October 2, 2025 • 50 mins
Ever feel like you're fighting against a system that wasn't designed for you? You're not alone.
This eye-opening conversation with Dani Williams, founder of Next Generation Wellness, reveals how heart-led leadership is transforming education for neurodivergent individuals. After 13 years of developing innovative programs, Dani shares her philosophy of meeting people exactly where they are, rather than forcing them into standardized boxes.
Drawing from her own journey with ADHD, anxiety, and sensory processing disorder, Dani created what she wished existed during her own challenging school years. Her approach combines movement, social-emotional learning, and tools like human design to help participants understand their unique ways of processing the world. "I want to help others work through these things that I experienced," she explains, "and provide them with tools and resources they can utilize so they can navigate through whatever they're experiencing."
The conversation takes a powerful turn when addressing the conditioning many of us carry: that our work ethic determines our worth. Both Dani and Krystel discuss their struggles with rest, boundaries, and giving themselves permission to have empty space. It's a refreshingly honest dialogue about the challenges of living authentically while leading others.
What makes this episode particularly valuable is the practical wisdom for anyone who feels they don't fit the standard mold. Whether you're a parent of a neurodivergent child, an educator seeking fresh approaches, or someone trying to understand your own unique wiring, Dani's insights offer a roadmap to greater self-acceptance and empowerment.
Listen in to discover how understanding your individual design can transform your relationship with yourself and others. Then connect with Next Generation Wellness at www.nxtgennation.com to learn more about their innovative programs and community-building events.
Thank you for joining me today. Please know that this podcast and the information shared is not to replace or supplement any mental health or personal wellness modalities provided by practitioners. It’s simply me, sharing my personal experiences and I appreciate you respecting and honoring my story and my guests. If something touched your heart please feel free to like, share and subscribe. Have a beautiful day full of gratitude, compassion and unconditional love.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up you guys?
Welcome to this episode ofCrystal Clear.
I have a very special guesttoday Dani Williams.
She is the founder of NextGeneration, just celebrating
their 13th year coming up thisweek yes, and Seed Collective
nonprofit co-founder yes.
But I don't think I'm going todo your introduction any justice
.
I will say she is one of themost heart-led leaders, coaches,
(00:26):
people in this community.
So thank you so much for beinghere and I'm really excited for
you to share all of thedifferent avenues of your life
and passions and projects andall the things.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
You're welcome, thank you, thank you.
Can I ask where do I look?
Do I look at you?
Look at the camera Me?
It's a conversation're welcome,thank you.
Thank you.
Can I ask where do I look?
Do I look at you?
Look at the camera?
Anywhere Me?
It's a conversation between us.
Thank you.
I just needed to like get thatout there rather than like
turning this way or whatever Imean I will look off to the side
sometimes, but when I'm deep inthought I tend to look.
But yes, I am Dani Williams.
(01:01):
Next Generation founded itformerly as Kids in Motion, back
in 2012 with a good friend ofmine, kelly Carwatt, and then we
kind of started to evolve andKelly went her separate way
professionally and then it kindof took on the name Next
Generation Wellness because allof the kids that we started with
started to grow up and theywere no longer children, so
(01:22):
changed the name to match thevibe and so, yeah, nextgen has
brought on many different titlesand different certifications
for me, but at the heart of itall, I'm a special education
teacher with a lot of funspecial interests, to which I
just turned into certificationsand areas of specialization.
(01:44):
So human design, quantum humandesign being one of them,
polyvagal theory I mean you haveyour master special ed,
adaptive training, certificationand yoga and just a bunch of
things that kind of all cometogether with the whole child
and the whole individualapproach in education.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
And I love that you are taking that route, because
that's really what we all need.
Yeah, like it's not a one sizefits all and there's no standard
, like I love, like we've been,I don't know.
I was educated on thisstandardized system and I'm like
what does that even mean?
I know what is that and itdidn't serve me well.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
No, and I don't think it serves many well at all, and
I think that so many of usbecome adults and then you're
just like what the hell was thisLike?
I feel like I spend then 20years trying to unlearn all of
these things that I was taughtin a traditional setting, and
especially, I think, when you'reneurodivergent, you just fit
outside of the box and you'rebeing taught in a way that is
(02:44):
for the norm or for those thatare able to take that
instruction and run with it.
For those that areneurodivergent or aligned with
that particular type of label oridentity, I should say it's
even more challenging and itjust, I think, with my
perspective, I want to be ableto provide children and families
(03:07):
with what I wish I had when Iwas younger and that looks like
a very different, unconventionaleducation system or routine and
I think a lot of what we get toexperience now is there wasn't
a path we get to create it, andthey're creating it alongside of
us because they're my students,and our students and
participants are all theinspiration for where we, where
(03:29):
we've gotten to today.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
So it's very much their thing as much as it is my
thing, and I love that becauseyou're empowering them to to
build their life around theirunique expression, where that
you know.
And another thing that you do,too, is you add a lot of like
kinetic movement.
And so tell us a little bitabout your programs, Like what
(03:51):
what is kind of a typicalprogram entail?
Like how does this kind of tieinto your nonprofit?
And you really serve the fullfamily too, which is really
wonderful because we're gettingthere, you know it's yeah, it's
such a huge support to have thatsupport, to know that someone
hey, I see you, I feel you,You're not alone in this.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yes, that that's a huge part.
So I'll start from thebeginning and kind of take you
through the flow chart of how itkind of all unfolded.
So started with fitness.
I was a special educationteacher.
In my first year I created theschool's first physical
education curriculum.
So from there I was then ableto get my own classroom of
(04:31):
multi-age students, and ahandful of them are still with
us today, which is like soflipping cool.
Me too.
It's so great.
It's like a sister brotherrelationship at this point.
But so fitness was the mainstaple, it was the foundation.
I started working one-on-onewith kids outside of school just
because I observed their grossmotor skills, just being they
(04:53):
were missing out onopportunities because they
weren't confident in themselvesand just basically,
developmentally speaking, whenyou're working within special
populations, they're a bitbehind from standard.
You know how we view as, like asociety, your standards.
They were, they were behind,they were not meeting those
(05:15):
marks.
So being able to workone-on-one, using fitness as the
foundation, while noticing thesocial, emotional component, was
the most important takeaway forme, but also for the child.
So instead of me wanting it forthem, they started to want it
for themselves.
So that's when we started towork in the social emotional
curriculum and starting to bringin a lot of the
self-development work intofitness.
So your mindfulness, the yoga,a lot of the self-affirming,
(05:40):
particular language and whatnotum, that primarily was more
verbal, trying to connect, likeyour words, with your actions.
Later down the line, the somaticexperiencing and the polyvagal
theory and nervous system allstarted to kind of come in too.
But yeah, so, like once we werein that one-on-one setting,
they're gaining that confidencewith that social emotional
(06:02):
curriculum.
Then we started to bring in thesocial skills and that was kind
of where the group programstarted to happen.
So we would have wellness campsand field days and a bunch of
different like one-off eventsjust to really provide that
sense of community and just tobe able to work with those
social cues and components thatalso within special populations
(06:24):
needs to be addressed and guidedin a supportive and
compassionate way.
So from there, adding in more ofthe wellness aspects.
So your nutrition, going moreinto, like, the holistic realm
of things, definitely havedappled with a couple of
different things along the alongthe road, but yeah, so then
(06:46):
from nutrition, all the wellnessaspects and now we're getting
into, uh, human design and I Iwouldn't say it's the spiritual
component, but there is like anelement that it is a little
spiritual in a sense, um and Iknow that's not for everybody,
but it's it's very much inalignment with the energy and
the.
The example that we're trying tolead is that we first are
(07:09):
adjusting the individual, so theparent as their individual self
, our student or a participant,but then also the collective as
a community on a small scale andon a on a larger scale, so it
kind of all flows and workstogether and we're not yet done
so Right.
I mean, it's so beautiful, soit kind of all flows and works
together and we're not yet doneso Right.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
I mean, it's so beautiful.
So how are you like acquiringnew participants?
How, like, what is your typicalkind of way to reel people in
and to let them know that you'rethere?
Like, are you doing communityevents?
Are you working with schoolsystems?
Are you so kind of how, ifpeople were listening to this?
Speaker 2 (07:45):
and they're like oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
I need this in my life, even if they're remote,
like how, how could that beaccessible?
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Like what is the process for that?
That's a great question.
So for the longest time it wasmerely word of mouth.
For the longest time it was meand typically one other coach.
Now we're at a point wherewe're a team of five to six
coaches and then we've actuallybeen able to hire on some of our
individuals with differentabilities and neurodivergent
individuals to kind of come onas assistant coaches.
(08:13):
Or I have one young lady who'sdoing our newsletter now.
So it's just like these littlethings are starting to kind of
allow us to evolve and expand.
But for the longest time it wasword of mouth.
But now we're kind of gettingto a place of how can we extend
our reach, how can we makeourselves more accessible while
not allowing the quality of whatwe're doing and the services of
what we're doing go down in anysense of I just for me, quality
(08:38):
is so much more important thanquantity, and the ones that
we've been able to work with andfortunate enough to work with,
the depth of their instructionand the relationship and the
rapport has been outstanding.
So I think I held onto that fora long time, thinking that
there was no other way.
But now again we have theopportunity to like, relearn
(08:59):
things or unlearn them.
I'm learning that we're able toextend our reach and to become
more accessible, especially whenyou have such a supportive team
like we do, and the resourcesand the tools in the community
backing us, so something such asthis I mean it's allowing us to
get our word out there withouthaving that direct hourly
session.
So we're working on courseworkand training more coaches to be
(09:23):
part of our team so that we'reable to provide that same
guidance for more individualswithin our community.
And then the nonprofit is ourarm, so kind of working hand in
hand with another for profitthat we actually just started as
well I won't talk too much onthat one yet but being able to
kind of work with thissynergistic arrangement and
(09:47):
relationship so that we're ableto provide programs for families
, for the community at large,for remote individuals that are
interested but just don't livehere.
So there's a lot of things onthe horizon for more
accessibility, but still withthat intentional quality service
and programming that we offerwithin our one-on-ones and our
small groups currently.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
You know it's interesting.
I had someone reach out to metoday and they're like hi, I
know you work with the Haven alot, but you know we have a
family that works for us andtheir kids have some
exceptionalities and they'relooking for some things to do.
Do you know anyone?
And I'm like, actually so.
So if you wouldn't mind, I'mgoing to send you, send them
your information after, whetherit's work or you know, like
(10:31):
things that they can doathletically or just being
involved.
Yeah, and what really um stoodout to me and all the things
that you've said and justknowing you personally, is you
are so intentional and it'sabout, like you said, the
quality, like things will comein your path that are meant to
be, and I think that that's partof my like spiritual components
(10:54):
, like what's meant for you willalways come and you don't have
to go seeking it all the timeand you're not looking to expand
and grow and build and buildand build, because what happens
when we build and build andbuild?
We lose sight of the heart ofwhat we're doing.
So I am just so excited to seehow this is all.
(11:15):
I mean it's fun to watch.
I mean we've been in eachother's network for 16, 15 years
, just based on a family that wekind of both worked with
individually, and that guy's offin college now and it's crazy.
