Shock Your Potential

Finding the Silver Lining - Mary Potter Kenyon

“We become healthier and happier when we bring in creativity in some way into our life, work, and home.” Mary Potter Kenyon
Everybody is born with talents and the ability to creatively explore these talents. When discovered and acknowledged, the ability to create something can be a source of joy and fulfillment. Our guest today, Mary Potter Canyon, helps people to discover and embrace their creative talents and believes that one of the greatest benefits of creativity is its power to heal.
Mary Potter is a Program Coordinator at Shalom Spirituality Center, Dubuque, Iowa. She is also an author of seven books, including Refined By Fire: A Journey of Grief and Grace, Expressive Writing for Healing, and Called to Be Creative which was released on August 18, 2020. She is a speaker and workshop presenter on the topics of writing, grief, and utilizing your creativity in your everyday life and a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association AWSA
In today’s episode, our guest will be discussing the positive creativity that came out of the pandemic and how people of all ages can work creativity into their lives for a happier and healthier existence.
Listen in!
Social media handles
 http://marypotterkenyon.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marypotterkenyon1/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marypotterkenyon/?hl=en
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-potter-kenyon-194b3222/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mpotterkenyon
I am a program coordinator at a spirituality center where I coordinate and facilitate programs on spirituality and its relation to ourselves and our creativity. [3:28]
I've been a writer for over 30 years, and that has been a constant in my life. [3:48]
I was a stay-at-home mom until 2012 when my husband passed away and I did a lot of freelance writing and running various home businesses. [3:55]
It was quite a change and I still can't believe that in the nine years since I have become what I would never have imagined becoming which is a public speaker. [4:09]
I could barely string two sentences together to talk to the butcher or the mailman as a stay-at-home mom. [4:21]
Part of my creativity as a result of this loss that I experienced is writing about loss and expressive writing for healing. [4:29]
The workshops I do are also related to grief, creativity, and the connection between how creativity can be healing for us. [4:39]
I do have to mention that I have eight children because that always boggles everybody's mind. [4:51]
I think if anything to pandemic has shown us the importance of creativity and all its forms. [6:35]
People were turning to gardening, baking, sitting on the sidewalk, and coloring messages to encourage people that were walking past their houses. [6:45]
We all instinctively turn to something that happens to have a science behind it, that proves we are healthier happier when we are working creativity in some way into our life, work, and home. [6:57]
There are healing benefits for anxiety and worry and whatever we're going through in creating and not only that, science proves we were designed to create. [7:17]
It boggles my mind when I think that all this science has shown us that what we instinctively turned to during the pandemic is something that we've needed in our life anyway. [7:30]
I instinctively turned to journaling after my husband passed away and I found healing benefits in that. [8:01]
In three months I wondered how people grieve without journaling and I researched for my book on creativity and expressive writing for healing. [8:09]
I discovered there was research and science behind this and it was not just something that I think [8:25]
It is my hope that we have learned something from it because what a waste it would be if we didn't learn something from this time. [10:06]
I know some people were busier than ever such as the frontline workers and they had to find creative ways to deal with patients.[10:12]
I had to figure out what working from home entailed which was a learning curve for a lot of us. [10:40]
I am bound and determined to have learned something from this and to apply and to keep it as part of my life. [10:58]
My daughter was 16 when I was sent to work from home and she didn't want to talk about it and I felt the loneliest I've ever felt in my life because I was in a house with the only one of my eight children who would never hug. [12:12]
Once I started asking her if she would take hikes with me, that is where she started talking in nature and that is something we all need to learn that there's a lot of healing in nature. [12:41]
Now she's 17 and we sit down and talk every day after work, and she sometimes will make me a cup of tea before I get home from work. [13:00]
Another thing that came out of the pandemic at this time is Zoom. There were a lot of us who didn't use zoom before but now my workplace can reach people who could never have set foot in our building. [14:20]
So we needed that human connection, and we got it through a screen and so we are going to continue to do Zoom programs. [14:38]
I think we also learned we do need human interaction. [16:18]
Creativity is nothing new, it is something that we did as children but it felt like something new during the pandemic. [[16:46]
It is good news for all of those people out there who are daydreamers because science also proves that daydreamers are some of the most creative people. [17:28]
It is healthy for us to daydream and that's what happens when you take walks too. There is a lot of creativity that goes on in solitude, and mindfulness. [17:48]
Commercial break. [19:28]
It stemmed from having a very creative mother. My family was very poor and yet somehow my mother beautified our home with the things that she was making. [20:58]
At the age of 41 years old, she decided to carve a piece of wood and so she picked up a kitchen knife and a piece of wood and made a very crude carving. [21:25]
She honed that talent and that gift to create a home business out of wood carvings and paintings and beautiful things that she ended up selling our soul besides beautifying her home. [21:36]
When she passed away I found unpublished manuscripts underneath her bed and her words written to her children was that her greatest desire is that they would utilize their talents which hit home for me. [21:51]
So I've been writing from home for 25 years at that point but I thought I would maybe take that talent seriously after her death. [22:05]
I sat down and wrote an outline because I thought we all have something that is in us that is creative. [22:17]
I had started doing some public speaking at that time to young moms and I remember asking them if they would put money into their children's talents and they said of course they would. I then asked them about themselves but they said that they did not have time for themselves. [22:25]
I did the same kind of speech to older women in their 70s and 80s and asked them about their children's talents which they said they would always encourage them but when I asked about them, the answers were heartbreaking and I knew that wasn't true. [22:40]
So, we see it in our own children and in other people but we don't necessarily see it in ourselves and that is where the idea for the book was born. [23:19]
In 2010 I wrote out an outline of what the book would look like that would encourage everybody to discover their purpose and their passions. [23:26]
After my husband passed away I got a job as a librarian for a while and also started working as a newspaper reporter for a while I started to hear and see more and more people who did not fit any time into their passions, it was all work. [23:40]
That is when I started delving a little bit into the science and the research behind creativity. [24:02]
I started interviewing some creative people who were working creativity into their life and between their jobs or in their job. [24:20]
It was a long time coming and it came out during the pandemic, which was 10 years after my mother had died. [24:30]
It has helped so many different people who were reaching out to me saying they looked back into their childhood and remembered making something creative and that they should try again. [24:40]
So it is a book to encourage and inspire people to work creativity back into their lives. [25:05]
Sadly, sometimes all it is, is one person telling us we cannot do something which follows years and years and years of still believing that one person's words so that they don't even try anymore. [26:42]
I have met people who something in them led them to write and they kept writing but they never dared show anybody or they never dared submit anything. [27:20]
When I discover them through a class and I convinced them that what they have done is beautiful they share it and they come alive. [27: 31]
There is a benefit to creating time to create and it is worth the effort. [28:10
There is something to be said for creating just for the fun of creating and for trying new things and allowing ourselves to fail. [29:15]
We carry these lies within us and every once in a while we have to take time to figure out what the truth is. [31:18]
I just want your listeners to believe in themselves and believe there is something in them. [33:24]
I want them to start by looking back to their childhood and remember what it was that they were drawn to naturally because that's where our secret desires lie before life took that out of us. [33:28]
Whatever it is that makes them feel alive, whatever it is that makes them come alive, work that into their everyday life because there are ways to work it into our lives, at home, at work, in whatever we are doing and we will be healthier and happier for doing that. [33:49]
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Art Transcends Words - Jen Kiaba

“When you see people put their heart into something, you want them to be validated for it because it is part of their soul” Jen Kiaba
The healing power of art has long been explored in different settings in an effort to influence, acknowledge and manage a wide range of human behaviors and functions. Our guest today, Jen Kiaba, has been working with people to help them heal by encouraging them to express their stories through art where she leads by example.
