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Ron Souers joins us to explore how ADHD minds can transform perceived weaknesses into remarkable strengths through self-discovery, mindfulness, and acceptance. We examine the experience of navigating a neurotypical world with a neurodivergent brain and uncover practical strategies for harnessing ADHD's unique capabilities.

• ADHD is not a disorder to fix but a different way of processing that offers unique strengths
• Traditional workplace systems often fail neurodivergent individuals by forcing conformity rather than accommodating different thinking styles
• Masking ADHD symptoms requires double the energy, leading to burnout and mental health challenges
• Mindfulness-based strength practice helps identify and leverage your natural character strengths
• The connection between ADHD, depression and addiction stems from impulsivity and emotional dysregulation
• Movement breaks, journaling, grounding techniques and visual goal-setting provide practical ADHD management strategies
• Workplace accommodations like headphones and additional breaks are reasonable requests protected by law
• Self-acceptance and understanding the root causes of behaviors reduces shame and builds confidence

Visit youradhdguy.com to get a free e-copy of Ron's Self-Discovery Journal for Adults with ADHD or learn about his coaching program, the Connection Blueprint.

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Tamar Blue, founder and CEO of Mental Happy, shares how she transformed her personal struggles with anxiety into a groundbreaking digital platform for accessible mental health support. Her HIPAA-compliant service provides expert-led support groups where people of all backgrounds can find community healing without financial barriers or stigma.

• Turning personal pain into purpose by creating the mental health community she needed
• Breaking cultural barriers where mental health wasn't discussed or treated
• Building on her high school peer support program that received White House recognition
• Creating accessible support groups for life transitions beyond traditional therapy topics
• Addressing healthcare gaps for those with geographical, financial, or scheduling barriers
• Providing free mental health resources and tools that don't require constant technology use
• Prioritizing privacy with mobile-only chat features and no session recordings
• Reducing healthcare system burden by preventing mental health crises
• Changing negative self-talk through journaling and positive affirmations
• Sharing personal wellness practices including nature walks, hydration, and boundary-setting

Visit mentalhappy.com to join a support group, access free resources, or become a group leader in creating spaces for healing, community and hope.

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What happens when love continues beyond goodbye? Tony Stewart's journey with his wife Lynn reveals a profound truth many of us fear facing: grief's deepest waters can hold unexpected beauty.

Tony's memoir "Carrying the Tiger" chronicles their 30-year love story that evolved through creative pursuits, global adventures across India and Southeast Asia, and ultimately, Lynn's battle with cancer. The title—inspired by a Tai Chi movement where one lifts a tiger onto a distant hilltop to make it less threatening—perfectly captures their approach to life's most difficult challenges.

When Lynn received her diagnosis, Tony began documenting their experience on CaringBridge. What started as medical updates for friends transformed into reflections on mortality, connection, and finding light in darkness. These writings eventually became the framework for his memoir, but only after Tony had navigated the unpredictable terrain of grief that followed Lynn's passing.

Throughout our conversation, Tony's vulnerability shines as he shares revelations that challenge conventional wisdom about loss. "The first few months, I kept expecting steady progress upward," he admits. "What surprised me most was how nonlinear grief is—how it sneaks up just when you think you're getting better." This honesty offers comfort to anyone who's felt bewildered by grief's unpredictable nature.

Most powerfully, Tony describes the weeks he spent caring for Lynn during hospice as "the most beautiful of my life"—a perspective that transforms our understanding of caregiving and end-of-life experiences. Where many see only loss, Tony discovered profound connection, demonstrating that love doesn't diminish as physical abilities fade.

Now a certified grief educator, Tony shares wisdom that resonates whether you're grieving or supporting someone who is: "You can't heal what you don't feel." His story proves that embracing grief rather than avoiding it ultimately leads to healing, though not on society's timeline or terms.

For anyone navigating loss or seeking to understand its landscape, Tony's journey illuminates an essential truth: grief isn't where love ends—it's where love finds a new way to speak.

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Miss Betty Smith shares her incredible journey from childhood poverty to creating a state-of-the-art arts education center that transforms young lives in Canton, Ohio. At 84, she dances in parades, leads drumlines, and builds programs that give children alternatives to gang recruitment, serving as a living example that age is no barrier to making a meaningful impact.

• Grew up "dirt poor" but rich in love, with a mother who taught her that "living is giving"
• Organized neighborhood activities and music programs from a young age, unknowingly preparing for her life's mission
• Moved to Chicago at 18, facing weight discrimination that inspired her commitment to healthy living
• Built recovery homes for women with children battling addiction in Chicago
• Managed programs with Catholic Charities serving over 1,100 people
• Established Multi-Development Services in Canton, creating homeless shelters and transitional housing
• Recently opened the Enrichment Arts Education Center, serving children from 77 different schools with free programming
• Partners with juvenile courts to provide alternative programming for youth with misdemeanors
• Believes firmly that "there's no such thing as a bad child" and that every young person can succeed with proper support
• Emphasizes both discipline and love in her approach to working with youth

Visit the Enrichment Arts Education Center at 901 Market North in Canton, Ohio to see how Betty and her team are changing lives through the arts.

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Sculptor Jon Hair’s life is a masterclass in perseverance and purpose. Abandoned by his mother and raised in poverty and an orphanage called The Home for the Friendless, Jon’s journey from hardship to hope is nothing short of extraordinary. In this episode, he shares how he transformed pain into passion, starting a music career as a child and eventually pursuing his dream of becoming a sculptor at age 49. With over 170 public art pieces—including the prestigious Olympic Monument—John's story is proof that it's never too late to rise.

