The Other F Word: Conversations About Failure

The Other F Word Team gathers to talk about where they are in their individual lives, as well as their podcast life, and what it's like to sit in uncertainty when it comes to the future. www.theotherfwordpodcast.com

Legendary comic strip writer Cathy Guisewite of the world renowned comic strip "Cathy" and author of "Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault: Essays from the Grown-Up Years", explains how her own life failures led to the creation of this beloved character and how the real Cathy's daily failures inspired the fictional Cathy's storyline. From love life failures to the challenges of finding jeans that fit, Cathy the character expresses what every woman has felt or experienced at some point in her life, making her an essential icon of female struggles. In doing so, this character offered solidarity and hope for millions of women around the world. Find out more about Cathy & "Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault" @ www.cathyguisewite.com Follow Cathy on Facebook: @CathyGwite and Instagram: @cathygwite

Rebecca Kitt shares her story about her problematic marriage and the challenges she faced throughout her divorce. Failure became a constant theme that led her to feel overwhelmed and defeated, and yet she persevered and found strength she didn't know she had. In looking back, she shares her insight as to why the struggle was so hard and how disparate personalities approach conflict and resolution so differently. Rebecca offers thoughtful and concrete advice on how to steer your way through conflict with a difficult partner.

Director and former musician and actor Bill Watterson shares his struggle of ambition and a passion to create art with the ability to make a living at what he loves. In this honest discussion, Bill tackles important questions about following his dreams, living a life full of rich experiences, but never arriving at a place where he can sustain himself financially. He questions his self-worth in a society that does not value artists and yet wonders, why can't he just quit his artistic endeavors and find a job that pays enough to live comfortably? A hard and important conversation about sitting in the middle of failure. Find out about Bill's movie "Dave Made a Maze" @: www.davemadeamaze.com Follow Bill on Twitter @: www.twitter.com/billtweeterson Follow Bill on Instagram @: www.instagram.com/not_that_bill_watterson

Author and editor  Michele Filgate discusses her recent anthology “What My Mother and I Don't Talk About” which grew out of her essay of the same name. Michele was abused by her step father growing up but she and her mother never talked about it, leaving Michele to struggle on her own. In this episode she shares how she worked through her fractured relationship with her mother and the feelings  of failure that run deep in their dynamic. The stories she shares from her book of essays further explores this important yet often complicated relationship with mothers. Learn more about Michele @: www.michelefilgate.com

Hollywood executive Jeff Goldman describes how he is challenged by living with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He struggled throughout his childhood with undiagnosed OCD that controlled much of his life and often left him feeling like a failure. Only as an adult was he finally officially diagnosed and able to get the help he needed. Jeff describes with honesty his often painful battle managing his obsessions and compulsions and how he learned to come to terms with the ongoing challenges. His ability to share such a personal experience is both informative and inspiring. Jeff is also the Head of the OCD SoCal Awareness Committee. You can find out more about OCD at the below links. International OCD Foundation: www.iocdf.org OCD SoCal: www.ocdsocal.org

Prolific author of adult and children's fiction and non-fiction, poetry, musicals, and countless magazine articles, Judith Viorst shares her journey through many decades of both success and failure. Known for her bestselling adult book “Necessary Losses” as well as the iconic classic “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”, which speaks to kids about failure, Judith's latest book called “Nearing 90” shares her experience of growing into the next decade of her colorful life. Her insight, honesty and sense of humor about family, relationships, aging, death and especially failure is refreshing and inspiring. Find out more about Judith @: www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Judith-Viorst Find out more about Judith's latest book @: www.amazon.com/Nearing-Ninety

As a record breaking and award winning open-water marathon  swimmer, including the Ocean's Seven, which consists of seven long-distance open-water swims, Kim Chambers shares what it's like to conquer goals she never thought she could attain. After sustaining injuries from falling down stairs and learning that she may never walk again, Kim saw some of her darkest, most terrifying moments. As part of her healing, both mentally and physically, she found the ocean water to be a powerful source of possibility, where no one judged her scars, scoffed at her limp or saw her as a failure. Instead, she found the community of swimmers to be a reinvigoration of her mind, body, and soul and push through adversity, not only to walk again, but to swim marathon races all across the world. Her story is one of incredible inspiration, where she was able to see the gifts in failure and harness the power of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in order to push past your limits to grow and thrive. Find out more about Kim @: www.kimswims.com And follow Kim on Instagram @: www.instagram.com/kimberleyswims

