Mother's Quest Podcast

Ever wanted to create a manifesto, a personal declaration of how you want to live your life? In this new solocast on the podcast, I share my story of creating manifestos, more about what they are, the many different ways that we can express them, and an invitation for you to create your own!In this Episode: The full circle moment with my two children this summer that reminded me of the power of having a manifesto.  The meaning and origin of the word manifesto.How I came to create my first manifesto through a course with Jonathan Fields of the Good Life Project Podcast.  Five different suggestions for expressing a manifesto. A reading of my Becoming 50 Manifesto that I created through Book Spine Poetry. This Episode’s Challenge:  Create your own manifesto. Share it with us in the Mother’s Quest Facebook Community, email it to julie@mothersquest.com or tell someone special in your life. Declare it to others to make it real. If you’d like some support to move you through a reflective process to help you clarify your manifesto, we’ve created a self-guided Manifesto Challenge Course in Mother’s Quest MemberVault.Resources/Episodes Mentioned: Ep 00: Planting Seeds for Mother’s Quest – An Introduction Ep 63: A Maker’s Journey to a Good Life with Jonathan Fields Ep 61: Reclaiming Ourselves in Motherhood: Revisited with Graeme Seabrook Ep 89: Seeking Wonder and Mondo Beyondo Manifestos with Andrea Scher Manifesto Challenge Course - A 7-day self-guided experience that will move you through a series of reflective prompts to support you in creating or refining a “manifesto” of your own My Becoming 50 Manifesto:Child of the Moon Wonder Seeker Conduit of Big Magic  I Am My Mother’s Daughter And also descended from Women Who Run With Wolves Daring Greatly I choose to Live Love Now To grow An Awakened Family Raising Happiness In myself, my Partner and my Children From Scratch Bird by Bird Tapping the potential of my Divergent Mind I will build Conscious Community Rooted in Just Mercy Sparked By the Essence of Who I Am And Who We Are We Should All Be Millionaires Materially and Metaphorically Living in Stress Free ProsperityTapping the Power of Emergent Strategy Alongside my  Wolfpack Learning and living in a Spiral I will remember we are always Becoming  And that You Were Born For This   You can purchase the books named in the Becoming 50 Manifesto here.

This month, in the Mother’s Quest Community, we’ve been celebrating the power of books. It made me think about this past episode with my mother Fran and her dear friend Sandy Klasky about their then 50 year old book club. This year, the book club will be turning 55 and is still going strong, even through the pandemic.  Listen to this conversation, and you’ll be inspired by the importance of friendship, the potential of books to bring people together, and the lessons we can learn from two grandmothers who have been through challenging times in our country and have lessons to share with us about what got them through. Other Invitations To Celebrate the Power of Books: ✨Listen to this episode with author Andrea Scher where I talk about the Becoming 50 Manifesto I wrote using book spine poetry. I was inspired by an idea in Andrea’s book Wonder Seeker. ✨Check out my Becoming 50 Manifesto Book List and Purchase a book of your own from the list for your summer reading.  ✨Get a copy of the Mother’s Quest Inspiration Guide or gift a copy to a special mother in your life ✨Sign up for the Tiny Book Course from my friends at Get it Done Productions and write a book of your own! Code JulieNeale will get you 10% off the course. Full Episode Show Notes Check out the full shownotes from the original episode here: EP34: Season Two Finale: The Power of Friendship and a 50 Year-Old Book Club with Fran Lieberman and Sandy Klasky   Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life. Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C). Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

This Throwback Thursday episode comes to you while I’m away on vacation at my happy place, UCLA’s Bruin Woods in Lake Arrowhead.While here for the week, I’ve made it an annual tradition to take off all my social media apps from my phone, truly unplug, and be present. The inspiration for this came from this week’s guest, Rachel Macy Stafford, whose personal commitment to putting down her phone and becoming a Hands-Free Mama led to a Hands-Free Movement, several powerful books, and most recently to a new audio journey called Soul Shift Sessions through a partnership with Sounds True. You can follow the link to explore this for yourself in the show notes. This episode was originally recorded during a challenging time in our pandemic, March of 2020, while we were sheltering in place and just after the killing of George Floyd. There is no question that we face continued challenges. I hope this episode sparks renewed hope in the power of presence, fulfilling our unique purpose, and authentic connection. You can purchase Rachel’s new Soul Shift Sessions audio journey here.    