risk

/risk/

verb

expose (someone or something valued) to danger, harm, or loss. act or fail to act in such a way as to bring about the possibility of (an unpleasant or unwelcome event).

Welcome to episode eight of the Stretch Podcast with your host, Alison Kuhlow.  Stretch is a podcast that uncovers the process of change through the exploration of personal journeys.  Alison reflects on how lucky she is to have friends who are comfortable sharing their stories with her. Her love of understanding someone else’s perspective allows her to gain access to their inner lives.

In this episode, Alison is joined by her friend Annette.  Annette offered to interview Alison in order to allow her to sit in the seat of storyteller.  At the age of 40, Alison was living a life that many would define as successful. She was a good mother, wife, and excelled in her career. She not only met expectations, but exceeded them.  However, she felt like she was questioning everything, all the time.

Alison shares:

• How she realized she was on the wrong life path
• Becoming numb by the path society said to live by
• Seeking and finding help through medications and therapy
• How she came to the realization that her marriage was not working
• Letting go of what you can’t control
• The relationships she had with friends before and during marriage
• Exploring nontraditional changes in her life
• Being comfortable with being uncomfortable
• Flipping what risk means to her
• Looking for opportunities in the space you’re in now

Be aware and acknowledge your beliefs with an open mind.  Consider how you are living your life, what is possible if you were to change?  

Visit the Stretch YouTube Channel to listen to more highlights centered around certain topics.

If you’d like to learn more about this episode or the Stretch Podcast, visit www.StretchPodcast.com

Find inspiration and motivation on Instagram: @stretchpodcast

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFM70lECfI2XZ-lmqZC5rA

Leave me a message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StretchPodcast

Thanks to Travis Brown at Podcastbuddy for audio editing and production.

ob·li·ga·tion

 /äbləˈɡāSH(ə)n/

noun

an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally bound; a duty or commitment.

Welcome to episode seven of the Stretch Podcast with your host, Alison Kuhlow.  Stretch is a podcast where storytellers share their personal journeys of change with the hopes of helping you, the listener, gain new perspective on the challenges you are facing.  We face challenges everyday, and sometimes these challenges can be a result of dysfunctional or neglectful family or relationships.

In this episode Alison is joined by Laura, a risk taker and adventurer within a blue-collar family that always followed the expected path. Laura found the support system for her atypical desires through her mom. Laura and her mom were complete opposites, but she still provided the support and love that Laura needed.

Alison and Laura discuss:

• Patterns developed as children that still influence us as adults
• Laura’s relationship with her parents as a child
• The support she received from her mom throughout her life
• The difficulty of breaking bonds with family
• The changes of family dynamics
• The challenges of dealing with a disengaged and disconnected parent
• Making peace with rejection from family
• When to keep trying, and when to move on

• Finding situations that make you thrive, and finding people who support you

Look at the support system to surround yourself with.  Are they giving you the support and love that you need?

Resources:

www.StretchPodcast.com

Instagram @Stretch_Podcast  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFM70lECfI2XZ-lmqZC5rA

Leave me a message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StretchPodcast

#Stretch 

Thanks to Travis Brown at Podcastbuddy for audio editing and production.

dream

/drēm/

verb

contemplate the possibility of doing something or that something might be the case.

Welcome to episode six of the Stretch Podcast with your host, Alison Kuhlow.  Stretch is a podcast created to help engage the power of storytelling. Stories help us process information and make it easier for us to relate to new ideas.  While everyone’s challenges are unique, there are often enough similarities in our stories to help each other grow. Each small story of change can help you along your path, and will allow you to stretch towards the next change.

In this episode Alison speaks with Eugenio, an Italian attorney turned actor.  Eugenio grew up following a path that met both the social norms, and his personal envisions.  As a child he was fascinated by the ethics surround rules and laws. He decided to become an attorney to help people, and viewed the law as the key to people living together in peace.

Eventually Eugenio found himself working as a 9-5 business lawyer with a more regular schedule.  He started taking acting classes, and realized his dream of becoming an actor. This episode is about Eugenio’s journey from being a lawyer, to making a change and living out his dream.

 Listen as Eugenio shares his story about:

• Why he became an actor
• The changes between working at a law firm and as a business lawyer
• Deciding to go to acting classes
• The importance of pursuing your dreams
• Getting his first role as an actor
• Making peace with the law with his last case
• The importance of finding a person who shares your needs to change
• The key to all things- Kindness

Big things take short steps.  It’s better to be a player on the field of life, rather than sit on the sidelines wondering if you’d be any good.

Get out there and stretch a little.

Resources:

www.StretchPodcast.com

Instagram @Stretch_Podcast  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFM70lECfI2XZ-lmqZC5rA

Leave me a message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StretchPodcast

#Stretch 

Thanks to Travis Brown at Podcastbuddy for audio editing and production.

thresh·old

/ˈTHreSHˌ(h)ōld/

noun

the magnitude or intensity that must be exceeded for a certain reaction, phenomenon, result, or condition to occur or be manifested.

Welcome to episode five of the Stretch Podcast with your host, Alison Kuhlow.  Stretch is a podcast that uncovers the power that sharing personal stories of change can have.  These stories expose us to new ways of thinking, and can help us change our outlook allowing us to take steps forward, and to stretch towards how we want to live.

 In this episode Alison’s friend Tommy shares his story and philosophy on life.  The way that Tommy looks at decisions is a little different than what Alison is used to.  As someone who likes to make pros/cons lists and consider all the options, it’s a little mind boggling for Alison to listen as Tommy describes his process.

 Listen as Tommy talks about:

• His upbringing and family
• The motives behind his move from Georgia to Iowa
• Not looking towards something specific, but towards changing something specific
• The experiments he’s made in life
• The changes he made after his daughter Nina was born with medical problems
• Focusing his energy on things that he has control over
• How he measures success purely by feelings
• His life mantra

Every day is a stepping stone, and Tommy leads his life with this understanding.  Can you?

Resources:

www.StretchPodcast.com

Instagram @Stretch_Podcast  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFM70lECfI2XZ-lmqZC5rA

Leave me a message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StretchPodcast

#Stretch 

Special thanks to our audio editor and producer, Travis Brown at PodcastBuddy.

con·form·i·ty

/kənˈfôrmədē/

noun

compliance with standards, rules, or laws. behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards.

Stretch is a podcast created to help you gain new ideas and perspectives as you face the challenges in your life.  Some challenges are internal, leaving us to battle within. While others are external, involving those around us and the community that we live in.  No matter what your struggle is, you are in the right place. Stretch is here to help.

Join us this week as your host Alison Kuhlow speaks with her friend and former sorority sister Kelley about the challenges her son, Ryland, has faced when it comes to gender identity.  At first Kelley let Ryland do his own thing and experiment with who he wanted to be. However, when Ryland started to go to school, she became worried about what the other kids, teachers, or parents would say about his feminine clothes, accessories, and toys.

Follow along as Kelley tells the story of how she created a healthy way for Ryland to be Ryland.

In this episode Alison and Kelley share:

• The expectations you have when you’re told you have a son or daughter
• The line between parents encouraging creativity, while also helping their child fit in with society’s standards
• How a school counselor can help in a multitude of ways
• The difficulties of seeing your child struggle in school
• The support group Kelley created, Little Rainbows Group
• The use of pronouns at home, and at school

Be sure to take a moment to think about the foundations that you live your life by.  Some of these foundations will allow you to see your challenges more clearly, allowing you to Stretch a little.

Resources:

www.StretchPodcast.com

Instagram @Stretch_Podcast  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFM70lECfI2XZ-lmqZC5rA

Leave me a message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StretchPodcast

#Stretch 

Special thanks to Travis Brown – Producer and audio editor with PodcastBuddy.

sup·port

/səˈpôrt/

verb

bear all or part of the weight of; hold up.

