Jan. 21, 2026

Shedding What No Longer Serves You

Shedding What No Longer Serves You
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Ready for proof that letting go creates room for better? We open the new year by celebrating real momentum—Rising Star growth, marathon listening, and fan-favorite ratings—then move straight into a candid story about alignment. When a “forever job” turned toxic, we made the hard call to leave, and that decision sparked a cascade of healthier choices: a mission-driven remote role in cancer care, a routine that actually supports family life, and a dedicated she shed office to protect focus and sanity.

We unpack how small, concrete steps build the courage for bigger moves. It began with clearing clutter—cabinets, drawers, expired items—and grew into a deeper audit of values at work. If your day-to-day doesn’t match your beliefs, stress compounds. Switching to remote care meant fewer distractions, better privacy, and the priceless ability to catch first steps at home. The final tie to the past was a per diem safety net that only made financial sense on paper. Once released, an unexpected cleaning gig arrived that replaced (and then exceeded) the income while offering something rare: calm. One decision to stop holding what drained us opened space for opportunities that fit.

We also reflect on last year’s most-downloaded episode—Loving an Addict: A Daughter’s Journey—to honor why vulnerable stories resonate. Even with backlash, honest conversations help people feel seen, and that’s why they travel. If you’re weighing your own change, we share practical steps: brain-dump what’s heavy, start with easy wins, set boundaries around misfits, and trust the void you create. Titles and old goals can be comforting, but pruning is how growth happens.

If this conversation hits home, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review to help more people find the show. What’s one thing you’re ready to shed this week?

If you found value in today's show please return the favor and leave a positive review and share it with someone important to you! https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/reviews/new/
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00:00 - Welcome Back And 2025 Wins

03:20 - Spotify Wrapped: Growth And Awards

08:10 - Fan Favorite Episode Revealed

12:10 - Why She Left A “Forever” Job

19:20 - Values Misfit And Remote Work Leap

26:00 - Building A Routine And New Home Office

32:40 - The She Shed Plan Becomes Real

38:00 - Business Expansion And Roles At Home

42:30 - Letting Go Of The Safety Net Job

48:30 - An Unexpected Cleaning Gig Replaces Income

54:00 - From One Gig To Many: Momentum Builds

59:00 - The Practice Of Shedding: What And How

01:05:00 - Start Small: Declutter To Create Space

WEBVTT

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Today, we celebrate some 2025 podcast achievements, discuss some career achievements for someone special, and explore what happens when shedding what no longer serves you lines up with God's timing.

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That and more on today's episode of Share the Struggle Podcast.

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Let me tell you something.

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Everybody struggles.

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The difference is some people choose to go through it and some choose to grow through it.

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The choice is completely yours.

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Which one you choose will have a very profound effect on the way you live your life.

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Uncomfortable conversations.

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Uncomfortable conversations.

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What it do, what it do, what it hot did do.

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Good lord, Almighty.

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Am I so excited to be back with you?

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Oh, it is true.

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It is damn true.

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Mm-mm-mm.

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How do you do, Boo?

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I miss you.

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I appreciate you, and I welcome you to episode 289 of that podcast.

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Beautifully, precisely, perfectly named, share the struggle.

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Because everybody struggles, boys and girls, but we know the truth to be true.

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If you are willing to share just what it is you go through, then there is strength in that struggle for everybody around you.

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For everybody that hears that story, they gain strength from your story.

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Woo! Man, 2026 is off and rollin'.

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We are getting things crack-a-lackin'.

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We're lining up the season, we're figuring out a lot of a lot of great things.

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But before we get too much further into 2026, I want to recap and celebrate some achievements for the podcast in 2025.

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Before I do so, I want to acknowledge all my day ones, my loyal ones, my original ones.

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Get your ones up.

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If you've been here since day one, July 2020, when we dropped our first episode, I thank you, I acknowledge you, and I appreciate you.

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If this is your first time, then welcome, and we hope you stick around for a long time.

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I wanted to throw out some stats to y'all because I haven't had a chance to do so, and we always do this right around the end of the year, the beginning of the year, because we start getting some recaps from some of the uh podcasting platforms, and one of the major platforms that we're a part of that we're thankful for is Spotify.

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And Spotify at the end of the year puts out their Spotify wrapped, and uh we like to go through those things and kind of highlight some of our growth and our achievements.

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And I wanted to start today's show off with just highlighting a couple of things.

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The podcast brought to you by Loud Proud American, the fine folks behind Loud Proud American, aka myself, my wife, my baby, and my mama.

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Um we sponsor this here podcast.

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This podcast is all about our journey through life, both trying to, you know, run the business, build a brand, and uh build a family and establish a legacy.

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And y'all already know that you're here, you're listening, but we're excited to celebrate some achievements for this podcast, Share the Struggle Podcast, because Spotify Wrapped 2025 handed Shay of the Struggle Podcast three awards or said achievements.

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You don't get much more than a um a digital screenshot you can post on your social media, which I gotta get around to doing.

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But we received three awards, and I know you're reaching to hear them.

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The first one, which appears to be I think the coolest one, we were awarded a 2025 rising star award.

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This year our show growth outpaced 67% of other shows.

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You hear that, folks?

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This year our growth, our show growth outpaced 67% of other shows.

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Oh my Jesus.

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Oh, there they go again, clapping and snapping, celebrating.

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Oh, you did it.

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Y'all did it.

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Look at you.

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Mmm, delightful.

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2025 Rising Star Award.

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The next award that we received, a 2025 Marathon show.

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What does that mean?

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Well, slow down and I'll tell you, okay.

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Fans listened to Share the Struggle Podcast for longer than 89% of all the other shows.

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Think about that, folks.

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That means that whatever we're cooking up here, y'all are listening to.

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You're sticking around.

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You're not just coming in and dipping and hitting and splitting.

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You're listening in.

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You're taking it all in.

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A 2025 marathon show.

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Fans listen to Share the Struggle podcast for longer than 89% of all other shows.

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Another achievement for 2025 is we were a fan favorite.

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Share the Struggle had an average rating higher than 75% of all other shows.

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Y'all, I love y'all.

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You know, y'all just too sweet.

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Y'all too sweet.

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I'm gonna get a sweet tooth, gonna be in a diabetic coma over here.

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I appreciate you, and I thank you.

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And I will remind you, if you've been listening and you haven't given us the uh the graceful rating, the you know, customary five-star rating, because what are you, psycho?

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I mean, why wouldn't you?

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Um, please go ahead and do so.

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It means it means something, it makes a difference, right?

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You're seeing us uh getting these achievements and and and we are thoroughly celebrating these and and we thank each and every one of you for these.

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But if you haven't had the opportunity yet, or if you haven't done so in a long time, leave a review, drop a rating, share the show.

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It really means more to us than you could possibly know.

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In 2025, our total audience, now mind you, these are all just Spotify stats, our total audience grew by 34%.

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So we received some tremendous growth in 2025 according to Spotify.

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A total audience growth of 34%, our followers were up 15%, and the listening time was up 61%.

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Pretty incredible.

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Y'all are tuning in, you're coming out from everywhere, and you're listening and you're and you're sticking to it.

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And I appreciate you for doing it.

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Our top countries, pretty obvious here, folks.

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United States of America is the number one top country, followed by Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, hey, matey, and Germany.

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Those are our top countries: USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, and Germany.

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Pretty damn sweet.

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Pretty damn sweet.

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Another thing is for nine listeners on Spotify, Share the Struggle Podcast is their numero uno, number one show.

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Most listened to, most loved, biggest fan of Share the Struggle Podcast.

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There's nine people out there that we are their number one show.

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I don't remember numbers from the year past if those have changed at all.

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But the last little stat that I want to share with you is uh perfectly timed because last year, the number one listen to, most popular, highest rated, greatest episode of 2025.

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Would anybody like to guess what that episode would be?

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That's the longest pause ever to let people know you're here.

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Just say something.

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I'm trying to think of what I could episode my head in the video.

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Most listened to.

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Well, probably something Christmas jingle or Clark on the Shelf or something.

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No, no, no.

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This is 2025.

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There was no Clark on the Shelf in 2025.

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The number one most downloaded episode of 2025, drum a roll.

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Thank you.

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Loving an addict, a daughter's journey to healing.

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Seriously?

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Wow.

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There you go.

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And that, folks, spoiler alert, the co-host, the main star, the superstar of that episode is joining us now as she's enjoying a holiday nog.

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What is that thing called?

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Shake?

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Holiday nog shake.

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Delightful little treat from the Dairy Queen.

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I love those things.

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They're phenomenal.

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Yeah, really good.

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There you are.

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I just want to tell the haters out there.

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Who's who be hating?

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Where were you?

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To stick that in their pipe and smoke it.

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Right?

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There you go.

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There's some haters out there.

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With that episode in particular.

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Yeah, isn't it kind of funny that the the things that we get criticized most for are need often needed most, right?

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Yeah.

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Because you certainly took a lot of heat over that episode.

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Some um, let's just say still, let's just say some relationships and um, you know, things have changed since having that episode.

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Yeah.

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But Spotify is telling me that it was the number one uh downloaded, streamed, rated episode of our entire year.

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Thanks, guys.

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So think about that.

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52 episodes.

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52 episodes in a year.

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That's the number one episode.

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Sorry.

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Why?

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So took your uh limelight.

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No, I don't care.

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That's the that's the meaningful thing of the show.

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And um, you know, I think I should be doing more guest stuff, but even on average, just having a guest wouldn't be the reason.

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It was the the message and the meaning and everything behind that episode and how powerful that was.

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And uh I still think people go back to that and listen to that, and I think it constantly gets shared.

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But I wanted to share that with you.

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That's not coming from me, that's coming from Spotify.

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That that was the um favorite episode of the year, and I know you took a lot of heat from that, and I just want you to know that you should stand proud for that and realize that it's helping people out there, right?

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Those episodes are helping people out there.

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We that's my only reason for doing it.

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Exactly.

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And and we we talk every week about um new locations and and new areas and people that are listening to the show.

