Learn From People Who Lived it

Mindful Drinking and Socializing while Sober with Abbie and Janay

Mindful Drinking and Socializing while Sober with Abbie and Janay
In this episode, you'll hear:
What does it mean to be sober curious and practice mindful drinking?
You don’t have to be an alcoholic to rethink your relationship with alcohol.
The benefits of having “replacements” for alcohol
Tips for socializing while sober and how to handle the holidays
Janay Oakland and Abbie Boudreau are co-founders of Teetotally Lifestyle, “a modern lifestyle choice for sober curious and mindful drinkers.” Janay is a mindful drinker, and Abbie stopped drinking altogether nearly two years ago.
Janay tells us her problem was less an addiction to alcohol and more an addiction to people pleasing. She never felt a major dependence on drinking, but she also never liked the way it made her feel, and she found herself mainly drinking for others. When she turned 30 and had children, she decided it just wasn't worth it anymore. A move to Phoenix brought her close to more like-minded people, like Abbie, and she has since adopted a mindful drinking approach.
Abbie tells us her drinking was social and part of the professional culture she was in as a TV News correspondent. Being laid off at the start of the pandemic led her drinking to become more antisocial and more of an issue. Just like with Janay, a move to Phoenix presented an opportunity for her to make a change and rethink her relationship with alcohol.
In this episode, Mathew, Abbie, and Janay discuss how they were introduced to alcohol, what made them rethink their relationships with drinking, and what their lives look like now in their new lifestyles. Abbie and Janay talk about why it is important to find “replacements” like mindfulness rituals and hobbies, how their husbands who still drink support them, and the spiritual work they lean on in order to stay on track. They also tell us their tips for socializing while sober and how to handle the holidays.
If you are wondering if you have a problem with alcohol, you probably do. A lot of people do, and the pandemic made it worse for many. You don’t have to be an Alcoholic to rethink your relationship with alcohol. Thankfully, there are a growing number of resources, alcohol alternatives, and communities out there to help. Together, Abbie and Janay are on a mission to help people understand they are not alone, change the narrative around drinking, and create a community for anyone reevaluating their relationship with alcohol through Teetotally Lifestyle.
In this episode, you'll hear:
What does it mean to be sober curious and practice mindful drinking?
You don’t have to be an alcoholic to rethink your relationship with alcohol.
The benefits of having “replacements” for alcohol
Tips for socializing while sober and how to handle the holidays
Follow the podcast: 
Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM) 
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE) 
Resources:
TeetotallyLifestyle.com
Teetotally Lifestyle on Instagram
Connect with Mathew Blades: 
Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/ 
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/ 
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/
Additional Credits:
LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Medical Bills Piling Up? Wight Horse can help.

Medical Bills Piling Up? Wight Horse can help.
“Take a step back, breathe... Nothing bad immediately is going to happen. You have some time to figure it out.”
In this episode, you'll hear:
What inspired Romy to start Wight Horse?
Why do people receive high medical bills even if they have good insurance?
Romy’s advice to people with medical debt
Who does Wight Horse help, and when should you reach out?
Why does it sometimes seem more affordable to pay cash and circumvent your insurance?
The healthcare system is broken. “There is no way you can put a price on a human life, but the reality is, it’s expensive!” Wight Horse is here to help through education, patience advocacy, and financial grants. In this episode, Mathew and Romy discuss the flaws in the medical insurance system, how to navigate around them, and what to do when bills are piling up. Romy gives great practical advice and industry secrets to help manage and reduce medical debt, like don't ever pay a medical bill on your credit card, remember everything can be negotiated, and always ask the hospital if you are eligible for charity care.
Most people are one unexpected bill away from homelessness. The costs of medical care are skyrocketing, and the insurance companies will not let themselves become the loss leaders. Their goal is to make a profit, and oftentimes, it’s the patients who are left out in the cold. Thankfully, Wight Horse is here to help. They focus on patients who are insured and have at least one person working in the home, as this group often makes too much money to qualify for aid and not enough money to pay the bills. However, even if they can’t help you, they can point you in the right direction.
Romy Wightman is a cancer survivor, patient advocate, and founder of Wight Horse, a nonprofit helping people navigate the medical billing system. Before her own cancer diagnosis, Romy spent many years in the insurance space, working with employer policies. Even with her industry knowledge, the medical bills she was receiving during her treatment started to overwhelm her and take a toll on her family financially. Eventually, they were forced to sell their home to keep up with the payments. She felt so alone during this time until one day she saw a post on Facebook from a popular author saying they also had to sell their house to continue to afford care for their daughter. This was the wake-up call for Romy, showing her she was not the only one struggling. You can do all the right things: save, be responsible, make the right moves, and still get sunk by the healthcare system. This inspired her to start Wight Horse, and she has been helping families navigate, negotiate, and advocate ever since.
 
