Take the Elevator
This podcast is purely about elevating people through individual life stories and experiences in the Elevator. In the Elevator, what's key is maybe changing your perspective; having self-actualization; embracing your purpose; and acting on it as we grow from one another. There is a whole different point of view when you look up to elevate.
Take the Elevator
310th Floor: A Toast to Optimism and Essential Living for 2024
Are you ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth? We invite you to join us as we explore what truly matters in life and how to make it count. In this episode, Kory leads the discussion on 15 essential elements that shape our daily lives, ranging from connecting with family and friends, to finding solace in music and the recharging power of solitude. We reflect on the impact of technology on our relationships and the importance of staying present and engaged.
As we approach 2024, we are filled with optimism and hope for the future. We share our aspirations for the new year and encourage you to pursue your passions fearlessly. We also extend our love and support to those who may be struggling during the holiday season.
Join us in this heartfelt episode as we elevate our daily lives and bid farewell to this year with a hopeful heart and joyous spirit. Happy holidays to all!
Look up and let's elevate!
Hey, it's Jen the Builder and Corey Woo-woo, my favorite couple. Oh, mine too. What do you?
Speaker 2:know, I already know. So, jen, before we get into anything, I got a couple announcements. We're about to head into our final episode before the end of the year.
Speaker 1:This is the final episode of 2023 because we are taking a break.
Speaker 2:And so I won't get a chance to announce this anymore. Oh, that's the last one of the year, yeah so you know we are performing the Shameless Band at the House of Blues in the Foundation Room on December 29th at 9 pm. You can get tickets on Eventbrite and we would love to see you come down.
Speaker 1:And you want to get it on Eventbrite because it's $5 cheaper than at the door, absolutely right.
Speaker 2:So that's something that I really would like to see you guys do. Part two you know I'm not only a musician, I'm also an author and a writer. My book is out and it's in Barnes Noble, it's in Amazon and I would love for you to pick that up before Christmas and if you are able to get that within the next couple of days, I guarantee you to be there before that holiday, wonderful time of the year. So do you have any announcements?
Speaker 1:Jen, yes, oh, my big stuff is going to be next year, because thanks for actually inviting me to join in on this coaching 2024. It's strong to start your year off with it.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:And if you haven't had a coach, you don't know what you're missing. I'm going to say it simply like this when you have a held space just for you, for you to talk it out, for you to be with no judgment, or someone internally is just saying you got this, you could do this, I believe in you, this is all you, and they're just bringing up questions and giving you some insights. You know, and just partnering with you, I'm going to say it is one of the best ways to invest in yourself. You're so worth this. It's different than talking to a friend, I promise. It's different than talking to family, just talking to someone who's not in your life. That way, Right, right.
Speaker 1:So yeah, if you would like to have a coach, consider me. I do the three for free. And that's three sessions with me for free. I don't think one is enough for you to see the impact of coaching, and I don't mind spending three sessions with someone just to see if it works for them or not. No obligation.
Speaker 2:Absolutely so this episode is going to be pretty much all me, and what I mean by that is I have this idea. I have this idea, and it's based on something that you've done, that I heard you do, and I really, really, really liked the outcome of it, and so I'm going to take not only you and I on this journey, but all the listeners on this journey as well, but I have to use your answers as the motivator to push forward.
Speaker 1:I'm ready. I'm ready. I hope we're all ready.
Speaker 2:I think we all will be, and I'm going to do it slightly different than you, and if you want to alter things a little bit along the way, feel free to jump in. I'm not going to be mad, I'm like no, it's my thing. I like change and growth and alteration. So let's think about 15 things that we normally deal with on an everyday basis, be it coworkers, be it family, be it our cars, our favorite TV shows, our pets, whatever. You know what are 15 things that we typically deal with on a regular basis. That's always taking present presence in our minds, like I said, every day.
