Hope Motivates Action

Tragedy doesn't always happen in isolation. Sometimes tragedy hits an entire community, impacting hundreds of households and thousands of lives. That was the case in December 2021 when the Marshall fire hit the town of Superior, Colorado, a suburb of Denver.With so many families displaced, those impacted could find solace in their community. This week on the podcast, I'm talking to one of those survivors.Reina Pomeroy's family had just moved to the area from California 20 weeks prior, thinking they were escaping the risk of wildfires in their new community. And being so new to the area at the time of the fire, and in the midst of Covid, Reina's family had made few connections and friends.In the devastation and grief of the fire and being one of 1,086 families to lose their home, Reina found support and hope in the mobilization and rebuilding of the community. Though the process is far from over, Reina's and other families are dealing with the grief by going through it together and despite the many steps backward, they're finding hope in the progress they're making.About Reina Pomeroy:Reina Pomeroy is a former Social Worker turned Community Builder in her professional life. In December 2021, Reina and her family lost their home in the Marshall Fire. She and other fire survivors banded together to build a network and community to support others who lost everything as they navigate their way home.Mentioned In This Episode:Disaster Psychology Helps to Explain our Response During CrisisWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Hope and beauty have a lot in common. They can work together, one can inspire the other, and they can both encourage someone to take action. All three are true for this week's guest, Nina Kins.After a number of very difficult life circumstances, Nina was just starting to get back on her feet when she received a cancer diagnosis. A fighter, she put her head down and went to battle, but she didn't think a lot about having hope of getting out the other side. At the same time, she watched many other cancer patients, many with much bleaker outcomes, exude hope in every doctor's waiting room she sat in.Eventually, Nina started to see hope in her situation. And some of that hope came from the beauty of watching others fight.Now cancer free, Nina continues to navigate this new life she finds herself in and is digging back into childhood to tie hope and beauty together in a new podcast. Her new perspective is helping her to align her walk with her talk as she brings a love of beauty, in all its forms, to others.Nina and I are so aligned in how we look at hope and beauty and the science behind it. If you've been a long-timer listener, you're going to be nodding along as you listen.About Nina Kins:Writer and self-proclaimed Beauty Explorer, Nina Kins hosts This is Beauty Podcast where she invites us to reimagine the role of Beauty in our lives. Educated as a journalist and social historian, and trained as a marketing research analyst, Nina brings a unique blend of expertise and experience to her combined roles as a producer and host of the show. Nina began her career in advertising with Ogilvy Advertising before transitioning into media and film production, working first as a production coordinator and then as a stylist on advertising campaigns for major brands After returning to school to pursue her masters, Nina moved to the Silicon Valley where she worked in mobile technology development before transitioning into branded entertainment in Los Angeles. Though Nina's personal passions for history, science, culture, literature and the arts have been instrumental in shaping her podcast, her primary mission is to entertain and inspire her listeners by taking them on a voyage of discovery into the very heart of beauty where moments of joy, hope, and wonder still abound. Mentioned In This Episode:This is Beauty PodcastFollow Nina's podcast on Instagram and FacebookJoyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness by Ingrid Fetell LeeWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

There's no avoiding adversity and challenges. Some we can prevent with careful planning and setting ourselves up for success. But many we can't. No one can predict a tragedy or accident and be adequately prepared for it. It just happens, and we have to pick up the pieces and manage the aftermath.This week's podcast guest has lived through tragedy and turmoil, burnout and overwhelm, all of which has led her to where she is today. It was standing at the 9/11 memorial in New York City, in the midst of yet another big life change, where she had a big ah-ha moment that changed her mindset about her circumstances.Diana Gremillion is a former chef and an international speaker and master life coach who looks at life circumstances as ingredients to a recipe. Sometimes you have good, fresh ingredients while other times you have to do what you can with what you have in your pantry. This incredible perspective on life is something we can all learn from so we can build the resilience we need to thrive.About Diana Gremillion:When Diana lost her hair and her chef career due to burnout, she decided to follow her dreams, quit her 9-5, and move to Hawai'i to start her own business. Through Savor Life LLC and The Body Positivity Podcast, Diana loves inspiring others to achieve their dreams - even when traumatic crisis makes hope seem impossible. In the words of Lisa Nichols, Diana's dynamic stories and insights as an international speaker, serial entrepreneur, 9/11 survivor and chef are "food to my soul."Mentioned In This Episode:Diana Gremillion's websiteLessons in Chemistry by Bonnie GarmusWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Young parents and parents-to-be have so much hope in their growing families. They start to imagine who their babies will become, even from the first positive pregnancy test.But as we all know, not every pregnancy is the same. And some end in tragedy.That was the case for this week's guest, Lindsey Hannan. And it was the case not only once but twice. A daughter and a son both were born with a rare genetic condition that unfortunately has a 100% mortality rate. And while Lindsey, her husband, and their first daughter certainly grieved and suffered, Lindsey particularly found hope in her faith and in Jesus Christ.As a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Lindsey learned that hope and faith isn't just about what good comes from life and that you have to let go of the expectations you have. She believes that everything that feels unfair in life is made right by the atonement of Jesus Christ.I can't imagine the pain and suffering that Lindsey and her family endured, but it's so hopeful to see how her faith and courage has helped her to be a great mother and community member.About Lindsey Hannan:Lindsey Hannan is a wife and mother to three beautiful children: Emily, Élodie, and Henry. She works as an attorney and is also a certified end of life doula and is working on becoming certified as a grief counselor.Mentioned In This Episode:Wellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Sometimes adversity is just the thing to bring us to a place where we're supporting others in our communities. That's part of the path for Candace Plattor, this week's guest. After a 15-year addiction to opioids, Candace has been in recovery and supporting families of addicts for the last 35 years. Candace is an addictions therapist and recognizes that there's a lack of support for family members supporting a loved one through addiction. Just one reason why that's her focus as a therapist.In our conversation, Candace and I talk about prioritizing yourself through recovery and identifying and using the language that correctly describes how we're feeling. We also talk about one of my favorite topics, boundaries: how to set them and how to communicate them to others so everyone is on the same page. I love the example Candace shared of exactly how to set a boundary with a loved one in addiction.Candace's story illustrates that people can and do come back from addiction and they can impact so many.About Candace Plattor:Candace Plattor is an Addictions Therapist in private practice, where she specializes in working with the family and other loved ones of people who are struggling with addiction. As a former opioid addict with 35 years clean and sober, Candace has learned that overcoming addiction is a family condition: everyone in the family is affected by addiction and everyone needs to heal. For more than three decades, she has been helping both addicts and their loved ones understand their dysfunctional behaviours and make healthier life choices.The results Candace achieves have been astounding: addicts stop using and families regain their lives from the ravages of addiction. Not only has her success led to a waiting list of clients but she is a sought after speaker in the field of addictions. As the developer of the Love With Boundaries Family Addiction Counselling and Therapy method, Candace now works with her team of top counsellors, helping both the families and their addicts break the devastating cycle of addiction for good. Candace is also the author of an Amazon best-selling book titled, Loving an Addict, Loving Yourself as well as a TEDx Speaker.Mentioned In This Episode:The Power of Collective Hope with Charmaine HammondLove With BoundariesNarcissism & Codependency: What's Love Got to Do With It?Loving an Addict, Loving Yourself by Candace PlattorLanguage of Mental HealthWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Emotions are all over the place when you're faced with a life-threatening illness. When it's your young child with the diagnosis, it's easy to fall into denial and despair. Instead, this week's guest took hope, grew her belief, and turned it into faith.When her 11-year-old daughter, Celeste, was diagnosed with pineoblastoma in 2011, Laura relied on following doctor's orders. Eventually though, something told her that she should start researching the diagnosis. In a 1 to 23.5 billion chance, Laura found another girl the same age as Celeste with the same diagnosis at the same time.The two girls met and navigated some of the treatment together and Laura fostered a relationship with the other mom. What Laura discovered through it all was the importance of maintaining hope, believing in something bigger than yourself, and faith that all will work out as it should.Laura's story is incredibly powerful, from a tragic accident as a young girl to the work and hope she's spreading today.About Laura Lane:Laura Lane specializes in providing loving faith-based support for moms whose kids are fighting for their lives. Laura offers hope in a hopeless situation for caregivers who want to learn how to develop grace under pressure during the daily care of their child.  As a professionally trained transformational workshop leader and cancer mom herself, she is there to support them along the way, help them learn needed skills and feel understood. Laura engages her audiences in deep spiritual conversations that help bring more joy and gratitude and a closeness to God during the dark nights of the soul. Mentioned In This Episode:Connect with Laura on LinkedInFollow Laura on InstagramSubscribe to Laura's YouTube channelWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

