Becoming With Precious: The Journey of Personal Growth And Reinvention

If you survived two bankruptcies, a near death experience, and two brutal battles with cancer, would you let the world convince you that you were hopelessly broken, or would you find the audacity to realize you were entirely magnificent all along?

Sue Paulson has lived a life defined by the kind of profound breakage that would shatter most people. Enduring two divorces, two bankruptcies, a near death experience in 2007, and two grueling battles with cancer, she found herself constantly standing in the rubble of her own existence. Yet, instead of surrendering to the despair of these relentless trials, Sue chose to completely overhaul her understanding of reality. Her journey to the other side stripped away a lifetime of conditioning, leaving her with the undeniable realization that she did not need to be fixed. She simply needed to awaken to the immense power already residing within her.

In this deeply raw conversation, Sue deconstructs the exhausting trap of constant self improvement and reveals the gritty truth about navigating life's darkest moments. She unpacks how she transformed the terrifying diagnosis of cancer into a formidable teacher and explains why settling for the metaphorical chipped plate is the ultimate disservice to your soul. By directly confronting the fear of visibility and dismantling the brutal internal belief that she was not worth saving, Sue provides a radical, audacious blueprint for moving beyond mere survival to completely embracing your unpolished, unfinished, and deeply magnificent self.

In this episode of Becoming With precious, you will discover:

• Dark moments can be gifts that lead to self-discovery
• Fear often holds us back from expressing our true selves
• Self-love is essential for growth and happiness
• Vulnerability strengthens relationships and personal growth
• Asking oneself what is wonderful about today shifts focus to positivity

Connect with Sue Paulson

Website: suepaulson.com

YouTube: Sue Paulson

LinkedIn: Sue Paulson

Facebook: Sue Paulson

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Read an article of this episode on Substack: Stop Trying To Fix Yourself

Chapters

00:00 The Journey of Self-Becoming

01:14 Navigating Life's Challenges

02:38 Transformative Near-Death Experience

05:08 Cancer as a Teacher

07:49 Finding Light in Dark Moments

10:35 From Self-Improvement to Self-Acceptance

13:09 The Power of Safe Love

15:24 Pivotal Moments in Growth

17:58 Overcoming Fear to Embrace Power

21:24 Connecting and Sharing Your Story

What if the ultimate solution to corporate exhaustion and massive financial waste isn't another productivity hack, but having the audacity to bring childhood play back into the boardroom?Vanya Boardman spent years climbing the ranks in high stakes industries like finance and tech, only to find herself in rooms where her voice didn't matter and innovation was suffocated by routine. Instead of accepting the broken, disengaged reality of the modern workplace, she made the gritty decision to walk away completely. Risking her stable income and facing the skepticism of the corporate world, she co-founded Playinove to tackle the epidemic of burnout by reintroducing the radical concept of play.

In this conversation, Vanya dismantles the outdated belief that play is just for kids, proving it is a serious business tool that saves companies time, money, and risk. She shares practical ways to build real psychological safety, the neuroscience behind using nostalgic tools to boost retention, and how micro moments of creativity can save you from a toxic work culture. For anyone feeling crushed by corporate rigidity, this episode is a blueprint for reclaiming your human connection and sparking genuine innovation.

In this episode of Becoming With Precious, you will discover:

• Play is not a waste of time; it is a strategic tool that compresses alignment, reduces costly friction, and mitigates business risk.

• True psychological safety requires leaders to create intentional pauses where every team member is given equal space to be seen and heard.

• You retain significantly more information when learning involves physical, nostalgic experiences rather than just listening to a lecture.

• You don't need a progressive corporate culture to reclaim your creativity; micro moments like doodling for sixty seconds can rewire your brain for resilience.

If this episode resonates with you; like, subscribe and share with someone. You can also leave a review and comment on the show.

Connect with Vanya Boardman on https://www.playinnove.com/

How do you hold onto your identity and sanity when a catastrophic accident steals your physical voice and the world tries to lock you away in institutions and prisons?Barry Deeks experienced the ultimate test of human resilience when a devastating road accident silenced his physical voice. Stripped of his ability to speak and thrust into a system of psychiatric hospitals and prisons, Barry refused to let his mind become a cage. Instead, he made the audacious choice to weaponize his intellect and observation, using writing as a refuge to reframe his suffering and resist the institutions trying to box him in.

In this conversation, Barry shares the raw reality of his bizarre and enchanting life, proving that extreme adversity can be the catalyst for a profound internal awakening. From vowing to save humanity at fourteen to his unfiltered thoughts on artificial intelligence and consciousness, Barry challenges us to stop taking generic advice and start trusting our own hopes as our primary drivers. His story is a gritty testament to the power of self belief and the radical courage required to become truly awake in a sleeping world.

