Everyone Has a Story – But Is Yours Serving You?
No one makes it through life without some kind of pain or trauma. Our “emotional brain” then makes it into a story that travels with us over time. When we let our story serve us by finding the silver lining, we can change the dynamic. We change our...
No one makes it through life without some kind of pain or trauma. Our “emotional brain” then makes it into a story that travels with us over time. When we let our story serve us by finding the silver lining, we can change the dynamic. We change our relationship with our story and are no longer beholden to it as victims. Instead, we look for the good that came from our pain. It is often in the unearthing of our deepest pain that we find the most resilient and beautiful parts of ourselves.
Working on Purpose is broadcast live Tuesdays at 6PM ET and Music on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). Working on Purpose is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).
Working on Purpose Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.
1
00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:03.480
The topics and opinions express in the
following show are solely those of the hosts
2
00:00:03.480 --> 00:00:06.759
and their guests and not those of
W FOURCY Radio. It's employees are affiliates.
3
00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:10.320
We make no recommendations or endorsements for
radio show programs, services, or
4
00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:14.080
products mentioned on air or on our
web. No liability, explicit or implied
5
00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:17.960
shall be extended to W FOURCY Radio
or its employees are affiliates. Any questions
6
00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:21.280
or comments should be directed to those
show hosts. Thank you for choosing W
7
00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:31.800
FOURCY Radio. What's Working on Purpose? Anyway? Each week we ponder the
8
00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:35.679
answer to this question. People ache
for meaning and purpose at work, to
9
00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:40.920
contribute their talents passionately and know their
lives really matter. They crave being part
10
00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:45.560
of an organization that inspires them and
helps them grow into realizing their highest potential.
11
00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:49.600
Business can be such a force for
good in the world, elevating humanity.
12
00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:53.799
In our program, we provide guidance
and inspiration to help usher in this
13
00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:58.759
world we all want Working on Purpose. Now, here's your host, Doctor
14
00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:07.239
Relise Cortez. Welcome back to the
Working on Purpose Program. Thanks you training
15
00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:08.400
again this week. Great to have
you. This show has been brought to
16
00:01:08.439 --> 00:01:12.239
you with passion and pride since February
of twenty fifteen, and I'm happy to
17
00:01:12.280 --> 00:01:17.000
share that this show has been ranked
on the top ten most inspirational leadership podcasts
18
00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:19.959
on the web. I'm your host, doctor Elise Cortes, and if we've
19
00:01:19.959 --> 00:01:23.040
not met, I am an organizational
psychologist and MOBO therapist, speaker and author.
20
00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:26.519
My team and I at gusto Now
help companies to enliven and fortify their
21
00:01:26.560 --> 00:01:32.120
operations by building a culture in leadership
activated by meaning and purpose. Our mission
22
00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:34.959
is to help our clients create a
destination workplace where people flock to join,
23
00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:40.079
are intrinsically motivated to perform at their
best, can grow into their full potential,
24
00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:42.439
and are committed to stay. And
we deliver on the company's mission always
25
00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:46.400
translates to higher profits for you.
You can learn more about us now.
26
00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:51.319
We can work together at gustodashnow dot
com or my personal site at least Coortes
27
00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:55.760
dot com. Getting into today's program
we have with us today. Karina Kilcoin
28
00:01:56.159 --> 00:02:00.760
a former trial lawyer who specialized in
criminal defense, including complex, white collar
29
00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:05.159
and civil litigation in federal and state
courts. Today, she passionately shares her
30
00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:08.120
own personal story of trauma and healing
to teach others how to rise above their
31
00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:13.520
own stories and find true peace and
emotional freedom. She's the author of Rise
32
00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:16.240
Above, the story Free Yourself from
past Trauma and Create the life you want,
33
00:02:16.280 --> 00:02:20.439
which we're talking about today. She
joins her today from Tampa, Florida,
34
00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:23.840
Karina. Welcome to Working on Purpose. Thank you, Elise. I'm
35
00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:29.879
so happy to be here. I
thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed reading every single word
36
00:02:29.879 --> 00:02:34.400
of this beautiful book that you created, and I'm really really impressed. What
37
00:02:34.439 --> 00:02:38.039
I want to start with is,
you know, this is a It's both
38
00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:43.599
really beautifully written, but it's also
incredibly transparent and personal. So the very
39
00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:46.360
first thing that I have to ask
you, my friend, is how did
40
00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:50.680
you summon the courage the bravery to
be that brave and bold? And what
41
00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:58.439
you shared it is true. I
am very honest and transparent and raw in
42
00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:02.639
this book, and I would say
that courage came in levels and layers and
43
00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:07.159
stages. So there was so much
of my life that was stowed away,
44
00:03:07.520 --> 00:03:10.280
and I was so ashamed of so
much of what I went through, that
45
00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:15.199
I was stuffed and suppressed so much
of who I was and who I thought
46
00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:20.759
I was and where I came from. So I would say that after decades
47
00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:24.240
of living like that, I understood
when I started to go on my healing
48
00:03:24.280 --> 00:03:29.879
journey that I had to go back
in there to those dark places of where
49
00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:34.159
I hid all those pieces of myself
and bring them into the light. So
50
00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:38.560
through therapy and the different modalities of
therapy I tried, they would come out
51
00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:42.400
piece by piece, little by little, and then I started to realize that
52
00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.960
there was no shame in what I
had experienced, and I started to take
53
00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:51.400
a lot of pride and who I
was at those different points in my life.
54
00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:55.080
And that was kind of the first
level and the first layer and the
55
00:03:55.080 --> 00:03:59.960
first and peeling of it, if
you really consider it like an onion almost.
56
00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:04.639
And then I would say I really
got courageous about it when I realized
57
00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:10.240
at the end of it all that
I really wanted to create this book that
58
00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:15.599
I wanted to write essentially a guidebook
for people and how to heal from trauma.
59
00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:19.839
And I knew that to do that, I had to do it authentically
60
00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:26.040
and to really share my journey,
I had to share those stories, my
61
00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:30.160
past stories, my history. And
I knew that if I could show people,
62
00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:36.279
if I could take people along through
my own personal journey and show them
63
00:04:36.680 --> 00:04:42.160
through example of what it feels like
and what it looks like to share yourself
64
00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:47.800
in that way, that the book
would be so powerful and an authentic for
65
00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:51.759
people and would really encourage them to
do the same. And that's really what
66
00:04:53.240 --> 00:04:58.240
healing takes, is to find that
courage to go back into the past and
67
00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:03.600
pull forward those pieces of your self
that you left behind beautifully rendered and kicking
68
00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:06.639
us off, Karina, So,
since I have read the book, and
69
00:05:06.680 --> 00:05:10.959
I do know about the trauma that
you were talking about, because you really
70
00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:13.560
detail in the book very well,
but our listeners and viewers don't yet know.
71
00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:17.800
So let's situate that next so they
understand really what you were pulling from.
72
00:05:18.839 --> 00:05:24.040
So. I was born in a
rusted out steel town on the Ohio
73
00:05:24.040 --> 00:05:30.319
Pennsylvania border. I came from a
very dysfunctional, violent family. My mother
74
00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:34.079
and father fought and argued as long
as I can remember, as far back
75
00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:40.560
as I can remember the number of
incidents that I witnessed and was involved in
76
00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:47.079
and trying to protect my mother in
domestic violent situations countless. My father went
77
00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:53.040
to My father started to have legal
trouble. He was a very astute businessman,
78
00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:57.160
my father, and very much a
hustler. And when he was in
79
00:05:57.240 --> 00:06:00.279
the picture, we had we had
a good living, We had a good
80
00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:05.079
lifestyle. But when he was not
in the picture, we didn't, and
81
00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:09.839
he got in trouble with the law. When I would say I was about
82
00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:14.480
eleven, I remember the FBI starting
to surveil our home and such, and
83
00:06:14.519 --> 00:06:18.759
he went to prison, to the
federal penitentiary. And when he left,
84
00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:25.040
my mother, who suffered from mental
health issues, was unable to cope.
