Unconventional Life – Podcast, Blog, Live Events

Author: Jules Schroeder

Here’s How to Make The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make
Wes Yee is an award-winning audio engineer, musician, and multi-instrumentalist. He studied Music Production and Engineering and Performance at the prestigious Berklee college of music. He is credited with producing the #1 New York Times Bestselling audiobook, a podcast series for the New England Journal of Medicine, and many other productions. Yee is also the host of a Top-10 iTunes Music Podcast.

In this episode, Yee, shares…
- How to define successful living on your terms.
- Why college isn’t for everyone—and may not be for you.
- How to access compassion for your haters.
- And so much more…
Bite-sized nuggets of wisdom from Yee’s episode:

There is Nothing More Fulfilling Than Pursuing Your Inner Bliss. We’ve all heard the phrase “follow your bliss” before. It’s the emblem of Pinterest mugs and graphic yoga tees. But what does it really mean? Have you let this phrase marinate in your heart?

Yee shares an experience from his childhood that illustrates the deeper meaning of this phrase. According to Yee, his “Tiger Mom” Asian mother had high expectations for him when he was a kid. Each day, she would set a timer and make him rehearse his scales on the piano again and again. He hated it. One day, she wrote a note to his band teacher in Chinese requesting that her son play the violin. When the teacher asked Yee, “what does this say?”, he replied, “it says she wants me to play the trumpet.”

In that small act of defiance, Yee declared something big for himself. He decided that he would pursue his own dream. Not the dream of his mother—the woman whose unconditional approval he so desperately craved—no, the dream of his own heart.

It’s Never the “Easy” Path. This courageous act represents a choice we all must make at some point in our lives. We must all decide for ourselves whether we will succumb to social pressure and do what we perceive we should do (i.e., “climb the corporate ladder because it will impress my parents”), or do what would most authentically light our soul on fire.

If you are at a crossroads, about to make an important decision in your own life, consider the following:
- How do I feel when I imagine myself in scenario one vs. scenario two? Notice any expansion or contraction in your physical body. Do you feel light, energized, and excited in one scenario? Do you feel apprehensive, nervous, or heavy in one scenario? The light, auspicious energy may be a signal that your soul wants to experience this scenario.
- Whose voice is telling you to pick one scenario over the other? Be still and quiet; try to tease apart if it is your voice or the voice of somebody else. If it is the voice of somebody else, ask yourself, why wouldn’t this person accept me if I decided to do what I wanted to do? If they did accept me, what would I gain? If they didn’t accept me, what would I lose? What would I gain?
- Choose courage. When it comes down to it, we all know that inner fulfillment is more valuable than perceived social “approval;” especially when that approval is conditional and rooted in fear. Choose love. Choose to allow yourself to experience what you want to experience. Let go of the judgment of what it means that you want to have this experience. Surrender and welcome the sensations. You are the gatekeeper of your heart; you can either deny yourself your deepest desires or facilitate their fulfillment.
- If you didn’t do what you most wanted to do, would you regret it?
- Trust: life will find a way. There is always a way.
Yee says, “People respect you more if you become successful at the thing they said you couldn’t do.”
September 6, 2018
Accessing Intuition and Trusting the Wisdom of Life with Elizabeth Locey, Spiritual Mentor
Elizabeth Locey introduces people to their legendary self. She has a Ph.D., is a teacher, mentor, author, and Oracle who specializes in transformative life and business guidance for high-level entrepreneurs. She catalyzes next level performance for the best of the best by using her intuitive and mystical gifts to remove blocks around resources and so much more.

As part of the weekly Unconventional Life giveaway, Elizabeth is giving away a free “Legendary Self Exploration” session. Click here to enter the giveaway for a chance to win!

In Elizabeth’s episode you will learn…
- How your intuitive gifts are a key aspect of your zone of genius
- How trust and surrender guides her life
- The importance of a daily practice
Valuable guidance from Elizabeth:

Have a Daily Practice. Elizabeth recommends starting a daily practice if you don’t already have one. Do something every day that makes you feel good, whether that’s journaling, walking through the woods, drawing oracle cards, yoga, meditation, etc. The key purpose of the routine is to get out of your mind and into your heart and emotions.

