. And that's when I knew I have to start a podcast. You see, during that meeting with my friend, she also shared her story and It was a very empowering story of overcoming adversity, of overcoming divide.

And I thought to myself, wow, a lot of people go through challenging times and they need to know that they are not alone, that other people went through the same or similar things and that there is always a way. a way out. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel. And so I wanted to share [00:04:00] that.

Five years earlier, I met Chris Kremitsos, who is the CEO and founder of the PodFest Expo. Back then he invited me to attend the PodFest and I did. And I started a podcast right there and then, however, it was out of excitement and I'm this type of personality that, Ooh, I love challenges. I love new things.

I love to create. So I created a podcast right there on PodFest or during PodFest, but of course I didn't have The why behind it, I wasn't quite sure why I started it and what the results I want to achieve with this podcast. And so when life stepped in, I abandoned that podcast. Nevertheless, Chris [00:05:00] stayed in touch with me and eventually he invited me to speak at the virtual podfest that now was only virtual because of the pandemic that happened.

And then eventually I was invited to speak at the first in person event again. And that was actually exactly at the same time when I had this meeting with my friend and I had that epiphany of become and I knew then I needed to start that podcast. A few weeks after I attended the in person Podfest Expo where I spoke, I launched the first episode of Become.

And that was almost two years ago, and that was in June of 2022 to [00:06:00] be precise. And ever since I had weekly episodes that I released, I interviewed individuals from all walks of lives who shared their experiences, their stories of overcoming adversities. And I mean, All kinds of adversities. And very soon this podcast became very popular and people wanted to share their stories, but I possibly couldn't get everybody on the podcast.

So I thought, what else can I do? What is another outlet where can share stories? And that's when the idea was Bo born of creating a book. And I wanted to create a book in which I share my story, but also other people's stories. [00:07:00] And so I just put out the word. And what happened was very remarkable. People were excited to share their stories.

And I started interviewing different individuals, and it turned out to be women that were drawn to this book project. And I curated 12 amazing women with 12 amazing stories that are so different from each other. And that turned into a book with the title, Um, Um, Become Empowered, Echoes of Grace and Strength, Real Life Stories of Women's Transformation and Triumph.

And that book was released last week and became [00:08:00] an Amazon bestseller. Wow, I mean, this was an amazing journey, not only because I was able to share these stories, but also what happened through the journey of working together with these amazing women. You see, through the process of writing their stories, awful things started to happen in their lives.

For some, it was a healing process. going through that story, sharing their story. Others, it started a new business. It started a new opportunity. I mean, I couldn't even have imagined what all happened through that process when I [00:09:00] began with it. And it was such a heartwarming and amazing, amazing experience for me as well.

So now you may ask, Where do I come in? Well, you already have been sprinkled throughout what I have been sharing this far with you. Let me recap. First of all, you are here listening. That means you are a subscriber. You are a subscriber to this podcast. Perhaps this is the first episode that you listened to, and you listened to it because you bought the book.

So you perhaps are a reader, or you are one of the podcast guests that I had in the [00:10:00] past, or you are one of the co authors. Or you are a fellow podcaster who was just drawn to this episode, or perhaps you have been following me on my social media, or you are in my universe one way or another. And perhaps, listen, perhaps you are being featured on my podcast in the future, or you are being featured in my next book.

You see, there are so many connections and so many intertwines of things and situations and meetings. That is really fascinating to me. And that's why I entitled this episode, podcasts, books, and you, because on one level or another, [00:11:00] we all are connected. And once we realize that, we know that connections are the heart of everything.

Connections and the communication is powerful. And when you combine those You can create anything. You can create podcast episodes. You can create a book. You can create blog posts. You can create whatever you want to create in your life. With the right communication and with the right connections. And I hope that you stay tuned, that you continue listening to this podcast and give some feedback.

And I also hope that you get inspired to start something new [00:12:00] or to create something new, or just simply expand on what you already have. And if you feel you need more clarity on that. By all means. Get in touch with me. We can set up a complimentary session and I can perhaps help you get that clarity.

Just go to talktosabine. com and schedule a time on my calendar. I am committed to help entrepreneurs to communicate better, to get their message out. And one way to do it is to know exactly who you are. where you are right now and have a clear vision to where you want to go because only with a clear vision [00:13:00] can we get the results that we want.

The good book said without vision people will perish and if you translate that to your life, if I translate that to my life, I know I have to have a continuous vision for my life in order to experience my life to the fullest because if not, I might not perish from the earth tomorrow. I may, because we never know when it's our time, but by that it's, It was meant to perish from making a difference, perish from connecting with other people, perish from sharing your gifts and talents.

And for those of you who know me, you know how passionate I am sharing [00:14:00] your gifts given to you by your creator, using the talent that you have to make a difference. I have done that all my life at the beginning, not consciously at the beginning. It was purely because I wanted to do what I love, not thinking about the impact that I made.

So you see, I wanted to become an actress. I love to sing and perform and dance, but little did I know back then that it turned into a much greater vision. And you don't have to start with that bigger vision. Just a small one for you that you want to pursue right now. And once I was done with my career as a stage and TV actress, then it turned to becoming a director.

And then it turned into becoming [00:15:00] a business owner, an entrepreneur, and a coach and a mentor. And I made a difference in so many young people's and adults lives. But the most important part, I always listened to that inner voice that we all have. What is next? What is mine to do? What am I here for? What is the next thing that I am called to do?

And throughout my career as a performing arts studio owner, I was also developing something else. I started writing music. to the local church. And by the way, that is the story that I share in my book. become empowered, echoes of grace and strength, how I stepped into that next [00:16:00] calling. And when I finally did, it turned into creating more music, producing a CD, actually a couple, and sharing my musical message with the world.

And then later on combining it with my message and with my teachings and my coaching that I do today. So this is what I wanted to share with you today, the story behind how everything started, how the podcast came about, how the book came about, but it just didn't start with just one thing. It's a chain of things.

It's a chain of experiences. It's a chain of choices that we made. [00:17:00] And if I hadn't made the choice when I was a young adult to change careers from a desk job to becoming an actress. I don't know if I would be here today and recording this very episode. It's because all experiences and all choices are leading to the next.

So my friend, I wish for you that You get the clarity, and if not, seek clarity, however it looks like for you. Find a mentor, or give me a call, or schedule a call on my calendar, and then start the process. No matter where you are, you don't have to figure it out. It doesn't have to be perfect. It wasn't perfect for me when I first [00:18:00] started out and figured it out.

That is where you have to start because there is greatness within you. You have a gift, you have talent, use it. to make a difference. And if you enjoyed this episode today, I truly appreciate if you would take the time to go wherever you listen to the podcast, give us a five star. rating, and leave a short review.

This helps to get the podcast out to more people. And of course, please share it with your friends or share it on social media. I appreciate it. I appreciate your support. Thank you. And last but not least in the show notes is the link to get your copy of Become [00:19:00] Empowered Echoes of Grace and Strength. And I hope you get inspired and be entertained reading these stories and perhaps it makes a difference to you.

in your life, and you might want to even give it as a gift to a loved one. And if you listen to this episode right now, Mother's Day is just around the corner. So it turned out to be a great Mother's Day gift for sure. Thank you again. And until we see each other again, or you hear me again, always remember, Serve from the heart, follow your passion and live the life you imagine.

Ep.97 From Grief to Grace: How Writing Transformed My Life

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:51:00 GMT

Want to discover a life-changing journey that leads to increased self-awareness and resilience, making a positive impact? Ready to embrace your unique journey and gifts? I'll be sharing the solution so that you can achieve this empowering result. Get ready to embark on a transformational experience from page to purpose!

In this episode, you will be able to:

Discover how personal stories of overcoming adversity can inspire and empower your own journey.
Explore effective strategies for achieving your life goals and creating a fulfilling path forward.
Uncover the transformative benefits of using writing as a tool for self-discovery and personal growth.
Learn about the profound impact of grief on personal transformation and resilience.
Understand the crucial importance of communication in fostering and sustaining personal growth and empowerment.

Become our VIP Guest:

My special guest is Rosalyn Rourke

Renowned psychotherapist and best-selling author, Rosalyn Rourke, brings a wealth of experience in mental health and trauma therapy to the table. Her journey from unexpected loss to empowerment has been a source of inspiration for many seeking resilience and self-discovery. As a contributing author in Sabine Kvenberg's upcoming book, "Become Empowered: Echoes of Grace and Strength," Rosalyn's unique perspective on quantum belonging offers a profound understanding of personal growth and transformation. Through her collaborative work with Sabine, Rosalyn continues to impact the lives of individuals, guiding them on their path to embracing their unique gifts and overcoming life's adversities.

The key moments in this episode are:
00:00:01 - Introduction
00:02:07 - Overcoming Tragedy and Finding Belonging
00:03:06 - Book Project Experience
00:10:02 - Mastermind Collaboration and Intuitive Communication
00:20:23 - Following Intuition and Embracing Personal Insight
00:20:38 - The Power of Communication and Understanding Oneself
00:21:49 - Embracing the Ordinary
00:23:37 - Finding the Gift in Every Situation
00:26:07 - Giving Back and Making a Difference
00:27:49 - Taking Action and Making an Impact

Ep.165 Playing A Bigger Game - In Life and Business

Sabine Kvenberg — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 02:57:00 GMT

What does it truly mean to play a bigger game in life and business?

In this powerful conversation, Mike Handcock shares his remarkable journey from becoming an orphan at 15 to rising as a global leader in conscious business, leadership, and thought leadership. His story is a testament to what’s possible when resilience meets vision—and when we choose to think beyond survival and step into significance.

Mike challenges listeners to expand their perspective, tap into their creative power, and recognize the responsibility that comes with influence. Through storytelling, ethical speaking, and conscious leadership, he illustrates how playing a bigger game isn’t about ego or scale—it’s about impact, legacy, and the lives we touch along the way.

Together, we explore how self-awareness, collaboration, and values-driven leadership allow us to create meaningful change, build lasting businesses, and leave behind more than achievements—beautiful memories and a positive ripple effect.

This episode is an invitation to stop playing small, believe in what’s possible for you, and lead with intention, integrity, and heart.

Key Takeaways

Playing a bigger game starts with believing in your own potential
Adversity can be a powerful catalyst for resilience and growth
Conscious leadership creates lasting, positive change
Storytelling expands influence and inspires action
Ethics in speaking and leadership shape the future of the industry
Creativity and legacy are deeply connected
Sharing your story can create a ripple effect far beyond you
True fulfillment comes from giving back and lifting others
Influence is a responsibility—and a force for good
At the end of the day, creating meaningful memories is what matters most

Connect with Mike Handcock

🌐 Circle of Excellence:
https://www.circleofexcellence.biz/

🔗 LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikehandcock/

RESOURCES: https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/resources

Leave a Legacy: How Your Voice, Story, and Expertise Can Impact Lives Beyond Your Own

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:38:00 GMT

What does it truly mean to leave a legacy — and how do you start building one right now?

In this episode, Sabine takes you behind the scenes of her memoir-writing journey and asks the one question that changes everything: What are you here to contribute?

Whether you're a parent, an entrepreneur, a coach, or a speaker waiting in the wings — your unique combination of experiences, skills, and stories cannot be duplicated. And that makes your voice more powerful than you may realize.

Sabine shares personal stories of the mentors who shaped her path — from meeting Zig Ziglar in person to the books and events that guided her from a 27-year performing arts school to a thriving speaking and coaching brand. She gets refreshingly real about investment, patience, and what it actually takes to go from talented-and-silent to seen-and-booked.

You'll also hear about her new book GUMPTION, the One Day Studio Experience she created for aspiring speakers, and why getting your message out into the world isn't just a business move — it's your legacy in action.

Resources mentioned:

GUMPTION by Sabine Kvenberg

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gumption-sabine-kvenberg/1148750776?ean=9781636989150

The Confident Speaker Accelerator — https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/ConfidentSpeaker
The One Day Studio Experience — https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/signature-studio-day
The Vibrant Voices Network — https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/Vibrant-Voices

🕐 TIMESTAMPS

Time Topic 0:00 Intro 1:35 Welcome + What is the Saturday Live? 2:25 How can we leave a legacy? The many ways to do it 4:10 Why YOU are unique — and why that combination can't be duplicated 5:55 The ripple effect: how mentors shaped Sabine's journey 7:25 Zig Ziglar: "Help enough people get what they want…" — and what it really means 9:55 The Confident Speaker Accelerator — how expertise becomes impact AND income 11:45 Sabine meets Zig Ziglar in person — a personal story 12:55 Napoleon Hill, Stephen Covey, Dr. Wayne Dyer — the mentors who changed everything 14:55 Staying relevant: AI, the internet, and why we can't close our eyes 16:10 The Vibrant Voices Network — how community accelerates your rise as an authority 17:35 The GUMPTION book: writing a memoir, chasing the bestseller lists, and why it matters 19:55 What it really takes — no overnight success, but mentorship speeds everything up 21:35 The missing link for speakers: your professional recording, reel, and one sheet 23:55 The One Day Studio Experience — what it is and why Sabine created it 26:25 What's included + the investment breakdown 28:55 Sabine's personal investment story — $17,000 and the lessons learned 30:55 The acknowledgments: Sam Beckford, Darren Hardy, Jack Canfield, Brendan Bouchard 32:25 Pre-order GUMPTION + advanced reader copy offer 33:55 Closing: "Serve from the heart, follow your passion, and live the life you imagine."

Ep.122 Free Your Joy: The Secrets to Sustainable Happiness with Lisa McCourt

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:00:00 GMT

What if joy isn't something you chase but something you create? In this episode, Sabine sits down with Lisa McCourt, bestselling author and founder of Joy School, to uncover the secrets to sustainable happiness. Lisa shares her incredible journey from fear and anxiety to living a life full of joy and how you can do the same by embracing self-compassion and spiritual growth. If you’re ready to step into your light and create a life you love, this conversation is for you!

Lisa McCourt, a bestselling author, host of the Joy Zone podcast, and founder of Joy School. Lisa has sold over 9 million copies of her books, including Free Your Joy: The 12 Keys to Sustainable Happiness, and has spent two decades teaching spiritual tools for cultivating joy.

Lisa shares her journey from an anxious, fearful childhood to discovering spiritual principles that transformed her life. Her passion for psychology and comparative religion led her to study ancient wisdom, including Buddhism and the Tao Te Ching, which became the foundation of her teachings. She credits a divine moment—receiving her first Wayne Dyer book at age 14—as the catalyst for her spiritual exploration.

Key Insights from Lisa McCourt:

Path to Becoming a Joy Coach: Lisa transitioned from working in children’s publishing, where she authored the enduringly popular I Love You, Stinky Face, to leading workshops on creativity. Over time, her workshops evolved to focus on creating joyful lives, which resonated deeply with adults.
Self-Compassion Over Self-Esteem: Lisa explains how shifting her focus from achieving self-esteem (which often involves comparison) to practicing self-compassion was pivotal in finding joy and inner peace. She now teaches this principle as part of her Joy School curriculum.
Finding Purpose Through Challenges: Lisa emphasizes how even dark moments, such as her lonely and anxious childhood, led her to profound spiritual growth. Her journey was incremental, inspired by books and teachers, and she believes challenges shape our next steps in life.

Sabine’s Reflections:
Sabine draws parallels to her own journey from performing arts to coaching, sharing how her passion for empowering others evolved over time. She highlights how experiences, even unexpected ones, contribute to a meaningful life path.

Takeaway Message:
Joy is cultivated through self-compassion, spiritual growth, and embracing the lessons of life’s challenges. Both Sabine and Lisa inspire listeners to embrace their evolution, step into their light, and help others find joy and fulfillment.

Get in touch with Lisa:

www.LisaMcCourt.com

Want to support this podcast?

Connect with Sabine

Social Media

Learn more about Orl's Masterclass:

Watch on YouTube

Sabine

Ep.141 From Darkness to Light: Orly Amor's Journey - Making a difference with your story

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 15:03:00 GMT

In this engaging conversation, Orly Amor shares her inspiring journey from a troubled past to becoming a successful business coach and public speaker. She emphasizes the importance of mindset, decision-making, and the power of sharing one's story to impact others. Orly discusses her unique approach to coaching public speakers, her philanthropic efforts through the "You Are My Light" Foundation, and the significance of problem-solving in public speaking. The conversation highlights the need for connection and support in both personal and professional realms, encouraging listeners to take action and make a difference.

Orly's Amplfy Retreat

Orly's Foundation: https://youaremylight.org/

Takeaways

Orly guarantees her clients will make 150K in their first year of public speaking.
Sharing personal stories can change lives and inspire others.
Mindset mastery is crucial for overcoming personal challenges.
Decision-making is the first step to personal transformation.
Coaching can help individuals navigate their paths to success.
Public speaking is a viable way to reach a larger audience.
Problem-solving is more important than just motivation in speaking.
The public speaking industry is growing, with a high demand for speakers.
Building connections is essential for personal and professional growth.
Philanthropy and helping others can lead to profound fulfillment.

Sabine's Contact information:

Resources: https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/resources

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Youtube:

IG:

https://www.facebook.com/ImpactCommunicationCoaching/

Facebook Page:

Twitter X

https://www.tiktok.com/@sabinekvenberg

TikTok

Ep.110 "Designing a Stronger You: Insights from Chris Wilson on Lifelong Health and Resilience"

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 11:00:00 GMT

Strong By Design - How we can take charge of our lives. We all can become strong and healthy by designing our lives accordingly. Chris Wilson, host of the podcast Strong By Design, shares his insights and experiences on achieving both physical and mental strength. He offered practical life improvement tips and discussed his journey as a strength coach. Chris emphasized the importance of staying strong and healthy into our golden years and explored the concept of failing your way to success. He highlighted how exercise benefits not only our muscles but also our minds, illustrating the deep connection between physical workouts and mental resilience. This episode is a valuable listen for anyone looking to feel independent and strong and maintain their health. He also shares his failures in life and how he dealt with them.

Support this podcast

Strong by Design Podcast on Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@strongbydesignpodcast4492

StrongByDesignPodcast.com strongbydesignpodcast.com

Instagram: instagram.com/strongbydesignpodcast

Sabine's guest episode on Chris's podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAI0CSNUHb8&t=1073s

Stay in touch:

Connect with Sabine

https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/EmpoweredWomen

Ep.96 The Immigrant's Pursuit of the American Dream: Angela's Journey to Citizenship Through Bodybuilding

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 11:00:00 GMT

Are you ready to hear about someone who followed the footsteps of Arnold Schwarzenegger in a totally unexpected way? Angela's story of leaving her home country to move to the United States without speaking English is a powerful tale of resilience, transformation, and empowerment. But here's the twist – she didn't follow in Arnold's movie or political career footsteps. Instead, Angela carved her own path as a female equivalent to Arnold in the fitness world. Her journey from a successful banker in Germany to becoming a health coach and personal trainer in the US is a testament to the transformative power of mindset and holistic approach to fitness and health. And the most unexpected part? How she secured her green card will leave you in awe. Stay tuned to hear Angela's extraordinary journey and be inspired to reach your own aspirations.

In this episode, you will be able to:

Maximize Your Health and Vitality with Muscle-Building Strategies
Embrace Change and Thrive in Your New Country and Career
Overcome Life's Challenges Through the Power of Fitness
Transform Your Life with the Support and Guidance You Need
Achieve Your Personal and Professional Goals with Proven Strategies

The key moments in this episode are:
00:00:01 - Introducing Angela Beyer
00:03:53 - Angela's Health and Fitness Focus
00:07:27 - Angela's Journey in the United States
00:14:30 - Overcoming Challenges in a New Country
00:17:45 - From Passion to Profession
00:18:15 - Overcoming Work Visa Hurdles
00:21:26 - The Journey to Miss Universe
00:24:16 - Transition to Personal Training
00:26:16 - Biggest Success and Passion

Learn more about Empowered Women on Purpose

Resources:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/healthcoachangela

Get in touch with Angela:

Website: https://www.houseofshape.com/

Ep.60 Crushed by a Boulder, Saved by Spirit: Yogi Aaron's Himalayan Miracle

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 11:00:00 GMT

In this captivating episode of BECOME, we are joined by Yogi Aaron, a true trailblazer who has embarked on a remarkable journey of self-discovery, resilience, and healing. Yogi Aaron's story is one of adventure, triumph, and transformation that spans across continents and encompasses a wide array of experiences.

Shownotes:

Raised and born in Northern Canada, Yogi Aaron had an adventurous spirit and a zest for life. Embarking on a journey to India, he started conducting yoga retreats in the mystical Himalayas. However, fate took a dramatic turn when a boulder fell and crushed his leg during a hike to Gungo Tree, a sacred site in the mountains. Left with no other choice, Aaron was carried down the tricky mountain path by porters in total darkness. It was a test of faith and resilience for Aaron brought about by this horrific experience while he was being pushed to the brink. And as a result of his accident surfaced a reaffirmation of his belief on the transformative power of yoga and discovering his purpose to lead others in more fulfilling lives. In the end, Yogi Aaron managed to remain stronger and more determined than ever to pursue sharing his passion for yoga with the world.

In this episode, we discussed:

The ways and means of living a meaningful life with purpose.
The significance of muscle engagement for optimal yoga performance.
How to be an expert in the art of managing discomfort and injuries while doing yoga.
Going on an insightful journey through various cultural experiences and travel adventures.
Overcome your personal hurdles and let go to achieve self-development.

Connect with Yogi Aaron:

Yogi Aaron Website

Blue Osa Website

Blue Osa Yoga Twitter

Connect with Sabine Kvenberg:

Join my virtual launch party here.

13_Universal Introduction Into Healing Yourself

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 11:34:58 GMT

Paul Quinton, a healer and transformational therapist, shares his insights and wisdom. He helps people release emotional trauma and remove blocks that hinder them from reaching their full potential. In this interview, we are discussing how we can navigate through the physical and non-physical world to improve our health and well-being. Paul shares a simple yet effective technique to release emotional blocks from past experiences.

08_Finally the Wall Fell - After a long time of struggle and feeling trapped

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 11:37:52 GMT

Rainer Oleak (Ole) is a composer and producer who grew up in East Germany. He is sharing how he experienced the Fall of the Wall and how it impacted his personal and professional life.

"I woke up in the same surroundings, but everything was different from one day to another.

I felt like an immigrant but stayed in my own home."

Become Trailer

Sabine Kvenberg — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 17:48:18 GMT

On June 9th I will release the first episode. Do you want to be part of my launch team?

Ep.40 Toxic Family - Transforming Childhood Trauma into Adult Freedom

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Description:

In this episode, Susan shares her unique perspective on life challenges and how they can be occasions for transformation. Drawing from her own experiences, she provides insights and tools that can help others all over the globe to find peace in the face of adversity.

Shownotes:

When Susan took a chance and moved away from her hometown, she found that being grateful helped her heal from trauma. She became a successful producer and TV executive, but her marriage was hard and violent. Susan took charge of her life and rewrote her past by meditating, being patient, and looking at herself. She had a tough childhood and has utilized what she learned to help other people learn, grow, and become the best versions of themselves.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

What was Susan's toxic relationship was like, and how did she recover from it?
How did her chosen path become the most fulfilling and developmental experience of her life?
How gratitude helped her to see her prior events in a more positive light.

