Unexpectedly Yours

I hope you enjoy this very open and honest conversation between two friends intent on working toward their highest selves. I am so thankful to exist in this podcast space where I can have these types of conversations. The whole reason I started this show last year was to achieve exactly that. My wish is that it will build courage in you, my listener to do the same thing in your own life. We need connection and the secret to finding greater connection is to start within. I love you! Thank you for being here and sharing this experience with me. I'm truly grateful.@rhettsmithmft@rhettsmithwww.rhettsmith.comA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Jef Rawls is a performer and entertainer, through and through. A Charismatic Connector with amazing talent. He has worked with Dick Van Dyke, Sean Aston, Lindsey Stirling, Studio C- to name a few. He was host and producer of All-Comedy Radio's morning show "Breakfast Epiphanies". He was host of ABC15's Emmy Award winning educational show "What's Up". He owns JESTERZ Improv club and is a long time friend of mine. Jef is a devoted husband and father of 6. I hope you enjoy our conversation .www.jefrawls.com@jesterjefA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

This is a must listen and  a must share. Such an inspiring person to call my friend. Williamson's journey is a testament to the capacity for resilience, compassion, and empowerment. His story isn't about rising from the rubble; it's about soaring to new heights, leaving an indelible mark on the world, and inspiring generations to come.  I encourage you to read his book, Rising From The Rubble and go follow his non-profit organization ariseprojects.org to learn more. I hope you feel inspired in your own way to rise above the worst things that happen to you and find that great purpose inside you.Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

LOVED spending time with my son in law Dylan. He's so awesome. I hope you enjoy getting to know him and his kind heart.  A special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Welcome to season 2! I'm so glad you're here.A special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

A special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Jesika Gilmore is married to the love of her life, Cameron. They are  a blended family and have been together for about 8 years. Their children are amazing but they have 4 PERFECT grandchildren who make the world go round!!! Sawyer, Knoxx, Scarlett, and Jrue. Jesika has lived in several areas of the country and currently resides in Utah, which is her favorite so far!She has experienced a lot of life and has many experiences that have shaped and molded her into who she is today. The hard times are never fun but in hindsight, she is grateful for it all because she wouldn't be who she is without them.I really enjoyed my conversation with Jesika. She had some beautiful experiences to share how her and Cam brought their family together. Please welcome, Jesika Gilmore.A special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Axel had a school project to make his own podcast episode. He chose to interview me and we had the best time. Hope you enjoy it! A special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

This week is my 27th wedding anniversary so I just thought it would be fun to share how I met my husband, Eli. Here's my side of the story along with some insights on why I think it works for us. It's always a little scary for me to share so openly about my personal life. It's part of getting myself to truly open up and be more vulnerable. It's a practice. Thank you for indulging me and thank you so much for listening. Love you all.Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Please welcome the amazing Phoebe to the show today. It's so hard for me not to just front load the show with all of my incredible family members. I have to practice patience and space them out but let me tell you I'm so excited to share this heart-felt conversation with you. It's vulnerable, real, and it's going to be a treasured episode for me for sure. I hope you enjoy it. Please, please, please, share this episode and any of your favorites with your friends and family. It's the only way I know to grow the pod and reach more people like you. Thank you for your support and listening. If you would please click 5 stars or write a review on Apple/ITunes or share it to your instagram stories and tag me, I would be forever grateful. Unexpectedly Yours,Neeley@phoebejojojoA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

The second title for this episode is Finding The Magic!! Chris talks about the steps need to build resilience and mental toughness so we can make it through life's challenges and remain present in our lives. This is where we find the MAGIC, in the present. Chris tells some compelling stories to demonstrate his point. Chris Pierce is a reputed mental toughness expert with over a decade of experience training Green Beret's, Army Rangers, sales professionals, pro surfers and professional athletes on maximizing the power of resilience to achieve high level results. Chris holds a masters degree in sport psychology and uses simple science back strategies to achieve consistent results. I really enjoyed this conversation. Mental toughness is something of a lifeline for me. It's something I really strive for in my life. I hope you gain some insights and think of ways in your own life that you have shown resilience and maybe some ways you could improve. @chris_pierceUnexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