00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:31.279
And I can check in on this week's update.

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Uh, Staten Island, New York, welcome to the podcast.

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Lake Worth, Florida, welcome to the podcast.

00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:40.159
Andalusa, Alabama, or welcome.

00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:43.519
And I don't know how to say this one, but Multi-Air Georgia.

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M-O-U-L-T-R-I-E.

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I'm not sure.

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Multi-air, Georgia.

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Just a few places, but I think it's important for you to know that all these different states and even countries that tune in, many of them heard your episode.

00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:00.159
The majority of the people that listened heard your episode.

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And uh I just wanted to say congratulations and thank you for sharing your message.

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And I thought it was rather fitting getting that message from Spotify that you should be on the show today.

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Clearly, the people enjoy you more than me.

00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:18.960
So it's it's good to have you back here, and it's good to be uh switching things up.

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We've kind of dropped some hints along the way about some some changes.

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And I started the show by saying we're gonna celebrate some podcast achievements and we're gonna celebrate some career achievements, and and that's that's you.

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And I know that you've been on this journey, and we've talked about it um multiple times, about about um you know removing negativity and challenging yourself and getting out of your comfort zone.

00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:52.000
But I also think there's a big thing that that you've been doing, and that is shedding what doesn't serve you.

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And in doing so, a lot of uh changes have happened, and I want you to come on and and um highlight some of the things that you've been up to, what's been going on, and um just that process a little bit of of uh shedding what doesn't serve you, and then by doing this and sharing your story, we're gonna end today with some actionable steps, just some food for thought for the people out there that you know want to identify what's not serving them and then want to move on from those things that are holding them back.

00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:30.480
So if you wouldn't mind just chiming in and sharing some of the things that you've been up to and what's been going on in your world.

00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:36.559
Yeah, so a lot of the changes have uh happened actually before the new year.

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Um, but there's been a lot of um soul searching and kind of diving in with both feet on my life as a whole.

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Um, as you guys heard my episode.

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Um almost a year ago, I lost my mom uh and had the opportunity to kind of uh evaluate life as a whole and evaluate what is serving me and what is just weighing me down.

00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:31.200
Um so a lot of that had to start like within the home, and that might sound crazy, but I started to just declutter um things that I hadn't used or wanted in a while, and I was basically uh breaking free of things that were were bogging down my life.

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Um and then I started to evaluate my my office life um and how I was being treated, um disrespected, and those were were huge factors for me.

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Those were things that I needed to evaluate and was the main focus.

00:14:56.320 --> 00:15:15.360
Um so during that soul searching, I made the made the leap to walk away from a five-year relationship with a company that I thought was going to be my retirement plan, I guess you could say.

00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:19.759
Yeah, you could say that when you took that job, you kind of considered it your forever home.

00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:20.559
Yeah.

00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:22.000
In those words, exactly.

00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:28.960
Yeah, that that company that you work for is the largest um, what is it, hospital group in in the state in the New England.

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And um it's something that since the day we met, you kind of put on a pedestal of like, I'd love to work here, and you kept trying for it.

00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:48.000
And then even when you got the opportunity so many times, you were shot down so many times, and then when you finally got a job offer, you were like, I can't afford to take this pay cut.

00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:48.320
Yeah.

00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:58.639
You know, and we looked at it and talked about it and said, well, the possibility and the potential and the opportunity, and thankfully you jumped on it because it wasn't very long after you ended up exceeding what you were making.

00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:07.519
But just to kind of put in perspective for people, it's not like it was just a job for you, it was something that you really were striving to be a part of for a really long time.

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It's something that you wanted to do starting all the way back in high school.

00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:22.720
So yeah, I mean, um, so if I think back to like high school and when they start going over like what's your career goal and this, that, and the third, it was um, you know, one of the things that I always wanted to do was work in a pediatric office.

00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:24.159
Like it was always one of my things.

00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:28.879
Like, um, I can go back to like old books that I have and it was and it's written in there.

00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:30.320
It's written in ink.

00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:35.759
Um, and that was a job that I scored at um at this company.

00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:40.720
And it very quickly turned into a very toxic environment.

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Um, and I had the opportunity to kind of jump out of that um team and onto a more positive team, uh, still working for the same company.

00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:59.200
Um but the longer that I stuck around with the company, the more I realized that you're just an employee.

00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:01.360
Um like a number.

00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:03.840
You're just you have a badge for a reason, right?

00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:05.039
You have a badge number for a reason.

00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.079
You are that number.

00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:10.240
Um, and that's how they identify you is just a number.

00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:22.880
Um and a lot of the things that they've been doing kind of with everything that the world is going on, I guess that that's backwards.

00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:25.279
Everything that's going on in the world, right?

00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:30.240
They're doing everything opposite of what I think is appropriate.

00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:30.880
Yeah.

00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:40.240
And when what you do for a living doesn't like line up with your core values and beliefs anymore, it's hard to continue along that path.

00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:40.799
You know?

00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:41.519
Mm-hmm.

00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:42.079
Absolutely.

00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:48.640
And that was, you know, un understandably so, there were certain things that were like like we can go back to COVID.

00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:49.119
Right.

00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:52.720
Like it was either take the shot or lose your job.

00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:53.039
Yeah.

00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:55.200
Well, losing my job wasn't an option.

00:17:55.359 --> 00:18:02.640
Um, and when your dad was around, he was high risk, so making sure that I wasn't bringing home COVID because I was working on the COVID wing.

00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:04.480
So, you know, lots of things.

00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:14.960
But there's just been other things that have kind of come to light that I'm just like, ew, ew, no, mm-mm, mm-mm, nope.

00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:21.200
Um, they always claim that like family comes first, but like they're that they don't mean that.

00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:22.480
Most companies don't.

00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:23.119
They don't mean that.

00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:32.559
That's a hiring ploy, it's a you know, it's a feel-good statement that everybody makes, but nobody wants to stand behind when all of a sudden the hours have to be picked up by somebody else.

00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:33.200
Yeah.

00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:34.079
Yeah.

00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:38.319
Um, so all in all, it just became very toxic.

00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:43.039
Um and if you spend too much time in a toxic environment, you become toxic.

00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:44.640
That's just how it is.

00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:52.720
You spend too much time with a ick on your shoulder, you become that ick.

00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:53.839
It just happens.

00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:58.960
Um you can bring home what you're working with, what you're surrounded by.

00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:06.640
I mean it we spend more time with people we work with generally, right, than the people that we love and care about at home.

00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:10.160
Yeah, that's just kind of how that that's just the law of average, really.

00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:10.720
Mm-hmm.

00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:16.960
Um, so I kind of went out on a I always get this wrong.

00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:17.920
Is it a whim?

00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:18.559
Yeah.

00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:19.839
Or a limb?

00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:22.799
Hey, you can go with either one, I think.

00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:25.200
It always gets me every time.

00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:27.200
So pick your preference.

00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:28.400
But I went out on one.

00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:28.880
Yeah.

00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:34.000
And I started looking around at other job opportunities.

00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:38.319
And I don't let me rephrase that.

00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:41.599
I went out searching for a career opportunity.

00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:42.000
Right.

00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:50.640
You weren't just gonna leave something that you you know put all this priority into just for a nine to five somewhere to Correct, correct.

00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:56.000
I would take it to the chin and can put my head down and keep working if that was the case.

00:19:56.160 --> 00:20:02.880
If I couldn't find some place to plant my feet, call home and And be there until I'm ready to retire.

00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:05.519
That's I wasn't planning on moving.

00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:06.480
You know what I mean?

00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:11.440
Um, as toxic as the environment was, I was just gonna switch departments again.

00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:11.839
Yeah.

00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:13.279
If that was the case.

00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:18.799
Um, but I threw a Hail Mary.

00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:29.279
Um, I reached out to another very, very large company um within my own state um who does very similar work.

00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:43.839
Um and I mean I now work for, I wanna say, I think it's the second largest um cancer treatment center um within New England.

00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:49.519
Yeah, yours is more of a it's a specified um medical field now, right?

00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:51.440
It's not just a hospital that overtakes everything.

00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:54.480
It's you're you're in um cancer treatment.

00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:55.279
Cancer treatment.

00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:59.039
So and it's a massive company when it comes to cancer treatment.

00:20:59.440 --> 00:20:59.759
Huge.

00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:02.880
Um, I know like we're right underneath like uh Dana Farber.

00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:03.039
Yeah.

00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:08.960
It's like that's like Dana Farber is like um our head company.

00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:09.359
Yeah.

00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:13.680
Um, and so um I put my resume in.

00:21:13.839 --> 00:21:17.759
I didn't know if I was ever gonna get a call back or anything like that.

00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:21.599
I have heard through the grapevine getting in there is not easy.

00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:35.839
Um they are very thorough um and they pick people that line up with their core values, they choose people that are not just a warm body because we're dealing with cancer patients.

00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:37.920
This is heart-wrenching.

00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:49.839
Like you have to be all hands on deck, like you have to be a genuine good person, not just a warm body like the old facility that I was working at.

00:21:50.240 --> 00:22:03.039
Um and I put in my resume, I think it was like I don't even know, maybe 10, 11 o'clock at night, and just went to bed.

00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:09.440
And I had an email in my inbox the next morning that said, I love your resume.

00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:12.160
Everything that you have on your resume is what we're looking for.

00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:14.480
Please give me a call, let's set up an interview.

00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:17.680
And I was like, wait, what?

00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:20.240
Like, are you serious?

00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:22.160
Like, not even 24 hours.

00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:31.759
Like it had not even been 24 hours, and they were like, hey, your credentials, everything that you have is exactly what we're looking for to fill this position that we have open.

00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:38.160
And I was like, Okay, I remember like coming to you and I was like, wait, I don't know what just happened.

00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:47.839
Yeah, like I don't know what just happened, but like, and I remember telling you, like, this is a hundred percent remote position.

00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:54.480
I have never in my life considered a hundred percent remote position because I don't know if I could do it.

