The broadCAST™ is a monthly weigh in by members of The CAST™ of Epic Engage™. Independent experts in their own right, members of The CAST™ are asked to answer a question of simple but possibly profound nature. We wholeheartedly encourage you to connect with these experts. They each bring great value in service to their work.
That being said, and for July 2016, we ask The CAST™:
Related to your area of expertise and way you serve, what is one common challenge that you find people facing that needs addressing sooner rather than later?
LAURIE PINHORN SAYS…
One of the first things I help my clients understand is the emotional and psychological process of making behavior change. I want people to understand that setbacks are part of their learning process. We are experts at seeing our struggles and focusing on our deficits. To keep moving forward in a positive direction, we need to stay focused on the positive things we are doing. It is necessary to retrain our brain to see the positives and then give ourselves the credit for all of our successes, no matter how small. We all have low motivation days and that doesn’t mean that we are losing our capacity for health improvements. It just means that some days are easier than others. Days like this teach us that we can 
push through. Then the next day you need to push yourself you will have the evidence that you can do this! Each time you push through you are victorious! The internal work such as adjusting all or nothing thoughts, reducing anxiety, taking time for mindfulness activities and mindset work are important parts of our success stories. It takes time to do this work and people are often just looking for numbers to move on the scale or fitting into a smaller pants size. The work-in is often more important than the work-out and it lays down the foundation for long term health and wellness.
Laurie Pinhorn is all about nutrition and whole health. She is a registered social worker, holistic and therapeutic nutritionist, an Orthomolecular Health Practitioner and a member of The Academy of Naturopaths and Naturotherapists (ANN). She is a passionate speaker, educator and service provider on the subject of nutrition and its connection to mental and physical health. She works with individuals, families, groups and corporations to design and deliver nutrition and wellness programs to optimize health and performance. With a diverse 20 year background in clinical social work, holistic nutrition and physical fitness; Laurie’s hybrid of expertise is very unique. Laurie holds a Bachelor of Science (Psychology and Biology), Bachelor of Social Work, and a Masters in Holistic Nutrition from the Edison Institute of Nutrition, focusing on the nutrition and mental health connection as it specifically relates to Autism, Anxiety and ADHD. www.lauriepinhorn.com
RAY HOLLISTER SAYS…
What a fantastic question! And the answer is the same for both areas I serve. Self-Absorption is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. When students are too self-absorbed, they tend to fall into the ‘blame game’ regarding failure, difficulties, challenges, and rules. If something doesn’t go the way they want, blame is immediately assessed, and rarely – if ever – does the blame fall on them! Self-absorption gives them false certainty of their innocence; this invariably leads to ‘victim-hood’. Interestingly, the same can be said for those going through traumatic experiences. In this case, self-absorption is a spiraling whirlwind of ‘why me?’ and deep introspection where blame is foisted 
upon their shoulders alone. This leads many to simply shut down or break down under the strain of the vicious loop of reliving the trauma and trying to cope with what it all means. Self-Absorption is not necessarily selfishness, though it can be in many circumstances. Self-Absorbed individuals tend to be intently focused on themselves – what they want, what they need, what is fair to them, how they will benefit, how they will suffer, etc. By addressing this natural tendency early on, it becomes easier for students to recognize that to be successful AND happy, they’ll need to recognize that their individual wants, desires, and ‘rules’ are NOT the driving force of their education. Only their RESULTS are the due to their personal efforts. Likewise, with those going through traumatic experiences, Resiliency becomes a driving factor; recognizing that remaining mired in self-blame, shock, or denial will only prolong suffering, whereas accepting the support of others, moving forward, and overcoming are due to personal choice and effort. Though it is often unpleasant, changing the characteristic of self-absorbed to self-aware, can make HUGE strides in a more successful and enjoyable educational experience. And though it is often bitter sweet, changing the characteristic of self-absorbed to self-acceptance can turn a broken individual into beacon of light and hope for everyone else. What state are you in today?
Ray Hollister is all about resilience and potential. He works with organizations to reveal extraordinary resilience and unlimited potential in everyone. His powerful presentations will not only energize and inspire you, but also reveal how YOU can make radical, immediate changes to how you perceive, handle, and experience adversity resulting in experiencing life in a new and thrilling way. www.rayhollister.net
MAJEED MOGHARREBAN SAYS…
freedom is the lack of clarity of who you really are at the core and who you really want to be, despite external pressures.Majeed Mogharreban is all about entrepreneurship. He owned and sold five successful businesses and traveled to 24 countries before he was 21 years old. After early success in business, now his mission is to support the next generation of entrepreneurs to make a difference doing what they love. With clients ranging from the United Nations, to start-up businesses, to an Olympic gold medalist, Majeed helps you discover your strengths and your passions so that work is meaningful and fun. His book, Winning At Life, is a guide for young people to make a plan and win at life. www.majeedm.com
TRENT LANGDON SAYS…
I often hear families and individuals comment on the pace of life, the ‘rat race’, and the impossibility of the multiple roles we are expected to fill (that of employee, parent, spouse, care-giver, volunteer,…). Significant research has gone into the impacts of the roles we assume (and those we are forced into) as 
well as the benefits of having a strong relationship with ‘yourself’. The concepts of ‘work-life balance’ and ‘self-care’ have become cliché in many respects but do we truly know and reward our personal selves accordingly? Creating therapeutic ‘alone time’ with your thoughts, emotions, and feelings, and intentionally creating opportunities for self-reflection, renewal, and re-generation can be extremely cathartic. The nice thing is…it does not require a huge monetary investment nor a plan to escape into a globe-trotting introspective journey – those Tibetan monks can be a handful! ;). It can simply mean, a dedicated hour for yourself at the local book store, a private walk along your favorite beach, or playing your music, when and where you want… It’s about intentionality and ensuring these events make it into your schedule. I strongly believe that an investment in effective personal time can reduce the shock of losing love ones, maintain strong mental health, and truly enable you to enjoy what it means to be ‘you’. After all, you have so many people competing for your time, what’s one more?
