SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to What Would Amber Do with your host, Amber Howard. Each week, Amber dances in conversation with inspirational leaders out to make a difference for what matters most to people. She brings you incredible guests who share their real life experiences of being a leader and what it looks like to live a truly created life of service to others. And now, here is your host.

SPEAKER_01 0:26

Good morning, everyone. Welcome back to What Would Amber Do. It is my honor this morning to have on the show Monica Ward. Monica is a tech guru, top sales leader in telecommunications, multiple best-selling author, and an empath, channel, and energy healer. Ever since Monica was a small child, she has sensed what's actually possible for humanity. She has spent her entire life on a relentless quest to elevate her own levels of conscious awareness to be the best guide she can be for others. Monica, it is so great to have this time with you this morning. Thank you for being here. Oh, thank you so much.

SPEAKER_02 1:08

It's truly an honor, and I'm humbled to share this space with you and your audience.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

Yeah, so beautiful. So we always start, and I say this every show like, how did like what's the journey, right? I think for me, that's one of the most interesting things about people is like, you know, when you look at someone on the outside, it's like, how do you end up like being in telecommunications and technology as someone who's worked in tech for a lot of my life too? Like, as well as like being a channel and an energy healer, like that, like how did you get to where you are today? What was that journey like for you, Monica? Right.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

I know it is definitely something that I've struggled with for so many years, the push and pull of, you know, I've got this natural ability to heal and tap into people. And yet I love technology and I love helping people build solutions that will make their lives better that way as well. And they're very different worlds. But for so many years I was pulled, you know, thinking I shouldn't be doing this, you know, I shouldn't be focusing so much on technology and my career. I should be focusing more on my Reiki practice and you know, and and that side. But um, I finally came to a point where I've kind of put them together now. And it's an interesting marriage, you know, people are really starting to get woke, you know, just commercials and stuff where they're talking about um astrology. And you know, it's just it's interesting how people are starting to wake up and um and I'm able to actually kind of marry the two, even in my signature, my email signature for work, I have empath listed in there. And it's interesting how many people will bring that up, like, oh my gosh, I saw that you're an empath. I am too, you know, and and that's in the business world. So it's it's it's pretty fun. But um, I've been an entrepreneur for my whole life, and I started selling tadpoles out of my swimming pool. And uh you can get a good deal, you know, three for 50 cents, or you know, I don't know what it was, but it was fun for me. I loved it. And um, and then I've always had the ability to see energy. So as a child, I lived kind of a nomadic lifestyle where my dad was a banker and uh he would save failing branches. So every year and a half we would move. It would take about a year and a half to get the branch back on their feet. And so we would move to a new city, new school every year and a half. And I had to learn how to how to make friends and how to um, you know, I used to knock on doors when I'd first move. I'd start by playing out in the yard for you know for a while, trying to see if anybody was was there, they would come play with me. And then I would start knocking on doors saying, hey, do you have any kids that live here? Let's go door to door trying to find friends.

SPEAKER_01 4:10

So it's so great.

SPEAKER_02 4:13

That kind of started my uh my career in that respect. It's kind of funny, but I've got this total duality where it's like um I'm very spiritual, yet I'm a total scrapper.

SPEAKER_01 4:27

Yeah, it's like interesting. It's interesting how the how our journey shape us. I, you know, having a lot of conversations with people about this, and and I I too find like sometimes people will say to me, like, or I'm in conversations with people about my business and what I do, it's like, well, you know, it might seem a little inconsistent or like all over the place, or a little bit like I don't get, you know, what is it that you actually do? And sometimes I think as entrepreneurs, we can have a hard time, especially when what we're committed, like what we're doing and then the activities we're doing, like other people can't necessarily see what connects those things, right? And and I always say, for me, everywhere in my life, it's all inside of fulfilling on that people get to have a creative life and that they're never stuck with anything, whether that's providing a solution to a technology problem, or you know, whether that's coaching someone around their mindset, or whether that's teaching a class about leadership, like and you know, there's a common theme inside of like who I am and what I'm looking to express in the world, you know, a world where people get to live a created life of their own design based on what they authentically want, and that being an access to like profound love, connection, and belonging, because I believe that those things are related. And um, and it takes, I think it's a journey as an entrepreneur. I think it takes a little bit of time. And you know, we whenever whenever you start, you don't necessarily have that. I think you discover that on the journey, like what it is that you're exact like wanting to express. That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 6:02

Yeah, perfectly.