85
00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:30.240
She was unable to cope with the
stress with a financial aspect of him leaving
86
00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.519
us as a family. And at
the time when he left, there was
87
00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:35.519
me, I was the oldest,
and I had a younger brother and a
88
00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:41.040
younger sister. I was about twelve, and all of this was going on,
89
00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:44.199
and my mother, like I said, was just really unable to cope.
90
00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:46.879
So there were long period stretches of
time where she would be in bed
91
00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:51.439
depressed. You know, this was
you know, the eighties in Ohio,
92
00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:56.680
and people weren't going to psychologists in
that group and in that era. So
93
00:06:57.079 --> 00:06:59.439
if I had to look back on
it now, knowing what I know about
94
00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:03.800
mental health. I would speculate that
my mother had severe depression, anxiety,
95
00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:12.519
and probably some kind of bipolar.
There were massive, massive bouts of spending
96
00:07:12.519 --> 00:07:16.199
the money that my father left us
on silly things, and then we were
97
00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:23.439
in extreme, extreme poverty. We
would go without hot water, without electricity,
98
00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:29.519
countless countless times. I remember sharing
a bathtub a type of water that
99
00:07:29.560 --> 00:07:31.519
I would make up and my brothers
and sister and I would bathe one after
100
00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:35.560
the other. A few years later, my mother had my youngest brother,
101
00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:42.680
and I decided that I was going
to get myself out of all of this.
102
00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:45.680
And the only road I saw out
of all this poverty and all of
103
00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:50.240
this chaos was too was through education. So I was a good student and
104
00:07:50.279 --> 00:07:56.000
I would always prioritize education, and
I chose to go to law school.
105
00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:59.839
So I put myself through law school. There was a little bit more trauma
106
00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:03.759
than occurred during that time, and
that was when I was in my early
107
00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:09.160
twenties. My mother was diagnosed with
cancer, so even during law school,
108
00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:11.000
I was taking care of her while
she was dying. When I was twenty
109
00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:16.839
four, my mother died and I
adopted my nine year old brother. So
110
00:08:18.199 --> 00:08:22.759
there was this trauma of course situational
trauma, family trauma. But there was
111
00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:28.040
this bigger problem, which was that
I never had the space to process it.
112
00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:33.000
I didn't have the tools, and
none of us do at that age,
113
00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:35.480
and I wasn't with a parent who
knew how to help me process it,
114
00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:39.919
and I never, as I got
older, didn't even know the difference
115
00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:43.240
of what that meant. I didn't
know how to do it, so I
116
00:08:43.320 --> 00:08:48.840
continued to suppress it, and then
adopting my nine year old brother put me
117
00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:54.879
even deeper into fight or flight,
into survival mode, because it wasn't just
118
00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:58.799
me anymore that I was trying to
make sure that I survived. It was
119
00:08:58.840 --> 00:09:01.759
now my nine year old brother.
So it was quite a long time of
120
00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:07.840
quite a many years of trauma.
And then it was this idea and this
121
00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:16.200
this huge burden I carried of carrying
all of this old, old emotional energy
122
00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:22.279
in me that continued to feel like
trauma over and over and over again.
123
00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:26.960
Such a such a burden, and
too, and if I have, if
124
00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:30.080
I remember right, too, your
mother also tried to give you away when
125
00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:33.879
you were first born. She told
you that, yes, there was that
126
00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:37.360
little thing which is a really heavy, heavy, heavy thing to carry as
127
00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:39.879
a child to know that your mother
tells you that she tried to give you
128
00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.440
away. So I wanted to make
sure our listeners and viewers kind of were
129
00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:46.799
anchored in what kind of trauma we
were talking about here and the length of
130
00:09:46.840 --> 00:09:50.360
it, so that they could understand
just why you've been so motivated to write
131
00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:54.039
this book, to research this book
and write this book. I am curious
132
00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:58.759
how, if at all, your
experience as a trial attorney served you to
133
00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:05.080
the research, the writing, and
in the healing journey. I can't imagine
134
00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:11.559
that it wasn't present. Yes,
it absolutely was present. And so this
135
00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:13.799
whole even younger than even you know, when I was younger than going through
136
00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:16.840
college in law school, I loved
to read. That was my that was
137
00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:20.159
my escape, that was my world. I got to live in other places
138
00:10:20.200 --> 00:10:24.519
besides the traumatized, violent world in
which I was being raised. So reading
139
00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:28.360
and you know, books and storytelling
was always a thing for me. But
140
00:10:28.600 --> 00:10:35.080
law school and the way they teach
you to think in law school and and
141
00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:39.720
then as a as a trial lawyer, the main skills that I took that
142
00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:45.159
transposed so beautifully into this is the
idea, especially in trial work, of
143
00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:52.799
taking really complicated matters and distilling them
down into some simple form so that people
144
00:10:52.919 --> 00:10:58.480
like jurors can understand what you're saying. And so the law can be very
145
00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:01.679
complex. And then you know,
there were types of law I practice,
146
00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:03.639
So even when I got into more
white collar criminal defense, and there are
147
00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:09.960
complicated financial aspects in addition to criminal
law aspects that you had to explain to
148
00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:13.480
jurors. That is a skill that
you learn in law school, and that
149
00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:18.399
is a skill that you develop as
a lawyer. So in writing this book,
150
00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:24.279
I had to take really complicated ideas
and this is all things that I
151
00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:28.080
went through on my own healing journey. I am such a researcher and such
152
00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:33.000
a reader and such a nerd about
health and mental health and emotional health and
153
00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:35.759
physical health. So it was always
something I was interested in. But when
154
00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:41.759
you really get into the ideas of
trauma and what it does to you and
155
00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:45.159
how what it does to your brain
or what your brain is doing in the
156
00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:48.919
presence of trauma, it's really complicated. And a lot of times I think
157
00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:54.360
that that is what makes people shy
away from it. They don't really want
158
00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:56.480
to get into that aspect, and
so they keep going to somebody to a
159
00:11:56.519 --> 00:12:00.840
therapist like, well, tell me, just tell me and tell me how
160
00:12:00.840 --> 00:12:01.879
to fix it. And that's not
really how it works. You have to
161
00:12:01.879 --> 00:12:07.200
be very proactive in your healing.
So what I really wanted to do was
162
00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:11.600
do exactly what I did as a
trial, where is take this really complicated
163
00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:15.399
information about your brain and your brain
and what it does in the presence of
164
00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:22.039
trauma, and simplify it for people
in one chapter so that people could really
165
00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:26.600
understand it. And I will say
that it is a lot of you know
166
00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:30.360
you and people out there who love
to read a written books. It's like
167
00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:33.080
it's a lot. It takes a
long time to write a book. It
168
00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:37.039
takes a really long time to write
a really good book. And really what
169
00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:39.879
you try to do is you put
it all out there and you really try
170
00:12:39.879 --> 00:12:43.519
to simplify it for people. And
that chapter I wrote on the brain science
171
00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:48.360
was the chapter that took me the
most, not because of the information,
172
00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:52.200
but because I wanted to make it
so simple. I wanted to keep,
173
00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:56.120
you know, making it simple,
simple, simple, simple, so that
174
00:12:56.559 --> 00:13:01.679
as you asked, the qualities and
the skill that I learned and I developed
175
00:13:03.000 --> 00:13:07.320
came in super handy. And writing
this kind of a book. Indeed,
176
00:13:07.879 --> 00:13:11.480
well, kudos, I mean it
is, you're right. I mean I've
177
00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:13.639
been hosting the show for nine and
a half years, Karina and I generally
178
00:13:13.720 --> 00:13:16.759
bring on authors and I read their
books or to cover, so I've got
179
00:13:16.759 --> 00:13:22.159
a really quite quite a deep experience
in how to be able to read books
180
00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:26.440
and how looking at how they're organized
and how well can I understand them,
181
00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:30.039
and the easier to understand, the
better written it is. So here we
182
00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:35.919
go. So this let's situate here
before we take our first break here of
183
00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:37.720
this idea. I mean, everybody's
heard the idea. Everybody has a story.