One of the most hopeful things about living today is that we're constantly developing new tools and strategies to treat ailments that people of yesterday simply had to live with. Sometimes those tools are frowned upon by society, but with conversations and medical research, this week's guest, Len Wiens, is hopeful that the tides may change.Len and I have a fascinating conversation around the use of psychedelics to treat addiction, OCD, PTSD, and even end of life anxiety. As a researcher on the nature of perception, meaning, consciousness and the nature of reality, Len shares the history of psychedelics and what we can do to start to remove the stigma that alternative treatments have in our culture.While neither Len nor I are medical professionals, there truly is emerging evidence to support psychedelic therapy. And those in this community see a lot of hope and optimism around their acceptance. Listen in to us walking through some of the challenges of using psychedelics and where the practice may go in the future.About Len Wiens:Len is a technology entrepreneur with a successful start-up in Canada's Top 100 growth companies and an avid researcher on the nature of perception, meaning, consciousness and the nature of reality.  He supports select people on their healing journey, with a focus on depression, addiction and end-of-life care.Mentioned In This Episode:Follow Len on MediumWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

In 2008, Pope Francis visited Canada to apologize for the treatment of Indigenous peoples and residential schools. This week's guest, Tim Fox, a proud member of the Blackfoot confederacy from the Blood (Kainai) reserve, was invited to participate in the event. And while he had mixed feelings about attending, it was his 11-year-old daughter who truly surprised him and gave him hope that tomorrow truly can be better than today.Tim is vice president of Indigenous Relations & Equity Strategy at Calgary Foundation and he's the child of two residential school survivors. He knows first hand the impact that the extraction of Indigenous people from their land, resources, and community. And he's dedicated his work to educate people and organizations about how we can all take action and do better.This big message? We need to remember and learn from our history, and Indigenous history goes well beyond residential schools and modern limiting beliefs. It's much deeper than that and it's important for others to understand that.Tim's entire message is so filled with hope and he has such a generous heart despite his community having the potential for so much anger and resentment. Instead, you'll hear Tim's compassion and call for education and action ring loudly.About Tim Fox:Tim Fox is a proud member of the Blackfoot confederacy from the Blood (Kainai) reserve located two hours south of Calgary. He has lived and worked in Calgary for the past 15 years although still considers the Blood reserve his home. Tim is the vice president of Indigenous Relations & Equity Strategy with Calgary Foundation where he hopes to strengthen and enhance the culture and practice while incorporating work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Racial Equity, both internally and in the broader community.Tim comes from the not-for-profit children and youth sector and serves as a board chair for The Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal People's in Canada.Tim consults in strategic planning through an Indigenous approach, legacy education, and transformational learning/unlearning design and delivery.Indigenous culture is rooted in oral tradition. He can't help but notice the parallels in this paradigm to the work of the Calgary Foundation through stories of impact, giving nature and work of the heart. Tim holds strong to his Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy) value of Kimmapiiypitsinni: kindness and compassion to all things. He believes this work is generational. And there are ways this journey (work) can continue to thrive for generations to come.Mentioned In This Episode:Murray Sinclair: Why can't you get over it?Calgary FoundationWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Sometimes, when we don't have hope ourselves or haven't learned it yet, looking to someone who does can help us along the path. This week's guest grew up in Detroit, Michigan in the 1980s and 1990s in a time of turmoil and racism for Black residents. But she watched her father first thrive in his career, then turn to mindfulness and hope as he battled for his life after a multiple sclerosis diagnosis and subsequent car accident.As Shawntà Hooks shares, if someone who seemingly has no reason to be hopeful demonstrates hope, it sets an example of so many possibilities. She took what she learned from her father and the sudden death of her mentor and build on that knowledge to bring hope and mindfulness into her work.Listen in as Shawntà talks about how she helps others get past the roadblock of the language around mindfulness and how the idea of teaching mindfulness to her young son brings her hope. So inspiring!About Shawntà Hooks:Shawntà Hooks's mission in life is to help people increase their capacity as leaders, innovators, and compassionate human beings. After 20 years of corporate experience, it dawned on her that she had never meditated at work, for the purpose of work. Sure, she had attended yoga classes at work and wellness seminars, but she had never experienced a corporate learning offering that linked the benefits of mindfulness to corporate and DE&I strategy. Shawntà found this puzzling because science was finally beginning to explain the drastic improvements meditators experience in areas of focus, agility, resilience, compassion, and critical thinking – all key ingredients to strategy execution. As a result, she created Mindful Culture Creators™ during the COVID-19 pandemic as a space for employees to learn how to embed mindfulness into the way they work so that their work is more meaningful and productive (aka, more effective and efficient).Mentioned In This Episode:Mindful Culture Creators™Follow Shawntà on InstagramJim Carrey MIU Commencement SpeechWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Difficult times are often a catalyst for change. And change can only come with action. There's science to prove this and this week's podcast guest discovered this for himself after a particularly difficult time.Chris Castelino lost a friend to suicide in 2018, then just as he was reeling from this had a terrible bike accident with a long recovery. He spent years isolating and questioning his ability to help others.Then, in 2021, Chris decided to take action. It was hope that got him to that point.Chris's perspective and desire to bring hope and support to others is inspiring and he's leaned on the experiences of others to help. In this episode, we talk about what worked for him, why optimism is impossible without hope, and taking agency over making things better in your life.I love Chris's take on hope being a prerequisite for motivation and pursuing our goals. I couldn't agree more. I hope you'll tune in to this inspiring conversation!About Chris Castelino:With a passion for people and process, Chris has had the privilege of assisting job seekers in finding success in the Canadian job market over the last three years. His commitment is to building excellent relationships and delivering the very best in client care and service quality. From building powerful portfolios to preparing candidates for interviews, his company's mission is to empower professionals to make an impact and stand out in a crowded and often competitive market. Follow Chris's company, Maple Road Consulting, on Instagram or connect with Chris on LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:Maple Road ConsultingConnect with Chris on LinkedInSeason 1, Episode 2: Hope as a Tool for Motivation with Andrea TorravilleWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Kids who have had trouble in the past don't always get a fair shake. They've shoplifted or been in other trouble with the law so the community writes them off as “bad news” or “a lost cause.” But really, the challenge is likely that they just haven't had the resources and support they need to be successful.That's where people like Tina Clem and the Calgary Youth Justice Society (CYJS) come in. Tina has worked with youth in many capacities, from residential care to early intervention to sexuality education in high schools. But after her son was born, she wanted to shift her energies. Tina has always had hope for youth and their success, but in the last 10 years, she's come to believe that hope must be paired with purposeful and thoughtful action.With CYJS, Tina works with community volunteers to support youth that have been in the court system, helping them to see hope in their own lives. Together, CYJS and Tina equip young people with language around strengths so they can begin to develop their leadership skills and potential.I love the mindset that while the youth Tina works with may have had troubled pasts, they possess strengths that can help turn their lives around. Listen in for more!About Tina Clem:Tina proudly calls herself a youth worker by trade and at heart with over 25 years experience working with vulnerable youth that includes residential treatment, positive youth development and prevention programming, comprehensive sexuality education and formal mentoring programming.  She strives to combine direct service delivery experience with a solid understanding of youth development theories, frameworks and research when developing and delivering quality programming for youth.As the current Program Director at Calgary Youth Justice Society, Tina leads and supports a team of passionate high performers to deliver quality strengths based programming and drives strategic change for the organization through innovation, quality and expanding the reach of our programming. Tina has a BA Psychology from U of C and CYCC Diploma from Mount Royal College/University.Mentioned In This Episode:Calgary Youth Justice SocietyConnect with Calgary Youth Justice Society on LinkedInFollow Calgary Youth Justice Committees on InstagramFollow In The Lead on InstagramWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Sometimes finding hope in our lives is challenging and we have to lean on the successes of others to see what's really possible. That was the case for Kelly Lydiard as he sat on his mother's couch after being kicked out of his 11th treatment center. Frank O'Dea, author of “When All You Have is Hope,” was his inspiration to get up and make a change in his life. And now Kelly is impacting others and helping them climb out of their own rock bottoms.The challenge that many recovering addicts face is not having a purpose after recovery. They've spent their lives falling back on what felt safe to them, addiction, and didn't know what to do after getting treatment. The result? They fall back into addiction in a vicious cycle. But Kelly recognized that there was more to him beyond what he was currently doing in his life. Which admittedly wasn't much.Kelly recognized something he was good at and took a low-paying job to better his skills, digging himself out of his self doubt. And now he's helping others recognize their own tangible value so they can rebuild their own lives.This conversation is so hopeful and inspiring, especially given my own personal connection to addiction and recovery and I can't wait to hear what Kelly has in store for the future.About Kelly Lydiard:Kelly Lydiard is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of On A Dime Transformations. Kelly spent over 19 years battling addiction. His lived experience in transitioning from active addiction and homelessness into a meaningful career is his most valuable contribution to this project. Making the most of his experience by helping others is his "why" and this serves as the inspirational seed for On A Dime Transformations. On A Dime Transformations helps people in recovery from addictions build meaningful careers.Mentioned In This Episode:On a Dime TransformationsFollow On a Dime on InstagramConnect with On a Dime on LinkedInConnect with Kelly on LinkedInWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Food insecurity runs rampant across the globe, even in first world countries like Canada and the U.S. Thankfully, there are organizations doin the work to combat it. As a born and raised Calgaranian, I've been familiar with the work done by Brown Bagging 4 Calgary's Kids (BB4CK) since I was a kid myself. Providing lunches to kids in need is the epitome of hope.Kids who come to school without lunch usually have parents at home who haven't eaten a good meal in a few days. And those same kids don't want to be called out at school for not having a lunch, or have to take paperwork home so their parents can jump through hoops so they can eat.On today's episode, Bethany Ross shares how BB4CK works tirelessly to bring people together – giving time, energy, resources and lots of heart – to ensure that kids who need food have access to it.What I find particularly hopeful about the BB4CK program is that it's 100% funded by the community, which means that it's really easy for kids to access. And the program is for the kids and making sure that the food that's provided is what they want to eat and packaged in a way that doesn't call them out.Tune in to learn more.About Bethany Ross:Bethany Ross has always been passionate about working with organizations that create opportunities for kids. She has a background in Not-For-Profit Studies from Mount Royal University. Bethany joined BB4CK as a Sustainability Coordinator 7 years ago. Since then, her priority has been to connect people in the community to ways where they can make a difference for kids. Currently, she is the Executive Director of Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids. She is a problem solver, a great listener and an impeccable writer.To learn more you can find Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:Brown Bagging for Calgary's KidsWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

