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https://www.canva.com/design/DAELWWY9AzE/LnEVrhSur-Q9MBV5HKI7Kw/view#1
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-harwood-lange-60124a178/

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https://russjohns.com/
https://thepiratesyndicate.com/
https://nextstepnext.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nextstepnext/

Audio digitally transcribed by Descript

Introduction: [00:00:00] Welcome to the #PirateBroadcast™, where we interview #interestingpeople doing #interestingthings. Where you can expand your connections, your community, #kindnessiscool and #smilesarefree. Let’s get this party started.

Russ Johns: [00:00:10] It's a beautiful day for the #PirateBroadcast. And welcome again to another amazing story. Let's see how amazing we can share information. Michelle, welcome to the #PirateBroadcast.

Michelle Lange: [00:00:23] Thanks for having me again. It's wonderful to be here with you. You're such an inspiration. It is. It is. It's always a joy to be here in this moment.

Russ Johns: [00:00:34] And  we were talking before the show about care for ourselves and burnout and some of the things a lot of entrepreneurs struggle with, and I want to dive into it a little deeper. And I just know that I think you've discovered a way that you can actually bring some of this together and I want to have you expand on that a little bit about how you have been managing your burnout and also helping your daughter. Cause we just touched on it, but I wanted to expand on that in our conversation today.

Michelle Lange: [00:01:07] Sure. I'd be glad to. I think first step is being aware of what's on your plate in how many balls you've got juggling in the air as entrepreneurs, as parents, as caregivers, the whole gamut of life. And you have to have lots of self-awareness of what's on your plate. And sometimes it might take a fringe item where you find yourself in a position that your mindset, your mind sight, isn't quite where it usually is. You don't have your game on, you're frazzled. You're tired, you're feeling a little beat up and your confidence level is low. Your positivity is a little bit low, but  you have to be very aware. I learned that recently. I went through COVID actually had tested positive and went through the whole sense of feeling awful. And I couldn't quite put my finger on why I was feeling more awful mentally and emotionally than anything before. And I think there's two things to touch on here. One, and we didn't discuss this before, but is I realized this the other day when I was thinking about is that we have to, and you made a really good point, we had to be mindful of what we consume because our subconscious mind is really  great at playing games with the information that we assimilate and with all of the stuff that's going on, the negativity with COVID. I had set myself up for a mindset of, oh my gosh. If I get COVID holy crap, I'm done. I'm done. I'm done. And through the peak experience of having COVID, I'm like, I couldn't figure out why my mindset was like, I'd like, I totally lost my groove. So where did I go? What happened? Did I get lost in the hustle of everything that I've got going on? And then I realized, I got burnt out and it also allowed the negativity of COVID. Yes, it is negative, but there are some good things that can come from there if we choose to find them right. And just sit assimilation of information and it's oh, I should have just got off media a long time ago to think about things of ease and flow and how my mindset's working. Then when it happened, I was like, holy crap. And then I realizing I've got burnout. So how do I deal with that? One is, you've got to give yourself a cushion. And that cushion looks like everyday spending time for yourself in routines. And I know we've all heard this before, but I'm telling you people, it really works. Get into your routines of finding space for you. Mine is a self guided meditation in the morning and in the evening, but then I also have a space like behind me. I don't know if you guys can see it, but I. And even through COVID I found some time for myself as sick as I was to find the love that's inside that I love to do, which is get creative and it doesn't, it didn't matter what it looked like. It didn't matter what it was going to tune out. Like I was just going to put my paintbrush to the canvas. Yeah. Get creative. Some people it's pottery. Some people, it might be making digital media. Some people it's, it may be reading, but you've got to find your space where it's something that you love. And every day you make an effort for yourself. You give love to yourself. He said I was driving to work on a Sheetz experience really quick. And a song came up by One Republic and the words are love and light and flame and being the center person and till the love's all gone. And I sat there and I went, yes, what was it about that song? And I said, yes, because I need to love myself enough, not to the loves or gone, but unconditionally loves me to give myself time and energy to do those things that helped me to create positive energy in myself.  Keep myself centered and grounded in. Sometimes it's a song. Sometimes it's painting. Sometimes it's reading something inspirational mindfulness of what I consume every day and I have to do that. And why is it so intrinsically important in our household as a career mom, as a working mom as a working single mom is I have a child with special circumstances. And when my center ground is not even keeled the first person  I fix is her and she doesn't get my best version of myself. And I can't give her my research. And if I'm not centering, if I'm not mindful to those intuitive and instinctive prompts that I get on how to help her. And one of the instinctive intuitive prompts I got recently was there's a company called Creaative...