Entrepreneur, consultant and author of the book “55, Underemployed and Faking Normal”, Elizabeth White describes how she went from a Harvard MBA and a hugely successful business career, to being "55, underemployed and faking normal”. She describes her experience about how she had followed the rules and done all the things she had been told would get her ahead in life, and yet she still got jettisoned out of the workforce. She was in her 50's, without any income, overnight, the one with her “nose pressed up against the glass looking at a world you're not part of”, and yet she was not alone. When White shared an article which told of her struggle, it went viral and she was  bombarded by people sharing the same story.  She then went on to write her book, sharing her experiences in more detail. Her insight offers practical tips of how to get through life at such a critical stage, while managing feelings of being a failure. Learn more about Elizabeth @: www.55andfakingnormal.com

Editor-In-Chief of Ventura Blvd Magazine and Host of the Podcast SheSez, Linda Grasso speaks about her career in journalism, including longtime correspondent, anchor and host for E! Entertainment TV and the struggles she faced navigating the industry on and off camera. Her candid take on the challenges she encountered and her insight into what it takes to persevere is inspiring. From her own life experience, as well as her many podcast interviews with forward thinking women, Linda offers a fresh and honest perspective on learning from failure. Find out more about Linda & SheSez @: www.shesez.com And learn more about Ventura Blvd Magazine @: www.venturablvd.goldenstate.is

Entrepreneur, coach and author of “Stories of Elders”, Veronica Kirin shares her fascinating story of experiencing an anticipated tsunami while working as a humanitarian aid in a coastal Village in Samoa in 2009. Despite the fact that the tsunami never came, the anticipation and terror, confusion and chaos that she experienced side by side with the villagers that day led her to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Injury (formerly post traumatic stress disorder). Because the tsunami never actually came, her reactions to the trauma were minimized by those around her and she was expected to go on with life as usual. As a result she hid her suffering, for fear that her struggle would be seen as a failure to cope. Veronica's untreated trauma eventually caught up with her and in her darkest moments, she realized that she needed help. Her journey towards healing lead her on a quest for self care, which she now shares with others in her work as a coach. Find out more about Veronica @: www.veronicakirin.com Find out more about "Stories of Elders" @: www.storiesofelders.com

Author and essayist William Deresiewicz discusses his book “Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life” and the current college admissions scandal. William got his Bachelor's, Master's and PhD from Columbia University and has taught at Yale University. Following his article, 'The Disadvantages of an Elite Education' in 2008 which went viral, William wrote “Excellent Sheep” which examines how elite colleges are failing young kids. In this fascinating conversation, William shares his views on the epidemic of mental distress amongst college students who can't navigate their way outside of school. He discusses how parents have failed their children by getting caught up in status anxiety, where they produce a child that looks good on a college application, but lacks the resiliency, energy and optimism to truly know themselves and be happy. Find out more about Bill and his book @: www.billderesiewicz.com And check out his article here

A Professor of Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary, Dr. King's focus is on human thriving and spiritual development, especially in the context of our youth. Her combination of intellect, sensitivity, and wit takes the topics of spirituality, religion and belonging and brings a fresh perspective to failure. Whether it be finding meaning, cultivating community, or identifying purpose, Dr. King articulates what matters most to young adults and how to support them on their journey. Learn more about Dr. King & her work @: www.thethrivecenter.org

