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Stories Hidden in Plain Sight: One Woman's Journey Beyond Survival

What if one of the most inspiring stories you've ever heard was sitting right in front of you?

In this powerful Season 2 finale of Becoming Lotus, I sit down with Nadia Lendel—a woman I met through an ordinary encounter that became an extraordinary conversation.

What began as a simple introduction revealed a story of courage, resilience, reinvention, and unwavering determination.

Before arriving in Canada, Nadia had built a successful career in healthcare in Ukraine, working in a busy hospital while running her own thriving private practice. Then war changed everything.

Faced with the unimaginable decision to leave her home, her career, and the life she had spent years building, Nadia chose to begin again. With two children, two suitcases, and a belief that a better future was possible, she arrived in Canada ready to rebuild her life from the ground up.

In this heartfelt conversation, Nadia shares her journey from healthcare professional to newcomer, from uncertainty to opportunity, and from survival to creating a life filled with purpose once again.

Together, we explore:

• The reality of leaving home during a time of war
• Starting over in a new country and learning to adapt
• The courage required to rebuild a career and identity
• Motherhood, sacrifice, and resilience
• Why nothing we experience in life is ever wasted
• The power of self-belief and continuing to move forward
• The wisdom behind Nadia's philosophy that "moving is continuing life"

More than anything, this episode is a reminder that every person we meet has a story. Stories of struggle. Stories of hope. Stories of becoming.

Sometimes all it takes is a simple question to uncover them.

As we close Season 2, I invite you to remain curious. Strike up a conversation. Ask a question. Listen deeply.

You never know what story might be hidden in plain sight.

Thank you for being part of this journey. I'll see you in the fall for the next chapter of Becoming Lotus.

Until then, have a beautiful summer filled with growth, learning, connection, and adventure.

Until next time—keep rising, keep blooming, and keep soaking it all in. 

 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it and it would be greatly appreciated if you would  take a moment to write a review.
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📖 Explore my book I AM LOTUS and my life coaching offerings at tamaraoshaughnessy.com

  Instagram – @soakingitallin 

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There are moments in life when something deep inside us starts asking questions we can no longer ignore.

Am I really happy?
Am I living authentically?
What truth am I avoiding by telling myself “I’m fine”?

In this solo episode of Becoming Lotus, Tamara explores the quiet tension between comfort and truth, and the courage it takes to listen to what we already know beneath the surface.

Inspired by a recent conversation, Carl Jung’s powerful quote about the unconscious mind, and even the surprising wisdom behind Heart Rate Variability (HRV), this episode dives into the connection between our nervous system, our inner truth, and the life we are creating in the spaces in between.

This is a conversation about:

• complacency and self-honesty
• the stories we tell ourselves
• vulnerability and emotional awareness
• listening to the body’s signals
• unlocking new versions of ourselves
• and trusting what rises to the surface when we finally stop suppressing it

Because maybe the coin never really decides anything.

Maybe it only reveals what we already knew.

And maybe the truth we keep pushing down isn’t there to disrupt our life…

Maybe it’s there to guide it.

Until next time—keep rising, keep blooming, and keep soaking it all in. 

 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it and it would be greatly appreciated if you would  take a moment to write a review.
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📖 Explore my book I AM LOTUS and my life coaching offerings at tamaraoshaughnessy.com

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What does it really mean to live by choice… not default?

In this episode of Becoming Lotus, I sit down with Matt Sochon—coach, mentor, founder of the Sochon Method, and someone who played a pivotal role in my own journey of pushing beyond what I thought I was capable of.

Just over a year ago, I stepped into Matt’s world in Dubai—completely outside of my comfort zone—and that experience became a catalyst for everything that followed. This conversation is a full-circle moment.

Together, we get into what it’s like living—“smack dab in the middle of a war zone”—and the perspective that comes with that reality.

We also explore what women often underestimate in themselves, and open up a powerful conversation around masculinity—challenging outdated stereotypes and redefining strength through vulnerability, authenticity, and personal responsibility.

Matt is someone who embodies edification—the act of uplifting, encouraging, and bringing out the best in others—and it’s something you’ll feel throughout this conversation.

