Lighting the Spark: Dr. Sherrie Gilbert's Guide to Fostering Aspirations and Nurturing Tomorrow's Leaders

Ever felt like you're on autopilot, stuck in the grind while your dreams collect dust on the shelf? Dr. Sherrie Gilbert, a beacon of inspiration and senior lecturer at Auburn University, joins us to shake us awake with her story of reigniting passions and rewriting the script of life. Together, we unearth the seeds of ambition that lie dormant within us all, discussing her path from an unpaid internship to becoming an author. Her tale is a clarion call to embrace a life that sings with joy and purpose, not just one that ticks the boxes of societal success.

As the conversation flows, we uncover the art of balancing professional drive with the riches of personal life. I mirror Dr. Gilbert's insights with my own experiences, reflecting on how the precious currency of time must be spent wisely. Drawing parallels with Fink's backward design approach, listeners will uncover how to architect a 'personal syllabus' for life, ensuring that the pursuit of goals dovetails with the cultivation of a fulfilling existence. It's about sowing the seeds of your aspirations and tending to them with the same dedication you'd give to a blooming garden.

Capping off our discussion, we delve into the heart of dreams and their power to transform not just our own lives, but also to act as a beacon for others.  Sherrie shares a glimpse into her upcoming book, a manifesto of the values she imparts to her students and the potent bonds formed through authenticity and shared aspirations. We celebrate the notion that it's never too late to chase what truly sets your heart ablaze, highlighting her encounters with legendary individuals like Otis Williams of the Temptations. Join us and be inspired to not only chase your dreams but to light the way for others as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Make-Happen-Creating-Instead-Settling/dp/B0CDNSH8BH

Go check out all of our episodes on our website: https://womeninthearena.net/


If you are ready to tell your story or want to refer someone, please email me at audra@womeninthearena.net

***Last thing- I'd love to interview the following women:

• Joan Jett
• Dolly Parton
• Viola Davis
• Ina Garten

Maybe you can help me get there****


Thank you all for supporting this show and all of the Women in the Arena!!

Transcript

Audra : 0:34

Welcome in everyone and thank you so much for joining me again this week. This week we have a rare treat. This week we get access to an Ivy League education. My guest this week is Dr Sheri Gilbert, and she is a senior lecturer in communications at Auburn University. She's also the author of the upcoming book Make it Happen a guide to creating life you love and not settling for the one you have, and in her classes she asked her students this question what would it look like for you to create your dream life? What would it look like, and is that something that you ever contemplated at 22? I'll bet it isn't. I bet it's something that you think about all the time now. But that's the journey that Sheri and I are going to talk about today. It is my pleasure and my honor to introduce to you Dr Sheri Gilbert. Sheri, thank you so much for being here and welcome to the show.

Sherri: 1:36

Thank you, audra, thank you so much for having me.

Audra : 1:38

I am so excited to be here with you today. Not only are you just this amazing, energetic individual, but you have a passion for not only your students and education, but for, specifically for women to help them create their dreams. What was the motivation behind this idea of creating this dream? What, of all things, why that?

Sherri: 2:07

Well, it really just came from my own personal experience. I felt like I had followed the path that I was expected to follow. After graduating high school, I went to college, I did internships, I worked my way through college, then I went to grad school and got my first job after grad school. But I felt like is this, it, is this all? I did all this work for this? And not that I didn't appreciate it. I appreciated what I was doing and the opportunities that I had.

Sherri: 2:43

I enjoyed what I was doing, most of what I was doing, but I felt like there was something missing and there were still other goals that I had that you know I wanted to accomplish when I was in college. I wanted to write a book, I wanted to become an author, and I just felt like all of that kind of faded away once I started working and it felt like this is what I'm supposed to do and I have to put everything else on pause so that I can do this. And I think it took some reflection and, as with many of us during the pandemic, to really kind of rethink things and rethink what are we doing, what is it that we're spending our time toward and what is the goal, and so that is. Um, that was a very reflective point in time for me to rethink about those dreams that I had years ago, and what would it look like and what would it take for me to get there.