But you know, that's when Ifirst heard about you and just
heard such great things and then, you know, just kind of
trickled in networks and justaround.
(11:36):
So it's just I feel like it'sone of those beautiful
synergistic or synergetic likejust partnerships that just you
can see someone's heart and youcan see their passion, and I
think that that's something.
And you've been very open, likeI have, about sharing a
personal journey.
Yeah, so what led you into allthis, if you don't mind sharing?
(11:56):
Yeah, you know what, whatreally motivated you to do what
you're doing, because thatdoesn't just happen by accident,
it doesn't just you know, youhave a, like you said, you
mentioned that it was from yourown personal experiences.
So if you could elaborate onthat a little bit, yeah for sure
.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
So yeah, I, I, um, I get asked this question all the
time because I feel like it'sit's so niche and I don't want
to like speak like in a in a waythat like comes off as um
bragging, but I know that we'rein something that's very unique,
um, but I'm very, I I wouldconsider myself very unique or I
I've been able to.
(12:34):
But again, everybody has theirown individual experiences, um,
but from the beginning I felt,um and when I say beginning,
just within my childhood andadolescent years and teens, a, I
was fortunate enough to bearound individuals who had Down
syndrome, developmental delays,at a very young age.
(12:54):
So I think that exposure andthat introduction and ultimately
that curiosity for me, itallowed me to see life through a
different lens, and one of myfamily members actually had Down
syndrome, so he was constantlyat family events and just was
the life of the party and youjust grow to love or I grew to
(13:16):
love those individuals and justthat essence and stubbornness
and all of it.
But through, I mean, my schoolage years, I definitely
struggled across the board andagain that comes in with that
high masking of like I wasfairly popular, I mean, I was
very athletic, I was on thebasketball team, I ran cross
country pretty prominent family,all things considered, in the
(13:39):
town that I grew up with or in.
And then my sister was, youknow, very good basketball
player, so people knew who wewere.
And then my sister was, youknow, a very good basketball
player.
So people knew who we were.
And I don't think anybody reallyknew the struggles that I was
experiencing behind closed doors, highly sensitive, like
everything crushed me, crushedmy soul, and I had no regulation
(14:00):
skills to handle and cope andmove through that, aside from
fitness, and often it was mejust like running by myself,
going to the gym at 6 am, youknow, just constantly moving and
doing all these things.
But when I was still withmyself, whether it was
(14:20):
academically speaking orsocially, with friendships and
or just family related things,our internal family unit it was
certainly.
It was a struggle and I knowthat everybody has their own
experiences and their struggles.
But for me the takeaway was Iwant to help others work through
these things that I experiencedand these difficulties and
(14:42):
these roadblocks, and I don'twant to necessarily take away
that pain or take away thatsuffering or the lessons that
were learned along the way, butI at least want them to feel
like they have somebody thatunderstands it to some degree,
can relate, and then also toolsand resources that they can
utilize for themselves so thatthey can navigate through
(15:03):
whatever it is that they'reexperiencing.
It wasn't until I was working ina classroom, I was in my
mid-20s, when I got diagnosedwith ADHD and generalized
anxiety and sensory processingdisorder.
I've been evaluated for autism,so it just by healing, being in
(15:23):
the healing environment,ultimately put me on the path to
healing myself.
And today I'll be 36.
Tomorrow, oh, happy birthday.
Oh, what a special day We'llget to that later.
Yeah, it is, it's all like yousaid, everything kind of unfolds
.
I know it's kind of bizarre howlife-.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
We're really gonna cry, no it's been.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Yes, it's been a year for sure.
But you know, last year at thistime I feel like the, the
challenges and the struggles andthe healing that I've been able
to go through throughout myentire lifetime, but this past
year especially and specificallymaybe because I'm more
conscious and aware andintentional about healing myself
(16:06):
so I can ultimately help healothers it has been.
It has put me in such a place tocontinue even more so on this
path and on this journey, andI've never felt more validated
within myself to do what I loveand do it in the way that I want
to do it, because I think sooften, being like a chronic
(16:27):
people pleaser and just a, mysister sent me like with you
know, virgo is my horoscope andwhatnot, like astrology, and if
you're into it, awesome, if not,that's fine too.
It's just like these littlepieces.
But she sent me the Virgo'slike key terms, and it was the
martyr, the servant, theperfectionist, and I forget the
(16:50):
other one because it wasactually OK.
But the first three I'm likethose suck, like those are
really like the, and I'm likethat's true, like here's my soul
on a platter.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Yeah, no, give it back whenever you're done.
Yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
I think that, yes, I definitely serve.
But I told her I do serveothers, but I'm going to serve
myself first martyr.
But I'm not going to go die onthe hill that I don't deserve to
die on and then theperfectionist, the imperfect
perfectionist and that does verymuch embody who I am and who.
I strive to be, but I thinkit's just owning that and taking
it and trying to help othersalong the way right and finding
(17:26):
value in our lived experience,and it sounds like that's what
you've done.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
I mean, that's what I've had to do.
It's like you, you know, goingback to like childhood stuff,
like, yeah, you realize ways youstruggled, but I also had to
really put the mirror up to like, how am I carrying that into
like now, and what have I beendoing to carry that into now?
Like I am very much of thisdeep, deep, deep conditioned.
(17:50):
Your work ethic is yourworthiness.
You know you have to earneverything that you ever do like
and you have to prove yourself,like you know, and it's so hard
to break out of.
But when you're doing work andso I think this is where I still
struggle to find a balance whenyou're doing work that you
really love, but then you get toa point where it's like, okay,
(18:11):
but what am I doing for me?
So, like I've had to do that,like take a step back, like, yes
, we're doing all this beautifulwork, but I can't lose myself
in the process, because then I'mgoing to be a hypocrite about
doing the work that I reallyneed, you know.
So it's like finding thatbalance and sometimes it's
really hard.
So how do you, for yourself.
Maintain that balance, althoughI will say she is like the most
(18:33):
ridiculous jump roper on theplanet.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
I know that's a form of therapy for you.
It is, it definitely is.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
I just watch it.
I'm like, wow, that's prettyincredible.
But thank you, so how do youfind that balance for yourself?
Because I think that that'swhere I still struggle.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Just balance with work and life.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Well balance with like you know, owning it, yeah,
and all of it yeah, and thendoing the great work for others,
but then making sure that youreel it back in and don't get
into those old patterns ofmanifesting too much when
youesting too much, when youmanifest too much and then
you're like, okay, well, I'vemanifested all of this, so how
(19:15):
do I reel it back in?
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Yeah, that's a challenging predicament that we
often find ourselves in.
I am learning that I crave andthrive with structure, but I am
getting better and better withallowing myself to have
permission to rest, yes, whichis insanely challenging for me.
(19:37):
Same.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
That's, I think, my biggest downfall.
And when I do have empty space,not feeling guilty for having
empty space and just resting andallowing myself to do nothing.
Not feeling guilty for havingempty space and just resting and
allowing myself to do nothing,Like you know, I've I've
acquired help and I've I'vediverted all of these tasks in
other ways.
But like, stop filling theempty space when you have it.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Yeah, it is, yes, it is, and I I feel like I have
gotten much better with that.
When I have empty space, I'mlike now intentionally putting
time within my work days to justhave flex time because I need
the structure.
But I also am learning that Ineed the flexibility to just be
like I'm actually not gonna godo that, I'm gonna just say no
(20:24):
and do my own thing.
But I have found that my emptyspace is time for me to hang out
with my dogs, so I'll literallyI have like a really cool
situation where I live like ablock away from both of the
locations that we work out of,so I'm able to like go home,
like hang with my dogs for a bit.
Or there's a park right acrossthe street that I literally just
go like sit my ass down in orstretch or do something.
(20:47):
I just lay there and that hasbeen like just a little bit of
time, like each week or wheneverI can find it has been life
changing for me because it justrejuvenates me and it allows me
to have that time for myself andalso I think it's a lot of
boundary setting too.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Not saying yes to everything because it even if it
feels right in the moment it'slike okay, so it might feel
right right now, but does itserve me next week?
Does it serve me?
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Yeah, and then next week you get super resentful and
you're like I can't believe.
I said yes to that, Like Idefinitely don't want to go, but
that's like, yes, honoring yourown boundaries and then
following through with thoseboundaries.
So I have found that that hasbeen super important and then
also expressing it to those thatare within your circle and
communicating it, because I findmyself, if I'm in our workspace
(21:36):
, I am immediately accessibleand I will naturally just jump
in or answer any questions or bethe again the servant.
I'm here to help everybody, butyet that takes me out of my flow
state, that takes me out of,like, my intentional time, and
then ultimately, I becomefrustrated with myself.
So I think, if I look at itthrough that lens, I'm much more
(21:58):
apt to be like okay, no, youreally do need to take this time
and you do need to have thisbalance, because ultimately,
you're going to be the onethat's going to be upset with
yourself and we no longer wantto be living in that state of
mind because that's a reallyshitty place and I don't want to
be in that loop again and Ihave been diagnosed with similar
(22:19):
things that you have in thepast and I have found that if I
don't take that time for myself,I can't process what's going on
in my life Like I can't.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
I have a hard time bouncing from community outreach
to podcasting to family stuff,to anything, anything
philanthropic.
And it's like I, if I don't takethat time and for me, I don't
know if it's just conditioning,I don't know if it's just the
way my body does process, butlike long walks or just walking
and being in nature, is the waythat my body processes.
Like if I, if I find, if I dojust like lay down and be still,
(22:51):
I'm like I don't know, I feellike I just need to do.
You know, I think of otherthings that need to be done
around me, especially if I'mindoors at my house.
So I find that being outside,like even this morning, I'm like
I took a long walk, like I needbirds, I need just no, no noise
(23:14):
and no music, and it allow, itjust sets me up differently,
yeah, and it allows me to showup for myself in a way that I
just can't do in others, in away that I just can't do if I'm
going from all the things no,even if you're passionate about
it, and that's just it.
It's you, this serving, givingheart, but it's like, okay, what
am I pouring into me?
And that is so huge.
And I know that that's probablysomething you work a lot with
the parents and the children andthe families that you work with
(23:36):
.
That's a huge component.
But by you doing that, you'regiving them the permission,
you're showing them by examplelike you have to do this for
yourself, like drop them off,have the time for yourself, like
you're allowed to do that,because so often we feel guilty
for having time.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Yeah, it's super interesting because I'm not a
parent, but I am a parent and Iwill tell you this new layer of
guilt has been placed upon mejust by having two dogs and like
I and they have the like theyare living like the life.
I see you guys walking arounddowntown all the time, and yet
still I'll be like, oh, I didn'tspend enough time with my dogs
(24:12):
today.
I'm like God, like peopleprobably look at my situation
and like Danny, like, shut up,like you are doing just fine.
Your own standard, though, yesbut that exactly so, being able
to work through these likelittle guilty or like these
conditioned things that we feellike we have to take on, like
these conditioned things that wefeel like we have to take on
and I think that just beingaware of it is like the battle,
(24:33):
because you're able to choosedifferently if you're aware of
it.
