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In this episode, Meg and Jill are joined by their first-ever guests, Kellie Hetler and Kara Hanes, founders of Hopelynd, a nonprofit rooted in disability advocacy through art and photography. What unfolds is not a conversation about charity or inspiration, but about dignity, presence, and what it means to use your gifts in service of others.

Kellie and Kara share the deeply personal origins of Hopelynd, born from their lived experiences as mothers and artists, and their vision to create spaces, systems, and education that make true inclusion possible. Together, they explore how fear of doing it “wrong” often keeps people from connection, and how willingness, humility, and repair matter more than perfect language.

This episode is an invitation to rethink accessibility, visibility, and belonging, and to consider how ripple-effect change begins when someone is willing to go first, even while still learning.

We explore:

• Creativity as an act of service rather than transaction

• What disability inclusion actually looks like in practice, not theory

• Why fear of making mistakes often causes more harm than mistakes themselves

• The importance of accessible, sensory-aware spaces

• How children model inclusion when adults allow curiosity instead of silence

• Language, intention, and the permission to learn in real time

• Building something meant to outlive its founders

• The quiet courage required to advocate publicly before you feel “ready”

About our guests:

Kellie Hetler and Kara Hanes are internationally traveling photographers and the founders of Hopelynd, a nonprofit organization advocating for disability inclusion through art, photography, education, and community spaces. Their work centers dignity, accessibility, and creating environments where all people are seen, valued, and welcomed.

Upcoming Event:

Hopelynd’s Intrinsic Art Show

📅 March 27

📍 Venue3Two, Grand Rapids

An inclusive art and community event celebrating disabled artists, featuring a sensory-aware environment, live music, and an online art auction.

Links to tickets, the auction, and ways to support Hopelynd are available in the show notes.

Connect with Kellie & Kara at Hopelynd

1. www.hopelynd.com
2. IG: @hopelyndofficial
3. TikTok: @hopelynd
4. FB: @hopelynd
5. LI: @hopelynd
6. 
   

Attend their 2nd event, Intrinsic by Hopelynd on March 27th 7-9pm at Venue32

1. Earlybird tickets $10
2. Online Art Auction starts the day before
3. Here is the link for the online auction:
4. https://givebutter.com/c/xSIzmO/auction
5. Here is our general donation link:

Please Follow Us on Instagram: instagram.com/rootedandrehumanizing

In this episode, Jillian and Meg explore the subtle and often invisible ways we edit ourselves to feel safe, accepted, or seen, and the emotional, relational, and energetic cost of doing so.

What begins as Jillian sharing a deeply personal realization unfolds into a conversation about belonging versus fitting in, nervous system safety, code switching, and how our earliest experiences shape the way we show up in the world. Together, they reflect on childhood conditioning, family dynamics, politics, and leadership, and how learning to belong to yourself changes everything.

This episode invites listeners to consider where they may be compromising who they are, not because the world asked them to, but because it once felt safer to do so.

We explore:

• What we compromise in ourselves to feel safe being seen

• The difference between fitting in and true belonging

• How code switching signals nervous system unsafety

• Why belonging starts with self exploration and self trust

• Parenting, modeling authenticity, and nervous system safety in children

• Why bridging divides often requires standing alone

• How love and self belonging create steadiness in a divided world

Journaling prompts from this episode:

• Who am I, really?

• Do I love myself as I am today?

• Where do I feel safest being fully me?

• Where might I gently stretch my sense of safety without true risk?

Brene Brown Quotes:

1. On Fitting In vs. Belonging: "Fitting in is one of the greatest barriers to belonging. Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be in order to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn't require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are".
2. The Core Definition: "True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness".
3. “People are hard to hate close up, move in”

We Would Love to Connect With You

Your reflections, questions, and lived experiences mean so much to us.

If this episode resonates, please share it, leave a review, or reach out.

Connect with Jillian

Website: https://trellissuite.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-pezet-trellis/

Email: jillianp@trellissuite.com

Connect with Meg

Website: www.profoundwellness.net

Email: meg@profoundwellness.net

Facebook: facebook.com/megan.fikse

Instagram: instagram.com/m.laidlaw

Meg’s Offerings

1. Heart Math BioFeedback Device:

Please Follow Us on Instagram: instagram.com/rootedandrehumanizing

In this episode, Meg and Jill explore what it truly means to be human in a rapidly accelerating, tech driven world, and why love, connection, meaningful work, and purpose are not optional extras, but the foundation of mental wellbeing and sustainable systems.

What begins as a conversation about AI and optimization unfolds into a deeper reflection on how humanity is often treated as inefficiency rather than infrastructure. They challenge the idea that technology should dictate our lives, and instead invite a vision where technology supports human rhythms, values, and connection.

Through examples from leadership, parenting, entrepreneurship, and organizational design, this episode examines how work without meaning and connection without depth erodes wellbeing, and how intentional systems can restore dignity, agency, and belonging.

We explore:

• Why humanity is infrastructure, not a liability

• How optimization without meaning leads to burnout and disconnection

• The difference between working for technology and technology working for us

• Why filling time is not the same as purposeful work

• Hiring for roles instead of hours

• How clarity creates freedom and work life balance

• The loss of meaning in modern job structures

• Why purpose and connection are foundational to mental wellbeing

• How AI and technology can either support or erode humanity

• The responsibility of organizations to create meaningful environments

• Why job hopping reflects systemic failure, not personal flaw

• Language, hierarchy, and why “employee” no longer fits

• Rehumanizing work through contribution, belonging, and clarity

• Parenting, technology boundaries, and protecting connection

• How intentionality safeguards humanity in a digital world

This episode is reflective, expansive, and grounding. It is especially resonant for leaders, parents, founders, and anyone questioning how to live, work, and build in a world increasingly shaped by technology.

Powerful Quotes from This Episode

“Humanity is not a liability. It is infrastructure.”

“Optimization without meaning is dehumanizing.”

“We should not be working for technology.”

“Filling time is not the same as purposeful work.”

“Clarity creates freedom for both the business and the human.”

“Work and love are the foundation of mental wellbeing.”

“Technology should support human rhythm, not replace it.”

“Purpose and connection are not optional.”

We Would Love to Connect With You

Your reflections, questions, and lived experiences mean so much to us.

If this episode resonates, please share it, leave a review, or reach out.

Connect with Jillian

Website: https://trellissuite.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-pezet-trellis/

Email: jillianp@trellissuite.com

Connect with Meg

Website: www.profoundwellness.net

Email: meg@profoundwellness.net

Facebook: facebook.com/megan.fikse

Instagram: instagram.com/m.laidlaw

Meg’s...