00:22:54.799 --> 00:23:12.559
If people had been listening to this show for, you know, even for the past year, you would have heard the mass debate we had about you working remote and then just overcoming the like I'm just gonna do it a couple days a week, and then it turned into like let's try this for a little while.

00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:19.519
And so we've come a long way for you to be in the position of like, okay, I gotta choose to do this full time.

00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:20.160
Mm-hmm.

00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:21.039
Mm-hmm.

00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:30.079
Yeah, so um I had ended up, you know, going into the interview, um, and well, it was all Zoom, actually.

00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:37.599
I didn't even go in, and everyone was just so genuine, like just downright.

00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:46.319
And I know like you can't just go off of that because everybody puts on their on your best behavior when you're doing that, right?

00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:47.680
Yes, but still, yeah.

00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:49.599
You can get a vibe, you can get a read.

00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:50.160
Mm-hmm.

00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:50.799
Mm-hmm.

00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:57.279
So within like a couple of minutes of the interview, I was like, wow, this is really great.

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:59.279
Like, I wrote everything down.

00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:05.839
I like was just genuinely happy during that interview.

00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:08.400
Like, I was like, yeah, this is everything that I've ever wanted.

00:24:08.480 --> 00:24:10.319
This is everything that they're talking about.

00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:16.240
The only one thing that I was like, ugh, I don't know about is working 100% remote.

00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:21.039
I've been working in a medical office since I was in high school.

00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:21.920
Okay.

00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:24.400
It's 2026.

00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:29.200
I started working in a medical office in 2010.

00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:33.039
Yeah, I know, I'm young, I'm a baby, whatever.

00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:44.720
But I've been driving to a medical office for that long, like working in a medical office, but from my home, like was just foreign to me.

00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:45.119
Right.

00:24:45.839 --> 00:25:04.319
I was like, number one, I've been in these companies that have been like so tight-knit and cutthroat that it's like if you're in the hallway talking about a patient, like you're gonna get written up about it.

00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:10.559
Like so like cutthroat that I'm like, how are you guys gonna trust me to be home?

00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:13.440
Like I it just it was very hard for me to understand.

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:22.559
It's crazy because it's hard to make the like like the separation between the two, but ultimately it's probably safer, right?

00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:45.039
Because like you don't have other patients coming in here and things, you're not patients walking into your office or seeing other information on the desk, you don't have like water cooler talk, and then it's like you know, there's somebody in the lobby that hears something, and you're talking to another, you know, co-worker about something, and then it's a friend of theirs, and that's how you know wildfire rumors start, and that's everyday medical field life, you know what I mean?

00:25:45.279 --> 00:25:52.400
So when you think about it, you're like, oh, this seems like it's actually more secure and safe for patient information if you think about it.

00:25:52.880 --> 00:26:00.240
And I remember like you had you and I had had a conversation when I was like making the decision on whether or not like to move forward.

00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:10.400
Like you had brought up a good point where you're like, listen, like a lot of what you deal with at most of these like offices is that like you don't get along with your coworkers.

00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:10.799
Right.

00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:13.599
Like, and and I don't, I don't play well with others.

00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:15.599
I don't, it is what it is, it's me.

00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:17.759
It's tough, it's a tough environment.

00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:22.400
I think that you've always started off great and everything's going great.

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:28.720
But like, I'm just gonna say this people can take this the right way, the wrong way, whatever they want to, however they want to spin it.

00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:34.000
When I worked for Harley Davidson, the most difficult department to manage and to run was the one that was filled with women.

00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:44.160
And it's not like necessarily like them working well with other men, it's just other it's women working with women, stirring in the pot and having issues.

00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:49.839
So um like And I have a really hard time with like biting my tongue or not telling you right where to stick it.

00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:52.640
So like that's my biggest problem.

00:26:52.799 --> 00:27:00.480
Like in these offices, like if you're Tammy's having water bubbler talk and talking shit about me, and I can overhear it, like I'm gonna confront you about it.

00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:00.720
Right.

00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:02.480
And that has gotten me in trouble a lot.

00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:08.640
But I also am not here for you to then come in my office and be fake to me.

00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:08.960
Right.

00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:09.680
I'm not here for that.

00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:10.400
I'm not here for that.

00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:18.319
And that right there has is what has caused so many issues in the workplace because working with females is terrible.

00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:21.279
And when you work in a medical office, that's what it is.

00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:22.799
Yeah, that's what it is.

00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:35.200
Every office that I've gone into, I think I've worked in one medical office where we had a guy as the receptionist and he didn't last very long because those girls fucking ate him up.

00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:36.880
Yeah, it's ate him up.

00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:41.039
All workplace drama, trauma is the worst thing about workplace.

00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:44.880
Like the best and worst things about a job is like the people you work with, right?

00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:50.319
Because you can have great relationships, but you can also have super awful relationships.

00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:54.559
It's one of the things that I don't miss about being in corporate America anymore.

00:27:54.640 --> 00:28:05.119
It's one of the reasons why I actually don't know if I could adjust to going from working for myself to working with somebody else because I don't know if I'm like good at that anymore.

00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:05.680
You know what I mean?

00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:07.359
And I mean, not all of them are that way.

00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:16.720
Like I've formed some really great relationships during that time, but everyone's every job has its own, you know, share of uh of challenges.

00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:31.680
And like this day and age with the world like you're talking about, the way that you know the world that we're in now, it'd be hard for me to work somewhere, have somebody come over and start spewing some nonsense beliefs on me, and me not be like, well, you can go F yourself because that's not accurate.

00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:32.720
You know what I mean?

00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:36.319
Like, and then I'm gonna be, you know, shoot right out the damn door.

00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:48.720
But yeah, there's all those challenges, but I think those workplace challenges were one of the things that made you go from loving a job to um hating being there because it was a toxic environment.

00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:54.720
You loved what you were doing, and the reason you were doing it, but you didn't like who you were doing it with or how you were being treated.

00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:55.519
You know what I mean?

00:28:55.680 --> 00:28:58.880
So I think the remote scenario eliminates a lot of that for you.

00:28:59.119 --> 00:28:59.599
Absolutely.

00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:28.559
Yeah, and I mean it was definitely things that we kind of like weighed out pros and cons, and the pros definitely outweighed the cons when it comes to um working from home a hundred percent, um, not missing out on things that my one-year-old is doing, like being present um in her growing up is was one of the main factors um that I was like, yeah, this is that's ideal, an ideal situation.

00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:36.079
Um but when I accepted the position, I was scared half to death.

00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:37.039
I'm like, how does this work?

00:29:37.119 --> 00:29:38.160
Where do I sit?

00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:39.200
What do I do?

00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:42.319
How do I create um a daily routine?

00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:44.319
Like, you know what I mean?

00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:52.400
Like when I drive to work, I stop and get my coffee, I set my stuff down, I like get myself situated.

00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:53.920
Like, there was always a routine.

00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:59.200
It didn't matter where I was in the office, like or what office I was working in, it was the same routine.

00:29:59.359 --> 00:29:59.440
Right.

00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:02.799
Sit down, turn your headset on, work with your patients.

00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:03.359
That's it.

00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:04.160
You know what I mean?

00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:07.599
Like, that's the lifestyle that I've lived forever.

00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:15.920
So for me to like jump ship and like change everything that I'm doing, like it was a lot.

00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:24.240
That's one of the things I said to you too was that my biggest advice was you have to find some kind of routine that makes you feel like you're going to work or you're never gonna work.

00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:26.880
Like that's the there has to be something.

00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:33.440
I I used to get up and leave the house and go to Dunkin' Donuts and come back just to feel like, okay, I'm driving to work, you know.

00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:37.759
Um, you have like you said, you have you have to do something to I'm still working on that.

00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:39.279
Yeah, and you're always work on it.

00:30:39.440 --> 00:30:39.599
Yeah.

00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:44.160
Because eventually you're gonna get too comfortable with what you're doing and be like, well, shit, I'm still procrastinating.

00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:44.799
You know what I mean?

00:30:44.880 --> 00:30:46.319
So like you'll it changes.

00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:48.160
You go through those ruts, but yeah.

00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:50.559
So moral of the story, I did take the job.

00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:51.119
Yep.

00:30:51.440 --> 00:30:53.680
And there were going great so far.

00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:54.640
You started when?

00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:56.720
Uh October?

00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:58.319
Um November?

00:30:58.640 --> 00:31:00.319
November 5th.

00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:01.440
Yeah, it was November.

00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:01.839
Yeah.

00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:13.519
Um so I mean, so many perks of this company, like so many, and it's not about all perks, it's not.

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:17.759
Um, they just genuinely care about you as a person.

00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:18.000
Yeah.

00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:29.920
And when I um originally started talking about them sifting through the right person, when I went to orientation, they explained that very detailed.

00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:35.519
Like, not only does one person look at your resume, but there's a team of them that look at your resume.

00:31:35.680 --> 00:31:46.319
They also start scouring to see if you have um like indeed sites, if you have um, there's another one.

00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:48.079
Um like LinkedIn or something like that.

00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:54.880
Yes, yes, they're looking for all of that because they want to see if there's information on those that maybe you didn't provide on your resume.

00:31:55.039 --> 00:32:00.240
Like they're scouring everything, trying to find if you're going to be a good fit.

00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:03.119
Um, and it's intense.

00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:03.599
Yeah.

00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:10.400
But for them to get back to me so quickly, I was like, wow, like that's impressive.

00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:11.440
Like that's awesome.

00:32:11.599 --> 00:32:21.279
Like for me, I was like, all my hard work has paid off because one of my fears was that I was leaving a career to start over.

00:32:21.519 --> 00:32:22.000
Right.

00:32:22.240 --> 00:32:24.880
And I was gonna have to start from ground zero.

00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:32.640
But like they're recognizing like all of my work and everything, so much so that they took my pay that I was making there and matched it.

00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:33.039
Yeah.

00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:43.519
Like they could see your value, which number one is I think one of the biggest things everybody looks for in a job is it's people that appreciate you and understand your worth and your value.

