Tony Mantor: Why Not Me ? - Tom Iland: Shattering Autism Myths – From Diagnosis to Diverse Advocacy and Empowerment

Episode Date: June 19, 2024

Send us a text Unlock the secrets to overcoming personal challenges and finding your voice with Tom Iland, an extraordinary autistic coach, author, and Toastmasters accredited speaker. In this episode of "Why Not Me, the World?", Tom takes us through his transformative journey from his autism diagnosis at age 13 to becoming a beacon of inspiration for many. Learn how he navigated early signs of autism, including lining up toys and sensory sensitivities, and how he cultivated a genuine interest in others. Tom's story is a testament to resilience, as he shares how influential self-help books and his unique experiences have empowered him to uplift others within the autism community. Join us as Tom delves into his transition from high school to college, shedding light on critical lessons about social awareness and conduct. Understand the nuances of body language, vocal variety, eye contact, and touch, especially for those on the autism spectrum. We also discuss the societal need for better autism understanding, including the crucial distinction between tantrums and meltdowns that even police officers should be trained to recognize. Tom's career shift from accounting to public speaking, coaching, and consulting on diversity and inclusion is highlighted, emphasizing his mission to reduce unemployment rates among autistic individuals and spread awareness. Hear Tom's insights on navigating mental health challenges and his dedication to helping others through his work. We discuss his book "My Glass is Full: Stories of Putting Mental Health First," offering guidance for anyone struggling post-COVID. Tom also previews his upcoming book, "They Said We Couldn't, So We Did," co-written with his fiancée, which focuses on overcoming relationship hurdles. With valuable tips on managing sensory overload and stress, Tom's message of perseverance and valuing unique contributions offers hope to all listeners. Don’t miss out on where you can find Tom's enriching books and the heartfelt gratitude we express for his invaluable insights. https://tonymantor.com https://Facebook.com/tonymantor https://instagram.com/tonymantor https://twitter.com/tonymantor https://youtube.com/tonymantormusic intro/outro music bed written by T. Wild Why Not Me the World music published by Mantor Music (BMI) The content on Why Not Me: Embracing Autism amd Mental Health Worldwide, including discussions on mental health, autism, and related topics, is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not reflect those of the podcast, its hosts, or affiliates.Why Not Me is not a medical or mental health professional and does not endorse or verify the accuracy, efficacy, safety of any treatments, programs, or advice discussed.Listeners should consult qualified healthcare professionals, such as licensed therapists, psychologists, or physicians, before making decisions about mental health or autism- related care.Reliance on this podcast's contents is at the listener's own risk. Why Not Me is not liable for any outcomes, financial or otherwise, resulting from actions taken based on the information provided. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to Why Not Me The World Podcast, hosted by Tony Mayator. Broadcasting from Music City, USA, Nashville, Tennessee. Join us as our guests tell us their stories. Some will make your laugh, some will make you cry. Real life people who will inspire and show that you are not alone in this world. hopefully you gain more awareness, acceptance, and a better understanding for autism around the world. Tony Mantor, welcome to Why Not Me the World.

Today's guest is Tom Island. He's a coach, author, and a Toastmasters accredited speaker. There's only 93 of them in the world, and he's the only one that's autistic. He's got a great story to tell us. I'm happy to have him join us today. So thanks for coming on. Appreciate you having.

Oh, it's my pleasure. I understand that you was diagnosed autistic in your early teens. Is that correct? 13 officially. That's when I was officially diagnosed or told about my diagnosis at least. Okay. What were some of the things that led up to getting your diagnosis? From a young age, I showed the signs as far as that lying up my toys. There was a time I went six months without talking. Right. And my aunt, that's my mother's sister, was the autism specialist for the state of Illinois. Oh. And I was on the spectrum. And I didn't fit the criteria back in the mid-80s in which you had to have an

intellectual disability or mental retardation to fit the diagnosis criteria. I did not, and I do not have such a diagnosis. So I was not officially diagnosed in the mid-80s. But in the mid-90s, the criteria changed. You don't have to have an intellectual disability to have the social behavior, communication, sensory difficulties that come with autism. Okay. The story I like to tell in my keynotes and other presentations, I was about 12.

they were a teen years old. Okay. My younger brother and sister, they were getting calls and their friends looking to hang out after school or on the weekends. Right. My mom one day,

Mom, why doesn't the phone ever ring for me? Sure. And that's when she and my dad proceeded to set me down and explain that I had fit the criteria, the diagnosis, if you will, of autism back in the mid-90s.

