Find Your Voice, Change Your Life

Today, I interview Dr.  Pelè  who grew up during civil wartime in Nigeria. He and his family were refugees, fearing for their safety with every step, never sure of their next meal. In order to comfort her children, his mother would sing and tell stories. Dr. Pelè says this diversion created a change in his mindset as a child. Our youngest childhood years are the most formative, and while childhood trauma often imprints negatively and requires later work to overcome, Dr. Pelè's sweet mother helped him to flip that switch and see past his physical pain to focus on pure happiness. What a miracle! Later in the workforce, Dr. Pelè had a strange experience where someone was surprised at his boldness to speak his mind. His race was mentioned in a negative light, as if it meant he had less of a right to speak than others. He had never questioned his identity or validity before. He  was able to go to school in search of better opportunities. Through his learning journey, he was able to reevaluate his passions and discover what he was truly meant to offer the world. Today, music continues to be a great source of strength and joy for Dr. Pelè-- his way of finding connection, clarity, and happiness. He also works with entrepreneurs, businesses, and coaches to hone their marketing and vision. He has a thriving online community where he's able to connect with people on a global level and help others to share their voices too. __________________ Dr. Pelè is an educator, musician, bestselling author, and the Founder of ClientJam™, a software and community that delivers consistent client acquisition for highly paid experts. Through hands-on mentorship, he helps creative entrepreneurs, coaches, and consultants unleash their hidden powers of mindset and marketing to achieve the business success they seek. Find Dr. Pelè here: pele@drpele.com https://www.drpele.com https://linkedin.com/in/drpele https://www.facebook.com/dr.peleraymond ___________________ I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com. Support the showI’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.

Today, I interview Dr. Denny Coates, who was a very driven child, always striving to be a high achiever and to be the best among his peers. Much later in life he became a compelling speaker, and this was only after he faced a reality that he did not know how to engage his listeners.His years of hard work opened the door to West Point, and he found himself with a prestigious military career, where he excelled as a leader-- and loved it. He loved learning from those around him and being constantly challenged to humbly improve himself. After the conclusion of his time with the military, Denny became passionate about teaching others to become better leaders, as well as the way that children develop into adults who are on a path to success and confidence. He was able to pass on his knowledge in a clear and direct way, but says that when it came to speaking, "it's a whole different challenge." He felt that his message was important, and he didn't have any struggles in delivering his thoughts, but he also felt that he was neither popular nor engaging as a speaker. He wanted to be more likable and moving. He understood the importance of learning how people actually learn. Knowing this would help his listeners to grasp the concepts and be able to actually form new habits and change their behavior. His excitement grew when he figured out the way the brain connects to the body, with neurotransmitters remembering our movements the more we practice them, allowing us to perform in a more rhythmic, natural way. His passion for this-- and practicing it himself-- gave him the confidence and enthusiasm needed to become a compelling, energetic speaker. Today, he shares his heart for development by putting the focus on children. His books and programs help to shape kids into successful individuals who have good habits, special goals, high standards, a strong mindset, and a clear path forward. __________________ Dr. Coates is the author of several books for parents, including How Your Teen Can Grow a Smarter Brain, and Connect with Your Kid. His passion is helping parents guide their children to become happy, successful, independent adults. Ebook: Listening to Understand, https://drdennycoates.com/free/ .Find Denny here: drdennycoates@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdennycoates/ https://www.drdennycoates.com/ https://www.strongforparenting.com/ (online parent coaching system) https://www.prostarcoach.com/ (more online coaching systems) https://twitter.com/DrDennyCoates__________________I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com.    Support the showI’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.

