Show Notes: erickrheam.com/098

What does it really mean to "find your voice"? In this episode, Erick sits down with master voice coach, author, and musician Barbara McAfee to explore how we show up, communicate, and connect.

This conversation goes beyond communication tactics—it dives into identity, self-expression, and the hidden power of how we sound. Barbara breaks down how your voice is not fixed, but a dynamic tool that can be developed, expanded, and aligned with your purpose.

If you've ever felt like you're holding back or not being fully heard, this episode will challenge how you think about your voice—and what's possible when you unlock it.

• Your voice is not fixed. It can be developed and expanded over time.
• How you say something matters just as much as what you say.
• You have more vocal range and flexibility than you think.
• Limiting beliefs often restrict how you express yourself.
• Your voice reflects your identity and influences your impact.
• Expression is a skill that improves through intentional practice.

This week, pay attention to how you communicate:

• Notice your tone in different situations
• Experiment with how you say things—not just what you say
• Ask yourself: Am I choosing my voice, or defaulting to it?

Barbara is a master voice coach, author, keynote speaker, and singer/songwriter who merges lessons from 12 years in organization development with the transformative power of sound.

Her bestselling book, Full Voice, is based on her 25+ years as a voice coach, supporting people from many professions to find their voice, whatever that means to them.

Since 2013 she has been certifying other Full Voice coaches to carry the sacred work of "midwifing voices" into full expression. Her approach shifts the way people think about and use their voices forever.

Her TEDx talk on Full Voice has received over 100,000 views.

Barbara has produced eight CDs of mostly original music and is founder of the Morning Star Singers, a volunteer hospice choir in the Twin Cities.

She lives up the street from the wild and scenic St Croix River in St Croix Falls, Wisconsin, USA

Website: https://barbaramcafee.com
TED Talk: Bringing Your Full Voice to Life
Books: Full Voice | Vocal Intelligence

Your voice is more than a tool—it's a gateway to your identity, influence, and impact. When you learn to fully express it, you don't just communicate better—you show up differently.

1. Subscribe to the podcast
2. Rise Above Chaos book
3. Work with Erick
4. Connect with Erick: erickrheam.com
5. Get the Rise Above Chaos Planner

• Find your voice

Show Notes: erickrheam.com/097

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Show Notes: erickrheam.com/096

One of the most powerful habits in the Rise Above Chaos system is surprisingly simple: write things down. In this episode, Erick explains how the act of physically writing your thoughts, goals, and vision can transform the way your brain processes ideas and recognizes opportunities.

Drawing from personal experience—including the moment he wrote down what a meaningful life looked like during a difficult season—Erick shares why putting pen to paper can shift your perspective, clarify your priorities, and activate momentum in your life.

• Why writing activates deeper cognitive processing in the brain
• How physically writing ideas strengthens neural pathways and memory
• Why writing down goals reduces mental clutter and increases focus
• The role of the Reticular Activating System (RAS) in recognizing opportunities
• Why ideas trapped in your head create stress and distraction
• How writing down your vision helps your brain detect opportunities around you
• Why Erick still relies on handwritten planning every day

When you write something down, your brain engages multiple regions at once—including language, memory, and motor function. This multi‑sensory engagement strengthens neural pathways and helps ideas become more concrete and memorable.

The brain has limited working memory. When goals remain in your head, they compete with dozens of other thoughts. Writing them down removes them from that mental loop and allows your brain to focus on execution instead of storage.

The Reticular Activating System filters the millions of pieces of information your brain processes every second. When you write down a goal or vision, your brain tags it as important and begins scanning your environment for opportunities connected to that goal.

Writing things down works because it strengthens neural pathways, clears mental space, and programs your brain to recognize opportunities. Sometimes the first step toward clarity and momentum is simply picking up a pen and putting your thoughts on paper.

What is one goal, vision, or idea that has been living in your head that you need to write down today?

The act of writing is more than organization—it's transformation. When you commit your thoughts to paper, you signal to your brain that this matters. And once that happens, everything begins to change.

1. Subscribe to the podcast
2. Rise Above Chaos book
3. Work with Erick
4. Connect with Erick: erickrheam.com
5. Get the Rise Above Chaos Planner

• Write down what a meaningful life looks like to you

Show Notes: erickrheam.com/095

Life doesn't always unfold the way we plan—and sometimes it hits hard. In this solo episode, Erick shares from personal experience and unpacks five practical principles to help you respond when life punches you in the gut. Whether you're dealing with sudden bad news, a setback, a loss, or a season that feels unfair, this episode will help you move from shock to stability, from confusion to clarity, and from setback to forward motion.

• Why "gut-punch moments" can knock you off your routines—and how to regain your footing quickly
• The difference between reacting emotionally and responding intentionally
• How to focus on what you can control when everything feels uncertain
• Why isolation makes hard seasons harder—and how to invite the right support in
• How to turn pain into perspective without pretending it doesn't hurt
• A simple way to take the "next right step" when you don't know what to do next
• How to rebuild with stronger boundaries, clearer priorities, and a more resilient mindset

Erick walks through five principles you can lean on when life takes an unexpected turn. These aren't clichés—they're stabilizing moves you can practice in real time.

Before you try to solve the entire situation, slow down long enough to regulate your body and emotions. Don't make permanent decisions in a moment of panic. Breathe, name what you're feeling, and give yourself permission to be human.

When life feels chaotic, your mind will race to the worst-case scenario. Erick encourages you to bring your focus back to what you can actually influence: your choices, your attitude, your schedule, and your next action. Ask: "What's the next controllable step?"