Connect with Susan Gold:

Susan Gold Website

Connect with Sabine Skvenberg:

https://www.jennyaldaytownsend.com/

TRANSCRIPT

00:00:00 Sabine: Hello, my name is Sabine Skvenberg, founder and host of BECOME. The content will inspire you to reach your aspirations and become the best version of yourself. I feature interviews with successful individuals from various industries, delving into their personal and professional journeys and their strategies to achieve their goals. We have to become the person we are meant to be first so we can live the life we are destined to live. That means we must overcome challenges and work through difficult times to learn, grow, and become the new, more fabulous version of ourselves. I'm so glad that you're here. Let's get on this journey together.

00:00:54 Sabine: My guest today is the magical Susan Gold. Susan has navigated a ferociously challenging upbringing, facing ingrained, outdated, and patriarchal programming head on. As an adult, she has bravely moved forward to transform her traumatic experiences into opportunities for growth and personal transformation. In this episode, Susan shares her unique perspective on life changes and how they can be occasions for transformation. Drawing from her own experiences, she provides insights and tools that can help others all over the globe to find peace in the face of adversity. Through her work, Susan is on a mission to help people transform their lives and rise above the pain and trauma of their past. Join us as we delve into Susan's journey and discover how we too can learn to transform our traumatic experiences into opportunities for growth and personal transformation.

00:02:07 Sabine: Welcome, Susan. Where are you chiming in from and how are you today?

00:02:14 Susan: Sabine, thank you so much for having me. I am in the beautiful mountains of Montana, and I could almost walk to Canada. It's 4 miles to the border.

00:02:25 Sabine: Oh, wow. So it's probably pretty cold there right now, right?

00:02:30 Susan: Yeah, it's in the 30s. We've had a few patches of really frigid weather, but it's been pretty mild.

00:02:39 Sabine: When you say it's in the 30s, for me, it's freezing cold. As you know, I live in Florida, as you can see, our closing gives away where we live. Well, that's great. I really can't wait to dive into your story. I find it interesting that some people are defined by their story and their upbringing. And staying in these circumstances while others break and transform. And I have the feeling you fall into the second category. But before we go into the story, I read one of the quotes on your website and says, "Living the path of truth and authenticity is not for the weak hearted. It's one of ultimate freedom." What do you mean by that?

00:03:37 Susan: Well, for me, the easier, softer weight Sabine would be to hide under the covers. I would have never left my little hometown at 17 the morning after I graduated from high school. But I knew in my heart there was more and that I had to stand up and take that risk. And that's been a theme throughout my life. Not the easier, softer way, but definitely the most rewarding and the most evolutionary for my soul.

00:04:11 Sabine: I cannot agree more, because, quite frankly, through adversity and going, the more difficult path is when we grow. That's where the most growth happens. And you had quite a career in New York and LA. You were known for matching celebrities to brands. You were a TV and film producer. So tell us more about your first career.

00:04:40 Susan: Wow. Well, growing up in my family home, I used to watch Barbara Walters on my belly, on my beanbag in the basement. I was so chawned by this woman and wanted to be just like her. And I ended up going to New York City. That's the place that I really wanted to go. And I ended up being Barbara's exercise trainer. And one morning I knocked on her door at 07:00 AM and she knew immediately something had happened, something was wrong. And I didn't want to share that personal information with her. But she was an incredible interviewer, and she got it out of me. I was harassed in the workplace, and she volunteered to come to work that morning and confront my boss with me.

00:05:21 Sabine: Wow.

00:05:21 Susan: And I said, yeah, no problem. That's okay. I'm going to handle it. And I did confront that boss who promptly fired me. And rather than go back into another assistantship, I decided to launch my own town brokerage firm in New York City. I was 25, and I had not much money in the bank. I had gotten out of an abusive relationship. The gentleman held the purse strings, so to speak, and I was under that illusion. But I decided to step up and take the risk. So I did. And my first deal was to knock on the factory door and convince Andy Warhol, the modern art master, to do a commercial for Pontiac.

00:06:08 Sabine: Oh, wow. That's amazing. But it's also interesting that you said that. Now, Barbara Walters recently passed away, and she was truly an amazing woman who got a lot out of the interview partners that she had and that you had that experience with her and she was able to help you. That is a beautiful memory I'm sure that you will treasure forever, and that also helped you move forward to your next career, so to speak, right?

00:06:45 Susan: Yes. She was really supportive of women, amazingly supportive of women.

00:06:50 Sabine: So how long did you stay in New York?

00:06:53 Susan: I was there about a decade, and I was very successful matching celebrities to brands, and that actually led me into television. Roger Ailes was running CNBC at the time, and he had his own talk network called America's Talking. And somehow they reached out to me and asked could I bring celebrities to his America's Talking Network? So I said, "Oh, sure. No problem." And of course, they weren't flocking. So one night, I grabbed the cameraman and we went to some charity red carpet event, and I stuck the mic in the celebrity spaces, interviewed them about the event and then had them look direct to the camera and say, I'm so and so. You're watching America's Talking, and it became this phenomenon, and we had all these celebrities running on the network, and it looked like an endorsement of America's Talking. So that caught Roger's attention, and he invited me to produce any show I wanted on the network and then invited me to help launch Fox News Channel.

00:08:00 Sabine: Oh, wow. That is quite a story. So what made you leave New York and move to LA?

0:08:11 Susan: So, opportunity, for one. But I really felt, Sabine, that I was becoming a caricature of myself. I had trouble really finding connection. I had a little cabin up in the catskills, and I would go Friday night and I wouldn't return to the city until Monday morning. And I just was living to get into nature, and my routine was very rigid. I had to go to the gym, I had to do certain things, and I was finding it harder to socialize. I couldn't make plans and keep them. So I just felt like my time was ticking down. And I got a phone call from a very dear friend who had gone out to LA to run a talk show, and she said, "I want you to come out here. I need you to bring celebrities to the table for the talk show." And I said yes immediately. And then I panicked.

00:09:11 Sabine: So why did you panic?

00:09:15 Susan: It was a huge shift. I mean, I had to envision myself in New York City since I was young. I mean, I was probably ten years old, and I knew I wanted to be there, and I felt comfortable there. I knew how to push the buttons, I knew the players, I had fairly good income, I had clients, and here I was going to new territory. But I also knew that I wasn't intuitively going to stay in New York City my entire life. And I felt like opportunity comes for a specific reason, and if you're strong enough, just take it. So I thought I was going to LA for my career, which did blossom, but really, I think I went to LA to meet one of my biggest gurus, who is my ex-husband.

00:10:01 Sabine: All right , that is an interesting combination. Your biggest guru, now ex husband. So tell us more about what that quote unquote, "guru" relationship was. What did it give you?

00:10:18 Susan: Well, I was since the second grade, and Billy Fritz attached at the hip to any kind of male attention. And friends used to say, you know, when I'm in adulthood, I'm so powerful, you're so powerful, you're so accomplished. But I never really felt that I always had to be in some kind of relationship or I just felt like I was going to be annihilated. I mean, it was so strong, and that was costing heavily, but I didn't quite realize it as I was going through it. And I met my ex-husband and thought I met the man of my dreams. I mean, he said the right things, he had the right look, he had the right career, all the material things, right? But I also felt like we connected as individuals, and we did. It just wasn't the connection that I was hoping for. Because ultimately what I discovered was he did seem like he was right out of the movies because he had a false construct and persona. And when the mask fell, it was incredibly painful.

00:11:37 Sabine: Wow. When the mask fell.

00:11:43 Sabine: Let me hop in here real quick to share something with you. Have you ever tried to build your own website, start a newsletter or build a course and charge for it? Have you ever wanted to make money online but are totally confused by all the different systems you need to have? That's why I use Kajabi. Kajabi is the most popular system for online marketers, coaches, top leaders and influencers. Kajabi helps online entrepreneurs take off. Over hundred thousands of us use Kajabi and have made over $4 billion. Why not be part of it? The best thing is you don't have to figure out tons of systems or crazy technology to start your online business. Kajabi helps you do all of that and it's all on one platform. That's why I use it. It makes my life so much easier and I can even earn money while I'm sleeping. You can build your web pages, blogs and membership sites. You can create offers, check out pages and collect money. You can host your videos. You can start your newsletter list, capture emails, start your marketing funnels all in one place. It makes it fun and easy with awesome tutorials and support. Since I've joined Kajabi from the beginning, I have a special affiliate link that I would like to share with you. A 30-day free trial. So nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Just go to my link that's in the show notes sabinekavenberg.com/resources, and we will redirect you to the free trial page. And if you are just starting out and want to get your offer out for sale in just three days, let me help you do that. Visit my web page, by the way, that I build on Kajabi and apply to "MAKING IT HAPPEN." So now let's get back to the show.

00:13:55 Sabine: I think a lot of people can relate to that, that sometimes we are blinded by an outer appearance and by quote unquote "acting." Someone acts a certain way, but then when we get to know them and we get under the cover so to speak, and reveal the core, then we see other things, and it can be even painful, physically or mentally. So I hear you. Wow. But good for you that you made that transition out of that relationship so that you felt better after all, I suppose, right?

00:14:39 Susan: Well, it was the journey to begin. I did not want my family to break up. At that time, I had a son. We had a son together. I had purchased a home for our family, just like a coveted jewel in Southern California. I didn't want my lifestyle to change, and I didn't want to be abandoned by my husband. So I did everything I could to keep our marriage together. And finally he just crossed his arms and his eyes went into those cold slits, and he said, "I'm hiring an attorney and I'm filing for divorce." And that was the universe doing for me what I could not do for myself because I was going to hang on to the nail and I was going to make this work. I didn't want a broken home for my son, but I felt the toll that it was taking on everyone, and we all had to step up and face it, and it was difficult.

00:15:43 Susan: My ex husband did not leave our family home. He remained in the master bedroom, and I was in a partial conversion in the garage, on a mattress, on the floor, in a home that I purchased and maintained for our family. And that is the metaphor for the relationship and what I was allowing myself to carry and the demonstration that I was allowing for my son. So I really had to face it. And it took that kind of billboard falling on my head for me to wake up to the circumstance.

00:16:25 Sabine: Yeah. It's so beautiful how you said that the universe is giving us the clues. The universe is giving us the two by fours right onto our heads to wake up, to realize, look, holding onto that comfort, not even if it's comfort, but that comfort zone, that zone that we know because we are afraid and fear stepping in because we don't know what's on the other side. And for so many people, it's holding them back. But how did you get over that whole thing? When did you realize? Because what I sense here is that you really had to get through that stage where you just had to be still, to transform, to finally get those wings like the butterfly like the symbol of my podcast.

00:17:26 Susan: Which is so beautiful, Sabine, and I just want to compliment you for getting this messaging out and the theme of your podcast because it has great meaning for so many of us, especially in these times today. So thank you from the bottom of my heart, I want to say that that lesson probably was one of the biggest of lifetimes, and standing up to it felt absolutely monumental. And it took every tool I had in my kit to go through that experience. I was an endurance athlete. I needed that type of training that I had to get through this. I was a longtime meditator. I learned how to sit in silence for hours at a time and not make eye contact, and that's what I needed to do to get through this. When you divorce someone you think may be a narcissist, there can be no contact. They just loop you back in. They know how to push the buttons, and it's very deceiving. And I had to be stealing to get through this and keep no contact within our home with the man I had loved and cherished.

00:18:51 Susan: And that's what I held for a year until the agreement was reached. I wrote him his six figure check and he left and went right on to the next candidate, because that's typical. That's the behavior. And the more I wanted to make him accountable, the more I wanted him to stand up, the more that would backfire right on me. I just had to use that as a lesson to who he really was and what I was allowing. And it was a powerful lesson, and one, I am grateful.

00:19:32 Sabine: That says a lot that you said, I am so grateful for this lesson. A lot of people are bitter or become bitter and just shut off and don't see this as a jumping board to their next greater adventures or turning into their next best self. And so I like what you said, being grateful for this lesson. And if anybody can learn something, be grateful for what you have right now. Be grateful to have the air in your lungs, right? And with gratitude, that helps us take our focus away from the things that hurt, because our mind can only focus on one thing at a time, our conscious mind. And if we finding ourselves in a dire situation or feel pity for ourselves, shift to gratitude. Be grateful for what you have right now and be grateful for the things, the beautiful, wonderful things to come. So thanks for sharing that and sharing your lesson.

00:120:45 Sabine: Now, you wrote a book, or let me put it this way, yes, you wrote a book, but it's not yet released. It will be released on March 21st. And I'm so excited to share this news with my listeners because I can only imagine how beautiful this book is going to be. The title of the book is Toxic Family: Transforming Childhood Trauma into Adult Freedom. Can you tell us a little bit more about your book?

00:21:20 Susan: Sure, I'm happy to. It was a long process. I think I was told in 2007 for the first time by an Irish seer that I had a book to write, and I heard it repeatedly, but I didn't want to take the time or the theme that it takes, the self examination, certainly in memoir. But finally it became obvious that it was time, and it was an incredible exercise to sit down and string it all together and see with clarity how each piece has specific meaning for the evolution of who I am becoming here as a human being on the Earth. And even though I had been told that I had a powerful story, I didn't really believe it. I thought it was sort of milk toast, like McDonald's, Grade A. Everybody's got the same story. But now that it's down on paper, I see that's not true and that I do have a lot to share. And I hope that people can take from my experience and garner their own power and more importantly, their own self love.

00:22:33 Sabine: Oh, that is beautiful. And what you said is so true. We always think my story doesn't count. Who am I to share my message? But I say, who are you not? And everybody has a unique story. That's what I help my clients with. I have a program called the Celebrity Signature Message, and I help my clients to really discover that we all are celebrities. You know, we don't have to be in front of a TV camera to be a celebrity. We all have that celebrity status, meaning the uniqueness, the very important person that you are for another person. So I like what you said that. Now saying or seeing the title of your book was that are you exposing any of your family members or any traumatic experience that you have doing this publicly? I mean, I know if you talk to a psychiatrist or whatnot. It's a different story. But you literally shouting it out to the world through your book.

00:23:53 Susan: So here's how I feel about it, Sabine, and I've had that question come my way quite a bit. I feel like we need to be brave. We need to stand up and we need to talk about our truth. And it's not so shameful. So many people have had similar experiences, but we keep it all tucked in, especially in the corporate system that's just broken. So I have to say, I've been a bit of a trailblazer not knowing it. And I want to say that I love my family. I have deep respect for the roles my parents played. They have helped me so much. And when people read the book, they're going to wonder about that statement that I just made. How can you make that statement after what you've experienced? But I see it now with tremendous love for all of the players and all of the experience, just like I see my ex- husband as a loving guru.

00:25:03 Susan: These lessons, if I'm willing to look at the underbelly and really explore that mossy, dirty, stale energy under there, if I can just air it out and view it from the perspective of heaven rather than 3D Earth. There's so many gifts and so much opportunity. So I really am appreciative of my family. And I know we shared a little bit before we started our conversation. Toxic Family was not my initial title. My initial title was Magical Illumination, because that's what it's been for me. It's been such a gift to really thread this through. But honestly, we have a Toxic Family and toxic lineage. It was hurt and abused children, raising hurt and abused children and the truth needs to come out.

00:26:09 Sabine: I cannot agree more and I applaud you for doing this. As you said, many people are too afraid to talk about it and a lot of things are being pushed under the rug. And if we keep doing it, we cannot heal, cannot change. But if we put it out into the open, then other people feel an invitation of hey, I can do this, too. I can say it out loud, let the world know what's going on. Only when we are aware of our circumstances and what's going on can we change. If we are not aware, we're just going to stay in that old pattern that we so need to break. Now, if someone would like to get in touch with you, maybe they need some counseling. How can they do that?

00:27:13 Susan: Well, thanks for asking. I invite anybody to go to susangold.us. That's susangold.us and get on my email list. And you can also send me an email if you like, directly at info@susangold.us. And I would love to offer anyone that would like a 15-minute free conversation with me to see how we might be able to help each other.

00:27:44 Sabine: That is so gracious of you. Thank you so much, Susan. You are such a beautiful soul and I see this book going out into this world, changing so many lives, touching so many lives. Thank you for this beautiful conversation and the advice that you shared with us today.

00:28:06 Susan: Thank you, Sabine.

00:28:09 Sabine: That was my interview and if you enjoyed it, give us a five star review, leave a comment and share it with your friends. Thanks for listening until I see you again. Always remember, serve from the heart, follow your passion and live the life you imagine.

Ep.39 Celebrity Pro Athlete Wally Green Shares - Divine Intervention Saved His Life

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Celebrity pro athlete Wally Green shows us that no matter where you've been and how you started, you have the choice and power to change anything in your life. He endured mental and physical abuse and almost took his parents' lives when he felt a strong presence of divine intervention, ultimately leading him to become a celebrity pro athlete and inspirational speaker.

Shownotes:

After experiencing a lifetime of abuse, Wally Green is driven to the brink of pulling the trigger on his abusive stepfather and mother, only to be saved from himself by divine intervention and find a new outlet for his anger in the unlikely sport of ping-pong.

Wally Green is a celebrity pro athlete from Brooklyn who overcame poverty and violence to become a world-class athlete. He represented the US in international competitions, co-founded a premier social ping-pong club in New York, and is an inspirational public speaker who gives hope to those facing adversity.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. What was the experience of growing up in a severely abusive and narcissistic environment like?

2. How did a chance encounter with ping-pong lead to a life-changing opportunity?

3. How did the power of kindness disarm a violent and angry kid about to take drastic action?

Connect with Wally Green:

Wally Green on Instagram

Who Is Wally Green

Connect with Sabine Skvenberg:

Resources - Free Kajabi

TRANSCRIPT

00:00:00 Wally: Ran out of the house, ran a couple of doors down, went and got a gun, came back and put the gun to my stepfather's head. And I was like, "I'm going to end your life today." And my mom started just acting crazy and yelling and screaming and it was just crazy emotions going on. And my mom picked up the phone, and then my mom said, "You guys need to hurry up. My son is trying to kill my husband.” Not that my son is protecting me. Not that my husband was choking the hell out of my son and me is protecting me or my son has a gun. No, the exact words, "Well, my son is trying to kill my husband." And I felt the ultimate betrayal that any kid could ever feel.

00:00:54 Sabine: Hello, my name is Sabine Skvenberg, founder and host of BECOME. The content will inspire you to reach your aspirations and become the best version of yourself. I feature interviews with successful individuals from various industries, delving into their personal and professional journeys and their strategies to achieve their goals. We have to become the person we are meant to be first so we can live the life we are destined to live. That means we must overcome challenges and work through difficult times to learn, grow, and become the new, more fabulous version of ourselves. I'm so glad that you're here. Let's get on this journey together.

00:01:48 Sabine: My guest today is Wally Green, a celebrity pro athlete from Brooklyn who overcame poverty and violence to become a world-class athlete. He represented the US in international competitions, including a historic trip to North Korea and co-founded a premier social ping-pong club in New York. Wally's determination, spirit, and perseverance make him a true inspiration and role model for anyone facing adversity. He proves that anything is possible with hard work, dedication and a positive attitude.

00:02:32 Sabine: Hello and welcome, Wally. How are you today?

00:02:36 Wally: I'm great, thank you. Thanks for having me.

00:02:38 Sabine: Oh, it was just such a pleasure meeting you at the last Podfest expo where we both were speakers. And it's interesting that Saturday where we met, I actually got up and I meditated and I did set intentions for that day. And that one intention that I said was, "I just want to be present and want to create meaningful connections," and what do you know? I ran into you this morning or that morning, and I saw you playing table tennis with your iPhone. I said that's a cool dude, and then we got to talk and I actually got to play with you a little bit. I don't play much table tennis and I haven't done it for years. But there was one technique my dad taught me and that was how you start. And you had not an English impression, like this when you...

00:03:42 Wally: Slice?

00:03:44 Sabine: Slice! Yeah, slice. I think I surprised you a little bit.

00:03:48 Wally: It was very consistent.

00:03:51 Sabine: Good. Thanks for getting that compliment from a table tennis pro. So, yes, I put this light on my shoulder a little bit, little star. But joke aside, we talked a little bit and you shared your story. And to tell you the truth, what I think your story does can help so many people feeling that they are not alone and also feeling that there is a solution, that the solution really lies within us. So I really would like to start by getting into your story. You actually overcame poverty and violence to become a world class athlete. Today, you are not only an amazing athlete and human being, but you're also an inspirational public speaker who gives hope to those who are right now battling abuse and are in the midst of poverty and violence. Take us back to the time that you lived under these circumstances.

00:05:08 Wally: Yeah, so I grew up in the projects with very abusive, narcissistic stepfather, and he used to beat up my mom pretty much regularly and me as well. But even more, which I think was worse than the beatings, was the mental abuse. He used to systematically try to break us down to let us feel that he was the king of the castle, as you might say. So my stepfather would tell me things like you're never going to be successful. You're a failure. Whatever you do is never going to be good. And the thing is that he would say it in a way where he wasn't angry. Because I always talk about this. A lot of times parents say things because they're angry and they'll say, "Oh, you're a failure," but they don't really mean it . But he wouldn't say this out of anger.

00:06:09 Wally: I would come home from school, maybe, and then he would say, "Hey, how was your day?" "It was okay." And then he would say, "Well, you know, you're going to have a lot more bad days like this, and you know that you're never going to be able to get out of this." And it's kind of strange because like I said, you're used to a parent saying this when they're angry, not when they're not angry. But he was trying to program this into our heads to believe this.

00:06:43 Sabine: The interesting part, as children, we are like sponges. And whatever we are being told, what we absorb, what we observe stays with us. So what kind of impact did it make on you?

00:07:02 Wally: Man, so I needed to find outlets, right ? Because I was hurting inside. I was very angry inside. And I started, say, the gang life at a very young age because that was where I found acceptance. I found acceptance with a bunch of people who kind of going through the same thing I was going through. And that became my family at 13. I already owned six guns, at 13, it was really crazy. But the other half of me found sports, right? So sports was the balance between that violent and angry life. Sports allowed me to use some of that anger to be competitive, and I just joined every single sports team because you practice in the morning and then you go to school all day, and then you practice in the afternoon or an evening. By the time I get home, I was kind of numb to all the abuse that was going on.

00:08:10 Sabine: One of the things that you shared with me when we had a prior conversation was a situation that you faced that almost got you into prison. Would you mind sharing that?

00:08:29 Wally: Yeah, that's one of the probably most I would say probably one of the most darkest moments in my entire life. I got sent away for two years because I got caught with a gun in school, a loaded weapon in school, and my mom somehow figured out that I would get sent to boarding school. So it was either ten years in jail boarding school, and because I had good grades in school, and I had good grades because I had people doing the work, had people doing the work because I needed to stay on the sports teams. And I came back. I got sent to Africa, and I came back two years later, and I wasn't that same kid. I wasn't that same kid that was being abused, and I wasn't that same kid that was being told you're useless. You're worthless. I hope you die. Because now I was in Africa and I joined this thing called Man of War. And the reason I joined Man of War was the closest to an elite killing army. I don't even know how you would even say it. It was the craziest thing, one of the crazy things I ever did, and it was like Navy Seals for kids.

00:09:44 Sabine: Oh, wow.

00:09:45 Wally: That's what it was like. The training was crazy. And the reason I joined that is because I wasn't being accepted there. So I had...

00:09:55 Sabine: Why is that?

