Veronica Olalla Love was born in Argentina in 1976, just weeks after a military coup, to a family who had already fled another coup in Chile. Her mother shielded her children from gunfire in the streets. Her father became a pioneer in transformational coaching, giving Veronica a front-row seat to the power of story and human connection at the age of twelve. These experiences did not leave her broken. They gave her a mission.In this conversation, Veronica shares how the trauma stored in her earliest memories became the foundation for a life devoted to teaching others to truly see and hear one another. She reflects on why she believes every human is fundamentally whole, and how listening deeply enough to another person can turn any conversation into a portal to our shared humanity.This is a story about what becomes possible when violence does not get the last word, and when one person chooses, again and again, to respond to the world with love.

To learn more about Veronica Olalla Love:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-love-m-ac-dipl-ac-pcc-19152394/Website: https://newfieldnetwork.com/Art: https://www.veronicalove.net/

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: [email protected]Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

What happens when a hyper-achiever tries to master meditation in ten days? For me, it ended with violently throwing up in front of a hundred silent meditators and carrying that trauma for years. But that embarrassing failure became the doorway to the practice that has transformed my life more than anything else.In this solo episode, I share my winding journey with meditation, from that disastrous ten-day silent retreat where I tried to be the "best meditator in the room," to finding a teacher who helped me begin again by telling me, “Don’t meditate.” I open up about how meditation helped me stop worrying obsessively about workplace conversations, taught me to trust my body's intelligence, and eventually led to a spiritual awakening during COVID that shifted how I see everything, even pain itself.

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemian

Email: [email protected]

Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

At the age of 12, James Davis-Massey made one of the most difficult decisions of his life: he stood before a court and divorced his parents. It was a soulful decision, one that defied logic and wasn't driven by what his head or even his heart told him, but by a deeper knowing that he needed to move toward safety and love. Growing up in an environment marked by abuse, alcoholism, and neglect, James knew deep within himself that he needed safety and love, even if it meant making an extraordinary choice that most children never face.

That moment of soulful decision-making became the foundation for who James is today. He moved in with his grandparents, and heard his grandmother's words, "James, you can be and do anything you want to be and do," which became a guiding light that he carries with him to this day. James developed a fierce independence. By age 14, he was working nearly full-time to support himself. While this responsibility forced him to grow up quickly, it also gave him the resilience and grit that would shape his future.

Now, James is the co-founder of The Human Blueprint, where he helps leaders, executives, teams, and organizations understand the power of human-centered leadership. His approach integrates the five dimensions of a leader—head, heart, gut, body, and soul—to help people align with their higher purpose and become their most powerful, influential, and fulfilled selves. From his early trauma to his work today, James's journey is a testament to the transformative power of making soulful decisions and serving others from a place of deep authenticity.

To learn more about James Davis-Massey:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdavis2/Website: https://www.thehumanblueprint.com/

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: [email protected]Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

Aaron Simmons met his wife, Polly, in the Peace Corps, and together they built a life filled with art, literature, and deep partnership. They married, bought a house, and had three children. Then, three years ago, Polly died suddenly from a pulmonary embolism, leaving Aaron to navigate life as a solo father and to wrestle with unanswerable questions.

In the midst of his grief, Aaron discovered Polly's journals—pages and pages of her thoughts, insights, and humor written over the years. As he began writing through his own pain in the middle of the night, an idea emerged: what if they could write a book together, even after her death?

In this conversation, Aaron shares how he's keeping Polly present for his children, how writing became both his healing and their collaboration, and why he believes grief never truly resolves—it simply becomes part of who we are. He reflects on the tension between moving forward and honoring what was lost, and offers wisdom for anyone sitting with loss they didn't choose.

This is a story about creating beauty from loss, honoring the dead by living fully, and understanding that healing isn't linear—it's a mosaic.

To Learn more about Aaron Simmons:Website: aaronsimmons.name

To Buy the book widow— widower— widowest— a grief mosaicBook website: widowest.comPublisher website: www.motinabooks.com/book/widow-widower-widowest/Amazon:www.amazon.com/-/he/Aaron-Simmons-ebook/dp/B0FZ5HZZRM

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: [email protected]Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

What happens when the life you've known is taken from you in an instant? For Tricia Downing, a competitive cyclist, that moment came on September 17, 2000, when she was hit head-on by a car and paralyzed from the chest down.But Tricia's story isn't just about a life-changing accident. It's about the resilience she built long before that day, as a biracial adoptee growing up in a white family, navigating a world where she never quite fit in, always standing out.When her injury added another layer to her identity, Tricia had a choice: let it define her, or use it as fuel. Just five months after leaving the hospital, she completed a half-marathon in a racing wheelchair. She went on to become a Paralympian, the first female paraplegic to complete an Ironman triathlon, and a powerful advocate for disability inclusion.In this conversation, Tricia shares how being different, again and again, taught her not just to survive, but to lead. She reflects on the gift hidden in adversity and why she believes we're not here for ourselves, but to impact others.This is a story about transformation, acceptance, and discovering that sometimes standing out is exactly what the world needs.

