A Thousand Tiny Steps

In this week's episode, I take a dive into step six: acknowledgement, taking responsibility, surrendering, and letting go of your ego. It made me think of my flaws, how I over apologize, and how I need to let my flaws flow through me.   Key Takeaways:    [3:53] Step six of AA  [8:19] I always want to try to fix things  [10:45] Grace or responsibility: which comes first? [14:27] Every day is a new...

This week I face my past actions, the friends that have stood by me, and the differences in religion. I look at retributive vs restorative justice and which one can help people that are struggling, as well as how my religion doesn't support confession.    Key Takeaways:    [1:10] Step five feels like confession  [5:11] Retributive vs restorative justice  [13:26] Trying to change yourself to heal y...

This episode caused me to look at my moral inventory, what I carry with me, and what I'm learning to let go. It's made me question my childhood and how that impacts my life today as well as using failure in my life as an excuse not to move forward with things.    Key Takeaways:    [4:02] Nothing annoys me more than people believing lies about me  [6:54] Step four of AA   [12:14] Life begins with t...

Step three of AA had me delving into my need for control, resisting change, codependency, and trying to find gratitude when I find that difficult. In this episode, I dive into the third step and what renouncing yourself, giving yourself over to god, and love can do in your life.     Key Takeaways:    [5:06] Step three of AA [10:21] Accepting all your losses, resisting change, and trying to stay in...

In step two of AA it's all about opening my heart, mind, and body. It's a tough journey to accomplish though and it makes me look at points in my life where I made choices I didn't feel great about, but also choices to forgive others. In this episode, I look how the mind, body, and heart are connected.     Key Takeaways:    [2:07] Step two of AA  [5:00] Opening our hearts, minds, and bodies  [8:47...

To kick off the theme of season 9, I'm talking about Alcoholics Anonymous and my struggle with addiction. I discuss what AA is like, what I learned, how I feel powerless, and how I'm trying to improve my life.     Key Takeaways:    [4:56] Still struggling to get where I want to go  [7:52] My time in AA and the most significant thing I learned [11:36] My moment of feeling powerless  [12:23] Step on...

Rewatching The Notebook brought back so many connections to my own life. It made me think about losing Molly, the mistakes I've made, how it's different raising Jack, the choices I'm making for him, and really just being at a turning point in my life deciding what to do next.    Key Takeaways:    [6:39] What the movie The Notebook is about  [11:20] The end of a friendship and connections to Molly...

Menopause is seen differently in America versus other cultures. Society here sees it in a negative light, but there is so much more to the story. My own experience with taking estrogen has made my life better and I've noticed a huge difference.    Key Takeaways:    [1:02] Menopause is seen as a negative medicalized reality  [1:56] What menopause is and how society sees it  [8:12] In other cultures...

After a post was made for pride month, I had a reaction - and I ended up deleting my comments. It was a learning experience that taught me patience and where to best put my words. In this episode, I dive into the meaning words have especially in the age of social media.   Key Takeaways:    [3:00] The post surrounding pride month that bothered me  [9:14] Commenting on the posts and then deleting th...

As I had the most frustrating weeks I've had in a while, it made me think about my anger. My coping mechanisms, good and bad, as well as the repressed anger and how I'm learning to do better. For both myself and to teach Jack better coping skills.    Key Takeaways:    [1:23] I pray a lot about my anger [2:27] My life is in upheaval and feeling like everything is a mess [4:39] I was taught to be qu...

As I've had a frustrating day, this reel on six techniques to combat the freeze response were just what I needed. It has motivated me and made me think about what my ikigai is most of all. In this episode, I explore the different times of my life and my ikigai then.    Key Takeaways:    [2:34] Six Japanese techniques to combat laziness or freeze response  [4:23] Ikigai or your reason for living is...

There is a lack of third spaces or places to spend time with one another that don't cost money and cultivate social connection these days. It's changed so much from when I was young and has impacted my social relationships. In this episode, I explore how I don't spend enough time cultivating third space activities for myself.    Key Takeaways:    [2:58] Third spaces are diminishing for Americans ...

