Houston Kraft is a speaker, author, and kindness advocate who has spoken at over 600 schools or events internationally. In 2016, he co-founded CharacterStrong to help schools more effectively teach empathy, connection, and kindness. To date, they have worked with over 2500 schools globally serving over 1 million students.
His new book, DEEP KINDNESS, is a call to action, moving us past the surface level ‘confetti kindness’ marked by cutesy phrases and empty gestures. Featuring a 30-act starter plan, journal prompts, and practical exercises, DEEP KINDNESS dives into the types of kindness the world needs most today, taking an honest look at the gap between our belief in kindness and our ability to practice it well.
In this episode we talk about the difference between kindness and niceness, the dangerous mindset we have around kindness and how to change it, social and emotional learning (it's not just for kids!), figuring out what your markers of success are, and SO much more.
SHOW NOTES:
Buy DEEP KINDNESS here!
Houston Kraft - website
Instagram
Facebook
CharacterStrong - website
Instagram
Facebook
WANT website
Katie’s Instagram
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This episode is in support of Sisters Network, Inc. Sisters Network is the largest Black breast cancer survivor-run organization in the United States. In 1994, Karen Eubanks Jackson founded Sisters Network Inc., during her personal fight to survive breast cancer Jackson recognized a lack of “sisterhood” in traditional organizations, a staggering breast cancer mortality rate for African American women and limited culturally sensitive material. Sisters Network Inc. is committed to increasing local and national attention to the devastating impact that breast cancer has in the African American community, as well as giving assistance to those undergoing treatment, and educating/empowering others with information on the importance of early detection. Their Breast Cancer Assistance Program (BCAP) provides services to women facing financial challenges. As a Survivor, this program provides financial assistance for but not limited to: medical related lodging, co-pay, office visits and prosthesis. This program also provides free mammograms for women. To learn more + donate, click here.
Over the last 5 years I've had coffee dates and phone calls and quick-question-for-yous with SO many people who ask me about how to start a podcast.
The logistics of podcasting are Google-able and straightforward (I use an Audio-Technica mic, host on Libsyn, and record with either SquadCast.fm or Zencastr).
The stuff that I *really* try to share with people, beyond that, are the things that will make their podcast MAINTAINABLE and JOYFUL instead of an overwhelming time/energy suck.
After a half-decade, I've FINALLY put my biggest self-made rules in one place.
While I don’t do things by the book, I attribute the WANTcast’s longevity to sticking to a few specific self-made rules. Here are my top podcasting tips for anyone who wants to start a pod from the heart.
SHOW NOTES:
WANT website
Katie’s Instagram
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
GET MONEY GET PAID conference - click this link for 50% off your ticket
This episode is in support of Ladies Get Paid, a platform that provides the tools, resources, and community to help women negotiate for equal pay, and power in the workplace. Their Get Money Get Paid 1-day Virtual Conference is coming up on October 1st - with 4 workshop tracks (Work, Money, Business, and Wellness) plus the main stage, they’re bringing attendees everything they need to grow their career and bank account. It’s a day not to be missed (I'll be there!) - use this link to get 50% off your ticket!
Ever felt like you want to start something, do something, be something...but "what's the point?" Or maybe you've "already tried"? Or it just seems too daunting, too trivial, too...fill in the blank? Have you ever asked yourself, rhetorically, some version of the question: Why bother??
Jennifer Louden thinks you should ask that question more - but for real. Jen is a personal growth pioneer who helped launch the concept of self-care with her first bestseller, The Woman’s Comfort Book. Since then, she’s written six additional books on well-being and whole living, including The Woman’s Retreat Book and The Life Organizer, with close to a million copies of her books in print in nine languages. Her newest book, Why Bother? Discover the Desire for What’s Next, challenges us to open our minds, our hearts, and our lives by following where that question leads.
In this episode we talk about why (and how) to bother, prioritization, making a difference/impact, reframing success, tapping into what your desires actually are...oh, and her rendezvous with Oprah. This episode is a MUST LISTEN for any age, life stage, or mindset.
Show Notes:
Why Bother? book
Instagram
Facebook
Jen's site
Navigating Your Self-Talk During The For-Now Normal event on 9/19
WANT website
Katie’s Instagram
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
This episode is in support of NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association). NEDA supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care. To get involved, learn more, or donate, visit nationaleatingdisorders.org
This episode is for anyone and everyone who wants to rework their relationship with their body - maybe after years' worth of body-shaming the skin you're in.
