Run This World with Nicole DeBoom Podcast

200 - LIVE SHOW - Mirna Valerio Live & Unfiltered

For the 200th Run This World episode in 5 years, I decided to do something epic - A LIVE SHOW! I needed to pull out the big gun for this; there's really only one big gun in my world - MIRNA! 
Mirna Valerio, the Mirnavator, shares her journey in her 7th appearance on the pod. She is an evolving human like all of us, but what makes her special is how she shares her journey with the world. We talk about so much: bodies, trust, fear, vaginas, surfing, menopause, injuries, mountain biking, being new, skiing, and more. 
If she wasn't so busy opening new doors, I would have kept her on all day!
The live format is fun and hilarious with comments from listeners that we can engage in real time and lots of play with the sound effects feature! 
For more Mirna:
Follow her everywhere @themirnavator
Website: https://themirnavator.com/
Hope you enjoy this one - now let's get out there and Run This World with all the energy we built up from Mirna's presence! 

199 - How She Does It with Pro Runner Molly Huddle

Today I speak to a running legend, a legend who’s still running at the top level of the sport - Molly Huddle. I’ve been a fan and follower of Molly’s forever. I’ve been so impressed by how she has evolved her career so she can continue to do what she loves and improve while most athletes fade away from injury or the simple aggregation of so many miles over so many years. Molly is a 2-time Olympian. She ran the 5,000 in 2012 and the 10,000 in 2016. She's going for the 2020 Olympics (in 2021!) and currently training for the 10k. She has or has held 6 American records. She's been running competitively for around 20 years!
Not only is a she a badass pro runner who created her own formula for success, she is using her platform to advocate for social causes she believes in. Not every athlete has the courage to do this!
One of her keys to success is her ability to nurture strong relationships. I’m happy to share that today’s episode is sponsored by one of her sponsors: Gatorade Endurance! Use code RUNTHISWORLD20 for 20% off all Gatorade Endurance products through 2021.

Notables from our conversation:
"What was your backup plan?" - THE MCAT!
Control is an elusive concept for pro athletes during a pandemic
Breaking barriers
Training for the Olympics that didn't happen
In-the-moment decision to pull out of the Marathon Olympic Trials
Gatorade Endurance: The GX Patch - how we both used it and how it can help you
Importance of mentors: @shesthefirst
"Shut up and dribble" post sparked comments like "Just shut up and run Molly" - how she deals with the controversy and haters
"Don't just do what you're best at." - Molly Huddle
Listen to her podcast Keeping-Track with Alysia Montano and Roisin McGettigan
Follow @howshediditbook on Instagram - release coming soon, co-authored with Sara Slattery
Nugget: "Aim for progress and growth over perfection. Start before you're ready."

198 - Shannon Watts is Fighting Like a Mother to End Gun Violence

I've been deeply emotionally impacted by the mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado in March 2021. So much that I made a post on my Facebook page asking for connections to people who are working to end gun violence in our country. That request quickly turned into a dispute about second amendment rights. I realized immediately that simply uttering the phrase "end gun violence" is a major trigger for many gun owners who believe that by simply attending a meeting, I would be trying to take away their guns.
It made me want to learn more about what is actually being done and if this assumption is in fact true. I reached out to the person this debate often centers around, Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action which she launched shortly after the Sandy Hook massacre of 20 elementary school children and 6 educators in December 2012.
Before we talked, I attended my first Moms Demand Action meeting. One of the first things they said was, "We are anti-gun violence. We are not anti-gun." It was such a simple statement that immediately got to the very heart of the often contentious debate that springs up whenever guns are mentioned as a possible factor in the gun violence that plagues our country.
I went into the conversation with the goal of educating myself and hopefully everyone listening. Shannon and I had just under 30 minutes to hit on as many topics as possible and we tackled a lot. If you want to learn more about Shannon's work and what Moms Demand Action is doing, please check them out here.
Notables:
How Shannon deals with the gun violence horrors that our country faces on a daily basis: She channels it into activism. "Activism is the rent we pay to live on this planet."
Moms Demand Action was started after Shannon couldn't find a group like MADD to support in the wake of the Sandy Hook shootings. She couldn't find one so she started her own.
Power of Women: She knew that the change she was pushing for needed to come from an army of women fighting together.
There are many misconceptions in regards to the mission of Moms Demand Action, namely that they are trying to "take away people's guns."
Change doesn't happen overnight. Our country was set up for incremental change which is happening.
Fear is the underlying emotion behind many people's pushback on change.
Shannon's book, "Fight Like a Mother: How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby and Why Women will Change the World," donates proceeds to Everytown for Gun Safety & other non-profits dedicated to ending gun violence.
Many friends have been asking me, "What can I do?"
Start by texting "Commit" to 644-33
Get involved. Donate to organizations like Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety. Become a member. Buy Shannon's book and educate yourself. Think about what's truly important to you and if ending gun violence is, then volunteer, run for office, become an advocate of the movement. Don't let another act of gun violence go by with the same reaction you've had in the past - sadness, horror, then guilt that you didn't do anything.

