For The Greater Good!

Episode 39: What Can Lessons Teach Us?

This episode of our podcast explores in conversation, the nature of learning lessons, how experiences shape us, and how growth and wisdom emerge from our most challenging moments.

Lessons come from life’s experiences, both painful and enlightening, yet crucial to our growth.

To better understand how we have come to think of such lessons, we answered some questions.

What do we think makes a lesson truly impactful? Is it the experience itself, or how we interpret it?

Are there patterns in the lessons that life teaches us?

How do they shape the person we become?

Can we tell if we’ve genuinely learned from a lesson, versus merely enduring a hardship?

Why do painful experiences often teach us more than joyful ones?

What is it about hardship that brings clarity?

Can joy and success also offer profound lessons, or do they mostly reinforce what we already know?

Can we honor painful experiences without allowing them to define us completely?

Hear our take on the general idea that life often presents the same challenges until we truly absorb the lesson.

Do we pass on lessons to others by way of hwy we ourselves have learnt?

Are there lessons that life has taught you?

What a year it had been, our 39th episode!

This one highlights

our experience

and perspective

from two recent

events which were

also tests

in their

own for who we have been

becoming.

Following our recent heavy episodes, a focus onto something close to all of our hearts was important—how are we doing? What have we been up to? How is our mental health?

It’s been a while since we checked in, so we thought it’d be the perfect time to talk about what’s new with us, and more importantly, how we’ve been focusing on our mental well-being lately.

1. Personal Updates and Mental Health Check-In

So, what’s been going on with us? 

2: Why Mental Health Matters More Now Than Ever

With the pressures of life, the chaos of the world, and the constant rush we all feel, mental wellness is a necessity.

[Closing Thoughts] 

So, what’s really new with us? 

Whether you’re dealing with a lot right now or just need to refocus, remember that taking care of your mental health is one of the best investments you can make.

We encourage you to find what works for you, reach out for support, and, most importantly, be kind to yourself in the process.

Listen fully to find out how we will be SoothingH.E.R this week as we bring the old to the new, and stay well mentally.

If you’ve been working on your mental health, we’d love to hear from you. Let us know what’s new with you.

Choosing Self and Pursuing Healing – Reflections on "It Ends With Us"

We saw the movie *It Ends With Us* inspired bu the book of the same name by Colleen Hoover, and having many things hit home for us, we decided to do an episode focused on a movie review.

It shares a blend of reflection on the story, the similarities in our own story, and practical advice for you our listeners while empowering those who may be in similar situations.

To open the episode, we provide a summary and core story themes of the movie:

Lily’s love story with Ryle, the unraveling of his abusive behavior, and her reconnection with young love, Atlas.

We saw the story as a portrayal of the complexities of love and abuse coexisting in a relationship.

Main Thoughts and Questions:

- What did we see Lily’s do on her emotional journey as she comes to terms with Ryle’s violent behavior, despite their initial love and connection.

- Taking the courage it takes to acknowledge abuse, especially when love is involved, as seen in Lily’s internal struggle.

- Real-world parallels: why it is difficult for many to leave abusive relationships, and the societal or emotional pressures that often prevent it.

- Choosing Self Over Toxic Love:

Lily’s decision to prioritize her well-being and that of her child over her love for Ryle- our own decisions to choose our selves.

- We empathize the importance of self-worth and how choosing oneself is an act of reclaiming power in the face of manipulation and control.

- What did beginning that healing journey that Lily embarks on after leaving Ryle look like?

- Breaking free from an abusive relationship can set a powerful example for others, especially children, about self-worth and boundaries.

Closing Thoughts

- Closing reflection on Lily’s story as an inspiration for anyone facing the decision to leave a harmful relationship.

- A reminder to listeners: Healing is possible, and choosing self is an act of reclaiming life and future.

In Conclusion, you will hear how we’ll be ending things, and SoothingH.E.R this week.

Bridge Over Brokenness is a guest episode with domestic violence spokesperson, and Alimonia Life founder, Regina Hiremath. 

Straight into this episode of the SoothingH.E.R Podcast, we dive deep into her transformational story; having survived both child and emotional abuse, and emerging from a 20+ year marriage that she bravely chose to end, she shares how she transformed pain into purpose, offering hope and guidance for others navigating the isolating experience of divorce. From reclaiming her voice through writing to creating a community of support, Regina’s story is a testament to resilience, vulnerability, and empowerment beyond brokenness. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on finding strength in the most challenging moments and the path to true self-reconnection.

