Podcasts about tone it up

What does it take to keep your voice—and your purpose—strong through every season of life? In this episode of Unstoppable Mindset, I sit down with my friend Bill Ratner, one of Hollywood's most recognized voice actors, best known as Flint from GI Joe. Bill's voice has carried him through radio, animation, and narration, but what stands out most is how he's used that same voice to serve others through storytelling, teaching, and grief counseling. Together, we explore the heart behind his work—from bringing animated heroes to life to standing on The Moth stage and helping people find healing through poetry. Bill shares lessons from his own journey, including losing both parents early, finding family in unexpected places, and discovering how creative expression can rebuild what life breaks down. We also reflect on 9/11, preparedness, and the quiet confidence that comes from trusting your training—whether you're a first responder, a performer, or just navigating the unknown. This conversation isn't just about performance; it's about presence. It's about using your story, your craft, and your compassion to keep moving forward—unstoppable, one voice at a time. Highlights: 00:31 – Hear the Flint voice and what it takes to bring animated characters to life. 06:57 – Learn why an uneven college path still led to a lifelong acting career. 11:50 – Understand how GI Joe became a team and a toy phenomenon that shaped culture. 15:58 – See how comics and cartoons boosted classroom literacy when used well. 17:06 – Pick up simple ways parents can spark reading through shared stories. 19:29 – Discover how early, honest conversations about death can model resilience. 24:09 – Learn to critique ads and media like a pro to sharpen your own performance. 36:19 – Follow the pivot from radio to voiceover and why specialization pays. 47:48 – Hear practical editing approaches and accessible tools that keep shows tight. 49:38 – Learn how The Moth builds storytelling chops through timed, judged practice. 55:21 – See how poetry—and poetry therapy—support grief work with students. 59:39 – Take notes on memoir writing, emotional management, and one-person shows. About the Guest: Bill Ratner is one of America's best known voice actors and author of poetry collections Lamenting While Doing Laps in the Lake (Slow Lightning Lit 2024,) Fear of Fish (Alien Buddha Press 2021,) To Decorate a Casket (Finishing Line Press 2021,) and the non-fiction book Parenting For The Digital Age: The Truth Behind Media's Effect On Children and What To Do About It (Familius Books 2014.) He is a 9-time winner of the Moth StorySLAM, 2-time winner of Best of The Hollywood Fringe Extension Award for Solo Performance, Best of the Net Poetry Nominee 2023 (Lascaux Review,) and New Millennium "America One Year From Now" Writing Award Finalist. His writing appears in Best Small Fictions 2021 (Sonder Press,) Missouri Review (audio,) Baltimore Review, Chiron Review, Feminine Collective, and other journals. He is the voice of "Flint" in the TV cartoon G.I. Joe, "Donnell Udina" in the computer game Mass Effect, the voice of Air Disasters on Smithsonian Channel, NewsNation, and network TV affiliates across the country. He is a committee chair for his union, SAG-AFTRA, teaches Voiceovers for SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Media Awareness for Los Angeles Unified School District, and is a trained grief counsellor. Member: Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild-AFTRA, National Storytelling Network • https://billratner.com • @billratner Ways to connect with Bill: https://soundcloud.com/bill-ratner https://www.instagram.com/billratner/ https://twitter.com/billratner https://www.threads.net/@billratner https://billratner.tumblr.com https://www.youtube.com/@billratner/videos https://www.facebook.com/billratner.voiceover.author https://bsky.app/profile/bilorat.bsky.social About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well on a gracious hello to you, wherever you may be, I am your host. Mike hingson, and you are listening to unstoppable mindset. Today, we get to have a voice actor, person, Bill Ratner, who you want to know who Bill Radnor is, go back and watch the old GI Joe cartoons and listen to the voice of Flint.   Bill Ratner ** 01:42 All right. Lady Jay, you better get your battle gear on, because Cobra is on their way. And I can't bring up the Lacher threat weapon system. We got to get out of here. Yo, Joe,   Michael Hingson ** 01:52 there you go. I rest my case Well, Bill, welcome to unstoppable mindset.   Bill Ratner ** 02:00 We can't rest now. Michael, we've just begun. No, we've just begun.   Michael Hingson ** 02:04 We got to keep going here. Well, I'm really glad that you're here. Bill is another person who we inveigled to get on unstoppable mindset with the help of Walden Hughes. And so that means we can talk about Walden all we want today. Bill just saying, oh goodness. And I got a lot to say. Let me tell you perfect, perfect. Bring it on. So we are really grateful to Walden, although I hope he's not listening. We don't want to give him a big head. But no, seriously, we're really grateful. Ah, good point.   Bill Ratner ** 02:38 But his posture, oddly enough, is perfect.   Michael Hingson ** 02:40 Well, there you go. What do you do? He practiced. Well, anyway, we're glad you're here. Tell us about the early bill, growing up and all that stuff. It's always fun to start a good beginning.   Bill Ratner ** 02:54 Well, I was a very lucky little boy. I was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1947 to two lovely people, professionals, both with master's degree out at University of Chicago. My mother was a social worker. My father had an MBA in business. He was managing editor of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. So I had the joy of living in a better home and living in a garden.   Michael Hingson ** 03:21 My mother. How long were you in Des Moines?   Bill Ratner ** 03:24 Five and a half years left before my sixth birthday. My dad got a fancy job at an ad agency in Minneapolis, and had a big brother named Pete and big handsome, curly haired boy with green eyes. And moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was was brought up there.   Michael Hingson ** 03:45 Wow. So you went to school there and and chased the girls and all that stuff.   Bill Ratner ** 03:54 I went to school there at Blake School for Boys in Hopkins, Minnesota. Couldn't chase the girls day school, but the girls we are allowed to dance with certainly not chase. Michael was at woodhue dancing school, the Northrop girls from Northrop girls school and the Blake boys were put together in eighth grade and taught the Cha Cha Cha, the waltz, the Charleston, and we danced together, and the girls wore white gloves, and we sniffed their perfume, and we all learned how to be lovers when we were 45   Michael Hingson ** 04:37 There you are. Well, as long as you learned at some point, that's a good start.   Bill Ratner ** 04:44 It's a weird generation. Michael,   Michael Hingson ** 04:46 I've been to Des Moines before. I was born in Chicago, but moved out to California when I was five, but I did some work with the National Federation of the Blind in the mid 19. 1970s 1976 into 1978 so spent time at the Iowa Commission for the Blind in Des Moines, which became a top agency for the Blind in well, the late 50s into the to the 60s and so on. So   Bill Ratner ** 05:15 both my parents are from Chicago. My father from the south side of Chicago, 44th and Kenzie, which was a Irish, Polish, Italian, Jewish, Ukrainian neighborhood. And my mother from Glencoe, which was a middle class suburb above Northwestern University in Evanston.   Michael Hingson ** 05:34 I Where were you born? 57th and union, north, south side, no, South   Bill Ratner ** 05:42 57th union is that? Is that west of Kenzie?   Michael Hingson ** 05:46 You know, I don't remember the geography well enough to know, but I know that it was, I think, Mount Sinai Hospital where I was born. But it was, it's, it's, it's a pretty tough neighborhood today. So I understand,   Bill Ratner ** 06:00 yeah, yeah, my it was tough, then it's tough now,   Michael Hingson ** 06:03 yeah, I think it's tougher, supposedly, than it was. But we lived there for five years, and then we we moved to California, and I remember some things about Chicago. I remember walking down to the local candy store most days, and had no problem doing that. My parents were told they should shut me away at a home somewhere, because no blind child could ever grow up to amount to anything. And my parents said, You guys are you're totally wrong. And they brought me up with that attitude. So, you   Bill Ratner ** 06:32 know who said that the school says school so that   Michael Hingson ** 06:35 doctors doctors when they discovered I was blind with the   Bill Ratner ** 06:38 kid, goodness gracious, horrified.   Michael Hingson ** 06:44 Well, my parents said absolutely not, and they brought me up, and they actually worked with other parents of premature kids who became blind, and when kindergarten started in for us in in the age of four, they actually had a special kindergarten class for blind kids at the Perry School, which is where I went. And so I did that for a year, learn braille and some other things. Then we moved to California, but yeah, and I go back to Chicago every so often. And when I do nowadays, they I one of my favorite places to migrate in Chicago is Garrett Popcorn.   Bill Ratner ** 07:21 Ah, yes, with caramel corn, regular corn, the   Michael Hingson ** 07:25 Chicago blend, which is a mixture, yeah, the Chicago blend is cheese corn, well, as it is with caramel corn, and they put much other mozzarella on it as well. It's really good.   Bill Ratner ** 07:39 Yeah, so we're on the air. Michael, what do you call your what do you call your program? Here I am your new friend, and I can't even announce your program because I don't know   Michael Hingson ** 07:48 the name, unstoppable mindset. This   Bill Ratner ** 07:51 is unstoppable mindset.   Michael Hingson ** 07:56 We're back. Well, we're back already. We're fast. So you, you, you moved off elsewhere, out of Des Moines and all that. And where did you go to college?   Bill Ratner ** 08:09 Well, this is like, why did you this is, this is a bit like talking about the Vietnam War. Looking back on my college career is like looking back on the Vietnam War series, a series of delusions and defeats. By the time I the time i for college, by the time I was applying for college, I was an orphan, orphan, having been born to fabulous parents who died too young of natural causes. So my grades in high school were my mediocre. I couldn't get into the Ivy Leagues. I got into the big 10 schools. My stepmother said, you're going to Michigan State in East Lansing because your cousin Eddie became a successful realtor. And Michigan State was known as mu u it was the most successful, largest agriculture college and university in the country. Kids from South Asia, China, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, South America all over the world came to Michigan State to study agricultural sciences, children of rich farmers all over the world and middle class farmers all over the world, and a huge police science department. Part of the campus was fenced off, and the young cadets, 1819, 20 years old, would practice on the rest of the student body, uniformed with hats and all right, excuse me, young man, we're just going to get some pizza at eight o'clock on Friday night. Stand against your car. Hands in your car. I said, Are you guys practicing again? Shut up and spread your legs. So that was that was Michigan State, and even though both my parents had master's degrees, I just found all the diversions available in the 1960s to be too interesting, and was not invited. Return after my sophomore year, and in order to flunk out of a big 10 University, and they're fine universities, all of them, you have to be either really determined or not so smart, not really capable of doing that level of study in undergraduate school. And I'd like to think that I was determined. I used to show up for my exams with a little blue book, and the only thing I would write is due to lack of knowledge, I am unable to complete this exam, sign Bill ranter and get up early and hand it in and go off. And so what was, what was left for a young man like that was the theater I'd seen the great Zero Mostel when I was 14 years old and on stage live, he looked just like my father, and he was funny, and if I Were a rich man, and that's the grade zero must tell. Yeah, and it took about five, no, it took about six, seven years to percolate inside my bread and my brain. In high school, I didn't want to do theater. The cheerleaders and guys who I had didn't happen to be friends with or doing theater. I took my girlfriends to see plays, but when I was 21 I started acting, and I've been an actor ever since. I'm a committee chair on the screen actors guild in Hollywood and Screen Actors Guild AFTRA, and work as a voice actor and collect my pensions and God bless the union.   Michael Hingson ** 11:44 Well, hey, as long as it works and you're making progress, you know you're still with it, right?   Bill Ratner ** 11:53 That's the that's the point. There's no accounting for taste in my business. Michael, you work for a few different broadcast entities at my age. And it's, you know, it's younger people. It's 18 to 3418 years to 34 years old is the ideal demographic for advertisers, Ford, Motor Company, Dove soap, Betty, Crocker, cake mixes and cereals, every conceivable product that sold online or sold on television and radio. This is my this is my meat, and I don't work for religion. However, if a religious organization calls, I call and say, I I'm not, not qualified or not have my divinity degree in order to sell your church to the public?   Michael Hingson ** 12:46 Yeah, yeah. Well, I, I can understand that. But you, you obviously do a lot, and as we talked about, you were Flint and GI Joe, which is kind of cool.   Bill Ratner ** 13:01 Flynn GI Joe was very cool. Hasbro Corporation, which was based in Providence, Rhode Island, had a huge success with GI Joe, the figure. The figure was about 11 and a half inches tall, like a Barbie, and was at first, was introduced to the public after the Korean War. There is a comic book that was that was also published about GI Joe. He was an individual figure. He was a figure, a sort of mythic cartoon figure during World War Two, GI Joe, generic American soldier, fighting man and but the Vietnam war dragged on for a long time, and the American buying public or buying kids toys got tired of GI Joe, got tired of a military figure in their household and stopped buying. And when Nixon ended the Vietnam War, or allotted to finish in 1974 Hasbro was in the tank. It's got its stock was cheap, and executives are getting nervous. And then came the Great George Lucas in Star Wars, who shrank all these action figures down from 11 and a half inches to three and a half inches, and went to China and had Chinese game and toy makers make Star Wars toys, and began to earn billions and billions dollars. And so Hasbro said, let's turn GI Joe into into a team. And the team began with flint and Lady J and Scarlett and Duke and Destro and cover commander, and grew to 85 different characters, because Hasbro and the toy maker partners could create 85 different sets of toys and action figures. So I was actor in this show and had a good time, and also a purveyor of a billion dollar industry of American toys. And the good news about these toys is I was at a conference where we signed autographs the voice actors, and we have supper with fans and so on. And I was sitting next to a 30 year old kid and his parents. And this kid was so knowledgeable about pop culture and every conceivable children's show and animated show that had ever been on the screen or on television. I turned to his mother and sort of being a wise acre, said, So ma'am, how do you feel about your 30 year old still playing with GI Joe action figures? And she said, Well, he and I both teach English in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania school system, and last year, the literacy level of my ninth graders was 50% 50% of those kids could not read in ninth grade. So I asked the principal if I could borrow my son's GI Joe, action figures, comic books and VHS tapes, recordings of the shows from TV. And he said, Sure, whatever you want to try. And so she did, and she played the video tapes, and these kids were thrilled. They'd never seen a GI Joe cartoon in class before. Passed out the comic books, let him read comics. And then she said, Okay, you guys. And passed out notebooks and pens and pencils, and said, I want you guys to make up some some shows, some GI Joe shows. And so they said, Yeah, we're ready. All right, Cobra, you better get into the barber shop, because the barber bill is no longer there and the fire engines are in the way. And wait a minute, there's a dog in the street. And so they're making this up, using their imagination, doing their schoolwork, by coming up with scenarios, imaginary fam fan fiction for GI Joe and she raised the literacy level in her classroom by 50% that year, by the end of that year, so, so that was the only story that I've ever heard about the sort of the efficacy of GI Joe, other than, you know, kids play with them. Do they? Are they shooting each other all the time? I certainly hope not. I hope not. Are they using the action figures? Do they strip their guns off and put them in a little, you know, stub over by the side and and have them do physical battle with each other, or have them hump the woods, or have them climb the stairs, or have them search the trees. Who knows what kids do? Same with same with girls and and Barbies. Barbie has been a source of fun and creativity for lots of girls, and the source of of worry and bother to a lot of parents as   Michael Hingson ** 17:54 well. Well, at the same time, though, when kids start to react and relate to some of these things. It's, it's pretty cool. I mean, look what's happened with the whole Harry Potter movement and craze. Harry Potter has probably done more in the last 20 or 25 years to promote reading for kids than most anything else, and   Bill Ratner ** 18:17 that's because it's such a good series of books. I read them to my daughters, yeah. And the quality of writing. She was a brilliant writer, not only just the stories and the storytelling, which is fun to watch in the movies, and you know, it's great for a parent to read. If there are any parents listening, I don't care how old your kids are. I don't care if they're 15. Offer to read to them. The 15 year old might, of course, say mom, but anybody younger than that might say either, all right, fine, which is, which means you better do it or read, read a book. To me, sure, it's fun for the parent, fun for the kid, and it makes the child a completely different kind of thinker and worker and earner.   Michael Hingson ** 19:05 Well, also the people who they got to read the books for the recordings Stephen Fry and in the US here, Jim Dale did such an incredible job as well. I've, I've read the whole Harry Potter series more than once, because I just enjoy them, and I enjoy listening to the the voices. They do such a good job. Yeah. And of course, for me, one of the interesting stories that I know about Jim Dale reading Harry Potter was since it was published by Scholastic he was actually scheduled to do a reading from one of the Harry from the new Harry Potter book that was coming out in 2001 on September 11, he was going to be at Scholastic reading. And of course, that didn't happen because of of everything that did occur. So I don't know whether I'm. I'm assuming at some point a little bit later, he did, but still he was scheduled to be there and read. But it they are there. They've done so much to help promote reading, and a lot of those kinds of cartoons and so on. Have done some of that, which is, which is pretty good. So it's good to, you know, to see that continue to happen. Well, so you've written several books on poetry and so on, and I know that you you've mentioned more than once grief and loss. How come those words keep coming up?   Bill Ratner ** 20:40 Well, I had an unusual childhood. Again. I mentioned earlier how, what a lucky kid I was. My parents were happy, educated, good people, not abusers. You know, I don't have a I don't have horror stories to tell about my mother or my father, until my mother grew sick with breast cancer and and it took about a year and a half or two years to die when I was seven years old. The good news is, because she was a sensitive, educated social worker, as she was actually dying, she arranged a death counseling session with me and my older brother and the Unitarian minister who was also a death counselor, and whom she was seeing to talk about, you know, what it was like to be dying of breast cancer with two young kids. And at this session, which was sort of surprised me, I was second grade, came home from school. In the living room was my mother and my brother looking a little nervous, and Dr Carl storm from the Unitarian Church, and she said, you know, Dr storm from church, but he's also my therapist. And we talk about my illness and how I feel, and we talk about how much I love you boys, and talk about how I worry about Daddy. And this is what one does when one is in crisis. That was a moment that was not traumatic for me. It's a moment I recalled hundreds of times, and one that has been a guiding light through my life. My mother's death was very difficult for my older brother, who was 13 who grew up in World War Two without without my father, it was just him and my mother when he was off in the Pacific fighting in World War Two. And then I was born after the war. And the loss of a mother in a family is like the bottom dropping out of a family. But luckily, my dad met a woman he worked with a highly placed advertising executive, which was unusual for a female in the 1950s and she became our stepmother a year later, and we had some very lovely, warm family years with her extended family and our extended family and all of us together until my brother got sick, came down with kidney disease a couple of years before kidney dialysis was invented, and a couple of years before kidney transplants were done, died at 19. Had been the captain of the swimming team at our high school, but did a year in college out in California and died on Halloween of 1960 my father was 51 years old. His eldest son had died. He had lost his wife six years earlier. He was working too hard in the advertising industry, successful man and dropped out of a heart attack 14th birthday. Gosh, I found him unconscious on the floor of our master bathroom in our house. So my life changed. I My life has taught me many, many things. It's taught me how the defense system works in trauma. It's taught me the resilience of a child. It's taught me the kindness of strangers. It's taught me the sadness of loss.   Michael Hingson ** 24:09 Well, you, you seem to come through all of it pretty well. Well, thank you. A question behind that, just an observation, but, but you do seem to, you know, obviously, cope with all of it and do pretty well. So you, you've always liked to be involved in acting and so on. How did you actually end up deciding to be a voice actor?   Bill Ratner ** 24:39 Well, my dad, after he was managing editor of Better Homes and Gardens magazine in Des Moines for Meredith publishing, got offered a fancy job as executive vice president of the flower and mix division for Campbell within advertising and later at General Mills Corporation. From Betty Crocker brand, and would bring me to work all the time, and would sit with me, and we'd watch the wonderful old westerns that were on prime time television, rawhide and Gunsmoke and the Virginian and sure   Michael Hingson ** 25:15 and all those. Yeah, during   Bill Ratner ** 25:17 the commercials, my father would make fun of the commercials. Oh, look at that guy. And number one, son, that's lousy acting. Number two, listen to that copy. It's the dumbest ad copy I've ever seen. The jingles and and then he would say, No, that's a good commercial, right there. And he wasn't always negative. He would he was just a good critic of advertising. So at a very young age, starting, you know, when we watch television, I think the first television ever, he bought us when I was five years old, I was around one of the most educated, active, funny, animated television critics I could hope to have in my life as a 56789, 1011, 12 year old. And so when I was 12, I became one of the founding members of the Brotherhood of radio stations with my friends John Waterhouse and John Barstow and Steve gray and Bill Connors in South Minneapolis. I named my five watt night kit am transmitter after my sixth grade teacher, Bob close this is wclo stereo radio. And when I was in sixth grade, I built myself a switch box, and I had a turntable and I had an intercom, and I wired my house for sound, as did all the other boys in the in the B, O, R, S, and that's brotherhood of radio stations. And we were guests on each other's shows, and we were obsessed, and we would go to the shopping malls whenever a local DJ was making an appearance and torture him and ask him dumb questions and listen obsessively to American am radio. And at the time for am radio, not FM like today, or internet on your little radio tuner, all the big old grandma and grandpa radios, the wooden ones, were AM, for amplitude modulated. You could get stations at night, once the sun went down and the later it got, the ionosphere would lift and the am radio signals would bounce higher and farther. And in Minneapolis, at age six and seven, I was able to to listen to stations out of Mexico and Texas and Chicago, and was absolutely fascinated with with what was being put out. And I would, I would switch my brother when I was about eight years old, gave me a transistor radio, which I hid under my bed covers. And at night, would turn on and listen for, who knows, hours at a time, and just tuning the dial and tuning the dial from country to rock and roll to hit parade to news to commercials to to agric agriculture reports to cow crossings in Kansas and grain harvesting and cheese making in Wisconsin, and on and on and on that made up the great medium of radio that was handing its power and its business over to television, just as I was growing As a child. Fast, fascinating transition   Michael Hingson ** 28:18 and well, but as it was transitioning, how did that affect you?   Bill Ratner ** 28:26 It made television the romantic, exciting, dynamic medium. It made radio seem a little limited and antiquated, and although I listened for environment and wasn't able to drag a television set under my covers. Yeah, and television became memorable with with everything from actual world war two battle footage being shown because there wasn't enough programming to 1930s Warner Brothers gangster movies with James Cagney, Edward G   Michael Hingson ** 29:01 Robinson and yeah   Bill Ratner ** 29:02 to all the sitcoms, Leave It to Beaver and television cartoons and on and on and on. And the most memorable elements to me were the personalities, and some of whom were invisible. Five years old, I was watching a Kids program after school, after kindergarten. We'll be back with more funny puppets, marionettes after this message and the first words that came on from an invisible voice of this D baritone voice, this commercial message will be 60 seconds long, Chrysler Dodge for 1954 blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And I watched hypnotized, hypnotized as a 1953 dodge drove across the screen with a happy family of four waving out the window. And at the end of the commercial, I ran into the kitchen said, Mom, mom, I know what a minute. Is, and it was said, it had suddenly come into my brain in one of those very rare and memorable moments in a person's life where your brain actually speaks to you in its own private language and says, Here is something very new and very true, that 60 seconds is in fact a minute. When someone says, See you in five minutes, they mean five times that, five times as long as that. Chrysler commercial, five times 60. That's 300 seconds. And she said, Did you learn it that that on T in kindergarten? And I said, No, I learned it from kangaroo Bob on TV, his announcer, oh, kangaroo Bob, no, but this guy was invisible. And so at five years of age, I was aware of the existence of the practice of the sound, of the magic of the seemingly unlimited access to facts, figures, products, brand names that these voices had and would say on the air in This sort of majestic, patriarchal way,   Michael Hingson ** 31:21 and just think 20 years later, then you had James Earl Jones,   Bill Ratner ** 31:26 the great dame. James Earl Jones, father was a star on stage at that time the 1950s James Earl Jones came of age in the 60s and became Broadway and off Broadway star.   Michael Hingson ** 31:38 I got to see him in Othello. He was playing Othello. What a powerful performance. It was   Bill Ratner ** 31:43 wonderful performer. Yeah, yeah. I got to see him as Big Daddy in Canada, Hot Tin Roof, ah, live and in person, he got front row seats for me and my family.   