184
00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:41.720
Of course, we all have a
story, but you have a particular
185
00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:45.240
way of describing just what stories are
that I think it would be helpful to
186
00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:50.960
say at this point, what are
stories? In your view? Stories are
187
00:13:52.039 --> 00:14:01.159
your brain's emotional interpretation of what happened
to you. So the traumatic response is
188
00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:07.000
there's an objective quality to it.
There's an objective nature to you experience something
189
00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:13.559
traumatic that goes without a doubt.
But the story that we all have,
190
00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:18.440
because we all have one or one
hundred we all have about ourselves. I'm
191
00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:24.279
unlovable, I'm not worthy, I'm
always abandoned, I'm not worth being loved,
192
00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:28.720
like whatever your story is, and
those three were always you know my
193
00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:33.519
story. But whatever your story is, it comes from your brain's subjective,
194
00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:39.639
emotional interpretation of what happened to you, and it creates that story for you
195
00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:48.519
to keep you quote unquote safe,
beautifully rendered. And that is going to
196
00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:50.480
set us up here, ladies and
gentlemen, for what we're going to cover
197
00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:54.519
after the break. So we're going
to get We're going to get into the
198
00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:56.519
difference between the emotional and the thinking
brain in terms of all this sort of
199
00:14:56.600 --> 00:15:00.240
thing that. Let us take our
first break. I'm your host, doctor
200
00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:03.919
Elise Cortes. We've been on the
air with Karina Killcoin, who shares her
201
00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:07.200
own personal story of trauma and healing
to teach others how to rise above their
202
00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:09.960
own stories and find true piece and
emotional freedom. We've been talking a bit
203
00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:13.639
about where this book came from,
why it's important. After the rec're going
204
00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:16.919
to get into this more of the
nitty greeting of the techniques that she covers.
205
00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:35.720
We'll be right back. Doctor Elise
Cortez is a management consultant specializing in
206
00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:41.480
meaning and purpose, an inspirational speaker, and author. She helps companies visioneer
207
00:15:41.559 --> 00:15:46.759
for a greater purpose among stakeholders and
develop purpose inspired leadership and meaning infused cultures
208
00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:50.519
that elevate fulfillment, performance, and
commitment within the workforce. To learn more
209
00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:56.080
or to invite Elise to speak to
your organization, please visit her at elisecortes
210
00:15:56.120 --> 00:16:00.000
dot com. Let's talk about how
to get your employees working on purpose.
211
00:16:04.759 --> 00:16:10.200
This is working on Purpose with doctor
Elise Cortes. To reach our program today
212
00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:15.080
or to open a conversation with Elise, send an email to Elise alisee at
213
00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:25.960
elisecortes dot com. Now back to
working on Purpose. Thanks for staying with
214
00:16:26.039 --> 00:16:27.399
us, and welcome back to working
on Purpose. I'm your host, doctor
215
00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:32.960
Elise Cortes, as I am dedicated
to creating a world where people can realize
216
00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:34.960
the potential at work and are led
by inspirational leaders, and they are part
217
00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:38.200
of the urization that does business that
betters the world. I keep researching and
218
00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:41.120
writing my own books. So the
last one came out in March of twenty
219
00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:45.879
twenty three. It's called The Great
Revitalization. How activating meeting and purpose can
220
00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:49.080
radically enliven your business. And I
wrote it for leaders to really understand that
221
00:16:49.159 --> 00:16:52.960
the lay of today's talent landscape,
what do they want to stay motivated to
222
00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:56.720
stay with you? And then I
offer twenty two best practices to help equip
223
00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:00.679
the organization with culture to be able
to provide that. You can find my
224
00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:04.680
books at at leastquotest dot com or
on Amazon if you are just joining the
225
00:17:04.680 --> 00:17:08.039
program. My guest today is Karin
at Kilcoin. She's the author of Rise
226
00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:11.440
Above, the Story for Yourself from
the past, trauma and Create the life
227
00:17:11.480 --> 00:17:17.759
you want, which is what we're
talking about today. So now I appreciate
228
00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:21.759
you very much how you did distill
as an organizational psychologist. Right, I've
229
00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:23.880
studied a lot about emotions in the
brain, etc. And I like how
230
00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:29.519
you describe the brain as a master's
storyteller and then you distinguish the emotional and
231
00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:33.359
thinking brains. Can you kind of
expand on that a little bit for us?
232
00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:37.640
Yes, So, as we were
discussing earlier, the brain is so
233
00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:44.839
complicated and complex when it comes to
trauma and what it does in the face
234
00:17:44.839 --> 00:17:48.960
of trauma. So I read a
lot of books and one of the things
235
00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:55.119
that I learned in my healing journey
was how important the role of your brain
236
00:17:55.240 --> 00:17:59.759
is and understanding and how your brain
works when these traumatic things happened to us,
237
00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.680
your brain is doing And when I
first learned these ideas, it's the
238
00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:10.240
thing that really broke me open the
most. It seemed so seems so like
239
00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:11.680
just the light went on, like
it was like, oh my gosh,
240
00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:17.160
So all this time, in all
these years, I have been defaulting to
241
00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:19.880
this mindset, to these stories,
to these limiting stories of who I thought
242
00:18:19.880 --> 00:18:25.559
I was because of how my brain
works. So the way I describe it
243
00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:30.599
in my book again really simplified,
but I want people to really be able
244
00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:33.119
to absorb this and understand it.
So the way I describe it as there's
245
00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:38.799
two parts to your brain, the
emotional brain, which is comprised of the
246
00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:41.759
reptilian part of your brain and the
mammalion part of your brain. And those
247
00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:47.039
two parts of your brain register and
control all the things you have no control
248
00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:51.200
over. You're breathing, your heart
rate, all these things. So it
249
00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:55.640
also those two parts of your brain
also control fight or flight. So something
250
00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:59.880
if something happens to you some kind
of you're in danger, like the old
251
00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:03.119
stories about like the dinosaurs chasing your
bear's chosing something's chasing you. Your body
252
00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:08.039
goes into this whole or system of
staying and fighting or running away. There's
253
00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:11.880
also the idea of freezing. But
that emotional part of your brain, as
254
00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:15.759
I call it, is what controls
all of the things that you don't even
255
00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:22.480
think about. And then there's your
thinking brain, which is what I kind
256
00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:26.039
of group together as your cortex,
your subral cortex, your frontal cortex.
257
00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:29.160
So all these areas of your brain, the upper part of your brain that
258
00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:36.480
are the more sophisticated parts of your
brain that are free Will you know that
259
00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:41.839
all of these ideas about self awareness, self love, it's all of this
260
00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:45.680
and that all happens in this different
part of your brain that I call the
261
00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:52.240
thinking brain in the book. So
where it goes awry is when you experience
262
00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:57.559
trauma, and your emotional brain,
in order to keep you safe, registers
263
00:19:57.640 --> 00:20:03.839
and ignites this fight flight response.