Learn more about Tricia Downing:Website: https://triciadowning.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/triciadowning/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tricialdowning/Substack, The Semantics of Adoption: https://share.google/MA7xlTamUs9o1evkl

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: [email protected]Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

In this deeply personal solo episode, host Stan Ajemian shares his journey through what he calls an "addiction to adrenaline", a pattern of seeking dangerous experiences that masked deeper pain from loneliness and depression. From triggering avalanches in the Canadian Rockies to two catastrophic cycling accidents, Stan reveals how extreme sports became his way of feeling alive and connected to others.

This isn’t just a story about adventure gone wrong, but one of transformation, self-awareness, and the power of inner work. Stan contrasts his two major cycling accidents, one before his meditation practice, when he was angry and difficult during recovery, and one after years of therapy and meditation, when he experienced compassion and even moments of bliss despite severe injuries.

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemian

Email: [email protected]

Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

In this heartfelt conversation, Lyssa deHart shares her journey from running away from love to becoming the person who could truly receive it. Through self-awareness, courage, and deep inner work, she learned to release old patterns that once kept her safe but isolated. Lyssa opens up about moving beyond the need to be liked, to genuinely liking others, and herself, in return.

Together, Lyssa and host Stan Ajemian explore how our earliest experiences shape how we show up in relationships, and how Lyssa’s deeper understanding of both men and herself led to her marriage of 27 years. This episode invites listeners to reflect on the difference between chasing love and allowing it, and how becoming whole within ourselves lays the foundation for mutual, authentic relationships.

Learn more about Lyssa deHart:Website: https://lyssadehart.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyssadehart/Books: https://lyssadehart.com/books/Coaching Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-coaching-studio-with-lyssa-dehart/id1581009320

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: [email protected]Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

Welcome to Stories on Purpose. I’m your host, Stan Ajemian.

This is a podcast about the moments that change us—the stories of adversity, resilience, and transformation that shape who we are and why we do what we do.

Every two to three weeks, I release a new episode, usually around 30 to 60 minutes long. Most of the time, you’ll hear me in conversation with remarkable guests who share their journeys of finding meaning through struggle. And every so often, I’ll share my own reflections in solo episodes.

My hope is that these stories don’t just inspire you, but also invite you to reflect on your own path—how the challenges you’ve faced might hold the seeds of growth, purpose, and even joy.

So if you’re curious about how people find strength in the hardest places, and how we can all live more intentionally, I invite you to listen in.

Stories on Purpose—because your story matters.

Most people view cancer as a devastating diagnosis. For Steve Staruch, it was something he met with curiosity and an unwavering belief that he would survive. He credits the steadfast support of the people around him as a vital part of his healing journey.

In this episode, Steve, well known as a beloved classical music radio host, shares how he faced cancer while continuing to embrace life with joy and gratitude. He reflects on the ways music, faith, and community became sources of strength, and how leaning into beauty allowed him to thrive even in difficult times.

To hear Steve Staruch on the radio:

In the Twin Cities of Minnesota, tune into 99.5 FM

Stream online at: yourclassicalmpr.org

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemian

Email: [email protected]

Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

Sebastian Merz grew up in Germany, where the people continue to carry the reality of a dark past that has never been fully reconciled. His search for peace within his family and culture eventually led him to Canada, where he now serves as a government negotiator on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in British Columbia, while also guiding his coaching clients through their own transformations.

In this episode, Sebastian speaks candidly about the pain he carries from his German ancestry and the parallels he sees in the struggles of reconciliation with Indigenous communities. He reflects on the tension between his natural harmonizing nature and the need for healthy confrontation to be more effective as both a negotiator and a coach.

At one point in the conversation, host Stan Ajemian pauses to recall the ancestral tribes that inhabited the area known as Denver, Colorado. This was the ancestral homeland for the Arapaho, Ute, and Cheyenne peoples.

Sebastian’s story reminds us that reconciliation is never just cultural or historical, but deeply personal, and invites each of us to consider where repair is needed in our own lives.

Learn more about Sebastian Merz:Website: https://Fierce-Heart.Co/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-merz-51582828/

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: [email protected]Website: beingthechangecoaching.com