Stretch is a podcast that explores the way we live our lives, the way we confront challenges, and the way we make commitments to try new things.  Some people are born with an outlook that helps them meet those challenges, but it’s important to remember we don’t know everyone’s story.  

In this episode of Stretch Alison is joined by her friend from the Downtown Merchants Association in Park City Utah, Becca.  Becca is someone who has always seemed to be moving forward with life with an air of confident optimism. But her life hasn’t always been that way…

Listen as Becca tells the story of her first long term relationship. From moving to Wisconsin and excitedly starting a new life, to finding his internet porn stash and secret drinking habits after work.  Becca is a caretaker who would support him in doing anything, but will not support him doing nothing. 

Becca reminds us that we need to retain the sense of ourselves in relationships, especially caretakers.  Trust your feelings, they’re worthy of action. Listen in as they discuss just how this story started, and how it all ended. 

In this episode Becca shares:

• What brought them together
• How everything felt like it was coming together
• What brought everything down
• When it started to feel overwhelming
• The journey back to Park City Utah
• Her new life after making some hard decisions

Resources:

www.StretchPodcast.com

Instagram @Stretch_Podcast  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFM70lECfI2XZ-lmqZC5rA

Leave me a message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StretchPodcast

#Stretch 

Mentions:

Travis Brown at Podcast Buddy for audio editing & production

re·sist·ance

/rəˈzistəns/

noun

the refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument.

Everyone approaches change differently. The Stretch Podcast is a collection of stories about the changes people make in their lives, and how those changes require us all to stretch a little.   Listen as Alison Kuhlow speaks with her friend Jacqueline about how her addiction to alcohol forced her to change almost every aspect of her life, and relearn things as simple as sitting still.

You will follow along as Jacquelyn shares her journey from her drunken 9th birthday, to a healthy & successful yoga teacher with 35 years sober under her belt.

In this episode Allison and Jacquelyn share:

• How an addiction can start
• The self destruction addiction can lead to
• Jacquelyn’s path from counselors to state run rehab
• Learning to prepare for change
• A spiritual awakening to live
• How purpose is the ultimate motivator
• The process of relearning behaviors and building healthy habits

Resources:

www.StretchPodcast.com

Instagram @Stretch_Podcast  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFM70lECfI2XZ-lmqZC5rA

Leave me a message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StretchPodcast

#Stretch

Mentions:

Travis Brown at Podcast Buddy for audio editing

More About Jacqueline:

https://www.facebook.com/SpiritedPractice/

https://www.pinterest.com/jmorasco711/

IG: SpiritedPractice

Twitter: @RedYogini11

LinkedIn: Jacqueline Morasco

teth·er

/teT͟Hər/

verb 

tie (an animal) with a rope or chain so as to restrict its movement.

Stretch is a podcast that explores stories of the changes people make in their lives, and how those changes require us all to stretch a little.  In this episode your host Alison Kuhlow speaks with a friend from her local Toastmasters group, Annette, about the tethers that were holding her back after she lost her identity in the world as a CEO, wife, and mother.

Often when change is forced upon, us we want to keep everything the same.  Annette tells Alison about her journey from resisting change and holding onto her past personas, to having to relearn who she is and what she is passionate about.

In this episode Alison and Annette share:

•    What it means to live in your heart, not your head
•    The importance of being yourself
•    Learning not to control your emotions, but utilize them
•    How to make it easier to get out of your comfort zone
•    What being authentic to yourself means

Resources:

www.StretchPodcast.com

Instagram: @Stretch_Podcast  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFM70lECfI2XZ-lmqZC5rA

Leave me a message: https://www.speakpipe.com/StretchPodcast#Stretch

Mentions:

Travis Brown at Podcast Buddy for audio editing & production

You’ll find motivating and perspective changing stories as Alison delves into the journeys taken by others to change their lives. Whether motivated by external or internal forces, each story contains the key steps that can help us reach for the changes we want in our lives.

This podcast will help you STRETCH towards the goals you set for yourself and the new reality you want to create.

For more information visit: https://stretchpodcast.com/