This Week’s Challenge:   For this week’s challenge, Rachel encourages us to think about any hurtful comments, or criticism, consciously and unconsciously, that we’ve been carrying around that’s holding us back from truly fulfilling our purpose. Reflect on it and slowly turn that pain into purpose. This Episode is Dedicated by Samantha Arsenault   Samantha Arsenault Livingstone is an Olympic gold medalist, high-performance consultant, mental health educator, speaker, and entrepreneur – and she’s a mother of four and recovering perfectionist. Samantha holds a master’s degree in education and spent six years teaching high school science and coaching swimming. After a near-death experience with her then 12- month old daughter, Samantha knew it was time to pay forward all she’s learned about achievement, emotional resilience, rising from failure, and finding happiness.   In 2016, Samantha founded Livingstone High Performance in response to the mental health crisis impacting adolescents across the globe, specifically those in the athletic arena. LHP provides pillars of support to organizations, teams, and individuals to elevate mental health and improve performance, and build a more empowered village. In addition to private and group coaching, Samantha offers online courses and consults with teams and organizations on athlete wellness initiatives, leadership, strategic planning, rising skills, and developing high-performance cultures. She is a certified instructor of Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement and Mental Health First Aid.   Samantha is an engaging public speaker who has more than 19 years of experience, which includes her TEDx Talk: The Weight of Gold: An Olympian’s Path to Recovery. She’s been featured as a keynote speaker, expert panelist, workshop facilitator, and seminar leader. She’s worked with high-school, collegiate, and professional athletes in a group and 1:1 setting; school districts; athletic departments; coaching organizations; women in business groups; wellness entrepreneurs; and national governing bodies, most notably, USA Swimming.   Samantha and her husband, Rob, live in the Berkshires with their four girls. To learn more about her offerings, go over to www.samanthalivingstone.com.   To learn more about her offerings, go over to www.samanthalivingstone.com. You can join Samantha’s FREE 5-Day I AM CHALLENGE at www.samanthalivingstone.com/i-am-challenge     • Facebook @slivingstonewellness • Instagram @slivingstn • Linkedin @sarsenaultlivingstone In This Episode We Talk About:   • The way Rachel’s mother gave her the gift of “presence” even when she couldn’t be physically present.   • Rachel’s quest for purpose and the legacy she wants to leave • How reflecting on the question “How do I do it all?” on a run one day became the “spark moment” that pushed Rachel to choose herself • What Rachel means by her connection to her “dreamer girl” • Why facing the truth is really just the beginning • What it means when Rachel says to her children “I want to love you by your book.”  • Hands-Free Mama as a way of being • The pressure and insecurity of online life and how screentime distraction becomes the biggest obstacle to living purpose-filled • The 3 roles that will allow us to walk beside our kids • Finding your place of refuge and helping your kids find theirs • How we can “find our people” by doing the things our heart calls us to do • The tear-filled pledge I made to Rachel, reading from a promise in her book on p.57    Full Episode Show Notes   Check out the full shownotes from the original episode here: Ep 74: Living and Loving with Authenticity with Hands Free Mama Rachel Macy Stafford   Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life. Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C). Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

In the wake of the reversal of Roe v Wade, 49 years since women finally received the constitutional right to abortion, women across the country are rising up to have our voices heard. I knew this moment called for bringing back this powerful 2017 conversation with mother, filmmaker, author, and activist Paola Mendoza.   This interview occurred just over five years ago, months after the first Women’s March, which Paola helped create as their Artistic Director, and days before the Day Without a Woman Strike. As this episode reaches you, women are preparing to gather in Washington D.C. again in another mass protest. Whether or not we go to a protest, I hope this conversation reinspires us to get active again, participate and lead the political charge. Because as Paola tells us “we need to remember we have the power to create the world that we want but we all have to be engaged.”    You can listen to Paola’s abortion story here which she tells in a video series from The Meteor, a collective of writers, filmmakers, organizers, and artists who are committed to moving the world forward against injustice.   Just before the 2020 election, I had the honor of interviewing Paola again with the co-author Abby Sher, of her thought-provoking novel Sanctuary. You can listen to that powerful episode next here. Topics Discussed in this Episode: • The profound impact her mother had on Paola’s life, and what it was like to tell her mother’s courageous story as an immigrant to the U.S., in her film Entre Nos • Paola’s way of connecting with her son through “Adventure Fridays” • The role of art and activism in growing compassion in other people • The importance of emphasizing both what you stand for and also what you stand against • With privilege comes responsibility, and how Paola hopes to teach her son to sacrifice his privilege to help other people • Ultimately, it’s not about falling or failing, it’s about how you rise up and how Paola’s metaphor of “running a relay” sustains her activism • Paola’s challenge to us to “participate”…to get involved in a local issue and attend a town hall meeting during the next congressional recess.   