The Penduka Podcast: Recent Episodes
Joy McMillan
A weekly podcast dedicated to helping you live fully alive by equipping you with practical tools to awaken passion and purpose in your everyday life. Hosted by Joy McMillan (speaker, author & entrepreneur behind Simply Bloom), this shot of soul-espresso delivers nuggets of wisdom and insight, while encouraging you in your journey.
This week we're wrapping up Penduka with the seventh, and final, letter of the PROCESS acronym, S: Start Small. This is our last episode of the Penduka Podcast. Stay tuned for Joy's new podcast this Autumn. What You'll Hear: * "Patience and the passing of time do more than strength and fury" Jean De La Fontaine * In a world that applauds big and bold and flashy, and tends to ignore small and simple and seemingly insignificant, it's easy to adopt this method of measurement in our own lives. * Not only do we ache to be noticed, we resent the smallness of our lives. We see where we want to be but are painfully aware of where we are. This is called the 'expectation gap'. * Like with the sculpture of the man on the horse, God is in the process of chipping everything that's not our truest selves (or Him). * "Wherever you are, be all there" Jim Elliot * We have got to learn to celebrate the small things and what's right with the world, rather than obsessing over our weaknesses and failures. * Life is what happens in the small, everyday moments. * If you struggle with celebrating your small wins, try journaling 3 things you did well each day. * "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..." Zechariah 4:10 * It's not about going big or going home, it's about courageously showing up - day after day after ordinary day - and embracing this beautiful messy journey. * We desperately want our lives to accomplish their purpose, but there's always a process to fulfilling the promise. And it's in the process that our passion is ignited and our purpose discovered and fulfilled. Lean into, and embrace, the process.
Quick Links from Episode 25: * My favorite books by Todd Henry: Louder Than Words and Die Empty * Zechariah 4:10 | small beginnings
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Food for Thought: * How do you plan to focus on and celebrate the small things? * With the process and 'expectation gap' in mind, what do you find to be the hardest part of being en route? Where are you in the journey and what small habits or practices can you implement into your daily life to help keep you focused and encouraged to the end?
Quote + Free Print: "Wherever you are, be all there" Jim Elliot
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In this week's episode we're unpacking the persistent myth of multitasking, with the sixth letter of the PROCESS acronym, S: Stop Switchtasking. What You'll Hear: * We know how to get things done, mastering the art of doing #allthethings, but this nasty habit has us constantly distracted and is having a profoundly negative effect on just about every aspect of our lives, from our marriages to our businesses. * Here's the deal: multitasking isn't actually a thing. It's a persistent myth, and understanding what's actually happening, and how to change it, can be quite liberating. * "Multi-tasking is great in the kitchen when you are trying to time the chicken to be ready at the same time as the potatoes. But do not assume it is a great way to manage a workday" Joanne Tombrakos * This term was first used in 1965 by IBM to describe their new computer's ability to run several programs concurrently. What we've coined multitasking is more accurately described as switchtasking. * With distractions (ahem, smart phones) ever before us, we've become a society who simply cannot focus on one thing for any length of time. We have become like barracudas, suffering from 'shiny object syndrome'. * Our chronic distraction is not only due to a lack of discipline and focus, but I believe also due to a stealthy addiction to approval. When we're feeling low, overwhelmed or stressed, it's easy to go in search of another "hit" on social media. * "We have to get back to the beauty of just being alive in this present moment" Mary McDonnell * Call it creative avoidance or chronic distraction, juggling too many things at once has a tremendous effect on work productivity and our ability to be fully engaged and present with our families. * Time-blocking my work week - and disciplining myself to remove all possible distractions, using a timer when necessary - has made all the difference in allowing me to focus and stay engaged on a single project, in a specific arena, at one time (or on one day). * If our daily habits create our weekly realities, which ultimately make up our life, it's not hard to see how our willingness to pare back and focus on fruitfulness (rather than busyness) will guide our journey to purpose.
Quick Links from Episode 24: * Social Media Obsession article * The ONE Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan * Essentialism by Greg KcKeown * The 5 Love Languages Assessment * Efficiency costs of switching article * Social Interruption & Loss of Productivity article * My Coaching & Consulting : Simply Bloom Coaching
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Food for Thought: * When are you most tempted to 'multitask'? What do you believe drives the temptation in this area? Insecurity, creative avoidance, boredom, habit, etc? * What would this period of your day look like if you chose to focus on only one thing at a time? Now map that out!