What You Expect to Hear:

1. Starting from the Ashes:

What was the moment when she realized she needed to break free from that life? 

Was there a pivotal turning point that shifted everything for you?

-Did she ever question her decision? 

-Does she think the world denies us permission to be what we are?

2. Healing from Within:

  - How her practices of journaling, therapy and working out helped her rebuild from the inside out? 

   - What surprised her most about the process of healing? Was there a tool or insight that profoundly changed how she views her self ?

-What stories show her the way there? To the place she wanted to get to, liberated, happy, joyous.

3. The Power of Vulnerability and Connection:

   - How did the act of writing anonymously help her process her pain? And at what point did she feel ready to claim her true voice?

   - Many people going through divorce hide in the shadows, so what makes vulnerability so transformative, for self, and others who are on the same path?

-How can we remake the world in the images of our true painful stories?

   - Alimonia Life began as a personal journey but evolved into a larger movement with shifts as she realized how many people needed connection and support through divorce.

-What does she think is the costs of her task with the work that she does at Alimonia Life?

   - In a world that often stigmatizes divorce, how is she working to change that narrative, and what she thinks people need to hear most in moments of intense emotional shift?

   - Key insights from the workbook, Bridge over Brokenness and lessons from Regina’s newest book, Lessons on the way to Onesome.

   - What does empowerment mean to her at this time, after everything she has experienced? 

   - What’s next for Regina, and for Alimonia Life?

Closing Reflection:

How will we all be SoothingH.E.R this week?

Links to Regina:

Blog: alimonialife.com

https://www.alimonialife.com/new-page

Instagram: @onesomebook

In a world where chaos and instability often feel overwhelming, it’s easy to lose touch with who we truly are, even in our individual worlds.

So in this episode of “To Be Someone in the World” we go under the surface to search for answers to the profound importance of turning inward to find our center amidst the noise. 

Through a conversation that touches on the essence of healing, the challenges of navigating life's upheavals, and the promise of re-emergence, we searched for answers within these questions. We aimed to offer insights and encouragement for anyone seeking to become someone in the world by trusting their chaos 

Healing and Reclaiming Oneself:

   - How do you see someone’s healing journey, your own healing journey?

   - How does this turbulence serve our greater good? 

Navigating Dark Places:

   - How does navigating these dark places help in healing and reclaiming oneself?

   - The importance of turning inward during times of crisis.

The Role of Introspection:

   - What role does the act of inward reflection play in our healing journey?

   - Did we have to change who we are in order to become by choice or was it cause and effect?

Tools of Control in Society:

   - What is our advantage with tools of control-fear,  guilt, shame from society 

   - How do these tools affect our journey and what advantages they may hold?

Finding Stillness in Chaos:

   - How can we find rest and stillness in the heart of our chaos?

   - Strategies for maintaining inner peace and centeredness.

Re-emergence and Resilience:

   - What can our re-emergence into the world be like?

   - Can we have rootedness? Arise more resilient, stronger, authentic

Moving Forward:

   - Where do we go from here?

   - Reflecting on the kind of person one can become after such a journey-what kind of person will you now become?

We conclude with our closing thoughts on how we will be SoothingH.E.R this week, and encouraging listeners to reflect on their own healing journeys and how they can embrace their chaos to become someone in the world.

In this weeks conversation, Shaela Bothwell shares her journey of picking herself back up after a 5-year toxic relationship, the lessons this time provided, and her courage to try again. She focused on herself, prioritized her family and friendships, and took time to be alone with her thoughts.

After two to three years, she intentionally started dating again with a different mindset. She learned to recognize her patterns of seeking high highs and low lows, and how to allow herself to be vulnerable in a healthy relationship. Trusting herself and her partner was a challenge to which she found that making a pro and con list opened her eyes to what was in front of her-someone who met all her values. She discusses the importance of developing core values and recognizing red flags in a relationship. Shaela emphasizes the need to choose oneself and not sacrifice personal goals and happiness for the sake of a relationship.

SoothingH.E.R hosts, and Shaela extend encouragement and advice for listeners who are healing from a breakup and looking to trust and love again.

