$Voices of Disruption with Deborah Olatunji - Alexa Cucchiara \/\ Disrupting HEALTH and WELLNESS$

Alexa Cucchiara \/\ Disrupting HEALTH and WELLNESS

11/30/20 • 45 min

Voices of Disruption with Deborah Olatunji

The ability to be grateful is something to be grateful for.How do you react in the face of adversity? Do you find ways to express your creativity in each passing week? What makes you happy? What thoughts from your childhood are being projected into your passions, paths, and everyday life?In this touching and insightful guest interview episode, Deborah sits down to chat with Alexa Cucchiara, a best-selling author and health and wellness blogger from New York City. After beating cancer at the age of 20, Alexa decided to dedicate her platforms to helping others find hope and perseverance. She is also a recent graduate of Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. They talk about having faith in especially challenging moments, how to stop withholding from living an authentic life, exploring options after graduating college in a pandemic, and how to escape the statements people say or we think as children. They also discuss pop culture, entrepreneurship, and views on manifestation.Then, they dive into hard conversations that creators face when things don’t go as planned...the art of the pivot. Deborah touches on how she met Alexa through their book publisher, New Degree Press, and some of the challenges that they both faced as newly published authors. Beyond making a disruption in health and wellness, Alexa is taking over the art and fashion scenes of New York in her own way, showing us that taking ownership over life is truly a matter of perseverance and hope.In this episode, you will hear from a member of Gen Z, (who recently turned 23!! We’ve celebrated two birthdays on the podcast) who has endured one of life’s hardest challenges and is using her story of survival to inspire people all over the world. This interview focuses on the importance of acknowledging your small wins, spreading kindness, and being true to yourself. If you're looking for a heartfelt conversation on dealing with the feeling of never being “done,” finding a sense of direction when everything continues to change, and reshaping your perspective in times of struggle, disappointment, worry, pain, and doubt, then this episode is definitely for you!Guest Biography:Born and raised in New York City, Alexa Cucchiara is a commissioned artist, author, designer, entrepreneur, health and wellness advocate, speaker, and storyteller. Early in her career, she found her unique upbringing to propel her to study at The Art Students League of New York and Fashion Institute of Technology during her childhood, fostering her passion for art and design. In high school, she had her illustrations published on covers and inside Creative Outlook, and used her creativity to drive her entrepreneurial spirit and launched a jewelry business, One Twist Co.Today, Alexa is a graduate of Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, Magna Cum Laude, and a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. She recently published her first book, Power to Persevere: Inspiring Stories to Help You Get Through Challenging Moments which debuted as a Best Seller and #1 in Teen & Young Adult Diseases, Illnesses, and Injuries, Teen & Young Adult Physical Impairment, and Teen & Young Adult Body, Mind & Spirit on Amazon.After surviving cancer at a young age, Alexa has found a deep passion in influencing others to live their best life despite their own misfortunes. She believes in the beauty of balance and the magic of taking control of your health. She uses her platform to encourage and motivate others to live their life to the fullest despite their unforeseen circumstances and helps others work through their own obstacles.You can find her on Instagram @alexacuc and on her website - https://alexacuc.com/Connect with Deborah Olatunji on In

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$undefined - Part 2: Building Strong Friendships, Adulting, and Living Alone \/\ Disrupting COLLEGE in a PANDEMIC$

Part 2: Building Strong Friendships, Adulting, and Living Alone \/\ Disrupting COLLEGE in a PANDEMIC

What does growing up mean to you? Have you ever accidentally washed your debit card...or created your own budget for a grocery trip by yourself? How do you build new relationships in an environment that is entirely new to you? Are you friends with yourself?The pandemic has certainly changed the way we see many areas of our lives. Human connection is needed more than ever before...but how can we achieve a level of authenticity in the virtual spaces we interact with daily? Without the convenience of a hallway or living in the same state, creating real friendships has been a challenge for students this school year. In this episode, Deborah continues her reflection on her first semester in terms of making friends, navigating COVID restrictions, and learning more about independence. She plays a lightning round of her favorite game, We're Not Really Strangers, and answers the question, "What lesson took you the longest to unlearn?" She also dives deeper into the social scene on campus and how the lack of collective responsibility has affected the Philadelphia community. She also talks about the importance of building a strong friendship with yourself or "self-friendship" in order to fully understand how to create authentic connections with others. If you have also been struggling to make friends or build community this semester, know that you are not alone. If you're looking for ways to start building strong friendships that have a real foundation as well as one with yourself, then this is the episode for you!! We're more powerful when we're in community with each other. Let's disrupt together now!Resources mentioned:Book - We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships by Kat VellosConversational Game/"Market Research": We're Not Really Strangers by KoreenConnect with Deborah Olatunji on Instagram ~ @deb_olatunjiThe Voices of Disruption Website: www.deboraholatunji.com/podcast

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$undefined - Learning How to Celebrate Joy in Success and Failure, Showing Up Big Instead of Playing Small \/\ Disrupting Mindsets$

Learning How to Celebrate Joy in Success and Failure, Showing Up Big Instead of Playing Small \/\ Disrupting Mindsets

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What are you more afraid of, failure or success? And why?The deeper answer to the second question will surprise you! In this episode, Deborah sits down to talk about the power of our joy and what it means to acknowledge and honor it. She also shares the words of Joel Leon and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to discuss what understanding the intersection between success and failure. In 2020, there has been so many moments of grief, sadness, tragedy, and disappointment. This episode deals with what expressions of gratitude look like in a time like this...and how to share that joy with others. Deborah also shares some of her frustrations on her journey to becoming an author, what Unleashing Your Innovative Genius means now nine months after its publication, how the pivot in the pandemic shifted her view towards celebration, and how the creations that we bring to life find ways to bring a fuller life out of us. It is important to understand what matters to you and have outlets to share your perspective.If you're looking for a space to talk about how to react to the successes of those around you, build a legacy, and learn how to define success and failure for yourself, then this is the episode for you!Share your stories of success and failure! Follow me on Instagram ~ @deb_olatunjiThe Voices of Disruption Website: www.deboraholatunji.com/podcast