Have you ever felt yourself changing in order to fit in? This week on Embracing Intensity, I talk about experiences of past guests and myself of being social chameleons and examine when it becomes a problem and when it can be a positive thing.
In this episode:
Resources:
Do you suffer from ADHD and feel that it holds you back from reaching your full potential? Today we have Clinton Fetters on the show and he, as a husband and father, really understands how hard it is to feel that everyone else wants you to be linear, in a zig-zag world. Clinton would really love to live in a world where adults with ADHD can come out from the shadows and share their greatness with everyone around them. Listen in today to find out what he has to share.
Clinton works in a lumberyard by day, as a supervisor. He also aims to help adults with ADHD reach their potential through his personal brand, Distractonaut. In his free time, you will find him watching horror movies with his wife, playing board games with his daughter, or over-analyzing something in the corner! Recently, Clinton threw caution to the wind and began challenging himself daily, by creating talking videos on Instagram. Listen in to find out more.
More in this episode:
Links:
Aurora's website: Embracing Intensity
Clinton's website: www.distractonaut.com
Resources:
Book mentioned on the show: The One Thing by Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan
This week on Embracing Intensity, I head to the SENG (Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted) conference in San Diego! I also discuss what's coming up in the next couple of months.
In this episode, I share:
Do you have a message to share with the world? Rukshana was once unable to share her message, but she now not only sharing her message but is paving the way for others to do so, as well. Rukshana shares what it is like to be a former refugee and immigrant from Mozambique. Tune in to this week’s episode to hear Rukshana’s story.
Rukshana is CEO of her women’s coaching business where she is able to help women overcome their rough pasts and create their desired, beautiful lives through nature retreats and various online coaching programs and communities. This week’s Embracing Intensity show is one you will not want to miss!
More in this episode:
Links:
The Miracle Morning, by Hal Elrod, was a helpful book for Rukshana.
Rukshana’s Facebook Page
A Women’s Lifestyle Community, Rukshana’s group on Facebook
Rukshana’s Website
Instagram Page
Twitter Page
Do you have so many things you want to do that you don't know how to decide what to focus on? You are definitely not alone! This has been a theme this week for me both in coaching and my League of Excitable Women Facebook Group. This week, I touch on the three main things I consider when I decide what to focus on and share a few resources I've created in the past.
In this episode:
Resources:
First solo episode On Paralyzing Abundance
Are you reclaiming your life now that your babies have grown into young children? Nisha is doing that, and so she's intensely passionate about finding herself in everything that she does these days! She's also passionate about her children, her family and their religion and she really like to be sure that whatever that she does feeds her because her youngest child is four now, and so Nisha is re-possessing herself and getting back into being human! Listen in to find out more!
Nisha is a member of the Karuk Tribe, from California. She helps her husband run his tattoo shop, she's busy building a business with her sister and her husband and she takes care of her live-in grandmother too. Additionally, she manages her children, who all model, and she's one of the dance-leaders for their tribal ceremony in northern California. Listen in today to find out what Nisha has to share!
More in this episode:
Links:
Nisha's husband's tattoo website: Tattoo 34 P.D.X
Or find Nisha at BaDundle
Have you ever had to switch gears to keep doing what you love? This week, I share my plans for the next year and moving forward.
In this episode:
Resources:
Do you know kids living on the fringes? Kids living on the fringes are the passion of today’s guest, Heather Boorman. Heather is a writer, public speaker, podcaster and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Heather is the founding member and therapist at Boorman Counseling, LLC in Western Wisconsin. Additionally, Heather serves on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Association for the Gifted and Talented. Heather will be speaking with Aurora at the San Diego Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) Conference in July.
Heather is the co-host of the Fringy Bit Podcast and has a book, The Gifted Needs Workbook, coming out August 1. I hope to have some copies available for pre-release at the SENG Conference. Heather is a homeschool mom to three fringy kids which further fuels her advocacy for kids living on the fringes.
More in this episode:
• Being real is freeing!
• Chances are that you contributed to the giftedness of your children.
• Claim your own giftedness.
• Until we can model our giftedness, misperceptions by others will continue to exist.
• Confidence comes from really knowing yourself; faults and positive traits.
• Intensity for adults may mean going “full in”.
• Gifted children may process themselves inwardly.
• Internal intensity may make deep connections with others difficult.
• Children need the security to be/express themselves.
• Culture may inhibit one’s ability to express himself.
• Mindfulness helps me have peace and calm.
• Introverts need personal time to be able to focus on themselves.
• The Fringy Bit Podcast helps you to you understand your own/ kids’ fire.
• Everyone struggles with doubts and fears.
