Living Box-Free: Recent Episodes
On the Rise
Welcome to Living Box-Free! This podcast, sponsored by our Coaching and Consulting company, On the Rise Group, is for those who love learning, investing in your personal growth, and identifying ways to unleash your talents to the world! Our goal - help you break outside the box of worldly expectations, and find your own path to an authentic, healthy, and fulfilled life. Join our hosts, Ashleyne and Becky, every Monday morning for new episodes featuring an array of topics to help you along your journey.
Ashleyne Seitz wraps up the Obstacle Courses series with her observations and gives some important updates on the Living Box-Free Podcast and On the Rise Group!
At different points in our lives we all have to make an incredibly difficult choice: do we do the easy thing or the right thing? And sometimes those choices sneak up on us in ways we never expected! In this week’s episode, Ashleyne sits down with her friend Brooke Carnes to talk about the decisions that Brooke has had to make that have had a huge impact on both her own life and on others. Whether it’s a little thing or a life-altering decision, the obstacle of doing the right thing is difficult to navigate and can have both painful and rewarding consequences.Brooke is a Jesus-loving single mom to two amazing humans & two cute puppies. She is a Chicago native who will always root for the Cubbies. After leaving church ministry to drive a school bus, she now feels like she has her own little ministry on wheels!
Consistency is the key to making lasting changes in our lives - but it's so difficult! We get distracted, we forget our goals, we get worn out by life, and the next thing we know we've missed three weeks of something we were supposed to do every day! In this episode, Ashleyne Seitz sits down with Lauren Wagner to talk about the importance of consistency, why it's such a difficult obstacle to navigate, and some tips and tricks to becoming the person you want to be. Lauren is a Special Education teacher in Indianapolis, where she lives with her two cats. She loves CrossFit and having fun, and is passionate about justice, health, and her friends and family.
At some point in our lives, we all experience the obstacle of tragedy. We rarely expect it, and never know exactly how to deal with it, but it happens all the same. Sharing our stories and experiences can help us understand one another and feel seen, so Ashleyne sits down with Tiffany Jordan to talk about Tiffany's experience with motherhood, loss, pain, and healing.Tiffany is a wife, mother, and Project Manager by profession. Serving others, and finding creative solutions to problems, both business and personal brings her joy. In her spare time, she enjoys time with her family, serial killer TV, craft beer, and french fries.Trigger warning: this episode includes a discussion of miscarriage and grief surrounding childbirth.
After a ridiculous failure involving the podcast, Ashleyne chats with Shilah Larison about the obstacle of failure - something we all hit eventually. The two laugh over how terrible failure feels and how they each deal with it.
We can all struggle with low self-esteem at different points in our lives, but we don't always recognize it. Insecurity and low self-image can come out as jealousy, anger, meanness, or a wide variety of other reactions which are rarely welcome in our lives. So how do we pay attention to our self-esteem and encourage high self-esteem in those we love? In this episode, Ashleyne chats with recurring guest Tifani Goen about the way we view ourselves and the effect that has on our lives.
Becky Fouard returns to the mic to interview Ashleyne about the obstacle of creating. Ashleyne published her first e-book in 2022, Writing for Real: how to be authentic and vulnerable in your writing without destroying your life, and she digs into the things that held her back. From self-doubt to asking for help to others’ calendars, these common obstacles to creating and finishing a project can plague every creator! Ashleyne relates how she dealt with and navigated the obstacles to finally finish the project. You can find the e-book here: https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Real-vulnerable-authentic-destroying-ebook/dp/B0BPV69GPD/ref=sr_1_5?crid=RIXUQCE0S8ZB&keywords=writing+for+real&qid=1679095271&sprefix=writing+for+real%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-5And Ashleyne’s personal blog here: ashleyne.me
Our brains and bodies have limited energy, but we need energy to deal with every single thing that comes up in life! So how do we replenish our energy in order to accomplish our goals, process unexpected emotions, or just get out of bed in the morning? Ashleyne sits down with Michael Anderson to talk about our internal “Power Bank,” how we fill it, and what difference it makes! Michael is a visionary adjunct professor, coach, and consultant who finds numerous ways to interact with people to help them find and forge their path to success. He has certifications in CoreClarity, Positive Intelligence, Action Learning, and Sherpa executive coaching, and has designed communication training that is used around the world. When you are looking for answers for your growth, Michael is ready to give you the resources you need. You can find Michael at AndersonLR.com
Ashleyne sits down with Sydney Dressler, a transgender male and an advocate for the queer community, to talk about the obstacles that have come up as he navigates a binary world. From finding hormone treatment to buying shoes that fit, transitioning has brought up a slew of unexpected things for Sydney to deal with, and he graciously shares his story with Ashleyne.Sydney is a husband, foster parent, and School Coordinator for Indianapolis Public Schools. Sydney shares his personal journey and the obstacles he has faced coming out and openly transitioning in hopes of better educating the world around him to be a safer and more inclusive space for all.
Do you have a dream - maybe starting a small solo business, maybe launching something with a few employees - that’s been hanging around in the back of your head? Well, Ashleyne and Amanda VanHorn are here to tell you that you can make that dream happen! You can do what you want to do and be happy at work! But - it’s not without obstacles, so plan ahead! Amanda talks about the obstacles that popped up when she started her own meal prep company and how she’s navigated and overcome those problems and unexpected elements of chasing her dream. Amanda VanHorn is the owner and operator of the Lilac Kitchen in Indianapolis, Indiana. She lives in New Palestine with her husband Rodney and enjoys doing CrossFit and drinking coffee.