Find Your Own Center. With a magnitude of shift happening in the world, it’s vital that you listen to yourself and what you believe is best for you. Elizabeth shares, “you’re not going to find any reliable center outside of yourself”. Everyone is going through drastic changes, you can see this quite clearly in our political climate, environmental shifts, and energetic fluctuations.

Take time to listen to your needs, your ideas, and your desires. If you notice yourself swirling in confusion, come back to your daily routines to drop into your body.

Identify Your Strengths. It’s clear to see the value Elizabeth exudes with her intuitive nature and gifts. From Ph.D. to becoming a mystic, Elizabeth’s journey started as a child watching the sky to following a conventional academic path to receive the attention of her parents. Once she heard the calling to be an intuitive there was no hiding, seemingly everything continued to get louder for her to step into her zone of genius.

In claiming and sharing her strengths, Elizabeth listened to the unexplainable gifts and starting seek out ways to practice and refine her ability to be able to communicate to others about what she knew possible.

Elizabeth’s story inspires me to keep stepping into the unknown, to trust in the greater purpose of the Universe, to surrender my agenda, and explore the infinite untapped potential that exists within each and every one of us.

Amelia Broughton is a relational facilitator and purveyor of connection, pioneering a more connected, communication-savvy, and emotionally intelligent planet. She facilitates Authentic Relating and Relational Leadership in various settings and communities. Her expertise is in team dynamics and interpersonal relations. With over 10 years of experience on teams and in communities, Amelia’s vision for the world is one of beautiful interconnection, a place where we put down the distractions and to-do lists to bask in the miracles that surround us. The type of connection that nourishes us internally, externally and has every one of us feel seen, heard and loved with a true sense of belonging. An active Unconventional Life member, Amelia recently became our Operations Director and will be consistently contributing her writing.
August 21, 2018
The Evolution of Self and Career: Aligning Work With Personal Growth
Darrah Brustein is a special return guest and it’s clear to see why we had to have her back. She is the founder of the networking events company, Network Under 40, which serves over 30,000 people. She founded and grew an electronic payments company into 38 different states with her twin brother. An avid writer, Darrah is a columnist for Forbes, ThriveGlobal, Entrepreneur, and has written a kids book on financial literacy. With her next book in the pipeline, she founded a virtual summit called Life By Design, Not By Default to support people in designing the life, career, relationships, and network that they truly desire. All this, while traveling 60% of the time for pleasure!

As I listen to Darrah’s podcast, I’m reminded of evolution. I think so often we box ourselves into a career with certain skills and ways of operating, and many times we’re missing the ability to express parts of ourselves that deeply want to be shared. When you know deep down it’s time to move into the next phase of your life, what holds you back from welcoming the change? One of the biggest questions woven into this podcast is “what do you do when who you’ve been isn’t aligned with who you are today?”

In this podcast, Darrah shares the process she went through to answer this very question and live life by her own design, not by default.

In this podcast you’ll learn…
- How to listen to feedback to discover your next career move
- What it takes to intentionally design the life you truly wish to live
- The value of committing to your growth
- The importance of your network and how to build it
Key questions inspired by Darrah’s podcast:

What does success mean to you? After being let go multiple times from conventional jobs, Darrah made the choice to step into the entrepreneurial world and try her hand at something much less glamourous than her sexy fashion career. It was in this choice that her twin invited her to start an electronic payments company. After initially being offended by his request, she decided to be curious about the opportunity and was able to see the greater value she would be able to provide with this career path.   Originally her version of success had included working for someone doing something she was passion about; this new company would allow her to learn and grow while helping people at the foundational level of their company.

Someone else’s version of success may look nothing like your own. In this case, Darrah’s shift came from adjusting her perception of what could be possible when she looked through a different lens. Instead of just checking the boxes every day, what could you get excited about contributing to the work you are doing?


How are you committing to your personal growth? Growth can look an endless amount of ways and it’s important to find what works best for you.

Right before Darrah attended the Unconventional Life Italy Business Accelerator, she realized things needed to shift in her company, Network Under 40. It was after that event that she made a promise to herself to carve out time and energy to discover this next phase of her life.