Resources:
How to donate to help keep the podcast going via Patreon:
The Fringy Bit Episode with Aurora
Wherever You Go, There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Living With Intensity, by Susan Daniels and Michael M. Piechowski
Self Reg, by Dr. Stuart Shanker
Connect with Heather:
Do you often find yourself questioning your own gifts? This week on Embracing Intensity, I talk about how many of the most gifted are often the ones most full of doubts.
In this episode:
Resources:
Do you worry that if you say what you really think, you wouldn't be being nice? This week on Embracing Intensity, I talk about why instead of worrying about being nice, what we should really focus on is being kind.
In this episode, I talk about:
Resources:
To support you in your journey of self-exploration, I put together this free retreat planner to help you create your own self-guided retreat.
Visit my Embracing Intensity Patreon Page to join in the conversation and receive more tools for self-exploration!
You have a gift that the world needs, and by embracing your intensity, you are on your way to transforming lives. Sometimes, all it takes for us to fully embrace our intensity is simply to act. My guest today took that step both figuratively and literally.
I am so excited to bring today’s guest, Shannon Milliman, to your ears. Shannon has fully embraced the power of her intensity, and she is on a mission to inspire through her larger-than-life personality and the power of theater. Shannon’s one-woman show, “Not So Supernova,” is on its way to Portland, and Shannon knows that this bit of theater is more than just a creative project. Shannon’s show is the full expression of her own intensity, faith, and memories, and it is designed to inspire the audience to act on their dreams.
In today’s episode, Shannon and I will discuss why helping passionate people is such a worthy cause. Shannon believe that we find our purpose when we embrace our gifts, and she is modeling that through her show. This opens us up to discuss how theatre showcases diverse perspectives while also bringing people together. Shannon has found that being both a practicing Mormon and an intense individual is a powerful combination, and she wants to open up her life to the rest of the world.
I am so glad I took the time to get to know someone new. Shannon is teaching me to say “Yes!” to the improvisation that life brings. What is your gift you are bringing to the world? How can you say “Yes!” today?
More in this episode:
Shannon Recommends
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Resources:
Do you ever go to great lengths to avoid discomfort? On this week's episode of Embracing Intensity, Aurora talks about why in order to heal, both personally and as a world, we need to learn to sit with discomfort.
In this episode, Aurora shares:
Resources:
As a part of getting out of our comfort zones, I have been putting together tools for self-exploration on my Patreon page, and put together this free retreat planner to help you create your own self-exploration retreat.
You can own your gifts and use them in a positive way to change the world. The best way to start is to be inspired, and that is why Jaya Rose is here today. I really appreciate Jaya’s energy and online presence. She is very clearly Gifted and Intense, and her recent rebranding to focus on multi-passionate entrepreneurs is a great example of someone who has fully embraced her talents.
Jaya and I had the chance to sit down and share so many great nuggets about owning your intensity and sharing it with the world. It is clear that when you hold back your gifts, you are not just doing yourself a disservice but everyone else who might benefit from it as well. Jaya is shaping the world by offering up her services to anyone who identifies as multipassionate. Jaya is a transformational speaker and business coach with a heart of service. She is on a mission to help creative entrepreneurs identify what they only can offer the world and how they can get that message to as many people as possible.
My hope is that Jaya inspires you to keep pursuing your passion! When you do, you might just change the world.
More in this episode:
Jaya Recommends
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Resources:
Do you like to start fires, but not really to tend them? A lot of gifted and creative people enjoy the spark of starting new things, but not so much maintaining them. How do you keep the fire burning without burning out?
In this episode:
Links:
What does it mean to be mindful in the modern era? Mindfulness is a tool that many Intense Women use to harness their inner fire, and my guest Danielle Savory is no exception. Danielle is a local Portland friend who I’ve been running into for years. The more I followed her work, the more I knew I had to have her on the show. Danielle epitomizes what it means to be Gifted and to embrace multiple potentials. I cannot wait for you to hear all about the work she is doing to bring mindfulness into a modern context.
Danielle is a Master Certified Life Coach who helps busy women reduce stress in their lives. Her approach to “Modern Mindfulness” cleverly blends both a skeptic’s healthy analysis with a spiritual acceptance of the unknown. She is bringing ancient wisdom to the masses that is also backed by neuroscience. The results speak for themselves: women who work with Danielle experience so much personal growth! Today, Danielle is going to tell us how her mindfulness practice has been an essential part of how she harnesses her inner fire. She will remind us to accept all parts of ourselves, even the “bad” ones! Danielle’s intense feelings are a gateway to her true self, and I am so thankful she is here to share that message with you today!
More in this episode:
Danielle Recommends
Self Compassion by Kristin Neff
Women’s Anatomy by Sherri Winston
Resources:
Instagram @DSavory_ModernMindfulness
Free Retreat Planne
Are you fully immersed in the moment or do you let thoughts of what you SHOULD be doing get in your head when you should be enjoying yourself? Contaminated time is when different parts of your life bleed in to each other so you can't focus your energy on what you are doing in the moment.
