Improv is not just for the young. It's for all ages and abilities, and Paula Dirkes is bringing improv to senior communities for them to experience and enjoy the gift of play. You can find out more about Paula here: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulacdirkes/Website - seniorimprovgames.comWebsite - vintageimprovisationdetroit.comI reference an old This American Life tv episode (yes, tv episode) at the end. Here is that episode if you want to check it out --  https://www.thisamericanlife.org/s1e5/growth-spurt-2Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

I promise the episode title will make more sense once you listen to the episode. :) It's amazing all that can happen in a year! My bestie Susan Bartley joins the podcast again for a part 2 episode to give some updates about all that happened in her business in 2023. In the first episode, which was released in April 2023, Susan shares all about her pole journey and why and how she got into pole fitness in the first place. In this part 2 episode, Susan tells us about her new pole studio called Studieaux Heaux! Yes, that's right — Susan now has a brick and mortar pole fitness and aerial sports studio in Columbia, SC! It was always her goal to own a studio, but she thought it would take a few more years to reach that point.  However, the opportunity presented itself in 2023, and Susan knew she had to take it! We talk all about the new studieaux and also about Be Activated, which is a technique that can help reset the nervous system and correct dysfunctional breathing and movement patterns to decrease injury risk and chronic pain.  Susan has been using the Be Activated principles for over 5 years to prevent injuries and stay grounded. She has recently developed a workshop around incorporating the Be Activated principles into Pole practice. The workshop is called Activate Your Pole. She has also added Be Activated techniques into the warm-up routines at Studieaux Heaux. https://susan-bartley-s-school.teachable.com/This episode has lots of giggling and a little bit of everything else — including Susan calling Dayna out for being a perfectionist (which she's right...for now at least). You can find out more about Susan here:Website - https://www.studieauxxxheauxxx.com/Linktree - https://linktr.ee/studieauxxxheauxxxStudieaux Heaux IG - https://www.instagram.com/studieaux.heaux/Heaux Apparel IG - https://www.instagram.com/heaux_apparel/Activate Your Pole IG - https://www.instagram.com/activateyourpole/Follow on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@heauxxxapparel9169Activate Your Pole Workshops - https://heauxxxapparel.com/pages/activate-your-poleLoved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Chris Bogue is based in Chicago, and he coaches people to get on camera and create mercifully short video content for business. He is also a long-time improviser, sketch comedy writer, improv trainer and host of the podcast Chris Sells His Soul.In this episode, Chris shares about his improv and sketch comedy journey and how it led him to creating short (mercifully short) video content on all social media platforms, with a special focus on LinkedIn.  Yes, Chris even uses humor and comedy in his LinkedIn videos, which is a nice break from the serious and pretentious type of business posts you might be accustomed to seeing on LinkedIn. Dayna asks Chris to put his video coaching hat on and answer ALL her questions about video creation and coming up with content. Dayna admits that she struggles with making videos, and Chris provides some super helpful pro tips and tricks to make the video process easier. (Look out, world! That means that Dayna will be using these tips to create more Pod Mom videos...stay tuned!)If you have wanted to improve your video presence, revamp your video content, or get over your fear of making videos, this episode is for you! You will feel motivated and inspired to create some new video content that can help you develop your brand and ultimately lead to more sales and clients! You can find out more about Chris Bogue here: Website: https://christopherbogue.com/Podcast: Chris Sells His Soul on SpotifyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-bogue/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrisbogueLoved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Jay Maddock, PhD, is based in College Station, Texas, where he is a Regents Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the School of Public Health at Texas A&M University. He is also the Director of the Center for Health & Nature and serves on the Brazos County Board of Health.In this episode, Jay shares all about his public speaking experience — from teaching college students to presenting at large conferences in front of public health and non-public health audiences. Jay loves storytelling and uses stories to help his classes, lectures, and presentations be more memorable. He also looks at speaking and teaching as a performance that he can make engaging and interactive. Jay also shares fascinating research about nature and how beneficial nature is to our lives. Both "nearby nature" and "big nature" can have a profound effect on our mood, attention, and well-being, if we choose to get outside more and experience all that nature has to offer.  Dr.  