Michael Hingson ** 31:53 Yeah, we weren't in the front row, but we saw it. We saw it on on Broadway,   Bill Ratner ** 31:58 the closest I ever got to James Earl Jones. He and I had the same voice over agent, woman named Rita vinari of southern Barth and benare company. And I came into the agency to audition for Doritos, and I hear this magnificent voice coming from behind a closed voiceover booth, saying, with a with a Spanish accent, Doritos. I thought that's James Earl Jones. Why is he saying burritos? And he came out, and he bowed to me, nodded and smiled, and I said, hello and and the agent probably in the booth and shut the door. And she said, I said, that was James Earl Jones. What a voice. What she said, Oh, he's such a nice man. And she said, but I couldn't. I was too embarrassed. I was too afraid to stop him from saying, Doritos. And it turns out he didn't get the gig. So it is some other voice actor got it because he didn't say, had he said Doritos with the agent froze it froze up. That was as close as I ever got to did you get the gig? Oh goodness no,   Michael Hingson ** 33:01 no, you didn't, huh? Oh, well, well, yeah. I mean, it was a very, it was, it was wonderful. It was James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer played Iago. Oh, goodness, oh, I know. What a what a combination. Well, so you, you did a lot of voiceover stuff. What did you do regarding radio moving forward? Or did you just go completely out of that and you were in TV? Or did you have any opportunity   Bill Ratner ** 33:33 for me to go back at age 15, my brother and father, who were big supporters of my radio. My dad would read my W, C, l, o, newsletter and need an initial, an excellent journalism son and my brother would bring his teenage friends up. He'd play the elderly brothers, man, you got an Elvis record, and I did. And you know, they were, they were big supporters for me as a 13 year old, but when I turned 14, and had lost my brother and my father, I lost my enthusiasm and put all of my radio equipment in a box intended to play with it later. Never, ever, ever did again. And when I was about 30 years old and I'd done years of acting in the theater, having a great time doing fun plays and small theaters in Minneapolis and South Dakota and and Oakland, California and San Francisco. I needed money, so I looked in the want ads and saw a job for telephone sales, and I thought, Well, I used to love the telephone. I used to make phony phone calls to people all the time. Used to call funeral homes. Hi Carson, funeral I help you. Yes, I'm calling to tell you that you have a you have a dark green slate tile. Roof, isn't that correct? Yes. Well, there's, there's a corpse on your roof. Lady for goodness sake, bring it down and we laugh and we record it and and so I thought, Well, gee, I used to have a lot of fun with the phone. And so I called the number of telephone sales and got hired to sell magazine subscriptions and dinner tickets to Union dinners and all kinds of things. And then I saw a new job at a radio station, suburban radio station out in Walnut Creek, California, a lovely Metro BART train ride. And so I got on the BART train, rode out there and walked in for the interview, and was told I was going to be selling small advertising packages on radio for the station on the phone. And so I called barber shops and beauty shops and gas stations in the area, and one guy picked up the phone and said, Wait a minute, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Are you on the radio right now? And I said, No, I'm just I'm in the sales room. Well, maybe you should be. And he slams the phone on me. He didn't want to talk to me anymore. It wasn't interested in buying advertising. I thought, gee. And I told somebody at the station, and they said, Well, you want to be in the radio? And he went, Yeah, I was on the radio when I was 13. And it just so happened that an older fellow was retiring from the 10am to 2pm slot. K I S King, kiss 99 and KD FM, Pittsburgh, California. And it was a beautiful music station. It was a music station. Remember, old enough will remember music that used to play in elevators that was like violin music, the Percy faith orchestra playing a Rolling Stone song here in the elevator. Yes, well, that's exactly what we played. And it would have been harder to get a job at the local rock stations because, you know, they were popular places. And so I applied for the job, and   Michael Hingson ** 37:06 could have lost your voice a lot sooner, and it would have been a lot harder if you had had to do Wolfman Jack. But that's another story.   Bill Ratner ** 37:13 Yeah, I used to listen to Wolf Man Jack. I worked in a studio in Hollywood. He became a studio. Yeah, big time.   Michael Hingson ** 37:22 Anyway, so you you got to work at the muzack station, got   Bill Ratner ** 37:27 to work at the muzack station, and I was moving to Los Angeles to go to a bigger market, to attempt to penetrate a bigger broadcast market. And one of the sales guys, a very nice guy named Ralph pizzella said, Well, when you get to La you should study with a friend of mine down to pie Troy, he teaches voiceovers. I said, What are voice overs? He said, You know that CVS Pharmacy commercial just carted up and did 75 tags, available in San Fernando, available in San Clemente, available in Los Angeles, available in Pasadena. And I said, Yeah. He said, Well, you didn't get paid any extra. You got paid your $165 a week. The guy who did that commercial for the ad agency got paid probably 300 bucks, plus extra for the tags, that's voiceovers. And I thought, why? There's an idea, what a concept. So he gave me the name and number of old friend acquaintance of his who he'd known in radio, named Don DiPietro, alias Johnny rabbit, who worked for the Dick Clark organization, had a big rock and roll station there. He'd come to LA was doing voiceovers and teaching voiceover classes in a little second story storefront out of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. So I signed up for his class, and he was an experienced guy, and he liked me, and we all had fun, and I realized I was beginning to study like an actor at 1818, who goes to New York or goes to Los Angeles or Chicago or Atlanta or St Louis to act in the big theaters, and starts acting classes and realizes, oh my goodness, these people are truly professionals. I don't know how to do what they do. And so for six years, I took voice over classes, probably 4050, nights a year, and from disc jockeys, from ex show hosts, from actors, from animated cartoon voices, and put enough time in to get a degree in neurology in medical school. And worked my way up in radio in Los Angeles and had a morning show, a lovely show with a wonderful news man named Phil Reed, and we talked about things and reviewed movies and and played a lot of music. And then I realized, wait a minute, I'm earning three times the money in voiceovers as I am on the radio, and I have to get up at 430 in the morning to be on the radio. Uh, and a wonderful guy who was Johnny Carson's staff announcer named Jack angel said, You're not still on radio, are you? And I said, Well, yeah, I'm working in the morning. And Ka big, get out of there. Man, quit. Quit. And I thought, well, how can I quit? I've always wanted to be a radio announcer. And then there was another wonderful guy on the old am station, kmpc, sweet Dick Whittington. Whittington, right? And he said at a seminar that I went to at a union voice over training class, when you wake up at four in the morning and you swing your legs over the bed and your shoes hit the floor, and you put your head in your hands, and you say to yourself, I don't want to do this anymore. That's when you quit radio. Well, that hadn't happened to me. I was just getting up early to write some comedy segments and on and on and on, and then I was driving around town all day doing auditions and rented an ex girlfriend's second bedroom so that I could nap by myself during the day, when I had an hour in and I would as I would fall asleep, I'd picture myself every single day I'm in a dark voiceover studio, a microphone Is before me, a music stand is before the microphone, and on it is a piece of paper with advertising copy on it. On the other side of the large piece of glass of the recording booth are three individuals, my employers, I begin to read, and somehow the text leaps off the page, streams into my eyes, letter for letter, word for word, into a part of my back brain that I don't understand and can't describe. It is processed in my semi conscious mind with the help of voice over training and hope and faith, and comes out my mouth, goes into the microphone, is recorded in the digital recorder, and those three men, like little monkeys, lean forward and say, Wow, how do you do that? That was my daily creative visualization. Michael, that was my daily fantasy. And I had learned that from from Dale Carnegie, and I had learned that from Olympic athletes on NBC TV in the 60s and 70s, when the announcer would say, this young man you're seeing practicing his high jump is actually standing there. He's standing stationary, and the bouncing of the head is he's actually rehearsing in his mind running and running and leaping over the seven feet two inch bar and falling into the sawdust. And now he's doing it again, and you could just barely see the man nodding his head on camera at the exact rhythm that he would be running the 25 yards toward the high bar and leaping, and he raised his head up during the imaginary lead that he was visualizing, and then he actually jumped the seven foot two inches. That's how I learned about creative visualization from NBC sports on TV.   Michael Hingson ** 43:23 Channel Four in Los Angeles. There you go. Well, so you you broke into voice over, and that's what you did.   Bill Ratner ** 43:38 That's what I did, darn it, I ain't stopping now, there's a wonderful old actor named Bill Irwin. There two Bill Irwin's one is a younger actor in his 50s or 60s, a brilliant actor from Broadway to film and TV. There's an older William Irwin. They also named Bill Irwin, who's probably in his 90s now. And I went to a premiere of a film, and he was always showing up in these films as The senile stock broker who answers the phone upside down, or the senile board member who always asks inappropriate questions. And I went up to him and I said, you know, I see you in everything, man. I'm 85 years old. Some friends and associates of mine tell me I should slow down. I only got cast in movies and TV when I was 65 I ain't slowing down. If I tried to slow down at 85 I'd have to stop That's my philosophy. My hero is the great Don Pardo, the late great   Michael Hingson ** 44:42 for Saturday Night Live and Jeopardy   Bill Ratner ** 44:45 lives starring Bill Murray, Gilder Radner, and   Michael Hingson ** 44:49 he died for Jeopardy before that,   Bill Ratner ** 44:52 yeah, died at 92 with I picture him, whether it probably not, with a microphone and. His hand in his in his soundproof booth, in his in his garage, and I believe he lived in Arizona, although the show was aired and taped in New York, New York, right where he worked for for decades as a successful announcer. So that's the story.   Michael Hingson ** 45:16 Michael. Well, you know, I miss, very frankly, some of the the the days of radio back in the 60s and 70s and so on. We had, in LA what you mentioned, Dick Whittington, Dick whittinghill on kmpc, Gary Owens, you know, so many people who were such wonderful announcers and doing some wonderful things, and radio just isn't the same anymore. It's gone. It's   Bill Ratner ** 45:47 gone to Tiktok and YouTube. And the truth is, I'm not gonna whine about Tiktok or YouTube, because some of the most creative moments on camera are being done on Tiktok and YouTube by young quote influencers who hire themselves out to advertisers, everything from lipstick. You know,   Speaker 1 ** 46:09 when I went to a party last night was just wild and but this makeup look, watch me apply this lip remover and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, no, I have no lip.   Bill Ratner ** 46:20 You know, these are the people with the voices. These are the new voices. And then, of course, the faces. And so I would really advise before, before people who, in fact, use the internet. If you use the internet, you can't complain if you use the internet, if you go to Facebook or Instagram, or you get collect your email or Google, this or that, which most of us do, it's handy. You can't complain about tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. You can't complain about tick tock or YouTube, because it's what the younger generation is using, and it's what the younger generation advertisers and advertising executives and creators and musicians and actors are using to parade before us, as Gary Owens did, as Marlon Brando did, as Sarah Bernhardt did in the 19 so as all as you do, Michael, you're a parader. You're the head of the parade. You've been in on your own float for years. I read your your bio. I don't even know why you want to waste a minute talking to me for goodness sakes.   Michael Hingson ** 47:26 You know, the one thing about podcasts that I like over radio, and I did radio at kuci for seven years when I was in school, what I really like about podcasts is they're not and this is also would be true for Tiktok and YouTube. Primarily Tiktok, I would would say it isn't as structured. So if we don't finish in 60 minutes, and we finish in 61 minutes, no one's gonna shoot us.   Bill Ratner ** 47:53 Well, I beg to differ with you. Now. I'm gonna start a fight with you. Michael, yeah, we need conflict in this script. Is that it The Tick Tock is very structured. Six. No,   Michael Hingson ** 48:03 no, I understand that. I'm talking about podcasts,   Bill Ratner ** 48:07 though, but there's a problem. We gotta Tone It Up. We gotta pick it up. We gotta there's a lot of and I listen to what are otherwise really bright, wonderful personalities on screen, celebrities who have podcasts and the car sucks, and then I had meatballs for dinner, haha. And you know what my wife said? Why? You know? And there's just too much of that. And,   Michael Hingson ** 48:32 oh, I understand, yeah. I mean, it's like, like anything, but I'm just saying that's one of the reasons I love podcasting. So it's my way of continuing what I used to do in radio and having a lot of fun doing it   Bill Ratner ** 48:43 all right, let me ask you. Let me ask you a technical and editorial question. Let me ask you an artistic question. An artist, can you edit this podcast? Yeah. Are you? Do you plan to Nope.   Michael Hingson ** 48:56 I think conversations are conversations, but there is a but, I mean,   Bill Ratner ** 49:01 there have been starts and stops and I answer a question, and there's a long pause, and then, yeah, we can do you edit that stuff   Michael Hingson ** 49:08 out. We do, we do, edit some of that out. And I have somebody that that that does a lot of it, because I'm doing more podcasts, and also I travel and speak, but I can edit. There's a program called Reaper, which is really a very sophisticated   Bill Ratner ** 49:26 close up spaces. You   Michael Hingson ** 49:28 can close up spaces with it, yes, but the neat thing about Reaper is that somebody has written scripts to make it incredibly accessible for blind people using screen readers.   Bill Ratner ** 49:40 What does it do? What does it do? Give me the elevator pitch.   Michael Hingson ** 49:46 You've seen some of the the programs that people use, like computer vision and other things to do editing of videos and so on. Yeah.   Bill Ratner ** 49:55 Yeah. Even Apple. Apple edit. What is it called? Apple? Garage Band. No, that's audio. What's that   Michael Hingson ** 50:03 audio? Oh,   Bill Ratner ** 50:06 quick time is quick   Michael Hingson ** 50:07 time. But whether it's video or audio, the point is that Reaper allows me to do all of that. I can edit audio. I can insert, I can remove pauses. I can do anything with Reaper that anyone else can do editing audio, because it's been made completely accessible.   Bill Ratner ** 50:27 That's great. That's good. That's nice. Oh, it is. It's cool.   Michael Hingson ** 50:31 So so if I want, I can edit this and just have my questions and then silence when you're talking.   Bill Ratner ** 50:38 That might be best. Ladies and gentlemen, here's Bill Ratner,   Michael Hingson ** 50:46 yep, exactly, exactly. Now you have won the moth stories. Slam, what? Tell me about my story. Slam, you've won it nine times.   Bill Ratner ** 51:00 The Moth was started by a writer, a novelist who had lived in the South and moved to New York City, successful novelist named George Dawes green. And the inception of the moth, which many people listening are familiar with from the Moth Radio Hour. It was, I believe, either late 90s or early 2000s when he'd been in New York for a while and was was publishing as a fiction writer, and threw a party, and decided, instead of going to one of these dumb, boring parties or the same drinks being served and same cigarettes being smoked out in the veranda and the same orders. I'm going to ask people to bring a five minute story, a personal story, nature, a true story. You don't have to have one to get into the party, but I encourage you to. And so you know, the 3040, 50 people showed up, many of whom had stories, and they had a few drinks, and they had hors d'oeuvres. And then he said, Okay, ladies and gentlemen, take your seats. It's time for and then I picked names out of a hat, and person after person after person stood up in a very unusual setting, which was almost never done at parties. You How often do you see that happen? Suddenly, the room falls silent, and someone with permission being having been asked by the host to tell a personal story, some funny, some tragic, some complex, some embarrassing, some racy, some wild, some action filled. And afterward, the feedback he got from his friends was, this is the most amazing experience I've ever had in my life. And someone said, you need to do this. And he said, Well, you people left a lot of cigarette butts and beer cans around my apartment. And they said, well, let's do it at a coffee shop. Let's do it at a church basement. So slowly but surely, the moth storytelling, story slams, which were designed after the old poetry slams in the 50s and 60s, where they were judged contests like, like a dance contest. Everybody's familiar with dance contests? Well, there were, then came poetry contests with people singing and, you know, and singing and really energetically, really reading. There then came storytelling contests with people standing on a stage before a silent audience, telling a hopefully interesting, riveting story, beginning middle, end in five minutes. And so a coffee house was found. A monthly calendar was set up. Then came the internet. Then it was so popular standing room only that they had to open yet another and another, and today, some 20 years later, 20 some years later, from Austin, Texas to San Francisco, California to Minneapolis, Minnesota to New York City to Los Angeles. There are moth story slams available on online for you to schedule yourself to go live and in person at the moth.org as in the moth with wings. Friend of mine, I was in New York. He said, You can't believe it. This writer guy, a writer friend of mine who I had read, kind of an avant garde, strange, funny writer was was hosting something called the moth in New York, and we were texting each other. He said, Well, I want to go. The theme was show business. I was going to talk to my Uncle Bobby, who was the bell boy. And I Love Lucy. I'll tell a story. And I texted him that day. He said, Oh man, I'm so sorry. I had the day wrong. It's next week. Next week, I'm going to be back home. And so he said, Well, I think there's a moth in Los Angeles. So about 15 years ago, I searched it down and what? Went to a small Korean barbecue that had a tiny little stage that originally was for Korean musicians, and it was now being used for everything from stand up comedy to evenings of rock and roll to now moth storytelling once a month. And I think the theme was first time. And so I got up and told a silly story and didn't win first prize. They have judges that volunteer judges a table of three judges scoring, you like, at a swim meet or a track beat or, you know, and our gymnastics meet. So this is all sort of familiar territory for everybody, except it's storytelling and not high jumping or pull ups. And I kept going back. I was addicted to it. I would write a story and I'd memorize it, and I'd show up and try to make it four minutes and 50 seconds and try to make it sound like I was really telling a story and not reading from a script. And wish I wasn't, because I would throw the script away, and I knew the stories well enough. And then they created a radio show. And then I began to win slams and compete in the grand slams. And then I started submitting these 750 word, you know, two and a half page stories. Literary magazines got a few published and found a whole new way to spend my time and not make much   Michael Hingson ** 56:25 money. Then you went into poetry.   Bill Ratner ** 56:29 Then I got so bored with my prose writing that I took a poetry course from a wonderful guy in LA called Jack grapes, who had been an actor and a football player and come to Hollywood and did some TV, episodics and and some some episodic TV, and taught poetry. It was a poet in the schools, and I took his class of adults and got a poem published. And thought, wait a minute, these aren't even 750 words. They're like 75 words. I mean, you could write a 10,000 word poem if you want, but some people have, yeah, and it was complex, and there was so much to read and so much to learn and so much that was interesting and odd. And a daughter of a friend of mine is a poet, said, Mommy, are you going to read me one of those little word movies before I go to sleep?   Michael Hingson ** 57:23 A little word movie, word movie out of the   Bill Ratner ** 57:27 mouths of babes. Yeah, and so, so and I perform. You know, last night, I was in Orange County at a organization called ugly mug Cafe, and a bunch of us poets read from an anthology that was published, and we sold our books, and heard other young poets who were absolutely marvelous and and it's, you know, it's not for everybody, but it's one of the things I do.   Michael Hingson ** 57:54 Well, you sent me pictures of book covers, so they're going to be in the show notes. And I hope people will will go out and get them   Bill Ratner ** 58:01 cool. One of the one of the things that I did with poetry, in addition to wanting to get published and wanting to read before people, is wanting to see if there is a way. Because poetry was, was very satisfying, emotionally to me, intellectually very challenging and satisfying at times. And emotionally challenging and very satisfying at times, writing about things personal, writing about nature, writing about friends, writing about stories that I received some training from the National Association for poetry therapy. Poetry therapy is being used like art therapy, right? And have conducted some sessions and and participated in many and ended up working with eighth graders of kids who had lost someone to death in the past year of their lives. This is before covid in the public schools in Los Angeles. And so there's a lot of that kind of work that is being done by constable people, by writers, by poets, by playwrights,   Michael Hingson ** 59:09 and you became a grief counselor,   Bill Ratner ** 59:13 yes, and don't do that full time, because I do voiceovers full time, right? Write poetry and a grand. Am an active grandparent, but I do the occasional poetry session around around grief poetry.   Michael Hingson ** 59:31 So you're a grandparent, so you've had kids and all that. Yes, sir, well, that's is your wife still with us? Yes?   Bill Ratner ** 59:40 Oh, great, yeah, she's an artist and an art educator. Well, that   Michael Hingson ** 59:46 so the two of you can criticize each other's works, then, just   Bill Ratner ** 59:52 saying, we're actually pretty kind to each other. I Yeah, we have a lot of we have a lot of outside criticism. Them. So, yeah, you don't need to do it internally. We don't rely on it. What do you think of this although, although, more than occasionally, each of us will say, What do you think of this poem, honey? Or what do you think of this painting, honey? And my the favorite, favorite thing that my wife says that always thrills me and makes me very happy to be with her is, I'll come down and she's beginning a new work of a new piece of art for an exhibition somewhere. I'll say, what? Tell me about what's, what's going on with that, and she'll go, you know, I have no idea, but it'll tell me what to do.   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:33 Yeah, it's, it's like a lot of authors talk about the fact that their characters write the stories right, which, which makes a lot of sense. So with all that you've done, are you writing a memoir? By any chance, I   Bill Ratner ** 1:00:46 am writing a memoir, and writing has been interesting. I've been doing it for many years. I got it was my graduate thesis from University of California Riverside Palm Desert.   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:57 My wife was a UC Riverside graduate. Oh, hi. Well, they   Bill Ratner ** 1:01:01 have a low residency program where you go for 10 days in January, 10 days in June. The rest of it's online, which a lot of universities are doing, low residency programs for people who work and I got an MFA in creative writing nonfiction, had a book called parenting for the digital age, the truth about media's effect on children. And was halfway through it, the publisher liked it, but they said you got to double the length. So I went back to school to try to figure out how to double the length. And was was able to do it, and decided to move on to personal memoir and personal storytelling, such as goes on at the moth but a little more personal than that. Some of the material that I was reading in the memoir section of a bookstore was very, very personal and was very helpful to read about people who've gone through particular issues in their childhood. Mine not being physical abuse or sexual abuse, mine being death and loss, which is different. And so that became a focus of my graduate thesis, and many people were urging me to write a memoir. Someone said, you need to do a one man show. So I entered the Hollywood fringe and did a one man show and got good reviews and had a good time and did another one man show the next year and and so on. So But writing memoir as anybody knows, and they're probably listeners who are either taking memoir courses online or who may be actively writing memoirs or short memoir pieces, as everybody knows it, can put you through moods from absolutely ecstatic, oh my gosh, I got this done. I got this story told, and someone liked it, to oh my gosh, I'm so depressed I don't understand why. Oh, wait a minute, I was writing about such and such today. Yeah. So that's the challenge for the memoir is for the personal storyteller, it's also, you know, and it's more of a challenge than it is for the reader, unless it's bad writing and the reader can't stand that. For me as a reader, I'm fascinated by people's difficult stories, if they're well   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:24 told well, I know that when in 2002 I was advised to write a book about the World Trade Center experiences and all, and it took eight years to kind of pull it all together. And then I met a woman who actually I collaborated with, Susie Florey, and we wrote thunder dog. And her agent became my agent, who loved the proposal that we sent and actually got a contract within a week. So thunder dog came out in 2011 was a New York Times bestseller, and very blessed by that, and we're working toward the day that it will become a movie still, but it'll happen. And then I wrote a children's version of it, well, not a children's version of the book, but a children's book about me growing up in Roselle, growing up the guide dog who was with me in the World Trade Center, and that's been on Amazon. We self published it. Then last year, we published a new book called Live like a guide dog, which is all about controlling fear and teaching people lessons that I learned prior to September 11. That helped me focus and remain calm.   Bill Ratner ** 1:04:23 What happened to you on September 11,   Michael Hingson ** 1:04:27 I was in the World Trade Center. I worked on the 78th floor of Tower One.   Bill Ratner ** 1:04:32 And what happened? I mean, what happened to you?   Michael Hingson ** 1:04:36 Um, nothing that day. I mean, well, I got out. How did you get out? Down the stairs? That was the only way to go. So, so the real story is not doing it, but why it worked. And the real issue is that I spent a lot of time when I first went into the World Trade Center, learning all I could about what to do in an emergency, talking to police, port authorities. Security people, emergency preparedness people, and also just walking around the world trade center and learning the whole place, because I ran an office for a company, and I wasn't going to rely on someone else to, like, lead me around if we're going to go to lunch somewhere and take people out before we negotiated contracts. So I needed to know all of that, and I learned all I could, also realizing that if there ever was an emergency, I might be the only one in the office, or we might be in an area where people couldn't read the signs to know what to do anyway. And so I had to take the responsibility of learning all that, which I did. And then when the planes hit 18 floors above us on the other side of the building, we get we had some guests in the office. Got them out, and then another colleague, who was in from our corporate office, and I and my guide dog, Roselle, went to the stairs, and we started down. And   Bill Ratner ** 1:05:54 so, so what floor did the plane strike?   Michael Hingson ** 1:05:58 It struck and the NOR and the North Tower, between floors 93 and 99 so I just say 96 okay, and you were 20 floors down, 78 floors 78 so we were 18 floors below, and   Bill Ratner ** 1:06:09 at the moment of impact, what did you think?   Michael Hingson ** 1:06:13 Had no idea we heard a muffled kind of explosion, because the plane hit on the other side of the building, 18 floors above us. There was no way to know what was going on. Did you feel? Did you feel? Oh, the building literally tipped, probably about 20 feet. It kept tipping. And then we actually said goodbye to each other, and then the building came back upright. And then we went,   Bill Ratner ** 1:06:34 really you so you thought you were going to die?   Michael Hingson ** 1:06:38 David, my colleague who was with me, as I said, he was from our California office, and he was there to help with some seminars we were going to be doing. We actually were saying goodbye to each other because we thought we were about to take a 78 floor plunge to the street, when the building stopped tipping and it came back. Designed to do that by the architect. It was designed to do that, which is the point, the point.   Bill Ratner ** 1:07:02 Goodness, gracious. And then did you know how to get to the stairway?   Michael Hingson ** 1:07:04 Oh, absolutely. And did you do it with your friend? Yeah, the first thing we did, the first thing we did is I got him to get we had some guests, and I said, get him to the stairs. Don't let him take the elevators, because I knew he had seen fire above us, but that's all we knew. And but I said, don't take the elevators. Don't let them take elevators. Get them to the stairs and then come back and we'll leave. So he did all that, and then he came back, and we went to the stairs and started down.   Bill Ratner ** 1:07:33 Wow. Could you smell anything?   Michael Hingson ** 1:07:36 We smelled burning jet fuel fumes on the way down. And that's how we figured out an airplane must have hit the building, but we had no idea what happened. We didn't know what happened until the until both towers had collapsed, and I actually talked to my wife, and she's the one who told us how to aircraft have been crashed into the towers, one into the Pentagon, and a fourth, at that time, was still missing over Pennsylvania. Wow. So you'll have to go pick up a copy of thunder dog. Goodness. Good. Thunder dog. The name of the book is Thunder dog, and the book I wrote last year is called Live like a guide dog. It's le