SPEAKER_01 6:05

Really great. And you know, it's interesting. I was teaching last night, and we were talking about leadership and maturity models for businesses and like looking, you know, and and you know, at the top of the maturity model for business analysis is tech fully tech, like where technology is fully enabling the business. Right. Right. So there is like something very um, very powerful about where we can use technology to really empower and solve problems that and not just problems like it, like people think about oh, I'm gonna develop like a website for something, but like like using technology to really innovate and and and heal some of the things that aren't working about our world. So I see I'm um I I I when I look out to the future, I see Star Trek, right? So I see I can I get it. I'm totally with you, Monica.

SPEAKER_02 6:58

Yep. Yeah, I think that too, that um that empathic ability when I'm working. So um I'm in telecommunications and I build solutions for customers uh regarding uh unified communications. So and voice over IP. And when I'm speaking to customers, um I will kind of tap into their energy. Well, you know, I can see energy. So if I'm doing a video call, I can actually see their energy around them. I can see, you know, if spirals start to shoot off their head, which sounds kind of crazy, but um, I can I can kind of see what's going on with them and how they're feeling about what I'm saying. And that can um, I don't want to say that it helps to guide the conversation, but um, it really does help us to get to the right solution. If I, you know, sometimes people hold things really close to their chest and they don't really want to show you all their cards, even when you're trying to help them. So it's been really, really um helpful in my career. I think that's actually what has made me so successful.

SPEAKER_01 8:04

I can see that. You know, it's interesting. I think there are maybe some different ways to access that. I I consider myself empathic, but I I don't see energy necessarily. And for me, it's through listening and facilitation, right? Like reading a room, right? Reading people's body language, like how is my communication landing over there where they are? It was uh one of my students last night used shared an example of uh a company that they worked for, like a big consulting company came in and did a presentation to a bunch of scientists, and they you know, the examples that they used just like killed, like like lost the audience within like, you know, within seconds of them creating this conversation. And you know, so it's like really like as a leader being responsible for like I'm speaking into the listening, and I'm like actually out here present. And and that's what I hear when you say about reading the energy. It's like, am I, you know, whether you see the actual energy or not, but being in this space with people and like being aware of how am I? Like, how am I occurring to people? What's their are they open? Is there are they engaged? Are they with me? Um, or are they like on their phone checking, right? Checking their stock portfolio, right? True. Really great. So so do you operate like so I know you have your career in telecommunications, but do you also offer services on uh on the energy side as well? Is that something you you do in parallel, or do you kind of bring the energy work into your your career?

SPEAKER_02 9:37

So lately I have not really been doing much um on the energy side unless someone asks me. So, like I've had people that uh have hit me up on LinkedIn saying, hey, you know, I see that you're an empath or I've read a testimonial about your uh medical intuitive, I a certified medical intuitive. So uh, you know, I've got this issue and I've been to the doctor, it's my face is killing me, I don't know what to do. And um, so I tapped into this person and found that he had an abscess in his mouth that uh was in the bone um in his jaw, and it wasn't being picked up by the x-ray for some reason. I don't know why, but um, and I'm I I have no medical background. I'm not a doctor, I know. Obviously, I have no medical background, but I can just see things. Um, and so you know, I told him what I saw, and he went to a uh uh periosurgeon or something, and they found it. And he was he came back, he was like, Oh my god, you saved my life. I was literally paralyzed, but you know, I could have died from this infection, and um he couldn't eat, he couldn't hardly talk, and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. Uh yeah, back to your question. I don't really actively seek um uh to practice, but people do find me so I think that's the way, right?

