Receiving a chronic illness diagnosis can be life-changing and incredibly challenging. Such adversity can cause one to live life from a place of fear, which ultimately puts their life on hold. But for Natasha Murji, she was able to reframe her circumstances in such a way that allowed her to ground herself in gratitude and see all the incredible light she has in her life.

When Natasha was a teenager, she fell severely ill and went into a 19-day coma. Her medical team discovered that her kidneys were functioning at less then half of their normal capacity and that she needed a transplant.

Fortunately, Natasha was able to find a transplant, allowing her to run and dance and experience joy again. Throughout her life, Natasha has had numerous accomplishments, having competed in the Canadian Transplant Olympics and graduated from a prestigious university.

Today, Natasha is currently under kidney failure and is on hemodialysis and awaiting another  kidney. Despite her current setback, this hasn't stopped Natasha from living her life to the fullest, having gone back to pursue her postgraduate degree and working for a medical-tech start-up.

In this inspiring and emotional episode, Natasha takes us along her journey and shares how one can live life to the fullest despite having a chronic illness.

Connect with Natasha on LinkedIn or send her email [email protected] to say hello! Learn more about her story by checking out this article 'An Appetite for Life' by Heidi Westfield.

Have you ever felt like you were different from other members of your family or social groups? Perhaps these differences related to your political views or desired career path or values in general. These differences can cause one to feel like they are the "black sheep".

When we don't feel like we fit in or feel negatively judged by other members of our social groups, it can cause us to hide our authentic selves. It's so important that we live authentic lives so that we can experience happiness and fulfillment. That's why it's so important to own our black sheep identities despite what others have to say... and Maddy Maksy will tell us how we can do just that.

Maddy is a an Anthropologist-turned-Life-Coach who helps wandering souls find what makes them truly, unapologetically themselves. After graduating from the University of New Hampshire in 2019, she started her journey of self-discovery and became a Life Alignment Coach. Now she works with others to help them build lives that feel completely authentic. 

Maddy, too, has felt like she is the black sheep of her family, being the only non-republican, LGBTQIA+, and "spiritual" member. She used to resent expressing herself truthfully in front of her family, but once she started really focusing on her self-exploration and personal truths, she became so much more empowered to stand up for herself and her differences. In more detail we discuss:

• What it means to be the "black sheep"
• How being the black sheep can impact one's life and mental health
• How one can own their black sheep identity
• And more!

Connect with Maddy on Instagram @maddymaksy and check out her website https://www.maddymaksy.com! 

Resources:

• Research Paper: The ‘Black Sheep Effect’: Social Categorization, Rejection of Ingroup Deviates, and Perception of Group Variability

MAKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH YOUR #1 PRIORITY THIS NEW YEAR BY SIGNING UP FOR THE JOURNAL THAT TALKS BACK!

The Journal That Talks Back is an accessible coaching service for young professionals that connects you with a certified coach who is trained to respond to your challenges through a safe, secure and accessible journaling app that is designed to help you explore, reflect, and grow.

I 11/10 recommend this service (and yes, I do use it!!!)! If  you have any questions about The Journal That Talks Back please email [email protected] or message me on Instagram @haileyrodddgers!

Connect with me:

• Email: [email protected]
• Personal Instagram: @haileyrodddgers
• Podcast Instagram: @seemeshowpod

I'm always looking for guests so please reach out to me through any of these channels and I'd be happy to discuss a potential episode :)

Loving yourself is key to living a happy and fulfilling life. But in this world that has so many expectations and pressures of being and looking a certain way, so many of us lack self-love or self-acceptance. However, an incredible way to take back your power and choose to love and respect yourself despite what society tells you is through exercise.

In this episode, I sit down with Certified Fitness Trainer, Kinesiology graduate, and owner of BodsbyB, Bianca Celotti, who shares her personal journey with exercise and self-love. Bianca’s fitness journey began around the age of 13. As a competitive dancer, she felt overwhelmed by the pressures to look a certain way. After years of succumbing to these pressures and experimenting with multiple dietary and fitness regimens, she finally found a sustainable way to heal her body and restore her relationship with food and fitness. 