Maddock is a true delight to talk to and listen to. He is so passionate and excited about all that he does! He is a lifelong learner and embraces the improvisational approach to life (aka improv life) as he says that his "entire life is a yes, and." P.S. This episode title was generated by AI, which is something we discuss at the end of this episode.You can find out more about Dr. Maddock here:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-maddock-70a5914/Center for Health and Nature - https://centerforhealthandnature.org/Google Scholar Profile - https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=87v4Nk4AAAAJGarvin and Leonard Fiction Book - https://www.amazon.com/Garvin-Leonard-heartwarming-unlikely-friendship-ebook/dp/B093J3VNPF/Art & Science of Health Promotion Conference - https://www.ifebp.org/education---events/educational-program-schedule/art-and-science-of-health-promotion-conference/Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

What would you do if you received a notebook from your local Buy Nothing Group that you thought was empty, but then later you noticed that it had a list of goals written in it? Would you tear out the pages and start with a fresh, clean notebook? Or would you take the list of goals on as your own?If you said you would tear out the pages and start fresh, you aren't alone. I would totally do the same thing, and I assume many others would too. However, special guest Jana Hirsch decided to take the goals on as her own last year in 2023, and she came on the podcast to talk about it! Jana Hirsch, Ph.D., is an an Associate Research Professor in the Urban Health Collaborative and Department of Epidemiology at the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health. Their research aims to understand the way neighborhoods shape health behaviors and disparities. Jana is also an improviser and urbanophile based out of San Francisco, CA (and yes, they explain what an urbanophile is in the episode).We talk all about public health, public speaking, running, improv, and the story of this mysterious notebook. You may think Jana is crazy for taking on someone else's goals, but the lessons she learns and takeaways she forms are so powerful! You don't want to miss this episode - it is such a wild and fun story!  You can find out more about Jana here:Email: yourgoaljournal@gmail.com Let Jana know what you thought of the episode and that she should write a book about this!Endgames Improv (where Jana performs with her team) - https://endgamesimprov.com/Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Ramona J. Smith is a dynamic international speaker who holds the prestigious title of the 2018 World Champion of Public Speaking. She is based out of Houston, Texas, and she is on a mission to inspire, connect and transform lives globally using the power of words (and she's really great at it too)!In this episode, Ramona shares her journey to winning the World Champion title, and she also talks about what life was like pre- and post title. She also reveals that there was an unexpected, improvised moment during her World Champion Contest speech titled "Still Standing."Ramona coaches Toastmasters speakers who are competing in the speech contests, and she also helps speakers outside the Toastmasters world become more authentic and genuine on stage. She graciously puts her coaching hat on for most of this episode and gives very helpful tips and suggestions for improving your presentations and speeches. While the World Champion of Public Speaking Contest happens once a year with one person winning the title, you can be a World Champion Speaker on every stage that you step on. They key is to practice, practice, and practice some more, and also continue to grow and try new things, even when you're nervous and scared. You can find out more about Ramona here: Website - https://www.ramonajsmith.com/Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ramonajsmith1I Dream of Speaking Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwycxI1Fw2w LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-j-smith-61390743/IG - @ramonajsmith1 - https://www.instagram.com/ramonajsmith1/Twitter - @LadybugSpeaker - https://twitter.com/LadybugSpeakerTiktok - @ramonajsmith1 - https://www.tiktok.com/@ramonajsmith1Ramona's 2018 World Champion of Public Speaking Winning Speech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tev43VNRIcLoved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Our first international guest, Neil Curran, joins the podcast all the way from Dublin, Ireland! Neil is a professional improviser and communications and teams expert who has performed in shows and festivals all over the world. His signature show - Neil+1 - brings an audience member up to the stage to perform the improv show with him! (Would you be up for that as an audience member??)When he's not on stage as an improviser, Neil facilitates interactive corporate trainings about authentic speaking and presenting, conscious communicating and influencing, storytelling in business, creativity and innovation, and much more! This is a podcast of platitudes, as Neil points out throughout the episode. Both improv and public speaking trainings are riddled with platitudes, like make your scene partner look good, don't try to be funny, and be more authentic on stage, but what do all these overly used statements mean?  