Evelyn Shaw Corley is the founder of Thrive International Academy, an organization which provides learning outside of the traditional school setting. Having been a teacher herself, she has seen some of the flaws of the educational system and aims to create an environment where each student gets individual support so they can thrive. Evelyn is also the recipient of the Meta’s 2022 Changemaker of the Year Award to recognize the amazing work she is doing!

• [1:52] What is your personal mission in 1 sentence?
• [2:40] Receiving the 2022 Meta Changemaker award
• [4:18] The story behind Thrive International Academy
• [10:23] Accessibility and affordability of education
• [14:29] Success stories from the program
• [17:38] Childhood experience of bullying in school
• [25:14] Choosing who to spend your time with
• [30:29] Tip for connecting: Push yourself to do something that makes you a bit uncomfortable every day
• [33:49] What's it like in Athens, Georgia?
• [37:30] Where to connect with Evelyn
• [38:46] Final takeaway: Live fearlessly, be bold

• Contact Evelyn: Facebook | Website

______

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend and make sure to follow Excuses to Connect on Facebook and Instagram.

Music by Meghan Rennie - Instagram / Soundcloud

Website: excusestoconnect.com

Watch my TEDx Talk: “How to Find Excuses to Connect”

Email: richard@excusestoconnect.com

Leave a Voice Message: https://www.speakpipe.com/excusestoconnect

Support Me: Buy Me A Coffee

Pete Bombaci is the Founder of the GenWell Project, which is a Canadian-led not-for-profit organization focused on generating wellness through connection. Their mission is to make the world a happier and healthier place by educating, empowering and catalyzing Canadians around the importance of human connection for their health, their happiness, their longevity, and the betterment of society. In this episode, we do a deep dive on the topic of connection, why it’s important to our wellbeing, and what we can do in our own lives to be more connected.

• [2:01] What is the GenWell Project?
• [4:02] What was the catalyst behind starting this?
• [9:31] The importance of social health in the context of mental health
• [11:35] Is it stigma that surrounds loneliness, or misunderstanding?
• [18:20] What are your personal experiences of loneliness?
• [21:32] Nearly 50% of all Canadians reported feeling lonely - what do we do about it?
• [28:56] Connection is important to our health, but what do you do if you’re shy?
• [33:27] Technology is only a supplement to human connection
• [38:32] How to make connections in the workplace post-pandemic
• [44:18] Creating the Canadian Social Connection Guidelines
• [49:04] Where to connect with Pete
• [50:31] Final thoughts: The power of talking to strangers and taking baby steps to build connections

• Contact Pete: LinkedIn
• GenWell Project: Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube
• 2022 Canadian Social Connection Survey

______

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend and make sure to follow Excuses to Connect on Facebook and Instagram.

Music by Meghan Rennie - Instagram / Soundcloud

Website: excusestoconnect.com

Watch my TEDx Talk: “How to Find Excuses to Connect”

Email: richard@excusestoconnect.com

Leave a Voice Message: https://www.speakpipe.com/excusestoconnect

Support Me: Buy Me A Coffee

Prasanna Karur is the Founder of the PlayGround podcast where he interviews people about their childhood and rediscovering their inner child. He is passionate about making others feel belonging and living life authentically according to your own values, rather than other peoples’ expectations. This mission extends to his academic studies as he is going into medical school, with a focus on Narrative Medicine. Don’t know what that means? Neither did I - but you will learn about that and many more fascinating stories about play, authenticity, belonging, and joy.

• [2:06] What was the motivation and story behind starting your PlayGround podcast?
• [11:04] Why is it important for adults to rediscover their inner child?
• [15:58] Childlike wonder and curiosity in adulthood
• [20:48] Authenticity and owning who you are
• [23:35] Social anxiety and worrying about what others think of you
• [32:10] Incorporating play into workplaces
• [37:39] Why Prasanna is passionate about “narrative medicine”
• [43:43] Systemic issues of burnout and bureaucracy in medicine
• [49:23] Where to connect with Prasanna
• [49:56] Final thoughts: finding joy in the small things

• Contact Prasanna: Instagram | Linktree

______

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend and make sure to follow Excuses to Connect on Facebook and Instagram.

Music by Meghan Rennie - Instagram / Soundcloud

Website: excusestoconnect.com

Watch my TEDx Talk: “How to Find Excuses to Connect”

Email: richard@excusestoconnect.com

Leave a Voice Message: https://www.speakpipe.com/excusestoconnect

Support Me: Buy Me A Coffee