Laura Steward Atchison's Blog, page 20
May 2, 2018
148: Laurie Sorensen – Creating Your Life Plan
I recently went to Omaha, NE to spend two days with my guest to create my Life Plan. Her dad, and my dear friend, Arlin Sorensen felt I had lost my purpose after my mom passed away. He was right in that I lost my ability to see it, having pushed me aside to be with my mom for the last six years.
Those two days have transformed me on the inside. I feel lit up again with possibility. Including the possibility that taking care of me is a part of my plan.
So what is a life plan and how does several years in China as a missionary set one up to help others connect to and define their life’s purpose?
Laurie Sorensen shares the 5 domains critical to a Life Plan, what happens when one or more is out of alignment and she even shares a few exercises you can do on your own to begin creating your own life plan.
If you cannot verbalize your purpose in this world, or if you want to get clear how what you need to do next, you will want to listen to this interview.
Laurie Sorensen serves as a Learning Architect with HTG Peer Groups where she is energized by thinking, planning, speaking and writing on topics to help leaders grow. Laurie is the author of the Planning for Success workbook which guides people through Business, Leadership, Life, and Legacy planning the HTG Way.
She blends her intuitive ability to connect with people and her passion for learning as she designs experiences that help people to grow personally and go home equipped to make a difference for others. Laurie’s favorite part of her job is walking with leaders as a facilitator of the LifePlan process, a 2-day guided journey.
Outside of work hours you can find Laurie spending time with international students or volunteering with Safe Families, a ministry that helps to stabilize families in need.
May 1, 2018
147: Col. Deb Lewis & Col. Doug Adams – How to Stay Positive in the Real World
My two guests on my April 17th episode have stayed positive through some extremely trying circumstances. Colonel Deb Lewis, Retired Army was in the first female graduating class at West Point, served in the Army for 34 years in command positions and her husband, Colonel Doug Adams, also retired from the Army, has had his share of command positions that would lead to either or both of them not being the positive people they are today.
So how does one stay positive in the real world? We are not talking paste a smile on your face and recite platitudes of positivity. We are talking staying positive on the inside and the outside. Letting positivity be who you are on a daily basis and shining that light on the world even when you are challenged by negativity all around in the news, on the streets and perhaps even in your home.
Deb and Doug share insights on specific strategies you can begin using immediately to shift your perspective on events and people all around you, and even yourself, so that you can begin living positive in the real world!
Deb Lewis is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, pioneer, retired Colonel, Combat Veteran, Infinite-Win Engineer, Harvard MBA, RV Driver, Author, Speaker, Leader, Veterans Day Parade Chair, Adventure Guide and so much more…
Doug Adams is a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, retired Lieutenant Colonel, cyclist, Lawyer, Author, Speaker, Leader, Community Non-profit Leader, Adventure Guide and so much more…
Deb & Doug grew up wanting to make a difference. They both graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (est. 1802) in the first class with women, married others, have kids (all adults now), divorced, and generally followed life’s typical script. Instead of settling for less, life had something else in mind.
Once they finally met each other and and moved past their old mindsets, they fell in love over 18 years ago and began to reimagine their life. After Deb retired from the military, they went on a one-year, fifty-state 18k mile bicycling tour to raise awareness of veteran and military issues. Following that, they imagined where they wanted to live?some place warm with a view of the ocean and mountains.
From their dream home in Hilo, Hawaii, now they imagine helping others build stronger relationships, magically achieve more, and love their lives, as they fulfill their dreams.
April 13, 2018
146 – John David Mann – The Go-Giver Influencer
How do you define influence? For many it is being able to convince people to do things even if it is not in their best interest. But what if influence is less about compromise or getting people to do what you want, and more about creating a space where everyone “wins”?
My guest on this episode is John David Mann. My regular listeners will recognize his name as I have had him on the show multiple times. He is one of my favorite guests and a dear friend whose words always seem to arrive just when I need them most.
In his latest book with Bob Burg, The Go-Giver Influencer: A Little Story About a Most Persuasive Idea, Bob and John have written another book for the ages.