In this episode:
In this episode:
No one shares your unique history, lineage, and experience, so it makes sense that no one experiences intensity in quite the same way as you do! Nevertheless, we all have common ground on which we stand: we all hurt, we all experience prejudice, we all want to be known. Words have a powerful way of connecting us together while also celebrating what makes us unique. This is why I am so excited to share an interview with Leesa Renee Hall today. Her palpable energy and compassionate heart are two of the many gifts Leesa brings to the table. Most of all, Leesa celebrates the diverse ways we express and embrace our intensity.
Leesa Renee Hall is a writer, a storyteller, and an ancestry advocate. She is intensely passionate about curious inquiry, especially when we start to take some of societies biggest barriers and turn them into vehicles for self-exploration. Leesa is breaking down cultural and racial barriers by writing beautiful and provocative articles, many of which reflect her own raw thoughts and feelings as a black woman. By harnessing the power of her intensity into words, Leesa encourages us to disrupt the stories we have always told ourselves about diversity and identity. Instead, she wants us to be a little curious to discover our true identity and purpose.
Today, she is going to share some of the formative experiences that shaped Leesa into the writer and advocate she is today. Along the way, Leesa will share incredible wisdom about breaking through our own inner oppression, and how we can find our unique voice. If you are interested in spiritual bypassing, diverse modes of activism, white fragility, and breaking through cultures of silence, Leesa has so much to offer you. Leesa is speaking up about some of the most difficult topics, but she does it in a way that invites discourse, rather than shutting down differing perspectives. We need more Leesas in the world, and that is why I feel lucky to have her on the show today!
More in this episode:
Leesa Recommends
Dr. Robin DiAngelo teaching white fragility (a term she's coined)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The White Fragility Script (5 Part Act)
http://www.leesareneehall.com/
The Sovereignty of Quiet: Beyond Resistance in Black Culture by Kevin Quashie (he explores quiet as a form of intensity)
https://www.goodreads.com/book
The Art of Gentle Protest by Sarah Corbett (TEDTalk)
https://www.ted.com/talks/sara
The Power of a Positive No by William Ury
https://www.goodreads.com/book
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend
https://www.goodreads.com/book
The Becky Code: How to Deal White Woman Violence While Amplifying Your Joy by Catrice M. Jackson
http://www.thebeckycode.com
Antagonists, Advocates & Allies: The Wake Up Call Guide for White Women Who Want to Become Allies With Black Women by Catrice M. Jackson
White Spaces, Missing Faces: Why Women of Color Don't Trust White Women by Catrice M. Jackson
http://www.shetalkswetalk.com/
11 Lessons I Learned Writing Half a Million Words Over 365 Consecutive Days
http://www.leesareneehall.com/
Expressive Writing Prompts to Use to Overcome White Fragility, Spiritual Bypassing, or White Privilege
http://www.leesareneehall.com/
Get new expressive writing prompts to question your internal programming by joining Leesa's exclusive community
http://www.leesareneehall.com/
Resources:
"We are moving out of the time of the guru." This quote from my interview with Alexandra Lewis really resonated and stuck with me. If we are moving away from gurus, what are we moving toward?
In this episode, I discuss:
In this episode:
My Patreon Page:
https://www.patreon.com/embracingintensity
Find Your Superpower Course
http://www.auroraremember.com/find-your-superpower
What is your life’s purpose? It’s certainly a loaded question, but it is precisely the question that opens up so many positive experiences in our lives. I love talking with spiritual leaders and healers who dig beyond "love and light" because they have devoted their lives to understanding life and giving it purpose. Many of them also happen to experience times of feeling like they are “too much,” and my guest today is no exception. I am delighted to introduce you to Angela Rose Fields. Angela is a fellow Portland local, spiritual healer, yoga teacher, coach, and so much more. Her life has been built with experiences that have stretched her to fully embrace her healing gifts, even if that was difficult or not accepted by her community. She dwells in the realms of spirituality and mental health, and she fully believes that those realms overlap and align in beautiful ways we haven’t seen yet.
Angela grew up in a conservative community, but her parents always encouraged her to forge her own path spiritually. Angela jokes that, even though she wanted to find her own unique purpose, she ended up following in her parents’ footsteps as a spiritual guide. From her trip to the Amazon at 16 to meet with local shamans and years traveling the world solo in search of purpose, Angela has accumulated so many life experiences that have only confirmed her desire to guide others to spiritual understanding. Angela is using her fire to teach the sensitive, intense, and empathetic how to find their purpose and harness their gifts for both the light and the dark that they are.
Angela treats life experiences like lessons, and she embraces her gifts with an open heart. She has much to teach us about how to find our place in this world, so let’s dive in together!
