Sparkle and Grow

Happy New Year! Starting 2026 with a fresh start and perspective! This episode is all about moving on from a rough 2025-a year that was filled with recurring lessons and roadblocks. We're stepping into a season of rebuilding past things and building new things. I talk about a few different books in this episode and here is that list: The ONE Thing-Gary Keller and Jay Papasan The Body Keeps the Score-Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD Don't Believe Everything You Think-Joseph Nguyen Atomic Habits-James Clear Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times-Katherine May Here's to starting anew and creating our best versions of 2026!

Let's talk about "toxic positivity." The definition, according to ChatGPT, is (in part): the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations.  In this episode, I share my recently personal struggles with this very thing. Everyday we are inundated with creators and influencers telling us to just keep going and stay positive. Keep a good attitude to raise our vibration. But what happens when you consume so much of that content that it feels like a let down when your goals are materializing instantly? This episode is labeled as explicit because I drop a few "f" bombs. But let's get real and talk about this. Has this had an effect in your life? If so, what have you done or have you handled it? Let's chat!  

In this episode, I drop a HUGE announcement and talk about what it looks like to move forward after learning some hard lessons (last episode). I also talk about what I plan to cover in future episodes. Spoiler alert I launched a new podcast, dedicated to starting, building, and running a business! Check it out: the Wonderfully Simple Business Podcast. As always, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]! I love getting feedback. I make this podcast for all of you! 

I'm back!! In this episode, I recount all of the craziness that's been going on in life. Yes, I say the "f" word, so I'm marking it as explicit. Basically, I've been through a lot in the last year and I know so many of you can relate! Let's learn together. Let's do some introspection and grow and learn from mistakes made.

Just a quick Q&A Session from all of the questions I keep getting in my emails and DM's. I also offer a bit of advice and give a few book and podcast recommendations. If you haven't already, ready Ruth Soukup's book "Do It Scared," where she outlines how fear presents itself in our lives and strategies to overcome it. I highly recommend this to almost everyone because a common thing I hear is "I'm scared." We've all been there, so I get it! But moving forward IS possible and you owe it to yourself to get through it! I genuinely appreciate all of the questions and do my best to answer as timely as possible. I am going to offer 1-on-1 coaching, so if you're interested, please let me know!! Also, if you are interested in receiving my templates for the agreement I use, the quotes/estimates, my pricing packages, etc, please let me know! Again, my emails are: [email protected] [email protected]  Find me on Facebook, LinkedIn, almost everywhere! 

AHHHHH! I'm so excited to share this episode with you all! This is where we put the rubber to the road. This is where you actually make this business WORK. I talk about how to market your business, what to post, how to network, and I answer a few common questions that I get asked frequently. This episode connects the other 2 together to give you the full blueprint I used to start my business and be successful.  I am planning to offer my templates to those needing them for $5.99 per set. Each set will have several different documents/posts/graphics in them. I have not made them live yet, but will announce when I do. As usual, please PLEASE reach out with any questions! I am happy to help as much as I reasonably am able. I am giving thought to a membership community-let me know your thoughts on this!!! [email protected] or [email protected] Find me on Facebook using my name or business name or on LinkedIn! Good luck to ALL of you! Go out and make it happen!  

In this episode, I recap the essentials from Episode 1 and start by adding more information about the list of services. I also talk about the fee structure I use and how I set it up to make the most sense for my target audience. I cannot stress this enough: everything you do should be influenced by your target audience! At the end, I touch very briefly on getting my business setup with the state (which I talked about in the first episode) and opening at least one bank account to keep your business finances separate from your personal finances.  If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out! You can email me at [email protected] or [email protected] Please put "podcast" or something similar in the subject line so I can respond to you and know that it's not spam or junk.  I will offer the same disclaimer as last time. This is not legal advice. Also, I am not a CPA or an accountant in any form, so please consult with professionals in those areas.  The next episode will answer some questions I am getting and will also discuss advertising, marketing, and networking. Thanks so much for listening! Find me on LinkedIn: Erika Wonders Melvin Find me on Facebook: Erika Wonders Melvin or Wonderfully Simple HR Consulting    

