Reflections

In honor of Valentine’s Day this week, let’s get intimate …   20 years ago, my acting teacher took my breath away with these words:  “Part of you wants to be seen.”  At the time, I was in a swirling love-hate relationship with being seen. I wore a...

Have you ever felt like you had to tone down your quirks to fit in? A seeker at heart, Eric Ayers spent much of his life trying to do just that.  Without realizing it at the time, questions like … ➡️ What do I need to say?➡️ Who do I need to be?➡️ What voice...

Have you felt that tug deep within - a call to share your voice, your message, your truth - and then quickly thought, “I’m not a speaker”? You are not alone. We’ve been taught to think that “speakers” fit one specific mold: buttoned-up, polished, and standing on a...

When it comes to networking intros, most people try to cram as much information as they can into their 60 seconds of time.  Don’t do that.  Do this instead:       Give ‘em a taste.  Just enough to draw them in.  Like Ben &...

10 years ago, I stood in front of a room full of theater students, juggling multiple class levels: A, B, C, and E (Why no D? Who knows ... ) Each student was on a different path—some seasoned actors with ingrained habits, others blank slates just barely beginning...

Ever feel like stepping into your authentic voice is more awkward than it should be?  It can be messy and vulnerable - like Bambi learning to walk.  It can also be life-changing.  Nick Palladino-King called his awkward growth phase 'spiritual puberty' -...

Imagine …  You’re gathered around a table with your family.  Eating food. Drinking drinks.  When all of a sudden, the family friction starts to bubble up:       “Why aren’t you married yet?      “When are you gonna get...

What if the very things that other people called “too much” or “not enough” about you could save your life? Before even learning to speak, Candis sensed that crying wasn’t going to get their needs met, so they learned to be very quiet right from the start As a child,...

It’s okay to be different.  Not only is it okay that we're all different, it's actually vital that we're all different.  There are 8 billion people on this planet, with 8 billion different fingerprints, 8 billion different voices, 8...