Through her journey, Bianca developed a passion for fitness and made it her mission to share this passion with women in comparable situations that are willing to learn and listen. Bianca’s mission is to teach people how to approach fitness from a place of self-love and to build their strength and confidence through physical activity. 

In this episode we discuss: 

• What it truly means to love yourself
• Why exercising is important
• Why exercising is an act of self-love
• How to turn exercise into a self-love ritual
• And more!

Connect with Bianca on Instagram @bodsbyb, visit her YouTube Channel, & check out her website https://www.bodsbybianca.com! 

MAKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH YOUR #1 PRIORITY THIS NEW YEAR BY SIGNING UP FOR THE JOURNAL THAT TALKS BACK!

The Journal That Talks Back is an accessible coaching service for young professionals that connects you with a certified coach who is trained to respond to your challenges through a safe, secure and accessible journaling app that is designed to help you explore, reflect, and grow.

I 11/10 recommend this service (and yes, I do use it!!!)! If  you have any questions about The Journal That Talks Back please email [email protected] or message me on Instagram @haileyrodddgers!

Connect with me:

• Email: [email protected]
• Personal Instagram: @haileyrodddgers
• Podcast Instagram: @seemeshowpod

I'm always looking for guests so please reach out to me through any of these channels and I'd be happy to discuss a potential episode :)

True or false? Introverts can be effective leaders.

...

TRUE! Introverts can be effective and EPIC leaders. But a common myth that circulates throughout our society is that introverts can't be. When we think of leaders, we think of a charismatic, extroverted individuals speaking in front of large crowds.

But have you heard of Elon Musk, Rosa Parks, or Ghandi? How about Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg? Yup... they're ALL introverts.

In this episode, I sit down with Elif Kaya to discuss the (hidden) superpowers that introverts have and how they can be incredible leaders and change makers in this world. Elif  is a 17-year-old mental health advocate, award-winning changemaker, and storyteller from Istanbul, Turkey. After struggling with her mental health for years, she made it her life's mission to spread mental health advocacy and become the help other people can seek. She founded Turkey's first youth-led mental health organization, One Smile Effect, where she impacted over 2500 teens from 60 countries. She now hosts her I'mPossible Podcast to shatter mental health stigma and talks at events worldwide to empower people to make a difference.

In more detail we discuss:

• What it means to be an introvert
• The difference between introversion and extroversion
• Perceptions and stereotypes people have about introverts and how these perceptions impact people who are introverted
• Why introverts are effective leaders 
• And more!

Connect with Elif on Instagram @elifnothing!

Additional Resources:

• Learn more about introversion by snagging a copy of Susan Cain's novel Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking
• Study: The failure of introverts to emerge as leaders: The role of forecasted affect
• Study: The hidden advantages of quiet bosses

MAKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH YOUR #1 PRIORITY THIS NEW YEAR BY SIGNING UP FOR THE JOURNAL THAT TALKS BACK!

The Journal That Talks Back is an accessible coaching service for young professionals that connects you with a certified coach who is trained to respond to your challenges through a safe, secure and accessible journaling app that is designed to help you explore, reflect, and grow.

I 11/10 recommend this service (and yes, I do use it!!!)! If  you have any questions about The Journal That Talks Back please email [email protected] or message me on Instagram @haileyrodddgers!

Connect with me:

• Email: [email protected]
• Personal Instagram: @haileyrodddgers
• Podcast Instagram: @seemeshowpod

I'm always looking for guests so please reach out to me through any of these channels and I'd be happy to discuss a potential episode :)

Writing is an incredible tool to explore and discover your authentic self. Whether it be engaging in reflective daily journaling or crafting a work of fiction or jotting down whatever story you want to share, there are so many parts of who you are that can be revealed in your writing. Writing enables you to get your stream of consciousness down on paper and unleash your creativity, which allows you to tangibly see parts of who you are that may have otherwise been hidden.