Quote + Free Print: "Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus" Alexander Graham Bell
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In this week's episode we'll tackle the all too common 'paralysis of perfection', and the need for us to pursue grace and excellence instead of perfection, with the fifth letter of the PROCESS acronym, E: Exit Here, Perfection. What You'll Hear: * "Perfectionism is a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, its the thing that's really preventing us from taking flight" Brené Brown * Parenting has a way of bringing all of our controlling, perfectionistic tendencies to the surface, along with a whole lot of other ugly stuff - and if we're willing to deal with it, we'll help protect them from this condition that cripples so many of us. * We're reminded constantly what beautiful looks like, intelligent sounds like, successful feels like and sexy behaves like. There's a distinct mold that try as we might, we cannot seem to fit into. It's time we stopped trying. * "The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself" Anna Quindlen * The fear of delivering imperfect work will cripple your small business in the same way fear of never having a perfect home will destroy your ability to be hospitable: you won't bravely put your stuff out there and you won't bravely let people in over the threshold. * We will never measure up to what society deems ideal and the sooner we realize we don't have to - and broadcast this liberating truth to our daughters - the sooner we'll embrace our perfectly imperfect selves. * While there is a place for perfection - like bridges and cheesecake and cutting-edge logos - when perfection becomes the standard by which we measure everything, we will spend our days exhausted, hyper-critical and anxious. Feeling both out of control and never quite enough. * While busyness and hear of failure are often to blame for lack of action, perfectionism - and the procrastination if feeds - might just be one of the biggest culprits. * Passion + action = momentum --> more passion * Passion + perfectionism = procrastination --> less passion * The beauty of momentum is that it's far easier to course correct while moving...so get moving. Take imperfect action!
Quick Links from Episode 24: * The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell * Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen * Grace, Not Perfection by Emily Ley * Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist * The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
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Food for Thought: * Where do you see perfectionism showing up most clearly in your life? Jot down an area or two and then ask yourself a series of "what" and "why" questions to get to the root of the issue.
Quote + Free Print: "A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing" George Bernard Shaw
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In this week's episode we're talking about "waffle brain" and our tendency to compartmentalize things that are beautifully interconnected and woven together - for a purpose - with the fourth letter of the PROCESS acronym, C: Crash the Compartments. What You'll Hear: * We tend to compartmentalize our lives (relationships, work, mental stability, emotional healthy, etc.), but this organized chaos is just an illusion. * While we may find some sort of comfort in being able to contain and control these individual boxes - conveniently containing matters of mind, body and spirit, respectively - the separations don't exist. We're a package deal! * We were created with mind, body and spirit intricately connected and woven together. When there's unhealth in one area, it affects all areas. * As exquisitely designed, integrated human beings, we need to approach our lives from a more holistic standpoint, working to cultivate health within the whole, so we can experience the fullness of the life we were created for. * Plato put it this way: "we ought not attempt to cure the eyes without the head, or the head without the body...the body without the soul. For the part can never be well unless the whole is well" * "The body becomes the battlefield for the war games of our mind. All the unresolved thoughts and emotions, the negativity we old on to, show up in the body and make us sick" Brian Seward, PhD * In order to steward this one life we have been given, to the best of our ability, we have got to take stock of our physical, emotional and spiritual health. We cannot flesh out our calling with a sick, fatigued body, an anxious heart, and an unstable mind. * Wellness is not a vain pursuit. It literally means the difference between surviving and thriving. And we were made to thrive. * Find the link to download your free Wellness Assessment below.
Quick Links from Episode 23: * Episode 003: Ask Questions * Switch on Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf
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Food for Thought + Free Printable: * Download the PENDUKA WELLNESS EVALUATION to check your pulse on your physical, emotional & mental, and spiritual health.
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This week I'm mounting somewhat of a soapbox on the topics of white space, margin and priorities, with the third letter of the PROCESS acronym, O: Open Up Space. What You'll Hear: * If we don't allow space for refreshment to flow and create room for movement to happen, we'll discover the unmistakable smell of exhaustion along with the shrapnel of ground up relationship on the surface of our souls. Think: my over-stuffed washers. * While hustle invites us to make all the things happen, it's also a slippery slope. Because #hustle doesn't seem to know when to quit. * We are human beings, not human doings. Let's get this right! * As Lysa Terkuerst says, we cannot afford to live life "with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule", or we will ache "with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul". * We have got to create space to play, to paint or bake or stretch. Our heart health has got to be - and remain - a priority, or else everything else will slowly crumble. * "The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave to it neither power nor time" Mary Oliver * The health of your soul is your responsibility and cannot be palmed off on someone else. Which means we cannot blame others when we're weary and overwhelmed. This is both a hefty responsibility and a liberating truth. * Think of the oxygen mask analogy we've heard so often - as much as it flies in the face of maternal instinct, put on your own mask first. We are no good to those we love when we're exhausted, resentful and quietly dying inside. * Waking up our souls - and keeping them engaged in what truly matters - requires scheduling white space, or margin, into our lives. * If we want to make a difference in this world, it starts with making a difference in our local community.