197 - You Are Not Crazy with Therapist Britt Frank

Trigger warning & little person listening warning: This episode may trigger people who have gone through sexual trauma. We talk about sexual abuse. Please be aware of your environment when listening.
Yet another insanely smart, insightful, brilliant woman who was put on this planet to help others, or in Britt's case, to help others' heal and move forward in their lives from whatever is holding them back.
Britt Frank is a therapist, teacher, speaker, and trauma specialist who is committed to dismantling the mental health myths that keep us feeling STUCK and SICK.
Her work focuses on empowering people to understand the inner mechanisms of their brains and bodies and how they connect. When we know how things work, the capacity for CHOICE is restored and life can and does change. 
Plain and simple: Britt is the therapist we all wish we had. And we could have her! You can work with her through her business - the Greenhouse in Kansas City, or thx to a pandemic, anywhere virtually. I was introduced to her by my friend and previous guest Meredith Atwood of the Same 24 Hours Podcast. Meredith, I think I owe you a big one - having a personal connection to Britt is one of the highlights of my life right now. After you hear from her, I'm sure you'll feel the same. Be sure to get over to Instagram and follow her right now @brittfrank. Today I took the liberty to have a personal therapy session that I think you'll both enjoy and relate to the various angles.
On that note, get ready for a good one. It's time to get Britt on the show.
Notables from our conversation:
Trauma definition: "There are Big T and Little T traumas. We all have trauma. It just depends on what degree."
Sexual abuse: Communication is the key to helping stop or identify abuse when it is happening
The Fuckery of Life: I just like this concept :)
Guilt is actually important
Stages of grief were actually designed for people who were dying. Britt uses the "4 tasks of grief."
"The opposite of trauma is choice."
"The Road to Happy starts with neutrality."
Guilt is a gift. Shame is "I am bad." Guilt is "I did something bad."
The floating head: The feeling of being disconnected from your body. The goal is to find happiness in our bodies.
Start by assuming you're not crazy.
The word perfect is a beast!
For more Britt Frank:
Connect with her on The Greenhouse
Follow her on Social at @brittfrank
Keep an eye out for her 2022 book "The Science of Stuck"

196 - Marisa Porges from Battling Terrorism to Raising Bold, Courageous, Resilient Women