Right.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
And I have the choice .
I think that some of the thingsthat I really want to touch on,
to add to this, are suchanother layer of the component,
like the human design, or lovelanguages or life languages,
like what we are kind of created, like how we are.
Everyone is so different.
Yeah, like when my husband andI did life languages 10 years
ago for the first time andbefore we were married, and I
(25:00):
realized I was a high responder,high influencer, high mover,
and he was a super highcontemplator and that was my
lowest and responder was hislowest, it was like, well, that
makes a lot of sense.
Yeah, and I'm like thatprobably saved our relationship.
No, it's so true, having thatknowledge is power and so human
design is different.
So I've, I've done it.
(25:21):
I'm the manifesting generator.
Three, five, I forget the wholechart, but explain that to us a
little bit.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Yeah, so human design is basically like your
blueprint for your energy howyou show up in your life, how
you respond to life othersinternally, externally I mean
it's just, it's a really nicefoundational.
It's very much a hybrid of alot of spiritual energetic
components all brought togetheras one.
(25:49):
So you have your energy type,which is manifesting generator.
That's yours right?
Yes, also mine, whichunderstand.
I understand a lot.
Yeah just I when you're sayinglike I just went for a long walk
and I was totally I'm like well, that makes a lot of sense.
Primary, secondary functions,for sure, um.
But then you have your profilelines, your three.
So that basically shows thefirst line is how people
(26:12):
perceive you, so your three isthe investigator, and then the
five is how you perceive and seeyourself, so that's the leader,
and those can go into a lotmore depth.
And then you have yourauthority and your strategy.
And I don't want to get toomuch into those particular
things, but the way that I seeit is again a blueprint, a
general understanding for you tobetter discover and understand
(26:35):
yourself.
And the word curiosity alwayspops up for me, because we don't
necessarily want to use thesethings as a label or like it's
your sole identity.
But I think we all deserve, yes, to have these tools to better
understand ourselves, so we canunderstand others, so we can try
to make sense of the world inwhich we're currently living,
right and I'll say, like doingthe human design, doing the love
(26:57):
languages, doing life languages, doing all of these kind of
like my astrology chart, likeunderstand, and these are all
little things, you know.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
You take it with a grain of salt.
Yeah, it adds you know how youhave a file let's think old
school files, when we actuallyprinted things out.
It just goes into that like,well, that makes everything make
so much sense.
This is why I could give twoshits about math.
I knew I was never going to usemath in my life.
(27:34):
I always needed to move my body.
I'm a mover.
I'm like a 96% mover orsomething like that.
Like, and this is like thecontemplator, this is why I'm
impulsive, because I don't thinkabout things before I do them.
You know, high responder, thisis where the empathy comes in,
and, like, my need and want tohelp and give others, and the
influencer is like this is why Iwant to share it, because I
(27:56):
want people to know that they'renot alone.
And so how have you been ableto kind of incorporate this into
your education styles?
Because you incorporate it into, you know, your participants
plan and everything which iswonderful.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
I'm just kidding.
My team is like it's not astandardized test.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
It's not it is, but it's amazing.
Think of it along those lines,though, like we've been using
this one system, or a fewsystems, like grading scales and
things like that.
And it's like this, you know,we're all.
Someone said it was actually aparent night in my son's school
and I teared up like six times,but they were explaining this.
You know, traditional educationsystem our teachers are giving
(28:37):
information, the students arereceiving the information at all
different levels, you know, andthen they're tested on the
information.
Yeah, so the one that reallystruggled to understand the
information, once they get thegrade back, realizes like, oh,
wow, you know, what does that doto their insides?
(28:58):
Like I'm not good enough or Idon't know, and it's like, no,
maybe you just needed adifferent way, maybe it needed
to be delivered differently,maybe you need to touch and feel
something to understand it.
Maybe you, you know so anyway.
So it's, it's chasing, like thereward of the end goal, which
is the grade.
Yeah, right.
And then there's this differenteducational system that you know
(29:19):
you're hands-on, you're tactile, you're learning about what,
what?
How do you learn best?
Do you want to see things?
Do you want to feel things?
Do you need to be moving whileyou're doing it?
Do you?
You know?
Is it?
Are you very visual?
Like I, have a very picture,like visual memory, like I can.
This is the way I, the only wayI think I got through school, is
because I would color code mynotes and then I would look at
(29:42):
them and then I would be able toregurgitate on a test because I
had that picture in my mind ofthe colors of the answers and I
got through like that, like, didI remember it now?
No, I mean anatomy andphysiology.
I did, because that was what Iwas interested in.
So it's so interesting.
But when we're collectivelyeducating ourselves and each
(30:04):
other and children and we'redoing it as a collective group
and we're collaborating onthings and working through
challenges and verbalizing howit makes us feel along the way
and asking for help, it createsthis collective community.
But if we're just chasing thereward, we totally miss out on
(30:26):
the process.
And the process is how we trulylearn.
And that to me was like likeI'm just 40 years old and I'm
just now figuring out how to doall of this.
But I feel like it's somethinglike inherently, you kind of
know along the way and youfigure out how to do it in your
own little way, and so I lovethat you are just creating and
holding space for theseopportunities and just doing it
(30:49):
so differently.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Yeah, it feels really good.
Yes, it feels good and I thinkto your point, being in a school
that's traditional, whereyou're getting the grades or
you're trying to strive for thatoutcome of you know, the
recognition, the accolade or theletter grade.
It's all about the language andit's, I think, being able to
approach life and educationspecifically because that's the
(31:12):
field in which I'm in in a moreempowering way and using
different language, so thatyou're setting that student or
that child or that teen up forsuccess ultimately, so that
they're not seeing theirdifferences as less or from lack
, and it's not affecting theirself-esteem or their worth, it
merely is providing them anexplanation for who they are.
(31:32):
And that's not to be an excuse,like you're not going to say, oh
yeah, I'm just really impulsive, so that explains why?
No, but it gives you anexplanation as to why you do the
things that you do.
And again, you have thedecision, you have the choice.
What are you going to do withthat information?
Right, and I think that'sultimately all that we can do is
plant that seed and maybe oneday hopefully one day they'll be
(31:53):
able to take it, retain it andbe able to apply it in a
meaningful and constructive way.
But I think that theinformation and the knowledge
that we're able to provide ourchildren and our young adults
for them to advocate forthemselves, for them to
understand who they are, so thatthey don't feel like they are a
misfit or an outsider or notenough.
(32:14):
I think that our world deservesa generation of individuals.
Whether you're neurodivergentor neurotypical or whatever, it
doesn't matter.
I think everybody deserves thatright to be empowered and to
have the opportunity and, mostimportantly, the people to
support you along the way.
I think so often people feel soisolated because they don't
feel understood, but if you'reable to get yourself in a place
(32:37):
that has others in a similarposition maybe not the same, but
being able to know that yourstruggles might be yours and an
individual experience for you,but at least you're amongst
others that are experiencingthings or can relate to what
you're going through and thatsense of belonging and community
is so important.
(32:58):
And I think within education.
I think so many kids arewalking paths just alone and
whether they're displaying thaton social media or not, that's
certainly happening.
I would argue that it'shappening even more in today's
society, which I'm sure thatthere are studies and data on
that.
I taught in middle school for acouple of years before I left
(33:19):
completely, and I was devastatedat the amount of turmoil and
the mental health and just theemotional status and development
of where we're expecting themto be as a society, as a system,
to where they're actuallyfunctioning and we're not
meeting them where they are.
So, yes, I feel very fortunateto be able to provide a vessel
(33:41):
to at least have some type ofcontribution that I can feel
good about and I can sleep atnight about, because I'm not
going to change the world, butit's the ripple effect If you're
able to instill this in acommunity or an individual.
Let's start with the individual.
Then you can create a communitythat, hopefully, will continue
to pass it along and do the same.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
Right, and I think that's just really what it's
about is like providing thatresource.
I don't think it's notmainstream because it's like
intentionally it's just it's notbeen as accepted or, you know,
even put out there enough.
So now that's the whole pointof doing this right is to
provide people these resourceslike they're alternatives.
(34:24):
Yeah, and you know, I thinkthat's the great thing about
being on the board of ResilientRetreat is like providing these,
you know, regulationopportunities for helping
professions so awesome, I mean,mean it's such.
I mean, for, like you said, youtaught middle school and my
daughter like all of her, withone in college, two in high
(34:45):
school, one five-year-old, butlike middle school was so hard,
like in you know, I got feedbackfrom the teachers and I'm like,
but I don't even you.
I think when people go intoeducation they go in for a heart
, for exactly like you'vedescribed, and it's hard
sometimes when you have so manyregulations and systems and you
(35:05):
know things that you have to gothrough a certain structure.
Yeah, but I just think thatthat's the beauty of having the
ability to add to your owntoolbox and understanding more.
And, like you said before, wegot on air like I think I would
be like the public schoolteacher.
That was like okay, humandesign, I need everyone's
information because it allowsyou to understand, because it's
(35:29):
so I mean, it's so fast paced.
I think that was the hardestpart for me in school is like
okay, you go from one class tothe next class, to the next
class to the next class, andthen you have to go home and do
this work.
Or then you go to sports andthen by the time the next day
rolls around, you're like Idon't know what the hell
happened yesterday.
I'm just, I felt like I wasjust kind of going through the
motions and I don't, I just knewI wasn't built for it.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
Well, and you're probably, I mean correct me if
I'm wrong but how many of thoseactivities that you had
throughout your day, or subjectsthat you were actually like
really invested in or likeexcited about or curious about?
Because if you're notinterested in math or science or
whatever it is you're I mean asyour type like that, it drains
the heck out of you.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Oh, it's so hard.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
If you're super into anatomy and physiology, yeah,
like you're locked in and youcould have endless amounts and
supplies of energy like all dayhyper focus You're.
You're going to be on point onyour A game all day long if
you're doing things that youlove.
But if you're not doing thingsthat you love, it really can be
detrimental.
And that's not to say that younever should do anything that
(36:32):
like.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
I mean something out of your comfort zone is
important Right.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
However, but it's acknowledging that and again
being aware of okay, yeah, mathreally drains me, so I'm going
to allow the teacher to help meby helping myself and saying,
hey, this is how I learn best.
And again, not everybody canexpress or articulate that, but
that's what the family unit'sfor, or that's even better, or
(36:58):
that's even better.
That's what the educator andthe system is for is to support
you and to provide you with thetools and the communication when
you can or cannot speak foryourself.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
And I think that's really becoming more mainstream
now is just moreempowerment-based learning, even
in traditional education.
Even you know, I see stuffgoing on for Sarasota County
like resiliency programs andteaching children about
resiliency and I mean justunderstanding that.
You know our environment is abig part of you know quote who
(37:25):
we are from a young age, but itdoesn't mean we have to get
stuck there.
Yeah, like we've said it kindof in passing is like you know,
when you start to identify withanything, you start eliminating
yourself.
It's definitely, yeah, like OK,I was diagnosed with ADHD too,
but I don't use that as anexcuse and go along.
I just know that, ok, there arecertain things I need a little
(37:47):
extra help and need to workaround.