Audra : 3:41

So this is something that you started really thinking about for yourself on, okay, I've done all the things I'm supposed to do. What are the things I really want to do Exactly? What are those dreams that I had, that I had before I did all the things I was supposed to do, and can I dust them back off and try and go for it Exactly? How does that feel, by the way?

Sherri: 4:10

Oh my gosh, it was refreshing. It was really refreshing and exciting because even within this past year that I've unearthed my dream again of dusted off my dream of writing a book and talking to people, interviewing people, experiencing things, going out and experiencing things, that I'll have some inspiration for my book. It kind of took me back to when I was in college and I did those internships that were dream internships my first journalism internship with Upscale Magazine and with the Entertainment Editor. I had the time of my life and I made no money that one cent. It was an unpaid internship but it was the most fun. I actually got to do something that I loved. It wasn't the type of internship where picking up coffee or running errands for people in the company. I appreciated that because when I first interviewed for that internship, the editor of the magazine sat with me and told me this is not going to be an internship where you're running errands, you're going to be writing, which said to me you're going to be doing what you love. I was like this is great, whether I'm paid or not. I had the time of my life just with that internship and with opportunities that led up to that, the semester before I actually had applied for that internship. About six months before I got it, I planted that seed and that's one thing I talk about in my book is you have to plant that seed and sometimes when you plant a seed or anytime you plant a seed there's a germination process. It may not come up and grow right then and there it's going to take some time, but I was very thankful that that seed germinated. I took steps to prepare myself leading up to that internship.

Sherri: 6:12

Fast forward to now with my book Make it Happen. I'm interviewing and talking to people who are themselves making it happen, who are living their dream lives, who have stepped out on faith and said you know what this right here is good, but I want something more. I'm going to go after what it is that I really want and see where that lands me, and just talking to those people reminds me of doing those interviews and doing those write-ups when I had that first internship where I wasn't getting paid anything. That's so exciting to me and I'm so inspired by the stories and the people I've had a chance to chat with an interview for the book I can't describe it. I feel like I'm in college again in a way. So it's very refreshing and it's exciting to know that that past year, that passion is still there. I feel like it confirmed the direction that I'm taking.

Audra : 7:07

So what is your dream? I know the book is part of it, but what is?

Sherri: 7:11

your dream. I have many dreams, audra. The book is a part of the dream, but ultimately I want to create a life that I love. I want to enjoy every aspect of my life.

Sherri: 7:26

I feel like for so long I looked at career as life, or the majority of life, and in my conversations with other people I noticed that the career is mainly what they talk about. But then I got to thinking well, what if your career doesn't go too well? Or you know what if you're not satisfied in your career? And I've had periods of time and certain jobs where I wasn't really satisfied. But that's where I was spending most of my time and that's where I was spending most of my energy. But what I really wanted to do was go sit with my family and talk and listen to music. What I really wanted to do was travel. What I really wanted to do is spend time with friends, plan a garden.

Sherri: 8:13

There are so many things that I wanted to do, but I felt like work was just taking over. I wasn't satisfied with that. That really disturbed me, because I was just looking forward and saying, well, where am I going to be in five years if this is it, if all of my life is mainly career. I don't want a career to take over my life. It's a part of my life, it's an important part of my life and one that I value and appreciate, but I didn't want it to be all of my life, and so that's where I became obsessed with this idea of how do I create a life where a career is one part and I can still manage and have these other things that I enjoy and Wake up and be happy every day.

Audra : 9:01

I mean, that is the dream, isn't it is that we are happy and fulfilled and Energized and challenged Throughout our life. Okay, we can't just be our jobs, absolutely not. At one point in my life I used to wear as a badge of honor the phrase I am my job. And then, as I've gotten older and thanks to the pandemic, I had time to slow down and Really think and analyze and decide do I really want to be my job? And the answer is no, I really don't, because that means me that I'm single-faceted, that means that you're single-faceted right.

Audra : 9:44

And we're not where these multi-faceted, fascinating, yes, dynamic, incredible human beings that we weren't just put here To go to work, pay bills and die? Not at all. Oh, how dreadful. I mean, doesn't that sound just so dreadful? Oh, my goodness, it's boring. It's so boring. Oh my gosh, anybody can do that, but we weren't. None of us were born to be just anybody, right?

