Better To ... Podcast with D. M. Needom

Chelsey and I sit down to discuss her latest single Steady as well as the crazy heights the video shoot took her on. We also talk about the music business, fame, her dream collaboration and so much more.

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Chelsey James is a force, unwilling to step aside or be overlooked. Redefining the norm for women in country, she’s unapologetically bold in her songwriting and performing, and won’t take no for an answer when it comes to defining her worth as a female artist. With no more room to hold back, she’s rising to the occasion of serving as a prime example of strength and badassery while staying true to the impressive musicality she’s known for. Her signature country sound is laced with a rock edge supported by her powerhouse vocals, having been praised by Nashville’s veteran producer Kenny Lamb, who says “Chelsey has a voice made for big melodies and guitar riffs. She is a rare vocalist and a real performer.”

Songs:

Steady

Must’ve Been Drunk

The Men and The Boys

Hands on the Bible

Shari was a marketing director for a variety of businesses. She was better to… creating her own inventions and working side-by-side with her father. Shari Hammond is the Founder/CEO of Inspired Product Development Group and the inventor behind Cabinet Caddy (www.CabinetCaddy.com) and Go Hang It (www.GoHangIt.com). 

A single mother of a 13-year-old son, she is a woman of faith, an entrepreneur, a product developer, graphic designer, lacrosse/basketball mom, 9 Round kickboxer, and dog lover. Her company, now called Inspired Product Design Group, first started as a hobby between Shari and her father, Ron Hunt, while he was an engineer for IBM. Ron enjoyed designing products made of wood that were functional; LP holders, bookends, calendars. Having success at local trade shows, the two decided when Shari was 8 years old to open a kiosk store in Highland Mall in Austin, TX. It was a big hit. Shari recalls late nights decorating and stocking the kiosk, taking naps in the car, and working weekends at the mall. 

About 10 years later, her dad took early retirement from IBM, and together they launched CD3 Storage Systems, Inc. with the design of our Discgear compact disc holders. At the age of 19, Shari had her first patent. Next came Perfect Petzzz, lifelike breathing puppies and kittens, followed by a break when Shari went on to handle marketing for Ronco. In 2018, Shari and her father went back to their roots developing products. 

Through Inspired Product Design Group, products include Cabinet Caddy, a modular organizer for kitchen cabinets/cupboards, and Go Hang It, an all-in-one picture hanging and leveling kit. In 2020, HomeDepot.com began carrying Go Hang It and QVC began featuring Cabinet Caddy. Shari was a winner of “The Big Find,” an invention competition through QVC/HSN.

Alonzo talks about he dreamed about being an artist and ended up taking a different path and joined the military. His life has taken many twists and turns and he shares with us some pretty funny stories. 

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The Back Look Cinema Podcast with Zach & Zo  Son & father team Zachary Richardson and Alonzo Richardson examine and explore the movies that were popular before Zachary was ever born. Alonzo gets to share some of his favorite movies such as Rambo: First Blood Part II, Con Air, Fright Night, and others that Zach has never seen before. How do these old movies compare to modern flicks? The pair clumsily compare their two cents when they take a look back at the movies of yesteryear on the Back Look Cinema Podcast. 

 Facebook & IG: @backlookcinemapodcast  

Twitter: @backlookcinema  

I spoke with Payton Howie about her new single, Never Go Home. We also talk about the choice she had to make between playing softball in college or pursuing her passion for singing. We talk about how Carrie Underwood brought her up on stage when she was just 5 years old and how that shaped her perspective. We talked about music, video and photo shoots and so much more. 

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With backwoods bathed vocals and bona fide southern swagger, Payton Howie is leading the next generation of redneck women. Branded as the ultimate ‘All American Girl’ by Scenes Media, Howie unapologetically embodies the untamed tradition that country music was built on, and she’s hellbent on bringing her own grit to the honky-tonk. Not many can say they’ve shared the stage with the likes of Carrie Underwood, and Howie is one of even fewer who can say they were handpicked to do so at the age of 5; while other kids were learning how to ride a bike, she was teaching people to expect the unexpected whenever they hear the name Payton Howie. Her most recent single “Freedom” was featured on several of Spotify’s sought-after editorial playlists, and the accompanying music video bleeds red, white, and blue. On the verge of releasing her debut EP, Payton Howie is prepared to scorch country music with a brand that’s hers alone. Traditionally influenced by the music of Johnny Cash, Reba McEntire, and Miranda Lambert, Payton’s vocals ring reminiscent of Chris Stapleton, Carrie Underwood, and Gretchen Wilson. Her involvement with the West Coast Country Music Association earned her accolades of New Country Female Entertainer of the Year and Traditional Country Female Entertainer of the Year. She also received a Rising Star Josie Award in 2020.

