Born without a choice

In a world filled with constant noise, distractions, and pressure to keep moving, finding a moment of stillness can feel almost impossible. But what if the clarity we’re searching for doesn’t come from doing more, but from slowing down and learning to listen?

In this episode of Born Without a Choice, we sit down with Rich Lewis, an author, speaker, and coach whose work explores centering prayer as a path toward inner transformation, peace, and a deeper relationship with God. After beginning his journey into silent prayer in 2013, Rich discovered how the practice of stillness could help him approach life with greater awareness and spiritual connection.

Rich shares insights from his book, Sitting with God: A Journey to Your True Self Through Centering Prayer, and explains how people can begin embracing silence, navigating distractions, and making space for reflection in their everyday lives. We explore the challenges of overthinking, the uncertainty of life’s circumstances, and the difference between the expectations others place on us and discovering who we truly are.

This conversation is an invitation to slow down, approach ourselves with patience, and find meaning in the quiet moments we often overlook. Because even when we cannot control everything that happens to us, we can learn to respond with greater intention, faith, and understanding.

📬 Guest Details

Guest: Rich Lewis
Profession: Author, speaker, and coach
Book: Sitting with God: A Journey to Your True Self Through Centering Prayer
Website: https://silenceteaches.com/about-the-books/

Areas of Expertise:

Centering prayer and contemplative spirituality

Building a consistent practice of stillness

Faith and personal transformation

• Self-awareness and spiritual growth
• Navigating uncertainty through reflection
• Journaling, gratitude, and intentional living
• Key Episode Themes:
• Learning to be still in a noisy world
• Understanding centering prayer

Managing distractions and overthinking

• Finding peace amid uncertainty
• Discovering your true self beyond others’ expectations
• Developing daily habits that encourage reflection
• Learning to approach silence with patience
• Making more intentional choices about how we live

Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to hold everything together? We chase success, try to meet everyone’s expectations, and push ourselves to keep going, even when we feel exhausted inside. But what happens when the very habits that helped us succeed begin to leave us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from ourselves?

In this episode of Born Without a Choice, we sit down with Liz Coleman, a certified transformational life coach, Mind Shifting and NLP practitioner, and creator of the MindLife Reset™. With a background in psychology, Liz helps women who appear capable and successful on the outside but privately struggle with overthinking, constant pressure, and difficulty switching off.

Drawing from her personal experiences with career demands, financial responsibilities, relationship challenges, and health issues, Liz shares how our inner beliefs can shape our decisions, relationships, and everyday behavior. We explore her whole-person approach to understanding the connection between the mind, body, and spirit, and why lasting change may begin with recognizing the patterns that no longer serve us.

This conversation explores how to rebuild self-trust, challenge limiting beliefs, and learn to rest without guilt. Because sometimes, finding your way forward doesn’t mean doing more or trying harder. It means understanding what you’ve been carrying, questioning the expectations you’ve placed on yourself, and giving yourself permission to live differently.

📬 Guest Details

Guest: Liz Coleman
Profession: Certified Transformational Life Coach, Mind Shifting and NLP Practitioner
Creator: MindLife Reset™
Background: Psychology
Areas of Expertise: Overthinking, limiting beliefs, self-trust, personal development, mindset shifts, and whole-person well-being.

Free Guide: 5 Techniques to Overcome Limiting Beliefs
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bMRRUfq_QyFtpcLWxTkW1AMTZ4HijdUG/view?usp=sharing

Key Episode Themes:

The pressure to achieve and hold everything together

Understanding overthinking and mental exhaustion

Recognizing beliefs that influence our behavior

The connection between mind, body, and inner patterns

Rebuilding self-trust

• Challenging limiting beliefs
• Learning to rest without guilt
• Finding a calmer, more authentic way to live

Why do we sometimes struggle to change habits even when we know exactly what we should do? Is lasting change really about willpower and discipline, or does it begin with understanding ourselves better?

In this episode of Born Without a Choice, we sit down with Jeff Siegel, a men’s wellness coach, Harvard teaching fellow, and author of Eating 2.0: How to Eat Confidently in an Ultra-Processed World. Jeff helps us explore the relationship between food, identity, emotions, and the everyday choices that shape our lives.

