It’s my absolute (and long-awaited) pleasure to introduce the podcast’s new monthly guest: Brooke Anderson - who so happens to be my sister and BFF. In this “soft opening” first episode with her, we talk about…talking. Direct communication, to be specific (and direct!): what this looks like, what it doesn’t look like, what it means, what it yields. Naturally, this leads us to touch on other topics relevant to all of us: boundaries, co-dependency, self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-accountability, relationships/friendships. Trust me, this is merely a nibble of the treat we have in store for you.

Brooke is a mother and a photographer committed to helping other parents break into the photography industry by creating their dream job without sacrificing their parenthood. She offers training on starting your own thriving photography business. She also just released iPhone Camera Academy, a mini photography course showing how to shoot and edit polished photos using only your phone. (She’s also my soulmate creative partner and forever business partner.)

Follow her on Instagram/Facebook for more helpful tips and inspiration: @thehomebodybybrooke and @brookerichardsonphotography

Connect with me on Facebook/Instragram @the_nativist

Leadership is a sweetheart topic. We’re inundated with advice and resources and guidance on being an effective leader. We’re taught to seek to lead, not follow. We’re taught to value leading over following; to respect leaders more than followers. And while there’s merit and value in striving to aim high and lead (in whatever form that takes: in your own life, in a team, etc) there can be just as much merit and value in following (particularly in the discernment of knowing WHEN to follow versus WHEN to lead - that’s important).

We can’t all be leaders all of the time. What chaos that would be! And what a disservice to us, to our happiness, our development, our breadth and depth of life experience, our psyche, our friggin’ SANITY.

How can we be well-rounded, balanced, (physically and emotionally) healthy human beings if we only serve (or try to serve) in the same capacity? What a mess that’d be. And stunting for our growth (mental, physical, emotional, spiritual).

In this episode, I highlight the value of following, and its overlap with leading (leading can be following and following can be leading!). I emphasize the importance of deciding your own definition of success, and understanding others have theirs. I explain how we can lead by following - and the key that differentiates a strong follower from a mere sheep (this same key also makes you good leader). This episode may be short, but it’s still deep.

Thank you for listening!

Find me on Facebook or Instagram: @the_nativist