Jen Kiaba is an artist and educator who grew up in the infamous Unification Church, a religious group referred to by popular media as “the Moonies” and a primary example of a cult. After escaping a forced arranged marriage, she fought her way out in her early twenties. After leaving the cult she went on to earn her BA in Art History at Bard College.
As an artist, she uses photography to explore the failure of faith and the resulting loss of identity that occurs. Her work has been exhibited internationally, was a third-place winner of the Julia Margaret Cameron Award, a top 200 finalist in Critical Mass, and an Honorable Mention in the 13th Pollux Award. Since 2014 she has worked as an educator and mentor with a local non-profit that seeks to empower youth to develop their artistic voice to shape their futures. She also writes and speaks about art, healing, and their intersection.
In today’s episode, we will be discussing more on how art can be embraced to fast-track the healing process in children. We will also talk about why it is important to recognize and validate people’s efforts when expressing their art.
Listen in!
Social media:
 https://instagram.com/Jenkiaba
 https://facebook.com/Jenkiaba
 https://twitter.com/Jenkiaba
 https://www.youtube.com/c/JenKiaba
 
I love that you started by saying that despite the fact that I have this unique experience, so many people connect with and I think that is such a poignant truth. [3:14]
In the nonprofits that I've worked with, a lot of the teenagers that we come into contact with are highly at-risk youth so I tend to lead in the classes with my stories. [4:51]
I share my story and my art with them, again, not in any way to burden them but just to say, this is a safe space I am trusting you with. [5:19]
Many of us can understand the universals in art much better than we can understand the language of a story sometimes. [5:37]
If we don't have the exact same experience, it's very easy to dismiss it as other but when these kids see the work, I can often see a light bulb go off. [5:45]
In the environment that they may be in, it is difficult for the kids to know what is ok to express because generally, we tend to want to show people the good side and find it hard to share the dark side. [5:57]
When I share the work that I've created in my healing process, I'm always amazed at how honest and raw, and vulnerable the art that these kids share. [6:16]
And so I tend to use the same techniques when I mentor and a lot of people come to me because of my work and my story. [6:27]
People are amazed that those themes are so present in their visuals, and then you know, from an artistic perspective, we start to put together bodies of work and things. [7:01]
I learned that art is a language in and of itself. It transcends the spoken word, it transcends the left side of the brain and the logical thinking. It is such a powerful tool for communication for people to feel seen and to feel heard. [7:19]
In my business, I seek out partnerships with nonprofits to teach and nonprofits to license to where I know that my work can be a tool to help further somebody else's business or somebody else's mission. [7:38]
There are so many different ways that I try to plug in now that I've learned that there are so many connections for us and that our stories are so interwoven even if they seem different. [8:15]
Anytime I hear of an organization where they have this mission that resonates, maybe even with just a small part of my story, I find ways to connect with them so that I can help further their mission from a visual standpoint. [8:28]
I've only recently started to learn that one of the reasons art therapy is so powerful is because it helps to connect more fluidly to the right side of the brain. [11:14]
In my classes and my mentorships, I'm usually very forthright in giving permission slips to kids to create whatever they need to. [11:58]
I do think that there are things that we need to process with the support of somebody who is trained. [12:19]
In an art class, I do find that it has been freeing and the work that I've seen the kids create, and the relationships that I've established because of art and I know that it makes a difference. [12:26]
In educational spaces, we have to realize, especially creativity, we are being so vulnerable and I am usually so fiercely protective. [15:38]
When you see people put their heart into something, you want them to be validated for it because it is part of somebody's soul. [16:45]
Commercial Break [17:10]
I believe that when kids create in some of their darkest spaces, it helps them give more words or definitions or give them more power over some of their experiences. [19:08]
When I exited the Unification Church and was processing and healing, I didn't have language for my experience. I didn't know how to talk about it because I didn't know what I experienced was abuse. [19:21]
When I first started going to therapy, one of the best ways for me to communicate was via my art, and even talking to other survivors of you know, domestic abuse and abusive families and things like that. [19:37]
To me what has been so amazing is that when I've shared my art, I hear other people's stories in return and that has been the primary way for me to develop the language around my experience. [19:52]
I've since started to research cults and coercive control and narcissistic abuse and can now have a more academic framework for it. [20:06]
The first time I ever shared my work I was at a very small workshop where I showed my prints to the woman across the table from me, she looked at my pictures, and she said, these reminded her of her abusive background and she told me her story. [20:27]
It made me realize that this was an incredible way for us to develop connections and you find shared experiences and that allow you to feel not so alone. [20:51]
You are more artistic than you give yourself credit for, and art is an incredible healing and communication tool. [24:27]
……………………………………………………………………………………
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Keep Music Alive - Vincent James

“I have really come to believe all the different arts is really what makes us human otherwise, we would just be a computer or machine.” Vincent James
Most people often discover their purpose as they journey through the process of creative self-expression, which then brings them joy and a sense of self-fulfillment. Our guest today, Vincent James, got to experience this transformative moment thirty years into creating and exploring the art of music and has since never looked back.
Vincent James has been circulating in the musical world for over 3 decades. He first began as a songwriter penning “Rock & Roll and Wrestling Connection” in the mid-80s that was made into a music video by PRISM Television starring Cyndi Lauper, Hulk Hogan, and Rowdy Roddy Piper. James later began managing local bands helping to book and promote hundreds of live shows.
Eventually, James elected to go the artist route and released several recordings including two national singles. Highlights included the humorous “Y2K” song that landed a local FOX news spot, a Billboard review, and an appearance on the nationally syndicated Jenny Jones Show. A few years later, James's single “One More Night” aired on over 80 radio stations nationwide, landed a spot on the Friday Morning Quarterback radio chart, and launched his transition to Mr. Love Songs. Over the next decade, James wrote dozens of custom love songs for weddings, anniversaries, and other special occasions through his LoveSongs.com website.