Today, I interview Lori Saitz, who says she was a timid child in public situations, hesitant to speak up in school. On the other hand, when she was at home, she was bold and outspoken. In class, she didn't have the courage to speak up or volunteer for fear of making a mistake. The expectations and competition in this setting were different from the comforts of home, where she was the firstborn and received lots of positive encouragement. While she didn't naturally have a competitive side, she was hard on herself and began to strive for perfection. She eventually let go of her perfectionism when it became such an impossible feat, not wanting to exhaust herself. She focused on quality of life, still doing a great job in school and also having a small group of close friends-- which she maintains to this day. She came into her own when she learned about the community broadcast station for her high school, and she decided to become a broadcast major in college, working in her campus radio station. She discovered the excitement of speaking for herself, and she was hooked by this fresh new experience. She ended up changing her major to copywriting, loving the idea of expressing herself and having true connection with people. She discovered the power of people helping each other and pushing each other forward by solving problems together. Today, Lori loves to connect with people, showing individuals and businesses how to be still, get connected with themselves, and be intentional about gratitude. Helping people to be grounded, focused, and honest with themselves is her method of helping burnt-out, discouraged, depressed people find renewed purpose and make confident decisions about their lives.__________________ Lori Saitz is the CEO of Zen Rabbit and host of the podcast “FINE is a 4-Letter Word.” She’s an award-winning writer, speaker, and broadcaster, and a nationally recognized expert in using gratitude and meditation as shortcuts to success. The most difficult thing she’s ever done is leave a 22-year marriage. That experience inspired her transformational F*ck Being Fine program. Through it, she guides corporate teams and private clients who are finished living in a "dumpster fire" to a place of unprecedented clarity, peace, and productivity. When she's not working, you can find Lori in her sanctuary, aka the weight room at the gym. She also loves cupcakes, Thai food, and classic rock music. Find Lori here: lori@zenrabbit.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zen_rabbit/ Facebook business: https://www.facebook.com/ZenRabbit Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fineisa4letterword Twitter: https://twitter.com/zenrabbit __________________I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com.    Support the showI’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.

Today, I interview Chris Weals who grew up with two older brothers who did very well academically. Chris, however, wasn't as interested in studying; instead, he excelled at making friends and even took on a sort of leadership role in some groups. Things began to catch up to him when he felt left out and pressured because he didn't show as much drive for academia as other people. He slowly began to distance himself from sports and team settings, focusing on more individualized interests. It was difficult to fight the habit of comparing himself to his brothers or peers (which so many of us relate to all too well!). With a desire to find himself and figure out his path, he chose to study psychology which really interested him, but after not feeling much support or enthusiasm from anyone for his choice, he switched to accounting because he saw that his brother had found success in that field. 20 Years down the road, Chris had a successful career around numbers and finance, but he realized he didn't fit the same mold as others to whom he had compared himself. He had accomplished a lot but didn't feel fulfilled.  Chris struggled for years with low self-esteem and a lack of purpose.  He wanted to have a stronger sense of his own identity and calling, so it was time to make a change.He left this line of work and began working with a therapist and a life coach, slowly peeling back the layers to find out what was missing, what was damaged, and how to feel fully alive each day. After taking a year off from work to travel around the world, doing a lot of deep diving and growing, Chris decided to create an intentional path forward and started coaching in early 2020. Find Chris here: chrisweals@gmail.com https://www.Linkedin.com/in/chrisweals/ https://www.facebook.com/rebelwithapurpose/ __________________I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com.    Support the showI’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.

Today, I interview Billy Atwell, a friend and colleague for many years.  He has his own podcast, Unshakable Self-Confidence, and during its first season, he interviewed me. Billy is special to me because he's had a front-row seat in seeing me develop past my own fear and into the confidence that I get to share with you today! So now I'm thrilled to swap roles and explore Billy's personal journey. Unfortunately, Billy experienced abuse in his past relationships which really affected the way he thought and the way he saw himself. He didn't like what was happening, but he didn't know how to fix it. But in the heat of the moment, at risk of losing his life, he kicked into gear and fought his way out of the situation and relationship. He no longer had the option to allow fear to control his thoughts and decisions. He began a new journey of healing, rediscovering himself and understanding the thought patterns that had previously shaped his life. Now, he's found comfort and inspiration from exploring his own spirituality, creativity, and deeper connections with others. His own podcast keeps him busy sharing in discussions about these topics, ever-evolving, healing, and developing as he and his guests learn from each other.__________________ Billy Atwell is the Founder and Host of The Unshakable Self-Confidence Podcast. After nearly being strangled to death in 2012 at the end of another abusive relationship, Billy set off on a quest to answer the question, “How did this happen to me again?” After years of studying historical spiritual archives, reading hundreds of classic New Thought books, and interviewing over 400 individuals, he has found the answer: it all comes down to your internal beliefs about yourself. Through his Top 200 Apple ranking podcast, digital monthly magazine, and inspirational YouTube channel, Billy guides people from around the world through the difficult process of personal transformation, so they, too, can live their lives with Unshakable Self-Confidence.Get Billy's FREE digital monthly magazine: www.unshakableselfconfidence.com/magazine Find Billy here: billy@unshakableselfconfidence.com https://unshakableselfconfidence.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/billyjatwell/ ___________________I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com.     Support the showI’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.

