Episodes
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Erica and India discuss their intentions for the shows Pause on the PlayÂź and Flaunt Your FireÂź. After nearly 300 combined episodes, they pause to explore how to use them as continued resources and how to stay in the loop about future projects.
Ready to dive deeper?Keep in touch and find out what weâre up to at pauseontheplay.com
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Diet culture is everywhere.
What we consider healthy. What we consider unhealthy. The foods that weâre taught are good for us and the ones that weâre told to stay away from. How we think about food, health, and wellness is shaped by a culture steeped in white supremacy culture.
There is so much more nuance available to us around food, health, wellness, and cultureânot to mention enjoymentâwhen we break down the binary of good vs. bad foods, healthy vs. unhealthy people.
Dalina Soto, MA, RDN, LDN joins Erica for a conversation about diet and wellness culture, why ancestral and cultural foods too often get left out of the conversation, and the policy and systemic influences on what we think of as âhealthyâ food.
In this discussion:
Why we need to expand binary thinking about nutrition and healthHow nutritional guidelines in the US leave out large swaths of cultural and ancestral foodsThe impacts of stress and other social determinants of health on the body, and why thatâs a policy failure not a personal oneTaking guilt and shame out of doing what you can with what you have when it comes to foodConnect with Dalina Soto, MA, RD, LDN:
Your Latina NutritionistInstagram: @your.latina.nutritionistTikTok: @yourlatinanutritionist
"Anotha One"Hood Feminism, Mikki KendallFearing the Black Body, Sabrina Strings
Resources:
Ready to dive deeper?Connect with values-aligned entrepreneurs and employees across titles and industries inside The Pause on the PlayÂź Community.
Join a network of individuals committed to making their values explicit, evolving the way they show up for themselves and each other, and growing their influence together.
Get access to community conversations, live Q&As and workshops, and our whole library of evergreen resources.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
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Missing episodes?
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âSo often, our goals and the way we feel about success come from what weâre supposed to want, what weâre supposed to do, and how weâre supposed to act and feel once we achieve those goals.
But being truly satisfied with our achievements means defining success outside of the âshoulds.â
Amanda McKinney joins Erica for a replay from a live conversation within The Pause on the Play Community about success, accidental entrepreneurship, and maintaining a balance between your business and your life.
In this discussion:
Why itâs essential to pause and consider what you actually want from your businessWhy you canât separate your values from the way you do businessHow to bring your values into the way you build your business
WebsiteWhy Not You?: An Accidental Entrepreneur's Guide To SuccessFREE Guide to Defining SuccessInstagram: @theamandamckinney
Connect with Amanda McKinney:
173. Diverse Perspectives: Reconsidering the Meaning of Success
Resources:
Ready to dive deeper?If you want to participate in live conversations like this one with Amanda, join us in The Pause on the Play Community.
Inside the Community, youâll get access to live conversations, workshops, community conversations and Q&As, plus our whole library of evergreen resources.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
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How do your identities impact the way you show up at work and how you interact with work culture?
How we move through the world is influenced by white supremacy, colorism, and capitalism, and it can have profound impacts on our working life and our physical and mental health.
And while none of us can extract ourselves entirely from these systems, it may be possibleâeven necessaryâto say enough is enough and forge a new path.
Gabi Day joins Erica for a conversation about identity, work, capitalism, and her journey out of the corporate world to entrepreneurship.
In this discussion:
How toxic educational and work environments impact mental and physical healthHow tokenism and gaslighting uphold systems of oppressionMaking the personal political by showing up with your values in life and work
Bright BodyTikTok: @itsgabidayInstagram: @mybrightbody
Connect with Gabi Day:
What is gaslighting? Examples and how to respond.Mind in Motion Therapy on Instagram: @minds_in_motion_therapyBlair Imani on Instagram: @blairimaniImani Barbarin on Instagram: @crutches_and_spice
Resources:
Ready to dive deeper?How do I share my values when they arenât related to my work?
Weâve been conditioned to show up to work as our âprofessionalâ self and leave our personal beliefs behind. But the truth is, values inform every area of our life, so why try to compartmentalize?
Each month in The Pause on the PlayÂź Community, we explore one specific way to make your values more explicit. Our curated connections and learning experiences will help you challenge harmful norms, show up as an imperfect allyÂź, and live in alignment.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
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Have you ever felt like you betrayed yourself?