Change came knocking in 2014 when James realized he wasn’t serving his true purpose. After listening to a teleseminar entitled “How Everyone Has a Book Inside Them”, James decided to publish a book along featuring inspirational music stories about how music changed people’s lives. Co-authored with his wife Joann, “88+ Ways Music Can Change Your Life”: https://amzn.to/359FN2B  was first published in June 2015 and features stories and anecdotes from both regular and famous musicians. Story contributors include Rick Wakeman (YES), Vanessa Carlton, Simon Kirke (Bad Company/FREE), Bobby Kimball (Toto), Bill Champlin (Chicago), Rob Hyman & Eric Bazilian (The Hooters) along with hit songwriters Seidah Garrett (Michael Jackson), Billy Steinberg (Madonna) and Bobby Hart (The Monkees). The sequel to “88+ Ways Music” was published on New Years' Eve 2020 and is entitled “88 MORE Ways Music Can Change Your Life”: https://amzn.to/3goDePs . 80% of all “88 Ways Music” proceed from both books are donated to music education and service non-profits.
While publishing and promoting “88+ Ways Music Can Change Your Life”, James began to discover his true passion for music education. Along with his wife, they formed the Keep Music Alive organization and launched the 1st Annual Teach Music Week in March 2015 and the first Annual Kids Music Day in October 2016. Keep Music Alive officially became a non-profit in October 2017 and now partners with over 1,000 music schools, music stores, and other organizations to offer free lessons to new students and special events that benefit and celebrate kids playing music. These events range from student performances, instrument petting zoos, drum & ukulele circles, instrument donation drives, and more.
Over a dozen celebrities have signed on as Kids Music Day Ambassadors lending their name and image for the cause including Julie Andrews, Jack Black, Sarah McLachlan, Kenny Loggins, Michael Feinstein, Vanessa Williams, Pat Benatar, and more. Television and Broadway star Matthew Morrison signed on as the Official Spokesperson for the milestone 5th Annual Kids Music Day in October 2020, leading to Kids Music Day being featured on Entertainment Tonight, People TV, and Good Day New York.
In today’s episode, we will be discussing Vincent James’s experiences as he explored his art in music and how he found his purpose and passion for advocating for children’s music and storytelling.
Listen in!
Social media handles
www.Facebook.com/KeepMusicAliveMission
 www.Instagram.com/KeepMusicAliveOrg
 www.Twitter.com/4KeepMusicAlive
www.Facebook.com/88WaysMusic
It is really funny, Michael, how this all started. I bounced around through several different areas, which I enjoy and I was pretty good at them. [5:46]
But along the way, through those 30 years, I never really felt like I was truly doing my full purpose, what I was meant to do. [5:58]
One day, I was drawn to listen to a teleseminar training about how everyone has a book inside them they need to write. [6:05]
I never thought I would write a book because by day, I'm an engineer, and by night, and weekends, I do all this music stuff. [6:12]
Because I'm going back and forth. I'm not really an expert on any, like a jack of all trades, right? Who's gonna buy a book, I'm not an expert. [6:20]
While I'm on this call, it was like a bolt of lightning hit me what about a book of inspirational stories of how music impacted people's lives, I wouldn't have to write anything. [6:27]
I would just gather stories, edit them, and then we would publish them and inspire others to play music and to share the gift of music because I know how important it is to me. [6:36]
And then along the way, as we started doing research, this whole thing kind of morphed eventually into the ‘Keep Music Alive’ nonprofit years later. [6:46]
So as we dug into all the research and peeled the layers back on the onion it became just amazing to me. [6:58]
My primary focus is advocating for music and music education because that's just really where my heart is. [7:36]
When playing music you're building up not only your musical skills, but your social skills as you're connecting with your tribe. [9:35]
When you're playing an instrument you are firing back and forth between the left logical and the right creative sides, much more than almost anything we do as humans. [9:50]
The corpus callosum part of the brain gets bigger for the kids that have had musical education during their developmental years and this is how we get thinkers outside the box. [10:03]
Add on the motor skills that you have to do for your finger position. [10:11]
The brain is an amazing thing and we're only scratching the surface in our lifetime of what the brain is capable of. [11:56]
If people intentionally explore different types of music along the way, they don't just become locked in but they have to learn new things to expand the brain. [13:56]
We ran into a fellow who is 15 years old and from the west coast and he could play 107 unique instruments on a good level. [14:52
They credited his skills to when his mother was pregnant where they used to take the speaker and put it up to his mom's belly. [15:08]
Commercial break. [16:18]
March of 2016, I came up with the idea of having a week every year where musicians offer free lessons to somebody and I put up a couple of social media posts. [18:00]
I started reaching out to schools and so that second year, we had 23 music schools and eight states that said ye. [18:19]
We built our homegrown database and now have like 5000 and we started reaching schools and stores t to encourage them to participate and then we just grew it organically year after year. [18:45]
After the second or third teach music week, we ran into a girl who was doing something called kids yoga day and I wondered if there was a kids music day. [18:58]
We looked it up and there was no such thing and we decided to start doing it where the music schools and stores offer some sort of event or promotion that either benefits or celebrates kids playing music. [19:20]
The idea is to raise a loud enough voice so we can get the media everywhere talking about it and get more kids involved in music in the arts. [19:33]
We work with another national organization called hungry for music where we do local instrument donation and we donate some to a local non-profit school and repurpose others that are completely broken so that it's not going into the landfill. [21:16]
Before we started all this, I didn't pay much attention, I was on my own just doing my own thing. [22:11]
But then as I started to focus on what we're doing and the advocacy I started thinking about it. [22:18]
I have come to believe all the different arts is really what makes us human otherwise, we would just be a computer or machine. [22:25]
What would be the difference if we didn't have our culture and all the different varied beautiful cultures around the world? [22:35]
I think that's really why we need music and art, to express ourselves for therapeutic reasons. [22:43]
We are always looking for new stories for the music book series and we donate 80% of the proceeds. [23:48]
For ‘Keep Music Alive,’ we are continuing to build it up year by year and we will also do our musical instrument petting zoo events around the Philadelphia area, schools and libraries. [24:01]
We also do special ones for children that are on the spectrum where it is just solely dedicated to them, and they come in with their families. [24:19]
I would just encourage people that whatever passion or business case, you just need to be persistent and consistent with it. [27:58]
I believe one of the reasons we have had so much success with what we're doing now is because we've been consistently doing it for seven years now building it out. 28:09]
One of the things that I always like to share with people is that silence never means no. [28:22]
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Self Love Proclamation - Kendra Muecke

“When we are able to express ourselves, we can let go of different things that we've been through.” Kendra Muecke.
There is no limit to what possibilities are available when it comes to art, and this is especially true in times of change and uncertainty. The entertainment industry which was especially hit by the effects of the pandemic proved this after they were forced to explore new possibilities to showcase the creations and connect with their audience. Our guest today, Kendra Muecke, was able to explore such possibilities and got to live an exceptional experience during this period. She affirms the importance of embracing and being confident in your art even in the most difficult of times.