00:09:56 Wally: Because I had the people and the Africans were telling me, "Oh, you're not the real Black." That's what they were telling me. And they were like they used to say to me they used to say, you're the kid who eats butter. In their language, they say, I eat butter. And what they tried to say was, I was soft, and I wasn't soft, in no mood. So I spent a lot of time fighting. I spent a lot of time trying to prove myself. And I joined this crazy thing, and I came back. I came back to America, and I was strong now. Every kid wants to protect his mom.

00:10:35 Wally: And when I came back, I was a different kid. I wasn't the same kid. I was totally, totally different mentally and physically. And my stepfather was grabbing my mom by the throat and yelling at her, and I turned around, and I just looked. That's all I did. I just turned around, I looked and he says, "If you look over here again, you're going to get the same thing." And I just exploded. Because like I said, I wasn't that same kid anymore. But all those emotions from all those years of abuse just came out then.

00:11:10 Wally: And I ran out of the house. I actually don't even remember the part running out of the house, but I ran out the house. And at this time, I didn't have the guns in my house because I was away. So we put them at my friend's house. I ran out the house, ran a couple of doors down, went and got a gun, came back and put the gun to my stepfather's head. And I was like, "I'm going to end your life today." And my mom started just acting crazy and yelling and screaming. It was just a crazy emotion going on. And my mom picked up the phone and then my mom said, "You guys need to hurry up. My son is trying to kill my husband." Not that my son is protecting me, not that my husband was choking the hell out of me and my son is protecting me or my son has a gun. No. The exact words were my son is trying to kill my husband. And I felt the most ultimate betrayal that any kid could ever feel, right?

00:12:17 Wally: How does your mom, who you always in all your life wanted to protect, all your life you wanted to protect her, how does that person turn against you. I put the gun to both of them. I was going to shoot my mom and my stepfather that day, but something came on my shoulder. I always talk about the something divine intervention, God, an angel, whatever you want to call it, came on my shoulder and say, "Hey, if you kill your mom and your stepfather, if you do this today, every single thing that your stepfather said about you is going to come true today." And my stepfather always said you will be dead. You'll be in jail for the rest of your life. That's what he always said to me.

00:13:09 Wally: I thought about it, right ? And all of this is happening so fast. And all kinds of things that go through my head, all these emotions. I didn't hate anyone more than I hated my stepfather. And I could not allow anything that he ever said to come true. And so I came to my senses and I told him, I said you guys deserve each other and I'm out. And I just left. And I chose to not end their lives because ending their lives would have ended my life as well.

00:13:44 Sabine: Let me hop in here real quick to share something with you. Have you ever tried to build your own website, start a newsletter or build a course and charge for it? Have you ever wanted to make money online but are totally confused by all the different systems you need to have? That's why I use Kajabi. Kajabi is the most popular system for online marketers, coaches, top leaders and influencers. Kajabi helps online entrepreneurs take off. Over hundred thousands of us use Kajabi and have made over $4 billion. Why not be part of it? The best thing is you don't have to figure out tons of systems or crazy technology to start your online business. Kajabi helps you do all of that and it's all on one platform. That's why I use it. It makes my life so much easier and I can even earn money while I'm sleeping. You can build your web pages, blogs and membership sites. You can create offers, check out pages and collect money. You can host your videos. You can start your newsletter list, capture emails, start your marketing funnels all in one place. It makes it fun and easy with awesome tutorials and support. Since I've joined Kajabi from the beginning, I have a special affiliate link that I would like to share with you. A 30-day free trial. So nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Just go to my link that's in the show notes sabinekavenberg.com/resources, and we will redirect you to the free trial page. And if you are just starting out and want to get your offer out for sale in just three days, let me help you do that. Visit my web page, by the way, that I build on Kajabi and apply to "MAKING IT HAPPEN." So now let's get back to the show.

00:15:55 Sabine: Yeah. This message alone, hopefully for people that listen to that, they understand that we do have a choice, even in those circumstances. But I'm just wondering, there's so many domestic violence and shootings and people literally also end their own lives when they are the shooter, what you realized. But it's also because there are so many guns available here, and it's so different here in the States, like it is in Germany, for example, or other European countries that they are way less murders and suicides and whatnot, because the guns are not available. I'm totally for more control because of that very reason.

00:16:54 Sabine: But to go back to your story, I truly believe that you are being put here on this earth to have a greater mission and purpose. And when we are open to listen to that small voice or that angel that comes to you in that very moment of despair, then we can change. And what you did with that is really showing. And that's what this podcast is all about, that we have the chances to become our next greater self. So you ran away and how, from that moment on, what happened to you, that you actually became a world class athlete and advocate for peace and advocate the fight against domestic violence.

00:17:54 Wally: Yeah. So I found the most unlikely sport, which is ping-pong because no one in the projects plays ping-pong. He may play for fun. It's definitely played in the prisons. It's definitely one of the sports that's played, but no one really goes and seeks out to be a pro ping-pong player. I randomly found this sport at a pool hall where I got upset. I broke my pool stick. I needed someone to lash out at because that's what I did. Whenever I felt upset or something happened to me, I blamed everyone else. And I saw some kids playing ping-pong, and I went up to them and I was like, "Hey, I want to get it hit." And the guy said, "You play this." I say I don't play this. Just give me the paddle. So I was being a bully. The kid gave me the paddle and he hit the ball to me. And as soon as he hit the ball to me, I was trying to hit him in the face with the ball. I was trying to hit the face. It's like hit the kid in the face. Oh, my bad. But it wasn't me. It was me being a bully.

00:19:07 Wally: And so it's taking my anger out. So I tried to hit him in the face with the ball, but because I was so bad, I went and hit the ball. And I had the angle of the racket turned the wrong way, and the ball went on the table and the kid goes, "Oh, my God, that's amazing. You should go to this ping-pong club. You should go check it out where people play." And I was like there's no way there's a place where people gather together and play this. I'm telling you. I'm telling you. And I was like, "Yeah, okay." And I went down to the place he said, and when I got there, I saw people playing, and they were standing back from the tables making all this noise and oh, and doing all kinds of crazy stuff. And I was like, 'Wow, man, this is crazy." And more importantly, there were Black people playing. All the people that were there that day, I think it was maybe I remember like six, seven, eight people playing, they were all black. If I walked into that place and maybe I saw all Asians just playing, then I probably would have just walked–

00:20:04 Sabine: So how did you end up actually becoming that athlete, that pro athlete?

00:20:09 Wally: Well, I got some help. I met a guy who came to that club one day and says, "Hey, do you have a partner?" I was like, "No." He goes, "I'll pay you $20 if we can play together two times a week." And I was like, "What? $20?" And at this time, I was basically living in the streets. Because, like I said, I had left my house and I never went back home. And $20 was a lot of money for...

00:20:34 Sabine: How old were you?

00:20:37 Wally: I was at the time, about 17 years old. 16 and a half, 17. And $20 is a lot of money. $20, I could eat. So this guy paid me $20. We talked. One day, I went to the club, and a 22 caliber, it's a small handgun, 22 caliber fell out of my bag in front of him. And then he saw it, I looked at him, he looked at me, and I was like, "I got to go." I wasn't going to stay. I don't know he's going to even call the police. So I left. I thought, "Man, there goes my $20." That's it. And he actually called me back a couple of days later, and he says, "Hey, are we still playing?" And I was like, "What? Okay." I didn't think nothing of it because I needed the $20. I was depending on that $20.

00:21:24 Wally: And I play with him, and he says, "I want to invite you to my house." And I was wondering why would you want to invite a kid like me to your house? It didn't make any sense, right? But of course, because I was making $20. Let's go. Because, you know, a lot of people say, "Hey, weren't you afraid that he might do something ?" No, I wasn't afraid. You know, I walk around with guns, so I'm not afraid that this guy is going to do anything at all. If anything, it's bad for him from bringing me to his house.

00:21:57 Wally: Anyway, I went to his house, and he introduced me to his family, and they did what families do. Sat down at the table, ate at the same time, passed the food around, had conversation. And I was like, "Oh, okay, this is very interesting." I think he wanted to give me an idea of what family was. He wanted to be an idea what family was. And then he goes, "Hey, you know what? I really want to help you, so I'm going to pay for you to go to Germany to learn ping-pong." And I was like--

00:22:34 Sabine: Wow. I'm just wondering why he was doing it? Did you ever figure it out?

00:22:41 Wally: No. You know what? I'll tell you something even more importantly. Because there's a crucial point to this part of the story, which I always forget to mention this, but there's a crucial point to this part of the story. He never mentioned about the gun that fell out of my bag in front of him. He never brought it up. He never talked about it. He never mentioned it. It was almost like it didn't happen. And after years of thinking about this crazy story, I think, maybe that was something he did on purpose, because 150%, if he would have said something like, "Oh, you shouldn't be walking around with guns, you shouldn't be carrying this, you shouldn't be doing that," I would have never talked to him again. $20 or not. I would have just ghosted him immediately. Like immediately. So the fact that he never brought up the gun that fell in front of him and he never talked about it, he never said anything, just never talked about it again, and that was it. And that's the reason why everything worked the way --

00:23:51 Sabine: That really turned everything around. You became this great athlete and you started your career. So what was going on in your mind? Without going into really the details, it probably is a process, but can you think at one moment in your life that was really the transitional moment for you to really understand and know that there is something else for you in store and that you are going to go a different direction?

00:24:30 Wally: Just because I went to Germany doesn't mean I wasn't still this violent kid, right? If you take a kid out the projects and you put them in Germany, it doesn't make him a nice kid by any means necessary. So I was still a violent , angry kid. Just a violent, angry kid now in Germany. I lived, I think it's in German sports Schula, like the sports school. Under Sports Scholar, where all the kids where all the kids live, they all live there and they play different sports. So these are like your future pro athletes, your future Olympians. So I live with these kids, and when I was there, I was having a problem fitting in. And not because they weren't inviting, they were very inviting. They saw me like, "Where are you from?" "In New York." "Oh, that's the guy from New York. Oh, that's the guy from America." And they're like, "Oh my God, you're so cool and you're so nice," and this and I was like, "Get away from me." That's how I was like.

00:25:30 Wally: Because you know where I grew up, if people are like, "Oh, you're amazing, you're great." If people are singing your praises, it means they want something. Or they're trying to do something bad to you. No one just does that. So when I was in Germany, it was weird that everyone wanted to be my friend. Everyone was like, "Man, you're great. We love America," and this and that. And I was like, "What?" And so I became mentally confused. So there's a term called killing you with kindness. Killing you with kindness is a real thing. It's the effect of, let's say I'm really angry and I want to punch you in the face. And you say, "Wally, I really love you. You're such an amazing, beautiful guy." How can I punch you in the face now. I can't punch you in the face. But saying that I'm an amazing, beautiful guy doesn't take the anger away. So now I'm in a bad spot. Now I can't punch you in the face because I still have some humanity left.

00:26:32 Wally: Because there are people that I grew up with who don't have humanity. They'll still punch you in the face doesn't matter. But I still have my humanity. So now you said something amazingly nice. You're not feeling the fire. Where does this anger go? So now, I'm still angry, but I don't want to punch you in the face or I won't punch you in the face. So the anger, where does it go? It just stays inside and it kind of makes you confused. And that's called killing you with kindness. People say, "Oh, I really hate you." "Yeah, I really love you, too. You're amazing." And inside you burn, because that person didn't give me that few. So I can come back with the second word or come back with last shout.

00:27:14 Sabine: So how did you deal with that?

00:27:17 Wally: Man, you remember that? You remember that thing I talked about that when I came on my shoulder that stopped me from killing my mom and my stepfather? Well, that thing came back to me and it said, "Hey," it says, "Listen up," and, you know, look what he goes, "Why are you angry? Why? You're not in America. You're not in a gang. You're not being abused by your stepfather. You're not part of any of these things. You're in a different country where people actually like you and they don't like you because you can pick up your gun and protect them. They like you just because you're you. So what the hell is wrong with you?"

00:28:05 Sabine: I love it.

00:28:06 Wally: Yeah, that right there was a turning point. Right there, that was, like, about face change, mindset change. Every kind of change you could think of happened there when I actually realized that not everyone in the world is out to get you. Not everyone in the world hates you. And there are people in this world who genuinely care about you just because you are you and not what you can do for them. And that was the change. That was the pivoting point, the turning point.

00:28:40 Sabine: This is the golden nugget. I mean, there are so many golden nuggets, but I think this is the golden nugget everyone can take away from that. Despite if you are abused or not, where you live, who you are, you are being loved because of you. And this is so important to understand. We all are unique in our abilities, in our talents, in how we live, how we give. And once you accept that and really take it as, yes, I am me, and I am special in many different ways, oh, my gosh. I think we would have a much, much happier world.

00:29:27 Wally: Yes. I agree.

00:29:28 Sabine: Well, this was such an amazing conversation, and I know my listeners will get so much out of it. Now, what kind of projects are you working on? What is next for you?

00:29:41 Wally: Well, I love talking to kids. Talking to kids is something that I really like to do. I do some work with kids who suffer severe PTSD from family trauma. I do talks in schools. I'm a TEDx speaker. It's funny because I got asked to do TEDx three times. Two times I said no because I didn't like public speaking, actually, believe it or not. And two times I said no. And then the third time, they came to me and they said, "We have a perfect TEDx Talk for you." And I said, 'What is it about?" He said, "We want it to be on Perseverance. It's a live audience. Perseverance and we want you to tailor your talk to the youth." And I was like, "Yes!" Immediately, the answer was yes. Not knowing what the hell I was getting into, though, but the answer was yes for sure.

00:30:41 Wally: So that's my mission, to help and support these kids that are going through the same things that I went through. And it does have to be on the same level, in any level. Kids just need an air. A lot of times, they just need someone to listen to them. Someone to just hear them. Someone that they know went through the same thing that can understand what they're feeling.

00:31:07 Sabine: You are a light in this world, and you shine this light to the kids, to the youth because they can relate to it. So I wish you all the best on your journey. And if people want to get in touch with you, maybe they want to invite you to speak on their stages or for their group. How can they do that?

00:31:30 Wally: Man, a great place to get in touch with me is on Instagram. It's wallygreennyc. wallygreennyc. Instagram, best place to get in touch with me.

00:31:40 Sabine: Perfect. And I'll make sure to put it also in the show notes. Thank you so much for being here, and best for you and the future.

00:31:51 Wally: Thank you. Thank you for having me.

00:31:54 Sabine: That was my interview and if you enjoyed it, give us a five star review. Leave a comment and share it with your friends. Thanks for listening and till I see you again. Always remember, serve from the heart, follow your passion and live the life you imagine.

Ep.22 Stroke It - A new way of living

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:45:00 GMT

Jenny began to discover herself after her business and marriage were on the brink of failure. Listen to her powerful story of how the adversities she faced transformed her into the successful woman she is today. Join her on the STROKE IT Podcast for weekly episodes featuring the "Stroke It Guide" self-improvement method she uses to enrich the relationships with those in your life, family, businesses, and your own personal self-care.

Get in touch with Sabine:

https://linktr.ee/SabineKvenberg

10_Out of Africa - Into Musicals! German Actress shares her story of huge success and falling deep

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 11:00:58 GMT

When a deep depression hit, she thought her career was over, but she fought to get her health back. What ten doctors couldn't fix, she found through an unusual source. Listen to her inspiring story and bubbly personality. We had great fun going down memory lane and talking about how we first met in Africa.

It's Never Too Late: Reinvention, Gumption & Kick-Ass Living After 50

Sabine Kvenberg — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:53:00 GMT

What does it mean to truly live — not just exist — after 50? In this episode of Saturday Live, I'm joined by Terry Lohrbeer, host of the Kick-Ass Boomers podcast, who has spent five years interviewing boomers doing extraordinary things in their 70s, 80s, and beyond. Terry and I met at Podfest Expo in Orlando this January — one of those unexpected, instant connections that reminds you exactly why in-person events matter. She was also one of the first advanced readers of my memoir GUMPTION — and her reaction to the book sparked the most honest, energizing conversation about fear, reinvention, and what it actually means to go for it at any age.

✔️ Why Terry flew to Germany at age 19 — alone — and came back with a husband

✔️ The moment she jumped off a Las Vegas hotel building at age 66 (yes, really)

✔️ Why the first step is always the scariest — and what happens after you take it

✔️ How listening to your intuition changes everything

✔️ Why staying social and laughing more might be the ultimate longevity strategy

✔️ What GUMPTION stirred up in Terry — and why she read it in just two days

✔️ The one question people on their deathbeds never ask (and what they wish they'd done instead)

If you've been waiting for permission to start over, try something new, or simply go for it — this is your episode.

Ep.163 New Years Message

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 20:40:00 GMT

Happy New Year 2026. A New Year's Message from Sabine.

Reflections and looking forward to an exciting 2026.

Ep.162 The Gift Inside - Stop chasing “more.” Start becoming more

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 11:16:00 GMT

What if the thing you’ve been chasing—more success, more money, more control—has been quietly costing you the one thing you actually crave?
This special Christmas episode is a modern parable about the hidden hunger that achievement can’t satisfy… and the surprising shift that changes everything: from getting more to becoming more. If you’ve ever felt successful on paper but strangely empty inside, this story will meet you right where you are—and leave you with a question you’ll carry long after the episode ends.

Ep.155 Toni Stark - His success, struggle and reinvention in the AI world

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:57:00 GMT

Marketing Expert Toni Stark Policci opens up and shares his story of overcoming and becoming. Struggling with procrastination, excuses, or overwhelm? Discover the power of staying present and taking life one step at a time. In this inspiring conversation with Tony, you’ll learn practical strategies to silence self-doubt, build discipline, and create consistent results—whether in business, fitness, or personal growth.

Learn more about Toni: tonystarkpolicci.com

Sabine:

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Ep.150 From Uber Driver to $1.5M: How James Oliver Built Atlas Bars

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:00:00 GMT

In this inspiring interview, Sabine Kvenberg sits down with James Oliver, founder and CEO of Atlas Bars, to explore how he’s redefining the protein bar industry with clean, effective nutrition. From his early fascination with health and nutrition to building a brand that champions transparency, curiosity, and consumer education, James shares the highs and lows of entrepreneurship.

Discover the lessons he learned about problem-solving, innovation, and resilience while growing Atlas into a trusted name in functional food. James opens up about why direct-to-consumer relationships matter, how mistakes fuel growth, and why a great product is always the best marketing.

If you’re passionate about entrepreneurship, wellness, or the future of the food industry, this conversation is packed with valuable insights to help you take bold steps in your own journey.

VIBRANT VOICES NETWORK - Learn more and enroll:

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Chapters
00:00 – The Genesis of Atlas Bar
01:57 – Introduction
05:08 – Curiosity and Cultural Experiences
10:18 – The Entrepreneurial Spirit
14:20 – Vibrant Voices Network
16:19 – Overcoming Challenges
18:54 – Vision for a Healthier Future
23:12 – Consumer Power and Education
29:06 – The Importance of Customer Service
33:22 – Product Offerings and Future Plans
37:30 – Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

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Ep.143 Building a Community Through Networking

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 11:00:00 GMT

Julie Marty Pearson, a fellow podcaster and advocate for animal rescue, shares the importance of in-person connections, the power of networking, and how podcasting has transformed her life and career. Julie reveals her journey into podcasting, the creation of her supportive community for women podcasters, and the therapeutic nature of sharing stories. We also touch on the significance of authenticity in podcasting, entrepreneurship challenges, and the' role of pets in our lives. Practical tips for aspiring podcasters and the importance of education and advocacy in our work environment. Takeaways

In-person connections are irreplaceable in a virtual world.
Networking is crucial for success in business and podcasting.
Podcasting can be a powerful medium for storytelling and connection.
Building a supportive community is essential for personal and professional growth.
Authenticity in podcasting helps connect with audiences.
Overcoming challenges can lead to personal growth and fulfillment.
Finding purpose through podcasting can be transformative.
It's important to have realistic expectations when starting a podcast.
Education and advocacy can be integrated into podcasting.
Pets can play a significant role in our lives and communities.

Connect with Julie:

https://www.juliemartypearson.com/

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Ep.134 Declutter Your Life: 3 Must-Do Spring Cleaning Strategies

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:40:00 GMT

Feel like your life could use a little spring cleaning? Now it's the perfect time to hit the reset button on your life and business. Let’s discuss three essential strategies to declutter your mind, goals, and daily habits." It will make your life feel lighter and brighter.

Join our Free Become Empowered community:

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For more information or to book Sabine for your next event go to:

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Transcript:

Feel like your life could use a little spring cleaning? Now it's the perfect time to hit the reset button on your life and business. Let’s talk about three essential strategies to declutter your mind, your goals, and your daily habits. It will make your life feel lighter and brighter.

Hello, and welcome to my podcast, Become Empowered. My name is Sabine Kvenberg, founder of Impact Communication Coaching. In this podcast, we talk about how to become empowered in our personal and business lives. I feature interviews with successful individuals from various industries who discuss their professional and personal journeys, how they overcame adversities, and the strategies they used to achieve their goals. We must become the person we are meant to be to live the life we are destined to live. The content will inspire you to reach your aspirations and become the best version of yourself.

Thanks for tuning in and supporting this podcast. And don’t forget to follow our show so you won’t miss when we release a new episode. As always, we would appreciate it if you could give us a 5-star rating and leave a review. Now, without any further ado, let’s dive into the show.

Spring cleaning for Q2 success. Are you ready for some Q2 strategies to win the game? Because at the end, it is a game that we play. And if we also approach it in that playful way, not taking ourselves too serious all the time and say, hey, let's have fun. Because too often, that is the first thing. We don't put the fun in there and then it becomes painful.

and hard. Most importantly, don't get lost in a maze of to-do lists. Can anybody relate to that? I certainly have to raise my hand. And if I show you right now, the sticky notes that I have in my hand from a meeting that I had earlier, then it's like, oh, I'm going back down that old road.

But I also will give you some solutions to that problem. So stay tuned right here with me. Okay. Maybe you can get lost in a maze of piles of paper. Well, maybe your office is not looking like that. Okay. I sure hope so. But I wanted to give you that visual to see how does it make you feel? Right. It's like, Ooh.

It's overwhelming. And don't get lost in a maze of demands from others. Ooh, that is a big one. And that demand can come from many different areas. It can come from your coworkers, from your boss, from your clients, from your family, from your friends. So many demands on you. And that sometimes can get us

lost in the maze. Ooh clutter, that is a big one. And then the other is the many yeses we give. If we say yes, yes, yes, yes, yes to so many things, we also say no to the others. Now with that said, do we always have a straight line to the target? No, we don't. We do have

Sabine Kvenberg (03:56.709) once in a while, a few detours, as you can see there, but we will reach our target at not getting lost in the maze and end up at dead ends. So when your brain is cluttered with excessive thoughts, worries, or a lack of organization, it can lead to

difficulties in focus, decision making and overall cognitive function, potentially increasing stress and anxiety. And let me tell you, I have been there. And sometimes we have to declutter our life. So are you ready to do some spring cleaning?

Before we go, and before I share with you all the things that I developed and discovered and implemented, let me share with you a story. The other day I was listening to a podcast and one of my favorite podcasts, Jenna Kutcher, I followed her for many, many years.

