October 18, 2023 • 35 mins
Get ready for an incredible journey as we sit down with the brave and inspiring Millie Inoa, who takes us through her battle with breast cancer. Listen in as she recounts her struggle for early detection, tells the story of her fight against her insurance company for an MRI approval, and shares her experience with diagnosis and treatment. Her story is a testament to the power of persistence and the critical importance of early detection.
Our conversation doesn't stop at the diagnosis. We plunge into the heart of the matter, exploring the impact of Millie's diagnosis on her family and her personal journey towards recovery. Get ready to hear about her coping mechanisms, her decision to allow herself to feel emotions, and her fight against the "thief of joy" - comparison. We also discuss how Ashley Longshore's book, "You Don't Look Fat, You Look Crazy," proved to be a beacon of strength during her health journey. Wrapping up the chat, Millie reveals her career shift from estate management to professional organizing, illuminating how this change has given her a sense of control, instant gratification, and a newfound passion for helping others declutter and simplify their lives.
Millie is helping me Change The World, One S.M.I.L.E. At A Time by helping clients declutter and simplifly their lives.
➡️If you or someone you know would like to be a guest on our podcast, please email SMILE@shannonburrows.com
➡️If you have any real estate needs anywhere in the world, please email shannonburrowsrealtor@gmail.com
Reach Out to Millie Inoa:
● UnpackedNTidy Email: info@UnpackedNTidy
● The UnpackedNTidy Website: UnpackedNTidy
● TheUnpackedNTidy Instagram Page: UnpackedNTidy
Follow us at:
● Personal Instagram: @shannonmburrows
● Podcast Instagram Page: @bustinoutofbreastcancer
● Personal Facebook: Shannon M Burrows
● Podcast Facebook Page: Bustin' Out of Breast Cancer Podcast
Don’t forget to Follow, Subscribe and Share this podcast so you can help us Change The World, One S.M.I.L.E. At A Time!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey there and welcome to Bustin' Out of Breast Cancer
, the podcast that educates,empowers and inspires those
impacted by breast cancer.
I'm your host, Shannon Brose, arealtor who found her purpose
at the intersection of passionand pain while navigating her
own breast cancer journey andloves giving back to my
community.
Having worked with many breastcancer survivors and their
families, I understand thechallenges they face and the
importance of raising awarenessabout this disease and bridging
(00:21):
the gap between the medical andfitness industries.
Join us as we share stories ofsurvivors, caregivers and
healthcare professionals who aremaking a difference in the
fight against breast cancer.
Our goal is to raise awareness,provide resources and create a
community of support for thoseaffected by this disease.
I have a mission of changingthe world when smile at a time.
So whether you're a breastcancer survivor, a loved one, a
friend or just interested inlearning more, this podcast is
(00:43):
for you.
So let's bust out of breastcancer together and make a
difference in the lives of thoseaffected by this disease.
I am so excited to introduceyou to our guest today.
Her name is Millie Inawa.
She is pretty spectacular.
She's got a great story andshe's super fun, and she just
got her hair done.
I know you can't see, becausethis is on Zoom, but she's got
her hair done and it looks superfun and her curls are like on
(01:05):
point.
Anyway, welcome, Millie.
We're so happy to have you here.
I can't wait for others to hearyour story, your journey, your
background, everything, and alsowhy your favorite book title is
what it is.
Anyway, welcome to the show.
We look forward to learningabout you.
So tell us, Millie, what's up.
Thank you so much for having me.
You're a fabulous self-manager.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
We're gonna be here Everyone, so what do you wanna
know?
Speaker 1 (01:32):
I wanna know all about you, like I wanna know,
like, where you live, how we met, what you used to do, how you
got diagnosed, what yourdiagnosis was, your treatment.
You know, it's not like you'renew to this podcast.
You listen to it I?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
do I do so?
I live in South Florida.
I met you through a Facebookgroup.
Actually it was a monster group.
Yep, your realtor.
You were looking for aprofessional organizer, yeah.
And so people popped in theresaying, hey, me, me, me.
And then I spoke to you and wehit it off because I said that I
(02:08):
was a breast cancer survivor.
So ever since then, I've beenhelping your clients declutter
their homes so that you can selltheir homes.
That's right, welcome to myteam.
Yeah, I'm excited.
So my journey started when I was19 actually At 19, I had a
(02:31):
tumor removed a size of a golfball and I remember this thing
sticking out of my left breastand I did not wanna tell my mom.
I was like, oh, it's gonna goaway, it's gonna go.
You're a teenager.
You're like what is this?
I don't know what it is, youknow.
And finally I told my mom andshe's like we gotta get you
(02:52):
checked.
And of course, it was a benignand fast forward.
My sister had breast cancer at28.
So, and I'm three years youngerthan her.
So, because of my tumor and mysister's breast cancer, I
started getting mammograms earlyon for years and had a few core
(03:18):
biopsies, one in 2008 and 2010.
And all benign.
But in 2018, 47 years old, Iwas seeing my specialist.
I did not find it actually.
(03:38):
So I had a breast cancerspecialist who is amazing and
for years she was fighting withmy insurance to get me for them
to pay for MRI because I wasalways getting my annual
mammogram and ultrasound.
And finally they said yes, theyapproved the MRI, went and got
(04:02):
an MRI and that's where theyfound it, so Isn't that?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
crazy that we have to like fight with the insurance
companies.
It's like we pay them everymonth.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Take care of me, yes yes, and so because of her and
her persistence they found itearly stage one.
And yeah, but during that timeit was very interesting because
my friend, my son's he had afriend and his friend's mom had
(04:35):
breast cancer, was going throughchemo.
So while she was battling, Idiagnosed with this and so,
needless to say oh, I shouldn'tsay needless to say, but when
they so basically I'm trying tolike think, cause there was so
much going on at the time sothey sent me to get a biopsy of
(05:01):
the tumor and they couldn't getit.
They couldn't do a core biopsybecause they couldn't find it,
like it was where it was located, they just could not get a
piece of it.
So it was on November 27th.
So they were like, well, we'regonna have to do this under an
MRI.
So I had to go the next day, onNovember 28th, which is my
(05:24):
birthday.
Not the way, not the waysomeone wants to spend their
birthday.
Exactly so got this needlebiopsy through an MRI.
So that was the 28th and thenext day I get a call and I knew
I was like when you get quick.
Yeah, the next day her officecall me.
They're like we want you tocome in on Monday and I was like
(05:46):
, nope, I'm busy.
I knew I was like I'm not going, I'm not going Monday, I have
things to do.
I was totally avoiding it.
So I made the appointment fromTuesday morning.
But my friend had passed awayand her funeral was that Tuesday
morning.
(06:06):
So I went to my breastspecialist and I went with my
partner and he, we went togetherand she says well, you have a
little cancer.
That threw him over the topbecause who says you have a
little cancer cancer right, andThen she's like, well, it's the
(06:30):
best cancer to have because wefound it early and it's slow
growing.
He was not happy with that, butfor me I I've seen her for so
many years and she was so cutand dry in her delivery like
that didn't throw me off.
