Early Accountability

On Part 2 of the 1-year celebration of the Early Accountability Podcast, Kimi shares clips from episodes that were particularly impactful to Kimi or her listeners. If you missed any of these guests when they came on the podcast, be sure to go back and listen to glean all of their shared knowledge and experiences! We’ve included time stamps in these show notes for your reference. 1:19 - The first group of impactful podcast guests is “Resolutions 2 Results”: people who specialize in planning, executing, and limiting distractions to help them achieve their goals. • 2:19 - Jenna Faye talked with us about manifesting your dreams, gaining the clarity you need, and taking inspired action. • 3:09 - Amiyrah Martin shared about using time blocking as a way of planning to succeed. • 4:44 - Meico Whitlock described using mindfulness to limit distractions and cut down on technology consumption. • 6:01 - Amber Cabral guided listeners through her process of execution in her tasks and goals. 6:48 – The second set of guests have overcome life’s setbacks, trauma, and grief, and they are using their experiences to encourage others. • 7:27 - Robin Clark demonstrated the power of forgiveness when she publicly forgave the person who raped her, and she has lived her best life ever since. • 9:15 - Vanessa Lemaistre lived through childhood abuse and then lost her young son unexpectedly, but she has overcome her circumstances and chooses to be positive and believe in herself. • 11:09 - Zana Williams lost her father right before she started law school, and she continues to work hard in his memory. • 14:42 - Maya Tyler tragically became a widow at a young age, and now she is intentionally empowering herself and others to be who they want to be. • 17:01 - Kina Fields has gone through depression, anxiety, and addictions along her path to find meaning, and she has found healing and hope through art. She uses her story to remind us that we never know what someone else is going through, and it is best to be empathetic and caring at all times. 22:14 – The third set of podcast guests use their platforms to advocate for justice and inclusivity, making Kimi think of them as the “Social Impact with Swag” group. • 22:56 – India Rias Thompson started a blog with her wife to destigmatize the black LGBT community and combat discrimination. • 25:52 - LaDeia Joyce is HIV positive, but she chooses not to be negative about life. Instead, she encourages everyone to know their status and break down the misconceptions they may have about HIV. 28:02 – One guest has stuck with Kimi as having the “Most Transformative Lifestyle Change” by overcoming his circumstances and using his experience to help others rise above as well. • 28:52 - Justice Wali grew up in the South Side of Chicago and ended up being involved with a gang before he found a way out of his situation and learned the power of shifting your mindset. He now coaches others, including at-risk youth, about the power of their minds and their potential in spite of their circumstances. 33:08 – And finally, Kimi shares her favorite clip of the podcast so far. • Kina Fields, on the topic of how to handle a relapse in your behavior, gave us this gem: “Be kind to yourself.”

On this *one year anniversary* episode of the Early Accountability Podcast, Kimi reflects on this podcast journey with gratitude for the support and encouragement she has received along the way. The podcast started out as a thought during a meeting with Kimi’s business coach, Amanda Miller Littlejohn, and the idea was shaped with the help of some of Kimi’s colleagues in Amanda’s Mastermind group. Kimi’s biggest initial barrier to overcome was being comfortable with being more visible and being confident in her idea. She found that her niche was interviewing guests on the show and showcasing their stories, which meant that she had to go outside of her comfort zone to pursue guests. She did experience some rejections, but she did not let that stop her from consistently producing content and staying focused on her mission. Kimi also emphasizes the importance of surrounding herself with a team of people who specialize in the different talent areas needed to create and produce the podcast, reaching the goal Kimi set out. It took courage for Kimi to accept help initially and to let people in to her passion project, but this vulnerability and trust has led to something bigger than Kimi could have accomplished on her own. Finally, Kimi has learned to not be afraid to let her light shine and her gifts show. By accepting compliments and criticisms graciously, Kimi has grown through this process, and she looks forward to the future of the podcast. Topics Covered in this Episode: • Reflection on Year One of the Early Accountability Podcast • Importance of surrounding yourself with a team • Benefits of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone • Being confident in your gifts • Asking for help along the way

