Ali is a tireless advocate for children and families, focusing on kinship, foster and adoptive families. She launched, funded and currently serves as the Executive Director of Foster Kinship, non-profit organization devoted to the support of kinship families. She founded Foster Kinship to provide much-needed resources and peer-to-peer support for the dedicated individuals working tirelessly to raise their relative’s children, keeping these children both connected to family and safe from harm.
A licensed foster and adoptive parent herself, Ali is a frequent contributor to the local, state and national conversation on kinship and foster care. Ali is completing a Ph.D. in Public Affairs at UNLV and holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Systems Renewal (OSR) from Seattle University, specializing in family systems and systemic trauma and healing, organizational consulting and group facilitation. Ali currently resides in Las Vegas with her husband and 5-year-old son.
Ali always knew she wanted to mother through adoption. She also felt a tremendous professional pull toward serving children and families who have experienced trauma. Ali has so beautifully pursued her personal and professional dreams in order to impact the lives of over 4,000 children in the last 6 years, while building a family with her husband and son, Anthony.
Listen in to hear Ali share:
Links Mentioned:
Learn more about Foster Kinship: www.FosterKinship.org
Foster Kinship on Facebook
Ali on Twitter
Tool: Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaire
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We recently made some decisions around education and religion that gave me the opportunity to dig into some discomfort. I thought it was worth sharing here, as I learn more and more that things are not always black and white (Dammit! It’s soooo much easier when they are!)
Sharing here allowed me to process what this journey has been like for me. I think you might find it helpful if you’ve ever had to make uncomfortable decisions around religion.
Annnnd…. I would love to hear your stories discomfort and religion. Email me at sara@shamelessmom.com if you have a story to share.
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Ellie Bassick-Trovato, the CEO & Founder of The New Brave, discovered a way to thrive in the face of enormous challenges such as depression, compulsive eating, and losing her husband and both of her parents. She created The New Brave to inspire other women to find their way to thrive in the midst of life’s challenges.
The company's mission is to unleash the power and the depth of feminine energy to help heal the world. She is a co-author of the Amazon #1 bestseller A Juicy Joyful Life: Inspiration from Women Who Have Found the Sweetness in Every Day. She writes, speaks, and facilitates workshops that help women live true and express their greatest gifts and their joy. She has impacted thousands of women’s lives through the wellness center she created (Uplifting Connections) and through online and in-person workshops and private coaching.
Ellie is joining The Shameless Mom Academy to share her shameless journey as a woman, widow, a single mom, and a leader. She shares the unexpected gifts that came out of her pain and trauma. We talk about self-love, your inner mean girl, and how to stop harmful self-talk.
Listen in to hear Ellie share:
Links Mentioned:
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I was recently at an event and my mind was blown open when I realized this one simple truth:
None of us are special.
Annnnnd – that means we are all equally capable of doing great things.
Those people you put on a pedestal - the heroes in your life – they all have struggles. They all have insecurities and doubts. They all fear failure. They all make mistakes. They all fall flat on their faces sometimes.
And this is a good thing.
It means we are all the same.
While no one is special, we are all unique. No one can ever be more you than YOU. Which means no matter what you do, it will never be the same as anyone else and you can make it as big and bold and badass as you want. There is no reason to hold anything back.
Listen in to learn how to be more YOU by:
Links Mentioned:
Podcast: School of Greatness interview with Lewis Howes and Shaun T
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Angela Stowell is co-founder and CEO and of Ethan Stowell Restaurants in Seattle. In 2007, she and her husband, Chef Ethan Stowell, founded Ethan Stowell Restaurants. The couple has since opened 16 restaurants across the city of Seattle. Angela manages over $25.5 million in annual revenue and oversees 320 employees.
Angela has repeatedly been recognized as a powerhouse and consistently conscientious businesswoman. She was named one of the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 2013 “40 Under 40. She and Ethan were the recipients of the 2016 Richard Melman Innovator of the Year Award. Most recently, she was honored as one of the Puget Sound Business Journal’s 2017 “Women of Influence,” a list showcasing women whose outstanding leadership has an outsized influence on the business community, and was named one of the “50 Most Influential Women in Seattle” by Seattle Met Magazine.
Angela sits on the Board of Directors for the United Way of King County where she serves as co-chair for Reconnecting Youth and as the 2018 Annual Campaign co-chair. Additionally, Angela has a seat on the board of local startup, Kigo Asian Kitchen, and is a member of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce Policy Leadership Group.
While Angela shines bright and strong in the Seattle business community, I know her first and foremost as great friend and a fantastic mom. I am so honored to share her Shameless story with you.
Listen in to hear Angela share:
Links Mentioned:
Connect with Angela at Ethan Stowell Restaurants
Angela on Instagram
Book: Hillbilly Elegy
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Procrastination is something that has come up a lot with my coaching clients recently, so I thought we should dive into that here.
There are many reasons we procrastinate. Sometimes procrastination is wrapped up in our self-doubt. Sometimes it’s wrapped up in perfectionism. Sometimes we’re scared of discomfort. Sometimes we’re paralyzed by anxiety.
In this episode, I’ll walk you through 6 common reasons we procrastinate (I think you’ll find a few of these very enlightening) and 8 steps you can take to procrastinate less.
We’ll talk about everything from simple habits like setting timers to get stuff done, to deeper ideas around assessing your mental health when find yourself in procrastination habits that you cannot seem to pull yourself out of.
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"My goal is to get as many new runners as possible, increase the awesome community, and laugh while doing it." - Beth Baker
Beth Baker started Running Evolution out of trying to run and failing for almost a year. She says she made every mistake; bad sports bras, wrong shoes and just, well, doing it wrong. But after falling in love with the sport and helping her friends start running, she knew she was on to something. The business was created 10 years ago and 2000 new runners were made from the program. She has also started her new venture: Coach Running Evolution.com, a online coaching program, where she is certifying and licensing people to start their own coaching program for new runners.
Beth is a colleague and friend of mine in Seattle. We are friends because – well – I stalked her and told her I wanted to be her friend. Seriously. This is how beautiful friendships are made.
Beth creates running magic by helping women share the experiences of learning to run together. I can’t say enough good things about the impact Beth has had on the thousands of runners she has coached. I am delighted and honored to share Beth with you today.
Listen in to hear Beth share:
Links Mentioned:
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We are well into 2018. It’s not a new year anymore, per se. However, have you started tackling the things you truly wanted to tackle this year? Have you been taking chances, getting out of your comfort zone, and going after the things you truly want – even if they scare you?
As we enter a new month and rapidly approach the spring season (YAY!), the time for action is now. The time to get a little uncomfortable is now. The time to be seen as the you you truly want to be is now.
I just had a conversation with a Shameless Mom last week about how uncomfortable it can be to show up in our lives in new and uncomfortable ways. We risk feeling naked and exposed. We risk judgment and misperceptions from others. It can feel ridiculously vulnerable.
But on the other side of that discomfort is YOU being YOU – standing in your power and your confidence (even if you’re faking it or forcing it a bit at first). It is liberating and life giving.
On the other side of that discomfort you get to move beyond the stagnation and frustration of your current life. You get to solve problems, embrace new adventures, and live bigger.
So, the uncomfortable steps must be taken, right?
In this episode, we’ll talk about how to have uncomfortable conversations (in the most comfortable way possible), how to take uncomfortable action and how to be more open to being seen as who you want to be, rather than who you think you should be.
Links Mentioned
Book: The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins
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