Surviving Adversity and Choosing Happiness

Naseem Rochette shares her profound journey of resilience, reframing trauma, and the radiance of joyful energy, exploring how vulnerability, gratitude, and authentic connection can foster unbreakable spirit and inclusive belonging.

In this powerful episode of The Inclusion Bites Podcast, Joanne Lockwood is joined by Naseem Rochette to explore the profound impact of reframing adversity into opportunities for growth and connection. Naseem recounts the harrowing experience of being run over by a car three times and the resulting journey through trauma, resilience, and transformation. Their conversation delves deep into the emotional realities faced in the aftermath of life-changing events—from the disorienting lack of remorse from others, to the necessity of accepting help, and the discovery that energy, whether positive or negative, shapes both one’s perception and the reactions of those around us. Joanne and Naseem discuss the significance of ‘Unbreakable Day’, choosing joy as a principle, and the challenges of staying centred on kindness and optimism in a fragmented world.

Naseem is an award-winning author, renowned keynote speaker, and advocate for joy who helps others reframe their stories and embrace personal growth during life’s toughest moments. Rooted in her Indian heritage and shaped by a childhood of both insecurity and festivity, Naseem’s journey spans corporate experience at Microsoft, extensive recovery from significant trauma, and the authorship of ‘The Unexpected Benefits of Being Run Over’. She brings an authentic voice, blending vulnerability with optimism, and now supports individuals through coaching, speaking, and candid storytelling—demonstrating that openness about struggle builds deeper connections and that reframing adversity can lead to renewed strength and self-acceptance.

Joanne and Naseem reflect on the transformative power of shifting perspective, the myth of instant resilience, and the importance of building inclusive, meaningful relationships—especially in times of crisis. They highlight the need to allow space for difficult emotions, to show grace to oneself and others, and to celebrate not only large achievements but also the incremental steps towards healing and connection.

The key takeaway from this episode is that cultivating joyful energy and embracing vulnerability enables genuine inclusion and belonging. Listeners will discover practical wisdom on reframing traumatic experiences, supporting others through adversity, and prioritising connection over perfection. This episode is an essential listen for anyone seeking hope, resilience, and inspiration to navigate life’s challenges with an unbreakable spirit.

The Power of Joy: “I think it’s that desire to get back to joy and the, you know, when I was. Thought I was dying, you know, like thinking about the joy of my life, I think those things kept me going, you know, and so I try to keep that front and centre.”

Near-Death Epiphany: “And one of those things was when I was underneath the car thinking, you know, I don’t even say 99, I was a hundred percent sure I was going to die. I started reflecting back on my life and you know, having those end of life thoughts.”

The Importance of Presence Over Perfection: “even though I’m. They’re going to lose their mom, they know who I am because we’ve had that joy. I’ve been present, I’ve, I’ve filled, you know, their life with love and I felt so good about that.”

Viral Topic: The Power of Accepting Help

Viral Topic: The Power of Reframing

Viral Topic – The Power of Sharing Personal Struggles: “We’ve all gone through something and when we share what we’ve been through, we, we also give licence to other people to share.”

Viral Topic: The Power of Self-Kindness: “many of the people that first read the book said that’s what they took, that they needed to learn to be kinder to themselves because we are so judgy with ourselves, you know, but if we, we remember, like, it’s okay if we’re not. Life is going to change. It is absolutely going to change.”

The Transformative Power of Trauma: “There’s so much power in those tough moments. There’s so much we learn and grow from that most of us don’t spend any time thinking about because tough moments always seem like downers.”

Viral Topic – Embracing Change After Trauma: “But it turns out the new ways in which I solve problems and delve into things has been more successful for me.”

Viral Topic: Navigating Grief and Trauma Conversations: “I know that now that when somebody’s in trauma, asking them how they are is a really tough question because they don’t know how they are and they don’t want to lie to you and they don’t want to pretend everything’s fine.”

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