In this interview we talk about several of the five secrets to ultimate influence revealed in the book. We also talk about one of my favorite characters in the book, Solomon, and the power of Woof!
John David Mann is coauthor of the bestselling classic The Go-Giver, which has sold more than half a million copies in more than two dozen languages. Winner of the Axiom Business Book Award’s Gold Medal in 2008, The Go-Giver has been hailed as “the most important parable about business?and life?of our time” by bestselling author and Wharton professor Adam Grant; “a small book that packs a huge idea” by bestselling author Daniel Pink; “a good description of many of the most amazing people I’ve encountered” by Arianna Huffington; and “a must-read by anyone who wants to change the world” by talk show host Glenn Beck. Inc. magazine named it one of the 18 Most Motivational Books of All Time. His other titles include the New York Times bestsellers Flash Foresight (with Daniel Burrus) and The Red Circle (with Brandon Webb), and the national bestsellers Among Heroes (with Brandon Webb), The Slight Edge (with Jeff Olson), and Real Leadership (with John Addison). His 2011 Take the Lead (with Betsy Myers) was named by Tom Peters and the Washington Post as Best Leadership Book of 2011.
April 6, 2018
145: Bob Burg – The Go-Giver Influencer
“There Is a Major Problem in The World Today: It’s Not People Disagreeing with One Another. It’s That They Cannot Disagree Agreeably, Civilly, And, Most Importantly, Persuasively!”
And according to Bob Burg, that simply need not be the case.
Bob says, “You can get the results you want while making the other person feel genuinely good: about themselves, about the situation, and about you!”
My guest on this episode, Bob Burg, is one of the most influential people I know. He is also wise and kind and a true Go-Giver. He lives what he teaches. Well really what he teaches is who he really is in the world.
The Go-Giver Influencer is the latest release in The Go-Giver series of books with over 700,000 copies in print around the world. The series, in my opinion, should be required reading if you live on this planet.
Listen to this episode and learn the 5 secrets of ultimate influence and how to implement them, including, Master Your Emotions, Let Go of Having to Be Right and three more.
In their bestselling business parable, The Go-Giver and then their follow-up, The Go-Giver Leader, Bob Burg and John David Mann challenged the conventional wisdom about success. Now they’re back with a new and equally compelling story about the power of genuine influence, in business and beyond.
THE GO-GIVER INFLUENCER: A Little Story about a Most Persuasive Idea tackles the paradox of achieving what you want by focusing on the other person’s interests. No, not in a way that is self-sacrificial but rather in such a way that all parties benefit greatly. This results in both immediate and long-term success.
Bob Burg speaks all over the world on topics related to The Go-Giver, as well as what he calls, Ultimate Influence?. While his total book sales number well over a million copies, his and Mann’s original book has itself sold over 700,000 copies and has spurred an international movement.
Their new book, however, The Go-Giver Influencer, might just be their most important book of all.
March 22, 2018
144: Cricket McMillin – Paralegal or Attorney – Which Do You Need?
Legal help can be expensive yet it can be critical to your business and life success. We all are familiar with attorneys yet few are aware of another level of legal expertise known as a paralegal.
In business you need contracts, NDAs, policy and procedure documents, Terms of Use and Privacy Policies, leases and more. You can try to do them on your own but what will you miss? And how much will it cost you down the road if you forgot to dot an i or cross a t?
What about in your personal life? Divorces, wills, trusts, buying or selling a home, loans, mortgages and more. We all want to trust that things will be handled amicably but how often do they?
Spending some money upfront can often save you bundles of money, time and grief on the other end.
How do you know if you need an attorney or a paralegal? Do you even know the difference?
Enter my guest. She has had her own paralegal company for over eight years after closing her mortgage brokerage company. Cricket shares the three things you can do to avoid/minimize probate and a few other things as well.
Attorneys are important but sometimes a good paralegal can provide the services you need at a fraction of the price.
Cricket McMillin is the Founder of Paralegal Temps and the author of the book Paralegal Services: Your first line of defense and affordability is to contact a Paralegal available on Amazon or free if you email her and mention this show.