SPEAKER_01 11:12

Yeah. Yeah. So when you, you know, you share, Monica, that you like since you were a small child, you sense what's actually possible for humanity. Can you can you say a little bit more about that? Like what is it because I too, like I can I can remember being a very young child and and knowing that I was here. Like I didn't know, I couldn't, I there was just like a knowing that I was here to make a difference. And I didn't share that with people for a long time because I was like, people are gonna think you're weird, or like, you know, but so I I I share that and I'm curious to know kind of what what would that what was that like for you and what what is it that you sense for that is possible for humanity? What are you committed to for people?

SPEAKER_02 11:54

Well, I I hear what you're saying. I've always kind of felt like I wasn't of this place and like I didn't belong here in a way. And um, I realized when I was little that uh like like you did, that not everyone had tuned into this ability um or were really were tuned into um the energy around them and couldn't see what I saw. So um but I think that uh what I see for for people is basically you know, you've got the the energies around you, everything's connected, and because I can see that it's um it's easier for me, I think, to relate to people and um to kind of guide them in that way.

SPEAKER_01 12:48

So what would you you know one of the things that I talk about with people a lot is like you know, when when people get stuck, right? Like there's like lots of circumstances right now, you know, you could literally turn on any TV channel or open up your social media profile, and it's just like a seemingly never-ending stream of people disagreeing about this or that, or you know, people people are upset about about the current sorry set of circumstances in the world. And I believe that, you know, one of the greatest gifts that we have is choice, right? Like I may not be able to change the circumstances around me, but I always have a say about who I'm gonna be in the face of that. When it comes to like your energy and like attracting to yourself, you know, what are some of the things that you think people can do to really um get into the energy that they want or or stay, you know, like regardless of what's happening around like the the around them, like really be in the energy that they want to be.

SPEAKER_02 13:54

Right. Yeah, it's it's difficult to be in that space a hundred percent of the time, of course. Sometimes you even have to remind yourself that that life is more than what you see in front of you. But um, I find that meditation is key, you know, taking care of yourself. Um, even uh let's say appreciating things, being thankful for things is super helpful. So even like taking a sip of coffee, right, and and feeling the warmth in your mouth and the flavor and smelling, and you know, just really enjoying that sip of coffee and being thankful for it can really help to open you up to what's around you and keep you more positive. I think uh binaral beats uh uh are helpful too. So listening to um like 528 hertz is good. Um it's something that brings me back often if I'm having kind of a rough day, or I'll listen to uh to a meditation or something like that, and it'll it'll remind me, you know, that that it's more than just what you see around you or or your bills or your car or whatever. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 15:14

We're in my book club, we're reading Man Search for Meaning by Victor E. Frankel, which I'm I'm not sure if you've yeah. Um and it's the book is kind of for those of you listening to the show or aren't familiar with it, it's like kind of two parts. One, the first part is this psychotherapist's experience of of what it was like to be in in a number of different concentration camps during the war. And the second part is, you know, um more theoretical about his theory of logotherapy that he had before he experienced being in a concentration camp. And so kind of marrying the two. And um, it's been interesting because I I find myself actually having to dissociate in order to get through the first part of the book. Like because it's just so like if I be with it, like those are real people that that really happened to, it's it's just so heartbreaking that I can't um like I you almost can't read another word. It and um in but he really talks about that like when everything else is taken from you, you know, what whatever's happening in your life, like that ability to choose how you respond is freedom.