Today, I interview E.A. Csolkovits who when he was very young, helped his father with deliveries as a milkman. As they made their rounds, he would observe all different types and classes of people, and he was drawn to those who appeared to be happy and successful, "living the dream".  Even as a very young child, E.A. felt a deep, instinctive pull to figure out how these people lived lives of such happiness and abundance.At 16, he began working as a janitor, cleaning homes. He eventually mustered the courage to ask a very wealthy, famous woman whom he most admired, how she found her way to success and good standing in life. And as it turns out, this woman credited her success with having a mentor in life. E.A. began to understand what mentorship was and coincidentally ended up with a mentor of his own right away. His mentor was able to look at the scope of E.A.'s life objectively, giving him the big picture and offering lots of meaningful guidance and encouragement. He eventually made his way through school and into business, when his business mentor taught him to choose happiness now, not to wait for things to become easy or perfect or less stressful. This led to a complete transformation in his business and financial outlook. E.A. now works through his foundation, The Givers University, to help others find the same level of joy and success in every aspect of their lives. __________________ E.A. Csolkovits is the founder and patriarch of The Givers University. The goal of Givers University is to provide increased happiness, freedom, and greatness through personal, business, social, and family development. Find E.A. here: giversuniversity@gmail.com Join his Enewsletter at : http://www.GIVERSuniversity.com  https://www.linkedin.com/in/giversuniversity https://YouTube.com/GIVERSuniversity https://www.facebook.com/GiversUniversityhttps://twitter.com/GiversU https://www.instagram.com/giversuniversity ___________________I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com.   Support the showI’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.

Today, I interview Susan Birch who grew up in a small village in New Zealand. She was the oldest of four children. The family kept busy and worked hard, and her siblings eventually found their callings and settled into successful career pursuits. Susan, however, felt a bit delayed because she often struggled with language. Finding the right words, conveying the right message, and keeping her mouth and mind at the same pace was difficult. Her pace, in fact, was sometimes rather slow, and people would sometimes be impatient with her or assume she was a lazy person. Quite the contrary! Not having a sense of direction through academics, she found herself lost and going through a rebellious teenage period. She later suffered extreme trauma, which affected her self-esteem and a myriad of other things. After she married, she began to feel safe and comfortable in her own skin. She was able to catch up academically, pursuing various subjects in college. As a parent, Susan looked at her children and began to feel a sense of inner transformation. She wanted them to grow up without shame, the way she had because of her academic struggles and personal trauma. She chose to work through the pain and find a way through it all, making self-care a priority and setting the best possible example for future generations. She now helps others to regain their power and take control of their mental and physical health by helping them to change the way they see themselves and their circumstances.__________________ If you want to lose weight, get healthy, and enjoy your life, then Susan Birch, known as the health detective, is the weight loss coach who can help you. By combining her functional medicine skills with neuro change techniques and tiny habits formation, she can help you remove the blocks that hold you back from losing weight, improving health, and staying that way. Find Susan here: susanbirchconsultancy@gmail.com https://www.susanbirch.co.nz/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-birch-the-health-detective-18241b115/ https://www.facebook.com/thehealthdetectivenz ____________________I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com.   Support the showI’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.