Committed to the exploration, it wasn’t about letting go of all that she’d created, but instead taking a look at who she was, gathering intentional data, and asking questions. She read books, went back to old journals, did free flow brainstorms, asked what problems she’d want to tackle, and noted what people would come to her for.

Through this process she was able to take what she’d learnt and overlay it with what was already working in her life. Growth is just as much about expansion as it is shedding layers.

Who are you surrounding yourself with? It’s important to assess the relationships you’re investing your time and energy in. Are they lighting you up? Do you feel exhausted or inspired after your interactions?

Darrah suggests finding friends that are on the same or similar path you desire to be on. Look for people that are in alignment with what most excites you.

With social media, intentional networking events, and various growth-oriented communities popping up all over the world, the opportunity to create relationships that inspire and support you is available like never before.

Asking for feedback about who you are to other people helps you see how you’re viewed in another person’s perspective. This process illuminates places in your life that are unique to you and shines light on the waters you swim in every day.

Virtual summits, such as The Life By Design, Not Default Virtual Summit, can be a great place to spark conversations with people who are interested in things you value.

Seek out events that elevate you.

Amelia Broughton is a relational facilitator and purveyor of connection, pioneering a more connected, communication-savvy, and emotionally intelligent planet. She facilitates Authentic Relating and Relational Leadership in various settings and communities. Her expertise is in team dynamics and interpersonal relations. With over 10 years of experience on teams and in communities, Amelia’s vision for the world is one of beautiful interconnection, a place where we put down the distractions and to-do lists to bask in the miracles that surround us. The type of connection that nourishes us internally, externally and has every one of us feel seen, heard and loved with a true sense of belonging.  An active Unconventional Life member, Amelia recently became our Operations Director and will be consistently contributing her writing.
August 17, 2018
Elevate Your Brand: Creating a 5-Star Customer Experience
Dafy Smith is the founder of Timescape, a company that creates bespoke vacations and gives you “once-in-a-lifetime” experiences. Their New Years Eve event, Racing Time, takes 44 elite clientele around the world to celebrate New Years Eve not once, but twice. With a background in finances and tourism, and a Masters in International Relations, this multi-talented woman leaves no stone unturned. For more information: https://www.timescapejourneys.com/

In Dafy’s episode you will learn…
- How Dafy makes her clientele feel like royalty
- How to listen to your guests and consistently exceed expectations
- How to actualize your visions and creative ideas
- How it just takes one person to change your life
After being in the hospitality industry for 6+ years myself, I appreciated Dafy’s emphasis on attention to detail and going above and beyond for clientele. Having the ability to readily anticipate guests needs and listen beyond what is being asked is a true skill and something you can cultivate through practice.

What else does Dafy suggest to enhance your customer relations?

Listen Beyond The Words. To stand out in this day and age you have to constantly be listening for people’s pain points and innovate from sought after solutions. There are thousands of events that people are invited to every single day. Why should someone choose your offering over another experience?

You have to ask questions and listen to feedback. Guests need to feel that they are heard. Each request you follow through on will effectively increase rapport and build trust.

Find What’s Available and Innovate. Dafy provides immense value in her suggestions for tourism and hospitality. With Racing Time, Timescape has curated an experience that leaves nothing behind. Celebrating New Years Eve twice is unheard of, and yet, she’s making it possible for 44 elite members invested in more than just an experience of a lifetime. A percentage of the profits will be going towards raising money for underprivileged schools and planting trees to create a wider scope of impact.

Dafy shares that she does things that move her, that help her network, interest her, and bring her pleasure. There is always something special that you can incorporate into your events. Ask people in your network what they’d like to see or create something you wish to experience. Find what brings you joy and act from this place.

Think Bigger. A perfect example of collaboration, Timescape is partnering with The Billionaire Society to pull off Racing Time. The magnitude of what becomes possible increases exponentially when multiple visionaries come together to create. When you dream big, you give other dreamers permission to think bigger.

By creating experiences that activate change by nature of presence, such as Racing Time or Unconventional Life, people feel that they matter through the care and quality given by the hosts. In a world where we are constantly taken from, it makes it that much more impactful when you give 200%.