A Writer with a Doctorate in Art History, Matt Abrams shares his epic story of early drug use, which led to dropping out of high school,  running away from home, drug smuggling and dealing. After many of his junkie friends landed themselves in jail or dead, Matt found the strength in the recovery community to get sober by the age of 19. Determined to change his way of being, he found education to be a wonderful avenue to new meaning and opportunity. Getting his PhD at Yale served to be a place of growth and awakening in many ways, as he came to understand his dual identity as an Ivy League student and OxyContin addict. Matt's ability to  empathize with the “junkie world” on the outskirts of Yale was profound, as he grappled with the fact that while OxyContin almost killed him, its makers were largely responsible for funding the University that brought him so much life. Find out more about Matt @: www.matthewjeffreyabrams.com Follow Matt @: www.instagram.com/matthewjabrams Read Matt's article @: www.theguardian.com  

Steve Burrows, filmmaker and comedian, speaks about the making of his HBO documentary “Bleed Out”, the story of his mom, who went in for a routine hip replacement surgery and came out with permanent brain damage after a week long coma that changed her life forever. Steve's painful journey chronicles 10 years of investigating the multiple failures in the health care system that led to his mother's demise, and ultimately, who was to blame. While his story is complicated and heart wrenching, it's also a compelling reminder about how to navigate and advocate for a patient's care in order to avoid failures that can impact lives forever. Find out more about Steve @: www.burrowsofhollywood.com

Barbara Brown Taylor is an Episcopal priest, college professor and NYTimes best-selling author of numerous books including “Leaving Church” and “Learning to Walk in the Dark”. Her latest "Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others" from HarperOne comes out March 12. She was named by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, for her exquisite ability to articulate her struggle with doubt and disillusionment, perfection and authenticity, and encourage people to be more fully human. Barbara's capacity to hold the rawness of vulnerability, especially around failure, and trust that suffering and darkness is a period of reformation is truly inspirational. Find out more about Barbara @: www.barbarabrowntaylor.com

Author Douglas Segal of the recently published book “Struck: A Husband's Memoir of Trauma and Triumph” and his wife Susan Segal, share their terrifying story of Susan and their daughter's tragic near fatal head on collision with a bus and Susan's journey of recovery.  After breaking nearly every bone in her body, including her pelvis and neck, and surviving a massive brain bleed and intense delusions and hallucinations, Susan's story comes alive through her husband's detailed documentation of the experience. In this fascinating conversation, Susan is also able to tell her part in this miraculous story. What's remarkable and inspiring is the way the couple took this tragedy and found ways to appreciate life, community, connection and a deeper love between them. Pick up Struck at this link or at your local bookstore.

Jessica Winther is an Actress, Comedian and Writer and shares her journey of trying to be a perfect parent and how her son's chronic illness launched her into the reality of the imperfection of parenting. Revealing her painful journey, she uses humor and honesty to articulate the fear and uncertainty that encapsulated her experience. Her story is a fascinating one of letting go of control and yet not allowing her fears to dictate her. From crisis to awakening Jessica's inspiring story shows how the love and dedication of one mother to her son changed both their lives. Follow Jessica on Instagram @: www.instagram.com/jtwinther And Facebook @: www.facebook.com/jessica.e.winther

London based journalist Marianne Power talks about her recent book “Help Me! One Woman's Quest to Find Out if Self Help Can Really Change Your Life!” Her journey of reading one self help book a month for one year and living by the rules of these books to see where it took her is a fascinating glimpse into the world of self-help and the failure that is so easy to experience on this intense quest for wellbeing. Exhilarated by the confidence she gained by persevering through her challenges, she was also surprised by the exhaustion she experienced from such constant self-examination. Her honest portrayal of going out of her comfort zone and diving deep into the under belly of herself was profound. After multiple ups and downs, she realized her expectations of a perfect life at the end of the year was impossible to attain. What came out of this incredible experience of soul searching was the understanding that she was perfect in all of her imperfections and the messiness of being human. Connect with Marianne @: www.twitter.com/thehelpmeblog

Actress Brooke Smith from "Grey's Anatomy" and "Silence of the Lambs" shares how she overcame childhood traumas in part by just “showing up” in spite of her overwhelming emotions. She also talks about her own challenges as an adult, both in work and parenting,  where she very openly expresses her self-doubt and lack of clear answers in how to face these challenges, despite her many successes. Brooke's openness and vulnerability about life will resonate with everyone. You can follow Brooke @: www.twitter.com/Iam_BrookeSmith

