Brilliantly Resilient: Recent Episodes

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“Great leadership starts by leading with a mindset that's scalable—being willing to see things bigger. What would this look like if...?”

~ Ivy Slater, CEO of Slater Success and Author of Best of the Best: Lead Boldly, Scale Rapidly, Create Your Legacy

What does the word "scalable" mean to you?

If you are an entrepreneur, or work with an organization seeking to build (aren't we all?), the word "scalable" should motivate and inspire. Yet, "scalable" also holds some weight, and can be intimidating.

Slater Success CEO and author Ivy Slater reminds us that all businesses are scalable. And if the word intimidates, Ivy says, “Scaling is intimidating to you? Throw the word out. Just say: I'm going to grow.” Grow. Yes; that we can do.

Ivy reminds us that growth takes intention, flexibility, the willingness to pause, reevaluate and accept that scaling often comes not in giant leaps but in grounded, thoughtful steps.

One of the most basic steps is intentional alignment with values-driven leadership, thus providing a strong foundation for present and future growth. Followed by imperfect but intentional action, scaling becomes a manageable process that also begins to create a legacy for a sustainable, growth-oriented organization. Ivy also reminds us to build relationships--one former client returned to her years later with a new project based upon their past relationship.

Values, tribe, imperfect intentional action--all foundations of the Brilliantly Resilient method, useful in business and in life.

Be sure to pick up your copy of Best of the Best: Lead Boldly, Scale Rapidly, Create Your Legacy. Tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Ivy's wisdom and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• “When you're faced with an obstacle and you're just looking at the obstacle, it doesn't disappear.”
• “It is not easy. When you're dealing with things that are spinning… what we want to do is ground it. And you ground it by stepping away, shifting your perspective, and asking: what is actually possible right now?”
• “Stop and take a breath. Walk away from your desk. Shift your environment, because when we stay in the same environment, we are a horse in a horse race running with blinders.”
• “If you're scaling a company and you don't know your values, it reflects in your hiring. It reflects in your clients. There has to be alignment or there's no opportunity to scale.”
• “Great leadership starts with leading with a mindset that's scalable—being willing to see things bigger. What would this look like if...?”
• “When you respond with an emotional reaction, you're doing a disservice to yourself. You don't get to look as brilliant as you truly are.” “Your best resources show up with an open mind and an open heart to see things from an unbiased opportunity.”

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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“My work directly acknowledges that anxiety (around AI) and talks about what actions we can take to take care of ourselves, our families, our communities, during a time that’s high opportunity but also really high volatility.” ~Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek AI Expert and Author of: Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Money and Joy"

Are you afraid of AI?

Artificial Intelligence has long been the stuff of science fiction, with the "artificial" becoming real and taking over the world. Yikes. But AI is here to stay, and according to AI expert, Dr. Joan Palmiter Bajorek, there ways to both utilize this amazing tool to work and live more efficiently and effectively, as well as to prepare for the changes, particularly in our work lives, that are to come.

In her book, Your AI Roadmap: Actions to Expand Your Career, Monay and Joy, Dr. Bajorek speaks directly to the fear and uncertainty that many professionals feel as AI transforms the job landscape. Yes, it can be scary, but AI also offers tremendous opportunities. Her first tip: get curious about AI. Acknowledge what's happening and play.

Play? Yes. Simply opening Chat GPT or trying AI with a friend can not only decrease anxiety, but shift the mindset from fear to learning and intention.

Further, it's essential to elevate your own profile or brand to become well known for your skill set--and AI can help to create a powerful online profile. It's also important to recognize that human relationships are still a major part of finding opportunities. Dr. Bajorek cites that 70% of post-COVID job seekers landed their next role through personal introductions—not job boards. Take control of your own narrative and actively engage with relationship building while utilizing AI as a tool. And AI is a tool, not a replacement. Humans still bring the creativity, strategy and discernment behind the machine.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we recognize the value of imperfect action--the playing in this scenario--to learn and build confidence. Play, and use AI as a tool to grow, enhancing your value and impact as we all move forward in this strange new world. Tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast for more of Dr. Bajorek's wisdom and listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• “We don’t have to be alone… Maybe you do it with a friend. Honestly, just having community around it—we don’t have to be alone.”
• “The number one thing I get is, ‘How do I get a job in AI?’ … In my book, the first part is about actually personal brand—being known for the work you’ve already done and being known for it online.”
• “Your network—how do people know you? … That’s the main route [to the next opportunity, not the side route.”
• “Even if you are in a supposedly stable career… take on some side projects, take on mentoring, because you never know when that kind of thing is going to lead to something else.”
• “Document your prompts in a Word doc. Keep those things—next time you do this task, here it is. You can do the next job more efficiently and well.”
• “I think the way I really see it...is that people who aren’t using these tools may be the ones first impacted by layoffs versus the ones that are working to augment, upskill, etc.”

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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"The hardest thing you've ever done is the hardest thing you've ever done. And it is no easier or harder than the hardest thing I've ever done.... Hard is hard." ~ Ash Beckham, Everyday Leadership Coach, Inclusion Activist, TEDx Speaker and Author of Step Up: How to Live with Courage and Become an Everyday Leader

Ash Beckham believes that the hardest thing you've ever done is valid simply because it was hard for you. Her approach encourages people to strip away comparison around struggle and instead recognize the commonality of the human experience--we all struggle.

When we remember that whatever we are doing in relation to others, we are interacting with another human first, we create common ground, without judgement, allowing for greater communication, conversation, and progress in our work and personal lives. By immediately establishing empathy and recognizing the human experience as one we all share, we also create opportunities to lead, whether in a professional or personal capacity.

Rooted in eight specific pillars (empathy, responsibility courage, grace, individuality, humor, patience, and authenticity), Ash's straigtforward leadership model focuses on understanding the humans we encounter, building leadership that isn't about controlling, but rather elevating collective strength. It's a reminder of the importance of the Brilliantly Resilient focus on building a tribe, which is much simpler and effective when we begin by recognizing the commonality of who we all are.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we believe everyone has their own Brilliance, just as Ash believes that anyone who shows up with compassion and courage has the potential to lead. By substituting curiosity for judgement, we not only reveal our own Brilliance, but also create space for others to shine.

Be sure to check out Step Up: How to Live with Courage and Become an Everyday Leader. Tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Ash's wisdom and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• Anybody from the Fortune 50 CEO to the bench warmer on the 7th grade basketball team has the power to lead in the way they show up every day. They just have to realize that they have that power.
• We don't necessarily pick where we become leaders.
• Leadership is a mindset. It's not a job title.
• Just because you're good at something doesn't mean you can lead.
• When we connect, you can collaborate. When you collaborate, you can move forward... it becomes more of a ‘you and I are doing this together’ than ‘I am telling you what to do.’
• React to the other human and consider where they're coming from as well as where you're coming from.
• You can’t want diversity and not support it or you’re not going to get the benefits of having diverse perspectives.
• Every interaction you have with another human, you come out the other side changed—and so do they.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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"Lasting resilience begins with acceptance. For me, acceptance is an every day prayer." ~ Jay Armstrong

Author of A Good Calamity: Useful Essays and Poems on Living with a Disability

Are you struggling to accept something hard in your life? Are you even thinking about acceptance, or are you still fighting the hard truth?

Jay Armstrong was diagnosed with ataxia (a degenerative disease of the brain and nervous system) in 2013, shortly after the birth of his youngest son. The disease affects Jay's movement, balance and speech, among other things.

Jay notes that accepting his disease has been a challenge, but one that has helped him build lasting resilience. "You have to own your struggles," Jay says. "I no longer put my handicapped devices in the closet. I keep them out and say, 'This is who I am.'" (Jay has also named his walking cane Clark Able. Hahahaha!)

As we often say in Brilliantly Resilient, owning our struggles not only builds resilience, but allows us to let go of what "should be," to make room for what "could be." In Jay's case, he "should not have been" stricken with ataxia, but it is his reality. Once we accept our reality, we're better able to determine what "could be" possible and take small, incremental steps to rebuild.

Jay's new book A Good Calamity: Useful Essays and Poems on Living with a Disability, is the fourth book in his journey on living with his disease and its effect on his life and that of his family. It's funny, moving, and a testament to hard won resilience and wisdom.

Tune in to hear more of Jay's wisdom on this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• Hard won wisdom doesn't come easy, but it comes honest.
• A Good Calamity: Useful Essays and Poems on Living with a Disability This is the first time I owned the word "disability" by putting it on the cover of the book. I was owning it. I have to own everything.
• Part of my acceptance was littering my life with visual reminders. You have to own your struggles. I no longer put my handicapped devices in the closet. I keep them out and say, 'This is who I am.'
• My son asked me if I could go into the ocean and throw him into the water like another father was doing. And I had to say, 'No; I can't do that.' And that hurt...for a long time. Eventually, I realized that what I could do was be present. Presence matters. I can be there. And that's what my children will remember. That I was there.
• You eventually realize that no one is going to save you. Holding out hope for a cure becomes futile. What I tell other people and I tell myself is to accept this in little minute increments. Do little things to help yourself.
• Resilience is built one brick, one action at a time. Those dark times will come, but you're better able to muscle through them.
• Humor is an underrated survival skill. A big part of my survival is making my kids laugh. Take your humor seriously.
• Accepting is allowing others to see the hard truth of my life.... Now when someone asks if they can help me, I can be vulnerable with them.... When they ask if they can help, it's because they love me. I used to see it as pity; now I see it as love.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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"It doesn't mean all the snacks in the break room are the greatest. It means that you work in a place that recognizes the dignity of you as a person, recognizes the value of your contributions, and recognizes that you're a human being with things to do." ~ Meg Gluth, Owner & CEO, Catalynt Solutions, Inc.

Meg Gluth knows about the "critical importance of compassion, empathy, and resilience" in leadership.

Growing up in poverty in rural Iowa, Meg's challenges eventually drove her to turn to alcohol as an "inappropriate coping mechanism" as she navigated the turbulent waters of young adulthood. Despite her alcohol addiction, Meg finished college after 7 years (she was kicked out of her first college), and was admitted to law school--with no way to pay for it.

A remarkable act of kindness and faith changed Meg's outlook on life when the father of a friend co-signed Meg's loans and allowed her to pursue her goal. Still a functional alcoholic and despite more devastating hardships, Meg got sober in 2011, and began working for the company she would one day own and become CEO. Meg now leads Catalynt Solutions, Inc., one of the largest certified women-owned chemical suppliers in North America.

Meg's experiences taught her that "Life is a full contact sport," but she still believes there is room in leadership for kindness and empathy--along with the necessary accountability. Meg believes that holding her employees accountable while respecting their humanity encourages everyone to not only own their mistakes, but grow into being part of the solution to challenges.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know the importance of accepting responsibility and being accountable for our mistakes, as well claiming our wins. Growth and evolution happen when we realize that as humans, we will always have seasons of success and failure, but we can live and lead with kindness and grace through both.

Check out Meg's website for more and tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Meg's wisdom. Be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• Life is a full contact sport and our acceptance of that is sort of one of the key defining moments. I accept the full contact nature of the sport and I accept the discomfort.
• We look at people suffering and we don't want them to suffer. But the very suffering, the, the intensity of the suffering is what somebody like me needs in order to get out. Because change and resilience and healing and recovery is an inside job first.
• The start of resilience in a business is to say, OK, I see that you messed this up. I also know that you hold within you and this opportunity holds within it the seeds of some success to come from this failure. And I'm going to ask you to lead us out of it. That is the core of resilience.
• I'm not asking you to be perfect, but I'm asking to be a person that grabs for the rebound after you missed the shot.
• You can be compassionate. You can be kind and hold someone accountable. Accountability is the structure and the discipline and the knowledge for an employee, for a child, for a spouse. This is what it takes. These are my boundaries. This is what it takes to be successful.
• When people know where the bar is and they know where the line is, they feel more comfortable.somehow we've lost the narrative. We've lost the discussion around accountability, being loving.
• You are capable of being up here. You're performing down here? My job is to say to you I'm going to push you. I'm going to stretch you. I'm going to grow you to your capacity because I know when you're standing on the top of that line how good you're going to feel about yourself. And by the way, when you feel good about yourself and you're at your capacity, it turns into real.
• In this business, in life in general, I think it's OK to say I call myself a human centered capitalist because I I am. I don't make any secret of the fact that I want a for profit company that makes money. That's sort of the point. We can also be mindful in that that there is dignity and working hard and going home at the end of the day saying I earned this pay check.
• Where you are is the perfect place to start.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

(And click here to buy your copy of From Broken to Brilliant: How to Live a Brilliantly Resilient Life, by me!!)

XO,

Mary Fran

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"Be involved in both your business and personal finances. 80% of women will die single. At some point in your life you are going to have to manage your finances. A man is not a financial plan."

~ Audrey Faust: Author of She Grows Rich; Expert CFO and Money Mindset Authority Are you in financial survival mode? Many women are. It's a mindset trap that many women, especially female entrepreneurs, can fall into. But it's possible to make the shift from survival mode to lasting wealth.

Audrey Faust is the best-selling author of She Grows Rich. Audrey notes that "money is emotionally charged for women," often keeping them from approaching finances strategically, or ignoring finances all together.

With simple, achievable, step-by-step strategies, Audrey helps women create confidence and empowerment around personal and business finances. She guides women on creating a financial blueprint, which she notes is different than a budget, as it lets women decide where their money goes and where they want to see it grow. By encouraging women to take charge of their finances and invest in themselves and their businesses, Audrey uses "reverse engineering" to help clarify action steps towards financial security and success. She also reminds entrepreneurs to charge what they're worth! (And why is that so hard????)

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know that education and action are essential to creating successful, fulfilling professional and personal lives. Further, in order to establish financial security and confidence, women need to take responsibility for themselves and their futures.

To help you start on your journey to financial empowerment, Audrey is offering a free download titled 12 Secrets from and Expert CFO. Get your copy here, and order your copy of She Grows Rich here.

Tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Audrey's wisdom and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• Mindset and financial strategies are the best combination for women and money.
• Women are givers and nurturers by nature, which can make it harder to focus on financial strategies.
• Women weren't even allowed to have a credit card in their own name until 1974.
• You need to financially invest in something to see results.
• Make sure your profit is what it would be if you were working in the marketplace.
• If you are closing 100% of your prospects, your prices are too low. Aim for a 50 to 80% closing rate.
• Take the judgement out of handling your finances.
• If you don't make a profit in your business within 3 years, the IRS can classify your business as a hobby, which means you cannot deduct expenses, there are no tax breaks and there is tax on any income.
• Be involved in both your business and personal finances. 80% of women will die single. At some pint in your life you are going to have to manage your finances. A man is not a financial plan.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

(And click here to buy your copy of From Broken to Brilliant: How to Live a Brilliantly Resilient Life, by me!!)

XO,

Mary Fran

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"Acute and chronic pain are processed in different parts of the brain. If you aren't healing and are still in pain, it's possible that your brain has established learned neural pathways that can continue to cause pain, which becomes chronic." Patty Tashiro ~ Natural Brain Solutions Is your brain keeping you in pain? The emotional responses we have to trauma--which often stay with us--can trigger the brain to continue to send a physical pain response in our bodies.

Huh? Isn't pain caused by a physical issue in the body? Well, yes. Unless it isn't.

Patty Tashiro experienced a mother's nightmare when her daughter and her husband were rear-ended by a speeding car--and Patty, on the phone with her daughter, heard the whole thing.

Patty's daughter, 10 at the time, had a severe brain bleed, but miraculously survived her injuries. Yet, despite her body healing from obvious physical injury, Patty's daughter continued to suffer from debilitating pain, confounding doctors.

Finding no help from traditional physicians (One doctor told Patty that if her daughter "wasn't barfing, she should be in school,") Patty began researching and discovered Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, which utilizes the brain's ability to "rewire" itself (neuroplasticity) to help those suffering to reprocess trauma and reduce the brain's reaction--thus lessening chronic pain. Patty continued exploring similar options and is now certified in brain health coaching and Pain Reprocessing Therapy.

Clearly, seeking alternative help for her daughter required Patty to change her thinking and be willing to look at things differently. Here at Brilliantly Reseilient, we refer to seeing the world through a different "lens," being open to new ideas, experiences and opportunities to grow--and heal.

To learn more, visit Patty's website and tune in to this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast for these additional bits of wisdom:

• What is the brain's role in perpetuating pain?
• Our nervous systems are completely different depending on our life experiences.... How is your nervous system working--for you or against you?
• The brain is misreading friendly signals as danger, which can cause us to "learn" chronic pain over time.
• Neural pathways can create pain that becomes chronic. Your emotions or trauma can create physical pain in your body. If you are not healing, you may have moved into chronic pain. Your brain is misreading chronic signals as bad and perpetuating pain.
• Neuroplastic pain can be malleable. It can be changed. So how can we train our brain to feel safe?
• You are worth healing. If you're lying in your bed in pain, you're not able to share your gifts, and we need you!

You can heal. And you can become Brilliantly Resilient. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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"There is diversity within diversity itself. Even people with shared disabilities have different experiences. We are all diverse. Diversity includes everyone." ~ Toby Mildon, Author of Inclusive Growth: Future-proof Your Business by Creating a Diverse Workspace, and Building Inclusivity: Making Your Workplace Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive

How many people in the world are exactly like you? EXACTLY like you, no differences.

The answer is no one. Every single person, because of countless factors including genetics, personal experiences, education, inherent skills--the list is endless--is unique.

Toby Mildon, author and DEI expert, notes that when we broaden our definition of diversity to include everyone's unique skills and circumstances, and provide access in our workplaces for all to succeed, we "can increase creativity and innovation and problem solving because you have people with different perspectives and experiences."

A wheelchair user for his entire life, Toby notes his personal experience with diversity, but also suggests that we must begin to think about other, less obvious aspects of diversity. Toby suggests that one of the keys to making DEI all-inclusive is finding commonalities and synergies between different groups. Toby says: "When we stop labeling groups and identifying them by a particular issue and realize everyone has the issue to some degree, implementing changes can benefit everyone in an organization," --a unifying benefit of DEI that uplifts the entire organization.

At Brilliantly Resilient, we recognize the benefits of diversity and inclusion, both on a large scale and within our own lives. Seeking out others with different experiences, perspectives and talents helps us learn, grow and evolve--a key to living a Brilliantly Resilient life.

Learn more about Toby on his website, and find his books here. Tune in for more of Toby's wisdom on this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• I've been on a Diversity and Inclusion journey myself. I've been a wheelchair user all my life. I have personal experience with diversity.... We have to be thinking about other aspects of diversity.
• Individuals are individuals. Everyone has their different starting points. You need to provide personalized adjustments and ways of working to level the playing field.
• When we stop labeling groups and identifying them by a particular issue and realize everyone has the issue to some degree, implementing changes can benefit everyone in an organization.
• If we take a social model of thinking into the workplace, we can ask ourselves what are the barriers people are facing? What roadblocks are in the way of people succeeding? We need to address those issues.... It's access to opportunities.
• When you recognize that the adversity that has kept people out is also what has allowed them to develop the skills that will bring value to the organization, we realize we need to even further expand our idea of diversity.
• You need to swiftly engage the senior management team and get them crystal clear on why DEI is important to the future of THEIR business.... Start with the organization's vision and mission and then move on to see how DEI will help them grow.
• A diverse workforce can increase creativity, innovation and problem solving because you have people with different perspectives and experiences. If people are too similar, you end up with "Group Think" and blind spots.
• Are we creating the environment of inclusion in companies where everyone can thrive? As an employer, you have a unique place in society to create a ripple effect. If you create an inclusive place to work where individuals can thrive, you can also affect society. It all starts with the opportunity to go to work and earn a living.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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The Maasai tribe of Africa greets one another by saying "How are the children?" We have to recognize that all the children in our community are our children. Christina Sorenson Attorney and Advocate for Foster Children at TeamChild Christina Sorenson was in 15 different foster care homes from ages five to fifteen. Separated from her sister and eventually adopted at age fifteen, Christina has made it her life's work to provide legal and supportive aid for children and young adults in foster care.

An attorney at TeamChild in Seattle, WA, Christina has thoughtfully incorporated her own life experiences into her mission, bringing compassion, empathy and insights into the struggles of those in a foster system that frequently denies them a voice.

Being a "foster kid" is often deeply traumatic, and this trauma can have a lasting effect, especially on a child. According to Christina, statistics show that kids in foster care experience PTSD at twice the rate of veterans who served in active combat. Having little to no personal agency to fight for themselves, kids in foster care can be further traumatized and therefore must rely on others to step in to advocate for them.

Creating a supportive tribe is one of the bedrocks of living a Brilliantly Resilient life. As adults, we can cultivate relationships on our own, but it is our personal responsibility to assist and protect the young people in our communities who may have no one to help their voices be heard.

Community engagement is essential to healthy lives both as individuals and as part of a group. One of the simplest ways to engage, according to Christina, is to become an empathetic listener and respect the voices of our children, thus becoming part of the solution.

Tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to learn more about Christina's important work and for tips about how to get involved. Be sure to listen for these additional bits of Christina's Brilliance:

• Integrating it (my experience) into my identiy now as a part of who I am is exactly how I can bring that lived experience and perspective and empathy...it allows me to listen to others and their experiences in a different way.
• I try to bring in the general public by story telling. I thought I could do it through the science and the research, but nothing changed. I had to figure out how to do it and it's through telling the stories of these kids.
• The number one way to make sure a child will have resilience or succeed is if there is someone who deeply cares about them. And it doesn't have to be the same person all of the time. I remember at different times different people deeply caring about me. Resiliency does require community action.
• I needed the safety net of a community because as a child, sometimes the step you take is right off a cliff.
• We want resiliency to have a destination but we have to realize it is an ongoing journey.
• We need to give children the space to talk about the things happening to them and laying a foundation of trust. And we need to affirm their reality and what's happening in their lives.

Reach out to Christina at: christinasorenson@teamchild.org. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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"Be where you are on the way to where you want to be going." ~ Christine Eberle, Author: Finding God Along the Way

"Be where you are on the way to where you want to be going." Um...huh?

The above sounds like a riddle, doesn't it? Then again, isn't life a kind of riddle we try to figure out every day?

Christine Eberle, author of Finding God Along the Way, decided to seek clarity in answering life's riddle by undertaking a journey--literally and figuratively--as she and her husband walked the Camino of St. Ignatius Loyola in 2022.

For the uninitiated, the Camino (there are two--one of St. James and one of St. Ignatius), is a walking pilgrimage along the paths travelled by the saints as they experienced their conversions and deepened their relationship with God. In modern times, walking the Camino is a journey of discovery and peace undertaken by those seeking the same.

Those who travel the Camino consider themselves pilgrims--traveling the journey for spiritual growth and learning. Often, more human connections are formed as well, as Christine discovered. Undertaking the 676,000 step trek (with accompanying pain every day), Christine wanted to learn to live life "with a pilgrim's heart," meaning "We have a destination, and the destination is fixed, but we are very present to where we are in the given moment," Christine explains.

In Brilliantly Resilient terms, this translates to several core concepts: Do not be married to outcomes, and let go of what "should be" to make room for what "could be." As we plan our life journeys and our desired outcomes, we must be willing to evolve. Do what you have to do but be willing to let the moments evolve as you move, perhaps slowly, towards where you want to be. Christine found some of her most moving experiences were with those who helped her in her vulnerable moments during the days she was forced to rest--not part of her plan.

As we walk into 2025, consider your own journey with intention. Determine your destination, but allow for growth and change--and perhaps open yourself to some spiritual guidance along the way.

Learn more about Christine Eberle here, get the book, and be sure to tune into this week's podcast and listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• It's being fixed. Having your destination fixed, but also being very present to exactly where you are. The goal in pilgrimage is to be where you are on the way to where you know your want to be going.
• We shouldn't fix our desires on (our definitions of success) or failure.
• Instead of fixing our desires, even those should float freely because our free floating desires can reveal God's deep desires for us.
• Of all the hopes and imaginings that preceded what is (currently) happening, open yourself to the grace that's being offered through the reality of what is (currently) happening.
• There is grace in the blisters.
• So there is a beauty in vulnerability that can allow us to grow if we will recognize that it's not a failure. (MF)

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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I came down to those two words. Be better. I think if we can boil it down to something, 'Be better' might be the most that we should be asking of ourselves. ~ Mary Fran Bontempo, Author 'From Broken to Brilliant: How to Live a Brilliantly Resilient Life'

It's 2025. How are you feeling about that?

I find the time right after Christmas to be a bit challenging. After a month of being jolly buying, planning, decorating, eating, drinking, visiting with family and friends, suddenly it's over. And sure, New Year's Eve is fun, but it's also accompanied by that feeling of 'Oh my God, now I have to improve myself again.'

Enter the dreaded New Year's Resolution.

I've never been a fan of New Year's Resolutions (caps to emphasize the IMPORTANCE of them!). Usually, we end up expecting gargantuan feats of ourselves that we would never ask of anyone else--often dooming us to failure. Given that I'm at an age where I'm tempted to dismiss the whole thing, I'd like to, but I can't. I'm committed to living a Brilliantly Resilient life. Quitting entirely is not in the game plan.

However, I do believe we must be more gentle with ourselves, in all of our human frailty. To that end, I've settled on two words for my 2025 resolution: Be Better.

By simply resolving to be better, I'm afforded endless opportunities each day to improve in small ways, which bundled together, can create profound change. Each time I attempt to be better, I am living the Brilliantly Resilient concept of taking small, imperfect actions to move forward. So much easier and more life-affirming than trying to remake myself, which, let's be honest, isn't going to happen. (I will, however, try to be better when driving behind some soul who seems to have forgotten where the gas pedal is. Patience is not my strong suit.)

As we enter 2025, be kinder to yourself, and resolve to Be Better. It's doable, and will create wins in every day. And do more that makes you happy. We all deserve that.

Finally, thank you with sincere gratitude for your support of me and Brilliantly Resilient. It means more than I can say to share this powerful message for good and I am beyond appreciative.

Tune in to hear more brilliance (yes, mine--remember to pat yourself on the back regularly, too!) on this week's podcast and check out the new book for a great start to 2025.

• For me the time right after Christmas is a little bit hard. We've been so jolly and spirited for a month with buying and planning and family and friends and cooking and the lights and everything else, and then all of a sudden it's over. And sure, New Year's Eve is fun. But it's also accompanied by that feeling of 'Oh my God, now I have to improve myself again.'
• If we can be a little bit better every time we catch ourselves doing something that we don't like about ourselves...we can decide that's not the way we want to live.
• Mindfulness means being where you are. Be in that moment and just in that moment, try to be better.
• Come up with little short questions. Am I being better right now? Is this what I really want for myself right now? Am I here where I am right now? Be here and be better, instead of thinking about remaking yourself.
• Look back through your calendar of the last year. And review that. See the events that you went to see the things that you did and look at the ones that really made you happy. (Thank you, Fran Hauser!)
• I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season. I hope that the new year is full of light and joy and love and purpose and health and happiness for all of us.

As we enter 2025, I thank you again and wish you every joy and blessing. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

Mary Fran Bontempo is an award-winning 2-time TEDx and Keynote speaker, workshop presenter, author, humorist and podcast host who teaches audiences to uncover their Brilliance and Resilience 15 minutes at a time. A sought-after speaker for ERGs, BRGs, DEI, conference and association events, Mary Fran is author of From Broken to Brilliant: How to Live a Brilliantly Resilient Life, The 15 Minute Master, The Woman’s Book of Dirty Words and co-founder of the life-changing program Brilliantly Resilient. To bring Mary Fran to your company or organization, visit www.brilliantlyresilient.net.

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"I needed to embark on a journey to reclaim my connection, both personally and professionally." Shawnta Hooks ~ Leading Belonging and Mindfulness Speaker.

Shawnta Hooks was never a believer in meditation or mindfulness. Working in accounting and corporate compliance during her 20 year corporate career, Shawnta found herself in a toxic work environment after a company reorganization, feeling completely disconnected, unseen and unheard. Her first instinct was to lay blame on the company, until she realized it wasn't entirely her work environment that was causing her challenges.

Having just lost her father and become a new mom, Shawnta realized that she was not only disconnected from her work, she was disconnected from herself. Aware of a "crushing pressure to contatntly perform," both professionally an personally, Shawnta realized she had some work to do, and set out to learn how to reconnect to her world. Her search led her to meditation and mindfulness, and "honoring the pause"--that moment of neutrality between our thoughts and actions, when we can more accurately assess our feelings and behaviors.

Now a leading authority in building connection and mindfulness in corporate America, Shawnta notes that while words like mindfulness and authenticity may not seem to fit into business, many organizations are embracing the opportunity to help their employees find connection through mindfulness, or as Shawnta notes, "Paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, without judgement."

Being Brilliantly Resilient requires checking our perceptions and telling ourselves the truth, which fits well with Shawnta's advice. During this hectic time of year, consider beginning a meditation practice, even of only a few minutes a day. Seek mindfulness and neutrality, avoiding judgements (especially as emotions run high around the holidays.)

Check out this week's podcast to hear more of Shawnta's Brilliance. Visit her website at https://www.shawntahooks.com/ and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• There is a huge impact that moments of calm can have on your productivity, on your focus, on your ability to operate at peak performance.
• When employees feel more connected to their environments, they produce greater results and one way that you can get employees to feel connected to their environment is to help them learn how to be connected to the present moment.
• Belonging requires connection and you can't do that if you stay in your own little box.
• For me, belonging is really when you, as an individual feel heard and supported in your environment.
• Just because you think a thought doesn't mean you have to believe it.
• This is about honoring your emotions. Emotions are clues. By not honoring that, you're missing an opportunity to connect with another.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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You have everything in you already to live a Brilliantly Resilient life. You have Resilience and you have your own personal Brilliance. It's already there. You were born with both of those things.

~ Mary Fran Bontempo, Author,

From Broken to Brilliant: How to Live a Brilliantly Resilient Life

Have you uncovered your Resilience yet? Since Covid, we’ve been reminded constantly about the need for resilience, as though every day, we must gird for battle before we wander into the unknown terrors of the world. Truthfully, that scenario doesn’t seem that far-fetched anymore.

If you’ve followed Brilliantly Resilient for any amount of time, you know I believe that life can hit hard, and unexpectedly. Almost everyone can offer a story to back that up. The good news is that we already have everything we need within us to not only navigate life’s challenges with Resilience, but we can discover our Brilliance within those challenges as well.

My new book, From Broken to Brilliant: How to Live a Brilliantly Resilient Life, provides a roadmap to learn how to Reset with Resilience, Rise through challenges, and Reveal your Brilliance—a Brilliance that shows itself when it feels like things can’t get much worse.

As I come up on the five-year anniversary of the founding of Brilliantly Resilient, I’m more convinced than ever that the simple steps in the Reset, Rise and Reveal process can guide anyone through rough times, and provide the light we need to move forward.

The book contains not only my thoughts, but the generously shared wit and wisdom provided by over 30 Brilliantly Resilient podcast guests, who, in their own words, affirm that a Brilliantly Resilient life can be ours if we live with intention.

In addition to much shared wisdom, the book offers some thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter—for you to navigate YOUR challenges. Because yes, this is all about YOU.

From Broken to Brilliant is now available on Amazon, and makes a perfect holiday gift. Check out this podcast for more info, or head over to www.brilliantlyresilient.net or www.maryfranbontempo.com. And be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance (if I do say so myself!!!)

