You Already Have the Wisdom — You Just Have to Listen | with Joanne Weiland

Sabine Kvenberg: If we don't share our stories, we won't be able to encourage others of various ages, the younger ones as well as the ones our age or older, that they can do whatever, just believe in yourself and don't give up. Every great story has a moment, the one where everything shifts. Welcome to the Become Empowered Podcast, where real leaders pull back the curtain. And show you exactly how they did it. I'm Sabine Kwenberg, performance communication coach, keynote speaker, author, and your host. I have spent my career on stages, real ones and invisible ones, and I know this. The most powerful transformations don't happen in the spotlight. They happen in the quiet moments of decisions, resilience, and radical courage. Before we dive in, If this podcast moves you, challenges you, or gives you that one thing you needed to hear today, please follow, like, and share it with someone who needs it too. That's how we grow this community together. Some episodes I'm sitting down with entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, coaches, and bold leaders who have faced the hard stuff and kept going. Other times, it's just you and me. Going deep into the mindset, strategies, and the gumpchant it takes to become who you were always meant to be. Either way, we talk confidence, leadership, resilience, and the real story behind the growth. This is Become Empowered. Let's get into it. Today I have a very special guest, Joanne Wheland. Welcome, welcome. Thank you, thank you. I I always enjoy hanging out with you and so thank you for inviting me. Yeah. Joanne is all a visionary strategist, T V radio, podcast co-host and a three time number one international best selling author who has re revolutionized the way experts elevate their digital identity. Joanne, the reason why I invited you here is number one. You were an early supporter of my book idea that I had before the book was even written. And we're gonna talk about that in a second as well. We met during a podcast networking event where I ⁓ talked about my other book that I had, right? So can you recall how we met? Well, I think that's where it was, and then we even continued our friendship ⁓ I came down to your house and spend a day with that we didn't working. Yep. So I mean, I feel like, you know, ⁓ when I read your new book, Gumption, I knew some of it, but it was so good that you went deeper, if that makes sense. And I would loved it. A lot of people don't always understand ⁓ the challenges that even us women at our age let's face it. face. And so it's so cool when we continue to shine and not be afraid and have gumption. So I love that you called the book gumption. Because it really is so true. And if we don't share our stories, we won't be able to encourage others of various ages, the younger ones as well as the ones our age or older, that they can do whatever, just believe in yourself. And Don't give up. Yeah, so so true. And to tell you the truth, this was the intention behind writing this book. It is memoir slash ⁓ wisdom sharing with some of the frameworks that I developed ⁓ over my lifetime. And so i i it it was a very special and deep personal book. There are some stories that I shared that I never shared before. And when when I ask you what was what was the the one story that deeply moved you? Many of them, but I really do want to s start with the first one because of the fact when you were only nine years old and you discovered your inner wisdom. To me that is priceless to share with people because I feel like a a lot of people have inner wisdom but they don't recognize it. They don't ⁓ know how to tap into it. And a lot of times we make it so much harder than it is. You just have to go within and listen. I mean, and it's amazing as you do that, you continually get led and guided with your inner from by your inner wisdom. So I think I would pick that one just because That was just so cool that you recognize that already at nine. There's a lot of people my age that actually still don't did they have it and are trying to find it. And I think we make it too difficult to think you have to find it. And so I beloved that you shared that right from the beginning. Yeah. I'm I'm glad that you pointed that out. And ⁓ sometimes I also have to admit. It takes a special situation where all of a sudden it is there and being revealed to you. So I believe that we all in our lives have opportunities to listen and then act upon it, but not everybody does it. So the story that you are referring to when I was nine years old. was when I was in a local park in in Hamburg, Germany, and I was just sitting at a park bench and a older man came, sat down and we had a conversation, and then he did something that is kind of the the oldest trick in the books. I think he said he pointed to someone else and said, ⁓ did you see this man down there? He is a kid snatcher. So let's get away from it. And so we did. And I thought it was a good idea. And you know, as we kept walking away from from the public eye, it was I I still remember like it was yesterday. We we had this ⁓ this hill where we slept down as children in the winter. So we went behind it and then all of a sudden he mentioned, Hey, let's take a