Have a message for Karena? She'd love to hear from you and share your comment or question on air!Leave Karena a voicemail: https://www.speakpipe.com/KarenaDawnWhat if redefining success started with your nervous system?In this powerful, live from New York conversation, Karena sits down with therapist and author Israa Nasir to unpack why achievement alone can still leave us feeling empty. You'll learn how to rebuild self-worth and regulate anxiety in a content-saturated world, and how to set boundaries that deepen connection. From cultural myths about “hustle” to cognitive distortions, this is a grounded, practical path back to yourself.How do we reclaim self-worth beyond achievement in a content-saturated world?Stepping off the productivity hamster wheel shows that worth isn't earned by output. It's built through nervous-system safety, self-trust, and boundaries that honor your life.(00:59) Toxic productivity, defined- spot the driversNaming the emotions behind the urge to do more Ask: “What value am I sacrificing for this outcome?”Track when achievement ≠ fulfillment to find misalignmentSwap “more” for “meaning”: one priority per day(06:11) High-achiever mind traps + overcommitment fixesChallenging the idea “If I did it, it must've been easy—so it doesn't count.”Log weekly wins before raising the bar againRecalibrate unrealistic timelines without self-shamingBuild buffer time into every “yes”(10:47) 7 types of rest & creative regulationThe 7 Types of Rest Dr. Saundra Dalton-SmithRotate rest: physical, mental, emotional, social, sensory, creative, spiritualEmotional rest = time you don't process feelings—protect itTry “mediocre hobbies” for nervous-system careSchedule short, low-stakes creative breaks to prevent rumination(14:29) Anxiety in an info storm: design your media dietPractice monotasking to lower baseline arousalLong-form inputs lengthen dopamine loops and build patienceReduce tab clutter; batch-check news/social to curb hypervigilanceNotice fragmentation triggers and step away(25:41) Boundaries that deepen connection (and when to go firm)Lead with “I can/can't…” vs. policing others—invite dialogueExpect pushback; validate feelings without abandoning limitsContext matters: choose low-drama exits on charged topicsDistinguishing privacy from secrecyThanks for the support from our partners, including: Guest ResourcesRead the Book: Toxic ProductivityExplore: The Well Guide Follow Israa on InstagramJOIN US: "Fall Into Motion" with Tone It Up! The Program begins October 20th, sign up now: https://my.toneitup.com/pages/fall-into-motionIf this episode moved you, please consider...

Karena Dawn has been on the podcast before talking about fitness and entrepreneurship as the co-founder of Tone It Up. Today, she joins us to talk about her new book, The Big Silence, a memoir about mental illness and healing.The title comes from the idea that there is still such a stigma surrounding mental health and discussing it openly. In it, she goes deep into parts of her life that are so evocative and powerful, from dealing with drugs, being arrested, and managing a strained relationship with her schizophrenic mother.Morning Microdose is a podcast curated by Krista Williams and Lindsey Simcik, the hosts and founders of Almost 30, a global community, brand, and top rated podcast.With curated clips from the Almost 30 podcast, Morning Mircodose will set the tone for your day, so you can feel inspired through thought provoking conversations…all in digestible episodes that are less than 10 minutes.Wake up with Krista and Lindsey, both literally and spiritually, Monday-Friday.If you enjoyed this conversation, listen to the full episode on Spotify here and on Apple here.

Karena Dawn has been on the podcast before talking about fitness and entrepreneurship as the co-founder of Tone It Up. Today, she joins us to talk about her new book, The Big Silence, a memoir about mental illness and healing.The title comes from the idea that there is still such a stigma surrounding mental health and discussing it openly. In it, she goes deep into parts of her life that are so evocative and powerful, from dealing with drugs, being arrested, and managing a strained relationship with her schizophrenic mother.Morning Microdose is a podcast curated by Krista Williams and Lindsey Simcik, the hosts and founders of Almost 30, a global community, brand, and top rated podcast.With curated clips from the Almost 30 podcast, Morning Mircodose will set the tone for your day, so you can feel inspired through thought provoking conversations…all in digestible episodes that are less than 10 minutes.Wake up with Krista and Lindsey, both literally and spiritually, Monday-Friday.If you enjoyed this conversation, listen to the full episode on Spotify here and on Apple here.