Like you should see me gettingstuff done around my house.
It's like the dishwasher isopen.
I'm like in six differentplaces in one, and God forbid
someone come up and talk to methat I'm just like, okay, I'm
going to go read a book and I'llcome back.
And then I come back and I'mlike, okay, what was I working
on?
And I walked in this room forwhat reason?
And you know I mean, I meanit's real, but I just I have to
(38:11):
learn to come up with my littlesystems and you know you learn
to work around it.
But you have to find what'sempowering for you and what
helps you navigate that and justreaching out and I think it's
just so important to know thatyou're not alone.
Everyone has struggles,everyone has stuff and I really
(38:31):
love that.
I think we're really breakingout of this shame around this
stuff conversation.
It's like, yeah, conversationit's like no it's okay.
We're all different, we all havechallenges.
We all have, you know, thisindividual beautiful makeup.
That's what makes us allbeautiful.
But if we keep breaking eachother up into these little
groups, when we keep labelingeverything, we're gonna keep the
(38:53):
diversion there and like we'renot gonna be like unified and
supportive in that wholecommunity.
So I just I don't know.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
I think it's so important to just support that
and I know that every that'slike everything you stand for is
, things are not black and white, no, and I think that, now more
than ever, I think it's animportant point to touch upon
that Like we don't have topolarize everything, and it just
because you're this doesn'tmean you're that you can be
(39:22):
autistic and still be very, uh,friendly and exciting and
extroverted, to like be withother people there.
two things can exist absolutelyand two opposites can exist.
And how?
How are you going to handle thebeing able to hold that tension
?
And I think that that,ultimately, is a huge thing to
(39:42):
teach the individual.
And just again, communication.
I think that that, aboveanything else, that was a thing
that I certainly struggled withbeing on the receiving end but
then also like trying to providethat communication expressing
how I'm feeling.
It never felt like it landed,but now I think I have the
language, I have the tools and Ithink so often people just
(40:03):
don't know how to expressthemselves and tell people how
they're feeling, or people getoffended or defensive by you
standing up for yourself andsharing how it's making you feel
.
I think that we all deserve tohave more harmony and peace in
our lives and I think that thatstarts with us.
I know that there's so much onthat philosophy.
(40:25):
I mean psychology, I mean depth.
I've been starting to dabblewith depth psychology and having
the masculine and feminine andjust seeing everybody as your
mirror and what you see inothers or what you don't like in
others, or what makes youuncomfortable in others.
Bring it right back to yourselfand see the shadow parts that
you need to be able to identifyand be more intentional about
(40:47):
moving through.
And yeah, there's a lot that Ithink we try to sprinkle in the
day to day, but I think thebiggest thing is just really,
like you said, the.
I mean it's literally calledempowering education, like
that's what we, that sector andthe holistic health and
community connection, like thoseare literally our three pillars
and it's just, it's all aboutempowering the individual so
(41:08):
that we can create a moreinformed and self-affirming
collective together.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
Yeah, I mean, and it's so huge because, like you
said before, we're not taughthow to verbalize our feelings,
we're not taught how to feel ourfeelings.
Yeah, you know, we're not like.
I think we're coming around toit but you know, especially
previous generations, you knowyou worked through I think
(41:36):
that's where I grew up with mygrandparents, but I think that's
kind of where that you got towork through.
Just keep on pushing, keep ontrucking.
Mentality goes and it's like,okay, I'll just keep running,
Just keep running and runningand running.
What am I running from?
I don't know if you've everdone this.
I'm running and running,literally physically, and then
like, what am I running from?
(41:57):
And then it's like I'm scared toeven look at that, yes,
sometimes, but then I now Iforce myself to pause, like we
talked about, and I even had areally impactful conversation
yesterday.
Have you ever been to awarehouse in Sarasota Wonderful,
you would love Steve and OzComer and Dr Sienna there, and I
(42:17):
went to see them because I feellike we have a new puppy and
you, having two dogs youunderstand how much work they
are and I, you know so, having afive-year-old and so it's not
just having a new puppy, it'slike having a new child, but you
get to put them in a kennelsometimes.
So it's really unlocked, thisdeep, deep childhood, like I
(42:41):
can't do it all by myself.
You know this deep like, okay,I, I can't do it all by myself.
So what?
What am I do?
So I felt like I've been alittle bit and we lost our dog
and June.
So I feel like I was a bitfrozen and I found myself,
instead of grieving like Ineeded to, I was running more, I
(43:02):
was cycling more.
I was back to the old patternsof moving through it because I
didn't want to feel it, and thenI had surgery in July and I
forced myself to feel it.
And then I was like oh, we get anew puppy and we get a new
puppy, and then it's like, oh,but it's so beautiful, so I
think that it's really allowedme.
We get a new puppy and then,it's like, oh okay, but it's so
beautiful.
So I think that it's reallyallowed me to take a step back,
like a deep, deep conversationyesterday about you don't have
(43:26):
to do it all Like delegate, askfor help, get a puppy sitter,
get someone to come walk them,get someone you know.
Thank goodness I had theresources to like have this
whole village of people helpingme, because I don't know how I
could do it often because youknow like we were talking about
when you fill the empty space.
But if I have empty space,don't feel guilty for the empty
space.
You deserve the empty space.
Yeah, you do.
(43:46):
You deserve the empty space andit's okay.
Your nervous system needs theempty space.
Your brain needs the emptyspace.
So I think that that's a bigthing too is when, when it comes
to education or, you know, justadult life living, allow
yourself to have the empty space, because A you're going to be
able to feel your feelings andprocess whatever it needs to be
(44:06):
processed.
Because we're running aroundwith this full bucket and then
someone cuts us off in trafficor one little thing happens and
we have all these emotions aboutit and then it where's this all
coming from?
Because nine times out of ten.
The thing is not the thing.
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
Yes, it really is not .
I would argue, yeah, nine and ahalf times out of ten, and is
not the thing.
It's everything else leading upto it right.
But I think that's yes and justthink about, by you
understanding that, aboutyourself, how that's helping the
people that you love and thepeople that you work with, or
your friends or your family Imean everybody.
They automatically benefit fromyou setting those boundaries
(44:47):
and from you taking that time.
And so you are your mostfavorite self and you can show
up as you want to show up,because if you're not, then
you're just going to feel somereally difficult feelings and
project it in other ways Right.
Rather than being able to movethrough it and heal through it
on your own, you're going to beplacing it in a place that
probably didn't deserve Right,and that's kind of where I feel
(45:10):
like I was heading.
Speaker 1 (45:10):
And that's when I was like, okay, you know I've done
so much healing, I've done allthe work, I'm like, but this is
just a perfect example ofthere's still so much work that
needs to be done.
With every new day, with everynew chapter, you just never know
what can come along.
And I think that sometimes weget almost embarrassed to say I
need more help or I need toshift things around, or I need
(45:32):
to make a change here, and it'slike let the ego go because your
true self is not able to betruing right now.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
No, it's so true, and I think that when you are a
person who is in this type ofenvironment, often, or this
field, or you lead by example-right but when you, ultimately,
are faced with a morechallenging time and you still
have to show up as that personof influence or inspiration, or
the teacher in the classroomevery day, or, you know, working
(46:01):
within a nonprofit setting orjust the community itself.
It's really challenging to maskwhat you're experiencing.
So I mean my advice is likeshow everybody your true self
and show yourself actuallyhealing through it rather than
trying to muscle through it, andjust like really dig yourself
an even bigger hole.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
Like I, refuse to wear the mask anymore.
Yeah, and I think that that isthe beauty of living just an
authentic life.
Yes, it's like I'm just goingto show up and you know what and
I think we touched on thisearlier Like if we have
something going on in two weeks,like when I get like two days
before, like I plan my calendarout as much as I have to, but I
am not afraid to be like, hey,I'm not going to be there, I
can't show up, I just I can't.
(46:42):
I can't do it, I don't have thecapacity.
Yeah, like that's my newfavorite, I don't really have
the capacity for that right now.
But it's giving.
Oh wow, I never really thoughtto say that or do that yeah, and
to have people understand thatso tell us about.
You have like a big anniversarycoming up.
Speaker 2 (47:01):
You have a lot going on here and a birthday and
birthday tomorrow.
So happy birthday, thank you.
Thank you, yeah, we'recelebrating 13 years.
It was actually in June, but Igot the date wrong.
Like a couple of weeks weeksago, I was in my chiropractor's
office and I'm like, yeah, Ithink I'm celebrating it in
August.
I don't really do a celebrationand then, like I go on sunbiz
(47:24):
and I'm like, ah shit, it wasactually back in June, so so
it's not on your actual birthday, but you're celebrating it on
your birthday it wasn't evensupposed to be on my birthday,
it's called.
The event that we do monthly iscalled Friday night with friends
.
Okay and uh, unfortunatelythere's a new soccer league
starting not for unfortunately,but it was just a conflict of
(47:44):
scheduling for many of ouryounger participants.
So, like, okay, we'll do aThursday night with family.
It doesn't really sound asgreat, but, um, it just happens
to be my birthday tomorrow, sowe're doing a really fun.
I think we have 50 of like our50 community members, like
families and participants comingand all of our coaches and
(48:07):
doing a nice fun scavenger huntwithin the community and getting
some pizza from Origin Pizzaand Great Heights Creamery ice
cream and yeah, it's uh, yeah,it's just like the only place
the neighborhood is.
Yeah it's like really great.
I I love everything about thepeople and the businesses which,
again, it just goes.
It speaks to the community andthat inclusive sense of
(48:27):
belonging and it feels reallygreat to like have a place, to
be able to create a place or tocontribute to a place.
So 13 years is a long time andit's evolved like crazy and I'm
really excited because we have alot of awesome stuff in the
works.
Speaker 1 (48:41):
I mean, you started that when you're what?
22, 23 years old.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
I've grown up, like with many of my, guys, that is
really beautiful.
I know it's pretty cool, reallyamazing, yeah, and something
that should absolutely becelebrated.
Speaker 1 (48:54):
And now, if our listeners, if our viewers, if
they want to find you, if theywant to hear more about this, if
they want to dive deeper intoall the things that you offer,
which I feel like we only likeskin the surface.
We really did Like she sends meher bio and I'm like, oh my
gosh, I'm not going to do thisany justice.
So how do they get ahold of you?
How do they learn more?
Speaker 2 (49:14):
Yeah Well, you can go to the website.
It's wwwnxtgennationcom, soit's not nextgenerationcom.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
It's nextgennation.
Speaker 2 (49:27):
That URL was not available when I went to
purchase it.
Speaker 1 (49:31):
So it makes things a little confusing.
I'll include that on your.
Yeah, that would be good.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
And then we're in the process, kenzie, one of our
incredible coaches coaches isredoing the website, so that's
almost finished, so we'll havelike a whole new thing.
Uh, and then if, uh, ourInstagram is at NXT generation
underscore wellness Awesome,yeah, so we're.
You know social media is whatit is.
We were trying to boost it alittle bit.
(49:55):
I, that's you can see mysquiggliness on, uh, our
instagram page.
I really have made it like a myown little personal diary
apparently.