• This book is the road map. It gives you steps that are so simple and easy and what you're going to realize is that you're already doing this stuff. You're already doing it, you just have to be intentional about it. Recognize that you're doing it (being Brilliantly Resilient) and build that foundation from that.
• When we experience a big crisis, we want a big solution. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen. You don't get the big solution with a big crisis. A crisis is solved by small, imperfect action steps.
• Failure becomes associated with shame, and we forget that failure is part of resilience. You have to try things. You have to get up and try them again. But when we associate failure with shame, then we don't try. And that's when we forget that we have this inborn resilience.
• There’s no judgment about what your crisis or your challenges are. There's no judgment because it's yours. Everything that you're going through refers back to you. Don't compare yourself to anyone else. It's your crisis.
• The reset with resilience encompasses 3 things. It encompasses your values. It encompasses your perception or your perspective, and it encompasses controlling the controllables.
• Build your tribe. You can't be brilliantly resilient in a vacuum. You need to access your tribe.
• Taking imperfect action means you are willing to recognize that the actions not perfect, and guess what? The outcome is not probably going to be.

Buy the book and do let me know what you think. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Best,

Mary Fran

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Let's have smarter intergenerational conversations. Let's be OK and not threatened by the fact that you see this differently than me. Let's figure out why and how that could actually be helpful and beneficial. Dr. Megan Gerhardt

Author of Gentelligence: The Revolutionary Approach to Leading an Intergenerational Workforce

Do you work with people of different generations? Do you live with people of different generations? Do you have public contact with people of different generations?

Unless you live alone on an island, the answer to at least one, if not all, of these questions is yes. And in your interactions with those of different generations, it’s almost certain that you’ve experienced some form generational conflict.

Dr. Megan Gerhardt is a Professor of Management and Leadership at the Farmer School of Business at Miami University, and the author of Gentelligence: The Revolutionary Approach to Leading an Intergenerational Workforce. As an expert in generational differences, Dr. Gerhardt teaches individuals and corporations simple, effective strategies for not only bridging the generation gap, but encouraging all generations to bring their particular resilience and brilliance to create connection and build respect.

According to Dr. Gerhardt, the best way to build connections is by asking respectful questions. The best question to ask? “Can you help me understand?” By phrasing the question in a non-judgmental way, Dr. Gerhardt says, “I'm signaling that what you're doing is not making sense to me, but I'm acknowledging it might in part be my understanding of what's going on. And I would love to get to a different place.”

Given that every generation brings their own skills, knowledge and perspective to the table, respect and inclusivity can result in more understanding and better solutions to problems, especially when everyone brings their own experiences, resilience and brilliance along.

For more on Gentelligence, tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, order the book, and look for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• I am a organizational psychologist really by training. So my nature is to always be curious about people, why they do what they do, how do we help them leverage what's unique about them in order to help them do work they care about and add value.
• How do we change the narrative so that instead of shaming people for being born in a different generation…they're starting their career at a different time. We are really trying to learn from those complementary experiences and kinds of expertise and we're taking advantage of it.
• Every few years there's an article that comes out saying, let’s stop putting people in generational categories…I don't think that's the answer…. It's better than being biased against people because of their age or their generation, but then you're ignoring all of that wonderful, very valid difference that comes with growing up and starting your career during a different period of time and a different period in history. And that's real.
• Let's have smarter intergenerational conversations. Let's be OK and not threatened by the fact that you see this differently than me. Let's figure out why and how that could actually be helpful and beneficial.
• If I ask you a question and that feels very respectful. I'm not assuming I'm not judging, I'm asking because I'm interested. You're worth it. I think there's something of value there that I want to engage with. And then there's learning and hopefully that's reciprocated.
• Is there a question that works universally? Absolutely. My favorite one…is “Can you help me understand?” I'm signaling that what you're doing is not making sense to me, but I'm acknowledging it might in part be my understanding of what's going on. And I would love to get to a different place.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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No one checks in on them, right? They often delay their own grief, put off their own mourning in order to support their parents and step up. But then? They remain there and they never really get a turn to express their own grief, or to be the mourner in the room. Annie Orenstein ~ Author of Always a Sibling: The Forgotten Mourner's Guide to Grief

Do you have a sibling? Most of us do. And according to author, Annie Orenstein, as children, we often spend more time with our siblings than with our parents. Yet as we grow, our sibling relationships are pushed to the background as we form other adult relationships in our lives.

So what do you do when a sibling dies?

In her new book, Always a Sibling: The Forgotten Mourner's Guide to Grief Annie recognizes the painful, difficult role of a remaining sibling when losing a brother or sister. Our siblings are the only true witnesses to so much of our childhoods and who, “understand the workings of our families.” If the sibling dies before parents, grieving is even more fraught as the remaining sibling feels the need to lessen the parents’ burden.

Further, the death of a sibling is often met with the question, “Were you close?” as though the answer allows the degree of acceptable mourning. Annie notes that the simplest gift we can give someone who has lost a sibling is to ask, “What was their name?” to allow the sharing of memories.

Annie recognized the need to address such questions when finding little to guide her through the loss of her own brother. As she explores the stages of grief, she breaks down experiences in sections noting life with, without, and finally within, as she met both her grief and her joy in life with her sibling in this poignant and funny (yes, funny!) read.

Such fundamental change is a part of life, but knowing that doesn’t make it easier. Part of living a Brilliantly Resilient life is facing such challenges and finding the way through that’s best for you, regardless of “what’s expected.”

For more of Annie’s wisdom, tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• Siblings should be naturally our longest shared relationship because we meet them before we meet our partners and if things go naturally, our relationship continues after the loss of our parents. Statistics show that in childhood, siblings spend more time together than with their parents.
• We shared our childhood with these people. They are in many instances the only other people who remember our childhood and who understand the inner workings of our family, who understand our parents, for good, bad, or ugly.,
• It is terrifying to see your parents lose a child and to see that kind of deep grief. And it's known as a double loss because you really do lose your parents to some extent in that loss, because they're never the same.
• Someone will ask how your parents are doing but not ask how you're doing. They are really well meaning, but what you take away is, ‘Oh. were we close enough that I'm allowed to grieve? Am I? Why is no one asking if I'm OK? I guess I'm supposed to be.
• The simplest question you can ask someone who has lost a sibling is, ‘What was their name?’ You don’t get to say their name anymore. It feels good to say their name again. Ask how they lived, not how they died.

Be sure to buy Annie's wonderful book, and let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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“I'm trying to open stutter more. Because I I've reached a level of of acceptance that I'm proud of, but I'm nowhere near where I need to be. I interview people on podcasts who openly stutter, and I'm so proud of them because they do it without shame and that's the real issue. The real issue is shame, every day, when you stutter.” Brian Nolan

President and Co-founder, Nolan Stuttering Foundation

Have you ever heard someone stutter? If you don’t stutter, it can be uncomfortable to know how to react. Do you try and finish the person’s sentence? Do you look away? Do you simply wait?

While a non-stutterer may be at a loss, according to Brian Nolan, a life-long stutterer and President of the Nolan Stuttering Foundation, a non-stutterer’s discomfort pales in comparison to the shame, embarrassment and pain of someone who stutters.

As humans, speech is our major means of communication, one we generally take for granted. But as a stutterer, Brian notes, “Especially as a kid, every day you wake up, you think through the lens of someone who stutters and you think about the people you're going to have to see, how you're going to have to talk in class. Am I going to have to read? And you're like, I just have to get by the day, every day.” For those who stutter, the stress of having to plan every moment of a day’s communication seems simply unbearable.

Stuttering isolates individuals, from childhood throughout every experience in life. Having gone through every challenge personally, Brian and his co-founder, Joseph Donaher, created the Nolan Stuttering Foundation (NSF) to help teens and young adults who stutter prepare for major transitions in their lives while persevering through challenges to become the best version of themselves.

Those who don’t stutter can help, too. When encountering someone who stutters, Brian advises we “look, listen, and give the gift of 100% attention.” As Brian says, “We who stutter, we have grit. We who stutter, we have empathy. We who stutter, listen carefully. And we stay in a conversation.” The rest of us can respond in kind.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know that we can find our Brilliance in our challenges, but it’s rarely easy. When we respond to others with patience, empathy and understanding, we can not only help others find their Brilliance, but uncover some gifts of our own.

Tune in to this week’s podcast to hear more of Brian’s wisdom and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• Stuttering is a neurological disorder and the part that's miss understood is people think you stutter because you're nervous. Two-thirds of the people who have it, it goes away by the time they are 7 or 8. The 1/3 of the people who get it and it doesn't go away by 7-8, it's not curable. Ever.
• I'm a public speaker. I talk for a living. If you would have asked me when I was 16 if I was going to do that, I would have said oh, wow. Fact is my dad said, Brian, think about being a computer programmer because you don't have to talk to people. And that was really, really, really, really sad for me. Because you see, I pretended to be an introvert because that meant that I wouldn't have to talk much.
• People who stutter, they get that look from people who are looking at them like what's wrong with him. And so they they look away…or they finish our sentences. That gives us more shame.
• I am still so uncomfortable stuttering on this podcast. I will switch a word and you won't even know it because I'm so good at switching words. But there's shame in that, because I can't say the word (I want to use) now.
• You can actually order something you don't even want. Can I tell you how many times that happens? Yeah. You order a coffee because you can say coffee and because you don't think the person in front of you is gonna have the patience or you don't want to be embarrassed.
• No one talks about stuttering in families. It's the biggest secret everybody knows about. And maybe if we don't talk about it, it'll go away. And that makes it worse.
• Now my biggest fear is that a young kid is not going to go to college or not apply for a job because they're afraid of the interview process. So now I run workshops for kids who stutter. We practice interview skills, we practice disclosure. This most important thing you could do is to disclose. Hey, it may take me a little longer to get things out because I stutter, but it doesn't mean I don't know my stuff.
• The people who stutter need to stop being covert, and they need to reach out and get involved with one of the many stuttering foundations that are out there like the Nolan stuttering.

Be sure to check out the Nolan Stuttering Foundation. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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“Here’s the myth I want to break: that self-love is selfish. The more we love ourselves, the less attention we have on ourselves and the more generous we become in a very natural, easy, relaxed way.” ~ Rachel Madorsky

How to Love Yourself in Less Than a Week and Also for the Rest of Your LIfe

Do you love yourself? Does even reading the question make you uncomfortable? And if it does, why?

If you squirmed a little reading the above, you’re not alone. Most of us will gladly think about those we love and share that with others. But ask us about self-love? Yikes.

Rachel Madorsky is a psychotherapist, executive coach, speaker and best-selling author of the book How To Love Yourself: In Less Than a Week And Also for the Rest of Your Life. (A short, delightful read that was featured in Ellen DeGeneres’ first ever 12 Days at Home Holiday Box in November, 2023!)

After battling with depression, Rachel experienced a turning point when a fellow student in a personal growth course turned to her and said, “All of this would get better if you would love yourself.” As Rachel notes, “In that moment I felt like someone just gave me the cure, and at the same time I wanted to say what does that mean? It’s an easy thing to say but no one tells us what it means or how to do it.”

On this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, Rachel dispels many misconceptions about self-love, most notably that far from being selfish or self-indulgent, self-love frees us from negative focus on ourselves and gives us more time and ease to love and be generous with others. She also makes a topic which many find uncomfortable, unthreatening and accessible.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we don’t shy away from tough topics, and self-love fits the bill. Rachel advises regularly asking “What is the most loving thing I can do for myself right now?” Fortunately, the answer needn’t involve huge steps. Even the smallest step towards self-love and self-care can change the trajectory of a life. As Rachel notes, “Small hinges swing big doors.”

Tune in to this week’s podcast to hear more of Rachel’s wisdom and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• When we ask a question of ourselves and we listen to the answer and we say yes and do the thing, we are building self-trust at a whole new level…. No one can actually give us the things we need most better than ourselves.
• We think that being hard on ourselves is the thing that will make us better. But the more forgiving, and loving and generous we are with ourselves, the faster the healing, the more we’re capable of giving, the more we’re capable of receiving. It’s important to forgive ourselves and say “I was so human in that moment.”
• We think we are being so loving and forgiving to everyone else, but another truth is we can only take someone as far as we are willing to go. So if we start giving from the overflow (of our own love) rather than our own depletion, it’s a higher quality of care for others.
• Everyone is always worthy of more love. Open the door for more love.
• You can exponentially expand your ability to give and love, and giving and receiving is a circle. The more we actually allow ourselves to receive the more we have to give. There is a distinction between taking and receiving. Receiving makes you feel satisfied.
• Small hinges swing big doors. If we were in a boat or a plane and we changed direction by only 2 percent,we would end up on a different continent. A very small action repeated can change the trajectory of our life. Any place we can add more sweetness with the intention of growing our self-love knowing it will grow love for others is a life changer.

Be sure to find Rachel on her website and social media:

hello@rachelmadorsky.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-madorsky-lcsw-3233374/

https://www.instagram.com/rachelmadorsky/

https://www.facebook.com/RachelMadorskyAuthorSpeakerCoach/

The Book: How to Love Yourself in Less Than a Week and Also for the Rest of Your LIfe

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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I led an independent study on making adaptive clothing for autistic children in partnership with a preschool….I couldn’t get a job during Covid so I started working in special education and trying to figure out how to turn the study into a brand. I could see how these kids were really struggling with things and how we could add sensory tools to clothing to help these kids throughout their days. ~Julia DeNey, Founder "Sense-ational You" Clothing

Have you ever had a tag rub against your neck in your clothing? The sensation is irritating, to say the least. But to a neurodivergent child with a sensory disorder, the feeling can be like a knife cutting the skin, sending the child into sensory overload and causing major challenges to just making it through the day.

Julia DeNey graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Fashion Design in 2020. During her college years, Julia also established and ran a volunteer organization in partnership with an area preschool for autistic children. After hearing the concerns of both teachers and parents, Julia began to think about using her fashion degree to design clothes to empower special needs children and help them navigate their world.

As Julia explains it, neurodivergent kids experience the world differently. That can mean anything from autism, to ADHA, to sensory processing orders and beyond. Sometimes, sensory overload means exactly that—a child cannot process one additional sensation and loses control. Julia wanted to create clothing with tools built into it to help kids manage their reactions and emotions, allowing them to feel in control in a world that can easily overwhelm them.

She says, “I wanted this fashion to be used to not only make the clothes more stylish, but more useful for their needs.We have a hoodie with built in sound reduction and an eye mask for a sensory avoider and an adjustable sensory compression vest for sensory seekers. The kids can have their own little sensory break just with what they’re wearing.“

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know that when we combine our inherent talents with learned skills and then stir in some passion, Brilliance is born, and Sense-ational You is a perfect example. Tune in to this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Julia’s strategies to build resilience in neurodivergent kids and listen for these additional Bits of Brilliance:

• Adaptive clothing is clothing that’s specifically designed for people who have different disabilities and needs so that clothing is more accessible to them. They can put the clothing on themselves and it’s more comfortable.
• When people don’t recognize that others may experience things differently, those sensory needs are often categorized as being difficult, or dramatic, or they just need to get over it or they’re spoiled and you’re catering to them too much. That’s where the education comes in because it’s not a little thing to them. Their cup of sensory input is full and they just can’t handle it anymore. To say just learn to deal with it isn’t the answer because it’s not always the (same thing), it’s whatever makes their cup overflow in that moment.
• For kids who have sensitivities, it feels like a tag can be cutting into them. We can’t compare what we experience to what they are experiencing…. Our clothing is sensory friendly. There are no tags and all of the seams are flat, so nothing rubs against you. We also added additional sensory tools into the clothing, whether they are a sensory avoider or a sensory seeker.
• Having some of these tools in the clothing itself means it’s one less thing for parents to remember to carry around because parents never have enough hands. The tee shirt I designed has compression built into it if the child needs it.
• Allowing kids to have some control is incredibly empowering and really comforting and eases a lot of anxiety. They think -- Well if I have this garment on I know that I”ll be able to control what I’m experiencing -- to a degree.
• The ability to dress and undress yourself can be really hard for special needs kids. That’s why we have magnetic closures and elastic waistbands…it allows kids to gain that skill and work on their fine motor skills…and allows more convenience and independence in dressing.
• It’s so important to talk about this (special needs and neurodiversity) and normalize this so that future generations understand it. These clothes help to create more universal acceptance of these differences.

Follow Julia via the links below, and Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Website Link: https://shopsenseationalyou.com/

Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/senseational_you/

Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/shopsenseationalyou

XO,

Mary Fran

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I’m a gold star chaser…. If you just give the right answer, everybody’s happy. I started this pattern of doing what my parents and the world wanted. It took me a long time to figure out there’s another way…. The gold stars make it really easy to ignore your gut. Sarah Gormley

Author of The Order of Things

Have you ever done anything not because you wanted to, but because you thought you were “supposed” to?

From the time we’re young, we learn what we’re “supposed” to do. Behave, answer the test questions correctly, make the right choices. But what if the “right” choices are wrong for us? What if we do what we’re “supposed” to do but don’t get the result we’ve been promised?

By all outward standards, Sarah Gormley did what she was supposed to do. She had a great career in corporate America, lived in New York and was highly successful. But she didn’t feel successful, or happy. It wasn’t until Sarah’s mother received a devastating health diagnosis that Sarah began to reevaluate her life and her choices.

In her poignant, humor-filled new book, The Order of Things, Sarah tells how a return to her childhood home on a farm in Ohio made her reevaluate her choices as a “gold star chaser.” A believer in both therapy and self-reflection, Sarah describes The Order of Things as a “self-hope” book, offering a true story that reminds the reader it’s never too late to live the life you are meant to live.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we’ve seen how easy it is to get lost in what the world says we should want and do to make us happy. It often takes a sucker punch or train wreck that, while initially devastating, can be the push we need to make decisions that are right for us, not the rest of the world. For updates on The Order of Things, check out Sarah on Instagram at @scgormley. Order your copy of The Order of Things here, and tune into the podcast for these additional bits of Brilliance from Sarah:

• If I go do the “things,” I’ll catch up. I’ll start to feel better because I’m doing the “things.”
• That’s what I thought the order was…go do these things and life will be fulfilling. I thought there was an equation. Well guess what? There’s no equation.
• One of the best things about therapy was that it helped me to understand things. What helped me recalibrate was understanding my childhood differently. If you understand things differently, a lot of anger and pain evaporate.
• Why is it so terrifying to be our most genuine selves?
• I love the term ‘recalibraiton.’ It’s about making little changes.
• Sometimes nothing is more unexpected than joy.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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Food insecurity relates to choices that people have to make economically. The choice between a prescription drug or buying food; the choice between buying gas or buying food, the choice between buying school supplies and buying food. We serve over 3,000 local families a year--a definitive need that lies below the surface. Mike Cerino: Executive Director, Warminster Food Bank

When was the last time you ate? When was the last time you stopped at a Walgreens or CVS to pick up a necessary prescription, or drove to Costco to fill your car up with gas?

Now, when was the last time you had to choose between those things because you couldn't afford to take care of all three?

Mike Cerino is Executive Director of the Warminster Food Bank, located in Warminster, PA. Along with his assistant Melody Latare and other volunteers, Mike sees people forced to make such choices all too often.

Food insecurity can affect anyone at any time, given a sudden illness, job loss, or other challenging circumstances. Yet in the suburbs of large cities, as Warminster is to Philadelphia, food insecurity is unexpected and therefore often hidden in plain sight. The problem is compounded by the shame and embarrassment frequently felt by those in need.

The Warminster Food Bank strives to not only meet their guests' physical needs, but to treat each person with dignity and respect, building community and shared humanity along the way. Mike and Melody note that volunteers often get just as much out of their service to others as those receiving assistance.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we recognize the power of service, both to those served as well as those offering their service. We also know the importance of refusing to judge others' circumstances and instead bringing our transferable skills to help in any way possible.

With a budget that's risen by $4000/month since Covid, and at this time of year, the Warminster Food Bank is in greater need of food to serve those in need. Please visit www.warminsterfoodbank.org for a list of current foods needed, and to learn more. Tune in for these additional bits of Brilliance from Mike and Melody:

• I'm tired of people saying others show up in expensive cars to get a basket of food. When the Escalade you're driving becomes your house, it's not that an impressive a car any more.
• People are embarrassed and ashamed. The more we build awareness in the community, the more people will be able to come to us. The stigma of it will disappear.
• There's a hunger for people to be treated with dignity; there's a hunger for people to be treated with respect. That's (also) the hunger that we serve, which is why we call the people we serve our "guests."
• Food isn't a gift or a privilege, it's a right.
• Vision: To reduce or eliminate local food insecurity. Mission: To provide services to those in need in a way that preserves dignity and respect. Passion: to offer an outlet to those who want to help others so they can improve their lives.

Be of service and share your Brilliance. Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together.

XO,

Mary Fran

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Everyone needs food. Everyone should be concerned about how it’s being grown. Ann and David Darling ~ The Farm at Catawissa Creek

How many times a day do you eat? How many times a day do you think about what and when you’re going to eat? (My husband says he can always tell when I’m talking to my mother because we’re talking about food!)

Now, how many times a day do you think about where that food is coming from?

Ann and David Darling, the young farmers who are the “stewards” and owners of The Farm at Catawissa Creek, and this week’s guests on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, are intent on making others aware of our relationship to food. As young farmers, the Darlings are, sadly, a rare breed. Their passion for growing healthy food and encouraging others to appreciate farms and their place in our society is a welcome and necessary reminder of the importance of farming and the soil that provides our food.

Neither Ann nor David grew up as farmers, but their desire to be of service and answer a higher calling, along with an openness to the opportunities provided by the universe, led them to farming and each other.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we LOVE when folks find their Brilliance in service. When you lead with your heart, the best of you follows. The Darlings brought all of their transferable skills to their passion and are truly living a Brilliantly Resilient life. Be sure to check out the events, farm to table meals, workshops, yoga classes and the pure beauty of The Farm at Catawissa Creek.

Tune into the episode here, and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• We wanted to attune to the highest possible good. What’s the highest good we can provide for not only humans, but the planet? Do something bigger than yourself.
• We are missing a relationship to the soil. Everything comes in a box, everything is packaged. We’re disconnected from soil and from nature.
• You have to think of soil as being alive. It’s a home for our food and so many creatures. We have to respect it.
• We bought our farm from a farmer who spoke to over 5000 people about selling his farm. The farm used to be the crux and central hub of the community.Young people are not going into farming.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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I'd like for parents going into parenthood to have a slightly more open expectation that when you have a child you don't necessarily know what their educational needs might be.... Maybe normalize awareness of learning differences. Perhaps we can then change how we expect our children to be. Cole Aansen

Do you know anyone who is dyslexic? Whether you're aware of it or not, you probably do.

Cole Aansen, a Certified Literacy Intervention Teacher and this week's guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, tells us that statistics show that 20% of the population is dyslexic, regardless of race, socio-economic status or any other measure.

According to Cole, Dyslexia isn't seeing words backwards, a common misconception. Dyslexia is about language processing. Those with dyslexia process the written word differently than those who learn in a more traditional way. Cole further notes, "Dyslexia isn't something you get over. It's a brain processing issue. You can learn strategies to navigate it, but it doesn't go away."

Using the Orton Gillingham approach, Cole uses a multisensory approach to teach others to read. With tools like finger tapping and writing sounds and letters in a sand tray with the fingertips (with 10,000 nerve endings, the tracing letters in the sand can send 10,000 messages to the brain to help learning), the multisensory approach helps to create more pathways in the brain.

Cole is creating materials for the learner unable to utilize a tutor to enable more students and parents to access this multisensory approach. With cards and a video course, Cole helps dyslexic readers to learn to read.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we celebrate differences. Yet a skill as basic as literacy is necessary to function in our society. When people like Cole share their passion for helping others master such a necessity, all ships rise.

Please support Cole's work and donate to her Go Fund Me page to help her make her learning materials accessible to all.

Thank you, Cole for sharing your important work!

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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People are the magic in every company. People are the center of wellness and risk management…We have to stop trivializing burnout and chronic stress and address corporate wellness. ~ Princess Castleberry

Does your business have a company wellness plan?

Sometimes words like “wellness” begin to sound like static–annoying and with little meaning. But this week’s guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, Princess Castleberry, knows that ignoring corporate wellness means putting an organization’s people, purpose and profits at risk.

According to Princess, every leader must be a risk manager, and addressing employee wellness with actionable strategies can dramatically improve corporate and personal success. As a wellness and risk management consultant, Princess offers solutions to help leaders view wellness as compliance, inclusion and respect–all elements essential to team building and corporate success.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we recognize the value of implementing actionable strategies to reduce stress and improve decision making, professional success and quality of life. Be sure to tune into this week’s episode for more and visit Princess Castleberry at: https://www.princesscastleberry.com/.

Also, check out Princess’ video demonstrating Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) for a simple, easy stress buster: https://youtu.be/Ou4GL_PPjao?si=4GNoJL5M41UglhpV

Listen in for these additional bits of Brilliance from Princess Castleberry:

Wellness can be called by other names–compliance, inclusion, respect. All of those things are put in place so humans can be well.

Leaders can start by asking themselves three questions to begin to navigate wellness for themselves and their teams:

• How do you make decisions?
• How do you manage stress?
• How do you resolve and recognize conflict?

The basic behavior chain is thoughts, feelings and actions. We have to learn to recognize how our triggers work.

People suffer from decision fatigue. You have to trust your gut and divide your decision making into categories:

• Decisions where you can act fast.
• Decisions that must be delegated.
• Decisions that require deliberation–higher stakes decisions.
• Decisions to eliminate–any involving gossip or nonsense.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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People need to trust that you're the one saying what you're saying. ~ Dr. Jennifer Gardella, PhD. Do you struggle to create written content and social media posts for your business? How would you feel if hou had a program that could write all of your social media, articles and marketing copy with just a few simple prompts from you, allowing you to create enough content to fill an editorial calendar for an entire year?

AI (Artificial Intelligence) and its go-to application, ChatGPT, promise just that, with a few key strokes. YAHOOOOO!!! Right?

Not so fast, cautions Dr. Jennifer Gardella in this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

While AI can be a truly productive tool to help with content creation, Dr. Gardella warns that it is artificial, and can impact the trust and authenticity factors essential to the customer/provider relationship. She notes "What did we learn through Covid? People are dying for genuine connection." A.I. is computer generated, and by its very nature, inauthentic. Further, Google is now identifying A.I. generated content and flagging it in search results, potentially changing up to 40% of what shows up in a Google search.

There are ways to use A.I. effectively, provided you view it as a starting point and commit to editing the final copy to reflect you and your brand. Thoughtful editing also prevents your copy from resembling or even coming up as a direct copy of others in your market using A.I. exclusively.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we're always happy to accept help to share Brilliance. But we're also committed to truth and authenticity--whatever you put out in the world must be real and reflect you and your brand.

Tune in to hear more of Dr. Gardella's strategies for best using A.I. and visit her at: https://thegardellagroup.com/. Be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• There is a need for marketing teams to be cutting edge, so when ChatGPT came on the scene everyone jumped on the bandwagon. It shouldn't be used exclusively.Google has changed their algorithm to identify artificially created content. To eliminate it, it will change 40% of search results.
• ChatGPT is idea creation. Don't use it as your actual content.
• You are the greatest center of your brand as a small business owner. You are your brand and you know your ideal customer. You need to edit artificial content to stay on YOUR brand.
• Regarding Chatbots--If it doesn't work for you in your personal life, why the heck do you think it's going to work for your ideal client? (Everyone hates Chatbots!)

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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When you're incarcerated, how you do your time is up to you. I doubled down and concentrated on my physical and mental health and reading so I'd be prepared when I got out to do whatever it takes to make my family whole and be a plus to society. ~ Jonathan Greene, a.k.a. DaVon and Greene

"How you do your time is up to you." Although Jonathan Greene was referencing his time in prison, the statement is profound. Anyone can incorporate the message into a thoughtful approach to living a life--especially if you want to live with truth, committment and determination.

In this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, Jonathan Greene relates the modern-day epic tale of his life as a promising young writer to drug dealer to prison inmate and later to struggling family man turned successful businessman and author. Jonathan's dedication to the values of committment, determination and self-improvement provide a roadmap anyone can follow to live a successful life--even as we define our success for ourselves.

Be sure to tune in to Jonathan's episode on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Jonathan's wisdom, and pick up your copy of his newest book, Paladin: Defender of House Le Fleur, here. Listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• It's important that if people say they're going to do something, do it. Finish what you say you're going to do....Determination is vital.
• Success is individual. My level of success isn't defined by how many books I sell.
• Sometimes you just have a realization that makes you go, "Nah, I don't want to do that." You have to honor and listen to that instinct.

Learn more about Jonathan a.k.a. DaVon and Greene at https://www.davonandgreene.com/.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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The important thing is to talk and to educate. The cure for ignorance is education. We don'tknow what's going on with other people--we can't assume. ~ Hisham Mohammed

In 2006, at age 8 Hisham Mohammed became paralyzed from the neck down by a bomb that went off just outside of his home in Iraq. In a moment, young Hisham became a victim of a war he never chose to be part of, as shrapnel ripped through his spinal cord, also killing a 12-year-old friend.

After the blast, Hisham's parents, both physicians in Iraq, shifted their entire focus from living and raising their family in a country they loved, to embarking on an around-the-world journey of survival and discovery, trying to save their youngest son. Hisham says, "Never in our wildest dreams did we think something like this would happen and we would we come to live in America"--the very country with which Iraq was at war.

What followed is a young man's extraordinary story of hope and healing, as Hisham committed his life to listening to others, raising awareness about the devastation of war and disability, and turning to education to inform and inspire everyone he meets.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we believe in the power of listening. Only by being open to others' views can we hope to understand and find common ground in our shared humanity. As Hisham reminds us, we all need to "be stong, respect others and have faith."

Tune in to hear more of Hisham's brilliance on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast and pick up your copy of The Deadly Silence here.

Listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• We have to stop making things so complex. Formal education doesn't have to take place. The key is listening. Active listening.
• Ask questions to learn about other people and cultures. Then listen to their answers.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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Brilliantly Resilient is back!! After some much needed time off, B.R. is back with new episodes, amazing guests, and more inspiration for you to live a Brilliantly Resilient life. Let us know what you think and reach out at howdy@brilliantlyresilient.net. Be sure to check out www.brilliantlyresilient.net for more! And now, on with the show!

Who is to say my day is worth nothing? Take your power back and say "I get to choose." ~ Dr. Jennifer Gardella

Are you an entrepreneur or just starting a business? Do you have an area of expertise that has value in the business marketplace? Or are you a "professional volunteer" expected to put up your hand every time someone needs something?

It's often difficult to put a value on what we do, particularly if you are just starting a business or do work in an area with societal impact. It's not unusual for people to expect you to give your time or products away for free, or minimal value, especially if you are a woman. (It's hard to believe a man would be asked to give of his time or work for free.) And if you are a known volunteer, it can often feel like your life is up for grabs for anyone who needs anything.

On this week's episode, Dr. Jennifer Gardella shares important insights on how to value your work and your time, starting with learning to value yourself.

Dr. Gardella notes that setting boundaries is the first step in taking back your power--and not everyone is going to like it. When we put up boundaries, those who are used to having us behave in a certain way (read--be available on their terms) won't be happy when told, "No." But a little pain will be worth a lot of gain--for you.

Tune in for a strategy to accomplish your personal power grab (Awareness, education, empowerment and growth), and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• You have to get paid for your expertise.
• You can still do things for free, but you get to choose what and when.
• Awareness and education lead to empowerment and growth.
• Your business and personal lives are very enmeshed. Where are your boundaries? You have the right to say, "This is how I'm spending my time."
• Be ready to acknowledge that things are not working. Dig deep and keep asking "Why?"

