Off The Comma

In this episode, we talk to Patty Cabot.  She is resilient, tenacious and open. Patty lives in the United States.  Patty tells us about sitting on a comma with an eating disorder. After dealing with cycles of weight gain and loss for 20 years, she sought therapy for solutions and came face to face with the root cause, childhood sexual abuse. Through a journey of therapies and self-exploration, Pat...

During this episode, our guest shares about her experience with sexual abuse. If this is a sensitive topic for you, please consider this before listening.  In this episode, we talk to Jalisa Hardy. She is someone who leads with love, compassion and care. Jalisa lives in the United States.  Jalisa tells us about sitting on a comma with a divorce decision. After years of  living in two worlds and se...

In this episode, we talk to Melanie Duriez. She describes herself as a curious nature lover who is empathic and can relate to others’ feelings. Melanie lives in Canada.  Melanie tells us about sitting on a comma with dissatisfaction in her life. During the pandemic and after several major life events, Melanie found herself being drawn away from being an introverted hermit to being curious about ot...

In this episode, we talk to Lucy Hemming. She describes herself as an energy-bringer who is kind and empathetic. Lucy lives in the United Kingdom.  Lucy tells us about sitting on a comma with drinking wine. After living a life where wine was part of negotiating most decisions, Lucy found herself in a 5-year period of sober curiosity and experimentation. She took many steps to improve her health, o...

In this episode, we talk to Christopher. He is a passionate, driven artist. Christopher lives in the United States.  Christopher tells us about sitting on a comma with a bicycle accident that caused him to question the things in his life that he took for granted. After almost losing the use of his legs, Christopher became very present and very focused on the thing he valued most: his ability to mo...

In this episode, we talk to Maricia Johns. She describes herself as likable, warm-hearted, and finds the good in everyone. Maricia lives in the United States.  Maricia tells us about losing her father and sitting on a comma with growing up. When that fateful day happened, Maricia was faced with a decision about who she wanted to be in her family dynamic and how she wanted to be prepared. Through a...

In this episode, we talk to Mark Willis. He describes himself as empathetic, trustworthy and passionate. Mark lives in the United States.  Mark tells us about sitting on a comma when emerging from college with student loan debt, no plan and negative beliefs about money. After a period of choosing to accept his current circumstances, Mark began to see the effects of inaction on his life and family....

In this episode, we talk to Lori Rogers. She is a mom who inspires, teaches and learns to improve life. Lori lives in the United States.  Lori tells us about sitting on a comma with worry and pressure. In 2011, a series of events compounded in her world that created a tremendous amount of stress, worry and pressure. While enduring the fear this created, a random event that she attended became a ca...

In this episode, we talk to Stuart Preston. He describes himself as a person who wants people to see hope. Stuart lives in the United States.  Stuart tells us about sitting on a comma with the loss of his son to suicide. He describes having lived a life of low self esteem that caused him to hold himself back. When the loss of his son traumatically blew his life apart, he was faced with a journey o...

In this episode, we talk to Sean Bridges. He is a writer who is driven and determined. Sean lives in the United States.  Sean tells us about sitting on a comma with leaving a relationship. After years of noticing his own needs being ignored, Sean faced a decision to choose the unknown over his current reality. After weighing the decision, he chose to pursue the solo path and rediscover what he had...

In this episode, we talk to Gitte Madelaire. She describes herself as trustful, happy and an intuitive visionary. Gitte lives in  Denmark.  Gitte tells us about sitting on two commas in her life that both centered around loss and listening to her soul messages to navigate the path forward. When experiencing the loss of her parents’ marriage early in life, followed by the loss of a job later in lif...

In this episode, we talk to Lee Crompton. He is a survivor, writer and connects people with mental health experiences. Lee lives in the United Kingdom.  Lee tells us about getting off a comma with a rare form of thyroid cancer. After being diagnosed suddenly during the pandemic, Lee made a quick decision to pursue a surgery that may have saved his life. While going through treatment he was not exp...