More in this episode:
Resources:
Angela Recommends
Patreon.com Search “Embracing Intensity”
Do you spend to much time thinking and not enough time doing? This week, Aurora talks about things that have gotten in the way of taking action and ways she's planning on moving forward.
In this episode, Aurora shares:
How can we use our intensity to give back? Once we have embraced our beautiful and unique intensity as the gift it is, we often find ourselves in a position of wanting to make positive changes in the world. My guest today is no exception. Olivia Baylor is a multi-disciplined therapist and counselor based out of Maryland, and she truly enjoys counseling couples before they get married. Due to her own cross-cultural background, Olivia is drawn to couples that don’t quite “fit the mold.” She discovered right away that she could use her intensity to better serve these couples by creating resources they could actually use!
Olivia’s most recent book is a pre-marital workbook designed for people of diverse backgrounds called Before “I Do”. Whether the couple comes from different ethnic, cultural, or religious backgrounds, or they are an LGBTQ+ or polyamorous couple, Olivia’s workbook will have something for them. The workbook is just a small part of Olivia’s heart to give back to her community. She wants to celebrate the diversity of love and humanity that she sees all around her. The only way to do that is by listening to her clients and creating tools that focus on what they need.
In her personal life, Olivia relies heavily on her community and her family to keep her grounded. She has so many ideas about how to change the world, but she needs to pace herself or otherwise face burnout. Olivia has a lot to teach us today about harnessing our intensity for the good of others, and how counseling and therapy can be a healthy place for nontraditional couples to grow together. We have a lot to learn from Olivia, so let’s get started!
More in this episode:
Resources:
Life Revisions Counseling LLC
410-870-5615
Be on the lookout for Olivia’s Podcast!
Have you ever found yourself confusing drama for passion? As intense people, we can be drawn to the allure of the dramatic. In this week's episode, Aurora shares thoughts sparked by last week's interview with Alexandra Loves exploring relationships that challenge us vs. relationships that diminish us.
In this Episode, Aurora:
Love is the very fabric of the universe, and I get so excited when I see someone using their intensity to spread the love around. My guest this week is Alexandra Loves, and I actually approached a year ago to be on the show. I’m so glad we decided to wait until now, because my connection with Alexandra has grown and bloomed during that time, giving us plenty to talk about! Alexandra is a Love Attraction Coach, Intuitive Spiritual Guide, and Entrepreneur. She is on a mission to catalyze creative power, and use her intuitive spirituality to guide her clients into their best existence. In everything she does, Alexandra is all about harnessing the power of that abundant universal fabric from which everything is made, Love.
Today, Alexandra and I are talking about how intensity can be a force for good, for love, and for large-scale transformation. Because of her international upbringing, Alexandra feels comfortable talking to just about anyone. Added to that, she never felt the need for all the labels and stereotypes in the world today, yet the world seems inclined to want to place them on everyone. Rather than let that be the reason for toning herself down, Alexandra has fully embraced who she is and what she stands for. Now she is using her gifts to help people find love, find meaning, and find who they really are.
Alexandra is teaching us today how to use our intuition. Once we begin listening, nothing can hold us back, and we can only increase our impact on what is going on around us. Alexandra says it best, “We are changing the world right now.”
More in this episode:
Links:
Do you ever get so stuck when something doesn't work how it should that you make even more work than there has to be? This week, Aurora shares an experience that reminded her to stop and pause to examine when it's time to pivot and when it's time to persist.
In this episode, Aurora:
Many Intense women often find that by toning themselves down, they also lose sight of their authentic self. When we are able to tap into our inner being, we open up the powerful tool of intuition, and it will never let us down. Today, I am delighted to bring to you a story of one woman who spent years trying to fit in by tuning her intuitive voice out, but then fully embraced herself to then bring about amazing change. This is the story of Heather Coale Schwarts, a former Psychologist turned healer and spiritual guide. Heather believes that when we tap into our inner power, we can create a life of freedom and passion for ourselves. We simply need to learn to listen to our voice of intuition.
Heather is passionate about bringing about a spiritual awakening because that is exactly what happened to her. Once she learned to express the fullness of her spirit, Heather then turned her focus towards other people. What she found was a depth of connection that rivaled any relationships she had before, and now she can explore all the wonders of this world. Heather is going to share stories of how she first looked to Psychology, rather than her own inner voice for answers. She will share the cultural impacts of being a gay woman, as well as those childhood experiences that first quieted her inner voice. At one point in her life, Heather had cut herself off from her own life force, and she began to disappear.
Not wanting anyone else to fade, Heather is sharing her wisdom and light with you today. She is one fiery woman who embraces passion and encourages intensity. I knew from the early days of this podcast that her story would fit right into our community of intense, passionate guests. It’s time to stop tuning out your own voice, and trust your intuition!
More in this episode:
Resources:
Heather Online