00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:44.559
So that's that's half of it.

00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:48.400
And over five years, I had to claw my way to where I was.

00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:48.720
Yeah.

00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:53.519
And then for me to walk into this company and then be like, I'll match you at no problem.

00:32:53.680 --> 00:32:55.519
Like, not didn't even bat an eye.

00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:58.079
Like, they came back with an offer and I was like, Can you meet me at this?

00:32:58.160 --> 00:33:00.079
And they were like, Yeah, no problem.

00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:00.400
Right.

00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:01.759
Like, that was the email.

00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:04.160
Absolutely, absolutely, we'll meet you at that.

00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:05.759
And I was like, Wow.

00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:08.720
Like, then I start going, I'm like, shit, shall I ask for more?

00:33:08.880 --> 00:33:15.759
But no, I was so grateful that they were willing to just like meet me at yeah, you think about all the other benefits, you know.

00:33:16.079 --> 00:33:23.359
Um, not to stay too long on this topic, but like you're not spending gas driving to work, you're not using tolls, you're here.

00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:36.720
Like, if the baby needs something, like, since you've been working home and I'm working at home, my mom was watching Paisley one day, and she called down to us and was like, Send us a video, like it's happening.

00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:42.160
She was walking, and we were both able to run upstairs and watch her take her first and not miss it, you know, and not miss a moment.

00:33:42.319 --> 00:33:44.319
So there's all those things that was huge.

00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:53.680
Um, I just you can't replace those those times and that opportunity, even the ability to be like, I'm gonna take lunch and go see with my daughter and see how she's doing, right?

00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:54.000
Right.

00:33:54.160 --> 00:33:56.640
I mean, that's all that all that is tremendous.

00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:59.759
And they're doing a lot of great things for you, they're gonna allow you to work on the road.

00:34:00.160 --> 00:34:20.400
Um, you know, so there's a lot of different things that help even the family scenario and the business side of life to show how committed you are to this job and this being a career, and um you went ham on this project right out of the gate and came to me with this theory of yours.

00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:24.800
Like, I don't even did you even start the job before you were looking for this scenario?

00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:28.639
I don't even remember, but it was this all escalated rather quickly.

00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:31.599
I was in the job for two weeks.

00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:33.679
Yeah, well, I it started off.

00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:42.159
You were like, I need an office location, and I I offered offered you solutions and said, and I made a room for you and the office, and the Lap Rat American office, which you can't stand.

00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:44.320
But you've been working in there, you know?

00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:48.639
Hey I've been tolerating working in there, let's be honest.

00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:56.639
You know, at some point you'll appreciate the things that Lap Rat American Headquarters has provided for you when you're working them off for free later.

00:34:56.880 --> 00:34:57.679
You know what I mean?

00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:03.119
But you only worked alongside me for like two weeks before you realize like I don't want to do this anymore.

00:35:06.559 --> 00:35:06.880
Yeah.

00:35:07.440 --> 00:35:08.480
Yeah, that's correct.

00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:15.360
So I started scouring the marketplace like a psychopath.

00:35:15.679 --> 00:35:16.159
Yes.

00:35:17.280 --> 00:35:18.639
Looking for a tea shed.

00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:22.880
You came to me and I was like, yeah, great idea.

00:35:22.960 --> 00:35:24.400
We'll probably figure that out like next year.

00:35:24.480 --> 00:35:26.719
I mean, it's like snow's about to happen.

00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:35.119
The conversation was had at your cousin's house and we were at an event.

00:35:36.079 --> 00:35:36.960
That's what had happened.

00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:41.840
We were there and we were there for the Bangor Mall.

00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:42.559
Right.

00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:46.400
And I started telling you about this because I had been looking for a week now.

00:35:46.559 --> 00:35:50.320
So I had been in the job for a week and started looking around.

00:35:50.559 --> 00:35:55.679
Um, but anyway, and then so I was like, I need my own office space.

00:35:55.760 --> 00:35:57.199
I need that was like my mindset.

00:35:57.280 --> 00:35:59.760
Like I need, like you said, create a routine.

00:35:59.840 --> 00:36:05.440
I need a place to go to my office, leave all my stuff, and just like set up.

00:36:05.920 --> 00:36:15.280
And so I started looking around, looking for some she sheds, and then I found a couple and I brought them to your attention and I said, This is really cool.

00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:17.920
And you and your exact words were what do you need that for?

00:36:18.079 --> 00:36:19.039
Yeah, what's that?

00:36:19.199 --> 00:36:20.880
What it why do we need another building?

00:36:21.039 --> 00:36:23.920
I have a building out there, and I was like, Oh no, this isn't for you.

00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:27.280
And you're like, what wait, huh?

00:36:27.599 --> 00:36:38.079
And I just explained to you that I wanted a she shed, and then the one that I was showing you ended up selling, and then so we actually had a conversation like later on that night, and you're like, So, like, what's your plan?

00:36:38.239 --> 00:36:43.679
And I was like, I want a she shed, I want an office space of my own that I can like go to.

00:36:43.840 --> 00:36:48.719
Like, I need my own space, and you're like, Okay, like what's your deadline?

00:36:48.800 --> 00:36:49.679
Like, what are you looking for?

00:36:49.760 --> 00:37:02.320
And I was like, I want to be in my own she shed office space within a year of being at this new job, and you're like, Okay, yeah, and you like rolled over and like went to bed.

00:37:03.039 --> 00:37:19.039
Yeah, the next thing you know, you and my mom are going to look at one, you've lined up finances for one, and then you're getting one delivered, and I'm spreading gravel in the driveway for freaking two days on a tractor to build you a freaking foundation for it.

00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:22.719
And then we're leveling it and we're staining it.

00:37:23.039 --> 00:37:23.519
Right.

00:37:23.840 --> 00:37:28.239
It got too cold for me to complete the staining process, but you have your building, it's here.

00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:30.159
You bought a farm stand, basically.

00:37:30.480 --> 00:37:32.239
So it's insulated, it's already.

00:37:32.639 --> 00:37:34.559
It's got some electrical, we've got to add some more to.

00:37:34.880 --> 00:37:37.280
Um it's a nice little setup you have there.

00:37:37.599 --> 00:37:49.039
It is leaps and bounds further ahead in the process of being completed than the one that I've been paying on for over a year.

00:37:50.079 --> 00:37:52.239
It's even closer to the house than mine.

00:37:52.400 --> 00:37:54.960
Like I've been cut out of the loop completely.

00:37:55.199 --> 00:37:55.519
Yeah.

00:37:55.599 --> 00:37:57.280
Iours is insulated.

00:37:57.360 --> 00:37:58.719
I'm staining yours.

00:37:58.800 --> 00:37:59.840
I'm doing all these things.

00:37:59.920 --> 00:38:01.440
I haven't done any of that to mine.

00:38:02.320 --> 00:38:02.800
Anyways.

00:38:03.119 --> 00:38:04.079
I'll help you with yours.

00:38:04.400 --> 00:38:06.880
I would love for that to be true.

00:38:07.519 --> 00:38:09.519
But I have my doubts.

00:38:10.079 --> 00:38:10.960
I'm excited.

00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:29.039
I think it's gonna be an opportunity not only for for me to have my own space, but um there's you know, been some with this opportunity of working from home, there's been some movements with the uh loud prod American business as well when it comes to I am the office staff.

00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:34.480
Yeah, which this year that's part of the situation for me to get more organized because I'm not at all.

00:38:34.719 --> 00:38:37.119
And um, you're gonna be a part of that process.

00:38:37.199 --> 00:38:47.840
And so it'll give us the opportunity to kind of leave everything office related in there because your organization skills and ability is in the toilet.

00:38:48.079 --> 00:38:48.320
Yeah.

00:38:48.480 --> 00:38:53.760
Well, it's gonna set us up to be the office that you and me are sharing, it's gonna be design and production.

00:38:54.159 --> 00:39:01.760
And then I'm gonna have another office that's gonna be like a mini storefront, um, like a retail space where I can do live sales from and such.

00:39:01.920 --> 00:39:05.280
And then your office is where you're gonna work from your full-time gig.

00:39:05.599 --> 00:39:11.360
Take the mail, yeah, and then also just do all the um the paperwork billing side of the business, too.

00:39:11.440 --> 00:39:13.199
So uh it's all gonna come together.

00:39:13.280 --> 00:39:17.360
It's a it's a slower process than we want it to be, but it's it's coming together.

00:39:17.440 --> 00:39:23.519
Um it's also another success when it comes to 2026 things that are happening.

00:39:23.920 --> 00:39:34.159
These are if you really stop and think about it, they're we're undertaking massive life changes, both you know, like in the career, the business, the whole thing, right?

00:39:34.239 --> 00:39:41.039
So if people stop and think about like you changed careers, you no longer, you know, you work from home, like that's a big thing.

00:39:41.199 --> 00:39:42.880
We're putting in an office for you.

00:39:43.039 --> 00:39:45.280
There's an office expansion for the business.

00:39:45.440 --> 00:39:56.639
You know, we're looking at crazy new different things for the business, getting uncomfortable, leaving um things that you know, I guess we can go right down this road.

00:39:56.800 --> 00:39:59.679
Is we're both talking about shedding things that no longer.

00:40:00.159 --> 00:40:01.039
Serve us, right?

00:40:01.280 --> 00:40:07.840
And and I'm shedding certain, you know, things for the business that I don't think serve us anymore, trying to grow in new areas.

00:40:08.320 --> 00:40:17.360
You, as you said, started with looking at things at home and getting rid of things, and it turned into like opening your eyes to you know toxic work arrangements and then changing that.

00:40:17.519 --> 00:40:21.039
So this all really goes into that whole shedding experience.

00:40:21.920 --> 00:40:39.840
You had um for the past five or six years that you've been with um, you know, this big this big health company, you also kept another side job with them that when you left your your 40-hour a week job, you kept this as a f as a safety net, as a fallback, right?

00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:41.599
Yeah, I was per DM for the hospital.