Dr. Marisa Porges might be the most impressive person I've ever talked to. Here goes.
Today Dr. Porges is the the eighth Head of School of The Baldwin School, a 130-year-old all-girls school outside of Philadelphia, that is renowned for academic excellence and preparing girls to be leaders and changemakers. She is an alumna of Baldwin and personally understands the power of its approach to educating girls: it provided the foundation for her own military service and work on national security and foreign affairs.
Prior to joining Baldwin, Dr. Porges was a leading counterterrorism and national security expert. Most recently, she served in the Obama White House as a senior policy advisor and White House Fellow at the National Economic Council, where she oversaw the development of domestic cybersecurity and consumer protection policies. She also has served as a research fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and at the Council on Foreign Relations, where her research focused on counterterrorism. In these roles, she traveled alone throughout the Middle East and Afghanistan to conduct research, interview former members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban, meet with Syrian rebel fighters in hiding, and serve as an embedded civilian advisor at NATO military headquarters in Afghanistan. She also worked as a counterterrorism policy advisor in the U.S. Department of Treasury and as a foreign affairs advisor in the U.S. Department of Defense. In all these roles, she stood out as one of a few – if not the only – women present, at any given time. 
Dr. Porges started her career on active duty in the U.S. Navy, flying jets off carriers as a naval flight officer on EA-6B Prowlers. Ten years after the Navy first allowed women to fly jets into combat, she pursued her dream of being launched off an aircraft carrier while serving her country. She earned a B.A. in geophysics from Harvard, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and a PhD in war studies from King’s College London. Her awards include the National Committee on American Foreign Policy 21st Century Leader Award and the NATO Medal for service in Afghanistan. Dr. Porges lives outside of Philadelphia, with her family.
See what I mean? I was literally reading Marisa's bio to Tim the night before I interviewed her and he said, "That's the most impressive thing I've ever heard. So she's basically Carrie from Homeland?" [minus the personal issues!]
I believe the coolest part about her is that she took all of this badassery and decided to use it to help create the next generation of badasses!
Notables:
In the navy she was the Goose to another's Maverick when she was flying jets off carriers.
She's enjoyed a "choose your own adventure" career - we could all use this for inspiration
Buy her book! What Girls Need: How to Raise Bold, Courageous and Resilient Women
Sports nurture a competitive drive that transfers into careers: 92% of successful c-suite women were athletes!
Skills needed for girls to be successful later in life: Speaking up/Self-advocating, How to ask for what you need, How to adapt to change, How to collaborate
Adaptability is TEACHABLE! The goal is to have a high Adaptability Quotient
Quick fact: Women are more likely to be interrupted than their male peers
Girls/women need both mentors and SPONSORS. Mentors give advice. Sponsors create opportunities.
Tactics to start while your kids are young: Read fiction (this creates empathy - an ability to see from the other character's point of view), Give your child tasks that may seem above her "pay grade" (I.e. have your kid call and order the pizza. Empower her to use her voice.)
For more Marisa Porges:
Follow her at @the.baldwin.school @marisaporges
Buy her book What Girls Need
Marisa is AMAZING!!!!

195 - Dr Margaret Rutherford Helps us Move Through Grief

This is a special release in response to the Boulder mass shooting which occurred on March 22, 2021. Every shooting has hit close to home for me, but this one was literally three blocks from my old house in Boulder, at the grocery store we visited multiple times a week.
I found myself processing many emotions including deep sadness, anger, frustration, guilt and helplessness. I've been up at night, unable to shut down the fear-driven thought cycle spiraling through my mind.
So I did what I need to do to heal. I reached out. I sent out an emotional email to my community. I posted on social media. And I asked one of my upcoming guests, a widely-known psychologist, to change her plans and talk to me with only a moment's notice about how to process the aftermath of this shooting and all the emotions I've been feeling.
I'm so grateful for Dr Margaret Rutherford. I actually lied above. I didn't reach out to her. She saw that I was hurting and she sent me a note that said, "What can I do? Can I come on and talk to you about this?" That's the kind of person she is.
So in the middle of a Sunday, I found myself having a personal therapy session with Margaret that I believe will be helpful to you too.
Important points from today's discussion:
Grieving is unique to all of us. The important part is to continue moving through the emotions. To not get stuck on any particular emotion in the process.
Trauma exhaustion is a real thing: like a car pile-up that never ends
Trauma builds Resilience: "The tree that bends will survive the storm" [Margaret's version of a Chinese proverb]
You can get PTSD even if the event didn't happen to you
"Take it in small batches." -Margaret
Create a Worry Journal or a Grief Journal. Get the thoughts out of your mind and onto paper.
Listen to The Self Work Podcast

194 - "What is Your Big Work?" with Cancer Survivor & Naturopathic Doctor Kaycie Grigel

NOTE: The intro to this episode was recorded three days after the Boulder shooting and includes some profanity and opinions by me about mass shootings. Please note that the content may not be work or young-child friendly.
Kaycie Grigel sent me an email in the midst of chemo treatments for her recently diagnosed breast cancer. Through the difficulties and the darkness, she had stumbled upon inspiration that she knew she needed to share. I suggested we wait until her treatments were done in case she gains more perspective, clarity and momentum on her next big work. We connected four weeks after her last treatment. We jump right in and Kaycie shares the details of her journey as well as the bigger picture messages that have surfaced with grace and clarity.
Notables from this episode:
Her breast cancer treatment included a lumpectomy, an MRI machine with boob holes and the (not FDA approved) "Cold Cap" that allowed her to keep her hair. 