Helen Phelan is a Health At Every Size aligned pilates instructor, intuitive eating coach, and Reiki practitioner, who works with women to heal their body image and find joy in movement and food. Her approach is creative, anti diet-culture, and designed to enhance your intuition to feel better on and off the mat. Helen is dedicated to improving the collective body image and diet culture issues within the wellness industry by proving that fitness can be good for both the body and soul. Her method is designed to elicit STRONG sensation to encourage improved body awareness and mindfulness while strengthening and mobilizing the body to unstick any energy we don’t need, and make room for feeling good.
In this episode we talk about HAES principles, the business of digital fitness, how to find a trainer/coach (and red flags to look for), body neutrality vs body positivity, thin privilege, how to cultivate body awareness, and more.
Most podcasts are just interviews OR solo episodes...cue that song from Sweet Charity: there's gotta be something OTHER than this! Don't get me wrong, we LOVE interviews and solo episodes and they'll continue to remain the bulk of our podcast episodes....but shifting your self-talk also requires activating your creative brain and getting inspired in unexpected ways.
For the first time on the WANTcast, we're interviewing a spoken word artist...and then she is PERFORMING her piece here on the show. We were so moved, and know you will be too.
Daigi-Ann Thompson is an actress, dancer, spoken word poet and fitness instructor from The Bronx, New York by way of Jamaica. She grew up an athlete, running track and playing basketball up until college where she made the pivot and studied Theater and dance at Buffalo State College. Writing poetry since she was 12 years old and performing spoken word since 2012, she performs under the stage moniker, The Perfect Dai. She has performed and won an open mic slam at the world renowned Nuyorican (noo-your-ee-can) Poet's Cafe, performed on the No Boys Allowed Tour, a college performance tour for female emcees, poets and singers. She was also an original member of the NYC artist collective "Good Vibes Creative Minds," a community of artists dedicated to curating experiences and events for POC creatives. She is also a part of the intergenerational new media collective Eres.you, a platform dedicated to empowering and uplifting folx of color. In addition to a commitment to movement and wellness, Daigi is also committed to a lifetime of inspiring action and progressive thought through creativity and will continue to share her gifts and voice with the world.
SHOW NOTES:
Daigi on Instagram
Stars In The House
Eres.you
Variis
Angela Scarfia (Daigi's fruitfluencer friend)
Lindsay B. Davis (LBD Workout)
Daigi's spoken word piece on Stars In The House/Plays In The House on 6/17
WANT website
Katie’s Instagram
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
This episode is in support of Small Projects Istanbul. Small Projects Istanbul is dedicated to helping those displaced by the conflict in the Middle East and North Africa, or the M.E.N.A. region, rebuild their lives. They do this through supporting community development, education and empowerment. Their Community Centre is designed to be a place of safety and belonging; and within this space they are committed to working with the community to ensure the best opportunities for families, students and individuals to reach their full potential in Istanbul and beyond. Within the Community Center, SPI strives to provide livelihood support opportunities through the establishment of a Women’s Social Enterprise, enabling skills development, income generation and economic integration. To get involved or to donate, visit smallprojectsistanbul.org
A negative self-talk loop is when the demeaning and degrading story we tell ourselves about ourselves or our life not only plays on repeat in our brain, but leads to even more demeaning and degrading thoughts. And since negative self-talk thrives off of uncertainty, it makes complete sense that it’s been having a field day for so many of us in so many ways throughout 2020 in particular.
If the self-talk coming up for you right now is along the lines of: "I’m exhausted. I’m doing everything I can and it’s just not cutting it. I'm so behind. I can't believe I’m still HERE. If I only had ______, this wouldn’t be so hard."...then this episode is for you.
SHOW NOTES:
Episode 71 with Christen Brandt
WANT website
Katie’s Instagram
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
This episode is in support of Small Projects Istanbul. Small Projects Istanbul is dedicated to helping those displaced by the conflict in the Middle East and North Africa, or the M.E.N.A. region, rebuild their lives. They do this through supporting community development, education and empowerment. Their Community Centre is designed to be a place of safety and belonging; and within this space they are committed to working with the community to ensure the best opportunities for families, students and individuals to reach their full potential in Istanbul and beyond. Within the Community Center, SPI strives to provide livelihood support opportunities through the establishment of a Women’s Social Enterprise, enabling skills development, income generation and economic integration. To get involved or to donate, visit smallprojectsistanbul.org
Take a cue from Queen Bey and Nicki - this episode of the WANTcast is all about the power of touch and how it affects your body image. If you're feeling at odds with your bod right now, this small but impactful exercise can help you trust and appreciate the skin you're in.