Jonathan Fields is the best selling author, entrepreneur,  and founder of The Good Life Project, an online and educational program aimed at helping people live a better life, both personally and professionally.  He is also the host of the world famous podcast The Good Life Project Podcast and travels the world sharing his research and wisdom on the human condition and human potential.  Jonathan brings an incredible blend of science and spirituality to the pursuit of wellbeing and shares years of experience in his search for a life well lived. His approach to failure is inspiring, as he seeks meaning and purpose where there is stumble and uncertainty, allowing for huge growth and potential.  He offers practical steps and interventions to walk through the failure zone and see it as a chance for a better life. Find out more about Jonathan and the Good Life Project @: www.goodlifeproject.com

Tommy Tomlinson, journalist and author of “The Elephant in the Room” speaks about his struggle with weight and his chronicle of profound self-discovery and weight loss. After his sister died from complications of obesity, Tommy knew that at 460 lbs he needed to turn his health around. After many years of failed diets and exercise regimes, he knew he needed a different approach, one that addressed the underlying factors to his relationship with food. In an honest and painful effort to understand how he got to be so heavy, Tommy went on a search for truth. He looked at his childhood and the blue collar culture in which he was raised. He sent a questionnaire to his closest friends and interviewed his mom and wife, asking for their honesty in order to help confront the most painful and shameful parts of himself. He shares his experience of surviving throat cancer and how that propelled him further on his journey towards wellbeing. Tommy's book is the inspiring story of looking deeply into one's darkest parts and the courageous search for a better self. You can learn more about Tommy @: http://tommytomlinson.com

Author, speaker, relationship and life advice expert Liz Pryor opens up about her experience of getting pregnant at 17 and being sent away to a home for pregnant teens by her mother. Liz describes the shame her parents felt about her pregnancy and how it impacted her so strongly that she kept the experience a secret for 28 years when she finally shared it with her siblings and friends. Although being sent off alone to have her baby, giving it up for adoption and then hiding it from everyone for so many years was extremely difficult, Liz explains that it shaped who she is as a person and as a parent and led her on a path of helping others. Find out more about Liz @: www.lizpryor.com

Jia Jiang is an entrepreneur, author and TED speaker who adapted the card game “Rejection Therapy” and created a blog, products and services to further explore rejection. He talks about how the experience of rejection is universal amongst all human beings and discusses the value of rejection in the process of becoming fearless.  He shares his research of actively seeking out rejection for 100 days straight and learning that it can be less painful and destructive than anticipated. The experience helped to desensitize him and diminish his fear of rejection so that it no longer drove his decisions. He has used his ability to turn rejection into something positive to push him to pursue his dreams. Find out more about Jia @: rejectiontherapy.com Follow Jia on Twitter @: www.twitter.com/JiaJiang

Actress, writer and mother Gwyn McColl describes her harrowing yet eye opening experience of enduring a 5150 - the official legal code for restraining someone involuntarily for 72 hours due to erratic and potentially dangerous behavior. Gwyn's story illustrates how a balanced person with no history of mental illness can experience manic behavior when the perfect storm of events come together. She describes with incredible insight and honesty how she survived this episode and what its impact has been on her and her family.

Jace Downey, Recovery Empowerment Specialist, shares her powerful story of struggling with sex addiction. After repressing her early experience of sexual abuse, she assumed she was just born broken and spent much of her early life looking for ways to ease her pain and regain her power. She hid her fear and self loathing so well, that no one knew she was suffering. Instead she led a secret life using sex as a way to numb herself and gain a sense of control. In her incredible journey towards healing, Jace shares deep insight and practical advice to inspire others on their quest for wholeness. Find out more about Jace @: www.jacedowney.com  

Melissa, Morgan, and Sara talk about the upcoming holidays and the many failures that often come along for the ride. Whether it be unmet expectations for perfection, family dynamics and tension, or a sense of loneliness and sadness that often come as a surprise, there is plenty of failure to explore. The Other F Word team thought it would be helpful to anticipate these possible failures in an attempt to feel less blindsided when they come and try new ways to cope during a time when there's so much pressure for that perfect holiday celebration.