So how do you use writing as medium to discover your authentic self? In this week’s episode, I sit down with 3x published author, Brittney Dear, to discuss this topic. Brittney is the author of Forsaken and Fifty Days, both of which she published as a teenager, as well as the story collection Hummingbird Tales. When she’s not writing, she’s nose-deep in a book, sipping from a large mug of coffee or tea, outside in nature, or gushing over psychological theories.

In more detail we discuss:

• The benefits of engaging in writing
• The types of writing you can explore
• How writing allows you to discover your authentic self
• Steps for starting your writing journey 
• And more!

Connect with Brittney on Instagram and check out her website https://www.brittneykristina.com!

MAKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH YOUR #1 PRIORITY THIS NEW YEAR BY SIGNING UP FOR THE JOURNAL THAT TALKS BACK!

The Journal That Talks Back is an accessible coaching service for young professionals that connects you with a certified coach who is trained to respond to your challenges through a safe, secure and accessible journaling app that is designed to help you explore, reflect, and grow.

I 11/10 recommend this service (and yes, I do use it!!!)! If  you have any questions about The Journal That Talks Back please email [email protected] or message me on Instagram @haileyrodddgers!

Connect with me:

• Email: [email protected]
• Personal Instagram: @haileyrodddgers
• Podcast Instagram: @seemeshowpod

I'm always looking for guests so please reach out to me through any of these channels and I'd be happy to discuss a potential episode :)

In the 1920s, Ford Motor Company introduced the 9 to 5 work day as way to protect employees from being over worked. This was a great way to ensure the health and wellbeing of those working in the manufacturing and industrial sectors. However, as time has gone on and technology has evolved and allowed for automation, the need for manual labour has significantly decreased. Today, companies rely on creativity and innovation as key skills in employees.

Given that the nature of work has drastically changed in the last century, should employers rely on a 9-5 work model?

In this week's episode, I sit down with Author and Author Coach, Mackenzie Finklea to discuss this topic. Mackenzie is a Texan, born-and-raised. She currently lives and works out of her home office in Galveston; helping other authors achieve their dreams of being published. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology: with a special interest in human cultures and archaeology. When she’s not researching and observing displays of human culture, she enjoying traveling, especially off the beaten path, and visiting as many museums as possible along the way.

After attending a summer program at New York University, Mackenzie realized there is a major issue with companies that are still gravitating towards traditional in-person work methods despite the evidence of how flexibility (i.e. working remotely/hybrid) actually increases productivity. As a result of this, Mackenzie feels as though companies are excluding the potential for so many great workers across the country. In more detail, we discuss:

• The current issues in today's workforce
• How these issues are impacting workers
• The changes that need to be implemented to improve employees' job experiences
• How to find a career that aligns with your authentic self
• & more!
  
  

Connect with Mackenzie on Instagram and Twitter. You can also visit her website: https://mackenziefinklea.com

Additional Resources:

• Interested in writing and publishing a book? Check out the Creator Institute Writing Program! 
• Check out Mackenzie's award-winning book: Beyond the Halls: An Insider’s Guide to Loving Museums

MAKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH YOUR #1 PRIORITY THIS NEW YEAR BY SIGNING UP FOR THE JOURNAL THAT TALKS BACK!

The Journal That Talks Back is an accessible coaching service for young professionals that connects you with a certified coach who is trained to respond to your challenges through a safe, secure and accessible journaling app that is designed to help you explore, reflect, and grow.

I 11/10 recommend this service (and yes, I do use it!!!)! If  you have any questions about The Journal That Talks Back please email [email protected] or message me on Instagram @haileyrodddgers!

