From Fixer To Facilitator: A Conversation with Lisa Bishop

In this thought-provoking episode of the ICF San Diego Coffee and Conversations Podcast, host Donald E. Coleman, ACC sits down with leadership strategist and executive coach Lisa Bishop MBA, ACC, CODC (Certified Organizational Development Coach) for a rich conversation about leadership, culture, and the transformative power of coaching.

What if the difference between control and real leadership is a single breath? We dive into a candid, energizing conversation with Lisa Bishop about how emotional intelligence transforms “fixer” instincts into facilitator power, why the sacred pause can rescue a heated meeting, and how legacy moves through teams when we stop hoarding knowledge and start sharing it. From crisis leadership to mentorship with vision, Lisa maps a path that is both human and highly practical.

We talk through the reality of multigenerational workplaces where Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z all contribute to a shared mission. Lisa offers a compelling case for openness: AI and new tools can accelerate work, but only when paired with baseline understanding and judgment. She brings the dot-com lessons forward—fear fades, adoption grows, and the leaders who stay curious thrive. The result is a culture where voices are heard, blind spots surface, and influence outperforms control every time.

You’ll hear concrete EQ tools you can use today: the sacred pause, asking for the backstory before you react, and quick resets for emotional hijack like breath, lavender, and short walks that diffuse tension. We also get honest about boundaries and energy—choosing high vibration, stepping away from conversations that drain, and anchoring in something bigger when outcomes are uncertain. Lisa’s take on wholeness is refreshingly direct: know your gifts, refuse to dim your light, admit your flaws, and lead with honorable intent.

If you’re ready to lead across differences, translate empathy into action, and leave people feeling empowered, energized, and enlightened, this conversation is your playbook. Listen, share with a colleague who needs it, and leave a review so more leaders can find these tools. Subscribe for more thoughtful conversations on EQ, leadership, and the future of work.

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Transcript

Defining Wonderful: Gratitude And Grace

Donald 1:07

All right. Welcome back to the ICF San Diego's podcast, the coffee and conversation. And my special guest today is Lisa Bishop. Lisa, how are you doing today? And I'm glad to have you here.

Lisa 1:21

I'm wonderful. Thank you for having me, Donald. I greatly appreciate it.

Donald 1:25

So you use the word wonderful. I'm going to start out. What does wonderful mean to you? And how do you define wonderful?

Lisa 1:34

Wonderful. You start out the day with gratitude. You woke up this morning. Many people did not wake up. There's lots to be grateful for. And I think about the trajectory of what happened yesterday, what didn't happen today, and what my day is going to be like. And I try to go with it with grace and with authenticity.

Pivotal Events: Crisis To Facilitation

Donald 1:54

Ooh, I'm going to hold on to grace and authenticity, all right? Because that's probably going to come up somewhere in this conversation again. So I like to start out all of my interviews with what I call it's my platinum question. So, and the question is what three or four events has most shaped who you are today?

Lisa 2:20

There's three that really come to mind. One of them is leading with crisis, because it always seems like the sky is falling and there's some explosion of sorts that needs to happen and needs to be fixed and needs to be put right. And then the other is transitioning from fixer to facilitator. That is a huge thing because early in career you needed to fix things and make it right. And that was the end of the discussion. It's not like that. Now, there's lots of dynamics that involve EQ emotional intelligence that require facilitation. So it's not just what you know, it's who you're dealing with and the trajectory of how that happens. And then finally, it's kind of mentorship from a different lens of looking at the larger picture, looking at the vision as a whole. Those are the three things.

Donald 3:09

So was there a moment in that journey where you went from what was, or actually, what was the defining moment that transitioned you from fixer to facilitator? What caused the awakening?

Lisa 3:28

When you're dealing with high-stakes situations and teams and dynamics and even personal life, there's things that occur that are out of your control. There's kind of overarching kind of thing that you need to get from this chaotic situation to smooth sailing and be able to accelerate and all out from different perspectives, the opportunity to be able to see what's really going on here. You know, what are these pain points that are happening? And overarching, what do we really need to do optimally to get to our solution? And then coming up with option A, option B, and option C in real time.

Donald 4:11

Okay. So you mentioned EQ. Did EQ have an effect on you transitioning from fixer to facilitator?

Lisa 4:22

Absolutely.

Donald 4:24

Okay.