A.J. Jacobs is a New York Times best selling author, most recently of the book “Thanks a Thousand” a chronicled journey thanking everyone who was involved in the making of his morning cup of coffee.  A.J. joins us to talks about his varied lifestyle experiments that have taken him outside of his comfort zone.  Whether it be “living biblically” for one year, strictly following the rules of the Bible, or adopting the challenge of Radical Honesty for one month, where he told the truth or said whatever was on his mind, no matter the cost, AJ Jacobs is committed to illuminating experiences that involve a lot of failure.  His honest, self deprecating style makes his storytelling engaging, while his often outrageous methods make his “humble quest” for learning outside his comfort zone quite inspirational. Find out more about AJ @: www.ajjacobs.com  

Author A.N. Turner talks to us about internet addiction and specifically, internet porn addiction. Turner who is still a young man in his early 20's, describes how he became addicted to online porn and how it took over his life, interfering with his work and his relationships. And how he managed to turn his life around by cutting out pornography all together and cutting back massively on his use of the internet. He openly shares his struggle and the shame that he continues to feel, while offering helpful tips to listeners to avoid what he sees as the epidemic of our society. Find out more about A.N. on his website here You can follow A.N. @: www.twitter.com/A_NTurner And you can find his book here

Angela King is the program director of Life After Hate, a non-profit organization that helps people extricate themselves from hate groups and turn their lives around. Angela shares her deeply personal experience of being raised by extremely strict and racist parents, being bullied in junior high and eventually bullying others in an effort to survive. Angela found herself desperate to connect and belong, struggling with confusing feelings about sexuality and identity,  but her deep fear and anger led her to act out and join hate groups as a white supremacist. Her hate and violence eventually hit a rock bottom which landed her in prison, where she was forced to face her past and deepest failures. In her remarkable story, she shares how her time in prison and the incredible connection to her fellow inmates, led her to shatter  her way of thinking and ultimately find love with a black woman. Angela's story is one of true inspiration where she was able to confront her racism and embrace the profound ability to change. Find out more about Angela and Life After Hate @: www.lifeafterhate.org Twitter: @HumRights4Peace Facebook: @lifeafterhate Instagram: @lifeafterhate

Alexia Vernon, leadership and women's speaking coach and author of “Step Into Your Moxie” shares her journey of finding her voice and self confidence after experiencing harrowing moments in her past. In an articulate and vulnerable voice, Alexia shares her experience of postpartum depression and child sexual abuse and how these darker moments brought her to truth and clarity. In her work as a leadership coach, she weaves in these personal narratives to inspire strength and develop the resiliency necessary to navigate the many experiences of failure.  Find out more about Alexia @: www.alexiavernon.com www.stepintoyourmoxie.com And you can connect with Alexia @: http://www.facebook.com/AlexiaVernonEmpowerment http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexiavernon http://www.twitter.com/alexiavernon http://instagram.com/alexiavernon/  

Alethea Black, author of “You've Been So Lucky Already” shares her story of navigating through chronic illness that had no cure for years. This experience of failure on a bodily level led to crushing fatigue, profound loss of joy and a deep worry that she was dying.  Trusting her own inner voice instead of listening to external sources, her survival instinct kicked in and she was able to find her way to health. Her take on failure as funny, once you get past the pain of it, and as the engine of life are just some of her fascinating ways of seeing the world. Find out more about Alethea @: www.welcometoheaven.com And you can follow her @: www.facebook.com/alethea.black

Born with spina bifida, a chronic spinal disability that she tried to hide for most of her life, Dr. Church went on to become a pediatric specialist who treats kids with the same condition. Growing up without much language on how to talk about and process her condition, she spent much of her life grappling with wanting to tell her story in a way that shares the issues associated with it while maintaining dignity and privacy for herself and her patients. She has become an important advocate for kids in medical settings where she has challenged her colleagues to treat patients with more sensitivity and understanding and less  scientific objectivity. She has also been vocal in her efforts to reframe our society's views of disabilities as a weakness and instead view all people as living on a spectrum of varying abilities. You can follow Dr. Church @: https://twitter.com/paigetchurch1?lang=en  