Resources Mentioned: • Entre Nos,  Paola stars in this film (which she also wrote and directed) based on her family’s experiences of coming to the United States from Colombia • The Ones Who Don’t Stay, Paola’s novel which came from the film Entre Nos • This article where Paola talks about the Women’s March being about what we are for • Ep 06: Healthy and Happy with Dr. Elisa Song where we talk about “special time” with our children • The Women’s March • Unity Principles of the Women’s March • A Day Without a Woman • A Quote by Audre Lorde: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” More About Audre Lorde & Audre Lorde’s Work • Indivisible, a website by former Congressional staffers who reveal best practices for making Congress listen • Focus on our Goodness: A Framework for my Activism Inspired by my Four-year Old • My recent solocast where I talk about wanting to step more into activism and why I reached out to Paola here   Full Episode Show Notes Check out the full shownotes from the original episode here: Ep 16: Rising Up with Paola Mendoza Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life. Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C). Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

For this Throwback Thursday, just after Father’s Day, I knew I wanted to bring you this episode with my friend, an incredible father and podcaster at the While Black Podcast, Darius Hicks.    This past week in the United States, in addition to Father’s Day, we also acknowledged Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”) an annual commemoration of the effective end of slavery in the United States after the Civil War. It came when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to ensure all those enslaved were freed, a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. It’s considered the longest-running African American holiday and last year in 2021 became a federal holiday.    For those of us who are not Black, Juneteenth is an opportunity to learn more about the history of slavery, to reflect on how much more is needed for Black people to be truly free in this country, and to recommit to antiracism.    Just over a month since a white gunman killed 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo, one of the deadliest racist massacres in recent U.S. history, this conversation with Darius is a necessary call to action to learn more and identify how we can be part of the change that is needed.    Darius gifted us with exceptional insight, perspective, and vulnerability in this conversation. I’m honored to share it with you again.   So join us in this episode as we celebrate amazing fathers all over the world!   About Darius:   Darius has always displayed an entrepreneurial and activist spirit. Since his youth, he has dedicated his time to those around him in hopes of bettering them while he better himself. It began by volunteering as a camp counselor from middle school through high school, and grew via mentorship and tutoring in college all the way to his membership role in the 100 Black Men and as an advocate for African Americans through his work on the While Black Podcast. Vince wholeheartedly believes James Baldwin's quote “To be Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be a rage almost all the time”. However, he chooses to channel that rage into a place that allows him to change the narrative on black folks while he helps to empower those same black folks.   Earning his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Southern University A&M in Baton Rouge LA (1999) and his MBA from Queens University in Charlotte NC (2005), Vince has gained valuable experience in multiple industries.   He has excelled in multiple industries and enjoyed a career spanning 20+ years with opportunities in Engineering, Consumer packaged goods, Corporate retail giants, and now the Social/tech industry.   In addition, he is a successful entrepreneur and founder of Aveo Big and Tall Golf Apparel which rose to become the #1 big and tall golf apparel offering in Golfsmith stores and was distributed nationally and internationally via various outlets including but not limited to Dicks Sporting Good, GolfSmith, and Golf Galaxy. He has since sold the rights to the Aveo name and divested from the company.   However, he has altered his focus by aligning his passions with his promise and ensuring his time is invested accordingly as he focuses on improving the black world and the global community through and with black people. His latest endeavor is laser-focused on impacting and improving the people around him. Specifically, he is the creator and co-host of the While Black Podcast a podcast focused on empowering, educating, and inspiring African Americans to go and grow. While Black tells stories by, from, and for African Americans and pairs those stories with expert and credible guests who can communicate wisdom and success strategies helping us to achieve, accomplish, and overcome.   