The Beginning

Welcome to the very first episode of The Sophia Speaks podcast, formerly known as the Courageous Coaching Podcast, but I am so glad that you are here. Whatever the name of the podcast is I’m glad that you are here. I have missed you guys so much. And it’s good to be back. It’s good to be in my mini studio recording, getting a firm footing on where I think I’m supposed to be. Or at least that’s where I’m supposed to be for right now. So, I’m happy. So how have you guys been? How have you been? I hope all is well.

Please make sure you leave me a message. Leave me a comment, do something to let me know you’re out there and that you’re listening. And you know that you’re benefiting from these episodes that you’re learning something; anything. Tell me something totally random. I just want to hear from you. Because I just like hearing from my audience.

That part is amazing. I’m just so glad to be back. I’m glad I hope you’re all are well. So, as you’ve probably seen, the cover has changed. As you probably heard, the intro has changed. All those things served me well in the beginning. But it’s a new day. It is a new era; new things are happening. And I’m just glad that I am able to roll with the punches. As you can see, my last episode was a little bit ago, it was back in August to be exact. And we’re now in mid-September. So, it took me a little while to get my footing because I knew stuff was changing. But I didn’t have a grasp on what exactly was changing, you know. So, it takes a little while sometimes to catch up with what already is. So, I just want to say I am back and I have a lot of stuff to tell you. I have a lot of things that have changed. Let’s get started.

The Changes

So again, the show has been revamped. There are some changes, of course, you notice the intro, and you notice the name. Also, the episodes are going to be changing. So, you’re like Sophia, what do you mean by that? It means that the things I talk about, I feel like Initially, I was a little bit superficial, or it just where I was at the time, it was where I was to be able to learn how to do this podcast thing, right? I am by no means saying that I have arrived. I am not the podcast queen. I am not the podcast goddess. But I do know a little bit more than I did when I first started.

I think all podcasters and all live streamers and everybody who’s doing anything, they go through this phase of where they’re in the beginning and then they learn a little bit and things have to change. If you don’t, you hold yourself back. I think that’s where my absence came from. I initially made the podcast to go along with my coaching practice. The courageous coaching podcast, because I am a courageous coach, I help women, you know, do things that they probably normally wouldn’t do, or that they’re afraid to do. Or I help them find themselves or admit things to themselves that they didn’t want to say out loud. But they inwardly knew. So, all of that takes courage. That’s where the initial name come from.

I still do that, because I still coach women, I still, you know, work with women and help them go on journeys of self-discovery to find out who they are and who they thought they were. Sort of, like, how this podcast evolved, I started off one way and I realized that’s not the way to go and now I am doing something different, because that’s what life calls for. So, on my podcast, though, I’m doing more talking about issues than actual coaching. So, the name didn’t fit. I had to shed that skin and come back with something different.

The other reason is, I felt I was being too superficial and stayed on the surface, or completely away from a lot of topics that touch me, and that they’re near and dear to my heart. While I’m not afraid to broach any topic, as you’ll see in my next episode, I just wasn’t tackling them. I’ve come to realize that having no stance is like, it seems like it’s being afraid of talking about it. But that’s the way we learn. That’s the way we learn from each other. This is a transitional episode.

To make the transition, I needed to do this. I needed to come explain, because I am a big proponent of closure, if it makes sense. In every situation, closure doesn’t make sense, whatever it is, sometimes needs to be cut off right there and then and you just move on. But some things, you need to understand why the change is happening.

The Understanding

You know when you’re driving, or you’re cycling or doing anything, when you take the curve, you do it differently than when you’re driving down a straight way. I have to make the disclaimer that I have no desire to be deliberately controversial or provocative, but I do feel it necessary to speak on many topics that affect me, my family, my culture, my community, and again, by not doing so it just makes it seem like I am just middle of the road, or I don’t have an opinion, when nothing is further from the truth.

I have opinions and feelings, and not just about, you know, surface level topics but about a lot of things that are going on today. I feel that in order for some people, to get an understanding, I need to broach those topics, right. Where we go from here is kind of tricky. It’s important to know, I’m sharing my personal experiences, and the interpretation thereof. My guests will do the same. A lot of times in the past, I had a lot of interview guests, and I’ll still have interview guests, but also you don’t just talk about a lot of stuff that’s, that’s just me, there’ll be a lot more episodes just me to get to know me, and to get to know my coaching style, and where all of my beliefs come from. I also reserve the right to change my mind, that’s part of growing. If you learn something, and then you’re just in that you’re not growing, and you’re not allowing yourself or the people around you to get to know the real you because you’re just here in this one thing, and you’re taking whatever situation it is in this one context and that’s it.

That’s not fair to you, or those who encounter you. I’ve learned things and then I’ve had experiences and it may have changed my beliefs, but I’m still the same person. I’m learning and I’m growing every single day. I welcome anybody with new experiences and new perspectives to always, give me an opinion or give me your take on the situation, what is your perception, so we can all learn, grow and understand.

Moving Right Along

Again, it’s important to note that my future episodes are not meant to be offensive. There’s no need to get defensive. Just listen with the intent to learn. That’s all I ask. I’m only going to entertain written correspondence or messages that are sent respectfully, because I deal with everybody, or at least try to deal with everybody in a respectful manner. That’s all I want to get in return. Will it always be? No, I know it won’t. I have a very strong block finger and I have a very strong delete finger. It takes a lot to get under my skin.

Disagreement is welcome. That’s how we learn. Respectful disagreement is cherished. Respectfully disagree with me, tell me your point of view. Again, I’m speaking from my experience, my guests will be speaking from their experiences. If you have a different experience, let’s talk about it and kind of mesh them together so we can all know and then we go, if we go forward, and we meet somebody else with that experience, will know how to deal with it in a better way. As opposed to being defensive and offensive. Just sometimes we’re just gonna have to walk away from the conversation agreeing to disagree, but still respecting each other. That’s what I want. So, I just want to make sure we understand that I love correspondence. I don’t feel I get enough correspondence or get enough calls.

There is also the opportunity to add your opinion on a topic. What I’ve done is developed a web page that you can enter your email address and each time I come up with topics for the show, and I need feedback, I’m going to send out an email. You can respond to that email or to that survey answering all questions or you can just answer the one that you feel like you have knowledge on. Either way, I am glad for the input. 

I look forward to what the future holds for us. I hope you are too. 

Thanks for listening.