When it comes to poor mental health days (or weeks… or months…) it can be difficult to be proactive about doing things that are good for you. Especially when you might not really be sure what those things are. Everyone around you seems to have a different suggestion for which coping mechanisms to try. It can be overwhelming, and then defeating when you try them and they don't really seem to work for you.Today I'm joined by Cope Notes founder Johnny Crowder to talk about coping mechanisms and how to shift into a growth mindset when everything is just too much for you to handle. Different coping mechanisms will work for everyone, so it's just about finding what works for you. It doesn't have to be a trending topic, and you don't have to be some sort of creative mastermind in order to improve your mental health. You just need to believe that tomorrow can be better than today. Tune in to learn more from Johnny's personal experiences and expertise as he teaches us how we can improve our mindset and coping strategies.About Johnny Crowder:Johnny Crowder is a 29-year-old suicide/abuse survivor, TEDx speaker, touring musician, mental health and sobriety advocate, and the Founder & CEO of Cope Notes, a text-based mental health platform that provides daily support to users in nearly 100 countries around the world.To learn more you can find Johnny on Facebook and Instagram, and connect with him on LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:Cope NotesMindset by Carol DweckJohnny's Ted talksWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

emotionally vulnerable just isn't a priority, and as such never really acquire the skills needed to navigate intense feelings later on in life. Yet, emotionally intelligent adults will experience more professional success and improved relationships.It needs to become a higher priority for future generations.Today I'm joined by Alex Malebranche to discuss the importance of normalizing our feelings and teaching our children emotional intelligence and awareness. Alex shares personal stories from throughout his life, from his own childhood to raising his daughter, and highlights specific examples of how we can better equip future generations to navigate rough emotions.Tune in to learn more about emotional intelligence and how we can open the door to these conversations.About Alex Malebranche:Alex Malebranche is currently a tech and mental health entrepreneur out of Houston, TX. A seasoned tech veteran at companies like Amazon, AWS, and smart WiFi company, Plume, Alex Malebranche left what was comfortable and started a tech company in 2021. Throughout his journey in both tech and entrepreneurship, mental health continued to play a key role in who he was and how he handled situations. A former Army veteran as well, he has begun to lean into mental health work for veterans, entrepreneurs, and techies alike.To learn more you can follow Alex on Instagram and connect with him on LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:Ace of Pay's on InstagramAce of Pay's on LinkedInWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

School should be a place where kids feel safe and like they belong. Unfortunately, for many children this isn't the case. Coming from different backgrounds and having different learning abilities will vastly change the experience and enjoyment a child has in school. This discrepancy in experience is something today's guest noticed early on and has been working hard to change. Dr. Bibi Pirayesh views these learning disabilities and discrepancies as a social justice issue. She doesn't believe the system is broken, just that it's designed to benefit certain people more than others. Through her work as an educational therapist, Dr. Pirayesh has found and created hope for children who wouldn't have had the same opportunities otherwise.Listen in to learn more from her transformative journey into educational therapy and social work, and how communities can work together to evolve the public education system into something more accessible for all.About Dr. Bibi Pirayesh:Dr. Pirayesh holds a Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience and Education from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master's degree in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University where her work focused primarily on children's development of mathematical thinking and cognitive neuroscience. She has worked as a learning specialist and educational therapist in private practice for over a decade. While the emphasis of her work is on remediating learning disabilities in a one-on-one setting, she is also a sought after speaker and community advocate for children and families around learning rights. She works with children grades 1-12 and covers a wide range of learning difficulties including dyslexia, ADHD, and spectrum disorders. In 2020, Dr. Pirayesh launched The Difference is Not Deficit Project to help promote the importance of seeing learning disability as a social justice issue, the cornerstone of her doctoral dissertation. In addition to her private practice and advocacy work, she is also adjunct faculty at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology.To learn more, you can connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:One of One KidsWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Mindfulness is something that anyone of any age can benefit from. Being able to slow down, assess your situation, and control your reaction will help you to get the outcome you want out of most situations. As adults, this is often a skill we wish we had learned earlier.How awesome would it be if we had learned how to be mindful when we were young, and experiencing so many emotions for the first time?That's why I'm so intrigued by the work that this week's guest does. Ronnie Parker is a mindfulness teacher who helps teach social emotional learning and mindfulness to young kids, and today she's here to share how her Mindfully Me Camp can help preschoolers learn these important tools. Listen in to learn more about the positive impact that learning these tools and tactics at such a young age can have, and how programs like her are achieving such amazing things.About Ronnie Parker:Ronnie Parker is a wife, local Momma, educator, mindfulness teacher, a Breathe for Change trainee, and owner of Mindful Early Learning. For over 25 years she has worked in the education field teaching Early Intervention, Preschool, PreK-12th grade Special Education, and is a certified Mindfulness teacher. To learn more you can find Mindfully Me Camp on Facebook and follow Mindful Early Learning on Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Mindful Early LearningWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Are you motivated to reach your goals and dreams? If you're not, you might want to reevaluate what you're working towards. The best dreams could inspire you and be filled with purpose, passion, and a sense of possibility. Might be something to consider if your dreams are making you feel anxious, stuck, or just plan blah.Ryan Quinn joins me on the podcast this week to discuss how we can find intrinsic motivation and a sense of hope by finding and focusing on our purpose. He shares some great insight on subtle changes we can make in our mindset that will lead to inspiration and concrete action. We also talk about how purpose and virtues can be used to improve leadership and the benefits of positive leadership.If you want to learn how you can get out of your comfort zone, envision new opportunities for yourself, and create an action plan to reach your dreams and goals, listen in!About Ryan Quinn:Ryan Quinn is the Academic Director of the Project on Positive Leadership at the University of Louisville, and a professor in the Management and Entrepreneurship department of the college of business. He teaches and consults on the topics of leadership and change management, and researches topics such as courage, learning, flow, and communication.To learn more, connect with Ryan on LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:The Path of Least Resistance by Robert FritzProject on Positive Leadership on LinkedInWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Do you ever feel like you have two separate lives? You have your everyday life, where you go to work and make dinner and do your day to day activities. And then you have your dream life, where you go on adventures and travel and experience new, exciting things.Wouldn't it be great if your everyday life and your dream life could just be one in the same?That's what I'm talking about this week on the podcast, and I'm joined by guest Jessica Fraser. Jessica is all about living your life in alignment and finding adventure and hope along the way. This doesn't mean life will be perfect or easy, but it will give yourself the opportunity to experience life the way you want to and see what you're truly capable of.Listen in as we discuss experiencing your dreams, going on more adventures, and living your life in alignment with where you want to be.About Jessica Fraser:Jess Fraser is a certified Award-Winning Life and Transition Coach through Co-Active Coaching and an active member of the International Coaches Federation. She is also a workshop and retreat facilitator, podcast producer, blogger and author to the Courage to Change Journal. She is a mother too, a dreamer, and a genuine book geek. At any given time, she has two books on the go, squeezing in reading wherever she possibly can.You can find Jessica on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.Mentioned In This Episode:Jessica's websiteYour Inner Vitality podcastJessica's Alaska series on YouTubeCourage to Change JournalWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Do other people in your life know who you are? Do you know who you are? It's clear that not everyone will think, react, and communicate in the same way, so how can we bridge this gap to create more meaningful connections with others?According to Susan and Martin, the answer is to uncover your Natural Number. Your Natural Number is the key to understanding who you are so that you can have more self-awareness and live a more authentic and purposeful life. It is physiological (or as Susan and Martin call it, physiospiritual), so it impacts not only how you show up mentally and emotionally, but physically as well.When you identify your Natural Number, you can discover more about yourself and have more control over your reactions and relationships. Tune in as Susan and Martin explain how this is possible and how you can use this knowledge to create more hope in your life and the lives of those around you.About Susan Bennett Fisher and Martin Fisher:Susan Bennett Fisher and Martin Fisher are the Co-Founders and Teachers of Body of 9. Body of 9 is an innovative, body-based personality assessment that, through your posture, body type, and how you physically express yourself, identifies your Natural Number. This gives you an experience of your innate self, taking your understanding of who you are to a whole new level.Susan Bennett Fisher and Martin Fisher are pioneers in the study and research of the 9 Natural Numbers. With over thirty years of combined research and experience with Body of 9, their work has led to many new discoveries and a deeper understanding of the importance, power, and impact of knowing your Natural Number and learning to consciously use this aspect of your body. Since 2012, Susan and Martin Fisher have been working together to identify over 8000 people from around the world and to build and share the understanding of how the Body of 9 shows up in so many aspects of human experience.Mentioned In This Episode:Sacred RedesignThe Body of 9: Decode Your Natural Physiology and Discover Your True SelfBody of 9 - Practices For PresenceWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Dr. Sweta Chawla planned out her future, worked hard, and for a decade she had a career that she loved. But eventually, she began asking herself if there was something more she could be doing. Following that curiosity and seeking deeper fulfillment led her to a huge, unexpected life and career transition. It wasn't a perfect transition, but it brought back the passion and meaning she felt had been lacking in her previous career.Today, Dr. Sweta teaches us how we can find the courage to take action and move forward, even when we're not sure how it will work out in the end. She shares tons of tips and questions we can use to self-reflect and determine what it is that really drives us and gives us joy, as well as how we can decide on what values are important to us and our lifestyle.Listen in!About Dr. Sweta Chawla:Sweta Chawla PharmD, MS is a Former Professor of Pharmacy and Clinical and Residency Director turned Speaker, Facilitator & Leadership Coach and Author. She supports organizations, highly driven professionals, budding creatives and entrepreneurs to reinvent how they work and lead. Through her natural leadership model, she empowers her clients to create personal structures that leverage their natural brilliance. As a result they  experience more passion, impact and meaning without compromising their integrity and well-being. Dr. Sweta is the author of the book I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For…Now What? and contributor to the award-winning Anthology She's Got This: Essays on Standing Strong and Moving On. She has published articles and essays in several journals, magazines and has spoken on many stages and panels, including the White House.To  learn more, connect with Dr. Sweta on LinkedIn and Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Find more resources on Dr. Sweta's websiteMy Philosophy blog postWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