Quick Links from Episode 22: * The Best Yes by Lysa Terkuerst
While I didn't mention these two books in the episode, they're great for this specific topic: * The Art of Neighboring by Jay Pathak & Dave Runyon * The Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner
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Food for Thought: * The by-product of a life without margin is stress and overwhelm. Where are you feeling the lack of margin the most? * What can you do, moving forward, to carve out more white space in the difference areas of your life?
Quote + Free Print: "When a man is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package" John Ruskin
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In this week's episode we're tackling the subject of habits with the second letter of the PROCESS acronym, R: Repeat It & Reap. What You'll Hear: * "We become what we repeatedly do" Sean Covey * As the story of the Christmas ham so delightfully illustrates, we easily go through the motions and do things we've always done...because, well, we've always done them. Not because they're necessarily the best, wisest, healthiest, or most efficient way to do things. * Practice does not in fact make perfect...it makes permanent. Which begs the question...what is it we're practicing - and embedding - in our daily lives? * Our small daily habits matter more than any big fancy thing we may occasionally accomplish. It's the consistency with which we do things that packs the punch. * You have more authority and are more powerful than you may realize - and no one can change, shape or mold your life the way you can. And habits are at the root of much of the life we create; both good and bad. * While we tend to make small commitments to big changes, our minds and bodies respond better to big commitments to small changes. * Our very lives - and legacies - are the result of the thousands of little choices we make throughout the day. Often without thinking. * Rather than focusing on the bad habits you want to get rid of, choose to focus on the good habits you want to implement can build momentum and produce faster results. * When we introduce small, but pivotal, habits into our lives as non-negotiables that we're willfully going to do for long enough to make them habit - they become a part of how we do life. And, praise God, they get easier. * "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit" Aristotle
Quick Links from Episode 21: * Ann Voskamp delivered an amazing message (including a part where she talked about the act of turning our faces to Jesus, rather than our habit of turning to Facebook), at IF:Gathering 2017. * The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy * The Slight Edge by Jeff Olsen * The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg * Simply Green Smoothies
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Food for Thought: * What simple practice could you start doing today, and commit to for the next 30 days, that your future self will thank you for? * What small bad habit could you remove from your daily life that would reap a big reward over time?
Quote + Free Print: "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten" Henry Ford
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In this week's episode, we're dipping into the third and final section of Penduka; PROCESS. The first letter of the acronym is P: Protect Your Yes, and is all about how we steward our "yes". What You'll Hear: * The wealthiest place on earth might well be the cemetery, with it's buried dreams and unrealized destinies. * What if the reason people die still full of potential is because they've filled their life with things - even good things - leaving little room for the best things to emerge and take place? * Saying "yes" to every good thing or person is not necessarily a good thing. * "Good is the enemy of great" Jim Collins * Every time we say "yes" to something or someone, we are saying "no" to something or someone else. Every yes comes with an equally weighty no. * Learning to tell people "no" is especially hard for people pleasers (or RPP, Recovering People Pleasers), but having a firm and intentional belief in your "yes" makes it easier to deliver a prepared, gracious "no". * Having healthy boundaries in place make it far easier to say no - and ensure that you're saying yes to the right things and people.
Quick Links from Episode 20: * The beautiful quote I read from from Dawna Markova * Boundaries by Henry & Townsend
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Food for Thought: * Be still for a moment and take your soul's pulse. Are you weary and running on empty? How does your schedule look? * What have you given your "yes" to that you know you should not have? * When you've honored your commitment, how do you plan to excuse yourself from it?