Audra : 10:14

So you have this amazing book that's coming out, and you don't just stop at the the amazing stories of the individuals that are in there, that are in the process of making it happen. From what you and I have discussed, none of them are like I'm here, I'm arrived. All of them are like I'm in the middle. I'm in the middle of making it happen and I don't know how I'm gonna do the next step, but I'm making it happen. But you have given some guidelines For those that are like you know, sherry, this sounds amazing and it sounds a lot like me, but I'm so overwhelmed and I'm so covered up I don't even know where to start. But you, like I, have inspiration. Yes, and what? Tell us a little bit about that journey, of the inspiration of walking through your guests that come to you as a, through your book that say Sherry, I need help.

Sherri: 11:12

I'm glad that you asked that, because a part of this book is is to tell the stories about other people, but also for readers to connect and to Realize that they too can accomplish their dreams. These are not just stories for for other people. These are examples, these are testimonies that provide Confirmation that it's possible, and sometimes that's all we need to see is that it's possible. But I've also provided some steps. It's called the prep approach. I won't share all of the steps, but I will share one that is my favorite. So each letter in prep PREP Stands for it's an acronym for the tools that I teach within this approach, and my favorite one is the R and R stands for relish. What do you think of when you think of relish?

Audra : 12:02

Oh, I think I am just in it. I am thoroughly enjoying this experience, this meal, this movie, whatever it is.

Sherri: 12:15

I am in it and I am 100% Vested in whatever that is right in front of me exactly, and a lot of times, when we focus on our goals and we're working towards something, we feel like we've got to work, like that's all we got to do, we got to put all our effort and energy into making this dream happen, and we often times Forget or we don't allow ourselves rather to enjoy and to relish, and I think that's very important. I think that you get a lot of inspiration when you just take time To relish, to sit back and enjoy the present where you are, to enjoy an outing, to enjoy a nice dinner, maybe enjoy a short getaway. There was a point in time in my own life, even with teaching, where I would tell myself and my friends if they would invite me somewhere oh, I can't go, I can't do anything until the end of the semester, and that's 16 weeks.

Sherri: 13:26

That's four months to put off fun four months, but I was so again focused on career. I gotta do this career, career thing right. I've got to put my energy into here. I and I also started noticing other people in my surroundings and colleagues who weren't doing that. You know they would do their job, but they would take a trip, they would take a weekend and go somewhere. And at first I'm like, well, how could they do that? Like we're in the middle of the semester, we're in the middle of testing and whatever's going on. But then later on I'm like, well, why wouldn't I do that? Who wouldn't do that?

Sherri: 14:08

You can't stop your life just because you're working for your career, and so that was again another thing that I had to figure out. Well, how do I do career in life? Like they should be the same. It shouldn't be career over here in my life, over here, waiting on the sideline, waiting on pause. It took me some time to work through that and to be comfortable with allowing myself to relish. It's just so important to enjoy, and we know, especially in the past few years, nothing is promised. Our time here is not promised. Nothing here is guaranteed. Nobody's obligated to do anything. For us, time is just precious and we have to do everything we can to maximize the time that we have, to create a life that we can look back on and really be happy with.

Audra : 15:02

You know, it's the only asset that we have. We can't make more of. We can make more money, we can get another job, we can buy more stuff, we can always get more of anything but time, but it's just the one thing that we seem to make that we take lightly and waste the most of. I mean and I'm guilty of that too I mean how many, how many hours have you wasted playing on your phone? My goodness, I am guilty of that because it's a. It's a. Probably most people do it for the same reason I do is it's a stress reliever? It's a. It's a let down. What else could I do? There's so many other things that I could do with that time than playing some stupid game on my phone that I never win.

