The GRITT of the Matter

I never set out to create an annual Virtual 5K.

I was recovering from a total ankle replacement and wanted one big goal: walk 3.1 miles.

That first 5K took me about 4½ hours. I stopped. I rested. I started again. And at the end, my friend had drawn me a finish line in sidewalk chalk.

I crossed it.

What started as something I needed to help me feel strong slowly became something my community wanted to do with me—and eventually something we could use to help other people too.

In Episode 28, I'm sharing the story behind the Embrace Your Personal Journey Virtual 5K, how it has evolved over three years, and why this year's event supporting MDS Blood Cancer Awareness is especially personal to me.

Through all the changes in Bodies by DeZine, this is the thing I keep coming back to.

And I think I'm finally understanding why.

🎵 Music featured in the intro and outro courtesy of Treaty of Tripoli.

#TheGRITToftheMatter #BodiesByDezine #EmbraceYourPersonalJourney #RealLifeStrength

I had a completely different Episode 27 planned.

Then life happened.

After everything going on with our Roux girl, I missed recording last week. When I finally came back to continue my story, I realized I needed more time to piece it together accurately.

So…I changed the plan. Again.

In this episode, we're talking about why changing the plan doesn't always mean changing the goal—and why adapting to the information, circumstances, or capacity you have now isn't the same as giving up.

Sometimes real-life strength is simply being willing to ask:

Does the goal need to change…or does the plan just need to change?

🎵 Music featured in the intro and outro courtesy of Treaty of Tripoli.

#TheGRITToftheMatter #BodiesByDezine #RealLifeStrength #KeepMovingForward

In 2014, I hurt my knee during jiu-jitsu and thought I was dealing with a minor meniscus injury. The plan was simple: clean it up, recover, and move on.

Except that isn't what my doctor found.

In this episode, I'm continuing my story through my first two knee surgeries, an unexpected finding, a suspected rare condition, and what it was like knowing something was wrong with my body without having an answer yet.

Looking back, I wasn't consciously trying to be resilient. I was a mom, a wife, and someone with a life I loved. I simply kept living while we tried to figure it out.

I never decided my life was over before I knew what my life was actually going to look like.

🎵 Intro/outro music: Treaty of Tripoli

Sometimes putting yourself first is the very thing that allows you to keep showing up for everyone else.

Over the last few weeks, I've had to take some of my own advice.

After dealing with more pain than usual, I realized I needed to make changes to the way I was showing up for Mindful Movements. I had spent months struggling with the idea of changing my live schedule because I didn't want the people who count on those lives to lose something valuable.

But eventually I had to ask myself:

What is continuing this way costing me?

In this episode of The GRITT of the Matter, I'm talking about what I'm learning in real time—the difference between finding a way to keep going and constantly asking your body to give you something it doesn't have.

Putting yourself first doesn't always mean putting everyone else last.

Sometimes it's exactly what allows you to continue being there for the people who matter to you.

No pressure for perfection. Just progress.

🎵 music credit Treaty of Tripoli

#TheGRITToftheMatter #PuttingYourselfFirst #Resilience #ListenToYourBody #SelfCare #PersonalGrowth #Mindset #BodiesByDeZine

Some of the hardest battles aren't the ones people can see.

In this episode of The GRITT of the Matter, I sit down with Kim Staples as she shares her deeply personal story of childhood trauma, loss, healing, and becoming a cycle breaker.

We talk about:

• Breaking unhealthy family patterns• Nervous system regulation• Parenting through healing instead of survival• Learning to replace fear with love• Why being kind to yourself changes everything• How one person's healing creates a ripple effect for generations

This conversation is honest, emotional, encouraging, and filled with hope for anyone who's ever felt stuck in survival mode.

No matter where you've been...
Healing is possible.

🎙 Listen now and remember:

Your journey is yours...but you never have to walk it alone.

Connect with Kim Staples:📖 The Two Lanterns by Kim Staples — available on Amazon📸 Instagram: @Kimberly_Staples📘 Facebook: Kim Staples / Kimberly Staples🌐 SacredlyUnhingedMom.com🎙️ Podcast: Unapologetic Uplift

🎵 Music: Treaty of Tripoli

Sometimes the biggest changes in our lives don't begin with giant leaps.

They begin with one small decision.