Russ Johns: [00:06:10] Whoa. We'll wait to have Michelle come back. Hopefully she can come back. And I just want to mention that creativity is something that creates energy for me. And I wanted to is that something that you have experienced as well? And I would love to learn more about how creativity allows you to expand your, all of your energy positive energy. And we're talking with Michelle today and hopefully if she can come back, it's like she's having a technical challenge and a connection. So we'll just do that. And you know what. We'll just continue. We'll continue with the #PirateBroadcast because the reality is we're here today and creativity is something we were talking about challenges and being burnout. And I just had this conversation yesterday, and there's so many things that are happening in the world today that can create burnout. It can create, all of the things that are going on around us. If we started absorbing all this negative news and information, it just has a way of bringing us down. And I just want to remind people that you have an opportunity to create something from yourself and leave some of that stuff out of the picture and ignore the noise around you and put that in perspective. So Marcia's in the room today. Marcia. Good morning pirates or hi germ-free mates. Yes, we are. Germ-free so thank you so much. And also good morning, Russ and Michelle from Elise. Elise. Thank you so much. I really appreciate you showing up here. It's really important for me. Continue to do this. Good morning, Michelle and Russ from groovy Los Angeles. We're coming back. So here we are. So we'll put this back in and get back on track. So Michelle, we're back.

Michelle Lange: [00:08:28] Sorry.

Russ Johns: [00:08:32] It happens. Luis is in from LA. Went through the same thing. Absolutely. Russ, I use humor as energy. I love that. Marcia says aren't we seeing burnout center stage at the Olympics right now? I have to believe that the answer is yes. Absolutely. We're seeing it around. Luis says sometimes we need to reboot our mental machines. A hundred percent.

Michelle Lange: [00:08:59] We do.

Russ Johns: [00:09:01] So before you were so rudely interrupted by technology, we were having this great conversation and you were sharing about how creativity brings energy. And how it's brought energy, even when you're not feeling it. If you just pick up the brush and do something productive, it really makes a difference. So I just want to, I just want to reset where we were in our conversation and make sure that you have an opportunity to finish your thoughts and continue your story.

Michelle Lange: [00:09:37] Yes, it does. Creativity. It helps reset you. It grounds you, but the most important, I think about creativity is that it opens a channel where you can receive information and intuitive and instinctive understanding where creativity becomes innovation to help other people. And one of those innovations for me is this company called conscious Inc. And I found it on Facebook. It's an ad and that's okay because it kept crossing my path until I opened it up and I looked at it and I'm like, and I thought to myself, there is something about this that I need to understand, and I need to participate in because. I'm looking for an answer. So when I'm creative and in the quiet, and I'm allowing that sense of creativity to flow within me, even though it's not directly related to the problem solving I'm needing. I also know that eventually that creativity, that positivity, that energy flow will bring forward answers that I'm looking for. And I did find an answer. And the answer was this creating a community support system for my daughter. Who's going through some life changes at the moment within the next month or so. And what I'm going to do is I'm going to create an unpacking and unboxing of what I've ordered video content, and then share the process. What I'm going to do to put my photo, which is fun, positive information, which I have, and I'm going to make a temporary tattoo because she loves tattoos and I'm trying to find a positive, innovative way for her to find her energy. She's a visual learner. That's the part I didn't tell you about as she's a visual learner in. If she visually see something, then this is a reminder for her on how am I going to work today through my challenges? No, not challenges, opportunities to do better. We use positive thinking at home, and it's not challenges. It's not problems as opportunities to grow and live and do so with her therapist and her team have invited some close friends. And I'm talking about this project of videoing. Creating content, where we encounter selves with conscious ink, positive affirmations, and to support her, to help her see that there are other people out there that can support her possibilities in your opportunities of creating a community that helps kids like her. To live and to grow and find positivity in strength in themselves. So that's my latest and greatest project is appearance. 

Russ Johns: [00:12:26] They're temporary tattoos?

