Dream Big Podcast for Kids

One of the world's most inspiring humans, Erik Weihenmayer, is back on the Dream Big Podcast. Erik lost his vision by the age of 13, but he resisted the idea that blindness would sweep him to the sidelines of life. He's the first blind person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, the world's tallest peak. He also kayaked the entire 277-miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon -- among many other feats. We've heard from a lot of Big Dreamers in our audience who continue to struggle with this pandemic, which is becoming more of a concern right now as cases are surging here in the United States and across the globe. I know a lot of kids (and adults) are scared right now, so I decided to reach out to Erik and ask him to share his thoughts on how to stay calm and how to avoid unnecessary panic during these difficult times. Climbing to the peak of Mt Everest and solo kayaking the Grand Canyon both require you to be in peak physical condition, but more importantly require tremendous mental strength. That fact that Erik accomplished these feats without eyesight is truly remarkable, and I can not think of anyone on the planet more qualified to answer a question about how to stay calm under pressure and push forward when the going gets tough. Not surprisingly, Erik delivered a brilliant answer that we all need to hear right now. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/225

Have you ever been in the car in a rush to get to your destination, and hit a red light at practically every intersection along the way. And on other days, you might take the same route and enjoy green lights all the way without having to stop once. Matthew McConaughey talks about how to catch more greenlights in life in his new memoir, which is one of the most celebrated books of 2020 and appropriately titled "Greenlights." We've listened to Matthew brilliantly discuss the concept of Greenlights on this book tour, and Eva loves to share when complex subjects about life can be broken down into a memorable analogy. In this episode, Eva dives deep into the analogy that is the center of Matthew's philosophy of life. We believe that understanding and applying this analogy in your life can help you reach your big dreams, and do so without as many stops along the way. Thank you Matthew for giving the world this gift, and if anyone has a connection to Matthew McConaughey, please let him know that Eva will give him the green light to be a guest on the Dream Big Podcast at any time :) Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/224

It is hard to believe we are celebrating 4 years of the Dream Big Podcast this month. Eva started Dream Big when she was just 7 years old, and we can safely say that helping Eva launch the podcast was the best parenting decision we ever made. We are obviously blown away by all the incredible guests she has interviewed. Truth be told, it is surreal to sit next to your daughter as she has thoughtful one-on-one conversations with Mark Cuban, Dr. Shefali, General Stanley McCrystal, Bethany Hamilton, and Kobe Bryant. But what gives us the most pride is the commitment Eva has shown to bring our listeners a new episode every Monday for the past 4 years. There are times when we are going out of town and we need to batch record a handful of episodes, or Eva is not feeling well but still sits down to record in order to hit an important deadline. In this special anniversary episode, Eva shares her secret to publishing a new episode every Monday, week-after-week, year-after-year. Eva, we are so proud of you and the tremendous effort you put into the podcast. You are an inspiration to all the Big Dreamers, and also to your family! Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/223

The Iron Cowboy is back on the Dream Big Podcast! James Lawrence earned his nickname by completing 50 Ironman distance triathlons, in 50 days, in each of the 50 United States. A single Ironman alone is an incredible accomplishment -- as it consists of a 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.25 km) bicycle ride and a marathon 26.22-mile (42.20 km) run, raced in that order and without a break. To do 50 Ironman races in 50 days across 50 days seemed unthinkable, until James did just that in 2015. James posted the following quote on his Instagram earlier this year: "Tolerance for Monotony is a very underrated superpower." Eva asked us what the quote meant, and we said: "Well you know James! Why don't you ask him directly?" And that's exactly what she did, and James was kind enough to answer :) James starts his answer by defining the word "monotony" (as we are sure that a lot of the younger Big Dreamers may not have even heard the word "monotony" before), and then shares how he would have never completed the 50-50-50 and become the Iron Cowboy without learning to embrace monotonous training. Eva also shares her thoughts in this episode as to why monotonous tasks are so important to achieving your big dreams in life. Thank you James for answering Eva's question, and by extension sharing this very underrated superpower with the Big Dreamers! Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/222

This episode is inspired by Jesse Itzler. Our family is part of his Build Your Life Resume Calendar Club, so as part of that club, we have been blessed to enjoy a ton of his content. What we love about Jesse is how he breaks down really complicated concepts into simple-to-remember catch phrases. In this episode, Eva shares a 6 word phrase that Jesse coined that will make all the difference as to whether you turn your big dreams into a reality. That 6 word phrase is… "Believe In The End Of The Story." To give you some context, Jesse is currently training for an Ultraman race next year, and the most challenging component of that race for him will be a 6 mile open water swim since he is not an experienced swimmer. Jesse shared how he recently gave up during one of his practice swims, but that because he :believes in the end of the story" -- in this case completing the Ultraman -- he was able to chalk it up to just a bad day and will continue training for the race. Expanding on Jesse's concept, Eva shares how believing in the end of the story is so important for any goal or big dream that you have in life. If you don't believe you can accomplish something, then why would you bother to try? Big Dreams are difficult to achieve. You will hit obstacles. There will be moments of failure. But if you remember Jesse's phrase to "believe in the end of the story," then you will keep on pushing and moving towards your dream. Thank you Jesse for inspiring yet another episode of the Dream Big Podcast. Eva believes in the end of the story that Jesse will one day be a guest on the Dream Big podcast, and we'll keep on working towards that goal until we can introduce Jesse to all the Big Dreamers. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/221

