Stubbornly Positive with Craig Grossi and Nora Parkington

It's a perfect fall day in Maine and Nora and Craig are thrilled to bring you along to one of their favorite places and introduce you to Ralph Hamill: an Oyster Farmer, a Cardiologist, a Hockey Player and an incredible example of Stubborn Positivity. Listen in as he shares his passion for our planet and the beautiful ways he's working to make life better, and more tasty, for all of us. He loves what he does so much that he "conveniently"  forgot to mention that it was his birthday! *Be prepared for some technical glitches as our hosts learn more about their new travel microphones and recording with only two mics out in the wild.* 

As the season changes our hosts are realizing that they can “sail through the changing ocean tides and handle the seasons of their lives”.  In this episode Nora and Craig discuss their takeaways from a surprisingly disheartening post-op appointment following their pregnancy loss. They reflect on the emotional and physical challenges they’ve faced and how they’ve regained their footing through Stubborn Positivity, connection, and spending time in nature. All this because of the power of a magic baby, embracing changes and overcoming the fear of being vulnerable. 

Schmalls Fest Ticket Link! ⁠https://www.unionstagepresents.com/shows/schmallsfest/⁠

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Open up and say, "AAAAmber The Oral Health Crusader"!! This week Nora and Craig are joined by Amber Lombardi IPDH: a Maine dental hygienist whose vision, passion, dedication and mobile dental clinic are “filling the gaps” for Maine’s veterans and most vulnerable populations. Hold on to your molars as she shares her incredible journey from navigating the healthcare system as a young mother in need, to tackling one of it's nastiest cavities with her mobile dental clinics and whole hearted approach. Plus a rapid fire Q&A session that will answer questions about oral health you didn't know you had! Mainely Teeth has expanded services to over 200 sites across the state along with three brick-and-mortar offices and two mobile dental clinics that provide care to all 16 counties in Maine. Amber is an incredible example of humanity, courage and the epitome of Stubborn Positivity! The short documentary about Amber, "Filling the Gaps", that we mention throughout the episode is linked below! 

Visit Mainley Teeth's website: www.Mainleyteeth.org

Instagram: @Mainely_teeth, Facebook: @MainelyTeeth

Watch the incredible documentary about Amber and Mainely Teeth, "Filling the Gaps" here: www.fillingthegapsfilm.com

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What are some self-care tips that Nora and Craig have picked up in the last week? Plus, hear the special story of how Fred sent them some new important friends and a new segment where they give advice to listeners who share a challenge they’re facing. This week Nora & Craig dive into: "How to handle extended family who really dislike how you think".

Schmalls Fest Ticket Link! https://www.unionstagepresents.com/shows/schmallsfest/

Submit your advice question here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fredtheafghan.com/stubbornlypositive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join Our Patreon Pack for Video Episodes and so much more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/StubbornlyPositive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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In this episode Nora and Craig discuss what has helped them navigate the uncertain waters of grief after their pregnancy loss. Resident Stubbornly Positive therapist Jess Kwerel, LPC, LCPC, pays a visit to help respond to a very important listener question about vulnerability and provide important grief guidance. Plus an exciting announcement about a new project! 

Find Jess on Instagram: @PetLossDC

Visit our Website : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fredtheafghan.com/stubbornlypositive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Nora and Craig are back behind the microphones after learning over their break that they’d lost a long awaited pregnancy. This episode dives into the realities of miscarriage. 1 in 4 pregnancies end in loss. While Nora and Craig are still very much processing this profound grief, they have found strength, gratitude, and inspiration through sharing their experience with their Fred Family. It is their intention with this episode to bring awareness and hope to anyone effected by this all too common, but rarely discussed tragedy from both of their perspectives.

A Note from Nora:

I tried to recount as much as I could in this episode, but one thing I didn’t or couldn’t get into is how it’s impossible to not feel responsible for your miscarriage. Even though your rational brain knows and your medical team has explained to you “this was not your fault”, your irrational brain needs to blame something. Someone. The "what ifs" and the “what did I do wrong” anxiety grips you all day, and worse at night when the cycling replays what just happened, amplified by the darkness and silence. What I had just experienced would come spinning: the sadness in the ultrasound tech’s voice, staring at our baby on the screen, the grief, the sea of confusion while a midwife explains how you’re not pregnant anymore even though you still are, the surgery, and over and over and over. One night my combat veteran husband woke up to me crying over the "what ifs" anxiety and events replaying in my head. “Yeah babe, that’s called trauma”.

The silence and expectation to quickly move on during this multiple week process when you’re still actively recovering, physically and mentally, is wild. I hope the more we talk about it, the more it changes. And the expectation will be more about comfort and care with understanding rather then pushing through and forcing ourselves to be okay for the sake of everyone else’s comfort. This experience has widened my eyes to the true meaning and power of community. Thank you. I’ll never cease to be amazed by women's strength. 

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Hang out with your favorite Stubbornly Positive hosts as they celebrate their Anniversary and 80th Episode by revealing some surprising and fascinating facts about each other during their version of the Newlywed Game. Plus a pop-tastic candy review!  AND Nora admits that Craig is the better driver and always parks in the best place and never drives too fast, also he can do so many pull ups (who wrote this?)

Visit our Website : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fredtheafghan.com/stubbornlypositive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Is there a trip you've been planning for years? Have you been wanting to catch up with that old friend for weeks? Is that new restaurant you've been meaning to try always getting deferred to "next time"? Well in this episode Nora and Craig make a strong case for embracing the opportunities for joy that we too often pass on in the name of practicality. Inspired by a visit from some of Craig's family who are navigating the recent loss of John Purvis Jr. by finally taking a trip they'd been talking about for years. Hear all about this inspirational trip and try to guess which oyster fact is a fib on this very special episode! 

Visit our Website : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fredtheafghan.com/stubbornlypositive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Something epic is brewing on this week's episode! Nora and Craig are joined by a Beer-y special guest whose story has more twists and inspiring turns than a bourbon barrel aged stout! Ryan McCullough is the General Manager at Allagash Brewery in Portland Maine but his road to this prestigious role was full of wild tales and examples of Stubborn Positivity. Listen in as he shares how he and his family worked toward a very Hoppy life in the beautiful state of Maine! 

Check out Allagash's Instagram: @allagashtastingroom, @allagashbrewing

Visit our Website : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fredtheafghan.com/stubbornlypositive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Summer is in full swing and Nora and Craig have been busy making the most of it! On this smile-filled episode they reflect on their adventures with friends Nathan and Miranda and their two fun loving boys during their trip to Maine. What was the most meaningful activity they did together? The answer might surprise you. Plus, the story behind their newest family member… Theodore The Tractor! All this plus a particularly sticky candy review and 3 Truths and a Fib John Deere edition! 

Visit our Website : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.fredtheafghan.com/stubbornlypositive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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