Uh, just with, I love justdoing the purpose and intention
is to have terrible editing andlike, make it like really
uncomfortable and like weird andstuff.
So just putting that out there,that I'm not that bad at
editing.
I'm doing it on purpose for myown entertainment.
Speaker 1 (50:19):
It's my own selfish.
I feel like it would make it alot easier.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
It's great, yeah, it's.
Yeah.
We have, like my sister and Ihave like this little brand that
we say good enough, like it'sjust good enough.
So that's, we really try tolive life like that and it's
often just good enough.
Love it Right.
Life like that, and it's oftenjust good enough.
Love it Right Doesn't have tobe great all the time.
And who's judging?
Speaker 1 (50:41):
No, right, not us anymore, right?
I love that.
Thank you so much for beinghere today.
I feel like we could dive somuch deeper into so many
different things, but I reallyappreciate you Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (50:50):
Likewise Thank you for having me, of course,
awesome.
What's up you guys?
Welcome to this episode ofCrystal Clear.
I have a very special guesttoday Dani Williams.
She is the founder of NextGeneration, just celebrating
their 13th year coming up thisweek yes, and Seed Collective
nonprofit co-founder yes.
But I don't think I'm going todo your introduction any justice
.
I will say she is one of themost heart-led leaders, coaches,
(00:26):
people in this community.
So thank you so much for beinghere and I'm really excited for
you to share all of thedifferent avenues of your life
and passions and projects andall the things.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
You're welcome, thank you, thank you.
Can I ask where do I look?
Do I look at you?
Look at the camera Me?
It's a conversation're welcome,thank you.
Thank you.
Can I ask where do I look?
Do I look at you?
Look at the camera?
Anywhere Me?
It's a conversation between us.
Thank you.
I just needed to like get thatout there rather than like
turning this way or whatever Imean I will look off to the side
sometimes, but when I'm deep inthought I tend to look.
But yes, I am Dani Williams.
(01:01):
Next Generation founded itformerly as Kids in Motion, back
in 2012 with a good friend ofmine, kelly Carwatt, and then we
kind of started to evolve andKelly went her separate way
professionally and then it kindof took on the name Next
Generation Wellness because allof the kids that we started with
started to grow up and theywere no longer children, so
(01:22):
changed the name to match thevibe and so, yeah, nextgen has
brought on many different titlesand different certifications
for me, but at the heart of itall, I'm a special education
teacher with a lot of funspecial interests, to which I
just turned into certificationsand areas of specialization.
(01:44):
So human design, quantum humandesign being one of them,
polyvagal theory I mean you haveyour master special ed,
adaptive training, certificationand yoga and just a bunch of
things that kind of all cometogether with the whole child
and the whole individualapproach in education.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
And I love that you are taking that route, because
that's really what we all need.
Yeah, like it's not a one sizefits all and there's no standard
, like I love, like we've been,I don't know.
I was educated on thisstandardized system and I'm like
what does that even mean?
I know what is that and itdidn't serve me well.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
No, and I don't think it serves many well at all, and
I think that so many of usbecome adults and then you're
just like what the hell was thisLike?
I feel like I spend then 20years trying to unlearn all of
these things that I was taughtin a traditional setting, and
especially, I think, when you'reneurodivergent, you just fit
outside of the box and you'rebeing taught in a way that is
(02:44):
for the norm or for those thatare able to take that
instruction and run with it.
For those that areneurodivergent or aligned with
that particular type of label oridentity, I should say it's
even more challenging and itjust, I think, with my
perspective, I want to be ableto provide children and families
(03:07):
with what I wish I had when Iwas younger and that looks like
a very different, unconventionaleducation system or routine and
I think a lot of what we get toexperience now is there wasn't
a path we get to create it, andthey're creating it alongside of
us because they're my students,and our students and
participants are all theinspiration for where we, where
(03:29):
we've gotten to today.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
So it's very much their thing as much as it is my
thing, and I love that becauseyou're empowering them to to
build their life around theirunique expression, where that
you know.
And another thing that you do,too, is you add a lot of like
kinetic movement.
And so tell us a little bitabout your programs, Like what
(03:51):
what is kind of a typicalprogram entail?
Like how does this kind of tieinto your nonprofit?
And you really serve the fullfamily too, which is really
wonderful because we're gettingthere, you know it's yeah, it's
such a huge support to have thatsupport, to know that someone
hey, I see you, I feel you,You're not alone in this.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yes, that that's a huge part.
So I'll start from thebeginning and kind of take you
through the flow chart of how itkind of all unfolded.
So started with fitness.
I was a special educationteacher.
In my first year I created theschool's first physical
education curriculum.
So from there I was then ableto get my own classroom of
(04:31):
multi-age students, and ahandful of them are still with
us today, which is like soflipping cool.
Me too.
It's so great.
It's like a sister brotherrelationship at this point.
But so fitness was the mainstaple, it was the foundation.
I started working one-on-onewith kids outside of school just
because I observed their grossmotor skills, just being they
(04:53):
were missing out onopportunities because they
weren't confident in themselvesand just basically,
developmentally speaking, whenyou're working within special
populations, they're a bitbehind from standard.
You know how we view as, like asociety, your standards.
They were, they were behind,they were not meeting those
(05:15):
marks.
So being able to workone-on-one, using fitness as the
foundation, while noticing thesocial, emotional component, was
the most important takeaway forme, but also for the child.
So instead of me wanting it forthem, they started to want it
for themselves.
So that's when we started towork in the social emotional
curriculum and starting to bringin a lot of the
self-development work intofitness.
So your mindfulness, the yoga,a lot of the self-affirming,
(05:40):
particular language and whatnotum, that primarily was more
verbal, trying to connect, likeyour words, with your actions.
Later down the line, the somaticexperiencing and the polyvagal
theory and nervous system allstarted to kind of come in too.
But yeah, so, like once we werein that one-on-one setting,
they're gaining that confidencewith that social emotional
(06:02):
curriculum.
Then we started to bring in thesocial skills and that was kind
of where the group programstarted to happen.
So we would have wellness campsand field days and a bunch of
different like one-off eventsjust to really provide that
sense of community and just tobe able to work with those
social cues and components thatalso within special populations
(06:24):
needs to be addressed and guidedin a supportive and
compassionate way.
So from there, adding in more ofthe wellness aspects.
So your nutrition, going moreinto, like, the holistic realm
of things, definitely havedappled with a couple of
different things along the alongthe road, but yeah, so then
(06:46):
from nutrition, all the wellnessaspects and now we're getting
into, uh, human design and I Iwouldn't say it's the spiritual
component, but there is like anelement that it is a little
spiritual in a sense, um and Iknow that's not for everybody,
but it's it's very much inalignment with the energy and
the.
The example that we're trying tolead is that we first are
(07:09):
adjusting the individual, so theparent as their individual self
, our student or a participant,but then also the collective as
a community on a small scale andon a on a larger scale, so it
kind of all flows and workstogether and we're not yet done
so Right.
I mean, it's so beautiful, soit kind of all flows and works
together and we're not yet doneso Right.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
I mean, it's so beautiful.
So how are you like acquiringnew participants?
How, like, what is your typicalkind of way to reel people in
and to let them know that you'rethere?
Like, are you doing communityevents?
Are you working with schoolsystems?
Are you so kind of how, ifpeople were listening to this?
Speaker 2 (07:45):
and they're like oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
I need this in my life, even if they're remote,
like how, how could that beaccessible?
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Like what is the process for that?
That's a great question.
So for the longest time it wasmerely word of mouth.
For the longest time it was meand typically one other coach.
Now we're at a point wherewe're a team of five to six
coaches and then we've actuallybeen able to hire on some of our
individuals with differentabilities and neurodivergent
individuals to kind of come onas assistant coaches.
(08:13):
Or I have one young lady who'sdoing our newsletter now.
So it's just like these littlethings are starting to kind of
allow us to evolve and expand.
But for the longest time it wasword of mouth.
But now we're kind of gettingto a place of how can we extend
our reach, how can we makeourselves more accessible while
not allowing the quality of whatwe're doing and the services of
what we're doing go down in anysense of I just for me, quality
(08:38):
is so much more important thanquantity, and the ones that
we've been able to work with andfortunate enough to work with,
the depth of their instructionand the relationship and the
rapport has been outstanding.
So I think I held onto that fora long time, thinking that
there was no other way.
But now again we have theopportunity to like, relearn
(08:59):
things or unlearn them.
I'm learning that we're able toextend our reach and to become
more accessible, especially whenyou have such a supportive team
like we do, and the resourcesand the tools in the community
backing us, so something such asthis I mean it's allowing us to
get our word out there withouthaving that direct hourly
session.
So we're working on courseworkand training more coaches to be
(09:23):
part of our team so that we'reable to provide that same
guidance for more individualswithin our community.
And then the nonprofit is ourarm, so kind of working hand in
hand with another for profitthat we actually just started as
well I won't talk too much onthat one yet but being able to
kind of work with thissynergistic arrangement and
(09:47):
relationship so that we're ableto provide programs for families
, for the community at large,for remote individuals that are
interested but just don't livehere.
So there's a lot of things onthe horizon for more
accessibility, but still withthat intentional quality service
and programming that we offerwithin our one-on-ones and our
small groups currently.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
You know it's interesting.
I had someone reach out to metoday and they're like hi, I
know you work with the Haven alot, but you know we have a
family that works for us andtheir kids have some
exceptionalities and they'relooking for some things to do.
Do you know anyone?
And I'm like, actually so.
So if you wouldn't mind, I'mgoing to send you, send them
your information after, whetherit's work or you know, like
(10:31):
things that they can doathletically or just being
involved.
Yeah, and what really um stoodout to me and all the things
that you've said and justknowing you personally, is you
are so intentional and it'sabout, like you said, the
quality, like things will comein your path that are meant to
be, and I think that that's partof my like spiritual components
(10:54):
, like what's meant for you willalways come and you don't have
to go seeking it all the timeand you're not looking to expand
and grow and build and buildand build, because what happens
when we build and build andbuild?
We lose sight of the heart ofwhat we're doing.
So I am just so excited to seehow this is all.
(11:15):
I mean it's fun to watch.
I mean we've been in eachother's network for 16, 15 years
, just based on a family that wekind of both worked with
individually, and that guy's offin college now and it's crazy.
But you know, that's when Ifirst heard about you and just
heard such great things and then, you know, just kind of
trickled in networks and justaround.
(11:36):
So it's just I feel like it'sone of those beautiful
synergistic or synergetic likejust partnerships that just you
can see someone's heart and youcan see their passion, and I
think that that's something.
And you've been very open, likeI have, about sharing a
personal journey.
Yeah, so what led you into allthis, if you don't mind sharing?
(11:56):
Yeah, you know what, whatreally motivated you to do what
you're doing, because thatdoesn't just happen by accident,
it doesn't just you know, youhave a, like you said, you
mentioned that it was from yourown personal experiences.
So if you could elaborate onthat a little bit, yeah for sure
.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
So yeah, I, I, um, I get asked this question all the
time because I feel like it'sit's so niche and I don't want
to like speak like in a in a waythat like comes off as um
bragging, but I know that we'rein something that's very unique,
um, but I'm very, I I wouldconsider myself very unique or I
I've been able to.