Today's topic I know, especially in our world today, is critically important.  I brought on mental health advocate, Karena Dawn. In our conversation we discuss how to navigate shame, guilt and isolation that come with mental health issues. I know each and everyone of us at sometime in our life has experienced this themselves or at very least with someone they love. So many live in silence and the silence is what is hurting ourselves and others. My hope is the conversation will help start a path of healing or how to help another suffering in silence.  Welcome my guest, Karena Dawn is a co-founder of Tone It Up, the leading women's fitness community, the founder of The Big Silence, the mental health nonprofit foundation, and host of The Big Silence Podcast, a leading mental health and self-development podcast. Karena has authored several books focused on fitness, wellness, and personal growth including New York Times bestseller Tone It Up: 28 Days to Fit Fierce, and Fabulous, Balanced and Beautiful: 5-Day Reset for Your Body, Mind, and Spirit, and The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing. In her memoir, Karena shares her personal story of growing up with a mother suffering from severe mental health issues and schizophrenia, her own struggles with depression and addiction, and her path to healing and self-discovery. In today's episode we discuss: Overcoming Guilt and Shame The Role of Community in Healing Identity and Self-Discovery Generational Trauma and Its Effects Empathy and Support: Navigating Family Mental Illness Self-Care: The Key to Sustaining Caregiving For full show notes and episode resources head to: https://ericalippy.com/karena-dawn/ Find our guest at: Karena Dawn | Website,  Instagram ,Facebook Listen to her podcast: The Big Silence Buy her books Follow me on Social Media: Your Host: @ericalippy Podcast: @passionlovepursuit Facebook YouTube PASSION LOVE PURSUIT PODCASTS: https://ericalippy.com/the-podcast/

Growing up with a mom struggling with severe mental illness, Karena Dawn learned early what it meant to carry heavy things in silence. That experience shaped so much of her life—including the dark years she rarely talked about. In this episode, she shares her journey from that painful silence to healing, forgiveness, and ultimately, purpose. We talk about how fitness became her lifeline and how she found her voice by telling the truth in her powerful memoir, The Big Silence. You may know Karena as the co-founder of Tone It Up, a wellness community that's inspired millions of women—but behind the fitness empire is a woman who's walked through deep grief, trauma, and recovery. She shares what it was like to care for her mom after a stroke, how she's working to break the stigma around mental illness, and why mental wellness is now at the heart of everything she does—including her work with The Big Silence Foundation and the board of NAMI. She opens up about how trauma can sneak into our health—especially during perimenopause—and the things that actually helped her feel like herself again. You'll also hear how she's now using her story to help others speak up and get the support they need. Her honesty is refreshing, and her heart for mental wellness is contagious. This one will move you, especially if you've ever carried pain quietly or felt like healing was out of reach. Karena's story reminds us that there's always a way forward—and it doesn't have to be perfect to be powerful. And before you go, I've got a new favorite to share: Mighty Maca Mango just dropped, and it's the zingy summer pick-me-up I've been loving lately. Throw it in sparkling water or popsicle molds… it's a delicious way to feel good from the inside out—check it out at dranna.com.   Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Welcome to The Girlfriend Doctor. [00:02:05] The Big Silence. [00:03:14] Living with a parent with mental illness. [00:06:40] Fitness becoming a therapy. [00:08:59] Micro challenges build self-confidence. [00:12:42] Mental health and perimenopause. [00:15:36] Oxytocin and mental health. [00:21:36] Food is medicine. [00:24:18] Grieving a lost mother. [00:28:25] Motherhood's diverse definitions. [00:32:34] Preventing and healing from mental illness. [00:35:06] Maiden, Mother, Magi and empowerment.   Memorable Quotes: "I even have changed the story of being a victim of my mom's illness... I said, Mom, don't regret it because I love the woman I've become. And I became that woman because of what you had to go through. " [00:29:47] – Karena Dawn "I believe our society is getting better at recognizing the different types of mothers... motherhood is such a bigger term now, and I think that's such an important thing to get out there is you can be a mother in so many ways. And to recognize Mother's Day is not a happy day for everyone." [00:39:06] – Karena Dawn   Links Mentioned: Mighty Maca Mango: https://drannacabeca.com/products/mighty-maca Listen to The Big Silence Podcast: http://www.thebigsilence.com/listen Buy the memoir, The Big Silence: https://thebigsilence.com/pages/memoir   Connect with Karena Dawn: Website: http://www.karenadawn.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenaDawn/ The Big Silence Foundation: https://thebigsilence.com/ Tone It Up: https://my.toneitup.com/   Connect with Dr. Anna Cabeca: Website: https://drannacabeca.com/pages/show Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drannacabeca   Produced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com  

Growing up with a mom struggling with severe mental illness, Karena Dawn learned early what it meant to carry heavy things in silence. That experience shaped so much of her life—including the dark years she rarely talked about. In this episode, she shares her journey from that painful silence to healing, forgiveness, and ultimately, purpose. We talk about how fitness became her lifeline and how she found her voice by telling the truth in her powerful memoir, The Big Silence. You may know Karena as the co-founder of Tone It Up, a wellness community that's inspired millions of women—but behind the fitness empire is a woman who's walked through deep grief, trauma, and recovery. She shares what it was like to care for her mom after a stroke, how she's working to break the stigma around mental illness, and why mental wellness is now at the heart of everything she does—including her work with The Big Silence Foundation and the board of NAMI. She opens up about how trauma can sneak into our health—especially during perimenopause—and the things that actually helped her feel like herself again. You'll also hear how she's now using her story to help others speak up and get the support they need. Her honesty is refreshing, and her heart for mental wellness is contagious. This one will move you, especially if you've ever carried pain quietly or felt like healing was out of reach. Karena's story reminds us that there's always a way forward—and it doesn't have to be perfect to be powerful. And before you go, I've got a new favorite to share: Mighty Maca Mango just dropped, and it's the zingy summer pick-me-up I've been loving lately. Throw it in sparkling water or popsicle molds… it's a delicious way to feel good from the inside out—check it out at dranna.com.   Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Welcome to The Girlfriend Doctor. [00:02:05] The Big Silence. [00:03:14] Living with a parent with mental illness. [00:06:40] Fitness becoming a therapy. [00:08:59] Micro challenges build self-confidence. [00:12:42] Mental health and perimenopause. [00:15:36] Oxytocin and mental health. [00:21:36] Food is medicine. [00:24:18] Grieving a lost mother. [00:28:25] Motherhood's diverse definitions. [00:32:34] Preventing and healing from mental illness. [00:35:06] Maiden, Mother, Magi and empowerment.   Memorable Quotes: "I even have changed the story of being a victim of my mom's illness... I said, Mom, don't regret it because I love the woman I've become. And I became that woman because of what you had to go through. " [00:29:47] – Karena Dawn "I believe our society is getting better at recognizing the different types of mothers... motherhood is such a bigger term now, and I think that's such an important thing to get out there is you can be a mother in so many ways. And to recognize Mother's Day is not a happy day for everyone." [00:39:06] – Karena Dawn   Links Mentioned: Mighty Maca Mango: https://drannacabeca.com/products/mighty-maca Listen to The Big Silence Podcast: http://www.thebigsilence.com/listen Buy the memoir, The Big Silence: https://thebigsilence.com/pages/memoir   Connect with Karena Dawn: Website: http://www.karenadawn.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenaDawn/ The Big Silence Foundation: https://thebigsilence.com/ Tone It Up: https://my.toneitup.com/   Connect with Dr. Anna Cabeca: Website: https://drannacabeca.com/pages/show Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drannacabeca   Produced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com  

Welcome to 2025: New you, old you, but always improving! I'm kicking off the year with my right-hand woman, Deseray Cummings, from the stunning shores of Punta de Mita, Mexico. Together, we share our takes on New Year pressure —breaking down why resolutions can sometimes backfire and how to shift the focus to sustainable habits that truly nourish your body and mind. Spoiler: it's not about 75-day challenges or burning yourself out!Deseray and I also answer your community questions about setting boundaries, practicing self-kindness, and finding balance in a world that demands “all or nothing.” From prioritizing sleep to embracing the messy ups and downs of life (hello, hormones!), we're serving up real talk and practical advice to help you feel your best. Plus, we're sharing a sneak peek at exciting new updates for the Tone It Up app and how to win a dreamy wellness retreat. Let go of the pressure, and start your year with grace and intention—you've got this!(00:00:00) Introductions(00:00:50) Ditching Perfection for Sustainable Growth(00:09:32) How to Improve Your Sleep Habits & Set Better Boundaries(00:16:51) 2025 Motto: Be KindClick here for full show notesGuest Info:• Instagram: @_deserayResources:• Start a conversation in your The Big Silence merch: thebigsilence.com/collections/shop-all• Read: The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing • Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel• Therapy For All: Resources for those in need• Thank you to our partners! Go to thebigsilence.com/partners for special offers for our listenersDonate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.Producer, Bobby Goldstein.The Big Silence is produced by Crate Media.Mentioned in this episode:Timeline Longevity | Timeline is offering 10% off your first order of Mitopure. Go to timeline.com/TBS.Act + Acre | Visit ActandAcre.com and take the quiz on their website to see what hair & scalp system is right for you. Use code TBS20 for 20% off your purchase.

It's FINALLY here!!!! 50% OFF Black Friday Sale on the Break-Up Academy CourseTo learn more about my proven method for releasing your past relationships and getting excited to date again, Click Here to Watch my Free So Over It Masterclass Are you ready to do the healing work, and know that you need the Break-Up Academy, Click Here to Grab the 50% Discount Today's guest is someone who I admire for her work with mental health advocacy. She is a voice for healing, and getting rid of the stigma associated with mental illness. Karena Dawn, mental health advocate and co-founder of Tone It Up, the leading women's fitness, nutrition and lifestyle community, is a wellness entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, meditation leader, and founder of the mental health foundation, The Big Silence. She hosts The Big Silence podcast, having open conversations about mental health, wellness and self-development.Inside today's episode we discuss: Karena's vulnerable story of overcoming childhood trauma and becoming a mental health advocate Attracting secure healthy love after experiencing trauma The importance of self-care routines including meditation, movement, and sleep for your mental health Aaaaand so much more! Connect with Karena here: Follow Karena on Instagram: @karenadawnKarena's website: www.karenadawn.comThe Big Silence Foundation: www.thebigsilence.comListen to The Big Silence Podcast: www.thebigsilence.com/listenBuy the memoir, The Big Silence: www.thebigsilence.com/bookTone It Up: https://my.toneitup.com/

In this episode of the Optimal Body Podcast, hosts Doc Jen and Doctor Dom welcome Karena Dawn, co-founder of Tone It Up and a New York Times bestselling author. Karena shares her inspiring journey from a challenging childhood with a mentally ill mother to becoming a successful entrepreneur and mental health advocate. She discusses her struggles with depression, substance abuse, and the importance of breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. Karena emphasizes the power of movement, meditation, and community support in fostering mental well-being. Her foundation, "The Big Silence," aims to create open conversations about mental health. VivoBarefoot Discount:Improve your foot and ankle health with VivoBarefoot shoes. Perfect for every occasion—whether hiking, casual wear, or an active lifestyle. Use code "OPTIMAL20" for 20% off! Plus, enjoy a 100-day trial with a full refund guarantee. LMNT Discount Code:Stay hydrated at a cellular level with LMNT! Replenish essential electrolytes and get a free gift with every purchase. ⁠⁠Try some new flavors while you fuel your body. ⁠⁠Get your free gift! Jen Health Platform:Access 12 plans, 200+ videos, and monthly webinars to improve mobility, strength, and pain relief. Join Jen Health to feel better with movement! Learn More from Karena: Karena's Website The Big Silence Foundation  Listen to The Big Silence Podcast Buy the memoir, The Big Silence Get Tone It Up here Follow Karena on Instagram  Follow The Big Silence on Instagram Follow Tone It Up on Instagram We think you'll love: Get A Free Week on Jen Health! Jen's Instagram Dom's Instagram YouTube Channel What You Will Learn in This Interview with Karena Dawn: 03:13 Introduction of Karena Dawn 04:17 Karena's Memoir and Journey 07:45 The Big Silence Foundation 09:39 Personal Struggles and Triumphs 10:39 Building Tone It Up 12:56 Opening Up About Mental Health 17:20 Being There for Others 18:27 Caretaking Experience 22:12 Consequences of Bottling Emotions 25:25 Meditation Journey 33:58 Movement and Mental Health 40:42 Impact of Lack of Movement 41:35 Accessibility of Healthy Practices 42:55 Resources for Mental Health To learn more about this episode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and view full show notes, please visit the full website here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jen.health/podcast/377 Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven't done so already, please take a minute to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and leave a quick rating and review of the show!

This week is a dream conversation! Jenna talks with Karena Dawn, co-founder of Tone It Up and voice behind the podcast, memoir, and foundation, The Big Silence. Jenna and Karena explore vital topics like mental wellness, fitness, and managing stress. Karena opens up about her own journey, offering a fresh perspective on the wellness industry. She also highlights The Big Silence and the movement dedicated to normalizing conversations about mental health. We hope this heartfelt exchange inspires listeners to embrace their own well-being and the power of vulnerability.Listen to more podcasts like this: https://wavepodcastnetwork.com/Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawnLearn more about Tone It UpGet into The Big SilenceGo to boncharge.com/FORK and use coupon code FORK to save 15%.What The Actual Fork https://www.instagram.com/whattheactualforkpod/Sammy Previte https://www.instagram.com/find.food.freedom/Jenna Werner https://www.instagram.com/happystronghealthy.rd/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#123: Karena Dawn is a fitness coach, author, entrepreneur, and the co-founder of well-known fitness brand, Tone It Up. In today's conversation, Karena opens up about her lifelong struggle with mental health: from growing up with a mother who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia to her history of drug abuse and depression. She gives amazing insight on how to heal, find joy after hardship, and cope with mental health struggles. Karena and Josie also chat about Karena's favorite biohacks, tips for adding in more protein, and her opinion on living in "The Ozempic Era."Chit Chat: Sabrina Carpenter has a new album out! Also, Josie read It Ends With Us in one sitting.Ask The Everygirl: 11:25 "How can I deal with my own anxiety when a guy I'm newly dating isn't a big texter?"Interview Begins: 29:15For Detailed Show Notes visit theeverygirlpodcast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Childhood is supposed to be a time of innocence, freedom, and the sturdy security of family. But that's not the hand everyone gets dealt in life. Sometimes, things are more complicated, and children have to grow up fast. Having a parent who experiences mental health issues is no easy feat in life. But today's guest channeled those feelings and experiences into much-needed advocacy work and a fitness empire, to boot. Today, Ginni Saraswati welcomes New York Times best-selling author and the Co-founder of the fitness company Tone It Up, Karena Dawn. After a childhood spent under the mental health influence of her mother, Karena ultimately discovered her passion and a healthy way to manage the complex feelings that come with complicated parental dynamics. Since her mother's passing in 2021, she has made it her mission to raise awareness around the stigma surrounding mental health.You'll hear about the reality of a childhood under the shadow of a parent with mental health issues. She shares the difficulties she experienced and the fears that pushed her toward not-so-great coping mechanisms. You'll also hear her amazing story of redirecting those life experiences into something healthier for her mind and body, and how she's helping other women like her do the same. What You'll Learn:What it's like having a parent with a mental illness (2:50)Her emotional final moments with her mother mid-pandemic (6:18)How fitness entered her life and its impact (12:57)Connecting mental and physical health (18:44)The biggest lie about mental health (22:35)Connect with Karena Dawn:Website: https://karenadawn.com/Tone it Up: https://www.instagram.com/toneitup/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/toneitup/featuredFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenaDawn/Connect with Ginni:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginnisaraswatiInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theginnishow/?hl=enWebsite: www.ginnimedia.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I have the honor of interviewing Karena Dawn. She is not only the founder of The Big Silence Foundation, which is bringing awareness to solutions for mental health issues, she is also the co-founder of Tone It Up, meaning she is a fitness expert and has been for many years. Karena is a New York Times best-selling author and a dog lover. In this episode we talk about her most recent book, The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing. It's really fun to get to talk to each other and realize we have such common passions for helping people by breaking the silence around mental health issues. Karena is so vulnerable about sharing her story and what brings her to this work. Everything she has created is out of a passion to help other people so they don't have to go through such struggles. Thank you so much for joining us for this episode of How Humans Heal. Please subscribe if you haven't already, so you don't miss the next episode. And I look forward to connecting with all of you again very soon. We're here to help you!   LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:   Connect with Karena: https://karenadawn.com/    Take Dr. Doni's Stress Type Quiz: https://doctordoni.com/quiz/stress-quiz/      Schedule A Chat With Dr. Doni: https://intakeq.com/new/hhsnib/vuaovx    Read the full episode notes and find more information: https://doctordoni.com/blog/podcasts/ MORE RESOURCES FROM DR. DONI:   Quick links to social media, free guides and programs, and more: https://doctordoni.com/links     Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.  

“Be a kid. What did you love doing as a kid? Don't forget those little moments because that's when you're carefree and just doing all the things—play, have fun," advises Karena Dawn, a renowned figure in the fitness and wellness industry. In this episode, Karena and Dr. Z explore the journey of healing after narcissistic abuse, drawing from Karena's personal and professional experiences.   Karena shares how during her personal therapy journey, she came to the realization that her own mother had Narcissistic Personality Disorder. It was this awareness that helped her gain a better understanding of their complicated relationship, fueling her commitment to healing. She emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and prioritizing self-care, and discusses how reconnecting with her childhood joys and love of fitness became integral parts of her recovery.   Through her initiatives, Tone It Up and The Big Silence, Karena promotes the therapeutic power of exercise, meditation, and mindfulness. Dr. Z and Karena offer practical advice for healing, and stress how this is a comprehensive process, encouraging listeners to find what works best for them.   Quotes “It is not easy. And then I started Tone It Up to share the message of fitness, movement, and mindfulness. And now with The Big Silence, talking about mental health. It's all taken what I went through in my youth, and then figuring out how I healed myself naturally. And then opening up that stigma with The Big Silence so that other people don't have to suffer in silence.” (21:01 | Karena Dawn) “Do you think people should cut family members out if they are narcissists? I think it depends on the situation. You're talking about situations where it was so bad; where your cortisol levels were through the roof to the point where you're getting skin rashes, which means your entire body's inflamed, right? And so this is why, obviously, why I wanted to have you on, but also for people to understand just how connected our mind and our bodies are.” (31:09 | Karena Dawn & Dr. Z)  “Be a kid. What did you love doing as a kid? Don't forget those little moments because that's when you're carefree and just doing all the things—play, have fun.” (40:02 | Karena Dawn)  Links Sign Up for my LIVE Summer Support Group here: https://www.drjaimezuckerman.com/workshops   Connect with Karena Dawn: https://karenadawn.com/ https://my.toneitup.com/ https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/ https://www.instagram.com/the.big.silence/ Connect with Dr. Jaime Zuckerman: https://www.drjaimezuckerman.com/ https://www.zgrouptherapy.com/ https://www.instagram.com/dr.z_psychologist/ https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.z_psychologist Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