Preston Pollard is a skateboarder, life coach and motivational speaker who shares his journey of growing up in Alaska and struggling to find his identity. As a black child, he was pressured to play basketball and football but Preston was drawn to skateboarding. Driven by untreated ADHD and teased by people who told him black kids don't skateboard, he persisted against the naysayers. His story is filled with hope and possibility that anyone can persevere through failure and reach their dreams. Find out more about Preston @: https://www.prestonpollard.com Follow Preston @: https://www.instagram.com/prestonpollard1

Rowan Hooper, evolutionary biologist and author of the new book “Superhuman-Life at the Extremes of our Capacity” shares the awe-inspiring stories of people who have reached extraordinary places in their lives in terms of human achievement. Each chapter is filled with fascinating details about what it takes to overcome adversity and push beyond ones limits to reach peak potential. Whether it be endurance, strength, bravery, intelligence, or memory, a common trait throughout is an appreciation and overcoming of failure. Find Rowan on Twitter @: https://twitter.com/rowhoop Find out more about Rowan's book "Superhuman" @: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Superhuman/Rowan-Hooper/9781501168710  

Twin brothers and comics Randy and Jason Sklar share their experiences of failure amidst their successful careers as writers, actors, stand-up comedians and hosts of the podcasts "View from the Cheap Seats" and "Dumb People Town". With brilliant humor and refreshing honesty, they share compelling stories of pushing through feelings of failure live and on stage as comedians, as well as behind the scenes navigating the entertainment industry. They're a fascinating partnership of identical twin brothers who have a powerful connection that comes across easily in their alternative comedy routines, as well as in thoughtful conversations about the value of failure, as it relates to careers, relationships, parenting, sports, and life in general. Find our more about the Sklar Brothers @: www.supersklars.com Follow the Sklar Brothers @: www.instagram.com/sklarbrothers/ Watch Randy, Jason, Morgan and Heather in "Assisted Living" short they talk about in this episode @: https://vimeo.com/275948566

Mother, wife, writer, producer and ultimately artist Patti Grabel describes the long journey she followed to find herself and follow her passions after focusing solely on her family for many years. Patti paid attention to some things she was struggling with and after seeking advice from a therapist, she decided that pursuing a writing career was her “cure”. Despite many challenges and obstacles along the way, Patti fought through failure and a sense of not belonging to eventually achieve her ultimate goal: getting a tv show on the air before 50! Patti didn't stop there though and went on to create art and even get her own exhibition in New York. Patti's story reminds us that life doesn't have to be over after kids or when we reach mid life. www.pattigrabel.com

Mike Downey, a serial entrepreneur and intrapreneur, explores his early failures as a child and the impact they had on his development into adulthood. With humor and great insight, Mike shares his varied stories of things not going his way and the shame that came as a result. Instead of letting rejection and failure define him, Mike shares how he took the important feedback gleaned from his experiences and turned it into the grit he needed to persevere. http://www.plushd.com

Tessa Fontaine is the author of “The Electric Woman”, a story about her complex relationship with her mother and her parallel experience of traveling with America's last Sideshow. Tessa shares her remarkable journey of pain and loneliness growing up with a mother who couldn't connect  emotionally. Their relationship was further complicated by her mother suffering multiple strokes and near death experiences, leaving her in a profound state of disconnect. Needing an escape from the constant state of crisis and worry, Tessa joined America's last Sideshow as a strange new way to face her fears, connect with others who had also suffered, and persevere on a whole new level. She articulates how this crazy experience led her to a new sense of understanding and compassion for her mom and their complex relationship. Her journey is filled with layers of failure and the strange bright sides that come from facing your darkest moments. Find out more about Tessa & her book @: www.tessafontaine.com  

