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What if losing something you hold dear could actually lead you to a deeper sense of gratitude and self-acceptance? Laura Bratton's journey from facing blindness as a teenager to finding joy and purpose offers profound insights into resilience and transformation. This episode will equip you with practical strategies to navigate life's inevitable challenges, emphasizing the power of gratitude, the importance of a supportive network, and the strength found in self-compassion. Join us to explore how adversity can become a catalyst for growth and fulfillment. 0:00 Introduction5:57 Denial and the struggle to accept change12:11 The importance of a supportive network16:24 Finding gratitude in unexpected places22:03 Spiritual growth through adversity25:40 A transformative experience as a hospital chaplain31:32 Advice to her younger self33:16 Guidance for those facing difficult struggles35:26 The power of sharing stories of resilienceResources Mentioned:
Change is inevitable, but navigating it with resilience and courage is a skill. In this powerful episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, host Avik Chakraborty sits down with Laura Bratton, an author, speaker, and founder of Ubi Global. Diagnosed with an eye disease at nine, Laura faced the life-altering challenge of going blind as a teenager. Instead of letting adversity define her, she embraced grit and gratitude to move forward. Laura shares her transformative journey, practical strategies for cultivating a healthy mindset, and the importance of shifting our response to fear. If you're struggling with change—whether personal or professional—this episode will inspire you to trust in your strength and step into the unknown with confidence. About the Guest – Laura Bratton Laura Bratton is the author of Harnessing Courage and the founder of Ubi Global, an organization dedicated to helping people navigate life's challenges with resilience and gratitude. After losing her sight as a teenager, she learned how to reframe fear, embrace change, and develop a mindset that empowers her to thrive. Through coaching, speaking engagements, and her book, Laura teaches others how to overcome obstacles with courage and conviction. Key Takeaways: Mindset is everything – You can't always control change, but you can control how you respond to it. Grit isn't just pushing through – It's taking life moment by moment, trusting yourself, and seeking support when needed. Gratitude reframes perspective – It's not about being thankful for hardships, but for the tools and people that help us navigate them. Fear is not an obstacle, it's a teacher – Acknowledge it, but don't let it hold you back. You are enough – No matter what changes come your way, your strengths, purpose, and gifts remain. Connect with Laura Bratton:
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Episode 275: Change is a constant -- but navigating it can be overwhelming at times. If you have ever wondered how you could better manage change, this is the episode for you! My guest, Laura Bratton, Motivational Speaker & Coach, shares practical resources and steps you can use immediately. Inspired by her own experiences with significant change in her teen years -- Laura went from full vision to no vision -- she now shares her insights and experience to help others move through the most trying of times. Whether you are dealing with change as an individual, or leading your team or organization through the winds of change, your sailing will be smoother with this easy to relate to approach. Trust your gifts as you acknowledge and move through change. Laura's accessible approach will calm your mind and spirit. What worries you about navigating change? Share a comment!
In this episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, we're joined by Laura Bratton—speaker, coach, and author of Harnessing Courage. Laura shares her extraordinary journey of:Navigating life after losing her sight as a teenager.Building resilience through grit and gratitude.Embracing the balance between grief and moving forward.Letting go of comparison and trusting your inherent worth.Learning to lean on community and borrow strength when needed.Laura's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, adaptability, and self-belief. Whether you're overcoming personal challenges or navigating your own sticky floors, this conversation is packed with wisdom and actionable insights to inspire your journey.Connect with Laura:Website: laurabratton.comBook: Harnessing CourageBUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky FloorsBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!
In this episode of Glass Ceilings and Sticky Floors, we're joined by Laura Bratton—speaker, coach, and author of Harnessing Courage. Laura shares her extraordinary journey of:Navigating life after losing her sight as a teenager.Building resilience through grit and gratitude.Embracing the balance between grief and moving forward.Letting go of comparison and trusting your inherent worth.Learning to lean on community and borrow strength when needed.Laura's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, adaptability, and self-belief. Whether you're overcoming personal challenges or navigating your own sticky floors, this conversation is packed with wisdom and actionable insights to inspire your journey.Connect with Laura:Website: laurabratton.comBook: Harnessing CourageBUY THE BOOK - Glass Ceilings and Sticky FloorsBe a Book Launch Insider!!!My FREE 5x5 Starter Kit for LinkedInFREE WEEKLY SUCCESS PLANNERJoin our Facebook Group! Find me on InstagramCheck out our PINS on PinterestAnd YES - I'm on TikTok!