Lisa 4:25

In fixer world, it's your way, the highway. This is where we're going to do it. You don't think about anything else, anybody else. In facilitator world, you think not only of how it affects you, how does it affect my team? How does it affect my customer? What are the dynamics that are happening? What are the strengths? What are the lack of strengths? You think of all those dynamics. What's the relationships that are involved? Who can get it done, and how can you make it happen and still remain calm, cool, and collected under pressure?

EQ As The Bridge From Control To Influence

Donald 4:57

So, how long was it from the point that you were in? Well, let me rephrase that. So by using EQ, because we you mentioned EQ, by using that EQ, how long was it from the point that you started in EQ that you transitioned from fixer to facilitator? Because I know it didn't just happen as a flip of a switch. So can you share that part of that journey if you're willing?

Lisa 5:25

Sure. It doesn't happen overnight. You have to have a few not so successful endeavors that incur. You know, when you come up in the world where you learn be smart, learn your craft, do what you need to do, you do it, but you can burn people in the process. When you take that influence or take that power and turn it into influence, it's a whole different trajectory, a whole different dynamic that you're dealing with because you're not just looking at yourself. You're looking at yourself, you're looking at your team, you're looking at the dynamic that needs to happen, the relationships that are involved, and how can I move this pendulum where all things are moving and everybody's involved? And it went from me knowing what I know to me sharing what I know and inviting people in from the process. I went from a shift from being an expert who had the power, who had the domain knowledge, to being or evoking the expertise so that others could participate in the change by moving from control to influence.

Donald 6:42

That's extremely powerful.

Lisa 6:45

Yeah, I think so.

Donald 6:46

But I'm gonna go back here because you mentioned about now, you mentioned about growing up and in an environment, right? Where you learn, you get good at it, you're taught to be good at it, to show up, to do the work. Now, I'm gonna be bold here. Is that a cultural thing? Okay, right? Because I learned the same thing. Show up, work harder than the next man, and it'll all pay off. That's right. But I believe it's a lie, totally. Okay, share okay and bamboozled. Okay, now now we're gonna get into a deep conversation here. So she's bamboozled.

Lisa 7:27

However, I would say that is a generational thing. Yes, came from my parents saying this is the formula for success. You get that great education, you get that wonderful job, you ride this golden wave. You are successful, you buy your home, your 2.5 cars, your 2.5 kids, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yes. That was the formula for sex, success for their generation. That is not the formula for success for our generation. What we learned is that there this is not a top-down mentality. This is a shared mentality. It's about vision. There's a difference between a manager and a leader. A manager is a task manager, a task person who's checking off a box. It says, This is what I want you to do. And you, as a staff person, team member, what have you, you don't question it. You just follow it and check the box. A leader is one who shares a vision. Here's where we are, here's where we're going. This is what I see. Here's what I see in Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4. Okay. And there's some things that are happening. Now, I don't have all the answers. This is a vision that's in my head. You guys are doing it every single day. While you guys are on the ground, boots on the ground, getting it done. If there's any holes or gaps in what I'm sharing as part of this vision for us to move to the next phase, please share now. Because A, I'm going to consider it. B, other people can chime in. And three, it gives you an opportunity to lead as well. What that does for your team is it elevates them. It says they have a voice, regardless of their position within the organization, and it humanizes you as a leader that says, Oh, they don't have all the answers. They are human. They do believe, they do things.

Donald 9:22

So it sounds to me that our generation's approach, or what you're saying, is about empowerment and envisioning or letting people know that they're fully human in this whole process.

Lisa 9:38

That's what it's all about at the end of the day.

Donald 9:40

So, what do you say, Lisa, to the person that grew up in what we're gonna call the old generation and they're stuck there and they're they're frustrated. What do you say to that person to give them hope that there is another way?