SPEAKER_02 16:31

Yeah, absolutely. I had uh I had an experience recently um where uh just before I just before sleeping, I was kind of talking to myself and sorting out the day. And um in my head, I stopped to kind of wonder who I was talking to, because I was you know going through this whole conversation in my head. And I was suddenly hit by this uh out-of-body experience where I was looking at myself, knowing that I'm not that body, right? I had a resounding feeling that I'm within the body and without the body, uh, and that I create the world around me. And I'm sure you know, people have said this, you've heard this several times, but when it happens to you in this, it's so profound, it's crazy. But um I could see the matrix of energy dancing all around me and uh connecting everything, you know, and like I never had before though, it was really intense. And I had this feeling of pure love that welled up and washed over me, followed by total gratitude. And then it was sadness. I because I was looking at this body, and you know, I have so much love and appreciation for for my body and this experience, yet I realized that I wasn't attached to this body, and I hadn't been present in it at all. So I literally felt like I had woken from a dream and um like I'd been asleep for 53 years. I I finally I recognized that I wasted all this time uh living what I thought was a life of purpose, and I was really just bouncing around from thing to thing, trying to fill this void, um, diving headfirst into situations because I'm all in when I am all in, uh even if it's a really stupid decision. So yeah. Um but kind of recreated in that. Yep. It was like it's like I would had been sleepwalking, but I saw my body with all these modifications. I have tattoos, um, I I had facial filler, Botox, you know, my hair was super bleached. Uh, you know, the book that we did together, um, the pictures in here, my hair was super bleached, which I loved, but I realized that I didn't even have the appreciation of watching my hair go gray, right? I didn't know my hair was this gray. So right after I had this like awakening, I shaved my head, and which is the last time I saw you, I had just shaved my head. Um but coming back to what you were saying, I think it's interesting how we can decide how we're going to react to things. And we're not, you know, we're in this body, but um, we don't have to necessarily things that happen to us, we don't have to keep them. You know, we can decide that you know that happened, but but I'm okay. And and it's just it's interesting how you can kind of go outside of yourself and realize that um you know this is your vessel for while you're here, but there's so much more out there and afterwards that uh yeah, it's uh it's beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 20:00

Thank you for face out of like going off into no, I do that. So funny where we go in our heads sometimes, right? I'm just being communication and it and it's really beautiful. And um, you know, whatever the experience is like, you know, one of the things that I'm working on right now, you know, for this year, one of my goals is to publish my first book that I write, you know, we participated in the book project together, but I have a book that's in the works that of my, you know, that I'm working on on my own, called and the working title right now is Yard Sticks. And it's all about, you know, what are the measures of success and happiness that you you could create for your own life? Not, you know, like how to create a a life that you love based on your own measures for success and happiness. Because we we're we inherit them, right? Like we're born before we even take our first breath. We are born into a world, we're born into a family, a culture, a region, um, networks of conversations that tell us what it is to be happy and successful human being. And and and that that none of that's wrong, right? Like as a parent myself, like you know, I've I I've had to I've caught myself time and time again. Like, I was never the kind of mom that was like, oh, you've got to grow up to be a doctor. But I definitely have been the kind of mom that says your life should make a difference and it should have purpose. Well, that's another that's another standard for success and happiness that's mine. What if my kids just wanted to grow up and hang out on the beach and surf for their whole life? That how is that any less meaningful, right? If that brings them happiness and success, why does their life have to have some purpose, right? Even though that's my belief and my value. So like I think how whatever that moment looks like for a human being, right? Yours was an out of body experience where you, you know, you saw all of that, that's based on your experience. But I think there that that opportunity exists for all of us to, and and and maybe it's not a once in a lifetime kind of thing, it could be. An ongoing inquiry. What do I really want? Like what do I authentically want in this moment of now? And how use that to be a guide for um creating ongoingly in your life and having your life be something that evolves. Because I think, you know, I have this theory that people have midlife crises because they wake up one day and they look around their lives and they can't find like they look, how did I get here?

unknown 22:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:29

Because they weren't actually choosing, they took step after step that appeared like choices, but really they were based on other people's definitions of what success and happiness looks like. And then, you know, I don't, this is a personal point of view, and I'm not saying it's a truth, but something for people to, you know, to try on. But until you can get to the point where you're saying, and maybe you never fully get there. I don't know. Maybe that's the journey, Monica, right? Of being human. But it's like to keep being in that inquiry of like, well, what does success and happiness mean to me?