Amelia Broughton is a relational facilitator and purveyor of connection, pioneering a more connected, communication-savvy, and emotionally intelligent planet. She facilitates Authentic Relating and Relational Leadership in various settings and communities. Her expertise is in team dynamics and interpersonal relations. With over 10 years of experience on teams and in communities, Amelia’s vision for the world is one of beautiful interconnection, a place where we put down the distractions and to-do lists to bask in the miracles that surround us. The type of connection that nourishes us internally, externally and has every one of us feel seen, heard and loved with a true sense of belonging. An active Unconventional Life member, Amelia recently became our Operations Director and will be consistently contributing her writing.
August 13, 2018
How This Breast Cancer Survivor Ditched Wall Street To Live Her Dream Life
Whitney is the founder of Warrior Girl, a life coaching business that is empowering women to design lives they love. She also is the owner of clothing line, Flan de Coco and founded the urban dance project, The Mecca where she lives in Cali, Colombia. Click here to learn more.

As part of the weekly Unconventional Life giveaway, Whitney is giving away a free 30-minute coaching session. Click here to enter the giveaway for a chance to win!

In Whitney’s episode, you’ll learn:
- How this woman left her 15-year career on Wall Street to live the life of her dreams
- How pain seeds the way for new perspective and possibility
- How an inspiring community is the biggest accelerator to your next big leap
- How to say yes the life you wish to live and thrive
Key Life Lessons from Whitney:

Challenge Conventional Structures and Take the Leap of Faith. When fear and doubt wash over you, second-guessing your choices may hold you back from living your dream life. Stepping outside the conventional lines causes you to take a step into the unknown.

Whitney describes leaving her career on Wall Street as her “leap of faith”, she was terrified, but just knew she had to go. She says, “I was more afraid of life staying the same than afraid of the uncertainty”. After a lifetime of being achievement-oriented and outwardly successful, she’d never stopped to ask what she truly wanted.

She reminds us that everyone has fears of failure or not being successful, but that it’s important to live life for yourself, not for other people and their expectations. Give yourself the permission to think about what you truly want instead of what you are told to want.

Anything is Possible. “It is always possible to pull victory from the jaws of defeat if you believe that it’s possible,” Whitney shares. After leaving her job, moving to Colombia, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and every fear possible rose to the surface – vanity, fertility, financial, professional, relational, mortality – at once. Whitney came face to face with herself as everything was stripped away.

It was in this painful experience that it became very clear what her choice was. As she laid in the hospital bed, she realized that she could continue being miserable and feel like life was over or make the best out of whatever time she had left on Earth. This is the moment that everything started to transform.

Whitney advises us to get outside our comfort zones and surrender the results. She sees the pain as the gift that planted the seed for things to be different. What perspective do you have about pain? Can you see the possibility for growth in any of your painful experiences?

Surround Yourself With an Inspiring Community. A few months after Whitney’s recovery, she attended one of our Unconventional Life Business Accelerator Events in Nicaragua. “For the first time I found myself in an environment where I was surrounded by a hundred other people that had the same exact vision and value system, and were going through the same exact issues, the same exact problems, the same exact fears…” she says. Our community provided a safe space to amplify everything she’d been wanting for her life. It was the container that uplifted and encouraged her to show up in her full potential.

Finding a community you resonate with will provide a support system on the entrepreneurial path. It also provides immense value when you’re networking with people that are up to something beyond conventional terms. Beyond business, feeling like you belong and being understood is a vital part of a thriving well-being. Instead of being questioned about your choices, what would it be like if your peers celebrated your differences?

Amelia Broughton is a relational facilitator and purveyor of connection, pioneering a more connected, communication-savvy, and emotionally intelligent planet. She facilitates Authentic Relating and Relational Leadership in various settings and communities. Her expertise is in team dynamics and interpersonal relations. With over 10 years of experience on teams and in communities, Amelia’s vision for the world is one of beautiful interconnection, a place where we put down the distractions and to-do lists to bask in the miracles that surround us. The type of connection that nourishes us internally, externally and has every one of us feel seen, heard and loved with a true sense of belonging. An active Unconventional Life member, Amelia recently became our Operations Director and will be consistently contributing her writing.
August 6, 2018