It's easy for women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s to begin to feel stuck in their careers and in other aspects of their lives. Many times, they think they're too old to change, and resign themselves to being less than content with their situations.Today's guests are here to share that transformation is possible at any age. Judy Schoenberg and Linda Lautenberg both experienced midlife transition, and now they pay it forward by helping to support other women experiencing similar desires for change. Whether you want a career change, a lifestyle change, or just want help getting unstuck, Judy and Linda offer advice and support on finding personal and professional growth through hope.Tune in to hear their personal stories of evolution and to learn how their company, EvolveMe, works with both women and organizations to help give clarity and support to women going through midlife transition.About Judy Schoenberg:As co-founder of EvolveMe, Judy Schoenberg is a career strategist and leadership expert for women in midlife career transition who are exploring a return to the workforce or are pivoting careers. Through the DARE© Method of Career Reinvention she created with her co-founder, Judy helps cohorts of women find the clarity and confidence to own their value and pursue new opportunities.Judy was named Better Not Younger Entrepreneur of the Week.About Linda Lautenberg:Linda Lautenberg, Co-Founder of  EvolveMe, is a return to work expert, women's career advancement strategist and champion for all midlife career changers. Along with her co-founder, Linda developed EvolveMe's proprietary DARE© Method of Career Reinvention to help cohorts of high achieving women find clarity, gain confidence, and launch the best chapter of their professional life. Linda was nominated for the Forbes 50 Over 50 list.Mentioned In This Episode:EvolveMe Reinvention CollectiveDownload EvolveMe's FREE career strategy tool: The EvolveMe Career Reinvention AnalyzerFollow EvolveMe on InstagramConnct with EvolveMe on LinkedInLike EvolveMe on FacebookWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Change is hard for anyone, but it's especially hard for kids and teens. They aren't usually very well equipped to handle the emotions and difficulties that come along with dramatic change in situations such as separation, death, or divorce. As a result, it's typical to see behavioral issues increase and communication decrease when families experience these things.What difference could it make if families committed to hope together? If we gave children the knowledge and tools they needed to be resilient and adapt to these situations in a healthy way? If we were able to actively pursue a path that leads to a life of joy, peace, and fulfillment?Today, Sarah Moss joins me on the podcast to talk about how Cornerstone of Hope is able to help kids and families do all that and more. While their programs help teach children and parents alike, future generations are learning how to move forward with intentional hope. Tune in.About Sarah Moss:Sarah Moss became the Chief Executive Officer of Cornerstone of Hope in July, 2019. When her marriage ended in 2010, she sought a place to regrow her hope and found the programs at Cornerstone of Hope. Discovering how hope is cultivated there, she began volunteering in children and adult programs in 2013, joining the Board of Directors in 2015. She is also an entrepreneurial business owner at Sarah's Secretarial Services, and solo parent of two amazing special needs teenagers. Understanding the great need for hope to be an integral part of life, and intimately familiar with the mission, and vision of Cornerstone of Hope, Sarah is passionate about bringing hope and healing to as many children and parents as possible.To learn more, connect with Sarah on Facebook and LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:Cornerstone of Hope on FacebookCorenerstone of Hope on LinkedInWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

When you struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts, every day can feel like a battle. Even just waking up and getting out of bed feels overwhelming, and you're plagued with constant negative thoughts.Today's guest has been there. Taylor Boone has experienced these emotions from a young age, but today she is here to share with you her story of hope. Her advice? Find your focus. What can you do to find or create hope, joy, and growth in your day to day life? Take baby steps, and step by step every day will get a little bit better.Life will never be perfect, but you can find the beauty in it again.Tune in as Taylor shares her experience finding focus and cultivating joy, and listen as she beautifully illustrates what it feels like to be lost and found again.About Taylor Boone:Taylor's story starts in Salt Lake City. She was born to amazing parents who thought they were empty nesters, only to discover that her mother didn't have the flu. She was pregnant with Taylor. By the age of three, Taylor was deaf. For two years, no one knew about it. Somehow, she was able to heighten her senses, read lips, and navigate the world without sound. While battling being deaf and having 13 operations to get some hearing back, Taylor was diagnosed with being dyslexic. She struggled with academics. She turned to art, found photography… and found her voice.To learn more you can connect with Taylor on Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Suicide HotlineCop reunites with suicidal man he saved on Golden Gate BridgeWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

What do you know about service dogs? Do you own one, or are you interested and think a service dog may be able to assist you?In today's episode, I'm joined by Sam Hjalmarson, the founder of Alberta Service Dog Community. Sam is here to share her service dog journey, and the positive transformation that service dogs can provide for those living with disabilities. For Sam and countless others, service dogs are a way to live free and fulfilling lives after losing hope.During our conversation, we'll touch on things like public accessibility, finding additional support if you already have a service dog, and where you can get started if you think a service dog might help you. Whether you need a service dog or not, I hope you'll tune in and learn a bit more about the hope they provide for people with disabilities, and the amazing challenges people have been able to overcome because of their service dogs.About Sam Hjalmarson:Sam Hjalmarson is a mental health and service dog advocate who lives with disabling PTSD/ADHD. She is the founder of Alberta Service Dog Community, which provides education, peer support, and advocacy for service dog users.To learn more, you can find her on Twitter.Mentioned In This Episode:Alberta Service Dog Community on FacebookVancouver Island Compassion DogsSam and Lance in CBCWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Your voice matters. Both your internal and external voice. Are you in tune with that part of yourself?Today I'm joined by Ashley Graham, a publicist and PR coach who specializes in conscious communications, to discuss owning your conscious voice. Owning your conscious voice is all about self-reflection and finding opportunities for growth and joy, even if the world around you doesn't seem to be moving in that same direction. We touch on topics like self-talk (and self-criticism), relationships, and how you can begin to build this connection with yourself.It's time to get out of your comfort zone and recognize your unique, conscious voice. You have a story to share with others, and a drive you need to share with yourself. Our conversation can help you find more abundance in the way you think and experience the world. Tune in!About Ashley Graham:Ashley Graham, The Conscious Publicist, is a publicist & people-relations coach that works with conscious thought leaders in elevating their voices through storytelling, PR & conscious communications.To learn more, visit her website and connect with her on LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Alan SingerRachel HollisThe 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life by Robin SharmaWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