In this episode, Neil dives deeper beyond the surface level of these platitudes and explains what they mean in more context for performers and speakers. He also shares how he helps presenters become more confident at speaking as their authentic selves and not relying so heavily on the presentation slides. Neil's passion for improv and teaching/facilitating is infectious! You can tell that he loves what he does, and he loves sharing the joy of improv with others...even the unsuspecting audience members who come to watch his shows only to then become the +1 part of the show. You can find out more about Neil here:Website - https://www.lowerthetone.com/IG - @improvneil - https://www.instagram.com/improvneil/Twitter - @improvneil - https://twitter.com/ImprovNeilFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/neilplus1/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/curranneil/Improv Fest Ireland - https://improvfestireland.com/Camp Improv Utopia - https://improvutopia.org/Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

The previous episode with Ashley Ward talks all about her journey into the musical improv world and why she loves teaching musical improv classes. This solo episode highlights my experience over the past year with musical improv, why I took musical improv in the first place, and how it's helped me with my public speaking skills and stage presence. In this episode, I share with you three takeaways (and maybe a bonus takeaway) from a year of musical improv experience that can also apply to your public speaking skills. We are always "on stage," whether at work or in our personal lives. Being able to deliver our messages and points well, even when put on the spot, is a gamechanger! I say this a few times in the episode, but you of course don't have to take musical improv classes to be a good speaker. Try out these takeaways when delivering your next speech or presentation and see how they help you. Give some breathing and vocal warm-ups a try to see how they strengthen your voice. Keep going, growing, and glowing in your public speaking journey so that you become the best speaker that you've always wanted to be! Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Ashley Ward is an improviser, actor, writer, snack lover, and singer who has performed everywhere from the Kennedy Center to The Sydney Opera House. She can be seen on Dropout TV’s Play It By Ear and in Hello Jack! The Kindness Show on Apple+ as Delivery Delores. She is also a Jeopardy champion (and yes, we talk about that in the interview!).In this episode, Ashley shares her improv journey of how she got started in improv and then shortly after musical improv. Even though Ashley had a musical theatre background, she was still very nervous starting out in musical improv.  Once she got into it though, she enjoyed the world of musical improv where she could play any character and sing any kind of song that came up. Ashley now teaches a ton of musical improv classes and enjoys seeing people learn the structure and form and discover that they can do hard things. Improv in general requires a lot of focus and attention to be present in the scene, and musical improv requires double or triple that focus. There are a lot of plates spinning in a musical improv scene, but it can still all come together to create magical and fun scenes, songs, and shows.  You may be elated or disappointed by this, but there is actually no improvly singing in this episode. However, there's a whole lot of talking about it, which is super fun as well. Musical improv can help level up your improv skills, stage presence, and public speaking. Also, musical improv is just an overall good time because there's music involved! Fair warning - give this episode a listen, and you may find yourself signing up for the next musical improv class in your area! You can learn more about Ashley Ward here: IG - @ashleyjeanwardTwitter - @ashleyjward TikTok - @ashleyjward Baby Wants Candy (Los Angeles) - https://www.babywantscandy.com/ - performs every 2nd Friday at UCB FranklinMagic To Do - performs every 1st Friday at UCB FranklinWestside Comedy Story - performs the 1st Wednesday of every month at Westside Comedy TheaterLoved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Joe Van Haecke is based in Des Moines, Iowa, and he has been performing and coaching improvisation for over 20 years! He is the Chief of Inspiration for his company Inspire Me Mr V, which provides improv-inspired life coaching to help people start living a "Yes, and…" life in a "Yeah, but" world. (hence the title of this episode)In this episode, Joe shares how he got his start in the improv world and how much it has helped him in the past 20 years. Joe is taking a unique approach to improv by infusing it into his life coaching sessions. We discuss how Joe handles that with his life coaching clients, and we even demo an exercise that leads to Dayna taking a few clown bows throughout the demo.Joe is an applied improv facilitator who helps attendees become better active listeners, idea supporters, risk takers, and stronger leaders. Joe also coaches high school students in their improv competitions, which always brings up fun discoveries for both the students and him! Joe is a bundle of fun energy, and he brings joy and smiles everywhere he goes! This episode will leave you excited about improv and motivated to keep  going in your own improv journey.  And best of all, it will encourage you to live your best "Yes, And..." life in a "Yeah, but" world!You can find out more about Joe here: Website - https://inspirememrv.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-van-haecke/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inspirememrv/Twitter - https://twitter.com/InspireMeMrVFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/InspireMeMrVLoved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