Learn more about Dr. Gardella at jennifergardella.com.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran

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Storytelling is a Trojan horse, with our activism inside. It’s a much gentler approach to guide someone to a wider lens of understanding, compassion and empathy. ~ Kristen McGuiness

Have you ever felt “changed” by a book? Those who love to read–and write–know what it’s like to become lost in a story, feeling along with characters and experiencing their trials and triumphs along with them.

Kristen McGuiness, founder of Rise Publishing and author of Live Through This, believes in the power of storytelling as a tool to create understanding and change while building alliances for the greater good. An activist against injustice from a young age after losing her father to a long prison sentence, Kristen believes in storytelling as a way to share experiences and encourage others to see a different point of view.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we believe that broadening perceptions to include those of others is part of building resilience. When we are willing to look through a different lens, we learn and grow, as well as create alliances with others. Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Kristen’s wisdom and pick up your copy of Live Through This. Be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• Books aren’t banned because people are ‘afraid of turning gay,’ for example. They’re banned because we recognize that story connects us and the fear is that a perspective will be changed and you’ll become an ally of something others don’t like or endorse.
• If we have the desire to write, we are often writing from a place of pain or hardship, and of someone who has had to overcome that. That is always a story of justice to me and of justice being served in some way.
• The systems in which we live, like a five day work week with only two days off, can keep us from feeling we have the time to be socially active. We need to make a choice to build more justice in this world.

We can make change. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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Building community both in your business and with your customer community is essential. I see community as “common unity.” Everyone in a community has something they care about and we want to be part of that. It’s good for employees and good for customers. ~ Kevin Nolan

By their nature, entrepreneurs often start their businesses alone, taking on many roles as they try to build their companies into sustainable, viable organizations.

But going it alone, without recognizing the need for a community of support–and for building a community of support for employees–can stop an entrepreneur’s dream in its tracks.

Kevin Nolan is the founder of Nolan Painting and Nolan Consulting and author of the new book Organizational Muscle. Started to make money while he was in college, Kevin has built Nolan Painting into the nation’s largest and most successful family-owned residential painting company.

Along the way, he’s learned powerful lessons, many of which dovetail with the Brilliantly Resilient tenets of building both a professional and personal foundation on a clear values system. Kevin’s success begins with the values he believes in as an individual and makes a part of his business, and which his employees share as well. Citing community as a primary value, Kevin makes certain to imbue his office culture and community outreach with a sense of community building, creating employee and customer loyalty in the process.

Be sure to check out Organizational Muscle for dynamic tips and practical strategies for building a business. And listen to Kevin’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast for these additional bits of brilliance:

• The way to build Organizational Muscle starts with 3 things: mission, vision, values, repeat.
• If you’re not putting the culture in your company, someone else is.
• You have to work as a team within your business. Human beings work together; make your business a place of collaborative opportunity for everyone.
• Be careful of Hourglass management. That’s when you set yourself up to have to approve each grain of sand as it falls through. The only way to succeed is to get out of the hourglass; get others involved so you aren’t constantly overwhelmed.
• Organization muscle is building a team, working together and building strength and endurance with routines. Routines are grounding.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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Gratitude is a tool that connects us to our happiness, success and power. ~ Kristin Smedley & Mary Fran Bontempo

NOTE This episode was previously aired, but it's fun, has a great message and deserves to be run again! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Has it ever occurred to you that gratitude can help you tap into your power? We don't often think of thankfulness as a powerful thing. In fact, some of us feel that being grateful may make us seem weak.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we are card-carrying members on the gratitude train. Even in our darkest hours, we were thankful for those slivers of light that held us up and gave us hope, whether they came from friends, family, or the experts who helped guide us through our crises.

Training the mind to focus on blessings instead of lack opens up the spirit, and okay, we're going a little woo-woo here (with Mary Fran's blessing), the universe, to provide opportunities, connections and the strength to move forward instead of stewing in a pot of blech.

Gratitude provides focus, as well as the positive energy necessary to make decisions and take action. This Thanksgiving, remember to be truly grateful for blessings both big and small. Live with an open heart and mind and use gratitude as a tool to live a Brilliantly Resilient life!

Happy Thanksgiving!

XO, KS & MFB

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I don’t subscribe to the idea that women, as we get older, we just fall apart. This may sound crazy, but I believe menopause is empowering…after so many years of caring for so many people, this is our time. ~ Julie Gordon White

Have you experienced “the pause?” As women, we are all destined to experience menopause, should we reach the age. If we believe the media, that’s when we go from Snow White to the old crone–shriveled, dried up and useless. But Julie Gordon White knows it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, with the proper education, nutrition and effort, menopause can be a time of opportunity and growth.

Julie researched the topic and learned that most doctors receive only 1-2 hours of education on menopause, not nearly enough. In fact, Julie learned that menopause is not a life-sentence, it’s actually a single day that defines the end of a woman’s cycle. After realizing that menopause needn’t be an end, Julie founded a company that provides nutritious, energy packed snack bars to help manage symptoms and build a powerful mind and body during menopause. Further, Julie has created a movement where women can talk about a subject that’s been taboo for far too long. With a strategy, menopause symptoms can be managed and women can expect to live powerful productive lives for many years to come.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we believe that self-care is essential to living a healthy, productive and happy life, and that age should never dictate how successful we are when sharing our Brilliantly Resilient gifts with the world.

Tune in to hear more of Julie’s wisdom, and order some Menowell Bars today! Be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance from Julie:

• We have to educate ourselves as women. We can’t depend on our medical professionals because they don’t always know. Visit menopause.org. and educate yourself. Then it’s about nutrition because what we put in our bodies matters.
• There are 34 plus symptoms surrounding menopause, and 90% of women experience a ten pound weight gain around the middle. It’s visceral fat and dangerous. There is a 70% higher risk of heart disease with visceral fat. Our waist size as women should be 34 inches or less.
• Mindset in menopause must be a practice. We have to tell ourselves that we can be better, healthier and empowered and keep that in our minds until it becomes natural. Our thinking self can create the experience that we want.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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Normally, because of how I was raised, I would steer clear of anything that was confrontational because I wanted to keep the peace. But I started to wonder, whose peace was I keeping? ~ Donna Marie Hayes

How many times have you avoided confrontation to “keep the peace?” How many times have you explained away red flags in relationships or situations because you couldn’t or wouldn’t face your own doubts and fears?

After experiencing great loneliness during her childhood, Donna Marie Hayes felt she was on sure footing. After two failed marriages, Donna took eight years being on her own to build a strong personal foundation. But in her mid-50’s, Donna wanted companionship, and found the “love of her life” through an online dating site. For 18 months, her relationship blossomed, until it came crashing down and she discovered she had been scammed, losing all of her money to a man who professed to love her.

On this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, Donna talks about how her childhood traumas remained to cause her to deny and deflect obvious red flags because she so wanted her relationship to be what it appeared to be on the surface. And once she realized she had been scammed, she fell into a place of shame, not wanting anyone to know what she felt she had allowed to happen to her.

As we say in Brilliantly Resilient, it was when Donna armed herself with the truth that she was able to transfer her shame to her abuser, find her peace and later, to use her experiences to help other women rebuild their lives after devastating experiences.

To learn more, tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and check out Donna’s appearance on The Tamryn Hall Show as she talks about her book, These Broken Roads: Scammed and Vindicated, One Woman’s Story.

Be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• I thought those eight years of just being by myself prepared me for this, but I got sucked right in, because he was so nice, because I needed that. I needed it to be real, I wanted it to be real. I talked around it (the red flags).
• How are you showing up in life? Are you showing up diminished? Are you showing up with self-limiting beliefs or are some of your childhood traumas showing up in your adult life? We can’t predict what we are going to do; we have to do some self-reflection.
• The common thread was shame. I decided to tell the story so the next woman who Googles his name is going to see what he did. I’m not going to wear your shame. You wear it.
• How can I repurpose my pain? How can I use it to benefit others?

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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By making best friends with denial and distraction, I was refusing to see what "could be" going on in my life, which was that my son had been struggling for a very long time with substance abuse issues. I kept holding onto what I thought my life and my son "should be," instead of facing and dealing with the truth. ~ Mary Fran Bontempo

Have you ever known that a crisis was barrelling down on you but you refused to see it? Some truths are just too hard to face, leading us to deny their existence and distract ourselves with just about anything to keep from facing reality.

We're taught from a young age that if we follow "the rules," things will be okay. Do the right thing, and good will follow. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, it doesn't always work out that way. Yet, giving up on that myth is scary, and can open a Pandora's box of life messes that we just don't want to face.

Mary Fran Bontempo, co-founder of Brilliantly Resilient, knows the perils of focusing only on what she thought her life "should be," based on living by the rules. Knowing that her son was having some challenges, Mary Fran denied the severity of what she intuitively felt was wrong, because that wasn't what her life "should be" manifesting. If you follow the rules, things will be okay, right? But by ignoring the truth of what "could be," which was, in fact, that her son had spiraled into serious addiction, Mary Fran almost lost her child.

We cannot navigate challenges if we deny them. It's essential to see truth. Maybe what's happening shouldn't be--terrible things shouldn't happen to good people--but only by acknowledging what could be the truth can we begin to find solutions and make our way back to the light.

Tune in for more of Mary Fran's insights on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to get her book, The 15 Minute Master, which tells the story of her son's addiction and how she and her family made their way back to health and healing.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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We live stories and beliefs that we've inherited. It can be so difficult to get rid of the trash in our heads that weighs us down. But the truth is that we are all "Women That Influence," we just have to believe that. ~ Sara Canuso

Do you recognize your power to influence? It's not always easy to see how we can impact those in our lives and the world at large, especially when life's minutiae can so quickly weigh us down. But Sara Canuso knows that every woman has the power to influence; we just have to choose to step out of roles that have been assigned to us and step into our futures.

Sara is one of the "originals" in terms of empowering women, and a leading authority on women in the workplace. The founder of the dynamic group Women That Influence, Sara has been encouraging women to "live their truth" as they choose it to be, rather than living a story they have inherited. As Sara notes, "carrying around a lot of stories and trash in your head is a heavy load," and one we must release in order to fulfill our potential as leaders, whether in our own families and personal lives, or on a different, more public path.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know that it can be a challenge to rise above the everyday; yet each of us has an opportunity, and in fact, an obligation to uncover our personal brilliance and share it with the world

Tune into this episode the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Sara's wisdom, and check out Women That Influence to learn more about this empowering group.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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The most important foundational pillar of being Brilliantly Resilient for me is perception. It is how you are seeing your challenges. Are you looking at your life the way it "should be," or are you seeing what "could be?" ~Kristin Smedley How do you see your challenges? No one looks at challenges as a blessing, at least not at first. But many people report feeling as though their challenges changed them in positive ways--once the crisis was navigated.

Brilliantly Resilient co-founder Kristin Smedley recognizes that challenges can leave us stuck in the negative if we don't intentionally seek a way forward. For us here at Brilliantly Resilient, that way forward frequesntly lies in our perception of our problems. We're often stuck in the way we believe our lives should be, frustrated by circumstances that keep us from living the lives we want, or believe we deserve.

Yet, as Kristin tells us, once we let go of what we believe our lives should be and make room for what could be, we begin to uncover not only solutions to problems, but new ways of seeing the world that provide opportunities for growth, success and happiness.

As we reset with resilience, perception is one of the foundational pillars of living a Brilliantly Resilient life. Tune in to this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast for more of Kristin's wit and wisdom, and be sure to pick up your copy of the book, Brilliantly Resilient, on Amazon! Learn more about Kristin's work at https://kristinsmedley.com/.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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Let’s wake up every day and let’s be on fire about a contribution that we’re making to a broader audience. ~ Aleta Norris What’s your purpose? Yes, it’s a heavy question–one most of us grapple with often. But we can start to find our purpose once we look beyond ourselves.

Aleta Norris, best-selling author of Women Who Spark and Women Who Spark After 50, joins the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to share her wisdom about how to live happy, successful lives when our life journey doesn’t always match the visions of our younger selves.

Despite experiencing hardships and challenges, Aleta assures women that life, especially in its second half, can contain joy, opportunity, and purpose, provided we learn to look outside of our own circumstances and recognize that good and bad can co-exist. With a process-oriented and pragmatic system, Aleta guides women towards vitality and fulfillment, urging us all to be “fully used up” by the end of our journeys.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we believe that service to others can open the door to discovering one’s purpose and brilliance. Once we tap into our resilience to navigate our challenges and define our values, we not only learn what’s most important to us, but we uncover ways we can contribute to the greater good, giving our lives meaning.

Tune in for more of Aleta’s wisdom and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• When the yucky stuff hasn’t happened yet, we spend time focusing only on ourselves. Those of us who reach that crappy part in our lives are blessed, because that’s the wake-up call.
• Our difficulties are our gift if we decide to make them our gift.
• Look at your life in decades. The 30’s and 40’s are very difficult decades. The messy middle. But it’s not always going to be like that. Accept it for what it is but remember there is so much ahead.
• You can be good enough at something. You don’t have to be great. I’m a good enough mom.
• Think about the things you love without having to turn it into a decision right away.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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We are always looking for signs of domestic violence, but we hear them more often than we see them. Domestic violence doesn’t always look like broken bones and bruises. I was living in domestic abuse and I didn’t even know it. ~ Dr. Jennifer Gardella Do you know anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse? Are you sure?

As Dr. Jennifer Gardella aptly notes, domestic abuse is not always visible. In fact, if we listen, we can “hear” domestic abuse more often than we can see it.

Cutting through all areas of class, education or outward success, many women are experiencing domestic abuse, but because they don’t have the physical bruises to show for it, they themselves don’t always recognize that they are living with domestic violence.

In her new book, Listen for the Whispers of Abuse, Dr. Gardella, herself a victim of domestic abuse, offers signs of abuse including:

• Feeling you are always “walking on eggshells” around your partner.
• Having no control over your money or your personal schedule.
• Not being allowed to make decisions.
• Being told you are “crazy” or being yelled at for somehow not measuring up to your partner’s expectations.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know the importance of a tribe. If you suspect a loved one is experiencing domestic abuse, here are some of Dr. Gardella’s suggestions to lend support to the victim:

• “If you hear any inkling of ‘I need to get out of here’ start to talk to your loved one about safety planning.”
• “Let her know that wherever she is on her journey, you are a safe space and will support her no matter what.”
• “Reach out to other friends and ask ‘Are we all seeing this?’”
• “Drip information whenever you can.”

Be sure to tune into this episode of The Brilliantly Resilient podcast, get Dr. Gardella’s book, and call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 for more information.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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Some people think of marketing as flash. I was Facebook rich and client poor for 5 years. Stop friending your peers, they aren’t your clients. ~ Tai Goodwin Are you an entrepreneur? If you own or promote a business, how much time do you spend posting on social media? Better yet, how much time do you spend posting on social media and assume that you are marketing your business?

Tai Goodwin, founder of That Marketing Team, knows about the distinction. As Tai notes, “The internet has made the barrier of entry very low. But people don’t want to do the unsexy research to figure out who their best audience is. There is a skill set that has to be learned to be successful.”

Getting likes on social media makes us feel good. But we can’t just post about our business or work and assume the right people are seeing it. As Tai reminds us, we have to do the hard work of digging deep, homing in on our customer base, articulating who we are, and building relationships with our audience.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we understand the value of relationships. Yet, it’s important to focus on building the right relationships, especially in business. And Tai knows a few things about resilience, too, like recognizing that receiving what we ask for takes the resilience to know we have to do the work to get it. (Be sure to listen from minute 33 on for some true Brilliance from Tai!)

Tune in to hear more of Tai’s wisdom on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and find out more about Tai at www.thatmarketingteam.com.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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Getting sucker-punched is part of everyone's journey. Sometimes the most successful people had more worst moments to share with the audience. But it always came back to them being resilient, getting up again, swinging that bat and eventually connecting and hitting that single, double, home run or sometimes grand slam. ~ John Lee Dumas, EOFire Have you ever envied—just a little—people who are highly successful? Have you ever thought their lives were somehow charmed and problem free? Have you ever thought—that could never be me; I've been knocked down too many times?

John Lee Dumas has interviewed hundreds of hugely successful entrepreneurs, all with one major thing in common—sucker punches. As JLD notes, no one is spared challenges; it's being willing to tap into your resilience and get up to swing again that makes one successful. Coupled with intense focus, a grateful perspective and action with skills and knowledge, JLD believes that if you have a chance to try, you can move towards a win.

Tune into hear more of JLD's wisdom on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to check out our episode on EOFire, which JLD has declared one of his classics!

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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For several seasons we've been bringing you all of the stories about how if we can do it, you can do it. Then it was with our guests, if they can do it, you can do it. But people were asking okay, "But how? How do you do it?" ~ Kristin Smedley We're back!! Welcome back to a New Season of Brilliantly Resilient Live! As former teachers and moms, September is our New Year. We get excited about new beginnings and this new season of Brilliantly Resilient is just that.

We're changing it up a bit this season. We'll still be brining you great content and great guests. But we're also going to dig into what caused us to create Brilliantly Resilient in the first place. We both experienced our own traumatic sucker punches and train wrecks, but after meeting one another we realized that our process to navigate our crises was very similar. It's that process--the how we did it, and still do it--that we're going to offer you in a slightly different way.

So this season, you'll be seeing us together, with guests, and separately, as we share our individual takes on what it means to live with a Brilliantly Resilient mindset. As we continue to grow, we want to help you do the same.

And to that end, did you know that we bring Brilliantly Resilient on the road? Over the past several years, we've been honored and proud to bring Brilliantly Resilient to many companies, ERGs (Employee Resource Groups), conferences and associations, both in person and virtually. It's a joy to hear how the B.R. process resonates with others both professionally and personally.

So if you'd like to have us join you at work or with a group, drop us a line at howdy@brilliantlyresilient.net or get our speaker kit to learn more.

Meanwhile, enjoy this new season and happy September to all!

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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Doubt can go two ways: One direction leads to fear, the other to hope.

~ Dr. Lee Warren: Hope is the First Dose

What does it mean to hope? As children, we hope for a bike for Christmas or a puppy. As we grow, hope may be in the form of a prom date. But as we grow, and life brings its challenges, it becomes harder to hope, sometimes resulting in depression or despair.

Dr. Lee Warren has survived more than most--divorce, war, the loss of a child to an unsolved murder. Any one might crush a spirit. Yet Lee continues to turn to hope in God to find meaning and purpose in life, despite admitting to doubt and questioning, which he notes are part of the human journey.

Lee has continued to inspire us here at Brilliantly Resilient with his encouragement and belief--leading us to continue to hope and move towards a greater purpose. Read more about Hope is the First Dose, below and be sure to tune into Lee's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

To get the full B.R. Summer Reading list, click here.

Lee Warren: Hope is the First Dose A practicing neurosurgeon and award-winning author shares his roadmap to finding hope and even happiness when the worst happens—by placing trust in God—in this powerful memoir of personal tragedy, grief, and recovery. In Hope Is the First Dose, Dr. Warren offers tender empathy and hard-won insights to give you tangible hope. No matter what you’re facing, it doesn’t have to be the end of you. Let Dr. Warren help you find your way back to a new season of hope, faith, peace—and even happiness. The first dose is hope—and it comes in the form of grace from the skilled hands of the Great Physician. Tune into Lee's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast!

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin and Mary Fran

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I went to Ukraine thinking I'd find victims of war and recipients of humanitarian aid. What I found were civilians creatively, consciously engaging in what was going on around them. Every person had their own process as a starting point to resilience. ~ Greta Uehling: 'Everyday War' Can you imagine life in a war zone? For those of us living in the United States, life in a war zone is something we observe from afar. The images we most often see are devastating, showing civilians huddling in fear near bombed out homes and cities.

Yet, when Dr. Greta Uehling visited Ukraine to better learn how civilians were coping with the war, she discovered resilience and brilliance as people often “made choices based on others’ vulnerability,” discovering also that “relationships became essential to resilience.” Dr. Uehling’s book, Everyday War illustrates how individuals found their worldview shifting as they discovered the importance of relationships, awareness of others’ suffering and the usefulness of transferable skills in navigating life in a war zone with resilience.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we've often said that the roots of resilience and brilliance can often be found in service to others. The week's reader's pick illustrated that in a beautiful and poignant way, even amid a war-torn country.

Read on for more on Everyday War and be sure to tun into Dr. Uehling's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. To get the full Brilliantly Resilient Summer Reading list, click here.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Greta Uehling: Everyday War In Ukraine, landscapes filled with death and destruction prompted attentiveness to human vulnerabilities and the cultivation of everyday, interpersonal peace. What goes through the mind of a mother who must send her child to school across a minefield or the men who belong to groups of volunteer body collectors? In Ukraine, such questions have been part of the daily calculus of life. Greta Uehling engages with the lives of ordinary people living in and around the armed conflict over Donbas that began in 2014 and shows how conventional understandings of war are incomplete. Everyday War considers where peace can be cultivated at an everyday level. Tune into Dr. Uehling's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast!

XO,

Kristin and Mary Fran

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Bad things happen. It’s what we do with them. Grace is defined as an undeserved, unmerited gift. I’ve been given a gift.

~ Geralyn Ritter: 'Bone by Bone

Have you ever experienced devastating trauma? We've all had challenges, but thankfully, most of us have never had to deal with crushing, life-altering trauma.

Geralyn Ritter knows what can happen to change life in an instant. In 2015, a terrifying train crash changed Geralyn's life in a moment--forever changing who she was and who she would continue to become.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we talk often about life's challenges, but rarely do we encounter someone who so perfectly personifies the Brilliantly Resilient mindset. Geralyn has utilized her experiences to become a force of light and life to all who hear her story. Learn more about Geralyn's best seller, Bone by Bone, below:

Geralyn Ritter: Bone By Bone On May 12, 2015, Amtrak 188 derailed outside of Philadelphia going 106 miles per hour. Geralyn Ritter was thrown from the train and sustained catastrophic injuries to her chest, her abdomen, and her pelvis. After enduring weeks in the ICU, dozens of surgeries over the following years, unremitting pain, PTSD, depression, and opioid dependence, Geralyn was faced with a daunting question: beyond mere survival after trauma, where is the path back to joy? Bone by Bone shares her powerful story of resilience with humor, grace, and no-holds-barred honesty. Bone by Bone addresses the long-lasting impact of sudden trauma and extends hope--from the perspective of someone who has been there and back. Tune into Geralyn's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast!

Be sure to pick up a copy of Bone by Bone and click here to get the full Brilliantly Resilient Summer 2023 Reading List!

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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S.E.L.F. Serve others, Eat and exercise, Learn something, Forgive somebody.

~ Rob Kenney: 'Dad, How Do I?'

Everyone has, or had, a dad. But not everyone has been lucky enough to have a great relationship with their father.

Rob Kenney, a.k.a. "Dad, How Do I?" was one of those people. After a challenging childhood, Rob eventually became a father himself, and decided to become a virtual dad to anyone who needed one.

We've interviewed many folks here at Brilliantly Resilient, and we can honestly say that Rob is one of our absolute favorites. With great warmth, authenticity, and a ton of "dad jokes," Rob forges relationships with people he's never met who come to see him as a surrogate father. Read on for more about this wonderful dad and be sure to check out Rob's book and his episode on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Rob Kenney: Dad, How Do I? Rob Kenney’s father left him and his seven siblings when he was fourteen years old, and the youngest had to fend for themselves. He wished that he had someone who could teach him the basics—how to tie a tie, jump-start a car, unclog a drain, use tools properly—as well as succeed in life. Now a father himself, Rob decided that he would help people out by providing how-to tips as well as advice—and even throw in some bad dad jokes. He started a YouTube channel for anyone looking for fatherly advice, gaining millions of views for his how-to and inspirational videos. In this book, Rob shares his story of overcoming a difficult childhood with the strength of faith and family and offers inspiration and hope as well as providing 50 practical DYI instructions. Tune into Rob's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast!

Get the entire Brilliantly Resilient Summer Reading List here!

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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Look at your calendar from the last few months and see what put a smile on your face. What about those experiences can you do more of? ~ Fran Hauser: 'Embrace the Work, Love Your Career' Does your work make you smile? Not everyone grins when they wake up on Monday mornings thinking of work.

Our friend Fran Hauser has a plan to help anyone struggling with work re-evaluate and move forward in the search for meaningful work that satisfies--and yes, makes one smile.

Fran Hauser: Embrace the Work, Love Your Career Embrace the Work, Love Your Career combines accessible advice, time-tested strategies, creative prompts, and thoughtful exercises into one holistic resource.

Each chapter starts with practical advice and includes prompts and exercises to help readers create their own personal career action plans. Through simple, inspiring, and actionable tools, Embrace the Work, Love Your Career teaches women to be empowered to focus on the things that truly matter, set boundaries and, ultimately, realize their full potential. Tune into Fran's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast!

Check out Fran's newest book and get ready to smile as you learn to love your career!

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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"Create a silver lining. Do something, build something, create something." ~ Dr. David Fajgenbaum, Chasing My Cure

Dr. David Fajgenbaum: Chasing My Cure David Fajgenbaum, a former Georgetown quarterback, was nicknamed the Beast in medical school, where he was also known for his unmatched mental stamina. But things changed dramatically when he began suffering from a form of Castleman disease, an extremely deadly and rare condition. When he relapsed while on the only drug in development and realized that the medical community was unlikely to make progress in time to save his life, Fajgenbaum turned his desperate hope for a cure into concrete action, testing his own blood samples and looking for clues that could unlock a new treatment. His incredible story demonstrates the potency of hope, and what can happen when the forces of determination, love, family, faith, and serendipity collide. Tune into David's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast!

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we’re big believers in not only using transferrable skills to bring your Brilliance to new situations, we’re also believers in action–and in knowing that “No” might just mean we need to find another way. (It doesn’t happen overnight, but it can happen, if you’re willing to “turn hope into action” – more advice from David.)

Throughout his journey, David has amassed great wisdom–plus, he’s funny and kind. In fact, it was really hard to decide which of his Brilliance Bits to highlight on this episode since everything David offered was a gem that perfectly reflects our Brilliantly Resilient mission.

Tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to be moved, inspired and learn more about how to create your own silver linings–even when times are tough. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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The gift of suffering is that we are here to help other people who are suffering now. ~ Dr. Lise Deguire: Flashback Girl Few of us get through life without suffering. Yet few have suffered as our friend Lise Deguire, and even fewer have made a life-long committment to help others despite, or perhaps because of, that suffering.

Flashback Girl At the age of four, Dr. Lise Deguire suffered third-degree burns on 65% of her body as the result of both maternal and corporate negligence. Against the odds, she lived through the trauma, beginning decades of treatment as a burn survivor. Dr. Deguire recounts her childhood with two narcissistic parents and their futile struggles to find happiness. She tells the tragic story of her family, which includes artistic genius, stark neglect, and four suicides. Most importantly, she explains her long but ultimately triumphant path towards love, health, and life satisfaction. Tune into Dr. Deguire's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast, and don't forget to get our Summer Reading List for all of the exceptional books by our Brilliantly Resilient podcast guests! Here's the link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/mKHezKP

Here's to a Brilliantly Resilient Summer!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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Week 3 of the Brilliantly Resilient Summer Reading List! Life not turning out exactly as you planned? Read about how to limit your "pity party" and find renewed purpose, energy and perspective from our friend Keith Baldwin in A Leap Year of Firsts!

Limit your Pity Party. I threw a hell of a Pity Party, but those emotions don’t help you with solutions or move you forward. ~ Keith Baldwin, 'A Leap Year of Firsts' A Leap Year of Firsts When Keith Baldwin started his innocent and fun quest of "firsts" onJanuary 1st, 2020, it ended up turning into a year like no other. Rida along as Keith takes you on a journey where we experienced a pandemic like 1918, unemployment and depression like the Great One in 1929, civil unrest like the 1960's, and an election that brought back images of our Civil War. Although it was a year with "firsts," it also was a year when the author discovered his "WHY." Tune into Keith's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast!

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Week 2 of Brilliantly Resilient Reading! Read more about Game Changer by Pictionary creator Rob Angel!

I had to break things down into smaller pieces. I couldn’t handle the entire thing at once; my mind doesn’t work that way. ~ Rob Angel, Creator of Pictionary and Author of ‘Game Changer’ Who hasn't played Pictionary as a kid--or as an adult?! It's a classic, and we've got our Brilliantly Resilient friend, Rob Angel, the creator of Pictionary, here to talk about his book, Game Changer! Game Changer tells the story of how Rob and his college friends created the world's most popular game, and Rob drops more than a few Brilliance Bits in this interview. You won't want to miss it!

Rob Angel: Game Changer "In Game Changer, Rob shares the remarkable inside story of taking Pictionary from simple idea to iconic global brand by breaking rules and breaking records, never giving up or giving in, and working harder when most would walk away all while having the time of his life. Candid and compelling, Game Changer is as much a captivating memoir as it is a blueprint to personal and professional success." Tune into Rob's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast!

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*Our Summer Reading list is here!! First up, our friend and mentor to women, Selena Rezvani, with her new book, Quick Confidence! Read on for more…. Experiment with dog-code and initiate a warm hello. When we start with warmth, it’s like a door that we open. Be curious, ask questions, be empathetic. Start with warmth and focus on your competence later.*

~ Selena Rezvani

How confident are you? It may depend upon circumstances or your environment in a particular moment, but all of us have suffered a crisis of confidence at one time or another.

Here comes best-selling author and Brilliantly Resilient friend, Selena Rezvani with tons of do-able, practical and simple tips and tricks to help everyone to feel more confident no matter what the situation. Here’s more on Selena’s new book!

Selena Rezvani: Quick Confidence In Quick Confidence: Be Authentic, Create Connections and Make Bold Bets On Yourself, best-selling author and renowned leadership speaker Selena Rezvani delivers an effective and eye-opening new approach to building confidence and presence for professionals. In the book, the author walks you through―and helps you leap over―the 9 most common obstacles that stand in the way of building authentic confidence. She offers digestible actions, behaviors, and exercises you can use to change the way you think and the way you present yourself to others. A hands-on playbook for professionals at all stages looking for effective confidence-building advice that goes beyond “fake it ‘til you make it,” Quick Confidence is a fun and rewarding journey to a renewed self-image and enhanced well-being.

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GET OUR SUMMER READING LIST!!! If you’re like us, you’re gonna need some resilience reminders and some super strategies from some of our most favorite guests all summer long. You’ll get the book selections and the podcast episodes.

~ Kristin & Mary Fran

It’s SUMMER!!! We love summer here at Brilliantly Resilient, especially because it means Beach Reads!! And have we got a list for you!

From some old favorites (Pictionary creator Rob Angel’s story in Game Changer and Rob Kenney’s Dad How Do I?) to some inspiring new best-sellers like Selena Rezvani’s Quick Confidence and Geralyn Ritter’s Bone By Bone, we’re bringing you some amazing stories by some of our favorite Brilliantly Resilient authors, podcast guests, and yep, they’re our buddies!

Starting the first week of July, 2023, you can visit www.brilliantlyresilient.net to get a download of our 2023 Summer Reading List! The list provides not only great reads and book titles, but a link to the Brilliantly Resilient podcast episode featuring each brilliant guest!

We’re super excited about this year’s addition (Can you tell by how many exclamation points we’ve used???!!!!!) and we know you will be, too. Be sure to visit the Brilliantly Resilient podcast each week for more inspiration and enjoy a summer of spectacular reading!