Connect with me:

• Email: [email protected]
• Personal Instagram: @haileyrodddgers
• Podcast Instagram: @seemeshowpod

I'm always looking for guests so please reach out to me through any of these channels and I'd be happy to discuss a potential episode :)

There are so many parts of ourselves that make us who we are whether it be our race, gender, age, sexuality, personality, political affiliations, religious beliefs, professional lives, and so on.

However, these parts of ourselves can be difficult to balance or even clash at times. Perhaps you’ve just moved to a brand new country and you’re trying to navigate the culture while still trying to preserve your roots. Or maybe your professional life is so consuming that it has caused you to put your personal goals and relationships on the back burner. This conflict between the different parts of who we are can cause us to question our place in this world and overall sense of self.

So how can we balance these different parts of ourselves and embrace all aspects of who we are?

In this week’s episode, I dive into this topic with Jana Amin. Jana is an Egyptian-American freshman at Harvard College. An advocate and community mobilizer for girls’ education and women in Islam, Jana has given a TedX-Youth talk on Muslim women and spoken at the United Nations on policies to further youth inclusion and gender parity. Throughout her journey, Jana has navigated struggles with her identity, but today she is able to show up as her true self by embracing all the identities that make her who she is. In this episode, Jana shares:

• What the concept of “identity” means
• What balancing your identities looks like
• The personal challenges she has encountered in balancing all of her identities 
• Advice for those who are struggling with their identity(s)
•  & more!

Connect with Jana on Instagram and LinkedIn to learn more about her work!

MAKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH YOUR #1 PRIORITY THIS NEW YEAR BY SIGNING UP FOR THE JOURNAL THAT TALKS BACK!

The Journal That Talks Back is an accessible coaching service for young professionals that connects you with a certified coach who is trained to respond to your challenges through a safe, secure and accessible journaling app that is designed to help you explore, reflect, and grow.

I 11/10 recommend this service (and yes, I do use it!!!)! If  you have any questions about The Journal That Talks Back please email [email protected] or message me on Instagram @haileyrodddgers!

Connect with me:

• Email: [email protected]
• Personal Instagram: @haileyrodddgers
• Podcast Instagram: @seemeshowpod

I'm always looking for guests so please reach out to me through any of these channels and I'd be happy to discuss a potential episode :)

What changes are you experiencing in your life right now? Are they fun and exciting? Or, are they stressful and scary? 

Whether you're attending a new school, starting your career, getting into or out of a relationship, or whatever it may be, the change you are experiencing has most likely come with some level of discomfort. 

So how can we navigate change with ease and optimism? Join me in my discussion with Maddie MacKinnon on how you can embrace change. Maddie is currently a PhD student at the University of Toronto in the Health Services Research program, who hopes her research will have a positive impact on mental health services for youth and young adults. She recently graduated from Queen's University with her Master’s of Science in Translational Medicine as well, so there has been a lot of change in her life in the last couple months. Outside of school, you can find her doing anything active in the mountains, reading, or checking out local breweries and coffee shops.

In our discussion, Maddie shares her insights on how we can embrace change and how it can allow us to learn and grow. In more detail we discuss:

• The kinds of changes we experience and how they can feel
• Why change is sometimes really uncomfortable and scary
• Why change is a good thing
• What it means to embrace change and how you can do just that
• And more! 

Connect with Maddie on Instagram @madddiemackk or LinkedIn.

NEW MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE ALERT!

Check out The Journal That Talks Back! The Journal That Talks Back is an accessible coaching service for young professionals that connects you with a certified coach who is trained to respond to your challenges through a safe, secure and accessible journaling app that is designed to help you explore, reflect, and grow.

I 11/10 recommend this service (and yes, I do use it!!!)! If  you have any questions about The Journal That Talks Back please email [email protected] or message me on Instagram @haileyrodddgers!

Connect with me:

• Email: [email protected]
• Personal Instagram: @haileyrodddgers
• Podcast Instagram: @seemeshowpod

I'm always looking for guests so please reach out to me through any of these channels and I'd be happy to discuss a potential episode :)

What does it mean to honour the voices around us? How can we use the power of storytelling as a catalyst for positive change in a world that glamourizes conformity?