And I just love her personality and what she does. And she's always very hands on. She's just one of those girls, coaches that shares what's on her sleeve. And she talked about spring cleaning and decluttering. And I thought to myself, that was a great, great, great reminder. And I was so thankful because

the longest time I had clutters on my desk, in my bins. because there's always something, there's so many things that I have to do, right? There are so many things that I have to accomplish. There are so many things that I thought, all right, I'll do it later. And what's happening?

Sabine Kvenberg (06:23.888) those papers and those piles just accumulated. And what happens is it really gets heavy on your shoulders. It was just weighing down on my shoulders. But most importantly, what you saw, our brain can only comprehend so much. And when there are things, when there are piles sitting,

And when there's things from even way, way, way back, it all is stored in our brain. And eventually like the subconscious mind, yeah, you have to do this. Yeah. Later. you have to do this. Yes. Later. So what I started doing besides getting rid of those piles and finally filed that way, I saw all the binders from

all the years, me developing my business. And I thought to myself, I, maybe I look at it later. Maybe it comes very handy. Maybe. But I also have to let you know that things changed. What worked 10 years ago doesn't work today. So you have to adjust and adapt.

But what's still there are the binders that took up space in my office and space in my little brain because it still was there in the background, right? Thinking, should I look at it? Right? So here I was this weekend and I did some spring cleaning in my office. One of the things

was a pile, a pile of business cards. And some of them were nicely organized. that was from this event. that was from last year. that was from two years ago. That was the podfest from three years ago. That was, my God, that was an event I attended 10 years ago. Do you think

Sabine Kvenberg (08:47.189) These people still exist. They still have the websites. And here was my thinking. Why did I kept them, keep them? Why have I not thrown them away? Because I thought, yeah, there will be some time to enter them into my email list, right? We all have that thinking, but I've never done it. But here's another way. And

Like I said, things have changed. How emails worked 10 years ago, they don't work like this today. You may have a huge list, but it doesn't do you any good if they don't open your email. And if you put them in now, they don't even remember you. And who is that? And then I have to, I have to look at myself. I don't like to be put in

to email lists. And this is one of the solutions actually that I'm going to share with you later on about cleaning up your email list. But I don't like that. And then I delete or sometimes I even if it comes, keeps on going, I report them spam. And when you report them spam, it's not good for your list. So what I've learned now is be present with the ones that you have. So here's what I did.

I took all the business cards. I had a trash can here and I put them all in here.

Sabine Kvenberg (09:58.443) Wow, that was liberating. And here's what I did with my old binders. I had an empty bin and I put them all in there. Now, why did I do this? Because right now I'm writing a book and I thought to myself, well, maybe I need to go back and have some references. However, I know they are not important anymore to take up space in my office.

So I put them all in and put that bin nicely organized in a closet that I'm not using. So it's out of sight, but I still know if I need it, it's there. And I did the same thing with like, I had envelopes. I'm not using envelopes anymore. So I had like two stacks of envelopes. I kept a few, the others.

I put in plastic bins or bags go to goodwill. Some may still use it, right? Maybe they have a business and they put flyers in there. Great. So I do something good. So that in and of itself, I cannot tell you how liberating it was.

Sabine Kvenberg (11:24.145) I felt so much lighter. And that is the power of spring cleaning. And here are three strategies to get more done. Declutter, delete, delegate. And starting out with declutter. I just want you to look at the picture. What do you feel?

when you see these pictures. What do feel? I mean, we all feel something different, but it's something like heavy or ugly or just not good, right? Now, on the contrary, how do you feel when you see this picture? For me, it's like breathing. It's kind of, that looks good.

It gives you a good feeling because now I know, I know where things are. It's just so much nicer. Now, how about that with your office, right? It's just, it's bugging you down. And my, my office didn't look like that. So, but just to give you that, that picture of, of heaviness and overwhelm, or how about that? It gives you space.

And this is with everything. We have to create space for us to be creative, space for us to get things done. And that is the power of spring cleaning. Now you may have everything decluttered, right? You got rid of the piles of paper. You got everything

packed away. Let's look at the elephant in the room, shall we? How can we avoid future clutter? And that is even more important than everything that we have done this far. You may have cleaned up your office and I have to raise my hand. Who hasn't been there?

Sabine Kvenberg (13:18.091) you got everything straightened out. You got everything clean. But a few weeks later, it just looks the same. That was me. That was me. And the reason being is we don't have a system. So step number one, we have to get organized and it can look many different ways. One

have a filing system. It can be a physical system. It can be both a physical system and also a digital system. But especially when papers come in to your office, a mail, a letter, we still get mail, right? Or something that you picked up, something that you want to look later, or some important stuff. Maybe you still have.

physical bank statements, you know, everybody is different. It has to be packed away, right? So make sure you take the time and get it organized.

or in your drawers. Hey, don't we all have those drawers that, okay, I don't know what to do with this little thing. Let's put it in there. We all have the junk drawers, right? But eventually it's overflowing. And yes, I'm raising my hands. I had it all so nicely organized. But at one point or another, it's like, oh, let me put this in real quick.

And then there's so many other things on top of those nicely organized things. And again, what I shared with you earlier is our brains cannot handle the clutter. It's all there, but in the back of my mind or in the back of our minds, the back of your mind is, yeah, what did I do with that connector? What did I do with that?

Sabine Kvenberg (15:06.123) thumb drive that had very important stuff on it, right? Now make sure that you have a designated area where you put all your thumb drives. So you don't have to think about that. That frees up that space in your brain that now is free for creative thinking. And most importantly, planning. We got to plan ahead. And when you do those things, when you get organized,

That is the first step to be more productive, to get more done. Step number two, adopt a new end of day habit. For me, that was a very important step. And that one thing that I did is I want to have a clear desk. Even if I

maybe don't have time to put everything or file everything away. At least my desk is clear and I have a designated bin where I put things to take care of the next day. But I have an end of the day habit and that could be a clean desk. It could be a couple other things. You, you are you.

You know, I am me. That was me before. And when you get up the next day and you see that you don't even want to get into your office. And maybe it's not you. I'm not saying that you may have that. Ah, beautiful office, right? But what feels better? The before the after, right? The after, of course.

It again gives me that breathing. It just lifts something off my shoulders and makes me want to come into my office and start my day because now I can start my day being creative. So these are the strategies to get more done. And we talked about the decluttering process. So, so, so important. Now let's look at delete. What do we need?

Sabine Kvenberg (17:20.503) delete. Number one, that's a big one, emails. As I mentioned earlier, nowadays we got so many emails and that is almost a burden. For the more mature audience, can you think back at the time where the World Wide Web just started and AOL came online

with dial in using the it took forever. And then finally you have, you've got mail. Whoa. Wow. You've got mail. that was exciting. You couldn't wait to open up your emails, right? somebody sent me a digital mail. that was the most exciting things of your day, right?

Now those days are long gone. And now it's like, how can I declutter? How can I delete? There are actually services out there that help you get unsubscribed from emails that put you in their list automatically. Because there are tons of organizations out there that sell your

information, including your emails. So I'm using now a organization. I'll share it with you.

And they help me get off lists and being deleted on those lists. But there are still things that we have to do because there's still people that we communicate with that sent us emails and we have to delete them. Otherwise you end up with thousands upon thousands. And again,

Sabine Kvenberg (19:11.665) That's one of the things that I did when I started my decluttering process, my spring cleaning. I went in and very briefly looked at the most important ones. And then, you know, what I had to do, it was painful, but I had to click the delete all. 925. Now, could there be an important email in there? Possibly.

But you know how liberating it is if you only have 50? Very much so. Okay, what else can we delete? Delete some of your yeses and say no, because for every yes you give or every yes means you have to say no to something else. Right. And we think, my gosh.

What if this person that I just said yes to, maybe one day becomes famous? Or that could be an opportunity. Or, well, I want to network with this group and I want to say yes to, yeah, I'm helping you. Yes, I say yes to, of course I'm there for you. That would take away time.

for what you really want to do. Now, I'm not saying eliminate all, but you have to discern which project you say yes to and which project you say no to. That is also a very important part of the spring cleaning. And then you have to let go of stuff you don't need any longer. Like I shared with you earlier,

the business cards that I collected over the years that I have never followed up with the contacts that I have never followed up with that are never entered into my email list. And that probably half of them don't exist anymore. And even though I thought, well, maybe no, forget about it. Get rid of them. Even your closet, how many dresses or pants or

Sabine Kvenberg (21:46.731) jackets are still hanging in your closet that you haven't worn for several years. You may think, well, maybe one day I can fit into it anymore. Or well, maybe in 10 years or maybe in 20 years, I have a reunion with my class and I could show off in that dress. Forget about it. Right? Now, if it's a sentimental piece from

a loved one that is no longer there, I do have a dress from my mother and I probably will keep that. But that's okay. That's a sentimental reason. But there's so many things that I'm not wearing. And when you get rid of it, you make space for new things, for new dresses, right? Or in your office, make space for new things to come into your life and your business. And then the last thing,

delegate. So how can we delegate things? Well, there many different ways. Ask for help. One way can be get a virtual assistant. And you know, you can start out in very many different various ways. I used to have a virtual assistant who just did a couple posts for me.

in my social media. That is one way. Now I have a beautiful, wonderful, wonderful virtual assistant, Sabrina, who's helping me with many other tasks besides doing and helping me with my social media, but also being here in my community as we grow and is also doing other things for me. So that might be a way.

for you to get help. But if you are not there yet, it's okay. You can exchange services. So maybe someone is good doing social media and you are not, but someone is not good with the finances or someone is not good with online, whatever you do. So you can say, Hey, how about I will do this for you and you do that for me.

Sabine Kvenberg (24:16.71) All right. Everybody has something that they are good at, but not so much with the other. So that's a possibility. And that's when you work with your colleagues. That's when you work with someone that you met in your networking group and you just exchange you, you bother, so to speak. So you don't have to pay anybody and they have to don't have to pay you.

Or simply ask your family or friends, hey, and I know some of you have a family member who is good doing the online stuff. Ask them. They're happy to help you. Right. But that is important. At one point, if you want to grow, if you want to keep your sanity, ask for help. So

Those are the strategies to get more done. Declutter, delete, delegate.

And these are the results you're going to get. Instead of ending up the end of the day with thousands of sticky notes and being totally exhausted, you have extra time to just chill. Right? Now, you know me. Action creates change. Only if we take action.

So here we go. Number one, set a date and put it on your calendar.

Sabine Kvenberg (26:41.576) And I wrote, let's do it now. So I want each one of you to take out your calendar, either your physical calendar or your digital calendar, and look for a date that you will do your spring cleaning, applying all the things that

we talked about that you've learned. Okay? Let's do it now.

Second, make a commitment to always end the day with a clear desk or delete your email junk, right? Whatever it is for you. These are just examples, right? Wherever you are, right? If you run a physical business, I have done that too for many years.

What could that be for you? Right. Always make sure to have a balanced, I don't think we have cash registered anymore, but you know, whatever you need to do at the end of the day that everything is accounted for. Right. And even if it's okay, make sure that at the end of the day, all the service get their tip, get their cash, whatever it is, we all have different things.

But if you are working from home, can only tell you having a clear desk coming in in the morning makes a big difference. And number three, post your progress in our Become Empowered group under WINS and celebration. Okay. So post your progress in our Become Empowered group under WINS.

Sabine Kvenberg (28:48.248) and celebration.

Ep.133 Unhooked and Empowered: Dr. Adi Jaffe's Journey from Addiction to Insight

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 11:00:00 GMT

"Join us as Dr. Adi Jaffe and Sabine Kvenberg delve into the transformative journey from addiction to recovery, unraveling the deep-seated emotional triggers and compulsive behaviors that block our paths to happiness. In this enlightening conversation, they explore practical strategies for overcoming adversity, sharing inspiring success stories that prove change is possible with the right mindset and tools. Discover how embracing curiosity and making adaptive changes can open the door to a life of fulfillment and freedom from addiction."

Get in touch with Dr. Adi: https://www.adijaffe.com/ www.igntd.com

Harness your body's flow with X 39.

Learn more about Lifewave: https://www.lifewave.com/healthyandwealthy

Get in touch with Sabine:

https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/

Bio Dr. Adi Jaffe::

Dr. Adi Jaffe, Ph.D. is a UCLA-trained Psychologist, TEDx Speaker, National Bestselling Author, and a recognized expert on addiction, transformation, leadership and relationship, especially in times of deep crisis. Dr. Adi Jaffe is a UCLA-trained Psychologist and a renowned expert in mental health, addiction, and relationships. After receiving his PhD from UCLA, he lectured in the department for the better part of a decade. Dr. Jaffe’s personal journey includes overcoming addiction; he was once a meth addict and drug dealer but transformed his life after a SWAT team arrest and jail sentence. He is the author of “The Abstinence Myth” and his new book “Unhooked,” and has been featured in numerous media outlets like CNN, Fox, NBC, and The Huffington Post. Dr. Jaffe is a regular contributor to Psychology Today and is known for his non-traditional approaches to addiction treatment. He currently leads IGNTD, focusing on reducing stigma around mental health issues through helping individuals who are released from prisons and jails find addiction and mental health help.

Summary:

In this conversation, Dr. Adi Jaffe shares his personal journey from addiction to recovery, emphasizing the importance of honesty, humility, and understanding the underlying issues of addiction. He discusses his work with diverse populations, from successful individuals to those coming out of prison, and offers practical advice for living a fulfilled life. Jaffe highlights that addiction is not just about substances but also about compulsive behaviors that hinder personal growth and happiness. In this conversation, Adi Jaffe, PhD, and Sabine Kvenberg explore the themes of habit replacement, emotional hooks, and the importance of adaptive responses to stress in the context of addiction recovery. They discuss the need for accessible help for those struggling with addiction and emphasize the significance of curiosity and the willingness to change. The conversation is enriched with inspiring stories of transformation, highlighting that anyone can change their life with the right tools and mindset.

Ep.129 Prison saved my life; It's never too late to change course

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

In this conversation, Dr. Joshua Caraballo, an industrial organizational psychologist, shares his insights on the importance of employee well-being, the role of nonprofits, and his personal journey of overcoming adversity. He discusses how his upbringing in a Jehovah's Witness household shaped his identity and beliefs, leading to struggles with cancer, addiction, and incarceration. Through his experiences, he emphasizes the power of hope and transformation and the importance of aligning work with personal values.

Support this podcast: https://www.podpage.com/become/support/

Learn more about Lifewave: https://lifewave.com/healthyandwealthy

Connect with Dr. Joshua: https://www.drjosh.solutions/

Connect with Sabine: https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/

Takeaways:

Industrial-organizational psychology focuses on human behavior in the workplace.

Employee well-being extends beyond the workplace into personal life.

Nonprofits often prioritize people over profit, leading to greater fulfillment.

Aligning work with personal values can enhance job satisfaction.

Overcoming adversity is possible, regardless of the circumstances.

Childhood beliefs can significantly impact adult identity and choices.

Prison can serve as a catalyst for personal transformation.

Hope exists even in the darkest situations; it's never too late to change.

Self-love and acceptance are crucial for personal growth.

Sharing personal stories can help others feel less alone.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Industrial Organizational Psychology

03:07 The Role of Nonprofits in Employee Wellbeing

06:12 Profit vs. Purpose: The Nonprofit Perspective

08:58 Personal Journey: Overcoming Adversity

12:00 The Impact of Childhood Beliefs on Identity

15:06 Finding Redemption: The Prison Experience

18:12 Lessons Learned: Hope and Transformation

21:03 Advice for Overcoming Life's Challenges

Transcript:

Sabine Kvenberg
My guest today is Dr. Joshua Caraballo. We just discussed it as we started. How do we pronounce it in Spanish as Caraballo? So here you go. That's how I say it. How are you today, Dr. Josh?

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
I'm doing very well. Thank you for asking Sabine and thank you for your time today. It's such an honor and pleasure to be on your show.

Sabine Kvenberg
Well, I can't wait to hear more about your story and what you do and who you help. But let me ask you, what is an industrial organizational psychologist?

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
What a wonderful question. It really is. Well, if it feels better to you and those who are listening, you could just say business psychologist or business psychology, as we sometimes refer to it as just to simplify things. But industrial organization or I.O. psychology is another way to say it as well, encompasses so many different facets. so instead of telling you everything,

Sabine Kvenberg
Yeah, it's a mouthful.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
that is underneath this huge umbrella. In fact, I think last time I checked, there's at least 24 different buckets, if you will, that you can concentrate on when it comes to IO psychology. And what I like to tell people, it's pretty much the simplest way to talk about it is anything having to do with human behavior in the workplace, with the caveat that we are not clinical psychologists. So we're not coming in and diagnosing people with ailments.

from a mental health perspective or working with leaderships to determine what types of mental health programs need to be instituted. That would be a clinical psychologist who engages in that and maybe even going as far as to diagnosing people with very specific sort of

Sabine Kvenberg
you

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD (02:11.778)
diagnoses that would need a clinician to help them, you know, maybe get through or even try to ameliorate some of those negative symptoms. Instead, what we're doing, work at the individual, the group, and the institutional level with an eye towards so many different things. But what I really like to focus on is employee wellbeing.

which obviously goes beyond just the workplace because the wellbeing considerations and human flourishing is another way to put that, isn't just about what you do at work. So a lot of times what we do in the IO world actually spills over into your actual life outside. Another element of that would be employee engagement. And there are many different facets of engagement on how to measure it.

and how to help people in your organizations to be engaged. But again, I go with there are so many different ways to apply these principles outside of work, especially if you want to engage in life more deeply, this is something, these are some elements and models that can be utilized. So I'll stop there with those two big buckets, but yeah.

Sabine Kvenberg
I can see that is probably a very, very broad topic. So the question is, who is hiring you? Is it just like bigger company that wanted to improve their culture, their culture, or is it smaller company or individuals?

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Yeah, you're hitting it right on the nail, so to speak. it's, yes, all of those things are viable opportunities for IO psychologists. A lot of times we do work as organizational consultants. We could do that internally or externally. For me, I started out consulting here and there, but it never materialized into something that actually took up 40 hours a week. And so what I ended up doing for my trajectory,

was working for nonprofits. I've always had this sort of affinity with the nonprofit mission and mission orientation, generally speaking, because it makes me feel much more fulfilled. This is also part of what we teach and what we learn about implementing well-being and flourishing models into the workplace. When you can align...

Sabine Kvenberg
Okay, so why would it make you more fulfilled when you work with a non-profit organization?

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Well, it's not a guarantee. let me use that as a caveat. You could find yourself just as fulfilled in a for-profit organization. In my experience, and this is not a research assessment, I have found that being in an organization that is nonprofit, when removing that profit motive, has been very helpful for me. I have come across organizations that make decisions based on trying to increase their profit motive.

And that to me does not resonate with my own values. And I find that although it is a necessity, I get it and I understand it. If I could avoid doing that sort of work, I tend to find a lot more creative expression, more value and more alignment with who I am.

Sabine Kvenberg
I totally get it. I totally get it because especially when we see some of the companies out there, for profit companies, it's nothing against making profit. We all do. We live from profits. That's our bread and butter. But I think the difference sometimes is what I see is when companies create profits,

on the backs of people, not in a healthy way, of nature, our planet, and the animal kingdom. And I just talked about that with another guest, actually. I don't know how we got to that point, but I believe when, and there are the beautiful companies out there, for-profit companies who have that in mind, who have people first, people before profit.

And truly, I believe if you have that in mind, you still can be so profitable, wealthy and create beautiful things. It's just how you, what take you take on the whole situation. So, and I think that probably also goes in alignment with what you teach and do.

Because I believe when people are happier in their organization, when they feel acknowledged and valued and not being taken advantage of and get their fair share. Because at the end, if they would not be there working for the big on the top guy, nothing would be happening, right? So what's your take on that?

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Mm.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Mmm.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
All right.

Yeah. I love what you said. There's so much gold in those statements that you just said. And I agree with you. think when there's a profit motive, more than likely, what's happening is there is an incentive to really extract as much as possible from people, places, and things. And if you think about it,

the underlying mechanism at place is really squeezing out the most value. But the difference that can take place here, and what I love about nonprofits, is instead of squeezing out all the most value that you possibly can for your bottom line, it can be about squeezing out the most value for your people, or for the people that you serve, or for the people that are internal to your organization.

for the mission and the vision to make sure that everything that is done, every decision that's made, every initiative that is put into place is all about that same thing. How do we provide value from this? And by removing that the fact that you're trying to make more money and increase your bottom line, it's not that money considerations go away completely in a nonprofit world, but...

if you're not making a profit year over year, it's not as serious as if you're in a for-profit entity. So that to me is just such a wonderful to be able to get away from the fact that this project, as an example, touches the hearts and souls of people in X generation, you know, just using an example, and it has changed their behaviors for the better by this percentage.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD (09:29.26)
However, it wasn't a profitable program. That still might need to be scrutinized in the nonprofit world. However, what ends up happening is, okay, how do we look at gaining more grants, more individuals who can provide additional funds in some way? How do we partner with other entities to try to solve for some of the needs of this program? Because we see the benefit.

of it moving our mission and vision forward. That to me is like the purpose of what business actually should be. Although I want to leave space for the entities that do otherwise. It's just as I get older, and it's not just about age, there's a whole swath of younger people who also identify this way. We want to feel value in the work that we do.

We want to feel that it aligns with our purpose, even if it's not a complete alignment. It's just a partial alignment. That is fine, because we know it's hard, especially these days, to find that complete 100 % alignment, unless you build your own organization, which is always a viable thing for you to do as well.

Sabine Kvenberg
Mm-hmm.

Sabine Kvenberg
Absolutely. And that's why I work a lot with entrepreneurs who follow that calling, that passion, and that serving heart that they have to serve others. And I think there is a good, is always a good balance of the entrepreneurial spirits and individuals and those who work for a company. There's some people who are just more comfortable. They don't want their own company and that's okay too.

But what they all want, what I've learned throughout my life, everybody wants to be valued. And those companies, for example, there are a few out there who have their employees participate in their shares or whatnot, so many different ways. So you feel, this is part of my company, I'm working for that. So I make a difference. And I truly believe.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Yes.

Sabine Kvenberg
that when more company would do that, actually they would be better off. Give a little bit more to your people and give them the feeling they contribute for a greater purpose for that matter and your company will flourish. But let's go to talk about your book. You wrote a book that said, I'm not dead yet.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Right.

Sabine Kvenberg
What inspired you to write that book?

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Yeah, so thanks for bringing it up. I come from, to take you all the way back and not to spend too much time, but I think it's very important to bring you to my childhood. I was brought up in a Jehovah's Witness household, which taught me from a very young age that being gay was wrong, bad, and that God, in this case, his name being Jehovah, as taught to me, would eliminate me and anyone just like me from the earth.

when the great tribulation of Armageddon would come. Some of this might sound a little silly to some people, but it might resonate with others who happen to be religious. My point is not to knock religion here. I'm not here to say religion is bad, but I am here to acknowledge that that can affect people in a very negative way. What ends up happening, and this is a psychological principle as well as a personal.

sort of principle that has occurred, you start to internalize those ideals, those belief systems, because it's all you know. And it truly can more than likely affect the trajectory of your life when you internalize hate, negativity, especially when it's in regard to who you are and your very being. So that's exactly what happened with me. Although as all of that was occurring to me,

I had no idea why it was happening. At the age of 18 when I was able to leave my house, fly the coop so to speak, and do my own thing, it was only about six months later that I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in stage four, which for those who are not familiar with cancer, stage four is the final stage.

