Coffee with a Neuroscientist

In this episode of "Coffee with a Neuroscientist," host Shonté Jovan Taylor delves into the fascinating intersection of neuroscience and musical theater, using the Broadway show and now movie "Wicked" as a focal point. With her new OZ vibes Starbucks coffee mug in hand, Shonté explores how the storytelling and music of "Wicked" impact the brain, fostering empathy, connection and compassion. Shonté discusses how watching Elphaba’s journey in "Wicked"—from being labeled as the Wicked Witch to understanding her struggles and humanity—challenges viewers to question preconceived narratives and consider multiple perspectives. She explains the role of mirror neurons in creating empathy, how oxytocin helps deepen trust and social bonds, and how music activates the limbic system (aka emotional brain) for emotional engagement. Additionally, Shonté highlights how engaging the prefrontal cortex during such performances helps in perspective-taking and understanding complex social situations. She also underscores the broader societal lessons we can derive from musical theater: - questioning divisive narratives, -bridging divides through shared emotional experiences, and -embracing self-worth and resilience. Listeners are encouraged to apply these insights in their own lives to build empathy and strengthen connections. Shonté concludes by inviting listeners to continue the conversation and share their own experiences with musical theater and its impact on their lives. This episode is a blend of personal reflection, scientific explanation and practical application, making it a thought-provoking exploration of how the arts can enrich our understanding of ourselves and others. Link to her article correlating with the article -->

Are you a creative, healer, educator, leader or activist who is feeling the nudge to take the leap and start your own business? Today’s episode with my special guest is a call for you to listen to your intuition, that voice that is calm, still, non-judgmental and loving, inside of you. In 2010, Jen Shultz, Founder of The Non-Nine-to-Five™ found herself battling anxiety and depression. During this dark time, she received an intuitive persistent message urging her to create a business and generate an income on her own terms. That year, Jen went against all "safe norms", followed the call, and quit her full-time teaching job to become self-employed. For over 9 years, Jen has been educating, training, and coaching conscientious high-level women who have a deep knowing they are not meant for the 9-5. She leads her clients (creatives, healers, educators, activists, leaders) into successful self-employment tapping into their unique skills and strengths so they can make adifference in the lives of others, generate an income on their own terms, and never go back to a 9-5 job. Jen is a master coach and a highly intuitive educator as well as a workshop facilitator and keynote speaker who has spoken on stages across the nation including Google, Wix, The University of Texas. She holds a BA in Communication (University at Albany), MA in Special & General Education (New York University) and is a Certified Professional Coach through iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching). In this episode, Jen reveals how to identify the intuitive nudges that you may be feeling and the ways to turn the nine-to-five mindset into what really lights you up. Let us know what inspired you the most from this powerful conversation that I had with Jen, and we can’t wait to hear how today’s show resonates with you. Sign up for Shonte’s ‘OptiMind Blog’ to get neuroscience updates to optimize your expertise & life at ShonteJTaylor.com.

What if one little gnome and one tiny suitcase, as well as an app and other educational tools, could change your family? In this episode, you’re going to find out how this is possible and the way that one amazing entrepreneur is improving the brain health of people of all ages, by infusing a sense of adventure into their lives! Anne Armstrong is the Founder of My Gnome on the Roam ® educational toys which inspire a love of reading, writing and adventure for kids, families, students and educators across the globe. After 20 years of teaching gifted and talented students, Anne took on the role of mom entrepreneur to share her formula of small pockets of time + a simple idea for an adventure = deeper family connections in as little as 30 minutes a week. A published best-selling children’s author of the book “My Gnome on the Roam ®,” Anne strives to live by a phrase coined by her brilliant students who refer to her as the Field Trip Queen: ‘Make Your Life a Book Worth Reading.’ She holds a Master’s and Ed. Specialist degree in gifted education and has been featured on NPR, Huffington Post, Treehugger.com, and the New York Times. I’m so excited to introduce you to Anne, who is someone that is tapping into her own strength and talents while making the world a much better place. I encourage you to visit her site at https://mygnomeontheroam.com/, and let us both know which adventures you and your family embark on next! I’m hosting a workshop called Beyond Vision Boards, which goes even deeper into this topic. In this workshop, you’ll get to see how I balance neuroscience with reality, and I’ll give you something that is applicable and understandable so that you can get to the next level of your potential. To reserve your spot now, go to https://shontejtaylor.lpages.co/beyond-the-vision-board-list/! To apply and schedule a brainstorming session with Shonté, you can visit https://shontejtaylor.lpages.co/apply/ now!