Jed Davis is in sales and Scott Casperson is a children's picture book author. Jed and Scott are friends, in their mid-life, and have never been married. Both men are looking for love. In a funny, honest, and thought provoking conversation, they share their different experiences of navigating the online dating scene.    Jed seeks his complementary counterpart to adore, to challenge and be challenged, to share adventures both risqué and blasé, and to join him for more woefully overdue international travel. Scott is hoping to find somebody creative, playful and inspiring enough to join him for this carnival of life. Despite these clear ideas of what they want in a partner, along with great insight and hard work, their encounters in the dating world have been met with much failure.  And yet, they persevere, holding onto the hope of connection. You can find out more about Scott's book & purchase it @: thecandycanestory.com

Dima Ghawi is a leadership speaker, executive coach  and author of “Breaking Vases”, a story of the pressure for submission and perfection by her Middle Eastern culture and her terrifying escape to save herself. Dima speaks honestly about her journey of leaving her family in Jordan by arranged marriage and relocating to America, a move of hope for freedom. Controlled by her new husband's family in America with more pressure for a quiet subservient way of being, Dima found herself profoundly depressed. In a brave move to save herself, she left her marriage and faced the terrifying consequences of her escape. Through this  struggle, she was able to face her fears, find freedom through education and connection, and now guides others on their own journey of self discovery. Her story is one of incredible courage, and how her depression and feelings of failure saved her life and led her to a place of new awareness, transformation, and inspiration to many. You can download Dima's free audio program @: https://www.dimaghawi.com/breaking-vases/ At checkout enter promo code: courage You can buy Dima's book @: Breaking Vases on Amazon And visit her website @: Breaking Vases website  

Rachel Simmons, Leadership Development Specialist at Smith College and author of numerous books including most recent “Enough As She Is”, speaks about her Failure Initiative “Failing Well' with college students at Smith College.  For many high achieving students, failure has never been allowed to be a part of their experiences. In an attempt to de-stigmatize failure and value it a a core part of learning, Rachel welcomes students to her program with a certificate of failure.  Encouraging them to mess up in all areas of their lives, she models how to build the muscle necessary to foster resilience and endure struggle, something many of us are missing in today's pressure for perfection.  Rachel's groundbreaking program is just what we are needing in the attempt to shift our thinking on failure. Find out more about Rachel @: https://www.rachelsimmons.com

Life coach and founder of website Joyjunkie, Amy E. Smith, speaks candidly about growing up in a religious family and feeling like a failure in the eyes of her parents because she didn't share their core values.  After living for years with fear and guilt for speaking her truth, she knew she had to make a change.  In an effort to save her sanity and sense of self, she finally found her voice.  Her moment of clarity was followed by deep work and clear wisdom that she now shares to help others stand up for themselves. Her insight into the complex struggle to push through feeling like a failure  and reconnect to your deeper sense of self is both uplifting and inspiring. Find out more about Amy @: https://thejoyjunkie.com  

Journalist and cofounder of the women's networking group The Li.st, Glynnis MacNicol speaks about her revelatory new memoir, “No One Tells You This”, an honest exploration about being single, childless and happy. Glynnis shares how she approached her 40th birthday with dread and overwhelm, feeling like a failure when it comes to the important milestones of marriage and children. In an attempt to accept and reconcile this role in a positive light, Glynnis set out to pave a new path for women who choose not to marry, have children, and still be fulfilled, connected and happy. Her intelligence and ability to articulate her journey is one that has inspired many who are struggling for more peace within themselves and equality out in the world. Connect on twitter @: https://twitter.com/GlynnMacN And Instagram @: https://www.instagram.com/noonetellsyouthis/  

Dan Freedman shares his journey of parenthood, first as a typical father of 2, then a single father of 3, and now as a father of a blended family of 5. His story is one fraught with layers of loss and struggle, as well as deep connection and love. After the tragic and unexpected loss of his first wife during the birth of their third child, Dan was faced with the challenging role of single parenthood. Then, years later he fell in love and married his current wife, who had 2 children of her own, and so began his new role of step-parent. Dan speaks with candor and humor about the challenges of step-parenting and how failure plays an inevitable role in this complex relationship. Find out more about Dan @: http://baseballcraziness.com/author/dffreedman/