SHOW NOTES:
On Hang-Ups, Trauma, + Screwing The Shame w/ Sex Educator Anne Hodder
On Body Memories, Gut Feelings, and The Taboo Therapy You’re Not Supposed To Talk About w/ Somatic Healer Pamela Samuelson
Feelin' Myself
Hands On Research: The Science of Touch
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
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This episode is in support of Reclamation Ventures, a family of brands reclaiming our right to be well. They create conversations, invest in the best talent, and support innovative programs to transform wellness – for all of us. They believe “that when we elevate the capacity of diverse wellness leaders to thrive, we can start to close the wellness gap and increase health equities in communities that need it most.” To get involved, click here.
How does your self-talk hold you back from taking action in your life? How does that affect the world around you? In this episode, we talk about why shifting your self-talk is way more than just about self-help, why it isn’t just about changing your OWN life, and how to get yourself off of the sidelines and 'into the arena.'
SHOW NOTES:
Venn Diagram via @therapyforwomen
Daring Greatly
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
~~~~~~~~~~~
This episode is in support of Reclamation Ventures, a family of brands reclaiming our right to be well. They create conversations, invest in the best talent, and support innovative programs to transform wellness – for all of us. They believe “that when we elevate the capacity of diverse wellness leaders to thrive, we can start to close the wellness gap and increase health equities in communities that need it most.” To get involved, click here.
Dr. Carrie Kholi-Murchison is a critical thinker, writer, entrepreneur, and growth strategist with 10+ years experience defining brands and gathering and growing communities, and is currently Whole30’s Director of People and Culture, leading their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across all Whole30 platforms. She is also the Director of Culture + Content at HOLI. Brands, a think tank enhancing the lives of women, people of color, and LGBTQI communities by catering to five tiers of human need, falling into two categories: deficiency needs and growth needs. Kholi believes that every human being has the right and responsibility to confidently and creatively contribute to an equitable future for all. She expedites these contributions by working to enhance the quality of life for historically marginalized communities. As a Taurus obsessing over wellness and – not just chasing, but – catching up to our dreams, she lives to help people manifest personal and professional shifts, create brave and welcoming space, and build for long-term sustenance.
Find Kholi at http://www.carriekholi.com, and on Instagram at @khoLi.
Show Notes:
Episode with Jessica Murnane on One Part Podcast
WHOLE30 Diversity, Equity + Inclusion
Facebook
HOLI Brands
Khafra Community Cohort
Hella Black Brunch
Everyday Devotion
Elizabeth McGrath
Ologies with Alie Ward about “Matrimoniology”
This episode is in support of Reclamation Ventures, a family of brands reclaiming our right to be well. They create conversations, invest in the best talent, and support innovative programs to transform wellness – for all of us. They believe "that when we elevate the capacity of diverse wellness leaders to thrive, we can start to close the wellness gap and increase health equities in communities that need it most." To get involved, click here.
You know to call someone when you miss them. But what if what you miss isn’t a person that's able to be dialed on the phone - or an event that's about to be rescheduled? What do you do when it's the smaller or less-specific things you miss, like sitting outside with a cup of coffee or going on a vacation (*any* vacation)?
In this episode of the WANTcast, we discuss the concept of what Katie calls experiential longing: the feeling of missing experiences, routines, habits, and situations.
SHOW NOTES:
WANT website
Katie's Instagram
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
Prefer to read? Here's an essay version of this episode
This month is in support of ON BEING HUMAN 2020. The OBH 2020 COVID-19 Food Drive supports families who were hit financially by COVID-19 by offering each household a $100 grocery card. They act as a bridge between folks who are in immediate need of food and folks who are able to give a little to help them. To donate, click here.
Leadership consultant, attorney, speaker, author and photographer Karen Walrond is the kind of person you just want to know. You just want to soak in some of her light and magic, because maybe, JUST MAYBE, you can use it to help make your own. As someone who has worked extensively with Dove Real Beauty and Brene Brown, Karen is in the business of helping you shine your unique light, no matter WHAT the world throws at you or tells you you need to be.