Songs: Never Go Home, Freedom, F150, Troublemaker, RunBoyRun, A Hallelujah Christmas, Catch Flights, Last Name

Website: https://paytonhowie.com/home

Billy and I discuss whether it was better to endure two years of horrible behavior from a student for the lovely letter they wrote about you at the end of your time together, or is it better to work with a compliant student who was just a nice kid the whole time? We also discuss his love of Pearl Jam. Rebranding yourself and a trip of a lifetime. 

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 Hello! My name is Billy, and along with my good friend Brian, we host The Mindful Midlife Crisis, a podcast for people navigating the complexities and possibilities of life’s second half. We are just a couple of average dudes who share our life experiences--both the good and the bad--in an effort to help us all better understand how we can enjoy and make the most of the life we have left to live in a more meaningful way. 

I started The Mindful Midlife Crisis podcast because we want to normalize and prioritize conversations around mental health.

 My personal life is often a complicated one for people to understand. I'm 43 years old, have never been married, don't have any kids, and I don't have much interest in either (though I would consider marriage if the right person came along). Many of my friends are involved in more traditional relationships or marriages with the picket fence and the 2.5 kids, but that's just not a life that interests me. I'd rather paddleboard and travel! I have worked as an educator for 20+ years as an English teacher and a dean of students, so I have firsthand experience working with students of different backgrounds and learning styles. I use my experience as a teacher and my passion for fitness in my side-gig as a NASM certified personal trainer. Because both physical and mental health is important to me, I am also a practitioner of mindfulness. 

As I mentioned before, a passion of mine that combines fitness and mindfulness is paddleboarding. I simply love the feeling of paddling my board atop the water while being one with nature. I have paddle boarded in all five Great Lakes, and my new goal is to paddleboard in every ocean and off the coast of every continent! As a lifelong baseball fan, I made it a point to see a baseball game at every MLB stadium, and I'm currently up to date with all of the current MLB stadiums! I strongly encourage you to check out PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Oracle Park in San Francisco, Target Field in Minneapolis, and Camden Yards in Baltimore! I am also a die-hard Pearl Jam fan! I have seen Pearl Jam 49 times in nine countries, and I have blogged about my travels following the band. I am a fan of live music in general, but there's something a little more special about attending a Pearl Jam concert with other die-hard fans! We really are a Jamily! Lastly, I'm embarking on a new adventure in 2021-2022. I am taking a year-long leave from my job as a dean of students to pursue other passions in my life--namely, traveling. My plan is to spend five months in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea; unfortunately due to CoVid-19, I may have to adjust my travel plans, but I'm greatly looking forward to my next set of adventures!

Lynne and I discuss why she left her job as an Associate Director on The View, moving across the country, and finally moving back to NJ and living her entrepreneurial dream with inventing My Garden Sleeves.  

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The top trend for 2021 in gardening is gardening itself. With more and more Americans enjoying their gardens of flowers, vegetables, fruits, and more, having functional and protective gardening gloves is a must for any level of gardener.   Inventor Lynne Eichenbaum has created My Garden Sleeves formally known as NOMPI Gloves (https://mygardensleeves.com), the gardening and work gloves with sleeves. Patented and made in the USA, the idea for NOMPI (No More Poison Ivy) came about after she contracted yet another case of forearm poison ivy after tending to her vegetable garden. Lynne invented a pair for herself and couldn’t wait to share them with fellow gardeners.   NOMPI Gloves keep arms free from scratches, sunburn, poison ivy, mosquito bites, and more. Using breathable 100% cotton fabric, the sleeves are attached to cotton/poly blend or nitrile gardening gloves. The elastic armband assures a non-slip fit and NOMPIs are fully machine washable.   Whether weeding, gardening, farming, planting, light industrial, and other outdoor yard needs, NOMPI Gloves are perfect for all.  