In this episode of Becoming With Precious, you will discover:

• True resilience is built in the depths of silence, proving you are vastly stronger than your circumstances dictate.

• The best advice is often to reject advice entirely and allow your own internal hopes to drive your survival and growth.

• Holding onto your identity in oppressive environments requires replacing physical aggression with the sharp tools of language and observation.

• It takes immense strength to embrace profound solitude, but it requires equally radical courage to embrace other people.

If this episode resonates with you; like, subscribe and share with someone. You can also leave a review and comment on the show.

Connect with Barry Deeks on https://www.youtube.com/@BarryDeeks-s8g

How do you successfully scale a startup to 100 million in revenue while silently battling clinical depression, navigating infertility, and realizing the traditional corporate playbook is completely broken?Chelsea Byers achieved what many consider the ultimate corporate triumph, scaling a hypergrowth startup to massive financial success as a top executive. But behind her flawless professional profile, she was quietly navigating clinical depression, a devastating miscarriage, and the intense pressures of the MeToo era. Realizing that the cutthroat, perfectionist caricature of leadership was toxic, Chelsea made the audacious pivot to drop her executive mask. She chose to lead with radical transparency, proving that empathy and humanity are not corporate weaknesses, but foundational strengths.

In this honest conversation, Chelsea dismantles the dangerous myth that personal struggles should be left outside the boardroom. She shares the raw story of her greatest professional failure as a young teacher and explains how hitting rock bottom forced her to discover her authentic leadership style. If you are exhausted by the pressure to perform or terrified that showing your humanity will cost you your authority, this episode offers a gritty blueprint for building your career and your team without ripping apart at the seams.

In this episode of Becoming With Precious, you will discover:

• Pretending to be a cutthroat leader when you are not will only lead to exhaustion; true authority comes from embracing your authentic, calm, and respectful nature.

• Issues like infertility, parental leave, and mental health are not secret personal burdens; they are critical corporate realities that dictate the health of your team.

• Your effort does not automatically equal impact, a painful lesson that can force you to abandon meaningless hustle and focus on actual outcomes.

• Building human infrastructure during hypergrowth requires leaders to be vulnerable first, creating a safe space for the team to go the distance.

If this episode resonates with you; like, subscribe and share with someone. You can also leave a review and comment on the show.

Connect with Chelsea Byers on https://theexecutivefront.substack.com/

If the education system wrote you off as a failure and you found yourself jobless at thirty-seven, would you surrender to a life of mediocrity, or would you find the grit to completely rewrite your story and become a lifeline for others?

James Lee spent his early years falling through the cracks of a deeply flawed education system. Battling learning disabilities, he endured humiliating predictions from teachers who told him he would amount to nothing and end up on the streets. For years, James internalized this toxic narrative, drifting through life and bouncing between unfulfilling jobs. It wasn't until he was thirty-seven and faced the harsh reality of being fired once again that he reached a critical breaking point. Instead of resigning himself to a life of quiet desperation, he chose to confront his demons, take absolute ownership of his trajectory, and prove his doubters wrong.

In this deeply human conversation, James unpacks the raw reality of his late-in-life pivot. He shares how a simple aptitude test led him to the healthcare industry, where he traded internal turmoil for the profound purpose of serving the elderly. By shifting his focus outward and redefining success away from financial wealth toward legacy and humility, James built a foundation of genuine self-worth. His story is a powerful reminder that there is no expiration date on personal growth, and your darkest chapters can serve as the exact fuel needed to author a brand new beginning.

In this episode of Becoming With Precious, you will discover:

• Action destroys mediocrity: There is no magical timeline for success. Whether you are in your twenties or your fifties, the only requirement for transformation is the audacity to stop drifting and start moving forward.

• Your past is not your blueprint: Internalizing the negative opinions of others, especially authority figures, only paralyzes your potential. You have the power to turn their doubt into your greatest catalyst for change.

• Healing through service: Sometimes the fastest way to overcome your own internal struggles is to focus on helping those who cannot help themselves.

• 01:45 The trauma of falling through the cracks and surviving cruel predictions from teachers.

• 08:50 Reaching the breaking point at thirty-seven and refusing to settle for mediocrity.

• 11:24 How getting fired led to an unexpected and deeply fulfilling career in healthcare.

• 14:14 Redefining success: Why legacy and humility outlast financial gain.

• 16:26 The ultimate advice for late bloomers who feel their best years are behind them.

How do you find the grit to tear off a fake rap persona and risk your entire music career to openly speak about surviving mental abuse, cyberbullying, and suicidal ideation?