Generational Shifts And Real Leadership

Lisa 10:03

I would say to them, look within your own personal realm. Look at your family, look at the children that you admire or the young people who have something to bring to the table that's a thought that may have never occurred to you. Look at the fact that there are systems and tools in place that make things quicker, faster, better. It doesn't necessarily mean they're the best, but what it does is it eases up time and gives you the opportunity to go a little bit further. You still have to have some domain knowledge. You still have to have a wherewithal. You can't put a query into AI and not have some semblance of knowledge of what you're asking about. Because if you rely specifically on that, you're gonna get lost because you don't really know what you're talking about. But if you have some semblance of information, it's gonna take what would ordinarily take you a month to do, two weeks to do, down to minutes, seconds, what have you. And you have a whole full deck that you need. So what I would say is be open, pay attention, ask questions, think about what you do know and how you would translate that to your daughter, to your son, to your niece, your nephew, your godchild, your mentee. They have something to bring to the table. This is the first time in the history of work that all generations are working together. Right? Gen Z, Gen X, Gen A B, C, whatever it is, we've got millennials and we've got boomers all working together, but there's a huge flux of boomers who are leaving the workplace. Those folks have all this domain knowledge in their head. It is not transferred anywhere. And it's fascinating if a young person or someone who doesn't know anything about the organization goes to that person and asks a question, they can probably get 20 things done that will take you two weeks because you don't have a relationship with any of the folks that they can do in their head, and vice versa. So it's kind of the same thing. Be open, embrace it, think of it as a new challenge, and enjoy the ride.

Donald 12:22

All right. I'm loving this because you're you're touching on some points, and I never I never connected it. I I'm working on a theory, and I'm calling I call it the sacred convergence.

Lisa 12:34

Oh, nice.

Donald 12:36

And you're you're saying in the workforce that we have a convergence of generations all working together. We do, and and I'm seeing it in the sciences, in psychology, and in theology, all of this stuff is all converging together to make humanity better. That is correct, and I love the way that you just put that. So now I want you to speak to the generation that has all the knowledge in their domain, right? That's I'm using your words.

Lisa 13:13

Okay, okay.

Donald 13:15

Speak to them from the point of legacy, leaving legacy. Because we have a lot of, like even in the coaching industry, we have a we have a major generational shift and we're all working together. But I think coaching is a little bit different because we're all open and curious, right? But speak to the person that's gonna listen to this that's in that generation where they hold on to the domain, and they might view the young person coming up as a threat. But speak to it from a point of legacy, how they can impart legacy.

Lisa 13:50

There was someone who imparted legacy to you before you started. There was someone that you admired, there was someone you wanted to be like, someone you wanted to emulate, somebody who took you by your bootstraps and said, Hey, we don't do things this way. This is how we do it, whether that's for the good or for the bad, because there are examples of both. But from wherever you learned your craft and whomever you were emulating and sort of incorporated it into yourself, that's who you became and that's what you're bringing to the table. You have a lot to leave behind because you can see things that the other person or the person who's just entering the workforce has no clue about whatsoever. And we all know through time that things sort of resurface and recycle. Yes, right? Nothing is new, it's just strapped differently. Um, I was on a panel recently and they were talking about this, and they were and and the question was about AI leadership. And I was saying that this is kind of like we started with the dot-com era. Yes, it was new, it was fancy, it was great, it was amazing. The large institutions didn't take it serious, and then suddenly these dot commers were winning all these contracts. Then they got nervous, and then they said we better pay attention. Yep, and then it became mainstream, and then you don't even hear about it. If anything, you just hear about the dot-com bust. That's right.com boom. That's right. But to me, that's what AI is very similar to.

Donald 15:28

Okay.

Legacy Mindset And Knowledge Transfer

Lisa 15:29

Then we go to the internet, it was scary. Nobody knew, people were not embracing it. You have the early adopters, you have the ones who are a little bit later on. Everything kind of comes full circle. Now we're in AI. Pretty soon that's not gonna be a thing of the past, too, until the next thing comes along. Yep. Be open, embrace it, take it for what it is. I'll say this. I started out in marketing. I'm a people person, I like to talk. I'm a bit of a chatty Kathy, right? Marketing back in the day used to be about product pace, position, and I can't think of the fourth P. So embarrassing. But anyway, those four Ps, but you're dealing with people, you're connecting with people. Then it turned into algorithms. Yeah, I'm not about an algorithm, I'm about a person. I want to talk to Donald, see where he is, see what he needs, what's gonna work for his team and his organization, and it's gonna be a win-win for both of us, right? Yeah, so then I shifted into employee engagement. It wasn't HR. HR is policy driven for the organization and is protecting the organization at all costs. Definitely needed, right? But engagement is about empowering people, yeah, giving them a voice, whether they have a position or don't have a position, and making them feel like they really are part of the whole and making the organization great. Yes, it's still the same thing, it's just something different.