Connect with Darius: • Facebook: @whileblackpodcast • Instagram: @while_black • Twitter: @Whileblackpc   Topics Discussed in this Episode: • The universal language and common connection among mothers of all races and how Darius and I both believe mothers will be critical to making change  • Darius’ quest to be authentically who he is as a 6’4, 300-pound dark-skinned Black man. How he has struggled to stand tall and shine while also consciously shrinking because people’s first reaction to him is fear   • The question about fatherhood Darius asks himself all the time…” How do I raise fearless children when I am a fearful parent?”  • A heartbreaking but powerful “epic snapshot moment” with his son made Darius realize his words were getting through to him and that his son would be part of making change • How those committed to anti-racism and new to this can begin and the reason why Darius seeks “partnership” over saviorism or “help” • The three-fold challenge Darius gave us, including the specific movies that Darius thinks we should all watch to shift our understanding and perspective • How we all need each other to get free    Resources Mentioned: • While Black Podcast • Ahmaud Arbery Is All of Us – Can I Live?  • American Son|Netflix • When They See Us|Netflix • 13TH|Netflix • Ep 07: Living Out Loud with Jenjii Hysten • Revisited: Beyond the Trauma: Legacy, Compassion and Change with Mothers Against Police Brutality Co-Founder Sara Mokuria • Ep 55: From Grief to Advocacy and a Circle of Mothers with Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton • Desiree Adaway and Diversity is an Asset  • Podcast Movement • Justice for Josiah   This Episode’s Challenge:   Darius gave us a threefold challenge:   • There is bias inside all of us. We all have it. Try our very best to recognize when our unconscious bias fires. Try to pay attention every time we see or meet a Black person…if our initial intent is to walk in the other direction, stop for a moment and ask yourself why?  • Meet someone new and be the first one to say hello and to really see the humanity in them. • Be more intentional in our actions and in whatever media we digest so that we are aware of what’s really happening and what others are really going through. Specifically, watch the movies American Son, 13th, and When They See Us This Episode is dedicated by:   Herve Clermont is an actor, voice-over artist, and Host, and was a National brand ambassador for Remy Martin for over 8 years. He discovered his passion for acting at Georgetown University, where he was in school as a pre-med major, and needed to fulfill electives.  He is the son of a proud Haitian Doctor and nurse, he always joked he “could play one.” He began his professional acting career in 2000 with a contract Role on One Life To Live, and has co-starred and guest-starred on various prime-time shows: Law & Order, CSI Miami, Cane, 24, Criminal Minds, Scandal, Guys with Kids, New Girl, The Mick, NCIS, NCIS LA, Dice, Veronica Mars, Mr. Iglesias, and many others.    Herve has been recurring on John Singleton’s Snowfall for the last 3 seasons, before landing a series cast member on Tyler Perry’s Ruthless. His voice-over career includes announcing at celebrity fund-raisers, branding and promotional videos, industrials, and promotional TV and radio commercials, including ones for Beyonce, an international Jazz festival, and currently is the voice behind Cintas and on camera.    Herve’s hosting experience includes live events with BMW, VH-l, Harmon/ Kardon, and Remy Martin. He has also worked on a pilot in front of the camera as a Studio host in the entertainment industry, interviewing celebrities and keeping the audience up-to-date with the latest entertainment news.   Visit The J.E. Clermont Foundation Hope for the Children of Haiti for more about the Foundation that furthers Herve’s father’s legacy   Instagram @Plantinghopela – to learn about Herve’s wife’s venture that creates beautiful plants with contributions supporting the Foundation in Haiti and charitable efforts in LA.   Full Episode Show Notes Check out the full shownotes from the original episode here: Ep 75: A Call for Kinetic Partnership with While Black’s Darius Hicks Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life. Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C). Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

Welcome to this year's special Father's Day episode with Jonathan Mooney, an amazing father who is also a dyslexic writer, speaker, activist, and self-described “do-gooder.” Jonathan didn’t learn to read until he was 12-years-old, was told he would be a high school dropout, and end up in jail.   