In honor of Mental Health month, we close out May with a new episode of the HEAL with Kelly Podcast. In this deeply moving conversation, I sit down with Karena Dawn, New York Times best-selling author of The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing and the visionary founder of Tone It Up, the world's largest female fitness platform and nutrition company. Karena's life has been shaped by profound challenges, beginning with her mother's diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia when she was just 11 years old. Raised amidst the complexities of severe mental illness, Karena endured a series of adverse and traumatic experiences, eventually overcoming her own situational depression. In this candid discussion, Karena shares insights into growing up with a mentally ill parent and the impact it had on her psyche, health, and life. She reflects on her journey towards healing and self-discovery, highlighting pivotal moments that inspired her to become a leading advocate for mental wellness. After her mother's passing in September 2021, Karena furthered her mission to destigmatize mental health issues as she now actively works to provide vital resources for those supporting loved ones in similar situations. Tune in to discover Karena's inspiring journey from darkness to empowerment, and find resonance in her message of reclaiming life and purpose. LINKS Karena Dawn Website: https://karenadawn.com/ Karena Dawn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/ The Big Silence on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QOjbgy Tone It Up on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QNE23k SPONSORS HOP WTR: Go to hopwtr.com/HEAL and get 20% OFF your first purchase for a limited time. PUORI: Go to puori.com/HEAL and use code HEAL for 20% OFF all of their great products! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The incredible Karena Dawn is with us today for a deep conversation about mental health, healing, and the joy of bringing help to others. Karena is the co-founder of Tone It Up, a mental health advocate, and a New York Times best selling author. Her new memoir, The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing encourages you to “stay strong enough to forgive, to heal, and to have hope”. Today, Karena shares more about:   Her story of growing up with a mother who suffered from severe mental health issues The tools she uses to support her own anxiety  Her view on the regressions we've seen regarding body inclusivity in recent years The highs and lows of running a huge business, and what occurred behind the scenes to cause Karena and Katrina, the founders of Tone It Up, to part ways  Her memoir, The Big Silence, and the incredible work she is doing in her related non-profit  Learn more about The Big Silence Therapy for All program Get your copy of the Anxiety Tool-Kit - 21 Evidence-Based Ways to Reduce Stress Check out Bloom Nutrition and get 15% off your order by using the code rawbeautytalks15 at checkoutBook your complimentary 20-minute Breakthrough Call with Erin here! Join me inside of the Food Freedom Program! Are you loving the show? We'd be so grateful if you could share the show with a friend, and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Erin and Raw Beauty Talks on Instagram or on our website See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The incredible Karena Dawn is with us today for a deep conversation about mental health, healing, and the joy of bringing help to others. Karena is the co-founder of Tone It Up, a mental health advocate, and a New York Times best selling author. Her new memoir, The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing encourages you to “stay strong enough to forgive, to heal, and to have hope”.  Today, Karena shares more about:   Her story of growing up with a mother who suffered from severe mental health issues The tools she uses to support her own anxiety  Her view on the regressions we've seen regarding body inclusivity in recent years The highs and lows of running a huge business, and what occurred behind the scenes to cause Karena and Katrina, the founders of Tone It Up, to part ways  Her memoir, The Big Silence, and the incredible work she is doing in her related non-profit  Learn more about The Big Silence Therapy for All program  Get your copy of the Anxiety Tool-Kit - 21 Evidence-Based Ways to Reduce Stress  Check out Bloom Nutrition and get 15% off your order by using the code rawbeautytalks15 at checkout Book your complimentary 20-minute Breakthrough Call with Erin here!  Join me inside of the Food Freedom Program!  Are you loving the show? We'd be so grateful if you could share the show with a friend, and leave a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts!  Connect with Erin and Raw Beauty Talks on Instagram or on our website 

Welcome to the Tori Kruse Show! Today, we're honored to kick off the relaunch of our podcast during Mental Health Awareness Month by featuring the incredible Karena Dawn.Karena is a celebrated mental health advocate, entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, and co-founder of the global fitness community, Tone It Up, and the mental health initiative, The Big Silence.In this deeply personal episode, Karena shares the trials of her early life, discussing her mother's battle with schizophrenia which cast a long shadow over her family and deeply impacted her own mental health journey.Karena shares how she overcame and discovered her strength in fitness, which provided personal refuge and ignited her passion for advocating for others.Timestamps:[0:00] Introduction to Karena's impressive achievements and her multifaceted roles.[4:23] Karena opens up about her childhood, the profound impact of her mother's illness, and her first encounters with fitness as a sanctuary.[8:16] The pivotal moments that led Karena to move to Los Angeles and eventually to the founding of Tone It Up.[12:35] Exploring the origin and mission of The Big Silence, focusing on mental health advocacy and building supportive communities.[18:50] Karena discusses the intertwining of entrepreneurship with personal healing and growth.[28:14] A look into Karena's future projects and her continued commitment to enhancing wellness and mental health awareness.Join Tori and Karena in a conversation that not only highlights Karena's professional triumphs but also dives deep into the personal experiences that have shaped her into the influential figure she is today.This episode is a powerful testament to the impact of resilience and the ability to transform personal pain into a purpose-driven life.Resources:Read The Big Silence: https://thebigsilence.com/pages/memoir/Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram  Instagram.com/karenadawnFollow The Big Silence on Instagram Instagram.com/the.big.silence  Website: https://torikruse.com/Follow Tori on Instagram: Instagram.com/officialtorikruseBook a Styling call with Tori https://calendly.com/tori_kruse/styleconsultation?month=2024-05

Tone It Up co-founder Karena Dawn has had her fair share of hurdles, both personally and professionally, evolving the popular workout brand and product line over the last 15 years. Through the highs and lows, she always comes back to one word: resilient. This week, I sit down with Karena and go deep into her upbringing, plus the chance encounter Tone It Up co-founder Katrina Scott at the gym, and how the duo evolved the company throughout the years. Plus: She talks openly about her experience navigating mental health struggles within her family, and how she hopes to impact others for the better moving forward. Note: We discuss some sensitive topics in this episode, including suicide. Know that there are resources available below.  RESOURCES The Big Silence IN THIS EPISODE How Karena is feeling about her move to Austin right before the pandemic (4:45) Why she started The Big Silence Foundation and later wrote a memoir to share her story  (6:10) What progress can look like when taking the step towards bettering your mental health (12:03) The peaks and valleys of growing personally alongside a brand like Tone It Up (15:35) What comes with starting something from ground zero, both the good and the hard (17:25) How to deal with (unsolicited) feedback and embrace change in yourself  (23:30) Turning to empathy amidst the hurdles that come with mental illness (29:05) How Tone It Up changed come March 2020  (35:30) How to create space for yourself and set smart boundaries (38:30) What excites Karena right now (46:25) Strategies for navigating grief and how to stay resilient when you feel incapable (48:20)  Karena's word of the year (58:15) SOCIAL @karenadawn @the.big.silence ⁠⁠⁠@emilyabbate⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@hurdlepodcast⁠⁠⁠ OFFERS AG1 | Head to ⁠DrinkAG1.com/Hurdle⁠ to get a year's supply of Vitamin D and five free travel packs with your purchase. JOIN: ⁠⁠⁠⁠THE *Secret* FACEBOOK GROUP⁠⁠⁠⁠ SIGN UP: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Weekly Hurdle Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ ASK ME A QUESTION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave me a voice message, ask me a question, and it could be featured in an upcoming episode!⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hurdle/message

Embark on an intimate voyage with Karena Dawn, a beacon of resilience, shedding light on how adopting a fitness regime and creating the Tone It Up community have become cornerstones of her mental health advocacy. She navigates the complexities of love and loss, caregiving, and the transformative journey of choosing self-love over fear. This is an uplifting and raw reflection on personal growth, and it's sure to resonate deeply with anyone seeking solace and strength amid life's storms. Karena joins Ruben in a conversation about both challenge and triumph. Whether you're navigating the nuances of marriage, the pangs of caregiving, or the pursuit of a genuine connection to others, this conversation promises a heartfelt exploration of what it means to live authentically. Mental well-being is a journey, not a destination, and this episode serves as your compass, pointing you towards the resources and techniques that can steady you in tumultuous times. Tune in and find solace in the shared experiences that unite us in our quest for peace and happiness. How does Karena live through love? "Being a good person, loving yourself first and then being able to love someone else. The more that we can have that loving energy, we can heal this world.” “I was ashamed of my past in the beginning and didn't talk about it. I was silenced for too long.” - Karena Dawn ----- In this episode, you will learn… Confronting addiction and mental health struggles opens the door to self-discovery and empowerment through community support and personal wellness practices Embracing vulnerability and sharing personal challenges can foster genuine connections and encourage others to seek help and advocate for mental health Personal decisions, such as choosing not to have children, require authenticity and strength, especially when navigating societal expectations and public scrutiny Accessible mental health resources and practical coping techniques like breathing exercises and body scans are essential for managing anxiety and staying grounded Recognizing early signs of mental distress in young people and normalizing discussions about mental health can help prevent isolation and provide timely support ----- “Choosing to live in fear can sometimes feel easier. But choosing love for yourself so that you can give love to other people is one of the hardest things.” - Karena Dawn About the guest: Karena Dawn is a mental health advocate, podcast host, wellness entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, wife, daughter, and co-founder of the Tone It Up online fitness community and brand as well as the founder of The Big Silence mental health foundation. Follow Karena @karenadawn  ----- Follow Ruben on Instagram Watch and subscribe to Live Through Love on YouTube An Operation Podcast original in collaboration with Live Through Love Media

This episode is brought to you by Comrad compression socks and Strong Coffee Company organic coffee and lattes. Listen in as Karena Dawn, co-founder of Tone It Up and now The Big Silence Mental Health Foundation, joins us to unravel the intertwining paths of fitness, mental health, and the silent battles we face within. We dive deep into Karena's life, discussing how fitness served as a beacon of hope during her darkest times and ultimately evolved into a thriving community that supports countless women across the globe. Her story is a testament to the joy that physical activity can bring. But it's not all about the high-energy workouts; we also explore the profound impact of stillness and the necessity of confronting the often unspoken struggles that weigh on our mental health. Follow Karena @karenadawn Follow Chase @chase_chewning ----- In this episode, Karena explains... Fitness can be a transformative tool for overcoming mental health struggles and finding joy Silence and stillness allow self-reflection and confronting unspoken mental health issues Shifting identities requires embracing change and listening to one's inner voice for personal freedom Community and social connections are vital in personal growth and wellness journeys Nutrition, hydration, and electrolyte balance are crucial for cognitive function and mental health Caretaking involves complex emotions; self-care and empathy are essential for caretakers' well-being Personal transformation often occurs through facing pain and loss, highlighting life's important lessons Accessible mental health care through initiatives like "Therapy for All" can provide crucial support for those in need ----- Episode resources: Save 15% on organic coffee and lattes with code CHASE from Strong Coffee Company Boost energy and improve blood flow with Comrad gradual compression socks Learn more about Karena at KarenaDawn.com  Listen to Chase on The Big Silence podcast in episode 84

Welcome back to The Truth About Addiction! Today's episode is a rich conversation with a sober friend and colleague in the wellness space, Gwen Dittmar. We dive into the nuances of every day living, including co-parenting post-divorce, living with inflammation in the body, and protecting the sacred nature of our energy field. No wellness path is off limits---therapy, 12 step programs, breath work, energy healing---when it comes to our sanity and serenity. More about Gwen:Integrating an 18-year career in pharmaceutical and biotech research and consulting, with a lifetime of soul seeking and training after a near death experience at age 14, Gwen's clients learn to use all of the human revolution for soul evolution.Gwen integrates a Masters in Spiritual Psychology and certifications in Professional Coaching, Quantum Human Design, Usui Reiki Mastery, Breathwork, and Shamanic Energy Medicine in her work with high-achieving professionals seeking their next level. Through private and group coaching, breathwork training, Gwen supports founders, executives, and teams at Whole 30, Viacom, CBS, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, Under Armor, Tone It Up, mindbodygreen and more. If you would like to experience Gwen's work, sign up for her newsletter and join her virtual community to tap into the medicine that is most aligned for you. You can also follow along on Gwen's podcast, the Beautiful Grit, Instagram @gwendittmar, and her website gwendittmar.com to join deeper group and private containers for the healing, connection, levity, and inspiration you deeply desire.https://gwen-dittmar-consulting-inc.mn.co/share/r5mW8f2fbqb5whdZ https://gwen-dittmar-consulting-inc.mn.co/share/r5mW8f2fbqb5whdZ#thetruthaboutaddiction#sobriety#the12steps#recovery#therapy#mentalhealth#podcasts#emotionalsobriety#soberliving#sobermindset#spirituality#spiritualgrowth#aa#soberlife#mindfulness#wellness#wellnessjourney

I'm honored to introduce you to Katrina Surdi, a radiant Tone It Up girl, mental health advocate, devoted kindergarten teacher, and certified yoga instructor. Katrina has been a leader in the Tone It Up community for more than twelve years, where she has forged lifelong friendships and motivated others with her strength, positivity, and vibrant spirit. You can count me as one of the countless women who Katrina has inspired. Despite facing tragedy and addiction in her family, Katrina remains a shining light. Resilience is her superpower, and she shares it with everyone in her life. She shows us that resilience doesn't have to look a certain way, and that overcoming grief is an ongoing process.In this vulnerable conversation, Katrina talks about her experiences losing family members and friends, tips for resilience, and advice for helping others navigate grief. We also explore how she nurtures her own physical and mental health through exercise, yoga, meditation, and the power of community. Katrina shares how she prioritizes self-care, even as she is a caretaker to her students and family. I'm excited for you to learn from Katrina's openness, unwavering dedication to wellness, and her ability to find strength in the face of life's challenges. Resources:• Instagram: @katrinasurdi• Learn about the Bellevue mudslide and support Katrina's family: bellevuemudslide.com• Podcast: From Messy Minds to Mental Mastery with Dr. Caroline Leaf #69• Read: How to Help Your Child Clean Up Their Mental Mess by Dr. Caroline Leaf• Tone It Up: @toneitup• Newsletter: Sign Up for Email Updates• Read: The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing • Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawn• Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.Silence• Subscribe: The Big Silence YouTube Channel• Therapy For All: Resources for those in needDonate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.The Big Silence is produced by Crate Media.

We are beyond thrilled to have Karena Dawn on our 3rd episode of Women in the Nude! Karena is a deep and multifaceted stunner who also happens to be an author and the creator of your favorite female-driven wellness company, Tone It Up, and the host of the beloved podcast, The Big Silence!  Follow Karena on Instagram and click this link to find all of the wonderful things Karena is up to. Support the showTune in to Sasha Pieterse's, "Women In The Nude" podcast and join the conversation. Let's embrace our naked truths, shatter taboos, and create a supportive community of women who uplift and empower one another. Remember, no topic is off-limits, and no conversation is too bold. Never miss a moment of #WITN by following and subscribing!Instagram: @womeninthenudepodcast @SashaPieterseSubscribe to our YouTube Channel to see our on-camera interviewsPlease grace us with your comments, questions, and wisdom using the #womeninthenudepodcast #witn tags! We can't wait to hear from you! Find our show anywhere you get your podcasts! For more info and resources visit our website Womeninthenudepodcast.com

In today's episode you'll find out exactly what you need to know about the popular on-demand workout library and brand Tone it Up BEFORE you sign up. Is this workout library for you? You'll walk away from this episode with an answer. Links mentioned in the episode My full (written) review of Tone it Up https://onestrongsoutherngirl.com/tone-it-up-review/ One Strong Southern Girl website onestrongsoutherngirl.com One Strong Southern Girl VIP Newsletter https://onestrongsoutherngirl.ck.page/newsletter onestrongsoutherngirl.com/newsletter Take the workout personality quiz! https://onestrongsoutherngirl.com/quiz Visit the One Strong Southern Girl Aerobic Step Shop online store aerobicstepshop.com Use the coupon code: PODCAST for 10% off your order

Growing up in Indiana, Karena and her family weren't equipped with the tools to navigate their moms chaotic paranoid schizophrenia. It took Karena on a tumultuous tailspin where she now confesses, "I spent my entire teenage years depressed". Despite a difficult childhood, the true dawning of Karena Dawn came after a long night (and morning) at a Los Angeles rave where Karena chose to have a necessary heart-to-heart with herself.  The transformation of her life started soon after. Now, as the co-founder of Tone It Up, Karena has inspired millions of women worldwide to live their truest, happiest and healthiest lives. In her conversation with Ryan Berman, Karena opens up about her family's struggles with mental illness and how that lead her to inking the now best-selling book, The Big Silence. 

On today's episode, I'm chatting with fitness coach, author and entrepreneur, Karena Dawn. Karena is the Co-Founder of well-known fitness brand, Tone It Up. Her journey starts with her past of what it was like growing up with a mother who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Karena shares how she overcame her childhood trauma and dark periods of depression, anxiety and substance abuse through movement, mindfulness and spiritual empowerment. Karena talks through how her own self improvement led to the start of co-founding Tone-It-Up and founding The Big Silence Foundation, two nurturing communities that have helped millions of people. She touches on how the dark parts of her past helped foster the women she is able to show up as today. We also do a deep dive into tools to help with mindfulness such as meditation, therapy, cold plunges and more.    To get today's hot tip Fast Like a Girl by Dr.Mindy Pelz, click HERE. To connect with Karena on Instagram, click HERE.  To learn more about Tone-It-Up, click HERE.  To learn more about The Big Silence, click HERE.  To connect with Siff, click HERE. To learn more about Arrae, click HERE.       This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.   Head to nezcare.com and use promo code DREAMBIGGER to receive 10% off your entire order.   Produced by Dear Media

By now, I think you know the way you speak to yourself matters. The question is, are you aware HOW you are speaking to yourself? One of the things my clients find shocking when we work together is how mean they talk to themselves. It's one thing to have a bully in your life but what if you've become a bully to yourself?  NO MORE, SIS! That's why in today's episode, I am sharing a simple prayer and a "tone" technique I use with my clients to give them a Kingdom perspective on their situation.  I pray this episode blesses you and gives you a life giving way to talk to yourself so GOOD FRUIT is evident in your life and business!  Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/seekfirstceo Want to explore 1:1 coaching with me? Sign up for a complimentary discovery call today: https://www.honeybook.com/widget/heathershriverburnsllc_203142/cf_id/61e8a34a7b24f4003319be39 Let's connect! hello@heathershriverburns.com

Diagnosed with depression at the young age of thirteen, Joey Thurman's journey as a young person was more challenging than he made it appear to the outside world as a multi-sport athlete. At home though, his truth was laid bare as he threatened to commit suicide on many occasions.We talk about his journey into the professional fitness space, a success story that sounds similar, and happened around the same time, as the launch of Tone It Up. Joey touches on lessons his childhood has presented for his own son's life, and what signs other parents might look for in their children to know that they're struggling. Of course, we also go deep on Joey's new book, Minimum Method, and the custom-built heath modalities that serve as the outline for it. Commenting on cardio, weightlifting, macronutrients vs. micronutrients, sleep, and so much more – if you've been waiting for a fitness-focused pod to land in this feed, today is your lucky day.Joey reminds us that, by accepting our feelings as they come in, we make sure to take a moment and appreciate what is, be thankful for what was, and put a positive lens on our outlook for the future.Resources:Website: JoeyThurman.comWebsite: Open Fit@JoeyThurmanFit on InstagramWatch: Joey Thurman on YouTubeRead: The Minimum Method by Joey ThurmanRead: The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: @karenadawnFollow The Big Silence on Instagram: @The.Big.SilenceSubscribe: The Big Silence YouTube ChannelTherapy For All: Resources for those in needDonate to The Big Silence thebigsilence.com/donate to be a part of the movement to break the silence and make noise with us!“The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by James Nicholas Kinney.Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein.The Big Silence is produced by Crate Media.

