I always like to say doing story work is like peeling an onion. 

As you go, you remove each layer, revealing more stories you have to tell. 

This is certainly the case with Becky Burroughs. When I first met Becky, she didn't think she had a story to tell. Like so many of the women I meet, she thought her story was worthless -- not important to tell. But as we began our work together, Becky began peeling back the layers of her onion. 

Now, Becky is one of the 14 authors who've come together to write their story in our community collaborative book, Elevate Your Voice.

And before the book has even officially published, Becky has already begun working with a publisher to write and publish her first solo book this year. 

Becky is on the move! Her work as a leadership coach for women in ministry has seemingly been set ablaze with passion as a result of Becky doing her own story work! 

Nowadays, you can find her live-streaming, creating Instagram reels,...

There are some people you cross in life who, no-matter-what, always make you feel better after being around them. This is Trainer Dane Boyle. 

Dane's magic touch is making people feel like anything is possible; whatever they are dreaming of is achievable. 

This health & wellness expert and life coach is all about positive empowerment. His key phrase is "go be amaZing!" 

Ever since Dane made his way into the LIGHTbeamers Community, and our Visibility Accelerator, we've watched him reach more and more people with his positive energy, candid stories, and dedication to helping others live their best lives. 

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APRIL: Let's start with a little introduction. Tell everyone a bit more about you & share a piece of your journey.

TRAINER DANE: Stop for a minute…
I want to share something with you.

Where I am today is not where I was yesterday.

Life is a 4-letter word. Yes it is. I have...

Before I met Madge Gillen, I did not have the slightly clue what Foot Zoning was. 

Do you?  Have you ever heard of this?

Madge was already a big part of the LIGHTbeamers Community and was sharing a lot about self love... when she began exploring her story deeper, and discovered a powerful healing modality that has quite literally changed her life! 

I've watched her enthusiasm and passion reach a whole new level. Her energy is infectious! 

I had to feature her this month so more of you could get to know this bubbly, superhuman. When she says "sunshine in my soul" -- you can feel it!

APRIL: Madge, I love how your story has evolved over time. Tell us a little bit about your journey!

MADGE: I was that person who would say “YES!” to everyone and everything. Before I knew it I was in the PTA, I was a room mom, I was a High School Cheer coach, I was on the Board of Dyslexia for the State of Utah, I was a Girls Scout Leader, I was a mom, a wife, a...

There's a story prompt I teach called,  "Trials to Triumph"... and this month's spotlight feature certainly fits that storyline. 

I first met Shannon Rafalowski when she attended our very first Storytelling Symposium in Dallas, Texas. 

I could sense immediately her story was raw and fresh. She was at the very beginning stage of healing from a 35+ year battle with an eating disorder and body image issues. 

She had just finished up her life coaching certification and was searching for a way to share her story in hopes of helping others. 

That was in May of 2019. 

Over the past 2 years, I've had a front row seat as Shannon has unraveled and rebuilt her life from the ground up.

This work isn't for the faint of heart, but it's worth it when you are able to look back on your story and see how beneficial it can be to share it with others. 

These days, Shannon pours her energy into her Tush Tribe Community, where she is helping women recover from their own...

There is something to be said about a woman's confidence and how it translate in the clothing she wears. When you walk into a room, sometimes how you carry yourself can be directly reflected in whether or not you feel good in what you are wearing! 

This is why I love the work of Melanie Wolff, a personal stylist who owns Your Confident Style. 

When Melanie first landed in the LIGHTbeamers Community, she was struggling to find her own confidence with being more visible and sharing her offerings to a larger audience. Putting some of her own advice to work, she started showcasing her style tips and putting on her best outfits to make herself feel more energized about getting Visible! 

And she really dove head first into Video -- showing up weekly during our Wednesday Live sessions to get more comfortable on camera! 

And it has all paid off! 

Today, Melanie has a thriving business and a growing social media presence helping other women dress with confidence. 

...

One of the best parts of the Lightbeamers Community is to see a woman burst onto the scene and then watch her rise!

Reaiah Cubero of ReeCreation Ministries first showed up during one of our Wednesday livestream days — she appeared quiet, nervous, unsure, yet concretely determined.

She stuck with it.

Week after week her confidence grew and her gorgeous storytelling unfolded.

She surprised us with her talents around spoken word poetry and artistic endeavors!

She’s passionate about mental health, and incredibly grounded in her faith.

She shows shows up regularly on live-streams on her various channels and is making a huge difference in this world, especially for other women who may also be struggling with mental health, conflicts around their faith, and identity crisis.

Take a minute to get to know her better in this months Lightbeamers Spotlight!!

APRIL: Tell us a little bit about your journey leading to the creation of ReeCreation Ministries?

REAIAH: It's...

I first met Louisa Garrett through a mutual friend on the internet. I was taken immediately by her enthusiasm, bright smile and laugh, and intense determination to "Make Kind Loud" 

Louisa is the epitome of a LIGHTbeamer because she uses her social media channels relentlessly to share her message of Kindness. 

She shows up LIVE every single day spreading a message of compassion and empathy toward others. You can't help but fall in love with Louisa within 2 seconds of meeting her. 

She's infectious.... and a powerful LIGHTbeamer leading the way to make this world a better place. 

I'm honored to feature her for this month's LIGHTbeamers Spotlight! 

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APRIL: You are the powerful creator behind The Kindness Summit and Make Kind Loud... tell me how that began. 

LOUISA: I started my "Kindness journey" nearly a decade ago. But before that, I was super sarcastic. I lived and breathed...

BRAND NEW FEATURE SEGMENT 
I'm thrilled to bring you a brand new feature to LIGHTbeamers -- a monthly community spotlight highlighting the story and journey of one of our resident LIGHTbeamers. 

INTRODUCING Susan Tomlinson
Susan first stepped into the spotlight at LIGHTbeamers during one of our annual storytelling challenges in the Fall of 2019. Immediately following the challenge, Susan joined our VIP membership, the Visibility Accelerator. 

What I noticed about Susan right away was her tenacity and consistency.
She was eager to learn, and willing to share her story! Every single month since she joined, Susan has showed up for every group strategy call and she's participated in all of our quarterly challenges and ongoing story prompts. I'm so impressed by her willingness to try things new and take action! 

I love an action taker -- and Susan is an action taker!

When I first had the idea to start these monthly Spotlight features, Susan immediately came to mind...

When I started LIGHTbeamers, my mission was to always bring positive, encouraging, important stories to the news feed. Using my own abilities as a journalist to do just that, I've always focused these Bright Light's spots on WOMEN....

But not today!

I'm interviewing these two wonderful men -- Cecil Stokes and his adopted son, Boone -- to share their incredible journey of hope and love.

If you need a pick-me-up-of-hope right now, their story just might do the trick.

Tune in!!