Make Life Less Difficult

My guest today is Diana Buikel.Diana is a world traveler, photography enthusiast, and a person with deep compassion, profound resilience, and a remarkable inner fortitude and faith.I was introduced to Diana by Shannon Cochran-Yzquierdo – thank you so much, Shannon!!Diana works in the Intel, Physical, and Personnel Security fields within Deloitte and the Industrial Security Industry.  She’s previously been a certified pharmacy technician and flight attendant.Diana is an active volunteer and event organizer with St. Baldrick’s Foundation, raising money for childhood cancer research, and also served as a childhood cancer foundation board member and model.In our conversation today, Diana shares pieces of her story around multiple major losses early in life.  She also shares how she got involved in supporting the fight against childhood cancer when her cousin was diagnosed with brain cancer at a young age.  Diana will be shaving her head again this year to promote awareness of this important cause.Diana, thank you.  Your stories, your journey, your passion… are inspiring.  Your faith and optimism make the world a better and brighter place.  I’m so grateful to know you.You can find links below to Diana’s fundraising page and a YouTube video about St. Baldricks Foundation and their work. Diana's Fundraising page: https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/1131606/2024Learn about St Baldricks: https://youtu.be/yGOqEJ75xzQ?si=IOmlCF6mwfnliwJVMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Neta Ein-Gil Glassberg.Neta is a certified leadership coach and leverages her background as an experienced business development manager to help leaders and teams foster creative thinking, develop interpersonal communication strategies, and embrace diverse perspectives.Neta was born in Thailand to an Israeli diplomat.  She’s lived in Singapore, the Philippines, Peru, and now, the US.  As a third-culture kid, she learned to adapt to diverse environments, develop sharp empathy and communication skills, and holds a broad perspective on navigating different cultures while maintaining authenticity.I was fortunate to meet Neta through the Georgetown Leadership Coaching mentorship program.  It’s been engaging, inspiring, and thought-provoking to get to know Neta and learn pieces of her story.Neta, thank you so much for this conversation.  Thank you for sharing your stories, your reflections, and your wisdom.  You bring so much creativity and fun to the world.  The ripples you are creating are going far and wide to touch so many lives!You’ll find links below if you would like to connect with Neta or learn more about her work.Insight Coaching LLC.  -  https://insightscoaching.co/    LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/neta-ein-gil-glassbergMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Alorah Bliese.I met Alorah through Shannon Cochran-Yzquierdo, a well-known guest on the podcast, and I’m so grateful for the connection! Thank you, Shannon!Alorah is a queer, neurodivergent scientist.   They work as an interdisciplinary researcher, specializing in molecular marine biology. As a bisexual+ and non-binary person that is cisgender and heterosexual passing, they have experienced harmful stereotypes and erasure in their personal and professional life. In our conversation today, Alorah shares pieces of their story in hopes to shine light on the experience of invisibility within the queer community and raise awareness about people that exist on spectrums rather than binaries. She is currently the co-lead of the San Diego PRIDE employee resource group within her company, working to provide resources, education, and community to queer employees and allies, and is an advocate for DEI in and out of work.Alorah, thank you so much for sharing these elements of your story and journey.  Thank you for your compassion and wisdom in caring for yourself and others.  And thank you for your willingness to jump into conversation and storytelling.  I know your story will touch many lives and help others know they are not alone.There are links to resources in the show notes.  Let’s work together to make our world a safer, more inclusive, and less difficult place.  Resources:Human Rights Campaign: https://www.hrc.org/American Institute of Bisexuality: https://bi.org/enOut and Equal: https://outandequal.org/BEST PRACTICES FOR NON-BINARY INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACEAbout that B: Bi+ Inclusion at Work Make Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Andrea Barton.Andrea is the author of The Godfather of Dance, A Jade Riley Mystery. The second book in the series will be out in late 2024.I met Andrea through Nicole Webb who has been on my podcast and am so grateful for the connection!An electrical engineer turned career consultant, Andrea spent 12 years enjoying the exhilaration and dislocation of life as an expat spouse. With her husband and two sons, she lived in Nigeria, USA and Qatar before repatriating to Australia, where she commutes between Melbourne and Mansfield. Along the way, she developed a passion for ballroom and Latin dance, helped to build a school, got bogged in both the Doha and Australian deserts, and had an accidental hallucinogenic experience in Peru.In our conversation Andreas shares pieces of her own journey of becoming a writer, of digging into storytelling from the angle of a writer, a dancer, an editor.  She shares a great framework towards the end of our conversation which is also part of a blog and if you want to see the visuals, there are links in the show notes.Andrea, thank you for sharing your stories here!  Thank you for your courage, creativity, and humor.  You are inspiring and wise, and our conversation here has made me spend more time writing.  So, thanks for that!To find Andrea’s books, more about her and her work, and the link to the blog and story framework, check out the links below.  Andrea Barton, Author websiteThe Why, How, and What of Storytelling (blog and story framework) Make Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Joan Fletcher.Joan is the founder of Winning Ways and as an executive leadership coach, she’s dedicated more than 30 years of her life to empowering high performing leaders and their teams to achieve remarkable personal and professional outcomes.I met Joan through a kind introduction made by Shannon Cochran-Yzquierdo, who’s been on my podcast several times, sharing her amazing stories.  Thank you for this wonderful connection, Shannon!Joan is the author of The Leadership Evolution, which is based on her decades of work and experiences.  She zeros in on the one thing that can help leaders go from “just okay” to truly effective.In our conversation today, Joan shares this key, self-awareness, and a some reflections to deepen our self-awareness in profound ways.  Joan, thank you so very much for this conversation.  Thank you for sharing these pieces of your story, the wisdom with which you approach your work and life, and thank you for the inspirational questions and reflections… I’m still pondering them and soaking them in.You’ll find links below to learn more about Joan and her work, as well as her book!Joan's WebsiteThe Leadership Evolution book and programsMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Bethany Cerella.Bethany is a stay-at-home mother, Pilates instructor and lifelong learner. Growing up in a Navy family and later a military spouse, Bethany has spent half of her life outside the United States, living in South Korea, Australia, Germany, England and now in Italy. Bethany homeschooled her twins until they were ten, teaching her kids to read and taking them on “travel-school” camping adventures across Europe.Bethany studied studio art at Randolph-Macon Woman's College and New York University. Since then she has studied several wellness modalities, including yoga, energy healing, nutrition and functional anatomy. She is now pursing a doctoral degree in Integrative Health at the American College of Healthcare Sciences and enrolled in Georgetown University’s Health and Wellness coaching program.Bethany is also the spouse of Tony Cerella, who has been a guest on the podcast sharing his journey of retiring from the US Military.  It was through my conversations with Tony that I learned pieces of Bethany’s story and wanted to invite her to come on the podcast.I’m so grateful Bethany said yes, as this conversation is inspiring and reflective and Bethany’s stories are stories of determination, courage, and strength throughout difficult times.Bethany, thank you so very much for sharing these pieces of your journey.  Thank you for your authenticity, vulnerability, and courage.  You are a great storyteller and I can’t wait to see where this next phase of life takes you! Make Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

Today’s conversation is a delight to share with you.It’s a conversation with four of us talking about health, fitness, nutrition, and the challenge of figuring out what makes it all a little less difficult.One of the things that makes this conversation unique is that my friend Hillery Midkiff is hosting and asking the questions.  This entire conversation was originally Hillery’s idea, and she does a great job of leading us.Along with Hillery, Susie Csorsz Brown (who was my guest here on episode 10) and Morgan Loosli, are here.  They are both dear friends who are part of the Foreign Service world.  I met all three of these amazing women while living in Sri Lanka from 2020-2023.We recorded this conversation knowing it would be shared on several different podcast platforms which is another unique and fun aspect to it.  So, if you happen to listen to The Big Purple Blob Podcast, you’ll find it there, as well as the HealthyExpatParent’s Podcast.As you’ll hear, we don’t have all the answers, but we hope that by sharing our own experiments with health/wellness/fitness, you’ll find inspiration and courage to try your own experiments and find a little less difficulty in your journey.Thank you so much to Hillery, Susie, and Morgan!  Being in conversation with you all is energizing and inspiring and fun!!Make Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guests today are Kris Burbank and Dr. Linda Hoopes.Kris and Linda are the authors of the book, Embracing Another Normal: Resilience Stories and Strategies for Raising Children with Disabilities.Kris is a returning guest on my podcast.  You can hear more of her story on episode 39.  She is a Leadership Coach, who among many other things, works with parents of children with disabilities, helping them maneuver the ins and outs of a journey they may not have expected.Linda is an award-winning author and researcher on personal resilience.  Her company is Resilience Alliance and she has created a powerful model called Prosilience (also the title of one of her books), that is about calming yourself, choosing strategies, solving problems, and managing energy.Together, they weave these four pillars of prosilience with the six fundamental challenges of raising children with disabilities into this impactful book.  They share stories of how parents and families have navigated these challenges and provide a framework for connecting successful strategies to the key building blocks of resilience. I’m honored to host this conversation with the two of them here and know you will be touched and inspired in your own journey.Kris and Linda, thank you for spending this time with me.  Thank you for sharing your personal stories, the stories of brave families you’ve worked with, and for sharing the wisdom and insights you’ve developed, gained, and created to make the world a better place.You’ll find links in the show notes to learn more about Kris and Linda, find their book, Embracing Another Normal, as well as links to their websites and other resources. Connect with Kris: https://www.krisburbank.comConnect with Linda: https://resiliencealliance.comLinda's Substack: https://prosilience.substack.com/ Embracing Another Normal: Resilience Stories and Strategies for Raising Children with DisabilitiesMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is David Lapin.David is the founder of Lapin International.  He’s one of the world’s leading thinkers in the fields of leadership and business transformation.I was honored to meet David through Susan Sjolund, a dear friend and colleague who has also been a guest on the podcast (episode 122).  David is a scholar, speaker, columnist, and author of the book Lead by Greatness.   His humanist philosophy of leadership, known as Lead by Greatness, was forged in the turbulent post-Apartheid period in his native South Africa. During this time, in collaboration with Nelson Mandela’s government and an assembly of influential business leaders, David drafted one of the world’s first formal codes of corporate ethics which is still in practice today.Over the past two decades he’s worked in some of the world’s most intricate corporate and cultural contexts, deploying his unique approach to leadership development which has been proven to unlock clarity and provide measurable business results.David’s experience and wisdom is profound.  The conversation we have here has touched me deep in my soul and left me pondering and sharing his insights with almost everyone.  We discuss the distinctions of image versus identity, hardship of the soul which humans are experiences as the external world becomes more comfortable, choosing moments of comfort to be peppered into the discomfort that is part of choosing to pursue growth, and more.David, thank you for your time, your reflections, your depth of wisdom.  Being in conversation with you here left me feeling that I had the great fortune of spending time in the presence of Greatness because you embody the Greatness you are inviting others into.Please find links to David’s website below:  Lapin International WebsiteMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra

My guest today is Kim Brundage.Kim is an award-winning headshot and branding photographer on a mission to deliver a truly transformative experience that assures her clients feel nothing short of beautiful and confident, both on and off camera!I first saw Kim’s work when my friend (and amazing podcast guest) Shannon Cochran-Yzquierdo told me she was getting new headshots taken.  I LOVED the result of Shannon’s session with Kim and proceeded to research Kim and think about connecting with her.Time passed and I didn’t actually get to connect with Kim until a couple months ago when Shannon graciously introduced us and recommended I talk to Kim here on the podcast.  And I’m SO glad she did!In our conversation, Kim shares her own journey of struggling to feel beautiful and confident after being told repeatedly by her parents that she wasn’t.  It wasn’t until her 40’s that Kim began to see her beauty captured in her very own photos (quite by accident!  You’ll love this story.).Kim has changed so many lives through her work and continues to do so through her photography, sharing her story, speaking to audiences about body image, and investing her time in non-profits such as Girls for a Change.Kim, thank you for creating and shining the light on the beauty in each of us.  Your stories, your reflections, and your wisdom are uplifting and inspiring.  I’m so grateful to be connected and can’t wait to get to your studio for a session!You’ll find links below to Kim’s website, LinkedIn profile, and other information.One last side note, Kim mentions a book during our conversation entitled, Come as You Are.  Since having this conversation with Kim, I’ve been reading it and it’s fantastic!  I’ve also included the information in the show notes.  Kim's websiteFind Kim on LinkedInBook: Come as You AreUpcoming Workshop: Body Image and Confidence Workshop; April 27, 2024.  Registration and more information here: https://kimbrundage.com/body-image-confidenceMake Life Less Difficult~ Support:buymeacoffee.com/lisatilstra