Whether you're chasing your dream, recovering from trauma, or wondering if your time has passed, this conversation will remind you:
 It’s not about where you start. It’s about what you do with your 24 hours.

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Ann explores the power of manifesting through intention and action rather than perfectionism, inspired by Halle Berry's insight about focusing on what we want instead of what we don't want.

• Manifesting isn't about magic but about aligning thoughts, beliefs, and actions
• You don't have to be perfectly whole to manifest—you can begin from your messiest places
• Thought stopping techniques can redirect negative thinking patterns
• Your dream life doesn't need a perfect version of you—it needs a present version
• Clarify who you're becoming through vision and soul alignment
• Actions must match intentions—manifestation is movement, not just meditation
• Create boundaries to protect your dreams by saying no to what doesn't align
• Small steps have soul-sized impacts on reaching your goals
• It's never too late to manifest your dreams, regardless of age or past limitations
• Your past may explain you, but it doesn't define you

Take one alignment action today—speak one truth, write down one intention, or act on one goal. You're not just manifesting a life; you're remembering the one you were born to live.

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John Hair's journey from a one-room schoolhouse basement to becoming the official Olympic sculptor exemplifies resilience and determination against overwhelming odds. His inspiring story shows how talent combined with extraordinary persistence can overcome childhood trauma, family abandonment, and the skepticism of the art world establishment.

• Living with six siblings in a basement with only sheet dividers for rooms during early childhood
• Finding inspiration in World Book Encyclopedia, dreaming of becoming a great artist
• Experiencing orphanage life after his father had to work overseas and mother abandoned the family
• Playing drums professionally from age 14, including jamming with Jimi Hendrix in New York
• Working multiple jobs including cleaning toilets, driving trucks, and running an ad agency
• Beginning his sculpting career at age 49 after two decades as an art director
• Securing his first major commission by waiting five days to meet with a tribal chairman
• Creating over 150 public sculptures including monuments for the Olympics, universities, and historic figures
• Believing figurative art should uplift and inspire rather than follow trendy art world movements
• Continuing to work at nearly 75 years old, refusing to retire or slow down

Don't give up, no matter what the consequences are. Don't give in and have everybody tell you what you should be doing when you know what you should be doing. You just haven't found a way to do it yet.

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Ann and returning guest Denise Bard explore how family secrets shape our identity, relationships, and sense of self, inspired by the Mariska Hargitay documentary "My Mom, Jane." They share personal experiences with secrets kept from them that affected their core identities and discuss the trauma of carrying others' shame.

• According to research, 97% of families keep some type of secret, with those related to identity, trauma, or betrayal causing the most psychological damage
• Secrets create emotional isolation, especially for children who feel they're carrying family shame
• When someone tells you something didn't happen when you saw it with your own eyes, it creates a form of "crazy-making" that causes you to doubt your perception
• Finding out family secrets later in life can cause profound identity shifts, forcing you to re-evaluate who you thought you were
• Breaking the cycle of secrecy is possible by choosing transparency with your own children in age-appropriate ways
• Secrets can be inherited—not just events, but the silence, shame, and survival behaviors
• The healing process is valid however it unfolds, and sometimes telling the truth will break something that needed to break

Remember that there is purpose in our pain and hope in our journey, even when that journey includes uncovering difficult truths about our families and ourselves.

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What if a penny could change your life?

Deborah Weed, creator of The Luckiest Penny musical and founder of the Self-Worth Initiative, went from being bedridden and broken to becoming a fierce advocate for self-worth. After learning that a rare 1943 copper penny was worth over a million dollars, she had a powerful realization: even things we overlook hold tremendous value—and so do we.

In this inspiring episode, Deborah shares how she turned personal trauma into purpose through storytelling, including the creation of Paisley the Porcupine and the Quills Up movement. Her message is clear: self-worth isn’t given—it’s claimed.

We talk about the difference between self-esteem and self-worth, reclaiming our “quills,” and learning to stand tall in our truth. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not enough, this episode is your reminder that you are.

🎧 Visit selfworthinitiative.net to learn more and support this movement.

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What makes George's story so compelling isn't just his professional evolution but the profound personal transformations that accompanied it. After reaching nearly 400 pounds and receiving a stark health warning, he underwent gastric bypass surgery, losing 140 pounds and regaining control of his health. "I like living," he shares with disarming candor, "I hope I can do it for as long as I can."

The conversation delves into the healing power of nature, with George eloquently describing how water and forests provide sanctuary: "a chance to be at peace, a chance to collect my thoughts, in fact, a chance to not think at all, just to be." His reference to the Japanese practice of forest bathing reveals the science behind what he's always intuitively known—that just ten yards into the woods can immediately lower blood pressure and transform mental clarity.

Throughout his transitions from newsroom to riverbank, through health struggles and family challenges including his daughter's traumatic brain injury, George has maintained a philosophy borrowed from poet Rainer Maria Rilke: "Live the questions now, and perhaps you will gradually live along some distant day into the answer." His authentic approach to life, meeting people where they are without judgment, serves as a powerful reminder that sometimes the only way forward is simply to flow with the current.

Have you considered how embracing rather than fighting life's unexpected turns might transform your own journey? Listen to discover how one man's willingness to pivot created a life where passion and profession beautifully converge.

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