Brilliantly Resilient

I didn’t know how to live anymore. ~ Taylor Grieger

You chase everything you can in this world because you’re alive in it. 

~ Taylor Grieger

Hope and despair. While most of us have experienced great sadness or heartache, fortunately, not everyone experiences despair. But we all know hope, which can lift us from the depths, if we can only find it.

This episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast marks our 100th show, and we couldn’t think of a better way to offer hope and share Brilliance and Resilience than to bring you Taylor Grieger and Stephen O’Shea.

A veteran U.S. Navy rescue swimmer, Taylor Grieger found himself unable to adjust to civilian life after his term of service. After his gun didn’t fire when Taylor tried to take his own life, he knew he had to find out why he was still alive and draw attention to the terrible toll PTSD takes on veterans. 

Taylor recruited his high school swim team friend, writer Stephen O’Shea, to embark on a treacherous sailing journey to the waters of Cape Horn, known as the graveyard of ships. On the way, Taylor uncovered his own hidden Resilience and found his Brilliance while sharing the journey with other veterans to inspire hope. Their travels are documented in the film Hell or High Seas, and it’s mesmerizing. 

Have you ever experienced a painful event and wondered why? Or worse, that it was somehow your fault (as Taylor remarks in the film)? When big, tough sucker punches happen, it’s normal to look for a reason, even if that reason means blaming ourselves. But it’s rarely that simple, and often, the reason isn’t important, it’s how we choose to come out the other side. The quotes above reflect Taylor’s reckoning with both ends of this challenging spectrum.

Building a tribe, asking for help, controlling the control-ables, not being married to outcomes and taking action are all parts of being Brilliantly Resilient which Taylor and Stephen return to again and again in their journey. With every step, the final message is always: There is hope.

Tune into this 100th episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to learn more about Taylor and Stephen, and be sure to watch the film Hell or High Seas. And check out https://www.amodsailing.org/ for more on adventure therapy and how it can help veterans build healthy lives after service. Thank you Taylor, for your service and thanks to you and Stephen for sharing your incredible journey and wisdom!

XO,

KS & MFB

Growth is found in the valleys; it’s not found on the mountains. But being on the mountain allows us to see the beauty so when we have to go back to the valley, we can handle it.

~ Melanie Bradshaw

Have you ever experienced a sucker punch and thought, Why me? Melanie Bradshaw did. In fact, in 2021, our Brilliantly Resilient guest this week was treating Covid patients in the E.R. where she worked, lost her father to Covid, got Covid herself, was in a major car accident, and was diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoing major surgery twice to treat the disease.

If anyone had the right to ask, “Why me?” it was Melanie. But when the thought struck, she quickly turned it to “Why not me?” recognizing that she could be defeated or be tougher than the hits. She chose tough, knowing that we learn in the valleys so we can continue to strive for the view from the mountain top and appreciate all of its beauty.

Sucker punches, well, suck. But we always have a choice, and if you know us, we say it starts with a decision: Are you just visiting your challenge, or are you going to live there? We don’t usually have the choice to avoid a sucker punch, but we always have a choice as to whether that hit will define us. (Hint: It doesn’t have to!)

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more from Melanie, her incredible story, and her amazing outlook to keep striving for the mountain top. Melanie is truly Brilliantly Resilient–so are you!

XO,

KS & MFB

If you really want to be kind, you need to be grounded in action and rooted in justice. ~ Kaitlin Johnstone, Founder of Kind Cotton

How often have you heard the word “kindness” lately? There’s no doubt that encouraging kindness makes for a gentler, more humane world. But as this week’s guest reminds us, without action and a sense of justice, kindness can devolve into mere pleasantries–when it can be so much more.

As a kindergarten teacher, Kaitlin Johnstone realized that many of her students had only the books in her classroom to expose them to the wonders of reading and literacy. She was determined to do something to get books into the hands of kids, promoting kindness along the way. Joining forces with her husband, Kevin, who has a background in apparel, the couple created Kind Cotton, selling clothing with positive messaging and using profits to purchase books for kids and classrooms, culminating in over 40,000 books delivered to date.

And while literacy is the goal, promoting kindness through justice for all and action is equally important. Kaitlin shares her Brilliance through her commitment to improving the world, building a business grounded in action to improve lives. 

If you aren’t sure how to share your Brilliance, find a way to be of service. When we lead with our hearts, the best of us follows and we can create wondrous things–just like Kind Cotton. Tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more about Kaitlin’s journey of literacy and kindness with Kind Cotton!

XO,

KS & MFB

When things are going off the rails, that’s when the enrichment occurs. The cracks show up and the light comes in. ~ Cherie Morris

How do you feel when you lose control? If you’re like us, you don’t like it. At all. (Like, we really hate it.) But here at Brilliantly Resilient, we’re recovering control freaks because our sucker punches taught us that often, control is a myth.

This week’s guest, Certified Divorce Coach Cherie Morris, reminds us that while a crisis can cause grief and anger, the cracks it creates can allow light to shine through–if we can let go.

Whether you’re going through a divorce or just struggling with disappointment and COVID fatigue (when is this thing going to end already???!!!!) Cherie tells us that our negative emotions are often caused when we can’t let go of things that aren’t working anymore. 

Letting go of things that no longer serve or work for you is freeing, even if temporarily painful. When we let go, we allow ourselves to look toward the future and ask, “What’s next?” instead of living in the past. Opportunities will present themselves and we'll be ready.

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Cherie’s wisdom. And pry your fingers loose–lose control!

XO,

KS & MFB

When we started, it sucked. But once I started noticing small little things shifting, I did not want to go back.

~ Jacob Kenneally

How many New Year’s resolutions have you made over the years? And how many resolutions have you stuck with for more than a month? 