Eva's #1 mission for the Dream Big Podcast is to inspire her listeners to believe in their potential to achieve their biggest dreams in life, even when life is fraught with obstacles and challenges. In this regard, we can think of no better guest to inspire the young Big Dreamers than Bethany Hamilton. At the age of 13 as a rising surf star, Bethany lost her left arm to a 14-foot tiger shark, which seemed to end her dream career. However, one month after the attack, Bethany returned to surfing and within two years had won her first national surfing title. At 17 years old, she realized her dream of surfing professionally and she is still an active surf competitor to this day. Bethany has an amazing course that she recently created also called Unstoppable, and has been so generous to offer to do a giveaway of her course to one lucky Big Dreamer. To enter your name into the giveaway, please visit our show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/220. The winner will be announced and contacted on October 15. Thank you again Bethany for being Eva's guest on the Dream Big Podcast, and for all that you do to inspire others to become unstoppable like you!

Humble The Poet (Eva's guest in Episode 146) has an amazing book out called Unlearn: 101 Simple Truths for a Better Life. In that book, Humble writes that "Unhappiness is simply when the picture in your head does not match the picture in front of you." And that "expectations are a bigger enemy to our happiness than our circumstances." Eva really loved both those quotes, and wanted to ask Humble to expand on those concepts. So she filmed a quick video question for Humble, who was kind enough to record a thoughtful response. Now more than ever, as we continue to navigate 2020 in very uncertain times, we think Humble's message about expectations is really important for all Big Dreamers to hear. Enjoy! Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/219

We are over-the-moon thrilled to welcome Dr. Shefali Tsabary to the Dream Big Podcast. We have been following Dr. Shefali's groundbreaking work on conscious parenting for years now. It was such a thrill when we learned that Dr. Shefali had a new book coming out for kids and teens, and was interested in being a guest on the Dream Big Podcast. Dr. Shefali was kind enough to send Eva an advanced copy of Superpowered, so we had a chance to read the book before Eva's chat with Dr. Shefali to prepare for the interview. Needless to say, we loved it! In our humble opinion, this episode with Dr. Shefali is one of Eva's best interviews yet -- and we hope that all the Big Dreamers enjoy Dr. Shefali and Eva's discussion about Wista The Worrier, Flipping The Switch, the POWER acronym and so many other tools and strategies laid out in Dr. Shefali's new book Superpowered. Be sure to support the launch by getting your copy today! For our show notes and links to everything discussed in this episode, visit DreamBigPodcast.com/218

A few months ago, we asked Eva which former guests she would want to have on the Dream Big Podcast. She immediately thought of Siri Lindley, the former World Champion triathlete who dominated the world rankings for years as the #1 triathlete in the world. During the interview, Siri and Eva bonded over their mutual love of horses, and Siri has an amazing non-profit Believe Ranch and Rescue which rescues horses and finds them loving homes. When we checked out Siri's instagram to see what she had been up to, we noticed that Siri had lost all of her hair and quickly learned that Siri is recovering from a bone marrow transplant. In the midst of her battle not only did Siri agree to come back on the podcast, but she delivers the most honest and beautiful response imaginable. I think all of our listeners -- kids and adults alike -- will gain so much insight and practical tips by taking 5 minutes to listen to what Siri has to say about the power of gratitude. In addition to publishing the audio on iTunes, we also posted Siri's full video response on our Instagram page. We highly recommend you watch the video because there is something very powerful about seeing Siri, who is clearly still in her battle, talk so eloquently about the power of gratitude. We love you Siri and wish you a speedy recovery. When you are fully recovered and this pandemic is over, we would love to visit you and give you, Bek and your beautiful horses a hug at the ranch. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/217

Today, Eva welcomes Gabby Bernstein, a #1 New York Times Bestselling author (many times over), and one of the world's leading authorities on happiness. We are longtime admirers of Gabby's work, and actually did an entire solo episode last month (Episode 208) about her famous "comeback rate" concept. And now, the Big Dreamers get the gift of hearing directly from Gabby about why the "comeback rate" is so important and so many other practical tips on how to be and stay happy -- especially during these crazy times. Gabby has a new book, You Are The Guru: 6 Messages to Help You Move Through Difficult Times with Certainty and Faith, available now on Audible.com. Like all of Gabby's content, the new book is incredible and we would love it if you support her book launch and follow her accounts for never ending inspiration and positive vibes. For our show notes, visit DreamBigPodcast.com/216

A few weeks ago, we did an episode on how to be a great friend to others. In this episode, Eva shifts gears and shares why it is so important to be a best friend to yourself! This week's episode was inspired by one of Deepak Chopra's guided meditations. There, Deepak made the point that if you look at the qualities of a best friend -- someone who would lift you up when you are down, make encouraging statements, treat you well, etc -- those are the same qualities and behavior that you should apply to yourself too! Yet so many people are great friends to others, but don't take good care of themselves. Whether that is negative self-talk or not eating healthy food, or not getting enough sleep -- we need to stop treating ourselves poorly and instead embrace Deepak's vision of looking at oneself as your own best friend. Eva shares some powerful examples in this episode of what it means to be your own best friend. And Eva explains how taking care of yourself will also help you be a better friend to others too. Thank you Deepak for all the wonderful work you do, and for inspiring Eva to create this episode. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/215

