What if the purpose of life is… to change your mind?

In this episode of The SMARTA Podcast, I sit down with Case Kenny — bestselling author of ‘That’s Bold of You’ and host of the top 25 podcast New Mindset, Who Dis? — to talk about self-love, internal dialogue, and the real meaning of settling up vs. settling down.

→ This conversation will challenge you to rethink your relationships, rewrite your labels, and remind you that you’re allowed to define your own path.

→ It’s honest. It’s hopeful. It’s the reminder you didn’t know you needed.

💬 What We Talk About:

– The true definition of optimism

– Why labels limit your growth

– How vulnerability filters in the right people

– Visualizing vs Vocalizing to yourself: the mindfulness gap

– Visualizing success without bypassing your truth

– Breaking free from people breadcrumbing you + relationship imbalances

– Self-love before love: how to build your life first

– Creating your own version of success and joy

✨ What You’ll Learn:

✓ How to build confidence by pushing your comfort zone

✓ Why your internal dialogue shapes your emotional reality

✓ The difference between settling up and settling down for someone

✓ How to support others through trauma with compassion

✓ Why resistance is often a sign of progress

✓ How to stop rushing — and start trusting your pace

Case’s message is clear: the more honest you are with yourself, the less regret you’ll carry. And that’s where the real peace begins.

📚 Pre-order Case’s upcoming book The Opposite of Settling

📖 Get your copy of ‘That’s Bold of You’ here.

🖍️ & follow his signature red-pen reflections on Instagram at @case.kenny.

In this episode:

00:00 Welcome

03:33 Introduction to Case Kenny's Journey

05:42 Embracing Change and Optimism

10:00 The Power of Labels and Reinvention

14:05 Challenging Societal Norms

18:33 The Importance of Honesty and Vulnerability

23:47 Mindfulness and Visualization Techniques

26:03 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

30:18 Understanding Breadcrumbing in Relationships

34:11 The Importance of Choosing Yourself

40:18 Promoting Self-Love and Building a Life You Love

44:36 Cultivating a Trauma-Informed Mindset

46:44 Defining Your Own Path to Happiness

SPONSOR: To grow your career and explore opportunities at Computer Generated Solutions (CGS) today, find out more details at www.romania.cgsinc.com.

🔔 Subscribe for more weekly episodes that fuel growth, clarity, and leadership — from the inside out.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.

🗓️ New episodes every Monday at 11 AM EST

📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @soniamartaauthor

🌍 Connect with Sonia: www.soniamarta.com

Follow Sonia’s journey & grow together:

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• Links⁠

If you’re ready to lead with more empathy, courage, and clarity — this is your episode. 💡

In this conversation, we talk about:

– Navigating the legal system with compassion

– Why trauma-informed leadership matters

– Self-care as a radical act for survivors

– How to turn pain into purpose

– Entrepreneurship as a tool for advocacy

– And what it means to lead with values — even when it’s hard

💌 This episode is for you if you’re:

– Ready to grow through what you’ve gone through

– Looking to serve your community in a bigger way

– Curious about how trauma shapes leadership

– Searching for clarity, healing, or your next step

🎧 You’ll walk away with:

✓ A deeper understanding of how trauma shows up in life + work

✓ Empowering tools for leading with empathy

✓ A new perspective on consent, boundaries, and self-respect

✓ Micha’s top 2 life-changing reads — The Body Keeps the Score + Sapiens

✓ The reminder you didn’t know you needed: you can trust yourself

⸻

Micha Star Liberty is a nationally recognized trial lawyer, trauma-informed leader, and the founder of Liberty Law. She’s a fierce advocate for survivors, a voice for justice in the courtroom, and a mentor for the next generation of impact-driven women. ⚖️

But beyond her resume, Micha is real, grounded, and speaks truth with the kind of wisdom that sticks with you.

📚 Explore Micha’s book, Evolutionista

Find it now on Amazon → https://a.co/d/5FtUV8T

Follow Micha Star Liberty on LinkedIn here.

The 2 books Micha described as life-changing:

1. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk
2. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

⸻

In this episode:

00:00 – Intro to Micha Star Liberty

13:50 – Empowerment Through Advocacy

16:40 – Understanding Toxic Environments

19:29 – The Mind-Body Connection and Trauma

22:29 – Trauma-Informed Leadership

25:44 – Navigating the Legal System

28:45 – Entrepreneurship and Advocacy

31:40 – The Importance of Community

34:42 – Reality-Based Optimism in Healing

37:28 – Consent in the Digital Age

40:54 – Literature’s Impact on Growth

43:26 – Final Thoughts + Life Advice

59:45 – Books That Changed Micha’s Life

⸻

🗓️ New episodes every Monday at 11 AM EST

📺 Subscribe on YouTube: @soniamartaauthor

🌍 Connect with Sonia: www.soniamarta.com

Follow Sonia’s journey & grow together:

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠Website⁠
• ⁠Links⁠

Credibility is the foundation of leadership. You can’t be a leader without a follower.

In today’s episode, learn the 5 practices to becoming an exemplary leader:

1. Model The Way - do what you say you will do
2. Inspire a Shared Vision - see and share exciting possibilities for the future
3. Challenge the Process - empower others to take initiative and experiment
4. Enable Others to Act - foster collaboration and build up others

5. Encourage the Heart - celebrate others by showing gratitude

Follow Barry Posner on LinkedIn here.

SPONSOR: To grow your career and explore opportunities at Computer Generated Solutions (CGS) today, find out more details at www.romania.cgsinc.com.

Barry is the Accolti Professor of Leadership at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University, right in the heart of Silicon Valley. He’s an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and scholar, and has been named one of the Top 50 leadership coaches in America and one of the 10 Most Influential HR thinkers in the world by HR magazine.

Barry is best known as the co-author of the best-selling The Leadership Challenge series, a groundbreaking set of books that have sold over 3 million copies and been translated into more than 20 languages. These books, co-written with Jim Kouzes, provide practical, research-backed insights on why leadership is everyone’s business — helping leaders at all levels become their best selves.

In addition to his writing, Barry has worked with some of the world’s most impactful companies — from Apple and Hewlett-Packard to Trader Joe’s and Kaiser Permanente — and has guided leadership development efforts on over 50 college campuses. His work blends research with real-world application, making his advice both insightful and actionable.

Connect with Sonia:

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠Website⁠
• ⁠Links⁠

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Leadership Excellence

16:28 The Five Exemplary Practices of Leadership

25:12 Personal Stories of Leadership Impact

34:02 Building Competence and Confidence in Young Leaders

35:48 Embracing Failure as a Path to Success

40:38 Building Resilience and Confidence in Leadership

48:49 Applying Leadership Skills Beyond School

54:06 The Power of Passion in Leadership

01:01:19 Introduction to Leadership Insights

01:02:23 Key Traits of Effective Leaders

01:04:08 The Impact of The Leadership Challenge

01:04:58 Personal Reflections and Conclusion