We discuss why knowing what to do doesn’t always translate into action, how stress and personal beliefs influence our habits, and why rigid control can sometimes make change even more difficult. Jeff also introduces his Four Inner Eaters framework: Survival, Pleasure, Social, and Strategic, offering a way to better understand the motivations behind our food choices.

This conversation is about moving beyond self-judgment, recognizing the patterns that keep us stuck, and learning to lead ourselves with greater awareness and intention. Because sometimes, the first step toward lasting change isn’t trying harder—it’s understanding ourselves better.

📬 Guest Details

Guest: Jeff Siegel
Profession: Men’s wellness coach, Harvard teaching fellow, and author
Book: Eating 2.0: How to Eat Confidently in an Ultra-Processed World
Expertise: Eating psychology, behavioral science, mindfulness, habit change, motivation, and personal development
Notable Work: Contributor to Psychology Today and creator of the TED-Ed lesson How to Make Muscles Grow.

Free Inner Eater Quiz:
https://jeffrey-siegel.involve.me/inner-eaters-quiz

Episode Themes:

Understanding habits beyond willpower

Food, emotions, and identity

The Four Inner Eaters

Self-awareness without shame

Balancing control and flexibility

• Building sustainable habits and personal change
• Learning to lead yourself with intention

What happens when life takes us somewhere we never expected to go? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, Michaela S. Cox explores grief, resilience, faith, and the journey of moving from simply surviving to discovering new purpose after life-changing experiences.

Michaela is a speaker, multi-published author, and creator of the Finding Grace Through Grief book series and course. Drawing on her personal experiences of legal blindness, divorce, and the loss of her husband in 2017, she shares how unexpected changes can reshape our lives and challenge the future we once imagined.

We explore Michaela’s Finding Grace in Life and in All Things framework, which focuses on finding grounding, embracing personal transformation, developing a sense of abundance, choosing care, and becoming equipped to move forward. She also discusses how faith, practical tools, and supportive relationships can help people navigate grief and uncertainty.

This conversation is a reminder that thriving doesn’t mean pretending pain never happened or returning to the person we were before. Sometimes, it means learning to live differently, discovering strength in unexpected places, and recognizing that a meaningful future is still possible—even when life looks nothing like we planned.

📬 Guest Details

• Name: Michaela S. Cox
• Roles: Speaker | Multi-Published Author | Creator of the Finding Grace Through Grief Series
• Work: Finding Grace Through Grief book series and course
• TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/Lib2zOIPh8U?si=P7aH1s0NhVypPUsz
• Areas of Expertise: Grief and loss, resilience, faith, personal growth, disability, motherhood, and life transitions
• Personal Journey: Navigating legal blindness, divorce at age 26, widowhood, and solo motherhood following the loss of her husband in 2017
• Framework: Finding Grace in Life and in All Things
• Key Principles: Gaining your grounding, being redeemed and redesigned, developing abundance, choosing care, and becoming equipped to move forward
• Key Themes: Grief, healing, faith, adapting to unexpected change, rediscovering purpose, resilience, and rebuilding after loss
• Focus: Helping people navigate life’s unexpected challenges, move beyond survival mode, and discover practical ways to build a meaningful future
• Core Message: We may not choose every challenge life brings, but we can learn to adapt, seek support, and take steps toward a future filled with renewed hope and purpose.

How do we bring people together in a world where differences in beliefs, experiences, and perspectives can so easily divide us? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, Rev. Dr. B. Keith Haney explores faith, leadership, unity, and the courage it takes to create meaningful change.

With more than 30 years of ministry experience, Dr. Haney serves as Assistant to the President for Missions, Human Care, and Stewardship in Iowa District West of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Through his leadership, writing, and podcast, Becoming Bridge Builders, he encourages people and organizations to navigate change, strengthen relationships, and find common ground.

We discuss his book Guided by Grace: A Narrative to Lead Organizational Change, which explores the challenges organizations face when familiar approaches stop working and transformation becomes necessary. Dr. Haney also shares insights from One Nation Under God: Healing Racial Divides in America, examining the importance of listening, rebuilding trust, and addressing division with empathy and accountability.

