How many times have you either said or heard someone say, "It's hard?' The funny thing about this statement is it is usually said before the person has had a chance to attempt to do it. Our minds are conditioned to categorize new experiences as being hard. Well, guess what? We can do hard things!

On this episode of Conversations with Coach, Certified Mindset and Confidence Coach Christina Callaway is celebrating her one year podcast anniversary and she has invited back one of her first ten guests, author and coach, Karla J. Noland. They are catching up and Karla is sharing a recent victory of "hard things" that she did by participating in the three-day Arise Challenge. She also shares the latest updates on her book, "The Day My Heart Turned Blue".

Show Notes
Karla J Noland

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Book: https://revealhealthrive.com/books
Arise Challenge: https://www.arisechallenge.org

 The sole purpose of a nonfiction book is to educate the reader about a subject or to further their knowledge about something. Each year, four million new book titles are published, including self-published books. So, what’s going to make your nonfiction book idea unique and standout amongst the millions of titles?

Ask yourself three questions to determine if your nonfiction book idea will resonate with readers:

1. Who is this book for?

You will find clarity for the vision and purpose of your nonfiction book by keeping your target audience in mind. It’s too broad of a statement to say your book is for everyone. You want to narrow down your niche audience to a specific reader. Think about shooting an arrow at a bullseye. Who needs to get their hands on your book to gain knowledge and/or solve their specific problem?

Here’s a riddle for you: I have a starting point with no end in sight. I sneak up on you without warning and make you lose all your might. You cannot ignore me, no matter how busy you get. I remind you of what you’ve lost, so you never forget.

Answer: Grief

When my mother passed away in 2019, I acknowledged she was no longer in pain and had gone to be with her Lord & Savior, but I did not give myself space to grieve. Instead, I distracted myself from the pain by going back to work to return to normalcy. Despite my best efforts, when I pulled into the parking lot of my workplace a week after her burial, I couldn’t stop crying.

I had difficulty transitioning back into being social because people who knew I lost my mom graciously gave me their condolences. My head knew these were gestures of compassion, however, each time I heard, “I’m sorry for your loss,” my heart would remember that my mom was no longer here.

Speaking with Karla J. Noland about the loss of her Mom.  Karla is a wife, mother, award-winning author & speaker, and a certified personal development & executive coach. 

Karla discusses her latest book and bereavement companion journal, titled The Day My Heart Turned Blue, (a 2022 Eric Hoffer Spiritual book award winner).  The book chronicles Karla’s healing journey after the death of her mother.  She talks about the importance of journaling and the healing process.  

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Karla J. Noland, Founder of Reveal Heal Thrive LLC., located in Durham, NC, USA. 

There’s so much power in the words we use – including when we talk to ourselves. And talking to ourselves out loud can be an effective way to boost our confidence and creativity. In a recent New York Times article, writer Paul McAdory calls it “external self-talk,” and explains that it can help us stay resilient in moments of self-doubt. “I have found that vocalized self-analysis… is a valuable complement to more traditional conversational outlets, especially when it comes to creative thinking.” 

We asked our Thrive community to share with us the phrases and mantras they tell themselves when they need a confidence boost. Which of these resonates with you?

In this episode, we delve into Karla's grief experiences, the day her heart turned blue, and the growing process she began when she started grieving for her mother. We discuss the importance of healing childhood traumas and giving ourselves grace for the things we couldn't build in our lives. Karla explains how she dismantled her core beliefs about not being good enough and shares actionable insights to deal with our inner critics.

Have you ever felt you needed a vacation after vacation upon returning to Work?!

Check out my contribution piece on how to regain focus after a long holiday weekend!

*In 2016, Arianna Huffington launched Thrive to help individuals, companies, and communities improve their well-being and performance – and debunk the collective delusion that burnout is the price we must pay for success. Since then she has been working with leaders across all the scientific disciplines related to burnout.

  
MOTHERHOOD & MENTAL HEALTH - LiveYourDream.org

May is the time of Mother’s Day and Mental Health Awareness Month. One of the greatest blessings in my life has been motherhood. I couldn’t image life without my children. I often miss squeezing and kissing them as babies and still call them my babies. But each day, I am amazed by their growth, strength under pressure, and achievements as young men.  

