In this episode, Wynne Leon is with co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and blogger, Deb Tecca. Deb is one of our colleagues on the Heart of the Matter blog and we’ve loved her take on growth, acceptance, and personal evolution.

So we ask her about her courageous writing and she explains how she’s come to see it more as reclaiming herself. After growing up in the shadow of her mom’s blame, Deb finds she’s had a voice all along that she’s worked her way back to. Being courageous enough…pushing fear to the wayside….to allow the space for authenticity - Deb’s heart, soul and spirit. Her own voice.  The essence that is Deb.

We ask Deb about a recent description that our mutual colleague, Erin wrote about Deb and her blog, Closer to the Edge. In that description Erin encapsulates all that Deb writes about – kindness, community, family and trends. Then Erin sums it up with a description of Deb as “feisty and self-assured, yet kind and understanding.” Deb responds to that summary with a virtual hug for Erin – for seeing the glory in Deb’s feisty demeanor – a badge of courage and confidence from a dear blogging friend.  Sometimes our friends see our strengths before we do.

Vicki and I ask Deb about the courage to write about family when life was anything but sunshine and rainbows.  We ask about Deb’s process as she writes and true to form, our amazing, contemplative and thoughtful Deb tells us that long before she writes, her thoughts begin to take shape in her head and only then do words come together.   

And one of Deb’s strengths?  She’s a terrific listener, commenter, and thoughtful human.  She often writes what others might be thinking, contributing to conversations with depth and perspective. We laugh about the moments when Deb thinks she gone on a ‘rant’ and applaud her for knowing how to tailor her messages and points of view to provide input and insight.  If that’s a ‘rant’ – we love it. 

We ask Deb about her ‘secret sauce’ for prioritizing what matters most and in addition to her meal planning and love of nature, Deb’s picked up a few tried-and-true tricks that we know will resonate with listeners.  If they’re good enough for Deb, they’re great for the rest of us!   One of the tricks Deb has learned is to say “no.” So we are so grateful that Deb said “yes” to us to create this beautiful podcast. We know you’ll love it.

We've added transcript to our podcasts. See the link below.

Episode 43 show notes

Episode 43 transcript (provided by Otter AI): Reclaiming_Oneself_With_Deb_Tecca.pdf

Deb's blog: Closer to the Edge

Deb's post about reclaiming herself: Reclaiming Myself

Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature and Spirit by Lyanda Lynn Haupt