The question, "what if?" can be inspiring or frightening, and sometimes both simultaneously! In this episode, Ashleyne sits down with Kristin Glassburn to discuss risky business - change, development, growth, and a mindset that embraces challenges. Whether you love risk or hate it, there's something here for you!Traveling the nation for multiple years and living in 14 different states, Kris continues to find her roots back in Indianapolis where she was raised. The culture, people, and lifestyle continue to drive her passion to help others find their roots in Indy. Being an entrepreneur, starting her own property management company with her husband, and being in the top 1% of realtors in Indiana, she is a career-driven individual. Outside of work, with a risk-taking, adventurous personality, you could find her traveling often, at CrossFit, enjoying family/friends, walking her bulldog, or exploring downtown Indy where she resides.
In our complex modern world, how do we pursue wellness and authenticity within the workplace, especially in rural communities? And how do we create a safe place to discuss mental health when deadlines and budgets are on the line? During this episode, Ashleyne sits down with Meghan Mueseler, Kate Wheeldon, and Alex Wheedenhoff, employees at Cargill, where efficiency, finance, and food safety are all obstacles to navigate when it comes to helping employees pursue wellness in the workplace. Through personal stories and explanations of Cargill's innovation, Ashleyne, Kate, and Meghan talk about anxiety, facial piercings, human-grade pet food, their favorite wellness resources, and more.
What better way to launch our new Obstacle Courses series than with an episode about feelings and communication? Ashleyne sits down with Shilah Larison to talk about the "aha" moment where Shilah realized her family didn't talk about feelings, and how and why she learned to process that realization. If you have discovered unhealthy or difficult things in your family or upbringing that impact your life now (isn't that all of us?!) this episode is for you! Shilah Larison is a Regional Manager for the Indianapolis Parks and Recreation Department and has lived in Indiana most of her life. She enjoys the outdoors, iced lattes, CrossFit, and her friends, and she dislikes talking about her emotions but she's working on that.
New year, new series! Guest co-host Ashley Pitkin Howard joins Ashleyne Seitz to introduce our new series: Obstacle Courses. We all encounter obstacles in life - unexpected things that pop up - whether positive or negative. How we respond to these obstacles can change the course of our lives and has a huge impact on our happiness! Ashley shares some of her unexpected life obstacles, and the two discuss the importance of sharing stories, accepting that the unexpected happens, and why we might want to have a strategy for the obstacles coming next.
Ashleyne pops in with a quick episode with updates, assurances, and an encouraging story to boost you through the January blues!
2022: what a year! This is a great time to ask ourselves questions like, "What have I learned?" and "What worked this year, and what didn't?" In this episode, Becky and Ashleyne reflect on lessons learned in 2022, both personally and professionally. As a bonus, Ashleyne and Becky celebrate Living Box-Free's top followers, and give a sneak peek into what's coming next for Living Box-Free and On the Rise Group in 2023!
Behold, the great return of co-host Becky Fouard! After almost an entire series apart, Becky and Ashleyne laugh about the chaos of the last few months and then dive right into a difficult topic - accepting others as they are! It's incredibly difficult to accept someone as is and to also leave room for them to grow and change, but we may find it beneficial for our own health to work through that balance!
Accepting responsibility can feel depressing, offensive, and all kinds of complicated, but it's how we grow as people and gain the trust of others, so how can we approach it simply? Continuing our Acceptance Policies series, Ashleyne and guest co-host Shilah Larison dive into the difficulties and actions steps of facing up to our mistakes and discerning what we are NOT responsible for.
Humans are incredibly lazy creatures - it's in our DNA. So how can we utilize that laziness to foster the behaviors we want? Becky and Ashleyne chat about the psychological "path of least resistance" and how to hijack it to accomplish your goals.
Farming and ranching, while it may appear simple from afar, is anything but that! In this episode, we are joined by Chris and Jackie Sanford, cattle ranchers, and professionals in the Ag Industry to discuss why agriculture is more complicated than we may realize. We discuss the connection between agriculture and three key areas: food labeling, food security, and food sustainability.
Source: UN FAO. 2018. More fuel for food/feed debate, (FAO.org)
Calling all farmers...and every busy human looking for wellness! In this episode, Becky and Ashleyne talk with Chris and Jackie Sanford about how difficult it is to pursue wellness while working in agriculture, and how they balance the chaos of farming, jobs off the farm, and raising a family.
Chris and Jackie Sanford are farmers in Southern Michigan who both work full-time in the Agriculture Industry - Chris as a ruminant nutritionist and Jackie with Farm Credit. They chase around their two young sons while trying to be avid CrossFit athletes and also take care of their own health and well-being.
Becky and Ashleyne jump on to celebrate their 100th episode, share Becky's thoughts for the week, and give some updates on what's coming next with On the Rise and Living Box-Free!
Ashleyne jumps on for a quick update from On the Rise, an invitation to join our Wellness Circles, and a story about following the things that inspire you to encourage you for the week.
Ashleyne jumps on for a mini-episode to give you an update on the podcast and to invite you to join her in taking some time to assess your daily life this summer.
Unless you’re independently wealthy and have zero ambitions, it’s pretty difficult to avoid hard work. And hard work is, well, hard! But, like our parents told us, it builds character, helps us achieve our goals, and allows us to live healthy lives. So, instead of just grinding through, how do we make hard work fun? Becky and Ashleyne talk through three strategies to make working hard more enjoyable.
No one enjoys failing. But it's an incredible tool and opportunity to grow - in fact, to become a champion, you must fail! So how do we harness our failures? And how do we know which failures are worthwhile and how to deal with the consequences? Becky and Ashleyne talk through Becky's recent speech on failure and talk through the keys to failing like a champion!
We’ve talked about wellbeing a lot on this podcast, but how do we actually work toward it, especially from a career standpoint? Good news! Doug Sullivan is here to help! Becky and Ashleyne pepper Doug with questions about how to figure out what’s within your control to change and what isn’t, how to cultivate a culture of wellbeing on your team, and how to assess what’s important to you and focus on it.