Family is one of the greatest lessons in our lifetime- especially when you realize no matter how much you change and evolve, you cannot change them.   In this episode I sit down in-person with Karena Dawn, co-founder of Tone It Up, to have a very real conversation about this equally important and sensitive topic.   In this episode, Karena and I both open up about our family struggles and how it's impacted us, we discuss taking a stand for the mental health of yourself and others, what to do if someone in your family is struggling, and Karena's best tips on finding acceptance in it all.   This is as real as it gets- I know you will appreciate the genuine vulnerability and emotion we share, especially this time of the year when a lot of things can resurface surrounding family.   I hope this episode reminds you that you are not alone in these experiences.    Connect with Lee here: https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/   If you are looking for a diverse + nourishing community of like-minded souls I'd love to invite you to join the waitlist of Rose Gold Goddesses at https://www.rosegoldgoddesses.com   If you are wanting to explore different parts of yourself but aren't 100% sure where to begin my new Rose Gold Goddess Archetype quiz is for you! Inside I will guide you through a series of questions that will reveal a truth about yourself and how it relates to one of the 5 Rose Gold Goddess Archetypes. Discover your goddess archetype at https://rosegoldgoddesses.com/archetype-quiz/   Try Betterhelp for 10% off at https://www.betterhelp.com/sahara   *As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided   To receive a free gift, email a screenshot of your review of the Highest Self Podcast to sahara@iamsahararose.com    Intro + Outro Music: Silent Ganges by Maneesh de Moor   Follow me your spiritual bestie to active your fullest expression + laugh along the way: https://www.Instagram.com/iamsahararose  https://www.tiktok.com/@iamsahararose  https://www.Facebook.com/iamsahararose    Discover Your Dharma Archetype with my free quiz https://www.dharmaarchetypequiz.com/   Download my Goddess Embodiment Practice: https://iamsahararose.com/embodiment   Order My Books: https://www.iamsahararose.com/books    By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that the entire contents are the property of Sahara Rose, or used by Sahara Rose with permission, and are protected under U.S. and international copyright and trademark laws. Except as otherwise provided herein, users of this Podcast may save and use information contained in the Podcast only for personal or other non-commercial, educational purposes. No other use, including, without limitation, reproduction, retransmission or editing, of this Podcast may be made without the prior written permission of the Sahara Rose, which may be requested by contacting pr@iamsahararose.com.   This podcast is for educational purposes only. The host claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the information presented herein.    

In today's episode, we get the inside scoop about body image and how to love yourself from the inside out from a fitness influencer herself, Remy Kam. With over 8 years of group fitness and trainer experience, Remy has held roles for industry-leading brands like Tone It Up, Therabody, Equinox, and Parsley Health. Remy is currently a Vuori Clothing Collaborator, Barry's Trainer, Bodyrok Instructor, Personal Trainer, fitness and wellness influencer, and the founder of her new fitness App, KORE by Remy. Remy gets raw with us about her personal experience with body image and love as a fitness trainer & influencer who is in this world 24/7. This episode is a reminder that even the “perfect” influencers you see on social media share a very similar experience with us all. You'll leave this episode knowing that your worth does not come from what you eat in a day, how much you work out, or what you look like, but WHO YOU ARE. Remy and I get real about what REALLY MATTERS and how you can start to put social media into perspective and turn inward. Our value does not come from your body but from within. Lastly, Remy shares what it was like for her to step aside from her 9 to 5 job to pursue a career in content creation as a fitness trainer. She opens up with us about some of the obstacles and opportunities she has experienced thus far in the world of entrepreneurship, hopefully inspiring you all to go after what you really want. Syllabus Steps: ZEN ZONE: Create the time and space for yourself to pause and turn inward. For example, light some candles put on soothing music and take out a journal. Writing your feelings out on paper rather than typing is a great way to release and work through emotions. Remy's Favorite Journal: The Five-Minute Journal ACTIVE REST AND RECOVERY: Lymphatic massage, physical therapy, swimming, OR walking. Movement in the sun > PERFORMANCE AND LONGEVITY > OBSESSIVE FITNESS REGIME: Educate yourself on what's most healthy and sustainable for your body. Rest days are necessary. Pause and listen to what your body is needing. Stretch. Your fitness journey is yours and is not going to be comparable to anyone else on Instagram. YOU ARE NOT YOUR BODY: Your value and who you are come from within! Recognize the difference you make in others' lives. Look to your friends - ask them what their favorite thing about you is. I promise you it won't be because of the way you look. Create affirmations that remind you of your worth (i.e. I am thankful for my body's strength, I listen to my body, I give my body what it needs, my body is a miracle) WRITE A THANK YOU LETTER TO YOUR BODY: This might feel weird, but I promise it helps. Start by envisioning each part of your body and ask yourself, “what does this body part do for me?” Creating a physical copy of how your body cares for you (whether you care for it or not) can feel empowering and grounding. ASK FOR HELP: Leverage and utilize your network for support. Ask questions and stay curious. Call the people you need, you are not alone on this journey. BOOK: The Micro-Influencers Brand Partnership Bible Superhuman: Remy Kam INSTAGRAM || KORE BY REMY || WEBSITE

Karena Dawn has been on the podcast before talking about fitness and entrepreneurship as the co-founder of Tone It Up. Today, she joins us to talk about her new book, The Big Silence, a memoir about mental illness and healing.The title comes from the idea that there is still such a stigma surrounding mental health and discussing it openly. We talk about her story, how to support someone with mental health issues while still taking care of yourself, and how she's integrated her husband into the mental health discussion. It's so important for us to break this silence together, have meaningful conversations around mental health, and shut down the stigma once and for all.Morning Microdose is a podcast curated by Krista Williams and Lindsey Simcik, the hosts and founders of Almost 30, a global community, brand and top rated podcast.With curated clips from the Almost 30 podcast, Morning Mircodose will set the tone for your day, so you can feel inspired through thought provoking conversations…all in digestible episodes that are less than 10 minutes.Wake up with Krista and Lindsey, both literally and spiritually, Monday-Friday. If you enjoyed this conversation, listen to the full episode here.If you or someone you know if struggling, text HERO to 741741 for confidential counseling.

You'd be hard-pressed to come by someone who hasn't struggled with their mental health at some point in their life. But for so long, topics like depression were taboo. Especially coming from an immigrant family, we were NOT allowed to discuss our issues publicly. Therapy? Out of the question. The good news is — things are changing, and we all need to lean on each other for comfort and support. It's time to normalize the conversation on mental health, and my guest in this episode, Karena Dawn, is committed to speaking up against “The Big Silence”.  Karena Dawn is a mental health advocate and co-founder of Tone It Up, the leading women's fitness community. She is also a New York Times best-selling author, NAMI board advisor, and founder of the mental health nonprofit foundation, The Big Silence. For more than a decade, Karena Dawn has empowered millions of women around the world to live their healthiest and happiest lives. Her lifelong passion for fitness, mindfulness, and spiritual empowerment has made her a leader in the wellness space. She has been featured in Forbes for creating a “fitness empire” and on the Create & Cultivate 100 List honoring women who are masters in their field. She has also headlined the POPSUGAR Play/Ground Festival and has been a keynote speaker at the PoWer Up Women's Conference. She is a mindful meditation coach for Chopra Global, and a regularly featured speaker and instructor for TED Women, and other national platforms. What we get into in this episode… - Normalizing conversations around mental health - Loving people for who they are - Advice for moms on navigating mental health with their kids - How to hold space for others and what that really means - Leveraging your hardest times to create a better way forward  - How to reach out to others when you need support  - How to be of support to those who need it Be sure to also check out… - Grab a copy of Karena Dawn's new book, The Big Silence - Find her on Instagram @karenadawn @the.big.silence - If you or a loved one is struggling, text HERO to 741741 for 24/7 crisis support - You may also like episode 67, Bravely Talking About Your Mental Health Challenges with Mike Johnson - Or episode 65, Transforming Loss, Cancer, & Big Trauma Into Fuel for Kindness with Mike Kim - And don't miss episode 37, a solocast I did on Embracing the Duality of Your Emotions and Normalizing Emotional Health Before you go - to celebrate @thebravetable reaching 10K followers, I've extended our giveaway to win an Apple iPad or a $150 gift certificate to a spa of your choice! It's SO simple to enter - all you need to do is write a 5-star review for The Brave Table on iTunes. Once you write your review, don't forget to press “send”. Then, take a screenshot of your review and upload it to thebravetable.com/giveaway. Good luck and see you next time!

#66: Today we will be sitting down with Tori Simeone, a former professional dancer turned fitness model/ instructor and lifestyle influencer. She started her career in NYC at age 18 and made the move cross country by herself at 23. Since moving to California, she has danced for the NBA, become a fitness instructor on the well known fitness app Tone It Up, has modeled for countless major fitness brands, is currently an ambassador, model and trainer for Vuori Clothing, has pursued her acting career and been in national commercials and recently has gotten married and become pregnant. She welcomed a brand new baby girl this July! In this episode, we discuss: Tori's background and how she has learned to thrive pursuing multiple passionsFollowing your purpose and living in alignmentGaining the courage to take leaps professionally and personally, and knowing when it's time to do soDealing with rejection and using it as redirection as a professional dancer, actress and influencerHow Tori got started in the fitness industry and how she's stayed true to herselfProtecting your inner peace to stay true to youTori's experience with pregnancy - how it's impacted her relationship with her body and foodRESOURCES:Check out the PurelyYou LibraryGrab your PurelyYou Membership free MONTH with code 'PODCAST'Listen to Episode 33 with My Girl Wellness Founder, Tayla Burke!Grab your My Girl Wellness and use code PURELY15 for 15% off your purchase! #MyGirlWellnessPartnerTo shop all things PurelyPope, Alysia's favorites, eBooks, Amazon, etc., click HERETo connect with Alysia, click HERETo stay up to date with #ThePurelyPodcast, click HERETo schedule a COMPLIMENTARY 1x1 Health Coaching Consultation with Alysia, click HERECONNECT WITH THE GUEST:Instagram: @torisimWebsite: www.TORRSIM.com For a chance to win a 3 month subscription to PurelyYou, rate, review & subscribe to the podcast + send a screenshot to assistant@purelypope.com. Thanks for being here, tune in every Thursday for new episodes! #ThePurelyPodcast

This week I am joined by Britt Deanda and Tara Schulenberg who come to the podcast to discuss their winding life journey's, alchemizing their individual suffering by transforming their experiences into tools and wisdom for the collective. The also discuss their vision in creating Elevate The Globe and their new book Good Morning Intentions: Sacred Rituals to Raise Your Vibration, Find Your Bliss, and Stay Energized All Day.  Britt & Tara are the Founders of Elevate the Globe, a worldwide community of spiritual seekers who are dedicated to raising consciousness on the planet. Based in Los Angeles, these best friends deliver a cutting-edge wellness lifestyle rooted in spirituality and mental health that allows people to align with their own truth and discover their best way of living. They are also the creators of Rise Up: A Course In High Vibrational Living and 528 Abundance Academy, a membership community that offers monthly spiritual lifestyle practices based on astrology & the moon cycles to harmonize with Mother Earth. Britt and Tara also host The Elevator Podcast, which features renowned guests in holistic health & wellness including Karena & Katrina of Tone It Up, Gabby Bernstein, Jordan Younger of The Balanced Blonde, and Shaman Durek to name a few. Follow them on Instagram @elevatetheglobe Podcast Production: Written, directed, and edited by Krista Xiomara Produced by LightCasting Original Music by Mr. Pixie Follow this podcast on Instagram @ianwpodcast

Fresh off a night in the org's tour bus, Krista Williams and Lindsey Simcik join the show, live and in-studio, for a very special conversation about coming into your truth and getting comfortable there. I've known this dynamic duo since the very beginning and I'm excited to share this heart-filled conversation with you all. We talk about codependency (with a shout out to https://thebigsilence.com/blogs/podcast-episodes/10-becoming-a-boundary-boss-with-terri-cole (Terri Cole)), therapy, relationships, anxiety, and the similarities in their shared journey launching a business while building a community and how it, in many ways, mirrors that of mine and Kat with Tone It Up. More than the grind, we make sure to highlight how important it was and always will be to continue to nurture our friendships as well.  Resources: Almost 30: https://almost30.com/ (Podcast & Global Community for Women) Follow Almost 30 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almost30podcast (@almost30podcast) Follow Lindsey Simcik on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itskrista/?hl=en (@lindseysimcik) Follow Krista Williams on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itskrista/?hl=en (@itskrista) Read: https://thebigsilence.com/pages/memoir (The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing)  Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn (@karenadawn) Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/The.Big.Silence (@The.Big.Silence) Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuKGS6i7GBq_Ydyj3jGO_fA (The Big Silence YouTube Channel) “The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by https://www.instagram.com/jamesnicholaskinney/ (James Nicholas Kinney). Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein. The Big Silence is produced by http://crate.media/ (Crate Media).

We're home! Rachel and I were so excited to get together in our hometown of Indianapolis for this special leg of The Big Silence book launch tour. For this extra family-centric episode, Rachel kicks us off with a reading of some of her beautiful poetry from the book. We're joined by the uber-prepared Leslie Bailey, who's building something fantastic of her own in Indianapolis as the co-founder and CEO of Indy Maven and the brand new venue where we recorded this interview, Maven Space, a coworking and social club for women.  We start with my childhood here in Indiana, where the bad influences (and bad behavior) first surfaced, before detailing my journey to California, rock-bottom inspiration for Tone It Up, and five-year writing process. Special guest: my dad! My loving father also steps up to the stage to add a professional therapist's perspective on a few brave audience questions – and to add poignant personal comments to a few stark themes and stories from the book. Resources: Website: https://indymaven.com/ (Indy Maven) Venue: https://mavenspace.co/ (Maven Space) Leslie Bailey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslieabailey (LinkedIn) Read: https://thebigsilence.com/pages/memoir (The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing)  Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn (@karenadawn) Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/The.Big.Silence (@The.Big.Silence) Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuKGS6i7GBq_Ydyj3jGO_fA (The Big Silence YouTube Channel) “The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by https://www.instagram.com/jamesnicholaskinney/ (James Nicholas Kinney). Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein. The Big Silence is produced by http://crate.media/ (Crate Media).

The Big Silence book release tour has landed in beautiful Houston, Texas, where Yami Mufdi, an inspiring Tone It Up fitspo trainer in her own right, joins me to preview this deeply personal memoir, its painful stories, and its important lessons.  I share how I first learned of my mother's schizophrenia diagnosis – only after she disappeared for long stretches of time, forgetting she had a family at all. We close the loop on her story, even just for one day, by recounting one of the last conversations I shared with her, in hospice care, explaining how this nonprofit organization was dedicated to her and her struggle. We also unpack the power of visualization (Hint: a vision board led Yami to her current position with Tone It Up) before discussing the grounding power of nature, a beginner's guide to meditation, and my own positive experience integrating a cold plunge practice into my wellness routine.  Many laughs and tears are shared. Big thanks to Yami for coming out on short notice to host this conversation and shed her bright light onto this important project. See you on the road! Resources: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yamimufdi/ (@yamimufdi) Meet Your Tone It Up Trainer: https://my.toneitup.com/blogs/latest/tone-it-up-trainer-yami (Yami ) Get Karena's book, 'https://thebigsilence.com/pages/memoir (The Big Silence),' available now Follow Karena Dawn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn (@karenadawn) Follow The Big Silence on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/The.Big.Silence (@The.Big.Silence) Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuKGS6i7GBq_Ydyj3jGO_fA (The Big Silence YouTube Channel) “The Big Silence” theme song written and performed by https://www.instagram.com/jamesnicholaskinney/ (James Nicholas Kinney). Executive Handyman, Bobby Goldstein. The Big Silence is produced and published by http://crate.media/ (Crate Media).

Karena Dawn has been on the podcast before talking about fitness and entrepreneurship as the co-founder of Tone It Up. Today, she joins us to talk about her new book, The Big Silence, a memoir about mental illness and healing. The title comes from the idea that there is still such a stigma surrounding mental health and discussing it openly. In it, she goes deep into parts of her life that are so evocative and powerful, from dealing with drugs, being arrested, and managing a strained relationship with her schizophrenic mother. We talk about her story, how to support someone with mental health issues while still taking care of yourself, and how she's integrated her husband into the mental health discussion. It's so important for us to break this silence together, have meaningful conversations around mental health, and shut down the stigma once and for all. We also talk about: Karena's background of dealing with mental illness in her family Recognizing the complexity of everyone's lived experiences Finding clarity at the end Taking care of yourself while you help others Discovering where to set boundaries Turning your childhood struggles into something beautiful Teaching people how to work with others who have mental health conditions The goal of The Big Silence Sponsors:   Get discount codes sent directly to your phone. Simply text brand name or keyword to 380-600-3030 Resources:  https://thebigsilence.com/ (thebigsilence.com) Read: https://thebigsilence.com/pages/memoir (The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.big.silence/ (@the.big.silence) and https://www.instagram.com/karenadawn/ (@karenadawn) Text HERO to 741741 for confidential counseling Join our community: http://almost30.com/membership (almost30.com/membership) https://www.facebook.com/Almost30podcast/groups (facebook.com/Almost30podcast/groups) Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: https://almost30.com/disclaimer (almost30.com/disclaimer).  Find more to love at http://almost30.com/ (almost30.com)! Almost 30 is edited by http://crate.media (Crate Media). Mentioned in this episode: BetterHelp https://almost30.captivate.fm/betterhelp (Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Almost30.) LMNT https://almost30.captivate.fm/lmnt (Go to DrinkLMNT.com/Almost30 for a special offer.) TrueBill https://almost30.captivate.fm/truebill (Stay on top of your subscriptions by visiting Truebill.com/ALMOST30.) Seed https://almost30.captivate.fm/seed (Visit seed.com/ALMOST30 to redeem 20% off your first month of Seed's DS-01™ Daily Synbiotic with code ALMOST30.)