Do you think optimism is a bunch of B.S? I’m not talking about that kind of B.S, but I’m talking about brain science! In this episode, I answer this question from the lens of neuroscience, or what I like to call neuro-perspectives, and after listening to what I reveal today, you’ll see that optimism is indeed B.S. - but in a good way! I’m hosting a workshop called Beyond Vision Boards, which goes even deeper into this topic. In this workshop, you’ll get to see how I balance neuroscience with reality, and I’ll give you something that is applicable and understandable so that you can get to the next level of your potential. To reserve your spot now, go to https://shontejtaylor.lpages.co/beyond-the-vision-board-list/! To apply and schedule a brainstorming session with Shonté, you can visit https://shontejtaylor.lpages.co/apply/ now!

In the busy times that we live in, it’s easy to feel like we’re drowning in all the things that we feel we have to get done each day. In what areas of your life are you feeling this way, and you don’t even know it? Today I want to throw you the lifesaver so that you don’t drown. I’m giving you permission to do what I did, by taking time off intentionally and not feeling guilty about it. You are in control of your calendar and how you show up each day, and I want you to be your best self, operating at the highest level of your mental potential! To apply and schedule a brainstorming session with Shonté, you can visit https://shontejtaylor.lpages.co/apply/ now!

What if I told you that marketing doesn’t have to be dull, boring, and a chore, but it can actually be joyful and fun? Today’s guest works with life coaches and shows them how to do just that, all while being their true, authentic selves. Simone Seol is creating a revolution in how life coaches market online. She teaches coaches how to become profitable by putting love first, leaning into their messy genius, and not being afraid to get a little weird. In the past 2 years, Simone has created millions of dollars in her own business and helped countless life coaches scale their businesses with joy and sovereignty. She is the host of the top-rated Joyful Marketing podcast, and author of The Fearless Marketing Bible for Life Coaches. In this episode, Shonté and Simone go deep into a wide range of topics not business related, including why the concept of not doing your best is actually great for your brain (and overall!) health, how to shift your perspectives so you’re not always people pleasing, tips for navigating the relationship with ourselves and our loved ones, and so much more. Would you like to gain exclusive access to the most advanced brain-based personal and professional development strategies on the planet? Shonté’s signature program, Optimind, starts February 22nd, 2022! OptiMind is an accredited program designed specifically for novice or reputable coaches, trainers and leaders to show you how to effectively utilize the principles of neuroscience to help your clients, your profession and your business reach the highest levels of their human potential. To enroll now and to learn more about this exciting opportunity, go to https://optimindtraining.com/. Hurry, the final day for enrollment is February 27th, 2022! What We Cover In This Episode: Why the concept of not doing your best can be good for your own mental health [2:51] The reasons that entrepreneurship can be considered the ultimate personal development journey [6:27] The ways that having a baby has shifted Simone’s perspective on life and business [7:27] What challenges she has faced in navigating who she wants to be versus what her family expects of her [10:05] A look at how owning a business really differs from having a “normal” job [18:27] Shonté’s tips for managing her emotions and conveying them to her family [20:54] The reasons that Simone works specifically with life coaches, and how she helps bring them joy in their marketing [25:23] Why being polished isn’t the most important factor for effective content creation and marketing [27:47] Quotes: “Although everyone in my family has been incredibly supportive, sometimes navigating who I think they want me to be versus who I want to be, that has been tough.” [12:06] “As an entrepreneur, we wear 25 different hats all the time. This is why work boundaries with yourself is so important, but there’s never a point where you did all the things [you need to do] and you’re done.” [18:32] “I just love coaches so much, and I think the highest things about the industry and every single coach I know. I think coaches are going to save the world!” [26:12] “The benefit of only serving one type of client is that you can go really deep into thinking about their specific brains and how they’re experiencing problems.” [26:27] “I think the greatest gift that I can give someone who is a life coach is to let them see me feeling joy in my work and in my marketing. Let them see me being authentic, being messy, being imperfect, and having fun.” [27:06] Links: Simone’s Website & Podcast Her Instagram Get Simone’s Books