Hello, all! Thank you so much for being here and for listening. This is a somewhat content-heavy episode so be prepared to take notes or save it for later listening. In this episode, I tell you all a bit about me and my background in HR. I then go on to discuss the very first steps anyone must take to start their own consulting business. Please note: this is not legal advice nor is it meant to be an exact "to-do." My goal here is simply to provide enough information on how I, myself, got started so that you are inspired to pursue your dreams, too. This is only part 1 of a few (not sure how many yet), so if I don't cover what you're needing to hear and learn yet, hang in there! I'll likely get to it in the upcoming episodes. I feel it's important to take the appropriate steps, though. The first thing you'll want to do is decide on the type of business you want to have and run. The feedback I have received has been from those wanting to start their own HR consulting businesses so I tend to lean towards that model. You can start nearly any consulting/education business, though. Once you decide on the "what," you need to decide on your target audience; that is, who will be your customer. What types of businesses are you looking to gain as clients? Maybe you want local small businesses, like I do, or you want to market to large corporations. Whatever you're looking for, be sure you know this information as it will inform everything else you do! Once you know the type of business you want and your target audience, you're going to find a business name. Take your time with this! As I say, you want your name to tell a story. Your name should convey what it is you do before ever giving additional info about your business. Don't rush this part. Research your ideas, ask fellow business owners for their opinions, etc. I wrap up by talking about creating a Facebook business page. I discuss why to use Facebook and what information to provide. Again, these are the essential first steps to getting started from the ground up. So, if you are looking for more, keep tuning in! I'm going to cover pricing, advertising, and more in the upcoming episodes. I also mention that I will ultimately be offering paid content. This is for those of you who want to dive deeper into the consulting world. I am providing more than enough free information for anyone to start, but the paid content will be more 1-on-1 and I will be able to answer specific questions rather than just general.  Until next time!  

In part 2, I introduce Dr. John Gottman and his Four Horsemen, which are predictors of relationship demise (gottman.com). I also go in-depth with some personal experiences and relate them to these.  I talk about past trauma and why it is so necessary to heal our wounds. I also relate to Gottman's theory and break things down a bit further.  What do you think? Share your thoughts in the Facebook group or email me! [email protected]  

As promised, here is part 1 of the Love episode! Trigger warning: I mention polyamory and "throuples" and non-heteronormative relationships This episode covers Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love (simplypsychology.org) as well as Gary Chapman's 5 Love Languages (5lovelanguages.com). It's a little messy, but I explain the triangle and the points Sternberg makes. There are many types of love extending beyond romantic love. This is research from 1986 so it's nothing new. But many people have never heard of this. Looking at the triangle, we can make several deductions about how we experience love with other people.  Chapman's research focuses more on romantic love. Though it was based on heteronormative relationships, this can be applied to any romantic relationship dynamic.  What are your thoughts? Head over to the Facebook to discuss or send me an email [email protected]. 

In this episode, I share exactly why I was motivated to start my business and how I got started with no money at all. I share the exact things I did to get it up and going. It is my sincere hope that you find so much inspiration in my story that you are able to pursue YOUR dreams and passions, too. Remember, you are already worthy and deserving. Do as Jen Sincero says and "feed fear a suck-it sandwich" and go out and make it happen!!!

Here are my notes for this episode, taken mostly from Napoleon Hill's "Outwitting the Devil: the Secrets to Freedom and Success." Go get a copy STAT! It's so good. Also, at the end, find my reference in regards to the American School System. Drifting-as defined by Napoleon Hill -occurs when one stops thinking for themselves and they begin to simply "go with the flow"                 -they have no destination in mind, no goal, or ultimate idea of what their purpose might be or how to pursue it                 -equates to laziness                 -hereditary, passed down from parents -the devil uses poverty as a means of control and a way to start drifting from a very young age -starts in the schools*…                                 -if one grows up in poverty, they are likely to continue the cycle… "I have always understood that money was the root of all evil, that the poor and the meek would inherit heaven, while the wealthy would pass into [the devil's] hands."                 "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." 1Timothy 6:10 Money itself is not evil and does not lead to evil. It's how it's viewed and used. Money is simply a resource, like water or air or electricity Habits are powerful! Developing "good" habits defeats drifting *ed.gov Horace Mann-1830-Common Schools; John D. Rockefeller-1903-"modern" school system setup

Here is the outline for the show: The "will" and the "way"-Mel Robbins                 When the will and way are present, your brain will work behind the scenes to help you. ·         Why we set goals o   Have something to look forward to o   Give us a roadmap to follow ·         What makes a good goal o   Make is specific and measurable o   SMART ·         How to begin achieving goals o   Write it down! o   Starting to work toward the goal o   Breaking it down into manageable chunks ·         Reflecting on your goals o   Look at them daily, weekly, monthly §  Write them everywhere! Post-It notes, etc o   Track your progress!

