Guest: Celeste Sowder

Episode Title: I Am Here, But I’m Late – A Journey of Resilience and Redemption

Air Date: [Insert Date]

Host: Dr. Allen Lycka

Introduction

Dr. Allen Lycka welcomes Celeste Sowder, an entrepreneur, author, and speaker. Celeste’s life was transformed by a mental health crisis in 2023, leading her to write her upcoming memoir I Am Here, But I’m Late. She shares her story of overcoming adversity, embracing vulnerability, and founding The Soul Sister Project to help women turn adversity into impactful personal brands.

Celeste’s Journey: From Mental Crisis to Redemption

• Background: Celeste grew up in Texas with societal and family expectations of silence and perfection, leading to what she calls “white-knuckled sanity.”
• The Breakdown: At 40, Celeste experienced a six-month-long psychosis caused by undiagnosed ADHD and a hormonal imbalance.
• The Turning Point: While listening to a book during her healing journey, Celeste chose to “start living” and learn resilience to overcome lifelong barriers.

The Power of Diagnosis and Self-Compassion

• ADHD Diagnosis: Being diagnosed with ADHD helped Celeste understand her struggles and develop self-compassion.
• Resilience and Self-Growth: She learned that resilience was the key to breaking through barriers and implementing meaningful changes in her life.

Healing Out Loud: Sharing to Heal

• Celeste embraced vulnerability by publicly sharing her healing journey.
• Impact: Her transparency resonated with other women facing similar struggles, fostering a supportive community.
• Influence of Brene Brown: Books like Daring Greatly inspired Celeste to recognize and confront shame while embracing vulnerability as a path to healing.

Key Themes from the Conversation

1. The Importance of Vulnerability: Vulnerability opens doors to innovation, creativity, and personal transformation.
2. The Power of Letting Go: Celeste let go of societal expectations and external validation, allowing her to rediscover her true identity.
3. Resilience as a Daily Practice: Resilience is not a one-time event but a commitment to growth, connection, and joy.
4. Mindset Shift: Moving past “fake it till you make it” and fully stepping into the person you are meant to be.

Building Resilience and Embracing Change

• Tools for Healing:
• Visualization as a tool to build resilience.
• Avoiding absorption of negativity and creating mental boundaries.
• Pairing resilience with commitment to growth and connection to achieve joy.
• Dr. Lycka’s Advice: Determination, willpower, and tenacity are the foundation of overcoming challenges.

The Soul Sister Project

• Mission: The Soul Sister Project helps women with adversity-to-advocacy stories build profitable personal brands that thrive on purpose and clarity.
• Vision for Growth: Celeste is restructuring the project into a platform that includes podcasting, education, and showcasing women’s voices.

Final Insights

• Message to Her Younger Self: “You matter. You are seen. You are loved—not for what you do but for who you are.”
• Living a Fantastic Life: Picking yourself up daily, knowing your worth, and showing up for yourself to build a meaningful, purpose-driven life.

BIO:

Celeste Sowder is an entrepreneur, author, and speaker whose life was transformed by a mental health crisis in 2023. Her upcoming memoir, I Am Here, But I Am Late, delves into her journey of resilience after a late diagnosis of ADHD and her discovery of the power of vulnerability. As the founder of The Soul Sister Project, Celeste now helps women turn their stories of adversity into impactful personal brands, demonstrating that it’s never too late to embrace who you are meant to be.

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/celeste.sowder

https://www.instagram.com/celestesowder/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/celeste-sowder-b01303117