March 18, 2018
143: Lisa Cini – Designing for More than One Generation
Too often the elderly are shifted off to be someone else’s responsibility when they can no longer live on their own. Nursing homes, assisted living and memory care are popping up all over and frequent the news for abuses and lack of care. Not all are bad yet how do you decide the best course of action when a loved one can no longer be on their own?
My guest on this episode designs multigenerational spaces for families that choose to take care of three or more generations at home. She also designs spaces for facilities that care for the elderly, restaurants, sports teams and more. My favorite part– her four generation family is her test bed.
If you want to learn how to make multi-generational living work for your own loved ones, you will not want to miss this episode. Lisa shares successes, perils, pitfalls and a few things anyone can do to begin making a house work when you have older members in your home.
Lisa M. Cini is the Founder, President and CEO of Mosaic Design Studio. A global commercial design, project management and procurement company, Mosaic’s mission is to “Improve Quality of Life By Design.”
Lisa has the ability to take the complex and make it simple, as well as repeatable. By harnessing this ability, the award winning company has expanded 149% over the past three years.
Under Lisa’s leadership, Mosaic has dedicated itself to meeting clients’ needs, while upholding their mission, vision and values. She has helped a diverse clientele has meet with success on far-reaching projects, and among them are: The top global senior living operators, The United States Air Force, The United States Navy, the National Hockey League, Coopers Hawk Winery and The OhioHealth Hospital System.
Combining her business savvy with her wide-ranging creativity has brought Lisa into the publishing world. Her newest book, Hive: The Simple Guide to Multigenerational Living How Our Family Makes it Work is Lisa’s personal account of how her family has designed a home in which 4-Generations live together and lead productive, happy and healthy lives, even as the eldest member of the family struggles with Alzheimer’s/Dementia. She just launched www.BestLivingTech.com in which she curates the best products to Embrace Living as we age. Think Sharper Image meets AARP!
Lisa is also the author of 2016’s THE FUTURE IS HERE: Senior Living Reimagined, as well as many articles. She has received numerous awards, which span multiple industries. A sought-after speaker, Lisa has been featured on radio and TV; recently, she appeared on Today in America with Terry Bradshaw.
This spring Lisa will release her 3rd book BOOM The Baby Boomers Guide to Leveraging Technology, so that You Can Preserve Your Independent Lifestyle & Thrive pre-release has already made #1 on Amazon Kindle in 4 countries!
Lisa is regarded as the leading Alzheimer’s and long-term care design expert in the nation, and has been recognized for her contributions in the field. Though appreciative of the recognition for her work, Lisa is most gratified by helping people who are struggling with Alzheimer’s, find ways to cope as individuals, as families, and as communities.
Lisa Cini has an enduring passion to learn from the best and create change where she sees the need, and when she’s applied this passion to the field of interior design, she has helped redefine it.
A resident of Columbus, Ohio, Lisa supports her community through her dedication to volunteer work. She believes that we are all here to add value to this world using our God-given talents and treasures.
March 12, 2018
142: Arlin Sorensen – The Four Success Plans
Do you know there are not just one or two types of success plans but four? Do you know that each one is integral to each other? Have you ever thought that you really could have it all in your business and your personal life?
There is much talk about balance between our business and personal lives but how many people do you know that really are able to achieve it? I know I struggle with it. My guest has successfully built and sold two business and is still running a few others while maintaining a life outside work and inside work that he is proud to talk about to others. In the process, he discovered the four key success plans everyone should complete.
On this episode Arlin shares how he created his strategy towards growth, what the four success plans are and how you can create your plans and what he feels is the most important thing you can do to achieve your dreams.
Arlin Sorensen serves as the CEO and Founder of the Heartland Companies which includes HTG Peer Groups. When he is not traveling to speak and consult, Arlin is home on his farm in Iowa with his wife Nancy. He is a proud “Pop” to four precocious grandchildren who serve as daily reminders of why he is intentionally living to leave a strong legacy of faith and integrity. He loves making a difference in the lives and companies of small to mid-market business owners.