Do you feel like you’re doing your absolute best at moving toward wellness, and yet you’re still feeling burnt out? Well, you are not alone! Becky and Ashleyne talk with Kate Cortellessa, a Program Manager for WHOOPs' Performance Science and Thought Leadership team, about how to avoid long-term burnout. Our culture talks a lot about bubble baths and “self-care,” but what really makes a difference when it comes to daily habits and your personal mission? Kate dives in deep on mitigation tactics and the science behind recovery. @WHOOP Recommended books: What is Health by Peter Sterling How Not to Die by Michael Greger and Gene Stone The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel A. Van der Kolk
It’s June?! Whoa. Becky and Ashleyne take this episode to revisit their goals for the year, talk through what’s going well and what needs to adapt, and discuss the reality of total failure. If you have set any personal goals in the last year or two, this is a great opportunity to take a few minutes to think through how they’re going and what you can accomplish going forward!
Sergeant First Class Bran Lanning joins Ashleyne and Becky to dive into what she's learned about leadership from her 18 years in the Indiana Army National Guard. With wisdom on how not to micromanage, how leadership is defined in the military, and how to continue to grow, Bran brings big lessons and helpful insight into everyday life.
It's never too late to change your plans, and always worthwhile to pursue your passions! Becky talks with Steph Wilberden, an actress and fitness coach in NYC, about how to balance multiple dreams at once, and how to adjust when things don't go as expected.
It's Mental Health Awareness Month! It's important to talk about our mental health and our mental illness, to help end stigmas and shame, and to share strategies and experiences with those who experience mental illness. In this episode, Ashleyne talks about a recent stretch of depression, what it felt like, what others did to help, and what those with similar experiences can take away.
Have you ever felt exhausted or burnt out from caring about someone or something? Well, that’s a real thing and it’s called Compassion Fatigue! Ronnie Sullivan joins Ashleyne to talk about the benefits and reasons to develop your compassion muscles, but also chat about Ronnie’s time in the Peace Corps, where he learned that managing your compassion to avoid burnout was incredibly valuable. Ronnie includes a few action steps and some great resources on compassion!
None of us want to come across as needy or weak! But at the same time, we have real needs and sometimes we just have to communicate them! So how do we figure out what we need, how do we convince ourselves to talk about it, and how do we have that conversation? Becky and Ashleyne dive into the psychology behind why we avoid talking about our needs and then give you five steps to help you communicate what you need to others in a way that they can hear and act on.
This week, Becky and Ashleyne realize it’s the two-year anniversary of the Living Box-Free podcast, and it’s time to reflect and celebrate! Full of questions submitted by listeners, this episode is a fun look at how the podcast started, what’s been working, and all the fun and serious things our Box-Breakers want to know!
Life is full of uncertainty - the only thing you can be certain of is that things will change! And how we deal with the unknown makes a huge difference in how we process, lead, parent, and function. So are you good at dealing with ambiguity, or do you have room to grow? Becky explains to Ashleyne why navigating uncertainty well is important, the signs that you need to work on your navigational skills, and how to know if you’re doing it well.
Are you well-rested? Even if you're getting 8-9 hours of sleep a night, the answer might still be no. That's because there's more to rest than sleep and zoning out! In this episode, Becky and Ashleyne break down the types of rest and how to use them to become the healthiest version of you, including tips on how to rest well.
Parenting is a wild and crazy experience, to say the least! In this episode, Becky gets real about her experience being a mom of a toddler - what’s difficult, what’s great, what she would do differently. This is for all the parents out there and anyone who enjoys a funny story - we see you and we’re in it with you!
This week, Becky and Ashleyne chat with Jeff Allman about the ins and outs of mentoring! Who needs a mentor, how do you pick a mentor, and how do you prepare to be a good mentee are just a few of the questions we ask - and Jeff drops wisdom on every single one! This is a great episode for anyone wanting to grow!
In his finance and trading career, Jeff has “experienced business” with game-changing entrepreneurs, leading global organizations, and some incredibly humble yet talented individuals. As a business owner, consultant and professionally certified coach, Jeff enjoys sharing his knowledge, experiences, and methodologies with others in an effort to afford them a simpler path to success. And as a motivated and focused leader, you will find that Jeff is uber intentional with his daily routine, absolutely loves spending time with his wife and family, and is constantly thirsting for new knowledge to refine his skill set towards being his best at all he is involved with.
Maybe you sometimes find yourself using slightly vague or uncertain wording so you don’t sound too aggressive or overly confident? Well, Becky and Ashleyne sure do! Especially in the workplace, minimizing language can make us seem less confident or competent, and can damage our image, which is not what any of us want! In this episode, we dive into the definition of minimizing language, why we do it, and what we can do about it!
Becky and Ashleyne talk with Tifani Goen about her story of rising through addiction. This episode digs deep into how we cope with our feelings, how we can support our friends and family better, and what it’s like to hit rock bottom and climb back up. With incredible honesty and bravery, Tifani describes her experience and her journey toward recovery and healing.
TRIGGER WARNING: In this episode, we discuss addiction and suicide.
Tifani is 34 and has been in the dental field for 13 years - she even has a tattoo of a tooth! She has three sons and two dogs (she’s obsessed with Corgis.) She spends her free time reading, cooking, and doing CrossFit (her favorite workout ever is MURPH.) You can find Tifani on Instagram @tifanidavidson
Have you ever wondered if fitness trackers really work? Becky and Ashleyne talk with Lauren Zerante about all the factors and insights that can be gained from a wearable fitness device like WHOOP. When it comes to data, Lauren's mantra is, "If you can measure it, you can control it," and that's a big part of why fitness trackers have become popular. But is a fitness device right for you, and is it worth the investment?
Lauren is a Strategic Customer Success Manager at WHOOP, where she works with customers in the Healthcare space to improve health and wellbeing using wearable technology. Lauren's passion for health and wellness developed throughout her former Division 1 collegiate volleyball career and she's since carried that forward into her professional and personal life. Lauren resides in New York City and when she's not working or getting a sweat in, she's exploring the bustling city and its restaurant scene.