Quote + Free Print: "Learn to say "no" to the good so you can say "yes" to the best" John Maxwell
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This week's episode is an introduction to the final section of the Penduka triad: PROCESS. Passion and purpose don't accomplish much without an intentional process to help us flesh it all out on a daily basis. This final section is, at its heart, all about stewardship. How are we stewarding our time, our talent, and our treasure to make the most of our passion and purpose here on earth? Are we getting into action, or are we just dreaming and hoping and researching? We have got to manage our time and resources wisely and get rocking. But be warned, it's easy to be busy, in fact most of us would probably confess to being too busy - but what are we busy doing? We're not called to be busy, we're called to be fruitful. Sponsor: The Simply Bloom Shop : designer mugs, prints, cards & candles
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Quote + Free Print: "Dreams don't work unless you do" John Maxwell
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This week we're exploring the topic of failure - our natural aversion to it, and the beauty of embracing it - in the 7th letter of the PURPOSE acronym, from chapter 14 of Penduka, E: Embrace Failure. What You'll Hear: * While we know in theory that most of the things we fear won't come to pass, there's something so terrifying about failure that it influences our decision making on a daily basis. * "Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will" Dale Partridge * While a comfort zone might be safe and warm and, well...comfortable, nothing of substance grows there. * When we realize that all the good stuff happens outside of our comfort zones, we may be less inclined to stay in them. * "Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing" Denis Waitley * Stepping out of our comfort zones takes bravery, but staying out takes boatloads of courage and resilience. * The more we dilute our messages in an attempt to please the masses, the less of an impact our messages will have on the ones they're intended for. * While it's true that it's awfully hard to make a mistake while playing it safe and doing nothing, it's also very hard to live a full, meaningful like while doing nothing. * "A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing" George Bernard Shaw
Quick Links from Episode 18: * The Village by M. Night Shyamalan * Story Brand Productivity Schedule by Donald Miller * Jia Jiang and Rejection Therapy
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Food for Thought: * As you look ahead, where do you fear failure the most? * Unpack why it strikes fear into your heart the way it does, and find the underlying statement. * What belief is behind the fear? Is it valid? What truth can you replace the lie with?
Quote + Free Print: "Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly?" Robert F. Kennedy
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This week we're looking at the importance of remaining teachable in the 6th letter of the PURPOSE acronym, from chapter 13 of Penduka, S: Student Status. What You'll Hear: * One thousand four hundred and forty: the number of minutes that make up a day. Whether you're a drunk under a bridge, or the person ministering to them; we all get the same amount. What makes a difference is how we spend them. * The dash on our tombstones is one of the only things engraved there that we actually get to influence...how will you spend yours? * Your time is precious. Along with your energy, it is your most limited resource. The good news is that it can accomplish extraordinary things when invested wisely. * The people who accomplish the best things (not always the most things) are those who have a firmer grasp on the value of their time and the direct connection between their use of it and the impact their life can have. * If we could see the impact our seemingly insignificant daily decisions have on the whole (big picture of our lives), we would steward our time more wisely. * It's not about having time, it's about making time for what matters most to you. If you want something badly enough, you will prioritize it and make it happen. * If we were brave enough to examine our schedules and dissect where we're spending our time - and make the appropriate changes - what might be different one year from now? And if we don't change anything, where will our sloppy habits take us one year out? * The ability we have to learn new skills and access excellent (and often free) training - from the comfort of our homes and vehicles (through audiobooks and podcasts) - is so astounding that not one of us has the excuse to not learn and change and grow and develop ourselves this year, and every other year after that.
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Food for Thought: * What is one big audacious thing that's been bubbling in your heart for some time now that you'd love to see come to fruition in 2017? * What is one thing you could do every day to "eat the elephant" (chip away at a big project), and what would you be willing to give up in order to make it happen?
Quote + Free Print: "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" Mary Oliver
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Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
This week we're unpacking the subject of mentoring in the 5th letter of the PURPOSE acronym, from chapter 12 of Penduka, O: Overflow The Input. What You'll Hear: * Like the River Jordan, flowing through the Sea of Galilee and down into the Dead Sea, we experience the most vibrant life when we have both an inflow and outflow. * Your willingness to pour into others is what makes you the perfect candidate, it's not about being an expert or having the ability to appear like you have it all together that qualifies you to mentor someone. * While 'mentoring' means different things to different people, my husband and I define it as 'a trusting relationship in which a more experienced person comes alongside a less experienced one to cultivate growth through encouragement, insight, counsel and honest feedback.' * The key in getting mentored is to find wise, savvy women who are both brutally honest and extraordinarily gracious, and then to walk alongside them. * Accountability gets a bad rap, but it's essentially us giving an "account of our ability". It's intended to be the process of someone calling us up to our true potential, essentially saying, "you are able and I'm going to hold you to it", and us in turn giving that same gift to others. * While the list of excuses for why we believe we're not equipped or qualified enough to mentor others is endless, being generous with our time, knowledge and resources is as critical to our own health and growth as surrounding ourselves with women who extend those same things to us. * The brilliant thing about being humble and brave enough to teach while we're learning, is that we actually learn more when we're teach others (I find this to be true every time I preach on a Sunday morning - if I wait until I know it all to teach others, I would never do it). * There's nothing quite like using your influence - small as it may be - to encourage, equip, and inspire others. Go mine that gold out of your people!
