If you’ve ever wondered, ‘Does my story even matter?’—this episode is going to remind you that it absolutely does.

Today on Shift Happens, I’m joined again by Thais Eliasen. She is someone who deeply understands the power of sharing your story.

We’re diving into what happens when you stop hiding behind your pain and start using it as purpose. Because here’s the truth—your story carries healing, not just for you, but for the people who need to hear it. And when you step into that truth, it can also open doors for opportunity, connection, and yes—even profit.

In this conversation, we’ll talk about the courage it takes to own your story, how storytelling becomes a pathway to freedom, and why no one else can replicate what you’ve lived through. Thais and I are going to unpack the beauty, the rawness, and the transformation that comes when you finally stop running from your past and start embracing it.
 

RESOURCES

Are you looking for a coach that will help you process, uncover, and potentially USE your story? I'd love to help! Click HERE so i can get to know more about your personal and professional goals!

FOLLOW

@thaiseliasen

@alexisnandra

@theshiftcreative

@shifthappensthepod

Have you ever felt like the very thing you turned to for comfort ended up destroying your life?
Have you ever watched addiction steal friendships, family, and years of your life — or the life of someone you love?
What does it really take to stop using, to face the pain sober, and to start rebuilding from nothing?

Today’s guest knows that journey intimately. Katherine Sorensen once battled alcohol and drugs— and it nearly ruined everything. But she survived, rebuilt, and now dedicates her life to helping others fighting addiction

Katherine’s story is raw, unfiltered, and deeply inspiring. In this episode, we’ll talk about the moments that led her into addiction, the rock bottom that made her realize change was necessary, what sobriety cost her, and how she rebuilt a life she almost lost. This is a story about pain, courage, and ultimate redemption
 

RESOURCES

Are you looking for a coach that will help you process, uncover, and potentially USE your story? I'd love to help! Click HERE so i can get to know more about your personal and professional goals!

FOLLOW

@soberkatt

@alexisnandra

@theshiftcreative

@shifthappensthepod

As a parent, have you ever looked at your child and wished the world would see them for who they are — especially if they have a disability or delay? Have you ever felt the ache of wanting them to feel fully included, only to realize the simplest things, like clothing, can make them feel different?

Imagine a world where every child is celebrated exactly as they are — where even what they wear gives them confidence, dignity, and joy.

Today’s guest is building that world. Elicen Renz is the founder of Benny Bee, an adaptive clothing brand designed to empower every kind of child. At Benny Bee, the mission is simple yet powerful: to honor all abilities and remind the world that no one is defined by their difficulties or delays.

Elicen’s journey to building this brand is rooted in heart, grit, and a vision for inclusivity that goes far beyond fashion. What started as a response to a need has become a movement thaat’s giving kids confidence and giving parents hope.

In this conversation, we’ll dive into Elicen’s personal story, the why behind Benny Bee, the challenges of starting something so unique, and her vision for a future where every child feels seen, valued, and celebrated.

RESOURCES

Are you looking for a coach that will help you process, uncover, and potentially USE your story? I'd love to help! Click HERE so i can get to know more about your personal and professional goals!

FOLLOW

@bennybeewear

@alexisnandra

@theshiftcreative

@shifthappensthepod

What happens when life keeps handing you the same painful lesson until you finally decide to stop repeating it?
 

Today’s guest, Raena O’Neil, knows what it means to start over—with nothing but a suitcase and a son to care for.
 

From getting swept into Vegas’ nightlife scene… from becoming a young mom and walking away from multiple toxic relationships… to holding her mother’s hand as she passed, and finally realizing she had her own demons to fight—Ranae’s journey is about more than survival. It’s about healing, self-trust, and radical reinvention.
 

In this conversation, Ranae opens up about how her mother’s addiction shaped her, how co-dependency nearly broke her, and how she used every rock bottom as a reason to rise.
 

We talk about the grief she buried, the weight she carried (physically and emotionally), and how lymphatic drainage transformed not only her body, but her purpose.

This episode is for anyone who’s ever asked:
— “Why do I keep ending up in the same kind of relationship?”
— “What am I trying to fix on the outside that still hurts on the inside?”
— And, “Is it too late to become the version of me I know I was made to be?”
 

This is your reminder that it’s never too late—if you’re willing to stop settling, do the inner work, and finally stop sacrificing yourself for someone else.

RESOURCES

Are you looking for a coach that will help you process, uncover, and potentially USE your story? I'd love to help! Click HERE so i can get to know more about your personal and professional goals!

FOLLOW

@lymphatic_organic

@alexisnandra

@theshiftcreative

@shifthappensthepod

What do you do when your parent is tragically taken from you? How do you keep going after  life keeps hitting you again and again?

In this gripping episode, Jeremy Swanson shares the story he’s held onto for nearly a decade—starting with the day his father was suddenly and violently taken from him. What followed was a spiral of unimaginable loss, heartbreak, and rock bottom moments that tested every part of who he was: as a son, a husband, a father, and a man of faith.

From wrestling with rage and responsibility to rebuilding his life piece by piece—Jeremy’s story is one of raw honesty, pain, and purpose.

If you’ve ever felt like life won’t let up, this episode will meet you in the depths and remind you that survival is only the beginning.