Happy New Year, all! In this episode I share where I have been for the last few months and talk about 2023. Many lessons were learned last year and I discuss a few of those. I also give an update on what to expect moving forward.  As usual, I LOVE hearing from you all! Connect and feel free to ask questions, provide suggestions for future episodes, bring up new ideas, and even consider being on an episode! [email protected], "Podcast" in the subject line so I don't miss your message. @SparkleEW on Instagram, use the QR code to join the Facebook group!

In this episode, I share my thoughts on the book "Outwitting the Devil," by Napoleon Hill. Hill begins his journey by being in a state of discomfort, feeling stuck in his daily life, despite having enjoyed many lucrative careers. He tells us that good-paying jobs don't always bring a sense of fulfillment-which I found to be very true. I discuss the various themes and topics he addresses in this book and how they relate to modern life. I highly recommend anyone and everyone to get this book. This is one I will be re-reading many times over and hope you feel compelled to do the same.

Throughout our lives, we all experience several transitions. In this episode, I share about my personal transition into a new phase of life. We're selling our home and developing new plans for the future. Do you find yourself in a transition period or a period of change? How are you preparing? What are you doing during this time? Let's connect! Join the Facebook group or message me. I love having open discussions with everyone. 

Season 2 is here! And we're getting right into things that are hindering our growth and how we're going to overcome these things. This season is all about taking what we know and putting it into practice to move us into living our best lives, despite what is going on in the world around us. In this episode, I talk about the new climate of work and how it's changed over the years. The pandemic created a strange environment and we are seeing 2 things happening: either everyone is hiring and struggling to keep help or no one is actually hiring and job seekers of skilled positions are facing a job drought. It's a strange dicotomy and navigating this new world of work is difficult.  What are your thoughts? Do you have any experience with job hunting since the pandemic? Send me a message or join the Facebook group to chat about it!

Today's episode discusses how perfectionism keeps us stuck and prevents us from moving forward in life. It is far better to progress than to strive for perfection, which is truly unattainable in the first place! Our ideas of perfection vary from person to person. What I view as being perfect someone else may view very differently. And so often I have found times when I have been fixated on a particular thing, worrying about what others would think, only to that have thing either overlooked entirely or dismissed. Rather than striving for perfection, let's focus on progressing into the next phase.

Does positivity mean good? Does negativity mean bad? Not in the science world. Positive and negative are just charges. Think about a magnet. The positive end attracts the negative end. Does that mean good attracts bad? Not at all! So what is the difference and how does this impace manifesting and the vibration we're putting out into the universe? Take a listen for my take on the subject.

After missing May, I'm checking in with everyone to ask how you all are doing and share some updates of my own. Life has been hectic for everyone so I like to be sure my audience is hanging in there. What all are you doing to stay sane? Are we all still working on our goals? What can I do to support you? Let me know! Join the Facebook community, email me, find me on Instagram. I'm here to help and grow together. [email protected] or find me on Instagram @sparkleew 

This episode is all about sharing a little bit of what I have learned over the years regarding perception from others. My hope is that everyone can take something away from this. 

We talk about the power of mindset in this episode. If we think negatively, can we live a positive life? We've talked about the Law of Attraction in the past and we revisit the conversation here to see how it applies to our mindset. 

On this episode, we discuss mindfulness and how it's defined. What is it? What is it's purpose? The goal is for this to be a brief introduction to mindfulness and how it can help with stress relief. As I say in the episode, this is not meant to influence your theology in anyway. We're purely looking at this from a stress-relief perspective.  Have you ever practiced mindful meditation? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Email me at [email protected]. Find me on Instagram @SparkleEW. Find our community on Facebook-Sparkle & Grow Community.

