Off The Comma

In this episode, we talk to Jaymes Buckman. He describes himself as weird, queer, neurodivergent and a sparkly poet. Jaymes lives in Canada.  Jaymes tells us about sitting on a comma with his mind/body connection. Jaymes describes living with autism and being unable to interpret his body’s signals. This led to overusing his strengths and pushing himself past his body’s natural boundaries. While le...

In this episode, our guest shares about his experience with suicide. If this is a sensitive topic for you, please consider this before listening.  In this episode, we talk to Sheridan Taylor. He describes himself as caring, honest and a man who tries to help. Sheridan lives in Canada.  Sheridan tells us about sitting on a comma with a lifetime of experienced and inherited traumas. He describes car...

In this episode, we talk to Doug Noll. He is a lawyer-turned-peacemaker who lives to serve humanity. Doug lives in the United States.  Doug tells us about sitting on a comma with a profound career shift. As a practicing lawyer with a reputation for ferocity, Doug began feeling that he wasn’t being of service to others. During a pivotal moment, he had an epiphany that changed his trajectory and bro...

In this episode, we talk to Pete Alexander. He is humorous, dependable and finds light in the situation at hand. Pete lives in the United States.  Pete tells us about sitting on a comma after leaving his dysfunctional childhood home. As the traumatic experiences of youth eroded his sense of self, Pete found community in a support group with shared history. Being seen and understood based on his “w...

In this episode, we talk to Kate Galli. She is passionate, focused and open-hearted. Kate lives in Australia.  Kate tells us about sitting on a comma with championing a cause. Having chosen a vegan lifestyle out of compassion for animals, Kate found herself struggling between cycles of self-censorship and activism. While her position and choice were steadfast, she struggled with how to express her...

In this episode, we talk to Myles Youngblood. He is influential, inspiring and passionate. Myles lives in the United States.  Myles tells us about sitting on a few commas with entrepreneurship and direction. While graduating from college during the pandemic, Myles found many of the expected doors to opportunity to be closed. With fewer options while feeling stuck, he began experimenting with diffe...

In this episode, we talk to Paula Ahlberg. She is a mother and teacher who tries new things and adventures. Paula lives in the United Kingdom.  Paula tells us about sitting on a comma with chronic pain after a surgery. While facing ongoing physical limitations and struggle, she came face to face with her own beliefs and self-imposed limitations in the past. Paula’s reflections on her relationship...

In this episode, we talk to Michela Giordano Castro. She is empathetic, enthusiastic and curious. Michela lives in the United States.  Michela tells us about sitting on two commas: leaving religion and finding spirituality. Growing up in a deeply established worldview shaped by religion, Michela experienced a sense of connection to God that was shaken by the introduction of a question. This openin...

In this episode, we talk to Brownell Landrum. She is creative, brilliant in light and an explorer of mysteries. Brownell comes to us (currently) from the United States.  Brownell tells us about living on the comma in life. As an explorer, Brownell finds herself repeatedly being prompted to take the next step and travel a new path. When presented with a “kick in the butt to get moving”, she followe...

In this episode, we talk to Bracha Goetz. She describes herself as insightful, joyful and grateful. Bracha comes to us from Israel.  Bracha tells us about sitting on a comma with food addiction. While appearing successful on the outside, her constant hunger and seeking brought great suffering that she tried to soothe through food. Bracha discovered that the hunger was real and represented an inten...

In this episode, we talk to Sean Parker. He is creative independent who doesn’t control perceptions of others. Sean lives in the United Kingdom.  Sean tells us about sitting on a comma after returning home to the UK from 10 years traveling in Istanbul. While seeking a return to the familiarity of home, Sean was confronted with the reality that his home place had changed over the 10 years he was aw...

In this episode, we talk to Aaron Burros. He is describes himself as a “running servant”who shows up, paces for others and pursues his passion. Aaron lives in the United States.  Aaron tells us about sitting on an 8 year long comma that started with finding a way to lose weight and regain his health. What started as an experiment with running and testing his limits, turned into the very thing that...