March 3, 2018
141: Brad Parks – Closer Than You Know
They say you should write what you know. Sometimes that creates a boring book but in the hands of a master like Brad Parks it creates a book that you want to devour in one sitting. Or in my case one flight to Omaha with a layover in Atlanta.
In his latest book Brad departs from his male protagonists and writes from the perspective of a woman protagonist. I loved what he had to say about how he put himself into that mindset and what the women in his life had to say about it too
Listen as Brad and I talk about where he gets his ideas, how he keeps himself whole while he writes about the topics he writes about and what he keeps in mind when he writes every book he writes.
We also get into a conversation about how the organization at the center of his Closer Than You Know can be fixed. I did not get him to break into song so I will have to have him back on the show!
Brad Parks is the only author to have won the Shamus, Nero and Lefty Awards, three of crime fiction’s most prestigious prizes. His first standalone thriller, Say Nothing, released March 2017 from Dutton Books in the U.S., along with thirteen other publishers worldwide.
Parks’s six previous novels chart the adventures of sometimes-dashing investigative newspaper reporter Carter Ross, and have collectively won stars from every major pre-publication review outlet. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Parks is a former journalist with The Washington Post and The(Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger. He is now a full-time novelist living in Virginia with his wife and two school-aged children.
February 27, 2018
140: Fr. Michael Boccaccio – Part 2 – Your Calling is Calling
The response to Father Mike’s first appearance on my show last week was so huge, with so many questions people wanted to ask him, that when a guest had to reschedule I invited him back on.
On Part 2, we delve further into the types of callings, whether a calling is for life and what he meant by his pet peeve of people saying, “I am spiritual, not religious.”
I loved his question he posed, “How will I function as a person?” He also posed, “Are you avoiding who you are? He also shared some other questions to help us connect to our calling and to connect with our spiritual and religious sides.
Our discussion on renewing callings was a huge perspective shift for me. I had always thought callings were for life and did not require recommitment. In hindsight, well, just listen to the interview!
Rev.Michael Boccaccio has been a Catholic Priest since 1971 when he could no longer ignore his calling to be a part of the Roman Catholic Church.
In a recent interview in The Hour Newspapers in Norwalk, CT, Father Michael says he does not believe in reincarnation. He is Catholic after all. But if, by some chance, he does come back in another life, he wants to be a seagull.
“I love flying, I love the sea, and I’d love to leave my signature on a few heads,”
This sentiment is, of course, a Boccaccio signature in itself. You will get a small slice of that irrepressible humor and “subtleness” on this interview with a man who has shaped my life for many years.
Now that he is almost retired, Rev. Boccaccio is traveling around the world bringing people closer to their faith through speaking at church missions and making people smile just by being himself.
February 14, 2018
139: Father Michael Boccaccio – Your Calling is Calling
Callings are not just to the religious life. Callings are something we all have. They call us to be something bigger than ourselves, to make a difference in the world through gifts we each uniquely have.
In the case of my guest on this episode, his calling was to be a Roman Catholic priest. The route he took to get there could have ended with him living a secular life and still being of service yet his calling to the priesthood was too strong to resist for long. His journey to accepting his calling is one for the ages and one we discuss today.
Father Michael Boccaccio shares how to discover your calling, why we each have a calling and how it manifests itself even when we do not see it for ourselves until much later than others see it in us.
We discuss faith, religion, spirituality, how to be filled up even while giving all of yourself and how callings live on even when you think they might be coming to a close.
The Rev.Michael Boccaccio has been a Catholic Priest since 1971 when he could no longer ignore his calling to be a part of the Roman Catholic Church.
In a recent interview in The Hour Newspapers in Norwalk, CT, Father Michael says he does not believe in reincarnation. He is Catholic after all. But if, by some chance, he does come back in another life, he wants to be a seagull.
“I love flying, I love the sea, and I’d love to leave my signature on a few heads,”
This sentiment is, of course, a Boccaccio signature in itself. You will get a small slice of that irrepressible humor and “subtleness” on this interview with a man who has shaped my life for many years.
Now that he is almost retired, Rev. Boccaccio is traveling around the world bringing people closer to their faith through speaking at church missions and making people smile just by being himself.
