Humor can play a significant role in how we relate to each other and ourselves.

It’s a release valve for stress; a way to connect with friends, family, and colleagues; and a way to acknowledge our mistakes and mishaps without beating ourselves up. Sharing laughter or a joke with others levels the playing field, giving us something in common whether we’re strangers in an elevator or old friends.

I believe my sense of humor is truly a gift that has helped me live with my disability, find light even in the darkest times, not take myself or my challenges too seriously, and build the connections and relationships that are most important to me.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How humor reveals our personalities and forges connections
• How using humor can cut tension and allow us to be more open and honest
• The difference between laughing at and laughing with
• How being able to laugh at yourself shows self-confidence and shifts perspectives

Learn more about Molly Kennedy

• Molly Kennedy Consulting

Being honest with yourself about your abilities and challenges, successes and failures, is essential to living an authentic and genuine life, regardless of whether or not you live with a disability.

When we’re not honest with ourselves about who we are, we can set ourselves up for disappointment and frustration. But at the same time, self-honesty has to include recognizing what we are capable of and what we’ve accomplished. When we swing too far one way or the other, self-deception has a way of creating its own set of roadblocks and rude awakenings.

At the end of the year, reflecting on what we achieved and where we could do better with integrity and self-honesty is a gift we give to ourselves that will help us live a self-determined life in the year to come.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How self-honesty helps us to both be realistic and supports our big dreams
• How self-honesty positively impacts your professional and personal relationships with others
• How I use an annual personal inventory to review not only the year’s events, but also how I’m living up to my values
• How self-honesty helps us set goals and evaluate new opportunities
• Why acknowledging and learning from your fears and failures is vital to self-honesty

Learn more about Molly Kennedy

• Molly Kennedy Consulting

Resources:

• Ryan Holiday

Life is like a rollercoaster. Sometimes it’s one you don’t even realize you’re on when things are going well, but then the bottom drops out or you hit a major twist and suddenly your world is upside down.

It can be overwhelming and terrifying. But we get through it.

After facing a major health challenge and all of the complex decisions that came with it, I’m back from hiatus. And today, I want to talk about coming out stronger on the other side of the rollercoaster’s drop.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• How a period of unexpected change can be an opportunity to reevaluate where we are and appreciate what we have
• Important steps for healing and moving forward from setbacks, whatever they are
• Why it’s essential to reach out to your support system and consider other perspectives
• How intentionally cultivating skills, relationships, and resilience in hard times helps us not just survive, but thrive the next time we’re thrown for a loop

Learn more about Molly Kennedy

• Molly Kennedy Consulting