When schools closed in the spring due to the pandemic, Eva's grandparents suggested that we check out Xploration Outer Space streaming on Amazon Prime Video. That show, which became a household favorite, is hosted by the wonderful and brilliant Emily Calandrelli -- who is Eva's guest this week on the Dream Big Podcast! Emily has also been featured as a correspondent on Bill Nye Saves the World and is the author of the science children's book series, the Ada Lace Adventure. Emily also has a new Netflix show called Emily's Wonder Lab where she takes kids through lively mind-boggling experiments that will get your kiddos excited about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), which is Emily's great passion. As you will see from the episode, Emily has great energy and is so much fun. We encourage all Big Dreamers to check out her new show on Netflix! Our family has been watching her amazing experiments on her Youtube and Instagram all summer, and we know Emily's Wonder Lab on Netflix will be great educational fun for the whole family. For our show notes, visit DreamBigPodcast.com/214

This week's episode may just be one of the most important episodes we've ever published. We are so honored to have Kechi Okwuchi on the Dream Big Podcast. You may recognize her name because Kechi was Simon Cowell's Golden Buzzer on America' Got Talent and she has been Eva's guest before. If you know Kechi's story, you know that she survived a horrific plane crash as a teenager and suffered burns all over her body. While Kechi has not let the injuries that she suffered in this tragic incident destroy her dreams, bullies continue to poke fun and say awful things about Kechi's physical appearance. We know that bullies and cyberbullies are a HUGE problem in our schools and online -- so we thought there was no better person for Eva to ask about how to react when you come across a bully. With school starting back up this month for most students -- whether that will be in-person or virtual -- Kechi's advice can not be more timely. Thank you so much Kechi for your wisdom, your courage, and being a friend of Eva and the Dream Big Podcast. We love you! Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/213

Since this is the Dream Big Podcast, Eva spends a lot of time talking about themes like setting goals, working hard, and being confident. But we understand that achieving big dreams alone is not nearly as satisfying or fulfilling as sharing the journey with those you love -- both your family and close friends. At a family dinner a few weeks ago, Eva mentioned that we should talk more about how to make and keep great friends. And then just a few days later we heard Jesse Itzler, founder of Build Your Life Resume, talking about the 3 Cs of being a great friend. He credits the 3 Cs for his success both in personal and business relationships. Jesse's framework is so simple to follow and implement that Eva decided to share it with all the Big Dreamer's in this week's episode. Tune in to discover the 3 Cs and how they can transform the relationships in your life! Thank you Jesse for the wonderful insight, as always! Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/212

A phrase that kids often hear from their parents is: "Words Are Powerful!" Usually when this is said it is when your kiddo has stepped over the line and used language in a hurtful or otherwise negative way. In our house, we also constantly discourage negative phrases like "I can't do that" or "That's impossible." Recently, we had the opportunity to test the power of the spoken word on a grueling hike in Mammoth. Truth be told - we didn't' see many kids on this trail - certainly not Sophia's age. So when Eva and especially Sophia started to complain and whine when we still had a few miles left on our journey, Olga sprung into action and shared how we can shift the energy in our family just by uttering some simple phrases. Needless to say, this tactic worked and we not only made it back to the car but had so much fun on that last leg of our hike. Eva shares the story in this episode -- which we think your kids will love because it shows the power of words in the positive sense. And if you are a family that loves the outdoors, we think you will find Olga's strategy very helpful the next time your kiddos get tired and start to complain. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/211

Eva has long shared the importance of being an optimist -- the kind of person who sees a glass half full - rather than a pessimist -- who sees the glass as half empty. There are so many reasons you can easily take a "glass half empty" outlook to 2020. Dean Graziozi, bestselling author and entrepreneur, recently poised the following question to his audience: Is 2020 a curse or can it be a blessing? Well as Eva shares in this episode, the answer to that question is entirely up to you! Of course, Eva wishes that COVID-19 did not happen this year. Eva misses school, her friends, and there are so many people across the world who are suffering as a result of this terrible disease. Nobody wished for this to happen. But it did! Given that we just recently passed the midway point of the year -- it seemed appropriate for Eva to share her "glass half full" mentality for 2020. Eva shares the new skills and passions that she is developing during this unprecedented year, and how with the right mindset 2020 can indeed be viewed as a blessing. A special thank you to Dean Grazioizi for inspiring this episode :) Links are in the show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/210

Today's guest is Lewis Howes, the host of the School of Greatness podcast which has over 100 million downloads and 1000 episodes since it launched in 2013. Lewis was one of the inspirations for Eva to launch the Dream Big Podcast. We would often listen to Lewis Howes and another podcaster Tim Ferriss in the car, and one day Eva asked: "Mom and Dad, why is there not a podcast where a kid interviews amazing people?" And of course, the rest is history. Lewis is more than a podcaster. He is a bestselling author. He was named by The White House and President Obama as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the country under 30. And he has been featured on Ellen, The Today Show, The New York Times, and in other major media outlets. Eva and Lewis had an amazing conversation which we actually recorded on video -- so in addition to being able to listen to the interview on your favorite podcast platform -- you can also watch the full interview on Youtube. For our show notes, visit DreamBigPodcast.com/209