One day, my solo episodes won't be considered special solo episodes because I will do them more and will be putting out more solo episodes than just 2-3 times a year. For now though, here is another special solo episode about my experience with alcohol and how I feel like I don't need it much anymore. Thanks to improv and overcoming my fear of public speaking, I am not nervous anymore to go up on stage or be put "on the spot" in a social situation. In fact, I thrive in it now! I used to think I needed alcohol to get me through networking events, social situations, and even performing in improv shows. In my mind, I needed alcohol to make me a more exciting, lively, fun, and lovable person. Now I realize I can be that exciting, lively, fun, lovable person all on my own - without the use of alcohol or other substances. In this episode, I share some examples of times where I used alcohol to get me through a grad school presentation and  improv show, and (spoiler alert) alcohol didn't help or make the performance better. In fact, it put me in my head more and heightened my nerves because I am not using other tools - like breathing or meditation/mindfulness - to calm the nerves. It's taken me a while to get to this realization, but I am proud that I have come to it now. I recorded this one on a whim after a lovely night of hanging out with my improv team and not needing a single drop of alcohol to have a great time.  Hope you find it helpful! Feel free to reach out if anything resonates about this topic. 😊Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Fernando Funes is a poet, writer, improviser, and performer in the Los Angeles/Orange County, CA area. He has performed in hundreds of shows in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, Oakland, and even Brazil! Fernando loves to bring people of all backgrounds together, and lately, he has been producing a ton of local improv shows in the Southern California area. At this point in 2023, he is producing multiple shows a month around the LA area! In this episode, Fernando discusses showing up and putting in the work to be successful in comedy and in pursuing your dreams in general. Many times, people want to hit the easy button and get discouraged when their dreams don't come to fruition quickly. Fernando has been on this comedy and creativity journey for 14 years now, and he has had many ups and downs. However, he continues to show up, put in the work, learn, and grow, and he is seeing both artistic success and commercial success with his improv shows and poems.Fernando writes a poem a day, and he shares why he started doing the poem-a-day journey six years ago. Some days he doesn't love the poems he writes, but he still posts them anyway. He has learned that not all poems are going to be homeruns, but in order to have a homerun poem, he has to show up and put it out there. The more he does poem writing and comedy, the more he learns, and the better he gets. Be prepared to take notes, whether written or mental notes, because Fernando is full of so many helpful tips and quotes in this episode! Keep showing up and continuing to learn and grow - the best is yet to come for you! As Fernando says in the episode, "If you show up, magic will happen." You can find out more about Fernando here: For all show updates and his daily poems, follow Fernando on Instagram - @fernandoafunes - https://www.instagram.com/fernandoafunes/Twitter - @fernandoafunes - https://twitter.com/fernandoafunesFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/fernando.a.funesFernando's Poem-A-Day Blog - https://thesisyphuslife.wordpress.com/Improv Blog - https://fernandosimprovblog.wordpress.com/Latinx Comedy Pachanga - https://latinxcomedypachanga.com/Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Have you listened to a few episodes of this podcast and loved the jingle that plays before each episode? Maybe you have found that you can't help but dance and sway when this jingle kicks off an episode. (You're not alone!)Shantel Sole' is based out of Atlanta, Georgia, and she joins this episode to discuss her journey as a singer, songwriter, and most recently business owner and jingle creator. Shantel is also known as The Jingle Lady, and she is the creator of the Improvly Speaking Podcast Jingle! (Have I mentioned that I am obsessed with my podcast jingle?)Shantel shares how she got into the jingle and sonic branding business, she teaches us what sonic branding is, and she shares some tips on how to make your voice stronger. Shantel uses improvisation throughout her jingle creation process - from creating the beat, coming up with the words, to then putting it all together in the recording studio.Shantel is very creative and uses a Yes, and... mindset in her daily life (even though she was unfamiliar with the term yes, and... until recording this episode). She is using her voice and creativity to build her business and help other brands boost their business through catchy jingles and sonic branding. "It's a beautiful story" as Shantel says in this episode talking about her business, and we couldn't agree more!You'll leave this episode feeling inspired to say yes, and..., and flex your creative thinking, just like the jingle says! 