Today, we are having coffee with TWO neuroscientists. On this episode of Coffee with a Neuroscientist, Shonté Jovan Taylor is talking with one of her favorite authors, Dr. Caroline Leaf, about her mission to “shift the paradigms and stigmas” around mental health diagnoses like anxiety and depression. Dr. Leaf is passionate about the fact that all humans struggle with their minds, and need to find ways to “clean up their mental mess” by learning more effective ways to deal with hard experiences like trauma, depression, and fear. Her solution? A process called neuro cycling. Dr. Leaf says in her book that “anxiety and depression are signals.” Just like hunger, or exhaustion, we get signaled to experience these feelings by existing in our chaotic world. It’s not abnormal, or strange - it’s just how we live today. So how do we deal with these signals? By understanding the difference between the mind and the brain. Using neuro cycling and “mind management” techniques, we can become less afraid of our anxiety and depression, and more intentional about how we respond to it. Tune in this week to hear Shonté and Dr. Leaf go deep into our cultural ideas about mind, brain, and body, and how to use Neuro cycling to start managing your mind and feeling calmer and happier today. Quotes: “All humans since the beginning of time have battled with their mind.” “I’m always neuro cycling, it’s a lifestyle. Because your mind is a lifestyle. You can’t get away from your mind.” “Our past that’s traumatic and our toxic habits don’t have to control us. We can actually identify them, embrace processes and re-conceptualize them into a healthy version, so we can change how the past plays out into the future.” (13:26-13:42) Links: https://drleaf.com/ https://www.cleaningupyourmentalmess.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShonteJTaylor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neuroscientist_coach LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shontejtaylor Twitter: https://twitter.com/shonte_taylor

What does it take to be a thought leader? Not just to guide your team, but to help them think differently -- to encourage them to reframe how the systems we live in work? In this episode of Coffee with a Neuroscientist, host Shonte Jovan Taylor partners with Dr. Ryeal Simms, Neuropsychologist and Relationship Expert, to talk about thought leadership; and, no surprise here, it all starts with your actual thoughts. Shonte and Dr. Ryeal take a neuroscience-based approach to thought leadership as they explore the five activities you need to engage in to become a true thought leader: 1) learning about the brain, 2) diversity and inclusion, 3) socialization, 4) collaboration, and 5) attending events. With tons of wild neuroscience wisdom (80% of our communication is non-verbal?!), Shonte and Dr. Ryeal dive deep into the magical brain to help you take your industry to the next level. Quotes “In order to be an advanced leader in the 21st century, you have to learn about your brain.” (17:53-17:58) “Leadership is a whole brain experience.” (28:20-28:23) Links www.OptiMindInstitute.com

What if you didn’t have to suppress any part of yourself to succeed? In this episode of Coffee with a Neuroscientist, host Shonte Jovan Taylor talks with her inspiration and mentor Marie Forleo, founder of B-School and New York Times bestselling author, about just that. Marie shares her story of starting her own business as a life coach in the early 2000s, before anyone even knew what a life coach was. She shares her process of learning how to listen to her intuition, leave high-paying jobs on Wall Street and at Conde Nast, and find the path that would allow her to achieve her true purpose. Almost everyone can relate to the experience of coming to a fork in the road, where you realize that your future hinges on one decision. In B-School, Marie teaches students that those forks in the road are moments when you can embrace your full potential, no matter who you are, or what you came from. In the words of Marie Forleo: “Everything is figure-outable.” All you need are the right tools, and the confidence in yourself and your intuitive power, to follow the road that speaks to you. From cleaning toilets to becoming a bestselling author, Marie’s inspiring story is proof that we can bring our whole selves to our work every day. We don’t have to settle. Tune in this week to find out what it takes to get there. Quotes: "When women are financially empowered, everyone wins." (28:01-28:04) "It is my belief that we need the full spectrum of diversity of talents, gifts, and human perspectives coming together to solve the world's challenges." (38:23-38:33) Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShonteJTaylor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neuroscientist_coach LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shontejtaylor Twitter: https://twitter.com/shonte_taylor http://marieforleobschool.com/ JoinBSchool.com Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE

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