Julia Gentry is the Founder of The Dream Factory and Co & author of a best-selling book in Christian Leadership, Dream-I Dare You.

Despite starting her professional career in real estate, then being completely burned out in her early 30’s, only to experience a “Midlife Awakening.”…Julia can say that today, she is truly ‘LIVING THE DREAM.’

As a national speaker, author, business owner, growth coach, wife, and homeschool mom to FIVE, Julia knows what it takes to BRIDGE THE GAP.

The Dream Factory & Co. was founded on the vision to awaken dreamers everywhere by giving them the tools to bridge the gap between where they are, and where they want to be.

Things we talked about in this episode: 

• How to define dreaming
• How to establish a dream bigger than your life to live for
• Number one reason people say they’re not living their dream
• The hardest thing she’s overcome in her journey thus far
• Being content with current life while reaching for our dreams

Connect With Julia Gentry:

Website: https://thejuliagentry.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejuliagentry

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thejuliagentry/featured

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejuliagentry

Anika is a mother, community volunteer, philanthropist, marketing and communications professional, podcast host, and graduate adjunct professor at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. As a marketer, she has done it all including experiential marketing/ event production, launch marketing, public relations, digital, and influencer throughout her multiple decade career.

In Anika’s newest role, she is VP of Operations for Full Capacity Marketing, a full service agency focused on uplifting workforce development and educational institutions.

Anika is the founder of Your Brand Amplified®, a popular podcast dedicated to all things marketing, public relations, and entrepreneurship, and creator of The Brand Amplifier program for small business owners and entrepreneurs to develop and strengthen their branding, marketing, and PR strategies.

She is a member of the Intuit Small Business Council; the Advisory Board for the Women in Leadership program for UCSB’s PaCE; founding board member of Learn Grow Lead; and Assistant VP for National Charity League’s Pier Chapter. Her newest philanthropic endeavor is as a board member for the InfluenceHers Foundation.

Things we talked about in this episode:

• What are some of your best examples of brand amplification?

• Just how important are media features to amplifying your brand?

• Paid ads vs organic traffic? 

• and much more…

Connect With Anika Jackson:

Website: https://yourbrandamplified.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amplifywithanika

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amplifywithanika

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikajackson

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amplifywithanika

Resistance is normal and expected when we experience something new or go through some type of change.

Since the change process requires extra effort from us, for example more energy, and more brain power, resistance can provoke physical feelings of discomfort like tiredness and slowed movement patterns. 

So the trouble with resistance is that it takes away a tremendous amount of our energy. For example, an easier way to explain resistance is to consider an example of a person in a crowded market, struggling to go from one shop to another. And resistance shows up in some form or another for everyone, including all of my clients and myself. 

Always remember that whatever we focus on, we fuel it and it will grow.

So when we resist an emotion, we make it stronger. But if we embrace resistance, we are ready to transform resistance and resistance can even be a powerful tool to help propel us to higher levels.

There are usually three most common situations where resistance usually comes up:

1. We feel there is not enough time: well, schedule it.  Maybe that will mean you will set aside 30 minutes in the day to dedicate to learning and completing your actions towards your goal. 
2. We simply feel the resistance. There will be challenges, and challenges in life are inevitable. But I encourages you to show up and play full out! Set Your Intentions first It is important to start with knowing what you wish to get out of the experience. Intentions help to create more clarity, especially when the seed is planted right before you start. Write down your intentions for starting your project or goal. What do you hope to leave with by the end of? Instead of focusing on the resistance itself, focus on having fun breaking through the resistance. 
3. We feel low in motivation: Remember why you started this quest in the first place, apply what you learn immediately, and know that practice and celebrating the little victories are key to keeping up momentum. When in doubt, revisit your intentions and the commitment you made at the beginning. 

Resistance can actually be a key to growth, as it often provides us with opportunities to learn, to adapt, and to grow. Here are some ways you can use resistance as a key to growth:

1. Embrace discomfort: When we encounter resistance, it can be uncomfortable and challenging. However, rather than avoiding discomfort, embrace it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Recognize that discomfort is a natural part of the growth process, and that by pushing through it, you will emerge stronger and more resilient.
2. Develop resilience: Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and challenges. It is an important trait to develop when facing resistance. Practice resilience by maintaining a positive attitude, seeking support from others, and focusing on solutions rather than problems.
3. Identify your limiting beliefs: Often, resistance arises from our own limiting beliefs about ourselves or the situation. Identify these beliefs and challenge them. Ask yourself if they are really true, and if they are holding you back from achieving your goals.
4. Learn from failure: Failure can be a powerful teacher. Rather than seeing failure as a sign of weakness or inadequacy, use it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Identify what went wrong, and use that knowledge to improve and try again.
5. Seek feedback: When facing resistance, seek feedback from others. This can help you gain new perspectives, identify areas for improvement, and develop new skills.

By using resistance as a key to growth, we can develop new skills, gain new perspectives, and become more resilient. Rather than seeing resistance as a roadblock, embrace it as an opportunity to learn and grow, and you will emerge stronger and more confident.