Beautiful Shifts

Surviving the Empty Nest Phase, Finding Peace through Life's Storms, and Faith Evolution with SUSIE AUGENSTEIN

Today we are joined by the amazing and wise Susie Augenstein! Susie shares her experiences and lessons learned on some recent significant life transitions she's been through including the empty nest phase and how to find peace through life's storms. She then shares about her faith evolution as a member of the LDS church, as a former bishop's wife and lifelong active and devoted member. Susie's story, perspectives and advice to listeners are so well thought out and we know you'll find value in what she shares. 
 
Susie is a nurse, mom, traveler, wife, questioner, and advocate for all of her close friends who identify as LGFTQ+. She and her husband, Paul, raised five kids who are now figuring out young adulthood with all of its ups and downs. 
 
Thank you again to Susie for coming on Beautiful Shifts! 
 
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We hope you enjoyed this conversation. We'd love if you'd subscribe wherever you listen and follow along. You can find us on Instagram @beautifulshifts_podcast and on Facebook where you can find more on the show, our guests, and more. 
 
Thank you for listening! 

Living an Expanded Life Through Entering the World of Disability, Focusing on Adventure, Love and Gratitude with JORGE FONT

It's our Spring Break week, so today we are re-releasing an episode we had last spring with the incredibly inspiring Jorge Font. At 19-years-old Jorge was in a waterskiing accident and became a paraplegic. In this conversation Jorge shares his journey since then including challenges, lessons learned, and how ultimately his life has expanded in ways he is grateful for.   
 
This is a such an uplifting conversation and we're so grateful Jorge took the time to talk with us and share his experiences and perspectives! We're so happy we can reshare this so our newer listeners have a chance to hear Jorge's story and the rest of us can have a chance to listen again.
 
Jorge is a husband, father, author, speaker, the Director of Institutional Philosophy at the Telethon Foundation, and the Director of Meaning and Human Development in Nice. He has given a TedX talk Life In Earthquake Mode and published a book Ensanchar la vida (Expanded Life) found here on Amazon. 
 
Thank you again, Jorge, for coming on Beautiful Shifts and sharing with us! 
 
 

Poetry and Friendship as a Catalyst for Survival and Healing with DEBORAH and ELIZABETH

Today we are joined by Deborah Tobola and Elizabeth Buckner who have been friends for close to 25 years, brought together by being teachers at the same prison and a shared love of poetry. Both from California with unique backgrounds including living during the hippie era, they share their individual stories and traumas they've endured through the years, sharing poems they've written along the way, and how writing and sharing poetry with each other has been a catalyst for healing.
 
We loved this soulful conversation and know you'll be fascinated, touched, and inspired by Deborah and Elizabeth's poems, stories, passion for serving others, social justice, and friendship, as we were. 
 
More about Deborah and Elizabeth and where to find their work (with links):
 
Deborah Tobola is a poet, memoirist, playwright and co-author of a children’s book. Her work has earned four Pushcart Prize nominations, three Academy of American Poets awards and a Children’s Choice Book Award. Her memoir, Hummingbird in Underworld:Teaching in a Men’s Prison (She Writes Press, 2019), received positive reviews in the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Review of Books. It also won several awards in the categories of social justice, social issues, creative nonfiction and heroic journeys. Tobola spent 30 years working as prison arts instructor, teaching creative writing and theatre. Tobola founded Poetic Justice Project, the country’s first theatre company for formerly incarcerated people, in Santa Maria, California in 2009. 
 
Before dedicating herself to poetry, Elizabeth Buckner was a welfare worker in Los Angeles and San Francisco for four years and a prison educator in San Luis Obispo County for thirty years, with a stint in San Francisco as a substitute school bus driver in between. Her poems are her life stories written in shorthand, distilled to their essences. She has self-published two books of poetry, Naked Lady in 2012, and Spirits in 2016. She recently re-published an expanded version of, Naked Lady, A Poetic Memoir of Rape and Recovery. Both books are available on Amazon Kindle and Apple Books.
 
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We hope you enjoyed this conversation! We'd love if you'd subscribe and follow along. You can find us on Instagram @beautifulshifts_podcast and on Facebook where you can find more on the show, guests, etc. Thank you for listening!