In this episode I discuss manifestation. What the heck is it? What scientific theories are involved? How does it relate to Christianity? There's a lot to unpack here so this is just a "tip of the iceberg" conversation. There are plenty of books, articles, websites, podcasts, etc related to this topic that can offer a more detailed look. I mention a book called "the Secret" as well as the Manifestation Babe podcast. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! Email me at [email protected]  Find me on Instagram @sparkleew Joine the Facebook group: Sparkle & Grow Community

Did I really apply to that many jobs? Yes! What came of it? I tell you all about the experience and where it has led me. Every frustrating moment, every application that requires a resume to be uploaded only to have you re-type all of your info into an application form, the struggles, ALL the things! I'm sharing my journey in hopes that someone listening in a similiar experience can learn, too. My goal is to help someone else pursue their calling in life, too.  Email me at [email protected], please put "podcast" in the subject line to guarantee a response. Find me on Instagram @sparkleew or join our Facebook community: Sparkle & Grow Community.

In this episode, I'm sharing where I am in life at this moment and some struggles. I talk about how I'm using techniques we've covered in past episodes to grow through the tough times. I hope to inspire you all to do the same! I'd love to hear from you! Email me at [email protected] with Podcast in the subject line. Find me on Instagram @sparkleew.

In this episode, we discuss how writing things down is powerful. Getting our dreams onto paper or into a document gives life to those dreams. Writing or typing it out tells our subconcious brain that we're serious about the dream or idea. It gives our quiet minds a chance to work in the background while giving our concious, alert mind a map to follow. When we start with writing down the dream, we can then create goals around it and when create goals, we can break them down into steps, creating an action plan.

In this episode, we talk more about being around water and how our coginition might be improved. I am including links to the 2 books mentioned. Both of these authors propose that being in, around, or listening to water improves cognition and our creative processes. I believe this is tied into the last episode where we talked about Attention Restoration Theory. The homework for this episode is to journal about your thought and feelings at the present moment, then get out into nature and spend a mimimum of 10 minutes around running water. Journal again about your thoughts and feelings and see what comes up for you. Do you feel more relaxed? Do you find your ability to focus has been enhanced to some degree? Share your results with me by emailing me at [email protected] or DM on Instagram @spakleew. Join the Facebook group and post there.  https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Mind-Surprising-Healthier-Connected/dp/0316252115 https://www.amazon.com/Write-Down-Make-Happen-Knowing/dp/0684850028/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=henriette+anne+klauser&qid=1679417719&s=books&sprefix=henriette+anne+%2Cstripbooks%2C155&sr=1-1 Check out my new website! It is a work-in-progress, but I will be adding content regularly, including more comrephensive show notes. sparkle-and-grow.mailchimpsites.com Subscribe to our email list to receive special offers and discounts, news about upcoming episodes and courses, and general information.            

This episode is all about the restorative effects of nature. I provide a very brief introduction to Attention Restoration Theory, a concept created by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan in 1989 to explain why nature makes us feel better. I also read from an article explaining and reviewing ART. I will provide the citation so you can look these up for yourself if you'd like to dive further into this topic. The original study:  Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press. The article: Ackerman, C. (2018). https://positivepsychology.com/attention-restoration-theory/#comment-list. Retrieved March 13, 2023. As always, please share your thoughts and opinions about today's episode. What did you get out of it? What would you like more information on? Any feedback at all is welcome. Email me at [email protected] and put "podcast" in the subject line, connect with me on Instagram @sparkleew, find me on Facebook and join the Sparkle & Grow Community. Thank you so much for listening!

Today's episode is a follow-up to the 4 steps to Change Your Life and a life update. I recap the 4 steps, share with you all some things that have been happening in my life as we go on this journey together, and make an announcement about what's to come. Join our growing Facebook community by searching in "groups" Sparkle & Grow Community. Email me at [email protected] and find me on Instagram @sparkleew

Welcome to the final episode in the Changing Your Life mini-series! This one is short and sweet and I have a major announcement. Step 4 is all about determining what skills you might need to follow through with your goals and getting an accountablility partner. Research shows that people are more likely to follow through when they have someone holding them accountable.  Major announcement: I started an online community! Check out the Sparkle & Grow Community on Facebook! It's a private group where we an share our thoughts, opinions, and ideas as we all grow together. As always, feel free to email at [email protected] and find me on Instagram @sparkleew 

Welcome to step 3 in the Changing Your Life mini-series. Today is all about setting goals around the list created from episode 2. Set achievable, realistic goals to help acheive anything on your list! Nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough.  Let me know how you are doing with these "assignments." What are some challenges? What things are coming up for you? What questions do you have? As always, [email protected] or find me on Instgram @sparkleew 