This conversation is about learning to listen without abandoning your values, embracing change when it feels uncomfortable, and recognizing that leadership begins with understanding ourselves. Because being a bridge builder doesn’t mean everyone has to agree—it means being willing to recognize one another’s humanity and work toward a better future together.

📬 Guest Details

• Name: Rev. Dr. B. Keith Haney
• Roles: Pastor | Author | Leadership Advocate | Podcast Host
• Current Position: Assistant to the President for Missions, Human Care, and Stewardship, Iowa District West, Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
• Podcast: Becoming Bridge Builders
• Book: Guided by Grace: A Narrative to Lead Organizational Change
• Other Book: One Nation Under God: Healing Racial Divides in America
• Book Link: https://wipfandstock.com/9798385251667/guided-by-grace/
• Experience: More than 30 years in ministry and leadership
• Areas of Expertise: Faith-based leadership, organizational change, community development, racial reconciliation, communication, unity, and relationship-building
• Key Themes: Bridge building, overcoming division, leadership through uncertainty, embracing change, empathy, grace, accountability, and rebuilding trust
• Focus: Helping individuals, communities, and organizations navigate change, strengthen relationships, and work toward meaningful transformation
• Core Message: We may not choose the divisions or circumstances we inherit, but we can choose to listen, build bridges, and help create a better future together.

What if our relationship with money has less to do with how much we earn and more to do with what we believe, the habits we develop, and the lessons we learn growing up? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, Monica Kaufman explores the connection between money, mindset, personal agency, and the choices that shape our financial future.

Monica is a Certified Financial Planner™ with more than 20 years of experience in financial planning, wealth management, financial education, and behavior change. As the founder of Clarity Forward, she helps people move beyond financial confusion and shame to develop greater confidence and build healthier relationships with money.

We discuss how childhood experiences influence financial habits, why financial shame can keep people stuck, and why knowing what to do doesn’t always translate into lasting change. Monica also shares insights into financial literacy for young people, breaking unhealthy financial patterns across generations, and balancing family responsibilities with personal financial well-being.

This conversation is a reminder that financial confidence isn’t just about numbers in a bank account. It’s about understanding your choices, making decisions that reflect your values, and taking practical steps toward a more secure and intentional future.

📬 Guest Details

• Name: Monica Kaufman
• Credentials: Certified Financial Planner™
• Role: Founder of Clarity Forward
• Website Provided: https://harmonywealthacademy.com/
• Experience: 20+ years in financial planning, wealth management, financial education, and behavior change
• Areas of Expertise: Financial planning, wealth management, financial literacy, money mindset, behavior change, and financial well-being
• Key Themes: Financial confidence, inherited money beliefs, financial shame, personal agency, budgeting habits, financial education, and generational financial patterns
• Initiatives Mentioned: TableCents, STRIDE, and HearthSafe
• Focus: Helping people develop the knowledge, confidence, and practical systems to make financial decisions aligned with their values and goals
• Personal Perspective: Mother of two grown sons, bringing both professional and personal insight to financial decisions across different stages of life
• Core Message: You may not have chosen the financial lessons or circumstances you started with, but you can take steps to build a healthier relationship with money and shape your financial future.

What if your life didn’t have to be defined by your circumstances, past experiences, or the beliefs you’ve carried for years? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, Paul Padgett explores how we can move beyond survival mode and begin intentionally building lives filled with purpose, resilience, and fulfillment.

As President and CEO of Blueprints To Success™, Paul focuses on helping individuals and organizations recognize the patterns holding them back, take ownership of their future, and develop practical strategies for meaningful change.

We discuss the difference between surviving and thriving, identifying limiting beliefs, taking responsibility for the choices within our control, and turning intentions into consistent action. Paul also shares insights on navigating setbacks, developing resilience, and redefining success beyond money, status, and other people’s expectations.

For anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain about their future, this conversation is a reminder that where your story begins doesn’t have to determine where it goes. Sometimes, building a better future starts with one small decision and a willingness to do things differently.

📬 Guest Details

• Name: Paul Padgett
• Role: President & CEO of Blueprints To Success™
• Website: https://www.blueprintstosuccess.com
• Organization: Blueprints To Success™
• Focus: Helping individuals and organizations move beyond survival mode and build lives centered on purpose, resilience, and fulfillment
• Areas of Expertise: Personal development, leadership, business development, intentional growth, resilience, human behavior, and personal transformation
• Key Themes: Surviving versus thriving, limiting beliefs, personal responsibility, purpose, goal-setting, consistent action, overcoming setbacks, and redefining success
• Approach: Encouraging people to recognize unhelpful patterns, take ownership of the choices within their control, and create practical plans for lasting growth
• Core Message: Your starting point doesn’t have to be your destination. With intentional choices and consistent action, you can begin building a future that reflects your values and goals.

How do we find direction when we don’t have all the answers about our future? In this episode of Born Without a Choice, Ara C. Trembly explores the relationship between faith, psychology, dreams, and the search for purpose.

Ara is a licensed counselor, practicing psychotherapist, Christian counselor, and author with 19 years of experience in the mental health field. Drawing on his background in psychology, counseling, communication, and hypnotherapy, he shares his perspective on how our conscious and unconscious experiences may influence the way we understand ourselves and navigate life.

We discuss his book, Dreaming God’s Way, and the role dreams may play in reflecting on faith, personal direction, and life’s unanswered questions. We also explore dream interpretation, managing stress, understanding relationships, and what hypnotherapy really involves.

For anyone feeling uncertain about their identity, purpose, or future, this conversation offers an opportunity to reflect on faith, listen to your inner world, and approach life’s questions with greater curiosity and openness.

📬 Guest Details

• Name: Ara C. Trembly, M.S., M.A., ACHt
• Roles: Licensed Counselor | Practicing Psychotherapist | Christian Counselor | Author | Consultant | Public Speaker
• Book: Dreaming God’s Way
• Other Book: The Right Hand of God
• Book Link: https://christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=dreaming-gods-way
• Professional Experience: 19 years in the mental health field
• Education: Graduate study in psychology at New York University and Rutgers; master’s degrees in Counseling from Cairn University and Communication from Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Credentials: Board-Certified Hypnotherapist
• Areas of Expertise: Psychotherapy, Christian counseling, dream interpretation, hypnotherapy, interpersonal stress, relationship challenges, and mental and physical wellbeing
• Key Themes: Faith, purpose, dreams, the conscious and unconscious mind, stress, relationships, identity, and finding direction
• Professional Background: Former adjunct faculty member at Cairn University’s Institute of Higher Learning; has worked with more than 1,000 people through hypnosis
• Focus: Helping people explore their inner experiences, understand personal challenges, and reflect on their faith and direction in life

What happens when the person asking the questions starts realizing that the answers are changing them too?

In this special listener episode of Born Without a Choice, Victory steps away from the usual guest format and reflects on the personal journey behind the podcast—and the lessons learned through conversations with the remarkable people who have shared their stories.

From resilience and purpose to relationships, healing, community, forgiveness, and starting again, every guest has offered a different perspective on what it means to live a life we never chose the beginning of.

Victory also reflects on a recent conversation with Dr. Maria Van Der Maaten and the powerful reminder that we don’t have to navigate life alone. Sometimes wellness, growth, and strength begin with the right people around us and the communities we choose to build.

This episode is a thank-you to the listeners who have been part of the journey—and a personal reminder that although we may not choose where our story begins, we can still choose what comes next.

Thank you for listening to Born Without a Choice.

What happens when the person asking the questions starts realizing that the answers are changing them too?

In this special listener episode of Born Without a Choice, Victory steps away from the usual guest format and reflects on the personal journey behind the podcast—and the lessons learned through conversations with the remarkable people who have shared their stories.

From resilience and purpose to relationships, healing, community, forgiveness, and starting again, every guest has offered a different perspective on what it means to live a life we never chose the beginning of.

Victory also reflects on a recent conversation with Dr. Maria Van Der Maaten and the powerful reminder that we don’t have to navigate life alone. Sometimes wellness, growth, and strength begin with the right people around us and the communities we choose to build.

This episode is a thank-you to the listeners who have been part of the journey—and a personal reminder that although we may not choose where our story begins, we can still choose what comes next.

Thank you for listening to Born Without a Choice.