In this week's episode, I explore the importance of honouring and amplifying everyone's voices with author, Kyra Ann Dawkins. Inspired by the stories her grandfather told her, Kyra is no stranger to writing. Having published in many papers, she graduated with highest honors from Phillips Exeter Academy and from Columbia University in the City of New York where she majored in Medicine, Literature, and Society. After graduating, she noticed an intense pressure to construct her identity. A champion of oral tradition, she wrote her debut book, The We and the They, to create a narrative space where readers could escape the limits of individuality and experience a story as a member of a new collective. 

In our conversation, Kyra shares her story and more specifically, talks about her Autistic and Nonverbal sister, Kendra, and how she has shown Kyra what it means to be true to who you are and to honour all voices. In more detail we discuss: 

• Why storytelling is important
• The lessons Kyra's sister has taught her
• What it means to honour the voices around us
• How we can honour and amplify the voices around us
• And more!

Connect with Kyra on Instagram @kyra_ann_writes and check out her website https://www.kyraanndawkins.org! 

NEW MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE ALERT!

Check out The Journal That Talks Back! The Journal That Talks Back is an accessible coaching service for young professionals that connects you with a certified coach who is trained to respond to your challenges through a safe, secure and accessible journaling app that is designed to help you explore, reflect, and grow.

I 11/10 recommend this service (and yes, I do use it!!!)! If  you have any questions about The Journal That Talks Back please email [email protected] or message me on Instagram @haileyrodddgers!

Connect with me:

• Email: [email protected]
• Personal Instagram: @haileyrodddgers
• Podcast Instagram: @seemeshowpod

I'm always looking for guests so please reach out to me through any of these channels and I'd be happy to discuss a potential episode :)

Being a part of authentic communities is an essential part of living life with meaning and purpose. They allow you to surround yourself with diverse people who are grounded in the same values and desire to make positive change in the world. But finding your people can be so challenging at times, especially in this world that encourages conformity over authenticity.

In this week's episode, I discuss this idea of authentic communities with the Founder of Happy Human Project, Aidan Bonner. Aidan sprung onto campus at Dalhousie University last year with one goal in mind: proving that happiness comes from a community that unites for the greater good, as Founder and President of Happy Human Project, at a time when the sense of community perished most during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Aidan has become a voice for voiceless communities nationwide and has sparked efforts for various causes including helping homeless, assisting Indigenous organizations, raising funds for food banks, and has used his voice as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in spreading the importance of inclusivity and equality. In addition, he continues to advocate the importance of mental health through his social media and as a founding member of Step Above Stigma. 

Ultimately, life is so much more fulfilling when we surround ourselves with people who are aligned with our authentic selves. Regardless of the challenges that come with finding people who align with your authentic self, there are many ways to go about it... and Aidan shares his insights on how you can do just that! In more detail we discuss:

• What authentic communities are
• The kinds of communities you can get involved in
• How to go about finding authentic people and communities
• How to start your own authentic communities
• And more!

Connect with Aidan on Instagram @aidanbonner and check out Happy Human Project's website https://www.happyhumanproject.ca and Instagram @happyhumanproj. 

NEW MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE ALERT!

Check out The Journal That Talks Back! The Journal That Talks Back is an accessible coaching service for young professionals that connects you with a certified coach who is trained to respond to your challenges through a safe, secure and accessible journaling app that is designed to help you explore, reflect, and grow.

I 11/10 recommend this service (and yes, I do use it!!!)! If  you have any questions about The Journal That Talks Back please email [email protected] or message me on Instagram @haileyrodddgers!

Connect with me:

• Email: [email protected]
• Personal Instagram: @haileyrodddgers
• Podcast Instagram: @seemeshowpod

I'm always looking for guests so please reach out to me through any of these channels and I'd be happy to discuss a potential episode :)