Support: The #1 key to having a positive journey through a dark diagnosis
Movement: Kaycie set this goal - Exercise EVERY DAY DURING TREATMENT. She did it and credits movement as being mission critical to her success.
Advocate for yourself! Find the medical team that is the best fit for you.
Hormone talk! There's an enlightening discussion that Kaycie shares in layman's terms about how our estrogen shuts off as we age and our adrenals take over. This leads to adrenal fatigue in many menopausal women.
The #1 thing we can do for our hormones is manage our stress. That includes sleep, eating good food, moving, getting outside, nurturing good relationships, releasing negative relationships
What is YOUR Big Work? Don't leave this world without embracing and moving forward with your big work.
Nugget: "Whatever brings that camera into focus for you, run toward it."
More Kaycie:Visit her at the Golden Naturopathic Clinic
Book a 15 minute Discovery Call
Sign up for the Women's Hormone Health Masterclass - starts in May 2021
Follow her on FB to learn more about her future community to support breast cancer patients during and after their journeys

193 - Sara Gross on Why We Need More Feisty Women

Once upon a time Sara Gross was a Women's Studies and World Religions student. Right around the time she was working on her dissertation about female history, she discovered triathlon, which led to a 10ish year hiatus from her work in women's empowerment.
The funny thing is that she entered the sport of triathlon just as I was leaving it, so we never competed against each other which is probably good, because we have no competitive history that would create tension now! Sara had a baby partway through her career and a few years later came back to win her second Ironman in Brazil. After that win, she knew she was done with triathlon.
 
Her passion had shifted. It was time for her to become a voice for women athletes - to help share what sport had given her. Strength. Courage. Confidence.
She founded Live Feisty - a media brand targeted toward helping active women improve their lives - and their performances. She's breaking ground with each step including the upcoming Womxn's Performance Summit on March 26-28. Be sure to grab a ticket - the speaker lineup is killer!
 
Notables from our conversation:
How Sara's feminism was grounded by this thought as a little girl when she noticed the subtle differences between men and women in the workplace: "Something is not quite right in the world."
The importance of "The 5 people you surround yourself with"
"People who don't have power will take power wherever they can."
The importance of community, of finding our people, picking our corner and growing our tribe.
Sara's 10ish year break to pursue triathlon: We almost forgot to talk about this!
What the heck is TikTok! Watch Sara's hilarious Tampon Vid here!
What the word Feisty means to her
Feisty Womxn's Performance Summit: Grab a ticket now!
For more Sara Gross:
Instagram @sara.gross
TikTok: @feistymedia
Live Feisty: Check out the podcasts, videos and more
 
 