Quick links from episode 16: * Information about the Jordan River, along with a map of the route. * I mentioned the need to be surrounded by quality people | listen in to the episodes about finding 'your people' here: 005 and 006. * I mentioned my husband seeking counsel from a Godly man after I dropped my ugly-past bomb on him...you can read the story here. * The Bible story of the little boy and his bread and fish, and how Jesus fed the multitudes with it (read: bring what you have and allow God to feed people with your little offering).
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Food for Thought: For the specific season you're in now, is there someone that comes to mind that you could reach out to and come alongside to learn from and glean wisdom from? When and how do you plan to muster the courage and reach out (be specific)?
Quote + Free Print: "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give" Winston Churchill
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This week we're getting our hands dirty and digging into the 4th letter of the PURPOSE acronym, from chapter 11 of Penduka, P: Pull Those Weeds. What You'll Hear: * Just like massive circus elephants can be held by flimsy chains because of what used to hold and hurt them, we remain captive to lies and limiting beliefs of old that we have the ability to break free from. * Our chains can be vocal and blatant, or small and subtle - but they hold us just the same, threatening pain and discomfort when we push the boundary line and try to break free. * These deeply rooted lies sprout tendrils that trip us up in all areas of our lives, from the bedroom to the board room. * It doesn't help to chop these issues off at the surface, as they simply regrow and manifest elsewhere. We have got to dig up the root, and this always involves getting our hands dirty. * Some roots can't be pulled up on our own - we need the assistance of wise friends, mentors and/or counselors. * Having close friends and mentors who celebrate the pulling of weeds - rather than those who simply heap the dirt on to cover up our issues - are worth their weight in gold. * Your freedom came at a high cost. Refuse to live in bondage to lies and limiting belief systems, and fight the urge to remain comfortable and "safe" (think Repunzel).
Quick links from episode 15: * The Disney movie Tangled gives us a powerful picture of choosing freedom, even if it means risk and initial discomfort * I've had several people ask me about my counselor. She's amazing, and if you're local to mid-Michigan, you can find her here.
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Food for Thought: Which area of your life do you suspect you may have some chains or weeds lurking? Relationally (in your marriage or friendships), creatively (in your hobbies or vocation), physically (in the way you view your body), etc.
Quote + Free Print: "A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking because her trust is not on the branch but on it's own wings" Anonymous
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This week we're digging deeper into the 2nd section of Penduka by exploring the 3rd letter of the PURPOSE acronym, R: Redefine Success. What You'll Hear: * Success is a moving target. Prancing around like a mirage, it teases us from the horizon, saying "just a little bit further, just a little more, work just a little harder". But it always seems out of reach. * When we see success and failure as opposite ends of some cosmic measuring stick, we'll find we always fall short, and we'll miss out of the joy and growth of living within the brilliant shades of grey between the two. * Rather than asking "what would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?", maybe we should be asking, "what lines up with our personal mission so brilliantly that it would be worth doing even if it meant risking failure?"? * It doesn't matter how much you achieve, accumulate or accomplish...you will never feel like you're enough on the outside until you embrace the fact that you're already enough on the inside. * Ambition is great, but we cannot blindly climb the ladder of success as we might find the ladder leaning against the wrong building. * There's a tremendous difference between "being a success" and "making an impact". * If our success only touches us, we fall short. A positive ripple effect should guide us as we strive to lead a life of influence and significance. * "What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead" Nelson Mandela * "I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I'm more afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter" Bob Goff
Quick links from episode 14: * The Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale by Angela Elwell Hunt * Intentional Living: Choosing A Life That Matters by John Maxwell
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Food for Thought: Can you recall a time that you accomplished something you worked tirelessly toward, only to find that achieving it didn't satisfy you the way you expected it to?
What do you feel was missing? And what would have changed the experience for the positive (added value)?
Quote + Free Print: "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm" Winston Churchill
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
This week we continue unpacking the 2nd section of Penduka by exploring the 2nd letter of the PURPOSE acronym, U: Unearth the Picture. What You'll Hear: * Like Alice (of Wonderland fame), as revealed in her convo with the Cheshire Cat, if you don't know which way you're going, the direction in which you travel doesn't matter. But we do want to go places, which means our route does matter. * When you know who you are, at your core, and have a pretty good idea of why you're alive, your days take on a whole new level of meaning, and shift from monotonous and haphazard to intentional and focused. * We're usually standing too close to the canvas of our lives to get a grasp on the big picture of our purpose. We've got to step back, and then consistently apply brushstrokes to the canvas, removing the haze and exposing the image underneath. * Think about your funeral. What do you want to be remembered for? What do you hope your loved ones will say? What will the way in which you lived your life say about what was most important to you? How will you have spent your time, energy and resources...and what will that say about what was most important? * Our legacy is that which we pass on to others; the spiritual and emotional treasure we leave behind and are remembered by. What will your legacy be?