shortcut. And I thought, yeah, okay. You know, I mean you're such an innocent child, right? And so we did, went up and back the hill, and not until he stopped and ⁓ kne k kneeled down to the floor and made this motion, right? Come on, girl, come on down here to me. And Joanne, it it happened in a split second, literally, that All of a sudden I heard this voice inside of me that just said, Run, run, run, run. And I ran and I ran. And back then I couldn't comprehend everything at that time. It took much later for me to understand that these were my guardian angels. These were the unseen forces we we have in our lives if we are open to listen. That guided me out of that ⁓ threatful situation and and that started something within me. That that started a search. A search for okay I cannot tell anybody. I was so ashamed, which is another such a sad thing that children feel they cannot tell their parents. And I I feel guilty because I did everything they said not to do. And so I turned to God. And I was not tr quote unquote trained because I I didn't we didn't go to church. I learned a little bit in school back then I was still connected. And I I just knew there is someone out there who can help me cope. And that's when I started writing a little prayer that I prayed for years, for years and years. And I think that started my spiritual journey, to be honest. I do too. And I'm really glad you shared it, like I said, because I think we make it more complicated than it is. And yet you described it in such a way like that w it helped. The reader understand they can do it too. Yeah. And that was my my ⁓ intention all along with with this book is to just show examples. I never say, Hey, you must do this or you must do that. No, it's I'm leaving it open because every reader is on a different stage in their lives. And Some will get something out of that story. Others will get something out of that story or that framework that I'm sharing because it helped me and and understand ⁓ a few things. So in in your own life, Joanne, did you have something ⁓ that was scary to you? And you went forward with Gumpchin to Do it anyways. Can you think of a situation like ⁓ that? And but I love it because I always feel like what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And I used to think that s saying was weird, but it really is. I mean you just don't realize how if you just do it anyway it will turn out okay. Like even the way you led the eleven girls when you were twelve years old and you were sh already showing them back again when you were only twelve, how, you know, don't be afraid. You guys were out there in the dark in the camp. And, you know, the way you had everybody hold hands and count off so you would not lose anybody. You were their strength and that's a true leader as well. And that I feel like again, you sharing these stories from childhood helps recognize how they built ⁓ you built upon them to do what you're doing today. And it's just priceless because ⁓ leaders really truly sometimes don't get the credit they deserve because a lot of people are afraid to be the leader so they don't really value the leader because they'd rather be the follower. And I know We all need followers if we're a leader. S but sometimes you're the leader and sometimes you're the follower. But it was good again that you showed at an early age that you can do this. But even if you don't do it in an early age, your book continues and continues to share the different things that happened in your life to give you more courage. Because a lot of times once we know we could do that, we know there's something else we could do. I used to always think I used to always say my salutation was always keep climbing. And I realized when you climb a mountain, there's always another mountain ⁓ behind that and then another one. So it's not like you climbed that mountain and it's over and done. It's but that gave you the strength to now know what to do with the next mountain and the next mountain. So I love the way you d you know, positioned it that way to know that It doesn't all just happen at one one day you wake up and and one day you can wake up and have more courage than you. I don't mean don't think you can't, but it was good to see how you shared how yours did build upon each other. Yeah. Thanks for sharing that because ⁓ i it's true. and to be very honest, I had times in my life that I Was a follower. I followed a coach or a mentor, which I think it's utterly important in everybody's life to have someone. Even the best coaches have coaches and mentors, right? It it always reaches Many of them have several. They all have their, you know, exercise coaches, their business plan coaching, their ⁓ lifestyle coaching, all kinds of coaching, you name it, there's a coach out there to help you. So the you know, I don't want you to think I disagree that the that we all need coaches. I mean I've had dozens throughout my life. And I'll just say it, I outgrew them though too. So there's sometimes for a time and a sp space and coaching is priceless. But once you learned that lesson, either hire another one to learn another topic subject in your life that you want to get better at. You know, so I think that that's important too to know that we do get a lot of our wisdom and