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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I try and bridge the world between the visual and tactile worlds. You must touch the artwork. It’s a way to physically engage with the art. My artwork allows you to chat with it, chat with strangers next to it, and have a conversation. ~ Clarke Reynolds

We humans love to talk. It’s our primary means of communication, and one specific to us as living beings. Yet so many of our conversations in this world are fraught with anger, mistrust and frustration.

Clarke Reynolds wants to change that. As a blind artist, Clarke is intent on changing people’s perception of blindness through his artwork–and sparking conversation.

Despite a challenging childhood, health issues and deteriorating eyesight, Clarke was determined to follow his dreams. With his sketchbook as his role model and his “shrink,” Clarke worked hard, evolving with his circumstances and using his art to tactically communicate with both the sighted and unsighted worlds. By creating a bridge through his work, Clarke helps others find commonality in experience, sparking positive interactions–and conversations.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we understand the need to evolve. Life doesn’t stand still, and neither can we if we want to live happy, fulfilling lives. That rarely means that things work out according to plan, but by keeping our mental conversations positive and focusing on doing the work, we can make an impact–even if it’s not the same one we envisioned. (And it’s often even better!)

To hear more from Clarke, check out his website at https://www.seeingwithoutseeing.com/ and tune in to this week’s edition of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. Be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• Braille is a great ice breaker; you can physically use it to tell stories. We live in a coding age. Braille is just a different way to code. Braille is just a new language, as is coding.
• I just show off the thought in color and shape and size. It’s color-coded Braille.
• Having a platform has given me the impetus to make change, but you have to work hard.Being famous is about changing other people’s perception of blindness. Being blind has made me a better artist–a better person.
• Finding your personal spark is key to resilience. Every job needs that spark of creativity. We’re living too serious a life now.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin and Mary Fran

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The goal is to provide support for the workforce. The pandemic really forced this to the forefront from a mental health and employee retention standpoint. We were taking care of everything and everyone and there was no way to hide that anymore. You can sustain a healthy work/life balance and we shouldn't have to hide that. ~ Margaret Guerette, Reliance Matrix Co-Chair of the Women's Employee Resource Group (ERG)

Have you ever felt the need to put on your "happy hat" at work to convince colleagues and bosses that you've got everything under control, despite being overwhelmed and utterly stressed out? Did you ever hear the term "work/life balance" and want to scream--just a little?

Prior to the pandemic, work/life balance was touted as something workers could achieve just by talking about it–and it was on them to make it happen. Support for employees from within the corporate structure to help them achieve that balance was rare, as workers hesitated to share their challenges while on the job.

As Margaret Guerrette from Reliance Matrix tells us, Covid changed all of that. As employees “zoomed” to work from home, the world saw in real time just how difficult a work/life balance was to achieve. Workers’ mental health was under attack like never before, and companies recognized the desperate need to provide their workforce with support, for the good of the worker as well as the organization.

Enter the Employee Resource Group (ERG), a now formal umbrella term for corporate associations within an organization specifically designed to provide support for employees. The groups are often populated by workers sharing a specific identifier–women, LGBTQ, Hispanic, etc.–and bring together workers from across the company to share challenges, solutions and mentorship. Margaret notes, “The diversity of thought from women at all corporate levels and from different backgrounds makes us this power group; it’s wonderful to see!”

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know the value of a tribe. When companies recognize the need to support their employees in their entirety as people, everyone benefits, both with employee as well as consumer retention. Plus, it’s just the right thing to do.

Kudos to Reliance Matrix and all organizations that support their workforce with ERGs or BRGs. To hear more from Margaret about how to start an ERG within your organization, tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen in for these additional bits of brilliance:

• We should be, as companies, supporting workforces in the efforts to be seen, stay healthy, and to have a healthy balance because you can do both. You can caretake, you can do well in your job, and it doesn’t have to be one or the other.
• *One of the true values of ERGs is that connectivity piece…we do have this community at work and your direct team might not understand everything that you’re going through, but somebody at your company does and somebody can be a support for you.*
• **It really has to come from the top down. You have to see your senior leaders, your CEO and senior leadership team support that because employees at more entry level positions aren’t going to feel able to participate fully in that type of work unless they know that leadership supports it. We’re really lucky at Reliance Matrix to have that kind of leadership.****
• *The things you learn in an ERG transcend to other pieces of work. You feel that community and remember that human connection and everything works better.*
• **To learn more about Reliance Matrix, visit www.reliancematrix.com or Reliance Matrix on LinkedIn.****

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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If I don’t ask, I have a zero percent chance of getting what I want or need. I had to keep trying. Through persistence you can solve problems. ~ Judy Chinitz

Have you ever tried to get a point across to someone but couldn’t find the right words? Most of us occasionally struggle to find the right words to communicate our thoughts.

But what if you couldn’t communicate at all? What if you were trapped in a body incapable of speaking or sharing your thoughts? Worse, what if everyone around you believed you were profoundly mentally handicapped and incapable of even having intelligent thoughts let alone sharing them?

Judy Chintiz spent 25 years of her son’s life thinking exactly that, only to find after empowering her son with a unique method of communication that Alex had an even higher IQ than normal and was really very intelligent–he just couldn’t tell her.

Judy’s remarkable journey with her son, Alex, reminds us that persistence is key to any success, even if it seems a situation is hopeless. Despite frustration after frustration, Judy refused to give up, ultimately finding the tool to give Alex a voice and freeing him to express his thoughts. (Alex is enrolled in a college program this fall!)

Now a founder of the Mouth to Hand Learning Center, Judy has brought the voices of the silent to the world through her work and through her book, Spellbound: The Voices of the Silent, which features the work of those previously unable to communicate.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know the power of persistence. When you believe with all your heart and you do the work, you will find answers. They may not always be the exact answers you want, and the path may be different than what you choose, but the journey will be fruitful.

Tune in to hear more about Judy and Alex and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance!

• After my son was diagnosed with autism, my life was set. That was my path.
• I asked him “How did you bear it?” (Being unable to communicate.) He said, “I always believed that one day you would figure out that I was smart.
• The more you “prove” that someone can’t meet the goals, the more the diagnosis is confirmed. But we’re focusing on what they can’t do. The things they can do are not explored.
• The 72 hour rules–I can feel as sorry for myself as I want for 72 hours. But after 72 hours, you’re done. You have to allow people to feel what they feel. But feeling sorry for yourself doesn’t accomplish anything.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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Long story short, I was a disgruntled cubicle monkey who followed the rules believing they would make me happy. Spoiler alert: They did not. ~ Shereen Thor

Did you have a life plan? Most of us did. We thought if we chose an “acceptable” career path, did the “right” things and followed all of the rules, life would be grand. Except it doesn’t always work out that way.

For many of us, “acceptable” career paths and life choices don’t make us happy, usually because the roads are rigid and don't allow us to stretch to be who we really are. Yet, making a decision (and then sticking with it) to deviate from the “right” path can seem impossible, especially when we believe we will be disappointing those who see success differently.

Shereen Thor, former cubicle monkey, standup comic and entrepreneur, discovered first-hand that making choices to fulfill someone else’s idea of success rarely ends well. As she began to feel she was abandoning her own life, Shereen tuned into her inner rebel and did the unthinkable–she left corporate America to become a standup comic, living happily ever after…or not.

As Shereen notes, “You are going to experience hard things whether you are on the right path or not, but the right path makes the challenges worth it.” Here at brilliantly Resilient, we know that life is ever-evolving, always offering a mix of good and bad. But when you choose to live with a Brilliantly Resilient, values-based mindset, the rough spots are a little less rough–and always come with a lesson to help move you forward.

Tune in to hear more of Shereen’s wisdom on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. And be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• Standup comedy was terrifying, but I wanted a different life. I was tired of abandoning myself.
• One of the rules I was breaking was that negative emotions are bad and that I’m bad if I’m experiencing negative emotions. We have to make more space for the gray.
• We have to live a values-aligned life instead of abandoning ourselves to what we’re supposed to want. What does your heart tell you?
• Don’t worry about fixing everything. You don’t need to be fixed; your worth is inherent. There’s nothing ‘wrong.’
• Don’t shrink to fit for anything or anyone–ever. I am unwilling to be treated badly–ever.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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When dance was taken away during Covid, I had to say, ‘Who am i?” I realized dance was external, so I had to dig deep and realize what I loved about dance and see how I could put those things into myself and put them into other things. I’ve transferred those skills over and do one thing at a time. Ask yourself ‘What am I made of? What else do I have?” ~ Paige Leigh DeAngelo

Did you lose anything during Covid? All of us lost something or someone, and some losses were far more painful than others.

But even seemingly minor losses had profound effects, causing us to question our identities, our past decisions and our futures.

A dancer since early childhood, Paige DeAngelo lost that part of her identity when she was unable to dance on stage during Covid. Initially grieving that loss, Paige eventually looked inward to determine what skills she had learned during her dance career that she could transfer to other passions.

In 2021, after recalling the copious amount of makeup used during her dance days, Paige founded Aer Cosmetics, creating a sustainable mascara that allows the user to buy a small tablet of mascara as a refill, using the product’s original tube, rather than buy an entirely new unit every time. Now a recipient of over $70,000 in grants and business competition winnings, Paige is a full-fledged entrepreneur and will be bringing her product to market in the near future.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we love Paige’s emphasis on utilizing her transferable skills to rebuild her life after Covid’s sucker punch. What transferable skills can you bring to other areas of your life? Tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Paige’s words of wisdom, and listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• I realized at a very young age that if I wanted something I was going to have to do it myself. I determine my final outcome.
• Everything is “figureoutable”–you just have to do it.
• You have to sit in the discomfort and be okay with it. You can’t make decisions about your life because you don’t want to disappoint someone else.
• Your closed doors are just as valuable as open doors.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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We have to change the idea of menopause as a four-letter word. Who do you trust? Where would you go for care? Take care of your mental state. Do whatever it is that makes you feel good. For me it’s meditation, being in nature, exercise. Eat well. Be mindful; be aware. Talk to your doctor. Find the resources that are right for you. ~ Catherine Grace O’Connell

The “M” word. If you’re a woman, menopause looms in your life as something to dread–the end of vitality and usefulness. At least, that’s the way it used to be.

Catherine Grace O’Connell, the founder of Forever Fierce: MIdlife Matters and Modlife Media, knows the power of women in midlife. A self-described “Ageism Positivist, Catherine sums up midlife for women like this: “Women at Midlife & Beyond are the Perfect Storm. We are the first demographic in history to have health and vitality, wisdom and life experience, and a pocketbook to match. We are a fierce creative force balanced by compassion and empathy. It’s time we make our presence known!”

Part sage, inspiration, practical advice, and all fierce fabulousness, Catherine has mastered her own challenges and turned midlife into a powerful period of creativity, using her wisdom and smarts to guide others to embrace midlife and find the joys and power within.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we love Catherine’s spirit, can-do attitude and her practical strategies for making the most of modern midlife. (And she looks amazing, too!) To hear more of Catherine’s wisdom, tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen in for these additional bits of brilliance:

• Most women at midlife are exhausted from the duty side of life. Those sparks of creativity and joy need to be honored. We must use our voice to inspire others and be who we are supposed to be.
• The urgency of the timeliness of life is our soul pushing us and saying, ‘Hey, are you going to get on track for why you’re really here?’
• Your heart starts speaking and telling you there’s a reason you love what you love. There is a phoenix rising effect that you’re rising from your old life’s ashes.
• We’re hungry for real authenticity. I was shaming myself for all of these things, but then I realized they are my strengths. The more struggles I overcame, I built my strength, I built my character.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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I went to Ukraine thinking I'd find victims of war and recipients of humanitarian aide. What I found were civilians creatively, consciously engaging in what was going on around them. ~ Dr. Greta Uehling

Can you imagine life in a war zone? The residents of Ukraine have lived amidst devastating war and crisis for years, first with the invasion of the Crimean Peninsula and now with Russia’s further invasion starting in 2022.

For those of us living in the United States, life in a war zone is something we observe from afar. The images we most often see are devastating, showing civilians huddling in fear near bombed out homes and cities.

Yet, when Dr. Greta Uehling visited Ukraine to better learn how civilians were coping with the war, she discovered resilience and brilliance as people often “made choices based on others’ vulnerability,” discovering also that “relationships became essential to resilience.” Dr. Uehling’s book, Everyday War illustrates how individuals found their worldview shifting as they discovered the importance of relationships, awareness of others’ suffering and the usefulness of transferable skills in navigating life in a war zone with resilience.

This week’s powerful interview with Dr. Uehling illustrates the concepts of how to live a Brilliantly Resilient life in the most challenging of circumstances, highlighting the power of employing our transferable skills in service to others. Even Dr. Uehling’s personal journey to Ukraine required a willingness to evolve with changing situations, and not being married to a particular outcome.

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Dr. Uehling’s wisdom, and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• I had to let go of my previous agenda. I couldn’t control the occupation of Crimea, but I still had the power of my pen.
• In my case, the anthropological skill set was very transferable and for me that was empathetic listening.
• The wife of a doctor found new life assisting people, finding resilience together with others, through the everyday ethic of care. You improvise your own ethics and decide what’s right.
• People get to live another day. Value is placed on the gift of being alive; that’s what’s important.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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Don’t pre-plan a negative experience for yourself. Stop yourself within 17 seconds to keep a negative thought seed from germinating. Stop the negative thoughts and don’t attract that negative vibration. ~ L.A. Williams How often do you look towards an upcoming event, goal, work or personal situation, and think, “This isn’t going to go the way I want?"

Most of us are guilty of sometimes assuming the worst of a situation even before it happens. Whether it’s a form of self-protection, preparing for what we believe is certain disappointment, or planning a next step after failure, we focus on the potential negative outcome far more than we allow ourselves to consider the positive.

Blind for the last 35 years and now a highly successful businessman, L.A. Williams has experienced negativity, and knows that allowing a negative mindset to take root will only bring on more of the same. Once we plant an idea or outcome in our minds, the brain begins to work on that scenario, helping us to consciously or unconsciously achieve exactly what we are telling ourselves will happen.

It’s essential to stop negativity in its tracks before it takes root–and setting a mental timer to get off the doom and gloom carousel is just the solution.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we’ve also welcomed failure with open arms by allowing it to grab hold of our minds. When we believed things wouldn’t work out, they didn’t, at least in part because all of our mental energy was preparing the way for us to fail.

We’re believers in intention and mindset. At the very least, living hopefully is a heck of a lot better than living miserably. At best, we’ve found over and over that showing negativity the door and setting a lovely place for success leads us precisely in that direction.

To hear more of L.A.’s wisdom, tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. And be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• I didn’t want anyone putting any limits on me. The only thing I can’t do that you can do is see.
• If you’re going to be successful, you have to bring the authenticity. People can see, smell and feel the phony coming off you.
• Let me show you why that is incorrect. I’ll show you how I can take the limits and throw them to the side. There are multiple ways to do anything in life and I just have to find out the way I can do it.
• Adversity University is one of the best places to go to if you want to learn about life. The classes are going to be hard, but it’s so worth it.
• Life is a team game–you have to find the players and coaches who can help you.
• Instead of assuming there is nothing, we have to ask the questions. You can attract answers by asking the questions. Every answer is out there.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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We need to slow down our conversations and not just say, “I’m fine,” when people ask how we are feeling. ~ Nick Jonsson How often do you respond, “I’m fine” when someone asks how you are feeling? It’s almost automatic–partly because it’s a standard greeting, but also because many of us believe that sharing our feelings, especially if we don’t feel like rainbows and sunshine, is a sign of weakness.

Being vulnerable and admitting to feeling lonely, stressed, anxious or depressed is particularly taboo if you’re an executive in today’s business world. We expect our leaders to be strong, even if that means they must ignore their humanity and the negative feelings that sometimes come with it. The problem is that refusing to acknowledge or manage those feelings only compounds the problem, weakening the ability to lead and live effectively and happily.

Nick Jonsson knows first-hand the perils of suppressing negative feelings. After moving to a foreign country, leaving friends and family behind, Nick struggled with isolation and turned to some unhealthy ways to manage the strain. It was after a friend’s suicide that he realized the problem was more widespread than simply personal.

Nick founded the Executives’ Global Network–a confidential peer networking group of over 700 executives to share their challenges, receive support and learn. He also authored Executive Loneliness: The 5 Pathways to Overcoming Isolation, Stress, Anxiety and Depression in the Modern Business World, and created a suicide prevention organization.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know that life isn't always brilliant. Anyone can experience negative feelings–regardless of how things look to those on the outside. Building a tribe of support is essential to mental health, as is allowing ourselves to acknowledge our vulnerability. Once we do, we often find a community of others who not only feel the same way, but serve as a source of strength as we regain our emotional equilibrium.

To hear more of Nick’s wisdom, tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• Executive men especially keep secret and silent until we can’t cope any more and we turn to other things that can end up harming us.
• Vulnerability and being able to speak openly and honestly about what we’re feeling is a gift. We need to find safe places to talk about how we feel.
• Many people are not responding. They are terrified about opening up. There is so much shame or guilt. We don’t have the tools to manage our relationships and feelings of isolation as executives.
• You can’t expect your team to talk to you if you aren’t willing to be vulnerable yourself. We need to exercise our muscle of vulnerability. Dare to be vulnerable and show that you’re human.
• We can learn to cultivate a healthy mind and lead with empathy by embracing vulnerability, building resilience through personal experience and the journey to emotional intelligence, and supporting our community.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Mary Fran & Kristin

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Be seen, heard and remembered. I had a whole period of my life where I was afraid to use my voice. I was afraid to be visible. I could have done so much more if I hadn’t been afraid to be visible. Start being visible. ~ Mildred Talabi Have you ever found yourself wanting to speak up about something but you remained silent? Whether it’s because we lack the confidence to speak up, we think our opinion isn’t valuable, or we feel less than others in the room–especially at work–it’s not uncommon for people, especially women, to stay silent rather than speak up and have all eyes on us.

When we’re visible, that means we can be vulnerable. We step into the spotlight and take the chance others won’t like us or what we stand for. But what if the opposite happens? What if our message resonates with others and we can finally find the purpose in life that we’ve been seeking?

Mildred Talabi, this week’s guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, knows how it feels to watch life go by on the sidelines. It wasn’t until a major health crisis caused Mildred to recognize that she was letting opportunities to live life on her terms pass by that she knew she had to to step into the spotlight, speak up, and make an impact.

Today, Mildred is an author and leader of the Visible Women Tribe and also teaches others how to build a brand on LinkedIn by using the platform as a community to build the bonds of personal and professional trust and share their brilliance with the world.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know the power of a supportive tribe, and we also believe in speaking up and owning your brilliance. Each of us has the potential to share that brilliance with others to make the world a better place.

Tune in to this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Mildred’s wisdom and be sure to listen for the additional bits of brilliance:

• There was a gift in my adversity. I knew I had to decide what was really important in my life and how I wanted to live.

• Here’s how you can become visible on LikedIn: PACE

• Profile–Who are you?

• Audience–Who is your audience?
• Content–Your vehicle to be seen

• Engagement–LinkedIn is about engagement and building community.

• Use LInkedIn as a community space and be personal. If you’re going to build a personal brand, you can’t avoid the personal

• When you add the personal content, people get to know you. It helps to strengthen the bond and build trust.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin and Mary Fran

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Having the hard conversations with a loved one and then sharing what we’ve learned can be a gift to others who love that person but can’t have those conversations. The Five Wishes helped me start those conversations. ~ Yvonne Caputo How much do you enjoy having hard conversations? If you’re like most of us, you’d rather go to the dentist than have a difficult conversation with a loved one–or anyone, for that matter.

Hard conversations are, well, hard. They frequently involve intense and unpleasant emotions, and we only venture into that territory when we’ve exhausted every other means of avoiding the situation.

But Yvonne Caputo, this week’s guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, has experienced the upside of hard conversations–getting to know a loved one better and honoring him towards the end of, and after his life.

Yvonne is the author of Flying with Dad and Dying with Dad, two books that prove the value of asking difficult questions and listening (deeply, as Yvonne says), to the answers. While it wasn’t easy to initiate those conversations, Yvonne found help in utilizing a document titled The Five Wishes, which encourages conversations about end of life care and the needs and wishes of those relying on others for care. After asking the tough emotional questions, Yvonne found that the answers prompted more loving and enlightening conversations with her father about his life.

Having challenging conversations, no matter the topic, is never easy. Yet once we begin asking questions and seeking answers, we often find new information that makes a situation easier to understand and navigate. Part of being resilient is having the courage to move forward even when we don’t really want to.

Tune in to hear more of Yvonne’s wisdom on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• The more I asked questions, the more he trusted me. And I began to understand my father on a deeper level.
• The five wishes was a critical document. It took an advance directive for a parent and brought out all the heart. By asking the questions, I found discovery after discovery about my father.
• Knowing what my father wanted, I was able to honor him. By knowing what people want, we can ease their transition for us and them.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin and Mary Fran

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Nobody told us we couldn’t change the world, so we thought we could. ~ Lynn Cummings What would your ideal world look like? Lynn Cummings and her husband, parents of 3 adopted children (all abused) are a mixed race family. For Lynn, a diverse neighborhood full of welcoming people, regardless of race, was the dream. Yet, when people of color began moving into Lynn’s suburban neighborhood years ago, Lynn noticed the sale signs that soon sprouted up on the lawns of her white neighbors. Lynn notes, “I was so happy to see the neighborhood that I wanted to live in and so sad to see others wanted to leave because of that.”

Long a believer in the simple phrase, “Just do your bit,” Lynn and her husband decided to do something about what they saw as an opportunity to create the welcoming environment they wanted for their children and others. They started an organization called “Neighbors Empowering People” to stop white flight in their town. Today, Lynn’s neighbors include multiple ethnicities all engaged in a thriving community.

Being Brilliantly Resilient isn’t hard. All it really takes is action, commitment and passion for your values. When we all simply “Do our bit,” with positive intention and energy, we actually can change the world.

Tune in for more of Lynn’s wisdom on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• Part of my motivation was to help create the world I wanted my children to live in.
• In order to make change, you have to go to the power structures. We began to work on stable integration.
• The building up of the body and the community. That’s really what resilience means.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin and Mary Fran

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If you’re only subscribing to someone else’s version of success, it’s not going to make you happy because it’s not your version; you never really wanted it. We have to take time on the front end to figure out what that success means to us. ~ Matthew Turner How do you define success? For most of us, the word “success” is tied to professional recognition, money and some level of prestige. But do those things truly bring happiness? And what is the cost of achieving them?

Author Matthew Turner explores those questions in his latest book, Beyond the Pale, in which his protagonist achieves society’s version of success, only to find he never truly wanted it. In this fictional account, Ferdinand fulfills the expectations of what he was told was success, only to discover that success means something entirely different to him personally.

According to Matthew, personal success means different things to different people–one size doesn’t fit all. The way to discover what success means to each of us begins with focusing on the one thing we truly own–our values, and moving forward from there.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we believe that defining personal values is the first step to accessing resilience and rising after challenges. When we act based on what is genuinely important to us, we follow our true path and open the door to opportunities that resonate with us–helping us to define our own versions of success, and allowing our brilliance to shine. It’s not always easy to change; as Matthew reminds us, Whenever you have an awakening, it’s almost always easier to roll over and stay asleep, but it is worth it.

Take time to decide what success means to YOU, and jettison the guilt you may feel at abandoning a path that may not lead you to where you really want to be. Tune in to hear more from Matthew on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• Whenever you have an awakening, it’s almost always easier to roll over and stay asleep.
• How dare you have the audacity to change your mind? We put a lot of guilt into changing our minds.
• We spend too little time focusing on our individual values and principals. If you don’t have values, what do you own? They are your version of doing the right thing.
• We spend too little time focusing on our individual values and principals. If you don’t have values, what do you own? They are your version of doing the right thing.
• Replace success with meaning and purpose and recognize that success is malleable.
• Really successful people define success on their own terms. They deconstruct society’s idea of success and create their own.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin and Mary Fran

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You have to trust yourself. If I didn’t trust myself when everything went wrong, I wouldn’t be where I am. Even if you trust yourself though, you also have to have someone else trust you. It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to feel what you feel. Keep talking and someone will eventually listen. ~ Gabi Drobot

No sleep. Lousy diets. Stress and continuous overwhelm. Feelings of failure. Sounds awful, doesn’t it? Yet, that’s precisely what many of our college students experience every day.

In our idealized vision of college life, we see the independence and fun of college life–the partying, the fun, the self-absorption that comes with the freedom of life away from home and its obligations. Yet, at least half of all college students report feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and unable to keep up.

As Gabi Drobot reports, this lack of self-care is epidemic, and sometimes even glamorized, by the young people experiencing its effects.

A college sophomore and staff writer for the paper at her university, Gabi developed an interest in spotlighting mental health for students after experiencing her own challenges and recognizing the lack of helpful, open conversation around the subject. Gabi has become an advocate for encouraging students not to see ignoring self-care as a badge of honor, but rather to recognize the perils to both present and future when students fail to take physical and mental care of themselves.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know how challenging it can be to carve out time to minister to oneself. Life’s obligations often mean we are last on our own lists. Yet the effects of ignoring our physical and mental health can quickly damage our personal and professional lives, causing cracks in the very foundations we are trying desperately to keep strong.

Remember to take time for self-care–especially by getting enough sleep!--and watch for signs that the young people in your life are struggling. Together we can help prioritize our mental and physical health, allowing us all to live Brilliantly Resilient lives!

Read Gabi’s article on Deglamorizing the Lack of Self-Care in College Students and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance on this week’s edition of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast!

• Fifty percent of college students report daytime sleepiness and 70% report not getting enough sleep.
• I felt like I couldn't share my feelings because it wasn’t a “normal” conversation. If we make it an open conversation, how many people could this help?
• I chunked off my day. Morning is class, afternoon is work and at night I can do what I want. It helped me put aside my FOMO.
• Surrounding yourself with people with common goals and spending time by yourself is so important.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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I just wanted to say that I really needed to hear this today. I’m going through something and I really needed to hear that I can do it. Thank you. ~ Attendee from Soroptimist “Dream It, Be It” Conference for Girls It’s not easy to be a young person today. Conflict is the norm, uncertainty is the future, and Covid has wreaked havoc on every aspect of life, particularly affecting young people, for the past three years. The U.S. Surgeon General has warned of a crippling mental health crisis affecting our youth.

Enter Soroptimist International, a volunteer group founded in 1921 with clubs in 121 countries that is dedicated to the advancement of women and girls. Each year, Soroptimist International hosts the Dream It, Be It, conference, where young women of high school age are offered sessions to learn about career options, career skills and planning, time management, resilience strategies, and more.

Nancy Staich, a Soroptimist volunteer, notes that it’s important that young women know it’s okay to reinvent themselves as life changes. Evolution is natural and it’s never too late to take a new path and recreate yourself. Nancy adds that the need for resilience is never ending, and building a supportive tribe is equally essential for a young woman’s current and future success.

We were blessed to be able to share Brilliantly Resilient with this amazing group of young women and provide tips to Reset with Resilience, Rise and Reveal their Brilliance. The quote above was from a young lady who came to us immediately after our presentation to affirm that it’s important to remind our young people of their strengths and continue to provide them with tools and mentors to grow towards success.

We all have a responsibility to equip our youth with the tools and strategies needed for success. Get involved and make a difference. Tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to learn more, and be sure to look out for these additional bits of brilliance:

• We want girls to think about what they want. What am I really passionate about? What do I care about?
• We want girls to remember that they’re bringing their entire selves to work. They have to see themselves as whole people.
• It’s okay to recreate yourself when you need to recreate yourself. It’s never too late.
• We want the girls to build a tribe and talk to people who can help them learn and grow. There are mentors out there who want to help.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Mary Fran & Kristin

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Don’t operate from a fear mindset, operate from a growth mindset. Look at life from a Brilliantly Resilient lens. ~ Kristin Smedley and Mary Fran Bontempo Happy birthday to us!!! We can’t believe it, but this week–March 7th–marks the 3rd birthday of Brilliantly Resilient!

When we started Brilliantly Resilient, we planned a “world tour” of speaking on stages, sharing our process to Reset, Rise and Reveal Your Brilliance to the world. We prepared, we created, we dreamed and then, on March 7th, we had our first Brilliantly Resilient live event! It was amazing!! We couldn’t have asked for more and we were so excited for the future of Brilliantly Resilient.

Then, on March 14th, 2020, the entire world shut down. And so did all of our plans.

Given what we preach, you’d think we immediately started to Reset with Resilience. Instead, we cried, we complained, we shook our fists at the heavens…and then we got over ourselves.

We realized that we couldn’t control anything that was happening in the world, but we could control our response. So, we decided to practice what we were preaching and started to look for ways to share Brilliantly Resilient–when we couldn’t leave home.

Fast forward three incredible years, and we have a top-rated podcast, a book, we’ve traveled around the country, both in person and virtually–all to share the Brilliantly Resilient program with thousands of others. As we often say, we are our own best case study, and have implemented each step of the Brilliantly Resilient process over and over again–proving that it works.

We work the Brilliantly Resilient steps every day, and we’ve moved from a fear mindset to a growth mindset. Simply put, that means that instead of crashing and burning with challenges, we acknowledge them, make values-based decisions, check our perspective and see what’s in our control. We can then take imperfect action (we’ve learned that nothing is perfect, and that’s okay) and evolve with what happens next.

Sharing Brilliantly Resilient has been a joyous opportunity, and we’re incredibly grateful for those of you who have learned, laughed and discovered your resilience and brilliance with us. Thank you is not enough, but a heartfelt thanks to you all for your support. We're just getting started!

Tune into this week’s podcast to hear more (from us!), and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• When everything is taken away, you get to go back to your basic values, figure out what’s important, and make decisions based on that. You can create a process for managing things.
• I look at life through a Brilliantly Resilient lens now, not as a victim or in anger. Now I know how I’m going to show up when a sucker punch comes along.
• You can bring your transferable skills to every experience. Figure out what your Brilliant skill set is and bring that to every experience and see what happens. Then find others with complementary skill sets to add to your tribe.
• Kids don't look at failure as failure. They look at it as a learning opportunity.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Kristin and Mary Fran

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I had a very successful fitness business, but I had to get away from the toxic expectations of the fitness industry. I couldn’t sell six pack ab products anymore. I had to shut it down. ~ Katie Bramlett Have you ever had something that’s supposed to be good for you end up feeling bad for you? Many of us feel that way about exercise. We know it’s good for us, but it doesn’t always feel that way.

Katie Bramlett, this week’s guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast is a fitness guru. But even Katie knew, despite having great success in the fitness industry, that the traditional view of exercise and fitness had become toxic.

Realizing that the key to fitness was more about intentional movement connected to self-care than endless crunches, squats and striving for unattainable physiques, Katie closed down her businesses and started WeShape–intending to build a community focused on a shift away from a number on the scale.

By focusing on movement as a self-care practice and adjustable programs to help all users achieve success, Katie built a company based on shared values and gratitude for what any body is capable of doing.

When we live a values-based life, we often find that our work and personal lives reach out to each other, allowing us to be true to what we believe and to find ways to incorporate those beliefs into our actions.

To hear more from Katie, tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast and be sure to listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• The idea of fitting in jeans will not be a sustainable reason to keep up with an exercise program. I hated exercise because I was doing it for the wrong reasons. It has to be an act of self-care.
• If we focus on a number on the scale, even if we get to that number, it’s fake fulfillment. It’s external fulfillment. We can’t have a belief that our worth comes from a number on a scale.
• We have to understand that with 8 billion people in the world, we all can’t have the same body type. Feel gratitude for what your body can do.
• I had to fight my own mindset of “I’m not an expert.” I just knew this was so important, so I did it despite the internal and external negativity against making fitness about connecting to the self.
• WeShape is based on a meaningful shift away from the number on the scale to movement and connection with self and community. Our program is based on movement we can scale up or down depending on what the user needs.

