Imagine Yourself Podcast

When you pray, you open the door to communicating with God. Whether out loud or silently, with others or by yourself; you can let Him know what’s on your mind and in your heart. But do you listen for Him to speak back to you? Is it even possible, and if so, how does that happen?  We invited a wonderful guest, Kelli Shelton from “Seek Well” Ministries to share her knowledge about how we can experie...

We live in a society that glorifies “the grind.”  We’re proud of our hustle and hard work to make things happen. Setting goals and going after them is a good thing, the trick is to pace yourself; and to take time to "stop and smell the roses" on the way. We know that constantly pushing ourselves and rushing around can lead to burnout both physically and mentally, but  many of us continue...

We can think of “time for what counts” in a couple of ways. Making sure we check the most pressing things off our to-do list, or getting our business taken care of so we can focus on the things in life that matter to us most: like family, friends, faith or causes we support. In this bonus mini episode, we talk about both as we get advice from to two very accomplished professionals who juggle all t...

Imagine yourself in a world of open-armed opportunities for all. It’s what we all say we want. However, there still exist many shallow, external factors that people consciously or unconsciously use to exclude others. Why do humans do this? Why not take the strengths and perspectives of people of various ages, races, genders, and backgrounds and use their viewpoints to enhance our communities, orga...

A snapshot of what you'll hear on Imagine Yourself Podcast. For more info, visit imagineyourselfpodcast.com Join the conversation  on our  FACEBOOK , TWITTER or INSTAGRAM pages Send us Fan Mail For more info on IMAGINE YOURSELF ,  visit imagineyourselfpodcast.com . You'll find blogs, inspirational quotes and of course our podcasts! Join the conversation  on our  FACEBOOK , or INSTAGRAM p...

Finding someplace we’ve never been is a fairly low-stress thing these days using navigation systems. You just put in the address and off you go.  It wasn’t always like that. Back in the day with MapQuest or even paper maps, the routes didn’t automatically just re-calculate and course-correct us if we took a wrong turn.  The road of our lives is also filled with wrong turns, or maybe a better way t...

Ups and Downs are part of life, but sometimes the “downs” seem more like cliffs we can’t climb up. “We encourage women to see that the hit that knocks you down doesn’t have to keep you there,” Marilyn Nutter wrote to us in an email a few months back. Marilyn and her co-author April White have become affectionately known as “The Hope Ladies” and we are excited to share their stories of hope and fai...

The answer to “what to do when you’re hurting” is not a simple one, and it can be very different for people. However, there are guideposts that can help in many cases. In our episode “God Will Get You Through”, writer and speaker Angela Scott told us about the emotional road she traveled and ways she dealt with devastation in her life. In this bonus episode, we reflect on what we learned and open...

There’s a good chance you’re going through something challenging right now.  Maybe you’re even facing a huge mountain of adversity. Whatever you’re dealing with and as impossible as the odds may seem, one way or another, God will get you through. That’s the message of our guest, Angela Scott. She’s turned her misfortunes into a ministry to help other women know that they, too, can turn to the Lord...

Who doesn’t love a good celebration? Celebrating and enjoying traditions and taking time to honor those who have paved the way for us is part of the fabric of America. And Black History is a prominent, distinct, and very valuable piece of that fabric.  We decided to focus in on the significance and beautiful benefits of celebrating the heritage, culture, history, and contributions of Black America...

Prayer has the power to change things and that includes marriages. In this bonus mini-episode, we dig into more of our discussion with Relationship Coach, Rev. Monica Humpal, this time with a focus on faith. So much impact can be made when we pray with and for our spouse, and so much good can come out of looking to the example of Jesus to help us with communication, boundaries and how we treat eac...

Fighting is a given in relationships. While it’s certainly not healthy to constantly be in conflict, it is normal (and potentially beneficial) to argue with your partner.  It’s how you both handle it that can make all the difference. Do your clashes strengthen the bonds of love and respect or rip them apart piece by piece? We called on relationship coach, Rev. Monica Humpal to help us fight fair a...