Language of the Human Experience from Brene Brown's Atlas of the Heart & Meaningful Themes from Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Today we chat about some recent books we've read (some of you may have read along!). Whether you've read these or not, we've structured this episode so you can listen and take away some highlights and meaning from each book.
 
We start with Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown, which draws on her research over two decades, mapping connection and language of the human experience. We share a few words/emotions that stood out to us and discuss takeaways. We hope this can be a helpful and fun recap, and there's plenty more to dive into if you haven't read it yet!
 
Next, we chat about Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, a novel we both read this month that follows the lovable, smart, inspiring character Elizabeth Zott. We loved this book and talk about some meaningful themes such as womanhood, motherhood, family, friendship, and religion and spirituality. We also read some listener thoughts/submissions! We tried not to include spoilers if you haven't read it, and also hope if you did this will be a fun discussion. 
 
We hope you enjoy this chat about some great books and takeaways! 
 
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We hope you enjoyed this conversation! We'd love if you'd subscribe and follow along. You can find us on Instagram @beautifulshifts_podcast and on Facebook here where you can find more on the show, guests, books, etc.
 
Thank you for listening! 

Finding Peace in Running, Faith Journey Leading to Pursuing Wisdom, Curiosity, Compassion, and Acceptance with JORDAN STUART

Today we are joined by Jordan Stuart who is a trail runner, husband, and father of three. Jordan shares how an LDS faith journey led to pursuing wisdom and concepts bringing expanded perspectives and peace, as he remains active in the LDS church. Jordan shares a few of the concepts he's studied and contemplated, and we have a discussion about them including ontological shifts, how personal narrative shapes reality, curiosity, compassion, acceptance, and MGI (Most Generous Interpretation). 
 
Jordan is very wise and shares his story and thoughts in an interesting and thoughtful way, and we thoroughly enjoyed this conversation. Thank you, Jordan, for sharing your valuable perspectives! We hope to have Jordan back in the future.
 
You can find Jordan @_just_another_runner_ and on YouTube at Just Another Runner where he shares short videos he creates on concepts he's learning surrounded by beautiful scenic mountain trails of Utah.
 
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We hope you enjoyed this conversation! We'd love for you to subscribe and follow along. You can find us on Instagram @beautifulshifts_podcast and on Facebook here where you can find more details on the show, guests, book club details, and more.
 
Thank you for listening! 

Becoming an Influencer and Entering Adulthood with ASHLUND JADE ORTIZ

Today Ashlund Ortiz joins us, who is a 21-year-old Instagram influencer from Riverton, Utah. We get to hear what led Ashlund to become an influencer, what it has been like to enter her 20s, and the ups and downs of young adulthood. Ashlund is fun and relatable and it's interesting to get a glimpse into what this career path entails. She shares insights on following your own path, friendships, and more through the young adulthood years.
 
Thank you so much to Ashlund for making the time for us! We are excited for you to get to know her fun personality and hear her story.
 
You can find Ashlund on Instagram @ashlundjade
 
Also, thanks to @whitneygarn for guest hosting today's episode!
 
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We hope you enjoyed this conversation! We'd love if you'd subscribe and follow along.
 
You can find us on Instagram @beautifulshifts_podcast and on Facebook here where you can find more details on the show, guests, book club details, and more.
 
Thank you for listening!

Blessed By Three Children with Down Syndrome, Adoption, Twins, Lots of Love and Chaos with KECIA COX

Today we are joined by Kecia who is a mother of seven children including three with Down Syndrome. Kecia shares what it was like to become a special needs parent, how adoption comes into their story, having twins, and much more. Kecia shares what this journey has been like and beautifully explains the shifts and adjustments she has made along the way both in life and in the way she views the transitions she's been through. We discuss the value of inclusion and having special needs individuals as part of our schools and communities, and the joy the bring into the lives they touch.
 
We are so grateful for Kecia's vulnerability and willingness to share her story - we loved every minute of this conversation and learned so much! We are excited and honored to share Kecia's perspectives with you. Thanks again, Kecia, for graciously sharing your Beautiful Shifts with us! 
 