~ Katie Bramlett

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Mary Fran & Kristin

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Alternative pathways to learning and education are really the key to educating today’s students. So, how are we interconnected to businesses? How are we connected to the community? Everyone has that buy-in. How can we get businesses and the community and non-profits involved? ~Carlos Aponte Do you remember what you learned in Geometry class? Philosophy? Chemistry? Much of what we learned as students was intended to offer a well-rounded education, gearing us towards college–where we often took classes that were equally forgettable. (A course in James Joyce for English? Mary Fran had a headache for a solid month!)

Carlos Aponte taught in the Philadelphia school system for over ten years. Having lived through childhood trauma, Carlos recognized that many of his students were also struggling with serious challenges, and the educational system was not meeting their needs. Further, the path for students not headed for college often seemed like a dead-end.

Knowing there was a better way, Carlos created the non-profit We Love Philly, a program that allows students to earn high school credits while learning how to practice self-care, engage with their community, create their own personal brand, and apprentice at area businesses.

Carlos recognizes the value in educating the whole student, and knows that encouraging the individual, as well as area businesses and organizations, to engage and support each other allows young people to feel a sense of worth and belonging that carries into adulthood.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we believe in building powerful tribes based on complementary skills sets so that everyone brings their best selves to every challenge. And living based on values with an emphasis on self-care helps our young people recognize their own power and worth, helping them to find their place in the world–both big and small.

Tune into this week’s episode to hear more from Carlos and listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

• You can’t have an ounce of judgment in your bones when you’re working with young people. You have to get through the trust / mistrust stage before you can reach kids.
• Once your body, mind and soul are aligned, you can do anything.
• There is a major disconnect between administration, teachers and students with the diverse learning styles and proficiencies in those groups. The brains are different and learn differently.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Mary Fran & Kristin

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Emotions are indicators. If we see the red on a battery, we don’t shame our computers. We see it as something we have to take care of for optimal performance. Imagine if we gave these human vessels…that same grace to say my emotions are indicators, not inconveniences. They let us know that if you want me to operate optimally, you need to acknowledge that I feel this….We need to ask ourselves, “What do I need in order to be well?”

~ Shannon Cohen

How often have you warned yourself to control your emotions? Though we are inherently emotional beings, people often see emotions as detrimental–at least to success.

Shannon Cohen, speaker, author and business owner, encourages “using a head+heart approach” to success, productivity and everyday life. She reminds us that emotions are indicators of our overall health–not to be ignored.

Given life’s everyday challenges, and especially the difficulties of the last several years, it’s easy to see how our emotions could get the better of us. Yet, if we recognize our emotions as a tool to determine what we need, both physically and mentally, we can better define what is in our control and come up with an action step–a Brilliantly Resilient strategy for sure.

Tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Shannon’s wisdom and check out her book, It’s Normal to Shake as You Soar. Be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• Turbulence is part of the process of take-off and greatness. Building is messy. We need to find the wisdom and the gratitude in the messiness.
• When we ask people “How are you?” it’s a battery check. It’s an indicator check. The next question we need to ask ourselves is “What do I need in order to be well,” because often the problem and the solution lie within the same place.
• Disengagement has always been one of the biggest corporate challenges. Covid took the lid off this and we could no longer be the manicured culture we were. We were glamorizing going back when “back” wasn’t so great.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Mary Fran & Kristin

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When we’re betrayed, our self-trust is totally shattered. There is a breakdown of body, mind & worldview. We need to regain and relearn our trust in ourselves. Our gut is so much more perceptive than our mind.

~ Dr. Debi Silber

Have you ever been betrayed?

Betrayal sounds like a soap-opera word–too dramatic to apply to everyday life. Yet, almost everyone has experienced betrayal at some point, either as an adult through trauma like divorce, or as a youth, when a best friend suddenly decides you aren’t “cool” enough anymore and moves on without you. Think about a hurt that still hurts, even though it may have happened years ago. That’s betrayal.

Dr. Debi Silber, holistic psychologist and author of Trust Again, knows betrayal firsthand. More importantly, she knows how to guide those traumatized by betrayal through the 5 stages of healing where we again become healthy, whole, and are back on solid ground.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we’ve experienced betrayal, and it hurts. It’s also easy to get stuck in betrayal, making it a story that defines us instead of learning and choosing to move on.

Dr. Silber reminds us that rebuilding after betrayal is indeed a choice. As we say in Brilliantly Resilient terms, “Are you just visiting your crisis, or are you going to live there?”

In this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, Dr. Silber not only defines betrayal, but walks us through the 5 stages of healing to help us move towards “healing, rebirth, and a new worldview.” (Tune in at the 18:38 minute mark to hear about the 5 stages.)

Tune in for more from Dr. Silber in this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and be sure to listen for these additional Brilliance Bits:

• Betrayal lends itself to creating a new identity. Rebuilding is a choice.
• Hope is not a strategy.
• There’s a collection of symptoms (physical/mental/emotional) so common to betrayal it’s known as Post Betrayal Syndrome.
• Betrayal is a very different type of trauma. It feels personal.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

MFB & KS

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It’s about doing it. It’s not about anything else. It’s not about the goal. Pick a goal that you will never achieve but start putting into place each step and focus on the ladder rungs. One action at a time.

~ Jeremy Grater

“This is the year.”

How many times have you told yourself (especially at the start of a new year), that this would be the year you would…lose weight, get a new job, start your own business, write that book….? The list goes on, as does the number of times we make promises to ourselves and fail.

When we believe something will benefit us, why do we fail continually, making us feel even worse about not achieving those ever-elusive goals?

Jeremy Grater, joining Brilliantly Resilient as one half of the dynamic duo hosting The Fit Mess podcast along with partner Zach Tucker, knows a bit about not achieving goals. Beginning their podcast journey as two guys who talked beer and jokes, Jeremy and Zach soon realized that something was missing, and it began with their health.

Both were determined not to just talk about fitness, but to achieve it, and as Jeremy tells it, that required two things: curiosity and action. And as far as goals, Jeremy has some interesting advice–set impossible goals and focus on one ladder rung at a time.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know that goals can be helpful–and exhausting. Breaking them down into micro-actions that we eventually won’t resist is a brilliant way to make progress. Tune in to hear more from Jeremy and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance

• Start with curiosity. Why do you want to make this change? You can’t say “This is the year,” because it’s not.

• Change has to start with small steps. Do that one thing every day until it becomes a habit. Take the smallest incremental steps until it becomes the thing you don’t have to fight against

• What can I do to prepare for who I want to become and the way I want to live?

• If you sit around waiting for the perfect moment, the opportunity is going to pass.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Kristin & Mary Fran

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“I really think that none of us has to be as scared of ourselves as we are. We don’t have to be worried that we’re going to turn into monsters.”

~ Ashleigh Renard

Are you married or in a long-term relationship? Have you ever thought about what life would be like if you weren’t in that relationship?

If we’re honest, most of us have had moments where we fantasize about being free of obligations–and sometimes, that even means a marriage. But rather than examine why we’re feeling that way, we shame ourselves into acting like everything is okay, even when it isn’t.

Ashleigh Renard, this week’s guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, notes that feeling like something is missing doesn’t make us awful people. In fact, we’re obligated to pause and consider what we want, what’s working and what isn’t–for everyone’s sake. When we’re honest, we can fix things, not just so they’re better, but great.

Through her book Swing and her Keeping It Hot viral video series, Ashleigh offers tips and strategies about how to stay connected, renegotiate marriage and most importantly, keep monogamy hot! (Whhaaattt???!!!)

Hilarious and heartfelt, Ashleigh is full of wit and wisdom and urges us to ditch the martyr-mom (twin sister of the supermom), and pay attention to ourselves. (She took her first step to personally do so by promising to heed her body and go to the bathroom when she needed to. Any other women out there holding it until you’re ready to burst because someone needs something from you? Raise your hands, ladies!)

Hear more from Ashleigh on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• We take action on autopilot because we don’t have to make decisions. It feels safer; you don’t want to rock the boat.

• So often we push away from each other because we are pushing away from ourselves.

• Have radical compassion for yourself. Maybe there is no bad guy here.

• The only way to move is to be on your path and say, ‘I’d like you to join me.’ But we can’t go back and try to pull them along.

• So often we push away from each other because we are pushing away from ourselves.

Ashleigh Renard (https://ashleighrenard.com/)

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Kristin and Mary Fran

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There’s a perception about what nurses do and there’s what nurses actually do. Nursing needs to start talking about itself. Every healthcare consumer should understand what nurses do. Visibility is key.

~Donald Bucher

Do you feel safe and respected while doing your job? Most of us would say, “Of course.” While we might not have the perfect working environment, we don’t go to work with the expectation that we might be abused verbally or physically on any given day.

Not so with nurses. One study noted that almost 90% of nurses reported experiencing some type of abuse at work–mostly at the hands of patients or their families.

It was only a few short years ago that we greeted health care workers with applause, celebration and gratitude. Yet, even then, the politicization of Covid left many nurses on the receiving end of anger and frustration, and nurses still bear the brunt of patient dissatisfaction and fear today.

Donald Bucher, a registered Nurse Practitioner and this week’s guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, is an advocate for those in the nursing profession. Upbeat, positive and empathetic, Don still recognizes the need for the public to know just how hard nurses really work, and he wants the nursing community to speak up both to educate others and protect themselves.

Respect for others, as well as ourselves, is at the core of a civilized society. Everyone has the right to expect civility, especially while doing a life-saving job. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, respect is a core principle in how we treat each other, regardless of any differences we may encounter.

Tune in to this week’s episode to hear more from Don and be sure to listen for these additional bits of Brilliance:

• The nurses are the ones standing there for 12 hours a day picking up on things with patients that help save your loved one.
• It’s a difficult time to be in healthcare. Nurses love what we do, but it’s hard. You’re asked to do much more with less time. It’s hard.
• We have to remember that when you’re interacting with a family, they’re having the worst day of their lives. But nurses still need to feel respected and safe.
• The voices (of nurses) needed to be louder during Covid. I challenge nurses to join their organizations to make that voice louder.
• ~ Donald Bucher (https://www.pacnp.org/)

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Kristin and Mary Fran

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I needed to understand why this happened to me and think about what was next. Life is all about what you do on the second climb ~ Jeffrey Abramowitz Have you ever made a mistake? One that changed your life, and not for the better? We all make mistakes, but usually, we do so without ill intent. Mistakes, by their nature, aren't intentional. We don't mean to screw up.

That's why Jeffrey Abramowitz, this week's guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, makes a distinction. Having spent five years in prison for a financial crime, Jeffrey notes that he made a choice that led to consequences. Consequences that changed his life forever.

Jeffrey learned much while serving his sentence, and it brought him to his true purpose, to advocate for justice and education for those reentering society after incarceration. Jeffrey learned that two things are essential to successfully rebuild a life--responsibility and education. Once Jeffrey accepted his responsibility for his own actions, he dedicated himself to a life helping others, teaching inmates while serving his sentence and advocating for education to prepare inmates to re-enter society and build a life. Jeffrey encourages others to look forward and gives them the skills to do just that.

By acknowledging our responsibility for our choices, we empower ourselves to move forward. Tune in to hear more about Jeffrey's mission and listen for these additional bits of brilliance:

"I don't think any of us should spend time looking in the rear-view mirror. We can learn lessons, but we need to look forward."

"It took me to really lose everything before I learned the lessons I needed to learn. But then I could define what the next chapter of my life could be."

"We have to bring humanity back into our system, but the self-responsibility piece is the first thing you have to accept. I opened a door and I needed to accept everything that happened after that."

"It's simple if you take just one little step. Turn the chair around." (Listen for this super-cool story!)

~ Jeffrey Abramowitz (https://www.jeffrey-abramowitz.com/)

Let's be Brilliantly resilient together!

KS & MFB

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Your home is a tool. If your home is cluttered, it’s not working for you. De-cluttering is not about being perfect. It’s about making your house work for you as an asset to make room for happiness.

~ Tracy McCubbin

We’re just a few days into 2023, and if you’re like us here at Brilliantly Resilient, your brain is already racing with goals and to-do’s for the coming year. Like most people, we’re raring to go and looking forward to crushing it in the New Year.

But first, it’s time to put away all of the lovely holiday decor that bejeweled our homes for the last five or six weeks. Funny, though, how those things that sparkled a short while ago now make rooms seem tired, dusty, and cluttered.

Our friend Tracy McCubbin is the perfect person to help us begin 2023 by decluttering our homes and mindsets with some fundamental ideas and actions aimed at making our surroundings work for us, not against us. As Tracy advises, when we think of our homes as a tool meant to help us, it allows us to more clearly see what’s working and what isn’t–and what can be loaded into the donate or discard pile.

So much that we hold on to no longer serves us. When we make room for more in our lives by decluttering, the space becomes mental as well as physical, and change becomes exponential.

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Tracy’s wisdom and be sure to check out her new book, Make Space for Happiness: How to Stop Attracting Clutter and Start Magnetizing the Life You Want .

Wishing you all good things in 2023. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Just a few more days to go before we welcome in the New Year! Who's ready to see 2022 hit the road?? The last few years certainly haven't been easy. And there's a great temptation to feel little enthusiasm for what's to come. BUT, throwing yourself a big, 'ol pity party doesn't provide much satisfaction--at least not long term.

So here it is, our most listened to episode from 2022, and it features our friend, Keith Baldwin. If there were ever an example of how to live a Brilliantly Resilient life in the midst of a giant pile of poo, Keith provides it. And although Keith loves a good party, his best advice involves putting the breaks on one. Read on to hear more from Keith and listen to how he managed a major sucker punch BRILLIANTLY!!!

Thanks to Keith and all of our Brilliantly Resilient guests for sharing their wisdom, humor and humanity with us in 2022. We are beyond grateful. And thanks to all of you who listen to learn how to live a Brilliantly Resilient life--we're still learning right along with all of you! Happy New Year to all and here's to a fabulous 2023!!!

Limit your Pity Party. I threw a hell of a Pity Party, but those emotions don’t help you with solutions or move you forward. ~ Keith Baldwin

Have you ever thrown yourself a Pity Party? Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we were experts at it. When life hits you with a sucker punch, it seems like you’re entitled to feel sorry for yourself. And you are–to a point. But you can’t live in that place of pain. Acknowledge it, feel it, and then get the heck out of there!

This week’s guest, Keith Baldwin decided to make 2020 a year of firsts and wrote a book (A Leap Year of Firsts) about his experiences. But what started out as fun and games quickly turned serious when the pandemic produced some unwanted firsts–as when Keith had to lay off his entire workforce.

After realizing that feeling sorry for himself wasn’t helping him or his staff, Keith got to work, finding a unique solution to his problem and hiring all 45 workers back within hours of laying them off.

Remember, sometimes life just sucks. The question is, are you just visiting that place of yuck or are you going to live there? Tune in to this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more about Keith Baldwin and his Leap Year of Firsts!

XO,

KS & MFB

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As we approach the end of 2022, we wanted to bring you another favorite episode with our viewers from this past year. Our dear friend, Diane Berberian, left us this year, but she also left behind many lessons and the endless light of her hard-won wisdom. Tune in again to hear more from this Brilliant woman.

Every day, just be enough. ~ Diane Berberian

It is with a mixture of both sadness and joy that we bring you this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. Our dear friend, Diane Berberian, passed away peacefully last week after a long battle with cancer.

To say that Diane was a bright light is an understatement, but she never saw herself that way. In her mind, she was always “just Diane,” although she inspired so many with her grit and grace. A true Northeast Philly girl (we’re a tough lot!) Diane fought, but never looked like she was fighting, her wide, bright smile always at the ready.

When we spoke to Diane two years ago, she dropped too many Brilliance Bits to count, but her advice to “Every day, just be enough.” was brilliantly simple and striking. Do your best, help others, and just be enough.

Tune into this episode to hear more of Diane’s simple, beautiful brilliance. Here are a few more quotes to listen for:

Sit still and think. People don’t take the time to sit still. Find those people you belong to. There may be different people at different times.

Beginners need to know that you get more than one chance if you fail.

If I don’t ask, the answer will always be “No.”

~ Diane Berberian

We love you, Diane. Thank you for sharing your light with us all.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together.

XO,

KS & MFB

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The holiday season is all about family, whether related or chosen. Yet, not everyone has family to surround them with love. Enter one of our favorite folks--Rob Kenny, of "Dad, How Do I?" fame. Rob's warmth and advice fills a void for many, and we couldn't think of a better way to honor the season than to share our friend Rob and his brilliance once again. Here's more about Rob below....

S.E.L.F. Serve others, Eat and exercise, Learn something, Forgive somebody. ~ Rob Kenney, a.k.a. Dad, How Do I? Rob Kenney is America's Dad. A kind, fun-loving guy, Rob has sky rocketed to rockstar status - all because he gives some good Dad-ly advice and tells a few goofy Dad jokes.

Yet, Rob is really about reaching out to those who are missing their dads--and the support and love dads can provide. With a genuine, simple approach, Rob not only teaches viewers how to do "Dad" stuff, he dispenses wisdom about how to live a good life.

Tune in to hear Rob's story about creating the "Dad How Do I?" videos and how Rob's values infuse his work. Get Rob's book on Amazon here: Dad, How Do I? Join the Brilliantly Resilient Facebook Community for daily motivation to move forward through life's sucker punches! www.Facebook.com/groups/brilliantlyresilient!

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together, and Happy Holidays!

XO,

KS & MFB

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When you have a heart to give and a heart to serve, you can get lost in the mission. That’s why we have to take that pause. Serve your purpose but don’t lose yourself. And remember, we’re not called to serve everybody.

~ April Ervin

Do you love to help people? Most of us do. When we help others, it makes us feel good, as though we’re somehow making the world better. That’s not a bad thing, except when our helping depletes us to the point where we feel anxious, stressed and overwhelmed.

April Ervin knows how it feels to be depleted. At 35, her doctor warned April that she was on a path toward illness and health problems if she didn’t take a pause and reassess her life and priorities. That’s when April decided to become a Chief Peace Officer, intentionally stopping her mad race to achieve and taking the time to rest, reflect and finally recalibrate her choices and life.

That focused approach allowed April to not only decrease her stress and overwhelm, but to actually be more effective in all areas of her life. Living our best lives as well as serving others must be goals that work together for us and those we care about. By making intentional decisions and understanding that we cannot serve everyone, we empower ourselves to deliver our best to others and ourselves.

Tune in for more of April’s tips and wisdom on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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I was driven towards chaos, turn-arounds, new-ideas, startups. I discovered that I like the burning buildings. You can lead through disruption, but it’s important not to make fear-based decisions.

~ Antonia Hock

How many of us are drawn to chaos? We’ve all had more than a taste of it over the past several years, and most of us couldn’t wait to get back to “normal.” Yet if we’re honest, that state of chaos encouraged many of us to be creative, find our brilliance and rebuild our lives in ways that were new.

While we’d never say we enjoyed the chaos, our friend Antonia Hock looks at chaos with a unique perspective, seeing the opportunity dramatic change can offer to remake and rebuild things we often content ourselves with because they’ve always been that way.

A world-renowned business coach, Antonia believes that great challenges offers great opportunity, and encourages her clients to value people, building “exceptional customer experiences and a world-class employee culture.”

Antonia also recognizes that we must constantly challenge ourselves in order to grow, and took up rock climbing to engage herself physically and mentally, helping to add clarity and focus to all areas of her life.

How can you put aside fear to lead through chaos and disruption? Tune in to hear more of Antonia’s wisdom on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Bad things happen. It’s what we do with them. Grace is defined as an undeserved, unmerited gift. I’ve been given a gift. ~ Geralyn Ritter Those of us who live in the Philadelphia area remember with great clarity the early evening of May 12, 2015, when an Amtrak train bound for New York from Washington, D.C. derailed in Philadelphia, killing 8 and injuring over 200 people.

Geralyn Ritter, our guest today on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, was on that train, and was one of the 11 people critically injured whose lives would be forever changed. Taken unconscious to a nearby hospital, Geralyn was without identification and was unable to contact her husband and children, who searched desperately for her all night.

Geralyn speaks of her experience, how she survived her trauma (doctors said her survival was nothing short of miraculous) and how she has dedicated herself to helping others heal from devastating challenges by sharing her story, especially through her book, Bone by Bone. With a determined, resilient spirit, Geralyn offers lessons to navigate crisis and even find the true purpose within them.

Tune in to this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Geralyn’s truly inspiring story.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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We don’t celebrate failing. We should fail proudly and share our failures. Just show up imperfectly.

~ Renee Bauer

How many times have you failed in your life? Beginning with childhood (babies fall around 17 times an hour learning to walk!) the answer is probably zillions–so, a lot.

As children, we innately recognize that failure is a part of learning. And as we absorb the lessons of each failure, we come that much closer to success. It’s only as we begin to know shame and embarrassment that failure becomes FAILURE!!! and we neglect to recognize its value.

The other downside of our relationship with failure is that it makes us afraid to try. Our friend Renee Bauer knows “failure” in what many think of as the traditional meaning of the word. She’s also chosen to take intentional action to not only learn from her failures, but use them to propel her forward both personally and professionally. Twice divorced and now happily married in a blended family, Renee built a legal practice serving individuals who couldn’t imagine a happily ever after by encouraging a mindset change along with imperfect action and courage with hard decisions. She also inspires women around the world with her She Who Wins Summit.

Tune in to hear more of Renee’s wisdom on this week’s edition of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast and start on the path towards your happily even after.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Self care is not about bubble baths. A self-care and energy audit encourages us to look at six essential areas of our lives to see what is feeding us and what isn’t working. Where are we in terms of relationships, emotionally, psychologically, environmentally, spiritually, and career-wise? ~ Peg Sadie In the last three years, how many times have you heard the term “self-care?” Probably almost as often as you’ve heard about “resilience.” But what do they mean? If we try to define either word, we rarely agree on a singular definition. As to how to integrate either, or both, into our lives, well, that makes room for even more opinions and suggestions, but few concrete strategies.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we’re all about specific tools to help you tap into your inherent resilience (learn more at www.brilliantlyresilient.net), as is our friend Peg Sadie, founder of the Resilient Mom Academy, and an expert on helping mothers create calm and intentional lives.

Peg advises that in order to practice meaningful self-care, we need to intentionally take note of what is and is not working in six major areas of our lives. Being unbalanced in any one, or more likely several, can lead to anxiety, overwhelm, and parenting that is not only less than ideal, but passes on those challenges to our children.

By recognizing what is lacking, we can “reverse engineer” the problem, finding solutions to fix what’s broken or let go of it altogether. Self-care is not about bubble baths (not that there’s anything wrong with that!), but rather, allowing ourselves the time and focus to pay attention to ourselves.

Tune in to hear more of Peg’s wisdom on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Understand what the situation needs and bring the tigers. There’s too much emphasis placed on being the lone wolf.

~ Steven Rudolph

We Americans love our independence. It’s kind of our thing, going all the way back to our founding as a country. There’s something about individual success that’s empowering. Saying “I did it–all by myself!” makes us feel strong.

It can also make us feel lonely. And contrary to what we may think, taking on challenges as a “lone wolf,” in the words of our friend Steven Rudolph, doesn’t always give us the best results.

Steven Rudolph believes in tigers. Not only the big cats, but the tigers we all have inside of us. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we see our tigers as our Brilliance. And Brilliance is meant to be shared.

As Steven reminds us, when we bring our tigers, or Brilliance, and encourage others to do the same, we discover better solutions to challenges and build better teams, as everyone brings their best selves to each situation.

Our tigers are our strengths, and combined with the strengths of others–our tribe–we are more productive, successful and stronger. We’re all just better.

Tune in for more of Steven’s Brilliance on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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The Surgeon General has pointed to a loneliness epidemic. Losing your support group is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. We have to invest in our relationships.

~ Julie Schechter

How many Facebook friends do you have? How about Instagram followers? What’s your count of LinkedIn connections? Isn’t it amazing to have so many friends?

If you’re on social media, odds are you have thousands of “friends.” But how many of those are people whom you really know, and who know you? Even with so many connections, we can still feel isolated and alone. Our real relationships often get lost in the shuffle as we forget birthdays, anniversaries, or even making a phone call (???!!!) to let someone know we’re thinking of them.

Julie Schechter reminds us that our relationships are the most important parts of our lives, impacting both our mental and physical health. The former ballet dancer and lawyer wants to help us reconnect with those we care about through her company Small Packages. Julie began her values-based business after realizing that she herself was missing out on her relationships, and admitting that she needed a way to let those she cared about know she was thinking of them. By building a business with intention (97% of Julie’s products come from small suppliers), Julie encourages people to send small gift packages (pre-packaged or personally chosen) to loved ones as a tangible reminder that we care–especially appreciated in our electronic world.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know the value of a tribe. Be sure to nurture your relationships, both personal and professional, and show appreciation for the “real” people in your life.

Tune in to learn more about Julie here, and be sure to learn more on this week’s podcast!

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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“It’s important to make sure the teen perspective on mental health is understood. Having kids speak about it is really relevant. By hearing teenagers speak, it makes you feel represented….Hearing other teen voices comforted me and provided a safe space.”

~ Matt Suescun and Faiza Ashar from On Our Minds

Do you remember what it felt like to be a teenager? As we get older, it’s easy to romanticize our teen years. We were young, we had our whole lives ahead of us, and life was easy.

But was it really? If we’re honest, most of us will admit that our teenage years were TOUGH. Full of teen angst yes, but also crowded with worry about our place in the world, where life would take us, and what kind of world would await us when it was time to take on the role of an adult.

Today’s teens have no less on their plates. In fact, given the last several years of global challenges, they likely have more. That’s why we at Brilliantly Resilient were so thrilled to hear from Matt Suescun and Faiza Ashar, the season 2 hosts of PBS’s On Our Minds.

On Our MInds deals with the mental health issues facing young people today. The show provides an opportunity for teens to share their concerns, worries, and yes, fears about a subject many are afraid to speak about publicly.

With so much noise in the world, it’s essential to LISTEN to our young people. They are wise, thoughtful and unfortunately, struggling. Thanks to PBS for giving them a voice; let’s hear what they have to say. Tune in to hear more from the amazing young people on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. Thanks Matt and Faiza–we love you!!

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Does it align with the message we’re trying to deliver? People don’t know what their brands are anymore.You see brands struggling to be something else. We need to do what we do and do it better and stop trying to be something else, and people will find you. Do you.

~ Jen Cook, GM of WUCF TV & FM Orlando

Do you have a brand? Believe it or not, you do. Everyone does. A brand is just another word to describe what you stand for. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, the word brand represents values–the things that really matter to us and show who we are and want to be.

Jen Cook is the director of a public media station in Orlando. As Jen tells it, Orlando is a tough news town, unfortunately the site of many challenging events. After one such event, Jen found herself besieged with questions from parents about how to talk to children regarding the frightening situation. Jen recalls saying “Why are you asking me?” in return. Parents responded with “You’re PBS. You know how to talk to kids.”

It was a lightbulb moment for Jen. As director of a PBS station, Jen realized that the public’s association with PBS and children afforded the station to craft a unique program to introduce children to community workers, and Meet the Helpers was born.

By acting on the PBS values system or brand, Jen was able to deliver a brilliant response to a need in her community. When we live based on our personal and professional values, the best of us rises to the surface, inspiring us to utilize our resilience to rise and offer our brilliance to the world.

Tune in to hear more from our friend Jen on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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You can’t blame yourself. You can’t blame others. You just have to give yourself grace and move forward. Grace is a beautiful word.

~ Amy Combs

This week brings a special episode of Brilliantly Resilient. September is suicide awareness month, and during that time, we were honored to meet Amy Combs, who lost her brother to suicide. Amy shares her challenging story with us and after telling of her loss, goes on to offer hope to others affected.

Amy speaks of giving yourself grace–something we should all do when dealing with trauma. And she notes, “It’s been a process, because it’s difficult. It’s an everyday thing.”

Great loss often saddles us with blame. What could I have done to prevent this from happening? Yet, it’s essential to recognize that others’ decisions are out of our control. The best we can do is support others when we can, support ourselves, and offer grace as we walk together on our human journey.

Thank you, Amy, for sharing your story. We are most grateful for your time and your wisdom. Tune in to hear more from Amy on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together.

XO,

KS & MFB

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You cannot live your best life until you allow yourself to be happy. You must give yourself permission and make the choice to be happy. Otherwise, you’re just pushing a broom through the room of your life.

~ David Brinkley

Do you remember the Tim McGraw song, Live Like You Were Dying? David Brinkley knows exactly how that feels. At age 49, David received a cancer diagnosis, giving him only 18 months to live. As David tells us, “Every perspective that you have in life changes when somebody tells you there’s a clock and that clock is running out.”

But rather than turn to anger, David recognized the freedom in letting go of the “To-do” list he kept, as we all do, and turned to celebrating every moment he had, which also required him to be thoughtful about the people he surrounded himself with and the choices he made every moment.

How often do you tell yourself you’ll get to something you’ve been wanting to do after you check everything off your daily list? And how often do you ever get to the bottom of that list and give yourself a reward?

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we’ve learned, as David has, that every day holds joy, and a reward, if we choose to be happy. But, as David reminds us, we must give ourselves permission to make that choice.

We’re delighted to report that David is still enjoying life five years after his initial diagnosis, and the wisdom he shares in this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast is something we should all incorporate into our daily outlook. Tune in to hear more, and put that broom back in the closet!

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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I made a vow to myself that I was going to be my best ‘Yes.” I believed in myself wholeheartedly.

~ Whitney Reynolds

How many times have you heard the word “No?” When we’re young, we hear ‘No” often from our caregivers as a way to keep us safe. But as we grow, we begin to hear “No” when we’re being stopped for different reasons.

A project we believe in, something we have our hearts set on to do or obtain, a promotion at a job, so many things can lead us to a ``No,” despite how much we work towards or desire a certain outcome.

Whitney Reynolds has heard “No” a lot. But she realized that the only way to achieve her goals and dreams was to be her own best “Yes.” Whitney learned how to “connect the dots” in her life to determine her purpose and create true change in the world. As Whitney tells us, she still heard “No” more times than she could count, but by believing in herself and her mission, she found the energy and strength to keep moving and evolving, eventually creating The Whitney Reynolds Show to inspire others to overcome challenges.

“No” doesn’t have to be the end of the road for a dream or goal. Here at Brilliantly Resilient, the pandemic served up more “No’s” than we could count. Yet, the path to achievement and success is rarely a straight line. When we’re willing to change course and connect the dots, as Whitney says, we can move forward and find our own mission, Brilliance, and Resilience. Tune in to hear more of Whitney’s wisdom on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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What people trust you on is essential. We trust that what Public Media puts out there will be beneficial, trustworthy and real.

~ Kristin Smedley and Mary Fran Bontempo

How much do you trust what the world is saying to you? In a world of fake news (often driven by people promoting falsehoods), disrespect and fear as a driving force, it’s almost impossible to know whom to trust.

But the folks behind public media–think Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, RoadTrip Nation and more–know the value of trust, and deliver it consistently through their programming and educational offerings.

This week’s show offers a recap of some upcoming episodes with a few of the Brilliant people working in public media. Honored to speak at the NETA (National Educational Telecommunications Association) Conference, we met amazing individuals in public media who shared their own professional and personal journeys, and their Resilience and Brilliance when navigating and growing through challenges.

Their commitment to values, service and steady evolution and improvement underscores points to the reason we trust public media. Stay tuned for these upcoming, Brilliant episodes!

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Let go of what should be to make room for what could be.

~ Kristin Smedley and Mary Fran Bontempo

Where would we be without our goals and plans? For many of us, it’s essential to have plans, even to begin a day. Without them, we can feel adrift, unsure of where we’re headed or what we’re doing.

But how many times do your plans actually work out? Sometimes, when we tie ourselves to what we want and expect, especially if we’ve worked hard to get it, we’re crushed when things don’t work out. Occasionally, we get so stuck on our idea of what “should” be, given all of our planning and work, that we keep after a goal or plan that’s not coming to fruition–even if it means running into an imaginary brick wall again and again.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know what it feels like to refuse to let go of what we think “should” be. In Kristin’s mind, her children should not have been blind, and she was unable to see a future in which they lives successful, happy lives.In Mary Fran’s case, her son should not have been an addict, and she refused to accept a reality that was directly in front of her until it was almost too late.

Once we both learned to release what we thought our lives “should” look like, we were able to see the possibilities of what could be. Kristin was able to equip her sons with the tools to build bright futures, and Mary Fran was able to see her son’s illness and get him treatment.

Life evolves. And although plans and goals serve a purpose, it’s essential to recognize that there are opportunities for growth and joy, even if we don’t get what we think we “should.”

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to learn more as we launch a new season of amazing guests! Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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Every day, just be enough.

~ Diane Berberian

It is with a mixture of both sadness and joy that we bring you this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. Our dear friend, Diane Berberian, passed away peacefully last week after a long battle with cancer.

To say that Diane was a bright light is an understatement, but she never saw herself that way. In her mind, she was always “just Diane,” although she inspired so many with her grit and grace. A true Northeast Philly girl (we’re a tough lot!) Diane fought, but never looked like she was fighting, her wide, bright smile always at the ready.

When we spoke to Diane two years ago, she dropped too many Brilliance Bits to count, but her advice to “Every day, just be enough.” was brilliantly simple and striking. Do your best, help others, and just be enough.

Tune into this episode to hear more of Diane’s simple, beautiful brilliance. Here are a few more quotes to listen for:

Sit still and think. People don’t take the time to sit still.

Find those people you belong to. There may be different people at different times.

Beginners need to know that you get more than one chance if you fail.

If I don’t ask, the answer will always be “No.”

~ Diane Berberian

We love you, Diane. Thank you for sharing your light with us all.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together.

XO,

KS & MFB

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The messages about who I was supposed to be got in the way of what I needed to say. ~ Selena Rezvani

Did you grow up thinking you were "supposed" to be something, act a certain way, live your life according to a vision that wasn't necessarily your own? Many of us did. But it's never too late to own who you are and stand up for who you want to be.

As we near the end of summer, we want to empower you to "pushback" against an idea of you that doesn't match who you really are. And our friend, Selena Rezvani is just the one to help.

Selena Rezvani knows what it takes to be leader--and sometimes it takes standing up and saying exactly what it is you want. As Selena tells it, women need to step up and ASK for what they want, bring their best self to the table and advocate--for themselves. A women's leadership expert, speaker and author of Pushback: How Smart Women Ask--and Stand Up For--What they Want, Selena knows the power of bringing your authentic self to the table, and owning it!

Tune in as we reshare this Brilliant interview and let's begin fall as who we really are. Learn more about Selena at https://www.selenarezvani.com/.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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During our summer of focus on mental health and imperfect action, we wanted to share again our interview with Jessica Cox, the first armless pilot in aviation history. As Jessica shares her Resilient mindset, (Jessica gives new meaning to the word "Resilient!") note how she continues to remind us to respect ourselves as well as others. Tune in for more from the Brilliant Jessica Cox!

If we carry ourselves with confidence and love, it allows others to respond to us in the same way. ~ Jessica Cox

Okay, Brilliantly Resilient listeners, today there will be no complaining--about anything! Today's guest, Jessica Cox, was born without arms--and she's a pilot!!! As in, she flies planes! Jessica has had to overcome incredible odds to live on her own terms, creating a successful, hopeful and inspirational life to share with others. We are so grateful for her spirit, leadership and attitude. Jessica proves that all things are possible through hard work, committment and love. Tune in to hear our Brilliantly Resilient friend, and visit her at https://www.jessicacox.com/.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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How would you cope knowing your mother ran from you to save her own life instead of saving you?

Our childhood experiences can traumatize us terribly, keeping us stuck in unhealthy behaviors and patterns throughout our lives. But it doesn't have to be that way.

As a child of four, Lise Deguire was horribly burned in a fire and left by her mother as her mother ran to save herself. Today, Lise shares her Brilliance as a compassionate psychologist who is the epitome of Resilience.

Lise's book, Flashback Girl: Lessons on Resilience from a Burn Survivor, detaills her experiences and how she overcame her trauma to become a kind, forgiving adult who teaches others to live healthy lives.

As we contninue our focus on mental health this summer, we couldn't end the season without again bringing you our friend, Lise. Few people have inspired us more.

Be sure to check out Flashback Girl and tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO

KS & MFB

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I still make mistakes that I learn from, and if you don’t admit that, you’re lying.
~ Jennifer Lynn Robinson

This summer has been all about mental health and action here at Brilliantly Resilient. This week, we're going to celebrate one of the most courageous, smartest, chicest women we know--our friend
Jennifer Lynn Robinson, a.k.a. Mrs. Classic Universe 2022-2023!!! Wooooooo!!!!

Jennifer Lynn Robinson had an amazing career, bright future--life looked limitless. Until a devastating accident took it all away. But Jennifer fought her way back with fierce determination,
unafraid to make mistakes to grow and learn. An example to us all in Resilience, Jennifer has led FemCity Philadelphia, is the founder of Purposeful Networking, is now teaching at Penn, and has just
won the Mrs. Classic Universe crown!!! Brilliance found and shared after tragedy.

We're proud to call Jennifer friend and are beyond excited about her glitzy, glam crown--shouldn't every woman be photographed in a tiara? Tune in as we bring back one of our favorite episodes, and congratulations, Jennifer; we're so proud of you!

Let's be Brilliantly Resilient together!!

XO,

KS & MFB

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It’s important to give ourselves that space for self care and a lot of people think they don’t deserve it.

~ Lesley Logan

How many people and things do you put before yourself in your life? Family, friends, work, even picking up the dry cleaning top our To Do lists before we even think about ourselves. The result is that we’re often exhausted, frustrated, and maybe a little (or a lot!) cranky.

Lesley Logan stumbled onto the importance of making time for herself by accident when she took a Pilates class at the invitation of a friend. That one class proved transformational, showing Lesley the benefits of intentional self-care and movement. As Lesley reminds us, movement keeps the brain young and healthy–the basis for a happy, successful life.

Taking time for self care may mean we leave some things undone; that’s okay, too. By making a healthy body and mind a priority, Lesley realized that finishing can be optional, and it’s okay to change your mind. What a relief!!

As summer begins, be sure to take the time for self care. Move your body (take a Pilates class!) make your brain happy, and put yourself at the top of your To Do list!

For more of Lesley’s Brilliance, tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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There are two kinds of pain–one that goes on and on and on, and the kind where there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Go towards the light.

~ Candace Plattor

Challenge and crisis are never easy. But they do come with choice. While we can’t always change our circumstances, we can change our responses to our challenges. The choice to change our response can break the cycle of pain and allow us to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Candace Plattor, this week’s guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, knows about the pain that can be created when we choose to repeat the same patterns of behavior again and again, enabling a pain that goes on and on. As an addiction therapist, Candace knows that oftentimes, the pain we live in remains because we choose to live without changing anything, and as Candace reminds us, “if nothing changes, nothing changes.”

Yet, when we choose to address our challenges and change our responses to them, we can open a spot of light at the end of our dark tunnels, making that pain finite, or at least more manageable.

How are you addressing the challenges in your life? Are you repeating the same actions in response over and over? Can you change your responses and alter your circumstances? To hear more of Candace’s wisdom, tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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The God lens is always going to be a more compassionate, but a less certain lens. It’s going to take away the absolute convictions with which we are looking at many things and open us up to the possibility that we are mistaken.

~ Christine Eberle

Geez, we hate being wrong. It happens–rarely–but we really, really hate it when it does. Yet, it happens to us all, probably more often than we’d like.

Much of the angst we experience when we’re wrong comes from our insecure egos. If we’ve examined something, done our due diligence and run it up our personal flagpole, we should be right, shouldn’t we? In fact, our egos demand that we are. But what about the other folks who have done the same thing and come to a different conclusion than ours? Their egos are shouting just as loudly that they are the ones on the right path.

Author Christine Eberle, this week’s guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, notes that it’s our perception–the lens through which we are looking at things–that keeps us stuck and frustrated. When we pull back and look at life through the God lens instead of our own, we may find uncertainty, but we also find room for possibility.

It may not feel like it at the time, but sometimes being wrong is the best thing that can happen to us, especially if it allows us to consider other actions and other outcomes.

Christine’s new book, Finding God Abiding, offers thoughtful meditative lessons designed to open our awareness to God’s presence in our lives, as well as to help us recognize the wonder of possibility. Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to learn about Christine’s four movements of life as she shares her Brilliance.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO

KS & MFB

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There was always a component of courage, but not the absence of fear.

~ Dr. Robyn Graham

Have you ever felt anxious? Hands up, everyone! No one escapes anxiety. But why does it cripple some of us while others seem to escape its grasp?

This week’s guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, Dr. Robyn Graham, confesses that she’s experienced anxiety since she can remember, and it’s held her back on more than one occasion. Yet, by realizing that she had a choice about letting anxiety run her life, Robyn found the courage to navigate her fears and, while not overcoming anxiety entirely, learned to manage it.

We can move forward with a choice, and it’s essential to choose action even if there is fear. Fear is a natural response to the unknown, but it isn’t an excuse for staying stuck. Make an intentional choice to lead with courage and tell anxiety to step back. Each time you choose action for your good, the anxiety voice inside gets a little quieter. Pretty soon, you’ll recognize anxious feelings, but they won’t keep you from living your Brilliance.

For more of Robyn’s Brilliance, tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and check out Robyn’s new book, You, Me and Anxiety.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin and Mary Fran

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Look at your calendar from the last few months and see what put a smile on your face. What about those experiences can you do more of?

~ Fran Hauser

Finding our Brilliance. It’s not always easy. Our Brilliance and the things that light us up don’t always jump out and say, “Here I am! This is what you’re supposed to be doing!”

But our friend, Fran Hauser, author, angel investor and the queen of kindness in the workplace, offers a simple strategy to determine where our Brilliance may lie and how we can get more of it in our lives.

By looking back through our calendars and intentionally evaluating our experiences we can get a sense of what makes us happy, as well as where we shine. Too often, we treat life as a list of things we have to “get done,” checking things off and then filing them away, rarely to be thought of as anything other than finished. But when we take the time to look at our experiences and what about them fueled–or didn’t–us, we can get a sense of where we should be putting our efforts to get the most our ot life–and out of ourselves.

Brilliance is within us all; sometimes we just need a little help finding it.

Fran offers more of her Brilliance in her new book, Embrace the Work, Love Your Career, a workbook that guides you through realizing career goals with “clarity, intention and confidence.” Brilliant!!! Tune in to hear more from Fran on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin and Mary Fran

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Everything is situational. We constantly have values competing, all of the time. That’s where you make the hardest decisions. What is at your core?

~ Ken Meeker

Decisions, decisions. Wouldn’t it be great if they were all easy? Many are. For example, what would you choose, a paid vacation, or an extra 40 hours at work with no compensation? (Choose the vacation!)

But what about those decisions that have you considering the “on the other hand” option over and over and over again?

Ken Meeker knows that it’s essential to make decisions based on our values. But sometimes, our values compete with each other, depending on the situation. What if the scenario above offered you a vacation or a month’s salary for a week’s work? Hmmmm…not quite as easy a decision.

That’s why it’s so important to know your core values–what are your non-negotiables? If your non-negotiables are met, it’s easier to make a decision based on what you want in any situation. As Ken rightly points out, values are not intrinsically good or bad; it’s where each has its place on our personal values scale.

Tune in to hear more from Ken Meeker on this week’s episode of The Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and find him at www.vitalitycareercoaching.com.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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When you’re by yourself and having a meltdown, it takes a few moments to realize no one is coming to rescue you, to get you up. That’s when you have to make a choice. No one controls my happiness, my destiny, my goals, and my dreams but me. It is no one else’s choice. It is my choice. ~ Cheryl Ecton

Have you ever found yourself in a position where you thought, “I can’t do this. I’ll never be able to get out of this mess alone.”? It’s not unusual to want someone to come in and make all of the ugly go away. Yet, as our Brilliantly Resilient guest, Cheryl Ecton, founder of Elite Building Services, reminds us, it’s only when we realize that no one is coming to save us and we are responsible for our own happiness that we can make the choice to move forward.

That doesn’t mean we get to wave a magic wand and make our troubles disappear. But making the decision to just visit challenges instead of living in them and committing to accepting responsibility for our own destiny can set us on the path of empowerment. We may not be able to control our circumstances, but we can control our choices.

Sometimes that means choosing to take a step back to address another priority. Sometimes it means accepting that okay is good enough. Even if the end isn’t what we wanted, we still have choices. And Cheryl reminds us in her new book, Choices Change Everything.

What choices can you make today to move forward? How can you begin to own your happiness and destiny? Tune in to hear more from Cheryl Ecton on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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We have 60,000 to 70,000 thoughts each day. Ninety percent of those are the thoughts that we had yesterday. We are constantly living in the past.

~ Stanley Dietrich

How often do you find yourself on the hamster wheel of chasing the same thoughts over and over in your mind? When something is challenging or concerning us, it may feel like the same thoughts never leave–we dwell on them day after day, often with little or no resolution.

This week’s guest on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast is Stanley Dietrich, of 360 Life Without Limits. Stanley knows how it feels to be stuck in the revolving door or our past–so much so that our present may pass us by. That’s why Stanley teaches others to focus on the present, with simple exercises to stay attentive to life now–not yesterday.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know how easy it is to run through a mental replay reel. It takes focus and effort to redirect our minds towards new opportunities instead of past mistakes. In that way, as Stanley reminds us, “We create a future instead of fixing the past.”

Tune in to hear more of Stanley’s calming wisdom on this week’s episode of The Brilliantly Resilient podcast. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Victim is an identity.

Mindset is what you think.

What you think is what you speak.

What you speak is what you act.

What you act becomes your reality.

~ Michael Unbroken

Life is not for the faint of heart. And many of us have experienced trauma–some more profound than others. Yet, trauma does not have to define us, or be the overriding factor in our lives. Our Brilliantly Resilient guest this week, Michael Unbroken, teaches trauma survivors how to move beyond trauma and its devastating impact to become the heroes of their own stories.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we say that uncovering your Resilience and discovering your Brilliance starts with a decision: Are you just visiting your challenge, or are you going to live there? It’s a mindset intention that will begin to point your brain forward, instead of reliving and fearing that the past will become your present.

Michael Unbroken echoes that sentiment by highlighting the importance of mindset coupled with action to Rise and thrive after trauma. Mental and physical health are possible after trauma. For more of Michael’s wisdom and strategies, tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast and become the hero you are!

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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I learned so much from the people in my life. I wanted to share that and to remind others to cherish and honor those who raised and influenced them.

~ Jane Jenkins Herlong

Every life is touched by so many others. But how often do we think back and acknowledge the lessons–whether good or bad–that we learn from those who have come into our lives? Our Brilliantly Resilient guest this week, Jane Jenkins Herlong, knows the power of the women and men who raised her and taught her life lessons, whether family or friend. In her new book, Sweet Tea Secrets from the Deep Fried South, Jane shares hilarious, heartfelt stories about those who shaped her life, teaching her lessons along the way, even if they didn’t realize it.

Jane wrote the book not only to share her own story, but to remind us to cherish those in our lives who influence us, and to remember their stories and lessons. Those who have touched us have helped to make us who we are. We’re reminded to learn, laugh, and love–hard.

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more from our funny friend, Jane. And order your copy of Jane’s new book today on Amazon!

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

Kristin & Mary Fran

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What are my transferable skills? I’m a big believer in using all of the skills I’ve gathered along the way.

~ Gail Robertson

Have you ever spent time doing something and thought, “Well, that was pointless”?

We tend to put value on things that are only immediately useful, discarding those that don’t prove their worth right away.

Yet, have you ever been in a situation where those skills–the ones you thought were pointless–have come back to serve you? Most of us have.

This week’s guest, Gail Robertson, is a big believer in using transferable skills–one of the pillars of living a Brilliantly Resilient life. Gail sees having an eclectic past as an asset, believing that all of our experiences can serve us if we recognize their potential value.

To be truly Brilliantly Resilient, we must be aware of ways to utilize our transferable skills. Everything we experience can teach us, and we never know when something that seemed to have no value might be exactly what we need in the present moment.

Tune in to this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Gail’s wisdom.

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

P.S. To get a 1-minute Brilliance Bit in your mailbox weekly, visit brilliantlyresilient.net and sign up on our home page!

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We have different play needs at different times of life. We never outgrow the need to play.

~ Jill Asher, Magical Bridge Foundation

Have you ever passed by a playground and simply listened to the shouts of joy from children playing? Better yet, do you remember the joy you felt as you ran, jumped, and played as a child?

The world is a serious place–one that can make play seem frivolous and unnecessary in the midst of so much crisis. But our guest this week, Jill Asher of the Magical Bridge Foundation, reminds us that we never outgrow the need to play. And everyone, regardless of ability or age, should be given the opportunity to experience play.

Magical Bridge builds playgrounds that are accessible to everyone of any age or ability, ensuring that everyone can play in a community setting, strengthening bonds between all members in a safe, joyful environment.

We all have challenges, many of which need almost constant attention. But remember to save some attention for yourself and to direct that attention to playing. Feed your soul, feed your body, feed your mind. Just play.

Tune into this week's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more from Jill about Magical Bridge. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together.

XO,

KS & MFB

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It is about finding that Resilience and strength to say, “Okay, I’m gonna show up another day. I’m just gonna show up another day." And then the next day and the next day. ~ Maria Johnson, a.k.a. Girl Gone Blind

How often in a crisis do you think to yourself, “I just can’t do this anymore”?

When a challenge hits us with a sucker punch, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and defeated. Crisis changes life in an instant, taking away, sometimes permanently, what we knew or believed to be true. Being exhausted and wanting to give up is a common response.

That’s why it’s important to break down our challenges in manageable chunks. It may be impossible to imagine living permanently in the current state of upheaval, so don’t try. Instead, just show up, if not for a day, for the next 15 minutes.

This week’s guest, Maria Johnson, a.k.a. Girl Gone Blind, lost her sight at age 50, changing her whole life. And while Maria admits to sitting “in the hallway of denial for a long time,” she eventually realized that she didn’t have to tackle blindness all at once. She just had to show up, one day at a time. And if a day is too much, follow Mary Fran’s advice and live life as a 15 Minute Master–take it 15 minutes at a time.

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more from the Brilliant Maria Johnson. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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The critic is the voice of fear; the coach is the voice of love. Talk to yourself like you want yourself to win.

~ Kristin & Mary Fran

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we can really be mean. To ourselves, that is.

It’s hard to imagine, but statistics show that we talk to ourselves thousands of times a day, and it’s often 80% negative. And not only does that negative thinking apply to our circumstances (the person paying by check in the express checkout lane–Grrrrrr!!!),it also affects the way we speak to ourselves.

How often have you berated yourself for failing at something, making a mistake, or just forgetting to pick up the dry cleaning? If you’re like most of us, you do it frequently, and you’re none too nice to yourself in the process.

That inner critic is the voice of fear–reminding us that we’ll never be good enough, at even small things, let alone the big ones. But if we can turn that fear into love, our inner critic can become our coach.

The next time you find your inner critic giving you a mental bashing, think about how you would talk to your child or your best friend. Then take that loving, nurturing, assuring voice and use it on yourself–turning your inner critic into your supportive coach.

When we tune into our inner coach, we set ourselves, and our brains, up to create winning strategies. We build our own confidence and set out on a path of successful action. Quiet the critic and let the coach take over the game.

For more with us, tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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We’re our own best case study. We’ve had to dig in, find our resilience, find the Brilliance within that challenge and then create some really cool stuff. We lived the Brilliantly Resilient process.

~ Kristin & Mary Fran

Did you ever hear the expression “Do what I say, not what I do?” Well, here at Brilliantly Resilient, we don’t believe in telling anyone to do anything unless we’ve tried it ourselves.

That’s why, every time we offer a Brilliance Bit or some strategy to help you live with a Brilliantly Resilient mindset, you can rest assured that we’ve done it ourselves. Over, and over and over again.

You see, as much as it would be great if you could just learn how to be Brilliantly Resilient one time and then always be Brilliantly Resilient, it doesn’t work that way. (We know; we weren’t happy about it, either.) You must return to the Brilliantly Resilient process of Reset, Rise and Reveal your Brilliance again and again, because life isn’t a straight line.

Yet, that’s the beauty of being Brilliantly Resilient. Once you learn the process, it does get easier. Each time life throws you a curve ball, you can immediately return to the process and find your way back–uncovering your Resilience and sharing your Brilliant self with the world once again.

We’re blessed this week to share Brilliantly Resilient with two awesome conferences–the Gulf-South Summit, and AHRA Climb–both highlighting leadership. As we happily jump into spring, let’s embrace being leaders for ourselves and those in our tribe and be Brilliantly Resilient together!

Happy Spring!!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Being Resilient and Rising are about failing your way to success.

~ Beate Chelette

Failure. The word alone can feel like an anvil on your head. But it wasn’t always that way.

No one remembers learning to walk, but talk about failing spectacularly. Babies fall an average of 17 times an hour while learning to walk! When they do, they don’t cry, they don’t blame the rest of the world because they can’t do it, they simply get up, over and over again, until they walk.

As children, we realize that failure is simply a part of learning. The shame comes later, when as adults, we see failure as, well, FAILURE.

But this week’s guest, the Brilliant Beate Chelette, knows that failure is simply a part of the pathway to success. Without it, we don’t learn, we don’t grow, and we don’t achieve all that we’re capable of.

A first generation immigrant who found herself $135,000 in debt as a single mother, Beate eventually created a business that she sold to Bill Gates in a multi-million dollar deal. And failure, coupled with resilience and rising, were part of the journey.

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Beate’s wisdom. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Take imperfect action.

~ Kate Erickson: EOFire

How many times have you refrained from taking action on a problem because of the what-ifs?

The thought process goes like this: Well, I can do xyz, but what if (insert new problem) happens? Then what do I do? I just don’t know how to proceed…. Before you know it, you’re paralyzed and you’ve talked yourself out of doing anything.

This week’s guest, Kate Erickson of EOFire, knows how it feels to be stuck and frustrated. Often, Kate felt like her life was moving in a one-step forward, two-steps back progression–or regression. But once Kate learned to let go of the emotion accompanying her situations and take imperfect action, she began looking for the opportunities in challenges and released herself from expecting a perfect outcome.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we know that nothing is perfect–neither our plans nor their intended outcomes. Waiting for perfection is the best way to ensure failure. So, “take imperfect action” is excellent advice, and one of our favorite mantras, to keep things moving and evolving towards progress and success–even if it’s not the progress you envisioned.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of the brilliant Kate Erickson’s practical, simple strategies for success. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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However much anger you have will affect your future outcome. Conversely, the more love and faith, the better the future. ~ Eric Edmeades

Have you been angry lately? Yikes. Perhaps a better question would be, who hasn’t been angry lately?

These days, the world is a pretty angry place. Everyone has an opinion, everyone’s opinion is right (???), people feel they deserve whatever they want, and if they don’t get it, they take it–or get really angry and spew venom all over the dang place in frustration.

But this week’s guest, Wildfit Founder Eric Edmeades, reminds us that we have control over our anger, as we create our own triggers along with the meaning we give to events. When we assess life events with anger and anxiety, we condition ourselves to expect more of the same. But more important, the same goes for an outlook full of love and faith–expect more of that.

Given the choice--and it is a choice--who wouldn’t want more of that love and faith stuff? We can all have it; we just have to choose.

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast and learn how to control your triggers–to build a life full of love, faith and success!

Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Create a silver lining—Do something, build something, create something.

~ Dr. David Fajgenbaum

Have you ever heard the expression: Find the silver lining? It’s about looking for something positive in a lousy situation. That sounds great, but what if things appear so bleak that you can’t find a silver lining? What then? To hear Dr. David Fajgenbaum’s story, it’s easy to see why it was nearly impossible to find a silver lining. Diagnosed with Castleman’s Disease as a young medical student, David almost died five times before hearing doctors say there was nothing more they could do for him. That’s when David went to work–creating his own silver lining. He found a cure for his own disease by using his knowledge in new ways and repurposing a treatment for another disease as one that proved effective for his own. (Be sure to read about David’s journey in his best-selling book Chasing My Cure.) Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we’re big believers in not only using transferrable skills to bring your Brilliance to new situations, we’re also believers in action–and in knowing that “No” might just mean we need to find another way. (And it doesn’t happen overnight, but it can happen, if you’re willing to “turn hope into action” – more advice from David.)

Throughout his journey, David has amassed great wisdom–plus, he’s funny and kind. In fact, it was really hard to decide which of his Brilliance Bits to highlight today since everything David offered was a gem that perfectly reflects our Brilliantly Resilient mission.

Tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to be moved, inspired and learn more about how to create your own silver linings–even when times are tough. Let’s be Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO,

KS & MFB

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It’s about discovering and remaining in your zone of genius as much as possible. Discover it and own it. Lean into the brilliance that you have and do it unapologetically. ~ Chris Ducker

Have you ever had someone compliment your Brilliance and instead of responding “Yes!! Thank you; I am Brilliant!”, you muttered something like, “Well, it was no big deal; I didn’t do much.”? Come on, you know you have.

We have a tendency to downplay our gifts and Brilliance, when we should be shouting it from the rooftops! We’ve been given our Brilliance for a reason, and it is our obligation to share it. It’s a gift to the world, but we have to share it–whenever we possibly can!

We knew from the first moment we met Chris Ducker that he was speaking our language. A wildly successful entrepreneur, coach, author, speaker, etc., etc., Chris is also one of the kindest, most generous and encouraging folks we’ve ever met. Oh, and did we say he’s BRILLIANT?

Chris knows the value of knowing what you know and owning it, as well as knowing what you don’t know and bringing others into your tribe who can share their Brilliance with you. Recognizing and owning your Brilliance and building a tribe that complements what you bring to the game ensures not only your success, but the success of others–all boats rise.

Everyone can be Brilliantly Resilient; in fact, you ARE. Make sure you own it. And share it with the rest of us–WE NEED YOU!

Be sure to tune in to hear more from the amazing Chris Ducker in this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast!

XO,

KS & MFB

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I didn’t know how to live anymore. ~ Taylor Grieger

You chase everything you can in this world because you’re alive in it.

~ Taylor Grieger

Hope and despair. While most of us have experienced great sadness or heartache, fortunately, not everyone experiences despair. But we all know hope, which can lift us from the depths, if we can only find it.

This episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast marks our 100th show, and we couldn’t think of a better way to offer hope and share Brilliance and Resilience than to bring you Taylor Grieger and Stephen O’Shea.

A veteran U.S. Navy rescue swimmer, Taylor Grieger found himself unable to adjust to civilian life after his term of service. After his gun didn’t fire when Taylor tried to take his own life, he knew he had to find out why he was still alive and draw attention to the terrible toll PTSD takes on veterans.

Taylor recruited his high school swim team friend, writer Stephen O’Shea, to embark on a treacherous sailing journey to the waters of Cape Horn, known as the graveyard of ships. On the way, Taylor uncovered his own hidden Resilience and found his Brilliance while sharing the journey with other veterans to inspire hope. Their travels are documented in the film Hell or High Seas, and it’s mesmerizing.

Have you ever experienced a painful event and wondered why? Or worse, that it was somehow your fault (as Taylor remarks in the film)? When big, tough sucker punches happen, it’s normal to look for a reason, even if that reason means blaming ourselves. But it’s rarely that simple, and often, the reason isn’t important, it’s how we choose to come out the other side. The quotes above reflect Taylor’s reckoning with both ends of this challenging spectrum.

Building a tribe, asking for help, controlling the control-ables, not being married to outcomes and taking action are all parts of being Brilliantly Resilient which Taylor and Stephen return to again and again in their journey. With every step, the final message is always: There is hope.

Tune into this 100th episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to learn more about Taylor and Stephen, and be sure to watch the film Hell or High Seas. And check out https://www.amodsailing.org/ for more on adventure therapy and how it can help veterans build healthy lives after service. Thank you Taylor, for your service and thanks to you and Stephen for sharing your incredible journey and wisdom!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Some audio in this episode is less than perfect, but the content is AWESOME!! Growth is found in the valleys; it’s not found on the mountains. But being on the mountain allows us to see the beauty so when we have to go back to the valley, we can handle it.

~ Melanie Bradshaw

Have you ever experienced a sucker punch and thought, Why me? Melanie Bradshaw did. In fact, in 2021, our Brilliantly Resilient guest this week was treating Covid patients in the E.R. where she worked, lost her father to Covid, got Covid herself, was in a major car accident, and was diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoing major surgery twice to treat the disease.

If anyone had the right to ask, “Why me?” it was Melanie. But when the thought struck, she quickly turned it to “Why not me?” recognizing that she could be defeated or be tougher than the hits. She chose tough, knowing that we learn in the valleys so we can continue to strive for the view from the mountain top and appreciate all of its beauty.

Sucker punches, well, suck. But we always have a choice, and if you know us, we say it starts with a decision: Are you just visiting your challenge, or are you going to live there? We don’t usually have the choice to avoid a sucker punch, but we always have a choice as to whether that hit will define us. (Hint: It doesn’t have to!)

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more from Melanie, her incredible story, and her amazing outlook to keep striving for the mountain top. Melanie is truly Brilliantly Resilient–so are you!

XO,

KS & MFB

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If you really want to be kind, you need to be grounded in action and rooted in justice. ~ Kaitlin Johnstone, Founder of Kind Cotton

How often have you heard the word “kindness” lately? There’s no doubt that encouraging kindness makes for a gentler, more humane world. But as this week’s guest reminds us, without action and a sense of justice, kindness can devolve into mere pleasantries–when it can be so much more.

As a kindergarten teacher, Kaitlin Johnstone realized that many of her students had only the books in her classroom to expose them to the wonders of reading and literacy. She was determined to do something to get books into the hands of kids, promoting kindness along the way. Joining forces with her husband, Kevin, who has a background in apparel, the couple created Kind Cotton, selling clothing with positive messaging and using profits to purchase books for kids and classrooms, culminating in over 40,000 books delivered to date.

And while literacy is the goal, promoting kindness through justice for all and action is equally important. Kaitlin shares her Brilliance through her commitment to improving the world, building a business grounded in action to improve lives.

If you aren’t sure how to share your Brilliance, find a way to be of service. When we lead with our hearts, the best of us follows and we can create wondrous things–just like Kind Cotton. Tune into this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more about Kaitlin’s journey of literacy and kindness with Kind Cotton!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Limit your Pity Party. I threw a hell of a Pity Party, but those emotions don’t help you with solutions or move you forward.

~ Keith Baldwin

Have you ever thrown yourself a Pity Party? Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we were experts at it. When life hits you with a sucker punch, it seems like you’re entitled to feel sorry for yourself. And you are–to a point. But you can’t live in that place of pain. Acknowledge it, feel it, and then get the heck out of there!

This week’s guest, Keith Baldwin decided to make 2020 a year of firsts and wrote a book (A Leap Year of Firsts) about his experiences. But what started out as fun and games quickly turned serious when the pandemic produced some unwanted firsts–as when Keith had to lay off his entire workforce.

After realizing that feeling sorry for himself wasn’t helping him or his staff, Keith got to work, finding a unique solution to his problem and hiring all 45 workers back within hours of laying them off.

Remember, sometimes life just sucks. The question is, are you just visiting that place of yuck or are you going to live there? Tune in to this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more about Keith Baldwin and his Leap Year of Firsts!

XO,

KS & MFB

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When things are going off the rails, that’s when the enrichment occurs. The cracks show up and the light comes in. ~ Cherie Morris

How do you feel when you lose control? If you’re like us, you don’t like it. At all. (Like, we really hate it.) But here at Brilliantly Resilient, we’re recovering control freaks because our sucker punches taught us that often, control is a myth.

This week’s guest, Certified Divorce Coach Cherie Morris, reminds us that while a crisis can cause grief and anger, the cracks it creates can allow light to shine through–if we can let go.

Whether you’re going through a divorce or just struggling with disappointment and COVID fatigue (when is this thing going to end already???!!!!) Cherie tells us that our negative emotions are often caused when we can’t let go of things that aren’t working anymore.

Letting go of things that no longer serve or work for you is freeing, even if temporarily painful. When we let go, we allow ourselves to look toward the future and ask, “What’s next?” instead of living in the past. Opportunities will present themselves and we'll be ready.

Tune into this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of Cherie’s wisdom. And pry your fingers loose–lose control!

XO,

KS & MFB

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When we started, it sucked. But once I started noticing small little things shifting, I did not want to go back.

~ Jacob Kenneally

How many New Year’s resolutions have you made over the years? And how many resolutions have you stuck with for more than a month?

If you’re like most of us (and admit it, you are), you decide you’re going to do something every New Year that’s going to change your life for the better. You start with energy and swear this year will be different, only to ditch the whole thing and beat yourself up–AGAIN.

This week’s guest, our friend, website guru and re-made man, Jacob Kenneally, actually stuck with his resolution to change his mindset and his life, reinventing himself and becoming the inspirational, positive, faith-filled guy he is today.

The key? Jacob knew that early on, the effort it would take to remake his life would, well, suck. He knew it, he acknowledged it, and he decided, especially once he saw small changes happening, that he was worth it.

Most of us believe big challenges require big solutions, and we expect the changes for the better to be as dramatic as the challenge. It just doesn’t work that way. Big changes are made with baby steps–consistently applied, even if they suck.

If this is the year you want to see big changes, be willing to do the hard work and push through the suck until you start to see those small changes. The big stuff is right behind, and you’re so worth it.

Tune in to hear more from our Brilliantly Resilient buddy Jacob on this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and visit Jacob at www.jacobkenneally.com!

XO

KS & MFB

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How can I say what I want to in unconditional love instead of trying to be in control?

~ Kristin Smedley

How do you control things when nothing seems to be in your control?

As we move into holiday week (or has it been a year? Feels like it….) the To-Do List only seems to get longer. But what really needs to be done? And what can you actually accomplish without losing your mind? (Hint–controlling your adult kids is not an option!)

This is the time to take a look at the controllables and come up with ONE action step at a time and find a place to start. Consider doing a time block for the week–even if it’s not your usual routine–and set times to knock items off your list. It’s often easier to set aside a chunk of time and work on one thing than to bounce around from chore to chore with nothing done well.

And don’t forget–most times, the one putting the pressure on you is you! Remember to enjoy this season. Give yourself the gift of controlling what you can and let go of the rest.

Tune into this episode of Brilliantly Resilient LIVE to hear more from US! Finally, head over to Brilliantly Resilient on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/brilliantlyresilient/) to win a copy of our book to Reset, Rise and Reveal Your Brilliance as we head into 2022! Happy Holidays!!

XO

KS & MFB

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Attitude can “flip the script” and turn a liability into an asset.

~ Andrea Bitner

When is a liability not a liability? When we recognize that labeling something as a liability doesn’t make it so.

This week’s guest, Andrea Bitner has witnessed first-hand how an “attitude adjustment” can turn a liability into an asset with the many students she’s instructed in learning English. While society, and the students themselves, can initially view their lack of language skills as a problem, Andrea helps her students recognize their innate resilience and strength as they take on life in a different country. Her new book, Take Me Home, profiles several of her students by highlighting the power each possesses and comes to see on their own.

What are your “liabilities?” Can you look deeper and see what power lives in each? Ditch the labels and see yourself as you really are–empowered, strong, and resilient--and learn more on this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast!

XO,

KS & MFB

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How are you, really? ~ Dennis Gillan

How often do you say or hear the sentence, “How are you?” We say it and are asked it so much that it barely registers, eliciting an automatic “I’m good” or “Fine.” But are you really? And when you ask someone else how they are, do you really listen?

Dennis Gillan knows the importance of real conversation and real listening. After suffering the loss of two brothers to suicide, Dennis knew that he had to try and make conversation– especially around mental health–meaningful. 

Grief is a part of life, and when we recognize its impact and let it do its work, we come away stronger, kinder and more compassionate. When we share our struggles with those who care, our burden is lighter.

Tune in to hear more from Dennis about his Half a Sorrow foundation, based on the Swedish proverb that “A shared joy is a double joy; a shared sorrow is half a sorrow.” It’s time to end the stigma of mental health issues with real conversation. Listen in here and let us know how you are–really!

XO

KS & MFB

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Do you believe you have value? Real, genuine, built-in value? 

Many of us don’t, and it’s a dangerous way to live. Without recognizing our own worth, we, and especially our children, are susceptible to all kinds of manipulations, especially in the world of social media.

The movie Taken is every parent’s worst nightmare. But that’s not what sex trafficking looks like. It’s here, in our own backyards, and our kids are the targets. 

Stephanie Olson has lived a life. After dealing with abandonment, alcoholism, addictions, eating disorders and sexual and domestic violence, Stephanie overcame through determination, faith, and resilience. That would be enough, but Stephanie went further, turning her trauma into triumph, and working with kids to combat human trafficking by instilling in each child a sense of worth and intrinsic value--a voice to say, “No!”

Tune in to Stephanie’s episode on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast to hear more of her amazing story and learn about her work with “The Set Me Free Project,” inspiring kids in schools to know their own worth to live lives of power and self-respect.

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Gratitude is a tool that connects us to our happiness, success and power. ~ Kristin Smedley & Mary Fran Bontempo

Has it ever occurred to you that gratitude can help you tap into your power? We don't often think of thankfulness as a powerful thing. In fact, some of us feel that being grateful may make us seem weak.

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we are card-carrying members on the gratitude train. Even in our darkest hours, we were thankful for those slivers of light that held us up and gave us hope, whether they came from friends, family, or the experts who helped guide us through our crises.

Training the mind to focus on blessings instead of lack opens up the spirit, and okay, we're going a little woo-woo here (with Mary Fran's blessing), the universe, to provide opportunities, connections and the strength to move forward instead of stewing in a pot of blech.

Gratitude provides focus, as well as the positive energy necessary to make decisions and take action. This Thanksgiving, remember to be truly grateful for blessings both big and small. Live with an open heart and mind and use gratitude as a tool to live a Brilliantly Resilient life!

Happy Thanksgiving!

XO,
KS & MFB

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Quit trying to do it on your own; surround yourself with growth minded people who will have the tough conversations with you when needed. ~ Robert Raymond Riopel

Who loves ya, baby? No really, who loves you? Or better yet, who understands you--the way you think, your dreams, your goals?

When we look for people to join our “tribe,” it’s human nature to seek out those who love, or at least like us. People who make us feel good, who validate us. But those may be exactly the wrong people to surround yourself with, especially if you’re trying to accomplish a big goal.

This week’s guest, Robert Raymond Riopel, reminds us that it’s precisely those people who will make us uncomfortable by asking the tough questions who will be the best members to add to our tribe. While it’s easy to surround ourselves with people who will stroke our egos and make us feel good, it’s far more important, if we want to accomplish anything of true value, to have folks next to us who will hold our feet to the fire and ask the demanding, uncomfortable questions--the ones that will force us to see reality and not live in the land of magical thinking. (We’re aren’t talking Negative Nancys here--just folks who see the truth.)

Progress is made only when we’re willing to see and address our shortcomings--either out and out failures or just dropping the ball before we should have. The people who make us see that are true allies--willing to hurt our feelings to help us achieve.

Don’t be afraid to align yourself with people who are “tough” on you, as long as you know they have your best interests at heart. You’ll thank them when you cross the finish line!

Hear more of Robert’s wisdom on his episode of Brilliantly Resilient LIVE!

XO

KS & MFB

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Resilience is the audacity to never give up. ~ Beate Chelette

We’ve heard a lot of definitions for the word “Resilience” in the past year, but this is one of our favorites.

We call upon our Resilience when we’ve been knocked down, and often it feels like we’re dragging ourselves back to a standing position, even after the Resilience kicks in. But combining the idea of Resilience with audacity imbues Resilience with power. Kick-ass power at that.

One definition of audacity is “the bold or arrogant disregard of normal restraints.” We love that! Challenge requires boldness, and it’s the perfect time to break free of normal conventions and behaviors. It’s the perfect counterpart to Resilience.

Being Resilient with audacity sends a clear “Aw, hell no!” message to our challenges and struggles. Does that minimize them? Not at all. Every challenge must be acknowledged and respected for what it is. But we should never, ever take our challenges lying down.

Our friend, Beate Chelette, a first-generation American immigrant, refused to allow her challenges to take her down, even audaciously writing to the President of the United States to request help for her small business. And guess what? She got it.

Hear more of Beate’s inspiring, bold story on her episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and find her at https://beatechelette.com/.

XO,

KS & MFB

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Brilliant can be basic and simple. ~ Lynne Kelleher

How would it feel to know that you’re doing something amazing, something Brilliant in fact, and it’s so easy and simple that you almost can’t believe it?

For some reason, we think Brilliance is hard. As a culture, we tend to devalue things that don’t require major amounts of blood, sweat and tears. But the truth is, Brilliance, your Brilliance, is easy. It’s cued into the basic parts of who you are. It reflects you and your talents, aligned with your values, and when you tap into that magic combo, Brilliance just happens. 

Our friend Lynne Kelleher, founder of 100 Women Who Care in Bucks County, discovered just how basic Brilliance can be when she created a group of women who impact their community with tens of thousands of dollars in a single hour. That’s ONE HOUR—no big events, no planning, no stress. Completely, utterly simple, doable, and Brilliant. 

Brilliance can be basic, and when it is, it’s often powerful. Learn how to tap into your basic Brilliance in this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, and check out 100 Women Who Care with our buddy Lynne Kelleher!

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You are often asked to be at your functioning best when you feel your worst. If you’re driven to do something even when you’re at your lowest, you know that’s a core value for you.

~ Mary Fran Bontempo & Kristin Smedley

What are your non-negotiables? Those things you aren’t willing to compromise on no matter what. It’s one of life’s ironies that we are called to be our strongest when we are at our lowest point. Yet, that’s exactly when we get to find out who we truly are, by deciding what’s essential to us--what we won’t give up on.

When we talk about the Reset in the process of living a Brilliantly Resilient life, values is our first pillar in the process. It’s an essential part of building the foundation upon which you will share your Brilliance with the world.

Values speak to who you really are. And when you’re clear on your core values, decisions are easier, life becomes clearer, and you feel confident moving forward toward building the life you want.

On this week’s episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast, tune in to hear us (yep, just us!) talk about the value of values. Let’s start the Reset together!

XO

KS & MFB

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If you want to get to where you want to go faster, you have to focus on less.

~ David Wood, Focus CEO

How often do you feel like you aren’t doing enough? If you’re like us, even if you’re putting in twelve-hour days, you still think, Darn it, I didn’t do, finish, start…XYZ. I’ve just got to do more! Sigh. How utterly exhausting. How frustrating. How impossible.

We all have big dreams. And the way most of us think we’ll accomplish them is to multi-task and try to accomplish as much as possible in a day, week, or month. Life offers so many options, we should take advantage of as many as possible and try as many things as we can until something works, right?

Wrong. As our guest, Focus CEO coach David Wood reminds, us, it’s only by focusing on less that we go farther and faster. WHATTTTTT????!!!! We can do less? Well, yes. And no. To get to where we want to be, we still have to make the effort, but we shouldn’t divide our effort among a zillion options. (Yes, we said “zillion.” That’s what it feels like sometimes.)

To be truly successful, focus—on your Brilliance. Do what moves you, what you’re good at, and what speaks to you over and over again. Make time for just that, and refuse to let the minutiae of life (i.e. emails, Facebook, Instagram, spider solitaire—okay, that’s just MF, but you get the idea) sidetrack you. As reminds us, figure out what would make you do your happy dance and focus on that! Hear more of David’s wisdom on his episode of the Brilliantly Resilient podcast!

XO,

KS & MFB

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You have to take the pause and reckon with the carnage. ~ Kimberly Smith

How would you feel if you checked off all of your “I want” boxes? You get the house, partner, job, family—everything you think you want. Feels pretty great, doesn’t it? Until it doesn’t. Instead of feeling happy, you’re unfulfilled, sad and worse, guilty for not appreciating your life.

As we grow, we create a plan—more like a wish list of things that we believe will make us happy. We think that once we get the “fill in the blank,” life will be good. Truth is, sometimes maintaining that perfect life is exhausting, and it can create the cracks in your plan that prove it isn’t the right plan—FOR YOU.

That’s what Kimberly Smith discovered when she seemingly had it all but found herself depressed and desperate. She tried to “talk herself out of it,” only driving herself deeper into the pit. Ultimately, Kimberly realized she had to STOP. Stop trying to talk herself into a life that, while seemingly perfect, wasn’t working for her. She needed to hit pause and see, really see, what she had, what she wanted, and what she needed to do to get there.

Taking personal inventory of what we want is essential to living a Brilliantly Resilient life, but that list needs to reflect YOU, not everyone else. So, take time to reflect, even if it’s kind of a mess, and see what you need to change. It’s the first step towards becoming Brilliantly Resilient. Tune in to hear more from Kimberly on the Brilliantly Resilient podcast!

XO,

KS & MFB

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You are trustworthy. Yep, you. But do you believe it? So often, we look to others who we think are smarter, more experienced, or wiser, to influence us when making big decisions, because we want to KNOW. We want to know in which direction we should go, we want to know the answer, and we don’t quite believe we’re up to the task. But more often than not, you do know the answer. It may not be a great answer, it may not be perfect, but you know, even if you don’t want to admit it. And the best way to test your decision? Your gut. When it’s wrong, your gut will tell you, loud and clear. When it’s right, you’ll know that, too. Your gut reflects who you truly are. Its reactions are a physical manifestation of what you truly think and believe—your values, your truth, not that of others. Trust your gut. The one who knows you best is you. Trust yourself! Tune in to hear more of Leslie’s wisdom here!

XO

KS & MFB

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How would you feel if everyone understood and accepted you all of the time? No judgement, just you being allowed to be you. If you’re like us, the thought alone makes you breathe a deep sigh of relief. Yet it’s a rare human who always feels accepted and understood—especially when their reality isn’t “normal”—whatever that means. Today’s guest, award-winning journalist and documentarian, Allison Norlian, knows what it feels like to be misunderstood and isolated, an experience she first had as a young child playing with a school friend. But Allison began to find her voice at that moment, learning to educate others to her truth. Listen and learn how Allison turned her everyday experiences into her Brilliance and her life’s work—and how you can too!  Stay Brilliant!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Do others have low expectations of you? Worse, do you have low expectations of yourself? 

This week's guest is Philly native and cheesesteak god, Derrick Hayes! Derrick grew up in West Philly, a tough part of the city, and knew that the world expected little of him. But Derrick was determined to fulfill his dreams and rise above others' expectations, and oh my, has he! 

Tune in and hear how Derrick combines determination, faith and trust and to take action and Rise with Resilience, building his highly successful, award winning business while serving his community through Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, named in honor of his father. Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, located in Georgia, often sports lines wrapped around the downtown venue with customers yearning for a taste of Philly. During COVID, the restaurant gave out free meals to health care heroes and went as far as distributing face masks and other medical supplies to neighboring hospitals in the area.

You can rise above low expectations and live a Brilliantly Resilient life, too! Listen and hear how Derrick uncovers his life's purpose to make a brilliant impact on the world.

XO,

KS & MFB

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We are excited to introduce you to a brilliant new friend of ours, Samuel Moore-Sobel. Samuel is the author of the incredible book, Can You See My Scars?- a story of trauma, adversity, healing, and recovery. Samuel, a young man about to begin his sophomore year of high school, accepts a job that culminates in a chemical explosion, leaving Samuel with severe burns on his face, neck, and arms. The tragic and sudden accident sets Samuel on an unpredictable journey of healing, recovery, and acceptance. Listen in and be inspired by this Brilliantly Resilient young man!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Well, Waaaahhhhhh!!! It's after Labor Day, and for most of us, that means summer is officially over. But while we're sad, we're excitedd to bring you amazing new guests who will inspire you to begin your own Brilliantly Resilient journey.

As we come upon the 20th anniversary of the horros of 9/11, we couldn't think of a better way to honor those who have given their lives for us than to introduce you to Trish Shallenberger, founder of A Soldier's Hands.

Trish's empowering tale begins with a chance meeting on a plane, where she found herself sitting next to a young soldier about to be deployed. The young man confessed that he wasn't afraid to go into battle, he was more afraid of the sun burning his skin and making his job harder. Touched, Trish promised she would send him sunscreen, and A Soldier's Hands was born!

Tune in to hear how we can find our Brilliance in the most unlikely of places, if only we dare to look. Learn more about Trish and A Soldier's Hands here. 

Happy almost fall, and get ready B.R. community, we have great things in store! 

XO

KS & MFB

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Oh, say it isn't so!! It's just about the end of summer, and this is week 10--the last week--of our Summer of Giveaways Reading Contest!

We've been blessed to feature some amazing authors and friends to help you on your resilience journey. Now this week, we're getting back to basics--US! Our week 10 giveaway features a copy of Brilliantly Resilient: Reset, Rise & Reveal Your Brilliance, as well as a copy of The 15 Minute Master by MFB, Thriving Blind by KS, and maybe a surprise or two!

There's no better way to jump into fall than by renewing your committment to your own Resilience and Brilliance--and we'll show you how in this easy-to-read (did you expect anything else?) gem chock full of Brilliantly Resilient wit and wisdom. Head over to Instagram and the Brilliantly Resilient Facebook Community to enter for your chance to win!

Let's get Brilliantly Resilient together!

XO

KS & MFB

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Morten Bonde is slowly losing his sight. At first, he was angry, sad, frightened and depressed. Yet, after experiencing the epiphany of surrender and committing to four challenges to change his mindset, Morten found a path forward full of new opportunities, leading to places he had never even dreamed of.    As we come close to the end of summer, Morten's story is full of the inspiration and practical tips to lead us into fall energized and hopeful. Don't forget to enter on Instagram and Facebook for a chance to win Sentenced to Blindness, Now What? in week 9 of our summer giveaway!

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Eating a scorpion, walking backwards for an entire day, racing into a freezing ocean for a Polar Bear plunge...these are just a few of the things Lu Ann Cahn dared herself to do on her year of firsts! After beating cancer (twice) and building a successful career as an Emmy-winning TV news reporter in Philadelphia, Lu Ann found herself feeling stuck, frustrated and bored. At her daughter's urging, she dared herself to do something new every day for an entire year. Her journey proved to be enlightening, inspiring and just plain fun! Tune in to hear our buddy Lu Ann talk about daring to take risks and how we can all make life better by saying, "I Dare Me!" Enter for a chance to win a copy of Lu Ann's book on Instagram and Facebook!

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David Fajgenbaum is a physician, a healer, a speaker, a best-selling author, and the main reason he, himself is still alive today. After a devastating diagnosis of Castleman disease in 2010, David found himself on his deathbed a total of five times, told by doctors there was nothing more they could do. Determined not to sit and wait for death, David began to research his own disease, trying drugs designed for other purposes and ultimately finding one that saved his life.

This week our Summer reading giveaway features Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope into Action. Enter to win this riveting story of hope, determination and life-saving action from our kind, funny, and super-smart friend, Dr. David Fajgenbaum! Happy Reading! XO KS & MFB

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As a child of four, Lise Deguire was horribly burned in a fire and left by her mother as her mother ran to save herself. Today, Lise shares her Brilliance as a compassionate psychologist who is the epitome of Resilience.

Lise's book, Flashback Girl: Lessons on Resilience from a Burn Survivor, is this week's Brilliantly Resilient Summer Giveaway and detaills her experiences and how she overcame her trauma to become a kind, forgiving adult who teaches others to live healthy lives.

Head over to @brilliantlyresilient on Instagram for your chance to win a copy of this Brilliant memoir. And for the entire summer reading list, go to www.brilliantlyresilient.net. Good luck and happy reading!

XO

KS & MFB

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We're back with our week 5 Summer Giveaway! This week we're featuring one of our FAVORITE people--Violette de Ayala and her book: The Self-Guided Guru--Life Lessons for the Everyday Human!

Violette is the founder of the global women's group FemCity, and she believes that if we ask intentional and guided questions of ourselves, we can connect to the personal guide within. It's an intentional way to tap into that "little voice" that's there to help if we pay attention!

Tune in to hear more and head over to our Instagram page to win a FREE COPY of Violette's book! Happy reading!

XO

KS & MFB

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John Lee Dumas is THE GUY for all things entrepreneurial. And now, he's put all of his Brilliance into a book--The Common Path to Uncommon Success, which we're featuring in week 4 of our Brilliantly Resilient Summer of Giveaways!!!

JLD joins us on this week's show to share some Brilliance Bits ("Choose your hard....") from his book and his incredible rise to the top of the podcasting mountain! (And there's a bit about muffins that you won't want to miss!)

Be sure to enter our Instagram Giveaway Contest and get the full Brilliantly Resilient Reading List HERE!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Who hasn't played Pictionary as a kid--or as an adult?! It's a classic, and we've got our Brilliantly Resilient friend, Rob Angel, the creator of Pictionary, here for week 3 of our Summer of Giveaways! Rob's book, Game Changer, tells the story of how he created the world's most popular game, and Rob drops more than a few Brilliance Bits in this interview. You won't want to miss it!

And be SURE to head over to Brilliantly Resilient on Instagram to enter to win a signed copy of Game Changer. It's a BRILLIANT read!!

XO

KS & MFB

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Rob Kenney just wanted to help those whose dad may have been missing in their lives. Now, the Dad, How Do I video star has millions of followers who can't get enough of his genuine kindness, wisdom, how-to's, and some pretty terrible dad jokes! 

Now, Rob has published a book called--you guessed it--Dad, How Do I? that's one part DIY, but more important, one part wisdom and humor. And guess what??? Rob is part of our Brilliantly Resilient Summer of Giveaways! Tune into the podcast to learn more about Rob and his book, and then head over to Instagram (@brilliantlyresilient) to enter to win a personally signed copy of Rob's book and a copy of Brilliantly Resilient! 

We love Rob and know you will, too. Contest runs weekly--don't miss your chance to win!!!

XO

KS & MFB

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It's Summer!!! And not like summer 2020, which kind of, well, sucked. This is Summer 2021, and we're bringing you our Summer of Giveaways featuring the books of our Brilliantly Resilient author friends! First up, one of our favorite folks in the world, and our first B.R. guest ever--Chip Baker! Chip has just released (another!) book, this one titled The Impact of Influence, featuring the stories of extraordinary men, and those who influenced them. Sure to inspire and make you want to "Go Get It!" (we love when Chip says that!), this book is a must on your summer reading list. To get the entire list, visit brilliantlyresilient.net or head over to our Instagram page to register for the Summer Giveaway! Each week we'll feature a new book and a new Giveaway, so let's make 2021 your most Brilliantly Resilient summer yet!

XO

KS & MFB

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This week we celebrate fathers with our Brilliantly Resilient dad guests! We've been so blessed to interview many men who count their roles as fathers as among the most important in their lives. And they are Brilliant!!! Listen in as we share the advice and messages these dads have for their kids and our Brilliantly Resilient tribe! Many thanks to Rob Kenney a.k.a. Dad, How Do I?, Chris Ducker, Eric Edmeades, Grant Baldwin, Lee Warren, Jason Romano and Justin Batt. Great men all, and great dads, too! Happy Father's Day!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Kate Erickson is the "engine" of Entrepreneurs on Fire--the wildly popular podcast hosted by John Lee Dumas. While JLD is the on air presence of EOFire, the show simply wouldn't run without Kate! Yet, it wasn't a straight line from Kate's writing background to running one of the most successful podcasts on the planet. Tune in to hear Kate's one step-forward, two steps back journey and her advice about taking "imperfect action." Just Brilliant! We know you'll love Kate as much as we do! Enjoy!

XO

KS & MFB

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The world is opening up again and we can all go back to normal, right??? Yay!!! Not so fast....Should we really be going "back" to anything? 

We've all learned a lot this past year, and you need to make sure you don't forget it! So we're going to give you a little reminder about what it means to be Brilliantly Resilient, 'cause you have to hang onto that stuff!

Tune in and hear about how to Reset, Rise and Reveal your Brilliance to the world--and no going backwards!!!

Stay Brilliant!

XO

KS & MFB

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What meaning are you giving your triggers? After all, they are yours, right? Eric Edmeades, founder of Wildfit, reminds us that we create our triggers and the meaning we assign to them, giving them power over us.  Quite the world traveler, Eric chatted with us from his current home at Kite Beach in the Dominican Republic.

Eric Edmeades is a leading authority in Behavioral Change Dynamics. He has created and consulted on some of the most effective, transformative, and highly rated educational products and live events in the world. Widely recognized as one of the most powerful, engaging and entertaining speakers in the world today, Eric has shared the stage with Sir Richard Branson, Jack Canfield, John Gray, Robin Sharma, and President Bill Clinton. His dedication and passion for improving the quality of human lives all across the world was the inspiration behind his flagship program, WILDFIT®, globally recognized as the most effective health transformation program on the market.

We had such a blast chatting with Eric, and be sure to tune in for his hilarious (yes, HILARIOUS!) Road Rage story!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Rob Kenney is a humble, fun-loving guy who has sky rocketed to rockstar status - all because he gives some good Dad-ly advice and tells a few goofy Dad jokes. That's how the very down to earth Rob communicates the hoopla he has going on... but we can tell you he is absolutely brilliant and one of the most refreshing people you'll ever watch on social media. Tune in to hear Rob's story of creating the "Dad How Do I?" videos and where it is taking him now! Get Rob's book on Amazon here: Dad, How Do I? Join the Brilliantly Resilient Facebook Community for daily motivation to move forward through life's sucker punches! www.Facebook.com/groups/brilliantlyresilient!

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Okay, Brilliantly Resilient listeners, today there will be no complaining--about anything! Today's guest, Jessica Cox, was born without arms--and she's a pilot!!! As in, she flies planes! Jessica has had to overcome incredible odds to live on her own terms, creating a successful, hopeful and inspirational life to share with others. We are so grateful for her spirit, leadership and attitude. Jessica proves that all things are possible through hard work, committment and love. Tune in to hear our Brilliantly Resilient friend, and visit her at https://www.jessicacox.com/.

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Today we're bringing back one of our favorite episodes--Rob Angel, the creator of Pictionary and author of the new Best-Seller, Game Changer! Rob is one of our favorite all-time guests, and when you tune in, you'll know why. Let's face it--who doesn't love Pictionary? Rob had vision, guts, and admits that at the time he had no idea what he was really doing, but he built a tribe, relied on his skills and in a college dorm room, created Pictionary! And listen in to hear about the multi-million dollar deal Rob turned down because...well, just have a listen! Great stuff. Thank you, Rob, you're the best! Find Game Changer at Amazon!

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Vincent James and Joann Pierdomenico are not only role models for living Brilliantly Resilient, they are showing the world how music is a universal tool of resilience. We all can attest to the brilliance that music unleashes. These founders of Kids Music Day and Keep Music Alive as well as authors of 88+ Ways Music Can Change Your Life went from never heard of and getting no after no after no for their ideas... to hanging out with Jack Canfield (the brilliant founder of the Chicken Soup for the Soul mega hits) Julie Andrews, Richie Sambora, and more incredible A-listers. This episode is packed with inspiration and take-a-ways that YOU can put into practice on your own journey to living Brilliantly Resilient! Learn more about Vincent & Joann at https://www.keepmusicalive.org. Join the Brilliantly Resilient Community on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/groups/BrilliantlyResilient.

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Ahhhhhh!!!! Brilliantly Resilient tribe! You are going to loooove this week's guest! Get ready to LOL, LOL, and a bit more LOL!

Jane Jenkins Herlong is hilarious, fun and brilliant on so many levels:

• Funny Southern Humorist
• Global, Award-Winning & Hall of Fame Speaker
• SiriusXM Comedian
• Recording Artist & Award-Winning Professional Singer
• Award-Winning Best-Selling Author

With a motto of “Prove people wrong and laugh while achieving your dreams," we just knew we'd have a blast and learn so much-- we could not wait to share Jane with you! Listen to this incredible conversation and stay tuned all week long for more from our fun friend! Visit Jane at: https://janeherlong.com/

XO,

KS & MFB

PS - There are only a few days left to register for the 5 Day Discover Your Brilliance Challenge! Get in on the fun at www.brilliantlyresilient.net/discover!