Hard seasons aren't meant to be carried alone. The goal isn't to perform strength—it's to access strength. Choose a few trusted people, tell the truth about what's going on, and let community do what community is designed to do: help you carry the weight.

There's a difference between meaning-making and minimizing. Erick shares how to look for what a season is teaching you—without forcing yourself to "move on" before you've processed what happened. The question becomes: "What do I want this to produce in me?"

Once the initial shock fades, the real work is rebuilding your life with better systems: clearer boundaries, stronger habits, healthier inputs, and priorities that reflect what matters most. You don't have to waste the pain—you can let it sharpen you.

When life punches you in the gut, the goal isn't to pretend you're fine—it's to respond with wisdom. If you stabilize first, focus on what you can control, invite support, learn at the right pace, and rebuild on purpose, you can move through a hard season without letting it define you.

What is the "gut-punch" you're facing right now—and what is one next controllable step you can take in the next 24 hours?

You don't need a perfect plan to move forward. You need steadiness, support, and one intentional step at a time. Hard seasons can break you—or they can build you. The difference is how you respond.

1. Subscribe to the podcast
2. Rise Above Chaos book
3. Work with Erick
4. Connect with Erick: erickrheam.com
5. Get the Rise Above Chaos Planner

• What can you control in the next 24 hours?

Show Notes: erickrheam.com/093

Grief is unavoidable—but it does not have to have the last word.

In this episode, Erick sits down with grief, trauma, and mental health coach Marcia Earhart, founder of The Sterling Rose Sanctuary.

Marcia shares her deeply personal story—including multiple significant losses—and the practical tools she uses to help people move from being "stuck" in grief to breathing, moving, and living again.

Together, they unpack what it means to give yourself permission to grieve, why "time heals all wounds" is a myth, how boundaries protect the grieving process, and what healthy support looks like for friends and family who want to help.

• Why permission to grieve is often the first breakthrough
• How to "schedule grieving" so emotions can be released without derailing daily life
• Simple practices that support healing: gratitude journaling, nature walks, and clean nutrition
• How internal vs. external grievers process loss differently—and how families can avoid fracturing
• Why the second year after a major loss is often the hardest, and how to prepare for "the firsts"
• What to say (and not say) to someone who is grieving—and why platitudes can be harmful
• How to set boundaries that protect your grief story, even with well-meaning people
• How grief can become a teacher that shapes purpose without defining your future

Marcia Earhart is a certified life, trauma, grief, brain, and mental health coach, mediator, author, and HeartSync minister. Her guidance is both professional and personal.

Having navigated the deaths of two sons within the last eleven years—one tragically murdered—she stands as a testament to God's faithfulness in the deepest valleys of grief, and now leads others in healing.

Her powerful new book, "Gripping Grace in the Garden of Grief," is a raw and vulnerable chronicle of devastating loss. More than a memoir, it is a lifeline, exploring the fragile threads of love and pain that hold us together and revealing the God-given hope that can rebuild a shattered life.

Marcia's mission extends beyond the page. As the co-founder of The Sterling Rose Sanctuary, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, she is boots-on-the-ground in the mental health crisis. She creates a safe, haven for the grieving to release their trauma and pain so they can Breathe again, Move again, and Live again. Her ministry reaches a diverse community across the United States and six other countries, standing as a powerful reminder that in deep sorrow, no one has to walk alone.

Marcia has been married to her best friend, Scott, for thirty-five years, and together they homeschooled and enjoyed raising their four boys and daughter. Marcia, Scott, and two of their adult children, who live nearby, love spending time together—whether it's making memories at the beach, traveling, playing games, having deep conversations, cooking, supporting their daughter's businesses, or supporting and listening to their son's music Rise Above Everything on Apple and Spotify.

1. Subscribe to the podcast
2. Rise Above Chaos book
3. Work with Erick
4. Connect with Erick: erickrheam.com
5. Get the Rise Above Chaos Planner
6. The Sterling Rose Sanctuary
7. Book: Gripping Grace and the Garden of Grief

• Give Yourself Permission to Grieve

Show Notes: erickrheam.com/092

As the calendar turns toward a new year, many people hope things will change—yet find themselves repeating the same patterns.

In this solo episode, Erick challenges listeners to move beyond vague resolutions and instead approach 2026 with intentionality, clarity, and purpose.

This conversation centers on three critical considerations that can help you break negative cycles, live more fruitfully, and design a year that actually looks different—in a meaningful way.

• Why hoping for a better year isn't enough—and what intentional living really requires
• How unexamined patterns quietly repeat themselves year after year
• The importance of defining what you want 2026 to produce—not just what you want to avoid
• Why clarity always precedes change
• How to identify the distractions, habits, or commitments that are keeping you stuck
• What it means to break negative cycles instead of managing them
• How small, focused decisions compound into a dramatically different year

In this episode, Erick walks through three foundational questions designed to help you step into 2026 with clarity and purpose. These questions are not about setting more goals—they're about creating alignment between your values, priorities, and daily decisions so the year produces lasting impact.

A different year does not happen by accident—it happens by design. When you slow down long enough to evaluate what truly matters, eliminate what no longer serves you, and commit to intentional action, you position yourself to experience growth instead of repetition. 2026 can be different—but only if you decide it will be.

If nothing changes in your thinking, habits, or priorities, what will 2026 actually look like—and what needs to change now to ensure it becomes the year you're hoping for?

You don't need a perfect plan to move forward—but you do need clarity, courage, and consistency. Let this episode be the starting point for a year defined not by chaos, but by intention and purpose.

1. Subscribe to the podcast
2. Rise Above Chaos book
3. Work with Erick
4. Connect with Erick: erickrheam.com
5. Get the Rise Above Chaos Planner

• Make 2026 different