Tiffony Jacobs and Kanya Sim are writers, speakers, entrepreneurs, and members of the original Freedom Writers, a group of high school students led by teacher Erin Gruwell, who inspired her struggling students to share their personal stories through writing. (A movie of the same title was made starring Hilary Swank.)Tiffony and Kanya were regarded as unreachable and underprivileged,  mostly due to their traumatic home life. Tiffony experienced poverty, domestic violence, and homelessness, while Kanya and her family dealt with the hardships of being Cambodian refugees struggling to acculturate to a new country. With the help of their teacher and mentor, they were encouraged to write anonymous journal entries and for the first time in their lives they gave voice to their internal pain and feelings of failure. After graduating high school, they went on to train over 600 educators with the Freedom Writers Foundation, teaching others to use the powerful tool of writing to heal and tell their stories.  Both have gone on to also teach others how to break the cycle of generational poverty through financial literacy. Their stories are powerful, honest and inspiring. Find out more about Freedom Writers @: http://www.freedomwritersfoundation.org Find out more about Tiffony @: https://www.wfgconnects.com/tiffonyjacobs Find out more about Kanya @: https://www.wfgconnects.com/kanyasim You can follow Tiffony Jacobs @: https://www.instagram.com/tiffonyj_thefreedomwriter

Jon Acuff is an entrepreneur, speaker, and New York Times Bestselling author of six books including his most recent “Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done”. He speaks from personal experience of his own struggle to finish anything, referring to his past self as a “serial quitter” and shares his journey to overcoming the obstacles, one of the biggest being fear of failure. He explores how unmet expectations of unrealistic dreams creates a cycle of failure before you start, and gives a clear and refreshing perspective on setting more realistic goals for success. He shares his research with  humor, candor and a pragmatism that is refreshing.  Find out more about Jon @: www.acuff.me    

This week's episode focuses on what's happened recently, behind the scenes of the podcast, and how it pertains to success and failure.  Issues of self doubt, shame, the need for honest communication, and the pressure for perfection are some of the hot topics explored. www.theotherfwordpodcast.com

Authors, relationship experts and married couple Greg Behrendt (He's Just Not That Into You) and Amiira Ruotola share their advice on what it takes to stay happily married. They dispel many myths about relationships through honest revelations about their own marriage, its' complexities and how much work it is to remain connected. Their humor and frankness are a refreshing antidote to the one dimensional ideals of relationships our culture has perpetrated. Listen to Greg & Amiira's podcast here: https://starburns.audio/podcasts/maybe-its-you/ And you can visit Greg's website here: http://www.gregorybehrendt.com

Michelle Carlson, Executive Director of TEEN LINE, a teen-to-teen national hotline, shares her expertise and insight on at-risk adolescents and the issues teens are dealing with. From stress and anxiety to depression and suicidal thoughts, teen callers are trusting their highly trained and competent peers to listen and guide them through with empathy, problem solving and community resources for further help. Michelle shares her own compelling story of losing people she loved to suicide and how failure is a thread throughout these tragic losses. These tragedies have only added to Michelle's passion to helping teens deal with daily stress as well as some of the more delicate issues of adolescence. You can find out more about Teen Line @: https://teenlineonline.org

Eight time Emmy Award Winning News Anchor Romona Robinson and author of the book A Dirt Road to Somewhere talks about her struggle to overcome multiple life obstacles, starting with surviving a childhood of extreme poverty, to picking the wrong kind of men, to her inability to get pregnant. As one of the first black women in television news, Romona has also dealt with extreme racism and sexism but religion has always been essential to her healing along with sheer perseverance and determination. While facing much of the heartache and pain on her own out of fear of looking like a failure, she now understands that asking for help is key. And after pushing through the challenges, she ultimately found love and support and was embraced by people all over. She's a strong believer in supporting other black women in journalism which has helped to pave the way for greater representation in her field. After being one of a handful of journalists chosen to meet Barack Obama, Romona knew she could overcome her background and be a source of inspiration for other. Find out more about Romona at www.romonarobinson.com