And when it does that, it does
264
00:20:03.880 --> 00:20:08.119
all these things physically to your body, right, but it also creates a
265
00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:15.559
story that keeps you safe, as
I said earlier, quote unquote safe because
266
00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:18.119
what your brain is doing, your
emotional brain is doing, is it is
267
00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:23.200
trying to make sure that you don't
get hurt. The brain is wired first
268
00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:30.839
and foremost for survival. So when
you experience something traumatic, your emotional brain
269
00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:37.759
initiates fight or flight, and it
creates a story in your head that keeps
270
00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:41.319
you living a smaller life, like, Oh, I don't know, don't
271
00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:44.160
take that risk. I wouldn't do
that. I wouldn't quit your job.
272
00:20:44.200 --> 00:20:45.400
I wouldn't fall that dream. What
that doesn't pan out? What if you
273
00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:48.400
don't make the money then you're going
to make I wouldn't fall for that person.
274
00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:51.680
I wouldn't do that. And what
if they don't love you back?
275
00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:53.759
What if they leave you? Everybody
leaves you. These are the kinds of
276
00:20:53.799 --> 00:20:57.079
negative self loops that play in our
head, and they're all brought about by
277
00:20:57.079 --> 00:21:02.279
the emotional brain. How do we
stop those? How do we stop the
278
00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:04.839
fear loop and negative self talk?
How do we get out of it?
279
00:21:06.839 --> 00:21:11.720
We create self awareness and you do
that in your thinking brain. So we
280
00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:15.160
all have these loops. In fact, I just saw this great reel on
281
00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:18.759
Instagram and it's a comedian. He
had Jerry Seinfeld on and he said,
282
00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:22.640
Jerry Seinfeld, you have written,
you know, arguably the best show ever
283
00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:26.880
on television. Do you still have
that negative voice in your head when you're
284
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:30.960
writing, and do you know Jerry
Seinfeld said, yes, I do.
285
00:21:32.279 --> 00:21:37.799
Every day in your voice tells me
I am not a good writer, I
286
00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:41.559
am a comedian. I'm not this, I'm not that, and I'm thinking,
287
00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:45.359
see everybody's story. And so what
you want to do is is you
288
00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:49.359
want to get into the self awareness
where you know what the story is and
289
00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:53.720
you stop it. You find the
awareness about it, you hear it,
290
00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:59.319
you hear the story, and you
reset yourself and you say, that's not
291
00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:03.960
true. This trauma isn't happening anymore. I don't have to stay in this
292
00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:07.960
safe box anymore. That's not happening
to me any more. So it's all
293
00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:15.200
about developing this self awareness and this
pattern of self awareness. And that's ultimately
294
00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:18.079
once you start getting that going like
an engine revving, like once you get
295
00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:25.359
enough of that self awareness going,
the stories don't ever completely stop what they
296
00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:27.039
get lighter, and you know how
to put them in their place, and
297
00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:32.079
you know how to say, I
know you're trying to protect me emotional brain,
298
00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:34.759
but I don't need that right now. What I need right now is
299
00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:37.880
to take this risk. I need
to make this jump. I need to
300
00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:42.839
tell this person I love them.
Right. So that's where we get into
301
00:22:42.839 --> 00:22:48.119
the difference. Because your brain is
a master storyteller, and if you default
302
00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:55.440
to your emotional brain and you let
your emotional brain tell you what's happening,
303
00:22:56.079 --> 00:23:02.680
you are living a limited small life, no question, I think so much.
304
00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:04.440
I've had so many amazing people on
this program over the year's Koreina,
305
00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:08.440
and one of the things we've talked
about is just if we could literally spring
306
00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:14.000
more people so that they're operating from
much more of all of their talents and
307
00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:18.400
their capabilities, and they were then
empowered to contribute those what kind of a
308
00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:22.160
world will will be living in it? It's amazing, right, It's just
309
00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:26.319
amazing. So the limitation is incredible. Now, what you were talking about,
310
00:23:26.200 --> 00:23:27.880
that three step process that you just
mentioned to us, is that the
311
00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:33.720
same thing as removing the victim mindset? Or is that something else the victim
312
00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:41.079
mindset removing? That is definitely related
and parallel, Okay, I would say
313
00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:44.960
that. I would say that to
me, this was a huge part of
314
00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:49.119
my healing. I carried around for
decades this idea that like I was the
315
00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:52.680
daughter of a felon, and you
know, if people knew that about me,
316
00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:55.559
what would they think, Who am
I? Because I'm the daughter of
317
00:23:55.559 --> 00:23:59.759
a felon, And so I had
to really I had to let that go
318
00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:03.319
if I wanted to get to the
next phase of healing. So to me,
319
00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:07.920
that came out to be that I
had to know. I boiled it
320
00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:11.559
down to basically three steps that they
put in the book of Realizations I had
321
00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:17.039
about victimhood. And the first one
is is that the trauma, the bad
322
00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:21.960
thing that happened to you, to
any of us, doesn't happen because we
323
00:24:22.039 --> 00:24:26.279
deserve it. We get into this
mentality that, oh, somehow, when
324
00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:30.039
something bad happens to us, we
caused it, or it's our fault,
325
00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:33.599
or we could have said no,
or we should have did in this stuff
326
00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:38.200
differently, and that's just human nature. That's again something the brain does.
327
00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:41.920
And what we need to realize is
is that that's not the truth. That's
328
00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:47.400
not reality, that the bad thing
didn't happen because we deserve it. The
329
00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:51.200
second thing we need to do is
again know that this idea you're right,
330
00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:55.960
this parallel here, is that your
story is a distortion. It is your
331
00:24:56.000 --> 00:25:00.240
brain, your emotional brain, creating
this loop, is trying to keep you
332
00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:06.799
pushed down and safe within the little
bubble it's creating for you. So your
333
00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:11.200
story about your abandonment or your worthlessness, your own loveability, or your that
334
00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:15.480
you fail and everything that that's a
distortion. And the third thing about the
335
00:25:15.559 --> 00:25:19.759
victim mindset is that to get out
of it, you have to understand that
336
00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:26.799
and accept and look for the bigger
purpose and what happened. There is always
337
00:25:26.839 --> 00:25:33.200
one. It's hard to pinpoint sometimes
because especially when it's something so terrible and
338
00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:40.880
so traumatic, and there's always something
if you can find it, a silver
339
00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:45.079
lining, a bigger purpose, some
benefit that came out of it for you.
340
00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:48.400
And then all the times I talk
about this in groups and I speak,
341
00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:52.160
and that's the one that gets people
the most because you think, what
342
00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:56.960
good could have come out of that? But there is if you look.
343
00:25:57.160 --> 00:26:00.119
It might be that you moved,
It might be it took another job,
344
00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:03.160
It might be that you met somebody
different, It might be that you learned
345
00:26:03.160 --> 00:26:10.920
something new about yourself. There could
always be a silver lining, and resetting
346
00:26:10.920 --> 00:26:15.640
your brain from negative to positive takes
that kind of self awareness. It takes
347
00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:21.799
that kind of using the thinking brain
to analyze the situation and to say there
348
00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:23.960
was something bigger and brighter for this
that happened to me. I know.
349
00:26:25.079 --> 00:26:30.079
It's what I love about that Koreina
and what I align with. I'm,
350
00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:33.839
among other things, I'm a meaning
and work and an identity researcher. And
351
00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:37.519
when we look at what we've gone
through, what things that we've had like
352
00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:40.680
crawl through the mud through to get
to get to the other side, or
353
00:26:40.920 --> 00:26:44.599
what we've transcended, if we peel
that back and say, if that hadn't
354
00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:48.160
happened to me, what would I
would what would I would not have become
355
00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:52.240
as a result, So then we
see how those things really layered into our
356
00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:56.960
sense of identity and our sense of
strength and perspective and talents and skills.