In this Storm Stories episode, pulled from the Shoresides' archive, we revisit the resilience of Pender County, North Carolina, in the wake of Hurricane Florence—a story that resonates now, as flooding again affects communities across North Carolina. Disaster counselor Jennifer Witkowski shares how long-term recovery goes beyond immediate cleanup, demanding sustained volunteer efforts and deep emotional resilience. Jennifer discusses the vital, yet daunting, work of demucking and rebuilding—efforts that continue years after the storm has passed. Hosted and produced by Laura Bratton, this episode captures the reality of ongoing recovery in a rural place.Support the show
Today, producer Brea Hampton takes us back to a COVID-19 vaccine drive that happened in Tabor City, Columbus County in March. She speaks with Ashlei McFadden, who's been aiding vaccination efforts - like the drive in Tabor City. McFadden says that vaccines intended for Tabor City's Black community went to white folks from outside of the area. In this episode of Shoresides News, Hampton talks to Black leaders across Columbus County - Ashlei McFadden, Curtis Hill, Jeremy Simmons, and Shawn Manor - to help us understand the barriers to equity in vaccination efforts and what they're doing to overcome them. Produced by Brea Hampton and Laura Bratton in collaboration with Ashlei McFadden, Curtis Hill, Jeremy Simmons, Shawn Manor, and Wallyce Todd. Music:Where We Are by KetsaI Recall by Blue Dot SessionsSupport the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)
"We began to see the fish show up in the river with sores all over their body. And my son and I started to get the sores on our bodies, the same as the fish," says Rick Dove, the first Neuse Riverkeeper. He's talking about when he first started seeing large-scale fish kills on the Neuse back in the 1990's. Fish kills can largely be traced back to waste coming from CAFOs.In this episode of CAFOs & Communities, Larry Baldwin, the Crystal Coast Waterkeeper, explains how CAFOs impact the environment. He discusses the impacts on aquatic life, starting with the large scale fish kills Dove talks about.Produced by Larry Baldwin, Kayla Guilliams, and Laura Bratton in collaboration with Dr. JoAnn Burkholder, Rick Dove, Kemp Burdette, Elsie Herring, and Sherri White-Williamson. Special thanks to Larry Baldwin of Coastal Carolina Riverwatch for making this podcast possible.Music: Pure Water by Medyn, Thoughts by ANBR, Aquarius by Spearfisher. Photos by Laura Bratton. References:CBS 17, "Hog lagoon contamination just beginning," 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HlRv_RWxyA CDC, "Understanding Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations and Their Impact on Communities," 2010. https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/docs/understanding_cafos_nalboh.pdf MD Sea Grant, "Pfiesteria Update: An Enduring Debate," 2009. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAFVC1T0KpU Riverlaw, "Fish Kills." http://www.riverlaw.us/fish-kills/ Sierra Club, "Why are CAFOs bad?" https://www.sierraclub.org/michigan/why-are-cafos-bad UNC Med TV, "Neuse River," 2008. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi2oDDdep04
Contract growers and community members who speak out against the hog industry in eastern North Carolina rarely see themselves as members of the same team - but they have more in common than they think. In this episode of CAFO's & Communities, we take listeners through the evolution of contract farming within the swine industry from the 20th century up to today. We speak with a hog grower from Lillington, North Carolina named Tom Butler, who tells us how he got into the business and why he's had to stay. Produced by Sherri White-Williamson, Kayla Guilliams, and Laura Bratton in collaboration with Larry Baldwin, Elsie Herring, Rick Dove, and Tom Butler. Special thanks to Larry Baldwin of Coastal Carolina Riverwatch for making this podcast possible.To learn more and get involved, visit North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, North Carolina Conservation Network, and Coastal Carolina Riverwatch's websites.Music: Pure Water by Medyn, Thoughts by ANBR, Aquarius by Spearfisher. Photos by Laura Bratton. References:“1950's Camel Smoking Advert,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxrCjmqRTz0“American Leaf - Tobacco's Last Harvest, Full Documentary” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H7-Tw7r63c“Marlboro Cigarettes Commercial,” 1955 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wibHcZ4FNbUThe Meat We Eat, “Pork Production: Farrow to Finish Process,” 2017. https://meatscience.org/TheMeatWeEat/topics/fresh-meat/article/2017/03/09/pork-production-farrow-to-finish-process“Peter Stuyvesant Cigarette Commercial,” 1985. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIp1FE41tpESalary, “Pig Farmer Salary in the United States,” https://www.salary.com/research/salary/posting/pig-farmer-salary“Washington Journal, Tobacco Regulation,” C-SPAN, 2004. https://www.c-span.org/video/?182726-6/tobacco-regulationWRAL, “The Hog Industry in North Carolina - Pigs, Politics And Pollution,” 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHosjIWdqRk
How did we get from small farms, like the one in Charlotte's Web, to factory farms? In this episode of CAFO's & Communities, we explore the history and politics of eastern North Carolina's hog industry - from the late 19th century to today.Produced by Lee Miller, Kayla Guilliams, and Laura Bratton in collaboration with Ryke Longest, Elsie Herring, Rick Dove, Will Hendrick, Paul Butler, and Larry Baldwin. Special thanks to Larry Baldwin of Coastal Carolina Riverwatch for making this podcast possible.To learn more and get involved, visit North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, North Carolina Conservation Network, and Coastal Carolina Riverwatch's websites.Music: Pure Water by Medyn, Thoughts by ANBR, Aquarius by Spearfisher. Photo by Laura Bratton. References:Charlottes Web 1973 Theatrical Trailer, Paramount Pictures, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrHz9Pw0F7Y D. Lee Miller & Ryke Longest, Reconciling Environmental Justice with Climate Change Mitigation: A Case Study of NC Swine CAFOs, 21 Vermont Journal of Environmental Law 523-543 (2020) https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/faculty_scholarship/4034/ Dove, R., “CAFO History,” Riverlaw (2014), http://www.riverlaw.us/industry-history/ Environmental Working Group, “EXPOSING FIELDS OF FILTH: Locations of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations in North Caroling by County,” EWG and Waterkeeper Alliance, https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2016_north_carolina_animal_feeding_operations_bycounty.php. Harold Hardison on Hardison Amendment (1985), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGhiHNtu7fk National Pork Board, “America's Top 100 Pork Counties” (2012), https://www.pork.org/facts/stats/structure-and-productivity/americas-top-100-pig-counties/ Real 1950s Rock & Roll, Rockabilly Dance from Lindy Hop, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf55gHK48VQ Thu, et al., “A Control Study of the Physical and Mental Health of Residents Living Near aLarge-Scale Swine Operation,” Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health 3(1): 13-26 (1997). Whiskey River - Willie Nelson & Family (Live in Raleigh, NC - Farm Aid '14) (2014), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYw8VvNFDV4
"We were just sitting on the porch like normal on a beautiful Saturday. And then we heard this tractor, and then all of a sudden this animal waste was coming everywhere and it was stinking like nothing we had ever experienced," says Elsie Herring of Wallace, North Carolina. Herring is one of many eastern North Carolinians who have had negative health impacts and financial burdens as a result of nearby concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO's) over the last several decades. In this episode of CAFO's & Communities, we explore how the hog industry's hazardous waste redistribution has harmed neighboring communities and what they're doing about it.Produced by Dedan Waciuri, Kayla Guilliams, and Laura Bratton in collaboration with Sherri White-Williamson, Elsie Herring, Jeff Currie, Larry Baldwin, and Naeema Muhammad. Special thanks to Larry Baldwin of Coastal Carolina Riverwatch.To learn more and get involved, visit North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, North Carolina Conservation Network, and Coastal Carolina Riverwatch's websites.Music: Pure Water by Medyn, Thoughts by ANBR, Aquarius by Spearfisher. Sounds by Badlands Sound via Artist and YouTube Audio Library. Photos by Laura Bratton. Bottom right photo by Jeremy Lange, taken from ProPublica. References:Environmental Working Group, “EXPOSING FIELDS OF FILTH: Locations of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations in North Caroling by County,” EWG and Waterkeeper Alliance,https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2016_north_carolina_animal_feeding_operations_bycounty.php.Kravchenko, J., “The Coming Storm 2019: Hog CAFOs, Human Health & Hurricanes in N.C,” Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment (2019), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHf22c_uwzc.Kravchenko et al., “Mortality and Health Outcomes in North Carolina Communities Located in Close Proximity to Hog Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations,” North Carolina Medical Journal, 79 (5):278-288 (2018).Marks, R., “CESSPOOLS OF SHAME: How Factory Farm Lagoons and Sprayfields Threaten Environmental and Public Health,” Natural Resources Defense Council and the Clean Water Network (2001).Schiffman et al., “Potential Health Effects of Odor From Animal Operations, Wastewater Treatment, and Recycling of Byproducts,” Journal of Agromedicine, 7(1): 7-81 (2000); Policy Statement Adopted by the House of Delegates, North Carolina Council of Churches (2000).Sobsey, M., McBride Health Conference, UNC Chapel Hill (1990), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoTcCooC7AE.Thu, et al., “A Control Study of the Physical and Mental Health of Residents Living Near a Large-Scale Swine Operation,” Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health 3(1): 13-26 (1997).Wing, S., “Community Health Impacts of Factory Farms,” TEDxTalks Manhattan (2013), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZW8-LQftnY.