Main Takeaways:

1. Focus on yourself and prioritize your own growth after a toxic relationship.

2. Recognizing red flags and trusting one's instincts is crucial to avoid toxic relationships.

3. Choosing oneself and not sacrificing personal goals and happiness is important in any relationship.

4. Take time to be alone and reflect on your thoughts and feelings.

5. When you're ready to date again, approach it with intention and look for someone who aligns with your values.

6. Recognize and break patterns of relationships you normally seek but doesn’t serve you

7. Trust yourself and be open to vulnerability in a healthy relationship.

8. Healing from a breakup takes time and self-reflection, but there is hope for finding love and trusting again.

In Episode 33, "Embodying An Unapologetic Confidence," we share in on a conversation with a refreshingly confident guest, Ahn Pham. Ahn adds her value on the continuation of our Summer 2024 vibe series by exploring the essence of building confidence on a healing journey.

In this guest feature episode, we unpack the meaning of “unapologetic confidence” and discuss how to cultivate it in our lives.

The episode begins with a creative icebreaker posed to Ahn: “If you could describe your healing journey as a color, what color would it be and why?”

From there, we explore what unapologetic confidence looks like and how to develop it. We discuss the origins of limiting beliefs, whether rooted in childhood, family, or personal experiences, and how these beliefs can hinder our confidence. The conversation then shifts to the importance of authenticity, challenging us to release control and trust in the process of self-discovery.

Finally, we conclude by reflecting on how to embody unapologetic confidence, encouraging our listening community to embrace their true selves and trust that what is meant for them will come in its time.

To close, we share how we will each be embodying an aura of unapologetic confidence for SoothingH.E.R in the coming week.

Questions you can expect to hear from our conversation on this episode:

1. What does “unapologetic confidence” look like on a healing journey?

⁃ Explaining our own defnitions of unapologic confidence and what this means to us

⁃ How do we build unapologetic confidence?

2.The Root of limiting beliefs and its impact on embracing confidence

⁃ Did this stem from childhood? Friends? Family? Experiences?

⁃ Have these limiting beliefs stopped or limited us from building confidence?

⁃ How can we continue to challenge these beliefs during our healing jorney?

3. The world needs you to be you

⁃ Have we truly released control and allowed ourselves to be truly authentic?

⁃ What are some ways we can trust that what is meant for us will not pass us by?

This episode introduces our exciting new series-Hot girl Summer, but with a different thought and how it relates to healing and personal growth. 

A 'Hot Girl Summer' is about feeling great, being the best version of yourself, and doing the inner work.

Healing and personal growth require intentionality and a holistic approach to self-care.

We further explore the idea of embodying confidence and authenticity while going through a healing journey with emphasis on the need to prioritize oneself for the journey of living your best life.

The conversation also touches on the challenges of comparison and the significance of embracing one's own unique journey.

We continue the emphasis on the need to prioritize happiness, let go of societal judgments, and be present in the moment while leading with love, and showing appreciation for others. 

They discuss the concept of being in a frozen state emotionally and the need to do the inner work to unfreeze and open oneself up to love. 

Our conversation is wrapped up with our own vulnerability on how we will be SoothingH.E.R this week.

The Happiness Factor: Is the Good Life Good?

Are you ready to unlock the secrets of true happiness? 

In our last episode of The Pursuit of Happiness series, we continue to search through and affirm our pursuit of happiness and its true role in a fulfilling life. We explore the definition of happiness, its impact on our wellbeing, and the factors that shape our perception of it. We also challenge the notion of happiness as an ultimate goal, discussing the potential pitfalls of our obsession with it, and offering insights into a balanced approach. 

Will you join us on the conversation of uncovering the ingredients of happiness and share personal secrets to finding joy? 

Tune in to discover how to soothe your soul; and enhance your life with genuine happiness.

Episode Conversation Outline :

Is the Good Life Good?

1. What is the pursuit of happiness?

⁃ How do you define that?

⁃ What are your happiness factors/predictors?

⁃ Is happiness equivalent to a good life?

2. Happiness and our Wellbeing 

⁃ How do you choose to be happy 

⁃ Factors that affect our happiness 

3. Misguided Happiness 

⁃ Do you think our obsession to happiness is misguided?

⁃ What is a balanced approach to happiness?

⁃ Has there been an event that life that shifted your theory of happiness?

4. Ingredients of Happiness 

⁃ Do you have ingredients to happiness?

⁃ In your own world, what is your secret to happiness?

How will we be SoothingH.E.R this week?