Quick links from episode 13: * Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll * Have a closer look at Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel paintings * Add some Scratch Art to your Christmas shopping list. You know you want to.
Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook.
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Quote + Free Print: "The two most important days of your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why" Mark Twain
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
Welcome to the 2nd season of the Penduka Podcast! This week we're unpacking the 2nd section by exploring the 1st letter of the PURPOSE acronym: P: Power Up Your Strengths.
What You'll Hear: * Too many of us buy into the lie that it's prideful or ineffective to focus on our strengths, and that we should spend our time and energy managing our weak areas instead. * While our focus should be on strengths, embracing our weaknesses drives us into community and enables us to see God's goodness come through for us. * We do the most damage not in our areas of weakness, but by misappropriating our strengths. * Honing your strengths and really understanding your personality, strengths, love languages and behavior tendencies really comes in handy when it comes to close relationships (like marriage, parenting or business partnerships).
Quick links from episode 12: Test & Assessments that I mentioned in the episode:
- StrengthsFinder
- Personality Pathways
- HumanMetrics
- 5 Love Languages
- The Fascination Advantage
- Spiritual Gifts
- DiSC Assessment
Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook.
Sponsor: Audible : choose from over 180,000+ books that you can devour while you run, fold laundry or drive! Get a free book with your first 30 day trial membership.
Quote + Free Print: "It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are" E.E. Cummings
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
This week's episode is part mourning - over the unfortunate loss of a delicious interview recorded with my dear friend and booking manager, Melissa - and part introduction of the next season of the podcast. We've spent the past 10 weeks unpacking PASSION; what it is, what it's not, and why it's so important. Starting next week, we'll explore the PURPOSE acronym, unwrapping what it means to step into your calling, why our definitions of success and failure directly impact our ability to get out of our comfort zones, and how positioning ourselves as conduits enables us to be a part of something much bigger and better than ourselves. Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook.
Quote: "If you can't figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right to your purpose" Bishop T.D. Jakes
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
This week's episode is longer than usual as we wrap up the final letter of the PASSION acronym, N: Never Ever Give Up. You'll hear the story of Simply Bloom, the awkward early business names and fumbles, how I stumbled into most everything I do today, and discover anew the importance of pushing through and being persistent even when it doesn't all make sense. Those things that wake up and shake up your soul - find them and feed them - because we need you and your soul fully alive. Previous episodes: P: Pursue Joy A: Ask Questions S: Silence Comparison S: Surround Yourself I: Inspect Your Roots O: Own Your Story
Quick links from episode 10: * See a snapshot of the evolution of Pink Kangaroo Design to Simply Bloom * You can read the story of the Israelite's march around Jericho in Joshua 6 * Emily Wapnick's TED talk where she shares about the "multipotentialite"
Sponsor: The We ROAR Project : Random | Otherly | Affirmation | Revolution The WRP believes in the power of being ‘otherly’ and aims to make kindness fun and simple by providing designer cards with love bombs (aka. uplifting words) that you can leave in random places to encourage and affirm others.
Question: Zoomed out, you can mine out treasure from the twists and turns in your journey. If you look back through what may have felt like time wasted, insignificant work or frustrating detours, where can you identify:
- ...exposure to new things that tapped into your passion?
- ...a level of training or equipping for what you're ultimately called to do?
- ...connection with key people who played a part in making you who you are today?
Quote + Free Print: "Never give up on a dream because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." Earl Nightingale
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
This week on the podcast we're continuing with the 6th letter in the PASSION acronym, O: Own Your Story. Last week I shared how every one of us has a story to tell, and that our stories truly matter. There are seasons of our lives that can cause such tremendous pain and shame that, if allowed to run rampant, can define our futures. But we get to choose what to do with our stories, and whether we allow them to define us or refine us. Previous episodes: P: Pursue Joy A: Ask Questions S: Silence Comparison S: Surround Yourself I: Inspect Your Roots O: Own Your Story | Part 1 (last week's episode) Quick links from episode 9: * Read the Story of the carrots, egg & coffee beans * Brené Brown is the author of some of my favorite books, The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly & Rising Strong * The Human Mosaic | article I wrote for (in)Courage about how a broken story can become beautiful
Sponsor: The We ROAR Project : Random | Otherly | Affirmation | Revolution The WRP believes in the power of being ‘otherly’ and aims to make kindness fun and simple by providing designer cards with love bombs (aka. uplifting words) that you can leave in random places to encourage and affirm others. Question: Where can you identify fear and shame as driving forces behind your tendency to hide?
What is it you're really hiding?
Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook.