In this episode we talk about grief and the "phases we go through when bad things happen," holding space for each other in a way that feels true, the intersection of JOY and ACTIVISM, how Karen uses her practice of Positive Psychology to cultivate resilience within her clients and her self, and how to gracefully "not know."
SHOW NOTES:
Chookooloonks.com
Karen's Instagram
Disquiet Time
Sign up for Karen's Making Light newsletter
Karen's Facebook
Karen's Twitter
MAKING LIGHT SHOW commencement speech about grief
Episode 059 of the WANTcast with Karen
ONE campaign
Valarie Kaur and her prayer
WANT website
Katie's Instagram
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
This month is in support of ON BEING HUMAN 2020. The OBH 2020 COVID-19 Food Drive supports families who were hit financially by COVID-19 by offering each household a $100 grocery card. They act as a bridge between folks who are in immediate need of food and folks who are able to give a little to help them. To donate, click here.
Making friends as an adult is hard. And keeping those friendships strong when life gets in the way? Even harder.
Life is always going to keep handing you (or your friend) full schedules. Geography and time zones – or sleep schedules – won’t always be on your side. The world will throw you curveballs you NEED to answer to, whether you like it or not. Here’s how to stay connected when life gets in the way...however it is that life gets in the way.
SHOW NOTES:
Aaptiv for 50% off
Free Aaptiv workouts on Apple Podcasts
Small Packages link
Website
Instagram
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
Over the last couple weeks, I’ve been asked many times what I “think of all this,” how people can take care of themselves during the Coronavirus pandemic, and what my general take is on living day-to-day life when it looks and feels anything but normal. Instead of posting a million times to Instagram or spreading my responses out over emails, texts, DMs, and social media updates, I figured it might be useful for you if I recorded this – for the sponges who need help with sponging, for the people who are struggling finding normalcy and motivation at home, and everyone who’s dealing with a little bit of everything.
SHOW NOTES:
Link to written version of this post
Feeding America
List of SXSW 2020 films
Glennon Doyle book list
Aaptiv for 50% off
Free Aaptiv workouts on Apple Podcasts
WANT x Katie Horwitch:
Website
Instagram
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
We’ve all heard the cliché that “you need to love yourself before you can love others.” But that's only half the story.
It's time to reclaim the word “single” and redefining it not as something negative or lacking, but as a state-of-mind you carry with you, whether you’re in a relationship or not.
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SHOW NOTES:
Website
Instagram
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, our monthly email digest filled with tips, tools, motivation, and inspiration to shift your self-talk
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This month is in support of The Loveland Foundation. The Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. Their resources and initiatives are collaborative and they prioritize opportunity, access, validation, and healing. To get involved or donate, visit thelovelandfoundation.org
What does "following your dreams" ACTUALLY look like? In this very special episode of the WANTcast, we celebrate WANT's five year anniversary by diving into the full, unedited story of how it got started...the FIRST time around, in 2007.
We'll dive into how to handle fear, how to communicate a mission responsibly, honoring gut inklings and intuition, how to self-talk yourself into taking the first step, and how your heart never really forgets your dreams...so it's important you dream wisely.
SHOW NOTES:
The Recovery Myth series on WANT
Through Line episode on the WANTcast
Marie Forleo
Brené Brown's Vulnerability TED Talk
Website
Instagram
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Subscribe to The (Good) Word, delivered to your inbox on or around the 1st and 15th of each month
This episode is in support of She Should Run, a nonpartisan nonprofit promoting leadership and encouraging women from all walks of life to run for office. By encouraging more women to run, She Should Run is building a more effective and representative government that can meet the challenges of the 21st century. To get involved or donate, visit sheshouldrun.org by clicking here.
Struggling with self-love and body image? This episode is about how to get clear on how you *actually* feel, so that you can start to build a healthy relationship with the skin you're in.
SHOW NOTES:
Website
Instagram
Leave a review on iTunes!
Subscribe to The (Good) Word, delivered to your inbox on or around the 1st and 15th of each month
This episode is in support of She Should Run, a nonpartisan nonprofit promoting leadership and encouraging women from all walks of life to run for office. By encouraging more women to run, She Should Run is building a more effective and representative government that can meet the challenges of the 21st century. To get involved or donate, visit sheshouldrun.org by clicking here.