Today, I interview Peter George who as a young child had a speech impediment. Because of this, he learned to stay quiet and kept his circle fairly small. He was shy and rarely spoke up in class. But he decided he could become very proficient in all kinds of sports, as the athletic kids rarely get picked on. But that was okay with him at the time, because he really enjoyed sports anyway. Then, he was forced to work with a speech pathologist who gave him very vigorous, exhausting conditioning exercises. He hated them, but they did help the speech issues to subside enough to be barely noticeable now. As is true for many people, Peter could talk easily with family and close friends, but was introverted when it came to connecting with new people at first. He was seen as snobbish by some in high school because he was athletic and successful but hardly spoke to anyone. Entering college and the workforce without sports as his shield, he had no choice but to speak in certain situations. When it came to keeping a job he truly valued, he stepped up and spent his work commute educating himself and working to improve his speaking abilities. Of all things that Peter has tried, he says that personal coaching made the biggest difference for him. His biggest takeaway has been learning that the people listening to us aren't thinking the horrible things we think about ourselves. They're just there to listen. If we focus on what we have to offer the listener, our perspective shifts and the fear goes away. Today, Peter works with others to show them how it's all about the audience. __________________ Find Peter here: peter@petergeorgepublicspeaking.com https://petergeorgepublicspeaking.com https://petergeorgepublicspeaking.com/public-speaking-podcast https://linkedin.com/in/petergeorgepublicspeaking https://twitter.com/PeterGeorgeIntl__________________I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com.   Support the showI’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.

Today, I interview Eric Brotman who was very entertaining in childhood. He loved doing standup comedy or singing, always mimicking his favorite stars. He enjoyed putting on a show for his friends and family, goofy and carefree. But he never actually used his own voice or his own style when he did these things. In school, he fit in everywhere and was friends with everyone, now referring to his younger self as "chameleon-esque". Still to this day, he has a tendency-- as many of us do-- to tailor his speaking style to his audience. However, the changes that took place after his parents' divorce led this high schooler to face adulthood much earlier than expected. Eric began working at age 14, made his way through college, and completed some internships that led him toward the finance industry (although his studies were in English and Psychology). In this field and in his work with clients, he realized the vulnerable work he was doing as people shared their fears, the financial mistakes they'd made in the past, and their hopes and dreams for the future. He found his voice through moving forward, trying different things, and being open-minded to opportunities that came his way. He didn't plan to end up working in finance, but he says it's the best outcome he could have ever hoped for, and he loves helping others to open their minds to the possibilities that life has to offer. __________________ Eric D. Brotman, CFP®, is the CEO of BFG Financial Advisors, host of the Don’t Retire… Graduate! podcast, author of the Don’t Retire… Graduate! book, and regular contributor to Forbes.com. He and his team believe that financial literacy is the key to financial freedom, so they provide free and affordable educational resources and accessible financial planning with no asset minimums. Free Resources: Ebook to help you save on taxes can be downloaded at lowtaxbook.com Ebook to help understand the financial planning process can be downloaded at whatisfp.com Complete library of resources, including webinars, podcasts, and articles can be found at brotmanmedia.com Find Eric here: ebrotman@bfgfa.com linkedin.com/company/bfgfa linkedin.com/in/ebrotman facebook.com/BFGFinancialAdvisorsfacebook.com/DontRetireGraduate twitter.com/brotmanplanning__________________I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com. Support the showI’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.

Today, I interview Joe Perrone who remembers growing up in Connecticut and being a secure child. He was in a home-school environment where he had to build his own network of friends. Later, in a public school setting, he was thrust among many other kids his age who had spent their lives learning in a completely different environment. Joe had to learn to fit into this new rhythm. He observed different norms when he entered the workforce as well. The dynamics between family members, friends, and business partners were all very unique. Being unfamiliar with this realm made him hesitant to speak out when he wanted to. Still, business culture and power became great interests for Joe. He chose to stand up against the unfairness that was occurring in his workplace. The thing that gave him boldness in the face of potentially losing his job was his love for his coworkers and doing the right thing by them. Stepping into a leadership role was a roller-coaster ride, but now that Joe has found the right way to use his voice, he uses his passion for business to help others find their own success. __________________ Joe is a strategist who helps business owners reclaim their time freedom. He believes that your business should run itself. It shouldn't run you into the ground. Joe has been helping his clients find full enjoyment in everything that they create, and do it without burning out. An entrepreneur himself, he owns and operates two successful automotive repair shops, and he does it in about six hours a week. His favorite ways to invest his reclaimed time is in building strong relationships with his wife and his two young sons, and also building a business that runs successfully without him and helping other business owners do the same. Find Joe here: joe@joeperrone.biz Facebook Group: TIME FREEDOM WARRIORS facebook.com/groups/138934128239311/?ref=share Instagram: @joeperrone.biz  LinkedIn: https://Linkedin.com/in/joeon34____________________I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com. Support the showI’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.