Dr. Chase Huotari joins Ashleyne and Becky to talk about all things leadership and coaching, including how to use Instagram to start helpful conversations with your coworkers, why it's important to know and understand yourself, and how to coach toward organizational growth.
Chase holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Indiana State University and a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Indianapolis. Chase is also an avid CrossFitter, father of two fantastic girls, and a self-proclaimed leadership nerd.
This week we celebrate National FFA week by interviewing both a current and past FFA member! Kaylee is a current FFA student who met Becky at Elanco when she was practicing for a competition (creed speaking). As a current member Kaylee discusses what FFA looks like today, how it has helped her prepare for her future career success and the power in the people she has met. Ash also throws out some questions to our FFA alumni Becky to learn how FFA transformed her career and personal growth over time.
Click here to donate to FFA Give Day and help chapters and students across the country: https://giveffaday.ffa.org/pages/home-2176
At the close of the first Wellness Coaching Circle, Becky and Ashleyne revisit the topic of wellness, discussing what they learned during “The Circle,” why wellness doesn’t happen by accident, and what they’re doing to move toward wellness personally.
CrossFit competition?! What does that even mean? Ashleyne grills Becky all about a major CrossFit competition - Wodapalooza! The discussion includes lessons learned, highlights from the weekend, and recommendations for other athletes!
As a species, our ability to be creative is one of the things that makes us different. And yet, it can be incredibly difficult to tap into our creativity - between busyness, stress, fear of failure, fear of judgement, and the common misconception that there is such a thing as a “non-creative type,” it takes effort to introduce creativity into our daily lives! Ashleyne talks with Caroline Brookfield, an author and speaker from Alberta, Canada, about the benefits of introducing everyday creativity into your life, and the acronym DANCE for how you can take easy steps to get started! Here are the resources Caroline mentioned!
Dr. George Land - TedTalk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfKMq-rYtnc Sir Ken Robinson on Do Schools Kill Creativity https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity?language=en Felicia Day Embrace Your Weird http://feliciadaybook.com/ Keri Smith Books http://www.kerismith.com/ Tina Seelig (more academic on creativity) http://www.tinaseelig.com/ Natalie Nixon The Creativity Leap https://www.figure8thinking.com/books/
“The most dangerous negotiation is the one you don’t know you’re in.” - Chris Voss
Have you ever struggled to negotiate with someone, whether it’s your toddler, a client, a competitor, or a car salesman? Then this episode is for you! Eirik Davey-Gislason joins Becky and Ashleyne to talk through what negotiation is, why it’s important to prepare for a negotiation, and what the basic steps are to negotiate successfully.
Eirik is a Negotiation Expert, Instructor, and coach for the Real Estate Negotiation Institute. Eirik is also an Associate Real Estate Broker at Brown Harris Stevens in New York City. He is a frequent speaker, panelist, and contributor on the subject of Collaborative Negotiation, and author of the blogs, Unreal Estate and Growing the Pie. Eirik is originally from Minnesota, lives in Queens, NYC with his wife and two daughters.
This is a game-changing episode!
You can find Eirik at https://eirikgislason.com and @eirikgislason on Instagram
With all the messaging out there about health, emotions, boundaries, diets, etc., how do we even think about pursuing wellness? Becky and Ashleyne break down the difference between wellness and wellbeing, and steps to take toward your own wellness.
Becky and Ashleyne recount a recent adventure - doing a workout in full firefighter gear at a firehouse! They talk through what they expected, how it felt, and the big question: would they do it again??
Check out this YouTube video from Wayne Township Fire Department to see all the fun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG8zoPrUr-w
Becky and Ashleyne enjoy some reflection on the year 2021, talking through world events, their personal highlights, and what unexpected and fulfilling moments came their way.
As we wrap up our series on Respect, Becky and Ashleyne join together virtually to talk about natural endings in our lives, whether that's seasons, relationships, or changes, and how we can practically move through those endings.
Erica Jankowski is a dreamer! An entrepreneur, marketing specialist, and small business owner, Erica has been through the failures, difficulties, and successes of chasing your dreams, and she’s here to talk about it! Erica joins Ashleyne from Orlando, FL, to talk about the value and importance of chasing your dreams, challenging yourself, and following through even when it’s difficult.
Learn more about Erica at AlohaErica.com
How do we remove complications and extra baggage from our lives? We simplify! It’s not always an easy process, but it can allow for more emotional and mental and physical space around you as you navigate life! There are many benefits to simplifying life, and Ashleyne and Becky talk through a few first steps to living more simply and having more space for what’s important to you.
How do we respect authority in a culture of individualism and political division? How do we respect our bosses, our parents, our leaders? Should we respect them? Well, we don’t really have all the answers, but we need to start somewhere! Join Becky and Ashleyne as they dive into the benefits of respecting authority and what makes it difficult and complicated. We’d love to hear what you think about this topic!
Feelings are so complicated and difficult! The route to being emotionally, physically, and relationally healthy goes straight through respecting your emotions. But how do we do that without being taken over by our feelings or spending all our time feeling instead of thinking? Becky and Ashleyne dive into the reasons why experiencing and taking note of our emotions is important and how to go about that.
They say that you should only be a creative if you can’t imagine doing anything else - because the creative process can be that difficult. So how do you navigate a new project? How do you find motivation? How do you avoid getting your behind kicked by the creative process over and over and over again? Photographer, videographer, and musician Corey Tindall joins Ashleyne to talk about how to tell a story through creativity, how to remove the obstacles in your way, and how to deal with feedback when you’re feeling vulnerable.
You can find Corey on YouTube at Reel Filmmaking or on Spotify under Restless Body Syndrome.
What do you do when your life plan falls apart? We all need to go with our plan B sometimes since things rarely go according to our expectations! But how do you know when to let go of your plan? And how do you successfully step into a new plan? Becky and Ashleyne dig into the struggles of adapting to change and unexpected circumstances, while still pursuing your goals and growing.