00:40:41.840 --> 00:40:46.400
Yeah, you're like, hey, if this doesn't work what I'm doing, I know I can always slide back into what I'm doing with the hospital.

00:40:46.719 --> 00:40:49.039
You knew my manager over there would take me on full time if I can't.

00:40:49.199 --> 00:40:51.280
My benefits would stay, everything would stay.

00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:57.679
And you kept that and you did another couple of shifts there, and then you really did a lot of thinking about that as well.

00:40:57.840 --> 00:41:03.519
So um kind of cue people in a little bit as to that thought process and what you were thinking and how you were feeling with that.

00:41:03.599 --> 00:41:04.960
Because it started off as a safety net.

00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:05.840
That's exactly it.

00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:16.719
Yeah, so it was a safety net because I was changing my whole mindset on working for another medical company and and changing careers.

00:41:16.880 --> 00:41:26.800
So I was like, mm, I want to jump in with both feet, but I also want to have like my hand in the back pond.

00:41:27.039 --> 00:41:27.599
You know what I mean?

00:41:27.760 --> 00:41:36.800
Like, still kind of like I it's I can still touch it if I need to like I think it you after a couple of shifts, it went from a safety net to not serving you.

00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:37.360
Yeah.

00:41:37.599 --> 00:41:48.239
And and it was a quick change for you once you realized how much you loved what you were doing, and then you began to realize that I'm only holding on to this for financial reasons at this point.

00:41:48.400 --> 00:41:48.639
Yeah.

00:41:48.880 --> 00:41:50.480
And then what are those, right?

00:41:50.719 --> 00:41:51.199
Yeah.

00:41:51.519 --> 00:42:01.199
So um I had actually taken on a shift, and my manager reached out to me and was like, listen, I'll pay you um double time.

00:42:01.440 --> 00:42:04.719
Yeah, I was like, yeah, double time and a half or something silly.

00:42:04.960 --> 00:42:05.840
You're like, yeah, I'm in.

00:42:06.159 --> 00:42:06.400
Done.

00:42:06.559 --> 00:42:06.800
Done.

00:42:06.880 --> 00:42:09.440
Like I'll make over, I'll make like 40 bucks an hour.

00:42:09.599 --> 00:42:13.039
Like for a four-hour shift, you got it, no problem.

00:42:13.679 --> 00:42:18.000
Um which is easy, easy work.

00:42:18.159 --> 00:42:18.639
You know what I mean?

00:42:18.719 --> 00:42:23.760
I sit on my ass and I give you a visitor's pass, and you go visit your loved ones, and that's it.

00:42:23.920 --> 00:42:24.400
You know what I mean?

00:42:24.480 --> 00:42:25.840
Like easy work.

00:42:26.159 --> 00:42:29.920
Um so it was like, why wouldn't I keep that in my back pocket?

00:42:30.159 --> 00:42:32.960
I have the perks of the big hospital still.

00:42:33.199 --> 00:42:36.000
Um, I have the ability to use the cafeteria if I need to.

00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:42.800
Like, I just started like listing all the pros of keeping this per diem job, right?

00:42:43.039 --> 00:42:44.239
They don't really bother me.

00:42:44.559 --> 00:42:47.199
Every now and again they'll reach out and be like, hey, can you cover a shift?

00:42:47.440 --> 00:42:51.920
Um, I have to cover like one shift a month to keep my like status.

00:42:52.400 --> 00:42:58.480
Um, but then when she reached out to me and said, Hey, listen, can you cover this shift?

00:42:58.559 --> 00:42:59.360
I'll pay you double time.

00:42:59.440 --> 00:43:00.559
And I was like, Yeah, sure.

00:43:00.639 --> 00:43:01.119
Like, easy.

00:43:01.199 --> 00:43:05.519
I messaged you and I was like, I'm gonna pick up extra shift, like, no big deal.

00:43:07.519 --> 00:43:12.639
I had then got my paycheck and I was like, why?

00:43:13.039 --> 00:43:16.639
Like, why what am I holding on to this for?

00:43:16.960 --> 00:43:20.639
Like, I was like, this is silly.

00:43:20.800 --> 00:43:24.000
Like, this was four hours away from my family.

00:43:24.159 --> 00:43:27.039
Not that I trust me, I could have used it.

00:43:27.840 --> 00:43:29.199
Doing something else though.

00:43:29.360 --> 00:43:31.039
Um, just kidding.

00:43:31.280 --> 00:43:34.639
Um, why am I holding on to this?

00:43:34.719 --> 00:43:39.280
Like, what sort of benefits am I actually like gaining by keeping this?

00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:42.559
I love what I'm doing at my new job.

00:43:42.800 --> 00:43:44.880
I have no intentions of going anywhere.

00:43:45.039 --> 00:43:52.320
I had just had my 90-day review and they raved about me and basically asked me, like, please don't go anywhere.

00:43:52.400 --> 00:43:53.679
Like, you're doing a phenomenal job.

00:43:53.840 --> 00:43:58.559
Your team likes you, your doctor gave you a compliment, and he doesn't give you give anybody compliments.

00:43:58.719 --> 00:44:00.559
So, like that to me was huge.

00:44:00.719 --> 00:44:11.360
Like, I was like, Oh, okay, like that was an eye-opener for me because I am my biggest critic and I'm sitting there like going into my 90-day review, and I'm like, oh God, I'm not gonna make the cut.

00:44:11.519 --> 00:44:12.480
Right, not gonna make the cut.

00:44:13.199 --> 00:44:16.880
Like, I'm not doing enough work, I'm like not, you know what I mean?

00:44:17.039 --> 00:44:23.840
Like, and then when they had all those things to say, like I had actually um gone for a drive and it just hit me.

00:44:23.920 --> 00:44:24.719
I was like, I'm done.

00:44:24.960 --> 00:44:25.920
Yeah, I'm done.

00:44:26.159 --> 00:44:33.119
Like, it was like not even like a I wasn't even thinking about it.

00:44:33.199 --> 00:44:34.000
That was the weirdest thing.

00:44:34.159 --> 00:44:40.000
Like, I was just like doo doo doo doo doo driving along, and I was just like, Yeah, no, I'm good.

00:44:40.159 --> 00:44:41.760
I'm good, we're good with this.

00:44:42.639 --> 00:44:50.079
Case closed, like um, and I had actually come home and I was like, I said to you, I was like, I think I'm done at main health.

00:44:50.320 --> 00:44:51.199
Like, I'm done.

00:44:51.440 --> 00:44:52.639
I don't need to be here anymore.

00:44:52.800 --> 00:44:56.639
And you're like, dun, dun, like I was like, yeah, I don't need it.

00:44:56.880 --> 00:44:58.960
It's not serving me any longer.

00:44:59.199 --> 00:45:01.519
It's a waste of time, it's a waste of space.

00:45:01.679 --> 00:45:03.199
Like, I don't need it.

00:45:03.440 --> 00:45:14.159
And there's no financial gain on it because by the time they tax me and send it up the river, like I I make what 20 bucks like for four.

00:45:14.559 --> 00:45:15.760
It's more than 20 bucks, but yeah.

00:45:16.079 --> 00:45:17.039
But I understand what you're saying.

00:45:17.599 --> 00:45:27.440
You gotta there's also a there's a there's a value on your time as well, you know, and and it started off as a safety net, and now that safety net's no longer serving you.

00:45:27.599 --> 00:45:42.800
You make the decision, I'm gonna end this on the best terms possible, and you you make that decision, you realize it's no longer serving you, and you have the conversation that's also like, hey, I kind of liked having that extra money.

00:45:42.880 --> 00:45:45.280
I kind of depended a little bit on those extra shifts.

00:45:45.440 --> 00:45:58.960
Yeah, and when you were working, you know, um there full-time, you were more likely to pick up more of those shifts, and you know, you're like, even now, you could say, hey, I just bought an office, right?

00:45:59.119 --> 00:46:03.760
If I want to work extra shifts on Saturdays and Sundays to pay off my office, I can.

00:46:03.920 --> 00:46:18.239
So you were kind of holding on to that a little bit, but when you realize, no, I'm holding on for the wrong reasons, this isn't serving me, I'm gonna move this out while you focusing on what's serving you and then God's timing on what's given to you, what's provided for you.

00:46:18.480 --> 00:46:28.159
Oftentimes when we clear toxic things off our plate, when we graduate from things that aren't serving us anymore, then we open ourselves up to greater opportunities.

00:46:28.480 --> 00:46:37.760
Um and things that they might not seem like a great a great thing at the time, but they often just um fulfill the need that you were holding on to.

00:46:38.079 --> 00:46:38.639
You know what I mean?

00:46:38.800 --> 00:46:58.000
So um, I know we're getting kind of long on this, but share real quick, like you you end things on a high note, and then very quickly after you like I'm working in the office because we both have this ADD scenario that I can add just fine that isn't very helpful in the office.

00:46:58.159 --> 00:47:20.639
Like, you'll have TikTok going, you'll be talking to somebody, typing things, you'll have Landman on the TV, I'll have YouTube going because I don't want to listen to the crap that's going on behind me, and I'm trying to do things, and then sometimes I'll have just my beats on because the heater's going so loud that I can't focus, and next door the laundry's going, and I'm about to lose my mind because the dog's snoring and shitting himself.

00:47:20.880 --> 00:47:23.039
So you'll just mention something to me, and I have to, huh?

00:47:23.119 --> 00:47:27.280
And I pull my headphones and you're like, Do you guys all see why I need my own office space?

00:47:27.599 --> 00:47:28.559
Point proven.

00:47:28.880 --> 00:47:31.599
Y'all could realize why I need my own office space back.

00:47:31.840 --> 00:47:32.079
Right.

00:47:32.320 --> 00:47:33.840
But I'm not complaining.

00:47:34.079 --> 00:47:41.039
But what I'm saying is you tell me, like, I pull my headphones off and you're like, I'm gonna go look at an office building and give them a quote on cleaning it.

00:47:41.760 --> 00:47:44.400
I'm like, uh what?