This episode is an invitation to stop living by default… and start living with intention.

Because your life is happening now—
and you get to choose how you show up in it.

Until next time—keep rising, keep blooming, and keep soaking it all in. 

 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it and it would be greatly appreciated if you would  take a moment to write a review.
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📖 Explore my book I AM LOTUS and my life coaching offerings at tamaraoshaughnessy.com

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What happens when life forces you to start over…
and you actually listen?

In this episode of Becoming Lotus, I sit down with Jessie Thomas, founder of Farm Girl Fitness—an anomaly in the fitness world and a space that has become so much more than a gym.

Set on an 88-acre farm, workouts take place in a converted barn, out in the fresh air, and within a community that values connection over comparison.

After losing her job during the pandemic, Jessie didn’t have a plan…
but she started anyway.

What began with four people, hay bales, and uncertainty has grown into something rare—a space where people don’t come to shrink themselves, but to expand into who they are.

We talk about:

• Starting before you feel ready
• Why fear is often the beginning—not the barrier
• The truth about competition (it’s you vs. you)
• How consistency quietly changes everything
• And why what you build in fitness carries into every part of your life

This isn’t just about workouts.
It’s about identity.
It’s about showing up.
It’s about becoming.

If you’ve ever thought “I don’t know if I can do this”…
this episode is your reminder that maybe you can.

📍 The next DEKA event at Farm Girl Fitness is May 3rd.
Come compete—or just come watch and feel the energy. You might surprise yourself.

Because it’s never too late to start.

Until next time—keep rising, keep blooming, and keep soaking it all in. 

 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it and it would be greatly appreciated if you would  take a moment to write a review.
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📖 Explore my book I AM LOTUS and my life coaching offerings at tamaraoshaughnessy.com

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In a world that can often feel heavy and uncertain, it’s easy to get caught in the noise of headlines, social media, and the pressures of everyday life. But what if the moments that help steady us are the ones we’re most likely to overlook?

In this episode of Becoming Lotus, Tamara reflects on the quiet power of the extraordinary ordinary — the small, often unnoticed moments that can shift our perspective and restore a sense of balance.

From the simple act of listening to birds on a spring morning, to the unexpected healing found in pulling invasive weeds during a difficult season of grief, Tamara explores how nature, pause, and presence can help us reclaim our footing when life feels uncertain.

Drawing inspiration from the writings of Anne Frank during World War II, this episode reminds us that even in the darkest chapters of history, people have found ways to notice the beauty that still remains.

If the world has been feeling heavy lately, this conversation is an invitation to slow down, look up, step outside, and tune into a different frequency — the one where the extraordinary ordinary lives.

Because even the smallest moments can be opportunities to make it count.

Until next time—keep rising, keep blooming, and keep soaking it all in. 

 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it and it would be greatly appreciated if you would  take a moment to write a review.
 Subscribe to Becoming Lotus so you never miss an episode.
📖 Explore my book I AM LOTUS and my life coaching offerings at tamaraoshaughnessy.com

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Life will throw curveballs we never see coming. The question isn’t if they will arrive — it’s whether we will be strong enough — physically, emotionally, and spiritually — to meet them when they do.

In this deeply personal episode, Tamara shares the story behind one of the hardest podcasts she’s ever written — a week when life interrupted her plans, forced her into stillness, and ultimately revealed a different kind of wisdom. Dedicated to her beloved Australian shepherd Calvin, this episode explores love, loss, preparedness, and the quiet strength required to live fully right up until the end.

Drawing on her experiences in palliative care, midlife reinvention, and her unexpected journey into hybrid racing, Tamara reflects on the concept of “training for life” — building resilience, vitality, and inner capacity long before the hard moments arrive. She introduces the idea of a “muscle bubble,” a protective field of strength created through movement, discipline, and self-care that helps us stay standing when life hits hardest.

This conversation isn’t really about racing.
It’s about being ready to live… and ready to love… no matter what comes.

An invitation to examine your own life, your strength, and the gift of time — and to consider how you are preparing for the moments that will matter most.

💛 Dedicated to Calvin — healer, protector, and deeply loved companion. 

Until next time—keep rising, keep blooming, and keep soaking it all in. 

