“The person who is supposed to love me most is saying I’m stupid. When you are told you're a bad person for a long time, it takes awhile to learn to love yourself again.” ~ Carol Beth Nelson, MD

Carol Beth Nelson, MD is a neurologist, a mother to four adult children and five adult step children, a life-long avid swimmer, and a lover of the small South Dakota town she grew up in. Since 2018, she’s done so many triathlons that she's lost count. Add to this her impressive list of completing 2 Ironmans and 4 marathons, and sum it up with Carol’s own words, “I have to use all my energy, I just don’t sit very well.”

And while Carol has had many enormous successes and victories, like all of us, she’s experienced life's immense challenges and complexities as well.

Carol was a freshman in med school when she married her first husband, Shon. They shared the kind of love one only dreams about, the kind of love that lasts forever, but life at times can be so cruel. Nine and a half months into their blissful marriage, Shon was tragically killed in a car accident just a mile from their home.

Navigating such profound loss at such a young age can leave even the strongest person vulnerable. Carol missed what she had. She wanted to move forward. She says, “Shon showed me how to love and be loved and I wanted that back.” Carol remarried four years later and though the marriage would ultimately last for 24 years, it was not the stuff of storybooks.

For many years, it was challenging for Carol to even wrap her head around what was going on. For eleven years of her marriage, she was the only one working and bringing in an income, yet she was always in charge of doing most everything from raising their kids to doing the housework. The only things her husband reliably managed were the lawn and the finances. Unfortunately, his managing of the finances led to significant financial abuse. Slowly, Carol was able to identify that her husband was repeatedly manipulating her, gaslighting her and exhibiting other behaviors associated with narcissistic personality disorder. Carol eventually found the strength to leave that marriage and get a divorce.

Her experiences informed the foundation of the book she would go on to write, entitled “We Are Alike: How a Doctor Leveraged her Neuroscience Expertise to Survive and Heal from Narcissistic Abuse”. The book covers the details and lessons of her profoundly challenging and isolating experience in the hopes that she can help people in long-term relationships with narcissistic partners identify what is going on and to explore their options. Carol also hopes the book might help people at the beginning of a relationship to identify patterns and red flags and understand their options.

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

“When you have someone at the table with a disability, you quickly see how they’ve had to navigate a world that’s not designed for them. They are problem solvers. They’ve had to learn to organize so many aspects of their lives. They see dimensions to our world we might be oblivious to.” ~ Lisa Drennan

There was a time—not so long ago—when people with disabilities were often hidden away in institutions, their individuality separated from the rest of the world. Fortunately for Lisa Drennan, a childhood family friend with a disability was welcomed fully into her life and community. That relationship allowed her to see, firsthand, what it meant to navigate the world with a different set of circumstances —planting early seeds of understanding, empathy, and belonging that continue to guide her work today.

At 17, Lisa secured a job with a neighborhood agency that supported people with disabilities. There she developed a passion for figuring out how to support people who navigate life with additional physical and / or developmental challenges, as they strive to be included in all aspects of society. Her time at this organization was so important to Lisa that she now serves on its board of directors.

Since we all have differences of one sort or another, Lisa views inclusion as a win-win for everybody. She believes that as we celebrate, honor and accommodate these differences, we pave the way for each of us to grow into the best version of ourselves. Inclusive mindsets and practices benefit everyone.

Lisa founded MERGE Inclusion Consulting in 2018 to further her efforts to put this belief into action. Through MERGE, Lisa provides training to community organizations and helps them brainstorm about ways to be more welcoming to people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. Lisa also talks to the community of people who experience disabilities about navigating their lives powerfully through accessing their community, contributing in meaningful ways.

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

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This is a link to a free download “A Toolkit For Community Recreation, Cultural, and Faith Organizations” which Lisa talks about during the show-

https://thearcofmass.org/toolkit-organization/

IMPORTANT NOTE- after you click the link and enter your name and email, it will take you to

another page with the link to download the PDF.

“There’re 10,000 different ways of getting over the same obstacle.” ~ Marina Gavryushkina

Marina Gavryushkina is not unlike a Russian Indiana Jones, not only does she have a Masters in Archaeology and started her PHD, but she’s lived her life in constant pursuit of adventure, following her passion for parkour all the way to the national stage as a contestant on American Ninja Warrior.

Of parkour, Marina says, “It’s an opportunity to move through your environment in a very liberating and creative way. It has a sense of adventure to it. You run, jump and climb your way around obstacles and experience challenges and perspectives not just anyone gets to experience.” If we consider Marina’s environment the entire world’s stage, she has vaulted over many obstacles within it. She was born in Moscow, Russia, went to grade school in Santa Monica, California, high school in Thousand Oaks, majored in Anthropology and Art History at Berkley, and went to grad school in the Netherlands. She’s had an archeology internship in the wilds of the Nevada desert, has worked at a chateau in France, a vineyard in France, an AirBnB in the Italian Alps, as a grounds keeper in Scotland, and as an accountant because she needed money to further fund her adventures.