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We've got another brilliant episode of the Brilliantly Resilient LIVE show this week! You are going to loooooove Morissa Schwartz, aka Dr. Rissy, for her personality and business star power - but the "As seen on MTV" as well as the contests "thing" is gonna blow you away! A bestselling author who has helped thousands of businesses grow through her powerful writing, Morissa holds a Master's in communication and a Doctorate in Literature from Drew University. Morissa's PR/Marketing company is Ranked #1 in PR and top ten in Social Media and SEO for New York and New Jersey on Thumbtack. Her team has grown with her over the years. They are all passionate wordsmiths, focused on helping businesses share their key messages with the world. Get to know more about Dr. Rissy at https://www.drrissyswriting.com/

XO,

KS & MFB

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Welcome to another BRILLIANT week in our Brilliantly Resilient Community! Soooooo much is happening this week - but first up, we bring you an absolutely extraordinary new friend that we met via the brilliant PodMatch platform: Christian de la Huerta! With 30 years of experience, Christian de la Huerta is a sought-after spiritual teacher, personal transformation coach and leading voice in the breathwork community. He has traveled the world offering inspiring and transformational retreats combining psychological and spiritual teachings with lasting and life-changing effects. An award-winning, critically acclaimed author, Christian has spoken at numerous universities and conferences and on the TEDx stage. His new book, Awakening the Soul of Power, was described by multiple Grammy Award–winner Gloria Estefan as "a balm for the soul of anyone searching for truth and answers to life's difficult questions." More information about his work may be found at href="https://soulfulpower.com/" www.SoulfulPower.com.Enjoy learning and finding peace with our new friend, Christian de la Huerta! XO, KS & MFB

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From Success to Burnout to Bouncing Back to Living a Brilliantly Resilient life! We are excited to share with you our new friend from the UK, Chris Ducker, Founder of a "few" successful businesses including Youpreneur.com! Chris is well known for his brilliant work with entrepreneurs, and we loved chatting with him about his journey. We know you are especially going to love Chris's story of bouncing back from burnout and spinal surgery and hearing how he used elements of the Brilliantly Resilient process to do his own Reset & Rise. Enjoy our friend Chris and subscribe to the BR #podcast to have the audio version sent right to your inbox! Learn more about Chris at www.ChrisDucker.com. XO, KS & MFB

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Alex Sanfilippo is a question asker, problem solver, and lives to serve people in his field. As a matter of fact, his great success is rooted in simply wanting to serve people and help them solve problems. Listen in to hear about Alex's entrepreneurial journey that has led to, as Kristin calls it, "a podcast dating site" - PodMatch.com! Alex founded this brilliant resource for podcasters and those wanting to share their message on podcasts to connect to each other in a much easier and more productive way. (It's saved us a ton of time and connected us with Brilliant guests!) Check it out at www.podmatch.com and join the Brilliantly Resilient Facebook Community. Get the Top 100 Best Seller List Brilliantly Resilient book on Amazon! XO, KS & MFB

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Ohhhhhhhh you are gonna love our guest this week on the Brilliantly Resilient LIVE Show! We're excited to meet and chat with Elsa Isaac, stylist to Marie Forleo, Lenny Kravitz and more! And that's not even the most interesting part of Elsa's story.   Elsa's life is pretty "shiny" now - but it didn't start out that way. Listen in to hear about the bombed village, her body catching on fire.... and where her family and her life went from there! PARENTS: pay particular attention to Elsa's story and what she learned along the way while watching her parents and getting guidance from them.    EVERYONE in our tribe will enjoy hearing how Elsa's confidence and values drove her to the mega success she is having now. Enjoy! XO, KS & MFB

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This week on Brilliantly Resilient LIVE we are thrilled to introduce you to our new friend and fellow Resilience Rockstar, Lise Deguire.

At the age of four, Dr. Lise Deguire suffered third-degree burns on 65% of her body as the result of both maternal and corporate negligence. Against the odds, she lived through the trauma, beginning decades of treatment as a burn survivor…and this is just part of her compelling story.

Enjoy our conversation with the brilliant Lise, and watch for more on her journey and her book this week - along with fun announcements regarding our 1st Birthday for Brilliantly Resilient!

XO,

KS & MFB

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Think of a condition, diagnosis, etc that most people consider a limitation. Now, what would happen if instead, you considered it your SUPERPOWER? This week on Brilliantly Resilient LIVE, we chat with the brilliant Brian Fanzo! Brian is a super achiever who attributes his knack for success to a superpower called ADHD! Say Whaaatttt? Tune in to hear how Brian's perception of his ADHD has enabled him to tap into and utilize his brilliance over and over again. Spending this time with us and Brian is guaranteed to change your perception of vulnerabilities and jump start your Reset & Rise to live Brilliantly Resilient. Enjoy the episode and connect with Brian at www.brianfanzo.com. XO KS & MFB

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It's a new week and we are excited to bring you the Brilliant McKenna Reitz! McKenna is a motivational speaker, life coach, and AP Psychology teacher. Her journey with Alopecia, an immune disorder causing all of her hair to fall out, will inspire you to take a good look at the things you are attached to and challenge you to change your view. Her Brilliantly Resilient spirit and strategies will have you cheering as loud as we are that she is a member of the B.R. tribe. Enjoy our friend, McKenna and visit her at www.mckennareitz.com! XO, KS & MFB

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This week we bring you the brilliant Morten Bonde! Morten has had an extraordinary journey, and as you will hear in this episode, he has come up with an incredible mantra to Reset & Rise, and has used it over and over again as he navigates being an Artistic Director for one of the biggest companies in the world, LEGO. With research into the human mind, the practice of mindfulness behavior and meditation, and four challenges in four months to reprogram his subconscious mind, Morten shares how he decided to become greater than his greatest life-challenge: BLINDNESS! We know you'll love Morten as much as we do! Enjoy our favorite "Lego Guy"! Get Morten's book, "Sentenced to Blindness: Now What," on amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Sentenced-Blindness.../dp/8797149861

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Hi Brilliantly Resilient tribe! Today's episode of the Brilliantly Resilient LIVE Show is the mega shot in the arm of energy and optimism that we can all use right about now. We triple dog dare you NOT to be ignited to do great things after listening to Fitz Koehler, owner of Fitzness! Her book title, My Noisy Cancer Comeback, will give you a huuuuuuge clue that we had a GREAT time chatting with Fitz! Enjoy getting to know our new buddy - and who's up for meeting us at the start line of the Philly marathon???? Say whaaaaat????? Find Fitz at http://www.fitzness.com/blog XO, KS & MFB

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Many women believe that success means leaving kindness at the door. Fran Hauser, media executive, startup investor, keynote speaker and best-selling author of The Myth of the Nice Girl,proves otherwise. During her varied and highly successful career, Fran stayed true to her value of kindness and created her professional Rise by proving that kindness, coupled with respect and being definitive, is an empowering strength. Tune in to hear more of Fran's Brilliance Bombs and learn about a new project near and dear to her that will touch readers everywhere! Find Fran at www.franhauser.com. 

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Can you imagine living over half your life with a disruptive disease you never knew you had? Join us as we welcome Anita Meeks, who shares her story of a recent epilepsy diagnosis that turned her life upside down. Part frightening, and part relief, the news has caused Anita to practice the Brilliantly Resilient process of Reset, Rise and Reveal your Brilliance daily. Tune in to hear Anita's inspiring story as she authentically shares her struggles and efforts to redefine her life. At the beginning of her Reset, Anita will open your eyes - and likely completely disrupt your perceptions of epilepsy. Get ready to be inspired and enlightened and have a great week! XO, KS & MFB

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LeDerick Horne thought he might never amount to much after he was diagnosed with a learning disability at a young age.  Yet with determination and a Resilience that far outweighed his youth, LeDerick learned to Rise. Now, he is an educator, speaker, advocate, and soul-moving poet and writer. We have been on the edge of our swivel chairs to bring you this BRILLIANT new member of our tribe. We know you will just looooooooove the Brilliance Bits & Brilliance Bombs Lederick drops all over this conversation.    And wait as we wind things up with LeDerick speaking one of his inspiring, uplifting poems--Oh. My. Goodness. When you finish listening, go like Lederick's FB page and website at lederick.com. If you fill your social feed with peeps like this, your life will change. We can pinky swear on that one. Enjoy!   And to all who joined the Discover Your Brilliance Challenge this week - be sure to check you email inbox (and possibly the spam folder!) for the Day 1 message! Be Brilliant! XO, KS & MFB

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It's official--2021 is here! We'll admit that last week we talked about kicking the year off, but we were really finishing off Christmas cookies, putting away decorations, and easing into the New Year. But no more! We're hitting the ground running with our Discover Your Brilliance Challenge, a new website, a Masterclass series of programs and much more! Tune in to hear all of the ways we're here to help you make this Your Most Brilliant Year Yet!

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On today's Brilliantly Resilient Podcast, we kick off 2021 with Your Most Brilliant Year Yet! Tune in to hear us chat about the recent podcast KS heard with Jon Gordon and Mark Batterson and get MFB's take on the whole concept from the 15 Minute Master point of view! Also, check out www.BrilliantlyResilient.net to book your FREE 15 minute call with us to start the year on track to make it your most brilliant! Aaaaaaand: A CONTEST! While YOU help us get our podcast and book into the world by leaving reviews, we are gonna send you COOL PRIZES! Please go to our podcast on Apple and/or our book on Amazon and leave a review. Let us know you did so and we will enter your name in a contest to win cool prizes (Like never before seen in the whole entire world Brilliantly Resilient t-shirts!) We are loving getting to kickoff a new year with you all!

Be Brilliant! XO, KS & MFB

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What. A. Year. 2020 was the worst year EVER. Or was it? As awful as this year has been, and yes, it was terrible, If we dig a little deeper, it's likely all of us could find something good about this year, like a newfound appreciation for folks like grocery store and supply chain workers, who keep our world running. 

Here at Brilliantly Resilient, we're grateful--not for this miserable pandemic--but for the community we've built, the incredible people who joined us on our show and podcast and shared their Brilliance with us, and the lessons we learned, which were many.

Join us as we take a look back at 2020, and get ready to come along as we help Make 2021 Your Most Brilliant Year Yet!

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Circle the wagons - we've got the most fun treat for y'all on the show today! You get to hang out with the mega fun Prairie Wife in Heels (PrairieWifeInHeels.com) aka Cathy Holman! As Prairie Wife's wildly popular website tells ya, she is a city girl gone country, all for the love of a cowboy. What is a Prairie Wife? Love and loyalty to family and friends, determination to follow your dreams, and a little bit of sass and style is all you need to call yourself a Prairie Wife. Married or not, if you are a woman of grit and grace, this is the place for you. Tune in and enjoy our new best buddy! XO, KS & MFB

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On today's Brilliantly Resilient episode, get to know (and LOOOOOVE) our brilliant tribe member H Eric Hartman! Eric is a nonprofit executive, artist, and very proud resident of New Orleans, Louisiana. Oh, and Eric happens to also be legally blind due to a rare eye disease. All of these things and so much more make this one of our most eye opening (no pun intended, but kind of, and Eric is laughing, too!) and totally fun episodes of the show! Enjoy our friend Eric - and try to count how many times you smile during this episode! And visit Eric at his website: www.art-man.com (Do you see what he did, there?!)   XO, KS & MFB

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One of the most Brilliant organizations we know is the YWCA! Their dedication to helping the community in Bucks County, PA Reset and Rise is beyond compare! Join us today as we talk to director, Guillaume Stewart as he shares the YWCA's Brilliantly Resilient strategies that help others not only survive, but thrive! Learn more about the YWCA here: https://www.ywcabucks.org/. 

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It's been quite a year, and giving thanks looks different, especially when Thanksgiving bears little resemblance to years past. But here at Brilliantly Resilient, we're full of gratitude--for the new Brilliantly Resilient book that FINALLY came out and is a hot new release on Amazon, for the B.R. show, the podcast, but most of all, for our Brilliantly Resilient Community. We're so thankful for you and wish you all of the blessings the upcoming holiday season brings. Let's end this year being Brilliantly Resilient together, and just wait until you see what we have for you in 2021! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 

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LIVE from Australia! with Ashley Manuel of Growing With Gratitude! Our Brilliantly Resilient World Tour reaches alllllllll the way across the world to Australia today to chat with Ash Manuel of Growing with Gratitude! An educator, Ash believes gratitude builds Resilience and works with kids to teach gratitude as a skill and strategy to deal with life's sucker punches. Sound familiar? This Aussie fits right in with our Brilliantly Resilient message!    Join our Brilliantly Resilient Community on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/BrilliantlyResilient), and learn more about Ash and his extraordinary mission at https://ashmanuel.com! 

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Ming Shelby is an Educator, Speaker, and Podcaster. Her happiest days are connecting with others, inspiring them to be courageous in their lives. ​Whether she is building courage in the classroom with students or having adults choose courage over what is safe and comfortable, Ming motivates all to Courage Up (the name of her new podcast!) And she's funny, too! Tune in to hear how Ming inspires her students and others to choose courage! https://www.mingshelby.com/

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Joel Vint is the Pastor at Well Spring Church on the campus of Penn State University where he also leads the PSU chapter of The Salt Company. With an emphasis on building community and being "stubbornly relational," The Salt Company shares their core values and ministry through service and reaching out to others. Making ministry practical is the Salt Company's way of sharing their Brilliantly Resilient mission with throughout Penn State and beyond. Tune in to hear more!

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Faced with a mysterious illness during her teens, Nicole Simonin called upon her innate Resilience to overcome a challenge that could have left her unable to walk. Since then, she's made fitness and health her focus, and especially wants to help those over 40 to be fit for life! With a whole body approach that includes a new cookbook, Nicole makes it easy (and delicious!) to be healthy and happy at the same time. Tune in to hear Nicole's her story and for more Brilliantly Resilient lessons, join the Brilliantly Resilient Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BrilliantlyResilient/

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Shiobhan Olivero is a trial lawyer, practicing high level criminal defense and family law and divorce in Florida. She is also a certified divorce coach, setting her firm apart from others in the area by bringing a coaching piece to her law practice to help her firm's clients through the emotional aspects of divorce.

As an experienced trial lawyer, business owner, adjunct professor, mentor, coach, speaker, and mother, Shiobhan is a powerhouse in the industry. She brings her unique perspectives and experiences into her speaking, mentoring, and coaching programs. In addition to delivering persuasive arguments to juries, she has delivered presentations at schools, business conferences, leadership conferences, legal seminars, classrooms, and workshops.

With the powerful tools delivered through her presentations and coaching, Shiobhan wants to help and inspire her audiences and clients to be the best people they can be so that they can lead a happier, healthier, and fulfilled life. She has been featured on national and local television, as well as local news publications in the Tampa area. Join the Brilliantly Resilient Community on Facebook for daily inspiration and tools from folks like Shiobhan to help YOU uncover your resilience and discover your brilliance! https://www.facebook.com/groups/BrilliantlyResilient

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Loriana Hernandez-Aldama is one strong lady, and she wants you to be strong, too! An award-winning journalist, Loriana found herself in the fight of her life after a cancer diagnosis with an aggressive form of the disease. Always a fitness buff and nutritionally sound eater, Loriana's doctors told her they would be able to give her the highest doses of chemotherapy and radiation thanks to her otherwise healthy body. From then on, Loriana has made it her mission to get people to Armour Up and "PRE-habilitate" before illness strikes. Tune in to hear how this warm and funny force of nature shares her Brilliance and never-ending Resilience and learn more at: https://www.armorupforlife.org/. 

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Selena Rezvani knows what it takes to be leader--and sometimes it takes standing up and saying exactly what it is you want. As Selena tells it, women need to step up and ASK for what they want, bring their best self to the table and advocate--for themselves. A women's leadership expert, speaker and author of "Pushback: How Smart Women Ask--and Stand Up For--What they want", Selena knows the power of bringing your authentic self to the table, and owning it! Tune in for this Brilliantly Resilient interview and learn more about Selena at https://www.selenarezvani.com/.

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Mike Provenzano is no stranger to the Reset part of Resilience - he switched careers just four years ago to get into acting. So, when the coronavirus shut down the world and production studios everywhere, Mike looked for an opportunity to still do acting work AND collaborate with colleagues AND have a great time. He created virtual film festivals to bring the arts to our Covid-weary world. Tune in for this fun episode of Brilliantly Resilient LIVE!

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We live in a world that can be super scary, but that's exactly what inspired super seven-year-old podcaster Leela Sivasankar Prickitt to start Newsy Jacuzzi! This half-Indian, half-American ray of sunshine is bubbling with curiosity about the world, and she wants every kid to know what's going on! Leela records with her mom, Lyndee Prickitt, and here's who they are in their own words: "We are a mother-daughter-duo who crawl under the bed each week to record our kids podcast, because the sound is better there (and it makes us laugh). We live in India but have roots across the world. Stuck inside all summer during the nasty old COVID-19 pandemic, all we could do to feel connected to the world was report on it. And so Newsy Jacuzzi was born! Check out our super short intro trailer here. We’re also pretty passionate about getting people – young and old! – more interested in what’s happening all over the world. We work hard to make the complicated more simple, the seemingly dull pop with life and have as much fun as possible!" This episode is not to be missed! We love you, Newsy Jacuzzi!! ENJOY and we can't wiat to hear your thoughts!

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No one envies teachers their jobs these days. A challenging career has been made exponentially more difficult by the onset of COVID 19. Yet school principal Carol Spina helps her school community--from teachers, to students, to administration--uncover their Resilience and discover their Brilliance by forging community partnerships, believing that the school community is a vital part of the larger environment and finding strength in building a tribe. Tune in to hear how this Brilliant community leader has raised over $150,000 for programs for her Atlantic City, NJ school, Our Lady Star of the Sea. Find Carol at https://www.olssac.org. 

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One of the bests quotes we've ever heard here at Brilliantly Resilient was gifted to us by the Brilliant Grant Baldwin, who says, "Remember, everybody starts from zero." How many times have you questioned your gift, your right to offer it, and your progress? Tune in as the extraordinary Grant Baldwin of The Speaker Lab shares tips on COVID-era success and validates everyone's right to tell a story, regardless of circumstances. Empowering, uplifting and practical, all at the same time! Find Grant at https://thespeakerlab.com. 

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How do you not love someone who calls themselves "Forever Fierce?" We absolutely adore Catherine Grace O'Connell and her Brilliantly Resilient message about thriving through mid-life and beyond! Catherine Grace battled debilitating illness, watching as it took over her life, until she decided enough was enough. Then began her journey to reclaim her life and live it to the fullest! (And oh my, is she gorgeous!!!) Tune in to hear Catherine's tips and strategies and visit her at https://catherinegraceo.com/.

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Not many people think of giving as the secret to success. But the Brilliant Bob Burg proves how being a Go-Giver in business and in life leads to greater success, productivity and satisfaction. Bob also talks about how to be a Go-Giver Influencer--the title of his latest book and another strategy for success! Tune in and check out all of Bob's Brilliance at https://burg.com/!

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Carol Lempert knows Resilience. As an actor, she's faced rejection in auditions many times. But it's taught her about "Bounce"--Carol's way of describing Resilience. Tune in to hear about the six predictors of Resilience, and how to make them part of your life! Visit Carol at https://carollempert.com/. 

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Sybil Amuti could live bitter and angry, and the world would understand that. The sucker punches that life has dealt her - sexual assault, addiction, attempted suicide - are enough to crush the strongest of spirits. But Sybil isn't bitter; she found another way. Sybil heard God say to her years ago, "Hey, give ME a try!" She did... and her Reset & Rise in faith and grace has been brilliant! Enjoy this episode of the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast and check out Sybil Amuti at Instagram: www.SybilAmuti.com and www.TheGreatGirlfriends.com

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Local Philly favorite and Emmy-winning journalist, Lu Ann Cahn brings her "daring" self to the Brilliantly Resilient podcast! A cancer survivor and ground breaking Philadelphia news reporter, Lu Ann is author of I Dare Me, a chronicle of the Year of Firsts that changed Lu Ann's life. As Lu Ann pushed herself to try one new thing every day for a year, her mindset, perspective and attitude changed, helping her get "unstuck" to live life as the adventure it is. Authentic, funny and inspirational, Lu Ann dares all of us to take a step, small or large, to uncover our own Brilliance and Resilience. Tune in for more and check out Lu Ann at https://luanncahn.com.

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The 2 kings of podcasting and Rare Disease Rockstars light up the bandwidth on the Brilliantly Resilient Show on this episode! Kyle Bryant & Sean Baumstark have combatted more challenges than most of us have in a lifetime and are still positive, inspiring and downright hilarious! On their Two Disabled Dudes Podcast they are authentic and fun, offering the world their brilliant insight on breaking through challenges. We ❤️ these guys so much and you will too! Tune in to the Two Disabled Dudes Mission at https://twodisableddudes.com/

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This is one of our absolute favorite episodes ever! On today's show, we are so excited and blessed to introduce you to our friend - Diane Berberian. If you don't know her yet, TRUST US, someone you know knows her - she blows the Kevin Bacon 6 degrees of separation thing out of the water!   Diane, known on Instagram as @IronDiane, has accomplished super-human stuff despite sucker punches galore... yet she always, always lands with a smile. As you will see and hear in this special interview she did for us while she is in the midst of yet another fight of her life, Diane is proof that you can and will come through challenges Brilliant, not broken, as long as you listen to her Brilliance Bombs, which come one after the other in this episode!   Blindness, Divorce, Job Loss, Cancer x2, etc., etc., etc. If you think your struggles are insurmountable, listen in, because Diane has navigated them all and lets her light shine as a beacon for the rest of us. We love her, and you will too. Enjoy our buddy Diane!   XO, KS & MFB

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Sam Kelly, a.k.a. the Tweeting Goddess, is a social media superstar, helping businesses and individuals build their brands using Twitter. But as she used her transferable skills during quarantine, Sam showed the world another side of her Brilliance by building a community that served others who couldn't help themselves in isolation. And she's funny--our kind of gal! Tune in to hear this inspiring, laugh-filled story and follow Sam at https://www.tweetinggoddess.com.  

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Christine Eberle is uncovering her Brilliance as a self-described "freelance me." Having served for over two decades as a campus minister, Christine decided it was time to take a risk, uncover her Resilience, and create the life she wanted. One of the results of her "freelance me" dream? The poignant, inspiring and beautiful book, "Finding God in Ordinary Time." Tune in to hear how Christine finds blessings in the most ordinary of moments, turning each into an opportunity to learn, love and discover Brilliance. Visit Christine at https://christine-marie-eberle.com/.  

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Dr. Lee Warren is a brain surgeon, inventor, Iraq War veteran, and author of I've Seen the End of You: A Neurosurgeon's Look at Faith, Doubt, and the Things We Think We Know. His last book, No Place to Hide, was named to the 2015 U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff's Recommended Reading List.

Dr. Warren has appeared on The 700 Club, the CBS Evening News, and his writings have been featured in Guideposts magazine. Dr. Warren practices neurosurgery at Great Plains Health. He plays the guitar and loves to make connections between faith, science, and the realities of life. Yup, Lee is as cool and he sounds. We think you are going to love this chat today! Join us today and be sure to check out Dr. Warren at https://wleewarrenmd.com. 

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Violette de Ayala is a Cuban-American serial and social Entrepreneur, Founder of FemCity and virtual mentor to over 20,000 women. She’s also the International Best Selling Author of The Self-Guided Guru© Life Lessons for the Everyday Human.  Violette has been quoted in SUCCESS Magazine, Forbes, Entrepreneur, CNBC, Fast Company, Thrive Global, Medium, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Small Business, Authority, Business Insider News and MarieClaire as a small business expert. Violette has also been seen in featured campaigns in People, InStyle, Real Simple magazines in addition to the BareMinerals "Women We Love" Series.  She served as part of The White House: Women Environmental Leaders Program and was a commissioned Keynote speaker for Accenture’s International Women's Month Event, the SBA Regional Women's Conference, and Luxury Brand Partners.  And did we mention we LOVE her?! Find out more FemCity at www.femcity.com and look for Violette at https://www.violettedeayala.com/.

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Get ready to smile, laugh, and change your mindset! This episode has powerful, simple strategies to help you Reset your mind quickly and launch your Rise! Linda Larsen is a member of the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame and has been a professional speaker for more than 20 years. She is a frequent guest co-host on the Florida ABC television talk show, The Suncoast View. A Author of the book, *True Power* and the audio program, *12 Secrets to High Self Esteem* (over 175,000 copies sold to date!), Linda is passionate about helping people rise above their most daunting life challenges by tapping in to their own Brilliance, overcoming their self-doubts and achieving their goals and aspirations. In high demand as a conference keynote presenter for corporations and associations looking to inspire and motivate their people to bring the best version of themselves to life and work every day, Linda is currently using this covid-19 experience to learn new ways of fulfilling her mission. And get Linda's "Finest and Best" download at brilliantlyresilient.net/freebie!   SHOW LESS

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John Lee Dumas is "the founder & host of Entrepreneurs On Fire, an award-winning podcast where he interviews inspiring Entrepreneurs to help YOU on your Entrepreneurial journey!"

With over 2100 top tier interviews on EOFire, including Tony Robbins, Seth Godin, Gary Vaynerchuck, Barbara Corcoran and more, JLD shares the inspiration, tools and strategies to help "FIRE UP" your life! 

Yet, even JLD struggled to find his Brilliance. Tune in as he shares some top Brilliance Bombs with us at Brilliantly Resilient! And join our FB Community at www.facebook.com/groups/BrilliantlyResilient/?ref=share  

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You've played Pictionary before, we know you have! Seriously, who hasn't?! Today, we're beyond excited to welcome Rob Angel, the CREATOR OF PICTIONARY to the Brilliantly Resilient Podcast! Rob shares his entrepreneurial and personal Brilliance and Resilience with us as well as his awesome new book, Game Changer, available on Amazon. Some fun questions to tune in for: What company did Rob TURN DOWN a multi-million dollar deal with? And, what's the very first clue Rob came up with for Pictionary? Have a listen to find out!!!

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On today’s no-holds-barred Brilliantly Resilient LIVE Show we are chatting it up with the EXCITING & wildly popular Sue B. Zimmerman! Sue B. is known as @ TheInstagramExpert. She's a leader in the Instagram™ marketing field, having developed the most comprehensive online Instagram™ course, Ready Set Gram.

As a highly sought after business coach, she's traveled the world speaking, inspiring, and sharing her knowledge and extensive experience in social media marketing, including producing popular courses on CreativeLive, at universities, and professional conferences like Social Media Marketing World 2014-2019 and other prominent stages. Follower Sue B on IG and see all that she does at her website suebzimmerman.com.  

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Get ready to smile, laugh, and change your mindset - all in 30 minutes or less! This episode has powerful, simple strategies to help you Reset your mind quickly and launch your Rise!   Linda Larsen is a member of the CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame®, a recognition awarded to only 242 people worldwide including such notables as General Colin Powell, President Ronald Reagan and Brian Tracy. She has been a professional speaker for more than 20 years. Linda is a frequent guest co-host on the Florida ABC television talk show, The Suncoast View, and author of the book, True Power and the audio program, 12 Secrets to High Self Esteem (over 175,000 copies sold to date.)   Linda is passionate about helping people rise above their most daunting life challenges by tapping in to their own Brilliance, overcoming their self-doubts and achieving their goals and aspirations. Visit  Linda at www.lindalarsen.com          

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Tyler J McCall helps entrepreneurs grow their business using Instagram. That's his mission. But Tyler's Brilliance goes far beyond the IG platform. Kristin & Mary Fran chatted with Tyler during the COVID19 shut down of pretty much all business - and Tyler had incredible advice for those looking to Reset, or pivot, in their business as well as plan for the Rise of their biz after the massive sucker punch of a global pandemic. Tune in to hear all the Brilliance Bits! You can find more about Tyler and get the freebies he talks about at tylerjmccall.com Connect with him on Instagram at @TylerJMcCall

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For 17 years, Jason Romano was an Emmy-Award winning Producer and Senior Manager at ESPN. He has created and produced content for shows such as SportsCenter, Monday Night Football, Mike and Mike in the Morning, Sunday NFL Countdown, College Gameday, MLB’s All Star Game and many more. Now, Jason is leading in sports ministry! Jason's newest book, The Uniform of Leadership, is a collection of compelling, inspiring, and often funny stories challenging readers to introspection and then directing them into action so they can cultivate habits of service and excellence in themselves and in those around them. From Tony Dungy to Darryl Strawberry, Will Ferrell to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, readers will discover how to replicate the principles practiced by some of the most influential leaders in sports and entertainment so they can bloom where they're planted and serve one another. Find out more about Jason's brilliant work at www.jasonromano.com.

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We love Kate Garnes! Today's Brilliantly Resilient guest works for Disney, which is enough itself to make Mary Fran shout for joy! But more important, Kate shares how she learned to re-mix the negative "tape" playing in her head when she didn't seem to fit others' expectations. Kate works with teens to help them relearn their truth as they become the "DJ of their own life!" Prepare to be energized, engaged and delighted with Kate Garnes!

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This episode is serious fun with Melinda Emerson, The Small Biz Lady!!!! Yes... FUN through all the Resets Melinda has had to go through to reveal her Brilliance! Melinda tells her stories of epic fails in BRILLIANT ways! And oh my... the Rise part of her journey... you are just going to love love LOVE her. And then y'all are gonna want to open a new window and go get her ebook so you can Reset and plan for your own business Rise RIGHT NOW! In her e-book, HOW TO RECESSION PROOF YOUR SMALL BUSINESS, Melinda Emerson will teach you tools and tips you how to recession proof your business, get the money you need and plan for life beyond the crisis. Get that and so much more at succeedasyourownboss.com!

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Are you feeling like being resilient is hard work some days? So do we... and so does our guest! Tiffany O'Donnell is CEO of Women Lead Change--an empowering organization fostering women's leadership. Listen in and hear Tiffany’s thoughts on empathy being the wingman of Resilience. (And the brilliant reference to Michael Jordan!) We love this!!! We know you’ll be intrigued to learn more so Check out Women Who Lead Change at www.wlcglobal.org

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Serious fun - that's this interview where Kristin & Mary Fran sit down with Victor Pisano! Victor is Founder of Charge Up, a pay-it-forward platform and his personal mission to assist others to find their passion, build their idea and always see the good in people. And  When it comes to paying it forward, be a leader. Most touching--Victor's mission was inspired by his father--a perfect Father's Day gift to all. Funny, serious, thoughtful and hard-charging, Victor is a certified (perhaps certifiable?) softball junkie, devoted to friends and family. He’s also a successful businessman with 27 years of business experience (17 years with two Fortune 500 companies), known for his strong business acumen and respected by peers across the nation. He has a colorful professional history that spans from Texas to LA and back to Texas again, and is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a BA in Communications and a minor in Psychology. He’s also a Certified John Maxwell Team speaker, coach and trainer. Learn more and connect with VIctor at www.chargeuptoday.com        

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You'll love this chat with Justin Batt, author of the book "Daddy Saturday" and TEDx speaker who addresses fatherlessness and INTENTIONAL parenting. The Daddy Saturday platform has turned into a movement to help fathers around the globe be intentional and engaged with their children in order to change the next generation and end fatherlessness.   Justin Batt is one of the fortunate people who found the collision of his calling and passion in life. He is passionate about disrupting fatherhood by encouraging and equipping fathers to be intentional parents who raise good kids that become great adults. Justin is a healthcare innovator and works in the B2B sector with the largest biopharmaceutical and life science companies in the world. Justin is a prolific entrepreneur with several startups across technology, retail and real estate. He is an author, international and TEDx speaker, host of multiple podcasts and OCR athlete.          

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Dr. Fajgenbaum was told 5 times in just a few years'time that his rare disease would take his life. Doctors literally tried everything. But the 5th time the doctor said "There is 1/100th of a chance you could survive." David saw that as a chance... and the rest is history - and recorded in his Best Selling book "Chasing My Cure" Tune in for one of the most brilliant and fun coversations with 5 big takeaways to help you uncover your brillinace during htis pandemic as well as future sucker punches that come your way!

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Jennifer Lynn Robinson had an amazing career, bright future--life looked limitless. Until a devastating accident took it all away. Tune in to hear how Jennifer rose from tragedy to triumph and now shares her Brilliance through her company Purposeful Networking--speaking, training and teaching others how to build their businesses through connecting. We're thrilled that Jennifer connected with us!

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Mega entrepreneur, Henry Penix is a super successful businessman. But each transaction is run through Henry's faith filter. Tune in to hear how Henry shares his Brilliance in weaving faith throughout his work!

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Tiffany Smiley is nothing short of inspirational! When her husband, Scott, lost his sight from shrapnel from a suicide bomber, Tiffany decided that their story would not be defined by Scott's injury. Now she and Scott are both motivational speakers and authors--bringing hope to so many. Tune into this episode as Tiffany shares her Brilliance and Resilience!

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Tricia Brouk is an international award winning director and Executive Producer of Speakers Who Dare. Throughout her decades of experience as a New York producer, director and choreographer, Tricia has mentored countless performers and speakers, teaching them how to deliver their ideas on stages, TV and film. But her journey wasn't a straight line to success. Tune in as Tricia shares her Brilliance and Resilience with Kristin and Mary Fran!