SPEAKER_02 23:03

Absolutely. No, I agree completely. And I think you're hitting it right on the head, too, with what we talked about, um, you know, trying to stay in the energy of being present and you know, how to get there. But you have to constantly check in, you know, like I had this profound experience, yet um I'm still abusing my body in some ways. You know, I overeat, I do things that I shouldn't do, and I know I shouldn't do them uh to live my best life, right? But you know, when you're in that moment of that profound experience and you're like you you love everything and you're you're you know buzzing with with this energy, and then you come back to reality. Reality kind of kicks your butt sometimes, you know, which you know, you have to just continue to check in, like you're saying, check in and make sure that um, you know, what am I doing? What is my purpose? You know, really sit down and with yourself and think about it. And I love that you're you know talking about paradigms and things that are handed down to you from your generations. Generational paradigms are definitely something that we have to try to work through.

SPEAKER_01 24:14

Well, yeah, I've been really playing, and I think it's an inside of this, right? Like as human beings, we really objectify ourselves and other people. And I don't just mean like sexually. I mean, I know that's one of the ways we talk about objectifation objectification a lot, but like we we go through life, and and I was sharing this conversation. This is probably going to come up on the show for those of you that are listening. You're gonna hear this more because I'm playing with this idea. But I was in a conversation recently with someone about like my commitment that we fulfill on the United Nations sustainable development goals. And like I had said in my lifetime, and then recently I was just like, by the time I turn 50, why not? I have no idea how to do that, by the way. That's seven years from now. Might be hubris to even make a declaration like that, but why not play that kind of game for what's at stake? And and they said to me, like, well, what would happen then? And I'm like, well, you know, global leaders, we would sit down in community and we would create the next set of goals for humanity. And they're like, Well, what that what would that make available? I was like, Well, you know, imagine if what it was to be an adult was not to spend your life unbecoming all of the things that you had to become as a result of the trauma that you experienced as a child. Right. Absolutely, you know, and and and part of the mechanism that that like how that happens, in my view, and be interested to know your thoughts is like we objectify, we become an identity. It's like Monica's this Amber's rebellious and nice and hardworking and driven, right? And we objectify ourselves, we and then other people objectify us as well, right? And then from that place, none of it's a problem. There's just no freedom there because then there's some way I have to be that's not that that I inherited.

SPEAKER_02 25:58

Absolutely, yeah. We have all those labels that we take on, it's so interesting. And I I love your uh your idea of getting there in seven years, and you know, I'm sure that you know that by sitting with yourself and really thinking about, like you were saying, you know, well, what's that going to lead to? What's that going to do for, you know, what's the next step with that? You know, what will unfold with that? You're definitely um creating that, you know, bringing it into your your space.