Today we are chatting all things fitness, living intuitively and everything in between with former professional dancer turned turned fitness model/ instructor and lifestyle influencer Tori Simeone. Tori began her career in NYC at age 18 and moved cross country by herself at 23 to follow her dreams. Since moving to California, she has danced for the NBA, become a fitness instructor on the well known fitness app Tone It Up, has modeled for countless major fitness brands, is currently an ambassador model and trainer for Vuori Clothing, has pursued her acting career, and has recently has gotten married and become pregnant.In this episode we chat trusting the path unseen, living intuitively, saying yes to what feels good, confidence, the key to finding your flow, body talk, rejection, living in alignment and the power of self-reflection; she also shares her tips for getting started in a career in fitness/ content creation, as well as some deets on her pregnancy, her daily non-negotiables and so much more… enjoy! xx Connect with Tori ✨Instagram: @torrsimWebsite: www.torrsim.com Connect with Shayla✨ Instagram: @shaylaquinn YouTube: www.youtube.com/shaylaquinn TikTok: @shayla.quinn Website: www.shaylaquinn.com Learn more about TYIL Program ✨ 

In support of mental health awareness month, it was only appropriate to shine a light on the topic. In today's episode, Lindsay Pinchuk is joined in conversation with Karena Dawn, Founder of The Big Silence for an eye-opening discussion about the importance of opening up about our mental health struggles. Many of us would recognize Karena as one of the Co-Founders of the popular fitness brand Tone It Up. While Karena is passionate about fitness, her reason behind it is less known. Growing up, Karena experienced firsthand the impact of mental health challenges. After her mother was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, Karena spent the remainder of her childhood repressing emotions of guilt and shame that ultimately led to a suicide attempt. It wasn't until Karena found fitness, that she was able to begin healing from the trauma onset by her childhood. From her own experience, Karena knows that suffering in silence only reinforces the stigma and strengthens the barriers that prevent true healing. As a way to erase the stigma, and promote acceptance, Karena founded The Big Silence Foundation where she is dedicated to inspiring others to open up about their struggles. Tune into this episode of Dear FoundHer… for an important conversation about mental health. Learn more about the importance of breaking the stigma, finding a support system, and how Karena is continuing her mother's legacy through her nonprofit organization. Quotes • “Eating healthy, meditation, moving my body, and getting in nature is the therapy that literally saved me.” (09:59-10:08) • “With mental illness, it's not just about those who have it, but the family members as well. They also need help because you can have situational depression, or suicidal tendencies because of what you're going through.” (16:46-16:17:00) • “I think our generation, and generations to come, are going to openly talk about mental health without feeling uncomfortable.” (18:39-18:45) • “While running a non-profit, it is important that you have a good executive director who's very experienced. Because when you have a mission, you have to do it right.” (32:35-32:45) Connect with Karena Dawn: Website: http://www.thebigsilence.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.big.silence/ Karena's Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/karenadawn Please don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe to Dear FoundHer on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Stop spinning your marketing wheels and start building a community you can monetize. JOIN ME for Big Impact Marketing for Small Business, a new way to work with me. REGISTER HERE Want even more resources for growing your business? • Grab one of Lindsay's FREE quick small business marketing guides: https://www.lindsaypinchuk.com/freebie • Follow Lindsay on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaypinchuk Use code FoundHer for 50% off your first month with both HiveCast and Fireside Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

    Karena Dawn, co-founder of Tone It Up, is a wellness entrepreneur, NY Times best selling author, NAMI board advisor and a passionate mental health advocate. Growing up with a mother who was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic, her childhood was filled with traumatic experiences that resulted in repressed emotions, guilt, shame and a suicide attempt. She knows from experience that suffering in silence only reinforces the stigma surrounding mental health issues and creates barriers which prevent healing.She overcame a dark period of depression, anxiety and substance abuse in her teens and 20s, was able to forge a path to self-discovery, build a nurturing community that has helped millions, and ultimately find peace. She has always used her platform and influence to inspire people around the world through fitness, mindfulness and spiritual empowerment and founded The Big Silence Foundation to further her mission and erase the stigma surrounding mental health..If this episode of Bodies By Brent has inspired you, please share it on your favorite social media platform. You can also support the podcast by making a purchase with the show's sponsor Athletic Greens. What You'll LearnWhat it was like for Karena growing up with a mother who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia What an early 00's Compton crack house was likeKarena's transformation from taking ketamine and crack cocaine to training for triathlonsHow to cope with overwhelming griefKarena's key principles for a happy, healthy lifeLinks and Resources Karena DawnKarena Dawn on InstagramKarena Dawn on FacebookKarena Dawn on TwitterKarena Dawn on LinkedInKarena Dawn on YouTube The Big Silence Non-Profit The Big Silence on AmazonCrisis line: Text “HERO” to 741741 Bodies By Brent Bodies By Brent on YouTubeBodies By Brent on InstagramBodies by Brent on TikTok This episode's sponsor, Athletic Greens    