On this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast, Kimi demonstrates the importance of accountability in reaching goals with examples from her own experience. Kimi told herself that she would do everything possible to get fit except for running, but she soon surprised herself by committing to her first half-marathon. For her first race, she started training 3 months ahead of time with the help of a nutritionist and a personal trainer, and she successfully completed her goal. She then decided on her second half-marathon, which she trained for on her own with a less successful result. Her third half-marathon was several years later, and she trained with a group of friends who were all running the same race, which resulted in a successful finish. She ran her fourth half-marathon on a whim without much training and she wore new shoes on the day of the race, which was a huge mistake. She did finish that race, but in addition to her completion medal, she also brought home too many blisters on her tired feet. As you can see from Kimi’s experiences, the races where she had accountability built in were much more fun to train for and run, and they had much better results. It is crucial to develop accountability into your goal-setting and the steps along the way, especially with other people who are on the same path as you. As Proverbs tells us, “iron sharpens iron.” Topics Covered in this Episode: • Accountability to achieve your goals • Half-marathon training • Being inspired and inspiring others • Having clear expectations of accountability Connect with Kimi: http://www.kimiwalker.com/

On this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast, Kimi continues her series on goal activation and the reasons why we fail to reach our goals. During the last episode, Kimi provided 3 reasons why people do not achieve their goals: (1) the wrong reasons, (2) lacking accountability, and (3) avoiding becoming uncomfortable. Kimi’s next 3 reasons are: 1. You are refusing to walk in your purpose. You might know exactly what you should be doing, either because you recognize your God-given talents or others have told you, but you are refusing to do it. Even if it is uncomfortable or unpredictable, you should be using your knowledge and experience to help others who are following in your footsteps. 2. You don’t want to put in the work. It is sometimes easy to plan to do something, but when the rubber meets the road, you just don’t want to commit any time or effort into it. You can’t say that you want to be more financially secure but refuse the notion that you should get a second job. The quality of follow-through is a difficult one to develop, but it will serve you well throughout your personal and professional lives once you commit to it. 3. You don’t want to change your inner circle. As your plans and goals change throughout your life, it will become necessary to surround yourself with new people who are on a similar life journey. This doesn’t mean that you have to completely ditch your longtime friends, but you should take advantage of the benefits that having a diverse inner circle can bring. People who don’t look, sound, or think like you but have similar goals can be very helpful to your growth and development. On the other hand, if you find that some of your friends have goals or values that are contrary to where you want to go, you should have the strength and integrity to distance yourself from them. Topics Covered in this Episode: • Goal activation and the roadblocks that sometimes get in the way • Being true to yourself and your purpose • Diligently putting in the work to reach your goals • Intentionally crafting your inner circle

On this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast, Kimi continues the series on goal activation by discussing the main reasons why people do not reach their goals. Setting goals is important for personal and professional inspiration and motivation and provides the tools needed to overcome adversity. 1. Setting the wrong goals for the wrong reasons. It is critical for you to recognize your “why” and analyze if you have the right motivations in your goal setting. If you set a goal based on pleasing others, fitting in, or having a “social media ideal” life, you will not be personally satisfied or fulfilled, so you should start out by setting goals for the right reasons. 2. Lacking accountability. When you set long-term and short-term goals, you should build in some checkpoints along the way that will allow you to gauge your progress and make any necessary adjustments. A great way to do this is by talking with your goals with a coach, trainer, accountability partner, or group that will check in with you and help you stay on track. Additionally, blocking off time on your calendar to commit to your various goals and assigning deadlines to the items on your to-do lists will create an element of passive accountability and make your goals seem more achievable. 3. You don’t like to be uncomfortable. Good goals will challenge you to get outside your comfort zone, because that is where you can truly grow. The more you step out and choose to be uncomfortable, the more confident you will be and the less you will listen to those around you who intentionally or unintentionally discourage you as you strive towards your goals. Establishing a mindfulness practice such as meditation, exercise, journaling, or spiritual activities will help you keep your emotions in check as you change internally. Topics Covered in this Episode: • The main reasons why people don’t reach their goals • Setting the right goals for the right reasons • Establishing an accountability system • Overcoming discomfort to grow, change, and achieve • Activating your goals

The topic of this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast is Kimi’s Resolution Into Results 3-step framework for goal activation. Whether you are listening to this episode at the beginning of the new year or some time later, this process is meant to give you a jumpstart on reaching your goals by giving you practical things to consider and steps to take. Topics Covered in this Episode: • Reaching your goals in the new year • Self-awareness can increase your goal activation • Tips for following through on your plans and resolutions • Overcoming obstacles and reaching milestones along the way