And that was when you hit your teens, is that correct? That's when I was 13. Okay. After your parents explained to you that you are indeed autistic, What was going through your mind and what was your emotions at the time? Well, first I thought, well, I don't want to have autism.

I want to be like everybody else. I thought that being different was better, that my brain was broken. Right, right. I went into my room. I must have cried for a good hour. And I thought to myself, I was a big fan and still I was a big fan of Batman. Okay. All right.

I thought to myself, what would Batman do in this situation? Sure. He would face the darkness. He would find a way, use his mind to overcome the matter at hand. and do what needed to be done to be a better person, maybe even improve the world or the city for the better. So I'm from my room and I'm like, okay, Mom, what's this autism thing all about?

Sure. Now, this was your early teens. So before that, there must have been some signs or signals that everything wasn't just the way that they had hoped. So was there anything that you can remember in your early years that might have led to the eventual diagnosis in your early teens? I found myself quoting movies and television a lot. We call it video talk in my family. When I saw something I heard in a movie or TV show in general conversation, even if it doesn't necessarily do with what was being discussed.

I also would memorize these movies. I would watch them sensibly, rewind them over and over. My favorite parts still laugh just hard at the funny bits and have those movies memorized word for word, even acting them out. scripting, if you will, or similar to the video talk, putting the situation that I recall in the movie or the TV show acting it out right then and there. Certain items of clothing, I know, were also quite intolerable for me,

like itchy woolly sweaters. I couldn't really stand those. Loud fireworks shows. There was like a war zone. We had very sensitive, still in a way, have very sensitive ears to where I can't take

high magnitude of sound in huge quantities. So what about concerts? Is that something that's gotten better for you? or is that still an issue? I tend to stay my distance from the speakers whenever possible. If it's a closed room,

I might ask to excuse myself to the men's room after a couple of minutes. But for the most part, I'm more tolerant of it than I was when I was a kid. My tastes and preferences have changed over time as well as my special interests. When I was younger, I could talk about Star Wars ad nauseum. Then I realized other people didn't want to talk about that. Plus, I had an interest in having a girlfriend and having friends for that matter. So I had to take a genuine, legitimate interest in what other people had to say. I started reading around my early 30s significant books about self-help, personal relationships.

I live within walking distance of a library. And after a major breakup with a young woman with autism, I decided to read How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, men are from Mars, women are from Venus by John Gray, Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins,

all these books that were like a switch going off with me. I think I should start telling my story of struggle. I think I should start showing people that people of autism can do something with their lives and that we shouldn't be underestimated or overlooked. Absolutely.

So that was a little later in life. Now, what was it like during your teen years through school? Did you go to public school, private school? What was that like for you? I was in general education. all of my years up until 10th grade

because my freshman year in high school, I had gotten into a physical altercation and my social skills were significantly underdeveloped even though my academics were off the chart. So I did go to a private school in 10th, 11th grade that was specialized for people with autism and social skills. And I spent two years there 10th and 11th grade, having a live gaps bridged,

like body language, nonverbal communication, abstract concepts and reading like sarcasm, irony, idioms, euphemisms, innuendos, figures of speech that I really hadn't had any personalized real-life instruction on until 10th and 11th grade. And then I proceeded to finish up at the public high school I started in for 12th grade, went to community college after that and a four university after that. Okay, that's great. So now you've over the years gathered the knowledge of learning to read people and understand them a little bit more.

Now that you went from high school to college, how was that transition for you? I was definitely more aware of how I was conducting myself and how much my body speaks and the vocal variety, eye contact, my proximity to people, all these things that I hadn't really thought about that we sometimes either take for granted or really learn just through experience or through instinct, put two and two together and connect the dots

as to what is and what is not socially appropriate. Once it was brought to my attention and it finally started to make sense to me, did I be more mindful of it and conduct myself accordingly? Sure. It actually, I think, made me look more mature than my senior year peers in high school. I seemed to be a little bit more evolved socially than most of my peers had after I had received that instruction. Okay. You brought up something that I think is very important to a lot of autistic people and that's proximity. some have problem with touching, hugging, etc.