Get ready for a powerful episode this week on WDII as Bailey and Jacci are joined by Karena Dawn. You may know Karena as the co-founder of Tone It Up but her latest project The Big Silence (non-profit, book and podcast) is showing a completely different side to the her and we're diving deep with her in this episode. WE'RE DISCUSSING: + garbage grievences + face shaving + laser hair removal + Karena's childhood and her experience growing up with a Schizophrenic mother + her own struggles with substances and mental illness + how her mental health journey played a part in @toneitup + Karena's attempted suicide and the lack of mental health support + how she turned her pain into purpose + creating a legacy for her mother + why she answers every DM she gets + why she's sharing her story now what's to come for @the.big.silence + SO MUCH MORE! ——— Follow along at @whatdayisitpodcast SHOP OUR MERCH Join our Facebook Group Checkout our Amazon Shop Don't forget to follow the hosts @baileyjst and @jaccirai Questions, comments, feedback? Email us whatdayisitpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For nearly a decade, Karena Dawn, co-founder of Tone It Up, kept her painful past a secret—even from her now-husband. Her hundreds of thousands of TIU fans, had no idea that behind those killer workouts, chiseled abs and sunny smile, was a childhood filled with repressed emotions, guilt, shame and even a suicide attempt.Join us as Karena breaks her silence and recounts what it was like to grow up with a mother who was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic. She shares how she ultimately overcame a dark period of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse in her teens and 20s, to forge a path to self-discovery, build a nurturing wellness community that has helped millions, and ultimately find peace herself. We'll also hear about The Big Silence Foundation she launched and her new memoir The Big Silence: A Daughter's Memoir of Mental Illness and Healing. Karena is on a mission to provide support, tools, and resources to anyone who has been impacted by a mental health condition, either directly or indirectly, to end the silence surrounding mental health topics and conversations. LISTEN TO THIS SHOW IF:-You're a Tone It Up superfan, but never knew the pain behind Karena's smile. You won't believe her story! -You're suffering from mental illness, and need a reminder that you're not alone and need the courage to speak up -You want the tools to help a friend or loved one who you suspect is suffering @karenadawn @The.Big.Silence @ToneItUp See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today Sydney is joined by Tori Simeone Dietz, Tone it Up Trainer, dancer, and actress. Sydney and Tori have led very similar lives and have a LOT to cover in this episode!Tori and Sydney talk:-Big life transitions and how to support yourself during those times-Fine tuning your intuition around decision making-How to feel the best in your body through fitness and applicable nutrition shifts-Every detail of Tori's beautiful wedding and advice for brides to be-Her favorite bridal brands-Tori having a baby-Her shift in belief on having kids and a career You're going to love this episode! Share it with a friend and tag us on social media!Thank you to our Sponsors! Go to zocdoc.com/SYDNEY and download the Zocdoc app to sign up for FREE to book a top rated doctor!Reach out!Host: @sydneylotuaco@somethingtosharepodcastGuest:@torrsimTorri's blog  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today Sydney is joined by Tori Simeone Dietz, Tone it Up Trainer, dancer, and actress. Sydney and Tori have led very similar lives and have a LOT to cover in this episode! Tori and Sydney talk: -Big life transitions and how to support yourself during those times -Fine tuning your intuition around decision making -How to feel the best in your body through fitness and applicable nutrition shifts -Every detail of Tori's beautiful wedding and advice for brides to be -Her favorite bridal brands -Tori having a baby -Her shift in belief on having kids and a career  You're going to love this episode! Share it with a friend and tag us on social media! Thank you to our Sponsors! Go to zocdoc.com/SYDNEY and download the Zocdoc app to sign up for FREE to book a top rated doctor! Reach out! Host: @sydneylotuaco @somethingtosharepodcast Guest: @torrsim Torri's blog  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Lesley is joined by Danielle Pascente, an established personal trainer in Los Angeles who has successfully transitioned her business from in-person to online over the past five years. Together they discuss topics such as confidence, running a business with your spouse, the support of family and close friends, being a recovering perfectionist and the road blocks that can put in your path, and much more.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co .And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribeIn this episode you will learn about:• Transitioning a fitness business from in-person to online• Where did the confidence come from to start a business?• Online businesses are an ever changing puzzle• Support from your family and closest friends, vs other entrepreneurs• Recovering perfectionism Episode References/Links:• James Altucher's podcast• Danielle Pascente's IG• Danielle Pascente's websiteGuest Bio:Danielle is an established personal trainer in Los Angeles and the creator of the Danielle Pascente Training Guides. She can be found as the lead trainer for the FitOn App, 30 Day Fat Burn series on BeFit, and guest trainer on Studio Tone It Up. She is a fitness expert and elite trainer for PopSugar. Danielle was recently named as a trending fitness star by Shape Magazine. Her clientele ranges from celebrities to CEO's as well as large weight-loss and event prep clientele.Danielle was a multi-sport athlete her whole life so she truly believes there's an “inner athlete” inside everyone. She has a B.A. in Psychology from Arizona State University and is a certified personal trainer/group exercise instructor. Danielle is an ambassador for the fitness apparel lines Carbon38 and Vie Active. She is recognized as a top fitness model representing some of the most elite brands in the industry such as Nike, Asics, Adidas, Reebok, Skechers, Saucony, Brooks, Mizuno, Dicks Sporting Goods, Speedo, Muscle Milk, Hyperice, P-90X and Eastbay to name a few. Danielle has been featured on the cover of Runner's World, Scottsdale Health, and Max Sports & Fitness. Danielle's approach as a trainer is tough love meets athletic coach. She's no nonsense, and will go above and beyond to help you meet your fitness goals.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.ResourcesWatch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube!Lesley Logan websiteBe It Till You See It PodcastOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley LoganOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTubeProfitable PilatesSocial MediaInstagramFacebookLinkedInEpisode Transcript:Lesley Logan  Hi, how are you? Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It podcast. Ah, y'all when I started this podcast and I made a list of the women that I wanted to have on, that I wanted to inspire you and empower you. And to help you see what's possible for you, Danielle Pascente was on that list. And here's, here's what she did, which is awesome and I have to share it because it's a tip with that without even me in the podcast and the tip. So she told my assistant, she said, "Absolutely 100% I can't do it until June." And we asked him like March. And so my assistant totally was like "Respect, love that. Here are the dates in June that you can record." So I just had to share that because what I love about her and why we are friends is - we have boundaries. And we also want to support each other. And it's really, I think, it can be really hard to say, "No," to someone, when you like want to support them, or you want to be part of them and don't want to miss out on something. But it's okay to say "You know what, now I can't but here's the time I can do". And trust me, the people in your life who love you, respect you, support you, they will so understand that. And so I've been able to look forward to this interview for months and it does not disappoint. I can't wait. There are tips throughout the whole darn thing. And and so you will probably hear more multiple gems than just what's at the end. But again, what I really wanted you to hear was, you know, just just a journey that this woman has made and you get to check her out on Instagram, her handles in the show notes, but it's Danielle Pescente and you can like literally see where she's come five years later. But again, listen to all the tips, listened out the things and also, you know, extra tip... it's okay to say "No" to something and give people other options if you want to support, but now's not the time. All right. We're gonna get to the interview after this quick message.Lesley Logan  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring Bold, Executable, Intrinsic and Targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan  (Lesley claps) They make me do that. Isn't it so funny? (Danielle: ... it sounds funny) I feel like such a crazy person. So I'm like there's so much there's a mic here. I'm on the person who's going to knock the mic off the table. (Danielle laughs) So thanks, Kevin and Jay for editing things. All right, so hello everyone, welcome back. I look I'm really I know I say this a lot. But I'm so stoked about today's guest because she is really one of my favorite best friends in the planet. We voice message each other all the time. And also just randomly and she just gets it when I'm like "Danielle what is this workout you're making me do right now?" Anyways, I'm gonna let introduce I'm gonna have her introduce herself in a second. But I just have to say I when I met Danielle Pescente, she I was in awe of her. First of all, she's tall, she's beautiful. She's got this long flowing hair. I was like trying to grow my hair out. So it's one of those 17 ugly stages that you just happens when you're growing your hair out everyone it just, there's gonna be a stage. And she and she sat so confidently in front of a group of amazing fitness instructors were all part of Carbon 38 teams, Team 38 and she shared just like willingly all these tips on how she does what she does. And I was like, "Oh my god, this is so amazing. Look at this beautiful woman who's just giving, like just giving information away." And that's just because she's such a generous heart in such a wonderful person and I don't know why she let me work out with her one day but she did and then for like about two years we worked out together almost weekly, multiple times a week and it was just so fun because we both work on fitness businesses online and it's not everyday that you meet someone who does what you do, in a different capacity, to work together. So Danielle, welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast. Thank you for being here.Danielle Pascente  Thanks for having me. I actually really missed our workouts like in person. You know, you can move back whenever you want.Lesley Logan  Just it was a hundred and twenty in the car today so I think I will be trying to make maybe I'll rent out an apartment in your in your condo building (Lesley laughs) this summer.Danielle Pascente  Wait, wait. It's literally 75 degrees. (Danielle laughs)Lesley Logan  I I'm not gonna lie like during we moved to Las Vegas during the pandemic during lockdown. I was like, (Danielle: Yeah) "Okay, it's gonna be hot like, but I was like we're inside anyways, you can't go anywhere, but now that we can go places, it's too hot". (Daniell: It's hot) I gotta go. We gotta have a summer (Daniell: Yeah) house. (Lesley laughs)Danielle Pascente  No, I just got back from Arizona and it was like 115 in the three days before we left, and I was just like counting down the days because it's so uncomfortable. Like, as runners because we're both runners, (Lesley: Yeah) it's uncomfortable outside, you literally have to be up at 5am if you stand a chance.Lesley Logan  It was at 5am this morning, it was 93. (Danielle: Yeah) And so I have decided to have a summer schedule where I walk with a hiking pack of water. I walked two miles with my dogs (Danielle: Yeah) at 5am. And I'm like that and we'll get on the Peloton like that's the cardio for the summer. And then when winter (Danielle: Yeah) comes around, you have to run because it's too cold. And then just trying to get used to this (Danielle: Totally) desert life. (Danielle: Yeah) (Lesley laughs)Danielle Pascente  Yeah, it's kind of interesting, too, because it gets colder there than it does here in winter. So...Lesley Logan  Oh, and you know, I do it my sister lives in Arizona, and I like to make fun of her and also Erica Hood in Palm Springs, our mutual friend. (Danielle: Yeah) I like text them like "It's hotter where you are just saying! Just (Danielle: just saying) just saying it's not hot that here." (Lesley and Danielle laughs) Anyways, okay, so basically, you've just experienced being on a phone call with Danielle and I let me have her introduce herself. (Danielle: Yes) Danielle, who are you? Where you, where are you living? What are you excited about right now?Danielle Pascente  Okay, well, thank you for that intro. I'm Daniel Pascente and I am a personal trainer, fitness expert in Los Angeles. I've been out here for over a decade, which is crazy. Because it feels like just yesterday. But yeah, I'm on year 11 of living in Los Angeles. And, you know, I started out as a trainer, where I did house calls, and I had my clientele. I started out at a gym before that. And then I took my business online about five years ago. So I've been in the online business, creating training guides for women, creating programs for women to do - strength training, HIT based training, and kind of just like rockin' the online thing now, for years. It feels like a long, longer time than it's been. But five years is pretty long time.Lesley Logan  I you know, I totally and I and I think that some people will they have that negative connotation when you say it feels like it's been longer, not in a bad way. It's just that like, you can't really remember what your life was like before it or that like just felt (Danielle: Yeah) longer ago like a different lifetime.Danielle Pascente  It is it's an entirely different life too. And the online business is not for the faint of heart. So, to that end, I say I've just like worked so hard for five years, harder than I ever have in my life. But it's also been incredibly rewarding and it's so cool to see it all grow. So that's kind of where we're at now. My husband helps me run the business as you know, Matt helps me run the business so it's been really cool to just watch it grow and morph into what it is right now.Lesley Logan  Yeah, I I you know, because Brad works on... Brad came on full time with my business in 2019 December. We thought that'd be a good time (Danielle: Yeah) to have him get rid of his income. Just come on (Danielle: Yes) full time before pandemic you know, and but it is really fun to... it's... not, not everyone can do online business and not everyone can do it with their spouse. (Danielle: Yeah, yeah) It definitely takes (Danielle: That's true) there's a lot of special like that it's a lot it's a lot to balance but in the best way if you if you like and it's what your heart's calling. So, I do want to go back... um, you know you were going to people's houses and you were teaching in gyms and I know you were very successful doing that and that's the hardest thing like when you, when it's almost easy to make the money, doing the thing you were doing and you had this calling so what was what was going on inside that made you go, "I want to do online." Like, what even made you want to attempt that?Danielle Pascente  Yeah, it's funny because Matt actually is the one who got me to do it because I was so resistant, leaving my comfortable business that I had built up in person. I was like, "What is the need for this?" I don't like (Lesley: Yeah) I have everything I could want. I have a steady clientele. I'm making decent money however there was a cap to it. There was a cap to being a trainer because I can only reach so many people in one day. But he just he saw other people doing it like the Kayla Itsines of the world, or the Tone It Up. Like, (Lesley: Yeah) he saw it happening and he thought "Okay, you can do this. We can do this. We just need to go for it." And I was like no weekend. I know nothing about the online business. I don't even I mean Instagram wasn't a thing. Really in 2014-15 it was just starting to get like even remotely a platform where you can promote yourself, (Lesley: Right) so to speak...Lesley Logan  Right. Most people are just posting pictures of their food... (Danielle: Yeah, random, Yeah.) Like, here's my sunset... (Lesley laughs)Danielle Pascente  And sunset. Yeah, totally. I would like to collage and they were like, "Two miles today!" Period. That's it.Danielle Pascente  Yeah. Nothing like it was just a picture like that was all you posted that's like, (Danielle: Yes) no conversation.Danielle Pascente  Totally. And so I didn't really have followers or I just didn't know where to start, you know. And so it actually took a year to convince me to do it a full year where he was just on me every day. And I had got a coach in between that time and kind of tried to figure some stuff out like basic stuff, like starting an email list, or shooting an E-book, shooting content and all that stuff. So kind of dip my toes in for a year. And then I decided, "Okay, I'm going to create an E-book", which was a large undertaking at the time, it took us probably a year. And we took our time with it, and we learned and then we launched and nothing happened. Like, nobody was listening. Nobody was buying. I had like, 10 people buy my first E-book that was like, 10 dollars. So you know, (Lesley: Yeah), I made a killing. Danielle Pascente  Yeah. So like a year of work, and you get a hundred dollars. And then you lost money (Danielle: Exactly) to Stripe or PayPal or whatever.Danielle Pascente  Exactly. And we just, yeah, we had no clue what we were doing. But that was kind of the start of it. And so because we decided to do that, again, you just take more steps along the way, of course. And I didn't immediately quit my clientele. So it was one of those things where, because I had a steady clientele I thought that I could kind of do both. And I'll keep this part of it, because it's a steady income. But I'll be doing this as a side hustle, right? The online business. (Lesley: Yeah) So it wasn't until year three, or like two and a half, three that I let go of all my clientele and I started to dwindle it down. And just kind of like trim the clients that maybe didn't respect my time, or I was like driving all over LA to train them. And then I finally got it down to zero where we could spend full time online. So it was to answer your question, it was definitely a transition. It wasn't something I was immediately comfortable with. It was really hard to leave that steady income, but we kind of hustled it together, and hustled it at the same time while still having it obviously. And then slowly got rid of it.Lesley Logan  Thank you for sharing that because I think first of all, Brad made me do YouTube videos. And I was like crying in between takes I was like literally in tears. People are gonna say something about like, I'm gonna get mean things like "Who am I to even do this?" Like, I've only been teaching at the time, I've been teaching like, seven years. And I was like, I you know, there's people been teaching for 30 years, they should be doing this. Like, I just don't I was having such a hard time. And they're terrible videos, and we've left them up on YouTube. So those of you who want to see what it looks like to start, you can see that. (Danielle: Oh, yeah) Yeah. (Danielle: Oh, yeah.) But I love that you shared how you, you didn't go all in. And I think that that is something that a lot of people struggle with, because they're like, it's this or this, or they're like, "I don't have enough time to even have a side hustle". And you're like, well, I got rid of some of the people that weren't respecting my time, or I had to go too far. Or like when you you know, if you're going to people's houses and you go, okay, it's a half an hour to go there, then it's like a 15 minute training. It's a half an hour to get back. That's two hours, like, you know, (Danielle: Yeah) maybe really, what if you found someone who's closer for an hour instead, like there's like different things you can do but it is tricky because I was in that business, it was really hard for me... Like, I convinced myself for over, it took me about three months convince myself, like, "Okay, in April of 2020, you're going to fire these clients," And I say... fire is (Danielle: Yeah) so hard, because if they're listening, I love you. But I was just like these, I cannot do these times anymore. Because that's that's when I should be doing my online business. And then you know, COVID took care of that for me. It was really thank you for that silver lining there. (Danielle: Yeah) It is hard (Danielle: Yeah) because that money is so consistent. It's (Danielle: Yeah) like those velvet handcuffs. I had friends who who used to be leads on the strip and they had this stunning dream house and they were like performing six nights a week, you know, and they're like, but it was hard for them to leave because it was like this dream house, you know, like this everything is here (Danielle: Yeah) and these velvet handcuffs. And so it sounds like you did a great job trying to navigate like, "What keeping things safe, but going through something risky". What I wonder though, (Danielle: Yeah) like, there are struggles it's like hard because when it's your work and you're the brand it's like, it's hard not to take things personally, it's hard not to like worry, like... So what were like how did you convince yourself because, I know he convinced you a lot, but how did you con... yourself, convince yourself that you like could do this? Like what was some things you saw or said to yourself?Danielle Pascente  Yeah, I think I think because I worked in the industry for so long as a trainer, filming workout videos and, you know, working as a model on sets and stuff like that. I in my head, I knew that I had it. Like I knew I could be a presence online, I knew I could be the face of a brand. And so I think that actually gave me the confidence was knowing that I had already done some like, quote unquote, "bigger projects". And so it was kind of the baseline of where my competence came from. But when it came to the actual online business, I was 0% confident because I didn't know what I was doing. And so I think the confidence came from doing, practicing, learning, YouTubing, googling, getting a coach like, because that's the most humbling part of it, (Lesley: Yeah) it wasn't my expertise. I never questioned that because I was an experienced trainer. (Lesley: Yeah) So I already had five years under my belt, I had confidence in that department, but it was really the online business and starting that that was incredibly humbling, because I just did not know what I was doing. So practice, honestly.Lesley Logan  That but you know what you said that sticking out so much and I hope people heard it, it's like, you basically leaned on where you were confident and like, figure that out, and then and use that confidence to take you to the next level, which was like, "Okay, who do I need to hire? What I need to research? How do we need to try this?" And then by doing that, that's just the thing, right? We get confident by doing the thing that we're (Danielle: Yeah) not confident to do. And you start to realize, like, after I did about seven YouTube videos, and I didn't actually get anyone telling me how awful I was then I was like, "Oh, this is so much easier, people like it!" Like, you know (Danielle: Yeah), you just got to do it. Yeah. Um, so you know, in the five years, you've been doing your business, it has evolved and grown. And I'm wondering, and you know, I didn't ask you this beforehand. So I have no idea the answer is going to be, y'all. But like, what are you excited about right now? Like, what are you hoping to take it to now that you have more confidence in the online space, you've been doing it for five years, it feels like it's been longer in a good way, like what's next?Danielle Pascente  I mean, I think the opportunities are kind of endless online. That's what I love about it, because you can continue reaching more people. So I never, ever in my wildest dreams, like, if you had asked me five years ago, I would not have ever thought I'd have this loyal of a community, this large of a community, I never would have thought it would turn into that. So for me, now, I know that that's possible and I want to continue growing and reaching new people and new audiences, obviously. But I also see a growth for the brand and a lot of different directions, whether it's like pop up bootcamp, or merch, or new challenges or challenges on the app, or a possible app in the future. There's just so many directions, we can take it and now that people are listening, and I have an audience, it does feel like the opportunities are endless, because I know that whatever I launch, my people will buy it, or they'll get excited about it, right? (Lelsey: Yeah) And I think that's the biggest struggle up front is you don't know who's gonna buy it and and who's going to even listen to what you're saying, right? (Lesley: Oh!) I mean, you know, (Lesley: I know) you know...Lesley Logan  You know, and you're always it's like, it's a puzzle, right? So it's always a puzzle. And I think if you're listening to us, and you're like, "I don't know what my next thing is, I don't I'm not a fitness trainer." You don't have to be a fitness trainer to go online. I (Danielle: No) mean, my mom is a teacher and she can sell things like online, she sells like they can sell their their plans or lesson plans to each other online, like, it's like kind of crazy, anything can be a business. I have just recently bought air plants that are glued to selenite, because I was like, "Oh, I want more crystals. And I want some more plants. And they're doing it together." Like anything can be a business, but (Danielle: anything). Anything, anything like and that's where it's like, I think people discount what comes easy to them as it comes easy to other people. You know...Danielle Pascente  Yeah. And people also discount the steps that it takes, like, if you look at my business now, and you don't know me, and you don't know the journey, you'd be like, "Ah, how come hers is so seamless? Like, how come everyone signs up for her thing?" Right? (Lesley: Yeah) Like, because of course, I would say that too, if I was just looking at someone's chapter 12 but it's like, this has been years of grind and years of hustle and years of honestly, consistency showing up literally when nobody was clapping, nobody cared, you know. (Lesley: Yeah) So it's, it's years of that and I think I think what people always have, what I would want anyone to take away from this is that you're gonna go through really tough times and times that will like knock you down as an entrepreneur multiple times over even when you get successful, you're gonna have those times I mean, both Lesley and I have gone through some really dark times in our business together. And we've always had each other to lean on which I love that about our relationship, but it's like, find people that support you and find a group or a tribe of people or whatever where they know what you're going through. Because honestly, a lot of my friends from college, they have kind of your traditional nine to five, whether they're working in finance, or a doctor or whatever else, and I respect all their jobs. But I don't think they totally understand like, what I do and what the online businesses is, and so to have a group of mentors to have a group of just friends that are doing, what you're doing is literally going to be a game changer for when you're down. Because when you're down, you need to talk to someone that has been there that can bring you up.Danielle Pascente  Thank you for bringing that up. I think that is I mean, we were very lucky. I wasn't really familiar with your entire business when we when we met. And I don't think you realize what mine was either, because I was still I was still doing in person training while having two online businesses, y'all cuz I thought you should, I should have two hustles at the same time. (Danielle laughs) And I'm an overachiever recovering and (Lesley laughs) (Danielle: Yeah). So but it's true like, I remember, and especially in the last three years, I was very intentional in changing my friendships, and not that I was like "byeee" to people, but I was just like, (Danielle: Yeah) all them about like, you know, what we're planting in the backyard. And I'll talk to them about what's exciting, but like, they're not the person I can call when like, "Hey, you know, iTunes took a like eight weeks to do something that they're supposed to take weeks to do". And so now I'm launching a podcast, and a new website and a deck of cards at the same time, like you would understand like, Oh, that's (Danielle: That's a lot.) that's a lot. And everyone's like, but it's all, like you wanted it all, like I did, but I did want all of it. But it was supposed to happen at different times and now it's happening at the same time. And when I call like, this is a perfect example. And if my mom's listening, I love you. But yesterday I called her I was like, "I finally had a moment to call you, how's it going?" She's like, "Oh, good, what's going on?" I said, "Oh, the podcast is launching four weeks late, on top of the deck and on top of like, this website that we're supposed to be three months ago". And she's like, "Oh, you're just doing such great things".Danielle Pascente  I know... same things...Lesley Logan  I'm like, "I I agree. Thank you. Thank you so much. But I just need you to go that's a lot."Danielle Pascente  Well, yeah, a 100%. I have to sometimes tell my mom that I have to be like, she'll say the same thing. She's like, "Yeah babe, you really need a break. Like, honey, you need a break." I'm like, "I can't just take one right now, mom!"Lesley Logan  Right. This would be this is not the time because there's actually a scheduled break. Don't worry, we, y'all we... I definitely I know, I know for a fact she does. But I definitely schedule and break, she might not see them, because I probably just won't go "Bye to the Instagram." (Danielle: Bye. Yeah) But (Danielle: See you later) but it's so you know, to your point, it's like, it might take you some time. Like I definitely had to put myself in situations where I didn't know people. Some of them paid, some of them free and just try to find other people that I could like really relate to and call upon. And so last year, when we had this really epic moment, you know, Brad called his parents and they're like, "Oh, that's great." And then we called my parents and we're like, we're gonna move, we had this moment, we're gonna move and he's like, "Oh, well, just make sure you do this." And I'm like, none of these people are giving me what I want. And I was like, "Call this guy," because we call this guy Brooks, his wife is in the online fitness space ,and we called him up and we told him what happened. He was like, "That's amazing! That is so cool!" And I was like, that's exactly what I needed. That's exactly what I need right now.Danielle Pascente  ...Yes and all your online friends won't give you that. 23It's funny, because when you first start the business, you think your most loyal number one supporters are going to be your family and friends and it's actually not true. And, gosh, I wish I would have heard this advice more because a lot of times I was seeking validation from those people, I wanted my family to understand and support, I wanted my friends to understand and support. But it actually wasn't like that. And so when I stopped chasing that, and stop giving a "F" about what they thought I actually did better. So I don't know if any of you are in this position where you feel like you're constantly trying to please or have acceptance from the people closest to you. But those often will never ever be your customers and they certainly won't be paying for it.Lesley Logan  No, because they're they think that they should get it for free. And you know what? (Danielle: Yeah) To their point, like, I just get my family. I'm like, I signed you up, you're signed up (Danielle: Same) and like, you know, but it's you know, it is true, we are, I think it's, it's human nature, you could have like, what, 10 people comment on your posts, and it's all positive and one person goes, "Do you even know what you're doing?" (Danielle: Yeah) And you're like, on a good day. You're like, "Fuck I do". And on a bad day, (Danielle laughs) you're like, "Who is this person?" and you're going down like looking up who they are like, what they found (Danielle: Yeah, going down to rabbit hole) Yeah but it's true. It's like you you know if I think everyone's family and friends out there want the best if you would ask them or they want the best for all of us. (Danielle: Of course) But there is this subconscious thing like, "They're gonna leave me behind." Or, "What does this mean for me?" or you know, and then often they're not the person you're trying to help anyways. And so just like let them be part of the journey, but you have to find the friends who, like legitimately are in the space. And also, like you said, (Danielle: Yeah) who've been there before? I forget who it is, I want to say it was James Altucher. I heard this a years ago, I was on a run and he said, "You...Everyone needs a plus, a minus and an equal on their lives." So they need someone who's above them, who's been there before, (Danielle: Yeah) either hired or just happens to be a good friend. They need someone who's an equal who'd like, is in is in the same trench as them and then they need someone (Danielle: Yeah) that is below them that A, they can see how far they've come. And B, they can get confidence by giving advice back. (Danielle: I loved that) Not cool? (Danielle: That's good.) Yeah. So I was like, I remember going, "Who's my plus? Who's my minus? Who's my equal?" I really was like, "Oh, I don't have these ones." So I went out seeking for them like, that was my mission. (Danielle: Yeah.) Yeah. (Danielle: That's interesting. I like that.) Yeah. But it's, you know, I think, what I what I wanted to bring you on here, if so much for is, besides that you're just the coolest chick and I fuckin' love you - and any excuse to see your face - is where we're at right now. (Danielle laughs) But, but, you know, I know just from our own journey, like, it doesn't happen overnight. And you, your story that you shared already is just so great. It's like, you had to be convinced, it took a lot longer than you probably like anyone probably sees and a lot of effort and like what people see now is chapter 12. And it's, you know, not even the end of the book. We're like, still going, and this is a series. (Danielle: Yeah.) And so I just thought, like, if anyone can hear that and go, "Oh, I've been wanting to do something and I, everyone says I should do it and I'm just a little scared." It's like, you don't have to go all in tomorrow. You just gotta (Danielle: No,) gotta make one E-book.Danielle Pascente  Yeah, yeah. (Lesley: Start there) You have to take, small, that that's what I always tell people because your want and need might be "Let's do it all", you know, like, "Let's do it all at once." And if you could just take the tiniest of step every day, right? So today, I'm going to sign up for MailChimp. Not even I'm not going to write an email. I'm just going to sign up and make an account. Tomorrow, I'm going to research websites, how what domain will I use? What? Again, you don't have to do it, you just have to research it. Right? So it's like, small actionable steps every day add up to the bigger picture. (Lesley: Yeah) So try not to get overwhelmed by all the things you have to do to be at chapter 12. When that is literally possibly 6 to 10 years down the line. You just have to take small steps every day.Lesley Logan  There's like so many gems that you've already just put out there. So we're gonna we're gonna pull them all together in a second. And I'm gonna make sure that everyone is following you all over the gram. You're going to y'all I love seeing her posts, I read all of them she's like me we hit 2200 characters plus (Danielle and Lesley laughs) so... (Danielle: We don't know when... shut up.) We're like I tried to edit it. I'm like, "Nope, this one staying, this one staying this long." Alright, Danielle, where can they find you? I know you are, you are all over it on one place. What's your favorite place to be found?Danielle Pascente  On Instagram for sure, that's where I'm all over it on @daniellepascente P A S C E N T E. And that's literally where I live most days on stories. Doing stories, doing post. That's where you can find me.Lesley Logan  Her stories are the most fun; I laugh out loud. and I have to just say like, you film your life that like... mine looks exactly the same, but I don't, I just like, I forget to pull the camera out. But, I was dying laughing yesterday because I was walking, I went to get my lashes done. These are not mine everyone, just so you know, this is I don't like to do my makeup. So this is why we have them. (Danielle: I don't have on right now... make up) And yeah, so I so I get into the chair and I looked down I had slippers on. Like legit, I left the house and slippers and I (Danielle: Welcome) was like, "You know what Danielle would do right now? She would probably make this a story." So I totally did. I like channeled my inner Danielle and I was laughing. I was like you know the world might be opening up but clearly I need retraining like I am not ready (Danielle and Lesley laughs) like not even like not even like cute slippers like ugg slippers, in 110 and I show.... (Lesley laughs)Danielle Pascente  That's me! That is me. I just I don't know what it is about after I turned 30 but I just don't fucking care. (Lesley: Yeah... No) I'd like everybody needs to know that there's a lot happening behind the scenes here. I actually think that's another awesome thing for people to know is like share your journey, share your life because people are oftentimes buying or because they liked you and not necessarily the product. Now I put out a good product don't get that wrong, but people want to just feel connected like (Lesley: Yeah) you're a real person.Lesley Logan  Yeah, you're so good at that. And I have I have gotten so much better in this last year because I'm first of all, I don't live in a (Danielle: Yehey) 500 square foot apartment. So there's a lot more to show. Like, I have a hallway (Danielle: Yeah) that I can walk down. (Lesley laughs) And it's not like... (Danielle: I got whole hallway.) Is the bed made? Because how far can I turn to the... (Lesley laughs) (Danielle: I know, I know, I know) Oh, my husband's still in it? Yeah, we're not showing that. Anyways, so... Okay, we've, you've given some great gems and if you want to repeat any of them, that's fine. But I have to ask at the end, just in case, there's those people who like to skip to the end. For the Hot Tips, what are your favorite, like, if anyone could tell you five years ago, you know something today? Like what would it be to Being It?Danielle Pascente  So I am going to repeat this, but to take small actionable steps every day, even if it's the smallest thing, like the smallest thing is still going to get you where you need to go. So take those small steps. The second thing I would say is take messy action.Danielle Pascente  Hey, that is like a podcast. That's a literal podcast mantra around here, take messy action. (Danielle: Yes.) Thank you so much.Danielle Pascente  Yeah, I mean, and I think entrepreneurs would agree or have heard this from their coach or someone but it's not gonna look good. At first, it's not gonna be pretty. And if you're a perfectionist like I am, ... that's an issue. At first, it's a hurdle, you really have to get tough to put out work that maybe isn't perfect, right? (Lesley: Yeah) So take the messy action, because that will lead you to this whole learning process of how a launch works and how you can get better and how you can get more sales and blah, blah, blah. So small steps. Take messy action.Lesley Logan  I couldn't agree more with those. I'm not kidding. Like, we literally have take messy action merch and (Danielle: Love it!) and then you can't tell because there's a mic, so it reads correctly in your camera test "Perfect is boring." But when you actually look at it, like in real life, it is backwards, so you actually can't read it (Danielle: Oh, that's fun...) Yeah. So zoom in Instagram really pissed me off because they're ruining my merch, but it's fine. It's fine. It's fine. Because I, I'm a recovering perfectionist not recovered. It's an "ing"... I think it's gonna be there for a (Danielle: Same) while. I think (Danielle: Same) if I put the recovered then I'm being a perfectionist. Like that's kind of the catch 22...Danielle Pascente  Yeah, I'm always recovering. Always. (Lesley: And...) It always creeps back in.Lesley Logan  Oh, yeah. And also overachiever, 100%. Like I have to, like everyone on my team is like, "I hope you're celebrating right now". I'm like, "Oh yeah..."Danielle Pascente  Celebrating? (Lesley: Celebrating....what?) I don't know what that is. What's the next project?Lesley Logan  Yeah, let's go. Next one. What's next? So, Danielle, thank you for being here. And just being your honest, wonderful self. Everyone, this is exactly who she is on the gram, off the gram. And I'm just so grateful that you took time out of your day to be here to inspire so many. So, thank you, thank you. Please everyone screenshot this. Share it on Instagram because that's where she's gonna see it with your takeaways (Danielle: Yay) tag @daniellepascente tag to @be_it_pod and let us know and also share with a friend who like this needs to hear like "Hey, tiny steps is for the win." I'm so grateful (Danielle: Yes) to you and everyone until next time, Be It Till You See It.Lesley Logan  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review. And, follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcasts. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the @be_it_pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others BE IT TILL YOU SEE IT. Have an awesome day!Lesley Logan  'Be It Till You See It' is a production of 'As The Crows Fly Media'.Brad Crowell  It's written, produced, filmed and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan  Kevin and Bel at Disenyo handle all of our audio editing and some social media content.Brad Crowell  Our theme music is by Ali at APEX Production Music. And our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan  Special thanks to our designer Jaira Mandal for creating all of our visuals (which you can't see because this is a podcast) and our digital producer, Jay Pedroso for editing all the videos each week so you can.Brad Crowell  And to Meridith Crowell for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy