Jovani is a mother of 6, hairdresser, baker and photographer and is currently rocking green hair. Although her kids are close together, they didn’t come easy. She has been pregnant 19 times and has had 13 miscarriages. She shares her experience being a mom and how this has impacted her. We talk about her struggles with OCD and postpartum depression. She is a phenomenal cook and started a cookie company with her kids. She’s an inspiration and an amazing example of learning and growing in motherhood.

This week on the podcast I have Genny Hyde. Genny was diagnosed with bipolar II a few months after her parents were divorced. She shares her experience with her personal journey with mental health. She has struggled through hospitalizations, manic episodes and depression. She has made it her life’s journey to share and advocate for mental health. Her vulnerability has helped so many people to understand what they are going through. Her perspective is optimistic and encouraging as we learn and become more aware of the struggles with mental health challenges.

Melissa Ashton is an amazing mother to 6 kids. In this interview we discuss how her son Travis had a traumatic brain injury. He was no longer able to feed himself, sit up or talk and they weren’t sure he would make it. Melissa talks about how she copes with this challenge. Years later, she was contacted by CPS to help foster a blind little girl who was only 22 months old. What started out as a short-term arrangement turned into sweet Olivia winning over the family. Melissa shares how gratitude has pulled her though these challenging times and how blessed she feels to have these sweet people in her life.

Ramon is SMUs biggest fan, many people recognize him from his lobster costume. He is the life of the party and one of the happiest people you’ll ever meet. He was the student body president of SMU (Southern Methodist University). While getting his masters degree he started a campaign fighting against sexual violence on campus. After colllege he came out as gay and talks about his experience telling all his friends and family. He learned to come to a place of validation instead of seeking it from others. Ramon teaches us how one person can change the world, by jumping in and being yourself and not holding back. The world needs more people who celebrate others and makes it a happier, more exciting place!

Desi Terry is an absolutely remarkable person! A few years ago her brother committed suicide, which came as a total shock. She decided she needed to dedicate her life to the memory of her brother. Six months later, she was pregnant and having dizzy spells.  She went to the hospital to get a spinal tap for spinal meningitis. The procedure was performed incorrectly and she was paralyzed. She is still recovering from her paralysis 2 1/2 years later. We discuss how this experience motivated her to go back to school to be a social worker. She has used her unique experience with feeling pain, grief and loss to help others. She will inspire you to live your life with purpose!

Talise Dubois is an incredible human! When her mother went into Kidney failure, she quickly offered to donate her kidney. Talise and her mother were not a match for the donation, but she was able to donate to a kidney exchange. This heroic act saved her mothers life!  We discuss the importance of organ donation and the unexpected challenges that donors go through. Talise shares about some life changing experiences she has had when others have gone out of their way to help after her best friend died. What better time than during this crazy coronavirus epidemic for us to be reminded to show a little more love and kindness to those around us.

This week on the podcast I interviewed the charming Elsa Dubois. Elsa is from the Philippines, and she shares her experience growing up in a third-world country. Her education meant everything to her, and taught her to be grateful for everything she has. Recently, her kidneys failed and she had to be put on dialysis. She learned that she would need a kidney, which often takes as many as 5 years to receive. She didn’t have that kind of time, and none of her family members were matches for her blood type. Her daughter courageously decided to donate her kidney so that her mother could quickly receive a kidney.  It’s a story of love for a daughter and mother and brings new meaning to the phrase “giving of yourself.”

Olivia Luke is an amazing mother and wife. Her husband is a marine and was overseas when she delivered their first child. She shares her experience being a military wife and the sweet reunion they had when her husband Blake returned. She teaches us to be strong, and how friends and family can pull us through.

At age 70, Dan Coffman has lived a full life. He takes us through the historical and personal events that have shaped him from the Cuban missile crisis to dealing with his father’s alcohol addiction to divorce.  We discuss JFK's assassination, his part in the Vietnam war and how his friends and neighbors who sat by him in class never came home. We discuss why his marriage fell apart, and how he was able to finally forgive his alcoholic father for abandoning their family. Major world events and personal trials have a big affect on all our lives, but Dan shares what has helped him to live a happy, purposeful life. Dan teaches us that people are what make us the happiest, not jobs, money or things.

Shannon Hood made a New Years’ resolution to write a letter every day in 2019. She has found that our over-emphasis on the digital world has made communication less personal. She feels that hand written letters help us express to people how much they really mean to us. She shares her experiences reconnecting with important people in her life and how her resolution impacted others with just a few minutes per day.