Did you have a problem with that in your early years, or did you evolve to where you can accept it? Or how does that enter into your life today? When I was younger, certain touch was intolerable, but as I've seen more and more, the power of like a hug or a good handshake, what those actions convey and the kind of chemicals like oxytocin, I think it is,

the trust hormone that gets released during an embrace, also that I've been complimented on the hugs I give. It's just right, not too tight, not too loose, but people feel safe or people have told me they feel safe in my arms. Right. I realize the power of that particular embrace and I take that with me. So I am comfortable with touch, but I'm also mindful of what kind of touch is not appropriate. And I guess a lot of people with autism could use more instruction on that particular concept of boundaries. Absolutely. That's why it's called the autistic spectrum because there are so many people in different,

areas of the spectrum that can do different things that others can't do. That's why we need more people to understand what autistic people go through because that way they can see, for example, there's a difference between having a tantrum and a meltdown. If we can get that out there where people can see the differences and hopefully that can help and things can get better because of the understanding. And I often explain the difference between a tantrum and a meltdown when I train police officers about autism. I have a longstanding partnership with the LAPD mental evaluation unit. And I discussed the importance of knowing the differences between tantrum and meltdown. Even if they look or sound similar, there's likely something going on beneath the surface.

Yeah. When it comes to the meltdown and yet society, we learn to see something, say something society, and the meltdown happens. Like, call them police. Right, right. Yeah, that brings me into my next question. You've gone through high school, you've evolved into college. you're into the real world of real life and real working. You just mentioned that you work with the police for helping them understand.

You do other things as well, right? I was a certified public accountant. I went to college for that, thinking that it would make me a lot of money if I knew how to handle money. Sure. But I realized after going to college, passing CPA, working in several corporate jobs, that's a lot more than I thought it was. and I was in over my head and really didn't enjoy the work at all and decided eight and a half years ago to just walk away from it.

And now I do public speaking, I do professional keynotes, I have human potential coaching. I'll meet with clients personally to see what's at the root of their matters or what they can do to make the world of our place. I also do diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting for organizations that want to hire more people on the spectrum or makes the effort to put a dent in those unemployment numbers. Yeah, because they're huge.

Yes. I think it's what, around 70%? Minimum, say more like 80 or 90. It's a tad high, yeah. Unemployed or underemployed. They're not working or they're not working enough to make ends meet. Right. So when you do these consultations and you meet with people,

have you had situations where someone came to you and your initial thought was, this is going to be tough? I don't know what I'm going to be able to do for this person. And then all of a sudden, things just kind of kicked in and it became a success story for you. I find that by telling my own stories or finding wherever I can relate from personal experience has helped a lot. Like, for instance, I have a client who recently got a job in a movie theater. And I, too, have worked in a movie theater.

So as he's describing a situation or something that came up, it's like, oh, yeah, that happened to me when I worked in a movie theater too. So I'm able to relate on that level. if there's something where I am not able to relate to, I have no past experience for a given situation, I would remind that person, so why are you doing this or pursuing this? What's the underlying reason that you want this to happen? So because if we can focus on the why, then how should reveal or have a bare chance of revealing itself. Okay. How long have you been doing the consultations and the one-on-ones and working with the police for bringing more exposure to the needs of the autistic community?

I was doing some police work on the side while I was doing accounting, so I would say for the last 15 minimum or so years, I've been working with police officers every now and then I might give a speech at like a high school or a college or a random group of students about my life with autism. But for the past eight and a half years, it has been my full-time bread and butter way of my living and my impact on the world. And how do you find the reception to those that don't understand anything about autism? They just know it's a word. They don't know what is behind it.

How do you find the reception of those that you're trying to get across your message? And it's actually something I've been working on continuously and sort of what I like to go or call going beyond the pond. Because autism, you got a bunch of people in the world, a small percentage. They're in this small body of water swimming around. living their lives. Beyond that pond is a lake, a bigger body of water, more interesting creatures, interactions,

and this could be people with mental health difficulties, particularly with COVID. Lots of people are experiencing mental health difficulties. So I've kind of jumped or popped over, gone beyond the pond into that lake. Beyond the lake is a sea, an even bigger body of water, even more interesting creatures and other interactions.