Rich Vysion entered the music industry wearing a mask. Chasing acceptance in a cutthroat hip-hop landscape, he adopted a fake, braggadocious gangster persona that drained his spirit and hid his profound emotional struggles. Behind the confident performances, he was quietly battling severe cyberbullying, self-harm, and devastating mental abuse from a trusted mentor during the pandemic. Pushed to the brink of suicidal ideation, Rich faced a brutal crossroads: continue living a lie that was killing him internally, or drop the facade and risk alienating his audience by speaking his raw truth.

Choosing survival over industry expectations, Rich made the audacious pivot to conscious artistry. He used simple tools like pen, paper, and physical affirmations to rewire his shattered self-worth and pull himself out of a deep victim mentality. In this deeply human conversation, he opens up about the gritty reality of healing, the terror of coming out and owning his queer identity in the rap space, and the hidden imposter syndrome he still battles after the applause fades. His comeback proves that true power is found when you stop performing for others and start writing your own authentic narrative.

In this episode of Becoming With Precious, you will discover:

• Authenticity requires dropping the mask: Clinging to a fake persona just to fit industry standards will eventually drain your mental health and block genuine connection with your audience.

• Healing starts with rewriting your narrative: When external voices break you down, you must aggressively counter them by writing down your own affirmations and reclaiming your personal agency.

• The stage does not cure self-doubt: You can possess immense confidence in your craft while still battling brutal imposter syndrome and feelings of unworthiness behind closed doors.

• Vulnerability is an act of rebellion: In an industry obsessed with superficial success, having the audacity to speak openly about mental health and past abuse creates a movement that heals both the artist and the listener.

If this episode resonates with you; like, subscribe and share with someone. You can also leave a review and comment on the show.

Connect with Rich Vysion on http://www.richvysion.com/

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What do you do when the mental health system completely fails you as a foster parent, leaving you alone to manage severe childhood trauma?Dr Beth Long was an experienced counselor and a dedicated foster parent, yet she found herself entirely unequipped to handle the severe trauma her children were facing. Frustrated by a mental health system that offered umbrella theories but zero practical tools for aggressive outbursts, she refused to just walk away. In a fiercely audacious pivot, she returned to school in her forties, sitting alongside twenty-somethings, to become a board-certified behavior analyst and bridge the massive gap between emotional counseling and behavioral science.

In this episode, Dr Beth dismantles everything we think we know about bad behavior. She explains why we must stop punishing children for what are essentially just skill deficits, and she shares raw, hard-won insights on surviving the trenches of parenting. From managing a concussion given by a traumatized foster child to redesigning family systems without losing your mind, her story is a masterclass in the grit required to rebuild your parenting strategies from the ground up.

In this episode of Becoming With Precious, you will discover:

• Bad behavior is rarely defiance; it is almost always a skill deficit that needs to be taught outside of the triggering moment.

• Doing nothing is often better than doing the wrong thing during a childs meltdown, giving both of you the space to emotionally regulate.

• Building a new family routine requires the grit to slowly implement a system, rather than demanding immediate compliance with a massive goal.

• Returning to the bottom to learn new skills in your forties is an audacious move that can completely revolutionize your lifes work.

If this episode resonates with you; like, subscribe and share with someone. You can also leave a review and comment on the show.

Connect with Dr Beth Long on https;\\worksofwondertherapy.com\

What would you do if a crushing business failure, a battle with throat cancer, and the tragic loss of two spouses left you with every excuse to quit, but you chose to become the bold architect of your own comeback instead?

David McNally knows what it means to hit absolute rock bottom. In his twenties, a devastating business failure stripped away his identity, leaving him trapped in a paralyzing cycle of self-pity and victimhood for two grueling years. But a radical mindset shift forced him to separate his worth from his bank account. He realized that while his business had failed, he was not a failure. Taking brutal personal responsibility, he reclaimed his unique gifts to build a phenomenal global career. Yet, his ultimate tests of grit were still ahead, forcing him to navigate the harrowing trenches of neck cancer and the profound grief of losing two wives.

Now approaching his eightieth birthday, David returns with audacious defiance to prove that aging is not a reason to surrender. Walking the beaches of Australia after his first wife passed, he heard a distinct calling: he was still breathing because he still had work to do. In this raw conversation, David dismantles the dangerous myth that life winds down in our later years. He breaks down the exact differences between merely surviving and truly thriving, offering a profound masterclass on how to cast aside excuses, harness the power of daily creation, and ensure your final chapters are your most purposeful yet.

In this episode of Becoming With Precious, you will discover:

• Failures are events, not identities: A catastrophic setback in business or life does not define your worth unless you choose to stay locked in a victim mindset.

