My guest today is Becky Tibbitts.  Becky is a professional certified coach with a passion for mental fitness which leads to 10x productivity, joy-filled connected relationships, and overall life satisfaction.  She helps professionals avoid energy drains that can lead to burnout.  She helps them create time and financial freedom, and also to experience more joy in life and work.  Becky’s clients say she is the spark that helped them step into their inner superpower to experience true freedom and lasting joy!   Becky takes a stand for Women's Empowerment and freedom and supports organizations that combat sex trafficking locally and globally. Becky lives in Oregon with her husband and a blended family of six children.  In her free time, she loves to read and listen to music.  As a family, they enjoy trailer camping, floating in the river, vacationing at the beach, and snowmobiling.   In our conversation today, Becky shares pieces of her journey, realizing she wanted a life different than the one she grew up in, maneuvering through challenging relationships, making decisions that were best for her despite the judgment of others, and finding that deep sense of joy inside herself – and learning to keep it present!  Some of the themes we discuss include the importance of boundaries, as well as the courage it takes to identify and set boundaries. We also talk about mental fitness, which is Becky’s passion, and she shares what that means, how she keeps herself mentally fit, and how she helps others develop their mental fitness. Becky, thank you so much for sharing these pieces of your story, for the glimpses into the hard work you have done to develop yourself and your relationships, and for the wisdom you share throughout our conversation and in your everyday work. You can find links to learn more about Becky and how to connect with her below:WebsiteLinkedInEmail: becky@InspireDevelopmentCoaching.comSchedule a call with Becky hereMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Valerie Brown. VALERIE BROWN is a Buddhist-Quaker Dharma teacher, facilitator, and executive coach. A former lawyer and lobbyist, she is a co-director of Georgetown’s Institute for Transformational Leadership as well as founder and chief mindfulness officer of Lead Smart Coaching.  She is an ordained Buddhist Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition, founded by Thich Nhat Hanh, and is a certified Kundalini yoga teacher. In her leadership development and mindfulness practice, she focuses on diversity, social equity, and inclusion.  Valerie is an award-winning author whose books include The Road That Teaches and The Mindful School Leader with Kirsten Olson. She holds a juris doctor from Howard University School of Law, a Master of Arts from Miami University (Ohio), and a bachelor of arts from City University of New York. Valerie tends a lively perennial home garden in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Valerie’s most recent book is Hope Leans Forward, Braving your way toward simplicity, awakening, and peace. In this book, Valerie beautifully blends pieces of her own journey, including many aches, pains, losses, and challenges with stories from other inspiring people, including Susan Cross, George Lakey, LoAn Nguygen, Fanny Brewster, and more. The thread: Hope, courage, and fear.  Now, that’s my summary of the thread that runs through this book, so you’ll have to read it and see what threads appear for you, as there are many. For me, something that stood out is the fact that just about every story wove together hope, courage, bravery, and fear.  Sometimes we look at other people and see them doing things that amaze us and we think, “I could never do that.  I’d be too afraid.”   And here’s the thing, courageous and brave people also have fear.  And they go forward anyway.  In the book, Valerie quotes Margaret Wheatley, from her essay, “The Place beyond Fee and Hope,” where she says, “Hope never enters the room without fear at its side.” This conversation with Valerie is a bit briefer than other conversations on Make Life Less Difficult, due to some uncontrollable circumstances, but it’s nonetheless real, impactful, and inspiring. Valerie, thank you for the work you do in the world, the light you share, the inspiration you live. Find more of Valerie’s work and offerings:WebsiteLinkedInBooks by Valerie Brown Make Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Chris Thyberg. It’s a pleasure to have Chris back on the show after our first conversation on episode 44.  Chris is the founder and principal of The Serving Way, a leadership coaching practice dedicated to partnering with experienced and emerging leaders in all sectors as they pursue great purposes for results that really matter. It is his calling and privilege to journey alongside clients as they develop new capacities to achieve exceptional performance and transformative action. Chris has been traveling the serving way of leadership for more than 35 years as a senior executive, a team builder, a facilitator, and an executive leadership coach.  Chris lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Leslie. They love to eat Leslie’s amazing cooking, laugh a lot, travel, and hang out with their grown kids and partners who all live nearby. No grandkids … yet … but four furry grand-dogs to look after when needed. In our conversation today, Chris talks about The Art of Beginning Again.   Sometimes this idea of the art of beginning again is in relation to starting something significant – a job, moving to somewhere new, a new career.  Sometimes, getting out of bed in the morning is a challenge and we can apply this idea of the art of beginning again to the mundane acts of daily life. If you’ve ever felt self-doubt, been stressed about changes and transitions and transformations, put pressure on yourself to get things right on the first try, I think you’ll appreciate this perspective of always being a beginning and always beginning. There’s a lot of grace and compassion and spaciousness in the wisdom Chris shares today. Thank you, Chris, for coming back, for sharing more of your journey, and for encouraging us all to adopt this practice of beginning again and again and again and again…. Poem shared by Chris: For a new beginning by John O'DonohueConnect with Chris: LinkedInWebsite  Make Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

Lisa shares her reflections on the year ahead along with her word of the year: Focus.In this episode, Lisa refers to the article, For better health this year, keep it simple, from the Washington Post.Please feel free to reach out if you are interested in sharing your story on the Make Life Less Difficult podcast in 2023!Email Lisa: lisa@makelifelessdifficult.comMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

Lisa shares how she finishes out the year with these three reflections:1. What am I proud of from the past year?2. What are my regrets?3. Recommit to Progress not Perfection Thanks for all the support and love during 2022! It’s been an amazing journey and we are looking forward to 2023!!!Make Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Cameron Smoak.Cameron is an executive coach and a respected trainer and facilitator of leadership workshops around the world for companies in multiple industries.  Cameron has degrees from Yale University, Oxford, and Harvard.  He combines experience from being a manager at McKinsey & Co with his masters in psychology to support his clients in the results they are seeking.Cameron grew up in rural southeast United States but has lived in Italy for over 2 decades.  He shares pieces of his journey that took him from the farm country of Georgia to being an Italian citizen.Cameron and I met through Russ Watts who has been on the podcast several times.  I joined a team of coached from around the world that Cameron and his business partner were pulling together for providing leadership coaching and workshops to a global clientele.Before we delve into Cameron’s story and journey, I want to mention that we recorded this conversation in late November.   Part of his journey that he shares is about coming out as gay with his family.  Cameron comments  that he feels like his story is mundane and not really unique to which I push back because unfortunately far too many in the LGBTQ+ community do not have support from their families when they come out to them.  Between the recording of this conversation and the release of it today, the tragic shooting occurring in Colorado Springs at Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub.  5 people were killed and 25 injured in this tragic and senseless attack.The world cup is being played in Qatar, a country where same sex relationships are illegal.  While there is progress in some parts of the world, there’s still so many places around the globe that it’s not safe for the LGBTQ+ community. It is my hope that by sharing stories like Cameron’s hearts and minds would be transformed around the world. Judging others limits and shuts off our connection.  Listening and learning from each other expands our curiosity, builds understanding and connection, and opens the doors for true acceptance. If you or someone you know is struggling with their coming out journey, here are some resources for support and encouragement.    Resources:·       The Trevor Project: 24/7/365 support in the US·       Trevor Space: International Digital Support Community for LGBTQ+ young people·       Befrienders Worldwide: Find a helpline by Country·       Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays: PFLAG.org·       Suicide Hotlines by Country·       It Gets Better Project:  The It Gets Better Project inspires people across the globe to share their stories and remind the next generation of LGBTQ+ youth that hope is out there, and it will get better.·       Human Rights Campaign·        Sage USA: Advocacy for LGBT Elders·        Matthew Shepard FoundatiMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Brigi Perez. Brigi is a Digital Business Manager.  She supports heart-centered and Highly Sensitive entrepreneurs tame the overwhelm of organizing their business processes by setting up smart databases and systems in Notion so that the entrepreneurs can focus on what they do best – working with and for their clients! Brigi is one of the most organized people I know! She’s always been passionate about organization, systems and structure.  In her 30’s she found her dream job with one of the biggest multinational companies in Hungary and started her career as an Executive Assistant to the CEO.  From there she moved on to Office Management.  She worked with a variety of companies in similar roles and loved the challenges each opportunity provided.   She now provides support via Digital Business Management and serves clients around the globe. Brigi and I first met in 2012, in Manila, Philippines.  It was John and my’s first international move and assignment with the State Department and Brigi and her husband Hector were the first people we met when we arrived in country.  Serving as our social sponsors, they provided us with a warm welcome and guidance to figuring out so many things in those first moments and weeks.  I remember feeling so grateful to have Brigi to turn to and ask my questions… she had already lived there for a year and had figured out SO much!! It has been a privilege to stay connected over the years, meeting up in random countries like Bahrain and Germany!  Brigi has also worked with my company, The REI Concierge, when she was doing work as a VA. Her organization and systems management were an enormous support to us as our business began to grow.  In today’s conversation, Brigi shares about her journey of discovering she is a Highly Sensitive Person, or HSP.  She is now passionate about serving HSPs who are entrepreneurs.  For highly sensitive persons, it can be incredibly helpful to know why systems and processes that work for others just don’t work for them.  Finding one’s unique path forward is essential, rather than exhausting oneself trying to fit into boxes that just don’t work! Brigi, thank you for sharing these pieces of your journey.  Thank you for your passion in helping others understand HSPs, and for serving these entrepreneurs who are doing brilliant work in the world.   There are several resources that we’ve linked in the show notes to provide additional information on Highly Sensitive Persons and better understanding how to find congruence in a world that often feels like it doesn’t fit.Resources:Connect with Brigi - WebsiteMore about BrigiLinks to books (Pivot, HSPs, and more)Are you an HSP?  