Speaker 2:And after you get those 15 things, don't put them in any significant order, don't? You don't say, ok, well, I'm going to put this here because I need to do this first thing in the morning. Some people may feel like you know, as long as I get my coffee, I'm good, right, but it's one of those things. So then, from there, we're going to take out of those 15 things. Let's take 10 of those things that we feel like we have to have on a daily basis, like if one of those things of the 15 aren't there, you'll be all right, but you need to have these 10 things, and so let's talk about those 10, because the 15 would be too much and we go on forever. So let's talk about 10 things, jen, roughly 10 things. We'll just name a few things that you feel and I feel that we need in our life.
Speaker 1:I need to connect with you daily.
Speaker 2:OK.
Speaker 1:So I've got something. So if I have an event, an experience during the day, it helps for me to reach out to you and just talk it out. Yeah, so there's that and that's because, yeah, you're my husband, you're my best friend, you're my partner. It just makes sense, right? We stay connected that way. Another thing that I have to have is my journaling. Ok, yeah, Journaling me.
Speaker 2:Let me give you a couple of mine.
Speaker 1:Oh, let's see Music. I'm sorry I have to throw that in there.
Speaker 2:Ok, so there's three Music, me and journaling. I have to have a few minutes of complete and total isolation at some point in time. That's what I feel like I need to be able to do, to you know, ask myself a few questions and pose some ideas to myself, and when I don't get that, typically I'm off. I'm not firing on all cylinders. Another thing is, I'm the same way as you are. I feel like I need to have that conversation with you about things that are happening, things that are transpiring, and that initial connection to just say, hey, what do you got going on? This is what I have going on, this is what I'm doing. And so, for the listener, what are the things that you feel like you need to have? The 10 things. And so now we're gonna transition from those 10 things and we're gonna dig down just a little bit deeper. What are five things that you can't live without? Like, if you wake up and that's not there, you're like okay, I'm done, I can't even. And it could be your phone.
Speaker 1:It could be you know your electronic device, your electronic device, your car.
Speaker 2:That would mess up a lot of people, oh yeah, your best friend, your husband, your wife, your spouse, your mate, your this, your that, whatever it may be. So, jen, tell me, you know a few of the. I can't live without it.
Speaker 1:It makes you put things into perspective.
Speaker 2:Really Like I'm going somewhere, that I don't think we're supposed to go. Yet it puts it in perspective very quick and if you're saying to yourself, really don't wanna go quite there just yet, we can hold off because there's another layer to this.
Speaker 1:That's okay. No, I'll just say what comes to my mind. Okay, so it would be my family, my electronic device. A lot of what we do is on there. Yeah, all my contacts, you know my whole life's on this device. I even journal on the device. Sometimes Transportation, so car is huge, especially where we live. It's not everything, so spread out. I'm gonna say you, cause I mentioned that and I think first and foremost for sure is my faith, and when I say my faith I'm gonna be specific God, as in Yahweh.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:Right yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, and so those are things that Jen wakes up and immediately looks for.
Speaker 1:Yes, checks on. Yeah, that has to be there, if that's not there.
Speaker 2:okay, something's wrong. And I know how you are when you wake up and like if I'm not in the room.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I don't know why you do that, cause you're sleeping.
Speaker 2:But if I'm not in the room, jen will wake up and immediately either call me, or call out for me or try to figure out where I am. Is it in the bathroom, is it in another room, or is it?
Speaker 2:It's a little baby and so, yeah, I'm a lot the same in some of those things. But I'm a light sleeper, so I kind of know where you are most of the time. It was one morning recently that you got up and went out of the room and I didn't know where you were and then I had to go on a journey to find you. But, yeah, those are some of the things in our lives that we feel like we need to or we can't live without, and when you can't live without something, you gotta take care of it in a different way. That 15 things, kind of half that there are things that you're thinking about, but there's not a lot of care that you have to give to those things. Where is Corey going with this? This is where I'm going.