They've got stuff going on in their lives, maybe entrepreneurs, or people with pastor, corporate experience that want to have their own business. I can speak to that. So I'm appealing to those individuals as well. Beyond the sea is an ocean, uncharted water, places people have never

been before, and huge creatures, sometimes even unknown. That is what's on the horizon somewhere. I'd like to be and really show how I can stand out and all my messages, my journey can apply to just about anyone. Right.

So have you found, when you go into like say a police station, talk about it or you go into a workplace to talk about it. Because I was talking with someone here about a month ago and his approach was for the workplace not to try and overwhelm them in order to hire autistic people. You have to make change. They brought it out that if you already have this in place, if you could subtly do this or subtly do this so that it didn't seem like they was making any big open change in order to hire someone this autistic, but yet it allowed them to see the differences and then allow them to see that that person could go to work there

and ultimately become very efficient at helping the company out. So is that kind of your approach or how do you approach it when you talk to potential employers for helping them? I think it depends on the employer and what kind of company they're working in because when it comes to hiring people on the autism spectrum or any diagnosis for that matter, there have to be what are called reasonable accommodations. You can't move mountains just for one employee, or at least I don't think most companies do. On the same token, the more the individual can bring to the table, say, I do better when my directions are in writing. Or if you can, please bear with me, I may ask the same question multiple times, please be patient with me, it will eventually stick.

Or I do better in this particular environment with this particular aspect. So the more employees can give employers, police officers, allies, whomever might be looking to help them, the better they can do their job in assisting. So it works both ways. Employers want to help, lay out the accommodations, but the employee has to be willing and able to say, here's what I need. I think this can help me. Can this work? Right. So it's basically a situation of compromise. Yes. Yeah. So have you found that it's working for you? Have you found that you've been able to make some big leaps, even if it's just small leaps? Because like they say, you've got to start out with baby steps, then you start growing. Where would you compare your business in helping the employee and the employer find that

compromise? Is it still baby steps or are you to the point of walking or have you started a slow jog or you have full boat more run now? I feel I can offer just about any organization, the consultation or the problem solving wherever you want to call it as to what is going on within that organization. And I believe where there's a will, there's a way. I've come on way and had several to or clients that they presented a problem to me. I suggested a solution or they in some ways found their own way. I brought something to their attention or as the process unfolds, they're like they have an aha moment.

Right. So I think as over the last eight and a half years, I've really shown people that they have the power to live their life they want, create the best out of a not-so-good situation, get things done in a way that hopefully everybody can benefit from. Yeah, yeah, that's great. because when you get people, especially employers, having that aha moment, that means they're getting it. That was the big thing, and it still is a big thing, that people just don't get it.

You know, they don't understand enough. And then sometimes they're stuck in the old-fashioned ways or the old ways they want to do it, and they're not willing to compromise or move a little bit to help someone else out. And I think that's the big thing that we have to, the bridge we have to cross is the understanding. Very much so. And there's a term, cognitive flexibility. They say there's more than one way to skin a cat. Right.

And a lot of times people on the autism spectrum offer a perspective or an approach that no one would have otherwise thought of. Right. And it actually can yield to better results or better efficiency or better clients or what have you. So there are a lot of unanswered questions out there. And I think the answer lies in the perspective of people on the autism spectrum. I think there was one quote I heard in passing.

It was, I miss what others catch. and I catch what others miss. Oh, that's interesting. When it comes to the employee, in the employment game, if you will, when people are on the autism spectrum are involved. Yeah, that's a cool statement.

I miss what others catch, and I catch what others miss. Yeah, yeah, that's good. Now, you've been doing this for several years. You've been successful in helping bridge that gap. There's still a long ways to go, because like you said, I thought it was 70% you're saying it's 80 or 90%

of under employment or not employed. What do you see changing or what can you help change in the next, let's say, five years they can make that better? I'd say over the next five years, what needs to be focused on more even as people in the Oxen Spectrum get ready to leave high school,

make that transition to adulthood, what have you. We seem to be focused on academics, how they're doing in math, English, science, all these things that it can be good in school. Once you get to the real world, it's the soft skills,

the interpersonal skills, the social skills that are going to get you farther in life. And sadly, that is a huge struggle for people in the autism spectrum. So more assistance, support, and guidance are needed in the line of soft skills, social skills, interpersonal skills,

so that our young people, are people on the autism spectrum, what have you, are relatable, likable, knowledgeable, and are able to find and keep a relationship, a job, something that they can grow with and be proud of and make the world a better place with.