00:47:45.440 --> 00:47:46.559
Kalamazoo?

00:47:46.639 --> 00:47:47.519
Like who shot the cat?

00:47:47.599 --> 00:47:48.559
What are we talking about?

00:47:48.719 --> 00:47:50.159
I don't know what the heck's happening here.

00:47:50.239 --> 00:47:53.039
What is where what is where does this come from?

00:47:53.280 --> 00:47:54.800
A quote for what is what you said.

00:47:55.039 --> 00:47:56.239
Yeah, I'm like, what are we talking about?

00:47:56.320 --> 00:47:57.679
Like you're renting an office space now?

00:47:57.920 --> 00:47:59.199
Like you want to get out of here that badly?

00:47:59.280 --> 00:48:00.880
Like, I don't know what's happening.

00:48:01.360 --> 00:48:07.760
Um, I was just uh prusing around on Marketplace, and I actually wasn't Marketplace.

00:48:07.840 --> 00:48:09.360
It was KBK mom's.

00:48:10.239 --> 00:48:24.239
And there was a lady on there that was posting that she has a beautiful office um in Bidderford, and she was looking for a once-a-month or bi-weekly um cleaner.

00:48:24.960 --> 00:48:27.119
And let me just tell you guys.

00:48:27.440 --> 00:48:28.079
You used to do that.

00:48:28.320 --> 00:48:28.880
I used to do it.

00:48:28.960 --> 00:48:30.559
Yeah, and I loved every minute of it.

00:48:30.960 --> 00:48:31.519
Loved it.

00:48:32.079 --> 00:48:34.239
It was cleansing for my soul.

00:48:34.960 --> 00:48:37.199
It was a hobby for me.

00:48:37.440 --> 00:48:42.239
Like, I'm going out to the beach and I'm going to clean a bunch of turnovers that take me a few hours.

00:48:42.639 --> 00:48:44.480
But it was quick, easy money in my pocket.

00:48:44.639 --> 00:48:44.880
Yeah.

00:48:45.119 --> 00:48:47.119
Like, easy money.

00:48:48.079 --> 00:48:52.400
So I sent this lady a message and I was like, listen, I'm very much interested.

00:48:52.719 --> 00:48:54.159
Like, here's the deal.

00:48:54.400 --> 00:48:55.840
I am not a cleaning company.

00:48:56.320 --> 00:49:00.880
I will happily come down and I will give you a quote and we can go from there.

00:49:01.039 --> 00:49:01.679
Yeah.

00:49:02.079 --> 00:49:04.559
I drove down there and met the lady.

00:49:04.719 --> 00:49:08.320
I didn't meet the lady that put the post up, but I met one of the counselors that was there.

00:49:08.559 --> 00:49:12.079
She was super nice, gave me a tour, loves me.

00:49:12.320 --> 00:49:14.320
So she's like, okay, perfect.

00:49:14.480 --> 00:49:16.719
Um, I'll have the owner reach out to you.

00:49:16.960 --> 00:49:18.239
And she did.

00:49:18.400 --> 00:49:22.639
We had extant conversations about what exactly what they were looking for.

00:49:22.800 --> 00:49:25.199
Um, and it's basically just spot cleaning.

00:49:25.280 --> 00:49:30.719
Like they want the floors done every now and again, they want the counters wiped down, trash is taken out, what have you.

00:49:31.039 --> 00:49:32.480
Easy stuff.

00:49:32.719 --> 00:49:34.800
And I was like, done, no problem.

00:49:34.960 --> 00:49:41.679
Um, she's like, so if you could give me a quote, and I was like, Yeah, yeah, for this bi-weekly, I'll charge you 150 bucks.

00:49:42.239 --> 00:49:43.360
Like, that's easy.

00:49:43.519 --> 00:49:44.800
That's that's cheap.

00:49:45.280 --> 00:49:47.599
And uh I chat GPT'd, thank you.

00:49:47.760 --> 00:49:48.800
Um, sponsor me.

00:49:48.880 --> 00:49:49.519
I love you.

00:49:50.159 --> 00:49:53.360
And they actually said that I was low.

00:49:54.159 --> 00:50:07.199
But to me,$150 for one time to go and clean this lady's house compared to the$50 that I'm making for four hours, and I'm gonna do I'm gonna work less hours.

00:50:07.360 --> 00:50:09.440
Yeah, you're not making$50 at the other place.

00:50:10.000 --> 00:50:17.440
Basically, I know you keep downplaying it based off of taxes and all that, but but like you're using that to make payments on things to have extra cash.

00:50:17.840 --> 00:50:18.239
Absolutely.

00:50:18.880 --> 00:50:25.280
This cleaning gig, if you're doing it, you know, bi-weekly, you're making your shed payment, like you're making your G shed payment.

00:50:25.360 --> 00:50:28.400
Like exactly that's a tremendous blessing just right there.

00:50:28.639 --> 00:50:29.280
Absolutely.

00:50:29.519 --> 00:50:42.639
Yeah, and so um by the grace of God, she reached out to me and said, Hey, listen, I got a um quote from the other company, and I have no interest in going with a company.

00:50:42.719 --> 00:50:46.320
I want to go with someone who's more personable, and we want to give you the opportunity.

00:50:46.559 --> 00:50:53.599
And uh right now we're gonna start off with one time a month, and I'll pay you 175 per time.

00:50:53.840 --> 00:50:58.639
And here very soon I'll pick it up to buy weekly, and I'm also looking for a location in Kenny Bunk.

00:50:58.880 --> 00:51:00.719
And I'd love for you to take that on as well.

00:51:00.960 --> 00:51:03.920
And I was like, wait, what?

00:51:04.480 --> 00:51:07.119
Like, I got it, like, are you kidding?

00:51:07.440 --> 00:51:11.119
And I had just let go of um of the other job.

00:51:11.360 --> 00:51:13.039
Yeah, it's happening really quickly, like very quickly.

00:51:13.280 --> 00:51:31.119
You you took something off your plate that was kind of you know weighing on you a little bit, and then overnight you replaced the income that was holding you to what you were what you were committed to, and it was like you were just doing something because financially it just made sense to help, you know, gain the freedom, but in no other way did it make sense.

00:51:31.199 --> 00:51:40.880
Yeah, when you prioritize what is sensible in your life and let go of that, you very quickly replaced that income with something that is a de stressor for you.

00:51:40.960 --> 00:51:42.000
So it's a great opportunity.

00:51:42.079 --> 00:51:49.760
And I know you know, if people are listening on the surface level, you might be like, oh, a part-time once a month scenario for a couple hundred bucks, how was that amazing?

00:51:49.920 --> 00:51:57.119
But if you drill into it, you took off something negative, you took off something that was holding you back, took off something that was the only thing left to it was financial.

00:51:57.280 --> 00:52:05.440
When you made the decision for you and your family and your right frame of mind, you were rewarded with more than enough of the finances to replace what was holding you in the first place.

00:52:05.599 --> 00:52:07.360
Like and I also enjoy cleaning.

00:52:07.599 --> 00:52:08.239
That's what I'm saying.

00:52:08.320 --> 00:52:10.239
It's better off for you in general, yeah.

00:52:10.480 --> 00:52:14.960
Anyways, and you're gonna in the long run make more money than you would have on the shifts you were picking up.

00:52:15.199 --> 00:52:21.599
And it also gives me the opportunity to kind of step out of the house where I'm currently working from home all the time.

00:52:21.760 --> 00:52:24.800
Um, and it's a de stressor at the same time for me.

00:52:25.039 --> 00:52:28.239
Um, I don't have to deal with patients um in this job.

00:52:28.320 --> 00:52:30.000
I just go in and I clean.

00:52:30.239 --> 00:52:32.960
And so it'll be really like nice for me.

00:52:33.039 --> 00:52:35.360
And I build my own schedule with with them.

00:52:35.440 --> 00:52:35.679
Yeah.

00:52:35.840 --> 00:52:40.400
Um, I love to clean down at the beach, but I hated doing certain things about those.

00:52:40.559 --> 00:52:49.440
And those certain things that I didn't care for at the beach houses, I don't have to do in the other thing about the beach thing was like, hey, we have a new person coming in or one moving out.

00:52:49.599 --> 00:52:51.119
I need you here in two hours.

00:52:51.280 --> 00:52:54.000
And you're like, I'm not, I'm like, yeah, I'm out of the state.

00:52:54.159 --> 00:52:55.199
How do you expect me to get there?

00:52:55.280 --> 00:52:56.159
Those are the frustrating things.

00:52:56.400 --> 00:52:58.239
And then I had to have them covered and that sort of thing.

00:52:58.320 --> 00:53:04.239
So the nice thing about this is that I'm not a company and I don't have a bunch of other cleaning gigs, and I've talked to her about that.

00:53:04.320 --> 00:53:05.840
So that was really awesome.

00:53:06.000 --> 00:53:09.920
Um, and then it's great because some people would look at it as a disadvantage.

00:53:10.159 --> 00:53:21.920
I'm going into this, you know, this um this opportunity, and I'm gonna quote this out, but I'm going up against all these professional companies, and they're gonna, you know, they have you know professional equipment and crews and they're gonna beat me with this.

00:53:22.000 --> 00:53:25.440
When no, let me look at my situation and let me put a better spin on it.

00:53:25.599 --> 00:53:38.079
Like if you work with me, you're working with me, you're working with one person, you're not dealing with you know, random, you know, high school kid that's coming in here to clean one week to somebody that I picked up at a at a job core the next or whatever, you know what I mean?

00:53:38.239 --> 00:53:41.519
Like, I don't have a thousand other priorities when it comes to cleaning.

00:53:41.599 --> 00:53:45.920
Like when you call me and you need something, as soon as my work shifts over, I can come do it.

00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:47.679
Like that's there's and that's what I've let heard.

00:53:47.840 --> 00:53:49.519
There's a whole different selling point that you had.

00:53:49.599 --> 00:53:58.400
So people might have gone into that and felt defeated when ultimately you should come in and use your situation as an opportunity to be different, and you did, and that's what worked out.