Are you thinking about a new direction professionally? It doesn’t matter what age or stage or life you’re in, we think this episode may open your eyes to possibilities that you may not have considered. So much has changed lately and there are new and different options that may be on the table for you. We’re spotlighting four interviews with career coaches and experts in the professional space who...

It seems like we are always bombarded with messages about how we should live a healthier life, but it really kicks up every January. That’s all good, but it can be overwhelming... especially because some of the advice or tips contradict other things we hear. So, our goal is simple: cut through the clutter and focus on what you can do now. Over the years, we’ve talked to many wonderful experts in d...

When it comes down to it, a big part of growing in our faith is learning more and more to trust God and His timing. Part of the process is sometimes having to go through things that are (to say the least) challenging and uncomfortable. It helps to hear stories and from others who have walked a difficult path and have turned their tests into testimonies. In this episode, we feature five women we ta...

Mental Health can be a weighty and serious issue, but that doesn’t me we can’t have more casual or even fun conversations about it. In this episode, we hear from some of the mental health professionals we’ve talked to on the podcast. Each one drops nuggets of information and practical advice on topics like experiencing anxiety, feeling depressed, being affected by negative self-talk, taking contro...

These days life coaches are becoming more and more popular. We love talking to them so we can pass along ways to make us better, happier humans. So, let's dig in to help motivate us  in areas we might need to work on, but do it without all the judgement. In this episode we highlight lessons learned from four coaches we talked to in previous episodes. We’ll get eleven keys to self-care ( Kerry...

While everyone is “decking the halls with boughs of holly”, what if this year it doesn’t feel like the season to be jolly? What if grief, depression, loneliness, or something else makes this season especially difficult? We talked to a professional to get some tips especially designed to help with these issues during the holiday season. We hope what Matt Lawson of Chicago Compass Counseling has to...

There’s a wonderful quote that says “gratitude turns what we have into enough.” It’s a simple concept but one that’s worth repeating: if we focus on the things that we DO have instead of what we feel we lack we realize we are truly blessed.  But how can we have NEXT LEVEL gratitude? What does that even mean? We’re releasing this episode just before Thanksgiving, the time when we many of us will go...

It’s no secret that prices have gone through the roof lately. The cost of everything from filling up your gas tank to filling up your shopping cart has spiked. From cat food to cars and hamburgers to houses, we are feeling a big pain in the wallet. Not to mention, sometimes we just consider ourselves lucky to even FIND what we set out to purchase. Words that most folks don’t hear much outside of a...

Ready to reframe your financial picture? Let’s take a good look at your relationship with money. Hopefully, there are many things working well, but there may be mistakes you’re making that you weren’t even aware of. Our guest, financial guru, Kembala Evans wants to help you find ways to make your money work for you instead of against you. Words like budgets, savings, credit scores  and emergency f...

When people in our lives are going through grief or adversity, our hearts break for them. We want to help them, encourage them, let them know we are there for them. As we recorded this episode, Lanee was in the midst of what she called THE toughest season of her life. She gives us advice on what she feels was helpful, not helpful, or even hurtful. Keeping in mind that people are not the same, have...

Would you rather have happiness or joy? Once you listen to this episode, you are sure to have a very clear choice. So many of us are dealing with new situations, uncertainties, insecurities, and difficult times that we can’t control. We might feel like we can’t hold onto happiness or joy. But what if we took a different approach so that we could keep ourselves centered, faithful, and joyful on the...

When a crisis hits or heartbreak happens, it’s certainly no laughing matter. However, at some point in our coping process, humor may have a place. Last week’s guest on the episode “Knocking Down Life’s Obstacles” ,  Lisa Jesswein talked about how learning to laugh at things helped her survive and even thrive during some pretty extreme adversity. In this bonus episode, we’ll hear a little more on t...

Life is full of obstacles and adversity. These unwelcome events and circumstances can vary from being slightly annoying to absolutely devastating. Our guest, Lisa Jesswein has dealt with  A LOT of adversity, most of which would fall into the latter category. It started early for her: from serious medical issues as a child to a near death experience as a teenager, to a health scare that threatened...