I speak with Helen from the Sexy Freedom Podcast about cheating. We discuss why she was a cheater, as well as grief and loss and more.

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HELEN EDWARDS
Entrepreneur / Author / Yogini

Movement Speaker, Collaborator, Event Creator, Yogini, and International Author of “Nothing Sexier Than Freedom & Your Inner Evolution.” Co-creator and leader of four successful Yoga Retreats. Helen has taught life skills, networking, and conscious behavior classes in shelters since 2008. She has a background as a Vision Therapist and working with kids with autism. She has worked with the Phoenix- Prison Yoga Project (PYP) working with incarcerated adults and teens. Entrepreneur of Sexy Freedom Media and host to the Sexy Freedom Media Podcast. It is her true desire to provide affordable and life-shifting workshops, events, and retreats for both women and men to free themselves from other people’s opinions, self-judgments, self-neglect, and provide them with basic tools to utilize for conscious evolution, courage, and self-love. Helen is truly an authentic being, a wild woman, an example of a raw voice, and a mother of an incredible young airman. She is a Universe, Nature, & Brain /Body forever student, currently a nomad based in Phoenix, AZ with her laptop, Spike and Scion, Chico. PERSONAL MESSAGE: “In 2017, I lost my only brother, the baby of five to suicide. It devastated my whole family and broke everyone’s heart, especially my mother's. It happened the day after I launched this website to the world. My book, Nothing Sexier Than Freedom, was in the final editing process. I’m no stranger to grief as I had already lost my dad a few years before and my son in a divorce. I know how painful life can be and how it can seem easier to give up on our dreams and life all together. I’ve created services, communities, events, workshops, speaking engagements, a podcast, and retreats for the purpose to shine my light not only for myself but for anyone who finds themselves needing the same support and encouragement. It is my hope that you find what makes you happy and live the most courageous and purposeful journey called Life.” – Helen

I talk to Ricky about his latest single “Star” and the inspiration behind it. He tells me how being on The Voice changed his life. He also has some advice for those who are thinking about trying out for any reality singing show. On a somber note, we talk about the loss of his mother to breast cancer and his father and best friend to suicide. We’ll also talk about his inspiration for his music and more.  

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If you are someone you know is thinking about suicide please reach out for help. IF YOU ARE IN SUICIDAL CRISIS PLEASE CALL 800-273-TALK (8255)

 Ricky is a proud supporter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.  

Emily and I talk about grief and loss. She talks about her experience with grief and how she learned to deal with it. We also discuss her book Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief.

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Emily Thiroux Threatt is an author and lecturer with extensive personal experience in the grieving process. She has created a unique program called “Writing Your Way Through Grief” to help others through the grieving process. She holds a master’s degree in English with a concentration in writing and taught writing and composition at the college and university level for over 30 years. Thiroux Threatt conducts workshops, speaking engagements, and retreats on transforming from loss to joy on the mainland of the United States and on Maui, Hawaii.

In her new book, Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief (Mango), grief transformation expert Emily Thiroux Threatt who has taught writing at the university level offers 26 practices to help people move through the grieving process to come out feeling renewed.

The book has a foreword by well-known spirituality educator Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of and spiritual director of the Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles. Beckwith who was a friend of her late husband Ron writes, “I saw Emily’s spiritual growth through her right use of spiritual principles in a very powerful way. When Ron passed, you could simultaneously see her sadness and loss while embracing the spiritual principles that ultimately pulled her through. Through her spiritual practice and self-realization, Emily was able to ultimately alchemize her sadness into a deeper awareness of Love, earning her invaluable revelations, insights, and the wisdom that comes with spiritual transformation that both allows and calls her to minister to and support others who are grieving from the loss of not only a loved one, but loss of any kind.”

When I sat down to speak with Devesh, I knew we’d talk about his move from Dubai to Canada. However, our conversation turned to how he had to overcome his Social Anxiety to accomplish this. At 16 he realized he had to make changes and work through it. He tells his tale of how he overcame it as well as discussing social media and podcasting.

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A little about Devesh:

Enrico and I talk about his life as a model and actor as well as graduating with honors from Georgia State. He tells me what it takes to look good in an image and what his life is like in his downtime. 