stuff from others. I mean, the more I know, the more I know I don't know, the more I want to know. And that's when I get and hire a coach that knows that part so that I can learn more from it. Right. I I love that what you you just cheered. ⁓ and that that example with a plateau is when when I got really frustrated because at the beginning I said, okay, I hired this coach and he said, just do A B C and then you got it. And I thought, ⁓ great, now I got it. And I got up to that next plateau and said, and then I looked up and saw, ⁓ my gosh, there's still so much to learn. So but there was one coach who who said, you know, enjoy the journey. It's not about the destination. It's not about you arriving to that destination or to your goal. It's just one part of it. And at the end, and I talk about that in my in my coaching program as well, when we talk about reaching your goals, right? Many people misunderstand what that really means. Because yeah, you reach your goal, but that is just an interim goal. what is the super big goal? But even when you reach that super big goal that you have out there for you, then there is a new goal. They show up when you are ready. I always call it create, collaborate, celebrate. And I really do feel like most of us don't take the time to celebrate when we do make some of our milestones. For an example, I I before I had my business, I was a salesperson. And I can still remember how We would get a goal, like my goal was to say a million dollars of sales that month. Well, at the end of the month, the last day, you know, they they would say, Congratulations, you sold the million dollars. In the next breath, they would say, Now, next month you can sell one point one million dollars. It was like you didn't even get to like enjoy the the victory before they already s would Maybe we won't slap you with the next goal. And it was so it was like we were on a happy hamster wheel running really fast. And we never really got anywhere because the wheel kept turning because it kept asking for you know more goals of what to do. And I know that's part of life, but I really do feel like all of us should celebrate our victories. Yeah. Yeah. More tenth. intentional and than just, you know, even just go say you know, have a sandwich because n now you or a piece of cake or whatever. Whatever, right? It it doesn't matter how big or how small, just take time to celebrate. And to tell you the truth, I have to remind myself on that often because I love my work so much that, you know, I I'm I'm just looking forward in the morning to get out of bed and write or create something new. And then we don't take the time to look back that, ⁓ wow, I created that. And that brings me also to the moment when just a couple weeks ago I celebrated my birthday. And I got a birthday gift from you. And what you did is you put together ⁓ basically an interview, AI generated, and it's beautiful what we can do nowadays with with AI, notebook, LM. You can take a long content and bring it down to its core. And by the way, that's a great way to listen to a podcast that is two hours long differently. Now you can get all the the golden nuggets in 15 minutes. But what you did is you had basically that interview talk about my book. And then I listened to it. Joanne, I have to tell you, that was a very powerful experience. Of course I know all the stories. Of course I I've written it. These are my words. But someone else talking about The author and her experiences. And I kind of sat back and like I would be a listener. And I'm like, ⁓ it touched me so much. It was like, wow, I have to get that book. And that's what is intended. I love sometimes when people do do what the example you're using share from their point of view because we know our point of view. But when you we can capture somebody else's take on what we're doing, it is fascinating, you know, because sometimes we didn't even realize we did say not not that we knew we didn't say it, but the way they took the meaning of it. Right. Yes, yes, yes. And and that's the beauty of a book. Each person who reads the book reads it differently. Experiencing it differently. And me coming from the entertainment industry, acting, musical theater, directing, plays, I know that when I tell a story, and and I just did it recently when I was ⁓ presenting a keynote, I told one of my stories, and each person. Has a different vision, a different picture. Yes. And that is the beauty of stories. When you tell a story, they're so powerful and they receive it differently. Yes. Whatever they need to hear or want to hear. And that's that's I I love it. It's fascinating. so you also shared with me, and you tapped on it a little bit earlier, that it doesn't matter when we realize something in life. It doesn't matter how old you are, how young you are, where you are, what you have, you lose everything, you win everything. It's a journey, but the most important part is to get through it. So so tell our listeners what other story that was very impactful for you that I shared in the book and why. Well, I think another one would you ⁓ to ⁓ emphasize what you're saying, like when the kids in Africa you described that were full of joy. I mean so many times I think anyway and this is just my opinion, but a lot of times us in