 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it and it would be greatly appreciated if you would  take a moment to write a review.
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📖 Explore my book I AM LOTUS and my life coaching offerings at tamaraoshaughnessy.com

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A Conversation on Authorship, Happiness, and Becoming — with My Daughters

In this special episode of Becoming Lotus, I’m joined by two of my favourite humans — my daughters, Grace and Julianna.

This conversation is about authorship — of our lives, our choices, and the stories we tell ourselves. We talk about happiness, intention, and what it means to realize that no matter where you are in life, the pen is still in your hands.

This episode was born from laughter, honesty, and the kind of conversations I always hoped would live on — not just for my girls, but for anyone who needs the reminder that you’re not behind, you’re not stuck, and it’s never too late to choose again.

Whether you’re navigating change, questioning what’s next, or simply craving a deeper conversation, this episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and remember that you are still the author of your story.

Until next time—keep rising, keep blooming, and keep soaking it all in. 

 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it and it would be greatly appreciated if you would  take a moment to write a review.
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📖 Explore my book I AM LOTUS and my life coaching offerings at tamaraoshaughnessy.com

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In the opening episode of Season 2, I share a story that arrived through the most unexpected of places — a handmade purse, a chance encounter, and a poem that will have a deeply profound impact on your life- should you choose to allow it...

The Purse: Skulls, Crows and the Call to Live Your Dash is a reflection on contrast and meaning — light and dark, beauty and fear, life and death — and how sometimes the things we resist most are the very things here to teach us.

What began as a simple moment at a local artisan market became a powerful reframe for how I see my own life, my past, and the choices I’m making now. Through skulls, crows, and a poem that feels like it could have been written from my own lived experience, this episode explores what it truly means to live intentionally.

At the heart of this episode is The Dash — that small line between the date we are born and the date we will someday leave this world. What we choose to put into that dash matters. The story it tells matters.

This episode is an invitation.
Not to become someone new — but to live more fully as who you already are.
To choose with intention.
To notice what you’re carrying.
And to ask yourself whether the life you’re building is dash-worthy.

Season 2 begins here.

Poem featured in this episode:
“The Dash” by Linda Ellis (1996)

Used for discussion and reflection purposes. All rights remain with the author.

Featured Artisan

Handmade purse featured in this episode by Sweet Seamz — a local artisan brand creating beautiful cork and cotton designs.

Until next time—keep rising, keep blooming, and keep soaking it all in. 

 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it and it would be greatly appreciated if you would  take a moment to write a review.
 Subscribe to Becoming Lotus so you never miss an episode.
📖 Explore my book I AM LOTUS and my life coaching offerings at tamaraoshaughnessy.com

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Season One Finale: The Bridge — Becoming the Vision

This final episode of Season One is an invitation to stand at the edge of who you’ve been… and take a step toward who you are becoming.

We explore the power of visualization, the images that shape our identity, and the inner bridge each of us must cross to meet our future self.
You’ll hear stories, science, guided reflection, and the behind-the-scenes evolution of this podcast — and of me.

This is the work of becoming:
One breath.
One image.
One step closer to the vision you hold within.

Thank you for walking this bridge with me.
Season Two awaits.

Until next time—keep rising, keep blooming, and keep soaking it all in. 

 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it and it would be greatly appreciated if you would  take a moment to write a review.
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📖 Explore my book I AM LOTUS and my life coaching offerings at tamaraoshaughnessy.com

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When we stop gripping who we were, we create space for who we’re becoming.
In this episode, I explore the spiritual symbolism of mirrors and broken glass, a powerful lesson on non-attachment from the Yamas & Niyamas, and three stories — from Ted Lasso, from my own life, and from a client — that remind us what happens when we finally learn to let go. Sometimes freedom is as simple as releasing the banana… and trusting the timing of the swing.

Until next time—keep rising, keep blooming, and keep soaking it all in. 

 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who might need to hear it and it would be greatly appreciated if you would  take a moment to write a review.
 Subscribe to Becoming Lotus so you never miss an episode.
📖 Explore my book I AM LOTUS and my life coaching offerings at tamaraoshaughnessy.com

  Instagram – @soakingitallin