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Enrico was born in Ramat Gan, Israel, and spent most of his life in the southern part of the country. He was a professional cyclist and competed and trained all over Europe until he joined the military at 18. After completing his military service, Enrico started his academic journey with hopes to graduate with a political science degree. Because of a family tragedy when Enrico lost his mother, he moved to Italy, where he worked as the deputy to the head of security for the Jewish community of Milano. Italy marks a significant landmark in Enrico’s life since that is where he met his wife, Jasmine, and the reason for his move across the world. Jasmine convinced him to model as well. Enrico recently graduated from Georgia State with honors, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Political Science. Also of note, he made the Dean’s list five times.

Ben and I talk about marriage divorce and managing your expectations. We all need to learn how to manage our expectations to live happier life.

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Bio : Ben certainly hasn’t been idle in life. A couple of years out of college and he started doing things and going places he never would have expected. From traveling to personal growth to marriage and child to divorce and parenthood to entrepreneurialism and inspiring others. Ben has flown an airplane on his own and has been scuba diving in the Galapagos. He has seen the animals of Tanzania and has traveled all over Europe with a 6-month-old child in tow. He has performed improv for over a decade, acted in several plays, and even a movie.  He has owned several businesses.

His biggest passion is exploring the mind. In all of his personal growth work, the one constant was that it all stems from the mind. Between personal growth and improv, he found this weird realm called expectations. And while most people would shy away from such a thing, he decided to tackle it head-on.  Along his journey, he decided that “the only reason anyone gets upset is because an expectation hasn’t been met.” And begin teaching that in his Success Improv business.

On today’s show, I chat with Joanna Vargas. She tells me how she saw herself owning a dance studio at 11 whiles she watched Paula Abdul at the American Music Awards. Fast forward years later and the vision has manifested. The thing about dreams, though, is sometimes they’re not always perfect. One day, when the stress got to be too much, she decided it was time to make a change. She had enough and sold it in 2010 and said goodbye in 30 seconds to her employees and walked away. We revisit that and talk a lot about the roles we play in life and how they evolve.

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Welcome to The Get Up Girl podcast with Joanna Vargas, where we inspire you to live your fullest and most fun life! Every week Joanna will pour wisdom into you through her stories, tools, and fun radical candor. Joanna believes that when you ask better questions, up-level your habits, and get real, you’ll live a happier life. Joanna is an authentic, enthusiastic, and open entrepreneur and business coach. She is a proud college dropout who chose her dreams when everyone told her she couldn’t do it. She embraced her vision, went against other people’s opinions, pursued her goals, and created a genuinely happy life. In this podcast, you will learn the tools and the ‘Get Up’ formula that Joanna and her guests use to get back up and choose their dreams. Are you tired of choosing for others? Tune in twice a week to hear how Joanna has grown multiple businesses and created new ideas that others said could never happen. Learn how she continues to choose what this reality says is impossible. If you’re looking for more fun, more magic, and more joy, Joanna is your girl! Are you excited? We are! Let’s go!

Moustafa and I talk about how an unexpected collaboration thought he was going to be bumped to the big leagues, but was left wondering when all was said in done if it was even real.

Andrea and I talk about how she followed her dream to be the next Dan Rather. While she may not have become him, her incredible journey led her to owning her own PR agency, Andrea Pass Public Relations. We discuss marketing and how image and social media play an important role. Andrea also shares stories about some of the famous people she met along the way.

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We talk about when he blew up a 10-year radio career, at the same time his first marriage crumbled and he was heavily in debt. It was a decision he regretted a while until he realized it was a stepping-stone. 

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After a successful decade in Rock Morning Radio, Steve crashed and burned his career, first marriage and financial stability then became a stand-up comedian and professional speaker (The Motivational Firewood™ Guy) who brought his life to new heights (2 companies, dream relationship, 4 books published, etc.) Steve teaches people how to SEE what they truly want, BE the person they need to become to achieve, and create the ACTION PLAN to get there and delivers it all as a blend of positivity, experience, and humor! Podcast: Steve Gamlin, the Motivational Firewood™ Guy!

Rhys and I chat about how he almost walked away from the life-changing Make Me A Supermodel competition. The reality show took him on a grand adventure that led him from Phillip Island, New York, Los Angeles, Bali, and between. When he returned to Australia, he settled back on Phillip Island, building his shed-style sustainable dream home. (By the way, he built it for about $117 in Australian money, roughly $60K to $70K in the US.) Besides his dream home and modeling, we talk about acting, swimming with whales, sunsets, the moving documentary he made, and much more.