This is one of my favorite episodes personally so far. I really love doing this podcast, guys! To be able to sit down with Joshua Coombes was just so cool. He's someone who I admire very much and also who Ive tried to emulate in some ways. In this episode he shares about how the awareness of someone else and the simplicity of hearing about their life and giving them a haircut brought something out in him that was dormant before.  We talk of the importance of having that awareness of one another and just how we can be there for one another.  We are not meant to be alone or on our own. We are one another. We're made of the same stuff. I could've kept it going for much longer.  His book is called Do Something For Nothing and I highly recommend it. You can find him on Instagram @joshuacoombes to follow more of his life's work. He's such a cool guy and I really hope this episode gives you something to think about in your own life. Why are you here and what do you have to offer? We all have a great purpose in each other's lives and the more comfortable I've become with who I am, the closer I have come to realizing and acting on my purpose. Hope you enjoy!Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Christine Hotchkiss is a strong community leader and volunteer advocate. Her experience in pageantry began in 2005 as Ms. Glendale US in the Ms. United States pageant and again in 2006 where she and her daughter Nicole shared the stage as a mother/ daughter team. New Year's Day 2007, tragedy changed Christine's life with the passing of her daughter in a family auto accident.  As a mother of loss, Christine found herself being an inspiration to other that put her in the direction of creating the successful podcast Stories Of Hope.  This platform has become her life's work helping others heal, inspire, educate and give hope through their own stories and non-profit organizations that are making a difference in many communities nationwide. Christine believes to be a leader you have to be honest, genuine, and vulnerable to connect with others. I couldn't agree more.  Hope you enjoy!Stories@ChristineHotchkiss.comUnexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

In this episode I sit down with a friend from the past, Amber Fernandez. She shares her experiences with Breast Implant Illness, all the symptoms and problems that she had, and the mental toll that all that took on her. She so openly shares her battle with anxiety and how she came to realize what was causing so many problems. She talked about her explant surgery and how she feels now just a few short months later. I hope you enjoy and if one person is helped by this very open and honest conversation, then the goal has been met. Thank you for listening. I love you guys!Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Julie Cosgrove is a certified life coach that helps women shed the weight they've been carrying to create emotional wellness. She helps them overcome their past, their pain and unrealistic expectations of themselves. She helps them step into the power of who they truly are and who they've always meant to be, one tool, one skill, one practice at a time. She can be found at juliecosgrovecoaching.com She has a desire to help as many women as she can develop a deep love for themselves that will drive them toward their dreams. She has a goal to embrace life to the fullest and love every stage of it. She is a wife, a mother of four, and is a native Arizonan. She loves reading and driving fast. The sand dunes is her happy place. She loves the beauty there and the fun of creating her own roller coasters. She loves reality tv and cookies preferably together.I so appreciate Julie for taking the time to talk to me about some deeply personal and very traumatic experiences she has had. She shared so openly the struggle and pain as well as the growth and metamorphosis she has been through. I love her dearly, hope you enjoy.Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Brindisi Christner is married to her best friend Scott and they have 2 beautiful daughters. Their oldest daughter Isla has a rare genetic disorder called H3F3A and is 6 years old. Sunny is their youngest at 2 years old and a bright ball of energy. Their family lives just north of Dallas in Celina, Texas. She and her husband grew up in Colorado and met at church (fun fact, he's seven yeas older). She is an amazing lifestyle photographer, advocate and master at making biscuits and gravy. She gave me her whole heart in this interview. It was raw and honest about the challenges she's been through and very inspiring. I really appreciate when people show up truly openhearted. I hope you enjoy.Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Please welcome the most important person in my life, my partner, my love, Eli Reed. We talk about how we navigate our relationship in this busy, crazy life. He's my favorite person on the planet and I think you'll see why. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Just me, myself, and I today. I have a lot of thoughts to share on this Friday. Thank you dear listeners for supporting me in this endeavor. I feel the love. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Just conversations on a Friday with my beautiful sister. It's an around the world conversation about our childhood, motherhood, art, self care, and everything in between. Hope you like it. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Christine Wawira wears many hats. She is a mother of 2, actress, model, childbirth hypnosis instructor, hypnosis-doula, plant medicine advocate and energy consultant. She was born in Nairobi, Kenya and was raised in both London and the United States. After suddenly losing her mother in 2020, she has been helping people all over the world navigate through their grief as she navigates through her own journey. We had such an enriching conversation about life, beauty, and what is looks like to be comfortable in our own skin. I hope you enjoy.Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Had an illuminating conversation with my friend Tori all about ancestry. We talked about how important it is for us to know where we come from, who we come from an also the importance of preserving our memories for the ones that come after. There was a lot that  I hadn't really thought about before. I hope you enjoy this episode. Until next time.Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