Our guest on this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast is Jenna, a physical therapist, integrative health coach, and founder of Eudai Wellness. She started Eudai to help people in the areas of physical, mental, and emotional health as well as nutrition. Many people have issues starting and maintaining good habits, and Jenna works with her clients to establish a profile that encompasses their patterns, routines, likes, and dislikes before coming up with the plan that may be right for them. She employs the “crowding out” method frequently, encouraging clients to increase their intake of healthier foods and drinks without requiring them to stop eating and drinking their guilty pleasures, which usually results in them voluntarily gravitating towards the healthier items before long. For those individuals who are overwhelmed by how far they feel like they have to go, Jenna encourages grace, realizing that habits and routines do not change overnight but your goals can be attainable when you break them down into short-term and long-term goals. This gives her clients the mindset that this is a journey of self-care above all else, and you should give yourself plenty of grace along the way.

On this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast, our guest is Dr. Reisha Moxley, a licensed psychologist and performance coach and mindset mentor for high achievers. These individuals are typically rarely satisfied, always working towards the next goal, and can be very hard on themselves. Reisha helps high achievers to reflect on how far they have come and perhaps find the roots of the emotional underpinnings that may be causing anxiety-related failures, which should really be viewed as opportunities to get to know themselves better and practice grace. Failure can look differently to different people, but is usually related to fear, anxiety, or incompletion. Reisha encourages those individuals to listen to the pattern they find themselves in and begin to process it by journaling or talking to someone they trust in order to face the issue with authenticity and move forward. Reisha believes that self care is a revolutionary act and she urges others to take care of themselves first.

On this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast, we are joined by Jenna Faye Handel, founder of the Sacred She Sisterhood and online business coach to female entrepreneurs. Jenna started out her professional life doing everything she felt she “should do” but this led her into a career that was not fulfilling to her because she felt that she was not able to help people as much as she would like. She began taking supplemental courses in the areas of nutrition and coaching to help her transition from her corporate job into entrepreneurship. She and her fiancé are currently “digital nomads”, traveling full-time and spending a few weeks in each place before moving on. Jenna talks about “rewriting your money story”, which means taking an honest look at where you currently stand financially and choosing to change your relationship with it. Involved in this relationship could be challenging conversations with clients about sales or increasing your rates, but this does not have to be awkward or feel shady as long as you are authentically connecting your fee to the value provided to the client, rather than what you think you “deserve.” Jenna says that in order to manifest your dreams, you just need to be clear about what you want and then take inspired action with intent to get there.

Our guest on this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast is Essence Revealed, a performer, former stripper, former teacher, former real estate agent, and author. Essence has taken all of the lessons she has learned about herself and about life and has written a book and accompanying course to help other women win in their own lives. She had to get over the things that were holding her back in her performing career and she is still working through issues with depression with her therapist. She believes that we are worthy just because we are here on earth. We should take that to heart and be confident, always speaking to ourselves positively and truthfully. One of her most beneficial daily practices is not reaching for her phone as soon as she wakes up, but rather taking that time to focus on herself and prepare for the day.

On this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast, our guest is Christina MacMullen, a blogger, writer, and entrepreneur. After a series of failed relationships and bad breakups, Christina set out to write a book about dating advice for women over 30, and her first step in the process was to start a blog. She wants to use her experiences to help guide other women through their relationships and getting back on the dating scene. Christina encourages women to get out of bad relationships as soon as they know it is going to end poorly, and to get back out there and start meeting more men once they are ready. For those who already expected to be married but find themselves very single, Christina recommends “dating yourself” by practicing self-care and intentionally scheduling dates to go to a nice restaurant or to a movie as a treat. Come to appreciate yourself rather than focus on the frustration of not being in a relationship, and be ok by yourself. There are many other women and men in your same situation, so do not be discouraged. Topics Covered in this Episode: • Writing from experience on your blog • What it means to “date yourself” • Building community and not being afraid to get back onto the dating scene

