Episode #114: Embracing the Edge - Shifting Communication Norms with Thea May

The Discomfort Practice

Welcome to Season 5 of The Discomfort Practice! In this first interview of the new season, Betsy Reed is joined by Thea May, a communication coach for ‘Edgewalkers and soul-led leaders.’ Together, they explore the theme of ‘edginess’ and dive deep into the discomfort of breaking away from outdated communication norms to create a world where we can all thrive. Thea shares her journey, the power of embodying discomfort, and how to ‘scale ourselves to meet the messages that move through us.’ This episode is packed with insights that will inspire you to embrace your own edges and communicate more authentically, but we’re betting you’ll feel like you were sitting at a kitchen table, just listening to friends.

Key Moments:

• [00:01:05] - Betsy reflects on over three years of podcasting and introduces the theme of Season 5: Edginess.

• [00:01:54] - Introduction to Thea May, her work as a communication coach, and her unique approach to soul-led leadership.

• [00:06:06] - Thea shares a pivotal uncomfortable moment that shaped her journey as an Edgewalker.

• [00:13:49] - Thea discusses her name change from Dolly to Thea, representing a significant shift in her identity and work.

• [00:21:04] - Diving into the edges of communication, poetry, and identity as core elements of Thea’s life and work.

• [00:30:06] - Thea introduces her three-part communication process: Tuning in, Hooking in, and Opening out.

• [00:32:15] - The power of confident introverts and the shift from power-over to power-with communication.

• [00:45:34] - The importance of scaling yourself to meet the size of your message.

• [00:51:03] - Betsy shares a personal story about receiving (the other) Betsy Reed’s hate mail and what it taught her about resilience.

• [00:52:07] - Thea emphasises the importance of building confidence through low-risk discomfort practices.

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