But that same day after thatdiagnosis I had to go to my
(06:53):
friend's funeral and see herSeven year old son and her five
year old little girl at thisfuneral and I thought, oh my
gosh, like this is crazy, didshe pass from cancer?
She passed from breast cancer,oh god, and so it was.
I think that's why I wasavoiding that Monday appointment
(07:17):
, cuz I mean you get a call thenext day.
It's like not good, most of ushave to wait a week.
Yeah, yeah, so she I mean she'san amazing doctor and yeah.
So we just scheduled for me toget a lumpectomy and then the
(07:38):
next year In January.
And then I went for radiation.
I did seven weeks of radiation.
How many times did you have togo?
Five days a week, so it wasevery day.
The great thing is that I wasworking from home and I had a
you know, a really great bossthat allowed me to just work
(07:59):
from home Still and and go to mytreatment.
So my treatments were at like 1pm Because I wanted to work out
in the morning.
So I was working out in themorning and Then I'd go to my
treatments.
And then I'd pick up my sonfrom elementary school, come
home and the good thing is abouthim being that young that he
(08:21):
was sleeping in, you know, goingto bed early.
So although I was very tired, Iwas still able to go to bed
early.
Now, how old was he at thattime?
My son at that time was eight.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
And so you were exhausted from the radiation
treatment.
Yeah, very exhausted.
But I did side effects fromthat.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
That just the tiredness and the redness of the
brass.
I was constantly putting creamon it.
I was pretty diligent, vigilantabout it.
Um, uh, we chose not to tell myson, okay, that a breast cancer
you know.
And we kind of decided thatbecause we kind of figured, if
(09:11):
it's obviously if I have to geta mastectomy and go through
chemo, that yes, we would havethat conversation with him,
because there's going to be alot of changes.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Um, but because it was radiation, and we held off.
That was one part.
The other part it was hisfriend's mom passed right.
His son would come with me whenI would take meals to her and
hang out with her and eventuallyhe got to see her in a
wheelchair Because she got to apoint where she couldn't walk.
(09:43):
And I just could not Tell myson that I was going through the
same thing because I didn'twant him to have this fear, sure
, these emotions.
I didn't tell him until later,but as I, as I was going through
(10:03):
the radiation, I started to seethat he didn't need to know and
I just needed to get through itbecause I Wasn't going through
so many Changes that wereapparent, other than being
exhausted.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
And the redness only you can see and and he can't see
that.
So that's interesting that yousay you didn't tell him, because
I always feel like that's sucha, it's such a Catch 22.
Right, you want to tell yourkids so they can be there and be
helpful, but at the same time,like you said, if you don't have
any visible signs of anythingand you can kind of put your mom
face on and you know, let'spower through this kind of thing
.
But you know, like you said,like for his best friend's mom
(10:41):
to go through that, I absolutelyCouldn't even imagine like that
would be.
My fear too is like my childwould sit there and be like, oh
my god, my mom's gonna die too,and that's not necessarily what
was going to be happening, butthat's what.
That's how.
That's how he perceives breastcancer.
You have breast cancer, you'regonna be a wheelchair, you're
gonna die.
Yeah, yeah, that's tough.
So how old was him?
when he told him Nine.
(11:03):
Okay, and how?
Speaker 2 (11:06):
did he take it Years later?
And he took it okay because Iwas okay.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Why didn't you tell me?
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Of course, Right, catch one too, you don't know
you know I mean that's.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I had to kind of explain to him that I didn't
want him to be scared in that,you know, people do get through
it.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Not everyone dies from it, and so I think that's
one thing, that and I've talkedabout this before my podcast and
I still talk about it to peopleLike I literally just went and
delivered today two boxes ofthings to send over to my friend
Judith, who she was on mypodcast a couple of months ago
and she's the one that ended upwith bone marrow, needing a bone
(11:54):
marrow transplant, and I justliterally dropped the boxes off
to her husband, who's going tobe driving over to get her out
to stay over there for two moremonths.
But he was a wreck.
I mean, he was just like allover the place and I texted with
him just to check in and belike, hey, how are you doing?
Do you need anything?
And he's like I don't even know.
You know he's just flustered,which I get.
You know his poor wife is onthe other side of the state, you
(12:16):
know, getting this treatment,feeling sick, like puking up
blood, like as if she's on herdeathbed and he can't do
anything to help.
But so to see him, it's likejust that reminder of, like, you
know, let's not forget aboutthe caregivers, let's not forget
about the kids, like becauseit's, you know, traumatic for
other people.
And, like my husband, I don'tthink he listens to this, but
you know, I don't.
It didn't appear to me that itaffected him because he's not
(12:40):
openly communicative aboutanything.
So in my mind I'm thinking,well, whatever, like you're just
going through this because Iwill put on the front.
I was like we're good, I'm good, like I'm good, I got this.
You know, and sometimes you,you have to just say I don't got
this, I don't got nothing.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Yeah, I think that that's definitely what I would
have done differently.
I did put on a game face youknow, yeah, did a lot, and
that's definitely something thatI would recommend for people to
just feel like they feel itfeels yeah, it's okay If they,
if they are hurting, let themhurt too, because it you know,
(13:21):
we're not in it alone.
So that would have beensomething different.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Yeah, I mean I shared my whole journey on social
media because I wanted to beable to help others navigate
theirs.
Yes, I I always have a you knowa game face on.
I'm always good, I'm happybecause generally I'm just a
happy person.
I generally am.
There's shitty circumstances,but those are just situations
for the time, but internally,like I'm a happy person.
(13:49):
So I felt like that was my, myduty was to help others get
through it.
But, like you said, like youhave to let that guard down and
it's hard because for us women,moms that feel like no, no, I
have to be in control ofeverything, like it's hard to
for me.
Anyway, it was hard for me tolet people help me, but now I
don't have a problem, Now I'mgood, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Well, you know November 28th, so that's my
birthday, Just so you canremember.
November 28th, millie's birthday, so I'm going to be hitting
five years this year.
That's a big deal.
I know it's crazy, but it'svery interesting.
My journey has been a littlebit different.
(14:33):
Well, I mean, obviouslyeverybody's journey is different
but for me, like sometimes Iwould have this like cancer
guilt, right when I have friendswho have had mastectomies or
have gone through chemotherapyand because I went through
(14:54):
radiation, I minimize and justyou know I had, I would say I
just had a lumpectomy.
It's like I minimize having thecancer, like sometimes I forget
that I even had it, becauseit's almost like I compare
myself to other survivors andsay, well, she's a survivor
(15:15):
because she went through chemoand you know she had a
mastectomy, she doesn't havebreasts and it's just a very
weird, interesting situationwhere I just maybe it's, I don't
have compassion on myself in asense.
(15:37):
Why?
Because it's almost like thisperson has it worse off or this
person's going through more of astruggle and I didn't struggle
as much, I don't know.
It's almost like equivalent tosurvivor's guilt.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
And I don't.
I've never heard anyone talkabout it, but that's how I have
been feeling about it Did youever hear the quote comparison.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Comparison is the thief of joy.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Oh no, I've never heard that quote.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
I forgot where I heard it from, but I wrote that
down.
I was like, oh my God, that isso true.
Comparison is the thief of joy.