Sabine Kvenberg
you

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Almost immediately when I found out this information, I had attributed it to me being punished because that was what I was taught. You act out in a certain way. You're allowed to have these thoughts, but you're never allowed to act on them. And once you do, there will be a punishment for you. And that was my punishment. so, you know, fast forward to where I am today. The cancer came back a second time. And then when I was deemed a...

about seven years later and all was said and done, you would think that that would be an indication for me to start flourishing and do all the things that would just constitute my well-being and increasing that as much as possible, but it wasn't. What ended up happening is I engaged in a deleterious cycle that was very, very harmful. And I started using drugs and alcohol and

as you might imagine, just things became worse and worse in my decision making and the people that I surrounded myself with all kind of like solidified me getting closer and closer to death. And I started to get in trouble with the law. And once I started to realize why these things were happening, getting to the underlying sort of mechanisms and causal factors,

And psychology was very helpful for me to understand those things. I had to square that away and I had to start undoing the harm that occurred. I also had to renegotiate the relationships that took place in my life. I had to square away my belief systems and who I was knowing that I had spent a good portion of my life trying to change myself, trying to avoid what was inevitable, which is

me being a gay man, but also understanding that that's just one part of who I am and there so many other beautiful aspects of my personality. But in order for me to allow all of those aspects to shine completely, I had to fall in love with myself. I had to renegotiate, like I said, and re-understand what God is and was and what my relationship to that

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
being is, as well as my family and the people who had called me friends during the first 20, 30 years of my life. That is all what is encapsulated in that book, that memoir that I wrote, because one of the most horrific things that happened to me outside of being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma was actually going to prison. And that experience to me

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
On the one hand, I say to myself, well, it saved my life. It got me out from using drugs and alcohol. I had no choice but to sober up almost immediately. But that wasn't enough. That's not going to keep me away from drugs and alcohol and change me. What needed to happen was that internal sort of assessment and that longitudinal dedication.

Sabine Kvenberg
it, did that happen while you were in prison that you have all of a sudden the time to first of all, being away from, from drugs and alcohol and then having the time to really start thinking, what am I doing? Were you able to start studying? So what was that time? How long were you in prison?

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
I was sentenced for 16 months and I spent 14 months for good behavior. So yes, the answer is it definitely gave me the time and the space to contemplate, to think, to read, to study, to question. I wanna just make this a caveat here. It's like...

I had to go through this journey, if you will, in order to become who I am today. But I wouldn't recommend it. I don't think it's the best way to go about becoming a better person. For me, right, right. So I don't advocate for prison for anyone. There are exceptions to everything. There are atrocities that take place that are so, sad that we even have to talk about it.

Sabine Kvenberg
No, everybody has their own path and that absolutely.

You

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
That's a reality and I think that's a place where it makes sense to put someone in prison. But that's not the majority of people who are in prison, are not murderers, child molesters, but those are the things that we think about, the most horrific sort of atrocities that exist in the world. But there's a whole bunch of other types of people who engage in

not so great behaviors like myself. And unfortunately, there isn't a route currently, or at least when I was going through this during 2010, 2011, that would help to rehabilitate persons like myself. It's more about the punishment than it is the rehabilitation. And that says a lot about our prison system and the way it operates. Now I know we can spend

Sabine Kvenberg
That's another, totally other topic. Yes, yes, yes.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
yeah, right. But, you know, I tried to make the best of it as I possibly could, which meant that not only did I need to make the determination, but I had to do the work. And the work took a lot longer than just 14 months. know, coming out of prison was very important for me to start to reintegrate myself into society and also understand

what my sobriety was going to look like and how I was going to maintain that in the long haul. that all was touch and go, reading a lot. I decided to then get my doctorate after I came out. So, I mean, that was a huge sort of goal that I was able to accomplish, which I'm very proud of.

But a lot of the things that I learned during that time I was applying in real time. So I finally became sober, completely sober in 2013, which was the same year that I enrolled in doctoral school.

Sabine Kvenberg (20:53.526)
But you know, that shows me also that, yeah, there are situations where people get into prison, right? But then there are also people, they go right back where they started. And then there are others like yourself who sees this is an opportunity for me to change my life. And don't let that

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Right.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Yes. Yes.

Sabine Kvenberg
past and that baggage hinder you to become your next greater self.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Absolutely, yes. And again, you don't need prison to show you that. I did. But what are the universal themes that can be extracted from my experiences so that other people can kind of learn from that and then adapt it as they wish? I love that. And that's part of the reason why I wrote this book is not everybody that reading it is going to be like, I know what prison life is like. No.

Sabine Kvenberg
Right.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
but there will be elements of that story that you'll be able to say, okay, I see what he's getting at here. It's the learning lessons that took place. Two major, sorry.

Sabine Kvenberg
So would you say that you wrote the book mainly for yourself to let this out, to write it? what was the inspiration? Or was it, I have to write it to help others to see ABC. What would that be?

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Yeah, yeah, it's both. Like, I have to be super honest with myself, right? Part of this healing process is about getting my story and writing it and putting it out there. There is a selfish aspect to it, although I don't see all selfish aspects to be that. Like, there are good aspects to being selfish. Like, taking care of yourself is a selfish act, so to speak, but it's also a really great thing to do.

But balancing that out with the ability to assist and help people also is extremely important to me. In fact, I would say that's my primary reason for creating something like this, because think about it. I could just write something like this if I wanted to process it in real time, but never publish it or put it out there for other people. That's an additional step. In fact, there are psychological models that show that if you just take

pen to paper and write something out. Like if you're really upset with somebody, maybe somebody at work said something really nasty to you and you don't feel like it's appropriate to confront them about that for whatever reasons, maybe it's the big boss, you write a letter. Write a letter and it never needs to be published or sent to anyone and that is a very helpful thing to do. So I've known this from the beginning. So the extra step to really help other people be exposed to your story.

That's a scary thing.

Sabine Kvenberg
Yeah, it sure is. And especially with the story and the history that you had, but you're so right. And we hear that and I experienced it myself, writing things down and even having a journal. It is so super important. And even sometimes in work when you have so many things in your head and you get in so

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
yeah.

Yes.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Yes.

Sabine Kvenberg
Confused so buck down with things just writing it out. Let it flow on paper It's it's very helpful. So I can totally see that but at the same time just by sharing your story You can help others and others can see hey, I'm not alone And that's why I have this podcast is to share other people's stories. So listeners can know hey, I'm not alone and whatever it is, I mean have

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Exactly.

Sabine Kvenberg
many different individuals, many different stories, many different experiences. But somehow we can pick a little bit from everybody who shares something because it's a universal experience that we have. And that's called life. We all have our demons. We all have our struggles that we need to go through. But in your case, you also show

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Absolutely.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Yes!

Sabine Kvenberg
that you can get out even out of one of the worst situations, overcoming a stage four cancer, getting clean from drug abuse and alcohol and getting out of prison. mean, there's like three big things. Usually somebody has maybe one, it's hard to get through. this is so fantastic. So if you could give like,

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Right.

Sabine Kvenberg
one piece of advice or one or two things that helped you through that process. So if a listener maybe struggles with one of these things or maybe all three, what piece of advice would you give them?

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Right.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
my gosh, there's so many things. I'll see if I try to keep it as terse and succinct as possible. Yeah. I mean, if you, yeah, I mean, I think overall it is never too late. No matter how far or how deep down we feel we've gone. I think one of the things that starts to happen to people and Nietzsche had said this, but I won't get it exactly right.

Sabine Kvenberg
Of course, get your book, right? if you could...

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Something along the lines of, when you look into the abyss long enough, you actually become the abyss. And that has resonated with me so deeply because it feels hopeless. And it's okay to feel hopeless, but please don't stay there too long. There is always hope. There's always a silver lining, even in the most desperate and horrific of situations. It is never too late.

to change course, to become a better person. I'm living proof of that.

Sabine Kvenberg
That is a beautiful ending to this interview. You couldn't have said anything better. If someone wants to learn more about you or want to get your book, how can they do that?

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
My website is probably the best place. It'll give you all of my social media handles, my email, and I would encourage you if you'd like to chat more to reach out. Also, details about the book can be found at drjosh.solutions. That's D-R-J-O-S-H dot solutions spelled just like the word. And that's in place of a dot com or dot org in case you're wondering, like, what's the last part of that?

Sabine Kvenberg
It's good to know. wonderful. And I make sure, of course, it will be in the show notes. Thank you so much for your time today and hopefully you can touch many more lives moving forward.

Joshua J. Caraballo, PsyD
Thank you so much for your time and for what you do with this podcast. Much appreci-

Ep.125 Breaking Generational Curses-Finding Emotional Freedom

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 15:00:00 GMT

Mirsada Memic’s journey from a war-torn childhood to becoming a life coach and motivational speaker is a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit. Her dedication to helping others heal and transform their lives is truly inspirational.

In this episode, we dive into her inspiring journey of overcoming fear, depression, and limiting beliefs. Mirsada shares her mission to break generational curses and promote joy and happiness while helping others find emotional freedom and inner peace. 🕊️

🎧 Tune in to discover:
🌟 How to release fear stored in the body
🌟 Steps to break free from generational cycles
🌟 The mindset shifts that lead to lasting transformation

💬 Get ready to be inspired and uplifted! Listen now wherever you get your podcasts!

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Ep.120 Your Smile is the Key to Better Health—Here’s What I Learned in Costa Rica!

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:26:00 GMT

Your smile isn’t just about looks—it’s a gateway to better physical and mental health! In this episode, I share my transformative journey to Costa Rica, where I completed major dental surgery and received life-changing care. I sit down with Dr. Bernal Soto, a master in Cosmetic and Aesthetic Dentistry, to discuss how good oral health can improve your overall well-being, prevent serious health issues, and even boost your confidence. Plus, we explore the incredible benefits of getting high-quality dental care abroad at a fraction of the cost. Don’t miss this inspiring and informative conversation!

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Ep.115 Finding Balance and Harmony

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 11:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Sabine Kvenberg explores the critical importance of finding balance and harmony in life, not just through time management but also by being in alignment with your values and true self. Sabine emphasizes that while balancing time between work, family, and personal life is essential, it's equally important to ensure that your actions and decisions align with who you are at your core. She highlights how being out of alignment can lead to dissatisfaction, sharing a personal example from her own business journey where she felt disconnected from her purpose. Sabine encourages listeners to reflect on their alignment and take steps to harmonize their inner values with their outer actions for greater fulfillment and success.

This episode invites you to look beyond calendars and schedules and dive deeper into living authentically, with integrity, and in harmony with your true self.

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Ep.107 Are We Independent (FREE)?

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 10:00:00 GMT

Every 4th of July, the US celebrates Independence Day in the US with fireworks, barbecues, and patriotic parades. But have you ever paused to ask yourself what independence truly means? Are we genuinely independent, or are we more interconnected than we realize?

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Summary:

Independence is a cornerstone of American identity, symbolized by our annual celebration of Independence Day. This holiday commemorates the nation's break from British rule, but in today's complex world, the concept of independence warrants deeper exploration.

Independence often implies self-sufficiency and freedom from external control. However, modern society operates on a foundation of interdependence, where individuals and nations rely on each other for resources, support, and collaboration. From our globalized economy to our social networks, we are intricately connected, raising the question of whether true independence is attainable or even desirable.

Reflecting on my personal journey, I realized early on that entrepreneurship was my path to a more independent life. By becoming a business owner, I aimed to take control of my destiny, make my own decisions, and shape my future according to my vision. The road to entrepreneurship has been filled with challenges and rewards, each step reinforcing the delicate balance between independence and interdependence.

As we honor the spirit of independence this July, let's also appreciate the strength found in our connections. Independence and interdependence are not mutually exclusive; rather, they are complementary forces that, when balanced, can lead to a fulfilling and empowered life.

Ep.79 Success Secrets, Humor and AI Revolution

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Listen to this informative and entertaining conversation with a guest who seamlessly navigates the worlds of science, business, comedy, and technology. Bo Bennett's expertise and Sabine Kvenberg's engaging interviewing style created a captivating and enlightening podcast episode. Throughout the episode, they delve into the key elements required for success. Bo's journey from a young entrepreneur to a multimillion-dollar sale highlighted the importance of staying ahead of the curve. They also explored the potential of AI technology and how individuals and businesses can harness its capabilities to their advantage.

Summary:

In this engaging podcast episode, Sabine Kvenberg had the pleasure of hosting Bo Bennett, PhD, a multifaceted expert with a diverse range of specialties. Bo Bennett shared insights and wisdom from his extensive knowledge in four key areas:

The Social Sciences: With a background in social psychology, Bo delved into the intricacies of human behavior, cognition, critical thinking, logical fallacies, reason, rationality, humanism, secularism, and atheism. He provided valuable insights into understanding these aspects of human nature.
Business and Success: Bo's entrepreneurial journey began at a remarkably young age, and he later achieved a major milestone by selling his company for an impressive $20 million. Listeners gained access to his invaluable experiences and wisdom in the world of business and success.
Comedy: Bo is not only an expert in serious subjects but also the creative force behind the animated sitcom "Squat!" which takes place in a suburban fitness center. He shared his insights on the creative process, comedy writing, and finding humor in everyday life.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Bo ventured into the fascinating and sometimes controversial world of AI. He discussed his AI-driven websites, which have both thrilled and unnerved people, and explored the ethical considerations surrounding AI technology.

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Ep.64 Locked-up in China - My Experience In A Beijing Prison

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 13:29:00 GMT

As a former football player, Chancellor relied on his perseverance to get him through imprisonment in Beijing. This experience changed his way of living and gave him a new life perspective. He shares some of the insights that led him to a new road to success. Chancellor is now a role model and beacon of light for many young people in his capacity as a teacher.

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Ep.76 Breaking Patterns with Derick Johnson: A Story of Faith, Fitness, and Flourishings

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 06:55:00 GMT

In this compelling episode, we explore the multifaceted life of Derick Johnson, a distinguished US Army Veteran, Life Coach, and Trainer. Derick, who has assisted over 500 clients and 50 companies, shares his journey from mere survival to a thriving life through his unique coaching modalities and effective marketing strategies.

As a thrice-awarded Soldier of the Year, Derick has utilized his leadership skills, certifications, and rich life experiences to guide others in mastering their minds and bodies. His commitment to helping people thrive is rooted deeply in his personal story of resilience and transformation.

Growing up as a mixed-race individual, Derick faced numerous challenges. He candidly discusses the complexities of his heritage, with a German mother and African American father, and how this shaped his perspective. He also delves into his transformative healing experience in Peru and the profound impact of his global travels with his girlfriend.

Central to Derick's story is the role of fitness and faith in his life. He recounts how these elements were crucial in turning a potentially destructive path into a successful career and fulfilling life. This personal evolution led to the creation of "Fit With Derick," a high-performance coaching business focused on helping individuals break old patterns and thrive.

The episode also sheds light on Derick's turbulent childhood, marked by the success of his parents who struggled with alcoholism and the personal challenges of bullying and dark times. Derick's story is a testament to the power of resilience, showing how fitness and faith can be transformative forces in overcoming adversity.

Listeners will find inspiration in Derick's journey, gaining insights into how to navigate life's challenges with strength and grace.

Ep.74 Unveiling the Shadows: Overcoming P#&^ Addiction with J.K. Emezi

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 12:00:00 GMT

In a revealing and urgent edition of our podcast, we dive into a compelling discussion with J.K. Emezi, a figure of transformation in the realm of addiction recovery. This extended episode sheds light on the often-shadowed topic of porn addiction and its escalating prevalence. With raw honesty, J.K. details the profound impact this addiction has on both individuals and the larger societal web, including its unsettling ties to human trafficking.

As we unravel the conversation, J.K. doesn't just recount his own victory over a decade-long struggle with addiction; he also lays out the roadmap of his innovative Reboot System. This is more than a personal narrative; it's an exploration of a societal challenge, a battle cry for awareness, and a beacon of hope for those ensnared.

J.K.'s credentials as a Certified Addiction Coach and CEO of Elevated Recovery underscore the depth of his knowledge and the success of his approach. His system isn't just theory—it's a practiced and effective method that has redefined the lives of professionals across the globe.

This episode is a call to awareness and action. We confront the stark realities of addiction, the power it can hold over one's life, and the ripple effect on relationships and society. But more than that, we spotlight the potential for recovery and the actionable steps towards a life reclaimed.

Join us as we navigate this delicate topic, guided by an expert who has not only walked through the fire of addiction but has turned back to light the way for others. It's a conversation that's as much about confronting harsh truths as it is about embracing the potential for change and recovery.

Key Takeaways:

P#&^ addiction is a pressing issue with far-reaching effects, including its influence on human trafficking.
Awareness is the crucial first step towards addressing and ultimately overcoming addiction.
His Reboot System is a testament to J.K. Emezi's personal and professional commitment to helping others achieve lasting recovery.
Recovery is about ending addiction, personal growth, and improving one's quality of life.

How to get involved and help against Human Trafficking:

Operation Underground Railroad: https://ourrescue.org/

Thorn: https://www.thorn.org/

Contact:

Website: www.elevatedrecovery.org

Social Media

Website: www.elevatedrecovery.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaykayemezi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-k-emezi-736457127/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbqaPKeiNW6R6LECHwQkRug

CONNECT WITH SABINE

https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/offers/4NU9qW23

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https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/camera-confident-fast-track

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Ep.65 New Beginnings! Inesa's Quest: Health-Hemp-Hope

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 11:00:00 GMT

I have never met a woman like Inesa. Her journey is extraordinary. She is a beautiful soul with a big heart, but on her journey, she had to learn how to protect herself. She shares her journey with us, from homeless to building a company from scratch, helping thousands naturally restore their health.

CONNECT WITH SABINE

Schedule your Free Strategy session here:

Social Media:

Ep.53 The Best of Season 1 - Happy Anniversary Edition

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 11:00:00 GMT

I will share why and how the BECOME podcast was born in this episode. In addition, you will hear some of the most memorable soundbites from some of my guests. You can get a sneak peek of many different stories from Doctors to Athlet Celebrities, Authors, and Tony Robbins Firewalk chief coordinator.

Connect with Sabine Kvenberg:

Hello and welcome to my podcast become. My name is Sabine Kvenberg and I am your host, the content will inspire you to reach your aspirations and become the best version of yourself. I feature interviews with successful individuals from various industries, delving into the personal and professional journey, how they overcame adversities and the strategies they used to achieve their goals. We have to become the person we are meant to be first, so we can live the life we are destined to live. That also means we must overcome challenges and work through difficult times to learn, grow and become the next more fabulous version of ourselves. I'm so glad that you're here. Let's get on this journey together. Hello, and welcome to my special anniversary episode. Yes. A year ago I published the first episode of become and I cannot believe how fast that year went by. It was such a phenomenal experience. having this conversation with all those wonderful guests of mine who shared their struggles, their overcoming of adversity. And coming out on the other side is their next greatest self. And this is what this podcast is all about to show you that you are not alone. There are so many other people who have overcome difficult and challenging times. Even so bad that they were already dead. Some literally and some were dead inside. But no matter what, the human resilience is fantastic. And we all have that within us. And I hope that this podcast will help you explore that more and discover that so that you can thrive and you can become your next greater self. In this episode, I share the highlights of the last year's sound bites from some of the interviews that I conducted that I feel you need to hear one more time because they were just such great pieces of advice. or stories that really touched my heart. And if some of the excerpts speak to you and you want to listen to the entire interview, you can do this because I will announce before each of those little sound bites, which episode number it is. In addition, I will share with you how I came about to start the podcast BECOME.

In September of 2021 I sold my business that I had for 27 years a performing arts school and after a few months of adjusting and just relaxing and enjoying my free time. I decided I have to do something more. I cannot just sit at home and do nothing. I have been a coach my whole life and I am also Speaker I enjoy sharing my wisdom my message with a greater audience. So in January of 2022 I was invited as a guest speaker for pod fest here in Orlando, Florida. And during that time, my idea was kindled to start my podcast. I didn't know yet what but I did know that I wanted to make an impact. And then I wanted to share the message of hope, inspiration and motivation. And on one night, I woke up and I was right awake. And this one word came into my mind over and over again. And that word was become we must become the person we are meant to be. So we can live the life we are destined to live and I already started my coaching business. And I coached individuals and helped them to get to that path of becoming their next greatest self. And one of the patterns that I saw over and over again was limiting beliefs. And sadly enough, the notion that they felt they are alone that they found. It's just them and this is far from the truth. There are so many people were struggling with the same things. So with the podcast idea, I thought I want to give people the opportunity to listen to others to know that they are not alone and also listen how others overcame adversities how others overcame challenging situations and literally went into a metamorphosis stage to just break everything down that they know to rebuild everything. To then immerse is there more fabulous self. So here you have it. This was my idea. The idea was born. And June of 2022 I launched my podcast because and I hope you have enjoyed it and if you're listening in for the first time, please continue to listen by subscribing. Every Thursday, I release a new episode and I hope that you will be part of my community. And if you like what you hear, please give us a five star review and write a little review about your experience. We truly appreciate it but without any further ado, let's get into the highlights. The very first episode I recorded was with Dr. Ron Stotts. Now, the sound quality is not the best but the information is really really good. This interview was phenomenal. And that's why I left it in and it is also a reminder you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to become great. Is there something that someone could do right now, to overcome that?

One thing you have to appreciate that everything. All the challenges in our lives are created in relationship to other people. And that really is your indicator that to resolve those challenges. resolving those challenges needs to be done in relationship to other people also. So lots of times, if somebody liked me it was really that other person then they'd be more group work and then they expanded into their lives into their more significant relationships but the healing marriage to me is not coming together and having eternal bliss. It's finding somebody who's willing to stand in the fire and unpack the bags together and really, you know, heal all of that fast together

episode four, Laura, Mark Quist.
And so after meeting with the endocrinologist doing all the testing and stuff, he's like, Well, you definitely have Hashimotos and that with an autoimmune disease where your body attacks its own thyroid so you can't produce the hormones that you need and your thyroid needs to be imbalanced to get pregnant. And so to do that, we ended up the best program for me it was to use Synthroid to help that get back in balance. And then during that time, I just knew that that wasn't going to be my normal. So I had to start doing some more research in on that to see what other ways can I actually help myself. As a trainer, you you work with a client and they progress in different phases or different chapters and so I had to put my skills to myself, knowing that this is the chapter that I'm in right now and in what I'm training for is like it's not the Olympics. It's the baby birthday. You know, it was kind of my Olympic my own version of the Olympics coming up and so I had to do the things for that preparation.

Episode Five, Dana Agnellini
2005 was a pivotal year for me. It was it was the best that life had to offer and the worst all at the same time. And as you were speaking, I never thought of it this way before but I think of let's say, a crab or what are those horseshoe crabs? I think that they change shells. Yes. They have to let go of their old shell to either find one that fits them properly now, or to grow a new one. But the letting go process is just as important as the next step. So I was in this career that was very lucrative with a big, you know, international company and was doing very well. But at the same time I attracted to me a new boss that for some reason or another, just had a problem with me and was trying to work me out in the organization. So that was part of the shell being relieved and at the same time my marriage was disintegrating. I tried to ignore it. We tried for almost 20 years. Because I was never planning on divorcing I had three kids. It just wasn't in my plans. I made myself a promise. I made my family a promise. But the universe knew better. The Universe knew it was time to let that show go.