Michelle Lange: [00:12:28] Yes. They're temporary tattoos. They're not permanent. And there's free tattoos that you can get. There's there's a social movement in part of the concept from conscious ink and you can go get it. The free tattoos. So I've got a box that  I've ordered. And when I get it, we'll be doing an unpacking video and then we'll be doing an inking video and then I'll invite other people to go to the website. I'm not getting paid for this. I just think it's a really grand idea. Will we get to. Every day, see the things that we want to work into, that we need help and support and that we can touch base with other people and share our ink. So basically what you'll be doing is your ink somewhere you can ink on your wrist, either side, somewhere, send a picture of their ink to support. I have a Facebook page called Peyton's lane. It's a private group, but if you pin me on DME or tell me, you want to I'll add you to the group and you can see what we're doing with pictures of groups, of people who are coming together to support a community of caregivers and children was fished for circumstance with just everyday people who. Everyday heroes we get to support each other and celebrate life. We don't have to keep doing things to love, runs out like the song said, and I talked about it earlier and for me, the message I got was unconditional love. Yeah, and care for yourself and conditional love and care for your community. So we can be light. We can be that flame. We can be that center person and use their energy to help others, because we don't know what anyone else is going through, but we can certainly present ourselves in a way that gives a sense of, I can do this. There is hope there is drive. There are people out there who are struggling, but we can find a way where we can get together in, consciously, be innovative and creative. Maybe it's not ink for you, but maybe it may be something else that, that will help you find that, that sweet spot where you find that energy move that groove.

Russ Johns: [00:14:42] For me, it's the #PIrateBroadcast. It's sharing people like yourself and stories like we're talking about today. I just really I want to say hi to Howard Kaufman. Thank you so much as how we simultaneously frame and filter all of the external and internal stimulation. That is so true. How do we manage through this maze of information? Charles says that's good. Awareness is key. And Stephen Sullivan. Hi Russ. Nice to meet you, Michelle. Thank you so much for being here, Steve. Appreciate it. Steve's a pirate as well. So we've got lots of pirates in the room, so yay. You don't Michelle. So this we've got this project going on, you've got your artwork. You've coming out of COVID you're managing, you're getting creative. So some of the things that are changing in your life, or, also keeping you grounded. And it just seems we have to manage through these things, and there's challenges and opportunities, right? There's always an opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed in some of the things we're doing. So what what's on the next step for, what do you see in the future for this Ink project and helping expand for your daughter?

Michelle Lange: [00:16:01] I just think that for her, it's a great conversation, but she's starting junior high this year. So it's a great way to get her peers involved and have conversations about and I know who is so well. I can say that there's times when she was in elementary school, she took a leadership role with the peers of special needs kids in her environment and her class. And she could see them struggling. And so she'd be like, this is what my mom taught me, and this is what we do when we get stuck. So I'm thinking that this is another way of her actually stepping up and having a conversation about what's helping her. When I told her what it was that I was doing. She's cause I said, I have a surprise. There's something and something new that we're going to start working on. And she's what is it? What is it? And so I told her about it and she was, she just jumped up and down. She was just so excited. She says, you're really going to do that for Mrs. Yes. Cause I know that tattoos interest you, and this is temporary, but you get to choose what you want to do. So I think as Ryan says, Inc project goes, it will be Not just family, not just friends. It will be people sharing how they using conscious ink, how they're using a way to level up the positivity. And when we really think about it, the one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is to level up our sin positivity and find a framework where we can be present visually to what, what is a reminder for us? And so I think we're going to have, weekly reminders of what we're working on this week. What is our ink? What is our conscious ink? What is a subject that we talking about? I walked into a a provider's office this week and. I want to say something. I think there was great innovation in what some providers are doing for PD, pediatricians are doing for kids these days, because we're fully aware of, yes, we have a pandemic, but there's also another painting that we need to be aware of. And it says social goals related to mental health and kids growing up in a society and an tons and tons of media where there's, it's there's expectation that they should be a Susan way. And that creates a lot of stress in those young people, even Peyton feels it. And so I think we need to consciously his appearance in his groups. And when I saw in this doctor's office was phrases like I am enough, I am doing great things today. They were positive affirmations on the wall. I'm like going. We need to speak into there as parents and as caregivers, that everyone is enough, we will intrinsically, always created with everything that we needed inside of us, but we've learned a bunch of stuff that takes us away from the inner child and by helping patency their inner child, that their nose inside what she's got and keeping that surface instead of. I'm not enough mum, but you are. You've always been enough. And I think having those conversation with kids and helping them to see that they are enough and that there isn't this per se model of what you should be because of what we see on media. No, you just be true to you. I think there's going to be lots of other conversations with parents and my Michelle moments that I started on LinkedIn. No Peyton was my first gear, stern Michelle moments, where we talked about traditions. When we come home what do we do? We have conversations at the dinner table. We ask how our day was, what was the best part. And one of the things that she came up with is, has she seen it on the video? Hey everybody, are you...