Kendra Muecke is a singer/songwriter, writer, actress, and published author from Houston, TX-based now in Los Angeles, CA. She performs under the stage name “Kendra & the Bunnies”, as a psychedelic folk-rock Americana and spoken word artist. “Kendra & the Bunnies” performs both as a full band and as a solo acoustic act. Her style heavily utilizes the element of storytelling through song, painting a creative experience for the listener. She has released four albums, charted globally at #8 on the digital radio charts (between Dua Lipa at #7 & Miley Cyrus at #9), published two books, writes for several online music magazines, is SAG-Aftra Eligible, and tours nationally.
In 2021, Kendra was nominated for 3 Josie Awards including Best Artist of the Year (Multi-Genre), Best Song of the Year (Self Love Proclamation), and Best Music Video of the Year (Self Love). She was also nominated for a 2021 International Singer-Songwriter Association Award. You can read more about Kendra’s music and writing in over 100 publications such as JamBase, Relix Magazine, Live for Live Music, Denver Westword, Houston City Book, Grateful Web, Getty Images, Shakedown News, The Hollywood Digest, Indie Pulse Music, and more. She graduated from Pepperdine University with a BFA in Theatre Arts and has, additionally, studied music business/recording at the Musicians Institute and songwriting at Vanderbilt University's Blair School of Music.
In today’s episode, Kendra will be talking to us about how and what she perceives art to be and also how she has evolved in her art and managed to keep up with changes and the uncertainties in the current environment.
Listen in!
Social Media Links:
https://www.kendraandthebunnies.com
 https://www.instagram.com/kenbunny/
 https://twitter.com/kenbunny
 https://www.facebook.com/kendraandthebunnies
 https://www.tiktok.com/@kendraandthebunnies?lang=en
I think I was four years old when mum took me to the local downtown theater and had me audition. [2:46]
I started doing professional vocal lessons, professional dancing, and acting lessons which became my everything. [3:13]
I would go down to the theater several times a week and acted and learned all the songs and made friends. [3:20]
Later on, I got into sports too but pretty much my entire life has been about acting, theater, and the arts. [3:32]
Later on, in high school, I got into rock and roll music and philosophical questioning and spirituality, guitar and poetry too which has played a big part in my career. [3:41]
I feel like art is the extension of my expression. [4:22]
I would go through these experiences and make them part of my memory and that is where the song comes in. [5:10]
2020 was a total surprise. I had some tours booked but had to shift my mindset and postpone all the events. [7:23]
I however decided to go ahead and switch to all online since I was already very active on social media and I had live-streamed a little bit. [8:15]
I live-streamed over 150 shows last year and partnered with venues across the country and did a virtual live stream tour concert with people all over the country. [8:30]
For people that were really creative about doing this, you might you probably reached audiences you wouldn't have. [8:55]
I started to be known as ‘the live stream person’ and so I got a lot of opportunities from people just by word of mouth because I was consistently showing up. [9:02]
I am now doing a little bit of professional live streaming where I've been signed on by an agency to help grow another platform. [9:13]
It gave us a reason to put a pause button on things and think and so a lot of my songs and moments came in particular from being at home experiencing this year. [9:52]
I will talk about the song ‘Self-love Proclamation’ since you talked about it earlier which I was recently nominated for three Josie awards. [11:00]
‘Self-love proclamation’ is co-written with a lot of people in Nashville and is all about just ripping off the band-aid and saying this is who I am and I'm going to love myself for who I am and that journey to finding ourselves is evident in the song. [11:15]
Commercial Break. [11:40]
Song teaser [12:50]
There are so many different things that come to mind, the first thing would be the healing element to art. [15:01]
When we can express ourselves, we can let go of different things that we've been through. [15:08]
I work sometimes with this nonprofit based in Los Angeles, called artists for trauma and is where people who have PTSD, physical, mental, veterans, emotional, spiritual healing, come together to do art and I think that encapsulates what art can do for us. [15:14]
It's done that for me personally, just like dealing with, you know, different racing thoughts, or whatever goes on in my life, I'm able to channel that into the guitar or into a poem or lyrics, and let it go. [15:35]
The next thing would be the cohesion of community thought that can be showcased through an event. [16:09]
It is also a really good way to start conversations in a way that is accommodating to different perspectives. [17:16]
Sometimes I think about how there's there is art written about the previous history, but then I realize that we are creating history every day. [18:31]
I'm really excited to see people start to go back to concert venues and have those shared experiences because we've craved being together in those shared experiences. [18:58]
It still may take a while but I think we're going to appreciate it even more now. [19:10]
I watched a lot of live streams with different artists and put on a lot of different live streams with different artists. [20:02]
The one thing that I've been going back to over and over right now is, only you know. [22:08]
We can take advice and we can listen to other people and we can listen for clues from the universe but at the end of the day, it's about our own perspective and how we filter in. [22:14]
This means this only we know our true north and our true path. [22:40]
……………………………………………………………………………………
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Clarity Through Practical Spirituality - Tiffany Nguyen

“Most of us are just not caring to ourselves. It is so much easier for us to have compassion for others and forget ourselves in the process.” Tifanny Nguyen
In an effort to find fulfillment and meaning, many people end up subscribing to other people’s ideas and definitions of what happiness is. True fulfillment, however, stems from within through knowing self and accepting the person that we are in totality. By focusing on self-awareness, people become more compassionate of themselves and motivated to pursue more fulfilling lives. This is according to our guest today, Tifanny Nguyen, who found out that the focus on personal transformation often precedes the spiritual journey.
Tiffany Nguyen is a spiritual life coach who helps busy professionals and sensitive, high-achievers reconnect with their truths and live authentically. She combines practicality and spiritual wisdom to guide people towards clarity and confidence in who they are, leading them to inner peace and happiness. With her analytical brain and her intuitive Tarot reading skill, Tiffany brings a unique approach to one’s self-transformation journey.
Tiffany immigrated to the U.S when she was 16 and quickly learned the harsh reality of being alone in a foreign country. She faced her greatest fear: loneliness. As the years went by, she grew tired of chasing the next thing and feeling lost and decided to look within. Tiffany created the Happiness Blueprint to illustrate how people can build a fulfilling life for themselves. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy and is a student of Tibetan Meditation Master, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Her articles have appeared on Elephant Journal, Thrive Global, Purpose Fairy, and McGill Media. She has also been featured on the spiritual podcast, Unfuck Your Mind.
In today’s episode, our guest will be discussing her journey and experiences and how they led her to what she is currently doing with her clients. She will also dive deeper into the Tarot reading practice and what it has to offer.
 
Listen in!