You spend so much timecomparing yourself, your
situations, your circumstancesto other people.
You don't allow yourself toliterally have joy in whatever
it is that you're going through,whether it's your survivorship,
whether it's achieving a goalor just, for God's sake, getting
(16:46):
up for the day.
You know what I mean, and Ithink that if we can turn around
and just be like you know whatI'm not here I mean I tell this
to my daughter all the time stopcomparing yourself to others.
I mean we have a lot of thingsto compare, but like it's not
why.
Like this is your life, this isyour journey.
No one else can live this foryou, no one you know.
So remember that right, thatone down, and remember it.
(17:07):
Comparison is the thief of joy.
Okay, no more.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
No more guilt.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Wow, so you made it through that.
So you're gonna have your fiveyears coming up?
Yep, that is awesome andexciting.
So for those of you that havenot been on my podcast, I do
send a question year out aheadof time because I'd like to
learn about you and I wanna know, like if there's anything off
limits, things like that, and Iasked.
One of the questions I asked iswhat's your favorite book?
(17:37):
And the title of it?
I thought was hysterical.
That caught my eye and I waslike I need to ask about this
ahead of time I mean not aheadof time, but like on this,
because I wanna know.
So the book is called you Don'tLook Fat, you Look Crazy, and
let me tell you, going throughmenopause and going through
cancer treatment, like in weightgain, like you make you crazy
impact.
Tell me about that book.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Oh, my gosh.
So it's written by an artist.
Her name is Ashley Longshoreand she is hilarious and she
just goes through her life likebeing ambitious and being pushed
down and she just it's justfunny, it's hilarious and it's
(18:23):
just her struggles as to beingan entrepreneur and being an
artist and the things that youget in your head about like you
don't look fat, you look crazy,like nobody's looking at your
fatness, you're just nuts, youknow Right?
I don't know, it's just a funnybook.
(18:43):
It's a book that's gonna makeyou laugh.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Have you read the book You're a Badass by Jens and
Sarah.
It sounds seminal to you readthat.
That's a good book.
It's an easy read and it's afeel good.
It's positive.
It's just like you know againthe struggles, but it's.
The concept of the book you'respeaking of seems very similar
to that, but that's a good book.
And those of you that have notlistened to or read the book or
listened to it on Audible orwhatever.
(19:07):
Get it, it's a good one.
You're a badass.
I think she's got like a coupleof different ones too, like
you're a badass with money,you're a badass whatever.
It's like again,entrepreneurship and things like
that.
So your background is prettyspectacular because you come
from a completely different, nota standard corporate job kind
(19:27):
of thing.
So tell us about yourbackground and why.
I know why we met, because inthe mom's group I was looking
for professional organizer to bepart of my team for real estate
and you won.
And just for the record thoseof you that are entrepreneurs
and listening to this podcast,if you don't know, when you're
on social media, the whole thingis they always talk about slide
into the DMs to have aconversation, because that's how
(19:49):
you build relationships, right?
Well, merely slid into my DMsand we had a conversation and
then actually called me and Iwas like all right, and then I
think I had mentioned that I wasa survivor and then, like you
didn't ride away.
I think you were kind of justlike hesitant or whatever.
And then you did.
I was like oh my God, I'm likethat's that you're part of my
team, because I want to have myteam full of breasties, because
I think it's important andempowering.
So give us a little backgroundon you, your little satchelist.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
So I was an estate manager for 15 years and so
basically I ran a family's home,managed their housekeepers and
did their travel and anythingthat comes with a house, right?
Things break things.
You have to get things fixed.
You work with contractors, youmove them when they want to move
(20:39):
, you get them packed, you getthem unpacked, you get them
organized.
So I did that for 15 yearsbetween New York, connecticut,
and here in Florida.
And there's something aboutwhen you get breast cancer or
any type of cancer or any typeof illness, right, it kind of
(21:00):
makes you think and have adifferent perspective on life,
right?
Yep, you're to figure out, like, what do you want to do?
Or where you're at?
What have you been?
You know, have you been happy,have you not been happy?
Speaker 1 (21:15):
All these things and so I don't want to get into what
you're doing now, because Iwant to do that after we listen
to our sponsored ad.
But I just wanted people toknow, like, what your background
is, because it's prettyelaborate and pretty cool, cause
I don't think anybody's I'venever met anybody that was an
estate manager that doing thethings that you were doing.
So, but don't go into whatyou're doing now and your whole
(21:37):
mindset of that, because we dothat after, cause that's a good
way of just like kind ofwrapping up everything that you
do, how you're giving back nowand how people can find you and
all that good stuff.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
So you're yeah so yeah, estate manager.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
So basically you're running a home from soup to nuts
, doing the groceries, makingappointments for the dogs, the
vets, doctor's appointments,travel.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
And that's on top of your own life, of having to do
that for your own life.
Yes, Planning events, dinnerparties, caterings or ordering
flowers just to order flowersand how'd you turn yourself off
Cause, I mean like realistically, you're doing that for a family
all over the place, but thenyou still need to come home and
do the same thing for your ownhouse and your own family.
How'd you differentiate betweenthose two?
Speaker 2 (22:32):
You know, when you're well, you kind of slack off on
yourself a little bit.
But no, but I just love to bebusy, I just love my mind going.
So for me, doing that for themwas like a natural high, like I
(22:53):
loved it.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
And then when I'd come home I'd kind of more like
unwind and be a little bitintroverted when I was home Do
you feel like you wanting to bebusy all the time was your way
of coping, of not wanting todeal with other things that were
going on in your life.
I asked that because I wentthrough something very similar
(23:15):
in my life in my younger years.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
No, I don't think with this job.
It was just a different type ofdrive.
You know what it was with thisparticular, with being in a
state manager.
It changed every day.
Every day was somethingdifferent and new.
I worked for government and Iworked for corporate before that
(23:38):
and it could just become verymundane Same paperwork, same
people, and so I think I just Ithrive in that.
Anything, everything's changingand it's making your mind think
and expand and you haveopportunities and new people
(24:01):
you're meeting.
It's just so.
No, it wasn't an escape, it wasjust more.
I was just driven by it.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Well, that's good.
Now that I know that you wantto jump in and share with
everyone what it is that you do,I want to make sure we go ahead
and take a quick break for oursponsor.
Be right back.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
This podcast is sponsored by the Shannon
Burroughs Real Estate Group,where we are committed to
changing the world one smile ata time, in giving back to breast
cancer and our communities.
Did you know that ShannonBurroughs, our founder and lead
realtor, is a breast cancersurvivor?
Shannon found her purpose atthe intersection of passion and
pain while navigating her ownjourney and wants to give back
(24:46):
and help others.
At the Shannon Burroughs RealEstate Group, we're dedicated to
providing exceptional serviceto our clients while also making
a positive impact in ourcommunity.
For every home sold, a portionof our commission goes towards
supporting breast cancerorganizations to help women on a
local level and be a resourcethrough their journey.
(25:07):
We believe that everyonedeserves a safe, comfortable and
happy home, and we're here tohelp make that a reality.