Amiyrah Martin joins us on this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast to discuss her personal blog “4 Hats and Frugal.” Over 10 years ago, Amiyrah started her blog as a way to keep herself accountable as she and her husband were venturing to live frugally and tackle their debt. From that time on, she has been known as “the girl who kept it real” on social media and has amassed quite a following of readers who have started their own journeys to frugal living. The first step that Amiyrah encourages everyone to take is evaluating what you truly need at the grocery store. By purchasing only what you know you will eat, you can do your part to cut down on food waste and you will see the ripple effect that even a $10 reduction every week can have on your family budget. Amiyrah has also built up a few other online brands that align with her own personality and interests, and she encourages others to be true to themselves and “share the answers to this test called life” with others who are living life with you. With all of the demands on her time, Amiyrah practices the time blocking technique in order to be productive in all areas of life on a daily basis. She always blocks 5 hours a day for her family, and then schedules out the remaining blocks ahead of time to ensure that by respecting her time, her time will respect her. Be sure to check out her blog and her e-books about meal planning, how to plan your year in a day, how to plan your week in 15 minutes, and how to plan your day in 5 minutes. Topics Covered in this Episode: • Starting a blog with broad appeal • Using time blocking to be more productive • Building platforms around who you already are • Keeping it real on social media

On this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast, our guest is Chandell Stone, founder of Destination Teach. During grad school, Chandell became aware of a school in rural Kenya that was in need of a little TLC. She and a friend came up with the idea to send a group of myelinated volunteers who would pay their own way to serve the school and spend some time getting to know the culture and people of Kenya. Destination Teach has since become an organization and has continued to send approximately 100 participants per year to Kenya and Morocco, and they will initiate a trip to Haiti this year. Chandell and the trip participants have found this trip to be mutually beneficial, as the participants are able to visit the homeland of their ancestors and native Africans are able to get to know the African-American culture a bit better. In the future, Chandell hopes to create some university partnerships and a gap year program for boys, as well as continue to work of sustainable development in Kenya through scholarships, projects such as libraries, and training for the teachers at the schools they serve. Topics Covered in this Episode: -Being the solution to a problem in the world -How volunteering can open your eyes to another culture -The ripple effect of service

Our guest on this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast is Ananda Leeke, a mindfulness guru, author, and host of the Thriving Mindfully podcast. Ananda found herself completely wound up by stress and suffering from panic attacks after years spent taking the Bar Exam and working in investment banking and public service. Her therapist recommended that she try mindfulness before resorting to medication, so she began meditating, journaling, and doing yoga, and she found freedom from the stress that had taken over her life. Mindfulness is our human birthright, and it can show the gateway to who we truly are if we are mindful on purpose, in the present moment, and with no judgment. Ananda talks about how technology can either support or distract from mindfulness: Support: by setting alarms on your devices to breathe or go for a walk, downloading apps that can assist with meditation, or watching youtube videos about mindfulness Distract: by causing us to constantly be connected and reachable and decreasing productivity by making multitasking too easy Making mindfulness a habit can take days, weeks, or months for different people, but by choosing to pay attention to your body, you can embark on the journey to self-awareness and a practical way to relieve stress. Topics Covered in this Episode: -Using mindfulness to combat everyday stressors -Creating a mindfulness habit -Mindfulness in social media

On this episode of the Early Accountability Podcast, we are joined by Kimberly Williams, an entrepreneur and network marketer through Beauty Counter. Kim was in the midst of a career in the corporate world when she found out that her mother was battling an auto-immune disorder. This gave her a new outlook on her life, making her realize that she wanted to be doing something that mattered to her, such as providing safer beauty products to her clients, since there are almost no regulations for the ingredients used in the beauty industry, and some products have been proven to have harmful effects. Her corporate experience in sales and marketing prepared her for the digital communications and personal selling that she currently does at Beauty Counter, and it has provided her family with the flexibility to become closer together and more financially stable. At first, Kim was working her full-time corporate job and doing Beauty Counter on the side, but when she built up a client base, she and her husband decided that they were financially prepared for her to pursue Beauty Counter full-time. She followed her heart and then created a specific plan for making the transition, reaching out to others who had made similar transitions along the way. Kim’s father always told her that “anything worth having is worth working for”, and this is a mantra that she still lives by every day. Topics Covered in this Episode: -How to know when it is time to take the leap to make your side hustle full-time -Pursuing your passion daily -Staying true to your convictions and believing that it will pay off