Eva often gets asked by her friends and fans of the podcast: "Eva, are you always feeling positive emotions? Do you ever get upset? Or angry? Or disappointed?" Eva's answer is always along the lines of: "Of course, I'm not always happy. I'm not always in a great mood. But… and this makes all the difference in the world, I have trained my brain to not get stuck in a negative state. So when I do feel negative emotions, I can identify those feelings and take action to put myself back in a good mood." In other words, Eva doesn't let bad news ruin her entire day, as many kids and even adults often do. Instead, she has trained her brain to "come back" to a happy state very quickly. The brilliant Gabby Bernstein has coined this concept as the "come back rate" and in this episode Eva shares why learning to have a fast come back rate is the key to a happy life, as well as some of her favorite ways to get back to a beautiful state when she does feel negative emotions. We hope that Gabby will one day be a guest on the podcast so that she can share more on the come back rate, and other nuggets of wisdom as well! Links are in the show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/208

In today's episode, Eva talks about a cookie jar. But this is no ordinary cookie jar. Instead, this cookie jar is super healthy and has unlimited supply. Indeed, parents would LOVE for their kids to grab cookies from this cookie jar all the time. This concept was invented by the great David Goggins, who Eva has mentioned on a number of prior episodes (links in Resources Section in the show notes). David is widely considered to be the toughest man on the planet. He is the only member of the U.S. Armed Forces to complete SEAL training, the U.S. Army Ranger School and Air Force Tactical Air Controller training. Since his retirement from the military, David has also become one of the most accomplished endurance athletes in the world, completing over 60 ultra-marathons and setting new course records. He also once held the Guinness World Record for pull ups completing 4,030 in 17 hours. David has inspired millions by sharing his story and being honest that, even today, he has moments of doubt. But wherever he finds himself lost or lacking confidence, he goes to this Cookie Jar. Eva shares what he means and how your kiddos can apply the Cookie Jar concept in their lives. Hopefully David will come on the Dream Big Podcast one day to discuss the Cookie Jar and his incredible life story. Enjoy this powerful episode! Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/207

In today's episode, Eva shares a concept that our family learned from an incredible man by the name of Jesse Itzler. If you follow Jesse on social media, you know that he is always smiling, always laughing, and always having epic experiences. This is no accident -- Jesse is committed to building what he calls a "Life Resume." Not the traditional resume that most people think about that lists your work experience when you are applying for a job, but a resume that reflects all the amazing and unique experiences you have created in your life. Jesse's personal life resume is chock-full of unique experiences that the vast majority of people would, quite frankly, not voluntarily sign up for… Like the time Jesse invited a Navy Seal to live in his house for 31 days to push him to his mental and physical limits. But Jesse is not encouraging his community to copy his resume -- but instead to build your own life resume that you can look back and marvel at one day. Jesse's concept of a Life Resume has deeply impacted our entire family -- including Eva and our youngest daughter Sophia who have both adopted this mindset of seeking out new skills and new adventures. Eva shares in this episode how she has already started to build out her Life Resume, how she continues to do so even during this pandemic, and how having the "Build Your Life Resume" mindset leads to actually scheduling epic experiences and making them happen. Links are in the show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/206

If you are interested in Personal Growth content, then this weeks' guest is an absolute rockstar. Vishen Lakhiani famously quit his prestigious engineering internship at Microsoft after 11 short weeks, which forced him to set out on his own personal growth journey and ultimately led to the founding of MindValley. Now the #1 platform in the world for Personal Growth, MindValley brings together the worlds best practitioners to teach personal growth principles with the mission to transform 1 Billion lives by 2038. As you will no doubt agree after this interview, Vishen is very serious about this Big Dream, and he has the plan and skills to make that dream a reality. MindValley is currently offering a program called Be Extraordinary for Teens, which at the time of this publication is free. We are including links to the program and everything discussed during the interview in our show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/205

This episode we take a pause from the "Dream Big" theme to share a timeless quote from Maya Angelou: "People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel." Eva talks so much about setting big goals and taking action on the podcast -- but what we have been really focused on as a family is how we make each other feel. Are we kind to one another? Are we there to support one another? Eva shares how we have started to put a huge emphasis on kindness, compassion and love in our household -- and why being known for these qualities is way more important than the accolades you can ever achieve in school, extracurriculars, and ultimately in your career. Be sure to listen to the episode to hear Eva's story about why we shared Maya's quote at a recent family dinner, and see how it is impacting how we are treating one another, our extended family, and our friends. If tensions are high in your household (especially amidst all the stress of these challenging times), then we hope Maya's quote has a similar impact in your home :) Links are in the show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/204

This week's guest is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world and someone who many predict will one day be the President of the United States. He's also the owner of the Dallas Mavericks and "Shark" from ABC's hit show Shark Tank. And I'm sure by now you know that Eva's guest is none other than Mark Cuban. Mark is undoubtedly one of the busiest people on the planet, and the fact that he took 20 minutes out of his schedule to have a one-on-one discussion with Eva is a true honor. We are also excited to share that we have started to record Eva's interviews on video as well, so be sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel and follow us on Instagram where we will be posting video clips too! For our show notes, visit DreamBigPodcast.com/203