We live in a culture that teaches us to forsake our own wants in favor of serving others. We operate from a place of âIâm fine,â and get stuck in functional freeze, even when from the outside it appears weâre successful.
MarĂa-Victoria Albina joins Erica for a discussion about resentment and obligation, setting and holding standards, and tending to your nervous system as you pursue embodiment and change.
In this discussion:
Changing the narrative on obligationWhy setting standards and boundaries is a part of a self-reclamationHow our nervous systems get stuck in functional freezeWhy pushing too hard for ourselves to change can backfire
WebsiteInstagram: @victoriaalbinawellnessFeminist Wellness PodcastAnchored: Overcoming Codependency
Connect with MarĂa Victoria Albina:
Download MarĂa-Victoriaâs Free Meditations and ExercisesRatchet and Respectable PodcastBittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole, Susan Cain
Resources:
Embodiment, Agency, and Choicefulness with MarĂa-Victoria Albina
Ready to dive deeper?Change happens best when you have support. Find a community of like-minded individuals committed to helping each other show up and own their values in The Pause on the Play Community.
Members get access to community conversations, office hours, Q&As with Erica and India, live workshops, our library of resources and replays, and more.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
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As seasons shift, our thoughts may turn to growth and transformation.
And itâs worth taking a pause to consider what you might need to let go of in order to continue to grow.
Erica shares her thoughts on releasing the ideas and narratives you no longer want to hold, creating space to grow, and affirmations to support you along the way.
In this discussion:
Identifying and releasing the ideas and narratives that you no longer want to holdIntegration and gratitude as you evolve and growAffirmations to support you as you identify what you need to releaseReady to dive deeper?
Considering how you want to evolve and grow happens best with support. You can connect with values-aligned individuals across titles, industries, and experiences inside The Pause on the PlayÂź Community.
Evolve the way you show up for yourself and others while growing your influence and amplifying your impact on your journey of Imperfect AllyshipÂź.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
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Goal-setting can bring out the perfectionist in many of us.
When our goals donât account for our imperfect humanity, it leads to burnout and feeling like a failure. Getting stuck in the mentality that there is one course of action or one right way to do things doesnât honor what we learn and experience along the way, even when things donât go to plan.
Betsaida Lebron joins Erica to discuss setting J.A.N.K.Y goals that allow for imperfection, changing course, and getting outside of your comfort zone to make real change.
In this discussion:
How improv and play can help you manage fear and get outside your comfort zoneSetting goals that account for your humanity and capacityHow perfectionism in goal-setting holds us backWhy changing course doesnât mean starting overHow making sure your goals are aligned with your values helps you shape real change
ImprovEQ
CONNECT WITH BETSAIDA LEBRON:
Instagram: @playfulleader
Connect with Betsaida on LinkedIn
READY TO DIVE DEEPER?Weâve been conditioned to show up to work as our âprofessionalâ self and leave our personal beliefs behind. But the truth is, values inform every area of our life, so why try to compartmentalize?
Each month in The Pause on the PlayÂź Community we explore one specific way to make your values more explicit. Our curated connections and learning experiences will help you challenge harmful norms, show up as an imperfect allyÂź, and live in alignment.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
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Your values are the foundation for every single thing that you do.
Yet sometimes, we think we have to leave those values at the door when we go to work, whether in our own businesses or as team members for others. But your values come with you wherever you go.
Erica and India discuss rethinking how your values show up in your business, getting explicit about them, and why being clear on your values helps you build lasting relationships with your team, your clients, and your audience.
In this discussion:
Why itâs important to understand how your personal values show up in other areas of your life
Building the foundations of company values and brand values
How using psychographics allows your audience to evolve with you and build real relationships with your business and your brand
Ready to dive deeper?
Take a pause with your team to consider how your values can be infused into your work and company culture with the Implicit to Explicit Masterclass.
Get clarity on what your values are, why they matter, and how you can move forward integrating them into your work.
Learn more about the Masterclass and how to sign up at pauseontheplay.com/explicit
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Doing the work of shifting systems toward equity and equality can take a massive toll physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Itâs easy to feel like youâre not doing enough when youâre working against systems that existed long before you. But itâs important to remember that itâs not your debt to pay.
Erica shares a reminder about the debts that we owe, and the importance of doing the work in community.
In this discussion:
Why you canât internalize the debts created by preexisting systems
Honoring both your capacity and responsibility as you do DEI work
Why community and interdependence are vital to paying the systemsâ debts
Resources:
Tabitha Brownâs Instagram post
Ready to dive deeper?
