Cultural Capacity™

We hit Episode 100 here at Love Learning You™ and we’re celebrating with Marla Echols! Author, educator of the heart, and joy curator extraordinaire. This is 35 minutes of pure laughter, real talk, and the vulnerability we rarely see in author spaces. Here’s what we’re tackling: How do you market yourself as an author when you don’t have it all figured out? Spoiler alert: neither of us do. But that’s what makes this conversation so refreshing. 🤗 Marla and I dig into: ​ Facing our fears as writers (the imposter syndrome is REAL)​ Author anxiety about self-promotion (and why “authentic marketing” isn’t an oxymoron)​ The myth of the marketing expert (newsflash: real authors are figuring it out too)​ Joy as a marketing strategy (yes, it’s a thing...! and it works!)​ Building community over followers (because readers become advocates!) This isn’t a masterclass. This is two real humans sharing honest wins, failures, and the messy middle of building an author platform. If you’re navigating your author/creative journey and tired of polished perfection, this episode is for you. Here’s the truth: we don’t have it all figured out, and we’re not pretending we do. Instead, we share: ✨ Real fears about self-promotion and how to move through them ✨ The author anxiety spiral (and how to escape it) ✨ Authentic marketing strategies that don’t feel salesy ✨ Joy as a business asset in your author platform ✨ Community building over vanity metrics This is a conversation between two writers who believe marketing doesn’t require expertise; just honesty, humor, and heart. Perfect for aspiring authors, writers navigating their platform, and anyone tired of polished, corporate author advice. Discover Marla’s Work:Visit joyismychoice.com order her books, including Adventures with Joy and Hope and her growing library of titles inspiring joy, friendship, and courage. Grab Marla’s books at joyismychoice.com ! Subscribe to the Reflective Edge Newsletter for insights and research projects on authenticity, cultural psychology, leadership, and the art of slowing down: reflectiveedgenewsletter.com ABOUT THE HOSTESS Hi! I’m Justine Gonzalez, an American-born Puerto Rican and Swiss educator, speaker, author, and cultural psychology researcher. My work is rooted in emotional intelligence, cultural psychology, and the belief that compassionate curiosity changes everything. For two decades, I’ve served K12 schools, districts, and organizations as a teacher, instructional coach, principal, and consultant through my firm, Educator Aide®. Beyond the credentials, I’m deeply committed to one mission: helping people pause, remember who they are, and embrace all of who they are. The Love Learning You™ podcast is my love letter to real conversations. It’s where we explore the topics that make us human: spirituality, cultural psychology, emotional intelligence, communication, belonging, workplace culture, authenticity, and the messy, beautiful work of knowing yourself. When I’m not hosting or speaking, you’ll find me researching ancestral stories, exploring how culture shapes identity, building community, and creating spaces where people can come home to themselves. Let’s get compassionately curious together. 💖 Why This Podcast? I created Love Learning You™ because I got frustrated with surface-level conversations. Real transformation happens when we get curious, not combative. It happens when we pause. When we remember who we are beneath the roles we play. When we embrace the full complexity of our humanity. What I’m Obsessed With: ​ How culture shapes identity, relationships, and the way we see the world​ The intersection of cultural wisdom, psychology, and personal growth​ Ancestral healing and family storytelling (I’m deep in genealogy research)​ Media literacy and how we make sense of the world​ Why emotional intelligence is the skill nobody teaches but everyone needs​ How joy, curiosity, and compassion create transformation