In this episode I’m chatting with Laura Bratton who is the author of Harnessing Courage: Overcoming Adversity with Grit & Gratitude. In addition to being an author Laura is also a keynote speaker, was the first blind student to graduate from Princeton Theological Seminary with a master’s of divinity degree, she is the senior pastor at a local church, and she is the founder of Ubi Global LLC Laura first noticed there was something different with her vision at 8 years old. Where they ran traditional vision tests in school they detected the early onset of degeneration of her near sighted vision. Over the next decade Laura experienced the traumatic transition of adjusting to life without sight. In middle school, while her friends grew more independent she was learning braille – she felt like her life was cycling in the wrong direction. In this episode we highlight many of the topics she wrote about in her book. The anxiety about the what her future was going to be like. The depression from feeling like “This is too much, I can’t and I don’t want to” ultimately not knowing if she had the strength to endure the cards she’d been dealt. The […] The post LPP #24 Grit & Gratitude with Laura Bratton appeared first on Liveng Proof.
In this episode I’m chatting with Laura Bratton who is the author of Harnessing Courage: Overcoming Adversity with Grit & Gratitude. In addition to being an author Laura is also a keynote speaker, was the first blind student to graduate from Princeton Theological Seminary with a master’s of divinity degree, she is the senior pastor at a local church, and she is the founder of Ubi Global LLC Laura first noticed there was something different with her vision at 8 years old. Where they ran traditional vision tests in school they detected the early onset of degeneration of her near sighted vision. Over the next decade Laura experienced the traumatic transition of adjusting to life without sight. In middle school, while her friends grew more independent she was learning braille – she felt like her life was cycling in the wrong direction. In this episode we highlight many of the topics she wrote about in her book. The anxiety about the what her future was going to be like. The depression from feeling like “This is too much, I can’t and I don’t want to” ultimately not knowing if she had the strength to endure the cards she’d been dealt. The […] The post LPP #24 Grit & Gratitude with Laura Bratton appeared first on Liveng Proof.
Going through a season of trauma or loss is something that we had just as soon try to avoid, but when a season like this becomes a reality in life, the first key to moving through it isn’t to try and avoid it but to acknowledge it. This notion of acknowledgment will continue to show itself as a cornerstone of the healing process, as we find our way through trauma and loss. Today’s guest, Laura Bratton will share some special insight from her own story as well as from others on how we can courageously overcome adversity with grit and gratitude. Where is God in the midst of your suffering? How does acknowledgment set the stage for restoration? Are there ‘life jacket’ moments/opportunities around you? How being ‘with’ the pain or suffering can lead you through it. How gratefulness sets the mind and the heart in motion to healing. Get an audio version of Laura’s book free from at Audible here, audibletrial.com/blessed Connect with Laura and/or purchase a print copy of Laura’s book here, www.ubiglobal.org/book
This week, we talk with Laura Bratton, who is a life coach and public speaker, and has a company called UBI Global. Click Here to get her new book! Support Me And My Podcast! Pleas help by supporting me and my podcast through Patreon, a crowd-funding website where you, the patron, can support a Creator(a.k.a. me). Click Here to support me! Free Download! Download my original song, Hear You Sing, for free! You can get it Here! Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll talk to you next week!
Could you imagine being 9 years old and and realize that you were starting to lose your vision; then at 12 years old to lose even more of your vision, and finally in High School, to be at the point where you were blind? What would be worse for you, to have your vision and lose it, or to never have your vision to start with? These are tough but real questions that my featured guest, Laura Bratton shares with us in this episode. – How do you go from I can’t to I can? – How to live with meaning and purpose regardless of what you come up against. – Are you willing to receive the necessary help? – Laura’s top 3 sources of support. – What does my identity have to do with my security? -What two types of love does God promise ? – How silence can connect you to God. – Philippians 4:13 source for strength. – Laura’s website, ubiglobal.com – Laura on Facebook – Laura on Twitter – Laura on Linkedin
This week, we talk with Laura Bratton, who is a life coach and also a pastor of a church in Greenville, SC. Support Me And My Podcast! Pleas help by supporting me and my podcast through Patreon, a crowd-funding website where you, the patron, can support a Creator(a.k.a. me). Click Here to support me! Free Download! Download my original song, Hear You Sing, for free! You can get it Here! Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll talk to you next week!