Episode 19 Paul Henszel.
So in the beginning of 2010, I was working as a supervisor in a sawmill. I had to unjam a giant log that got stuck against a giant steel beam. Now these logs that we were cutting are called Cats. They're extremely heavy, and each piece weighs about 1000 pounds. Now we had to manually unjam this log before we could, you know, resume production. So I had to crawl into a very tight, confined space. And when we fried this piece, the chains started while I was still in the machine, and I was being crushed alive by 12,000 pounds of wood. I could hear my body cracking, gurgling and crunching. It literally felt like my head was going to explode. There was so much pressure. And I thought to myself, if this doesn't stop, I'm going to die. I then blacked out now. I was not breathing and without oxygen for about 12 minutes. My coworkers had to perform amazing feats of strength just to rescue me and not time limit. When I was freed everyone thought I was dead. They were just about to perform CPR. And miraculously, I started breathing.

Episode 22 Jenny Townsend
At the end of my first year, I finally got everything under one roof. All my teachers were under one roof. We were rocking and rolling. I started hiring more people. And I made a couple bad hires which resulted in me having to work more, more hours more time and we weren't really making any money which was stressful. For me as I'm a goal oriented person. It was stressful for my husband because he's like you're working all these hours and you're not paying yourself. And my response to him was I don't need to be paid. I love what I'm doing. The fact that I get to work my passion every single day and change people's lives was payment enough for me. He never really connected with the mission of my company, which is one of the reasons why we ended up where we were he always supported me in my dream, but he became very resentful, the fact that I wasn't making money and the fact that I was living my dream when he was working a miserable job. So all these different variables led to a massive disaster.

Episode 27 Chris Krimitsos
so I had a story to fiction story that I wanted to write that conveyed a message of getting started because of the business group I was part of as well as podcasting and helping people with YouTube and all these different endeavors. I noticed that was a common theme a lot of people where I'll get started when everything's perfect, or I'm not ready yet. And because I've done so many meetings, you wind up seeing patterns over the years in the 1000s of meetings, one pattern you'd see as someone spending two or three years to get ready. Another pattern you see as someone that would start ugly, and then perfect it next thing you know that a hit show a year in or year and a half in. Meanwhile, the other person is still ready, not ready because it's not perfect yet.

Episode 39 Wally Green
Why are you angry? Why? You're not in America. You're not in a gang. You're not being abused by your stepfather. You you're not part of any of these things. You're in a different country where people actually like you and they don't like you because you can pick up your gun and protect them. They like you just because you're you. So what that was. I love it. Yeah. And that was that was that right? There was a turning point right there that was like about face change, mindset change. Every kind of change you could think of happened there when I actually realize that not everyone in the world is out to get you. Not everyone in the world hates you. And there are people in this world who genuinely care about you. Just because you are you and not what you can do for them. And that was to change. That was the pivoting the pivoting point the turning point.

Episode 40 Susan Gold,
I feel like we need to be brave. We need to stand that and we need to talk about our truth. And it's not so shameful. So many people have had similar experiences, but we keep it all tucked in, especially in the corporate system that's just broken. So I have to say I've been a bit of a trailblazer not knowing it.
Epic episode 41 Brendon Kumarasamy
So a few years ago, when I started guesting on podcast, I suck. I was so bad. I remember some guy asked me like, hey Brendon, where does the fear of communication come from? And I was like, what like, I don't know the fear of communication come so like London, Los Angeles, New York City. Like I don't know. So how did I fix this every single day? So I've been for five minutes answered one question that I thought the world would ask you my expertise. But if you do this every single day for a year, you'll have answer 365 questions and you'll people that
that is a great approach. I have not heard that one. And I heard a lot of answers.

Episode 42 Victoria Pelletier
and for me I can very much remember you know being two and three years old and abused by my biological mother. Whether that was got pushed up and downstairs I had teeth that had been impacted as a result of that eat my baby tea. I even to this day, one of my eye drops a little bit lower than the other because I had a cigarette in my eye and I wear a patch for months. So I remembered a lot of it. Those were, you know, ended up being quite formative, even though we would say it's a little bit later in children's lives just because of the trauma that I dealt with.

Episode 45 Julie Jones,
you don't often see and it's it's kind of a story of my resilience have to if there's something I really want in life, how I go for it. I don't take no for an answer. I was only the third female hired on by my department, which I really had no trouble with the men that I worked with, with me being female because I proved myself early on when I went out for the SWAT team, believe it or not, I'm six foot tall. At that point, I just didn't have enough upper body strength so I wasn't able to get over the six foot wall. And one of the guys in his infinite wisdom decided to give me a little boost which disqualified me and you know the sergeant that was running the the obstacle course you know, he pulled me on the side. I said, I know I'm disqualified. It's okay. I worked out even harder. I improved my upper body strength the second time because I really wanted to be on the team. The second time that I went out for it. You know, I passed everything with flying colors. I officially got onto the SWAT team on my own

Episode 47 Dai Manuel.
I mean it's a journey, right? We hear that term when we reference people in our lives and how we're living them and it is a journey and and yes, I understand it's easy to focus on a destination or have a goal set or to have some intention on where we want to get to. But if we're not really clear on where we're at and how we got there, it's hard to see potentially the connection of who we were to who we are now to who we are intentionally wanting to become. And so believe me I noticed very, very well I've been in a lot of situations where change has not necessarily come easily. In fact, it's been very, very challenging and, and I've been in a few situations in my life where you know, had I not worked through that change and work through being vulnerable enough to ask for help. I don't think we'd be having this conversation today.

Episode 49, Zach White,
After you're in that kind of trough place your face is grinding against the floor of rock bottom as it were right. Then you stand up and you start to just put one foot in front of the other. And what I tell everybody who I've coached who's gone through any form of burnout or suffering or a rock bottom experience like this, or if you're going through it right now. You had to bring the time horizon and a little bit. We're not going to solve the whole thing in one move. We're not going to go create the perfect life in one day. Let's zoom way I like to call it drawing smaller circles, rather than solving for the big equation. Let's just solve for this afternoon. What are we going to do this afternoon to make sure it's a little bit better than yesterday to make sure we're not going back to those same patterns or habits that got us stuck in the first place and put one foot in front of the other.

Episode 50 the firewall with Dave Albin,
Here's the first thing I learned about Firewalker great lesson great metaphor for life. When you take that first step onto those goals. Oh, you'll take the second, third fourth. I guarantee right. You're not going to stop in the middle of that fire lane. Well, that was it. So
you did the fire walk and what happened then what changed?
Well, what changed was, you know again that night it was spectacular. It was one of the most unbelievable experiences of my entire life. And the next day, this is where it really got interesting for me. I'm in the foyer with 3500 people getting ready to go into the venue and I'm looking around so being and I'm watching all these people and they were communicating unlike anything I'd ever been been around. I've never seen or experienced anything like this. They were laughing. They were crying. They were hugging. They were engaging. They were telling their story. It was just like it was like storytime everywhere. 3500 People just were completely transformed the night before.

Episode 51 The Holly Frances
And I remember we had to do these trials off the ventilator where I would last for like 15 seconds at a time. They would basically make me breathe on my own and it felt like I was underwater, struggling to breathe about to die. And it was so scary. And I remember crying and hyperventilating and think like, I don't think I'm ever going to be able to do this. I don't believe that I'm ever going to be able to breathe on my own. And something profound that that GBS survivor actually said to me and he actually brought me a sign and he put it above my wall, basically right in front of my bed so I could stare at it. And it was a quote that said courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes it's the quiet voice at days and saying I will try again tomorrow.

And I finished the first year was an episode about writing a book can propel your success as an expert. And I talked about that becoming an author is easier than you think. So if you ever wondered what it takes to write a book, I definitely invite you to listen to Episode 52. And if there were one or two that stood out and really piqued your interest, you can go and listen to the entire episode. All right, my friend. This was it for today. And as always, I asked you to give us a good rating or a write a quick review, because that always helps with the algorithm on Apple podcast. If you have a question or if you would like to talk about a topic, just put it in the comment section. Or if you would like to see a guest to talk about one specific topic mentioned that as well. Last but not least, I want to give you a heartfelt thank you. Producing a podcast takes time and money and for those of you who are supporting this channel, by your generous donations, I truly truly appreciate it. And if you don't know and you want to contribute to that, you can find a donation button on my page, which is pod page.com forward slash become. But in any case, you can support this channel in so many different ways. Also by giving a great review by writing a review by sharing it that also goes a long way and helps the algorithm once again. Thank you and I look forward to serving you the next season until I see you again always remember we have to become the person we are meant to be first to live the life we ar

Ep.52 Writing A Book Can Propel your Success As An Expert - Becoming An Author Is Easier Than You Think

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 11:00:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered what it would take to write a book? In this episode, I will discuss the different ways how to become an author and the steps you need to consider. If you want to establish yourself as an expert, a book may help you do that.

Connect with Sabine Kvenberg:

Have you ever tried to build your own website, start a newsletter or build a course and charge for it? Have you ever wanted to make money online but I'm totally confused by all the different systems you need to have? That's why I use Kajabi Kajabi is the most popular system for online marketers, coaches, thought leaders, and influencers Kajabi helps online entrepreneurs take off. Over 100 1000s of us use Kajabi and have made over $4 billion. Why not be part of it? The best thing is that you don't have to figure out tons of systems or crazy technology to start your online business. Kajabi helps you do all of that. And it's all on one platform. That's why I use it. It makes my life so much easier. And I can even earn money while I was sleeping. You can build your web pages, blogs, and membership sites you can create offers, checkout pages, and collect money. You can host your videos. You can start your newsletter list, capture emails, and start your marketing funnels all in one place. It makes it fun and easy with awesome tutorials and support. Since I've joined Kajabi from the beginning, I have a special affiliate link that I would like to share with you; a 30-day free trial. So nothing to lose but everything to gain. Just go to my link that's in the show notes. Sabine kvenberg.com forward slash resources, and we will redirect you to the free trial page. If you are just starting out and want to sell your offer in just three days. Let me help you do that. Visit my webpage by the way that I build on Kajabi and apply to Making It Happen. So now, let's get back to the show.

Dave Albin on Linkedin
Dave Albin Website

Ep.50 A Fire Walk Changed My Life

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 18 May 2023 11:00:00 GMT

Firewalking is the ultimate challenge. Designed to break through subconscious barriers and harness the power within. Dave takes us on a journey from being an alcoholic to becoming one of the authorities facilitating firewalks. The journey was rough. His life changed when he attended his first Tony Robbins event and participated in a firewalk.

Shownotes:

Dave’s journey into the world of fire walking began with his own transformative experience. Inspired by the profound impact it had on his life, he embarked on a mission to share this empowering practice with others.

In this episode, we discussed:

Dave’s journey of going through the AA process to overcome his alcoholic addiction
Dave’s first time experience with firewalking
How Dave started FireWalk Adventure

Connect with Dave Albin:

Connect with Sabine Kvenberg:

Sabine Kvenberg on Facebook
Sabine Kvenberg on Instagram

Jeanell Greene on Linkedin

[00:00:00] Dave: We're either motivated by inspiration or desperation. And I remember thinking, well, I'm pretty desperate. And, you know, he's right. He said, he said, you know, we'll, we'll do more to avoid pain than we will to gain pleasure. And so a lot of the things he was saying resonated with me. So he was selling a program called Personal Power.

[00:00:19] And to date this, it came on little white things called cassette tapes. Right. And so it was a 30, it was, it was a, it was a 30 day program, and this is what I, you know, this is why I really love being here with you and your audience is in terms of becoming, because that's where it really started to open my mind up to, you know, I, I remember thinking one time, it looks like, you know, the two most important times of my life we're the moment I was born and the moment I figured out why, and that all started, you know, as far as the becoming for me. Started with Tony Robbins.

[00:00:52] Sabine: Hello, my name, Sabine Kvenberg, founder and host of Become. The Content will inspire you to reach your [00:01:00] aspirations and become the best version of yourself. I feature interviews with successful individuals from various industries, delving into their personal and professional journeys and their strategies to achieve their goals.

[00:01:16] We have to become the person we are meant to be first, so we can live life, we are destined to live. That means we must overcome challenges and work through difficult times to learn, grow, and become the new, more fabulous version of ourselves. I'm so glad that you are here. Let's get on this journey together.

[00:01:44] Hello and welcome Dave. I'm so excited to have you on the show today.

[00:01:50] Dave: I'm great. I'm so excited to be here. Thanks, Sabine, it's really always an honor to have somebody like you to have me on your show. So great to be

[00:01:56] Sabine: oh. Oh, fantastic. Thank you. And you know, just [00:02:00] I read your bio and see all the things that you've done.

[00:02:06] You worked with Tony Robbins, did the fire walk and organized it or helped, organizing it or leading it. I definitely want to talk about that with you later on in the show because I did the firewalk myself. So I wanna get some perspective from you. But before we go there, I just would like for you to, to share with my audience, your upbringing because you were actually adopted.

[00:02:38] So yes. What happened, with your birth parents or with your birth mother, and what was your past in the upbringing?

[00:02:46] Dave: Well, thank you for asking that question because I, I'm always honored to share it because I. You know, my life was really blessed as a result of being adopted in what happened with all that.

[00:02:55] So my mother, my biological mother, was what you could refer to back in World War II as [00:03:00] Rosie the Riveter. In other words, when the men went off to war, the women stayed home and built tanks and airplanes and guns and, and you know, to defend the nation during World War ii. So she worked for McDonald Douglass and she literally built air airplanes.

[00:03:12] Well, after the war, she went to work at the Roosevelt Hotel, which is in downtown Hollywood, California. And she met my biological father. And two months before I was born, my biological father was a pilot in Korea. And we don't know exactly what happened, but we know that he had some kind of injury to his head and in an attempt to save his life, they put a plate in his head.

[00:03:36] Well, it also took his life. He had really intense pain apparently from that plate. So he kept telling my mom that he didn't know how much longer he could take this pain. Well, two months before I was born, he said he was gonna go to the grocery store and we never saw or heard from him again. So my mom was left with the two other boys that she had from a different father and then myself.[00:04:00]

[00:04:00] And though she tried really hard to keep me, we were living very close to Hollywood High School, you know, in Hollywood. And when I was five years old, she couldn't make it anymore. She couldn't make ends meet. So she put me up for adoption and her sister. Adopted me, which would've been my aunt and uncle.

[00:04:17] And so when they adopted me at the age of five, they, both of them, had sworn off drinking Bob and Pat Albin, my adopted parents. And when I was 11, things took a, you know, right turn, made a heck of a change in my life. And they both started drinking. And again, things got pretty, pretty ugly, pretty fast. Well, in my curiosity, one day when they were both gone, you know you could do that back then.

[00:04:41] Right? You know when we were living in Long Beach, right. You know, an 11 year old kid, if you wanted to leave them, you just told the neighbor across the street, Hey, I'm going to the store. If David needs you, can he come over? And of course the neighbor would say, yeah, of course he can. Right? And so parents did that back in those days, believe it or not.

[00:04:57] And so they left me one day and I knew where the [00:05:00] booze was and I, and I knew that when they were drinking it, that they changed, there was something about them that was just, you know, things got ugly. And I'm like, what is this stuff? Mm-hmm. And Sabine, I poured it into a glass right? And I, and into a cup actually, and, and about half full.

[00:05:13] And I drank it. And that was it. I mean, I, I never had a chance. I believe that I was an alcoholic. Right on the spot. Literally.

[00:05:21] Sabine: Wow. Wow. And so, so lemme ask you this, when you are 11 years old, you wanted to try out what happened. So, and you pour it in a glass. I can only imagine. It must have tasted terrible because kids really,

[00:05:35] Dave: It was horrible.

[00:05:36] It was disgusting.

[00:05:37] Sabine: So what, what made you do it again then?

[00:05:40] Dave: It was like it didn't matter because the feeling that I got was brandy, and you're right, it tasted horrible. However, here's the challenge. The challenge was it made me feel invincible. I had, I mean, it was like pouring rocket fuel into my body.

[00:05:57] And again, I never had a chance. I, I, you know, again, I, I, [00:06:00] I never drank normally. I, you know, the old saying once too many and a thousand's not enough. And that applied to me from the very beginning that I, you know, tasted alcohol for the first time because immediately after drinking it, I wanted more.

[00:06:13] And I would, you know, steal it. I would hide it, you know? And this is at 11 years old. 11, 12 years old. Wow. I was moving into junior high school and then that just led to hard drugs. And then once I got with hard drugs, then my whole peer group changed. Right? I started hanging around people that I shouldn't.

[00:06:29] And I mean all of it. Prostitutes, pimps, drug dealers, drug addicts, the streets, gangs, all of that violence, and I turned into a very horrible person.

[00:06:41] Sabine: Wow. Let me ask you, did your parents knew that you were drinking secretly?

[00:06:49] Dave: Not in the beginning. No. Uhhuh, I was pretty, they were so engulfed in their own alcoholism that they weren't really paying a much attention to what's was going on with me. I was able to hide [00:07:00] it and mask it pretty easily. Now, they found out later, once I was in my teens. Yeah. But they never really put two and two together that, you know, th they've never heard this story cuz my parents have been gone for a long time.

[00:07:10] Mm-hmm. So what developed there is that, you know, I just got to a point one day I got, you know, when I was in my early thirties and I woke up one morning and said, we're done. I'm not doing this anymore. I was in such physical, emotional, and spiritual pain that all I wanted, all I cared about is that day the pain's gonna stop.

[00:07:29] We're done here. I'm out. And I literally put a pistol in my mouth. I, I put it in there twice. I was gonna end my life. And I was married to a woman who had three kids. They were my stepkids. And I remember thinking, oh man. When you do that, these kids are gonna see that they're gonna have to live with that.

[00:07:45] And so from a, a compassion standpoint to me, and I said, you know, I, I can't do that to them. So the alternative was you call this organization called Alcoholics Anonymous. And I did, and I went to my first meeting on [00:08:00] June 8th, 1988. Well, actually with the four meetings that day, they sent a guy to come pick me up and I went to a 12:30, a 4:30, a 6:30 and an 8:30 meeting, and it stuck. It worked. And though the first year of my life, you know, in, in AA was horrible. I had withdrawals like you wouldn't believe the guys were back in those days. They were like, drink orange, juice, fresh, squeezed orange juice, eat a lot of chocolate to try to balance your blood sugar. I probably should have been in rehab.

[00:08:28] I was probably close to delirium, tremors though I never really got there. Mm-hmm. Cause delirium, tremors will kill you. You know, alcohol, when you come off alcohol, you can actually die from withdrawals.

[00:08:38] Sabine: Really? I did not know that. So the aria trimmers, why would they kill you?

[00:08:45] Dave: It can send you into cardiac arrest, number one. Number two, sometimes you're shaking so bad if you ever seen an alcoholic who's shaking trying to get alcohol in them. Yes, yes. They'll shake so bad. You, you literally shake your internal organs apart. Wow. It's bad. And that's why they call 'em [00:09:00] tremors because you're sh you know, and I could, I can remember times where, Lots of times where I'd wake up in the morning, well, I'd wake up, let's put it that way.

[00:09:07] Not necessarily in the morning, but I'd wake up and you have to have a drink to get back to normalcy. Right. You know, and I'd have to, I'd be literally sitting in the, in the bathroom on the toilet, you know, naked with a bucket in one hand and a bottle in the other, trying to drink enough vodka to get it down.

[00:09:24] And I'd throw it up in the bucket. But eventually you'd take a sip and you'd, you'd drink it and it would stay down. And then you go from shaking like this to shaking like this, and then next thing you know, you drink a little more and next thing you know, the shakes stop. Next thing you know, you drink a little more and now you're, you think you're feeling normal.

[00:09:45] I remember saying things to myself like, I keep doing that until I would stop shaking and I'd like breathe. And I'm like, okay, you know, it's not so bad. What, what do what? Dave? You're sitting, you're [00:10:00] sitting in the bathroom naked with a bucket, with a bottle of vodka. How can you, you know what I mean? So you lie to yourself at a level that's pretty much unbelievable. Yeah. you know, telling yourself, oh, it's not so bad. Yeah. Right. Well,

[00:10:13] Sabine: it's, you know, it's, it's that the two voices that we have in our heads, right. That, that one that always comes up to make excuses, to help you feel better, and for, for one reason, it's also a savings mechanism.

[00:10:29] hey, absolutely you have to do it, otherwise you may be dead because you're shaking so much. Right. So there's, right. Yeah. It's, it's just so, so challenging, so difficult, and I can only imagine what you went through those times. Now, your wife, how did she and the children for that matter, how did that work out?

[00:10:52] Dave: it, well, it, it, it didn't, you know, I was at a point in my life where it just wasn't gonna work. She was a [00:11:00] bartender and so when I married her, guess why I married her, right? And when I married her, she had three kids and I thought that would help calm me down. I thought that would, you know, put me on the road to start to living, you know, a decent life.

[00:11:11] But it didn't, that didn't work. So we ended up in divorce and then later, once I was in AA and living that lifestyle, I met my, the wife of my children who I was married to for 23 years and have two kids with, and again, we met an aa so she was, she was the only wife I had where I was actually sober, and that made a big difference in my life.

[00:11:34] It was sustainable.

[00:11:35] Sabine: Yeah. May is stroke awareness month. Lifeline screening can help detect someone's risk of having a stroke or cardiovascular disease. Each year, more than 700,000 people attend one of those screenings for peace of mind or early detection, and I am one of them. You see, my mother passed away [00:12:00] from cardiovascular disease and I want to do everything I can to feel.

[00:12:05] Safe. So join me and schedule your screening today to book your appointment. Simply click the link in my show notes.

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[00:13:07] A 30 day free trial. So nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Just go to my link that's in the show notes sabinekvenberg.com/resources and we will redirect you to the free trial page. And if you are just starting out and want to get your offer out for sale in just three days. Let me help you do that.

[00:13:34] Visit my webpage by the way that I build on Kajabi and apply to making it happen. Now, let's get back to the show.

[00:13:46] What happened after you went through that challenging period? What went through your head and how did your life expanded from there?

[00:13:57] Dave: Well, what AA opened me up to was [00:14:00] the personal development industry. My sleep patterns were all over the place. You know, I would sleep all different times and I was up late at night all the time. Well, one night I'm up late and there's an infomercial by Tony Robbins, right? He's a, here's a young, vibrant Tony Robbins, and he's all motivated and he's talking about. How we do things in life, right?

[00:14:20] We're either motivated by inspiration or desperation. And I remember thinking, well, I'm pretty desperate. And, you know, he's right. He said, he said, you know, we'll, we'll do more to avoid pain than we will to gain pleasure. And so a lot of the things he was saying resonated with me. So he was selling a program called Personal Power.

[00:14:39] And to date this, it came on little white things called cassette tapes. Right? And so it was a 30, it was, it was a, it was a 30 day program, and this is what I, you know, this is why I really love being here with you and your audience is in terms of becoming, because that's where it really started to open my mind up to, you know, I, I remember thinking one time, it looks like, you know, the [00:15:00] two most important times of my life were the moment I was born and the moment I figured out why, and that all started, you know, as far as the becoming for me started with Tony Robbins. Well, after I went through his program for 30 days, I did everything that man taught me to do and it worked well. What happened from there is I loaned, I had a buddy in AA and I, and he's dude, man, you're really changing. I really like your attitude. I like what you're saying in the meetings.