Sherri: 15:58

Right, and it's okay to take a mental break. You know, watch TV and, and you know, do something just to kind of be at ease and not have to think and work and focus on something. But you're, you're very right, that's very true, in that you know, sometimes that can take over and it can become a distraction. That's another thing that I talk about with the prep approach is elimination. Elimination is what the E stands for in prep, and elimination is difficult. There are some times that we have people or situations or circumstances that come into our lives or in some way disrupt our lives and we have to determine okay, is this something or someone who stays, or is this something or someone who goes? And that can be an emotional and difficult decision. But again, you have to focus on what's best for you and focus on what your ultimate dream and goal is. You know one thing I learned being an educator, being a teacher, I feel like I learned so much. I wrote a grant to participate in an active learning classroom series of workshops. One thing that I learned in there is very excited, because at this point Auburn was getting ready to build an attachment to the library that included smart rooms, and so they wanted to prepare us for working in that space and also for active learning to further engage our students, and so during this workshop we learned about Fink's backwards design approach and this also is some information that I learned through my doctoral program at Auburn as well, in the adult education program and so the idea is that you take what it is you want the students to learn, what is it that you want them to be able to do and take with them once they finish your class, and then from there you reverse, engineer the class to figure out what do they need to do before that to get that to that goal, and then what step do they need to do before that step until you get to the beginning of the course, and then you have a full layout of how the course should be structured in order to achieve the goals for that class. That was fascinating to me. I had so much fun with that and I was like, oh, my students are going to love this, but really I did want them to love it. I want my students to be able to have something they can really take with them and that they can apply to their lives, that beyond just something that we learned in a textbook and some keywords in a multiple choice quiz.

Sherri: 18:34

After a while, I started to realize, well, this backwards design approach could work in my life. So I started creating a syllabus for my life and for my goals using that same approach. What is it that I want to achieve? I want to write a book. What do I need to do before that to make that happen? What do I need to do before that?

Sherri: 18:54

And so I started applying that to my life and through that approach I was able to gain some traction and able to take steps that have allowed me at this point to be the upcoming author of a book. But that's just, again, one thing that I've learned from from teaching and just being open to experiences and being open to learning. I never wanted to be the type of teacher who was the know it all or who who wasn't open to learning from my students. I learned so much from my students, from other, from my colleagues at the university or speakers and guests who come in. I think there's always something that we can gain and learn and that can help us in our own lives in various ways.

Audra : 19:39

So what you're talking about is the journey. You, while the goal is important, you're saying let's focus on the journey. Now that's backwards to what our culture is. Our culture is always reaffirming to us it's always the goal, it's always the end goal. Only focus on the end goal. But in my experience and I've learned this the hard way that when I got to the goal, it wasn't fulfilling. I got there, but I celebrated for a very brief moment and then it was okay, what's the next goal? It's taken a long time to figure out that part of the journey to the goal. The important part is the journey. So how do you teach that? I mean, that's a completely different mindset. That is not something that is taught in industrialized society. I mean, that's why we sit in rows in classrooms, I mean, and why everything's so structured. But it's backwards.

Sherri: 20:51

It is backwards. It's backwards, but it's a part of that relishing again. If we wait until the end of the 16 weeks, the end of the semester, to celebrate and that's we have to think that far along, you're gonna lose interest, you're gonna lose engagement. You know it's hard to get students to think about what's going on the next day or the next week. You know there's so many things that are going on in the life of a college student just the life of a person in general. So to think that far, 16 weeks for the end of the semester, it's way too long. So it's a challenge and I'm always experimenting with things in the classroom to get students engaged.

Sherri: 21:35

I have activities. We have impromptu, I think of activities on the way to class, walking from my car to the classroom sometimes. I did one this past spring semester and it was for my professional presentations class, which is one of my favorite classes to teach. It's like an advanced speech class but it's fun and I just walked in. It was a Friday. I like to do activities on Fridays. I tell my students at the beginning of the semester that every Friday we're gonna do some type of activity to kind of summarize and conclude what we've talked about or apply what we've learned throughout the week. So it's usually something fun. So for one I planned an escape room.