In this episode, we talk to Carrie Graham. She is a quiet and talented listener who likes to uplift others. Carrie lives in the United States.  Carrie tells us about sitting on a comma and taking stock “yet again”. As she tells her story of learning from her commas, Carrie describes coming to a place of peace in her relationship with her commas. Through understanding herself and past experiences w...

In this episode, we talk to Mark Wigginton. He is grateful, evolving and generous. Mark lives in the United States.  Mark tells us about sitting on a series of commas with three phases of his life. After spending years of his life serving the needs of those in recovery, Mark found himself falling into the same choices and behaviors that his clients were trying to escape. Living a double life, he w...

In this episode, we talk to Terry Tucker. He describes himself as a connector who seeks to understand people and experience purpose. Terry lives in the United States.  Terry tells us about sitting on a comma with choosing work as a young adult. When he wanted to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps in law enforcement, Terry’s family moved him to a different path. Later in life, he found the freed...

In this episode, we talk to Angela Tipton. She is curious, courageous and kind. Angela lives in the United States.  Angela tells us about sitting on a comma with overwhelming debt. When she graduated from college, Angela expected to enter a career that would allow her to pay off her student loans. When faced with the reality of her circumstances, she experienced shame and embarrassment that ultima...

In this episode, we talk to Xavier Meza. He describes himself as disciplined, humble and values respect. Xavier lives in the United States.  Xavier tells us about sitting on a comma with respect. When the pandemic forced everyone to school from home, it changed the dynamic for Xavier and his peers. When returning to the in-person classroom, he noticed that something had changed in how he was seen...

In this episode, we talk to Richard Blank. He is empathetic, confident and has “old school grit”. Richard lives in Costa Rica.  Richard tells us about getting off the comma created by familial and societal expectations. Growing up in a world where he was expected to follow a prescribed path, Richard describes feeling like he didn’t fit in and appearing as a failure to those around him. Allowing hi...

In this episode, we talk to Lynn Mull. She is an organizer, seeker and a leader. Lynn lives in the United States.  Lynn tells us about sitting on a comma with a fast-paced career and lifestyle that she no longer identified with. Life interrupted Lynn’s story when she had to become a caregiver for her mother, when a beloved boss/mentor was murdered and when her vision for herself was challenged in...

In this episode, we talk to Lilia Bogoeva. She is an “inner demon crusher” with courage and resilience. Lilia lives in the United States.  Lilia tells us about getting off the comma with self reflection and making her own decisions. When trying to decide how to express her experience and expertise, Lilia chose her own path and wrote a comic book about crushing inner demons. Having experienced a li...

In this episode, we talk to Anna Schmidt & Donald Osborn. They are brother and sister who are resilient writers and storytellers. Anna & Donald live in the United States.  Anna & Donald tell us about how they write about sitting on commas. These siblings describe how a series of tragic deaths in their family brought them together and revealed their shared love of storytelling and writi...

In this episode, we talk to Jack Glennon. He describes himself as authentic, adventurous and pushing boundaries. Jack lives in Australia.  Jack tells us about sitting on a comma with having strokes in his thirties. As a young man who pushes boundaries, Jack climbed mountains and dived oceans. He never planned on strokes and TIAs that would challenge his boundaries and his purpose. As he navigated...

In this episode, we talk to Rhonda Parker Taylor. She is resilient, compassionate and driven. Rhonda lives in the United States.  Rhonda tells us about what it’s like for her to experience commas and then choose the path forward. As a resilient person, Rhonda tells us about how she’s learned from the commas in her life and after each one, she allows herself to explore what path forward she can cho...

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Jaime Raygoza. He is ambitious, audacious and bubbly. Jaime lives in the United States.  Jaime tells us about sitting on a comma in his twenties when fulfilling expectations for those around him stretched him to his limits. After working, studying, volunteering and operating on little sleep each day, Jaime found himself in a life-altering car accident that profoundl...

In this episode, we talk to Amy Ayres. She is someone who is aware, honest and “cuts the crap”. Amy lives in the United States.  Amy shares about her commas collectively and the types of themes that arise from sitting on them. When sitting on commas in her life, she describes big changes and shifts that she often tries to avoid…up to a point. Whether in grief, relationships, geography, career or m...