Speaker 2:You know we focus a lot on Christmas. We focus a lot on the holiday season. We focus a lot on the gifts, the food. All that stuff is nice. All that stuff, you know, is a part of the holiday thing that people go through on a yearly basis.
Speaker 2:But when you start thinking about the things that you can't live without, all that stuff kind of diminishes. You're not. You're concerned about the next meal, but it's not my child's life You're concerned about. I want hubby or wife to give me that thing that I thought I really, really wanted, but at the end of the day, what I can't live without is the wife or the hubby. I need to have that, and if I don't, I'm not going to be right.
Speaker 2:Some people it may be the mother or father, some people it might be, like you said, electronics. I mean I don't know what everyone's have to have to survive is, but what I do know is that when you start the job, money yeah, money in your bank account, vacations, traveling, I mean I don't. I don't know what it may be for everyone, but what I do know is that once you do in the lit down to the five things that you can't live without, that's when life gets real and that's when you start learning how to take care of the things that are important to you. That's when you start learning how to appreciate every waking moment, because if it's not there, you know your life is going to be different. That's good. You want to expound on that just a little bit, jen?
Speaker 1:So, yes, let me explain what's happening to me real time as Corey is talking. I'm taking notes because this wasn't planned and I'm really where you all are at is just in the seat listening. So, corey, you want me to expand on taking care of the things. So here's something that comes to my mind when you said that there have been a lot of times when I've actually put you on hold For the sake of work, for the sake of a meeting, and you're calling me back to back to back, and that's not normally you. So, instead of saying this must be urgent, I've said I'll call him back, like you know.
Speaker 1:And so when you think of it that way, it really helps you put into perspective your priorities. It puts into perspective your values and what boundaries you have, your values and what boundaries need to be set around it to protect the things, that and the people who are really important to you. So when you think of how you spend your time right, my family and especially my kids and my immediate family how is how I'm living? Showing that Like, what am I doing? That shows that while I have you, because we know eventually we will be without these things and these people and, man, what a sad thought thing is, is the thought for today is I have them, yeah. So what am I doing to connect, what am I doing to spend quality time with them?
Speaker 2:So that's what comes to my mind initially yeah, and so I'm not to make gin out in a bad light, but you know, for me I've never believed in work life balance.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you can balance it, most of the time you can't, and a lot of the time you just shouldn't try to balance it, Because sometimes life is going to take a bigger role than your work and sometimes your work is going to take a much bigger part than your life. And so I've been in meetings where the phones rang and it's gin. I'm just not taking a chance on not knowing why she's calling. So I will excuse myself from a meeting and say give me a moment, let me answer this. I'll be right back because I know that meeting will continue. I know those people can wait. If I hear your voice and you're in distress, I can come back to that meeting and say, hey, I got something going on, I'm out of here, I'll be back when I get back, and so a lot of people don't look at that as being balanced. But that's my balance, that's what I think that is balance.
Speaker 1:I think when someone says work life balance, the next question out of curiosity is what do you mean by that? Because you know we take these terms and people define it differently. Some people say it's equal amounts of time or equal amounts of energy, and in that sense I don't think that's practical at all. I agree with you completely, corey, and I think what you've just talked about is balance, because you've determined Jen, my wife, is more important than this meeting. So where you keep balance and grounded is I'm going to take care of that, I'm going to take care of her. This is secondary. So I think that's a perfect in my mind. That's how I would define balance, yeah, and likewise with the kids.
Speaker 2:I won't stop a meeting or get out of a meeting, but I would, you know, text, and this just happened recently. My youngest text me are you busy? And I said, yes, I am, but are you okay? Yes, I'm okay, I just wanted to talk to you. Okay, then I'll get back to you, you know. But wife is a little bit different, because I need to hear the voice. I need to, because I'm picking up on all the nuances, you know. If you're like, hey, what's going on? I'm like, okay, I'm going to hit you back in a minute. But if you're like, can you talk? I'm like, okay, hold on, let me get in a space that I can talk and that that shows me the level of I can't deal, I can't live, I can't function without this. I need this right and okay in order to move forward.
