The Simple Sophisticate - Intelligent Living Paired with Signature Style
Shannon Ables
The simple sophisticate is someone who prefers quality over quantity, sensible living over mindless consumption, personal style instead of trendy fashions, has an insatiable curiosity for life's endless questions and a desire to live a truly fulfilling life rather than being led around by the nose. Inspired by her lifestyle blog The Simply Luxurious Life, Shannon Ables (the original Simple Sophisticate) shares with listeners tips on how to live a refined life on an everyday income, a life of true contentment. Founded on the principle of the art of living a life of quality over quantity, episodes explore topics ranging from creating an everyday life you love living, strengthening mindfulness practices, preparing seasonally delicious meals, building a capsule wardrobe, traveling the world (Francophiles and Anglophiles tune in as France as well as the Britain are favorite destinations), and living life to the fullest without breaking the bank because living well is really quite simple.
*illustration by artist Sarah Löcker exclusively commissioned for the show
*illustration by artist Sarah Löcker exclusively commissioned for the show
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 23, 2015 • 27min
26: How to Style a Bar Cart
If you enjoy living simply, but also enjoy entertaining from time to time, a bar cart is a wonderful, efficient way to combine style and function without the fuss. In today's episode, specific styling tips are shared on how to style your bar cart for your lifestyle whether it be a morning display full of pastries and tea, an evening of wine or a fully stocked mixed drinks bar, tune in to see why you may just want to add one to your sanctuary.
Feb 16, 2015 • 40min
25: Why Not . . . Become Self-Actualized?
Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of needs are the catalyst for today's episode. Shannon will dive into the definition of Self-Actualization, remind us all that we can indeed achieve it and why we all should make the leap to attain it.
Feb 9, 2015 • 35min
24: 10 Differences Between Women & Girls
Have you ever wondered what is at the foundation of the difference between a woman and a girl? Well, most importantly, it is a choice and something each individual can become once they recognize it all begins with taking responsibility for themselves. The gift of choosing to become a woman is that it empowers each individual to cultivate the life of her dreams and live a life of fulfillment each and everyday.
Feb 2, 2015 • 38min
23: How to Create a Luxurious Everyday Life
Twenty ways inspired by the French to live truly simply luxuriously each and every day.
Jan 26, 2015 • 39min
22: 17 Ways to Become More Charismatic
The good news is anyone can have charisma. It is not something you are born with. Inspired by Olivia Fox Cabane's 2013 book The Charisma Myth, in today's episode, 17 habits are shared with specific examples that will help listeners become charismatic and ultimately help them strengthen relationships and reach greater success in their professional lives as well.
Jan 19, 2015 • 29min
21: The Importance of Selecting the Best Reality
Inspired by Shawn Achor's best-selling book Before Happiness, today's episode focuses on how we can shift the reality in which we see our lives. From setting self-imposed barriers to opening our lives up to more success and happiness, how we see the world and our own lives is a tremendous determinate in our everyday contentment.
Jan 12, 2015 • 32min
20: How to be the Master of Your Mind
One of the most fundamental components to living well is mastering our thoughts on any given day. Regardless of life's events, how we respond will determine the outcome. In today's podcast, Shannon shares 10 tools that if practiced regularly can become habits that will improve the quality of your life.
Jan 5, 2015 • 27min
19: Why Not . . . Be A Romantic?
The part of being a romantic I want to grab onto and dive deeper into is the idea of thinking outside the box, of not being limited by the boundaries that are instituted by society or even by our own experiences. And as such, I want us to gravitate to a higher, more historically accurate definition of the term romantic - the Romantic: "a life philosophy that prizes the rejection of pure rationalism in favor of intuition, imagination, and emotion; the embrace of nonconformity and sincerity; a tendency towards nostalgia; and the celebration of curiosity, spontaneity, and wonder". In today's podcast, I will share 6 realities that will begin to occur in your life as you embrace the idea of becoming a Romantic.
Dec 22, 2014 • 27min
18: 15 Ideas for a Promising 2015
With 2015 quickly approaching, perhaps you are contemplating a few resolutions to pursue. Today, I will share with you 15 (plus one more) ideas of what you might want to pursue in order to improve the overall quality of your life. From challenging yourself, to adding habits that reduce your stress, 2015 will indeed begin auspiciously if we set our minds to make it so.
Dec 15, 2014 • 36min
17: 4 Habits That Cultivate Continual Self-Growth
A full life is a live that is continually changing, offering us opportunities that have never before experienced and becoming all the more enjoyable. However, to ensure that each of our lives is dynamic, we must cultivate regular everyday habits in how we respond to whatever life throws at us. In today's podcast, four habits are shared that will help listeners open their lives in ways they may have never before thought possible.