😀You can find out more about Shantel here: Order a Jingle from The Jingle Lady - https://pro.fiverr.com/s/8Na5ZEIG - @shantel_sole IG - @thejinglelady_IG - @nostalgiahighwayYoutube (singing) - https://www.youtube.com/@shantelsoleYoutube (jingles) - https://www.youtube.com/@thejinglelady6660Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/shantelsoleSpotify - Shantel Sole' The HeauxCast Jingle that Shantel created and we discuss in the episode - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3mmfUYmC6x0Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Special guest BJ Lange shares how he supports military veterans by leading applied improv workshops and helping them learn important resilience skills as they navigate back into civilian life. BJ Lange is an actor (The Prank Panel, General Hospital, The Rookie), retired USAF Reserve medic, two-time testicular cancer survivor, and an alumni of iO West & Upright Citizens Brigade. He's also a teaching artist at The Geffen Playhouse and the applied improv comedy coach for the Air Force Wounded Warrior (AFW2) Program as part of the resiliency programs. During his applied improv workshops, BJ helps veterans and their caregivers learn listening and communication skills, problem solving skills, and thinking outside the box, just to name a few benefits. He also allows them the opportunity to be present in the moment, have fun, and forget about their problems and struggles for at least their time in the workshop.   BJ joined the Air Force Reserve at age 35 because he wanted to serve his country, and it was always something he wanted to do. Service is a big core value for him. He says that helping others helps him to heal as well.   BJ's energy, humor, and love of life is contagious. He calls himself a big goofball, and he even shares some stories of when he was an extreme goofball, which got him into trouble. He has had so many ups and downs, but he continues to show up and serve the military and veteran community, improv community, and everyone around him. His story and journey is incredibly inspiring! You can find out more about BJ here:Linktree - https://linktr.ee/bjlangeBJ's Birthday Roast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBxOvzr_ldwTower of Hope Gala Speech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVvSd6SW1GoIn May 2023, BJ hosted Fleet Week in LA. Check out their IG page to see some of BJ's interviews at this event - @lafleetweek - https://www.instagram.com/lafleetweekOther improv resources mentioned in this episode: Clay Drinko's Blog - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/play-your-way-saneShoutout to Viola Spolin - https://www.violaspolin.org/Improv and Sports Article that BJ mentioned - https://chapelboro.com/sports/improv-and-sports-unc-womens-laLoved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Don Colliver is a speaker, communications consultant, comedian, improviser, and clown. His public speaking workshops have helped transform hundreds of nervous speakers into more joyful and effective communicators. He recently released the bestselling book entitled Wink: Transforming Public Speaking with Clown Presence.  In this episode, Don shares his improv and clown journey and how clown presence can help you be more authentic on stage and better connect with your audience. We also discuss how you can easily incorporate humor in presentations, even the most technical and jargon-filled presentations. Dayna even shares her very limited experience with clowning and how it's helped her be more aware of her physicality on stage. In August 2023, Don led a workshop at the Toastmasters International Convention called "No Joke: Engaging Your Audience Like A Clown (Not the Creepy Kind)." We recorded this episode before the Convention, and he shares some insight on his preparation for that workshop and how he was planning to pull off some of his staged jokes/bits. We're not clowning around in this episode! (Couldn't resist saying that...) Some may think of clowns as scary and creepy, but this episode is anything but that. It's full of fun and passion for making public speaking and presentations more engaging and exciting! Check this episode out if you're looking for some fresh ideas and tips on how to improve your presence on stage!You can learn more about Don here:Website - https://www.doncolliver.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/doncolliver/IG - @doncolliver - https://www.instagram.com/doncolliver/"Wink: Transforming Public Speaking With Clown Presence" available in paperback, eBook, hardcover, and audiobook through Amazon and all major retailers. - https://a.co/d/2Mn7CRKWink Public Speaking Classes (next class starts October 3) -  https://www.winkpublicspeaking.com/ Free Audience Engagement Exercise on Don's website -  https://www.doncolliver.com/techengage Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Erick Escalante is an improviser and creative performer from San Diego, CA.  