Currently the Manager of Communications & Development at Jay Nolan Community Services, Marina does her part to help individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other neurodiverse disorders to live as empowered, included, and embraced members of the community. Of her years of service, she says, “My work at Jay Nolan has supported me through all the crazy adventures and all my crazy adventures inspire me to always return to Jay Nolan, where no two days are the same and I feel like the work I’m doing actually makes a difference.”

Be it leaping over a six foot wall, moving between continents with confidence, or sitting down for an Awkwardly Awesome conversation with me, Marina Gavryushkina knows how to make life exciting. I can’t wait to share some of her adventures with you.

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

In this fan-favorite episode Tim Dumas and host Jason Freeman explore "magnanimity" — leading by bringing out others' greatness — and how sharing and supporting personal dreams at work strengthens teams, boosts motivation, and improves results. This episode is chock full of practical stories, explains coaching versus rescuing, and gives tools for building peer support and accountability.

Tune in for encouraging advice on embracing failure as progress, creating action plans, and using connection and vulnerability to help yourself and others reach bigger goals. ______________________________

In his invigorating Get Inspired Talk, Tim Dumas says, “Far too many of us have forgotten the difference that dreams make in our lives.”

Tim’s purpose is ‘Growth through Service.’ As the Founder of Servus Leadership, Tim specializes in executive coaching and strategic planning for values-based leaders. His energetic approach to coaching focuses on creating accountability and action!

Professionally, Tim Dumas is a Certified Coach, Speaker & Trainer with the John Maxwell Team, a Certified Facilitator and Trainer with the Extreme Leadership Institute, a Partner and Consultant with Virtuous Leadership LLC, a Forum Chair with MacKay CEO Forums and a Partner & COO in JAK’s Beer Wine & Spirits.

When Tim is not coaching in the board room, he can be found coaching soccer and football with South Delta United and the South Delta Rams; respectively. Tim and his wife, Stephanie, reside in Tsawwassen, BC; just outside of Vancouver with their six children.

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

Even though she was only in sixth grade, Rosemary Moeller remembers feeling inspired when President Kennedy fulfilled his campaign promise to promote goodwill and development abroad by creating the Peace Corps. The creation of this new agency offered her a sense of wonder about what might lie beyond the boundaries of the only home, and country, she knew. This wonder became such that when the Peace Corp application arrived in the mail right around the time she was finishing up first master’s degree, she jumped at the opportunity to sign up, putting all of her other goals and dreams on hold.

The Peace Corp sent Rosemary nearly to Timbuktu. Literally. And it was there, in the splendor of Africa, she met her husband-to-be, Lester Moeller. Lester had come to serve in the Peace Corps from a distant, faraway place called Miller, South Dakota. Actually, he came from a family farm town just outside of Miller to be precise, which was just about as far away from Rosemary’s New York State upbringing as it was from Timbuktu.

When Rosemary thought of South Dakota, she thought of the brilliant landscapes of the Badlands and the Black Hills, which she had visited with her family as a child. But Miller, South Dakota is neither desert-y or mountain-y, nor does it have many trees. Rosemary found herself living on a vast expanse of prairie when she returned with Lester from their time overseas.

Slowly, she learned to find the beauty in the horizontal tranquility of this expansive landscape, where the night sky seemed to stretch on forever. Even though it was far from the life she had imagined for herself, she thrived in it, teaching at small town high schools and a college an hour away from her home. Along the way she earned more master’s degrees and became a phenomenal poet, authoring the aptly entitled, “Long-Term Mates Migrate Great Distances.”

In recent years, having grown tired of the intensity and monotony of South Dakota’s brutal winters, Rosemary and Lester decided to relocate to Cape Cod to spend their retirement together. But those plans were painfully disrupted after Lester passed away after a short and sudden struggle with cancer.

Now, Rosemary finds herself embarking on the difficult adventure of life after loss. Missing the soul mate she spent her life with and deeply loved. She says, “I can’t argue with what is. Everytime something great happens, something funny, something that makes me happy, I miss him. But there’s nothing to do about it. I can’t go around moping, to me there’s no point. So, I do my best to stay happy because happiness is where I feel most connected to him.”