Welcome to step 2 of changing your life! Today's episode is about writing down (or typing out) your goals. Sit down and really take time to write or type all of the things you want to accomplish or achieve in your life. Don't hold back! Be as lofty or as minimal as you'd like, but be specific. Step 1 was about making the decision to change and step 2 is deciding what it is we want to do. We're creating the roadmap to our new life.  Please share with me what this taught you or how it helped you, what came up for you during this exercise. Email me at [email protected] and put "podcast" in the subject line. I do respond to everyone who emails me so you can trust it is genuinely me with whom you are communicating. 

You know you need to make a change in your life, you can feel it! Or, something has ended in your life and you must make a change in order to survive. Or, you feel stuck and unhappy, totally out of alignment with your purpose. Whatever the case, if you're looking to change your life, you need to start somewhere. Start by being honest with yourself about where you are in life at this current moment. Let's make a plan and start with step 1! Journal about this, write it out, type it up. Answer these questions: where am I in life right now? What are my obligations that I must adhere to? What is the worst case scencario? What happens if that comes true? Let me know what you think and what things came up for you during the journaling. I'm so excited to be on this journey with you! We're going to make changes together so we can all live our very best lives.

On this episode, I'm sharing with you all a very real, unedited version of myself and what's happening in my life at this very moment. This episode is meant to be raw and honest as I share some real struggles that have come up seemingly out of nowhere. I know so many people can relate to having a sudden change in their life that shakes things up and leaves them feeling lost and scared. My goal is to connect with you all on a real level and to let you know that it's okay for crappy things to happen.  Leave me some feedback, connect with me on social media, or email me to let me know if this strikes a cord with you and how you've handled a less-than-ideal situation.

Today's episode discusses the concept of unconditional love and what it means. I break down how it applies and to whom. I make the argument that unconditional love is NOT experienced in a romantic relationship and provide some evidence as to why. I include a citation for an academic journal entry from Dr. Stephen D. Hales.  Please let me know what you think about this!

In this episode, I talk about my relationship with money and how it has evolved over the years. I went from someone who knew very little about managing finances to developing my own budgeting method in a matter of months-out of necessity. Learn the steps I took to get my finances under control and to a place of peace. Below is the link to the book I wrote called Get Your Money Together: A Budgeting Guide for Beginners. If you want to learn more or see how I did it, this is the best way! https://a.co/d/60knHuf  

Warning: I use the "f" word a few time in this episode I go off script in this episode and dive into the topic of reacting to others. I talk about how it is not your fault if someone treats you poorly. Their behavior is a reflection of them, not you. I also discuss how we communicate nonverbally through actions, facial expressions, gestures, and even our clothing and how we need to care, even a tiny bit, what other think of us. Though there is freedom is saying we don't care about the opinions of others, there are few times when we need to care, even on a very surface level. There is psychology behind appearance and how we communicate using our clothing and our overall outward presentation. Please feel free to leave me some feedback! I do not think my opinion is always right or that I have the final word on any of these topics. I value the input from you all, so send me a message if you feel moved to do so.

Ramirez, A., Sunnafrank, M., & Goei, R. (2010). Predicted outcome value theory in ongoing relationships. Communication Monographs, 77, 27-50. Floyd, K. (2011). Interpersonal communication (3e). McGraw Hill, New York, NY. Thank you so much for joining me on this episode. I have listed the mentioned resources above. Please check out their works for further information and to dive even deeper into this topic. Here's a basic outline of what I'm covering as it relates to ghosting: ·         Being attracted to other people o   Attracted by appearance o   Attracted by proximity o   Attracted by complementarity ·         Uncertainty Reduction Theory o   Charles Berger & Richard Calabrese o   A theory suggesting people are motivated to reduce their uncertainty about others o   The more certain we become about a person, the more likely we are to "like" them ·         Predicted outcome theory o   Michael Sunnafrank o   We try to determine whether continued communication with a person will be worth our effort o   Approach vs avoidance behaviors    

We all have a first day. Whether it's our first day riding a bike, driving a car, going to school, or starting a new job, we all start somewhere. This is my first day writing and recording a podcast! And I am so excited to share with you all a little more about me and what to expect in upcoming episodes.