(12:34):
But again, everybody has theirown individual experiences, um,
but from the beginning I felt,um and when I say beginning,
just within my childhood andadolescent years and teens, a, I
was fortunate enough to bearound individuals who had Down
syndrome, developmental delays,at a very young age.
(12:54):
So I think that exposure andthat introduction and ultimately
that curiosity for me, itallowed me to see life through a
different lens, and one of myfamily members actually had Down
syndrome, so he was constantlyat family events and just was
the life of the party and youjust grow to love or I grew to
(13:16):
love those individuals and justthat essence and stubbornness
and all of it.
But through, I mean, my schoolage years, I definitely
struggled across the board andagain that comes in with that
high masking of like I wasfairly popular, I mean, I was
very athletic, I was on thebasketball team, I ran cross
country pretty prominent family,all things considered, in the
(13:39):
town that I grew up with or in.
And then my sister was, youknow, very good basketball
player, so people knew who wewere.
And then my sister was, youknow, a very good basketball
player.
So people knew who we were.
And I don't think anybody reallyknew the struggles that I was
experiencing behind closed doors, highly sensitive, like
everything crushed me, crushedmy soul, and I had no regulation
(14:00):
skills to handle and cope andmove through that, aside from
fitness, and often it was mejust like running by myself,
going to the gym at 6 am, youknow, just constantly moving and
doing all these things.
But when I was still withmyself, whether it was
(14:20):
academically speaking orsocially, with friendships and
or just family related things,our internal family unit it was
certainly.
It was a struggle and I knowthat everybody has their own
experiences and their struggles.
But for me the takeaway was Iwant to help others work through
these things that I experiencedand these difficulties and
(14:42):
these roadblocks, and I don'twant to necessarily take away
that pain or take away thatsuffering or the lessons that
were learned along the way, butI at least want them to feel
like they have somebody thatunderstands it to some degree,
can relate, and then also toolsand resources that they can
utilize for themselves so thatthey can navigate through
(15:03):
whatever it is that they'reexperiencing.
It wasn't until I was working ina classroom, I was in my
mid-20s, when I got diagnosedwith ADHD and generalized
anxiety and sensory processingdisorder.
I've been evaluated for autism,so it just by healing, being in
(15:23):
the healing environment,ultimately put me on the path to
healing myself.
And today I'll be 36.
Tomorrow, oh, happy birthday.
Oh, what a special day We'llget to that later.
Yeah, it is, it's all like yousaid, everything kind of unfolds
.
I know it's kind of bizarre howlife-.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
We're really gonna cry, no it's been.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Yes, it's been a year for sure.
But you know, last year at thistime I feel like the, the
challenges and the struggles andthe healing that I've been able
to go through throughout myentire lifetime, but this past
year especially and specificallymaybe because I'm more
conscious and aware andintentional about healing myself
(16:06):
so I can ultimately help healothers it has been.
It has put me in such a place tocontinue even more so on this
path and on this journey, andI've never felt more validated
within myself to do what I loveand do it in the way that I want
to do it, because I think sooften, being like a chronic
(16:27):
people pleaser and just a, mysister sent me like with you
know, virgo is my horoscope andwhatnot, like astrology, and if
you're into it, awesome, if not,that's fine too.
It's just like these littlepieces.
But she sent me the Virgo'slike key terms, and it was the
martyr, the servant, theperfectionist, and I forget the
(16:50):
other one because it wasactually OK.
But the first three I'm likethose suck, like those are
really like the, and I'm likethat's true, like here's my soul
on a platter.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Yeah, no, give it back whenever you're done.
Yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
I think that, yes, I definitely serve.
But I told her I do serveothers, but I'm going to serve
myself first martyr.
But I'm not going to go die onthe hill that I don't deserve to
die on and then theperfectionist, the imperfect
perfectionist and that does verymuch embody who I am and who.
I strive to be, but I thinkit's just owning that and taking
it and trying to help othersalong the way right and finding
(17:26):
value in our lived experience,and it sounds like that's what
you've done.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
I mean, that's what I've had to do.
It's like you, you know, goingback to like childhood stuff,
like, yeah, you realize ways youstruggled, but I also had to
really put the mirror up to like, how am I carrying that into
like now, and what have I beendoing to carry that into now?
Like I am very much of thisdeep, deep, deep conditioned.
(17:50):
Your work ethic is yourworthiness.
You know you have to earneverything that you ever do like
and you have to prove yourself,like you know, and it's so hard
to break out of.
But when you're doing work andso I think this is where I still
struggle to find a balance whenyou're doing work that you
really love, but then you get toa point where it's like, okay,
(18:11):
but what am I doing for me?
So, like I've had to do that,like take a step back, like, yes
, we're doing all this beautifulwork, but I can't lose myself
in the process, because then I'mgoing to be a hypocrite about
doing the work that I reallyneed, you know.
So it's like finding thatbalance and sometimes it's
really hard.
So how do you, for yourself.
Maintain that balance, althoughI will say she is like the most
(18:33):
ridiculous jump roper on theplanet.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
I know that's a form of therapy for you.
It is, it definitely is.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
I just watch it.
I'm like, wow, that's prettyincredible.
But thank you, so how do youfind that balance for yourself?
Because I think that that'swhere I still struggle.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Just balance with work and life.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Well balance with like you know, owning it, yeah,
and all of it yeah, and thendoing the great work for others,
but then making sure that youreel it back in and don't get
into those old patterns ofmanifesting too much when
youesting too much, when youmanifest too much and then
you're like, okay, well, I'vemanifested all of this, so how
(19:15):
do I reel it back in?
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Yeah, that's a challenging predicament that we
often find ourselves in.
I am learning that I crave andthrive with structure, but I am
getting better and better withallowing myself to have
permission to rest, yes, whichis insanely challenging for me.
(19:37):
Same.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
That's, I think, my biggest downfall.
And when I do have empty space,not feeling guilty for having
empty space and just resting andallowing myself to do nothing.
Not feeling guilty for havingempty space and just resting and
allowing myself to do nothing,Like you know, I've I've
acquired help and I've I'vediverted all of these tasks in
other ways.
But like, stop filling theempty space when you have it.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Yeah, it is, yes, it is, and I I feel like I have
gotten much better with that.
When I have empty space, I'mlike now intentionally putting
time within my work days to justhave flex time because I need
the structure.
But I also am learning that Ineed the flexibility to just be
like I'm actually not gonna godo that, I'm gonna just say no
(20:24):
and do my own thing.
But I have found that my emptyspace is time for me to hang out
with my dogs, so I'll literallyI have like a really cool
situation where I live like ablock away from both of the
locations that we work out of,so I'm able to like go home,
like hang with my dogs for a bit.
Or there's a park right acrossthe street that I literally just
go like sit my ass down in orstretch or do something.
(20:47):
I just lay there and that hasbeen like just a little bit of
time, like each week or wheneverI can find it has been life
changing for me because it justrejuvenates me and it allows me
to have that time for myself andalso I think it's a lot of
boundary setting too.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Not saying yes to everything because it even if it
feels right in the moment it'slike okay, so it might feel
right right now, but does itserve me next week?
Does it serve me?
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Yeah, and then next week you get super resentful and
you're like I can't believe.
I said yes to that, Like Idefinitely don't want to go, but
that's like, yes, honoring yourown boundaries and then
following through with thoseboundaries.
So I have found that that hasbeen super important and then
also expressing it to those thatare within your circle and
communicating it, because I findmyself, if I'm in our workspace
(21:36):
, I am immediately accessibleand I will naturally just jump
in or answer any questions or bethe again the servant.
I'm here to help everybody, butyet that takes me out of my flow
state, that takes me out of,like, my intentional time, and
then ultimately, I becomefrustrated with myself.
So I think, if I look at itthrough that lens, I'm much more
(21:58):
apt to be like okay, no, youreally do need to take this time
and you do need to have thisbalance, because ultimately,
you're going to be the onethat's going to be upset with
yourself and we no longer wantto be living in that state of
mind because that's a reallyshitty place and I don't want to
be in that loop again and Ihave been diagnosed with similar
(22:19):
things that you have in thepast and I have found that if I
don't take that time for myself,I can't process what's going on
in my life Like I can't.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
I have a hard time bouncing from community outreach
to podcasting to family stuff,to anything, anything
philanthropic.
And it's like I, if I don't takethat time and for me, I don't
know if it's just conditioning,I don't know if it's just the
way my body does process, butlike long walks or just walking
and being in nature, is the waythat my body processes.
Like if I, if I find, if I dojust like lay down and be still,
(22:51):
I'm like I don't know, I feellike I just need to do.
You know, I think of otherthings that need to be done
around me, especially if I'mindoors at my house.
So I find that being outside,like even this morning, I'm like
I took a long walk, like I needbirds, I need just no, no noise
(23:14):
and no music, and it allow, itjust sets me up differently,
yeah, and it allows me to showup for myself in a way that I
just can't do in others, in away that I just can't do if I'm
going from all the things no,even if you're passionate about
it, and that's just it.
It's you, this serving, givingheart, but it's like, okay, what
am I pouring into me?
And that is so huge.
And I know that that's probablysomething you work a lot with
the parents and the children andthe families that you work with
(23:36):
.
That's a huge component.
But by you doing that, you'regiving them the permission,
you're showing them by examplelike you have to do this for
yourself, like drop them off,have the time for yourself, like
you're allowed to do that,because so often we feel guilty
for having time.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Yeah, it's super interesting because I'm not a
parent, but I am a parent and Iwill tell you this new layer of
guilt has been placed upon mejust by having two dogs and like
I and they have the like theyare living like the life.
I see you guys walking arounddowntown all the time, and yet
still I'll be like, oh, I didn'tspend enough time with my dogs
(24:12):
today.
I'm like God, like peopleprobably look at my situation
and like Danny, like, shut up,like you are doing just fine.
Your own standard, though, yesbut that exactly so, being able
to work through these likelittle guilty or like these
conditioned things that we feellike we have to take on, like
these conditioned things that wefeel like we have to take on
and I think that just beingaware of it is like the battle,
(24:33):
because you're able to choosedifferently if you're aware of
it.
Right.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
And I have the choice .
I think that some of the thingsthat I really want to touch on,
to add to this, are suchanother layer of the component,
like the human design, or lovelanguages or life languages,
like what we are kind of created, like how we are.
Everyone is so different.
Yeah, like when my husband andI did life languages 10 years
ago for the first time andbefore we were married, and I
(25:00):
realized I was a high responder,high influencer, high mover,
and he was a super highcontemplator and that was my
lowest and responder was hislowest, it was like, well, that
makes a lot of sense.
Yeah, and I'm like thatprobably saved our relationship.
No, it's so true, having thatknowledge is power and so human
design is different.
So I've, I've done it.
(25:21):
I'm the manifesting generator.
Three, five, I forget the wholechart, but explain that to us a
little bit.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Yeah, so human design is basically like your
blueprint for your energy howyou show up in your life, how
you respond to life othersinternally, externally I mean
it's just, it's a really nicefoundational.