Donald 17:00

Yeah, right? I'm I'm so glad you're saying this because what what as I'm sitting here and I'm engaged in this conversation with you, and I'm seeing your passion, right? And I'm seeing it flow out. But what comes to me is I'm a spiritual guy. So what you just said to me was a threefold cord is not easily broken. That matter, yes. So everything that you said to me in in our 10 minutes of this conversation from the different generations all working together is if we're willing to open ourselves up, yes, and one person, let's say that has all the domain, if they're willing to reach back and impart that into someone else, yeah, and then allow that person to impart it in someone else below them, we can keep this cycle of life and everything flowing because it's not being hoarded, right? So thank you. I just summed it up, but it's so powerful because the cord is never broken, it's cyclical, it just keeps happening.

Lisa 18:10

So it just keeps happening. Remember, Jesse Jackson said that a thousand years ago, each one, teach one, and that's kind of what this premise is all about. You don't take that information and sharing it with somebody else takes nothing away from Donald and his expertise, his domain knowledge, his wisdom, and all the things that he brings to the planet. It just shifts it into a different way, right? Yep. We all get a cake mix. It doesn't mean that my cake is gonna taste like your cake. Why does your cake, why is your red velvet cake so moist and mine just tastes like it is?

Donald 18:50

Yeah. You know what's so powerful about what you just said? I'm loving this conversation. I can tell you right now that this is not gonna go for all normal time because you you you mentioned about uh Jesse Jackson, each one, teach one, right? Do you realize that that actual statement came was spoken by another person in 1948, 1949? Not surprising. But that you just that's the whole point right there. That is exactly what you just said. Yes, exactly. And that's that's what's so powerful about the times that we're living in. And you just open my eyes to because of all the generations working together, we actually get to experience this together. This is, in my opinion, I think it's like the first time in history that this is literally happening where we're all conversing, converging together. Together, yes, all at the same time. But it's actually it goes back biblical and before the let's not go there, let's not go there, don't do it for the sake of this conversation, let's not go there.

AI, Dot-Com Parallels, And Openness

Lisa 20:07

Yes, it's the real thing. When you sit at the feet of masters and you hear what they have to say, if it resonates with you, yes, and they delivered in a way that is palatable, yeah, and you can embrace it, you're holding on to every word, you're soaking it up like a sponge, and you cannot wait to you know peek it out and share it with other people.

Donald 20:30

Yes, and that that okay. I'm gonna respond to this because what you just said is a powerful life principle. Yeah, the moment you receive agape, you cannot hold on to agape. Agape is meant to be shared, and agape comes in the form of knowledge, it comes in the form of wisdom, it comes in the form of empathy, compassion. Do you understand what I'm saying? So all encompassing exactly, and we we have 6,000 years of history that shows that that chain has been flowing in the earth, no matter what is going up or down, it's been there. That's right, Lisa. All right, girl. That's why EQ is powerful. Yes, yes, it is. All right, you went there. What makes EQ powerful? What's the premise behind EQ that makes it powerful? Empathy. Go deeper. No, I'm not letting you off the hook on that one. Go deeper.

Lisa 21:42

You said biblical humans at the end of the directive, yes, the ideology, yes, the command, the mandate, yeah. They're trying to get to the goal. We're all trying to get to the goal. My style might be a little different than your style. And if underneath the surface, then there's surface things that you see. Yes. And there's beneath the surface things that you don't see. You can't look at me and tell that I'm divorced. Right? Right. There's things you don't see. There's things that are leading. And one of the things that any of my friends and clients will say is Lisa always says, Well, tell me the backstory. Yeah. What do you know beyond the obvious? Yes. Did they get cut off in traffic? Are they going through a divorce? Did something happen with their boss before they came in barking orders at you? If we can give people the benefit of the doubt before we make a judgment, it'll make life easy for all parties concerned. Both of us can't be barking at the same time. Yes. What's really going on here? And I have this rule that I talk about and I call it the pause because I am a Chatty Kathy. And earlier in my life, I used to love to say my part. And I want to say your part too. And especially if I think it's taking you too doggone long to get to the point. I'm ready to move on. So I'm going to fill in the blanks. And I haven't given you the opportunity to say what you need to say. That's off putting. And pretty soon you just sit back and say, well, she's not going to listen anyway. So I'm not going to bother to do her. That affects you personally and it affects you professionally. Yes. It takes a minute to figure it out. That's all part of EQ, right? Yes. At the end of the day. So if I pause, or if I say, if you said to me, Lisa, wait, first of all, I'm going to start smiling because that is my parenthetical pause. It's like, wait, why am I talking? There you go.