Speaker 1:And so, yeah, now, what do you say to someone who says that you should never be in a situation where you feel you can't function without it or someone. Well, um, I don't know.
Speaker 2:Well, um, I would say there's a good possibility that I could learn over the course of time afterwards, but for now, um, I believe things were put in our lives at different levels of importance and so, because the way I feel about marriage and the team and the togetherness and the relationship, that was something put in my life so that I wouldn't be able to function without it, and so if it's removed, of course it's gonna hurt, it's gonna be, you know, but at the same time it's there so that you can learn how to function with the two individuals together, being able to work in tandem. So, yeah, I totally believe that. You know, I can say that freely, without a guilty conscience.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think that way described is very healthy. It's not a if you leave me, what am I gonna do without you? There is gonna be that feeling of wow, this is really gonna disrupt my life and it's gonna be hard. And the thing is is when something's good and it's good for you and it's helping you, it's not, that moment, right, that person's there. So we deal with that. When it comes time to deal with it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, when it comes time to deal with it, then we'll deal with it, but until then, you know we have to take care of it. Yes, and even more so. The reason why this is so pressing on my mind and wanting to give it back to others is that you know, again, we're entering into this holiday season. We're entering into, you know, this time where our hearts are warm and everyone's being extra nice and extra, you know, extra, extra. But at the end of the day, what are those five things that you hold dear to you, that you know I wouldn't be okay if I didn't have those things. That's what I wanna focus on, that's what I wanna think about and that's what I wanna hold near and dear to my heart, so that any part of the season is filled with that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. You know what this has done for me, corey, because I'm looking at my list in my head and that electronic device is really bugging me, because I don't like to be to say I'm dependent on a thing, ooh, yeah. And so I'm thinking what do I need to do to like, what reasons do I feel dependent on it, and what can I do to build around that and still feel fine if I were to not have it? So I'm there, you know, like how does, how does. And I know we said in the meantime, while you have it, great, yeah. But we know how we get when Wi-Fi's down and we're like what's wrong with Wi-Fi?
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, you know we are grouchy, and then you get on Instagram to see if it's working in and it's not, you know, and it's yeah. It's this crazed phenomenon about the reliance and dependency that we have on the phone, the device. Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I think we covered some really good ground. But before we get out of here, jen, I got a question for you. You know, like I said, it's the end of the year. You got any new year's resolutions?
Speaker 1:I'm not big on the word resolutions. I think because it's so, it's such a method.
Speaker 2:Okay, how about this one New year's elevations?
Speaker 1:Oh, oh, so just in general, yes, the intention is to elevate. The intention is that what you did actually is perfect for my intentions for 2024. It's like what is keeping you from doing the things that you want to do? Like, just do it. So there are things that I am going to do that I know I'm supposed to, that I've put off for whatever reason, whether it be for self-doubt, and I know this. If we're going to be real, I'm too busy. I've made myself busy so I can say that with some kind of honesty that I'm too busy.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean? Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:So I'm not making excuses and I'm not leaning towards perfection. I'm going to get back on the keyboard, I'm going to sing and I'm going to sing at the register that I'm at, and notes are going to come out funky, but it's something that's part of who I am.
Speaker 2:Hey, but the notes are going to come out, that's right. There you go.
Speaker 1:That's right, make some noise there you go.
Speaker 1:And hopefully at least one person can appreciate the noise. So, yeah, I just I want to grow in everything that I've already done. I kind of feel quarry with the elevation, all this knowledge and experience that I have in my GATs. Right, we talked about disability, talents and skills. Like it's. There's a space for it now and it's time and I'm not worried. I'm not worried about people think that I move too fast, that I'm doing too much or I'm self-recognizing. Self-recognition is 100% okay. I have always been very careful about not looking like proud, too proud. If there is such a thing of the work that we do and just being humbled, you can be humbled and still talk about what you do. I'm confident in who we are as individuals and as a couple to be able to flow in that.
Speaker 1:Absolutely I just I know 2024 is going to be more than what we think it is. I love what you and I talked about, corey, where we're coming to the end of the building pieces in 2024 and now it's just time for what we've built.
Speaker 2:To produce. Yeah, so we finished building and now it's time for production.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't even know what that looks like, because I feel like really we haven't been producing because, you know, you feel like there's some production.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there should be some form of production at every aspect, every point.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because you're experimenting, you're testing it out and you've got to be able to put something out there, because that would just drive us nuts.
Speaker 2:But when you put all the building tools away and it's all production, that's a whole another level. Yeah, because you're confident in what you've built. You're confident in what you've designed and put together and created for consumption.
Speaker 1:Yeah and then another thing, too, is I'm really opening the doors for mentoring. I have a passion for families and women and I don't want to ignore that. And yeah, that's all I could say for right now because there's so much detail to it.
Speaker 2:And I can see your face is going. I want to say this and I want to say that and I want to do this, and I want to do that, but yeah, I was like why would you give me that question?
Speaker 1:What about you?
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm preparing for a whole bunch of stuff. I'm just to give you an idea of where my platform is trying to extend to. Uh, I want to do two books this year, this coming up year. I want to start on the first. I mean the second book series. I want to. I'm going to say it here it goes. I want to do a television appearance and I want to extend into other parts of my gats, my acting, my um oh yeah, we, we do act.
Speaker 1:People don't know that about us.
Speaker 2:Uh, I want to extend into my acting and maybe even some of my voice overwork, and definitely further into the music world and possibly scoring um short films, movies, um, sitcoms, whatever it may be. Um, I just I don't. I don't see a ceiling, I don't see a limit to what we can do or what we can accomplish if we just buckle down and start doing what we know we can do. And that's the whole key. Do what you know you can do first, and then the other stuff will just come along.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the no ceiling, no limits. Um, I was in a meeting I mentioned him last episode, chad Littlefield, and he had shared this amazing story, and so even things like Corey. You know, I might say, oh, I'm good for writing a newsletter, or I'm good for writing a blog here and there, and to say I'm good enough to write a book, and remember Corey was like I'm going to get a ride, I'm going to get I don't know a ghost writer and this person just going to hang out with me and write the book for me. Because I can't, there's just too much. I don't know what to say. There's just too much. I want to say Yada, yada, yada. And so again, the excuses, I'm busy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm so busy. Oh my gosh, I'm just too busy.
Speaker 1:And here's the thing the ceiling is is we think there's a way to do it, whether it be open up a notebook, write Jen, or open up your laptop and type If I am comfortable and my gifts are in this, speaking, I'm going to record me speaking it. There you go, and then we go in and edit let's go, let's do it. So I love the ceiling thing not being tied to the method, but knowing there's something that needs to be done and just being open to all the possibilities of it getting done. Yeah, and I'm not taking no, and that's another thing I. If so, here's something for you all If you know that what you do amounts to something or you're doing the role of another position, I think it's okay to have those conversations. Like you know what I mean Like self promotion. You're in line with your integrity. Your work ethic is amazing, you're being productive, you're coming up with ideas, you're changing the workflow, you're leaning it up, you're those are things that need to come up.
Speaker 2:Well, I liked where you were going to go and you said you started it and you stopped yourself. But you said for, asking for yeah and you said there's. I'm not taking no for an answer. And in every building, in every structure, there's multiple doors for entrance and exit. One of those doors are going to open. All you got to do is keep knocking and as long as you're knocking, a door will open.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because, see, there's this mindset and this doesn't line up with growth mindset when you say they'll see me, they'll come to me, because, yeah, that's a real thing. Like these are the things that we do. This is, I can write it out. You know everything that has had amazing outcome. The reward will come, and so I don't know how many of you have just waited for someone to recognize you or to say something, or to offer you something and it hasn't happened.
Speaker 2:I'm at the point where, okay, that goes my mind, that just goes yeah, what did you just?
Speaker 1:say it's tough to admit that, because then you don't wonder. You know, you know how much time has gone by and you keep producing and you keep doing. And you, this could be in your career, it could be in your entrepreneur, your business, it could be at school, it could be in your relationships, right? We do this a lot in friendships or in relationships where I'm just gonna keep doing for this person, I'm gonna love them unconditionally, even though they're not showing me support. They'll see and they'll change.
Speaker 2:Well, it sounds to me like we have a whole another episode to dive into I'm serious and I really wanna crack. This can wide open, so maybe we should put this on the calendar for next year.
Speaker 1:I think so. I think it's a very real topic for people, especially based on their culture. I can probably name a bunch of cultures right now that have this same kind of issue.
Speaker 2:I'm sure you could.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, what did you say? Break the can, open or open up a can of whoop ass, whatever. That's what I'm thinking Like, let's just do it.
Speaker 2:There was no whooping and there was nothing about it.
Speaker 1:Well, you said can, and it just kind of opened everything. This is what happens when things land real time. Yeah, yeah. Now this was a good conversation, corey, for the end of the year, into the new year. Unlike with anything, I will say that 2023 blew my mind. I did not expect over half the things that have transpired. It did not disappoint no At all, and that's the beautiful thing about just being in it going through it to get, or getting through it to go through it, whatever that is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, it's been good. I'm very grateful for this year and it's like okay, let me give you an example, real quick, of this year. I had a. I have a list of 2024, a bucket list of things that I'm sick of not doing anymore, like I'm. We're just going to do it.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Remember, I'm in that mindset and what I love is I didn't have to wait for 2024 on this one. I had a surprise over the weekend. Something fell through for one of my family members, unfortunately, so it opened up a spot and I took it without hesitation and I got to be a part of one of my most favorite things in the world theater musical. The whole nine in the city, all me, and you know what it really. I just said God, thank you for seeing me, hearing me and valuing me to where this is what would happen and to let me know that there has been a long enough wait time. I think that you can overweight and lose out on what's supposed to be yours and I'm not over waiting, no, and your surprise, just not.
Speaker 2:Birthed a very fresh new idea for me, because your dream was to I'm so inspired, yeah so, and I can't wait to announce that. It's not time yet, but I definitely can't wait to announce that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's weird how just one thing begets another, like you never know what that one thing is, or you think you know what it's about. It's like, oh, I get to go. And then when you're there, you're like, oh my God, intuitively I'm picking up that this is a forecast of our future, of our future, yeah, and these kind of things have happened to me before, so I've learned to trust those things.
Speaker 2:Man, jen, this has been an incredible episode and I know, if we just keep going, yeah, it will not stop.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we'll be into 2024.
Speaker 2:It'll be like they just talked all the way to 2024. Right right.
Speaker 1:Thank you for taking us on this journey, corey. This is so needed, absolutely. And to everyone listening, we hope you had a few, a lot of good things to report about 2023 and that you're looking forward to the new year, and we know, especially during this time, there are people who are sad and going through it. It's the holidays and when you don't have your loved ones, you know we were talking about the loss of things and the loss of people. We know that's a very real thing, yeah, so we are sending so much love to you, praying for you and just lifting you up and Good vibes, good vibes, yeah, definitely good vibes, and we love you. I mean, we love you so much and this has been such a great community. It's been good for us and I hope it's been healthy for you, and next year we're gonna get a chance to hang out more in person. That's part of the plan, so we look forward to that, and you know us to take the elevator. We say look up and let's elevate, elevate Every day. Happy holidays everyone. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Have a good one Every day, elevate Every day, every day.