For many people, losing a spouse is the worst pain they can imagine. Working through the grief of losing a loved one is difficult and complicated, and healing can take a long time, but it is possible to start moving forward again.Today I'm joined by Yemi Majekodunmi, a thriving widow who works to help empower other women who have experienced similar loss in their lives. Yemi's motto of “Dare to dream greater” is a call to keep moving forward after adversity, and she shares part of her framework for working through grief with us. Yemi and I also touch on how we can better support those around us as they experience grief.Whether it's through faith, self expression, community, or by stepping out of your comfort zone, it is possible to move forward through grief and find healing. Tune in.About Yemi Majekodunmi:Yemi has successfully turned adversity into a positive force to propel a vibrant personal transformation. She has learnt and gained from loss to recreate a new vision for the future. This has translated into a joyful determination to succeed in all areas despite loss. Her mission is to focus on empowering and motivating widows ready, into reinventing self. Facilitating and engineering personal growth in what their focus might be.She also empowers single women navigating personal disappointment. The work Yemi does is done through one on one coaching, equipping and encouraging through a weekly Podcast series Widow Recovery Secrets, plus speaking at events.Yemi is a thriving Widow, an Author, Podcaster, Blogger and Coach. Her Tagline is 'Dare to Dream Greater'.She is also the Author of Walking Out of Widowhood. To learn more you can connect with Yemi on LinkedIn and Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Widow Recovery Secrets podcastWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

What if I had made a different decision? Why did I make it out the other side? Do I even deserve to be here?After a traumatic experience, questions like these might be swirling around your head on repeat. Guilt, shame, and trauma are trying to hold you in place, telling you that you don't deserve to move forward. But the truth is, you do deserve to move forward, and you can.Jessica Rasdall joins me on the podcast today to share her raw story of finding hope in the dark. She knows better than most that you can't change what you've done in the past, but you can control what your future will look like. Even when you feel helpless and like you don't even deserve to be alive, there is hope to be found. Listen in to hear how Jessica is able to embrace hope through the guilt and PTSD she experiences and the ripple effect that just a tiny piece of hope can have on the trajectory of your story.About Jessica Rasdall:Named one of the top small business experts to watch in 2018 and the founder of one of the top websites for solopreneurs in 2020, Jessica Rasdall is helping small business owners scale their impact and income through tried-and-tested communication strategies. As a Best Selling Author, Motivational Speaker, host of The Speak to Scale Podcast, Jessica partners with small business owners to help them scale their business (and impact) from the stage.Jessica has shared her story of turning her “mess into a message” for over fifteen years and has been featured on major international media outlets such as ABC's 20/20, Katie Couric, The Guardian, MTV, Netflix, and many more. Today, Jessica is fiercely dedicated to helping small business owners craft presentations and speaking strategies that connect with their audience and scale their business from the stage.When she's not handcrafting presentations for industry experts, she's homeschooling her children in sunny Florida.To learn more you can visit her website and find her on Facebook and Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Jessica's websiteEmail JessicaWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

How well does your story serve you? Are you feeling fulfilled with the work you do? Are you flourishing in your situations and with the people you surround yourself with?If you're not happy with your story, you always have the power to change the direction it's taking. Taking that action is what we're all about here, after all. And today I'm joined by Scott Perry from Creative on Purpose to talk about how you can use hope as a tactic to get where you feel like you truly belong. Scott shares the importance of knowing your values and talents so that you can develop your character, and navigating your way through challenges in order to heed the call of vocation and find fulfillment and joy in what you do. If you're ready to come more in tune with yourself, desires, and those around you to find meaning in your life and flourish, you'll want to listen in to our conversation.About Scott Perry:Scott Perry is a compass to help you hear and heed the call of vocation, define the difference only they can make, and live your legacy.To learn more, connect with Scott on LinkedIn and visit his personal development brand, Creative on Purpose, on Facebook.Mentioned In This Episode:Meditations by Marcus AureliusCharacter SurveyCreative On PurposeWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

You can't control most of what happens to you in life, and as such you'll be greeted by your fair share of obstacles. What you can control, however, is how you handle these challenges. Loss and grief are inevitable in our lives, but that doesn't mean we need to view them in a negative way.In fact, today's guest likes to view grief as a gift and an opportunity to grow. Today I'm joined by Nancy Gordon, who has had to deal with some serious loss and grief in her life, but has been able to turn it into love and growth. Now she helps others do the same, sharing her methodology and best practices for personal growth after facing intense obstacles.In our conversation we cover finding the little moments of hope and love along the way, viewing anticipatory grief as a positive in our lives, and returning to your path after losing your way. Listen in to hear more about Nancy's 7 best practices for turning grief into growth, and how we can continually find hope even during the darkest times of our lives.About Nancy Gordon:Nancy Gordon is a #1 international best-selling author, speaker and a transformational life-changing expert who knows firsthand what it is like to deal with serious loss and grief. After a life changing car crash, it was Nancy's personal experiences of going from hurting to healing,transforming her loss into love and grief into growth, that led to her dedicating her life to helpingothers do the same.As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Life Coach, Nancy has combined her personal experience of fibromyalgia, a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), human and pet loss with her professional expertise and offers a very unique clinical and personal perspective on navigating loss and grief.Nancy's mission is to make a difference in the world about how grief is perceived, understood, experienced, supported, and healed. She specializes in pet loss. Her methodology to do this can be found here and in her upcoming books, From Hurting to Healing 7 Powerful Practices to Manage Your Mind and Heal Your Heart. You can learn more on her website.Mentioned In This Episode:Still Me by Christopher ReeveWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

We make choices every day. Some choices, like picking up and moving across the country, have a bigger impact on our lives than others, like whether we will have that second (or third) brownie after dinner.But when we take these risks and experience the consequences, good or bad, we find transformation on the other side. A new chapter in our lives, a new adventure for us to go on, a new lesson to learn. Even if we have to endure trials to get there.Today I'm joined by Christine Powers, who rose like a Phoenix from the ash after watching her life (literally) go up in flames. She experienced her grief and fear, but did not let them define her, instead choosing to look for the potential and new opportunities available to her. Now she works to help others experience the same rebirth she has, as she continues to work on creating the next best version of herself.Listen in to learn how she accomplishes this and how you can find continuous transformation in your own life, even through the flames of adversity.About Christine Powers:Christine Powers is a “spiritual consigliere” for women founders and CEOs, thought leaders, and change-makers. Clients benefit from Christine's 30 years of expertise in marketing, design and branding, PR, and fundraising alchemized with a lifetime of training in various mystical traditions East and West.She is an ordained minister and certified death doula, walking side-by-side with clients into the places in our soul gardens that need the most love, the most weeding. Beyond leadership, she calls forth fierce guardians of wonder and wisdom who embody presence, stability, deep fulfillment, vitality, and passion. Clients experience growth in impact, service, and revenue.Christine is co-founder of Asa Adirondack, a 100-acre sanctuary in the Adirondack Mountains of New York where the body, soul, and psyche rest and rejuvenate in rustic luxury. She is the founder of The Philosophers Camp, a "great camp" nature immersion for leaders. Participants explore the wilderness within and without, cross-pollinate ideas with peers, and restore and expand. To learn more, visit her website and find her on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:The Philosophers Camp on LinkedInBurnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia NagoskiWellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Valerie Brooks of Autistic Interpretations joins me today to share her journey, joys, and struggles as the parent of an adult with autism. She explains how community and connection has led to tremendous growth for both herself and her daughter, Jess. Val shows us the reality of her experience, from all the good times with her family, to advocating for her child throughout life, to the things she wishes she had done differently. Her humility is a great example to us of doing the best you can and continuing to learn as both a parent and an adult.Being able to share her story and see the positive impact it has on the lives of others seeking to learn has given Valerie hope. Her message is that the future doesn't have to be scary, even when you don't know how or if things will work out. Parenthood isn't easy, but there is always joy to be had, lessons to learn, and a better tomorrow to look forward to. Tune in!About Valerie Brooks:Based out of the Chattanooga, Tennessee, area, Valerie Brooks, BSN RN, is the founder of Autistic Interpretations, a social media community spanning a blog, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. A mother of three children, Valerie is the primary caregiver to her fully dependent, Autistic, and blind 34-year-old daughter, Jessica. Together, they glimpse into their lives, rich with family, poodles, and Southern cooking. Their posts reflect the joys and struggles of life with an adult autistic family member.Having achieved her hard-won registered nursing designation and working in cardiac care, Valerie made the courageous decision to leave nursing to work from home and ensure Jessica would thrive. Through a steadfast commitment to sharing varied, authentic posts, Valerie has built an online community of more than 100 thousand subscribers. Val and Jess aim to share their version of “normal” to show that it is good.Mentioned In This Episode:Wellness WebinarExpert in Hope

