Picture this: You're four weeks old, breathing in flour dust at your family's pasta shop in South Jersey. Your Italian grandmother's stories of hiding Jewish families during World War II are woven into Sunday dinners. Your cousins are your best friends, your godfather is your hero, and you believe this unbreakable bond will last forever. Then one day, everything shatters. The business splits, invitations stop coming, and suddenly you're collateral damage in a war you never signed up for.
This week, Dr. Marisa opens her heart wide to share the raw, unfiltered story of how her tight-knit Italian family fell apart over business drama and generational wounds. But this isn't just about family feuds or pasta shops. It's about what happens when you choose forgiveness over resentment, when you decide to show up as yourself instead of carrying someone else's pain, and when you realize that sometimes the most radical thing you can do is simply say hello.
🔥 In This Episode:
- The generational trauma that gets passed down like family recipes, and how Marisa recognized she was carrying resentments that weren't even hers to hold
- Why showing up authentically in painful situations doesn't mean being a doormat or dishonoring your mother's experience
- The moment Marisa realized she could interact with estranged family members without that tight knot of hurt consuming her from the inside
- How forgiveness isn't about forgetting or reconciling, but about freeing yourself from the weight of someone else's choices
- The powerful difference between reacting from years of accumulated pain versus responding from your authentic self in the present moment
What if the people who hurt you are also just carrying their own wounds? What if forgiveness isn't about fixing relationships, but about refusing to let someone else's dysfunction dictate how you move through the world? Marisa's story proves that you can honor your pain, protect your peace, and still choose love over bitterness.
The truth is, these same dynamics play out in every team, every organization, every group of humans trying to build something together. When we learn to show up authentically instead of reacting from old wounds, we transform not just our families, but our businesses too.
BONUS: Are you ready to discover what it means to build something beautiful with your team? Join us September 12th and 13th in Knoxville, Tennessee for a leadership experience where people don't just show up, they come alive. This isn't your typical conference. It's where heart meets strategy and your team learns to thrive together. Limited spots available! Register at: https://theheartwork.myflodesk.com/leadershipconference
Connect with us:
- Â Instagram: @drsaranelsongray, @dr.marisa.nicole10, @theheartworkpodcastÂ
- Email: theheartworklife@gmail.com
- Join our community:The Heart Work Life Facebook Group and download our Free Self Love Challenge PDF
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