In this episode I have a open and honest conversation about vaginas, prolapse, peeing your pants, pelvic floor disfunction and life after child birth.  We talk about taking just 5 minutes for yourself so that you can actually be a better, healthier version of yourself for those around you. We talk about what it was like for Lindsay after childbirth, what she has learned, and how we can normalize discussions about some of these topics so that we don't feel so alone when going through this stuff. I loved our conversation! She shared a quote that was so good. "Why be like everyone else? What would they need you for? -Bernadette PetersIf you would like to learn more follow Lindsay @tayloredpilatesLet me know what you think about the episode. As always, thanks for listening.Unexpectedly Yours,Neeleyneeleyjoreed@gmail.comA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

I had such an interesting conversation with Tahnee.  She has her own health journey that she has been able to overcome by healing her gut. She shares some of that journey, she talks about the relationship between gut health and mental health, and shares her passion for helping women overcome digestive issues and find the root cause of their issues so they can live symptom free.  If you would like to follow her, she is on instagram @thegutmechanic . I hope you enjoy our conversation like I did. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

RICHIE NORTON is an award-winning author and serial entrepreneur. An executive coach to CEOs, he is featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, Businessweek, Inc., Entrepreneur, Fast Company, Business Insider Huffington Post, etc. Pacific Business News recognized Richie as one of the Top Forty Under 40 "best and brightest young businessmen" in Hawaii. Richie is one of the world's leading thinkers and Top 100 coaches as honored by MG100. He is the CEO and Cofounder of PROUDUCT- an INC. 5000 company- a global entrepreneurship solution helping businesses go from idea to. market with full-service sourcing, product strategy, and end-to-end supply chain. He is the author of several books including Anti-Time Management, The Power of Starting Something Stupid and Resume's Are Dead and What to Do About It. He was born in San Diego before moving to Brazil and then Hawaii. Richie is happily married to Natalie. They have 4 boys(one son already made his way to Heaven) and they have cared for three beloved foster children. They live on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, with their little dog, Velzy. A special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

This one is a must listen. I loved sitting down with my mom and hearing her perspective on her growing up experience. She lost her own mother at the young age of 11 and life changed drastically at that point as you can imagine. She shares some stories as well as some important lessons she's learned along the way. I've learned so much from my mom and am so lucky to have her in my life. I'm so excited to share this most special of episodes with all of you. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

I really loved this open hearted conversation with my friend Marwin Lee.  We talked about life experiences and some of the lessons and perspective gained from those experiences. He shared so openly about love and loss. Marwin is such an awesome example of the lesson he teaches to his football players, "Get knocked down but ya get back up again!" He's an incredible father, coach,  high school counselor, and just a super cool human being with the best laugh ever. I hope you enjoy.Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

In this second part Sky and I continue our conversation talking about life, experiences, and personal growth.  I love her insights and not just cause she's my daughter. She has some pretty wise words. I will share her Dear Montana poem on my instagram. I shared one of my favorite quotes by John Muir, "And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." I also shared part of the Prayer for Love out of the book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. 10/10 for this book. Highly Recommend!!!A special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

When I have members of my family on I get so excited. This is Part 1 of a beautiful conversation with my 3rd born child, my amazing daughter, Sky, Skytron, Skyler Jade Reed. We talk about her growing up experience, some of the challenges she's had and what we've both learned and gained from it. I am so excited to share this 2 part conversation with all of you. I hope you enjoy. If you do, would you please give it 5 stars and a review if you're on Apple. It really means a lot to me and it will really help me grow this podcast. Thank you so so much for your continued support. Love you all.Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

This week was a great conversation with one of my favorite humans, Katie Monson. We talk about the topic of perfectionism and the struggle it can be for us. We both share our insights and the different ways that is shows up in our lives. There are some really great nuggets of wisdom that she shares on ways to overcome a shame spiral when it comes up. It's very candid and just full of varying background noises but I just thought that made it all the more endearing especially considering the topic. We aren't looking for perfect here, just acceptable. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