357
00:26:57.480 --> 00:27:00.039
I think that's a lot of what
we can get in terms of that silver
358
00:27:00.119 --> 00:27:04.240
lane that you talk about and true
And I would say this too, that
359
00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:08.599
I look back on my life and
I think, would I ever want to
360
00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:12.720
go through all of that? Again? Absolutely not? But standing where I
361
00:27:12.759 --> 00:27:18.160
stand today, am I thankful for
it all? Absolutely? I wouldn't be
362
00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:21.119
like you said, I wouldn't be
who I am today had I not gone
363
00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:22.640
through all of that. So I
love what you say. I think that's
364
00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:26.920
beautiful. Thank you. I am
really As I was thinking about you coming
365
00:27:26.960 --> 00:27:30.319
on the program today, I was
thinking, you know, I really am
366
00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:33.240
convinced that, you know, the
people that have really done something in their
367
00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:37.880
lives and they've gone through this stuff, it's almost like a not quite a
368
00:27:37.880 --> 00:27:41.640
direct correlation, but there's something in
it, like we humans, you know,
369
00:27:41.799 --> 00:27:45.400
almost need to be catalyzed. You
know. It's the rom Dos would
370
00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:49.880
call it the sandpaper of life.
Right, And so your story, you
371
00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:53.079
couldn't have written this book. You
couldn't be doing the work that you're doing
372
00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:56.000
today in the world. Had you
not had to go through and find a
373
00:27:56.039 --> 00:28:00.680
way through all of that trauma that
you had in life, you wouldn't be
374
00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:08.039
equipped. Absolutely, that's so true. So you have a way, this
375
00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:12.000
idea of rising above the story.
You have a method for that, a
376
00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:15.319
methodology for that. And I don't
know if the steps you've already covered really
377
00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:18.519
speak to that, but I think
everybody who's listening to at this point it's
378
00:28:18.519 --> 00:28:21.440
like, Okay, great, I
know I've got a story. How do
379
00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:27.200
I rise above it? So I
love this question because again to this point
380
00:28:27.240 --> 00:28:33.079
of I wanted to create a guide
book for people. There are a lot
381
00:28:33.079 --> 00:28:38.160
of beautiful books out there and actually
really heady, intelligent books out there on
382
00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:41.359
trauma, and I actually read them
and quote a lot of them in the
383
00:28:41.359 --> 00:28:45.400
book. And there's you know,
seventy two end notes in my book.
384
00:28:45.480 --> 00:28:48.039
So there's a lot of these big
ideas, and if you want to go
385
00:28:48.079 --> 00:28:49.920
back and research, you know,
some other things are dive deeper. That's
386
00:28:49.960 --> 00:28:55.400
great. But what I wanted to
do is really simplify the journey for people
387
00:28:55.440 --> 00:29:00.440
through reading the passages of my book. So I took my own healing journey
388
00:29:00.519 --> 00:29:03.519
and what worked for me, and
I broke it down into three steps.
389
00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:07.480
And the three steps the three big
steps, and there's lots of fun things
390
00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:11.119
under each step. But the three
big steps are acknowledging your story number one.
391
00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:18.039
And that's sometimes the most powerful,
most difficult work for people because so
392
00:29:18.119 --> 00:29:21.759
many times, like I said,
we're walking around the earth with our head
393
00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:23.079
and the sand or a head and
the clouds about Oh yeah, I guess
394
00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:26.240
this is just the life I have, because you know, they're defaulting their
395
00:29:26.279 --> 00:29:32.720
emotional brain. So acknowledging your story
is this idea of what happened to me
396
00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:41.559
and really analyzing this objective and the
subjective part of it, so you know,
397
00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:45.400
I give this example in the book
of a Trial Experience, right,
398
00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:48.039
and I really like to explain it
to people this way. So if you
399
00:29:48.039 --> 00:29:52.000
were testifying on the stand, Let's
say you were robbed and you're testifying on
400
00:29:52.039 --> 00:29:53.440
the stand and you're supposed to be
talking about what happened to you, and
401
00:29:53.480 --> 00:29:56.359
they're asking you very factual questions.
You know, they want to know,
402
00:29:56.720 --> 00:30:00.559
where were you, what did the
person look like, like, what did
403
00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:03.000
they say to you? What were
they wearing? And instead of instead of
404
00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:06.559
giving them the who, what,
where, when of what happened to you,
405
00:30:06.640 --> 00:30:11.160
you you sit on the stand and
you say, oh, my god,
406
00:30:11.480 --> 00:30:15.319
the whole thing was my fault.
I shouldn't have been out after midnight.
407
00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:18.480
Why was I walking the street like
that? I shouldn't have been on
408
00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:19.279
the left side, I should have
been on the right side, and I
409
00:30:19.319 --> 00:30:23.640
should never have been wearing my good
watch. So that would be objected to
410
00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:26.480
all over the place. That membered
a lot, and you would be driven
411
00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:30.960
back to the objective facts of what
happened. So similar in this acknowledging your
412
00:30:30.960 --> 00:30:37.799
story, understanding the objective part of
what happened to you, laying that out,
413
00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:41.079
Yes, this happened to me.
A B and C no doubt about
414
00:30:41.079 --> 00:30:45.799
it. But the next part is
acknowledging the story that your brain wrote about
415
00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:48.960
it. My case, my story
where my objective thing was my father went
416
00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:52.640
to prison. The story I wrote
about it was that I was unworthy and
417
00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:59.599
unlovable because my father included left me
when I was little. And so there's
418
00:30:59.640 --> 00:31:03.079
a story that we create. So
acknowledging that story and that you're telling yourself
419
00:31:03.079 --> 00:31:07.400
a story and that you're living in
a little bubble of your story is the
420
00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:11.079
number one part. The second part
is releasing your story. Second big step.
421
00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:17.440
This is all this idea of Okay, now you acknowledged it, we
422
00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:21.839
have to go back a little bit
further and understand how you got so tangled
423
00:31:21.920 --> 00:31:25.640
up in it, all the times
it repeated itself, how patterns happened,
424
00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:30.920
how it took over your life.
And then you start doing some work on
425
00:31:30.039 --> 00:31:34.200
releasing the story. And that's a
lot of work about you know, you're
426
00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:38.200
inner child, work forgiveness, it's
all these types of things in there.
427
00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:45.039
Then the third step is rising above
your story, and this is all about
428
00:31:45.519 --> 00:31:51.160
finding real self love and how you
tap into that and how you finally,
429
00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:56.039
after all this time, know exactly
who you are, and you love exactly
430
00:31:56.079 --> 00:31:59.079
who you are and you're not ashamed
of it, and you put it out
431
00:31:59.079 --> 00:32:01.559
into the world because, as you
said earlier, could you imagine a world?
432
00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:07.119
Or we all did that? Or
we have these gifts in us and
433
00:32:07.160 --> 00:32:08.839
we handle them, but we tend
to like bury them and like because we
434
00:32:08.920 --> 00:32:13.359
got the emotional loop going, Yeah, you're not good at that, and
435
00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:15.160
I wouldn't do that. You'll fail
at that. Don't do that? So
436
00:32:15.240 --> 00:32:19.119
can you imagine? So it's all
about I teach you all the ways in
437
00:32:19.160 --> 00:32:23.400
which I do this on earthing,
excavating the real you, and loving the
438
00:32:23.559 --> 00:32:28.880
real you. So that's the world
that I want to live in, Koreina,
439
00:32:28.920 --> 00:32:31.319
That's where I want to live.
Yes, let's brum our next break
440
00:32:31.319 --> 00:32:34.640
here. I'm your host, doctor
Earles Cortez, who are on here with
441
00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:37.559
Karina Kilcoin, who shares her own
personal story of trauma and healing to teach
442
00:32:37.599 --> 00:32:42.519
others to rise above their own stories
and find true peace and emotional freedom.
443
00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:45.559
We're getting more into the details of
just how it is that we tell the
444
00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:49.039
stories, how we are a master
storyteller. After the break, we're going
445
00:32:49.119 --> 00:32:52.240
to talk more about how to extract
our true self to be very powerful.