Trent Langdon, M.Ed, Canadian Certified Counsellor is all about legacy and building yours by 
rewriting your ‘game plan’ or rejuvenating your organization’s foundations. Trent is a strong believer that success and contentment is achievable through actions of integrity and character; for an individual or an organization. With more than 20 years of experience as a CHANGE AGENT for children, adolescents, families, schools, communities, and professionals, Trent can walk with you toward Personal Development and Discovery, Organizational Review and Renewal, and A Career / Life Plan for Teens. www.epicengage.com
JOEL SWEENEY SAYS….
I help entrepreneurs and business professionals become confident, engaging and effective speakers. The most common challenge I experience with my clients is that they are looking for a quick fix to their speaking anxieties. They are not ready to do the work necessary to acquire the level of confidence they desire. The real ‘secret’ to managing your speaking anxiety is commitment: commitment to yourself and 
to the process. You don’t learn to become an effective speaker by simply listening to me speak. I provide insights, feedback and coaching to help my clients create their own unique speaking style. I help them recognize their strengths and work with them to develop strategies to address areas that need improvement. It is up to the client to apply this information. I can’t do it for them. He/she has to take advantage of every opportunity to speak and apply the guidance I provided. Over and over again I see the person with true commitment achieving the most success on their journey to manage their speaking anxiety. They are committed to themselves and the process. There is no ‘silver bullet’ solution or ‘magic pill’. It all comes down to how committed the client is. That ultimately determines their level of success. If you don’t have the commitment that you will do what is necessary then you are not ready to take on the challenge of managing your speaking anxiety.
Joel Sweeney is all about effective communications. He has been speaking, training, coaching and writing about it for over 20 years. He is the author of The Wedding MC Handbook and Little Helpings of Food for Thought. His third book, The Speaker’s Tool Box – Perfecting the Craft of Speaking, was released in the 2015. He is the owner of Professionally Speaking (established in 1995). Joel helps entrepreneurs and business professional become effective, engaging and confident speakers. www.JoelSweeney.com
SHEENA GROBB SAYS…
10 minutes a day to tune into our bodies and our emotional states can be one way of overcoming the first challenge I see… learning to finally put ourselves first.Sheena Grobb Singer/Songwriter and Speaker… is humbly amazing. “It is without a doubt a masterpiece of songwriting and soundscape. Really incredible, soulful music. She will definitely get a huge audience in time, trust me.” Alex Wharton, Abbey Road Studios. A songbird from the age of two, songwriter at ten, with 3 albums under her belt, a nomination for the Western Canadian Music Awards, and over 500 tour dates across Canada, the US, and the UK, Sheena Grobb (one of Canada’s best kept secrets) is spilling over. With the release of her newest album, The Breakless Heart, mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, and a life changing music video created by Lindsey Nelko (past choreographer with So You Think You Can Dance), Sheena is embarking on her most meaningful project yet – The Living Compassion Project™ – inviting others to “unlock their lives” through sharing their stories… as she begins to share hers. www.sheenagrobb.com
BARRY LEWIS GREEN SAYS…
Related to my area of expertise and the way I serve, what is one common challenge that I find people facing that needs addressing sooner rather than later? Everything everyone else said lol. Truth. Still there is something screaming out to me in a whisper. Focus. We are constantly running around 
chasing obligations, responsibilities and dreams. We need to be thoroughly reminded that multi-tasking is ultimately both a myth and a way to distract us from what is truly important. Being strategically focused, with our eyes on the prize and our commitment in hand does not mean we cannot have fun. We can and must, along the way. But busy-ness is not the same as truly taking care of business. LP Jacks spoke to the idea of the master in the art of living as one who “draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both.” The quote from ‘Abdu’l-Baha says it all, for me. Focusing our strengths of character can produce the best and even most healthy results.
Barry Lewis Green is an educator. He is a dynamic motivator. Yes, he is a motivational speaker of substance. He is an expert who speaks. Barry is The Unity Guy™. 
EPIC Engage™ is an extension of The Unity Guy™. It is a team with a mission born of Barry’s work. He is about epic and noble leadership and wholehearted communities at work, school and everywhere; advancing together in thought, will and action. He is about uniting diverse talent to create cultures of growth. www.epicengage.com
QUOTE for the MONTH
“I said, ‘Somebody should do something about that.’ Then I realized, I am somebody.” ~ Lily Tomlin
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