Differences of opinion can cause a wide variety of problems, varying from marital stress, ruining a family dinner, getting you unfriended on Facebook, and/or making you feel dumb. So how do we respect someone else when they disagree with us? And is it okay to demand respect when we disagree with someone? Becky and Ashleyne dive into our “cancel culture” and why it’s important to respect people and stay in the room even when you disagree.
Most of us spend an awful lot of time at work, so even though we might not be friends with our coworkers, it’s incredibly helpful in life to have a healthy relationship with them! Becky and Ashleyne dive into the top five ways to respect your coworkers - a fun and straightforward episode to help you have a better overall work experience!
This week Becky and Ashleyne interview Leigh Hill as she shares her journey around learning to respect and love her body. From a young age, Leigh had family suggest she start a diet, and it never seemed to stop from there. She has felt the pain and struggle that chronic dieting can cause, and through some mindset shifting has been able to find peace and joy in her body without letting her value be dictated by the scale.
Leigh currently works at Elanco Animal Health in digital marketing, and on the side shares her passion for eliminated diet culture and respecting our bodies. Leigh is also married and the mother of two lovely boys.
We’re diving into a new series, all about RESPECT! We’re going to dive into respecting criticism, differences of opinion, our bodies, the process, and more. Becky and Ashleyne talk through what it means to have respect for someone or something, why it’s important to think about respect in different aspects of our lives, and how to start that process.
The modern experience of dating is quite a strange place - do you go with apps, sites, friendly set-ups, rely on meeting people the old-fashioned way, or some combination of all of the above? A lot of us are uncomfortable in the world of online dating, but sometimes it feels like the best chance to find the right person to share our lives with! Becky forces Ashleyne to dive into her experiences in digital dating, and they talk through best practices, statistics, and tips from psychologists for making online dating work for you.
In a spinning world with constant distractions, it can be hard to take time to rest and enjoy life. It’s important to take note of the things you enjoy and what brings you life! Becky and Ashleyne take a break from the deep topics to talk about the things in life bringing them joy right now.
A lot of us are walking around in 2021 feeling exhausted. How many of you are tired? (Big hand raise over here.) Whether you’re doing too much, not doing the right things, or constantly dealing with worry, anxiety, and stress, it is tough to keep moving through exhaustion! Ashleyne and Becky dive into the reasons why we get tired in life (beyond just being sleepy) and what are some simple things we can do about it.
Stepping outside your comfort zone can be downright terrifying. But is it worth it? Becky and Ashleyne talk about finding your ideal growth zone, how to take on challenges, and what the rewards are for getting out of your comfort zone.
We’ve all been in a group or a situation where motivation was noticeably absent - it’s neither fun nor productive. So how do we motivate others? Becky and Ashleyne talk about strategies to create a motivating environment wherever you are, and how to use recognition, purpose, and big-picture values to help others grow and hold onto their motivation.
Does anyone else feel like they're being judged lately? Our current culture is full of negative judgments about our behavior, appearance, choices...pretty much everything we do and say. And that can be incredibly hard to deal with! Ashleyne and Becky talk about why negative judgment exists and three ways to work through the emotions and processing that inevitably come with feeling judged.
What happens when you stop thinking of either this or that, and switch to “and?” Leadership Coach Jim Bishop is here with us this week to answer that question. Jim and Becky talk about everything from finding a coach to pig hormones to the best way to grow as a leader. Jim is the founder of Conjunction Leadership, and you can find him at ConjunctionLeadership.com
You have an idea or a proposal or a strategy you want to make happen at work, but how do you actually get people to listen to you? This episode is all about learning how to be heard in the workplace! Ashleyne and Becky talk through five ways you can influence your coworkers and even your leaders, just by practicing a few skills. If you ever feel like the people you work with don’t hear you, this episode is for you!
“No!” Such a simple word, but so incredibly difficult to say sometimes! Not only do we not want to disappoint people, but we also don’t want to miss out! But if we can’t say no, we can’t stick to our values and ideas. We can find ourselves exhausted, frustrated, and missing out on the things we actually want to be doing! There are several strategies that can help as we work out our “No” muscles, but they require practice. Join Becky and Ashleyne as they talk through the dos and don’ts of saying no.
Family can be the most complicated relational situation in our lives - whether you have a good relationship with your family members or terrible one, we all have to figure out how to create healthy boundaries within our family. But how do we do that without hurting anyone’s feelings or disappointing the people we care about? Like many things, it comes down to expectations, communication, and self-knowledge…none of which are easy tasks! Join Becky and Ashleyne as they talk about the difficulty and reward of setting boundaries with your family.
There are so many different ways to define leadership, but one key way is to think of it as having influence. The reality is that you don’t have to have a title or position of power to have influence! We follow those we trust, regardless of their title. But trust can be difficult to build. Becky and Ashleyne dive into the difference between ascribed leadership and earned leadership, the difficulties of listening more than speaking, and how to utilize your influence regardless of your title or role.
We all struggle sometimes with what to say and what not to say - every single one of us has said something that accidentally offended or even hurt someone. It’s hard to avoid those landmines! However, there are a few things you can do to keep from placing your foot squarely in your mouth quite so often. And SPOILER - one of those things is to acknowledge when you feel awkward! Join Becky and Ashleyne as they talk through the basics of what not to say.
Accepting feedback can be really difficult - it’s so easy to respond defensively and explain our own reasoning. But if we want to grow and change, we have to be able to hear, understand, and implement helpful feedback. Join Becky and Ashleyne as they talk through what it means to be coachable and how it can improve your career and your relationships!
You have something super important to say, and you spend time thinking through exactly what words to use to say it best. But then when you say it, it comes across all wrong! What happened? Well, it turns out that how you say what you say matters a whole lot. Join Becky and Ashleyne as they talk about tone of voice, body language, and all the other ways we communicate without words. If you want people to remember what you say and hear what you mean, this episode is for you!