Quote + Free Print: "Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light" Brené Brown
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
This week on the podcast we're starting the 6th letter in the PASSION acronym, O: Own Your Story. We all have a story to tell - every single one of us - and every one of our stories matter. As safe as it might feel to hide the broken pieces of your past, secrets have the ability to hold you captive and allow shame to rule your days. There is tremendous power in embracing your story, and in allowing it to become a part of the redemptive narrative of your life. At the beginning of this episode I shared the story of how my hubby had helped save a man's life (he had shot himself while pulled over on the side of the road), and I mentioned a little side-note that I intended to share...and completely forgot. So here it is: when I wrote Penduka, I assumed that by the time it was released, that the Life Saving Award my husband was told he'd earned for this rescue would already have been awarded. But no. The book came out - with mention of this award he'd won - that he hadn't even received yet. Almost a year later, it's finally happened. Needless to say, this embarrassed wife is beyond relieved and uber proud! Previous episodes:* P: Pursue Joy A: Ask Questions S: Silence Comparison S: Surround Yourself I: Inspect Your Roots (last week's episode) Quick links from episode 8: * Find my story of fear, hiding and coming out of shame in my book, XES * Read the story of Adam & Eve hiding in the garden of Eden * Brené Brown is the author of some of my favorite books, The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly & Rising Strong
Sponsor: The We ROAR Project : Random | Otherly | Affirmation | Revolution The WRP believes in the power of being ‘otherly’ and aims to make kindness fun and simple by providing designer cards with love bombs (aka. uplifting words) that you can leave in random places to encourage and affirm others. Question: Is there a chapter of your story you've been avoiding?
And what are the major emotions that arise when you go there?
Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook.
Quote + Free Print: "...As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others" Marianne Williamson
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
This week we're getting our hands dirty with the 5th letter of the PASSION acronym, I: Inspect Your Roots, as we explore the importance of shifting our focus from superficial fruit flaunting to foundational root inspection. What happens beneath the surface will always, eventually, be reflected above the surface. While digging in the dirt to nurture and anchor your "root system" isn't glamorous or sexy, it's essential to the overall health of your life and the eventual health of your "fruit". P: Pursue Joy A: Ask Questions (last week's episode) S: Surround Yourself S: Stop Comparing 1 and 2 (last episodes) I: Inspect Your Roots Quick links from episode 7: * On Being Rooted : Confessions of An Approval Addict (blog post I wrote | my word for 2015 was "rooted") * Gorgeous photo of a Chinese Bamboo forest * 1 Samuel 16:7 (Samuel anointing David - the least likely son of Jesse - as King)
Sponsor: The We ROAR Project : Random | Otherly | Affirmation | Revolution The WRP believes in the power of being ‘otherly’ and aims to make kindness fun and simple by providing designer cards with love bombs (aka. uplifting words) that you can leave in random places to encourage and affirm others. Question: "Where have you tended to place the most value; on what you see above the surface, or what grows beneath? And where is this most evident in your life (relationships, business, ministry, etc.)?"
Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook.
Quote + Free Print: "If an egg is broken by outside force, life ends. If broken by inside force, life begins. Great things always begin from inside" Jim Kwik
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
Last week we cracked open community living with the 4th letter of the PASSION acronym, S: Surround Yourself, and this week we're continuing the conversation by exploring the importance of healthy boundaries within the context of relationship. P: Pursue Joy A: Ask Questions S: Silence Comparison S: Surround Yourself (listen to the first part here) Quick links from episode 6: * Boundaries by Cloud & Townsend * Danny Silk (a favorite) teaching on Boundaries * Loving Our Kids on Purpose by Danny Silk
Sponsor: The We ROAR Project : Random | Otherly | Affirmation | Revolution
The WRP believes in the power of being 'otherly' and aims to make kindness fun and simple by providing designer cards with love bombs (aka. uplifting words) that you can leave in random places to encourage and affirm others.
Question: "Where are you feeling the ache of isolation or loneliness the most? In what way can you reach out and bravely step into - or spearhead - a tribe of women who will meet this need in your life, and in the community as a whole?"
and one more pertinent to this week's episode, in reference to Jim Rohn's quote about being the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with...
"Who are the five people in your inner circle, and how do each of them influence your emotional and physical health, your spiritual growth, and your vocational endeavors?
|| Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook ||
Quote + Free Print: "Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one" Jane Howard
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
In this episode, and the next, we're exploring the subject of community living with the 4th letter of the PASSION acronym, S: Surround Yourself. P: Pursue Joy A: Ask Questions S: Silence Comparison (last week's episode) S: Surround Yourself Hard-wired into the DNA of every single human is the need to belong and to be known. So this week we're exploring the beauty of tribes and the importance of healthy boundaries. Quick links from episode 5: * Thoughts about my exit from the Mommy Mafia (blog post) * Growing the Three Sisters (gardening method)
Sponsor: The We ROAR Project : Random | Otherly | Affirmation | Revolution
The WRP believes in the power of being 'otherly' and aims to make kindness fun and simple by providing designer cards with love bombs (aka. uplifting words) that you can leave in random places to encourage and affirm others.