446
00:32:52.640 --> 00:33:13.279
We'll be right back. Doctor Elise
Cortes is a management consultant specializing in meaning
447
00:33:13.319 --> 00:33:17.200
and purpose. An inspirational speaker and
author, she helps companies visioneer for greater
448
00:33:17.240 --> 00:33:23.240
purpose among stakeholders and develop purpose inspired
leadership and meaning infused cultures that elevate fulfillment,
449
00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:28.359
performance, and commitment within the workforce. To learn more or to invite
450
00:33:28.359 --> 00:33:32.079
a lease to speak to your organization, please visit her at elisecortes dot com.
451
00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:42.279
Let's talk about how to get your
employees working on purpose. This is
452
00:33:42.319 --> 00:33:45.759
working on Purpose with doctor Elise Cortes. To reach our program today or to
453
00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:51.720
open a conversation with Elise, send
an email to a lease a l Se
454
00:33:52.079 --> 00:34:01.319
at elisecortes dot com. Now back
to working on purpose. Thankteresting with us,
455
00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:04.799
and welcome back to working on Purpose. I'm your host, Doctor Lei's
456
00:34:04.839 --> 00:34:07.680
Cortes. I mentioned in the last
break that my last book came out in
457
00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:09.800
March of twenty twenty three. It's
called The Great Vitalization. What I did
458
00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:14.159
for you is I built you a
three page assessment you can pull off my
459
00:34:14.199 --> 00:34:17.239
website to They've learned the extent to
which your organization is actually operating at for
460
00:34:17.400 --> 00:34:22.719
today's talent discerning standards. You can
find it at gustodashnow dot com if you
461
00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:25.800
are just now joining the program.
My guess is Karina Kilcoin. She's the
462
00:34:25.800 --> 00:34:30.559
author of Rise Above, the Story
for Yourself from past trauma and Create the
463
00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:32.800
life you want. So as we
were on break there, I was thinking
464
00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:36.320
about this Koreina, and one thing
that I want to say to our listeners
465
00:34:36.320 --> 00:34:40.039
and viewers is is that none of
us are immune to trauma and pain.
466
00:34:40.119 --> 00:34:45.960
We are all walking wounded human beings. And my work inside organizations to help
467
00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:52.599
develop leaders and cultures that are really
destination in nature. Think about how there
468
00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:55.079
are so many people that have no
idea how truly wounded they are. If
469
00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:59.920
they did this kind of work that
Karina is putting forth, they wouldn't be
470
00:35:00.119 --> 00:35:02.960
the tyrants that you actually report to, or they maybe they would, you
471
00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:07.000
know, create a whole new company
that would be something else. So I
472
00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:09.199
really am a huge fan of this
work, Comrena. It's so so so
473
00:35:09.320 --> 00:35:13.159
important. One of the many reasons
I wanted to have you on. So
474
00:35:13.599 --> 00:35:15.239
I just want you to know that
for me, this the work that we're
475
00:35:15.280 --> 00:35:19.880
doing here in this program is integral
to the kind of work that I try
476
00:35:19.920 --> 00:35:24.239
to do. Some companies as well. I agree with that that's so powerful
477
00:35:24.280 --> 00:35:29.599
because I've been thinking a lot about
that myself. That we take all of
478
00:35:29.639 --> 00:35:34.159
this with us everywhere everywhere we go. That's right, not just our family
479
00:35:34.199 --> 00:35:37.400
and our friends. It goes to
our work, to the workplace. And
480
00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:40.280
I think back on it now having
been healed, and I think back with
481
00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:45.159
people that I have worked with,
and I think, Wow, how different
482
00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:49.920
the company would have felt, or
the environment would have felt had we had
483
00:35:49.920 --> 00:35:55.559
this kind of training or this kind
of thinking available to sea level, especially
484
00:35:55.760 --> 00:36:00.440
right Who's kind of like it's all
coming down the attitude of the leadership.
485
00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:05.480
So well, it's so thank you. I mean, you know, a
486
00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:08.519
huge dobnorable one for leadership is self
awareness, and most people just scratch the
487
00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:13.880
surface of that. So so getting
to that then I where I wanted to
488
00:36:13.880 --> 00:36:17.360
go next is I just found it
so powerful. You have these four steps
489
00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:22.480
to extracting our true self, say
more, tell us about those the people
490
00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:27.119
that haven't read your book kit.
So, as we talked about earlier,
491
00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:30.360
I had a really hard time even
knowing who the real me was because I
492
00:36:30.519 --> 00:36:35.440
was I'd stuffed so much of what
had happened to me, and then I
493
00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:39.000
spent so much time time trying to
be anything but who I thought I was.
494
00:36:39.760 --> 00:36:43.599
And I think this is also something
that we all fall into. So
495
00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:46.440
I chase success, thinking, oh, you know, if I'm this lawyer
496
00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:50.119
and I went all these cases and
I have all these clients, like I'm
497
00:36:50.159 --> 00:36:53.360
going to be this person and I'm
suddenly going to be healed and happy and
498
00:36:53.400 --> 00:36:57.760
not all the shame inside of me, And that's not really how it works.
499
00:36:58.079 --> 00:37:00.840
And in fact, I felt I
had a poster syndrome for you know,
500
00:37:00.960 --> 00:37:04.880
most of my career, I just
never felt like I was good enough.
501
00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:09.280
So this part about extracting our true
self and excavating our true self is
502
00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:15.679
so powerful and needed in this idea
of healing and you know, really finding
503
00:37:15.760 --> 00:37:21.760
ultimate self love. So the four
buckets of that, the four steps that
504
00:37:21.840 --> 00:37:24.199
I had to do a lot of
work in and I think we all probably
505
00:37:24.280 --> 00:37:30.039
do, is Number one, rid
ourselves of shame. So we get so
506
00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:35.280
caught up and bound up in our
shame, and we keep these secrets about
507
00:37:35.280 --> 00:37:37.639
ourselves and we think, oh,
you know, nobody can know this about
508
00:37:37.639 --> 00:37:39.880
me. They're not going to like
me if they knew this about me,
509
00:37:40.679 --> 00:37:47.360
and it makes us feel less than
and dirty and not worthy of things.
510
00:37:47.400 --> 00:37:52.960
So the biggest thing in there is
riading yourself of shame, and that is
511
00:37:52.039 --> 00:37:58.039
really about talking about what happened to
you. And an easy way to start
512
00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:00.679
doing that is just you know,
journaling things, writing it out yourself,
513
00:38:01.400 --> 00:38:06.400
and then taking it to somebody you
trust. I am not espousing you know,
514
00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:09.199
putting this all o our social media
or going to work and letting it
515
00:38:09.239 --> 00:38:15.039
all out on the on the conference
table. I'm saying being responsible about how
516
00:38:15.079 --> 00:38:19.960
you are going to free yourself from
this shame, any secrets you have that
517
00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:23.360
you're keeping. And this miraculous thing
happens for me and I witnessed it with
518
00:38:23.400 --> 00:38:29.679
so many people, is that when
you do this, suddenly nothing feels shameful
519
00:38:29.760 --> 00:38:31.719
or turty anymore. It's like you
just felt like that because you were holding
520
00:38:31.760 --> 00:38:37.039
it in the second step. And
this is soothing your inner child. So
521
00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:42.880
many of us have something that happened
as a child in those formative years.