It's very much a hybrid of alot of spiritual energetic
components all brought togetheras one.
(25:49):
So you have your energy type,which is manifesting generator.
That's yours right?
Yes, also mine, whichunderstand.
I understand a lot.
Yeah just I when you're sayinglike I just went for a long walk
and I was totally I'm like well, that makes a lot of sense.
Primary, secondary functions,for sure, um.
But then you have your profilelines, your three.
So that basically shows thefirst line is how people
(26:12):
perceive you, so your three isthe investigator, and then the
five is how you perceive and seeyourself, so that's the leader,
and those can go into a lotmore depth.
And then you have yourauthority and your strategy.
And I don't want to get toomuch into those particular
things, but the way that I seeit is again a blueprint, a
general understanding for you tobetter discover and understand
(26:35):
yourself.
And the word curiosity alwayspops up for me, because we don't
necessarily want to use thesethings as a label or like it's
your sole identity.
But I think we all deserve, yes, to have these tools to better
understand ourselves, so we canunderstand others, so we can try
to make sense of the world inwhich we're currently living,
right and I'll say, like doingthe human design, doing the love
(26:57):
languages, doing life languages, doing all of these kind of
like my astrology chart, likeunderstand, and these are all
little things, you know.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
You take it with a grain of salt.
Yeah, it adds you know how youhave a file let's think old
school files, when we actuallyprinted things out.
It just goes into that like,well, that makes everything make
so much sense.
This is why I could give twoshits about math.
I knew I was never going to usemath in my life.
(27:34):
I always needed to move my body.
I'm a mover.
I'm like a 96% mover orsomething like that.
Like, and this is like thecontemplator, this is why I'm
impulsive, because I don't thinkabout things before I do them.
You know, high responder, thisis where the empathy comes in,
and, like, my need and want tohelp and give others, and the
influencer is like this is why Iwant to share it, because I
(27:56):
want people to know that they'renot alone.
And so how have you been ableto kind of incorporate this into
your education styles?
Because you incorporate it into, you know, your participants
plan and everything which iswonderful.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
I'm just kidding.
My team is like it's not astandardized test.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
It's not it is, but it's amazing.
Think of it along those lines,though, like we've been using
this one system, or a fewsystems, like grading scales and
things like that.
And it's like this, you know,we're all.
Someone said it was actually aparent night in my son's school
and I teared up like six times,but they were explaining this.
You know, traditional educationsystem our teachers are giving
(28:37):
information, the students arereceiving the information at all
different levels, you know, andthen they're tested on the
information.
Yeah, so the one that reallystruggled to understand the
information, once they get thegrade back, realizes like, oh,
wow, you know, what does that doto their insides?
(28:58):
Like I'm not good enough or Idon't know, and it's like, no,
maybe you just needed adifferent way, maybe it needed
to be delivered differently,maybe you need to touch and feel
something to understand it.
Maybe you, you know so anyway.
So it's, it's chasing, like thereward of the end goal, which
is the grade.
Yeah, right.
And then there's this differenteducational system that you know
(29:19):
you're hands-on, you're tactile, you're learning about what,
what?
How do you learn best?
Do you want to see things?
Do you want to feel things?
Do you need to be moving whileyou're doing it?
Do you?
You know?
Is it?
Are you very visual?
Like I, have a very picture,like visual memory, like I can.
This is the way I, the only wayI think I got through school, is
because I would color code mynotes and then I would look at
(29:42):
them and then I would be able toregurgitate on a test because I
had that picture in my mind ofthe colors of the answers and I
got through like that, like, didI remember it now?
No, I mean anatomy andphysiology.
I did, because that was what Iwas interested in.
So it's so interesting.
But when we're collectivelyeducating ourselves and each
(30:04):
other and children and we'redoing it as a collective group
and we're collaborating onthings and working through
challenges and verbalizing howit makes us feel along the way
and asking for help, it createsthis collective community.
But if we're just chasing thereward, we totally miss out on
(30:26):
the process.
And the process is how we trulylearn.
And that to me was like likeI'm just 40 years old and I'm
just now figuring out how to doall of this.
But I feel like it's somethinglike inherently, you kind of
know along the way and youfigure out how to do it in your
own little way, and so I lovethat you are just creating and
holding space for theseopportunities and just doing it
(30:49):
so differently.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
Yeah, it feels really good.
Yes, it feels good and I thinkto your point, being in a school
that's traditional, whereyou're getting the grades or
you're trying to strive for thatoutcome of you know, the
recognition, the accolade or theletter grade.
It's all about the language andit's, I think, being able to
approach life and educationspecifically because that's the
(31:12):
field in which I'm in in a moreempowering way and using
different language, so thatyou're setting that student or
that child or that teen up forsuccess ultimately, so that
they're not seeing theirdifferences as less or from lack
, and it's not affecting theirself-esteem or their worth, it
merely is providing them anexplanation for who they are.
(31:32):
And that's not to be an excuse,like you're not going to say, oh
yeah, I'm just really impulsive, so that explains why?
No, but it gives you anexplanation as to why you do the
things that you do.
And again, you have thedecision, you have the choice.
What are you going to do withthat information?
Right, and I think that'sultimately all that we can do is
plant that seed and maybe oneday hopefully one day they'll be
(31:53):
able to take it, retain it andbe able to apply it in a
meaningful and constructive way.
But I think that theinformation and the knowledge
that we're able to provide ourchildren and our young adults
for them to advocate forthemselves, for them to
understand who they are, so thatthey don't feel like they are a
misfit or an outsider or notenough.
(32:14):
I think that our world deservesa generation of individuals.
Whether you're neurodivergentor neurotypical or whatever, it
doesn't matter.
I think everybody deserves thatright to be empowered and to
have the opportunity and, mostimportantly, the people to
support you along the way.
I think so often people feel soisolated because they don't
feel understood, but if you'reable to get yourself in a place
(32:37):
that has others in a similarposition maybe not the same, but
being able to know that yourstruggles might be yours and an
individual experience for you,but at least you're amongst
others that are experiencingthings or can relate to what
you're going through and thatsense of belonging and community
is so important.
(32:58):
And I think within education.
I think so many kids arewalking paths just alone and
whether they're displaying thaton social media or not, that's
certainly happening.
I would argue that it'shappening even more in today's
society, which I'm sure thatthere are studies and data on
that.
I taught in middle school for acouple of years before I left
(33:19):
completely, and I was devastatedat the amount of turmoil and
the mental health and just theemotional status and development
of where we're expecting themto be as a society, as a system,
to where they're actuallyfunctioning and we're not
meeting them where they are.
So, yes, I feel very fortunateto be able to provide a vessel
(33:41):
to at least have some type ofcontribution that I can feel
good about and I can sleep atnight about, because I'm not
going to change the world, butit's the ripple effect If you're
able to instill this in acommunity or an individual.
Let's start with the individual.
Then you can create a communitythat, hopefully, will continue
to pass it along and do the same.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
Right, and I think that's just really what it's
about is like providing thatresource.
I don't think it's notmainstream because it's like
intentionally it's just it's notbeen as accepted or, you know,
even put out there enough.
So now that's the whole pointof doing this right is to
provide people these resourceslike they're alternatives.
(34:24):
Yeah, and you know, I thinkthat's the great thing about
being on the board of ResilientRetreat is like providing these,
you know, regulationopportunities for helping
professions so awesome, I mean,mean it's such.
I mean, for, like you said, youtaught middle school and my
daughter like all of her, withone in college, two in high
(34:45):
school, one five-year-old, butlike middle school was so hard,
like in you know, I got feedbackfrom the teachers and I'm like,
but I don't even you.
I think when people go intoeducation they go in for a heart
, for exactly like you'vedescribed, and it's hard
sometimes when you have so manyregulations and systems and you
(35:05):
know things that you have to gothrough a certain structure.
Yeah, but I just think thatthat's the beauty of having the
ability to add to your owntoolbox and understanding more.
And, like you said before, wegot on air like I think I would
be like the public schoolteacher.
That was like okay, humandesign, I need everyone's
information because it allowsyou to understand, because it's
(35:29):
so I mean, it's so fast paced.
I think that was the hardestpart for me in school is like
okay, you go from one class tothe next class, to the next
class to the next class, andthen you have to go home and do
this work.
Or then you go to sports andthen by the time the next day
rolls around, you're like Idon't know what the hell
happened yesterday.
I'm just, I felt like I wasjust kind of going through the
motions and I don't, I just knewI wasn't built for it.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
Well, and you're probably, I mean correct me if
I'm wrong but how many of thoseactivities that you had
throughout your day, or subjectsthat you were actually like
really invested in or likeexcited about or curious about?
Because if you're notinterested in math or science or
whatever it is you're I mean asyour type like that, it drains
the heck out of you.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Oh, it's so hard.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
If you're super into anatomy and physiology, yeah,
like you're locked in and youcould have endless amounts and
supplies of energy like all dayhyper focus You're.
You're going to be on point onyour A game all day long if
you're doing things that youlove.
But if you're not doing thingsthat you love, it really can be
detrimental.
And that's not to say that younever should do anything that
(36:32):
like.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
I mean something out of your comfort zone is
important Right.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
However, but it's acknowledging that and again
being aware of okay, yeah, mathreally drains me, so I'm going
to allow the teacher to help meby helping myself and saying,
hey, this is how I learn best.
And again, not everybody canexpress or articulate that, but
that's what the family unit'sfor, or that's even better, or
(36:58):
that's even better.
That's what the educator andthe system is for is to support
you and to provide you with thetools and the communication when
you can or cannot speak foryourself.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
And I think that's really becoming more mainstream
now is just moreempowerment-based learning, even
in traditional education.
Even you know, I see stuffgoing on for Sarasota County
like resiliency programs andteaching children about
resiliency and I mean justunderstanding that.
You know our environment is abig part of you know quote who
(37:25):
we are from a young age, but itdoesn't mean we have to get
stuck there.
Yeah, like we've said it kindof in passing is like you know,
when you start to identify withanything, you start eliminating
yourself.
It's definitely, yeah, like OK,I was diagnosed with ADHD too,
but I don't use that as anexcuse and go along.
I just know that, ok, there arecertain things I need a little
(37:47):
extra help and need to workaround.
Like you should see me gettingstuff done around my house.
It's like the dishwasher isopen.
I'm like in six differentplaces in one, and God forbid
someone come up and talk to methat I'm just like, okay, I'm
going to go read a book and I'llcome back.
And then I come back and I'mlike, okay, what was I working
on?
And I walked in this room forwhat reason?
And you know I mean, I meanit's real, but I just I have to
(38:11):
learn to come up with my littlesystems and you know you learn
to work around it.
But you have to find what'sempowering for you and what
helps you navigate that and justreaching out and I think it's
just so important to know thatyou're not alone.
Everyone has struggles,everyone has stuff and I really
(38:31):
love that.
I think we're really breakingout of this shame around this
stuff conversation.
It's like, yeah, conversationit's like no it's okay.
We're all different, we all havechallenges.
We all have, you know, thisindividual beautiful makeup.
That's what makes us allbeautiful.