There was a slight technical difficulty during the interview and the call dropped, that is why the question is repeated. 

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Evelyn talks about serving in the Peace Corps in the Andes of Peru. She discusses what happened as she finished her service and was about to leave to go back home. It’s a tale of self-discovery, love, and adventure. 

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Evelyn Kohl LaTorre ‘s first book, Between Inca Walls, A Peace Corps Memoir, won several awards and is about her adventures growing up in Montana, volunteering in Mexico, and coming of age in Peru. She holds a doctorate in multicultural education from the University of San Francisco and a master’s degree in social welfare from UC Berkeley. She worked as a bilingual school psychologist and school administrator for 32 years in public education in California until her retirement in 2002. She and her Peruvian husband have been married since 1966 and have traveled to close to 100 countries. My second book, Love in Any Language, A Memoir of a Cross-Cultural Marriage, comes out in September 2021. Their travel adventures will be the subject of her next book. The couple has two grown sons. Her stories and photos are available on her website, https://www.evelynlatorre.com. Her writing has appeared in World View Magazine, The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, the California Writers Club Literary Review, the Tri-City Voice, Dispatches, Conscious Connection, and Clever Magazine. Evelyn lives in Northern California but frequently visits to Peru to work with the Peru American Medical Society (PAMS). She is active on Facebook at EvelynKohlLaTorre, Author, on Instagram under evelynkohllatorre, Pinterest at emlatorre42, and Twitter at evelynsedits. 

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Professor Pete Alexander to discuss all things stress-related. Stress can affect us in more ways than we realize, and today we talk about some of the biggest culprits, ourselves, and our thinking. We discuss stress related to not just work but caregiving, relationships, and more. He also offers us some tips on how to help ourselves.

Here are some Tips from Professor Pete

I sit down with Sally Edwards. Sally and I discuss divorce, patterns, and choices we make in life. Her better to stems from her divorce and the awakening she had. The divorce led her to be homeless and broke at one point, but it took her on a journey of self-discovery and growth. 

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Born in the UK and living in Holland, having settled here via Italy, Germany, and France. I experience life as a journey, speak several languages, and am culturally comfortable in different countries–but never entirely at home there either. I am a mother of teenage multilingual twins who is beginning to fly the nest as they start their journey into adulthood. My work in classrooms confirms that my life passion is to teach. Currently, I work with children and teachers and love being able to help shift how people see the world and their place in it. The beauty of teaching is in laying seeds for the future and never knowing when they will grow and what they will look like. 

I sat down with Susan Cushman, Susan is an Author and grandmother who resides in Memphis Tennessee. She will be releasing her seventh book on June eighth entitled John and Mary Margret. While Susan and I will explore her writing career, we will also be exploring her Better To story about adopting three children and the life journey, and the inspiration it created for her.  

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Bio: Author, Susan Cushman, is announcing her latest book, John and Mary Margaret (Koelher Books, June 4, 2021). John and Mary Margaret is a rare insider’s look into the white privilege bubble of a young girl growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, and participating in sorority life on the Ole Miss campus in the late 1960s. But it’s also a candid portrayal of a young Black boy from Memphis who follows his dream to study law at a predominantly white university. What happens when their shared love for literature blossoms into an ill-fated romance? Spanning five decades of historical civil rights events in Mississippi and Memphis, John and Mary Margaret’s story will challenge the status quo and give us another opportunity to examine our history and our hearts. Susan Cushman sets John and Mary Margaret, her second novel and seventh book, in her home state of Mississippi and her current city of Memphis. Cushman’s published books include Friends of the Library (short stories), Cherry Bomb (novel), Tangles and Plaques: A Mother and Daughter Face Alzheimer’s (memoir), and three anthologies she edited. Susan writes with deep insight into the South’s storied past, bringing elements of hope and healing to her short stories, memoir, and novels – honoring the heart, soul, and history of the South. Susan is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She is a resident of Memphis, TN. Book Details: John and Mary Margaret is an insider's look into the White-privilege bubble of a young girl growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, and participating in sorority life on the Ole Miss campus in the late 1960s. But it's also a candid portrayal of a young Black boy from Memphis who follows his dream to study law at the predominately White university. What happens when their shared love for literature blossoms into an ill-fated romance? Set squarely in the center of decades of historical events in Mississippi and Memphis, here their story brings those events to life.