If you’re like most of us (and admit it, you are), you decide you’re going to do something every New Year that’s going to change your life for the better. You start with energy and swear this year will be different, only to ditch the whole thing and beat yourself up–AGAIN.

This week’s guest, our friend, website guru and re-made man, Jacob Kenneally, actually stuck with his resolution to change his mindset and his life, reinventing himself and becoming the inspirational, positive, faith-filled guy he is today.

The key? Jacob knew that early on, the effort it would take to remake his life would, well, suck. He knew it, he acknowledged it, and he decided, especially once he saw small changes happening, that he was worth it.

Most of us believe big challenges require big solutions, and we expect the changes for the better to be as dramatic as the challenge. It just doesn’t work that way. Big changes are made with baby steps–consistently applied, even if they suck.

If this is the year you want to see big changes, be willing to do the hard work and push through the suck until you start to see those small changes. The big stuff is right behind, and you’re so worth it. 

Tune in to hear more from our Brilliantly Resilient buddy Jacob on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and visit Jacob at www.jacobkenneally.com!

XO

KS & MFB

How can I say what I want to in unconditional love instead of trying to be in control?

~ Kristin Smedley

How do you control things when nothing seems to be in your control?

As we move into holiday week (or has it been a year? Feels like it….) the To-Do List only seems to get longer. But what really needs to be done? And what can you actually accomplish without losing your mind? (Hint–controlling your adult kids is not an option!)

This is the time to take a look at the controllables and come up with ONE action step at a time and  find a place to start. Consider doing a time block for the week–even if it’s not your usual routine–and set times to knock items off your list. It’s often easier to set aside a chunk of time and work on one thing than to bounce around from chore to chore with nothing done well. 

And don’t forget–most times, the one putting the pressure on you is you! Remember to enjoy this season. Give yourself the gift of controlling what you can and let go of the rest.

Tune into this episode of Brilliantly Resilient LIVE to hear more from US! Finally, head over to Brilliantly Resilient on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/brilliantlyresilient/) to win a copy of our book to Reset, Rise and Reveal Your Brilliance as we head into 2022! Happy Holidays!!

XO

KS & MFB

Attitude can “flip the script” and turn a liability into an asset.

~ Andrea Bitner

When is a liability not a liability? When we recognize that labeling something as a liability doesn’t make it so.

This week’s guest, Andrea Bitner has witnessed first-hand how an “attitude adjustment” can turn a liability into an asset with the many students she’s instructed in learning English. While society, and the students themselves, can initially view their lack of language skills as a problem, Andrea helps her students recognize their innate resilience and strength as they take on life in a different country. Her new book, Take Me Home, profiles several of her students by highlighting the power each possesses and comes to see on their own.

What are your “liabilities?” Can you look deeper and see what power lives in each? Ditch the labels and see yourself as you really are–empowered, strong, and resilient--and learn more on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast!

XO,

KS & MFB

How are you, really? ~ Dennis Gillan

How often do you say or hear the sentence, “How are you?” We say it and are asked it so much that it barely registers, eliciting an automatic “I’m good” or “Fine.” But are you really? And when you ask someone else how they are, do you really listen?

Dennis Gillan knows the importance of real conversation and real listening. After suffering the loss of two brothers to suicide, Dennis knew that he had to try and make conversation– especially around mental health–meaningful. 

Grief is a part of life, and when we recognize its impact and let it do its work, we come away stronger, kinder and more compassionate. When we share our struggles with those who care, our burden is lighter.

Tune in to hear more from Dennis about his Half a Sorrow foundation, based on the Swedish proverb that “A shared joy is a double joy; a shared sorrow is half a sorrow.” It’s time to end the stigma of mental health issues with real conversation. Listen in here and let us know how you are–really!

XO

KS & MFB

Do you believe you have value? Real, genuine, built-in value? 

Many of us don’t, and it’s a dangerous way to live. Without recognizing our own worth, we, and especially our children, are susceptible to all kinds of manipulations, especially in the world of social media.

The movie Taken is every parent’s worst nightmare. But that’s not what sex trafficking looks like. It’s here, in our own backyards, and our kids are the targets. 

Stephanie Olson has lived a life. After dealing with abandonment, alcoholism, addictions, eating disorders and sexual and domestic violence, Stephanie overcame through determination, faith, and resilience. That would be enough, but Stephanie went further, turning her trauma into triumph, and working with kids to combat human trafficking by instilling in each child a sense of worth and intrinsic value--a voice to say, “No!”

Tune in to Stephanie’s episode on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of her amazing story and learn about her work with “The Set Me Free Project,” inspiring kids in schools to know their own worth to live lives of power and self-respect.

Gratitude is a tool that connects us to our happiness, success and power. ~ Kristin Smedley & Mary Fran Bontempo

Has it ever occurred to you that gratitude can help you tap into your power? We don't often think of thankfulness as a powerful thing. In fact, some of us feel that being grateful may make us seem weak.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we are card-carrying members on the gratitude train. Even in our darkest hours, we were thankful for those slivers of light that held us up and gave us hope, whether they came from friends, family, or the experts who helped guide us through our crises.

Training the mind to focus on blessings instead of lack opens up the spirit, and okay, we're going a little woo-woo here (with Mary Fran's blessing), the universe, to provide opportunities, connections and the strength to move forward instead of stewing in a pot of blech.

Gratitude provides focus, as well as the positive energy necessary to make decisions and take action. This Thanksgiving, remember to be truly grateful for blessings both big and small. Live with an open heart and mind and use gratitude as a tool to live a Brilliantly Resilient life!

Happy Thanksgiving!

XO,
KS & MFB