Donald 24:03

Nice.

Lisa 24:03

And give the person the floor so what they can say. So I'm looking, I'm intent. I'm giving you 110% of my time, my attention, and respect. So that I can hear what you're saying.

Empathy Deep Dive And The Sacred Pause

Donald 24:18

Yes. I I appreciate what you just said, and I thank you for sharing about the pause. Because in previous generations, very few of us paused. That's sort of in reality. Because we were we were just trying to survive, right? I mean, I think that's the mindset.

Lisa 24:38

Right.

Donald 24:39

I now call that pause, I call it sacred. Because in that moment, you're inviting the divine in. You see, so EQ is helping us get to that place where we can pause and invite the divine in. What what do you say? What are your thoughts on just that? Adding sacred to the pause.

Lisa 25:09

Well, I've got on a turtleneck long sleeve, so you can't see, but I got gooseies. Yeah. Because that's who I am as a person, so that resonates with me. Yes. It's the same thing as weight, translated through Donald's eyes, ears, and voice. Yeah. But I I receive it. Yeah. It's real. It's real. Isn't it beautiful? Like it's amazing, but everybody's not connected.

Donald 25:37

Oh, now we're gonna go somewhere just because you said that.

Lisa 25:42

When you recognize that that connection doesn't exist, you can't necessarily speak in that language because they can't receive it. Yes. It doesn't resonate. So for me, EQ is about who am I? What do I do? And what do I need? What happens to me when I get emotionally hijacked and how can I still function? Right? We're coaches. I'm also a trainer and a consultant. There's been many times where the video equipment didn't work, the audio equipment. You mean like earlier in Alcalzing? Yeah. I can still keep moving. And it doesn't disrupt anything. I acknowledge it, I figure it out, I make it happen. I have these little vials of lavender essential oil. I'll open it up and I'll inhale it. It smells good to me, and it also brings me back and centers me at the same time. That's what I do when I get emotionally hijacked. So part of this and part of EQ is what do we do when it feels like the world has slipped us a banana pill? And we still need to function when we really want to pound our fist. Yes. Or punch the person or scream or shout or swear or what have you. What do you do when all hell is breaking loose and you still have to show up and you still have to smile and you still have to produce, and there's still people who are depending on you to get things done and/or accomplished. So what do we do? Acknowledge it. Come on now. Figure out what do I need, which is what I just explained. What I need to know is okay, this is not working for me. Let me get my lavender so I can get centered, yes, so I can get back on. Those are the tools that I use for myself. Yes. And then I'm able to think. Yes. And I can pivot. And when you are a facilitator, when you are a coach, anytime you're doing things where you're helping people beyond where they are, you have to be ready to pivot as often as possible because it's not one size fits all. And I think as coaches, we like that because we don't want one size fits all. Yes. We don't like one-dimensional anything because nobody is. Yes. So I take components and pieces of different trainings that work and resonate with me. And I sort of put them together and I parse them out according to whom I'm dealing with and what the situation happens to be.

Donald 28:29

Did I answer the question? Oh, of course you did. But you also let people know about tools.

Lisa 28:36

Tools are important. Yes. It's not just I've been emotionally hijacked, but what do I do for myself? Some people put their headsets on and they're gonna listen to some music. Some people get up and go for a walk. You can't go up and go for a walk when your boss has just barked orders at you, right? But there are things that you can do. Take a deep breath, right, and sigh, excuse yourself and go to the ladies or the men's room, and what that's what I call my prayer closet. And you say what you need to say so you can get centered again. Take a walk. If you're in person and you're in an environment where there's an in-person opportunity with someone that you're not necessarily enamored with at the moment, and they've hit you to a point where it's not going to be a good relationship pretty soon. See if there's a possibility to take a walk outside of the building. In my place, I live in the Bay Area, and so Oakland has Lake Merritt, beautiful place. Along Lake Merritt, there's different places where there's like ice cream shops and coffee shops and all of that. We'd pop in and go get an ice cream cone. Who's not happy about having an ice cream cone? You are diffused, you almost forgot what you're upset about. And then once you do remember, you're able to identify the key points. Here's the challenge that we're dealing with, so-and-so. Here's the pattern. This happened on Tuesday, this happened last week, and it happened 15 minutes, and I was on deadline. And as a result, it's making me feel like that you don't value our relationship. Something else is going on. You're able to speak in a manner that humanizes you and them. You're not pointing the finger without also taking responsibility of the other fingers pointing back at you. You get to speak, they get to speak, and you're having ice cream and you're walking. So you're getting healthy and you're having sugar all at the same time.