There’s so much to talk about surrounding boundaries - where to start?! We all have limits, and recognizing those limits helps us live healthy and valuable lives. In this episode, Becky and Ashleyne dive into how to know if you have good boundaries, tips to work on your boundaries, and why boundaries even matter!
We can’t see ourselves from the outside, so the only way we know how we come across is from feedback! But feedback can be tricky, and painful! There truly is an art to both giving and receiving feedback, whether it’s in a work setting or just in life in general. Learn how to ask for and offer helpful feedback, as well as what not to do if you want someone to hear what you have to say!
This is the second episode in our Who Dis? series all focused around self-discovery. In this episode, we kick off Part 1 of 2 episodes on how to create your SuperHero Creed. Identify what is most important to you in life and create a map to follow in order to prioritize your time and be the best version of yourself. We talk about the first two pieces of your SuperHero Creed: virtues and roles.
As we finish our series all about our personal issues and what to do with them, Becky and Ashleyne wrap up the series with a short finale episode. Join us to hear about our key takeaways from the series, what we learned personally, some of our recommended resources, and how Ashleyne became a fish mom. PLUS: Don’t miss our exciting news about an upcoming event!
So many of us live with stress and anxiety and just deal with it day-to-day. The pressure and uncertainty of our current culture just seem to grow. Anxiety looks different in everyone, and medical professionals are often unable or unwilling to help. So what do we do about it? In this episode, we hear from Nicole Gamm about the experience of stress and anxiety, the physical and emotional impacts of living with it, and best practices to deal with all the pressure and worries of life.
We’re living in a day and age where having thousands of dollars of debt is considered normal - which means you’re spending your money on our past instead of our future. But that doesn’t have to be normal! Join us for another episode in our I’ve Got Issues series, talking all about budgeting, money management, and how to support those around you who are trying to get out of debt.
The last couple of years have been packed with drastic changes! Because we’re all affected by change at some point or another, how we react to change dictates a large part of our happiness and contentedness in life. Most people don’t like change, but what if you could learn to accept and embrace change? As we continue our I’ve Got Issues series, join us for an episode all about reacting to change!
“Mental health” is a buzzword in our current culture, but what does it actually mean? How is mental illness similar to acne? What’s the difference between mental health and mental illness? How do you support your friends and family who feel like something just isn’t right? Should you ever ask someone if they need help? If you feel like something isn’t right, what should you do? Join us as Ashleyne interviews her friend, Ashley Pitkin, and together they try to answer those questions and dive into the complicated and sensitive topic of mental health.
If you ever feel like you have a lot of annoying problems things in your life, you are not alone! Join us for this funny and relatable episode as Becky and Ashleyne take a break from discussing their complicated and deep-set issues to talk about their everyday problems: things they complain about out loud.
We all have insecurities. Whether it’s your physical appearance, being judged, or any other of many different options, we all have things we feel self-conscious and uncomfortable about. We all take things personally! So what’s the opposite of insecurity? Join Becky and Ashleyne as they dig into the three main types of insecurities, why we have them, and what to do about them!
1 in 20 American adults will have an eating disorder during their lifetime - so why isn't it something we talk about? Probably because it's embarrassing and feels shameful. But three episodes into the I've Got Issues series, Becky and Ashleyne are ready to talk about the difficult topics. Join us as we discuss the most common Eating Disorders, how to know if you or someone you love has one, and what steps to take if so.
Even in 2021, the stigma surrounding therapy and counseling is a big obstacle to getting the help you need. In our new series, I’ve Got Issues, Ashleyne and Becky unpack the reasons to try therapy, how to know if it’s working, and why you should talk about it if you’re already going (hint: it helps the people you love know that it’s okay to ask for help!) The biggest takeaway if you think you might need therapy - you are not alone!
Welcome to the podcast where we all have issues! Emotional, mental, relational, all of the above. This episode kicks off our new series, I’ve Got Issues! Join Becky and Ashleyne as they discuss why it’s important to face our issues head-on instead of avoiding them.
Did you know that there’s one thing you can do every day to improve your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health? It sounds like an infomercial, but it’s science! Practicing the discipline of gratitude has an incredible number of benefits. But it’s not an easy habit to form! Becky and Ashleyne break down what gratitude is, what keeps us from experiencing it, and how to develop your own discipline of gratitude.
Asking questions is one key way we can communicate care and come to understand the people around us - but not everyone is naturally good at it! Join Becky and Ashleyne as they discuss the top reasons to work on your question-asking skills, ways to accidentally shut down a conversation, and some of the different types of questions you can practice asking! Are you ready for all the questions?
After we closed out our series on Starting Over…Again, we decided to tack on one bonus episode to help you think through the big picture of nutrition! Join Becky and Ashleyne as they talk about the basics of nutrition, how to achieve your nutrition goals, and the pros and cons of different diet plans. We also discuss legumes, boxer shorts, and why sprinters have great abs.
It’s been quite a year, full of challenges and changes! Becky and Ashleyne wrap up the Starting Over…Again series by revisiting one of their first topics: writing your Superhero Creed. There are a lot of obstacles to updating and continuing to focus on your goals, non-negotiables, and values, and it’s helpful to think through how your roles and aspirations statements might have changed over time. Ashleyne confesses she needs to work on keeping her Superhero Creed visible, and Becky figures out how to include her new role as a fun mom.
There are many, many good things about technology. But it’s very easy to let it rule us, instead of us ruling it. Join Becky and Ashleyne as they discuss common pitfalls of everyday technology usage and tips and tricks to make sure your technology is making you a healthier, happier human being.
Can you grow your willpower? Yes. Is it easy? Absolutely not. Especially when you fail once - it’s so tempting to just give up! Join us as we talk about motivation, impulse control, and how to grow your grit to accomplish your goals.