the United States wreck you know, we only think that we can have joy if we have money, if we have things, if we have a nice house, a nice car, whatever. And ⁓ like you said about Africa, I know when I would go to South America and stuff and those little kids would be so excited about life and stuff and they were playing with a rock. and a and a piece of wood, you know? And I just think it's so priceless how you shared how they were full of joy and they basically didn't have the stuff most of us think we have to have to be happy. And so when you shared that that how you went and helped them because you knew they needed you more than you realize that at first. And so I just love that you share those types of things that how even your setbacks you turned into something positive and you never ever gave up. I I love to say that to people too. Never ever give up. Never, ever give up. Because you never know what's right around the corner. Look at how, you know, you guys leveraged everything and You know, it then the big, you know, two thousand and eight hit and everybody not everybody, but most people lost stuff and a lot of the times they give up. Or you did it. You picked yourself up, dusted yourself off, realized okay. You know, you d you know, knew that you needed to emotionally experience that. So you it's not like you just immediately, you know, jumped in, but you knew enough to know that you'll s get through this. Yeah. And even fine with it because then you did so many more exciting things. So sometimes, you know, we do have to go through things like that. I recently won our sabbatical from a business that I created for fifteen years and worked on for fifteen years. And I decided it was time to take a sabbatical. I knew things different things were happening in my life and to make the long story short, my ⁓ stepdad passed away. I mean, I was first taking care of him and my mom and my mom has dementia. So he just passed April fourteenth. Anyway, and now I'm have time to take care of my mom and she n needs me more than ever because she's never been alone. And so sometimes things do happen that are seem like setbacks, but they're there to in this case, provide me more time, 'cause she lives two hours forth than me. So it's not like I can just run across the street either and take care of her. So I don't know, but I just use that as an example. It's d different things happened in your book that you were kind enough to share with us, but to just prove that point that sometimes we have to let go of what we thought was the right answer to even again climb to that next higher mountain. Yeah. And it's ⁓ thanks for sharing that, ⁓ Joe, because Yes, we have to pick ourselves up. And yes, of course, we can throw ourselves a pity party, right? And do that grieving process or whatever it takes and and and cry your your tears, but then that's it. You have to make sure to not give up and move on and always find the silver lining. Always find something. When when we had to when we lost our lake house and so many other things, what I found even more was a deep love. I mean a love I already had for my husband. ⁓ but I realized it in that moment that and I said that to myself, you know what? I could sleep under a bridge right now, as long as I had my husband. And my two dogs, these were all canine children, right? I'm okay. I'm okay because I can pick up wherever I left off. I can start anything. I can create anything. We are creators in life. We are co-creators. And our creator helps us. And as you said or mentioned, ⁓ my gosh, that was exactly what I needed. Because if this didn't happen. I may still have been in that profession heading my school and not to say it was bad, but I would have not written the other books, I would have not become a coach, I would have not become a keynote speaker and reaching more people than the capacity that we had in our brick and mortar business. Yes. It's so true. It's so amazing. I I'm I always say like what you were thinking. that it's okay to get down, but you don't stay down. And I've ha been called Bozo the Clown for many times that punching bag that you ever saw blow up and you punch it and it comes back up. People have referred to me as Bozo the clown because they say, you know, you get down but you always come back up. And that like you you just expressed is so true. It really is okay to to, you know, wallow in it a little bit, but just don't stay there. You know, there's some people then they get stuck there and they think they're stuck there forever. And it's just interesting how once you get back up and start to look at it at different angle, you say, like even me, like now I'm saying, Wow, now what can I do next with all those fifteen years experience? Because before that I took what I experienced for twenty years prior to that to make that. Now what do I do with this? So Don't you know, again, don't give up. It it it happened for a reason. Yeah. And and that is that was my intention for Gumpchan all along. ⁓ and it it's it's it isn't just a self help fluff, right? It's a framework for real internal transformation. And what you just mentioned, to always get back up, you have to be optimistic. And ⁓ I Each each letter has a specific meaning and of of gumchen, what does it mean, right? I I