Whether you're buying, sellingor investing in a real estate
will be with you every step ofthe way, and when you're working
with us, you will not only besupporting your own goals, but
also helping others throughtheir breast cancer.
So chance the Shannon BurroughsReal Estate Group, where you
(25:29):
can trust that your dreams andvalues are in good hands, no
matter where you live.
We can help you.
Visit our website atSharonBurroughscom or give us a
call today at 561-494-6389 tolearn more.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
All right, well, welcome back.
We are still here with Millieand she was just talking about
her position as an estatemanager and how like fun and
rewarding and exciting it was,because it was always changing
and us, as women, we'd like tobe on the go, multi-tasking,
because we are masters of thatright, or at least we think we
are Okay.
So, just to remind everyone, wedid meet in a Facebook group
moms of Wellington or somethinglike that.
(26:08):
Anyway, I was looking for aprofessional organizer for my
business, for my team, becausein real estate, when we get a
listing of someone that's ahoarder or likes to collect on
things or maybe just has been intheir house for a really long
time, it's nice to be able tohave someone from your team to
be able to go in and helpdeclutter.
And with her background withMillie's background that I
(26:29):
learned about her estatemanagement and estate managing
position and what she did I waslike she is so right for the job
.
So, anyway, I ended up bringingMillie on my team.
She's my go-to girl, my go-togirl, my go-to breasty.
And so now tell everyone whatit is that you do, specifically
because you realize while you'renavigating your journey that
(26:50):
sometimes your dad do you right.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Yes, sometimes you've got to do you and you want to.
You know you get well.
I got cancer.
I started to kind of prioritizeand I wanted to have a little
bit more autonomy over my time,but I still wanted to do what I
love, and what I love isorganizing and decluttering and
helping my clients see thepossibility of a cabinet that's
(27:16):
not stock filled with 40 mugs.
Why do we need 40 coffee mugswhen there's only two people in
the house?
Speaker 1 (27:27):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Do you ever have 40 people over drinking coffee?
Speaker 1 (27:30):
I don't know, I don't even drink coffee.
There you go.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
So I mean, that's what I love to do.
I just, I love showing peoplethat they can simplify their
life.
Yes, and you know what?
You're a lot calmer.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
There's less anxiety.
If you have a desk full ofstuff it's hard to concentrate,
but like girl, I know it's likeoh, you have that freedom of
being creative.
Yep, and I love doing that formy clients Like what's your
(28:10):
favorite area to organize?
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Is it like a kitchen?
Is it an office?
Is it digitally?
What's your favorite thing toorganize?
A closet?
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Oh, I love a beautiful closet.
It's like dreamy.
I love doing closets that andit's so hard to pick.
Do you feel like you have?
Speaker 1 (28:35):
to be in the mood for one or the other, like some
days you're in the kitchen.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
No, I just love going into a space where it's like so
crazy and chaotic and in mymind I'm doing this Tetris thing
in my mind.
Yes, that's my favorite.
That's totally me, that's mybrain, my organized brain is
Tetris how to shift, and oh,it's amazing.
(29:05):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
You know what?
I have an obsession withorganizing as well, and of
course, I like to think that Ican do everything.
And I've realized that I can't,but I just control the things
that I can.
So, like on Sundays, that'susually my Tetris thing to do my
refrigerator, because myhusband will go to Costco and I
have to like move and everythingaround.
It has to be just so.
But when I was younger and I wasin family counseling, because I
(29:29):
was the pain in the ass,because we moved a lot, and so I
was kind of rebellious.
Anyway, we were in familycounseling and my mom realized
that the week that I was PMSing,we had a pantry that you would
open up and then you pull outthe drawers and I would go in
and I would organize everysingle thing.
So the cans had to face likedirectly out.
(29:49):
My mom was, like what are youdoing?
I'm like I don't know.
Just like it felt good.
It was like one of those thingsthat instant gratification was
something I could control.
Yes, yeah, yeah, fun facts, I'msure we got on here.
So, anyways, so there's that.
So now can you help people?
We're going to need to wrap upsoon.
(30:11):
So can you help people onlineor do they have to be here
locally in Florida?
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Well, can you do virtual helping?
I can travel, you can travel,that's right, I can do it
virtually.
But it's a lot harder to do itvirtually Right it is.
It has to be the right personthat's ready and willing to do
the work.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
Right, they have to be right, it's just.
It's no different than anaddict or somebody else, or you
know you want to change a habit,you have to be able to be in
the mindset.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
They can always fly me.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
I had a client fly me to St Bart's and pack them
there, so yeah, I travel forsure, and that is and that's
something else that you do forclients on a realtor side is you
do you help your clients getready to not only prepare their
home to list, but also you helpthem get in a not that you're
the packer, the mover, but likeyou will help them get in the
(31:07):
space, their mindset of like,all right, this is what's going
to be packed, this is how we'regoing to do it, we're going to
label everything, but thenyou'll fly to or drive to
wherever it is that they are andunpack them as well, because
there's a lot of people who Ihappen to love the unpacking
part of it, because it justfeels good, like again, it's a
gratification.
But yeah, there's a whole.
That's a whole another side ofthe business, right?
Speaker 2 (31:28):
Right, and I also can design their closets.
I can design their kitchencabinets.
Yeah, I can do that.
You can do it.
All I can, all the abilities.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Where is the best place for people to find you and
just talk to you about yourjourney or about your organizing
business?
Speaker 2 (31:48):
So they can find me on Instagram at unpackedentidy
that's the letter N, or they canemail me at info at
unpackedentidycom.
Or my website is unpackedentidy, it's all the same.
Yeah, that's so important.
And it has my cell phone on mywebsite.
(32:11):
I ditched the office phonebecause I'm hardly in my office,
I'm out organizing, so Right.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Yay, so I will put all of your contact information
into the show notes for the bestway for people to reach you.
What would be one piece ofadvice that you have for
somebody newly diagnosed?
I know you said if you were todo it again, you would have told
your son earlier.
But what's one thing that youfeel like you would have done
differently for yourself?
Speaker 2 (32:36):
I would have been more vocal about the fear and
the anxiety and the yeah aboutthe feelings.
It's okay to feel, feel thefeels and it's okay to be open
(32:58):
about the feelings.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
Right.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
You don't have to Be ashamed or you don't have to
like, suffer in silence anddon't compare yourself to others
.
That's right.
That's what I learned on thispodcast.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
What was the quote that you learned?
Speaker 2 (33:22):
I'm going to have to re-listen to this.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Did you write it?
Speaker 2 (33:25):
down.
No, but I wrote down.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
You're a badass because I'm going to get that
book.
You are badass.
The quote is comparison is thethief of joy.
That's my comparison.
Look.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
I'm going to write it down.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
I know I was waiting, all right.
Speaker 3 (33:44):
All right?
Speaker 1 (33:46):
Well, I look forward to people being able to get in
touch with you and reaching outto you for any organizing tips.
Please go follow Millie on herInstagram and she's got some
really awesome organizing tips,and then something might inspire
you that you need to reach outto her for a little help, or
maybe you need to just reach outto her just to talk to her
about your own journey.
Yes, so I appreciate you beinghere and being able to share
your story and everything witheveryone, so thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
I'm so glad to have you in front of the team.