When I was a young child, I always knew I wanted children. Five, to be exact! I imagined my home being a safe place with a constant atmosphere of fun. What I wanted was the exact opposite of how I grew up. I thought to myself that when I grow up things are going to be different. Little did I know, I would repeat the same patterns as my mother.

  
2022 Eric Hoffer Book  Spiritual Award Winner!             

 The Day My Heart Turned Blue, Karla J Noland, Reveal Heal Thrive

The Eric Hoffer Book Award honors the memory of the great American philosopher and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Eric Hoffer, by highlighting salient writing, as well as the independent spirit of small publishers. Since its inception, the Hoffer has become one of the largest international book awards for small, academic, and independent presses.

 The Day My Heart Turned Blue: Healing After the Loss of My Mother by Karla J Noland - Reveal Heal Thrive (Publisher)

Eric Hoffer Award Grand Prize Short List
The Eric Hoffer Book Award honors the memory of the great American philosopher Eric Hoffer by highlighting salient writing, as well as the independent spirit of small publishers. Since its inception, the Hoffer has become one of the largest international book awards for small, academic, and independent presses.

First Horizon Award Finalist                

The Day My Heart Turned Blue: Healing After the Loss of My Mother by Karla J Noland - Reveal Heal Thrive (Publisher)  

Each year, the Eric Hoffer Award presents the First Horizon Award for superior work by debut authors (i.e. the first published book of any type by the author). This is an additional distinction beneath the Eric Hoffer Award umbrella.  

NOT MUCH TIME LEFT 

A week before Thanksgiving, my aunt called me and said my mother didn’t have much time left, and the nurse on call at the hospice facility said I should come right away. I booked a flight to Houston the next day for my husband, our youngest son, and myself. We stayed at my mother’s house as we traveled back and forth to the hospice facility to sit at her bedside. 

 Grief didn’t strike me the moment my mother died. Instead, my grief began when I realized my mother was dying, which was on her 78th birthday. Shock, disbelief, and sadness weighed on me from that moment on because I knew the inevitable would happen.  

 I had a smashing time speaking with Ron Clark from the UK on Chat and Spin Radio about my latest book, The Day My Heart Turned Blue: Healing After the Loss of My Mother.

The Day My Heart Turned Blue book and Bereavement Companion Journal is available worldwide everywhere books are sold and at https://revealhealthrive.com/books

Find out more about Chat and Spin Radio at https://chatandspinradio.com/ 

 The Montaigne Medal is part of the prestigious Eric Hoffer Award for independent books. 

The Montaigne Medal is awarded to the most thought-provoking books, given in honor of the great French philosopher Michel de Montaigne, who influenced people such as William Shakespeare, René Descartes, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Eric Hoffer.  

Today on the Motherlove Project, Karla shares her story of losing her beautiful mom to cancer.  

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. ❤

We all have a story, and it’s never too late to share your story. Our shared human experiences bring us together and let’s know we are not alone.

Check out my article Grief Reminds Us, Love Never Dies on Grappling with Grief as I share my grief story about how losing my mother changed my life forever.

 As a working Mom, I am grateful for all the early learning and development teachers who took care of my children as I went to work. I could go to work with a peace of mind knowing my sons were in excellent hands all while learning, growing, and having fun!

It was an honor to facilitate and lead a discussion as a PQ Coach on Mental Fitness with the teachers, staff, and administrators of Ivy Kids- Hobbs in League City, Texas.

So nice I had to do it twice this week!   

It was a pleasure today leading a discussion on Toastmasters International Public Speaking Tips with the Greater Metropolitan Jack & Jill Chapter!  

To learn more go to https://jackandjillgmac.org/  

I had the pleasure of speaking to the young ladies of Girls in Technology about Toastmasters International Public Speaking Tips!  Topics covered: - How to manage your fear of public speaking? - How to organize and prepare for your speech? - How to handle impromptu speaking We had a wonderful interactive group discussion with future leaders in STEM.  