00:53:58.639 --> 00:53:59.519
Yeah, absolutely.

00:53:59.679 --> 00:54:07.519
And then um, just to just to circle back, I haven't even started with this cleaning company yet, um, or cleaning job, I should say.

00:54:07.760 --> 00:54:10.960
And I reached out to the lady because I was on marketplace again.

00:54:11.280 --> 00:54:12.719
You love that damn marketplace.

00:54:13.119 --> 00:54:16.559
Um, and I found an office space for her in Kenny Bunk.

00:54:16.880 --> 00:54:17.280
Yeah.

00:54:17.519 --> 00:54:22.079
And I I threw a Hail Mary and I said, Hey, listen, I found you an office.

00:54:22.239 --> 00:54:22.400
Yeah.

00:54:22.639 --> 00:54:23.199
Here it is.

00:54:23.360 --> 00:54:27.519
She sent me a message back probably two hours later and was like, I have a lease in hand.

00:54:27.920 --> 00:54:29.599
And I was like, Oh my god.

00:54:30.000 --> 00:54:30.480
So bizarre.

00:54:30.719 --> 00:54:31.920
You've got to be kidding me.

00:54:32.079 --> 00:54:33.199
Like, you've got to be kidding me.

00:54:33.280 --> 00:54:33.440
Yeah.

00:54:33.599 --> 00:54:42.960
Like, so not only was I looking at one time a month at this Bitterford office, yeah, there's a potential to do two times a month.

00:54:43.199 --> 00:54:45.119
So 150 each time.

00:54:45.679 --> 00:54:51.039
And now it's probably going to be one time in Kenny Bunk or two times in Kenny Bunk.

00:54:51.199 --> 00:54:54.960
You're gonna put$150 to$600 really quickly.

00:54:55.280 --> 00:54:55.679
Easy.

00:54:55.920 --> 00:54:56.719
Doing easy work.

00:54:59.840 --> 00:55:00.079
Absolutely.

00:55:00.400 --> 00:55:00.800
God is good.

00:55:00.880 --> 00:55:06.079
And when you're cleansing your plate and removing things that no longer serve you, you're creating opportunity for those things to come to you.

00:55:06.320 --> 00:55:06.800
Absolutely.

00:55:07.039 --> 00:55:23.760
I wanted you to come on here and share these things because as we say that there's there's strength in the struggle, there's learning tools and and success clues to everybody's story, and you've been doing these things, and I think that for people to hear real actionable stories, it makes sense, right?

00:55:24.000 --> 00:55:40.239
Um, it's a little more uh easy to buy into to relate to you, to say, like you started doing these things, and very quickly you opened your eyes to I'm not in the right career, and you found a new career and you committed to it, and then you found other things that weren't serving you, and you removed those, and they were very quickly replaced for you.

00:55:40.559 --> 00:55:45.360
So it shows people the real-time benefits of removing things in your life that aren't serving you.

00:55:45.599 --> 00:55:47.840
So I wanted you to come on here and share some of those things.

00:55:47.920 --> 00:56:01.679
And I don't want to make the episode too long, but I want to roll out some stuff for some folks because anytime we have one of these stories and we share these things, we want to leave tips, tricks, techniques, actionable items, and steps for people to kind of do some of these things.

00:56:01.760 --> 00:56:24.079
Sometimes we stumble into this stuff, and then after a while, like spiritually, you just run into something and you challenge yourself to cleanse things, to figure things out, and eventually you start doing something, and you might be a week or a month into it, and you stop and realize, like, this is what I'm doing, and then you look into it and go, Holy shit, I've been doing that this whole time, and there's these steps, and you start to realize I was actually doing these things along the way.

00:56:24.320 --> 00:56:35.039
So to get that going, I wanted to um really kind of paint the picture to pave the road a little bit when people are saying, What is it, what does it mean to uh shed things that don't that don't serve you?

00:56:35.199 --> 00:56:53.199
And looking at the definition basically is consciously releasing people, habits, beliefs, or possessions that drain your energy, cause negativity, or prevent growth, making space for joy, peace, and alignment with your true self.

00:56:53.679 --> 00:57:01.599
So this whole time that you and me are having these conversations over the past couple months about like shedding things, neither one of us looked this definition up.

00:57:01.760 --> 00:57:02.559
You know what I mean?

00:57:02.800 --> 00:57:06.239
And you think about it, and that I don't think I've read the definition before.

00:57:06.400 --> 00:57:11.679
Like just keep like when you read it that one time, you just like hold on to it and like so.

00:57:12.159 --> 00:57:16.079
But I just think it's crazy to go back and look at it and go, like, wow, this is everything that you've been up to, right?

00:57:17.119 --> 00:57:28.000
So it goes into um let's see here, uh, a process requiring self-honesty, courage, and self-respect to create room for positive, fulfilling experiences.

00:57:28.239 --> 00:57:38.960
It's a transformative act like nature shedding leaves that frees you to thrive by identifying what's unhealthy and taking steps to let it go, even if it's difficult.

00:57:39.199 --> 00:57:43.599
There is varying degrees and layers of difficulty when it comes to shedding these things, right?

00:57:44.079 --> 00:58:05.840
Whether you're shedding a career, which is very difficult, whether you're shedding a part-time job that might not seem as difficult, whether you're shedding a negative relationship, whether you're, you know, um you're in a negative relationship, if you're in an abusive relationship, if you're having um situations with your family, whether it's your parents or siblings, whatever it is, removing yourself from those things, shedding those things, there's varying layers of difficulty, right?

00:58:06.000 --> 00:58:12.159
Uh quitting suites at night, like that's shedding something, but it might not be as difficult as changing careers, right?

00:58:12.239 --> 00:58:20.320
There's all these different varying degrees and and and and layers of difficulty, but the greater the difficulty, I think the greater the reward in the end as to what's going to come to you.

00:58:21.039 --> 00:58:24.960
If I can give any sort of advice pertaining to that, is like start small.

00:58:25.119 --> 00:58:25.519
Yeah.

00:58:25.840 --> 00:58:34.079
So, like, for instance, like um when I started, I look at the big picture before I start shedding anything.

00:58:34.320 --> 00:58:46.320
Like, I'm and I use the term brain dump when it comes to like jotting down anything and everything that I like need to get off my chest.

00:58:46.480 --> 00:58:46.880
Right.

00:58:47.199 --> 00:58:50.960
So when I started this process, I did a brain dump.

00:58:51.119 --> 00:58:55.280
I took a blank piece of paper and I just started writing down all the things that are no longer serving me.

00:58:55.440 --> 00:58:59.119
And some of them were heavy, some of them were small.

00:59:00.079 --> 00:59:02.400
But how do I get to those big ones?

00:59:02.639 --> 00:59:04.000
By starting at the small ones.

00:59:04.239 --> 00:59:12.639
So what I started with was I took a laundry basket in my house and I started filling it with things that I needed to donate.

00:59:12.960 --> 00:59:20.159
I started going through my seasons cabinet like and started throwing out the things that were expired.

00:59:20.400 --> 00:59:20.639
Right.

00:59:20.800 --> 00:59:22.559
Because when was the last time that you did that?

00:59:22.719 --> 00:59:22.880
Yeah.

00:59:23.039 --> 00:59:29.360
Those are small things that don't necessarily feel like anything, but they're waste.

00:59:29.599 --> 00:59:29.840
Yeah.

00:59:30.079 --> 00:59:31.519
And it's bogging you down.

00:59:31.679 --> 00:59:35.519
It's taking up space in your cabinet, which means it's taking up space in your mind.

00:59:36.000 --> 00:59:41.119
So it's small things like that that start the process rolling, right?

00:59:41.360 --> 00:59:47.599
So then maybe you go into your bathroom and you go under your bathroom cabinet and you're like, I haven't used this lotion, haven't even opened it.

00:59:47.760 --> 00:59:50.400
Great, I'm gonna set that aside and I'm gonna donate it.

00:59:50.559 --> 00:59:50.800
Yeah.

00:59:51.039 --> 00:59:54.719
And just start putting everything in that basket that's no longer serving you.

00:59:54.880 --> 00:59:56.320
And look at how much space you have.

00:59:56.400 --> 00:59:56.639
Yeah.

00:59:56.800 --> 00:59:59.679
Look at how much room for activity you.

01:00:00.320 --> 01:00:19.599
Created once you've done that, and I and I say start with your home because once you start in your home, you're going to feel a sense of relief, you're gonna feel a sense of like a breath of fresh air because if you have a cluttered home, you have a cluttered mind.

01:00:20.159 --> 01:00:20.880
Amen of that.

01:00:21.119 --> 01:00:27.519
And like you can't focus on the things that are necessary.

01:00:28.079 --> 01:00:35.760
Like you can't jump to removing toxic people from your life because you're not ready for that yet.

01:00:36.320 --> 01:00:39.119
If you were ready for that, you would have done that a long ass time ago.

01:00:39.199 --> 01:00:39.360
Yeah.

01:00:39.599 --> 01:00:41.360
Like, so you gotta build up for that.

01:00:41.679 --> 01:00:42.719
So start small.

01:00:43.280 --> 01:00:44.000
Start small.

01:00:44.159 --> 01:00:46.239
Like, and I mean, I'm still doing it.

01:00:46.320 --> 01:00:46.480
Yeah.

01:00:46.719 --> 01:00:47.280
You know what I mean?

01:00:47.360 --> 01:00:49.920
And like rearrange your furniture, clean out that cabinet.

01:00:50.079 --> 01:00:55.039
Like, just start with those things because those things don't feel like they're weighing on you.

01:00:55.280 --> 01:01:01.119
But I know damn well I used to walk past that bathroom cabinet and be like, I need some better storage in here.

01:01:01.280 --> 01:01:02.159
And I just talked about it.

01:01:02.239 --> 01:01:02.400
Right.

01:01:02.559 --> 01:01:03.920
And talked about it and talked about it.