Aging. For many people, it's a source of shame and discomfort, and they do their best to hide it the older they get. But over time, especially as you reach perimenopause or andropause, it gets harder to hide.As today's guest shares, this isn't a bad thing. Aging is not negative! Ann Zee uses Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including acupuncture, to help bring new hope to her clients as they go through different stages in their life by bringing their bodies back into balance. Ann also explains more about the benefits of TCM compared to Western medicine, and why she prefers not to call it alternative medicine. Listen in as she shares how you can see and address the symptoms of imbalance in your body now so that you can better live in, experience, and appreciate the moments of life that you are in.About Ann Zee:The Holistic Institute of Health and Fertility is Ann's vision for providing a model of collaborative alternative healthcare to Calgarians."My drive comes simply from my desire to be in service to others. I honestly do not know what else we are supposed to do here on this earth.”Ann received her degree from the Alberta College of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). During her career, Ann spent time abroad studying under famous Acupuncturist Dr. Anton Jarasurya at the South Colombo Teaching Hospital in Sri Lanka where, daily, she treated hundreds of locals with Acupuncture and TCM.Over the years Ann has lent her time to volunteer activities including AIDS Calgary, Camp Fyrefly and the Calgary Women's Center where she has sat on their governance board and taught workshops introducing the concept of TCM and women's health. Ann is also a long-time Provincial examiner with the Alberta College of Acupuncturists.Find out more on her website.Mentioned In This Episode:Wellness WebinarExpert in Hope

What is your goal? Why do you want that? And what is stopping you from reaching it?Very likely, you are stopping yourself in some way. Whether it's self-doubt, internal negativity, or even not listening to yourself.If you're looking to overcome this fear and doubt, today's guest may have a solution for you. Meryl Hayton is an Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Practitioner, and she's joining me today to talk about the healing that EFT can bring into your life. EFT can help you let go of attachments that hold you down and get to the root cause of your stressors so that you can find belief in yourself, overcome triggers, and reach your goals.Meryl believes in this so strongly because she knows first hand how important it is to heal from past trauma and have the confidence in yourself to follow your chosen path. She's built a life she loves, and you can too. It's never too late to make the switch. Tune in!About Meryl Hayton:Meryl Hayton is an Accredited Certified EFT Practitioner helping stressed and overwhelmed spiritual professional women heal from their past keeping them currently stuck so they open up to receive more love, respect, support, free time and money in their lives.  She loves facilitating my clients through deep healing & transformation of their inner critic and inner child! Meryl was an Accounting Professional turned Nail Salon Owner and now EFT tapping coach, using her fingers all along the way. She's been on a lifelong journey of healing herself and found EFT to be the catalyst which helped her quantum leap her results faster than anything, and it's her mission to share it with the world.To learn more you can visit her website or find her on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:Dr. Kim D'EramoContact MerylEmpowering Spiritual Professional Women To Beat Self-SabotageRock Your Relationship Within Group ProgramBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

In 2016, the community of Fort McMurray, Canada was torn through by a wildfire, forcing over 88,000 people from their homes. This traumatic experience, shared by an entire community, is now being shared with the rest of the world with the movie Back Home Again as an example of collective hope.Charmaine Hammond joins me today to talk about Back Home Again, and how the making of this movie and the story it shares was able to help her in her healing process. During challenging times, Charmaine believes that hopeful thoughts can give us physical strength to keep moving forward. Her message couldn't be any more timely as we continue to experience the effects of the pandemic throughout the world. We don't always know how things will turn out, but when we work together we know they will be better than they are today. Tune in to our conversation as we discuss collective hope and people coming together to make a difference where and how they can.About Charmaine Hammond:Charmaine Hammond, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) is a highly sought-after business keynote and workshop speaker, entrepreneur, author and educator who teaches and advocates the importance of collaboration, mental health, and healthy relationships. She has helped clients in many industries build resilient and engaged workplaces, develop high trust/high accountability relationships, and solve workplace issues and conflict that gets in the way of success and profitability. She is also Executive Producer of the Back Home Again movie.  Responsible for heading up the collaborations, partnerships and sponsorship for the project, she is passionate about this film because Fort McMurray was her home for 15 years. She didn't live there at the time of the fires however returned on contacts with the social profit organizations and school boards to work with the community on the recovery and resilience initiatives.You can find Charmaine on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.Mentioned in This Episode:Back Home Again movieMental Health In MinutesBack Home Again movie on YouTubeBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

What would you do differently if you knew you were going to die soon?Today's guest is Maryann Kerr, and she posed this question for you as a way to evaluate if you're on the track you want to be on in life. Maryann says that now she would change nothing, but this wasn't always the case and she's here to tell us her story and what she's learned about hope from her experiences over the years.After experiencing tremendous grief, workplace trauma, and now a recent ADHD diagnosis, Maryann has been able to find hope through purpose. By showing up and sharing what she's gone through, she's been able to help spread hope to countless others around her, allowing them to feel heard as they face their own challenges.Tune in to hear more from Maryann's story and how you can find purpose in the face of trauma and big life changes.*Maryann would like to note that she misspoke when talking about her brother, and he passed at the age of 37 when Maryann was almost 34.About Maryann Kerr:Maryann Kerr is Chief Happiness Officer, and CEO with the Medalist Group. Maryann has worked in the social profit sector for 34 years and helped raise over $110M for small to mid-sized organizations.  She has led at the local, provincial, national and international level and is passionate about her family, feminism, and continuous learning. As a governance, leadership and culture specialist, Maryann knows successful organizations create and nurture a climate where everyone understands their role; politics are minimal; engagement is high and turnover low. Environments where employees co-create the roadmap to mission delivery. Compassion, kindness, and a deep commitment to collaborative and productive workplaces are core to her work.  Maryann has participated on many social profit boards and committees and her first book Tarnished: Let's rethink, reimagine and co-create a new social impact sector was published by Civil Sector Press in 2021. Maryann earned her master's in organizational leadership.To learn more, you can connect with Maryann on LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Dr. Edith EgerFacing Challenges in the Social Impact Sector with Maryann KerrTarnished by Maryann KerrBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

For many hopeful parents, adoption is a goal they hope, work, and dream for, oftentimes rallying the support of their friends and family along the way. But what happens beyond adoption day? If you're an adoptive parent, you may feel discouraged, ungrateful, or even ashamed sometimes when parenthood isn't easy, but also isolated because you don't want to complain to the supporters who helped you through the adoption process.Today's guest is here to tell you that it's okay to feel this way. Just because you chose adoption doesn't mean it's easy. As both an adopted adult and an adoptive parent, Melissa Corkum understands the difficulties faced on this journey, and aims to support and educate others who experience similar feelings and don't know what to do. She provides resources and insight on trauma-informed care, the brain science behind behavior, and other ways parents can expand their skill sets in order to better understand and support their children through their journey together.In our conversation we also highlight the importance of community, and having a place where adoptive parents can go to feel seen, heard, and understood.Listen in!About Melissa Corkum:As a post-adoption support specialist, co-founder of The Adoption Connection, Safe and Sound Protocol Practitioner, and adult adoptee, Melissa Corkum has helped hundreds of adoptive parents shift to a brain-based view of behaviors so they can laugh more and yell less. She and her husband, Patrick, have six kids by birth and adoption and one granddaughter. They've taught her a lot about what creates thriving parent-child relationships…and what doesn't. To learn more, find Melissa on Instagram and find post-adoption resources on Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Empowered to ConnectBruce PerryBessel van der KolkDan HughesThe Adoption Connection The Adoption Connection podcastThe Adoption Connection Facebook CommunityThe VillageThe Connected Parent by Lisa Qualls and Dr. Karyn PurvisThe Whole-Brain Child by Dan Siegel and Tina Payne BrysonNo-Drama Discipline by Dan Siegel and Tina Payne BrysonBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

As a consequence of the pandemic, many people, but especially women, were confronted with the reality of their careers.Do they really enjoy it? Is it fulfilling? Is this what they wanted to do for the rest of their life?For many the answer was no, but how do they move on from the careers they know? Liza Rogers, founder of the Womens Real Estate Network, joins me today to shed some light on the power of collaboration and the power of women in real estate. You don't have to do it all by yourself. Finding a team that can work with you and support you in building a better life for yourself can help you cultivate a more focused mindset and be more successful.Listen in as Liza shares the success she has seen through women collaborating in real estate investing, and how investing in women means investing in your communities.About Liza Rogers:Liza Rogers is the founder of Women's Real Estate Network. For 25 years Liza has been passionately involved in what is now being called "the cohousing movement". Liza's deep and diverse background in tourism and events has included leading groups on world-famous European river cruises, managing Eco guesthouses in Bondi Beach Australia, and being employed by two Olympic Games. On her journey she discovered everything about financing, joint ventures, and buying real estate. Liza has a wealth of information and wisdom about real estate sectors both inside and outside Canadian borders. As the Founder and Leader of WREN, Liza feels compelled to provide opportunities for others, especially women, to find their own creative and collaborative ways to learn about and prosper from real estate and related markets. She is currently in the process of purchasing a portfolio of investment properties with a group of women and has just partnered on the purchase of 150 acres of subdividable land near Victoria, BC.To learn more you can find Liza and WREN on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Meetup.Mentioned In This Episode:From Ordinary to Extraordinary: Success Stories from Women Investing in Real EstateWRENBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