But, instead, he forged a path to Brown University where he co-founded an organization and co-wrote a book to help neurodivergent students like himself succeed in college, all on the way to graduating with an honors degree in English. He’s since become a champion for neurological and physical diversity for more than two decades, and his award-winning advocacy projects have been featured in major media outlets including the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, HBO, NPR, Fast company, and many others.In this episode, Jonathan goes deep and wide about the pervasive impact of institutionalized and cultural ableism and his quest to help himself and others with differences understand they are not deficient. We hear the powerful story of Jonathan’s own mother and how she inspired him to reframe his language and his thinking about his differences. And Jonathan walks us through how systemic change can not only make our world more inclusive for people with differences, but through universal design, make things better for everyone. You’ll want to listen to this episode with a pen and paper, prepare to rewind and listen again, and then get ready for a part two with Jonathan and my neurodivergent son Ryan. He’s off to college in the fall and eager to learn from Jonathan, not only about how he can thrive but also about how he can use his voice for advocacy and help make his university more inclusive for all. I hope you enjoy this first of two with Jonathan Mooney and have a wonderful Father’s Day!   More About Jonathan:   Jonathan Mooney is a dyslexic writer and activist who did not learn to read until he was 12 years old. He is a graduate of Brown University and holds an honors degree in English Literature. At Brown, he became the co-founder of Project Eye-To-Eye, a widely duplicated mentoring program for disabled students. He is also a winner of the prestigious Truman Scholarship for graduate studies in creative writing and education and was a national finalist for the Rhodes scholarship.Jonathan Mooney’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, HBO, NPR, ABC News, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe. A nationally recognized advocate for neurological and physical diversity, he’s been speaking across the nation about neurological and physical diversity for two decades, inspiring those who live with differences and calling for change. He has published three books: The Short Bus, Learning Outside the Lines, and Normal Sucks.   Connect with Jonathan:   • Website | jonathanmooney.com • LinkedIn | Jonathan Mooney • Twitter | @_JonathanMooney Topics Discussed in this Episode: • Gratitude for past podcast guest Julie Lythcott-Haims who introduced me and my neurodivergent son Ryan to Jonathan’s latest book and inspired this episode.  • Jonathan's mission to help youth who are different not to feel deficient. • How a response from Jonathan’s mother the day he was diagnosed inspired his book's title Normal Sucks. • Jonathan's square peg in a round hole experience as a child, struggling with dyslexia and ADD, and how he changed his paradigm. • The question Jonathan asks himself every day that helps him challenge the myth of human sameness as he parents his three boys. • The heroic work of trying to extricate ourselves from our society's embedded institutionalized and cultural ableism. • The problem with accommodation for some models and the power of accommodations for all approaches through universal design. • Moving the onus of change from the individual to the system around us • A story about Dave Cole, a fellow transfer student at Brown University, who taught Jonathan the power of being authentic.  • Jonathan's commitment to building community pride for people who are neurodivergent and the organization Eye to Eye he co-created with Dave Cole in college with this mission. • The letter Jonathan writes to his boys in his book that had me in tears as we closed the episode • Stay tuned for a special Part Two conversation with Jonathan and Ryan, who is headed to university in the fall, about how to support neurodivergent students in college.    Resources Mentioned:   • Jonathan’s Books and Normal Sucks: How to Live, Learn, and Thrive Outside the Lines • Embracing Neurodiversity and Being an Adult with Julie Lythcott-Haims and Ryan Neale • Ep 26: Surrender and Embracing Difference with Debbie Reber of TILT Parenting for “Differently-Wired” Kids • Eye to Eye: A Mentoring, Advocacy, and Movement Building Organization by Jonathan Mooney This Episode’s Challenge: ​​The judges of normality are present everywhere Jonathan says. Jonathan's journey of thriving came because somebody, Dave Cole, wouldn't fake being normal. Jonathan's challenge to us is to stop faking normal. Celebrate every day and in every person the power of different. This Episode is dedicated by: Briary Harvey    As a storyteller and systems witch for more than a decade, Briar has helped so many people figure out what their next step is, and how to take life as it comes. With her first book underway, she still continues to write about business, productivity, feminism, trauma, and mental health in her own little corner of the internet.   Connect with Briar:   • Website | briarharvey.com • Facebook | Briar Harvey • Instagram | @thebriarharvey • LinkedIn | Briar Harvey Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life. Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C). Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

This week for Throwback Thursday, as so many of us went to the ballots to place our votes, I knew I wanted to reshare this episode with then Assemblymember and now California Attorney General Rob Bonta. I also loved the dedication for this episode from Celia Ward Wallace who now is the co-founder of South LA Cafe. Both Rob and Celia have families that are rooted in activism and community organizing and they both are finding new ways to use their gifts, talents and vision to make an impact.