Social media handles
https://spunkyspiritualist.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/SpunkySpiritualist/ 
My story started when I immigrated, but it was more like a night of the soul experience where I was depressed and suffered through a lot, and years later when life got better, I did not deal with the mess but just suppressed it and kept going. [3:55]
It took me all the way into while I was in pharmacy school and at the time it seemed like nothing was wrong in my life but in reality, I was miserable and then my friend commented that she wished she had a relationship like mine. [4:39]
I responded that it was not that great but immediately right after my coping mechanisms jumped right in and I started giving excuses. [5:18]
It was a beautiful moment because it seems like my best friend knew me better than I did myself. [5:34]
I became very open and vulnerable and shared with her about my past where I got into a lot of relationships I shouldn't be in and I hated myself a lot. [5:50]
I always thought I had to earn happiness by doing a lot of things and just play every role perfectly which was just tiring. [6:12]
So that was a saving grace, she also opened up and become vulnerable and share with me her past and it turned out that we were very similar. [6:46]
What stuck with me is not about our past, but about how we were adamant that each other deserve the best happiness. [6:55]
It took me a few months later while driving along and I have this simple epiphany that if I swap places with my best friend, I will never, ever even think to consider her any less. [7:09]
I realized that I was hard on myself and forgave myself and that self-forgiveness was what kick-started my spiritual journey. [7:27]
Immediately after I forgave myself, it was like an overnight effect that I felt that the burden was off and that I didn’t have to pretend anymore. [7:39]
I realized what I was feeling was valid so I took stock of my life on what's working and what was not. [7:50]
A year later after I started my journey, I became ready then I met my teacher on Facebook and learned meditation. [8:26]
With the work I do as a retail pharmacist, at one point my life was chaotic but with the foundation and the practice I had, there was always a sense of calm and being grounded that almost felt palpable. [9:15]
I wished everybody would feel that but it is not always available for everyone and so it is from that wish that I started the business. [10:07]
In my work now I help with busy professionals and high achievers where we walk the pattern through relationships, tracing back with their thought patterns beliefs, and perceptions, and how they view life and themselves. [10:24]
What worked at the moment that I and my friend had was the kind of relationship we had where we were both understanding of each other and there was great trust. [12:43]
We don't always have this kind of trust and understanding with family members or intimate relationships due to expectations but with friends it is different. [12:58]
I think that trust, security, and understanding helps open up the conversation and sharing to be vulnerable where without it we just can't get to get down to the bottom to the truth. [13:56]
Most of us are just not caring about ourselves. It is so much easier for us to have compassion for others and forget ourselves in the process. [15:15]
Part of the healing process is to learn to know ourselves, take it with grace and give us a lot of love and compassion. [15:34]
Commercial break [16:20]
I was lucky to grow up in Asia, Vietnam which is a very spiritual country and even if we have no religion, 100% of Vietnamese have ancestorship. [18:20]
I was always begging my mum to go see a psychic which she did much later when I was eighteen and after that, I just got sucked into it. [18:48]
After a while, I started getting a lot of psychic reading and became like a dependency which was very unhealthy. [19:07]
When I got to the US that trait of mine continued and later on I got exposed to the Tarot which was different from how it was done in Vietnam. [19:38]
I got this urge and curiosity to go explore and I realized that I could do it which was quite surprising to me because I never thought I could do it. [20:30]
So my brand is very analytical and nowhere intuitive at all. [21:10]
Tarot is interesting to me because it has a system or guideline on which I can rely and not be completely lost and overwhelmed. [21:29]
The beautiful thing about the Tarot is there is a lot of archetypes and is applicable in so many aspects of our life. [23:18]
Later on, when I started my spiritual journey and awakening and started working with people I started noticing people also developing the same dependency tendency that I had before and therefore I stopped offering Tarot reading professionally. [23:44]
It is also beautiful to just offer people an opportunity to explore their possibilities. [24:52]
I think Tarot is a very good, personal tool to use for reflection and a great exploration tool to learn about oneself. [27:01]
Another way that I have seen people use the Tarot a lot is when writers encounter writer’s blocks. [27:37]
A lot of artists also use the Tarot since it has so many themes and there is a lot of things that they can explore. [28:00]
I would say any long-lasting fulfilling relationship that you ever wish in your life is so where you have to start at the solid foundation of the relationship with yourself. So invest in yourself and explore yourself. [30:42]
……………………………………………………………………………………
Thank You to our August Sponsor!
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Find the Fun - Caramel Lucas

"Any direction that you go with regards to art, it becomes beautiful if you put your time and energy into it." Caramel Lucas
Caramel Lucas is knowledgeable in the business and entertainment industry. She has been in both industries for over 15 years. She is also a Podcast Host with her show called ‘Keepin It Real with Caramel’ “As We Say 100” on Anchor, a wide range on a podcast digital platform. Caramel interviews entrepreneurs who want to be heard and give her listeners inspirational and motivational messages.
Caramel writes her newsletter with Substack called “Keepin It Real with Caramel.” This platform shows people the expertise in Caramel creative writing. The readers have the opportunity to relate to the articles and give the readers inspiration and motivation. Caramel’s newsletter has the scenario, the truth, and the conclusion with an inspirational poem at the end of each article. In 2018, Caramel became a Published Poet with Eber & Wein Publishing and Poetry Nation. Caramel continues to express herself in her poetry. She became published in the Upon Arrival Edition and Quarantine Edition. She received a plaque for both and became one of the best poets in 2019 & 2020.
To keep pushing her career, Caramel decided to continue her education at IAP Career College and became a Keynote Motivational Speaker. Caramel speaks about Relationships, Life Experiences, Online Dating, Parenting, and Motivation. She has a story to tell and a purpose of helping others in their life journeys. In 2013, Caramel became a Published Author and published a novel called “In Love With The Other Man” which became a best seller. She went and ahead wrote, produced, and directed her featured film of the novel.
The decision to make a perfume fragrance with Waft called “Taste of Caramel,” was inspired by the desire to go out of the box and do something unique and fun. The perfume fragrance has a cashmere smell.
Caramel also does Standup clean and adult comedy and has performed at many comedy clubs, fashion shows, etc. She also became a member of Comedy Network Live (thenativesociety.com), Florida Comedy & Entertainment Movement, and Entertainers Worldwide. She hosts a Comedy Open Mic Night at a local pizza restaurant called “Pizza Avenue.”
Caramel is a member of the Toastmasters (Voices of Maitland Club), National Association of Professional Women (NAPW), IAPO (International Association of Professional Motivational Speakers), Notary Association, Black Speakers Network, and a member of the American Legion since 1997 and still active. She has also been a model where she has appeared in many competitions and has appeared in many movies and directed many music videos and commercials. In all her adventures, Caramel has loved her experiences and she continues to move forward.
In today’s episode, Caramel talks to us about her journey and the different experiences she has had in her life. She will also dive deeper and talk to us about her creativity in multiple areas and why she believes that art is important in the world.
Listen in!
Social media handles
www.caramellucas.net
https://anchor.fm/caramel-lucas
https://caramel.substack.com/
https://Instagram.com/mscaramellucas/
https://twitter.com/Ms__Carame
https://www.facebook.com/Caramel_Lucas/ 
https://Linkedin.comCaramelLucas/ 
I love creating things and seeing and trying new things and I'm always curating something in my mind to find something new to do. [3:30]
I love motivating, inspiring, and impacting people because I want to show people that they don't have to do one thing but whatever they feel like they want to do consciously and make something out of it and be proud that they have done it. [3:48]
I believe that if you're working for something, you have to find something that you like so that you find the fun in whatever you do. [4:43]
At first, I was thinking about creating some kind of jeans, fashion, clothing wear, but then I thought that everybody does that. [5:31]
I decided to find something different than nobody does and fragrance came into mind. [5:46]
I called this company and told them I wanted to do a fragrance of essences that I loved to smell of which are cashmere, caramel, and vanilla and so we got together and made a fragrance that turned out to smell good. [5:53]
I wanted to something different that makes me feel good to say I did it. [6:18]
In 2013 I wrote a book ‘In Love with the Other Man,’ and I had a character that everybody loved and so I decided to take this character and let everybody see what she was really about. [6:53]
I had four girls in the book, Liz, Kesha, Denise, and Tanya, and everybody felt something about Liz. [7:10]
Liz was a married woman with three kids and a husband and she was going through so much in her life and I wanted people to see what she was going through. [7:24]
My friend of a long time who does productions asked me if I wanted to make a movie out of my book and I thought it was a great opportunity. [8:37]
I directed and produced the whole thing and with some of his input, we had the film done which was just amazing. [9:03]
I did everything out of my pocket without asking anybody for any funding because I wanted to do it on my own as I felt this was my baby. [9:50]
I'm always ready to take risks because I believe that you will never know the outcome if you don't take a risk. [10:36]
Commercial Break [10:52]
My next goal is my stand-up comedy which I do as well and so right now I'm on a project with a local pizza place to do an open mic to give the community a chance to come in and showcase their talents including poetry, music, and comedy. [12:28]
We have been sitting still for a year and now it's time to get out and get with the community and do something for them. [12:57]
I'm also working on a game called ‘Choices’ that is found on Play Store. [13:20]
I'm also doing my Portugal course and I just submitted poetry and now waiting to see if I am going to get an award from it. [14:02]
I feel like art is important because it shows it shows positive energy for me and shows people that you can do whatever you want. [14:35]
Any direction that you go with regards to art, becomes beautiful if you put your time and energy into it. [14:47]
When you have that positive energy, and have that wonderful art of letting people know the positivity, that's what I do. [15:14]
We were down for a year and we didn't have anyone around us but our family and now as we are opening up we need to embrace each other and calm everything down instead of being all hostile and all everywhere. [16:18]
Whatever art that you do it is a factor to unite people by accepting it or creating it and that is awesome. [16:35]
You only live once in life and so when you do whatever you don't be scared of what other people think but do what you feel is best for you. [18:24]
……………………………………………………………………………………
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The Infinite Magic of Art - Kira Bursky

“Art has the potential to be a reflection of someone's authentic experience, whether that be a story, an emotion, or just our perspective.” Kira Bursky
Creative imagination is always evident in the works that artists bring forth. The uniqueness of every artist is therefore reflected every time they put their talents to action. This is true with our guest today, Kira Bursky, who is a multidisciplinary artist with a passion for art and creative prowess. Kira has been an artist her whole life and believes that art allows us to step into other people’s realities.
Kira Bursky is the founder of All Around Artsy, an award-winning filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist. She is on a journey to explore perceptions of reality with each of her magic-fueled films and projects. She is inspired by our capacity to heal from mental health issues and is driven to tell stories of our ability to transform our minds and hearts into a perspective of infinite possibility.
Khas produced over 60 short films and music videos that have screened at festivals around the world from Los Angeles to Berlin to Beijing. In 2014 Kira was recognized as National YoungArts Finalist and was a finalist in the White House Student Film Festival where she had the honor of screening her work in the White House. In 2015 Kira was selected as the Best Emerging Female Filmmaker at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY). In 2016 she was featured in Seventeen Magazine as the April issue's Power Girl and received the Emerging Artist to Watch grant through Le Couvent artist residency in France. Kira and her creations have been featured through NPR, Out Magazine, Pride, and No Film School to name a few.  
Kira’s YouTube channel has 40,000 subscribers and 14 million views. From November 2019 to June 2020 Kira produced "Considerations of Infinity." an immersive projection-based film installation. She is currently developing the script for her first feature film, designing and selling clothes and products featuring her original art, and collaborating with a diverse range of inspiring artists.
In today’s episode, our guest will tell us more about her art and why she believes that art is important.
Listen in!
Social media
Website: www.allaroundartsy.com 
https://www.Instagram.com/allaroundartsy/   
https://www.Twitter/allaroundartsy 
https://www.facebook.com/allaroundartsy 
Etsy: https://allaroundartsy.etsy.com/   
https://www.linkedin.com/company/allaroundartsy 
https://www.youtube.com/c/kiraburskyfilms
I run a video production company and also do multidisciplinary arts. [3:55
Recently, I have branched out into doing visual art as well and now I'm selling clothing prints and decorative prints of my art. [4:02]
I have been on this artistic journey my whole life ever since I was a child and I have been into many forms of art. [4:19]
It was very natural for me to go down to the filmmaker path because filmmaking is this amazing, incredible art form where all art forms come together and you get to work with all kinds of people and explore all these different stories and perspectives. [4:28]
When I was 13 or 14, I knew I wanted to pursue filmmaking and so I discovered this crazy cool school called Interlochen in Michigan which is a high school boarding school where you are allowed to major in art form in high school. [4:55]
I ended up majoring in filmmaking while in high school and studied filmmaking for three years. [5:12]
By the time I was done with high school I started building up my company just to see how that would go and it turned into a life of adventuring and business. [5:18]
I am always working on new projects and the range of clients is quite diverse and it is really fun. [5:38]
One of my favorite parts is just diving into these different worlds and going on many adventures with my clients and my collaborators. [6:09]
I love my music video projects because they are so fun and each is so different with a lot of creativity involved. [8:43]
I feel fortunate that I get to work with so many cool people and meet a lot of musicians that I've made videos for. [9:26]
In terms of the process, I always want to make sure that I'm capturing the essence of who they are, the story they're trying to tell, the brand they're trying to convey and some fusing that with what goes on in my brain as I hear the music. [10:09]
Commercial Break. [14:10]
Art has the potential to be a reflection of someone's authentic experience, whether that be a story, an emotion, or just our perspective. [16:34]
One thing for me that is a pressure in my life which I know affects a lot of people is social media and all the noise. [17:08]
I feel like art can cut through some of that noise and the pressures and the muck of all of this energy. [17:28]
The big thing for me is, is the ability for authenticity and vulnerability and how art can allow us to step into other realities. [18:47
It is just so fascinating how when you watch a film, listen to music, gaze upon visual art, whatever the medium is, how it can sometimes evoke something in you or you experience a sensation or an emotion, just a vibe that maybe you haven't experienced before. [19:15]
So my company does all sorts of projects and we work with all kinds of clients. [22:38]
For a lot of the projects, the main thing that I like to bring to the table is the creative and artistic way of portraying a brand. [22:46]
I especially love to work with clients who want to find that unique charm of throwing around some words here, but that gives you a little bit of the energy I like to bring to the table. [24:03]
The last thing I'll say is to experiment, have fun and try new things. Jump into projects that maybe you don't even know what is going to happen but just out of this curiosity bubbling within you. [24:25]
……………………………………………………………………………………
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Humor and Creativity in Conversations - Tom Kelly

“The problem with society right now is we all have multiple soap boxes and we all think our opinion is important and nobody wants to listen to another.” Tom Kelly
Comedy is entertaining and every comedian is perceived to be different based on their unique take on subjects that interest the audiences. Like in all other art forms, originality is key when it comes to stand-up comedy, and our guest today, Tom Kelly, scores highly on this. Tom is known to capture his audience by starting conversations that make people laugh while at the same time exposing truths that make people question their realities.
Tom Kelly is a stand-up comedian and is best known for a lot of his work as a warm-up comic at shows like Good Morning America, ABC, The View, $100,000 Pyramid, America’s Got Talent, and he is a funny guy. He also has a great ability to get people to do things in environments like that which they would normally never do. He also has a lot of biting wit that he masters between kindness and self-deprecation but everything is going to make you laugh.
Tom also has his podcast, the Tom Kelly Show podcast where he dances the thin line between comedy and therapy. It is really about introspection and people who are turning those 2020 lemons into 2021 lemonades. He is also a regular contributor to ABC World News Now and has a lot of things that he is doing in all these different shows. Currently, he is working with Tamron Hall Show. He is available for acting, stand-up, warm-up, hosting, zoom parties, private events and he can also officiate your wedding.
In today’s episode, our guest will talk more about his experience with Covid and how it has impacted his art, and his journey to recover from the effects.
Listen in!
Contacts
https://tomkellyshow.com/
I'm just having this revelation with you that maybe so we don't put too much pressure on ourselves we have to take our 2020 lemons and make 2022 lemonade. [4:03]
The best speech my father ever gave that I loved is nobody cares and one thing that I've learned this year is we care but we really don't. [8:36]
In stand-up comedy, I got laid off on a Tuesday and the paycheck stopped coming in on a Wednesday but nobody cared. [9:25]
I got Covid at a friend’s event that I went to for an hour and I was not very happy because I had exposed my parents. [10:30]
My highest rated podcast was at the time when I was rebranding my podcast and I talked about my Covid experience. [12:15]
Part of the reason I am podcasting away on a beach is I need to ease myself back into the real world. [14:48]
What bothers me about all of this is nobody has come up with a smart way to deal with all of this. [17:38]
Commercial break. [23:23]
I think the problem with society right now is we all have multiple soap boxes and we all think our opinion is important and nobody wants to listen to another. [25:39]
There is a lot of things that are wrong with the world. And we don't care enough to adapt. [31:32]
Part of why I started doing a weekly podcast, was because my therapist would only be deductible for one session a week. [31:55]
I lost everything overnight and if you look at what I had booked for 2020, I was going to have the highest earning year of my life. [32:33]
I feel like my podcast is about me pushing for a quantum leap or a breakthrough, which I feel like I'm close to but the pandemic derailed those plans. [33:25]
I am hoping this mess of skills I got out of COVID, my 2020 lemons, will be some form of 2021 lemonade. [34:39]
Right now I am one of the four most practiced zoom comedians in the country. [39:12]
In my standup, I usually am the guy that breaks through the ice. [40:36]
The pandemic is just an embodiment of what so many of us have been feeling in our hearts for years. [41:55]
Other than the drop in income, I have been pandemic Tom for many years. I found myself and I am only able to verbalize some of the mistakes I was making now. [42:00]
I'm only just starting to have my awakening now and I'm and I'm having it live on my podcast. [42:28]
When I didn’t hear ‘the voice of God,’ for me, I started exploring in a small way. [43:46]
I am waiting for that moment for the dots to connect and the struggles to be worthwhile and that is part of the reason why I started podcasting. [47:42]
I have been trying to do massive changes in short periods of time to experiment and refine. [50:18]
What I am currently doing in my podcast and life right now is I am trying to soak up life advice for years, which is things don’t change unless you change. [58:08]
If you think you have something you can share with the world, go ahead and share it. [01:03:22]
……………………………………………………………………………………
Thank You to our August Sponsor!
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Don't Be A Best-Kept Secret! - Maria Koropecky

“I believe all of us have stories to share and that by sharing our experiences, we connect in our humanity.” Maria Koropecky
Once in a while, people experience situations where they feel stuck and are unable to move forward in their lives. When this happens, people set out to look for ways in which they can overcome the blocks and one artistic solution to explore is to seek clarity through crystal mapping. This ancient practice which involves deep and interactive conversations is especially recommended for introverts who have a difficult time getting their thoughts and energies aligned towards the direction they desire to go. Our guest today, Maria Koropecky, is very familiar with crystal mapping and uses her expertise to help people get in touch with their inner selves.
Maria Koropecky runs a creative writing coaching business that is geared towards the quieter creatives amongst us, helping them to get their ideas flowing and overcome writer’s block. Her vision is to help budding authors write books of influence, by encouraging them to have a crystal-clear vision and smash through any roadblocks that stand between them and success. Maria helps her clients, either in one-on-one or in group sessions, to tap into the energy of colors, chakras and crystals, so they can find their voice, shine their light and share their gifts. She understands the immense power of crystals and gemstones and has used her knowledge of them to create a unique approach to coaching called Crystal Mapping. Her work seeks to help people figure out where they are in life and where they would like to go next by drawing on the wisdom of crystals.
Alongside her Crystal Mapping Sessions and Write From The Heart coaching program, Maria is also an up-and-coming novelist writing from Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. Her forthcoming novel, Who is Donna Tiva? which will be the first in a three-part series, was inspired during her solo backpacking trip across Spain at 50, and it follows the journey of a single woman as she searches for love, her life being lit up and guided by the colorful characters she meets along the way. She also has a wealth of qualifications that inform what she does, ranging from an Honors BA in English Literature to certifications in Life Coaching & Mentoring, to Spa Therapy as well as Crystal Reading
In today’s episode, we will be learning about the art of using crystals to draw into the inner creativity and beauty that resides within introverts and have them express it more confidently through writing.
Listen in!
Social media handles
https://www.ammolitewellnesscoaching.com/
https://LinkedIn.com/in/MariaKoopecky/
I believe all of us have stories to share and that by sharing our experiences, we connect in our humanity. [4:26]
I want to encourage people to draw on their own life experiences and just put it out there. [4:43]
For me, it is a very creative and healing process for people to use their voices to express themselves and make a change, and be empowered. [4:56]
Introverts tend to keep it inside and it can be very lonely and so for introverts to be able to say out loud and express their feelings may not be easy. [5:57]
Crystal mapping is a heart-to-heart conversation that helps people figure out where they are and where they would like to go next using the wisdom of crystals. [7:26]
Crystals to me are metaphors for the universe which is very creative and dynamic. [7:36]
All crystals have their own stories, history, names, elements, and colors and they are all forged together by time, pressure, and heat. [7:50]
If they can go through this process of transformation and transcendence, then that means that we can as humans beings also. [8:19]
And so I draw on their inspiration and energy to encourage people to look around them and see the beauty of nature. [8:31]
What I love about nature is that it connects these dots that don’t seem related and it is the pace in between that is the magic. [11:20]
I help people come alive by expressing themselves and talking about what they want to create and that is always my joy. [13:10]
I coach people on opening their creative channels and being available to spiritual download through intuition and if there is anything on the way, you become aware of and clear it out. [14:47]
I am a very auditory person and to me when I write it has to sound right and it has to have a certain rhythm on to it. [16:17]
To me, writing is a craft and I have to put words together and choose the right words with the right beats and it is not linear. [16:40]
Commercial break [17:33]
I grew up in an artistic family where my mother is very creative and has a very good eye and both my brother and I are artists by nature. [19:51]
I found that art is healing for both the artist and the audience. [20:16]
That to me is why art is so important because it allows us to get in touch with the deeper parts of ourselves. [21:18]
I designed a crystal map and picked forty-four crystals that people pick from when we are having a conversation and fold them back into the conversation. [22:08]
They are very affirming and very positive and it is amazing the synchronicity that happens between the crystals that a person chooses and what they are talking about. [22:46]
Ammolite is the most amazing crystal because it is both a fossil and a crystal at the same time. [25:57]
If you have an interest in anything, explore it. Go into the world and uncover what is available. [27:37]
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Retelling Our History - Sylvester Boyd Jr.

“A person has to want to change in order to change,” Sylvester Boyd Jr.
Our history largely defines who we are as a people and explains why we do things the way we do them. Unfortunately, many people do not know their history leave alone that of other people that they live with. This lack of knowledge about history explains many ills that are being experienced today and could be avoided if people are taught accurate history. This is according to our guest today, Sylvester Boyd Jr, who has been a teacher and has lived to experience what it means to be historically informed.
Mr. Boyd has a passion for history and geography. He has been interviewed by radio and TV programs across the U.S., Great Britain, and other countries covering issues of race relations, perseverance, disparities in education, and current events. His laser focus on the truth, helps him make historical connections within these topics. He uses family stories across generations and his personal life experiences to write The Road from Money series; hoping to teach and uplift readers; while pointing out injustice and racism. Mr. Boyd’s expertise in business, education, motivational speaking, the entertainment industry, and world travel gives him a unique perspective and insight into current racial and poverty-driven tensions around the world.
Currently he can be seen on several major TV series and movies with Academy Award-winning actors such as Taraji P. Henson and Forest Whittaker. As a background actor, he has also appeared with other well-known actors in The Dilemma, Transformers 3, Empire, The Boss, Chicago PD/MED/Fire, Shameless, Lovecraft Country, Fargo, and other TV episodes.
In today’s episode, we will have a conversation about history and why people need to be aware not only of their own history but also of other people’s history. We will also discuss more on the reasons behind ‘The Road from Money’ book series.
Listen in!
Social media handles
http://www.boydbooks.net
 Author interview: http://www.boydbooks.net/bio
 FB links: https://www.facebook.com/sylvester.boyd.3
 https://www.twitter.com/SylvesterBoyd1
I have a degree in both history and geography. [4:04]
One of the problems we have right now is that we are not taught accurate history. [4:32]
History, as I read it from the books, doesn’t match with what I learned in high school. [4:38]
Once I got into college and got deep into history, I learned a lot of things that I thought were true or not true and a lot that were omitted. [4:48]
For example, we talk about a time when Colombus discovered America and generations upon generations believing it as their history. [5:03]
Europeans, Caucasians, or white people our history tend to make them better and diminish everybody else and that is purposeful. [6:32]
We have to start to look at the real facts because if you do not, falsehood will always lead you down the wrong path. [6:16]
I think all secondary schools should have a history as a requirement. [6:35]
History and where people come from and where they are, their customs and traditions should be discussed. [6:52]
Once you start going into history you may be shocked what it is versus what you think it is. [7:00]
People don’t know about history, and if they are not taught right, then they cannot act right. [8:32]
Our education system has played a part in that because I have been a teacher and I know we are not giving our kids the right education. [8:44]
To diminish black, brown, or native American history, you also have to diminish white history because history will always be true. [8:56]
An educated person not only knows their history, but they also know the history and culture of others. [9:58]
Our kids were not taught the right history and therefore they don’t know. [10:32]
Another thing is that you do not know what you lose and therefore hold your country back. [10:50]
Minorities are a big part of the country, coming up to be the majority of the country. [11:10]
Democracy without a vote is not a democracy because once you lose the vote and do not let people vote, you have lost your democracy. [11:22]
We have to look at ourselves as a people and question where we want to end up [12:10]
Commercial Break. [13:29]
Money Mississippi was the town that Emmet Till was killed and thrown in Tallahatchie River and that was the beginning of the American civil rights movements and it happened in the year 1955.[15:10]
My folks came from the town that started the civil rights movement in America. is a really important connection with history I have that most other people don’t have. [15:41]
Another thing I have been fortunate to do is to live in all different societies. [15:54]
My mother was incisive enough to know that she did not want her children raised in some of the environments that the kids did and so she moved her kids to an environment that she felt was conducive for their learning. [16:40]
These are things that people had to do to make adjustments to the society they lived in so that they could develop. [17:10]
I always say the minorities have to look twice than the majority. [17:50]
Culturally I have been able to live with everybody. [21:00]
You cannot make a person change their heart or what they think, but you can educate them. [21:52]
Race is a social construct of man and it has nothing to do with how smart you are. [22:55]
A person has to want to change in order to change. [25:50]
We have not taken of the environment the way we are supposed to and we are a society that uses and loses and that will come back to haunt us. [26:17]
My aunt deserved the honor of the book and it was important for me to put her story out there. [28:25]
It is also a story of all people who struggled to be part of what they should have been a part of from the very beginning. [28:40]
We are a country of many people and races, but we as a people have never accepted that we are all created equal. [28:55]
If you take from me you take from yourselves at the same time. [29:16]
Don’t be afraid of change and take advantage of the opportunities that come towards you because they last for only a brief moment and it is fickle it moves on to the next person if you are not ready. [32:24]
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Thank You to our August Sponsor!
Tired of the time and expense to get a manicure or pedicure? Try Color Street today!
Base, color, and top coats of high-quality liquid nail polish in each strip results in a brilliant, salon-quality manicure in just minutes. No dry time, smudges, or streaks, and your mani/pedi lasts up to 10 days. Color Street is 100% real nail polish, not stickers.
Learn More: https://www.colorstreet.com/bhroberts/party/2095611