So fun, all right.
Thank you for joining us.
I'm Bustin' Out of BreastCancer.
We hope you found our podcastinformative, uplifting and
inspiring.
We want to remind you that youare not alone in this fight
against breast cancer.
If you are someone you knowneeds support, please reach out
to a healthcare professional,breast cancer support
organization or me.
I'm always happy to listen,chat and help in any way I can
(34:36):
Remember.
Early detection is key, soplease schedule your regular
cancer screenings.
Also, if you're in the marketfor a new home, looking to sell
or start investing, don'thesitate to contact me, your
favorite fun realtor and podcasthost.
Together we can make your realestate dreams a reality and make
a difference in the fightagainst breast cancer.
If you or somebody you knowwould like to be a guest, please
reach out to us at Smile atShannonBrowsecom.
(34:56):
Thank you again for listeningand we'll see you next week on
Bustin' Out of Breast Cancer.
Hey there and welcome to Bustin' Out of Breast Cancer
, the podcast that educates,empowers and inspires those
impacted by breast cancer.
I'm your host, Shannon Brose, arealtor who found her purpose
at the intersection of passionand pain while navigating her
own breast cancer journey andloves giving back to my
community.
Having worked with many breastcancer survivors and their
families, I understand thechallenges they face and the
importance of raising awarenessabout this disease and bridging
(00:21):
the gap between the medical andfitness industries.
Join us as we share stories ofsurvivors, caregivers and
healthcare professionals who aremaking a difference in the
fight against breast cancer.
Our goal is to raise awareness,provide resources and create a
community of support for thoseaffected by this disease.
I have a mission of changingthe world when smile at a time.
So whether you're a breastcancer survivor, a loved one, a
friend or just interested inlearning more, this podcast is
(00:43):
for you.
So let's bust out of breastcancer together and make a
difference in the lives of thoseaffected by this disease.
I am so excited to introduceyou to our guest today.
Her name is Millie Inawa.
She is pretty spectacular.
She's got a great story andshe's super fun, and she just
got her hair done.
I know you can't see, becausethis is on Zoom, but she's got
her hair done and it looks superfun and her curls are like on
(01:05):
point.
Anyway, welcome, Millie.
We're so happy to have you here.
I can't wait for others to hearyour story, your journey, your
background, everything, and alsowhy your favorite book title is
what it is.
Anyway, welcome to the show.
We look forward to learningabout you.
So tell us, Millie, what's up.
Thank you so much for having me.
You're a fabulous self-manager.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
We're gonna be here Everyone, so what do you wanna
know?
Speaker 1 (01:32):
I wanna know all about you, like I wanna know,
like, where you live, how we met, what you used to do, how you
got diagnosed, what yourdiagnosis was, your treatment.
You know, it's not like you'renew to this podcast.
You listen to it I?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
do I do so?
I live in South Florida.
I met you through a Facebookgroup.
Actually it was a monster group.
Yep, your realtor.
You were looking for aprofessional organizer, yeah.
And so people popped in theresaying, hey, me, me, me.
And then I spoke to you and wehit it off because I said that I
(02:08):
was a breast cancer survivor.
So ever since then, I've beenhelping your clients declutter
their homes so that you can selltheir homes.
That's right, welcome to myteam.
Yeah, I'm excited.
So my journey started when I was19 actually At 19, I had a
(02:31):
tumor removed a size of a golfball and I remember this thing
sticking out of my left breastand I did not wanna tell my mom.
I was like, oh, it's gonna goaway, it's gonna go.
You're a teenager.
You're like what is this?
I don't know what it is, youknow.
And finally I told my mom andshe's like we gotta get you
(02:52):
checked.
And of course, it was a benignand fast forward.
My sister had breast cancer at28.
So, and I'm three years youngerthan her.
So, because of my tumor and mysister's breast cancer, I
started getting mammograms earlyon for years and had a few core
(03:18):
biopsies, one in 2008 and 2010.
And all benign.
But in 2018, 47 years old, Iwas seeing my specialist.
I did not find it actually.
(03:38):
So I had a breast cancerspecialist who is amazing and
for years she was fighting withmy insurance to get me for them
to pay for MRI because I wasalways getting my annual
mammogram and ultrasound.
And finally they said yes, theyapproved the MRI, went and got
(04:02):
an MRI and that's where theyfound it, so Isn't that?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
crazy that we have to like fight with the insurance
companies.
It's like we pay them everymonth.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Take care of me, yes yes, and so because of her and
her persistence they found itearly stage one.
And yeah, but during that timeit was very interesting because
my friend, my son's he had afriend and his friend's mom had
(04:35):
breast cancer, was going throughchemo.
So while she was battling, Idiagnosed with this and so,
needless to say oh, I shouldn'tsay needless to say, but when
they so basically I'm trying tolike think, cause there was so
much going on at the time sothey sent me to get a biopsy of
(05:01):
the tumor and they couldn't getit.
They couldn't do a core biopsybecause they couldn't find it,
like it was where it was located, they just could not get a
piece of it.
So it was on November 27th.
So they were like, well, we'regonna have to do this under an
MRI.
So I had to go the next day, onNovember 28th, which is my
(05:24):
birthday.
Not the way, not the waysomeone wants to spend their
birthday.
Exactly so got this needlebiopsy through an MRI.
So that was the 28th and thenext day I get a call and I knew
I was like when you get quick.
Yeah, the next day her officecall me.
They're like we want you tocome in on Monday and I was like
(05:46):
, nope, I'm busy.
I knew I was like I'm not going, I'm not going Monday, I have
things to do.
I was totally avoiding it.
So I made the appointment fromTuesday morning.
But my friend had passed awayand her funeral was that Tuesday
morning.
(06:06):
So I went to my breastspecialist and I went with my
partner and he, we went togetherand she says well, you have a
little cancer.
That threw him over the topbecause who says you have a
little cancer cancer right, andThen she's like, well, it's the
(06:30):
best cancer to have because wefound it early and it's slow
growing.
He was not happy with that, butfor me I I've seen her for so
many years and she was so cutand dry in her delivery like
that didn't throw me off.
But that same day after thatdiagnosis I had to go to my
(06:53):
friend's funeral and see herSeven year old son and her five
year old little girl at thisfuneral and I thought, oh my
gosh, like this is crazy, didshe pass from cancer?
She passed from breast cancer,oh god, and so it was.
I think that's why I wasavoiding that Monday appointment
(07:17):
, cuz I mean you get a call thenext day.
It's like not good, most of ushave to wait a week.
Yeah, yeah, so she I mean she'san amazing doctor and yeah.
So we just scheduled for me toget a lumpectomy and then the
(07:38):
next year In January.
And then I went for radiation.
I did seven weeks of radiation.
How many times did you have togo?
Five days a week, so it wasevery day.
The great thing is that I wasworking from home and I had a
you know, a really great bossthat allowed me to just work
(07:59):
from home Still and and go to mytreatment.
So my treatments were at like 1pm Because I wanted to work out
in the morning.
So I was working out in themorning and Then I'd go to my
treatments.
And then I'd pick up my sonfrom elementary school, come
home and the good thing is abouthim being that young that he
(08:21):
was sleeping in, you know, goingto bed early.