Russ Johns: [00:19:55] oh, no. Oh no. Oh, technical challenges are just the pinnacle of the story. So we had to make sure that Michelle comes back and I just want to be able to put that together because we're here. She's coming back. She's coming back. We're here

Michelle Lange: [00:20:15] I am. One of the things that Peyton brought up was when you're coming home, are you coming home to things or are you coming home to people? And I thought she is instinctively right on the mark. What are we going home to? Are we home to to deal with too, be with relationships and people, are we home to things? So one is, I love her to bits. She's an amazing, incredible kid. So I think we have to have those conversations with our children, the dynamic of parenting isn't as traditional, as we've known it. And we have to shift those. Those parented schools, where we have in conversations with our kids, meaningful conversations, we have to, we had to choose to be the appearance, so often we hear, we have to be stalwart and do certain things, but I think for me as a parent of a child with special circumstances and needs, and we all have them, we have stuff going on. One of the great things. Teaching her is about having conversations and it's safe to have a conversations it's safe to speak up and it's safe to find a way where you share your voice. You find those innovative ways where their voice can be present in your life so that, and understand what's happening for them. And it's not just about kids. It's about all of our relationships across the board that we build in business. And our work in our community. think that mindfulness is important too. What do we stand for? Is it our relationships with people or is it stuff they're important? They help us do things. Don't get me wrong. But I think we have to get to the core of what our principle values are, where we stand in frame our lives around what matters most. For me, it's about a legacy of. How did I touch people's lives? How did I help somebody? How did I inspire that matters to me now, those other things that are important, but they're not the most important because if I was to accumulate wealth and wellbeing, and those are all good But how did I touch somebody's lives? How would I want somebody to remember me? Because money can fade. Everything else can go at a blink of an eye. We talk about six degrees of separation and we could all, we can all be in that position of losing something and having to go through that.

Russ Johns: [00:22:46] Remember how you made them feel, right?

Michelle Lange: [00:22:48] Yeah. That's really important. How does somebody make you feel? How do you everyday touch a life and be an unsung extraordinary hero where you see somebody who has a need, you. The want to touch their life. Then if you've got their instinct and their intuition to do it, sometimes we hold off cause Aw, and we think about our ego in, it's not, there's certain things parameters we have delivered to, but touching a life as touching a life. And we never know where there are. I know that I've experienced in my lifetime. When somebody touched my life, I was struggling financially. And I went to go pay a bill and a stranger behind me. I had I had I think 53 since I needed to pay this bill and I didn't have it. The stranger gave me $2. Oh man. That helped me. I didn't know who they were. I stood there and I cried and I'm like, oh my gosh. Yeah. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that moment. Yeah. And we don't know where we're at. We don't know. We know we're at, but we don't know at any point where somebody else's it. And because of what she did, every day, I look at how I touched people's lives, how I, see it myself to make a choice, to be kind, to grow those positive affirming feelings in others, so that they have a great experience.

Russ Johns: [00:24:15] It's always, you always have to reflect on, you don't know what other people are going through. You don't know what's going to take place in their lives and you don't know what they're dealing with and what opportunities they're working toward. And so I just want to make sure that appreciate what we have and appreciate what others are working on and have a little empathy and a kindness and consideration.

Michelle Lange: [00:24:41] Yeah. And those soul languages, those intrinsically soul-centered languages that help us grow into and live into being that person. There has an understanding and awareness. You have to be aware, weird to have a weariness of community of other people. Life isn't about us. Life is about everybody else and how we can move past ourselves to touch the life of another person.

Russ Johns: [00:25:10] Howard says you are also identifying the emotional need, that pets, particularly cats and dogs provide to especially single households. Absolutely Howard, and then w want to become famous. Wendy says we love pirates. And with voices like this and a heart that is so beautiful column. And inspiring at the same time. Excellent. Additional Admiral. Nice to meet you, Michelle. Thank you so much. Thank you. Praying, paying it forward. Creates amazing universal positive. It's absolutely true. And I just really Steve says you have seen it all Russ. Yes, I have. I've seen all lots of it. Lots of it, Michelle. I just really want to thank you for being here. I know that rural over time and I just, it goes by so quickly. So thank you so much for showing up being here. Yeah, #inspiration and also working towards a better outcome in your goals and the goals for people around you as well, especially your daughter and wishing Peyton the very best as well. So thank you so much.

Michelle Lange: [00:26:24] Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here. Always let me know if there's anything I can do for you ever, you know what? I'm here to cheer you on.

Russ Johns: [00:26:30] Absolutely. And everyone, thank you so much for being here. Like, comment, share, subscribe to the YouTube channel as well. I know, I have a YouTube channel and also just connect with each other because #kindnessiscool and #smilesarefree and you #enjoytheday.

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