Today, I'm taken back to a memory of my childhood and how I can't undo the terrible things that have happened in my life. Accepting my brokenness as a part of my reality is what's needed to find the wholeness from me. In this episode, I contemplate what I first needed to break like my kitchen and my yard in order to fix them.    Key Takeaways:    [0:48] I raised my siblings and it was a chaotic ti...

Austin sold her home and decided to travel the world with her husband and young kids. It has been a journey full of judgment, but also many life changing moments. In this episode, she describes her life on the road, how she keeps sane, and what her kids think of it.    Key Takeaways:    [1:48] How Austin became an au pair, sold her house and traveled the world [7:19] What Boundless Life is all abo...

As I look back on my childhood, I'm reminded of how my neighborhood has changed and the people around me are dying. I also am deeply thinking about the season of Molly, the choices I've made, and how I can honor her.    Key Takeaways:    [0:58] April is a significant month to me  [4:00] Missing the last week of Molly's life [5:24] The good side of missing it [8:33] Dealing with narcissistic tenden...

As Easter is passing it brings back all the memories of Molly. I sat down to watch some movies which just had me in tears and made me think back on all the choices I've made in my own life. I really recommend you watch them and see how you relate to them.    Key Takeaways:    [3:37] A movie about a boy with an abusive childhood and a dying dad [7:26] What inspires me about the movie and forgiving...

Jane and Skylar come on this week to talk about their journeys with epilepsy. From being discriminated at work to trying to find supportive relationships it's been a rollercoaster for them both. In this episode, we go on their journeys of being diagnosed, how that impacts their lives, and what they want people to know.    Key Takeaways:    [1:38] How Jane found out she had epilepsy, getting diagno...

As I look back on women's history month I research how ads on women's health are often banned, women in history going on strike, and how I think feminism is used incorrectly. In this episode, I dive deep into the meaning of feminism and how I think we need to stop comparing men and women.    Key Takeaways:    [2:17] The biggest mistake feminism has made  [5:42] Women in Iceland going on strike for...

I had a UTI and I had no idea. It presented none of the usual symptoms that happen to younger people so when I went into the ER and found out I had one I was dumbfounded. This was a learning experience for me and I hope more older women can hear this and get the help they need as well.    Key Takeaways:    [1:11] I didn't know I had a UTI, I had atypical symptoms at least to me  [7:21] Going to th...

I binged watched Six Feet Under, a show based on a real life family who owned a funeral home and how they went through grief. It was such a moving show that covered divorced, being gay, marriage, birth, and death that I felt a full spectrum of emotions. This comes at a time when I am creating some big events for the MollyB Foundation.    Key Takeaways:    [1:51] No one will ever miss Molly as much...

This episode is all about cherophobia and how whenever things start to feel good, I feel like I want to flee. It is about an aversion to joy often because of trauma and how when things start to go well, I often can bring stressful people into my life.    Key Takeaways:    [2:05] Cherophobia is a fear of joy and here are the causes of it  [4:20] I didn't want to let my guard down because then bad t...

I recently discovered my old running logs and it was a treasure trove of information on how my life used to be between exercise, old boyfriends, and what my life was like before Molly died. So much of life has changed, and yet, it's like nothing has changed at all. In this episode, I explore my journals and the power of music.    Key Takeaways:    [1:41] Having a deep attachment to things especial...

In this episode, I explore how and why different religions fast and what it says about society. It was fascinating to learn and all of the religions hold common themes. I also debate if fasting is healthy or not. It leaves me with one question: what does fasting mean to you?    Key Takeaways:    [0:57] Fasting as a Baha'i  [3:37] Jewish people fast for purification  [5:13] In Buddhism people fast...

My morning routine will never be full of meditation and yoga. Instead it is currently filled with decluttering my household one bin at a time. This is in an effort to be more of a minimalist and carefully consider why I own the things I do. In this episode, I explore the grief attached to certain items and how I'm working on it.    Key Takeaways:    [0:50] My morning routine does not consist of me...

I listened to the story of Debbie, a woman who was sexually abused in childhood and I truly resonate with. From the way we were both told to be quiet about our abuse, our journeys of healing, and our coping mechanisms. In this episode, I look at common things things that go through the minds of children who suffer from sexual abuse.    Key Takeaways:    [3:19] Debbie works with a non-profit to hel...