What's Your Story? w Joelle Gibson

What a special moment this was for me to be able to sit down with my Mom. We talk about her early life growing up in Scotland, moving to Canada, how she was nearly abducted, became a hairdresser, witnessed a horrific, traumatizing event, her version of when Lisa cut her hair, finding a job you love, what brings her joy and what Monty Python song wants played at her funeral.

I speak with Jody Ann of JAC Photography, the amazing Newborn and Family photographer from Calgary, who I had the opportunity to work for for three years and whose brother I just happened to marry. We talk about how she got started in photography, her time as a singer/songwriter, the height of her business and what led her to take a break from it all. And finally, how she and her husband are now working together to create a better version of the business she originally started, where she can still capture the moments she loves to, fulfilling that creative desire and bringing joy to her life as well as her clients, all in a more Covid friendly way.

My bestie Rachel joins me in this episode to share a little.bit about her journey with depression, anxiety, OCD and together we share waaaaaay too many laughs. It was a much needed chit chat for the both of us. We both agree that laughing through life is one of the best ways to deal with our struggles. If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or tendencies please reach out to someone who can help. CANADA SUICIDE HOTLINE : 833-456-4566 PS : SORRY FOR MY MIC SCRATCHES, I can't hear it during recording but will 100% not let it happen again 😆

I LOVED chatting with my friend Kelli France! I met Kelli several years back when working for a Health & Fitness Direct Sales Company. Her energy is contagious and I always have felt, and continue to feel, empowered when I speak with her. We chat about her early life and how that really prepared her to have the incredible drive she has now. She beautifully shares her thoughts on failure, raising resilient children and the resources, tools and courses she has created to help women gain more confidence and recognize their true worth and potential, through her FearLess Girl community. Follow her on Instagram : @fearlessgirlco or @kellifrance

It was an absolute pleasure to chat with Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, and visual artist, Meaghan Smith. We chatted about how she got started in music, was able to overcome crippling stage fright & self doubt to be able to perform on stage, record an album, and go on tour for 10 years. She shares the struggles she faced growing up with an undiagnosed learning challenge, anxiety, having hyperemesis gravidarum during her pregnancies and the shift to a new chapter in her career. Meaghan and her "HusBand" have begun helping others share their stories through personalized songs. She is as beautiful to listen to in spoken word as she is while she sings! You can reach out to her to have her write your story here : www.oursongmusic.com

This woman absolutely blows me away with all that she's overcome and accomplished. Yeritza shares about growing up in Colombia, moving to Canada at 11, discovering her love of Math, studying Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology and Chemical Ecology, being a woman in science, converting to a religion after growing up as a non believer, writing and illustrating bilingual children's books....ANNND casually mentions winning Miss Latina Canada and competing in Miss World Canada. Like...what!?! She is super fun, charismatic and I always feel so full of joy after our chats.

This is a story that I was told repeatedly to not share, for 13 years. After years of suffering in silence, I've decided it's no longer serving me to hide my truth. I wanted to share what I've learned from having an abortion at 23 weeks pregnant, when I was 18 years old. For any other woman still hurting from a similar choice or maybe another young girl who needs the guidance, support and information that I never had this episode is for you. This episode may be difficult for some to listen to but I hope you will give it a chance. It's not a political episode or meant to persuay anyone's thinking, but simply to share my story and perhaps help open people's hearts to realize that choosing an abortion is rarely ever an easy choice to come to. There may be women you know and love who have had abortions that are still in pain and don't know where to turn to for help and healing. Learning about their experience and listening to them is the best way, I believe, to help someone heal. I also hope that by me sharing, other women who relate will know that it's never to late to heal that wound and I am here to listen.

Kathleen, from the popular Floss Tube channel "Stitchuation Normal", joins me to share about her life growing up, struggles she faced and how she found a new way of living after her father died from Sarcomatoid Carcinoma, a type of terminal cancer. It is an emotional journey of an episode that I personally, have found so beautiful and inspiring in many ways.

My older sisters Lisa & Mel join me in this episode as we retell our favorite stories from our childhood and the moments that helped us bond. We talk about such an array of things, so it's tough to describe, but, I will say we don't hold back and do talk about some topics that may be considered "mature subject matter." It's so fun to laugh with them and I hope you're able to laugh along with us, or just even remember some of your own funny stories growing up.

The beautiful and articulate, Emma, joined me and so willingly shared the story of how after miscarrying many times, she discovered she had PCOS, and would not be able to conceive a child, in a way, she had once thought. This led to her and her husband to undergo the journey of infertility and the ongoing pursuit in trying to start a family. She shares about the process of IVF, the grief and emotions that come with infertility and how her faith has helped her greatly through this painful process.