I talked to Paul Glover today and discussed the year 1995. This was the year Paul found himself on the other side of the law. However, after spending five years in prison, he discovered he had the tools and skills to help others not make the same mistakes. In fact, he knew he could teach them how to navigate the corporate world. We also discuss the changing landscape of corporate America and the workforce.  Paul describes himself as a "recovering trial lawyer," an ex-felon, an unabashed Starbucks addict, a Chicago Bears fanatic, the author of WorkQuake™, a speaker on business and leadership topics, and a Member of the Forbes Coaching Council. "I'm the No B.S. Workforce Performance Coach, assisting organizations, Team Leaders and Team to reach their full potential and become high performing." 

I had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Earnshaw. Chris’ better-to-moment is about joining Freemasonry, as it was life-changing for him. Joining inspired him to write several books about a fresh way of understanding the world’s oldest fraternity, which he says, still has an important role to play in society today. We also discussed living in Japan and England. The conversation also turns to look at science and the metaphysical connectedness of everyone.

Bio:

BA in Japanese and Chinese from London University, S.O.A.S.

PhD in neuroscience and CEO of a medical device manufacturer, living in Tokyo, Japan - amateur cellist.

Lecturer at the School of Social Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo

Former Professor of Asian Studies, Daito Bunka University, Tokyo

Past Grand Historian and 33° Freemason

Author of books on pharmaceuticals, Tarot, Japanese art and Freemasonry; neuroscientist; 'cellist; Cordon Bleu licensed cook.

Dai realized that his addiction was getting the best of him and needed to make changes. He wanted to be a better man, husband, and father. When he reached his breaking point, his wife asked him a simple question. Was he the man that he would want his daughters to marry?

There were some tech issues at the beginning.

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Adam Best had a lot of responsibility when he was in the Navy. After 5 years of being in the military, he had to learn who he was. While he stayed in a civilian position with the Navy, he still had to figure where his life was headed. He talked to me about the positive and negative about his transition, and we also discuss his battle with alcohol.  His Veterans in the Wild Podcast will be launching on May 27, 2021. Find the podcast @veteransinthewild on IG, YouTube!  

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 If you are dealing with any type of addiction, there is help for not only you but your family. Here are some links below.

Kayla Francis went to college and thought she was following her dream. She graduated, got a job, but slowly realized as she set about getting her Masters that this wasn’t the path she wanted to take. While sticking with a job that isn’t her passion, she started pursuing her dream.  Kayla is a Soul Purpose and Empowerment coach that helps introverted women, who are tired of feeling lost and disempowered, develop their intuition, unleash their inner purpose, and learn how to start working with themselves instead of against themselves so they can finally feel unstoppable and prepared to make a bigger impact in their lives. For more about Kayla please visit her

ST Rappaport decided that she had enough of American High School before her Junior year, so she dropped out and decided to Go to College in England. It’s a journey that changed her life. While she was abroad, she studied art and used it in her current profession as a Creative Journal Expressive Arts Coach. What she does sounds truly fascinating. We also discuss art, the creative process, the challenges of living abroad, and more.  

The episode originally aired LIVE on April 26, 2021, on Facebook and YouTube.  I sit down to chat with my friend, Sarah Martucci. We discuss mediumship and more of her experience as a medium. Listening and trusting your intuition. How to empower yourself after dealing with trauma. We discuss weight, body image, healing, and empower yourself. How childhood trauma and having a dysfunctional family can hinder the choices you make in your life. 

Please reach out to the references below if you find yourself in a situation of domestic violence or abuse. 

Today, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Robert, a fifty-year-old out and proud gay man, who explains some of the trials he went through coming out in the 1980s. He’s currently married to his third spouse, a man who he loves and appreciates dearly. We also discuss why it was better to have married straight for his first trip down the aisle. Other topics we explore were labels, adoption rights, being a step-parent, self-harm, parents’ negative talk and how it has long-lasting effects, weight, and much more.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.

 In the first episode of the podcast, I explore whether it was better to have stepped in and saved my mom during her Suicide Attempt when I was in high school. I further explore what it is like living with someone who is suicidal and dealing with the stigma of suicide.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.