Tools For Emotional Hijack Recovery

Donald 30:42

So, Lisa. We just talked about the sacred pause. Yeah. And now you just brought into the fact of tools. I call them the ones that we acknowledge that we know that does something that transitions us out of being hijacked into that place where we can be. So you just identified I'm gonna call it what I call it, sacred tools. See, I'm putting sacred before them because with a sacred tool, it brings divine in. Yeah. And see, that walk would have just been an ordinary walk. But because of the pause and the walk, now you're inviting something bigger than both of you into the conversation. Right? And ice cream, it's just ice cream. It's just ice cream. But when divine is in it, it's more than ice cream. Do you understand what I'm saying? And I I love that you've been practicing this and you've been doing this. And this is what I'm talking about the convergence of us imparting this into anyone. And they may not be awakened. I love that you said that, because not everybody is awaken. But because we are, let's just say, emotionally stable, right? What's the level? Like we're E9. Is that what it would be? Like we're at the top of the pendulum. That doesn't mean we don't honor the person that's at the bottom of the pendulum.

Lisa 32:38

Well, that's part of EQ is recognizing. There it is. This is me, and this is Donald. And it's okay. We both have something to bring to the table. Donald has something that Lisa doesn't have. Yes. And let's embrace it. Let me hear it and let it be shown. But there's different ways and personalities. Yes. And this is probably how I'm going to finalize all of this. When you think about you've got people who have dominant personalities, you have people who are introverts. You have people who talk to the hand and they're methodical and systematic. They don't have no time for dilly-dally. And they want you to get straight to the point. Don't tell them a damn story. Come with the facts. These are the people that you come to and say, Well, I can't find so-and-so and so-and-so. You have to lead with them with what did you do before you came, because respect is at a very minimum with them. And you lose all credibility if you haven't done your homework before you come to them.

Donald 33:40

Yes.

Lisa 33:41

These are usually the accountants, the finance people, the compliance folks, anybody who wants to get things done right and they can cite every rule, every nuance, every, you know, here to for and what for. And if you're not on it, get out of the way. Yeah. Who am I dealing with? And then you speak to them accordingly. You can't go to one of those folks and have a sacred conversation because they can't quantify it.

Donald 34:15

Yeah. Agree. So I'm taking two words out of this part of our interview here. You you said two powerful words, and I want people to leave with those words. We're not done yet. But the first thing you said was acknowledge.

Lisa 34:33

Acknowledge is huge.

Donald 34:34

And then you just gave us another nugget. You said recognize. Yes. So out of this, acknowledge to me is ownership. Take ownership, right? Yes. Yes. Of yourself first, because that's the only thing that you can control.

Lisa 34:51

That's right.

Donald 34:51

And then out of that ownership, we can recognize what's going on around us and adapt. Correct. All right, Lisa. At this stage of your life and work where you are right now, what helps you stay grounded? I know you gave us a synopsis of your sacred tools, but what is that driving force underneath the tools, underneath EQ, underneath all that you do that keeps you grounded when outcomes are uncertain and the pressure is high? God. Say more.

Lisa 35:35

We are all guided by a higher force that's bigger than us. That is unknown, unseen, but all-knowing and all doing and all being. If you surrender, I am my challenge is wanting to control my situations. And as soon as I get out of the way, the things happen and the floodgates open. And so my faith is strong. That is the guiding force. It's bigger, it's bigger than me. I smile a lot. Yes. And people often say, Why are you smiling all the time? What do you have to be so happy about? Yeah, this morning all these things. It's a choice. Someone just asked me last week, Lisa, how is it that you're able to do? I said, because I choose to stay in high vibration. That's my jam, Donald. That's awesome. High vibration for me in all things. If you're coming at me to me, want to share with me things that are putting hand grenades in my space, in my world, in my realm, I am going to push you away. Respectfully, we can't have that conversation. A dear friend that I've had for 20 years was trying to talk politics. And I said, respectfully, this is the end of this conversation. Yeah. I can't go there with you. Let's talk about this, that, and the other. Yeah. But let's keep this out of the conversation because it shouldn't be the impetus for our connection of who we are. Yeah.

Donald 37:14

Well said. Now you just gave another word. I just picking up on your words. All right. So we have acknowledge. Right. We have recognize. Yes. And you just said surrender. Surrender. That that's no, no, come on now. Come on.

Lisa 37:34

So anybody to be under the notion that it's overnight. Come on. When you've done all you can do. When you've done all you can do. There's so many songs. All the songs from my grandmother.

Donald 37:48

Oh, the now the other gen the other generation. That's right. That's so right. That's so right.

Recognize Personalities And Adapt

Lisa 37:55

Everything you're not supposed to understand everything. Yes, that's so right. If you can help somebody and it's not gonna take away from you and your bottom line, give it a try. It doesn't mean people are supposed to take advantage of you. Yeah.

Donald 38:12

Oh my goodness.

Lisa 38:14

My kindness is not a weakness. Oh, never.

Donald 38:19

All right. This conversation is going in a lot of different directions. But but it's all has a common thread. And that's it really does. That's what's beautiful about this.

Lisa 38:31

At the end of the day, empathy.

Donald 38:33

Yeah. So Lisa, we've been talking about at the chapter, we've been trying to get people to like truly understand what is wholeness. So I would like for you to define what does wholeness mean to you? And how do you help others get to that place of being whole in themselves? That's a good question. I like it. Oh, wait, did y'all catch the pause, the sacred pause there? I just want the audience to know that that was a perfect example of a sacred pause. Did you get it? Go ahead, continue on.

Lisa 39:17

Yeah. Because when something's thought-provoking, yeah, and it means something, you don't just want to spark out something that doesn't really mean what you intended. For me, wholeness is again recognizing who I am as a person. The gifts that I have to share. Yes. Being as genuine and authentic as I possibly can. This is me. Yes. This is me. You see me if you talk to 10 people who know me, know me well, you'll hear, you'll hear that in some shape, form, or fashion. Earlier this week I sent a group chat to some friends that I woke up feeling really grateful.

Donald 40:08

Yeah.

Lisa 40:08

And I was proud that one of the things that I bring to the planet is that you can count on me. I recognize my griffs, haven't always known how to use them at their best because they either scared me because they seemed consuming, or I was told that's too much. So then I would acquiesce and dim my light. Lisa no longer dims her light for anyone or anybody or any place or any space. This is me, 2.0, and I'm proud. I'm human. Wholeness means knowing who I am, what I bring to the table, that I'm flawed, but my intentions are honorable. I'm true, I'm authentic, and I'm real. That's what wholeness means to me.

Donald 41:08

Wow, there's so much in this. Such beauty. I'm sitting in this, and and and this for me is good because I truly enjoy my conversations that I have with people in this podcast because at the end of the day, what we find out is we're all the same. Truly. And and if we're listening, we can truly find out we're all the same. Right. And and I love how you just articulated wholeness. Because at the end of the day, there's something bigger that's holding us all together. Something larger. So I want to end this wonderful interview. And I know you touched on some of this now, but I I really want you to just put the cherry on top of that ice cream doing the walk, okay? Like finalize this with the cherry. So as you reflect on your personal journey from birth to where you are today.

Lisa 42:18

Oh, you're going deep.

Donald 42:19

Yes, I am. What do you hope people will feel when they're in your presence?

Lisa 42:27

Oh, that's easy. All right. It's also part of my tagline. They should feel empowered. They should feel energized. And they should feel enlightened.

Grounding In Faith And High Vibration

Donald 42:39

So let me summarize that. Acknowledge. Recognize, surrender, empowered, right? Energized. Correct. And enlightened. Correct. And I drop the mic. No, actually, that's exactly the journey that we just went on in this interview.

Lisa 43:06

Thank you. I appreciate that.

Donald 43:08

And and I am so thankful that we got together today and for sharing some of your time with me today. Appreciate it.

Lisa 43:18

I appreciate it. It was wonderful. My pleasure.