In this solo episode of The GRITT of the Matter, I share a personal realization about changing my own schedule after recognizing that constantly pouring into others was slowly wearing me down.

We often believe slowing down means we're giving up. But sometimes, making one small change is exactly what allows us to keep showing up for the people and purpose that matter most.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Recognizing burnout before it happens
• Why small changes aren't signs of weakness
• Protecting your peace without guilt
• Letting go of unrealistic expectations
• Creating habits you can actually sustain

If you've been waiting for permission to make a small change, maybe this is it.

Remember...
No pressure for perfection...just progress.

🎵 Music: Treaty of Tripoli

What if one difficult season was actually preparing you for everything that came next?

In this episode of The GRITT of the Matter, I sit down with Jami Killinger Milburn for an honest conversation about resilience, purpose, leadership, mentorship, boundaries, entrepreneurship, and learning to keep moving forward through life's hardest moments.

Jami shares her journey through military service, construction leadership, starting her own business, and one of the most personal chapters of her life when she struggled with thoughts of suicide before finding hope through a veteran support program.

We also talk about:

• Why every battle has a purpose• Finding mentors who challenge you• Learning to set healthy boundaries• The power of resilience• Building confidence through failure• Entrepreneurship and Warrior Outfitter Coffee• Why your story can become someone else's hope

If you've ever questioned why you're walking through a difficult season, this conversation is for you.

Remember...

You don't have to move forward alone.

Connect with Jamie:• Warrior Outfitter Coffee• Website: WarriorOutfitter.com• Instagram/Facebook: @WarriorOutfitter• Jamie Killinger Milburn on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram

🎵 Music: Treaty of Tripoli

Have you ever caught yourself saying...

"I only walked for 10 minutes."

"I only got one thing done today."

"I only made it through part of the workout."

That one little word — only — has a way of making us forget everything we actually accomplished.

In this solo episode of The GRITT of the Matter, I talk about why progress doesn't have to be perfect to matter and how all-or-nothing thinking can keep us from recognizing the steps we're already taking.

Whether you're rebuilding your strength, adjusting to a changing body, starting over, or simply trying to make it through another day, this episode is a reminder that every step forward counts.

In this episode:

💚 Why "only" steals our progress

💪 Comparing today's abilities to yesterday's

🪑 Why modifying doesn't mean you've failed

🚶 Every step forward still matters

✨ Progress isn't about perfection—it's about continuing to move forward

If you showed up today, even in a different way than yesterday........It counted!

🎙 New episodes every Saturday

Available on Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Music • iHeartRadio • Pocket Casts

🎵 Music credit: Treaty of Tripoli

#TheGRITTOfTheMatter#ProgressNotPerfection#KeepMovingForward#MindsetShift #StartingAgain

Have you ever wondered if the very thing you struggle with could become part of your purpose?

In this episode of The GRITT of the Matter, I sit down with musician Ian to talk about anxiety, faith, purpose, and creating music that encourages people instead of simply following trends.

Ian shares how music became more than a creative outlet. During some of his hardest seasons with anxiety, it became a place to process his emotions, strengthen his faith, and remind others they aren't walking through life alone.

Rather than creating music for popularity, Ian made the decision to create music that brings hope, encouragement, and connection to people who may be facing their own struggles.

🎵 How music became more than a hobby

💚 Living with anxiety and learning to manage it

🙏 Leaning on faith during difficult seasons

✨ Choosing purpose over popularity

🤝 Why kindness can change someone's day

🌱 Encouraging others through your own journey

Ian's story is a reminder that sometimes our greatest struggles become the very thing that allows us to encourage someone else.

Connect with Ian

YouTube: ic15SoundCloud: ic15

Have you ever looked around and felt like everyone else was ahead of you?

Ahead in life.
Ahead in their goals.
Ahead in their health.
Ahead in their journey.

Maybe you've wondered:

"Why am I not there yet?"

In this episode of The GRITT of the Matter, I'm sharing a reminder that I think we all need sometimes:

Maybe you're not behind at all.

Sometimes life simply takes a different path, and those unexpected turns may be teaching us, shaping us, and preparing us for things we can't see yet.

Different does not automatically mean behind.

Your story is still unfolding.
Your growth still matters.
And your journey still has value.

You are not in this alone.