[00:15:25] You sound very encouraging and. And you know what's going on. I said, well, you know, I'm, I'm listening to this guy by the name of Tony Robbins. I went through his program, I read his book, and he said, wow, that's really cool. I'd love to get into it. And I said, Hey man, I'm here. Let me, you can borrow my tape program.

[00:15:40] And so he said, really? Sure, absolutely. Here, take it. You go, well, he did. He went through it just like I did. Well, seven years later, he calls me on the phone and says, oh my gosh, Tony Robbins is coming to town. We can go see him in person. Come on man, you got me into this. Let's go. And I said, all right, sure.

[00:15:58] I'm available that date, those [00:16:00] dates, let's do this. And then, and just as he gets ready to get off the phone, he goes, oh, wait, wait, wait. By the way, I need to tell you something. We're gonna be doing a fire walk. And I remember thinking, oh, no, no, no, no, no. Maybe you are, but I'm not gonna do that. And you know what's so interesting about that?

[00:16:21] I didn't even know what a fire walk was. I had no reference for that. I didn't know, but it sounded like there was, it was nothing. I was interested because I'm coming from a very fear-based, you know, position in my life at that moment. So, you know, we, we get to the event. We get on our seats. Tony takes the stage at two o'clock in the afternoon, and the next thing I know, it's after midnight.

[00:16:42] We've been in a room for 10 hours with Tony Robbins. Yep. Dear God, help help us. Right. Well, about that time around midnight, he says, take your shoes off. And I'm like, oh boy, here we go. And now he's been prepping us for this fire walk. Right. [00:17:00] Well, I'm not gonna do that. I'm not gonna take my shoes off. Why?

[00:17:04] Because I'm not doing it. And then I thought, well, wait a minute. All these other people are taking their shoes off and if you don't take your shoes off, they're gonna know that you're a coward. And I went, oh my gosh. Well we can't have that can we? So I'll fake it. I'll take my shoes off, which I did well.

[00:17:23] From there, he takes you out of this giant parking lot. Now I'm with 3,500 people at this event. And when you go outside, he is got everybody chanting. Yes, yes, yes. Clapping their hands and, and when, right. And when you get outside, he's got African drummers to kick up the ambience a little bit. Right? So now it's everybody's clapping and it's dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun dun.

[00:17:49] And you know, you, you can feel the vibrations. I mean, it is intense. Well over in the corner of this giant parking lot. They had built the fire probably starting around [00:18:00] three o'clock in the afternoon, and they let it burn all night. And so what it does is it renders, right, the coals burn all day, all night, and then you have this giant bed of coals.

[00:18:09] Well, what they did, because there's so many people at this event, they loaded those coals in a wheelbarrow and then they'd pull a wheelbarrow and they'd lay two lanes of saw of grass, as you know. Mm-hmm. On both sides, right about three feet wide. 15 to 18 feet long and they just took a shovel and they would shovel the coals out on, on that grass.

[00:18:29] And that's what you walked on? Well, when I got out there, I'm like, well, I'm not doing this. And so I got separated from my buddy and I said, well, I'm just gonna go hide out in the back. Nobody's gonna know except for me. Right? We we're gonna know. Well, hiding out in the back. You think it's a good idea?

[00:18:48] Think it's a good strategy? Nope. Not. Not a good one at all. Why? Because Tony's people know where all the cowards are. Right? And they're trained to come get you. Oh, is said. So [00:19:00] well, I'm hiding out in the back. All of a sudden, here comes the sky and he makes eye contact with me. And I think Tony trains him.

[00:19:07] Look, once, don't you make eye contact, don't take your eyes off of him. And so, yeah, he's looking at me, big's eye contact, and he gets like maybe 20 feet from me. And he looks at me and he goes, are you okay? And I, of course I lie. We all lie, right? I go, yeah, no, I'm fine and I'm not fine. And he said, well, are you gonna walk tonight?

[00:19:27] And I said, absolutely not. And he goes, oh. And I said it to him with a lot of, you know, Get away from me kind of energy. And he said, Hey. And he said, Hey man, that's okay. We don't want you to do anything you don't want to do. And I thought, wow, okay. I like this guy. He's gonna be my ticket out of here.

[00:19:46] And then this stranger, this guy I've never met, don't know, he asked me a question that changed my life forever. And he said, well, wouldn't you at least like to watch. And I said, well, [00:20:00] actually I'm thinking, yeah, I'd love to watch these people burn their feet off. Let's go do that. And he said, well, you know, I was a hundred yards away from where they were doing it sabine, I couldn't see anything. And he said, well, you're gonna need to just get in line. Right. And, and and his defense, he was telling the truth. He was being congruent cuz I couldn't, I was a hundred yards away. I couldn't see anything. I had 3,500 people in front of me. I couldn't see anything. And, and so I got in line.

[00:20:26] And after I'm just kind of walking along, walking along, the next thing I know, this guy comes up and he whispers in my ear and he says, he knows when you're ready. When he says, go, you go. And I went, what? And then that guy just disappeared into the night, and I'm kind of walking along and all of a sudden I get to a point I can't see in front of me, but I can see at an angle and I'm looking and I'm going, they're doing this.

[00:20:47] Look at them. I mean, every race, creed in color is walking on fire and my brain is freaking. I'm like, what in the heck is going on? What are, what are they doing? Why are they doing it? You know, metaphorically, I'm trying to figure all this out, [00:21:00] and as I'm watching and watching and watching and watching, and all of a sudden, boom, guess what?

[00:21:04] Sabine: You are in the front row.

[00:21:05] Dave: I'm in front of the line. That's right. I'm in the front row and now I'm staring down into these and I'm looking at these calls on this lane and there's a wheelbarrow there and you can feel the heat. And my heart's going just, it's just I'm outta my mind with fear. And there's a trainer standing there and all of a sudden he goes, eyes up.

[00:21:25] And I went, oh. Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah. Eyes up. Well, when, when, when I was in the, when I was in the room with Tony for 10 hours, guess what? He teaches you? Eyes up. Keep your eyes up. Mm-hmm. Eyes up. Don't stare at what you fear. Look at the celebration end. That's where the reward is. So now my eyes up and he said, squeeze your fist and say, yes.

[00:21:42] And I went, yes. And he went stronger. And I went, yes. So he could tell I wasn't in a peak state at all. Mm-hmm. Right. I was over here in fear and then he screamed at me. He got like in my face and he said, stronger. And now I'm like ticked off. Right. So now I got adrenaline and I threw my [00:22:00] hands in the air and I went, I screamed at the top of my voice.

[00:22:02] Yes. And he goes, go, go. Go. I took off. Yeah. Well, wow. As you know, they put two people at the end of the lane, two guys, and they, you know, they lock arms mm-hmm. So that they can stop you. And they're like, stop, wipe your feet and celebrate. Right. And a girl reaches in and pulls me and grabs me and gets me out of the way.

[00:22:20] Right. Going, you did it. You did it. You did it. Well, they do that because he got somebody coming in behind you. Right. Well, here's the first thing I learned about fire walking. Great lesson, great metaphor for life. When you take that first step onto those coals, oh, you'll take the second, third, fourth, and fifth, I guarantee you.

[00:22:37] Right? You're not gonna stop in the middle of that fire lane. Well, that was it.

[00:22:42] Sabine: So you did the fire walk, and what happened then? What changed?

[00:22:48] Dave: Well, what changed was, you know, again, that night it was spectacular. It was one of the most unbelievable experiences of my entire life. And the next day, this is where it really [00:23:00] got interesting for me.

[00:23:01] I'm in a foyer with 3,500 people getting ready to go into the venue, and I'm looking around Sabine and I'm watching all these people, and they were communicating unlike anything I'd ever been, been around. I've never seen or experienced anything like this. They were laughing, they were crying, they were hugging, they were engaging, they were telling their story.

[00:23:22] It was just like, it was like story time everywhere. 3,500 people just were completely transformed the night before and now here's how they show up the next morning. And so it was, what was happening is this, what's your podcast is about? They were becoming, And so I'm watching all this and looking at all this, and I'm thinking to myself, really is this, did this happen?

[00:23:42] Did we drink a Kool-Aid? I mean, did this happen because of the fire walk? And the answer is yes. Now, I've, I've since studied fire walking pretty intensely, and it's been around for a thousand years. It's been used by cultures everywhere. The Phehisians the people of India use it, the Polynesians, the [00:24:00] Hawaiians, the India Europeans, the Native American Indians, and they use it as a very spiritual growth.

[00:24:06] They use it for graduation. They use it for rite of passage. Tony was using it to get leverage on people, right? So that if you could walk on fire, What else can you do? So I, I got involved with the, as a volunteer, and then from there I got asked to be a subcontractor. I had a security background and in the military, so I got recruited to help with some of Tony's celebrities.

[00:24:27] And then I got put on the fire team and I got offered a, a subcontracting position. And I started working for Tony in 1990. It was 1995 E, either late 95, 96, and then 2003, my life forever changed. Tony offered me the fire captain's position, which meant that I would take over all of his fire walks globally, which I did.

[00:24:50] 2014 is when things took another turn. Yeah, so 2014, I'm driving down the road, my phone rings, and guess who it is? A little company [00:25:00] called Google. Google's calling me and they're like, you know, I'm like, hello? And they're like, hi, this, my name is so and so. My name is Anne. I'm with Google. And are you the Dave Alba that does the fire walks for Tony Robbins?

[00:25:11] Yes. Why? What? How can I help you? And they said, well, we'd like to talk to you about you coming to, mountain View, and we have 148 executives are gonna graduate and we want to create an incredible experience. We understand you're the, you're the guy to talk to about that. And so they ended up hiring me.

[00:25:29] And, you know, they were like, you know, if you're not under any non-compete or contractual obligation, yeah. You know, we, we'd like to have you on such and such a date. And I looked at my calendar, yeah, I'm available. And then I said, so what's your budget for this? Right. And they, they wrote it down and they said this.

[00:25:46] And I looked at it and went, okay, I can work with you guys. No problem. Let's do this. So once I got to Google, I knew, well, actually two of the executives pulled me aside at lunch after the event [00:26:00] and they were like, Hey, you know, you know, we wanna share something with you. You might want to consider doing this, you know, on your own as well.

[00:26:08] Cuz there's a heck of a marketplace in corporate America for this because CEOs and business owners need some kind of experience to create a huge shift in their people. And we don't know that there's anything out there. Anything like fire walking? We don't think there is. I mean, we're Google, you know, we, we, we have the information available to us, right?

[00:26:30] And I'm like, okay, well Google's telling you there's a marketplace, there probably is. And they were right, of course, obviously. Because I went from Google to NASA. I went from NASA to Notre Dame, to Virginia Tech, to Microsoft, to Heineken, to Remax, to Chick-fil-A, to the entrepreneur organization. I mean, I just, it just kept growing organically.

[00:26:51] And so here we are, you know, and I'm still, I'm still doing it today. The cool thing today is what I, what's happened for me now is I'm running the Dave Alban Fire Walk [00:27:00] Academy. And what we do there is we bring in people who wanna either come as a life coach and they want to enhance, you know, what you know their, what they offer to their clients.

[00:27:11] And or a company will send somebody from the HR department, we'll teach them how to do fire walking, glass walking, board breaks, arrow brakes, rebar, bending, a whole bunch of different things. And then they take those experiences back to their company and can facilitate, you know, for their own company.

[00:27:29] Sabine: If you could give one piece of advice to my audience, what would that be?

[00:27:36] Dave: Stop looking for heroes and be one.

[00:27:39] Sabine: Oh, I love it. I love it all. Thank you so much. If somebody wants to get in touch with you to become a firework facilitator to go through your academy, how can they do that?

[00:27:52] Dave: They can go to www.firewalkadventures.com. Perfect and schedule a, [00:28:00] schedule a discovery call. They will personally talk to me and I'll take them through the interview process.

[00:28:06] And if we think it's a match and you've got good intentions and you're there to serve and you're there for love and connection and to really, really, Help change people's lives on a grand scale. You might find yourself at our academy next October.

[00:28:21] Sabine: This was such an eye-opening, delightful, inspiring conversation. Dave, thank you for being on this show today.

[00:28:31] Dave: It was my pleasure. Thanks, Sabine

[00:28:33] Sabine: That was my interview, and if you enjoyed it, give us a five star review, leave a comment and share it with your friends. Thanks for listening until I see you again. Always remember, serve from the heart, follow your passion, and live the life you imagine.

Ep.46 Listening To Her Soul Let Her Quit A 6-Figure Job And Discover Her Purpose

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 11:00:00 GMT

Description:

Jeanell shares her story of quitting a high-level executive position and following her heart to live a more purpose-driven life. In her words: “One day I woke up, and something said to me Jeanell it’s time to go.”

Shownotes:

Jeanelle's journey of self-discovery is nothing short of inspiring as she shares her experience of reconnecting with her spirituality and finding true fulfillment beyond the confines of financial success. In this thought-provoking conversation, she shared her courageous decision to leave behind a thriving corporate career in pursuit of a life that aligns with her core values.

In this episode, you will be able to:

The importance of honoring one's core values, listening to one's intuition, and finding alignment with one's soul's purpose.
How to live a more meaningful life from a fresh perspective.
Finding one's passions and striking a work-life balance are crucial.

Connect with Jeanell Greene:

Jeanell Greene

Jeanell Greene on Instagram

Connect with Sabine Kvenberg:

Sabine Kvenberg on Facebook
Sabine Kvenberg on Instagram

facebook.com/therealjeffsavage

TRANSCRIPT

00:00:00 Jeanell: I found myself in sales because I love being with people. I'm very chatty and outgoing, and it worked. But then it came to a point where I realized that this was not what I felt that God had planned for me. I felt like that first half of my life, that first 40 years was great and I got to see and do some amazing and achieve some amazing things, but there was something that I felt was missing.

00:00:27 Sabine: Hello, my name is Sabine Kvenberg, founder and host of BECOME. The content will inspire you to reach your aspirations and become the best version of yourself. I feature interviews with successful individuals from various industries, delving into their personal and professional journeys and their strategies to achieve their goals. We have to become the person we are meant to be first so we can live the life we are destined to live. That means we must overcome challenges and work through difficult times to learn, grow, and become the new, more fabulous version of ourselves. I'm so glad that you're here. Let's get on this journey together.

00:01:18 Sabine: Hello and welcome, Jeanell. How are you? I'm so glad that I have you here as my guest today.

00:01:27 Jeanell: Thank you, Sabine. I'm happy to be here.

00:01:29 Sabine: So let me give our listeners just a quick view of who you are in a nutshell. Jeanell is a life and relationship coach who has a mission to save marriages and heal families from generational trauma caused in childhood. Before starting her own coaching practice, Jeanell was a highly successful sales executive in the software industry. But when she turned 40, God or the universe had a different plan in mind for her. She is proof that anything is possible and dreams can come true even if you have no idea how. Jeanell has a unique perspective that has allowed her to achieve more than most people do in 20 lifetimes. She lives by example and is committed to creating her dreams or her dream life every day. Hold on to your seats and welcome again, Jeanell.

00:02:39 Jeanell: Thank you, Sabine. Thank you so much.

00:02:42 Sabine: So where are you chiming in from?

00:02:45 Jeanell: I live in Vancouver, Canada.

00:02:48 Sabine: All right, fantastic. I have quite a few people that I interviewed in the past that are from Canada, so I love that this podcast show is international. So I also had people from South Africa, Australia, Germany. I love the diversity. So before we dive in, I just wanted to ask you, you are a certified life and relationship coach and you work with both couples and individuals. So was that always your dream career?

00:03:28 Jeanell: No, it's never dawned upon me until that moment when I was sitting on my couch just about to turn 40. You know, I've always been since I was a child, very talented and gifted. In school, I kind of just picked things up. I was a concert pianist, I was a competitive dancer. Everything just fell on my lap. And so I found myself in sales 'cuz I loved being with people. I'm very chatty and outgoing and it worked. But then it came to a point where I realized that this was not what I felt that God had planned for me. I felt like that first half of my life, that first 40 years was great and I got to see and do some amazing and achieved some amazing things, but there was something that I felt was missing.

00:04:20 Sabine: Yes. So you were in the corporate world, you had a six figure career and you gave that up basically. Was that in alignment when you turned 40 that you had all of a sudden that vision that there must be more in life? What was that pivotal moment for you that gave you that realization?

00:04:44 Jeanell: Yeah. Well, one thing I realized is I couldn't stay in a company for more than four years. Four years was kind of the limit that I would stay anywhere for in one place. And so I had actually just won a trip to Rome. Huh? I was one of the top 1% in the company, and they send their top performers on this exorbitant, extravagant luxury trip. And I remember going to my boss and saying, "You know, I don't know how much longer I wanna be here." And I remember him saying to me, "Well, what do you mean you're like at the top of the food chain, you're like winning all these things and you're doing so well. Why would you wanna leave?" And part of me was quite confused because yeah, why would I wanna leave, right? I'm getting whatever I want. I got to work from home. I sometimes work five, six hours a day making lots of money and people throwing all these prizes. And yet there was something missing inside of me. And it felt like there was a calling. It felt like I had not used up all of Jeanell. And so it was almost felt like whatever it is that I wanted to do next had to be all of me. And in sales, as much as I loved it, I felt like I had to wear a mask. I felt like I had to be someone else. I had to grow thick skin. I had to just not be authentically me. And I think a lot of us, as we get older, we really start to hear what that authenticity sounds like. And you know, you are much more aware when it's not, something's not right.

00:06:19 Sabine: Yeah. I totally get it.

00:06:21 Jeanell: Yeah. And so I actually quit my job. I had no plan B. I just, one day I woke up and something said to me, "Jeanell, it's, it's time to go." And so, I went downstairs and I said to my husband, "I'm gonna quit today." And he said, "What?" He said, "Are you sure about that?" He said, "Do you have anything lined up?" And I said, "Nope." But it just got to a point where my soul was screaming and it was crying and I just knew, I'm like, I can't do this anymore. And I couldn't tell you to be honest been why that was what that was. I just, you know, you just know your intuition is just really, really loud. And so I took the next six months to the next year just really trying to figure out who am I and what do I want?

00:07:10 Sabine: Right. And you know what the interesting part is that you followed your intuition. And a lot of people don't do this. They're not attuned to it. And when you come to that point that you realize that money is not everything, money alone doesn't give you the fulfilled life that we all really are searching for. And that's why I feel a lot of people in this world right now as we speak, are struggling with a physical health, with their mental health because of this unalignment, you know, they are not aligned with their soul. Their soul's purpose. And I truly believe that. And that's what this podcast is all about really.

00:07:58 Jeanell: Yes.

00:08:00 Sabine: Becoming your next greater self and really fulfilling your life's purpose. So you said, and I love what you said, you know, it doesn't match up with all the Jeanell that you are and that you know. So during that time that you took off, and I by the way hear this a lot in my interviews, that there has to be sometimes a time period where you are unsure, where you just have to be still, where you just have to take a rest for the universe to respond. And I hear that in you, too. So lead us through that process, that metamorphosis, so to speak.

00:08:43 Jeanell: Yeah. Well the first thing I started to do is I started to listen to some Christian music and just get reconnected to God because a lot of us, when we get into the grind, especially in corporate, we forget to feed our spiritual body, you know? And so I got reconnected to that, and then the next step I asked myself was why was I so unhappy? What was it that was missing? That was part of my core values that I was not honoring? Because like you said, if we're not in alignment, then we're gonna feel that pain, that struggle. But if you don't know what your center is, if you don't know what your core values is, you're never gonna know what makes you happy and what doesn't make you happy. And so I've spent a couple months just thinking, what is Jeanell's core values? So that whenever I do, if I look for a new job or I decide to start my own business, it's my center point. And what I discovered was I have five core values, and my five core values is family, fun, freedom, flow, and faith. And when I honor those five things, I am always good. And whenever I don't honor those things, I feel it. So as soon as I start to feel that icky feeling, I go back to my values and I go, okay, what, which of those values am I not honoring right now? And usually it's fun or faith.

00:10:14 Sabine: Yeah. Yeah. I can totally, totally relate to it because when we do something that we are passionate about and we are really engaged in our work, sometimes we forget. And not that it's not fun, right? But we still have to have a live balance with everything and said, "Wow, have I done anything fun lately? Like just going out on a canoe trip," or whatever it may be for you, right? And I totally get it. And this is when most people get burned out, by the way, if they're not in balance with their life,

00:10:55 Sabine: Let me hop in here real quick to share something with you. Have you ever tried to build your own website, start a newsletter, or build a course and charge for it? Have you ever wanted to make money online, but are totally confused by all the different systems you need to have? That's why I use Kajabi. Kajabi is the most popular system for online marketers, coaches, thought leaders, and influencers. Kajabi helps online entrepreneurs take off. Over 100,000 of us use Kajabi and have made over $4 billion. Why not be part of it? The best thing is you don't have to figure out tons of systems or crazy technology to start your online business. Kajabi helps you do all of that, and it's all on one platform. That's why I use it. It makes my life so much easier and I can even earn money while I'm sleeping. You can build your web pages, blogs, and membership sites. You can create offers, checkout pages, and collect money. You can host your videos. You can start your newsletter list, capture emails, start your marketing funnels all in one place. It makes it fun and easy with awesome tutorials and support. Since I've joined Kajabi from the beginning, I have a special affiliate link that I would like to share with you. A 30-day free trial. So nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Just go to my link that's in the show notes sabinekvenberg.com/resources, and we will redirect you to the free trial page. And if you are just starting out and want to get your offer out for sale in just three days, let me help you do that. Visit my web page, by the way, that I built on Kajabi and apply to ‘MAKING IT HAPPEN’ So now, let's get back to the show.

00:13:06 Sabine: So you rediscovered or discovered your five values that are very important to you. What was then the next step that helped you through that process to get to where you are now?

00:13:22 Jeanell: I asked myself, you know, who am I at the end of my life? What is it that I wanna be able to achieve? And what I discovered is I wanna be able to make a difference. I wanna make an impact in the world. I don't even care if people remember my name. I just wanna be able to have left this earth better than when I came. And so the question I asked myself was, what would be the greatest expression of my love? What does that look like? I mean, we all have love inside us and we all express it differently, right? Some of us are nurses, some of us like to cook. But I said, you know, what is authentically Jeanell? If God was able to create the perfect job for Jeanell, what would that job be? And so I really just started to brainstorm what are the things about life, about people? Where am I passionate? And you know, coming from corporate, I knew that I loved being with people. I love teaching, I love inspiring. And people listened to me. People really took in what I said. And so I actually hired my own coach to try to figure out my life. And in that process of her helping me, I realized that's what I wanna do, is I wanna be like her. I wanna be able to come into people's lives and help them find clarity and power and confidence and find themselves again.

00:14:51 Sabine: Yes. Yes. So, totally. You know, what you said is so, so true. You hired yourself a coach, even coaches need coaches. We consistently are growing. Absolutely. So what made you decide, have you had an experience that you could use that was really a dark time in your life perhaps that helped you to do what you do now?