So although I was very tired, Iwas still able to go to bed
early.
Now, how old was he at thattime?
My son at that time was eight.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
And so you were exhausted from the radiation
treatment.
Yeah, very exhausted.
But I did side effects fromthat.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
That just the tiredness and the redness of the
brass.
I was constantly putting creamon it.
I was pretty diligent, vigilantabout it.
Um, uh, we chose not to tell myson, okay, that a breast cancer
you know.
And we kind of decided thatbecause we kind of figured, if
(09:11):
it's obviously if I have to geta mastectomy and go through
chemo, that yes, we would havethat conversation with him,
because there's going to be alot of changes.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Um, but because it was radiation, and we held off.
That was one part.
The other part it was hisfriend's mom passed right.
His son would come with me whenI would take meals to her and
hang out with her and eventuallyhe got to see her in a
wheelchair Because she got to apoint where she couldn't walk.
(09:43):
And I just could not Tell myson that I was going through the
same thing because I didn'twant him to have this fear, sure
, these emotions.
I didn't tell him until later,but as I, as I was going through
(10:03):
the radiation, I started to seethat he didn't need to know and
I just needed to get through itbecause I Wasn't going through
so many Changes that wereapparent, other than being
exhausted.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
And the redness only you can see and and he can't see
that.
So that's interesting that yousay you didn't tell him, because
I always feel like that's sucha, it's such a Catch 22.
Right, you want to tell yourkids so they can be there and be
helpful, but at the same time,like you said, if you don't have
any visible signs of anythingand you can kind of put your mom
face on and you know, let'spower through this kind of thing
.
But you know, like you said,like for his best friend's mom
(10:41):
to go through that, I absolutelyCouldn't even imagine like that
would be.
My fear too is like my childwould sit there and be like, oh
my god, my mom's gonna die too,and that's not necessarily what
was going to be happening, butthat's what.
That's how.
That's how he perceives breastcancer.
You have breast cancer, you'regonna be a wheelchair, you're
gonna die.
Yeah, yeah, that's tough.
So how old was him?
when he told him Nine.
(11:03):
Okay, and how?
Speaker 2 (11:06):
did he take it Years later?
And he took it okay because Iwas okay.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Why didn't you tell me?
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Of course, Right, catch one too, you don't know
you know I mean that's.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I had to kind of explain to him that I didn't
want him to be scared in that,you know, people do get through
it.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Not everyone dies from it, and so I think that's
one thing, that and I've talkedabout this before my podcast and
I still talk about it to peopleLike I literally just went and
delivered today two boxes ofthings to send over to my friend
Judith, who she was on mypodcast a couple of months ago
and she's the one that ended upwith bone marrow, needing a bone
(11:54):
marrow transplant, and I justliterally dropped the boxes off
to her husband, who's going tobe driving over to get her out
to stay over there for two moremonths.
But he was a wreck.
I mean, he was just like allover the place and I texted with
him just to check in and belike, hey, how are you doing?
Do you need anything?
And he's like I don't even know.
You know he's just flustered,which I get.
You know his poor wife is onthe other side of the state, you
(12:16):
know, getting this treatment,feeling sick, like puking up
blood, like as if she's on herdeathbed and he can't do
anything to help.
But so to see him, it's likejust that reminder of, like, you
know, let's not forget aboutthe caregivers, let's not forget
about the kids, like becauseit's, you know, traumatic for
other people.
And, like my husband, I don'tthink he listens to this, but
you know, I don't.
It didn't appear to me that itaffected him because he's not
(12:40):
openly communicative aboutanything.
So in my mind I'm thinking,well, whatever, like you're just
going through this because Iwill put on the front.
I was like we're good, I'm good, like I'm good, I got this.
You know, and sometimes you,you have to just say I don't got
this, I don't got nothing.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Yeah, I think that that's definitely what I would
have done differently.
I did put on a game face youknow, yeah, did a lot, and
that's definitely something thatI would recommend for people to
just feel like they feel itfeels yeah, it's okay If they,
if they are hurting, let themhurt too, because it you know,
(13:21):
we're not in it alone.
So that would have beensomething different.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
Yeah, I mean I shared my whole journey on social
media because I wanted to beable to help others navigate
theirs.
Yes, I I always have a you knowa game face on.
I'm always good, I'm happybecause generally I'm just a
happy person.
I generally am.
There's shitty circumstances,but those are just situations
for the time, but internally,like I'm a happy person.
(13:49):
So I felt like that was my, myduty was to help others get
through it.
But, like you said, like youhave to let that guard down and
it's hard because for us women,moms that feel like no, no, I
have to be in control ofeverything, like it's hard to
for me.
Anyway, it was hard for me tolet people help me, but now I
don't have a problem, Now I'mgood, yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Well, you know November 28th, so that's my
birthday, Just so you canremember.
November 28th, millie's birthday, so I'm going to be hitting
five years this year.
That's a big deal.
I know it's crazy, but it'svery interesting.
My journey has been a littlebit different.
(14:33):
Well, I mean, obviouslyeverybody's journey is different
but for me, like sometimes Iwould have this like cancer
guilt, right when I have friendswho have had mastectomies or
have gone through chemotherapyand because I went through
(14:54):
radiation, I minimize and justyou know I had, I would say I
just had a lumpectomy.
It's like I minimize having thecancer, like sometimes I forget
that I even had it, becauseit's almost like I compare
myself to other survivors andsay, well, she's a survivor
(15:15):
because she went through chemoand you know she had a
mastectomy, she doesn't havebreasts and it's just a very
weird, interesting situationwhere I just maybe it's, I don't
have compassion on myself in asense.
(15:37):
Why?
Because it's almost like thisperson has it worse off or this
person's going through more of astruggle and I didn't struggle
as much, I don't know.
It's almost like equivalent tosurvivor's guilt.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
And I don't.
I've never heard anyone talkabout it, but that's how I have
been feeling about it Did youever hear the quote comparison.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
Comparison is the thief of joy.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Oh no, I've never heard that quote.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
I forgot where I heard it from, but I wrote that
down.
I was like, oh my God, that isso true.
Comparison is the thief of joy.
You spend so much timecomparing yourself, your
situations, your circumstancesto other people.
You don't allow yourself toliterally have joy in whatever
it is that you're going through,whether it's your survivorship,
whether it's achieving a goalor just, for God's sake, getting
(16:46):
up for the day.
You know what I mean, and Ithink that if we can turn around
and just be like you know whatI'm not here I mean I tell this
to my daughter all the time stopcomparing yourself to others.
I mean we have a lot of thingsto compare, but like it's not
why.
Like this is your life, this isyour journey.
No one else can live this foryou, no one you know.
So remember that right, thatone down, and remember it.
(17:07):
Comparison is the thief of joy.
Okay, no more.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
No more guilt.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Wow, so you made it through that.
So you're gonna have your fiveyears coming up?
Yep, that is awesome andexciting.
So for those of you that havenot been on my podcast, I do
send a question year out aheadof time because I'd like to
learn about you and I wanna know, like if there's anything off
limits, things like that, and Iasked.