None of us are meant to do this work alone. And not only should we not do it alone, we need to do it in community.
Inside of The Pause on the PlayÂź Community is a space for interdependence and support as you navigate your Imperfect AllyÂź journey. The Community offers member discussion, workshops, resources, Q&As, and more to help you along the way, and so that you can witness othersâ journeys as well.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
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When youâre working toward creating more equity in your business, it can be tempting to use demographic labels to diversify your client list and work with underrepresented communities.
But assessing a potential client for fit is about more than labels.
Guest host Cher Hale discusses why she chose to shift her business to working exclusively with underrepresented voices, how she sets and keeps her boundaries around client fit, and how she supports clients on their DEI journeys.
In this discussion:
Cherâs process for evolving her ideal client and how she vets for values alignment
Why demographic labels and DEI awareness arenât enough to make someone a client candidate
The combination of criteria and direct questions that Cher uses to assess for fit
Why Cher says itâs important to acknowledge the limits of your ability to support your clients
Connect with Cher Hale:
Gingko PR
Ready to dive deeper?
Weâve been conditioned to show up to work as our âprofessionalâ self and leave our personal beliefs behind. But the truth is, values inform every area of our life, so why try to compartmentalize?
Each month in The Pause on the PlayÂź Community, we explore one specific way to make your values more explicit. Our curated connections and learning experiences will help you challenge harmful norms, show up as an Imperfect AllyÂź, and live in alignment.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
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Getting involved in the speaking industry is one way to build your thought leadership and support yourself or your business.
But that journey isnât the same for everyone. There is more work that needs to be done to make the speaking industry more equitable.
Danielle Tucker joins Erica for a conversation about the speaking industry, building thought leadership, and how people of color can be more visible and get paid well for what they do.
In this discussion:
Where more accountability and responsibility are needed to bring equity to the speaking industry
Why making change in the industry requires collaboration between speakers of color and allies in positions of influence
How to build your visibility in ways that feel good and support your goals
What it means to be a thought leader in a beneficial and impactful way
Connect with Danielle Tucker:
Professional Speaker Websites
Expansive Thought Leadership
Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn
Resources:
Danielleâs 25 Speaking Essentials Checklist
Ready to dive deeper?
If you want support in broadcasting your brilliance join Danielle and the other amazing members of The Pause on the PlayÂź Community.
Get the knowledge and support you need to bring your voice to the world in a community that is working together and invested in each otherâs success and wellbeing.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
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We tend to think of being a leader as something someone is or isnât.
But a concept of leadership that focuses only on the individual misses the inherently social nature of being a leader.
Erica discusses what it means to be in leadership, why leadership is social, and why leaders must consider the collective whole.
In this discussion:
How the common conception of leadership reinforces white supremacy culture
Why leadership is inherently social
Why leadership requires acknowledging and working toward the collective good
We tend to think of being a leader as something someone is or isnât.
But a concept of leadership that focuses only on the individual misses the inherently social nature of being a leader.
Erica discusses what it means to be in leadership, why leadership is social, and why leaders must consider the collective whole.
In this discussion:
How the common conception of leadership reinforces white supremacy culture
Why leadership is inherently social
Why leadership requires acknowledging and working toward the collective good
Resources:
What Is Leadership? Kevin Kruse
Understanding Leadership, W.C.H. Prentice
Ready to dive deeper?
The Pause on the PlayÂź Community is a space where we come together and share with one another what we are experiencing, what weâre feeling, and what weâre doing to be different and do better.
Sharing these stories and experiences gives us an opportunity to connect on a deep human level and be reminded of the hope and the possibilities in humanity.
Learn more about our community at pauseontheplay.com/community
What Is Leadership? Kevin Kruse
Understanding Leadership, W.C.H. Prentice
Ready to dive deeper?
The Pause on the PlayÂź Community is a space where we come together and share with one another what we are experiencing, what weâre feeling, and what weâre doing to be different and do better.
Sharing these stories and experiences gives us an opportunity to connect on a deep human level and be reminded of the hope and the possibilities in humanity.
Learn more about our community at pauseontheplay.com/community
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While many business owners want to do business differently, there is no one-size-fits-all checklist for building a business that supports collective liberation.
But there is plenty of shame, guilt, and expectation around how to do business. Yet shame and guilt can actually stifle our growth and perfection is neither a reasonable goal nor expectation.