Follow the podcast: 
Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM) 
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE) 
Resources:
WightHorse.com
Advocating for Yourself Through a Cancer Diagnosis with Romy Wightman
Romy’s Voyage Phoenix article 
Connect with Mathew Blades: 
Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/ 
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/ 
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/
 
Additional Credits:
LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Winning Despite being Beaten with Olympic Racquetball Player Rhonda Rajsich

Winning Despite being Beaten with Olympic Racquetball Player Rhonda Rajsich 
Rhonda Rajsich is an Olympic athlete, a professional racquetball player, speaker, coach, and author. She started playing racquetball at 2 by breaking out of the nursery at the health club her parents went to. She comes from a family of accomplished professional athletes and excellence was expected of her from a young age. Instead of being intimidated by this, she felt inspired by it and knew she would be great. Turns out she was right and today she is the most decorated professional racquetball player in United States history.
However, her journey was anything but easy. 
Flashback to late Saturday night, June 1st, 2008 in Hermosa Beach California. Rhonda had the World Championships coming up in just 6 months when she was blindsided and attacked by two men with brass knuckles. She had the presence of mind to stay on her feet, avoid escalation, and make bold choices that kept her alive. She ended up with several facial fractures that required an extensive 12-hour reconstructive surgery and a grueling recovery process. As hard as the attack was on Rhonda, it was devastating to her loved ones. Instead of receiving comfort, she ended up being the one comforting her girlfriend and family. 
After she got home from the hospital, Rhonda was confronted for the first time by her coach with the fact that she wouldn't be able to compete in the World Championship. True to her nature, Rhonda wasn't accepting no as an answer. They never caught who did this to her, but Worlds was the only thing on her mind. At this point, she was using a walker, unable to eat solid food, and had lost 37 pounds. Despite all the odds, she did it. 
Jumped on June 1st.
Reconstructive surgery on June 11th.
Stopped all pain medication on July 5th.
Won a tournament the second week of July. 
Flew to Ireland on July 29th.
 
Won her first world title, undefeated, on August 4th.
 
Leading up to the competition, she couldn’t move around her house let alone train. This is where intense visualization and understanding of the mind-body connection came into play. By visualizing each step in the training process, using all five senses, and showing complete dedication to where she wanted to be, Rhonda was able to stay at the top of her game without ever stepping foot on a court. Everything takes place in the brain and rehearsing perfection results in perfection. 
 
Today, she is still competing and still undergoing surgeries. She is still in pain and still overcoming the odds. In spite of all of this, she never entertains anger or resentment and she she says the attack gave her more than it took. Her excruciating daily pain is a reminder of everything she has to be grateful for and everything she has accomplished. She never has to prove anyone else wrong. She only has to prove herself right. 
“Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.”
In this episode, you'll hear:
What was happening on a psychological level for Rhonda when she was being attacked? 
Why a little bit of questioning medical professionals in the right circumstances can be useful sometimes.
The power of using all five senses in visualization when she couldn't use her body to train.
Why, if she could go back, Rhonda would not change a thing. 
Follow the podcast: 
Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM) 
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE) 
 
Connect with the Guest
Dr. David Leicken, MD
Rhonda Rajsich on Instagram
Rhonda Rajsich on LinkedIn
 
Resources:
Sports Philanthropy Network
Rhondaspeaks.com
 
Connect with Mathew Blades: 
Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/ 
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/ 
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/
 
Additional Credits:
LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson

Everything is Fine, but You Are Still Unhappy: Change Your Mindset with Cortney McDermott

Everything is Fine, but You Are Still Unhappy: Change Your Mindset with Cortney McDermott
 
Cortney McDermott is a bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and mind-body expert with a Master of Science from the London School of Economics. She speaks four languages and splits her time between Italy and the US. There was a time in her life when it looked like she had it all, but in reality, she was “miserably successful”. She had a series of “cold shower moments” where she realized that, despite her accomplishments, she was unhappy. She looked around and saw that it didn't seem like anyone around her was feeling fulfilled either. Finding her way out of that space and helping others do the same has become her calling and new career.
 
In this episode, Mathew and Cortney discuss their shared experience of working up to a successful career and then deciding it was time to “blow up what they built''. Approval, appreciation, and crafting an image can be addicting, but it can also make it harder to evaluate if your life is meeting your true needs or just bringing external validation. From a young age, people are given belief systems about who they are, and then they’re expected to stay within those boundaries. In order to find our true paths, Mathew and Cort say we have to rewire those thoughts and escape the pressure of thinking we have to be something special or something other than what we feel called to be. Most people are running around with masks on, playing characters with personas, but Cort tells us we can choose who we are and reinvent ourselves every day. By letting go of what we think people expect us to be, we can access our full potential. Unless you can control your mind, you won't be able to give up trying to control life. Cort and Mathew both describe what it looked like when they let go of control and how they are still working to ride the wave of existence without trying to control the chaos. We do this in an attempt to achieve the illusion of safety, but in reality, all it does is limit us. Letting go doesn't mean you stop caring about things. Rather, you decide to let go of the addiction to caring what people think about you. It means deciding to follow your intuition and finding ways to transition from where you are now to where you want to be. Cortney outlines the science behind shifting your mindset, gives us practical tools on how to get started, and leaves us with her most important piece of advice to help us start the journey.
 
“I am not the belief... that doesn’t have to define me.”
 
In this episode, you'll hear:
What are “cold shower moments,” and what are they trying to tell us?
How are Cortney’s corporate skills applicable to the work she is doing now?
The science behind shifting your mindset and how to hack it 
 
Follow the podcast: 
Listen on Apple Podcasts (link: https://apple.co/3s1YH7h) 
Listen on iHeart (link: https://ihr.fm/3MEY7FM) 
Listen on Spotify (Link: https://spoti.fi/3yMmQCE) 
 
Connect with the Guest
Cortney on Instagram 
Cortney on LinkedIn
 
Resources:
Give Yourself Permission
www.CortneyMcDermott.com
Mathew Blades Mental Health Retreat Debrief 
 
Connect with Mathew Blades: 
Twitter - twitter.com/MathewBlades
Instagram - instagram.com/MathewBladesmedia/ 
Facebook - facebook.com/mathewbladesmedia/ 
Website - learnfrompeoplewholivedit.com/
 
Additional Credits:
LFPWLI is managed by Sam Robertson