When you experience adversity in life, do you often find yourself pushing yourself to go forward, rationalizing that others have it worse so you just need to get over it?I know I have, and so has today's guest. But as we discuss in this episode, someone is always going to have it worse. That doesn't diminish the reality and the difficulty of what you are facing. Laura Feltz shares her journey with hope since she began losing her sight and became legally blind. She shares the importance of allowing yourself to feel your emotions as you experience them, and why you shouldn't compare your experiences and feelings to what others have experienced and felt.We also touch on small ways you can continue to take action in your life and get the support you need during big life transitions, as well as how you can find your identity again during those more turbulent times.Remember: If it matters to you, then it matters! Tune in.About Laura Feltz:Laura Feltz helps overstretched professionals shed the weight of the world off their shoulders to reclaim their time, peace of mind and freedom they crave. Her results-focused and evidence-based approach delivers meaningful and lasting change.Laura is a Certified Master Results Coach, a Board Designated Institute, Trainer, and Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) [ABNLP], a Board Designated Master Practitioner of Timeline Therapy® (TLT) [TLTA], and a Board Designated Instructor of Hypnotherapy [ABH]. She draws upon leading-edge mind/body tools and techniques used in 42 countries. In her spare time, Laura is a volunteer Ambassador for Fighting Blindness Canada and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), raising awareness and sharing her lived experience with blindness. To find out more information about Laura, visit her website or find her on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:CNIBFighting Blindness CanadaBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

Intentionality is important when it comes to living our best lives, but the reality is that we aren't always going to have every detail planned out. Sometimes all we have to go off of is our intuition and knowing that it's time to make a change.Sometimes we just have to take a leap of faith and believe that we can keep moving forward despite any obstacles we may face.Today's guest, Scott Sauer, is here today to teach us that we don't need to have every detail of our lives planned out in order to feel confident with the direction of our lives. His experience with leaps of faith into big life transitions gives us different insight on tenacity, persistence, and mindset and perspective. Listen in as he shares his journey with us!About Scott Sauer:Scott Sauer is the owner of Great Scott! Construction Inc.-- a construction firm in Calgary Alberta, specializing in home renovations, additions, and multi-family condominium community capital projects and maintenance.Scott is married to Sheila Sauer. Together, Scott and Sheila are raising three Children while maintaining and growing their business.Before learning how to renovate homes, Scott was a professional Actor and Director for live stage performances. Much of his career in the Theatre was in Hong Kong, where he lived for 6 years.Scott has found that his experience in directing stage performances translates very well to the construction industry where there are budgets, timelines, audiences (clients), actors (trades) and an 'opening night' when projects are handed over to clients for them to enjoy. You can find scott on Facebook and LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:Better Than TodayFind more Hope resources

The science of pain is fascinating, and our understanding of the connection between mind and body has changed a lot over the years as we've studied it more. That's why I was so excited to hear from today's guest.Louise Taylor has been a physiotherapist for the last 30 years, and during this time she has witnessed how what people believe is happening to them can shape the way they feel. Our brains can actually manufacture a pain that isn't there, due to our past experiences and expectations. Louise joins me today to explain how mindset can impact our physical health, as well as techniques we can use to break through the mind blocks we experience.We also discuss the importance of being able to assess what we are experiencing before we react so that we can better control how much pain we sustain. Tune in!About Louise Taylor:Louise Taylor is passionate about being a physiotherapist, committed to lifelong learning and pleased to help people achieve their movement goals. She believes that being able to move well without pain is such an important factor for enjoying a healthy and active life. Her professional interests are in managing acute injuries, repetitive strain disorders, persistent pain conditions as well as helping anyone at any age meet their fitness and movement objectives.Being co-owner of Movement Sports Clinic in downtown Calgary has allowed her to create the best environment for optimum rehabilitation. She loves endurance events like running and triathlon, solidly embracing 'type two fun'; the kind of activities that are singularly tough and challenging at the time yet totally satisfying later.To learn more about Louise, you can visit her website and connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.Mentioned In This Episode:Movement Sports ClinicBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources 

Are you running on autopilot? You just might be, without even realizing it. And that could be keeping you in an unhappy relationship with yourself and your life.Claudia Velandia went from a low place, unhappy with herself and her life, to finding her inner peace, joy, and love. According to Claudia, she was able to do this by gaining a better understanding of what's going on in her mind so she could take control of her life and maximize her potential, and she's here to help guide you on the same path so that you can improve your life and your self love.In this episode, she shares actionable advice you can use to be more conscious of the day to day decisions you are making and how you can begin to control and direct your mind to work in your best interest. Tune in!About Claudia Velandia:Claudia is the author of the best-selling book Wake Up! How to Get out of Your Mind, Stop Living on Autopilot and Start Choosing Your Best Life. Claudia has a degree in engineering, holds MBA & MA and she is a certified professional coach. She helps people to master their minds so that they up-level their performance and maximize their potential, and she helps them to feel a heightened sense of purpose, fulfillment, and happiness.Claudia was born in Colombia, pursued her education and career in Europe, and now lives in Canada. Her international background and personal experiences have equipped her with a global perspective and an understanding of the human psyche essential to her work. Before founding Quantum Thinking, Claudia developed a successful international career, working for renowned global technology companies. Claudia's mission is to serve our world's evolution and well-being by empowering people to raise their awareness and be more conscious of how they lead their lives and business.To learn more, you can visit Claudia's website and connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Wake Up! How to Get out of Your Mind, Stop Living on Autopilot and Start Choosing Your Best Life by Claudia VelandiaClaudia's websiteConnect with Claudia on LinkedInThe Present by Spencer JohnsonWho Moved My Cheese? by Spencer JohnsonThe Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin SharmaTony RobbinsThe 5 AM Club by Robin SharmaBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

Imagine going from being young and healthy one day, to being told you have a debilitating, degenerative, and fatal disease the next. Your initial reaction may be to curl into a ball and cry, thinking there's no hope to be found.But today's guest is living this, and he's here to share that there is hope. After his diagnosis with ALS, Wayne Thomas learned to shift his thinking from self-pity to consciously trying to make memories and cherish each day that he had.His message is that life is all about perspectives. In the face of adversity, you will discover what you're capable of, and find an inner strength that you didn't even realize that you had. Everyone will experience different hardships, but in the end, everyone is capable of living their best life regardless of the challenges.Wayne works not to just find hope for himself in his daily life, but to bring hope to others who may face similar adversities in life. Listen in to his incredible story to learn more about his experience and the way it has given him new perspectives to live his best life.About Wayne Thomas:Wayne was born in central Alberta, Canada.  He held a successful career in Calgary, Alberta, for 20 years, progressing into more senior roles, wrapping up as a senior leader overseeing HR, Learning & Development, Compensation & Total Rewards and Corporate Facilities. Over the years, he continued his appetite for life-long learning, achieving a Bachelor's Degree in Management from the University of Lethbridge, a CMC designation from the Canadian Association of Management Consultants, a CPHR (which became a fellowship) from the Human Resources Institute of Alberta and a Masters of Business Administration degree from Athabasca University. He has been fortunate enough to visit 38 countries around the world. After his ALS diagnosis, he was inspired to write a book about living your best life in the face of adversity, with all proceeds going to the ALS Society.  He and his wife Joanna now spend their winters in Palm Desert, California.To learn more, you can find Wayne on Twitter and Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Perspectives: 17 Things I Learned About Living Your Best Life While Battling a Terminal Illness by Wayne ThomasBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

Fear, grief, and anxiety are really intense emotions that usually signal there is some sort of unhealed pain or trauma in your past. These unresolved emotions can negatively affect your mental health, physical health, and ultimately hold you back from consciously experiencing a full life.So how do you begin your healing journey?Lily Gibarac joins me on the podcast today to share from her personal experiences how we can cultivate the ability to see past the pain and obstacles we experience in order to discover what we need to be healed and transform our lives. Overcoming hardship and uncertainty isn't always easy, but Lily shares actionable ways to face these challenges so that we can truly thrive and create meaningful lives.Tune in now and take the first step in your own healing journey.About Lily Gibarac:In 1994, Lily Gibarac emigrated from her war-torn home country, former Yugoslavia, and arrived in the United States with her family, without speaking a word of English. She set out on learning fast and building her professional career. Today, Lily is a senior consultant, entrepreneur, executive, and leadership coach, trainer, speaker, author, and professional licensed counselor.Diverse interest and educational background, starting from Computer Science to several degrees in psychology including Ph.D. ABD in Organizational and Leadership Psychology honed her comprehensive problem-solving ability and deep interest in the science of human behavior. Lily is on a mission to transform the workplace by empowering high-achieving professionals, purpose-driven leaders, and entrepreneurs who are tired of just surviving in the corporate jungle. She helps them connect to their inner wisdom and strengths so they can bring heart-based values into the corporate arena and operate from the place of alignment, integrity, and authenticity.To learn more, you can visit her website and connect with Lily on LinkedIn.Mentioned In This Episode:Lily's websiteBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