Jeffrey Shiau joins Erica for a conversation about building a liberatory business, what it means to honor your capacity and the humanity of your team, and why we need to reclaim pleasure and care as we work toward liberation.
In this discussion:
How small business ownersâ identity and values are impacted by white supremacist, patriarchal culture
Why we have to let go of shame and expectations of perfection for ourselves and others
What it means to honor your capacity and the capacity of your team
Why we need to re-humanize our business relationships
Connect with Jeffrey Shiau:
Unconventional Agency
Instagram: @UnconventionalAgency
Resources:
Read Emergent Strategy, by adrienne maree brown
Ready to dive deeper?
If you want to support change, break barriers, and vote with your dollars, you can make a financial contribution to support the show. Your contributions help offset the costs of production, show notes, and article writing, and keep the Pause on the PlayÂź podcast a free resource for 200 episodes and counting.
Take action toward being part of a more equitable future by making your donation at pauseontheplay.com/show
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Many of us live lives that are disconnected from the land and our environment.
The process of learning about the traditional stewards of the land youâre on, and honoring the environment can have impacts that go beyond land acknowledgments.
India joins Erica for a discussion about acknowledging and honoring the land, what Erica has learned about gardening, and how sheâs evolving in her work and relationships.
In this discussion:
What Erica and India have learned since researching whose land theyâre on
How growing and tending plants has evolved Ericaâs relationship to the land and her ancestors
How Ericaâs professional training has impacted her personal relationships and the way she shows up for her children
Ready to dive deeper?
When weâre thinking about topics that arenât widely discussed, it can be challenging to know where to search for information, or even the right questions to ask. And thatâs where the power of community comes in.
In The Pause on the PlayÂź Community, we ask questions, and share our journeys, resources, and knowledge. There is so much power and opportunity for growth in being in community with people who share your values and allow you to reconsider your normal.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
Resources:
Find out whose land youâre on: https://native-land.ca/
Learn more about caring for plants with Hilton Carter, The New Plant Parent, and The Plant Rescuer
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Labels like co-dependent, perfectionist, and people-pleaser get used constantly. Weâre told we shouldnât be those things.
But for many of us, those labels stem from survival skills we learned in our early lives. And reliance on labels can actually undermine our ability to heal from these behavioral patterns.
MarĂa-Victoria Albina joins Erica for a discussion of survival skills, authenticity, embodiment, agency, and choicefulness within the systems of white supremacist patriarchy, colonization, and capitalism.
In this discussion:
How labels like codependent, perfectionist, and people-pleaser undermine healing
Why problematizing the survival skills many of us learned as children is problematic in itself
How white wellnessâs emphasis on authenticity diminishes the multi-faceted nature of being human
How our nervous systems impact embodiment, agency, and choicefulness
Connect with MarĂa-Victoria Albina:
Website
Instagram: @victoriaalbinawellness
Feminist Wellness Podcast
Anchored: Overcoming Codependency
Resources:
Download MarĂa-Victoriaâs Free Meditations and Exercises
Ready to dive deeper?
Joy and connection can provide powerful counterbalances to the systems of white supremacy. We need reminders that it is possible to recenter, repair, and restore what has been stolen, damaged, or degraded by white supremacy.
Counterbalances that remind us that we never have to allow our humanity to be on the table for negotiation provide us access to action that move us further away from white supremacy.
We are addressing these counterbalances and navigating change together in The Pause on the PlayÂź Community.
If youâre looking for a supportive, centering space on your journey, learn more about The Community at pauseontheplay.com/community
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There are words that we use so often that we rarely stop to consider the impact that they can have.
The word but is often used when we discuss things like Black History Month. âItâs important but, itâs the shortest month of the yearâŠâ The word but negates what comes before it. When you use the word but you may be negating the lived experiences and realities of others without even realizing it.
For the final episode of Black History Month, Erica discusses why we need to be more conscious of when we use but.
In this discussion:
How the word but negates experiences and realities
A case for keeping history, heritage, and cultural months on the calendar
Why using the word but doesnât soften the impact of your words
How to use language as a clue to how youâre processing
Resources:
Learn more about land acknowledgments at native-land.ca
Listen to Erica and E.K. Powell on African American Vernacular English
Ready to dive deeper?
Any time that we discuss language and word choices, itâs important to consider how it impacts people and the intended or unintended harm that can happen when we are not mindful with one of our most important resources: our words.