This Throwback Thursday, in the wake of the recent horrific gun violence in Buffalo, Uvalde, and countless other cities across the country, I knew I needed to bring forward this special episode of the Mother’s Quest Podcast with mother, activist, and co-founder of the Trayvon Martin Foundation, Sybrina Fulton.   The tragic news has felt all the more real because I recently returned from Sybrina Fulton's Circle of Mothers Healing Retreat in Florida. I volunteered as an Ambassador for the second time since the original recording of this episode, alongside my sister Caren Lettiere, bringing Democracy Clothing jeans for each of the 70 mothers who came to find solidarity and empowerment among others who also lost a child to gun violence.   Together, we witnessed their tears and heard their stories. There are no words to describe the heartache that stays with them. But what brought Caren and I hope is that we also witnessed their resilience and their power. So many like Sybrina, have found ways to turn pain into purpose. They shouldn't need to do this. Or be expected to do this. But they do anyway.   In honor of Circle of Mothers, Caren and the Democracy team have been inviting customers to add on donations to any purchase to the Trayvon Martin Foundation at their website to support the event. I also had the opportunity to write a blog post featuring Sybrina's story of impact on the Democracy blog, linked here.    I’m deeply committed to continuing to raise awareness and funds through a GoFundMe I set up years ago here. As we're all feeling helpless in the wake of continued violence, I encourage you to join me in listening to Sybrina’s story, reading the post linked above, and investing in the mothers impacted most by grief. They are also closest to forging a solution.   Topics Discussed in this Episode:   • What Sybrina wishes everyone would know about approaching a conversation with a mother who has lost a child. • My then 14-year-old son’s question to Sybrina about what it feels like when your calling and the powerful work you’re doing is sparked by a tremendous loss. • Why we need systemic and cultural change, and more awareness-raising conversations, to keep young people of color safe from racial profiling. • The tragic death of Chinedu Okobi, an unarmed young black man who was tasered to death by San Mateo County deputies, just 20 minutes from my own home. • The importance for grieving mothers to remember the things that they used to love and what Sybrina’s joyful outlet is • The Circle of Mothers and how the idea to create it came to Sybrina in a dream. • Sybrina’s challenge for all of us is to open our hearts and to reach out to mothers, across differences, who have lost their children to let them know we care. • Why investing in mothers is the most powerful lever to impact gun control.   Original Episode Show Notes   Check out the full shownotes from the original episode here: Ep 55: From Grief to Advocacy and a Circle of Mothers with Trayvon Martin’s Mother Sybrina Fulton   Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.   Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).   Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/

Welcome back to another Throwback Thursday episode!   Hard to believe, but my oldest son Ryan is graduating from High School! So for this Thursday, I really wanted to bring back this first episode I ever recorded with him, at the milestone of his 13th birthday, just before his bar mitzvah.    This revisited version also includes the speech Ryan wrote at his middle school graduation, where we spoke so openly about his challenges with feelings of depression and anxiety during that time in his life. I hope that Ryan being so open about how he was feeling also inspires you or anyone you may share this with to speak up this mental health awareness month, as we continue to break the stigma around getting help.   So join me today as we honor Ryan in celebrating his graduation and moving on to the next chapter of his life in college!   This Episode is Dedicated by: Dr. Monisha Vasa Dr. Monisha Vasa is a board-certified addiction psychiatrist, in practice since 2008. Currently, she spends her time serving as a volunteer clinical faculty member at the UC Irvine School of Medicine, under the Department of Family Medicine. She helps in the training of medical students and is an active member in the Medical Humanities program— where she participates actively in utilizing literature to support medical education.   With Dr. Vasa treating an array of mental health disorders, anxiety disorders, and much much more, she uses her special training for the well-being of many people, believing in her philosophy that a comprehensive understanding of each individual takes time, empathy, and attention to give them the best treatment possible.   Topics Discussed in this Episode:   Headstart, a special program for preschool-aged children from low-income communities that provides access to early childhood education The GATE Program (Gifted And Talented Education Program) national links and background information. Ryan participates in our local school district’s program. Divergent Series by Veronica Roth “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky Erik Newton, The Together Show Sports Illustrated Kid Reporter, a unique program Ryan has applied to which gives selected children ages 10 – 14 an opportunity to write and broadcast about sports UCLA Bruin Woods where I was a counselor in college and where we all go to “camp” each summer as a family   Full Episode Show Notes Check out the full shownotes from the original episode here: Ep 18: YOLO (You Only Live Once) and other Milestone Reflections with Ryan Neale   Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life.   Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C).   Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/ 