522
00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:45.119
Like I mentioned earlier, we don't
have the capacity yet, we don't have
523
00:38:45.119 --> 00:38:51.360
the brain capacity yet to process what
happens to us. So so many times
524
00:38:51.440 --> 00:38:57.519
we carry around those wounds or our
brain actually as it's forming, is impacted
525
00:38:57.599 --> 00:39:01.639
by these different traumatic events, and
so we need to learn how to dial
526
00:39:01.719 --> 00:39:07.519
back down into that child that's so
wounded, and learn how to parent that
527
00:39:07.599 --> 00:39:10.400
child, learn how to nurture that
child, know how to love and soothe
528
00:39:10.440 --> 00:39:14.880
that child. And that that didn't
take a fair amount of work, but
529
00:39:14.920 --> 00:39:19.599
it's absolutely worth it. The third
step is forgiving others. Oh my gosh,
530
00:39:19.639 --> 00:39:22.320
this was This was huge for me. And this was like forgiving my
531
00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:28.159
parents. And it was interesting because
I could more easily find forgiveness for my
532
00:39:28.320 --> 00:39:31.079
father than for my mother. I
felt like my mother was supposed to have
533
00:39:31.119 --> 00:39:37.559
been my protector. So it took
me a long time and releasing a lot
534
00:39:37.599 --> 00:39:42.840
of rage. And I mean I
had rage for her. And that's something
535
00:39:42.880 --> 00:39:45.920
else. I think when we have
these emotions, we get ashamed of them
536
00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:47.559
and we think, oh, we
can't, can't say that against have rage
537
00:39:47.559 --> 00:39:52.840
against my mother. Yeah, you
actually can, and you should express these
538
00:39:52.880 --> 00:39:57.360
emotions because emotions have energy, and
if you keep suppressing them, they will
539
00:39:57.400 --> 00:40:01.360
cause disease in your body and very
possibly disease. I mean that is like,
540
00:40:01.519 --> 00:40:05.760
that is scientific. I am not
making that up, and the last
541
00:40:05.800 --> 00:40:12.440
four step is forgiving ourselves. We
get so caught up in this idea of
542
00:40:12.519 --> 00:40:15.280
all the things we did wrong.
And I know, for me it was
543
00:40:15.280 --> 00:40:17.719
interesting because I really didn't get into
this until, you know, my early
544
00:40:17.880 --> 00:40:23.960
forties, and I had to grieve
this whole situation of well, gosh,
545
00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:29.920
I spent like you know, twenty
years locked up in this half lifehere I
546
00:40:29.960 --> 00:40:34.119
could have been really being my real
self and really being like who I'm in
547
00:40:34.239 --> 00:40:38.039
here to be, and really loving
myself. But everything happens when it happens,
548
00:40:38.039 --> 00:40:43.559
and healing takes as long as it
takes. So forgiving ourselves is crucial
549
00:40:43.800 --> 00:40:47.400
and important, and it requires a
lot of compassion and a lot of patience.
550
00:40:49.719 --> 00:40:52.280
Indeed, indeed, well that brings
me where I wanted to come next.
551
00:40:52.280 --> 00:40:59.400
I mean, I'm well aware,
you know, at least concretely or
552
00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:05.960
that researching, writing, and sharing
this book has had to profoundly change you.
553
00:41:06.599 --> 00:41:09.360
So I'm interested in how would you
describe that transformation? What was that
554
00:41:09.480 --> 00:41:15.800
for you? I had so many
versions of this book. I worked on
555
00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:20.079
this book for a very long time, and I mean eight years. I
556
00:41:20.119 --> 00:41:25.320
had different versions of this book,
and none of them seemed to really hit
557
00:41:25.480 --> 00:41:30.960
or to really feel right, or
I would not quite get a deal I
558
00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:34.199
wanted, or I don't know,
just something never felt right about it.
559
00:41:34.239 --> 00:41:39.480
And when I took it off the
market and I reformatted it into this formula
560
00:41:39.880 --> 00:41:45.079
right and then really made it more, this journey of this mixture of a
561
00:41:45.159 --> 00:41:49.840
memoir and self help, it really
felt like this is it, this has
562
00:41:49.880 --> 00:41:52.360
to be it. Like I mentioned
in the beginning, I wanted people to
563
00:41:52.440 --> 00:41:55.360
feel like they wanted to They wanted
to feel like we were friends and I
564
00:41:55.480 --> 00:42:01.239
was walking them through this journey they
were on. So that whole process was
565
00:42:01.239 --> 00:42:07.719
so cathartic for me because I started
out sobbing and crying in all these early
566
00:42:07.800 --> 00:42:09.960
journals and these early drafts, and
somebody very wise told me, they said,
567
00:42:10.679 --> 00:42:14.199
Okay, these aren't the ones you're
going to use, right, Like
568
00:42:14.280 --> 00:42:16.880
you have to like let all that
out. So one big thing I want
569
00:42:16.920 --> 00:42:21.800
to say to people about that I
could draw parallel to this and this whole
570
00:42:21.840 --> 00:42:24.239
journey of me writing this is that, And where I want people to get
571
00:42:24.280 --> 00:42:28.599
in their journey is all of these
things I was able to write about them
572
00:42:28.599 --> 00:42:31.639
in this version of this book that
people could buy and read. I don't
573
00:42:31.679 --> 00:42:37.280
have an emotional charge to them anymore, and now they almost feel like somebody
574
00:42:37.280 --> 00:42:44.360
else's stories. And so I want
people to get there. I want that
575
00:42:44.800 --> 00:42:50.719
sense of emotional freedom for people where
they don't have an emotional charge to those
576
00:42:50.760 --> 00:42:55.639
things that happened to them anymore.
And I would say that the beauty of
577
00:42:55.679 --> 00:43:00.280
what happens also to me at the
end of this or where I am not
578
00:43:00.320 --> 00:43:01.679
in the end, but where I
am right now in this journey, is
579
00:43:01.719 --> 00:43:06.320
that I run across people. I
run into people and they tell me,
580
00:43:06.480 --> 00:43:08.360
oh my gosh, I just had
I just met somebody the other day and
581
00:43:08.400 --> 00:43:12.960
they said, I read your book
and it broke me wide open, and
582
00:43:13.079 --> 00:43:16.320
I was like in a good way, and yes, I actually took time
583
00:43:16.360 --> 00:43:20.880
off from work and I went deep
into therapy and I took your book and
584
00:43:20.920 --> 00:43:22.480
I answered all the journal prompts and
I took it to my therapist and I
585
00:43:22.519 --> 00:43:24.840
was like, this is what I
want to work on. I had been
586
00:43:24.920 --> 00:43:30.880
hiding all this emotional, this childhood
trauma. So it is this continual,
587
00:43:30.119 --> 00:43:36.880
beautiful journey for me where I am
helping people get to this emotional freedom part
588
00:43:36.920 --> 00:43:42.079
where they don't have this charge about
the negative things that they've that they've happened
589
00:43:42.559 --> 00:43:45.840
that have happened to them, and
they've left those bags behind at the railway
590
00:43:45.880 --> 00:43:50.679
station where they should be. Yeah, well so then then the next logical
591
00:43:50.719 --> 00:43:52.199
place for me to go then,
And I've been very interested, I mean
592
00:43:52.239 --> 00:43:55.920
the transformations in life. I mean, you don't practice law anymore, correct?
593
00:43:58.320 --> 00:44:01.000
Is that right? You left it
behind? So I know that you're
594
00:44:01.000 --> 00:44:05.119
out helping people with their stories and
such, but how are what are you
595
00:44:05.159 --> 00:44:10.840
doing with your precious energies in your
time? I am such a believer in
596
00:44:12.360 --> 00:44:15.159
this book, so I am out
there speaking, So I'm doing you know,
597
00:44:15.239 --> 00:44:20.480
keynotes, So I'm speaking wherever I
can. I am right now trying
598
00:44:20.519 --> 00:44:24.400
to get a ted talk lined up. I'm building a course around this book
599
00:44:24.559 --> 00:44:30.719
and this idea because I want to
offer more information and I want to expand
600
00:44:30.800 --> 00:44:35.239
on it, and I want to
offer some meditations and things and other assets
601
00:44:35.239 --> 00:44:37.840
that really helped me that I couldn't
make part of the book just because of
602
00:44:37.880 --> 00:44:43.400
what it is in the format.