But if we keep breaking eachother up into these little
groups, when we keep labelingeverything, we're gonna keep the
(38:53):
diversion there and like we'renot gonna be like unified and
supportive in that wholecommunity.
So I just I don't know.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
I think it's so important to just support that
and I know that every that'slike everything you stand for is
, things are not black and white, no, and I think that, now more
than ever, I think it's animportant point to touch upon
that Like we don't have topolarize everything, and it just
because you're this doesn'tmean you're that you can be
(39:22):
autistic and still be very, uh,friendly and exciting and
extroverted, to like be withother people there.
two things can exist absolutelyand two opposites can exist.
And how?
How are you going to handle thebeing able to hold that tension
?
And I think that that,ultimately, is a huge thing to
(39:42):
teach the individual.
And just again, communication.
I think that that, aboveanything else, that was a thing
that I certainly struggled withbeing on the receiving end but
then also like trying to providethat communication expressing
how I'm feeling.
It never felt like it landed,but now I think I have the
language, I have the tools and Ithink so often people just
(40:03):
don't know how to expressthemselves and tell people how
they're feeling, or people getoffended or defensive by you
standing up for yourself andsharing how it's making you feel
.
I think that we all deserve tohave more harmony and peace in
our lives and I think that thatstarts with us.
I know that there's so much onthat philosophy.
(40:25):
I mean psychology, I mean depth.
I've been starting to dabblewith depth psychology and having
the masculine and feminine andjust seeing everybody as your
mirror and what you see inothers or what you don't like in
others, or what makes youuncomfortable in others.
Bring it right back to yourselfand see the shadow parts that
you need to be able to identifyand be more intentional about
(40:47):
moving through.
And yeah, there's a lot that Ithink we try to sprinkle in the
day to day, but I think thebiggest thing is just really,
like you said, the.
I mean it's literally calledempowering education, like
that's what we, that sector andthe holistic health and
community connection, like thoseare literally our three pillars
and it's just, it's all aboutempowering the individual so
(41:08):
that we can create a moreinformed and self-affirming
collective together.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
Yeah, I mean, and it's so huge because, like you
said before, we're not taughthow to verbalize our feelings,
we're not taught how to feel ourfeelings.
Yeah, you know, we're not like.
I think we're coming around toit but you know, especially
previous generations, you knowyou worked through I think
(41:36):
that's where I grew up with mygrandparents, but I think that's
kind of where that you got towork through.
Just keep on pushing, keep ontrucking.
Mentality goes and it's like,okay, I'll just keep running,
Just keep running and runningand running.
What am I running from?
I don't know if you've everdone this.
I'm running and running,literally physically, and then
like, what am I running from?
(41:57):
And then it's like I'm scared toeven look at that, yes,
sometimes, but then I now Iforce myself to pause, like we
talked about, and I even had areally impactful conversation
yesterday.
Have you ever been to awarehouse in Sarasota Wonderful,
you would love Steve and OzComer and Dr Sienna there, and I
(42:17):
went to see them because I feellike we have a new puppy and
you, having two dogs youunderstand how much work they
are and I, you know so, having afive-year-old and so it's not
just having a new puppy, it'slike having a new child, but you
get to put them in a kennelsometimes.
So it's really unlocked, thisdeep, deep childhood, like I
(42:41):
can't do it all by myself.
You know this deep like, okay,I, I can't do it all by myself.
So what?
What am I do?
So I felt like I've been alittle bit and we lost our dog
and June.
So I feel like I was a bitfrozen and I found myself,
instead of grieving like Ineeded to, I was running more, I
(43:02):
was cycling more.
I was back to the old patternsof moving through it because I
didn't want to feel it, and thenI had surgery in July and I
forced myself to feel it.
And then I was like oh, we get anew puppy and we get a new
puppy, and then it's like, oh,but it's so beautiful, so I
think that it's really allowedme.
We get a new puppy and then,it's like, oh okay, but it's so
beautiful.
So I think that it's reallyallowed me to take a step back,
like a deep, deep conversationyesterday about you don't have
(43:26):
to do it all Like delegate, askfor help, get a puppy sitter,
get someone to come walk them,get someone you know.
Thank goodness I had theresources to like have this
whole village of people helpingme, because I don't know how I
could do it often because youknow like we were talking about
when you fill the empty space.
But if I have empty space,don't feel guilty for the empty
space.
You deserve the empty space.
Yeah, you do.
(43:46):
You deserve the empty space andit's okay.
Your nervous system needs theempty space.
Your brain needs the emptyspace.
So I think that that's a bigthing too is when, when it comes
to education or, you know, justadult life living, allow
yourself to have the empty space, because A you're going to be
able to feel your feelings andprocess whatever it needs to be
(44:06):
processed.
Because we're running aroundwith this full bucket and then
someone cuts us off in trafficor one little thing happens and
we have all these emotions aboutit and then it where's this all
coming from?
Because nine times out of ten.
The thing is not the thing.
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
Yes, it really is not .
I would argue, yeah, nine and ahalf times out of ten, and is
not the thing.
It's everything else leading upto it right.
But I think that's yes and justthink about, by you
understanding that, aboutyourself, how that's helping the
people that you love and thepeople that you work with, or
your friends or your family Imean everybody.
They automatically benefit fromyou setting those boundaries
(44:47):
and from you taking that time.
And so you are your mostfavorite self and you can show
up as you want to show up,because if you're not, then
you're just going to feel somereally difficult feelings and
project it in other ways Right.
Rather than being able to movethrough it and heal through it
on your own, you're going to beplacing it in a place that
probably didn't deserve Right,and that's kind of where I feel
(45:10):
like I was heading.
Speaker 1 (45:10):
And that's when I was like, okay, you know I've done
so much healing, I've done allthe work, I'm like, but this is
just a perfect example ofthere's still so much work that
needs to be done.
With every new day, with everynew chapter, you just never know
what can come along.
And I think that sometimes weget almost embarrassed to say I
need more help or I need toshift things around, or I need
(45:32):
to make a change here, and it'slike let the ego go because your
true self is not able to betruing right now.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
No, it's so true, and I think that when you are a
person who is in this type ofenvironment, often, or this
field, or you lead by example-right but when you, ultimately,
are faced with a morechallenging time and you still
have to show up as that personof influence or inspiration, or
the teacher in the classroomevery day, or, you know, working
(46:01):
within a nonprofit setting orjust the community itself.
It's really challenging to maskwhat you're experiencing.
So I mean my advice is likeshow everybody your true self
and show yourself actuallyhealing through it rather than
trying to muscle through it, andjust like really dig yourself
an even bigger hole.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
Like I, refuse to wear the mask anymore.
Yeah, and I think that that isthe beauty of living just an
authentic life.
Yes, it's like I'm just goingto show up and you know what and
I think we touched on thisearlier Like if we have
something going on in two weeks,like when I get like two days
before, like I plan my calendarout as much as I have to, but I
am not afraid to be like, hey,I'm not going to be there, I
can't show up, I just I can't.
(46:42):
I can't do it, I don't have thecapacity.
Yeah, like that's my newfavorite, I don't really have
the capacity for that right now.
But it's giving.
Oh wow, I never really thoughtto say that or do that yeah, and
to have people understand thatso tell us about.
You have like a big anniversarycoming up.
Speaker 2 (47:01):
You have a lot going on here and a birthday and
birthday tomorrow.
So happy birthday, thank you.
Thank you, yeah, we'recelebrating 13 years.
It was actually in June, but Igot the date wrong.
Like a couple of weeks weeksago, I was in my chiropractor's
office and I'm like, yeah, Ithink I'm celebrating it in
August.
I don't really do a celebrationand then, like I go on sunbiz
(47:24):
and I'm like, ah shit, it wasactually back in June, so so
it's not on your actual birthday, but you're celebrating it on
your birthday it wasn't evensupposed to be on my birthday,
it's called.
The event that we do monthly iscalled Friday night with friends
.
Okay and uh, unfortunatelythere's a new soccer league
starting not for unfortunately,but it was just a conflict of
(47:44):
scheduling for many of ouryounger participants.
So, like, okay, we'll do aThursday night with family.
It doesn't really sound asgreat, but, um, it just happens
to be my birthday tomorrow, sowe're doing a really fun.
I think we have 50 of like our50 community members, like
families and participants comingand all of our coaches and
(48:07):
doing a nice fun scavenger huntwithin the community and getting
some pizza from Origin Pizzaand Great Heights Creamery ice
cream and yeah, it's uh, yeah,it's just like the only place
the neighborhood is.
Yeah it's like really great.
I I love everything about thepeople and the businesses which,
again, it just goes.
It speaks to the community andthat inclusive sense of
(48:27):
belonging and it feels reallygreat to like have a place, to
be able to create a place or tocontribute to a place.
So 13 years is a long time andit's evolved like crazy and I'm
really excited because we have alot of awesome stuff in the
works.
Speaker 1 (48:41):
I mean, you started that when you're what?
22, 23 years old.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
I've grown up, like with many of my, guys, that is
really beautiful.
I know it's pretty cool, reallyamazing, yeah, and something
that should absolutely becelebrated.
Speaker 1 (48:54):
And now, if our listeners, if our viewers, if
they want to find you, if theywant to hear more about this, if
they want to dive deeper intoall the things that you offer,
which I feel like we only likeskin the surface.
We really did Like she sends meher bio and I'm like, oh my
gosh, I'm not going to do thisany justice.
So how do they get ahold of you?
How do they learn more?
Speaker 2 (49:14):
Yeah Well, you can go to the website.
It's wwwnxtgennationcom, soit's not nextgenerationcom.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
It's nextgennation.
Speaker 2 (49:27):
That URL was not available when I went to
purchase it.
Speaker 1 (49:31):
So it makes things a little confusing.
I'll include that on your.
Yeah, that would be good.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
And then we're in the process, kenzie, one of our
incredible coaches coaches isredoing the website, so that's
almost finished, so we'll havelike a whole new thing.
Uh, and then if, uh, ourInstagram is at NXT generation
underscore wellness Awesome,yeah, so we're.
You know social media is whatit is.
We were trying to boost it alittle bit.
(49:55):
I, that's you can see mysquiggliness on, uh, our
instagram page.
I really have made it like a myown little personal diary
apparently.
Uh, just with, I love justdoing the purpose and intention
is to have terrible editing andlike, make it like really
uncomfortable and like weird andstuff.
So just putting that out there,that I'm not that bad at
editing.
I'm doing it on purpose for myown entertainment.
Speaker 1 (50:19):
It's my own selfish.
I feel like it would make it alot easier.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
It's great, yeah, it's.
Yeah.
We have, like my sister and Ihave like this little brand that
we say good enough, like it'sjust good enough.
So that's, we really try tolive life like that and it's
often just good enough.
Love it Right.
Life like that, and it's oftenjust good enough.
Love it Right Doesn't have tobe great all the time.
And who's judging?
Speaker 1 (50:41):
No, right, not us anymore, right?
I love that.
Thank you so much for beinghere today.
I feel like we could dive somuch deeper into so many
different things, but I reallyappreciate you Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (50:50):
Likewise Thank you for having me, of course,
awesome.
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