Click here to read the Forbes article on why we give up on our New Year’s Resolutions: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2019/12/21/the-top-3-reasons-new-years-resolutions-fail-and-how-yours-can-succeed/?sh=64f27caf6992
50% of people who were asked about their New Years Resolutions in 2021 answered, “I want to exercise more.” It’s incredibly common to get to a new year or a new season, and to try to incorporate more exercise and to chase after the elusive ideal: “Getting in Shape.” But what does that mean? What does healthy actually look like? Whether you’re just trying to move more or you want to get to a competitive level in any sport, it’s important to start with the basics: what kinds of exercise do you love, and what does healthy look like for you? Join us to talk through the nitty-gritty details of how to successfully accomplish your physical goals for the year.
Continuing our Starting Over…Again series, we’re talking about goals! We both love goals, although Becky is the Goal Queen. Join us to hear the benefits, methods, models, tips, and tricks for setting and actually accomplishing your goals in 2021 and beyond!
How many of us try to change our food habits in the new year? (Raises hand) Each of us has a different relationship with food, based on things like upbringing, body type, culture, and taste. That relationship has to change if we want to change our eating behavior - but how do we do that? Join us as we discuss our personal relationships with food, how to take steps toward permanent change, and why food is neither good nor bad.
"New year, new you?" How about, "New year, better you!" Join Becky and Ashleyne as they introduce their new series, Starting Over…Again. 2021 is upon us, and we all have hopes, dreams, and/or goals, and it’s so easy to get sidetracked! In this series, we’ll talk about how to set goals, our relationships with food, how to manage technology in your life, and other topics to kick your year off well!
What a year! Becky and Ashleyne wrap up 2020 by asking some personal reflection questions (both fun and serious) and sharing our own answers to help you think through your own year.
We highly recommend that you take a few minutes to sit down and think through these questions:
If you were to pick one word that best describes your 2020 experience, what would it be? What are you thankful for from 2020? How did you try to make this year joyful or fun? What fun things are you planning to end this year with a bang? How has 2020 grown you? What are your goals for next year? What kind of person do you want to be? How will you grow your strengths?
Thanks for joining us on the Living Box-Free podcast in 2020! We’ll be back next year!
If anything has changed in your life this year, this episode is for you!
We often associate grief with death, but it’s really a part of our everyday lives that are filled with change and loss. As we come to the end of a difficult year, Grief Specialist Dana Russo joins us to talk about the symptoms and goals of grief, as well as the difference between mourning and grief. We cover four basic steps to allow grief to grow and shape us, rather than avoiding, and managing, and comparing.
You can find out more about Dana at www.Hope-Rises.com
We’re back! After a two-month hiatus, host Becky Fouard returns with an interview with her good friend, Sharita Knobloch, the Commander and Owner of Army Wife Network. 2020 has been quite the year of ups and downs, and Sharita brings insight into our secondary emotions, the need for spirituality, and empowering and uniting others. Join us as we discuss what we can and cannot control and “embracing the suck” as we end this difficult year.
You can find Sharita on Instagram @sharitaknoblock and @armywifenetwork and https://www.armywifenetwork.com/
We are wrapping up Season One of the Living Box-Free podcast with a tough but incredibly important subject: unconscious or implicit bias. Our brains unconsciously categorize what we see, and it’s important to understand how that works and what to do about it - ignorance is not bliss! Join us as Becky unravels the different types of unconscious biases and gives us practical steps to address them.
Resources to go deeper: TED Talk on Unconscious Bias: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP-cqFLS8Q4&t=930s National Equity Project Article about implicit bias and racism: https://medium.com/national-equity-project/implicit-bias-structural-racism-6c52cf0f4a92 Harvard Implicit Bias testing: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/selectatest.html
And thanks for joining us for our first season of this podcast!
Let’s talk about the joys and difficulties of pregnancy, from Becky’s perspective! We believe everyone has their own journey to a healthy, fulfilled life, and that includes both of the Living Box-Free podcast hosts. Recorded when she was still 39 weeks pregnant, this episode is all about Becky’s experience, including doing CrossFit with an alien in her stomach, continuing to work her day job, and dealing with cravings for oranges. Becky wraps up by sharing her greatest lessons learned while pregnant.
Still have questions about relationships, even at the end of the series? Good news! We have all the answers! Just kidding - relationships are challenging and we all have questions. But in this wrap-up episode, we dive into your suggestions and the internet’s most-asked questions about key relationships, including coworkers, friends, significant others, kids, and parents.
Here’s the link to Ashleyne’s blog on her key parts of true friendship: https://ashleyne.wordpress.com/2020/08/07/friend-zone/
And here’s our list of most helpful resources for relationships: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman The Road Back to You by Ian Cron Anything written or spoken by Brene Brown
Roommates, spouses, significant others, siblings, parents, or kids, living with other humans can be TOUGH. We all have different values, needs, and expectations when it comes to running our home. Whether you’ve been married for 20 years or are thinking about finding a new roommate, there are some basics to living with another human. Join us as we talk about everything from cleanliness to communication to sharing food (a point of tension even for married couples!)
Get ready to talk about the nitty-gritty details of marriage with our experts, Bruce and Julie Boyd! Whether you’re currently married, contemplating marriage, or just know people who are married and want to understand more (all of us) this episode is for you. Bruce and Julie have been coaching and speaking to couples for many years, and they bring the wisdom on all the important topics: communication, sex, finances, faith, and how to be a supportive spouse.
For resources, podcasts, and the Weekend to Remember conference, visit www.FamilyLife.com
There is no reason to sugar coat it...parenting - is - hard! We asked friends to share with us some of their favorite parenting fails, which we review in this episode to remind us that sometimes, you just have to laugh. No parent is perfect, and no one method of parenting is right for all children. We are honored to be joined by a special guest, and NEW MOM herself, Hannah Tindall.
Tune in, laugh, and enjoy being reminded that we are all doing our best and no parent is perfect!
Last week we released Part 1 on parenting, focused on how we grow our relationships with our parents. Today, we continue the conversation with Scott and Emily Sutherland, co-founders of Love-Better, LLC., around their journey through parenting now adult children. Scott and Emily open up and discuss how their relationship has evolved with their children, and the core elements they focus on to show that they respect their kids as adults who can make their own decisions.