“We need these manifestos. We need each other. And we need each other’s stories.”  — Graeme Seabrook For Season Seven, I’m excited to introduce our Throwback Thursdays segments! In honor of Mother’s Quest turning 5 (such a great milestone!) we will be revisiting older episodes from the archives with messages that resonate more than ever. Whether you’ve heard the episode before, or its entirely new to you, I hope you find some treasures in these conversations that help you more fully live your E.P.I.C life. This Thursday, in honor of our Mother’s Quest May Manifesto Challenge, I wanted to bring back this episode with Graeme Seabrook, known as “the Mom for Moms” which started the Challenge four years ago. Graeme bases her approach to coaching on the belief that you need to put yourself first in order for you to thrive. Following a traumatizing birth experience and postpartum depression with  anxiety and PTSD, Graeme started her healing journey by teaching mothers and women to reclaim their humanity in a world and culture that expects women to be superhuman. Listen in as Graeme shares with us the disillusionment she experienced in her first months of motherhood, and how she reached out for support to reclaim her life, something she then paid forward by creating and holding space for other mothers. You’ll also hear us lay out the inspiration for the Manifesto Challenge which has become an annual tradition. Unfortunately, Graeme has been ill over the last year. She’s set up a GoFundMe to help fund her medical expenses. Proceeds from the Manifesto Challenge Course this month, now a self-guided journey with Reflection Journal, will go to Graeme’s GoFundMe. After she has given so much to our community, we now have an opportunity to support her!  Not up for the Manifesto Challenge this year, or want to make an additional contribution?  You can help Graeme’s healing journey by going directly to her GoFundMe: Fundraiser by Graeme Seabrook: Help Graeme Heal   This Year’s Manifesto Challenge + Live Zoom Celebration with Andrea Scher: Join us for this year’s Manifesto Challenge! At the Mother’s Quest MemberVault, register for the Challenge and move through a reflective process, with video recordings and a special journal to capture your thoughts. All will lead you to create a guiding framework, or manifesto, that can become an anchor for how you want to live your life. Then celebrate with me, recent podcast guest Andrea Scher and fellow MQ community members on May 24th. Register here for the live zoom event. Visit here for the episode with Andrea Pay from the heart proceeds benefit Graeme’s GoFundMe.  Register here for self-guided experience: https://mothersquest.vipmembervault.com/.../courses/view/6 Mother’s Day has passed but it’s the right time to invest in ourselves.  Reflect. Create. Celebrate.   Topics Discussed in this Episode: The experiences that shaped Graeme’s childhood and conception of motherhood, including her observations of her own mother’s experience parenting, the many times her family moved, and how her home and heart landed in Charleston Graeme’s honest retelling of her early months of motherhood where she remembers holding her baby and feeling like there was a wall between them The E.P.I.C. spark moment that came when she shared her story online and received an outpouring of messages from other mothers going through the same experiences Graeme’s “true truths” and the concept from her current favorite author, Octavia Butler, about God Graeme’s description of the Ten Articles in the Mother’s Bill of Rights, how she champions and helps mothers reclaim themselves through this framework, and the support she offers in her Mom Center. Graeme’s E.P.I.C. Snapshot moment revealed reflections on the legacy of our matriarchs, the mothers we claim for ourselves, and how we can become the ancestor we aspire to now. A description of our co-created #OneMinuteMomManifesto challenge.   Full Episode Show Notes Check out the full show notes from the original episode here: Ep 41: Reclaiming Ourselves in Motherhood ~A Mother's Day Special~ with Graeme Seabrook   Mother’s Quest is a podcast for moms who are ready to live a truly E.P.I.C. life. Join in for intimate conversations with a diverse group of inspiring mothers as they share how they are living an E.P.I.C. life, Engaging mindfully with their children (E), Passionately and Purposefully making a difference beyond their family (P), Investing in themselves (I), and Connecting to a strong support network (C). Join our community of mothers to light the way and sustain you on your quest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothersquest/