#nofilter

Are you raising enough to fund your big dreams?

Actual footage of me dancing around a hard truth

So many of us Uplifters were trained 

To be nice and kind

To not make waves

To not speak our minds. 

Tightly held-truths and tamped-down feelings can feel like a safe way to lift others up. And sometimes, in the moment, it does seem easier to just keep our sweet little mouths shut. 

But, in the long term, it’s a heavy price to pay. I’ve lost friends, struggled with family, and felt unheard in work relationships because I didn’t feel ready or able to speak hard truths and instead danced around them. 

Too often we shy away from the tough talks, papering over disagreements to keep the peace. But that false harmony is fragile - it's only a matter of time before the unaddressed tensions and misunderstandings bubble up in harmful ways. Real progress only happens when we lean into the discomfort, engage authentically across lines of difference, and stay curious about other viewpoints. That's how we expand our awareness, challenge our assumptions, and evolve together. Courageous conversation is how we create deep trust and tap into the collective genius of diverse perspectives.

I still believe in being nice and kind, but over the past few years, I’ve been learning to make waves, to have courageous conversations, and to ask challenging questions.

5 Ways to Embrace Courageous Conversations:

1. Practice self-awareness: Understand your emotions, triggers, and biases before engaging in difficult conversations.

2. Lead with empathy: Approach the conversation with an open mind and a genuine desire to understand the other person's perspective.

3. Choose the right time and place: Ensure that both parties are in the right mindset and environment for a productive discussion.

4. Be direct, but respectful: Communicate your thoughts and feelings clearly, without resorting to personal attacks or blame.

5. Listen actively: Focus on truly understanding the other person's point of view, rather than planning your next response.

Mindful Monday Journaling Prompt:

Reflect on a recent situation where you avoided a courageous conversation. What held you back, and what were the consequences of not expressing yourself? How might you approach a similar situation differently in the future, using the principles outlined above?

Remember, courageous conversations may be challenging, but they are essential for personal growth, building strong relationships, and creating a more authentic and fulfilling life.

Mindful Monday Journaling Prompt:

What is one dream or action you've been postponing out of fear? Write about the courage capital you already possess to make it happen. How can you build more?

Thanks for being here. Let’s keep boosting our courage capital together. As always, drop me a line if you ever need a listening ear or a hefty dose of pep-talking!

Rising Higher, Together

This Friday, we will host our first-ever LIVE Uplifters gathering. We still have a couple of tickets left, so I hope you’ll join me and our guests from the first year of The Uplifters Podcast for a day of doing my favorite things with my favorite people in NYC on May 17.

Check out the agenda and get info on tickets HERE. 

Your Next Uplifter

Our next episode is headed your way this Thursday. I can’t wait to introduce you to Sandy Samberg. You’ll hear how this Nurse Practitioner and serial Founder leads and communicates with extraordinary courage and empathy.

Paid Subscriber Bonuses You’ll Find in Today’s Newsletter

✨ Huge thanks to our newest paid subscriber, the amazing Carolyn Feldman, who has been cheering me on and lifting me up for two decades. Thank you, Carolyn!

✨ As always, all of my writing is free and you can listen to every episode of our podcast for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or wherever you get your podcasts. For those of you who are more visual or who want to take a deeper dive with our guests and who want to support this work with a paid subscription, you’ll find the extended-cut video of my conversation with

Kate Tellers

from last week’s episode.

✨ Our May Workshop will be at Uplifters Live! I’m so excited to meet so many of you in person. If you’re one of our paid subscribers but haven’t gotten your ticket yet, just respond to this email for a special discount code.

Hugs and high-fives,

Aransas