The Oxford dictionary describes confidence as the state of feeling certain about the truth of something. 

To quote the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz “If you think you lack courage - well you, my friend, are the victim of disorganized thinking.” 

We all know that being confident gives you an edge in life and there are many articles written on how to “become confident.” with many of the recommendations being the same. Projecting confidence helps us gain credibility. While empowering us to deal with pressure. Which enables us to tackle personal and professional challenges. While courage alone is often an effective life goal - Its also an attractive trait, as confidence helps us put others at ease. Yet none of this is an innate, fixed characteristic, but rather an ability that can be acquired and improved over time through courage, emotional strength, and fortitude. 

So just how DO WE improve our confidence on a daily basis? Today we explore how to develop quiet courage as we embrace the essence of confidence. 

Facing ostracism, and rejection as he struggling with His identity, Lee Hopkins fled his small-town Ohio roots for California, Seeking to find a sense of both understanding and belonging. Lee identifies as a transgender male, which means he was born as a female with female anatomy, but transitioned into a male. His perspectives lend thoughtful insight into how many transgender individuals are facing conditions that might seem more like a cruel social experiment.

During our interview with Lee, we explored how our listeners can gain a deeper understanding of the role social judgment, stigmatization, and comparison can often play in further separating us from a supportive community of friends and loved ones. 

Confidence and Relationship Coach, Dominey Drew shares how we can develop quiet confidence in our own sense of self-security.

Heroes.  

Are they born - or made? They touch our hearts, fill us with admiration, and make us reconsider our world view. As we look at the plethora of superhero movies these days and you can see how much our society values and loves its  heroes.   Just what makes certain people take heroic actions in the face of great danger?   

According to the Heroic Imagination Project (HIP), a non-profit organization that focuses on teaching people to become heroes in their everyday lives, heroism involves a behavior or action on behalf of another person or for a moral cause.  While many of us cower to the challenge of fear, heroes, those in the truest sense - rise to serve others. Beyond our conceptualization of superpowers, exceptional talent and true ability -lies something other. Genuine courage in the compassionate discernment of a loving heart. A love that sacrifices all - so that others may themselves rise again, to see another day.    

We set aside the coming weekend to honor and thank our veterans, let us be mindful that we should do this every day of the year and not just this one. As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words; but to live by them .   In honor of those whose sacrifices have been many, we take this week to pause … and hold reverence.   

To our active duty friends, service people and veterans. To all who served, sacrificed and especially to those who gave their lives — their all.  A most sincere  Thank you from all of us at The Light Inside Community. Because of you we may each enjoy this time to ourselves- a time of reflection and relaxation. May we always hold you in our hearts, and never forget. 

If you joined us last week, you learned how our biases influence so much of our reality. Shaping and moving how we each see things.We also talked a bit about that great classic movie - the Wizard of Oz. 

The Wizard of Oz is a fantastic movie that tells an allegorical story with many different layers and symbolism. Whether intentional or not - It was a great reminder that everything I need I already have if I only look within. -To see that light that already shines inside. 

What can we learn fro The Wizard of Oz…. 

Stuff like dream interpretation, the nature of our hidden fears and what constitutes ‘rational reality’. We hold the power to create the life we desire; while taking time to truly look within and reconnect with who we are and our heart’s desire -Embrace change.  

Change and facing our fears can be scary. Just like the witch and tornado that Dorothy faced, we too will face challenges and change. These things are neither good nor bad.  We simply need to see them for what they are —  An opportunity for growth. We revisit our conversation from last week with Michael Hynes to discover… the rest of the story. Michael and I explored additional insights discussing how as a result of our biases; our stories often become myth or fable. 

Guests in order of appearance: 

Michael Hynes

Stories.    

They’re every where. In our childhood and adult books, we read them as fables.   Through advertising, they reinforce our beliefs about products. The news tells us what's happening in the world we inhabit. There are many theories as to why narratives have such power.    

-What makes storytelling so effective for gaining insight and effective learning?    

A story is in many ways believed to establish connections, both between people and ideas.     

Stories convey culture, history, and values. They are felt to unite people. Often helping us see things in a new light. They help us to understand others and ourselves. Storytelling can often be a powerful force for creating a sense of place. This ability to learn from stories is a skill that keeps us focused as curious students throughout life…    

Yet there exists an often overlooked, and sometimes darker side of story - One from which we form our biases and more narrowed judgements. In so doing, they become an altogether different form of reality. This is perhaps nowhere more evident than in our social personas.   

This is the story being examined today, as we explore the role our social personas play on our perceptions of reality. 

Guests in order of appearance: 

Michael Hynes

Dr. Sharon Grossman

Douglas Garland, MD.

 Leigh Hearl had a secret. 

A secret which filled her with guilt and shame… A secret, which nearly killed her. As we’ll soon find out - speaking her truth not only liberated her from this guilt and shame — It saved her life.  You see, Leigh was living with the burden of discovering her husband had been living a hidden double life. 

As she clung to his secret, her husband becoming emotionally abusive.Riddled with the guilt and shame - it devastated Leigh. Leaving her feeling hopeless and immobilized. 

In an effort to numb herself and block her painful suffering - she shut out the world, closing the doors where others might have learned of her story and offered her compassion and loving support.  Society often tells us, learn to bite your tongue - to repress what it is we feel inside. And Sometimes, as we shut out the world - important stories go untold.  

Guests in order of appearance: 

Leigh Hearl

William Allen  

 We lean in today, looking ay what it means to be neurodivergant - and exploring how both as a community and a society - we embrace these beautiful differences in our brains.

  As we develop new paradigms - this task often requires a new language addressing it - this case can certainly be made as we approach the neurodiversity paradigm.  We do this, perhaps, by seeking to understand the entire 'picture' of the neurodiverse experience - of what, where, when, how, why, and who....Then we can see where society needs to fill the gaps.  

The way we see things in life is often filtered by both the scope of our vision and the lens of our past experiences. Often turning into polarizing and hurtful biases.Under-appreciating the value of these differences often making it difficult for those who experience neurodiverisity to feel seen, heard, and accepted.    

Guests in order of appearance:  

Liz Weissman-Young  

Shane Thrapp  

Carla Rodgers-Smith