• Escaping the survival trap: Surviving a tragedy is a deeply courageous first step, but thriving requires making firm commitments instead of leaning on comfortable excuses.

• Your mission lacks an expiration date: Getting older is a biological reality, but giving into age is a choice; true vitality comes from continually discovering new ways to contribute to the world.

• Success requires right action: You cannot expect phenomenal results by sitting on the sidelines; a meaningful life demands that you take the lead in creating your own reality every single day.

Connect with David McNally

Website:⁠https://www.davidmcnally.com/

LinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mcnally-1a08234/

YouTube:⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theinspiredelder

Facebook:⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576291708939

Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/mcnallyinspires/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theinspiredelder

If this episode resonates with you; like, subscribe and share with someone. You can also leave a review and comment on the show.

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Send a guest pitch to Precious on PodMatch

What would happen if you stopped wasting energy wishing you weren't your old self, and instead channeled that raw grit into designing the exact life and identity you crave?Teresa Bowser spent years trapped in a grueling cycle of survival mode, battling addiction, and constantly performing for the approval of others. Exhausted by the hamster wheel of wishing she could just escape her old identity, she made the audacious choice to pivot entirely. Instead of fighting her past, she began channeling her energy toward her future, eventually taking her gritty transformation to the trails. Teresa transformed herself into an ultra-runner, ultimately creating and conquering Project Untamed, a brutal 103-mile solo route through the Blue Ridge Mountains with massive elevation climbs.

In this honest conversation, Teresa explains how ultra-running became a mirror for her own life, teaching her how to navigate the messy middle of any massive challenge. She breaks down exactly why we need to stop waiting for permission, how to use fear as a navigational compass rather than a roadblock, and why the most powerful acts of courage are often the quiet, unseen decisions we make every single day. If you are tired of merely surviving, this episode provides a very real blueprint for uncaging your authentic power.

In this episode of Becoming With Precious, you will discover:

• True transformation begins the moment you stop resenting your past self and start actively building evidence for the person you want to become.

• Fear is not a roadblock; it is a navigational beacon that points directly toward your next level of growth and audacity.

• Courage does not always roar; sometimes it is found in quiet, daily boundaries like going to bed on time or simply standing tall in your own kitchen.

• You do not have to follow the paths already laid out for you, whether in a 100-mile race or in life. You have the power to design your own route.

If this episode resonates with you; like, subscribe and share with someone. You can also leave a review and comment on the show.

Connect with Teresa Bowser on https://www.sheglowsuntamed.com/

Want to be a guest on Becoming With Precious?

Send a ⁠Message⁠

If you lost the job you planned to retire from today, with a family depending entirely on you, would you succumb to the terror, or would you find the audacity to build an empire that transforms the lives of the unemployable?

Mary Korn was completely blindsided when she was fired just two months into a job she believed would carry her to retirement. As a single mother with two teenagers heading to college, the termination plunged her into a terrifying abyss of uncertainty and financial dread. Instead of letting panic dictate her future, Mary leaned into the raw survival instinct modeled by her Holocaust survivor mother. She embraced the gritty reality of her situation, using a divine whisper and the power of informational interviews to carve a radically new path. What started as desperate cold calls evolved into a massive undertaking, proving that rock bottom can serve as the ultimate foundation for an audacious comeback.

In this conversation, Mary unpacks the unconventional strategy of building a company of over 1,300 employees by hiring those society had deemed unemployable. She shares the unvarnished truth about scaling a business across thirty states while battling daily, paralyzing fear for twenty years. By redefining perceived liabilities as monumental assets, Mary offers a profound blueprint for anyone currently trapped in a toxic job or navigating the devastating aftermath of a layoff. Her story is a testament to the fact that when you pair a crystal-clear life purpose with relentless action, you can engineer a legacy of impact from the ashes of professional failure.

In this episode of Becoming With Precious, you will discover:

• Staying stagnant amplifies terror, whereas treating your pivot like a full-time job builds necessary momentum.

• Hiring individuals with severe barriers to employment yields a workforce built on profound gratitude, loyalty, and unmatched retention.

• Reaching out for guidance and industry knowledge, rather than directly asking for a job, is a strategic way to uncover your purpose and secure vital contracts.

• Managing the emotional toll of failure must be paired with physical exercise and a strict financial budget to create a realistic foundation for your next steps

• 03:53 Inheriting grit from a Holocaust survivor mother.

• 05:27 Why the most unemployable people became a company's greatest asset.

• 08:50 Practical tactics to silence paralyzing fear and embrace courage.

• 14:01 Emotional and logistical first steps to take immediately after getting fired.