broke it down into a framework that ⁓ yes, now I understand. Gamchen is more than courage. It has many different components. If you have gumchen and one of them, the O stands for optimism. And you are that optimistic person. And when you have that, if you see the silver lining and something positive in every situation, even if it is hard to see sometimes, that gives you the gamchen to move forward. And yeah, and for me, gamchen is moving forward even in the midst of fear and controversy and feeling not wanting to go, but you do it anyways. Right. Courage just to do it anyway. And know that you'll know what to do when you need to know. Yes, yes, yes. ⁓ my gosh. It was so, so lovely to have you here on on the Saturday night Saturday night, no, it's Saturday day, but that's so great. Saturday live. And if you could say something to the listeners ⁓ that you think it's one of the things that you stand behind or you want to share, what would that be? Well, I would recommend that they do get a copy of your book just because I feel like with me anyway, I read so many books like Sabine's book, ⁓ her other books I read, because of the fact that even though we say get back up, But a lot of times it's because the people we hang out with, what we hear them say, the books they read that they write that we read, the all those things still come into play. It's not like all of a sudden one day you wake up and you're fearless and you're gonna climb that next mountain yourself. A lot of s I I find that it's really truly reading, listening, hanging out with, getting ⁓ you know, like we said about coaches. different people in our lives to be able to help us keep climbing. Because of the fact that you're sharing your wisdom, your ideas. So I just recommend that people realize it's never them by themselves. ⁓ isn't it fabulous yes. Sacred whispers, bold moves and the courage to become. And ⁓ it's being ⁓ published August fourth, but you can pre-order it now. And if you pre-order it at Barnes and Noble, if you're in the United States, then let me know and I will send you an advanced copy. ⁓ and because the the whole reason is for Barnes Noble to even take books into their bookstore. They need to see that it matters to people. So my intention is to get that information out to as many people as possible. So if you want to support this channel, if you want to support this mission, then I invite you to do that. And if you have any question, please, please ⁓ contact me and I make sure that I have all the information in the show notes. So I got copy because I pre-ordered. So I recommend you do that. And did you know Barnes and Nobles is opening sixty new stores? So I mean, so they're still recommend I mean people read books. I know it sounds weird, but some people think, you know, they don't need to read anymore, but we need to read. And it's wonderful to snuggle up with a book, in my opinion. Yeah, it is. It th it's just something about when you hold this and and then the other thing is I also have pictures in here. ⁓ by the ⁓ look we talked about Africa. See? ⁓ yes. You see that? See the joy on their faces? Yes. Yes, yes. That was me quite a quite a while back. But yeah, that was just ⁓ that was just something very special being there. Yeah. And ⁓ yeah, I can't wait. And I can't wait for the pup date. So I can be in a bookstores and do book signing. And ⁓ if you have a local bookstore and thought, wow, you know, it doesn't have to be Barnes and Noble. It can be any I mean, this book is in you can order it wherever you want to order a book, right? So it's of course on Amazon, it's on local bookstores, it's it's everywhere, it's internationally. And ⁓ yeah, but if you want to organize a book signing in your city and you have a local bookstore, let me know. I will consider it. As well as even what you could do a book club, yeah, I mean at a group of people and you discuss the book. I'm in a couple of book clubs right now and I've been in book clubs all my life. I love that what you were talking about earlier too, because you get other people's opinion of y sometimes it's amazing. You think, did you read the same book I did? And then I'll you know, you'll ask like, show me what page that was on. Because they take it different angles. So I love having those book discussions too. So when they're peek by the the people out there that were asking for you to do a book signing, but also maybe a book discussion in the same time is priceless. Yes. No, thank you for pointing that out. That's a good idea. So if anybody wants to ⁓ bring this book into their book club. Let me know. I will send you an advanced copy so you can even read it before it comes out. Good point. Yes. Yes. Joanne, thank you so much for being here and sharing your point of view, ⁓ reading this book, because I can talk about it, of course, from my point of view, but it's always great to hear someone else's. So thank you so much. You're welcome. Thank you, Sabine, for sharing your life with us because it's really Encouraging. So thank you. Thank you for spending this time with me on Become Empowered. If this message spoke to your heart, make sure you follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Until next time, let your voice rise, let your light shine, and keep becoming empowered.