SPEAKER_01 26:31

That's well, it's so funny. You talk about energy work, and I'm really kind of new to these conversations. I would have considered, like, to be honest, like, and I've said this before, like really woo-woo before, it was like very analytical, and you know, like, and and it's been a journey to rediscover my faith and and reconnect with myself as a spiritual being. Um, but it's like I really do believe that thoughts become things and that things get created twice, like it things so if so if no one declares, right, if no one declares because they don't think it's possible, you know, completing the SDGs by 20, you know, in seven years, well, then it's never gonna happen. Right. But if even one person declares it and is willing to like, you know, I've been working on this incredible project over the last year. We literally did something in 12 months that normally takes four to five years. And I'm telling you, what had it go that way is the the team of people, like the partnership on the team and the willing, like everyone was just like everyone involved in the project was like, it's only going one way. Right? This is happening. We don't know how we've never done this before, and we're gonna keep discovering as we go how to make this happen. But that energy of it's only going one way, creates uh something else that like it is intangible. Like it's not you couldn't put it on a plan, you can't strategize your way there. And I I know, you know, given the work that you do, you work in projects, I'm sure, and are involved in project work, you know. But I think it's a really massive differentiator between change initiatives that are successful and ones that aren't, is like that energy, the the the the thoughts. Imagination. Yeah, definitely. Yeah, because if I'm like, I just got this right now, Monica. So, like if I'm being like it's only going one way, then I'm gonna be in a creative imagination or an energy of like, okay, well, I don't know, I don't know how, but we got to figure this out because it's only going one way. So you it creates a space for creativity that doesn't exist when a bunch of people are like, Well, I don't know, I don't think it's possible, right? Like, right?

SPEAKER_02 28:42

Yeah, yeah. And you don't have to know how it's going to get there. You just have to know that it is.

SPEAKER_01 28:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:49

You know. Um, in the the book that the collaboration that we did, uh, I wrote about the house fire that we had. And uh I mean, we my girls and I lost everything in that house fire. We were just at that time I was working paycheck to paycheck. So something that I did after that. Um in our our empty apartment. I did buy a spiral notebook and a pen. Um, and I sat with myself and I thought, what do I want my life to look like? Really, I know I've come this far, and it, you know, it's been it's been okay, but what do I really want my life to look like? And um, you know, I put pen to paper and I wrote it out, and I wrote out every detail as far as you know, what I saw, what I I woke up, what did I see, how did I feel? You know, it was a day in the life, and um, and by doing that, it just started that creation, you know, and now I I even uh wrote in there um I wanted to be part of uh Bob Proctor's inner circle. And then, you know, I I actually got an email like a year ago inviting me to Bob Proctor's inner circle. So I mean, it's literally inner, that's what it's called, his inner circle. So it's just interesting how when you when you really do let go of everything, right? You're not attached to anything, you just let it all go. It opens you up to everything around you.

SPEAKER_01 30:35

So great. And um one of the things I wanted to talk with you about is then, and this is something I'm discovering newly and probably for the first time, I wouldn't have languaged it like this before, but like being in this space of like allowing.

unknown 30:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:49

You know, for most of my life I was someone who was very much tried to like control everything, and I can really own that now. And it came from fear, it came from scarcity, it came from like having to know because if I knew things, then I I I I could somehow had the illusion that I could protect myself from you know whatever might come in life. And I really got on this journey over the last number of years, like how that kills wonder and and and and creativity and um the miraculous, really, because it's in not knowing, like, and this was said so beautifully to me recently like everything that I know has gotten me to where I am right now, and that's great, but like there's no nowhere to go from there, right? There's nothing new that can get created inside of what I already know. It's like in that space of not knowing and maybe the allowing right life to unfold beyond anything I could imagine that's that the miraculous is available, right? And I'd love to know for yourself because I suspect we're a bit similar in that way, you know, like that domin, not domineering, but scrappy, like causing, driven kind of that that energy. Some would call it masculine. I I don't know, I don't know how helpful masculine feminine is anymore. I'm kind of discovering that as well, but like because being in that um space of just yeah, I'll stop there.

SPEAKER_02 32:13

Controlling. That's yes, that space of controlling, yeah. Yes, trying to control everything in your life. Absolutely. I'm very I can be very controlling. Um, but yeah, if you stop trying to control things and you do just open yourself up to possibilities, then yeah, you'll get things that you never even imagined. Absolutely. You couldn't even imagine, you know, it's it's like things better than you ever would have thought by by trying to control it.

SPEAKER_01 32:46

What was that? What's that journey been like for you in in giving up control or the illusion of control? Because I don't know that we ever actually have control.