Learn more about GIT at https://www.womenintechnology.org/girls-in-technology 

Research your family history 

 “As a second generation American born to West Indian/Caribbean parents, every day is a celebration of my blackness, culture, and heritage. As we celebrate the achievements of African Americans this month, I submitted my DNA and found matches with hundreds of people who share my DNA — but unfortunately, because of the slave trade, we couldn’t figure out how we are related. 

—Karla J. Noland, personal development coach, Durham, NC

 Check out the latest podcast episode of Purpose Without Apology: Behind the Book with my Editor Lisa C Gant (wherever you get your podcasts). 

Watch the replay as Certified Personal & Executive coaches Tonya Winchester and Karla James Noland in this unique coach conversation as they talk about Imposter Syndrome,  how it shows up in our lives, and how to dismantle it through the power of the Marvel Cinematic Universe!

 How do you feel during the holiday season? For many, the holidays can be a very sad and lonely time triggering depression and grief. Today on Conversations with Coach, I am joined by Author and Coach Karla James Noland of Reveal Heal Thrive LLC to have a much needed discussion.

 When we can address stress in the moment, we can move on instead of dwelling on the issue. 

Create 80/20 buckets

“I stop and take a moment to do a five or ten-minute breathing exercise to center myself. Then, I take the thought captive and create 80/20 buckets. 

—Karla J Noland, personal development coach, Durham, N.C.

@peacefournine Our conversation with Karla J. Noland on the loss of her mother, her grief and healing process, and newly released book “The Day My Heart Turned Blue”. 

You can purchase her book at https://revealhealthrive.com/books 

@revealhealthrive

It's an honor to be mentioned as the "Black Blogger of the Week" by @Blkgirlscanheal

I applaud their organization for all their good works in providing the resources and space needed for Black Women to give themselves permission to heal! 👑💙🙌🏾

I 💙 my newhope church family! And 💙 the current the Mindset series we will be camping out on for several weeks. Check out my tips on how to disrupt your negative mindset patterns (starting at 8:53) followed by Part 3 of Mindset with Pastor Drew 👑💙

#revealhealthrive

#giveyourselfpermisson

#personaldevelopmentcoach

It was my pleasure today to speak with over 70+ Lenovo Summer Interns from across the country on Toastmasters International Public Speaking Tips!

It was my pleasure today to speak with the 2021 Lenovo NAF Academy High School Summer Interns from across the triangle on Toastmasters International Public Speaking Tips!

 I know your presentations to your managers and teachers are going to be 🔥🔥🔥!

#publicspeaking
#toastmastersinternational
#toastmasters 

How often have you set a big goal for yourself and then get overwhelmed by everything you have to get done? Once you are overwhelmed, your vision gets smaller and feelings of anxiety grow larger. You believe you have bitten off more than you can chew and now goal fatigue has set in. How can you move forward if you have goal fatigue?  

I recently took part in a Positive Intelligence Coaching exercise where I looked at my childhood picture several times a day in efforts to show more self compassion, empathy, and unconditional love for myself.  

 5 Steps to Goal Attainment

1. Vision & Goal Setting
2. Tools and Resources
3. Feedback
4. Mindset
5. Celebrate

Your neck feels stiff

“One small way my body tells me to slow down is when I feel tension at the base of my neck. The tension is the warning signal, but if I ignore it, the tension can turn into a knot. 

—Karla J. Noland, personal development and executive coach, Durham, N.C.

For the longest time, my mental health suffered from the lasting effects of grief and unhealed trauma. My earliest childhood memories are riddled with parental domestic violence, walking

on eggshells so as not to provoke my father and vying for the attention of others to feel needed. As a result, I found myself in a constant state of restlessness, hyper-

vigilance and self-loathing.

 I established Reveal Heal Thrive LLC in October 2020, after the untimely passing of my mother. When I picked up my mother’s belongings, I experienced a self-realization moment in how I would live my life from that point forward. I spent much of my life holding on to pain, trauma, and anger. As part of my healing process, I recognized I was merely surviving in life but was not thriving. 

Karla James Noland created an initiative to help working mothers prioritize themselves and their dreams. Karla provided pro bono coaching for five pro bono clients 1:1 from January to July 2021 and was the only coach for the initiative.