One of the questions I asked iswhat's your favorite book?
(17:37):
And the title of it?
I thought was hysterical.
That caught my eye and I waslike I need to ask about this
ahead of time I mean not aheadof time, but like on this,
because I wanna know.
So the book is called you Don'tLook Fat, you Look Crazy, and
let me tell you, going throughmenopause and going through
cancer treatment, like in weightgain, like you make you crazy
impact.
Tell me about that book.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Oh, my gosh.
So it's written by an artist.
Her name is Ashley Longshoreand she is hilarious and she
just goes through her life likebeing ambitious and being pushed
down and she just it's justfunny, it's hilarious and it's
(18:23):
just her struggles as to beingan entrepreneur and being an
artist and the things that youget in your head about like you
don't look fat, you look crazy,like nobody's looking at your
fatness, you're just nuts, youknow Right?
I don't know, it's just a funnybook.
(18:43):
It's a book that's gonna makeyou laugh.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Have you read the book You're a Badass by Jens and
Sarah.
It sounds seminal to you readthat.
That's a good book.
It's an easy read and it's afeel good.
It's positive.
It's just like you know againthe struggles, but it's.
The concept of the book you'respeaking of seems very similar
to that, but that's a good book.
And those of you that have notlistened to or read the book or
listened to it on Audible orwhatever.
(19:07):
Get it, it's a good one.
You're a badass.
I think she's got like a coupleof different ones too, like
you're a badass with money,you're a badass whatever.
It's like again,entrepreneurship and things like
that.
So your background is prettyspectacular because you come
from a completely different, nota standard corporate job kind
(19:27):
of thing.
So tell us about yourbackground and why.
I know why we met, because inthe mom's group I was looking
for professional organizer to bepart of my team for real estate
and you won.
And just for the record thoseof you that are entrepreneurs
and listening to this podcast,if you don't know, when you're
on social media, the whole thingis they always talk about slide
into the DMs to have aconversation, because that's how
(19:49):
you build relationships, right?
Well, merely slid into my DMsand we had a conversation and
then actually called me and Iwas like all right, and then I
think I had mentioned that I wasa survivor and then, like you
didn't ride away.
I think you were kind of justlike hesitant or whatever.
And then you did.
I was like oh my God, I'm likethat's that you're part of my
team, because I want to have myteam full of breasties, because
I think it's important andempowering.
So give us a little backgroundon you, your little satchelist.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
So I was an estate manager for 15 years and so
basically I ran a family's home,managed their housekeepers and
did their travel and anythingthat comes with a house, right?
Things break things.
You have to get things fixed.
You work with contractors, youmove them when they want to move
(20:39):
, you get them packed, you getthem unpacked, you get them
organized.
So I did that for 15 yearsbetween New York, connecticut,
and here in Florida.
And there's something aboutwhen you get breast cancer or
any type of cancer or any typeof illness, right, it kind of
(21:00):
makes you think and have adifferent perspective on life,
right?
Yep, you're to figure out, like, what do you want to do?
Or where you're at?
What have you been?
You know, have you been happy,have you not been happy?
Speaker 1 (21:15):
All these things and so I don't want to get into what
you're doing now, because Iwant to do that after we listen
to our sponsored ad.
But I just wanted people toknow, like, what your background
is, because it's prettyelaborate and pretty cool, cause
I don't think anybody's I'venever met anybody that was an
estate manager that doing thethings that you were doing.
So, but don't go into whatyou're doing now and your whole
(21:37):
mindset of that, because we dothat after, cause that's a good
way of just like kind ofwrapping up everything that you
do, how you're giving back nowand how people can find you and
all that good stuff.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
So you're yeah so yeah, estate manager.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
So basically you're running a home from soup to nuts
, doing the groceries, makingappointments for the dogs, the
vets, doctor's appointments,travel.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
And that's on top of your own life, of having to do
that for your own life.
Yes, Planning events, dinnerparties, caterings or ordering
flowers just to order flowersand how'd you turn yourself off
Cause, I mean like realistically, you're doing that for a family
all over the place, but thenyou still need to come home and
do the same thing for your ownhouse and your own family.
How'd you differentiate betweenthose two?
Speaker 2 (22:32):
You know, when you're well, you kind of slack off on
yourself a little bit.
But no, but I just love to bebusy, I just love my mind going.
So for me, doing that for themwas like a natural high, like I
(22:53):
loved it.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
And then when I'd come home I'd kind of more like
unwind and be a little bitintroverted when I was home Do
you feel like you wanting to bebusy all the time was your way
of coping, of not wanting todeal with other things that were
going on in your life.
I asked that because I wentthrough something very similar
(23:15):
in my life in my younger years.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
No, I don't think with this job.
It was just a different type ofdrive.
You know what it was with thisparticular, with being in a
state manager.
It changed every day.
Every day was somethingdifferent and new.
I worked for government and Iworked for corporate before that
(23:38):
and it could just become verymundane Same paperwork, same
people, and so I think I just Ithrive in that.
Anything, everything's changingand it's making your mind think
and expand and you haveopportunities and new people
(24:01):
you're meeting.
It's just so.
No, it wasn't an escape, it wasjust more.
I was just driven by it.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Well, that's good.
Now that I know that you wantto jump in and share with
everyone what it is that you do,I want to make sure we go ahead
and take a quick break for oursponsor.
Be right back.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
This podcast is sponsored by the Shannon
Burroughs Real Estate Group,where we are committed to
changing the world one smile ata time, in giving back to breast
cancer and our communities.
Did you know that ShannonBurroughs, our founder and lead
realtor, is a breast cancersurvivor?
Shannon found her purpose atthe intersection of passion and
pain while navigating her ownjourney and wants to give back
(24:46):
and help others.
At the Shannon Burroughs RealEstate Group, we're dedicated to
providing exceptional serviceto our clients while also making
a positive impact in ourcommunity.
For every home sold, a portionof our commission goes towards
supporting breast cancerorganizations to help women on a
local level and be a resourcethrough their journey.
(25:07):
We believe that everyonedeserves a safe, comfortable and
happy home, and we're here tohelp make that a reality.
Whether you're buying, sellingor investing in a real estate
will be with you every step ofthe way, and when you're working
with us, you will not only besupporting your own goals, but
also helping others throughtheir breast cancer.
So chance the Shannon BurroughsReal Estate Group, where you
(25:29):
can trust that your dreams andvalues are in good hands, no
matter where you live.
We can help you.
Visit our website atSharonBurroughscom or give us a
call today at 561-494-6389 tolearn more.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
All right, well, welcome back.
We are still here with Millieand she was just talking about
her position as an estatemanager and how like fun and
rewarding and exciting it was,because it was always changing
and us, as women, we'd like tobe on the go, multi-tasking,
because we are masters of thatright, or at least we think we
are Okay.
So, just to remind everyone, wedid meet in a Facebook group
moms of Wellington or somethinglike that.
(26:08):
Anyway, I was looking for aprofessional organizer for my
business, for my team, becausein real estate, when we get a
listing of someone that's ahoarder or likes to collect on
things or maybe just has been intheir house for a really long
time, it's nice to be able tohave someone from your team to
be able to go in and helpdeclutter.