01:01:04.000 --> 01:01:09.360
And then finally I was like, damn you, cabinet, you're getting painted, you're getting your own cabinet, I'm getting my own cabinet.

01:01:09.840 --> 01:01:11.039
We even built a shoe closet.

01:01:11.119 --> 01:01:11.360
Yeah.

01:01:11.519 --> 01:01:11.599
Right?

01:01:11.760 --> 01:01:12.960
Just like little random things.

01:01:13.039 --> 01:01:22.239
And because it's all these things that I have in my mind that I want to that I wanted to keep doing, but they were just bogging me down because I had other things that were just like taking top priority.

01:01:22.639 --> 01:01:25.679
I think that's all great information and great actionable steps.

01:01:25.840 --> 01:01:29.039
Um back on our research, throwing some more of those things.

01:01:29.119 --> 01:01:31.119
These are going to echo exactly what you just said.

01:01:31.280 --> 01:01:40.800
So um, what to shed, toxic relationships, friendships, family ties, or romantic partners that constantly drain you or make you feel small.

01:01:41.679 --> 01:02:00.719
Negative habits and beliefs, like self-limiting thoughts, past resentments, fear-based decisions or addictions that hold you back, outdated goals and identities, dreams or roles that no longer align with who you are becoming, such as a job title or a past image.

01:02:01.039 --> 01:02:07.920
And to Ali's last point, physical clutter, items in your home, car, or a life that no longer serve a purpose.

01:02:08.159 --> 01:02:10.159
All those things, we've outlined all those things.

01:02:10.239 --> 01:02:11.519
They all weigh us down.

01:02:11.760 --> 01:02:17.360
Like, as even as I read through these again, outdated goals and identities, job titles.

01:02:17.840 --> 01:02:23.840
I mean, I was so embarrassed so many times in my life to leave something that I felt was validated by the job title.

01:02:23.920 --> 01:02:24.559
You know what I mean?

01:02:24.719 --> 01:02:30.559
Like, if I leave this job and I start a square one somewhere else, like what about this role?

01:02:30.639 --> 01:02:31.360
What about this title?

01:02:31.440 --> 01:02:32.159
What about what I earned?

01:02:32.320 --> 01:02:34.400
This meaningless badge is that I was a manager.

01:02:34.480 --> 01:02:35.039
You know what I mean?

01:02:35.199 --> 01:02:37.280
Like you hold on to these certain things.

01:02:37.840 --> 01:02:39.119
How to shed them.

01:02:39.280 --> 01:02:42.079
I think that you already made some great points on this.

01:02:42.320 --> 01:02:44.559
And it starts right off with your point.

01:02:44.800 --> 01:02:46.159
Identify and reflect.

01:02:46.480 --> 01:02:53.119
Get still, journal, and honestly ask what drains your energy or makes you feel stuck.

01:02:53.599 --> 01:02:56.960
Um, thoughts, habits, situations, all of those things.

01:02:57.760 --> 01:02:59.360
Make conscious choices.

01:02:59.599 --> 01:03:05.039
Decide to stop making decisions from fear, choose love and joy instead.

01:03:05.599 --> 01:03:12.719
Set boundaries, have difficult conversations or simply walk away from people or situations that don't respect your needs.

01:03:13.599 --> 01:03:14.719
Declare and release.

01:03:14.880 --> 01:03:19.840
Make a silent declaration to yourself and the universe that you are releasing these things.

01:03:20.719 --> 01:03:22.079
Embrace the void.

01:03:22.400 --> 01:03:27.199
Trust that by creating empty space you're making room for better things to enter your life.

01:03:27.440 --> 01:03:29.119
And practice self-compassion.

01:03:29.280 --> 01:03:35.599
Recognize that letting go is a courageous and necessary for growth, not a sign of failure.

01:03:39.119 --> 01:03:52.800
I think that lines up quite well with the difficult but rewarding um journey and quest that that you know we've been on.

01:03:52.880 --> 01:03:56.480
So it's definitely been a journey, alright.

01:03:56.719 --> 01:04:00.239
2026 is coming hot and steady.

01:04:00.559 --> 01:04:01.760
Hard and steady.

01:04:02.559 --> 01:04:03.679
You better be ready.

01:04:03.920 --> 01:04:04.480
Oh yeah.

01:04:04.719 --> 01:04:06.000
Buggalo, buttercup.

01:04:06.480 --> 01:04:13.920
I think it's it's motivating when you can see things happen quickly.

01:04:14.079 --> 01:04:17.119
And and even just by being around people that is happening quickly for.

01:04:17.360 --> 01:04:26.639
Like I feel like if I'm trying to do things and I'm removing things, and I don't feel any improvement, like I don't feel like there's any difference, and then I see you be like, oh, well, I'm gonna leave.

01:04:26.800 --> 01:04:28.960
I make the decision that I'm I'm leaving this part-time scenario.

01:04:29.039 --> 01:04:30.159
But what am I gonna do about the money?

01:04:30.320 --> 01:04:32.320
Oh, boom, here you go, here's the opportunity.

01:04:32.559 --> 01:04:37.760
And then in no time at all, you triple what that opportunity was, you know.

01:04:38.079 --> 01:04:38.960
Before even starting.

01:04:39.199 --> 01:04:44.159
And that in itself is motivating for me on the sidelines to be like, okay, well, what else can I get rid of?

01:04:44.239 --> 01:04:45.360
Because it's motivating, right?

01:04:45.519 --> 01:04:58.000
And that's one of the reasons why I wanted you to come on here and share the story, because even if it can be a small example for somebody, you can magnify that into many things and and show that success there.

01:04:58.079 --> 01:05:04.800
So just knowing, hey, by doing these things, they're actionable steps that we've outlined for you, and there's real tangible results.

01:05:04.880 --> 01:05:17.760
Like you've changed your career, you've changed your lifestyle in um all by starting with that brain dump of writing things down and saying what is not right for me anymore, and then you know betting on myself.

01:05:18.000 --> 01:05:21.440
And you take the pencil and erase how many times you wrote my husband on the list.

01:05:21.519 --> 01:05:22.079
You know what I mean?

01:05:22.480 --> 01:05:23.119
Oh, you're number one.

01:05:23.360 --> 01:05:24.320
Yeah, I believe it.

01:05:25.280 --> 01:05:28.320
That'll be on the family counseling episode of the podcast.

01:05:28.800 --> 01:05:30.480
No, I just clean their offices.

01:05:30.719 --> 01:05:31.679
Yeah, yeah, right.

01:05:31.760 --> 01:05:33.920
Yeah, that's probably why you picked a psychiatrist's office.

01:05:34.400 --> 01:05:35.920
I actually didn't know what kind of office it was.

01:05:36.079 --> 01:05:37.679
It could have been a gynecologist for all of that.

01:05:37.840 --> 01:05:39.440
Hey, I'll take a look.

01:05:40.239 --> 01:05:41.679
Bada bing bada boom.

01:05:42.079 --> 01:05:43.519
Coolest guy in the room.

01:05:45.039 --> 01:05:48.880
I want to thank you for for joining, joining the the uh pod today.

01:05:48.960 --> 01:05:50.880
It's been a little a little bit of time.

01:05:51.280 --> 01:05:52.159
And we're gonna put it.

01:05:52.400 --> 01:05:53.119
People don't like to hear me.

01:05:53.199 --> 01:05:53.440
I know.

01:05:53.679 --> 01:06:04.400
Well, well, clearly they'd like to hear you more than me because Spotify said you were their number one popular episode for the for Share the Truggle last year, so I'm gonna hold this to the test to see if this one ends up being the best one for the year.

01:06:04.559 --> 01:06:04.800
Why not?

01:06:04.880 --> 01:06:05.840
But you people listen to it.

01:06:05.920 --> 01:06:06.960
You're telling them it was no good.

01:06:07.039 --> 01:06:07.679
What are you talking about?

01:06:08.400 --> 01:06:09.440
I don't listen to my own episodes.

01:06:09.599 --> 01:06:10.320
I know, it's weird.

01:06:10.559 --> 01:06:11.840
No, it's weird to hear myself.

01:06:12.000 --> 01:06:12.480
I don't do it.

01:06:12.719 --> 01:06:13.440
You're silly.

01:06:13.679 --> 01:06:25.599
All I will say is this trust the process, have faith, and just remember that one door may close, another door may not close.

01:06:25.920 --> 01:06:27.440
Another door may not open.

01:06:28.000 --> 01:06:29.199
But a window might.

01:06:30.239 --> 01:06:30.880
Hey.

01:06:31.280 --> 01:06:38.400
And if you plan it the way you're playing it, get some wind extra paper towels and charge them sons of bitches to clean them windows once you're closing them.

01:06:38.480 --> 01:06:39.280
You know what I'm saying?

01:06:39.519 --> 01:06:40.559
How you doing?

01:06:41.280 --> 01:06:45.280
Thank you for supporting your Oh mine?

01:06:45.519 --> 01:06:45.920
Yes.

01:06:46.239 --> 01:06:47.280
American Dream.

01:06:47.840 --> 01:06:50.079
You're gonna wash your fucking hands.

01:06:50.320 --> 01:06:51.840
Wow, they'll be savage.

01:06:53.119 --> 01:06:55.599
That's it, and that's all, Biggie Smalls.

01:07:09.519 --> 01:07:21.760
If you're a Loud Proud American and you find yourself just wanting more, find me on YouTube and Facebook at Loud Proud American or Facebook, as my mama calls it.

01:07:21.840 --> 01:07:36.880
If you're a fan of the Graham Cracker, you wanna find me on Instagram or all the kids of Tickety Talkin on the TikTok, you can find me on both of those at loud underscore proud underscore American.

01:07:46.159 --> 01:07:52.880
Big old thank you to the boys from the Gut Truckers for the background beats and the thing songs to their podcast.

01:07:53.039 --> 01:07:59.039
If you are enjoying what you're hearing, track down the gun truckers on Facebook Just Sir Gut Truckers.

01:07:59.199 --> 01:08:01.119
Give that motherfucker a like.