SPEAKER_02 32:56

Right, exactly. True. It's another thing that I have to just constantly check in with myself. I have reminders um on my phone. Okay, this is how bad I am. I have reminders on my phone that remind me I'm actually gonna look at it so I can tell you. And this this has helped me so much over the years, but um, like so at 5 a.m., I have a reminder that says, I am one awareness manifested. Okay. And then at six o'clock, I have a reminder that says, Caretaker, look out for them first. That's for my kids. That's when I would make them breakfast, right? And and get them ready for school. So uh at 7 a.m., you are thoughtful and kind. And that helps me to remember that when I'm trying to get my daughter to school and we're in a rush, that I'm thoughtful and kind, and I'm not, you know, let's go. So uh I have one at 830 that says, be soft and quiet. And those help me so much because it brings me back to remembering, you know, because I am, I try to control everything in my life. And if I'm reminded, you're soft and quiet. Oh, that's right. I am soft and quiet. You know, it's like I forgot. I I am soft and quiet. And they always come up at the right time too. It's kind of funny that um I'll be in the middle of something and I'll be, you know, starting to spin out, and then I'll read you're soft and quiet. And I'm like, oh yeah, that's right. I am I can relax.

SPEAKER_01 34:31

Yeah, I love that we always kind of get what we need, right? When we need it. I have tattoos, right? So I have like I have tattoos on the inside of my wrists. One reminds me to be present, and the other one reminds me that life is empty and meaningless. Because those were two of the hardest lessons for me to learn. Like I just like, you know, like being mindful, like really checking in. Like, what are your what are you thinking right now? Like, what's the dialogue that you're having? Because for the longest time in my life, my internal self-dialogue was just disgusting. Like it was just horrible. And um, you know, you probably wouldn't have to look at me, but who I was for myself was just so out of like so disconnected from how people saw me and who I was for people. But so those structures, I think that's really great. You talked about meditation. I you it's it's interesting. I've tried meditating formally in the past, and it's like my brain is just constantly going, right? My partner Peter is like, you just never stop. Like your brain is all turning and thinking and connecting things. So I found like practices, like typical practices of meditation, um sometimes challenging. One of the things that I just got in this conversation with you, though, I play some games on my phone. And they're actually, and the kids joke, my kids joke with me because they're like, Amber, mom, you like manage projects for a living. They're all games that are about merging things and like making spaces neat. Yeah. And they're like, I one of my adopted kids, Gabriel said, you do that because you can control that and it ends up looking exactly the way you want it. But I'm just getting like it's actually like when I do that, when I spend some time sorting things like that, like it is a form of meditation for me. It gives my brain a break and allows me to like, and then like, and and some of my best ideas have actually come to me, you know, and I'll be able to connect things like but in a very different way when I'm when I'm doing that. So it's interesting. But you know, you talked also about gratitude, I think, Monica, like, you know, if I ask any, if I say to anyone, like, or people ever ask me, where can I start to transform my life? It's like it's right there, you know. Until you can be grateful for what you have, then the universe is never gonna give you anything else. And and for most of my life, I wasn't in a space of gratitude. I was just everything was not enough because I wasn't enough, right?

SPEAKER_02 36:47

Right.

SPEAKER_01 36:48

Um, yeah, and I think that what you just said about the structures, so important. Whatever they are for you, whether they're a pop-up on your phone or like around your house, I pull a card every morning of a bunch of affirmation cards.

unknown 37:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:00

And I, you know, I always seem to get the one I needed that day. I like I'll pull the card and I'll be like, oh yeah, I really needed to hear that right now. Um whatever those structures are for you, what's gonna have work? Because to be human, I think, is to to keep remembering and forgetting what we know. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. So what are you creating for 2022? What are you looking forward to most this year? I know it's technically still January, so I feel like I can ask that question. I mean, what you know, what are you really excited for in the coming year, Monica?