Everyone struggles with mental health at some point in their lives. And while conversations surrounding mental health are becoming more normalized in society, there is still a long way to go in regards to support, advocacy, and ending stigmas.Unfortunately, that lack of support and advocacy leads to many people falling through the cracks until they feel they have nowhere to go.Today's guest experienced this, and has now made it his mission to help provide the support he needed to others. Keith Harrison wanted to become part of the solution, so he changed his career, got the help he needed, and now works to open healthy dialogue surrounding mental health so that people feel comfortable seeking help when they need it.Listen in to learn how you can also be part of the solution, both for yourself and for others who may need it.About Keith Harrison:As a police officer for over 15 years, Keith made the decision in 2018 to put himself first and take time away from the job. He knew he was struggling. He did not know the extent, but he knew he needed time. Keith recalls crying because he knew that by doing this, he would never be seen as the same strong officer again, but instead as a "broken toy". The system he gave everything to and sought help from seemed to refuse to see him as a human in pain.  Since 2018, Keith has fought everyday and now, after help and support from amazing new friendships and top programs, he finds himself loving life and wanting to help others. Keith created Tier Response so he could be a part of the healthy change towards Mental Health amought 1st Responders support programs and services, and be the person he wished that he had years ago to reach out to. Tiergear is the apparel that funds and supports 1st Responders and their Mental Health.To learn more, visit his website and connect with Tier Response on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Semicolon Punctuates Mental Health AwarenessProject SemicolonTier ResponseBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

What does “taking action” mean to you?For this 12-year-old, it means filling a need when you see it and bringing awareness to causes that you're passionate about. With a heart for service, Hadley Gray has made it her focus to help her community through fundraisers and awareness campaigns for several different organizations, causes, and charities that she knows need support. She believes it's important to take action and model the behavior you want to see in order to create a better tomorrow.Tune in as Hadley and her mother, Angela, discuss how the work Hadley does spreads hope in the world, her vision for the future, and their hope that Hadley's work will inspire others to do the same.About Hadley Gray:Hadley Gray is a 12-year-old that plays soccer, loves to run and skateboard, enjoys watching anime and doing sketch art. Hadley is also driven to help out her community. She is the founder of Hadley's Hope, a soon to be non-profit that will change the world one fundraiser at a time, by bringing awareness to the people and nonprofits in need. She hopes to inspire others to know that, no matter their age, they can make a difference, too. In 2021, Hadley was recognized as Arizona State's Middle Level winner for Prudential's Spirit of Community award for her commitment towards helping the community. She was also Geneva Financial's first ever Be a Good Human winner.To learn more, you can find Hadley's Hope on Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Soldier's Best FriendHadley's Hope Foundation on InstagramBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

When we're young and planning out the rest of our lives, we sort of do it with this naive assumption that everything will go exactly according to plan. And then when it doesn't, our world seems to fall apart. We blame ourselves for not working hard enough or for not being good enough. But the truth is we just need to be more flexible and willing to learn along the way.Larisa Makuch had experience with this on her fertility journey, and she joins me today to talk about what she calls releasing resistance⎯⎯letting go of whatever it is that you're holding onto that's keeping you from stepping into your fullest potential. Larisa believes that our realities are made up of what we believe to be true, so we have to create space in our lives for opportunity to come to us. As we align our thoughts, feelings, and actions, we can reach the reality that we desire.Tune in as Larisa details her journey, what she was able to learn from it, and how that mental shift can help you move forward on your own journey.About Larisa Makuch:Larisa Makuch is a Master Results Coach and CEO of Abundance Academy. She helps motivated entrepreneurs stop spinning their wheels, overcome anxiety and banish limiting beliefs so they can free themselves to unapologetically create the life and business they want and love.A major part of Larisa's journey was overcoming a 10-year infertility journey where she “did everything” recommended by various doctors and health-care practitioners. Her turning point was making a key mindset shift that led her to a dramatic change in her professional life, successful pregnancy and son she adores!  As the author of the upcoming Stop Procrastinating Your Life Away: Discover the Secrets to More Time, Money and Freedom and CEO of Abundance Academy, it's her mission to positively impact more than 1-Billion people across the globe and allow the world to be a better place for all.To learn more, you can find Larisa on Facebook and Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:The Power of Awareness by Neville GoddardGratitude GuideBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

We are all human.And even though we each have our differences, we all share at least one thing in common. We will all face challenges, shortcomings, and trials in our lives. That's the beauty of the human experience. And if we embrace it instead of trying to force each other into neat little boxes, beautiful things are possible.Gilda Evans joins me today to discuss how that perspective, and finding support in unlikely places, has helped her in her relationship with her son. Her story and insight can help you strengthen your own relationships with your loved ones, whether they are differently abled or just differently minded from you.Tune in!About Gilda Evans:Gilda Evans is a podcast host and writer with a strong background in media and entertainment. She has spent over 20 years researching and seeking answers for how to get her son with special needs the things he requires for his education, health, and life in general. She became her son's self-taught advocate, and is the creator of the Autism Resource Podcast. Designed for the special needs community and those who support it, the podcast deals with a myriad of topics; from education, to government benefits to housing and almost everything in-between, and provides a one-stop knowledge and resource base for autism and much more. To learn more, listen to her podcast and connect with her on Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:Lindsay on the Autism Resource PodcastAutism Resource PodcastBetter Than TodayFind more Hope resources

People are complicated. That's putting it lightly, but it's true. We don't always make the best decisions and sometimes even work against our own best interests.Fortunately, people are also always capable of change.Today's guest is Matt Nelson, and he believes that everybody has good in them. Yes, even your high school bullies. And he believes that with self-reflection and a shift in perspective, people have the capability to create upward momentum in their lives. No matter what your personal struggle is, you have the opportunity to make a difference and strive for greatness.You may feel discouraged or lost now, but you are capable of living your purpose every day. Tune in to hear his tips on self-reflection and get some insight into how you can create positive change in your life to reach your goals.About Matt Nelson:As someone who always sees the best in others, Matt is on a personal mission to change the world, one person at a time. He believes everyone has good inside of them, but we often lack clarity of what that means to each of us. Everyone has a purpose in life, but many of us don't know what that purpose is. His goal is to change that, help everyone find their purpose, and drive positive change in the world.To learn more, visit his website and connect with Matt on Instagram and Twitter.Mentioned In This Episode:Perspectives by Wayne ThomasThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. CoveyThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean CoveyLead. Care. Win. by Dan PontefractCan't Hurt Me by David GogginsFollow Lindsay on GoodreadsFind more Hope resources

Change is always difficult, especially when it's a lot of change happening quickly and all at once. It's uncomfortable, and it is pretty scary not knowing what's coming next. However, it is still possible to keep moving forward and looking to the future if we just believe in ourselves and trust that we can do it.In the midst of Covid lockdown, young Fanelson Strongitharm boarded a plane and flew from Haiti to his new home in Canada. Filled with happiness and gratitude for his new home and family, he now continues to look forward to his future with peace and optimism. He believes that we can all make a difference in the world, and that we are capable of being whatever it is that we want to be.Listen in and learn as he shares his infectious joy and attitude towards life. His simple and honest answers remind us of the importance of believing in ourselves and our futures as we continuously move forward with hope.Mentioned In This Episode:Taking Action on Your Dreams with Kelly StrongitharmRuben's Shoes SocietyConnect with Lindsay on Facebook and InstagramFind more resources on our website

“Who would you be if you didn't know who you were?”Vince Fowler joins me on this episode of the podcast asking some real thought-provoking questions. He sheds some light on how our identities drive our behaviors, influences our decisions, and gives us forward momentum towards our goals. Knowing what we want our future identity to be gives us the opportunity to plan out our progress and prepare for obstacles we may face on the journey there.Vince also emphasizes the importance of learning from our experiences, good and bad, and realigning how we identify ourselves along the way. By leaving room to learn and grow, we give ourselves the space to transition through different phases and roles throughout our lives without losing our sense of purpose and who we are.So, how do you identify yourself? Tune in!About Vince Fowler:Vince Fowler is a Human Performance Coach to impact-driven CEOs and their leaders. His professional coaching journey began ten years ago at a Calgary-based business coaching firm serving Calgary's small business community.Feeling the need and desire to bring his own curiosity and science-based methodologies of coaching to current and future clients, Vince left the firm in Sep 2012 and has been in private practice ever since, serving clients locally, across Canada and the US.Vince credits his success in coaching to constant mentioning and self-examination, a deep curiosity in the science of human behaviour, along with a unique life of lived experiences – many of which include significant moments of suck. To learn more, you can visit Vince's website and connect with him on LinkedIn and Instagram.Mentioned In This Episode:WorkLife with Adam Grant: Glennon Doyle Wants You to Abandon IdentityThink Again by Adam GrantThe Gap and The Gain by Dan SullivanThe Gap and The Gain FrameworkFollow Lindsay on LinkedIn and FacebookFind more resources on my website