A special re-airing of an episode from the first season of So Why Not? all about my husband, Julio Soler.  I admire and appreciate so much about him and this episode highlights how when he sets his mind to something, he is so determined to figure it out.  I hope you enjoy getting to know more about him.

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Original episode:  Ep. 9:  So why not... leave everything you know behind? (with Julio Soler)

Do you really love where you live?  Have you lived in the same place all your life or are you more of a nomad? Do you truly have a place to call home?  Or maybe you feel like you don’t quite fit in where you live.  Whether you have lived in the same spot for 30 years or have moved every year for the last decade, there is almost always a way to feel more connection to the place you currently call home.

This episode is inspired by the book “This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live” by Melody Warnick

Other episodes referenced:

Episode 48:  So why not… make friends as an adult? (with Jenna of @myfriendjenna)

Episode 51:  So why not… work for the National Park Service? (with Anna Blalock)

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Have you ever visited a National Park in the United States?  Maybe you’ve been to several.  Or maybe it’s your goal to visit them all. 

In this episode I talked with Anna Blalock who works at a local National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area.  Anna has a fascinating story to tell about how she got her start with the National Park Service—one that I wouldn’t have expected.  And neither did she!  Her love for National Parks is so evident in the role she has taken on and the opportunities she has pursued.  As you listen to this episode, I invite you to consider what might lead you to take on this same type of adventurous spirit, whether pursuing visiting a new National Park or finding beauty all around you.

Special thanks to Mike Theune (Public Affairs Officer) for coordinating this interview for us!

Volunteer opportunities at Lake Mead National Recreation Area

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This week’s episode is an encore of a prior episode that keeps coming to mind.  I’ve had this conversation with a few friends lately.  They have an idea they’ve been thinking about.  But they don’t really know how to get past the planning stages.  Or they’re not sure if it’ll really take off.  This episode is the nudge you need to get your idea out of your head and out into the world. 

Book recommendations:

Big Magic 

What Do You Do With an Idea? 

Miguel and the Grand Harmony 

Episode 8:  So why not… find what works for you? (with Rachel Kiser Smith)

Creative Mentorship with Miranda Anderson 

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Are you the kind of person that gets so into reading a book that you can’t put it down?  Or someone that becomes so hooked on a page-turner that hours go by in a flash?  This chat with Lauren of @laurensturningpages is a special treat for all of my fellow bibliophiles.

In this episode of So Why Not?, Lauren shares her story of the value that books have brought to her life in countless ways.  Lauren has so many fantastic ideas for incorporating reading into day to day life with numerous examples of how to make it happen.  Whether you are aiming to read 100 books or to finish one book this year, there is something for everyone in this conversation.  

As you listen to this episode, I invite you to consider the impact that reading and literacy have made on your life.

Follow Lauren on socials!
@laurensturningpages on Instagram
@laurensturningpages on TikTok

See what I'm reading on Goodreads

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If you’re like a majority of American adults today, you may feel like it’s difficult to make friends.  We all have competing priorities and often it seems that friendship takes a back seat to other interests.  From a detailed survey on friendships from the Survey Center on American Life in 2021, compared to results 30+ years ago in 1990, “Americans report having fewer close friendships than they once did, talking to their friends less often, and relying less on their friends for personal support.”

In my conversation with Jenna, we take a big picture look at what it looks like to cultivate friendships as an adult.  We talk about answers to all of the big questions:    the who, what, when, where, why, and how.  As you listen to this episode, I invite you to consider what the state of friendships are in your life.  Why are they important to you?  Is there anything different that you want to happen with your friendships?  And what is keeping you from getting there?

Follow Jenna on socials!
@myfriendjenna on Instagram
@myfriendjenna on TikTok

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References:

NYT:  How to make, and keep, friends as an adult
The State of American Friendship:  Change, Challenges, and Loss.  Findings from the May 2021 American Perspectives Survey
Friendships:  Enrich your life and improve your health (Mayo Clinic)

My friend Emily is the mother of Kaleb, who is 7 years old as of this episode’s air date.  Kaleb has autism and Emily has so graciously offered to discuss her experience as a mother and caregiver of a child with autism.  I admire so much about Emily and am in awe of how fiercely she advocates for her son.  I appreciate the patience she elicits in describing the journey that she and her family have been on.  As of this year in 2023, it is estimated that 1 in 36 children in the United States is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.  It is very likely that you may know someone who has autism or their loved one.  As you listen to this discussion, I invite you to consider what it really looks like to cultivate inclusion in your life and to realize that our differences, like neurodivergency, are just that:  different; a neutral fact that makes us all unique.

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How much have you heard about the enneagram?  Do you know what the numbers mean?  Do you know your type?  In this episode, I chatted with Melissa Englebright, a certified enneagram coach, about her journey with the enneagram, from frustration to now helping others benefit from it as well.  

Follow @melissaenglebright on Instagram
Listen to 9 Paths to Zion

Book recommendations:
The Road Back to You
The Wisdom of the Enneagram
The Enneagram: 9 Gateways to Presence (audiobook)

Podcasts:
The Enneagram Journey
Enneagram 2.0

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