It isn't So I'm continuing this. This
603
00:44:43.599 --> 00:44:46.559
my life's work of this. And
I will say that growing up I told
604
00:44:46.599 --> 00:44:50.880
you I loved books, and I
don't know, maybe five six years old.
605
00:44:50.920 --> 00:44:52.480
I remember thinking that I wanted to
be a writer, and I didn't
606
00:44:52.519 --> 00:44:55.239
really know what that meant. I
knew like I wanted to put words together
607
00:44:55.280 --> 00:44:59.280
and things, and law school,
like I said, was my way out.
608
00:45:00.119 --> 00:45:01.360
It was, you know, an
escape for me in a way that
609
00:45:01.400 --> 00:45:06.760
I saw that I could survive and
make money. But I would say that
610
00:45:06.840 --> 00:45:12.840
it was a beautiful choice because those
skills have come so in handy and I
611
00:45:12.880 --> 00:45:16.199
would never change one day of that, And it makes me appreciate being a
612
00:45:16.199 --> 00:45:22.159
writer and having this freedom to be
a writer so much more so. Two
613
00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:24.519
things. One, it's not lost
on me that you know your father went
614
00:45:24.559 --> 00:45:29.559
to the penitentiary when you were age
twelve and you became a trial lawyer.
615
00:45:29.599 --> 00:45:32.159
That's just a very interesting sort of
piece of your story. Second thing I
616
00:45:32.159 --> 00:45:36.199
want to say, right, trial
lawyer, Yeah, No, less right
617
00:45:37.119 --> 00:45:40.039
is I curated an anthology of women's
stories of how they discovered their purpose and
618
00:45:40.199 --> 00:45:44.559
our serving from it. And one
of the very known paths of purpose is
619
00:45:45.480 --> 00:45:49.480
in learning how what ails you in
life? What has ailed you in life?
620
00:45:49.519 --> 00:45:52.480
What have you learned about dealing with
that that you can teach other people?
621
00:45:52.559 --> 00:45:54.760
And that seems to be to me
to be your path. So I
622
00:45:54.840 --> 00:46:00.840
am wildly happy that you are pursuing
this full time. I think the world
623
00:46:00.840 --> 00:46:04.599
desperately needs it and you are uniquely
positioned to be able to give this the
624
00:46:04.639 --> 00:46:10.079
message and the teaching in a way
that is so raw and accessible. Thank
625
00:46:10.119 --> 00:46:14.079
you. I appreciate that. I
really do feel that it is my life's
626
00:46:14.119 --> 00:46:16.800
calling. And when I meet people
like I shared that story with you,
627
00:46:16.880 --> 00:46:21.440
it it just makes me. It
just I just got a chill. Whenever
628
00:46:21.440 --> 00:46:24.159
that happens, I know I'm doing
something good or sing right. That is
629
00:46:24.199 --> 00:46:28.199
exactly right, Karina. No,
I'm delighted, you know. I'm just
630
00:46:28.679 --> 00:46:31.079
very grateful that our pass acrossite.
I think your work is very very powerful.
631
00:46:31.960 --> 00:46:35.400
We're coming to a close here,
and you may not know, but
632
00:46:35.440 --> 00:46:37.559
this show is listened to by people
around the world, and they care about
633
00:46:38.039 --> 00:46:42.519
trying to either improve or better connect
with their work in a more meaningful way
634
00:46:42.559 --> 00:46:45.800
that allows us to contribute. They
want to grow into becoming more inspirational leaders.
635
00:46:45.960 --> 00:46:47.920
They wanted part organizations that are doing
something that better is the world.
636
00:46:49.159 --> 00:46:52.480
What would you like to leave them
with. I would like to leave them
637
00:46:52.519 --> 00:46:57.840
with the idea that no matter what
has happened to you in the past.
638
00:46:57.960 --> 00:47:05.159
You are worthy of a big,
beautiful right life and there is no reason
639
00:47:05.280 --> 00:47:10.679
to hide anymore in that negative self
talk, the negative loop, the stories
640
00:47:10.719 --> 00:47:15.679
that we play in their heads.
And I would also love to offer your
641
00:47:15.719 --> 00:47:19.800
audience you know that very important first
step we talked about the acknowledging your story
642
00:47:19.800 --> 00:47:23.159
and how hard that can be.
On my website, I do offer free
643
00:47:23.199 --> 00:47:29.559
acknowledgment guide, which is a beautiful
way to get started in the journey,
644
00:47:29.719 --> 00:47:32.400
so they can find that on my
website. Awesome, Krein and I will
645
00:47:32.400 --> 00:47:35.840
give that to them in just a
second. I want to thank you for
646
00:47:35.920 --> 00:47:38.440
coming on the Working Purpose podcast.
You have but a beautiful contribution. Happy
647
00:47:38.480 --> 00:47:42.280
to know you, and I can't
wait to get this out into more people's
648
00:47:42.280 --> 00:47:44.840
hands. And I want to see
you do that Ted talk. Let's get
649
00:47:44.880 --> 00:47:45.559
to it already. I have to
do one too, by the way,
650
00:47:45.599 --> 00:47:49.440
so maybe we could do it.
Yeah, let's do it, Okay,
651
00:47:49.440 --> 00:47:52.280
awesome, all right, thank you
so much, Alis, So welcome,
652
00:47:52.360 --> 00:47:55.480
so welcome, listeners and viewers.
You are going to want to continue connecting
653
00:47:55.519 --> 00:47:59.960
with Karina Killcoin the work she does, and definitely check out her book.
654
00:48:00.079 --> 00:48:01.360
You can start by going to the
website she mentioned, let me give it
655
00:48:01.400 --> 00:48:04.719
to you and then I'm going to
spell it for you as well. It's
656
00:48:04.800 --> 00:48:09.599
Karina killcoin dot com. So that's
k A r e n A k I
657
00:48:09.840 --> 00:48:16.079
l c O y n E Karina
killcoin dot com. Last weekend also get
658
00:48:16.079 --> 00:48:21.840
their release with Rise Above the Story. That might be easier. That's Rise
659
00:48:21.880 --> 00:48:24.039
Above Thestory dot Com. That's even
easier. Okay, if you missed the
660
00:48:24.039 --> 00:48:28.000
show last week, you can always
catch it via recorded podcast. We were
661
00:48:28.039 --> 00:48:30.559
on air with David Pearl, the
creator and founder of Street Wisdom, which
662
00:48:30.599 --> 00:48:36.360
provides walkshops of curious discovery around the
world. He's also the author of Wonderful
663
00:48:36.559 --> 00:48:40.280
First First Wonder in the every day
See you next week for you at another
664
00:48:40.360 --> 00:48:45.719
nourishing conversation to help you become more
of an inspirational leader and build your destination
665
00:48:45.760 --> 00:48:49.400
workplace. Remember that work is one
of the best adventures and means of realizing
666
00:48:49.400 --> 00:48:52.760
our potential and making the impact we
crave. So let's work on Purpose.
667
00:48:54.559 --> 00:48:59.159
We hope you've enjoyed this week's program. Be sure to tune into Working on
668
00:48:59.199 --> 00:49:02.800
Purpose feature your host, doctor Elise
Cortes, each week on W four cy
669
00:49:04.320 --> 00:49:09.000
Together We'll create a world where business
operates conscientiously. Leadership inspires and passion performance
670
00:49:09.119 --> 00:49:13.960
and employees are fulfilled in work that
provides the meaning and purpose they crave.
671
00:49:14.400 --> 00:49:15.719
See you there. Let's work on
purpose.