Sherri: 22:18

So there's in a series of activities that the students will have to do and it puts to use our knowledge of verbal and nonverbal skills. So it starts out nonverbal and they have to basically complete a crossword puzzle, but they can't use any resources and it's based on terms and concepts that we've learned in the course and they have to complete that individually, nonverbally, and so they're different levels, so it's kind of like a game. And then level two, still nonverbal, but they can work with a partner. Level three nonverbal, but they can work with the class and they can use their resources. They can use a book online. And then, at the final level, they can use verbal and nonverbal communication, their resources, and as soon as they finish the crossword puzzle, they're free to go and I play like spooky music, like they're really trapped in the room, like you can't leave until you finish this crossword puzzle, but just things like that. And I know sometimes they look at me like what is she talking about, like what is she doing? But they come back, they come back and but yeah, I just think that you have to be creative, think outside of the box, try something different.

Sherri: 23:30

I walked in one Friday and I said you know what? I want you all to come up with your own talk shows today. I want you to get in groups and I want you to come up with your own topic. And I set some tables up in the front of the room and in each of their groups they came up with a theme, all types of things and they led a panel discussion and had like their own show with whatever they wanted to talk about.

Sherri: 23:56

And I'd much rather them do that and have some fun and let loose than to have a speech with very strict guidelines. Now we do still have speeches with strict guidelines, but we have a mix of activities so that they can get comfortable with speaking, so that they can get comfortable and kind of relish in this process, in this journey of learning. And what does it feel like for me to stand up in the front of the classroom and to be relaxed and to talk about something I love and to laugh? I want them to experience that, because the more comfortable they are in that space by the time they get up to give that speech, the formal speech. They'll be ready for it.

Audra : 24:41

You're teaching them relish. I'm teaching them relish I should rename the class.

Audra : 24:46

Yes, you're teaching them relish. You're teaching them to enjoy the journey, and what you're describing to me is that you are reinforcing their ability to have critical thinking skills, the ability to think on their feet, the ability to work with someone that they don't know, that may be different from them, and to communicate in ways that they don't normally communicate. You are teaching them how to relish the journey. That's what we need more of. I'm gonna ask you I'm gonna put you back on your heels why are you so audacious that you ask your students to create a life that they dream of? Because that is bold, and I bet no one has ever asked them to do that.

Sherri: 25:37

I ask my students to think about the dream life that they would like to live or their dream goal, and I asked them that usually early on in the semester, the first week of class, because I want them to get out of the mind frame of I'm here for a speech class, you're not just here for a speech class, you're not just here for a grade. You have some goals, you have some dreams, you have something that you want to accomplish and this is just one step on the journey. This is going to help you and I want them to make that connection between what they're doing in this class and what it is that they want to accomplish outside of this class, because I feel like if they can focus on that, they won't be so nervous about this class, because they're gonna be excited about their dream.

Audra : 26:33

Because life is not linear. I wish that I was taught that in college. That life is not linear. It is three steps forward, two steps back. Sometimes you're going sideways, Sometimes you're underground.

Sherri: 26:48

Have mercy.

Audra : 26:49

Sometimes you are flying high, but it is never, ever a linear pace Never. So you might as well enjoy it along the way, but we are so concerned about what's at the end that we forget about what's in the middle. And that's what I love about not only your class and what you're teaching your students, but what you are pouring into your book is. That's part of it. It's you're gonna fail. And, by the way I should preface that the audience has heard me say this multiple times I don't believe in failure. I do not. I think the only failure that there is in life is not doing. That's it. It's the only failure. Everything else is learning opportunities. Well, that way didn't work. I'll try a different way, but I don't believe in failure. I also no longer believe in making and being afraid to make mistakes.

Sherri: 27:50

Oh yes, and that's so freeing.

Audra : 27:54

Oh so freeing, that's so freeing Perfection is boring and exhausting.

Sherri: 28:00

And that's another thing I share with my students. Like you're gonna make mistakes, I'm gonna make mistakes. Nobody's exempt from making mistakes. But you know what? We're gonna keep going. And I ask them what are you gonna do when you make a mistake? What are you gonna do when you get up here to give your speech and your mind goes blank, or you forgot your laptop, or you trip up at fall and face plant in front of the room? What are you gonna do? What are you gonna do? Because we're not?

Audra : 28:28

perfect. No, I mean, the greatest example of that is Jennifer Lawrence at the Oscars. Oh my goodness, she's a run and Oscar, and she's super excited and she's trudging up those stairs in that big beautiful gown and she face plants and she gets up and she smiles, yes, and gets the award anyway Still a winner.

Sherri: 28:56

You can still be a winner.

Audra : 28:58

Still winner. She just face planted on the way. If that is not a great example of life, nothing is. But just get up and enjoy the ride. My daughter taught me the greatest example of this. She was at her university and she was like most universities. They don't allow cars on the university, so they're either biking or skateboarding or scootering. You're on a campus, you know what they do, right, she's skateboarding and she hits a rock and goes flying skids the whole thing, you know. And she does it right in front of the volleyball team. Oh, my goodness. And they're practicing and they turn around and they're all concerned. Everybody sees it. They all concern, they all turn around. Are you okay?

Audra : 29:55

She stands up and she does a pose Like she just finished a dismount. I love it. And when she told me this story, I smiled and I said that is the greatest thing I have ever heard you do and she's like what, mom? I was embarrassed. I was like but you were proud of that. You failed and you fell and you got back up and you're like I did it and she got back up and she owned it and she absolutely owned it. So that visual of her doing that stays with me all the time, and so anytime I screw up, I absolutely give the dismount pose.

Sherri: 30:45

Oh, my goodness, I'm going to remember that. I think I want to do that. I want you to try the dismount.

Audra : 30:50

Yeah, do it all the time. I want you to tell us the story about the wedding with your students.

Sherri: 31:00

Yes, so no one would ever expect a wedding at the end of a semester. But one thing that I do in my class professional presentations, which is in advanced speaking class is I have my students for their final. Instead of taking a final exam, I have them to create a program that I've named the final toast, and the final toast is a ceremony in which the students come up with a theme and they come up with speaking roles for each person in the class. So every single person has a role in the final toast. Everyone has a speaking role in the final toast. So I'm always excited to see what themes they come up with, and for the past few years they've kind of chosen similar themes. We've had holiday themes, We've had a tacky holiday sweater theme. We've had a New Year theme. We've had award ceremonies, We've had a luau.

Sherri: 32:04

This semester my students decided that they wanted to have a spring wedding reception, Last thing I was expecting. But you know I have a set of rules on the rubric and I'm like, as long as you can meet these instructions and these requirements, whatever else you do, you know, within reason, ethically speaking, is fine with me. So we go with the spring wedding reception and they chose a bride and groom. They had parents of the bride and groom. They had groomsmen. They had bridesmaids. They had, I think, like a party animal, uncle Celebrity has that uncle, I'm telling you.

Sherri: 32:58

Everybody has that uncle. But it was just so interesting to see how they brought their different personalities out in these characters and they were still again doing. What I wanted them to do was to get up and speak. That's the goal for this class is to build that confidence. Before over anything else, I tell them at the beginning of the semester my goal for you is to build your confidence in public speaking, not concerned about your grade, great if you get an A, but I want you to be confident when you get up to speak.

Sherri: 33:30

And so they pulled it off. They got dressed up, we had flowers. We had fresh flowers on the table table coverings. They actually contributed to a fun to get catering from Chick-fil-A. And it was a morning. Our final is scheduled by the university, so ours was scheduled for eight o'clock in the morning, so it was a very early wedding reception, but we made do with our breakfast offerings and they did such a great job, had so much fun with it and it was just. It kind of was reminiscent of in school an elementary school how you would have an end of school year party. That's kind of the idea that I had with this. I want us to go out with a bang. I want us to go out with a smile and feeling like you've accomplished something. You accomplished something that you thought was very hard.

Sherri: 34:26

Getting up to speak is very challenging. That's very nerve wrecking for anyone. It doesn't matter what level you are. It doesn't matter if you're in a leadership position or not. I've seen people at all levels get nervous and I've been there myself. I was terrified of public speaking. I don't tell my student. I do tell my students that I know now, but I was terrified of public. I was so terrified of public speaking that I transferred schools and undergrad to avoid a speaking engagement that I was obligated to as a leader of an organization I was in. I was that scared, wow. I ended up transferring back and I ended up doing that speaking engagement. So, but that was the level of fear that I had. So I know, I know that it's, I know that it's challenging and so many people avoid taking a class like that. So I always commend them just for signing up and for showing up.

Audra : 35:28

The reason why I asked you to describe that is because you are making it happen. It's not just the title of the book, it's not just the, the steps or the stories that you are sharing. You are living what you are doing and you would openly admit you are in the process, you are in the middle, you are in the journey, but you are making it happen. You are. You are bringing your full self to life, not just your job. But what's beautiful about that is that you're bringing your whole self to your job too. You're not leaving parts of it at home Absolutely, and you're teaching your students to do that too. You're teaching them to dream big, think outside the box and not follow this linear path that they think they need to be or they think they need to do. You've given them this opportunity to think that there are so many things that are possible on this planet. Literally, the only thing that stands between you and that is you when you're making it possible.

Audra : 36:34

I know that your classes is an advanced communication class. It needs to be renamed. It needs to be renamed. It needs to be. Take this class if you want to live a life that is worth living.

Audra : 36:48

Because, I'm going to teach you how to do it and right. Tell me again when this book comes out.

Sherri: 36:56

This book comes out this summer, before the end of the summer 2023. It's coming out and I'm very excited about it and I'm glad that you pointed that out about my students. I think it's very important to be transparent in the classroom. I think you have to be, to some degree, authentic and transparent in the classroom, because one they're going to know if you're not and they'll be able to connect more with you if they see that you are an authentic person, if they see that you do have dreams, if they see that you do have goals in a life outside of the classroom. You don't have to reveal every aspect in detail, because they don't need to be in all of your business, but to show that, hey, I have something that I'm really working toward.

Sherri: 37:47

When I decided I was going to work on this book and I had the title, I had the book cover and I was all in and from my family my students were the next group of people to know this is what I was doing and we spend the most time together. We meet typically two to three days a week, and so there's a lot of opportunity to talk and catch up, and so they were some of the first people I shared this news with that I was writing this book and I introduced myself to them as the author of this upcoming book and before I could finish, they started giving me an applause. And I wasn't expecting that, but it was so encouraging and I'm just very fortunate and blessed to be in a position to teach and learn, to give and receive within the classroom.

Audra : 38:42

That's how education should be. It should be a mutual relationship, Because they're spending a lot of time and a lot of money to be there. It should be a well-rounded experience. They should see their professors as human and that they are these well-rounded individuals that aren't just university professors, that they aren't just teaching a class. They're not just trying to check a box. And you're reaffirming that with your students because you are demonstrating to them that it is never too late to go chase some big crazy dreams that haunt you in the middle of the night. Oh, yes.

Sherri: 39:27

Because they never go away. I promise you, they will come, they will track you down in your sleep.

Audra : 39:34

Oh, and it gets louder and louder and it literally grabs you by the throat and says I am not going away until you do something about me. So you can either continue to ignore me and be miserable Right, or you can chase me and enjoy the journey along the way, and you're not just giving them permission to do this, you're giving them a roadmap. I mean, that is a big deal and, like I said, it is never, ever too late to go and chase big, fat dreams. Never too late. And I know that your passion is your students, but it's also women, and I hope, through this conversation, that the women that we're talking to, the women that have those dreams, that are just sitting there, that are just permeating, and some of them have reached the level of I'm roaring in your ears, yes, and I'm hoping that they hear that you're living it too and that they can do it too.

Sherri: 40:49

You absolutely can do it. And I'll just say you must do it, you must do it. You were put on a planet for a purpose, right. And also, I think sometimes we don't realize that our journeys, us following our dreams encourages others. It provides that roadmap or that testimony for others to see. Oh well, I can do this too. Like, how did that happen? How did she do that? There are a lot of things that have happened and I've realized several instances, examples of things that when I was younger, or even in college or grad school, things that's like, oh, that can never happen, but it happened because I asked, I asked somebody or I spoke up or I took some step toward it. I got to do a one-on-one interview with Otis Williams, the founder of legendary musical group the Temptations. How did that happen? Yeah, how did that?

Audra : 41:47

happen. How did that happen? You probably just asked.

Sherri: 41:52

I just asked. I was working on a project. I have a music background, if you can't tell, and I was working on a project in grad school and a lot of my projects are somehow infused music, incorporated music in some way, and it was a communication theory class. I wanted to do an analysis of the Temptation song Ball of Confusion, and it just so happened that the Temptations were performing maybe 30 minutes in a town down the road from Auburn.

Sherri: 42:22

I went to grad school in Auburn as well. I had no idea, I didn't know many people there. But I just asked one of my coworkers. I worked in the study hall in the athletics department at Auburn and one of my colleagues who was from that area and sat at the front desk and just very friendly and just knew so many people around. I just thought to ask her. I was like, would you happen to know anyone who could get me in touch with Otis Williams? And she said let me check and see I may know someone. And before the end of that day was out she gave me a call and said she got in touch with someone who got in touch with someone and said what you'll need to do is you need to show up at this particular place at this particular time and you will get to talk with him.

Sherri: 43:14

And I did everything I had to do. I took off work, I put on the best clothing I could put together, the best outfit I could, I got my little recorder, combed my hair over and I took off and I was there at that spot at that time and I got to talk with Otis Williams. It was only one question, but that's all that mattered. I got to talk with him face to face and I grew up listening to oldies. My parents are baby boomers, so we kind of grew up in this capsule. I feel like we grew up in this capsule of just music, timeless music. In our household I have a very sentimental and close connection to music, but particularly oldies and those older groups that were so legendary. So it was just, oh my gosh. I was elated that I got to talk with Mr Otis Williams, and all just because I asked, All just because I took a chance and asked.

Audra : 44:15

So maybe chasing those big fat dreams just simply starts with asking for them.

Audra : 44:23

You can't be afraid to ask for help, oh my gosh, sherry, I want to go to Auburn and take your class. I just want to take your class because I want you to teach a class. You're on, you're on. Oh my gosh. I have thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and this amazing opportunity to talk to you about chasing dreams and being open to the possibility of actually getting there and enjoying the journey along the way. The one thing you didn't say, but we should affirm it now it's not going to be easy. It's never easy. It's not going to be easy Even when you went to go speak to Otis Williams. It was not easy, but it was worth it.

Sherri: 45:14

It's definitely worth it. It's not easy. You're going to stumble along the way, it's going to take some time, but I'm also a very prayerful person as well. I did grow up in a Christian household and I do believe that there is a big God that I serve. That is a big part. I mean, of course, we have the method and I have the approach and everything, but that really is central to making it happen, from my perspective, is having that faith in a higher power who can do any and everything, who can do all things, and all you have to do is have that faith and plant that seed, nurture it, sometimes make sacrifices, eliminate things that need to be eliminated, but stay true and stay on that path and you'll reach your goal.

Audra : 46:07

This has been such an amazing conversation. If the audience would like to reach you, where can they?

Sherri: 46:14

do that? Yes, Well, I'm looking forward to hearing from everyone about the book and if you want to reach me, you can reach me at Sherry S-H-E-R-R-I-E at the MakeItHappenBookcom.

Audra : 46:30

And your website is MakeItHappenBookcom as well.

Sherri: 46:33

Yes, theMakeItHappenBookcom.

Audra : 46:36

Oh my gosh, I cannot wait to read these stories and learn a little bit more about you and the methods that you go through and have teaching. You're teaching these live to your students and you are encouraging and giving passion to these young and next generation that, hopefully, will be big dreamers and not be afraid to chase them and not be stuck doing what they think they have to do and incorporate what they want to do. So thank you for being a world changer and spending some time with us today. I truly appreciate it and I've enjoyed every single second.

Sherri: 47:18

It's been my pleasure. Audra, Thank you so much for this opportunity.

Audra : 47:22

Thank you and thank all of you for listening, and we'll see you again next time.