So I would definitely say those abstract soft skills are the main focus or what I would like to see bettered over the next five years and more. Yeah, and along with that is housing. I've got a friend here in Nashville that has a company called Our Place Nashville. They work with autism and special needs people trying to get them housing in a local area where they can survive and get out there and do things.

And they told me that they're one of the only places in the country that does that. They're not the only one, but they're one of the few. So that needs to be addressed too because in order to get what you're trying for, we have to have that so they don't have to take and wonder where they're going to be living if they're going to be working. Indeed. And are they going to be living with their folks or maybe find someplace else to live, a group home or something?

and all these questions that we have, particularly as they get ready for that transition to adulthood, that's why I wrote my very first book, Come to Life, Your Guide to Self-Discovery, to help answer those questions. Instead of a bunch of, I don't know. Right. This helps us find the answers

for the best possible life for that person. It's also been translated into Spanish. Oh, that's cool. So is that still available? Still available. You can find it through my website. You can get it on Amazon. Okay, if you would, give people your website and how they can contact you.

My website is come to lifecoaching.com based on the title of this book. And my philosophy is that life doesn't come to you. It's up to you to come to life. You have to be the one to go out there and make things happen, see what's out there for you. Maybe have some failures along the way, if not definitely have some failures along the way. So you can figure out what works and doesn't work for you. You can also offer, or rather get my newest book, My Glass is Full, Stories of Putting Mental Health First. The first book I've written that appeals to not just the autism community, but those who might be struggling with mental health matters, particularly post-COVID.

Yeah, that's great. Yeah, because the last couple of months, I've had several that I've interviewed that found out that they both have ADHD and autism. And the interesting part about it is the ADHD will pull them one way, the autism will pull them the other way, and they have to find a way to cope with both of those to come to the middle to survive. So I think what you're doing with those books, I think that kind of goes along with that as well because it gives some people something to think about, to try and hopefully better their lives. Definitely. And also it gives people hope that there are people out there who have struggled, who have had trials, tribulations, and triumphs.

And I feel that by laying my guard down saying where I messed up, what I learned the hard way, that betters people's lives. And I've got another book on the horizon. I'm writing with my fiance. It's called They Said We Couldn't So We Did. I like that. How to make relationships work when the odds are against you. So I'm on the autism spectrum.

She's not. I'm a white man. She's a woman of color. Okay. I don't know if you believe in astrology or horoscopes, but Sagittarius Man, Cancer Woman. How's that going to go? Yeah, yeah.

That's what we'll be writing about. I think that's great. I think what you're doing is great. So now you're standing in front of 100 people, thousand people, whatever you do when you go for your public speaking. Some of them are autistic. Some of them are just finding out they're autistic. Some of them are just finding out that they have kids that might be autistic.

Some of them are finding out, again, like you just brought up, that this other thing is going on other than just autism. What are you telling them? I would refer to my speech that I'm currently using to hopefully get me to the Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking. The title of the speech is, The Glass is Full, based on this book here. And in it, I describe how there's a lot out there in the world. In fact, we live in a world of never-ending information and sensations.

While it may be nice to have access to all of it, it may actually be harmful to us physically, mentally, and emotionally, if left unchecked. So I encourage my audience to ask themselves the important questions. During the speech, I describe how much you can hold in a given moment is like a glass. This water represents information and sensations. If you allow yourself, assume this is full for a moment, to let information that sensations keep pouring into your glass,

eventually that glass is going to fill up and overflow and make a mess. Right. So I would encourage families, particularly those with autism, have some kind of code word or phrase to say, stop. I've had enough. For me and my family, it was the glass is full. Right.

I would say the glass is full whenever I'd had enough and you all have to back up and shut up, please. Right. So that's the theme I'm going for with my World Champion speech. And it's my message to my peers. and I think the world really, we all need to know about our limits when they're about to be exceeded. Right.