Inside The Pause on the PlayÂź Community, we have our guide to problematic language and alternatives, which is a crowdsourced document that you can learn from and contribute to, so we can all work on recognizing that our language is powerful.
This is one of the many resources available to Community members, along with community conversations, office hours, workshops, and more.
Learn more at pauseontheplay.com/community
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Black History Month often curtails the true scope of Black history to a few key periods of time, but Black history is much more than the history of enslavement or the Civil Rights Movement.
Black history is full of innovation and joy, and itâs being made all around us.
Erica and India discuss the importance of recognizing and celebrating Black joy during Black History Month, and all year long.
In this discussion:
Why itâs vital to recognize the throughline of innovation and joy in Black history in America
Why itâs necessary to amplify Black innovators and creators working in spaces outside of music, movies, or sports
Why allies need Black friends, not just educators
How to witness, support, and share Black joy
Resources:
Listen to POTP Episde 94. Celebrating Black Joy for Black History Month
Learn more about Ron Finley, the Gangsta Gardener
Ready to dive deeper?
Podcasts, books and articles are the places that we start, but they have to become a part of how you take action, part of how you learn and unlearn so that you can live, lead, and love in a more equitable way.
You can support change, break barriers, and vote with your dollars via a financial contribution to the Pause on the PlayÂź podcast. Your contribution goes towards podcast production, show notes, and article writing expenses necessary to continue providing this free resource to those seeking to take action and create a more equitable future.
You can learn more and submit your contribution at the dollar amount of your choice at pauseontheplay.com/show
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Getting clarity on how you want to be in communityâwhether one-on-one, in a group, or taking time to process on your own before coming back to the groupâhelps create interdependence by fostering a community of choice that benefits that collective whole.
Erica digs into showing up as yourself and how fostering interdependence creates counterbalances and safety nets as we navigate liminal spaces, planning for the future as we understand the present.
In this discussion:
Why you need clarity on how you want to show up in community How interdependence founded on active choice benefits the collective whole How interdependence creates counterbalances and safety nets that support our forward movementResources:
Listen to Ixchel Lunar on Decolonizing Time and Relearning Indigenous Cyclical TimeReady to dive deeper?
The Pause on the PlayÂź Community is about more than just business, itâs about connecting with people in a holistic landscape, where you are allowed to show up exactly as you are in that moment.
The community fosters interdependence and provides support as we navigate counterbalances and create safety nets, as a way of life.
Join the conversation at https://pauseontheplay.com/community
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Systemic biases can have profound impacts on how we receive medical care and support.
Members of marginalized communities may be brushed off, misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and mistreated within the medical system, sometimes with catastrophic effects.Andrea Nakayama joins Erica for a discussion about bias, medical gaslighting, a systems approach to health, and how to advocate for yourself in medical settings.
In this discussion:
The three tenets of functional medicine How systemic and implicit biases show up in medical care The sometimes subtle impacts of medical gaslighting Three steps to advocate for yourself in medical settingsConnect with Andrea Nakayama:
Website Instagram: @andreanakayama Meet Andrea Nakayama | Founder and Lead Instructor for FxNA The 15-Minute Matrix PodcastReady to dive deeper?
When weâre confronting biases and gaslighting, it can be easy to second-guess ourselves based on what weâve been conditioned to think. Thatâs where having a space to navigate whatâs happening, what youâre thinking, what youâre feeling, and having a soundboard can be immensely helpful.
The Pause on the PlayÂź Community can be that place.
Learn more at https://pauseontheplay.com/community
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A new year is often a time of reflecting on the past and planning for the future, but itâs important to remember that where we are right now matters.
And as content creators, it matters that you share whatâs going on with you and not forget yourself in the process of interviewing others or providing value through teaching.
Erica and India get together to share where they are right now and why itâs important for content creators to let their audiences get to know them.
In this discussion:
Why content creators should share their personal experiences Erica and Indiaâs experiences becoming homeowners How Erica put her values into action through her recent move A different take on boundaries and how thatâs helping Erica navigate online datingResources:
Watch The Banker Use OfferUp Buy Nothing ProjectReady to dive deeper?
If youâve enjoyed the conversations on this podcast, you may want the chance to ask Erica or India your questions, and you have the opportunity to do that in The Pause on the PlayÂź Community.
Youâll also get to meet and be in community with a global group of values-driven individuals and join conversations and get feedback on situations in your work like hiring or marketing and in your life, like voting with your dollars or the messy middle of moving or online dating.
Learn more at https://pauseontheplay.com/community
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