Question: "Where are you feeling the ache of isolation or loneliness the most? In what way can you reach out and bravely step into - or spearhead - a tribe of women who will meet this need in your life, and in the community as a whole?"
Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook.
Quote + Free Print: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together" African Proverb
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
This week on the podcast we’re looking at the 3rd letter in the PASSION acronym (S: Silence Comparison) and taking a closer look at the pain comparison causes us. | P: Pursue Joy | A: Ask Questions (last week's episode) | S: Silence Comparison We've all struggled with it, but do we realize how incredible destructive and debilitating it is to our passion and creativity? When we trade our little work-lamps in for unforgiving floodlights, choosing to take our eyes off of our own passions and projects in order to examine what others are up to, we too often forfeit the joy of the process and diminish the beauty of our own offering. Quick links from episode 4: * If you're a visual person, here's a glance at the map for our trek from Windhoek to Cape Town * A few of the paintings done by Adolf Hitler * Bob Goff is the author of Love Does * Brené Brown is the author of many fantastic books, her most recent being Rising Strong
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Question: * "How might taking your eyes off of others and keeping focused on your lane bring greater freedom and energy to what you're doing?" * "How will you keep this at the forefront of your mind next time the temptation to compare bubbles up?"
Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook.
Quotes + Free Print: "Comparison is the thief of joy" Theodore Roosevelt
"We won't be distracted by comparison if we're captivated with purpose" Bob Goff
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Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
This week on the podcast we're looking at the 2nd letter in the PASSION acronym and exploring the art of asking and answering strategic, open-ended questions. P: Pursue Joy (last week's episode) A: Ask Questions Thought-provoking questions have long been recognized as a powerful means to inspire creativity, promote self-awareness, clarify vision and expose limited-belief systems. In other words, they have the power to transform your life if you're willing to sit with them long enough. Quick links from episode 3: * While I didn't mention it in the episode, Switch on Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf played a big part in igniting my love for neuroscience, and is an excellent book if you're interested in a spiritually flavored look neuroscience. * I did my coach training through Coach Approach Ministries
Sponsor: The Simply Bloom Shop : designer mugs, prints, cards & candles
Questions: * What were your favorite things to do as a child? What did you lose track of time doing? * What moves you deeply, be it deep gladness or deep sadness? * What would you teach on if handed a microphone at a moment's notice? * What do you have a knack for, that others come to you for help with?
Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook.
Quotes + Free Print: "Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am" Parker Palmer
"Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts" H. Jackson Brown Jr.
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
The first theme in the Penduka triad is 'Passion'. In this episode, we unpack the first letter in the PASSION acronym, which is P: Pursue Joy. We'll look at the difference between joy and happiness, why constantly hustling for the next thing is fruitless, and how cultivating a truly joyful life is an inside job.
Quick links from episode 2: * The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor * The We ROAR Project
Sponsor: The Simply Bloom Shop : designer mugs, prints, cards & candles
Question: "What or who are you giving your joy away to, and how can you better protect it this week?"
Share your thoughts and join the conversation over on Facebook.
Quote + Free Print: "When your passion and purpose are greater than your fears and excuses, you will find a way" Nishan Panwar
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!
Penduka, an Otjiherero word from Joy's home country of Namibia, means "wake up!". This podcast, and the book it's inspired by, is an invitation to wake up your soul. A bold call to dismantle that inner snooze button and start living life fully alive.
Welcome to the very first episode of The Penduka Podcast. Huzzah! Break out the jazz hands, the pinot noir, and the confetti, ya'll! It only took me 19 years to fulfill this little dream...and almost 2 years to gain the courage to actually put something out into the airwaves. You would think speaking to crowds of people over the years (airing all sorts of horribly awkward laundry) would prepare me for speaking into a microphone in the comfort of my studio, all by myself. But it did not. So there's that. On a more professional note, each of these "blogcasts" (blog overviews of the podcast episode) will include: * a brief overview of what the episode was about * any links to books, people or websites referenced during the episode * and a link to download your freebie for the week.
Get a copy of Penduka in the Simply Bloom Shop | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you have any questions, you can reach out to me here.
Tune in next Monday for another episode of The Penduka Podcast, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a thing!