It's just me for this one. In this episode I share some personal stories as well as some of the practices that I have adopted that have really helped me. I am a big fan of practices. Practices are malleable, like us. They can be altered and shaped to fit what our lives look like in the present. They provide opportunities for growth and plenty of room for alterations. What this looks like for me is setting broad intentions for my productivity, focus, and feelings. For example, "To be productive I will have a plan each day." "I want to focus my energy on things that bring me joy and light." And, " I am choosing to feel at peace with myself and my effort." By setting these intentions I will hopefully avoid the perils of perfectionism that can sometimes or lots of times creep in. I have more reasonable expectations for myself each day and I'm likelier to find fulfillment from my effort. What I have found to be true is a simple formula. Fill up your own cup. Whatever rituals or routines work best is different for everyone. You may not be able to take any of life's stresses or burdens from your plate.  Some days you might not even get very much "done" at all. Either way you'll feel more fulfilled, less resentful, and best of all you'll feel present in your own life. That life is happening right now. Best we slow down before we miss it.A couple quotes I shared today for reference:"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." -Maya Angelou"May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears." -Nelson MandelaHope you enjoy. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Join me as I have an in depth discussion with Jarod McPherson. Jarod is an Air Force Academy Graduate and Veteran. He is currently working on and developing a transformative leadership course that will be released in the very near future. We discuss his path to growing into the leader he is today and how that correlates to personal growth tools that all of us can utilize. One impactful thing that I got out of it was the part of the conversation where we discuss how our subjective narrative impacts our thinking and how we respond to our circumstances. We talk about our emotional blindspots and he shared a quote from one of his mentors, Werner Erhard, he says, "That which is undistinguished to us, runs us." I'm keeping that one locked into the forefront of my brain. It's so powerful to think we have the capacity to identify those blindspots and transform ourselves into the next best version of ourselves.  I really enjoyed this one. Hope you do too. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Join me as I listen to the incredible story of my dear client and friend, Jessica. She shares her experiences as a 15 year old girl who had a massive stroke that basically turned her into a 2 year old and changed her life forever. I'm so moved by her story and I hope you get something out of it as well. One thing that really sticks out for me is the immense gratitude she has for each day she gets to be here. I'm so thankful to know her and I'm so glad she was open hearted enough to share her story with all of you. Please leave a 5 star review, a comment, share it with your friends. I really appreciate your support. Thank you, again to the incredible Joseph Haggard for the theme music. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves." -BuddhaThat quote really resonates with me. This week I am joined by one of my life's great loves, my sister, Lindsay McBride. Join us as we attempt to share our insights on some very heartfelt and tough questions from our listeners.  Questions like, "I'd love to hear what you think about what it means to have your own back. " We also discuss the difficulty of losing a pet and how to cope with the loss. We talk about regrets, self-esteem, and personal legacy.  We talk about how to maintain a sense of self in a situation where the line between what you want and need and what others, particularly partners want and need gets blurry. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation with my beautiful sister and I really hope you like it too. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Amy shares some of her story that started out with self improvement and took her to places she hadn't anticipated. In this episode we discuss her fitness journey, life up to that point, and the spiritual journey she has more recently embarked on. We talk about meditation, finding peace in the present, gratitude, and everything in between.  If you would like to follow Amy, she can be found on Facebook and Instagram @fitamysuzanne . She is a person who doesn't shy away from a challenge. She believes, as I do, in the constant evolution of ourselves. I loved our conversation and I hope you love it too. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

I used to spend a lot of time and energy trying so hard to make everyone around me so very comfortable.  In that full time pursuit, I became very uncomfortable. This caused terrible loneliness and even though I had lots of friends and people in my life, I was keeping most people at arm's length. As I became aware of what I was doing to create and contribute to these vast distances in a lot of my relationships; particularly with friends, I went down a path of self acceptance and love for the person that I am. This radical acceptance of my flaws led me to an understanding that I can wholeheartedly validate myself and I don't need that from anybody else. That opened a door to sharing the real me to basically anyone I come in contact with. This radical self love and acceptance is something I have to practice everyday but is also what has brought me to this point. It has brought me to you. Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed

Come with me on this journey of self discovery.  Let's try to figure out how we can become more comfortable in our own skin and how that translates to showing up more open hearted with one another. In this podcast we will be diving into what it looks like to be open hearted. We will be sharing stories with other human beings who are examples of authenticity. What keeps us divided? What brings those wall we so carefully construct around us crashing down? I have been working on this myself for awhile and although it has not been easy to break some of the cycles of behavior, I have truly been liberated from the captivity of emotional barrier. I will share personal experiences and key events that helped me realize I wanted and needed to change along with the tools and practices that have helped me to live an open hearted life. I feel strongly that this is part of my personal quest. This type of continual growth is the treasure I seek. I hope that you will join me on this path.Unexpectedly Yours,NeeleyA special thank you to Joseph Haggard for the music.Find me on Instagram @neeleyreed