192 - "What's on the Menu?" with Catherine McCord

Catherine McCord is the co-founder of One Potato and the founder of the popular Weelicious brand, a trusted content resource synonymous with family and food. A graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, she has created online how-to videos that have amassed more than fifty million views and celebrities like Jennifer Garner, Sarah Michelle Gellar & Keri Glassman, RD, swear by her food as a medicine approach to healthy tonics. She has written three cookbooks including her latest Smoothie Project.  Catherine has appeared on TODAY, Good Morning America, California Live, The Doctors, and is a regular on the Emmy-winning NBC show Naturally, Danny Seo as well as Food Network’s #1-rated Guy’s Grocery Games. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.
I came to know about Catherine and her lifesaving work for parents with picky kids when my best friend gave me two of her Weelicious cookbooks. I was complaining about how all Wilder will eat is "Cheese on White" (we talk about this in the interview!) and the minute I opened one of her cookbooks, I knew there was another way!
I started by making Chewy Granola Balls. They have peanut butter! Something Wilder would never eat on her own. But lo and behold, she ate these! Then I tried Spinach Ricotta Bites and Spaghetti Pie and Spanakopita Bites. And they all won! As I cooked, I realized that the true point of Catherine's work was to make meals that the entire family can enjoy.
Tim and I had gotten into the habit of making our food and Wilder's food separately. Everything we liked was too zesty or "spicy" or looked weird or had texture that would make her gag! Every time I got brain blocked, I started pulling out Weelicious cookbooks until one day I finally realized that it didn't end there.
Catherine started One Potato food delivery service after realizing there was a whole in that budding industry. No one had created a meal delivery company that considered the entire family. One Potato has a family-friendly menu with recipes that the kids can actually help make.
There's no doubt that Catherine is a thought leader in the world of family culinary arts, but what's an extra bonus is just how much fun she is on top of it all. Catherine has an incredible personality that was obviously shaped by a grounded family life and the fact that she is doing something every day that she loves.
Notables from our conversation:
Catherine faced adversity at a young age (health problems) and learned to find a different positive path (modeling)
How Catherine managed to develop a healthy body image and healthy relationship with food despite being very successful in a career that puts a priority on being extremely thin
Transitions: Didn't quit her day job while going to culinary school
On the path to Weelicious, Catherine tried many different things that didn't work. Weelicious was successful because Catherine was solving a problem.
How to "break" picky kids!
Cheese on white syndrome
Food is curative. If something is not right, try first to cure yourself or your kids with food.
"Around the back sneak attack" getting her kids to try recipes - ask for their help so they feel empowered not defensive
Creative cooking prompt: Make a list of 10 foods you all love. Build a menu from there.
How to break the groundhog day cooking cycle - esp during pandemic.
"What gets you up in the morning?" - ND
"I just jump out of bed everyday!" - CM
Nugget: "If you don't know how to do something that you want to learn how to do , don't be afraid to ask for help. Ask your mother's cousin's brother. Ask your neighbor. Ask anyone. Don't be shy because everyone wants to help someone else to feel good and be successful."
GIVEAWAY: To win a Weelicious cookbook, go to @nicoledeboom on Facebook or Instagram and answer this question, "What food can you not live without?" Winner will be chosen Sunday, March 14, 2021.
For more Catherine McCord:
@weelicious and @onepotato
Weelicious & One Potato

191 - Ryan Van Duzer "All of us have the Power to Make the World a Better Place"

We all talk about wanting to turn our passions into work. I'm personally attempting to do just that right now during my sabbatical from life. First, we need to identify our passions and then we need to honestly assess whether our skills align with our passions.
Today's guest Ryan Van Duzer has done just that. He lives his passion every day - and has fun doing it. I have wanted to interview him since the day I met him at Skirt Sports. He was supporting our mutual friend Dana D (Episode 30 "From Drug Addict to Love Addict") as she delivered the first ever Women Run The World talk that would later become a multi-year monthly speaker series.
Ryan was totally at home at the event, even as one of the only men in a packed house of passionate women. I observed him and realized why he was so comfortable. There was something emanating from him that I like to call pure intentions. He was there to support and celebrate his friend. He didn't even notice that he was one of two men, because his intention wasn't to draw attention to himself. It was about being there for someone else's important event.
Everything Ryan does is based on pure intentions. That's what makes him so special. He's relatable and vulnerable, something many men struggle with. He puts it all out there. Like truly all out there through his super popular, inspiring YouTube Channel DuzerTV, through his other projects including tv shows like Carbon TV's "Tough Jobs," Discovery's "Out of the Wild," & more.
Notables from this episode:
"I may not be able to get you everything you want, but I will get you everything you need." - Donna Jobert (Ryan's mama)
The gift of being a mama's boy: Watch Donna get to the top of Machu Picchu in "Mama Picchu"
Dana D & the Gratitude March
Sobriety: Why Ryan needed to end his drinking relationship
How to deal with haters
Trail Magic & Trail Angels
Have as much fun as possible as you're doing whatever you do.
Just Get Outside!
For more Ryan Van Duzer:
His website! https://www.duzertv.com/
DuzerTV on YouTube
This video sums up his philosophy. Watch it!