00:15:18 Jeanell: Absolutely. I've had a lot of dark things happen in my life. You know, when I was nine, you know, I grew up with really great parents who loved each other a lot. They were affectionate, they were playful, they did everything together. But then when I was nine, my dad cheated on my mom, had an affair with my mom's best friend who was actively pursuing my dad. And he got her pregnant and he laughed. And I was nine, my sister was six, and my brother was three. So we were very young and because I'm the eldest, I was kind of my mom's sidekick. So she'd go on these like late night detective, hanging out in front of their house, waiting for them to come out. And I was her partner in all of that. And so that was a very difficult time in my life. But having gone through that, and so how this story ends, actually, lemme lemme finish the story. So my dad leaves, he gets sick three years later and he comes back to my mom and he says, and my mom is a nurse. And he says to my mom, "I'm sick, will you take care of me?" And my mom said, "Absolutely, yes. And you can come home under two conditions. Number one, you never go back. If you're here, you're here. And number two, we never talk about this ever again. We forgive, we forget, we move on." And she honored that. She never brought it up, never hung it over his head. And this is why I'm such an advocate of forgiveness. And I think we all need to learn how to not only forgive ourselves and then be able to forgive other people. But in that experience, I, you know, I thought that even though my dad came back and he passed away and it was peaceful and it was loving and we were there going into my twenties, I realized that there was still a lot of stuff that I hadn't resolved because of my dad. And what happened as a nine year old. And what I discovered doing the work was I had made three decisions at nine years old. I decided that I'm unlovable. I can't trust people and everybody I love will leave me. So even though, even though that was complete, that relationship was complete, the trauma still kept going. And so I've spent the last 20 years of my life daily still dealing with those things.

00:17:49 Sabine: Yes.

00:17:49 Jeanell: Right. And you know, now that I'm married, I'm married to the most incredible husband. You know, there's still things that he'll say that will trigger me because of my trust issues. But there's nothing there. But it's just this knee jerk reaction that I have to manage and be responsible for. But to answer your question, I think why I'm such a great... I know that I am such a great coach because I have so much compassion for people, because I have been through a lot of what they're dealing with. People pleasing, perfectionism, you know, abandonment issues, trust issues, confidence issues. You know, I was molested when I was nine. There's so much to share. But in the moment, and I wanna say this to the listeners in the moment, we think to ourselves, "Why me? Why did this happen to me?" But really what I'm discovering is everything happens to us for a reason. And it is up to us to find the gift, the lesson, the opportunity in every one of those challenging moments. Because it is in the challenge that we grow. It is not in the days when life is blissful that we actually grow. No, it is in those dark moments that those happen.

00:19:05 Sabine: Absolutely. I cannot agree more. And I see that is a recurring theme with all of my guests. That's when we grow, that's when we make a difference. And that's when we discover what we really can do. But the interesting part is what you mentioned, that especially when we are children, the experiences that we have there are in our subconscious mind, ingrained and consciously. We already, you know, say, okay, that was in the past. All right, whatever it's done. But it pops up at moments, why are we not getting through this? Or why are we not moving forward faster? Or why is there a block? And it's because of those same things that are in the past, it still have to be worked out and released. Were transformed into what was into how we can use it into what is now. And it's an ongoing work. That is very, very fascinating. But I want to go on to a little bit of a lighter subject now because I love stories. And one of the things that struck me when we connected was your crazy story. So one of the things that you shared with me that you met the Queen of England and was almost arrested. So can you share a little bit more about that?

00:20:40 Jeanell:Yes. So lemme just show you. So this is me, at six years old. That's my mom in the back with the camera and my sister in the background. And the reason... First I wanna share why I keep this picture. I dug it up when she passed away cuz it was in, you know, in my storage unit. And when I look at this little girl and what she had to go through to meet this woman and how she was unstoppable and she saw the moment escaping her. She was like, "No, I'm gonna run after her and I'm gonna go for it." And she got what she wanted. This is why I keep this picture in my office cuz I remind myself this is who I need to get back to.

00:21:26 Sabine: So you basically run out through the crowd, you know, and this little, little tiny one for the listeners here, I see this picture. I could see Jeanell, she was just out behind the... or in front of the barrier and just... she stood right in front of the queen and the queen was so gracious to look at her. And did she say something to you?

00:21:52 Jeanell: Yeah. So what happened is, this is actually, my mom used to work at the hospital and she came to open a new wing, to cut the ribbon. And I remember that day it was a cloudy day and my mom said, "We're gonna go see the queen." And I was a... like I told you earlier, I was a dancer. I knew how to courtesy, so I was like, "I need to show her my courtesy." And so we passed by a grocery store and I said, "Mom, we need to stop to get some flowers for the queen." And my mom is thinking to herself, "You're never gonna see the queen." So she goes and buys the cheapest flowers that she can find just to keep me quiet. When we get to this place. And they, as you see, they have the pillars and they have the yellow rope. And the RCMP comes through and says, you know, children are not allowed to pass this line, keep them back. Of course, everyone says yes, but of course, I'm so little, this rope is above my head, so it's easy for me to wonder. So we probably wait maybe an hour. And finally she comes down, and of course everyone is screaming, right? Trying to get her attention. And all the kids are throwing, you know, waving around their flowers and I'm screaming, "[inaudible] I have flowers for you," Of course she doesn't see me, hear me. And I see her, I notice, I'm like, "Oh no, she's leaving, but I have flowers," so what do I go, do I just make this decision? Like, "Okay, I'm gonna go for it." And I just bolted and I just ran after her. And everybody in the entourage turns around and then the police start chasing me. But she sees this happening, so she waves them off. She's like, "It's okay, it's okay" So she walks back to this area to where I'm standing and she just says to me, she says, "Are these for me?" And I said, "Yes, you're majesty." And she said, "Oh, thank you so much dear." And I courtesied and they took the picture as she was grabbing the flowers to me, and I got on the front page of the newspaper.

00:23:55 Sabine: Oh, how fun. What a fun story this is. I love it. I love it. Thanks so much for sharing. Which also gives us another little golden nugget. And that is, if you really want something, you go after it. No matter how difficult it may seem, or it seems impossible, you just do it. Great reminder.

00:24:23 Jeanell: Yeah. I knew in that moment that this moment was never gonna come again. And I was like, I either let it go or I go after it and I feel like that's how I've tried to live my life.

00:24:35 Sabine: I love it. I love it. So, Jeanell, if people want to get in touch with you, what is the best way to do that?

00:24:43 Jeanell: Yes, they can reach me on my website at jeanellegreen.com or at saveourmarriage.ca

00:24:53 Sabine: And I will make sure to put it in the show notes as well. Thank you so much for sharing your story and insights and I wish you many, many more years of excitement and just life full of new experiences.

00:25:13 Jeanell: Thank you.

00:25:14 Sabine: That was my interview, and if you enjoyed it, give us a five star review, leave a comment and share it with your friends. Thanks for listening. Until I see you again. Always remember, serve from the heart, follow your passion and live the life you imagine.

Ep.33 Transcended Success - The Way God sees you

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 12:00:00 GMT

When you sit in silence, you open yourself up to divine guidance. Denise is multi-passionate and refuses to be put into a box. "If you have many talents, you can serve in various ways.". She shows up using her many gifts to make an impact. Denise shares her story, explaining how you can use your story as your strength. She helps women build a life they love by seeing themselves the way God sees them and embracing their power to be, do, have, and achieve anything they want.

Contact info: www.DeniseTaylor.live www.powerplayermentor.live www.successsuperpowers.live

Ep.32 Radical Self-Acceptance and Self-Love. Shedding the lies we've been told and continue to tell ourselves.

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 12:00:00 GMT

Kay grew up as a kid with endless energy, cartwheeling her way through life. She also grew up being bullied and felt the pressure many of us feel to fit the mold society deems us to be in. After over 20 years of self-suppression, Kay noticed many others struggle with similar destructive thought patterns after opening up about her struggles. Now she works to embrace radical self-acceptance and self-love and shares her journey to inspire others. Kay believes we all have the capability to find alignment with our true selves and shed the lies we’ve been told and the lies we continue to tell ourselves to embrace who we are.

Ep.27 Start Ugly, Innovate, Evolve and Manifest Your Dream Life

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 12:00:00 GMT

What defines a life? This was a question Chris asked himself after discovering that chasing money was not the answer. At age 29, he made a life-changing decision that made him become a better man. Today, Chris is a sought-after speaker, author, and founder of the prestigious Multimedia Podfest Expo. He is now helping thousands of people to share their message with the world.

Chris Krimitsos is a father, husband, community builder, and ever-evolving innovator. He loves people and their stories and has leveraged his gifts of connecting others to build communities around entrepreneurship, podcasting, and multimedia.

Learn more about Podfest: https://podfestexpo.com/

17_From being bullied to running marathons- Conquer adversity and become your own hero

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 13:26:00 GMT

The lessons I've learned from running marathons can be applied to anything in your life. Any long-term goals that we have can be compared to a marathon. As a teenager, I was bullied and unpopular. Overcoming the lack of self-image and self-esteem started when I began reading books like Think and Grow Rich. That was the turning point in my life.

Today Jeff is a voice actor, author, and fitness coach helping others to achieve their goals using the "Savage Resilience Method".

To get in touch with Jeff:

Contact: www.jeffsavagevo.com

Instagram: @jeffsavagefit, @jeff_savage_vo, @savageresilience

To get a copy of our book “The Musical Imprint”, click this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BDY8XWTH

06_Four Suitcases and a Dream

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 11:00:06 GMT

How I changed from living a boring life as a claim adjuster to becoming an actress, director, business owner, and success coach. Being an actress and director allowed me to travel the world. However, moving from Germany to the United States to open a performing arts school was one of the most impactful decisions in my life. In this episode, I share my transformational stories with you and what it took to make things happen. You will find four clues that helped me throughout my transition process. Enjoy. :)

1. To learn more visit: https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/

2. To book a meaningful conversation with me click the link below:

https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/free-strategy-session

3. Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/sabinekvenberg/

04_From Professional Athlete to Mompreneur!

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 11:00:00 GMT

Not giving up regardless of what's being thrown in your way creates a strong compassionate business women and mom. Laura's unwavering faith, positive mindset, and persistence made her the woman she is today. She will share with you her long journey to motherhood.

After she met her career goals, she knew she wanted to enrich her personal life. Come on a journey with us as Laurs tells her story.

Laura Mak Quist, former professional athlete turned certified lifestyle fitness & yoga coach. She is the founder of Yoga FitLife. For over 25 years Laura has helped women ditch the belly fat & brain fog so they can transform into a new chapter of life filled with passion, purpose, and wellness.

To get in touch with Laura visit her website

www.LauraMakFitness.com

https://www.instagram.com/lauramakfitlife/

Ep.158 Why Perfectionism Holds You Back — And How to Choose Progress Over Perfection

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 19:12:00 GMT

What if the work you’re hiding because it’s “not perfect” is exactly what someone else needs right now? In this episode, Sabine Kvenberg opens up about her own journey with perfectionism and the moment she decided to hide an older video she once shared with the world—simply because it no longer met her evolving standards. She reflects on how that decision taught her a powerful lesson: growth is visible in the work we once considered “good enough.”

Sabine invites you to embrace progress over perfection, to share your work even when it feels imperfect, and to see every creation as a snapshot of who you were at that moment in time. Through honest stories and practical insight, she highlights the value of authenticity, the beauty of evolution, and the impact your imperfect journey can have in inspiring others to keep going.

Learn more about Sabine's work:

https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/

My Simple Prayer video from 8 years ago:chttps://youtu.be/cm_ZxF_YPeY

Free Confident Speaker Masterclass: https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/csm

Ep.112 Speak Up and Stand Out: Building Leadership Through Effective Communication

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 11:00:50 GMT

In this episode, we explore the dual aspects of communication that are crucial for leadership—self-communication and communication with others. We dive into the importance of self-awareness, focusing on your strengths, and recognizing areas for growth. You'll learn why what you focus on expands and how honing in on your strengths can propel you forward. Additionally, we discuss how the way you communicate with others can significantly impact your leadership journey. Tune in to discover actionable tips to enhance your communication skills and elevate your leadership potential.

Learn more about our Empowered Community here:

Want to support this podcast?

Connect with Sabine

Social Media

https://x.com/sabinekvenberg

Ep.160 From Broken to Bold: Amy Thurman on Authenticity, Healing, and Living Your Truth

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:00:00 GMT

What would you do if one day you woke up unable to move, trapped in your body, and ready to give up?
For Amy Thurman, living ten years with a broken neck became the most powerful lesson in authenticity and courage.

In this raw and deeply moving conversation, Amy shares how she turned her pain into purpose, what it truly means to live authentically, and how she reclaimed her voice—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
If you’ve ever felt stuck, lost, or like you had to wear a mask to survive, this episode will awaken something within you.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

How a near-fatal accident became the catalyst for a new mission
The spiritual and energetic components of healing
Why authenticity is the bridge between pain and purpose
What it means to develop Authentic Intelligence in the age of AI
The power of journaling, creativity, and art in self-discovery
How to align your inner truth with your outer life
Why being vulnerable about mental health creates freedom and connection

🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned

Connect with Amy Thurman: www.getamyshelp.com
Amy’s Book: Polish the Mirror: Self-Discovery Workbook
Follow Amy on Social Media: @GetAmysHelp
Learn More About Sabine: www.SabineKvenberg.com
Learn how to speak with clarity, confidence, and courage—on stage, on camera, and in life.

https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/csm-19

🕰️ Episode Chapters & Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
Sabine welcomes Amy Thurman and shares how they met at Oxford University.

01:00 – Amy’s Story: Living Ten Years with a Broken Neck
Amy reveals her traumatic accident, brainstem injury, and how she nearly gave up before hearing a whisper that changed everything.

03:30 – Choosing Life and Finding Purpose
The defining moment that shifted her from despair to determination—and the power of using pain to serve others.

05:00 – Family, Motherhood, and Loss of Connection
Amy opens up about missing a full year of her children’s lives and the healing conversations that followed.

06:30 – Relearning to Walk and Defying the Odds
How Amy became her own advocate, discovered alternative treatments, and found a clinic that reconnected her brainstem.

09:30 – The Energy of Healing
Amy explains how understanding energy and the body’s wisdom became key to her recovery and the role of the throat chakra.

11:50 – From Survivor to Authenticity Expert
Why she “laid her old self to rest” and began the journey of rediscovering who she was beneath all the roles and expectations.

13:10 – Workaholism, Worthiness, and Letting Go
Sabine and Amy discuss the trap of “never enough” and how childhood patterns shape our drive to prove ourselves.

15:40 – Authentic Intelligence: A New Kind of Wisdom
Amy introduces the concept of Authentic Intelligence—our human wisdom that emerges when our inner and outer selves align.

16:50 – The Power of Vulnerability and Mental Health Awareness
Amy shares her experience in a mental health hospital and how embracing that truth became her superpower.

18:30 – Polish the Mirror: A Journey of Self-Discovery
How Amy’s reflective coloring workbook helps others reconnect with themselves through art, journaling, and introspection.

20:45 – The Role of Creativity and Journaling in Healing
Sabine and Amy explore how art, music, and writing help us release control and reconnect to the present moment.

23:00 – Wisdom Wrinkles and Authentic Aging
A lighthearted reflection on embracing imperfection and aging gracefully in a filtered, AI-driven world.

24:00 – How to Connect with Amy Thurman
Amy shares where listeners can find her online and learn more about her work and books.

24:50 – Final Words of Wisdom
Amy’s heartfelt message: embracing your authentic self may feel scary at first, but what’s waiting on the other side is freedom and beauty.

🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned

Connect with Amy Thurman: www.getamyshelp.com
Amy’s Book: Polish the Mirror: Self-Discovery Workbook
Follow Amy on Social Media: @GetAmysHelp
Learn More About Sabine: www.SabineKvenberg.com

🎯 Take the Next Step

If this conversation inspired you to find your authentic voice and share your story with confidence, join Sabine’s free Confident Speaker Masterclass this Thursday at 2 PM ET.
👉 Reserve Your Spot Here »

Learn how to speak with clarity, confidence, and courage—on stage, on camera, and in life.

https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/csm-19

Ep.101 Transforming Soft-Spoken to Outspoken: Cultivating an Unapologetic Voice

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 23 May 2024 11:00:00 GMT

Do you find it tough to speak up assertively at work? Let's dig into the power of courage for effective leadership. In my recent chat with Ivna Curi, we uncovered how cultivating courage can be a game-changer in assertive communication. Ivna shared her own journey and stressed that confidence is a skill that can be developed. Get ready to cultivate courage and learn strategies for speaking up in the workplace.

In this episode, you will learn how to:

Master assertive communication skills for professional success and confidence in the workplace
Navigate and thrive in psychologically unsafe environments through effective communication tactics
Cultivate the courage needed to lead with impact and influence through powerful communication strategies
Overcome barriers to assertive communication and unlock your full potential as a communicator
Discover effective strategies for speaking up in the workplace and making your voice heard.

Get in touch:

Ivan Curi: http://www.assertiveway.com/

Sabine Kvenberg:

Empowered Women On Purpose

Connect with Sabine Kvenberg:

Follow her:

My special guest is Ivna Curi

Ivna Curi, a prominent figure in assertive communication, is dedicated to amplifying voices and empowering individuals to speak up unapologetically. With a technical background, international experience, and a Forbes contributor, Ivna offers valuable insights on speaking up in psychologically unsafe environments and overcoming barriers to assertive communication. As a TEDx speaker, Ivna's expertise extends to cultivating courage for effective leadership, providing professionals with practical strategies for navigating workplace communication challenges. With a focus on fostering confidence and effectiveness, Ivna's contributions are indispensable for professionals looking to enhance their communication skills in the workplace.

The key moments in this episode are:
00:00:01 - Introduction to Ivna Curi and her mission
00:02:53 - The Impact of Cultural Diversity on Communication
00:06:00 - Virtual Communication Challenges and Solutions
00:11:35 - Overcoming Communication Challenges in the Workplace
00:16:36 - Empowering Professionals to Speak Up
00:17:33 - The Importance of Speaking Up
00:18:13 - The Core Ethos of Assertive Communication
00:20:13 - Cultivating Courage and Assertive Communication Skills
00:22:38 - Effective Communication Strategies
00:25:12 - Accessing Resources and Further Learning

Ep.100 Catch up on the past 2 years of Stories, Advice and Motivation

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 16 May 2024 11:00:00 GMT

The 100th episode of the Become Podcast celebrates wisdom and transformation. Over the past two years, Sabine has interviewed various experts who share valuable insights and advice gained from their life experiences. This special edition episode compiles excerpts from these interviews, offering a treasure trove of actionable advice and perspectives that can inspire personal and professional growth.

Our 100th episode features a diverse array of guests, including Dana Agnellini, Chris Krimitsos, Wally Green, Susan Gold, Brendan Kumasami, Dai Manuel, Zach White, Chancellor Jackson, Melissa Minich Binkley, J. K. Emezi, Derek Johnson, Roderick Leonard, and Rene Marino. Each guest brings a unique perspective on personal growth, resilience, overcoming challenges, finding purpose, and embracing change, creating a rich tapestry of insights.

From stories of shedding old identities to embracing the spirit of adventure, from learning to embrace imperfection to finding courage in vulnerability, these snippets cover a broad spectrum of topics. They are relevant to anyone seeking transformation and fulfillment in their lives and careers, underlining the episode's universal appeal. The episode underscores the power of listening, self-awareness, resilience, and the importance of introspection and relaxation in fostering creativity and well-being.

Through these expert insights and personal stories, listeners are encouraged to explore new perspectives, take bold actions, and live authentically aligned with their passions and values. The episode also invites listeners to dive deeper into specific interviews that resonate with them, providing a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for continued personal and professional development.

Important Links

Support this Podcast: https://www.podpage.com/become/support/

https://www.sabinekvenberg.com/Reduce_Stress-Elevate_Success

https://calendly.com/coachsabine/connect-with-sabine

Follow me on Social Media

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sabinekvenberg/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabinekvenberg/

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

Twitter X: https://twitter.com/sabinekvenberg

Ep.88 Million Dollar Flip Flops - Rodric Lenhart

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 20:51:00 GMT

Having traveled to more than fifty countries across six continents, Rodric brings a unique worldview and a deep appreciation for freedom and autonomy to his work - donating all profits to his foundation Send a Student Leader Abroad in partnership with EF Tours with a goal of sending 1,000,000 kids on life-changing trips.

Rodric Lenhart is a Michigan-born lifelong entrepreneur, multi #1 best-selling author, and sought-after speaker who started his business journey at a young age. He started with nothing, built an empire, lost it, built it again, and battled every demon a lifelong entrepreneur can imagine.

Get in touch with Rodric:

https://milliondollarflipflops.com/

Order his book: https://milliondollarflipflops.com/book/

PEACE, PROSPERITY AND THE COURAGE TO CHANGE COURSE IN LIFE AND BUSINESS

Would you like to support the show?

https://www.podpage.com/become/support/

Connect with Sabine Kvenberg:

BECOME Podcast

Ep.118 Bridge of Hope

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 12:00:00 GMT

In this inspiring episode, we dive into the transformative power of HOPE. Through a memorable framework, I break down the four key pillars—Happiness, Optimism, Persistence, and Enthusiasm—that make up this bridge of hope, carrying us from where we are now to where we aspire to be. Discover practical insights, powerful metaphors, and actionable steps to strengthen each of these pillars in your life. Whether you’re facing challenges or simply seeking more joy, this episode will encourage you to build your own bridge of hope and take meaningful steps toward a brighter future.

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Ep.140 Secrets to a Fulfilling Life - Join the Journey

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 29 May 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Sabine shares eight key ideas that have contributed to her happiness, success, and fulfillment in life. She emphasizes the importance of personal growth, embracing one's uniqueness, maintaining momentum, trusting the process, following intuition, and cultivating optimism. Each idea is explored in depth, providing insights and practical advice for listeners seeking to enhance their own lives.

Become part of the Journey of Unlocking the Secrets to a Fulfilling Life. Become a Supporter

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Learn more and watch Sabine's video here: https://publishizer.com/gumption/

Takeaways

Success means different things to different people.
Expansion is about growth in various aspects of life.
Embrace your uniqueness and talents to make an impact.
Momentum is crucial for starting and maintaining progress.
Perseverance is key to overcoming obstacles.
Trust in the process and have faith in outcomes.
Follow your intuition as a guiding force.
Optimism can significantly influence your happiness.
Live in the present moment to take effective action.
Make a decision to live a positive and fulfilling life.

Ep.99 Fungi Friends: The Journey from Kitchen Experiments to a Thriving Business

Sabine Kvenberg — Thu, 09 May 2024 11:00:00 GMT

Discover the surprising journey of two best friends turned business partners who ventured into the world of mushrooms and created the first-ever mushroom gummies. From kitchen experiments to business therapy, their story is a testament to the power of personal growth in business success. But what's the unexpected twist that almost took down their company entirely? Find out how their unique approach to communication and the surprising benefits of mushrooms transformed their lives and business. Keep reading to uncover the surprising correlation between their personal conflicts and business success.

In this episode, you will be able to:

Discover the secrets to starting a successful business with family members.
Uncover the surprising benefits of incorporating mushroom supplements into your wellness routine.
Overcome the toughest challenges in entrepreneurship with expert tips and strategies.
Explore the importance of business partnership therapy for improved collaboration and success.
Learn how to create and grow a thriving wellness company even during the challenges of COVID.

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