SPEAKER_02 37:41

That's a great question. Last year was personally for me, it was really rough. So I'm just looking forward to having some peace. Just getting just enjoying each day as it comes, honestly. I'm not, I'm not uh I have no um resolutions or anything. I'm just gonna try to be the very best version of myself and show up for myself and for everyone around me.

SPEAKER_01 38:21

It's so great because I think you know, sometimes like when people ask questions like that, we feel some kind of like pressure to like be like, oh, I'm gonna do all of these like big things, and these are all the things on my goal list, like my vision board looks like this, right? But I think there are seasons in our life, you know, and um there are seasons for you know, seasons to be very productive and in creative space, there are seasons to rest, and and I didn't get that for most of my life. I don't, I think uh one of the things that I've been noticing about myself is like as things grow in my business and I start, you know, connecting with more and more people, and it's like I was getting a bit into a space of like, you know, like an accomplishment would happen and then it'd be like, okay, next move on, you know, versus like really like actually allowing it and celebrating. And um so I think there are there are seasons I've I've recently started taking days off work, which is I I don't remember the last time I had a day fully off work um amongst all of my different commitments, and now it's like Sunday's my day where I don't and and I've like I turned down an opportunity to be part of a workshop because they were having the meetings on Sundays, it was like a daily a weekend summit kind of thing, and and it was hard at first because it was like, oh, like they want you to participate and it's gonna be a great event, and and then I was like, no, like there's always gonna be a great event. There's always if I don't actually operate with as much integrity around my commitment to myself as I do to others, then it's never gonna happen, right? Yeah, so I I honor and I acknowledge you for for taking the time this year to really, you know, just be with yourself and and discover, you know, who knows what's gonna get created right from this space. Absolutely. Yeah, it's beautiful. Yeah, yeah. Thank you so much for um, you know, uh I see the connections between things, and you know, there is nothing more important than communication. So, you know, spending a career or a lifetime, you know, like your your professional career, working in telecommunications, creating solutions that allow people to communicate with one another and in in ways that really work for them. That to me is really beautiful. Uh, because we we need that, we need the ability to communicate and and um so just thank you for your leadership in that space. I I really acknowledge you for yeah, I really acknowledge you for for having the courage even to put empath on your your signature there. You know, that's that takes something. It takes some. I work in the I work in business environments, yeah, you know, but yet it's like every little like, you know, if anyone listening to this conversation could walk away, like one of the things is like it doesn't have to be some bold move, like you know, like it could be just as simple as that is like showing up as your authentic self in an environment that doesn't pull for your authenticity. And that little act of kind of defiance and saying, no, this is who I am, and I'm gonna be fully seen everywhere I go. Uh, that takes real courage, Monica. So thank you for being a human being who is out there in the world being a demonstration of living that way.

SPEAKER_02 41:39

You got it. I wish I would have come to this realization uh years prior, because like I said, it was a total push-pull, push-pull. But um, yeah, that authentic authenticity is so important. And, you know, if people don't like who who you are, then they're probably not the right people for you anyway.

SPEAKER_01 42:00

You know, words of wisdom there. Yeah, it's true, right? There we all resonate with different people. And um, yeah, it's really beautiful. Monica, thank you for being on the show. Thank you for being here this morning and sharing yourself with myself and and my audience and and just the commitment that you are for people in the world and and you know, however that keeps getting expressed. I look forward to seeing you and continuing to watch you grow and develop on your journey.

SPEAKER_02 42:28

Same to you. I appreciate you so much.

SPEAKER_01 42:30

Yeah. For everyone listening to the show, if you'd like to connect with Monica for any reason, whether it's her, you know, her healing work or you need a VoIP system for whatever reason, just to say hi. Uh, you can find out how to get in communication with her through the show notes. Thank you so much for joining us this week, and we'll see you on the other side.

SPEAKER_00 42:52

Thank you so much for joining us for this week's episode. For more information on the show and our extraordinary guests, check out whatwoodamberdo.com.