RESOURCES

Are you looking for a coach that will help you process, uncover, and potentially USE your story? I'd love to help! Click HERE so i can get to know more about your personal and professional goals!

FOLLOW

@itsbrettbooker

@alexisnandra

@theshiftcreative

@shifthappensthepod

What do you do when the person who shaped your world is suddenly gone?

In this vulnerable and soul-stirring episode, Brazilian pop artist Carol Grando opens up about the devastating loss of her mother at just 16 years old—and how that grief became the catalyst for her musical journey. She shares how music became more than just an art form—it became her lifeline.

Carol talks about what it means to carry deep faith in a world full of noise, rejection, and pressure to quit. Through heartbreak, doubt, and moments of silence where it felt like no one was listening, she kept showing up. Not just for her dreams—but for the younger version of herself who needed to believe it was possible.

This is an episode about resilience, identity, and the healing power of expression. Whether you’ve faced unimaginable loss, chased a creative dream, or ever found yourself on the edge of giving up—Carol’s story will meet you there.

RESOURCES

Are you looking for a coach that will help you process, uncover, and potentially USE your story? I'd love to help! Click HERE so i can get to know more about your personal and professional goals!

FOLLOW

@itsbrettbooker

@alexisnandra

@theshiftcreative

@shifthappensthepod

What would you do if one decision changed the course of your entire life? Have you ever felt like your past disqualified you from a better future? Or wondered if it’s really possible to start over after you’ve hit rock bottom?

At just 20 years old, Brett Booker was sentenced to 11.5 years in prison. But his story isn’t about staying stuck in a system—it’s about defying the odds, reclaiming identity, and using rock bottom as a foundation for growth. In this episode, Brett walks us through his childhood, the choices that led him into drug dealing, and the life-altering moment everything came crashing down.

Now a coach and mentor helping others break free from their own strongholds, Brett shares what it looks like to start over when the world has already labeled you—and how to rewrite your story no matter where you’ve been. If you’ve ever struggled to believe that your past doesn’t define you, this conversation is your wake-up call. Brett doesn’t just talk about second chances—he lives it.

RESOURCES

Are you looking for a coach that will help you process, uncover, and potentially USE your story? I'd love to help! Click HERE so i can get to know more about your personal and professional goals!

FOLLOW

@itsbrettbooker

@alexisnandra

@theshiftcreative

@shifthappensthepod

Have you’ve ever wondered, “Am I asking for too much in my relationship?” or “Why do I keep attracting the wrong people?”—if so this episode is for you. Today, I’m joined by Emily Freeman, a sought-after dating coach who helps women break free from toxic patterns and start dating from a place of alignment and healing, not fear.

In this conversation, Emily shares how her own story led her to this work, what attachment styles reveal about the way we love, and whether an anxious-avoidant relationship can actually work. We talk about high standards vs. unrealistic expectations, the lie that you’re too much, and the power of not settling—even when it feels like everyone else is.

Whether you’re single, dating, or healing from heartbreak, Emily’s wisdom will help you feel seen, grounded, and more hopeful about love than ever before.

RESOURCES

Are you looking for a coach that will help you process, uncover, and potentially USE your story? I'd love to help! Click HERE so i can get to know more about your personal and professional goals!

 FOLLOW

@emilyfreemancoaching

@alexisnandra

@theshiftcreative

@shifthappensthepod

What do you do when the pain is too loud, the shame too deep, and the story too messy to tell?

She survived the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake—but that wasn’t the only rubble she had to crawl out of. In this gripping episode, Aahmes Kubicki opens up about the hidden wounds that came long before the natural disaster: childhood abuse, a teen pregnancy, infidelity, a double life, and a suicide attempt that nearly ended it all.

From the outside, her life looked put together—working elite events, remarried to a good man, raising a family. But behind the scenes was a woman searching for worth, wrestling with shame, and believing she was too far gone for grace.

Her breaking point came in more ways than one. And when the world crumbled—literally and spiritually—God met her in the rubble.

If you’ve ever questioned whether your story is too messy, your mistakes too great, or your past too heavy, this episode is your reminder: redemption is real, and no life is too far gone for God to rebuild

RESOURCES

Are you looking for a coach that will help you process, uncover, and potentially USE your story? I'd love to help! Click HERE so i can get to know more about your personal and professional goals!

 FOLLOW

@aahmes_kubicki

@alexisnandra

@theshiftcreative

@shifthappensthepod

What happens when you grow up with little but dream of building a lot?

 In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Laleh—cosmetic dentist, business owner, wife, and mother—to unpack how her early experiences of financial instability and her parents’ sacrifices lit a fire to succeed. From finishing dental school before 24 to carving a name for herself in a male-dominated industry, Dr. Laleh shares the behind-the-scenes pressures, the moments she was underestimated, and how she chose to rise anyway. We explore the mindset shifts required to juggle a growing practice and growing family, and why waiting for permission is never the answer. This conversation is a powerful reminder that no matter where you start, you have the power to create your own opportunities—and redefine what success looks like on your terms.

RESOURCES

Are you looking for a coach that will help you process, uncover, and potentially USE your story? I'd love to help! Click HERE so i can get to know more about your personal and professional goals!

 FOLLOW

@doctorlelah

@alexisnandra

@theshiftcreative

@shifthappensthepod