Learning who you are through adulthood is one big obstacle, and to add on top of that we must learn how our relationship with our parents must flex and adapt in order to treat us as adults and no longer children. In this episode, we interview two experts in parenting - Emily and Scott Sutherland, co-founders of Love-Better, LLC. We discuss what this evolution looks like in your relationship with your parents, now as an adult and not a child.
Tune in next week for Part 2 on Parenting with the Sutherlands around how to be the parent of adult children. To learn more about Love Better, visit www.lovebetter.world. Love Better is a movement where we create conversations and resources about learning to love better at home, in our communities, and around the world.
As we continue our “Who Dat” series, all about relationships, we dive into the world of friendship. In this episode, we discuss what is friendship (see references cited below), and how to maintain and grow strong friendships. We discuss knowing and being clear around your expectations with friends, how to effectively communicate, and how to show you care. If you are someone who feels like you have a million friends or someone who feels like you are seeking deep, meaningful friendships, this episode may be eye-opening for both types of perspective and need. Tune in, leave us a review, and let us know what you think!
For links to cited studies, visit OnTheRiseGroup.com/podcast
In Episode 11 we discussed the stages of how a team develops and what is needed from you and your leader to build strong relationships amongst co-workers. In this episode, we go a level deeper and address the 5 dysfunctions of a team. These dysfunctions were written about by Patrick Lencioni in his book The 5 Dysfunctions of a team. As you listen to each dysfunction, there may be one or two that really resonate with you because they are present on your team currently. Whether you take the tips we share in this episode to address these dysfunctions or want to take the assessment with your team, both are great interventions to grow your relationship with co-workers and achieve your team goals.
We all spend way too much time working in our lives to not enjoy our co-workers! As we dive into our Who Dat series, all-around relationships, we start with how we interact and work with our co-workers. In this part 1 episode of teams, we discuss the Tuckman model of team development. Listen in and learn how a team goes through different stages to get to know one another, learn to have conflict, build trust and team norms, and eventually perform as a group
It’s time to kick-off our second series, moving from Who Dis - all about self-knowledge - into our Who Dat series - all about relationships! Join us in this introductory episode as we discuss why relationships are a necessity for us, how relationships need investment and are NOT always easy, and end with some myth-busting! This episode lays the groundwork as to why we need to be intentional about how we invest in those relationships which are most important to us throughout life.
Two things are true: we all have a deep desire to be shown love, and second: how we want love is not a one-size-fits-all. In this episode, we review the key concepts shared in the book the Five Love Languages, by Dr. Gary Chapman. The goal is to help us identify how we like to be shown love, and learn to identify how others like to be shown love (or care).
Difficult conversations are never easy, and oftentimes we either avoid them altogether, or we handle them poorly. In this episode, Becky outlines the key concepts and tools found in the book Crucial Conversations, and strategies to best navigate these discussions for a positive outcome.
If you’ve started to listen to our Living Box-Free podcast, then you have already met Becky Fouard. In this bonus episode, we go deeper into who Becky is through some rapid-fire questions, followed by an activity called “Me in a Box.” (This entails picking three items that represent who you are that can fit in a shoebox, and then sharing what each item represents and how it describes you. This is a great activity you can take and utilize for team building activities to allow people to get to know one another at a deeper level.)
Talking about difficult things is a priority to us at On the Rise, especially when it comes to mental and emotional health. In this episode, Ashleyne describes her personal experience with depression, starting with her childhood journal and continuing through medication and ongoing therapy.
To wrap up our Who Dis series (all about self-knowledge) we brought in an expert! Hear from Eric Schilling as he shares insights into how self-knowledge benefits individuals at home, in the workplace, and when interacting with others.
If you’ve started to listen to our Living Box-Free podcast, then you have already met Ashleyne Seitz. In this bonus episode, we give you a peek deeper into who Ashleyne is through some rapid-fire questions, followed by an activity called “Me in a Box.”
Continuing our Who Dis series, all about self-knowledge, we’re talking about emotional intelligence. In Part 2 we talk about relational awareness and relational management, or how to understand and interact with the feelings of others. We wrap up each section with a few techniques to raise your emotional intelligence in each area!
Continuing our Who Dis series, we jump into one of the areas we can improve the most about ourselves: emotional intelligence, or the ability to understand and recognize your feelings and the feelings of others. This is the first of two episodes, where we cover self-awareness and self-management - what they are and why they matter. We wrap up each section with a few techniques to raise your emotional intelligence in each area!
The recent pandemic came on us like a tornado of change on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, creating a drastic shift in our expectations of ourselves. In this episode, we break down why we set such high expectations in times of stress, the good and bad of comparing ourselves to others, and strategies to get back to a peaceful mental state.
Join us as we finish out how to create your Superhero Creed - focused on identifying what is most important to you and then how to integrate those priorities into your day-to-day life. This episode we specifically talk about creating ground rules for how to best take care of yourself (physically, emotionally, etc), and defining your non-negotiables, or what items you know you will say no to when asked.
A quick snapshot of the new Living Box-Free podcast, brought to you by On the Rise. Our goal is to help you on your journey to a healthy, authentic, and fulfilling life. Join us every Monday for episodes on personal development, leadership, emotional and physical health, and everything in between.
Join us as we kick off a new series, called Who Dis? This series is all about self-discovery and knowing what unique strengths and personality traits you bring to the table. In this episode, we review the objective of personality tests, call out a few popular ones, and go deeper into the Enneagram and StrengthFinder tests specifically. We close out with some practical ways to use these tests in your life for personal growth.
Meet Ashleyne Seitz and Becky Fouard as they kick off their podcast Living Box-Free, brought to you by On The Rise Group. Ashleyne and Becky have a joint purpose and passion for helping individuals find their own path to living an authentic, healthy, and fulfilled life! Join us for an array of personal and professional growth topics every Monday!