In this episode, our guest shares about her experience with suicide. If this is a sensitive topic for you, please consider this before listening.  In this episode, we talk to Maria Teresa Pratico-Swanson. She is a friend to all, authentic and someone people trust. Maria Teresa lives in the United States.  Maria Teresa tells us about sitting on a comma with forcing herself into a life that fundamen...

In this episode, we talk to Gessie Belizaire. She describes herself as a child of God, mother, and sister, who is “living on mission”. Gessie lives in the United States.  Gessie recounts the time when she was sitting on a comma with an unplanned pregnancy and the changes that would be unearthed in her life and her identity. She describes feeling stuck, trapped and confused as she navigated the emo...

In this episode, we talk to Risa August. She describes herself as genuine, kind and compassionate. Risa lives in the United States.  Risa tells us about sitting on a comma with a rare pituitary tumor and disorder called acromegaly . After 8 long years of deep knowing that something wasn’t right within her body, but not being able to find the answers, her diagnosis brought her validation, affirmati...

In this episode, we take a break from the interviews for a conversation about the power of listening. Over the last few years, I’ve learned a lot about listening and I’m seeing more and more how it shows up as a central them in my world. In this conversation, I talk about my experience with 3 of the skills that I have (and have seen) be most underused. Through these skills, I’ve been able to pract...

In this episode, we talk to Cameron Law He describes himself as being about love, service and empathy. Cameron lives in the United States.   Cameron tells us about sitting on a comma with a baseball dream. When beginning college with scholarships and the hopes of professional baseball, he was benched by an injury that changed the trajectory of the future he planned. Faced with shame and a sense of...

In this episode, we talk to Eric Tomme. He is objective, realistic and uses humor to bridge the gap between different people. Eric lives in the United States.  Eric tells us about sitting on a comma with procrastination. While pursuing a passion project that pushes boundaries of social norms for a good cause, Eric found himself sidetracked by profound changes in family relationships. As he focused...

In this episode, our guest shares references to suicide. If this is a sensitive topic for you, please consider this before listening.  In this episode, we talk to Angela Harvey. She describes herself as an unapologetic truth teller, her community’s keeper and “growthologist”. Angela lives in the United States.  Angela tells us about laying on a comma with self-isolation and self-discovery. After a...

In this episode, we talk to Flame Schoeder. She describes herself as wise and authentic. Flame lives in the United States.  Flame tells us about sitting on a comma as a young mother starting her own business. After living a life with invisible disabilities, Flame channeled her experience into a profession to help others with their suffering. While working through the challenges of uncertainty and...

#vulnerability #belonging #selfacceptance #trust #betrayal #abandonment #questioning #challengethenarrative #whocanloveme #rolemodel #detaching #rewritethebook #offthecomma In this episode, we talk to Stephen Horn. He describes himself as emotionally intelligent, resilient and compassionate. Stephen lives in the United States.  Stephen tells us about sitting on a comma with self-love and belonging...

In this episode, we talk to Gustavo Von Zeigler. He describes himself as a determined and hard-working teacher and a world traveler. Gustavo lives in Mexico.  Gustavo tells us about sitting on a comma with being self-employed. While building his business and growing his client base, he has built a habit of putting in extreme hours to remain competitive, accessible to students and achieve his goals...

In this episode, we talk to Natalia Levin. She describes herself as empathetic, passionate and insightful. Natalia lives in the United States.   Natalia tells us about sitting on a comma with work environments that lack empathy for the people who fuel the companies. While witnessing mistreatment and abuse in the work setting, she was pulled back to her own past, where she felt powerless in the fac...

In this episode, we talk to Steph Alston. She describes herself as a leader and a mover & shaker who is constantly reinventing herself. Steph lives in the United States.  Steph tells us about sitting on a comma with pushing past her comfort zone. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Steph experienced an abrupt halt in her work, livelihood and identity. Like many others during this time, she came fac...

In this episode, we talk to Katie Kanowsky. She is inspirational, nurturing and “loosely” strategic. Katie lives in the United States.  Katie tells us about sitting on a comma with choosing a path that best took care of her family’s needs. She found herself having to make a choice between her role as a mom and her chosen career path. As Katie sat on the comma, the universe decided to take action o...