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

“If my grandson ever learns about me, it is my biggest hope that he’ll also learn how his existence shaped who I am—strengthening my kindness, deepening my compassion, and inspiring me to build a community rooted in connection, understanding, hope and love. Everything I created began with him." ~ Donna Skora

Donna Skora remembers the day she got the news that she and her husband, Rick, were going to be grandparents. They were ecstatic and excitedly counted down the days to their grandchild’s due date. When he arrived, circumstances prevented them from getting to the hospital to meet him at his birth, so they figured why not give mom and dad a chance to bond with their new baby and they’d surely get to meet the little guy soon enough.

But, soon enough never came. Shortly after their grandson’s arrival, Donna and Rick were left blindsided when their son and his wife completely cut ties with his entire side of the family, including his sister and their extended family. The news was broken to them in an aggressive text that read, “You have lost a son, a grandson, and a nephew,” followed by “grandparents have no rights.” No one was given any details, there were no updates, but worst of all, no one got to meet the newest member of their family. A profound sense of loss and confusion permeated the following weeks and months.

Donna, aware that their daughter-in-law had a son from her first marriage who was also estranged from his father’s side of the family, felt like she’d missed a vital warning sign. She went searching for answers and discovered that what she and her family were going through was not at all unique. Research uncovered that 38% of Americans are estranged from a family member and grandparent estrangement is becoming more common, affecting as many as 1 in 7 grandparents, as adult children are increasingly distancing themselves from their parents.

1 in 7 equates to roughly 10 million grandparents in the United States sharing some degree of Donna and Rick's pain. She felt she had to act, not only to navigate her own grief, but to be of aid to others in a similar situation. “I didn’t want to feel sorry for myself and wallow in self-pity, and that’s what I would have done if I had not become proactive. It’s too easy to get depressed if you don’t keep your mind active, so I did something to change my world and other peoples' worlds as well.”

That change started in January of 2015, when Donna created a Facebook group called Surrogate Grandparents - USA. Since then, the private group has grown to almost 14,000 members and has been featured on CBS Mornings. It provides the space for its members to actively do something about this aptly named “silent epidemic” by providing resources within the group to help connect volunteers and mentors with a child or family to create a supportive, grandparent-like relationship for the many who may not have local or living grandparents.

Donna’s simple act of advocacy has aided in the healing process for thousands of people. The group has expanded to include foster children who have aged out of the system and even contains a handful of “Surrogate Aunts and Uncles”. What’s more is that its members' have found a supportive community. Now their healing ripples out into the world in countless, positive ways.

“I may have lost a biological grandson, but I gained a vast community of people on the same journey as I am.”

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

“It’s not about power over others, it’s about having power within you to create the life you want.”

~ Anji Kat

I first met Anji Kat a little over 15 years ago, when she was my yoga teacher. After that time I moved to San Diego and she moved to Florida. Recently, a friend of mine shared a poem Anji had written, which was phenomenal, and suggested I reach out and invite her to be on the podcast. I did, and found that Anji’s been very busy since we last saw each other. Not only has she had a great career in corporate wellness, she has explored her spiritual gifts and uses them as part of her business to help clients live more joyful and soulful lives.

On her website she says, “My purpose here on earth is to be a Divine messenger and teacher of love, healing, and spiritual wisdom. I am an Intuitive Empath, Psychic Medium, and Spiritual Mentor connecting you to the voice of your own powerful inner wisdom, as well as loved ones that have crossed over, and providing you spiritual guidance on your beautiful unfolding journey.”

Yes, Anji is very in touch with the spiritual realm. At the same time, she believes in giving very grounded and practical step by step feedback to her clients and believes that anyone can develop their spiritual gifts. I’m excited to talk more with her about this vast area of the human experience. Won’t you join us?

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com

“I used to have a neighbor who’d always say, ‘When you rest, you rust’. Well, I don’t ever want to rest and rust to the point where I can’t impact others.” ~ Tony Russell

Tony Russell was only four years old, in preschool, when his mother passed away. She had been having health issues but the suddenness caught everyone off guard. He transitioned through different family members, all doing their best to raise him, but the challenge proved too great and he was given up for adoption. Upon learning this news, Tony’s preschool teacher, Mrs. Russell went home to her military husband and said, “Tony Russell Senior, I know our kids are grown and out of the house and we thought we were done with raising kids, but we are adopting another one.” To which Tony Senior responded, “Yes Ma’am.”

Later in life, Tony followed in his adopted, and beloved, father’s footsteps and pursued a career in the military. While on an air force mission he was injured and died. You did not misread that, Tony Russell was pronounced dead and was deceased for a full 7 minutes before he, just, started breathing again.

Ultimately, staff sergeant Russell spent a month in a coma after the incident when, one day, as he tells it, he just woke up. He’s since experienced many forms of PTSD but his support dogs, Rush and Rip, help him live an active and vibrant life of kindness and appreciation.

A true miracle and a truly exceptional person, I can’t wait for you to hear Tony Russell’s story.

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com