{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":" 011: Soness Stevens: Practicing Compassion to Learn to Read the Air","description":"Never miss an episode of weekly inspiration from Simple Change. Subscribe now through iTunes, or Stitcher, or listen to an episode here. Soness Stevens remembers growing up with a childhood dream of being a ninja. She takes us along, with her amazing story-telling ability, from her younger years moving frequently in the US to her now home in Japan. She shares personal stories of connection with her brother Chris, her \u201cNinja Master.\u201d His words of \u201cNinjas Never Give Up,\u201d seemed to be the driving force that never allowed her to quit through her tough childhood\u2026and perhaps even beyond. She offers a story of being hurt and wanting to confide in her Barbie, who felt completely unrelated-able, with her unfading smile. Soness\u2019 spiritual path began to be evident to her following an interview for a paper products company in Florida, in her early 20\u2019s. She saw herself walking into an industry that would lock her in a direction that did not feel progressive. After turning down a lucrative job offer, she decided to get her MBA at Harvard. For her to be able to specialize in what she was pursuing, she needed to be fluent in Japanese. This required a year\u2019s studies in Japan. While in Japan, she became Japan\u2019s first Feng Shui consultant, as well as the English voice of Hello Kitty. Following her realization that she needed more than a year to truly learn Japanese and the Japanese culture, Soness decided to make Japan her \u201calways\u201d home. She has lived there now for 20 years. Since then, Soness has built a life teaching connection and compassion through public speaking. She has a nationally broadcast television show, as well as a career as a university professor. She walks both students and coaching clients through their personal \u201cSpeaking Journeys\u201d and teaches them how to create TED\/TEDx worthy speeches. She helps them to define core thesis\u2019 and to find value to offer to others. Soness is also a TEDx speaker and speaker coach for other speakers. As a global communicator has done multiple TEDx speeches herself. She incorporates connection and compassion to all of her lessons teaching others to recognize the \u201coneness\u201d and similarities we all share. Additionally, she describes the Japanese method of \u201creading the air\u201d to integrate the intuitive nature that once was so commonplace in the Japanese culture. You can see one of her talks here. She also took time to share about her latest online teaching program, \u201cHow to Create a TED Worthy Application,\u201d helping others to get their messages out to the world. More than anything though, Soness describes her process of \u201cteaching others to be at home with themselves.\u201d Her heart is huge and her commitment to the success of others is to be appreciated and valued. Take a moment to listen. You will be inspired and your heart will be warmed from her truly amazing journey to where she is now. To learn more about Soness Stevens and her life changing work, please contact her via email at sonessstevens@gmail.com or on her website www.yourspeakingjourney.com. Sources Mentioned in the Podcast Your Speaking Jouney- Coaching with Soness Taoism Connect and Follow Soness Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn ","author_name":"Simple Change","author_url":"http:\/\/www.MannafestLiving.com","html":"