First, we can't contain our excitement! In our next episode, you will be hearing Eva's interview with Mark Cuban. Yes, that Mark Cuban! Not to downplay today's episode, which is amazing too! We are sharing a special poem that we wrote on how the pandemic can be compared to turbulence on an airplane. Eva first shared this analogy in Episode 191 -- and the feedback was so great that we decided to make it into a poem too. We even had our illustrator add fun artwork -- you can check out the poem on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Links are in the show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/202

We all know the classic kids song "Row Row Row Your Boat". Just a simple, catchy song for toddlers, right? Well, that's what we thought until we learned the hidden meaning and now we'll never never think of the song the same way again. Thank you Prince EA for cracking the code of Row, Row, Row Your Boat -- and for being such an inspiring storyteller in general. We are including his original video in the resources section of the show notes, and we encourage you to check it out. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/201

Eva launched the Dream Big Podcast in October 2016 at the age of 7. This week we are celebrating Eva's birthday (she turns 11) and her 200th episode! In discussing what we should do for this special episode, Eva decided she wanted to share the #1 secret she has learned from recording and publishing 200 episodes. In addition, we created a special poem to commemorate this milestone. Be sure to follow us on social media (links in the show notes) as we are actually posting videos of Eva reciting the poem and have added professional illustrations to the poem too. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/200

Like millions of other kids with March, April and May birthdays, Eva's big birthday plans have been cancelled. Her elementary school graduation -- at least the big celebration that has been planned - is also not happening. We feel for all the high school and college seniors who are missing out on the festivities associated with traditional commencements. In this episode, Eva explains that while she was initially bummed out about having to cancel her big birthday plans, she's not angry about it. Eva also shares the 1-word secret to not getting angry about how life has changed as a result of this pandemic. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/199

Eva wanted to take a break from the Pandemic-related content for the week, and share an incredibly touching story that has recently resurfaced. It's the story of Natalie Gilbert, who in 1993 at the age of 13, forgot the lyrics of the National Anthem in front of 20,000 fans at a NBA playoff game. The biggest moment of Natalie's life quickly became the most terrifying. The whole stadium went silent -- yet one man, Maurice Cheeks, came to Natalie's rescue and exhibited an act of kindness that forever changed Natalie's life. What's even more remarkable is how Natalie did not let a performer's worst nightmare destroy her dream, and thanks to Maurice Cheeks she even now describes the experience as "perfect." We are thrilled to share this feel-good story of kindness during these challenging times. We also encourage you to watch the full news segment, which we linked to in the show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/198

We have definitely noticed that Eva's happiest moments during this crisis have been out in nature. Whether that's been on bike rides or walks in the neighborhood (practicing social distancing of course), or sitting on the low climbing tree in our yard, or escaping with the family to an off-the-beaten-path hiking trail -- these times in nature have been pure magic for our family. In this episode, Eva shares the scientifically proven health benefits of nature, and how being outside has been so therapeutic during these challenging times. We highly encourage you to get your kids outside -- of course keeping in mind the health guidelines and law for your local communities. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/197

Today's episode is the first in a series of episodes we plan to call Rhyme Time. When you see "Rhyme Time" in the title of the episode, you know it is going to have a poem that our family wrote and a short discussion of the meaning of that poem. This week's poem is called Practice Makes Progress. We want to thank Eva's recent guest IN-Q - one of the world's greatest living poets - for reminding us how much we love poetry and inspiring us to write our own poems. Be sure to follow us on social media (links in the show notes) as we are actually posting videos of Eva and Sophia reciting the poem and have added professional illustrations to the poem too. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/196

The other day, as we went for a quick walk around the neighborhood to get some fresh air, we came across a house that was completely overrun with weeds. This neighbor clearly had surrendered to mother nature -- and had not made any effort to mow the lawn or otherwise care for the property in what looked like years. Seeing this house reminded us of a great analogy from the classic personal growth book As A Man Thinketh, published in 1903. The author James Allen compares our mind to a garden. If we don't work on our minds, weeds will begin to grow. And during these challenging times, when we are at home and can't see our friends and relatives -- when we turn on the news and all the headlines are about the virus -- then it is super easy for those weeds to grow and take over our minds. In this episode, Eva shares this classic analog, and 5 specific ways we can give Tender Loving Care (TLC) to our minds during these challenging times. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/195

Currently with much of the world still under stay-at-home orders, we are not seeing our friends, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins -- at least not in-person. But I can tell you who we are seeing PLENTY OF -- and that's our immediate family. In our case, that's Olga (mom), Alex (dad), Eva (you all know her!),and Sophia (sister). When you spend that much time with the same people day-after-day, week-after-week, everyone is bound to get on each other's nerves at times. So in this episode Eva shares her top strategies for what to do when your family is DRIVING YOU CRAZY. I'm sure you all can relate :) Please enjoy this fun episode with helpful strategies! Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/194

One of our family's favorite teachers is Brendon Burchard. Ever since this pandemic started, Brendon has been sharing amazing ideas on how to train your brain and actually use this time as an opportunity to grow. In this episode, Eva share's Brendon's concept of adopting a role model mindset. Specifically, for our younger Big Dreamers, Eva explains what it means to be a role model, and why COVID-19 presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for kids to be a role model to their friends and family. In our house, Eva has really stepped up to be a role model for her sister Sophia about how to stay calm and upbeat during a global crisis. At 4 years old and with a huge personality, Sophia can be more than a handful. Eva does admit that a few times she has lost her cool, but for the most part adopting Brendon's strategy of being a role model has been super helpful and strengthened their bond. Please do check out Brendon's amazing work (links in the resources section), and hopefully he'll be a guest on our podcast in the not-so-distant-future :) Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/193

We believe that kids (and adults) can always find time to learn new skills BUT obviously your time is much more limited when you are at school from 8am-3pm and have after-school activities too! Those excuses don't really work when you are stuck at home, right? And while many schools are still offering online classes -- if we are being honest there are now many hours per day that have freed up as a result of the pandemic. Eva's challenge to the Big Dreamers is to come out of this pandemic and be able to say you picked up some new skills. In this episode, Eva shares some of the skills she has developed during the last month, and will inspire your kids to pick up new skills and passions too! Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/192

Mel Robbins was Eva's guest in Episode 47 of the Dream Big Podcast. We are great admirers of her work, and not surprisingly, Mel has really stepped up for her community during the pandemic. In one recent Instagram post, she described how what we are experiencing right now feels like going through rough turbulence on an airplane. And how the calm demeanor of the pilot and stewards has such a powerful impact on the emotions of the passengers. In this episode, Eva shares the analogy (which Mel credits to author Elizabeth Gilbert) and explains why we must remain calm in this situation as well, for ourselves but also for our loved ones. Thank you Mel for the inspiration, as always. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/191

These are chaotic times. For the past 3 weeks, we haven't seen our friends or relatives in person. We haven't really even left the house, other than a few times per day to go on walks or bike rides around the neighborhood. We don't know if this will be our reality for a few more weeks or a number of months - but ultimately our communities will re-open, kids will be back at school, and we'll be able to hug our friends and family once again. When we look back at this unique time in our lives five or ten years from now, how will we remember this time? What will we remember most from the time we spent at home with our family? Eva shares that what we'll remember most is the overall energy of the home. We'll remember the feelings we were experiencing. We can't control the virus, and we can't control the chaos that is happening outside our homes but we can control the vibe, the energy, and the experience we are having in our house. That's why Eva keeps on talking to the Big Dreamers about the power of a positive mindset. Ultimately it is up to us how we internalize this experience. Here at the Karpman household, we are making the decision to make this a positive one. In Episode 190, Eva shares 5 creative ideas that have worked wonders for our family during this challenging time. Join our Dream Big Squad Facebook Group and let us know what you are doing to keep things upbeat and positive in your home! Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/190

If you turn on the 24-7 news machine, 99.9% of stories are about the terrible illness, death and havoc that the Corona Pandemic is unleashing on the world. We do stay informed, especially with regards to health guidelines, but we are purposefully avoiding most news stories and we certainly don't let our kids watch it. Why? Because, as we learned in Episode 188, we must stand guard at the door of our mind. While we don't let the negative headlines constantly infiltrate our minds, we do actively seek out inspirational stories of hope, kindness and love. In this episode Eva shares some of those stories to illustrate how we can find beauty even in this very ugly virus. We are such a creative and resilient people -- and these stories give us great hope as Big Dreamers in the future of humanity. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/189

There's a powerful phrase by one of the original legends in personal development, Jim Rohn, who would often say that "Stand Guard At the Door of Your Mind." When our kids hear the words "Stand Guard," they likely think about the Queen's Guard that is charged with guarding the official royal residences in the United Kingdom. Last year before we entered this new CoronaVirus no-travel reality, Eva and I went to London and had the chance to see the Queen's guards at Buckingham palace. You know, the soldiers who wear the red uniforms with the tall black hat. But Mr. Rohn's advice is to stand guard at the door of your mind. In today's episode, Eva explores what that means, and why now more than ever it is important to heed Mr. Rohn's advice. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/188

It was a great honor to have IN-Q as a guest on the Dream Big Podcast. IN-Q is based in Los Angeles, so we were even fortunate enough to meet IN-Q and do the interview face-to-face, just a few weeks before the Stay At Home orders took effect. If you are not familiar with IN-Q's work, you should be! IN-Q is one of today's greatest living poets. He's a National Poetry Slam champion and multi-platinum songwriter. His groundbreaking achievements include being named to Oprah's SuperSoul 100 list of the world's most influential thought leaders, and being the first spoken word artist to perform with Cirque Du Soleil. We are so excited to support IN-Q with the launch of his book "Inquire Within" which brings IN-Q's powerful poems to paper and invites you on a journey to the center of the soul. IN-Q performs one of his incredible poems during the interview with Eva and we believe that every family should have a copy of his book on their coffee table as a source for inspiration, especially during these challenging times. IN-Q was kind enough to send us an advanced copy, and it is simply incredible. Thank you IN-Q for sharing your gift with the Big Dreamers, and please support IN-Q by going to IN-Q.com and ordering your copy of Inquire Within today! For our show notes, visit DreamBigPodcast.com/187

In our last episode, we revealed how after a very chaotic Week 1 of this new stay-at-home reality, we made huge strides by coming up with a daily planning system for our family. This past week we made another huge improvement by literally gamifying our day. The game is called Score 4, and the goal of the game is to see if you can score 4 points. To do so, you need to score 1 point in each of the following 4 categories: (1) Body; (2) Brain; (3) Best Friends & Family; and (4) Big Dreams. We've been playing, testing and perfecting the game this week, and it has been AMAZING. So amazing that our family will be doing a Score 4 challenge during the entire month of April. There are 30 days in the month, so that means the maximum amount you can score is 120 points. In this week's episode, Eva shares the rules of the game and some really neat prizes we are going to give the Big Dreamers who score the most points in April. If you would like to participate with us in the April Score 4 challenge, then be sure to join our "Dream Big Squad" Facebook Group. There, we shared a PDF of our Daily Planning sheet, which incorporates the Score 4 game. We'll also be going live in our Group in April to connect with all you Big Dreamers who are participating in the Score4 challenge with us, and share some fun ideas for how you can score 4 points each day. So join the Group! Let's make the most of this situation, and find a way to strengthen our minds and bodies during this unprecedented time in modern history. Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/186

The first week of having the kiddos home from school was definitely a challenge. We continue to work full-time with important calls scheduled throughout the day, and Eva and Sophia also have online Zoom classes to join. We know from chatting with our friends that Week 1 was chaotic for everyone. It became quickly apparent that we needed to get our family on the same page, and make adjustments to meet the challenges of this new reality. We are happy to report that Week 2 is going so much better, and it all comes down to how we schedule our day. We've even gamified the day with a game called Score 4. To earn 4 points, you need to score 1 point in each of the following 4 categories: (1) Body; (2) Brain; (3) Best Friends & Family; and (4) Big Dreams. In Episode 185, Eva shares how scheduling our day has been such a game-changer, and shares the essential elements of her daily routine. We're planning to do a Score 4 challenge with you all in April, so stay tuned for more details on that. And be sure to join our "Dream Big Squad" Facebook Group -- where we shared a PDF of our Daily Planning sheet, which incorporates the Score 4 game. We'll also be going live in our Group in April to connect with all you Big Dreamers who are participating in the Score4 challenge with us. So join the Group, and together we'll come out of April stronger than ever before :) Show notes at DreamBigPodcast.com/185

Ever since Eva launched the podcast in October 2016, we have published a new episode every monday. We have not missed a single Monday since we launched because it is our commitment to all you Big Dreamers to create content that will train your brain to be strong and optimistic no matter the circumstances. Given these challenging times and the fact that Eva is home from school, we are going to double down on our efforts and produce more content than ever before. We're not sure exactly what that will look like just yet -- because we are learning as we go -- but we wanted to do our part to give your families positive and inspirational messages during the Pandemic. Today, Eva shares a powerful metaphor for how our new reality is much like the challenge of biking up a steep hill. We went for a bike ride this weekend to Eva's school, and had to climb a long, steep incline as we approached the school. We had to keep moving, keep pedaling to get to our destination. If we had slowed down and stopped pedaling, we would have never made it! The same applies here. Our families have to keep growing during these challenging times. Eva shares the story of our bike ride, and how we can all keep momentum in the weeks and months ahead as we battle and ultimately win this fight against the Corona Virus. Links to our show notes, as well as to our new Resources Page with over 50 hours of free content can be found at DreamBigPodcast.com/184

It's been a challenging week for the entire world. The stock market is crashing. "Stay At Home" orders have been issued. Kids are home from school. And outside our immediate family, we can't interact in-person with our closest family and friends. Under these circumstances, it is no surprise that people are stressed, angry, and scared. But we can't let those negative emotions consume our lives, and that is especially the case for our young kids. In this Episode 183, Eva shares the 3 Questions our family has been asking to train our brains to stay strong during these difficult times. As Tony Robbins famously says, when you ask better questions you get better answers. When Sophia, our 4 year old, was feeling upset the other night because she misses her teachers and friends, we went through the 3 questions and she went from crying to laughing :) Links to our show notes, as well as to the free Positive Mindset course we released can be found at DreamBigPodcast.com/183

We know that these are very scary, uncertain times. That stress is further magnified as millions of kids (including ours) are home from school, and even worse, are isolated from friends and relatives. Now, more than ever, our kids need to train their brain to stay upbeat and positive as we navigate this challenging period in human history. We feel we are in a unique position to help given Eva's podcast. We have over 180 episodes filled with personal growth content and interviews with world-class performers like Simon Sinek, Mel Robbins, and the late, great Kobe Bryant. But we want to do MORE, and now have the extra time to do it with Eva home from school. So we are making 2 announcements: (1) We are releasing a FREE Positive Mindset course. The course contains 5 professionally illustrated video lessons (taught by Eva) and an accompanying PDF fill-in-the-blank workbook. This is not content we rushed to put together in the last few days. It is part of a premium course we will be releasing later this year, but we know how important it is to keep a positive outlook through this ordeal so we are releasing this now FREE OF CHARGE; and (2) We created a free Facebook Group called the Dream Big Squad. With our entire family home, we will be sharing videos showing you behind-the-scenes on how we are maintaining a good attitude during these trying times. The podcast is audio-only so we are looking forward to sharing video content in the Group and connecting with you on a more personal level. As an added bonus if you join the Group, you will see we are offering a bonus course on how kids can be more confident speakers (this is for those who leave their email address in the Group's questionnaire). Links to the free Positive Minset course and to join our Facebook Group can be found at DreamBigPodcast.com/182

Last week, Eva went on a week-long outdoor education trip with her entire 5th grade class. When we picked her up from school after the experience, she had tears streaming down her face as she exited the bus. Initially we were concerned, but within a few seconds she shared that she had so much fun that she didn't want the trip to end. And that's why she was crying! Eva had enjoyed an EPIC experience with her friends. At our family dinner that evening, we were amazed when Eva observed that it is experiences that matter most in life. In this episode, Eva opens up about her special week with her classmates, and also explains why experiences (especially epic ones) can be so powerful and make such a lasting impact on your life. For our show notes, visit DreamBigPodcast.com/181

Our guest in Episode 180 is Myron Golden. In episode 176, Eva had her mentor Russell Brunson on the show. Russell is considered one of the world's leading marketers and Myron is the person that Russell commonly refers to as his mentor. That's why the title of this episode refers to Myron as Eva's GrandMentor :) We are big believers that it is never too early to start dreaming big and taking action. But we're also big believers in the power of mentorship, and after you hear Eva's interview with Myron, you will understand why Russell turns to Mryon for advice. Myron contracted polio as an infant and has walked with a metal brace on his leg his entire life. That hasn't stopped Myron from becoming a black belt in martial arts and a skilled golfer. And it certainly hasn't held him back in business - where Myron has become a go-to speaker and trainer in the areas of sales and marketing. Eva met Myron at Russell's Unlock the Secrets event last year -- and we're so grateful that she decided to introduce herself, invite him on the podcast, and that Myron agreed to be her guest. Please enjoy Eva's interview with her GrandMentor, Myron Golden. For our show notes, visit DreamBigPodcast.com/180

A few months ago, Eva finally convinced us to let her get chickens. Up until last week, the entire experience has been smooth sailing. Eva and Sophia feed the chickens, clean the coop, and our dog Annie actually gets along with them. The kids prefer to be outside with the chickens and Annie than inside on their devices, and we started getting fresh eggs last month. So the chickens have been fun and nutritious. But then last week, Eva came to us very concerned because one of her hens named Velvet did not want to leave the nesting box. When Eva tried to remove Velvet from the coop, the hen even hissed and pecked at her. How rude! Eva did some research and figured out that Velvet was brooding. She was sitting on the eggs for the purpose of hatching them. The problem is that we don't have any roosters so these eggs are unfertilized and have no chance to hatch! Even worse, we discovered that brooding behavior is contagious because one of Eva's other hens Phoenix also started to brood. Eva thought it would be fun to do a podcast episode about the brooding hens, and she shares two important life lessons we can learn from their behavior. Eva has done a number of episodes on life lessons we can learn from animals, but this is the first time she has done an episode on her own pets. This is one of our favorite episodes, and we hope you love it too! For our show notes, visit DreamBigPodcast.com/179

It took us over 3 years -- but Eva has finally launched her first product, the School Success Blueprint at SchoolSuccessBlueprint.com. We could not be more proud of this professionally illustrated video workshop series. The Dream Big Podcast podcast (178 episodes now) has and will continue to be free -- but we have heard from so many of you who wanted Eva to go deep on a particular subject. In surveys to our listeners, we noticed a common pattern. Parents are struggling to get their kids to focus on school, especially with all the distractions now with devices and the internet. That's why we created School Success Blueprint, which shares the top mindset and productivity principles Eva has learned interviewing top performers, like Simon Sinek, Mel Robbins, General Stanley McCrystal and Kobe Bryant. All of the workshops and bonuses are beautifully illustrated and cost less than a family outing to IHOP! Eva worked tirelessly the last 4 months to put this together, and we are super proud of her effort and the result. We have an iron-clad 30-day money back guarantee, so enroll in SchoolSuccessBluepint today for a risk-free trial. Make this small investment in your kids' future today at SchoolSuccessBlueprint.com.

If you are a long-time listener of the Dream Big Podcast, you know that Russell Brunson has had a major influence on my life. I've already done 4 solo episodes sharing with you Big Dreamers the life-changing strategies I have learned directly from his teachings. So I could not be more excited to share that Russell is this week's guest on the Dream Big Podcast. Russell is probably most famous for popularizing the concept of sales funnels and launching ClickFunnels, a software that enables anyone with a voice to create an irresistible offer and then sell that offer online via a sales funnel. But to me, Russell should be most famous for being one of the world's best teachers. He provides frameworks that anyone can follow to share their unique gift with the world. Since today's interview is with the "category king" of Sales Funnels, I thought it would be the perfect time to show my mentor how even a 10 year old can "Do What Russell Says" and create an irresistible offer. So after you listen to my interview with the legendary Russell Brunson, you can check out my first funnel at SchoolSuccessBlueprint.com -- where I teach the top mindset and productivity principles for your kids to excel academically and socially at school. I have put together an incredible "stack" (my fellow Funnel Hackers will know what that means!), and you can give your kids a life-changing toolkit for less than what it costs for a family outing to IHOP :) But first, please enjoy my interview with my mentor Russell Brunson. For our show notes, visit DreamBigPodcast.com/177

Last weekend, Eva performed as Annie from the class musical Annie! In this episode, Eva shares how it went (spoiler alert: it went great!) but also some important lessons she learned from her experience. Specifically, she talks about the things that went "wrong" during the show, and how she stayed focused and kept on performing to the best of her ability. We could not be more proud of Eva for her performance, but more importantly how she handled herself when things did not according to plan. Because as well all know life does not follow a perfect script, and the ability to adjust and keep on moving is an essential skill. For show notes, please visit DreamBigPodcast.com/176