And with her background withMillie's background that I
(26:29):
learned about her estatemanagement and estate managing
position and what she did I waslike she is so right for the job
.
So, anyway, I ended up bringingMillie on my team.
She's my go-to girl, my go-togirl, my go-to breasty.
And so now tell everyone whatit is that you do, specifically
because you realize while you'renavigating your journey that
(26:50):
sometimes your dad do you right.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Yes, sometimes you've got to do you and you want to.
You know you get well.
I got cancer.
I started to kind of prioritizeand I wanted to have a little
bit more autonomy over my time,but I still wanted to do what I
love, and what I love isorganizing and decluttering and
helping my clients see thepossibility of a cabinet that's
(27:16):
not stock filled with 40 mugs.
Why do we need 40 coffee mugswhen there's only two people in
the house?
Speaker 1 (27:27):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Do you ever have 40 people over drinking coffee?
Speaker 1 (27:30):
I don't know, I don't even drink coffee.
There you go.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
So I mean, that's what I love to do.
I just, I love showing peoplethat they can simplify their
life.
Yes, and you know what?
You're a lot calmer.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
There's less anxiety.
If you have a desk full ofstuff it's hard to concentrate,
but like girl, I know it's likeoh, you have that freedom of
being creative.
Yep, and I love doing that formy clients Like what's your
(28:10):
favorite area to organize?
Speaker 1 (28:12):
Is it like a kitchen?
Is it an office?
Is it digitally?
What's your favorite thing toorganize?
A closet?
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Oh, I love a beautiful closet.
It's like dreamy.
I love doing closets that andit's so hard to pick.
Do you feel like you have?
Speaker 1 (28:35):
to be in the mood for one or the other, like some
days you're in the kitchen.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
No, I just love going into a space where it's like so
crazy and chaotic and in mymind I'm doing this Tetris thing
in my mind.
Yes, that's my favorite.
That's totally me, that's mybrain, my organized brain is
Tetris how to shift, and oh,it's amazing.
(29:05):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
You know what?
I have an obsession withorganizing as well, and of
course, I like to think that Ican do everything.
And I've realized that I can't,but I just control the things
that I can.
So, like on Sundays, that'susually my Tetris thing to do my
refrigerator, because myhusband will go to Costco and I
have to like move and everythingaround.
It has to be just so.
But when I was younger and I wasin family counseling, because I
(29:29):
was the pain in the ass,because we moved a lot, and so I
was kind of rebellious.
Anyway, we were in familycounseling and my mom realized
that the week that I was PMSing,we had a pantry that you would
open up and then you pull outthe drawers and I would go in
and I would organize everysingle thing.
So the cans had to face likedirectly out.
(29:49):
My mom was, like what are youdoing?
I'm like I don't know.
Just like it felt good.
It was like one of those thingsthat instant gratification was
something I could control.
Yes, yeah, yeah, fun facts, I'msure we got on here.
So, anyways, so there's that.
So now can you help people?
We're going to need to wrap upsoon.
(30:11):
So can you help people onlineor do they have to be here
locally in Florida?
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Well, can you do virtual helping?
I can travel, you can travel,that's right, I can do it
virtually.
But it's a lot harder to do itvirtually Right it is.
It has to be the right personthat's ready and willing to do
the work.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
Right, they have to be right, it's just.
It's no different than anaddict or somebody else, or you
know you want to change a habit,you have to be able to be in
the mindset.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
They can always fly me.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
I had a client fly me to St Bart's and pack them
there, so yeah, I travel forsure, and that is and that's
something else that you do forclients on a realtor side is you
do you help your clients getready to not only prepare their
home to list, but also you helpthem get in a not that you're
the packer, the mover, but likeyou will help them get in the
(31:07):
space, their mindset of like,all right, this is what's going
to be packed, this is how we'regoing to do it, we're going to
label everything, but thenyou'll fly to or drive to
wherever it is that they are andunpack them as well, because
there's a lot of people who Ihappen to love the unpacking
part of it, because it justfeels good, like again, it's a
gratification.
But yeah, there's a whole.
That's a whole another side ofthe business, right?
Speaker 2 (31:28):
Right, and I also can design their closets.
I can design their kitchencabinets.
Yeah, I can do that.
You can do it.
All I can, all the abilities.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Where is the best place for people to find you and
just talk to you about yourjourney or about your organizing
business?
Speaker 2 (31:48):
So they can find me on Instagram at unpackedentidy
that's the letter N, or they canemail me at info at
unpackedentidycom.
Or my website is unpackedentidy, it's all the same.
Yeah, that's so important.
And it has my cell phone on mywebsite.
(32:11):
I ditched the office phonebecause I'm hardly in my office,
I'm out organizing, so Right.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Yay, so I will put all of your contact information
into the show notes for the bestway for people to reach you.
What would be one piece ofadvice that you have for
somebody newly diagnosed?
I know you said if you were todo it again, you would have told
your son earlier.
But what's one thing that youfeel like you would have done
differently for yourself?
Speaker 2 (32:36):
I would have been more vocal about the fear and
the anxiety and the yeah aboutthe feelings.
It's okay to feel, feel thefeels and it's okay to be open
(32:58):
about the feelings.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
Right.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
You don't have to Be ashamed or you don't have to
like, suffer in silence anddon't compare yourself to others
.
That's right.
That's what I learned on thispodcast.
Speaker 1 (33:16):
What was the quote that you learned?
Speaker 2 (33:22):
I'm going to have to re-listen to this.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Did you write it?
Speaker 2 (33:25):
down.
No, but I wrote down.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
You're a badass because I'm going to get that
book.
You are badass.
The quote is comparison is thethief of joy.
That's my comparison.
Look.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
I'm going to write it down.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
I know I was waiting, all right.
Speaker 3 (33:44):
All right?
Speaker 1 (33:46):
Well, I look forward to people being able to get in
touch with you and reaching outto you for any organizing tips.
Please go follow Millie on herInstagram and she's got some
really awesome organizing tips,and then something might inspire
you that you need to reach outto her for a little help, or
maybe you need to just reach outto her just to talk to her
about your own journey.
Yes, so I appreciate you beinghere and being able to share
your story and everything witheveryone, so thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
Thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
I'm so glad to have you in front of the team.
So fun, all right.
Thank you for joining us.
I'm Bustin' Out of BreastCancer.
We hope you found our podcastinformative, uplifting and
inspiring.
We want to remind you that youare not alone in this fight
against breast cancer.
If you are someone you knowneeds support, please reach out
to a healthcare professional,breast cancer support
organization or me.
I'm always happy to listen,chat and help in any way I can
(34:36):
Remember.
Early detection is key, soplease schedule your regular
cancer screenings.
Also, if you're in the marketfor a new home, looking to sell
or start investing, don'thesitate to contact me, your
favorite fun realtor and podcasthost.
Together we can make your realestate dreams a reality and make
a difference in the fightagainst breast cancer.
If you or somebody you knowwould like to be a guest, please
reach out to us at Smile atShannonBrowsecom.
(34:56):
Thank you again for listeningand we'll see you next week on
Bustin' Out of Breast Cancer.
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