Erick took acting classes all throughout high school and college, but he tried his first official improv class in June 2021, when he decided to take a Level 1 class at Finest City Improv.Before that, Erick was struggling with depression and addicted to getting high and/or drunk to numb himself from the emotions. He says he was "comfortable in the laziness of not wanting to live." When he started taking improv classes, he realized that being high during class wasn't helping him keep up with the scenes or stay present. He didn't feel like he was doing well in the classes and wanted to be a better improviser. By Level 4 class, he decided to quit drugs and alcohol cold turkey, and he has been sober ever since!The improv community helped Erick to keep going with his sobriety and allowed him to be more sociable and creative and feel alive again. Making people laugh has become Erick's new dopamine hit and addiction. Erick has now been sober for more than a year and a half, and he credits improv for changing his life and saving his life.  Erick has fully immersed himself in the improv world, which has opened up other opportunities for him to perform at San Diego Comic Con and be a Scare Actor at the Balboa Park Haunted Trails. During this episode, Erick shares all about these experiences and performances, which he never would have done or even tried if he was getting high all the time. Congratulations to Erick for doing the hard inner work and continuing to stay sober — every day sober is a day to celebrate! And improv was the catalyst for helping him make that positive change. I am proud of you, Erick, and we are all proud of you! You can find out more about Erick here: Instagram - @greyfoxalias Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/GreyFoxAliasYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/@greyfox0986Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/greyfoxaliasVoicebox San Diego Instagram - @voicebox_san_diegoFinest City Improv Calendar/Shows - https://www.finestcityimprov.com/theater/The Dinner Detective San Diego - https://www.thedinnerdetective.com/san-diego/Balboa Park Haunted Trails - https://hauntedtrail.net/Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Will Hines is a longtime improv teacher and performer who trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in both New York and Los Angeles. In April 2020, he founded the World's Greatest Improv School (WGIS and can also be pronounced Weegis), which the name of the school was based on his best-selling book on improv called How to Be The Greatest Improviser on Earth.  In this episode, Will shares his improv origin story of why he decided to start taking improv classes back in 1999, and he tells us why he decided to start WGIS in 2020. He also gives some helpful tips and advice for people starting out in improv and finding themselves very much in their heads.  Although it wasn't his original intention, improv took over his life in the best way possible and has been a main part of his life for the past two decades at least. It's helped him be more creative and try lots of creative pursuits - like acting, doing stand-up, starting a band, hosting and guesting on tons of podcasts, writing and performing in sketches, and more creative pursuits to come.Not many people would call themselves the World's Greatest Improviser, but Will is comedically pretentious enough to do it.  Now he's ambitiously training the next generations of performers to be the world's greatest improvisers as well! It's a good thing the world can have many greatest improvisers!You can find out more about Will here: World's Greatest Improv School (WGIS) Website - https://www.wgimprovschool.com/Will's Website - https://www.willhines.net/Will's Linktree - https://linktr.ee/willhinesIG - @williebhines - https://www.instagram.com/williebhines/IG - @wgimprovschool - https://www.instagram.com/wgimprovschool/Twitter - @willhines - https://twitter.com/willhinesTikTok - @willhines18 - https://www.tiktok.com/@willhines18Wayne and Rodney Bandcamp - https://wayneandrodney.bandcamp.com/Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

SPECIAL SOLO BIRTHDAY EPISODE -- I turned 35 in May 2023 (yay!), and I wanted to do a solo episode to highlight this special birthday milestone. Not only is it a mid-thirties milestone, but also this is the age that I always thought I would magically just become confident and love myself. I don't know why I had in my head that I should be confident and feel fully comfortable with myself by age 35, but that's how my 20's brain operated. I'm happy to report that I have turned out exactly how I thought I would be at the age of 35 - confident, embracing myself and who I am, and constantly growing and improving. However, I didn't magically become confident, like I thought back in my 20's. I actually worked really hard to gain and develop this confidence, and there was a lot of failing and struggling and questioning myself along the way. Have you ever thought there was a magical age for you where you would reach it all and become exactly who you wanted to be? 35 was that age for me, and I unpack my feelings about all that in this episode.  I've been on a 9-10-year journey of improving my public speaking skills, which helped me improve myself overall along the way, and I am so happy I embarked on that journey.  Age 35 would have looked much different if I didn't start that journey.I am excited about this age now and where I am, and I look forward to seeing what comes next! Cheers, darling, to many more years of fun, adventure, and growth! Fair Warning: I rhyme 35 with arrive, thrive, and alive quite a bit in this episode! I couldn't resist... Don't say I didn't warn you. Loved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Have you ever sat through a presentation, conference session, or workplace training and thought, "Well, that's an hour of my life I won't get back!," after it's over? Chances are that the presenter or speaker didn't make the content applicable to you, didn't make it engaging to keep your attention, gave too much information that it was overwhelming, or didn't offer a chance for you to practice and apply the skills learned, among many other reasons.  Dr. Carrie Graham is working to fix that so that your audience never becomes disengaged from your message again and your learning outcomes can soar! Carrie is based in Charlotte and is the owner of Carrie O. Graham Learning & Solutions, and she helps businesses improve learner engagement, information retention, and skill application by integrating adult learning best practices into their trainings. What are adult learning best practices? Well, Carrie explains these best practices very well in this episode, but one principle to keep in mind is that adults learn best when they understand why this topic is important to their work or business. Adults bring many life experiences with them to these trainings, and they are more apt to learn new knowledge when it is demonstrated how this topic and training applies to their life experiences and work. Also, there is the adult learning practice of skills application, which can create experiential learning. That is where applied improv comes in! Applied improvisation exercises allow participants to practice the related skills in a low-stakes environment and then reflect on how the skill, tool, and lesson learned can apply to and also help improve their work and personal life.  In this episode, we discuss some very helpful adult learning practices that should be taken into account whenever presenting to a group of adults. Dayna even has some light bulb moments of her own that help her understand and relate it back to her own work as an applied improv facilitator.  As Carrie states in the episode, "If you are in the business of educating people who are over 25 years old, you can benefit from adult learning best practices!" Check this episode out to come up with your own light bulb moments for your next presentations, workshops, and trainings!   You can learn more about Carrie and her work here: Website - http://www.drcarriegraham.com/LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/drcarriegrahamLoved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)

Jesse Greenfield is a health communicator, storyteller, and improviser from San Diego, California. Jesse started doing improv in college at Tufts University, and with eight years of experience as an improviser, Jesse now leads applied improv workshops for adults, youth, and the LGBTQIA+ community. In March 2023, Jesse and I co-presented together at the Art & Science of Health Promotion Conference, and in this episode, we debrief and chat about that experience. (Spoiler alert: It was an amazing experience!) The theme of the conference was "The Wisdom of Rethinking: Promoting & Practicing Intellectual Humility to Advance Health & Well-Being," and Jesse and I had the opportunity to present two breakout sessions and two activity sessions at the conference. In our breakout sessions, we presented the research about applied improvisation and how it can help enhance intellectual humility, communication, and resilience for health promotion professionals (and other professions as well). For our activity sessions, we facilitated improv exercises and games for participants to experience and practice the skills and discuss how these lessons learned apply to our professional and personal lives. We had a blast at the conference, and we are so appreciative of the opportunity to share more about the benefits of applied improvisation and creative play at the conference this year. Please enjoy this special debrief episode to hear all about how it went and what's on the horizon for us as facilitators and presenters. You can learn more about Jesse here:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-greenfield-mph/Email - Jessegreenfieldimprov@gmail.comYou can learn more about the Art and Science of Health Promotion Conference here:Website: https://www.ifebp.org/healthpromotionconference/Pages/art-and-science-of-health-promotion-conference.aspxLoved the episode, but don't feel like sending an email? Now you can send Fan Mail to Improvly Speaking! I would love to hear from you! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!-------------------------------------------------Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/ Email: Dayna@improvlyspeaking.com Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/ Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/ WhatsApp Group - Reach out to Dayna for the link! :)