Find out here with this online questionnaire.Documentary: SensitiveMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Srikanth Seshadri. Srikanth is originally from India, moved to the US for school and work, married a US diplomat, and now lives in the Washington DC area.  But I’ll let Sri tell you more about his story and journey in a minute! Sri holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering and an MBA.  He’s a graduate of Georgetown University’s Leadership Coaching Program and Harvard Kennedy School’s Art and Practice of Leadership Development program.  Before Sri began his coaching business he worked in senior commercial, finance, and strategy roles in Fortune 100 companies including GE and Capital One.  He’s led teams of up to 50 staff, managed budgets of over 600 million USD, and advised C-suite leaders on a range of management topics.   He currently focuses on working with CEOs of small to mid-size companies, helping them scale their companies and accelerate performance. Sri and I first met through the Georgetown coaching program’s mentorship program.  I was serving as mentor after moving to the Philippines on our first assignment with the Foreign Service.  The organizers of the mentorship program reached out and said, we think we have the perfect match for you!  One of the current program participants is also married to a diplomat and is living in Bangkok, Thailand!  I almost didn’t believe it was possible, but it was.   There are certain elements of developing a career and business that are uniquely challenging while simultaneously moving around the world in support of a spouse’s career and something that has made my journey with this a little less difficult is the connections with Sri and other who are on the journey right alongside of me.  I always feel grateful if any of my experiences, mistakes, or discoveries can support others as well. Sri, thank you so much for sharing these pieces of your story with us.  Your wisdom and insights are thought provoking and move me to want to take action in my own life!  Find the alignment and live into an agile approach to life, leadership, and relationships.Connect with Sri:Agile Growth Partners websiteLinkedInMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Michael Koehler.Michael is the CEO and co-founder of Konu, a leadership development organization focused on helping businesses and leaders manage complexity and take responsibility for change, with offices in the US, Germany, and Israel. Michael is an executive leadership coach, a former national champion in rock ‘n’ roll acrobatic dance, a first generation immigrant to the US from Germany, a podcast host, and many many more things.Michael's experiential methods he uses with his clients build from pedagogical training at the University of Marburg, where he obtained a Master's in Education, and at Georgetown University, where he obtained a Certificate in Leadership Coaching.Michael has experienced first-hand the frustrations of generating change within multi-stakeholder systems. He founded bilingual K-12 charter schools and has a long list of his own leadership failures from attempting to generate changes in the German education system. He reflected deeply on these failures during his studies at Harvard for the Master's in Public Administration degree and zeroed in on the importance of leadership development in creating systems change.I first connected with Michael through listening to his podcast, On the Balcony.  It’s excellent and I highly recommend listening (as soon as you are finished listening to this one, of course!).  What stood out so significantly, was that Michael himself is coached during several episodes.  This is a vulnerable thing to do and I immediately wanted to get to know Michael and learn more about him and his work. Michael, thank you for the work you do, for the wisdom you offer, for your willingness to share pieces of your own journey, both as a leader and as a human.  I’m so grateful for this conversation.  I have many reflections from our conversation and know our listeners will as well.Connect with Michael:On the Balcony PodcastKONU, Growing and Provoking LeadershipKONU on LinkedInMichael on LinkedInMake Life Less DifficultMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Ana Cristina Lapera.Ana is a successful executive coach with over 30 years of experience working with teams, individuals, and organizations.  She helps them clarify their vision and establish a plan of action to achieve business and personal results.Ana was born in Venezuela and has spent her professional career in the United States, working initially in Information Technology and over time evolving to Finance.  Throughout her years in IT and finance she realized people are core to everything.This led her to pursue becoming a leadership development coach in 2008.  In this capacity Ana has worked with a wide range of organizations from Fortune 500 companies to non-profits.  She brings her multicultural experience, a deep empathy for clients, and beautiful practicality to all her work.Ana’s current focus is on women leaders who want to create a diverse and inclusive world through personal and professional transformation.  She’s recently moved to Florida with her husband and their dog, Boira.I believe the first time Ana and met was through a virtual book discussion, then later through several workshops on story.  It’s taken us quite a few months to align our calendars for this conversation and I’m so pleased to get to share this with you today.Ana has an amazing and fascinating story, deep wisdom, and a gentle humility.   Ana – thank you for sharing these pieces of your story and journey.  Thank you for inviting us into your wise insights.  I’m so grateful for this conversation with you and look forward to more conversations and stories in the future.  Connect with Ana: LinkedInResources mentioned:Riding the Waves of Culture - Understanding Diversity in Global Business by Fons Trompenaars and Charles Hampden-Turner (book)Podcast: Anthrobiology by Gaby Lapera Make Life Less DifficultMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra