041: Who am I if I can't DO anything? feat. Michele Cushatt (Enneagram 2)
Twos have an amazing way of making other people feel safe and comfortable. They are some of the most caring, supportive and upbeat people I know. Twos accept you as you are, aren’t judgmental and they create space where people can speak from their hearts and experience.
Twos need to be needed. They rarely ask for help and don’t know how to receive it when it’s offered. For a Two to admit their own “neediness” is very difficult. Instead, they focus their energy on meeting the needs of others. They have to DO things to really feel loved. Twos don’t know who they are if they aren’t doing things for the people around them.
So, for a Two to grow in self-awareness and gain self-compassion, they need to embrace the truth that we all have needs. We’re all broken in some way. And that’s okay. It just makes us more human.
In today’s episode, Michele Cushatt joins us to talk about how Twos can stop seeing their wounds as flaws but rather as portals for deeper connection with others.
A storyteller at heart, Michele Cushatt inspires audiences with the warmth of her transparency and presence. Her unique style makes you feel like you just spent an afternoon with a good friend, sparking tears one moment and laughter the next. A three-time cancer survivor who experienced extreme suffering, she’s unafraid to disclose her struggles and questions, so you know you’re not alone in yours.
As an experienced keynote speaker and emcee, Michele has spoken internationally in diverse venues LifeToday TV, Compassion International, Women of Faith, Focus on the Family, Proverbs 31, Dynamic Communicators International, women’s and writer’s conferences, corporate and ministry events as well as numerous podcast, radio, video and audio recording projects. From 2014 through 2016, she joined Michael Hyatt as the weekly cohost of his popular This is Your Life podcast. In addition, she and Michael produced Get Published, a 21-session audio program for aspiring writers. Currently, Michele can be found weekly with her buddy Kathi Lipp on their hilarious and practical Communicator Academy podcast.
Since 2007, Michele has worked closely with Ken Davis and the SCORRE Conference, filling multiple roles including emcee, presenter and coach. With a solid understanding of what makes for excellent communication, Michele coaches multiple large-platform speakers in how to craft and deliver powerful presentations. In addition, she leads an intensive, application-based Inspired Life Mastermind of 12 women, all of whom are learning how to live out their life mission—in business, relationship and personal growth.
Pulling from her unique life experiences, Michele’s first book, a memoir titled Undone: A Story of Making Peace With An Unexpected Life, released with Zondervan Publishers in 2015. Her second book, I Am: A 60-Day Journey To Knowing Who You Are Because of Who He Is, released January 2017. When she isn’t researching and writing her books, Michele pens feature articles, blog posts, stories and devotional meditations for numerous publications including Focus on the Family, MOPS International, Today’s Christian Woman, InCourage, Fullfill Magazine, Hearts-at-Home, Upper Room, David C. Cook’s Quiet Hour, Standard Publishing’s Devotions, as well as multiple other posts, articles, essays devotionals, and compilations.
Michele and her husband, Troy, live in Colorado with their six children, ages 10 to 25. She enjoys a good novel, a long walk, and a kitchen table filled with people.
And donuts. Lots of donuts.
“Emotionally I had nothing left. I had pushed myself further than I had the capacity.”