Find Kecia and her personal blog where she shares her family and experiences on Instagram @lovemakesmiracles_. 
 
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We hope you enjoyed this conversation! We'd love if you'd subscribe and follow along. 
 
You can find us on Instagram @beautiful_shifts and on Facebook where you can find more details on the show, guests, book club details, and more.
 
Thank you for listening! 

Finding Love at Any Age, Learning to Love Yourself, and Relationship Tips with KATIE BYRNE

It's our Valentine's Day episode, and it's such a fun one! Today we get to talk with Katie Byrne who is a wife, mother of three young children, and our first guest from the UK, living just outside London. Katie shares about finding love later in life and what led her to becoming a coach helping women, primarily over 35, transform their relationship with themselves and find love. Katie shares about traveling to India for several months in her early 30s to intensively practice yoga, how that eventually led to finding her husband, and about helpful perspectives and tips for relationships at any stage.
 
We really loved getting to know Katie - she is a delightful person with great insights and an interesting story. Thanks so much, Katie, for coming on Beautiful Shifts!
 
Find Katie on Instagram @katiebyrne_ where you can find her videos and tips on love and relationships, and more on what she does in her virtual coaching practice helping women all around the world. 
 
Happy Valentine's Day! 
 
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We hope you enjoyed this conversation! We'd love if you'd subscribe and follow along. 
 
You can also find us on Instagram @beautifulshifts_podcast and on Facebook where you can find more details on the show, guests, book club details, and more.
 
Thank you for listening! 

Growing Up In and Leaving Polygamy, and Building a New Life Together with SAM & MELISSA

Sam and Melissa have been married nine years, have two young children, and are the creators and hosts of the popular YouTube Channel Growing Up In Polygamy (GUIP). Today Sam shares his experiences growing up FLDS in Southern Utah including being raised in a loving family with four mothers and 36 children. We hear what it was like being in the sect with Warren Jeffs as the prophet including his imprisonment, what led Sam to leaving, and how he and Melissa (who grew up outside polygamy) met and were married. Their story includes a transition out of the mainstream LDS church to where they are today, sharing their story and helping others. We explore topics such as spiritual experiences in and outside of religion, the complexities of belief, and following your moral compass. 
 
Sam and Melissa are well-spoken, thoughtful, and such a great couple. We feel so lucky they took the time to share their fascinating, inspiring story with us. 
 
Find them in the following places:
YouTube: @growingupinpolygamy
Instagram: @growing_up_in_polygamy
Website: growingupinpolygamy.com
Email: growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com
 
If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to Holding Out HELP at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org. 
 
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We hope you enjoyed this conversation! We'd love if you'd subscribe and follow along.
You can also find us on Instagram @beautifulshifts_podcast and on Facebook here where you can find more details on the show, guests, book club details, and more. 
Thank you for listening! 
 

Taking Back Your Health, Founding a Fitness Gym & Becoming a Business Owner with LAREE SCHUENMAN

LaRee is a wife, mother of five, and founder/owner of StayFitt Training. Today LaRee shares her story of making changes toward a healthy lifestyle which led to pursuing nutrition and fitness education, starting a fitness group in her home, and eventually founding her own business and opening a community fitness gym, all during and soon after Covid hit! LaRee shares what it's like to be a business owner, balancing it all with family, and deciding to follow your passions. She also shares simple, doable tips we can make toward improving health and wellness. 
 
LaRee is our neighbor and friend and we've been so impressed with how she started this business, all she's done with it, and her passion behind what she does. Thanks so much LaRee for taking the time to share your story with us! 
 
Find LaRee on Instagram @laree_shu
Find StayFitt Training @stayfitt_training
 
If you're local in Utah, StayFitt is located in Riverton and is having a three year anniversary celebration coming up February 10th. Check out their page for more details on free seminars, training, and food that will be offered at the event! 
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We hope you enjoyed this conversation! We'd love if you subscribe and follow along. 
 
You can also find Beautiful Shifts on Instagram @beautifulshifts_podcast and on Facebook where you can find more details on the show, guests, book club details, and more. 
 
Thank you for listening!