And if your glass must overflow, it should be with happiness, prosperity, love, peace, and happiness. Be mindful of what you're filling your glass with and who's supporting you and when is enough enough. Well, you say the glass is full before that overflow, the bad overflow. Absolutely. That's taken me about 40 years. It took me 40 years to write this book.

And now, I'm telling my peers, have that code word, that phrase, be mindful of what you're taking in and know when to say, stop. Right. You know, it might have taken your 40 years to write it, but the most important thing

is that you did write it. Because that's part of getting your message out there. That's part of getting a message for the autistic community so that people know that just because they're labeled with that word, autism,

doesn't mean they're labeled with any other words of not being able to do something. I think the world underestimates people in the autism spectrum. them too much because they don't talk like we do. They may have difficulty forming relationships like we do. They have difficulty finding keeping a job like others do. That means they're totally

useless. They don't have anything to offer. But really they have a lot to offer. And all too often they're not put in a place where they can shine, but they fail. And they don't bounce back from their failures. They've had so many rejections, terminations, failed instances in their life. They just quit. In some cases, they end their lives prematurely. They've given up. Yeah. I'm here to say, let's see if you can give it another shot. What can you do differently that you didn't do last time to improve? And how can we make the world of our place in the process? Yeah, that's the ultimate goal is to find that happy medium where everybody can coexist and get along and be able to be creative and do the things that they want to do.

So just because someone has that idea that they want to do something and they have that label of autism, which in some people's eyes restricts them and say they can't do it, that just means that they have to get out there and just do what you just said and not let the failures stop you, let the failures teach you so that you can grow and evolve into something and show them that, hey, we're very capable of doing this. Very much so. Yeah, I like your message.

I like what you have to say. Is there anything that we've missed that you want to put out there that you think is important? I think it's very important that your listeners or viewers know that I am what's called a Toastmasters International Accredited Speaker.

There are only 93 people in the world who have this designation. I'm the only one with autism to accomplish this. It's someone who has mastered the art of public speaking and applies it to a particular trade or line of work. And with autism being a social communication disorder and public speaking basically being socializing and communicating,

the fact that I was able to do this, I want to encourage your listeners to imagine what kind of barriers they can break, what kind of ceilings and stereotypes they can shatter, what kind of obstacles they can overcome. And to lead by example, and Toastmasters' arm motto is where leaders are made. Right. And putting yourself in areas where you feel uncomfortable,

where you're not the expert in the room, that makes us better people. As scary as it might be, you do not have to know everything. It's okay to make mistakes. Right. Find people that support you throughout that journey will help you become a better person

and you may even amaze yourself. Yeah, it's learning to live outside of your comfort zone. Yes. And that's very difficult, no matter whether you're neurotypical or autistic or ADHD or anything that you want to say, that's a tough thing to do, but it can be done. It sure can. And ironically, as much as we want things to be consistent, predictable, and unchangeable, really the only consistent, predictable, unchangeable power of our lives is change. Right. You may as well embrace it, learn to roll with it, see how we can become better from it rather than attempt to fight it.

or resist it because if you're going against what I feel might even be like the laws of nature, you're going to be in over your head pretty quickly. So see how you can adapt, change, and evolve. Yes. Yes, I love it. Well, this has been great. Great conversation, great input, great thoughts. I appreciate you coming on. Thank you very much. And my email address for anybody interested in contacting me for a consultation or becoming a coaching client at Tom at Thomas Island.com. And my website again, come to lifecoaching.com. You can also contact me through that. There's a link there to get my Come to Life book.

It's available in Spanish as well, Van La Vida. And look for my glasses full where e-books and books are sold. The hard copy is available through my publisher, Book Baby. I recommend going to Book Baby for a hard copy of my glasses full. If you want the Even Book, you can go to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, all major retailers for the e-book. Absolutely. That's great. Thank you, Tony, for having me.

It's been my pleasure. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to listen to our show today. We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. If you know anyone that would like to tell us their story, send them to tonymentor.com. Contact, then they can give us their information so one day they may be a guest on our show. One more thing we ask, tell everyone everywhere about why not me, the world, the conversations we're having, and the inspiration our guests give to everyone, everywhere that you are not alone in this world.