March 20, 2025 • 28 mins
Reagan Saffel from Odessa College joins host Yanni for a heartfelt conversation about navigating life's disappointments and finding unexpected blessings along the way. What begins as a casual chat quickly evolves into a profound exploration of purpose, perspective, and personal growth.
When rejection hit Reagan hard—missing out on promotions and failing to get into physical therapy school—she found herself in a mental health struggle that many listeners will recognize. The turning point came unexpectedly during a supervisor meeting when her college president shared three simple words that would become her life motto: "Trust the process." This wisdom transformed her approach to setbacks, helping her recognize that closed doors often protect us from paths not meant for us.
The conversation delves into how mental health intertwines with our daily choices—from establishing consistent gym routines to carefully selecting who we allow into our inner circle. Reagan's secondary motto, "Progress, not perfection," reveals her journey away from crippling perfectionism toward a healthier perspective that embraces growth over flawlessness.
What makes this episode particularly powerful is Reagan's vulnerability about her struggles and the practical wisdom she offers. Whether discussing the impact of positive music on mindset, the importance of self-reflection, or the courage to share our stories, her insights feel both accessible and profound. The discussion about setting boundaries while maintaining a servant's heart will resonate deeply with anyone who finds themselves constantly pouring into others while neglecting their own wellbeing.
Reagan's commitment to "walking the walk" in all areas of life offers an inspiring example of authentic leadership and genuine relationships. By the end of this conversation, listeners will find themselves equipped with practical strategies for navigating disappointment, protecting their mental health, and embracing their unique purpose.
Don't miss the beautiful reminder that there's only one you—that's your superpower—and someone needs to hear your story. Subscribe and join the conversation about standing in your truth through life's most challenging moments.
Standing In Your Truth Podcast with Yanni Thomas
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everyone, welcome to Standing In your
Truth podcast with your host,yanni.
On this podcast you'll hearYanni, family and friends having
open-ended discussions onanything from faith, finances,
relationships and how to staymotivated during life's trying
times.
Make sure to follow on allsocial media platforms.
(00:23):
The social media link is in thebio.
Sit back and get ready to enjoy.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Hello everyone, Welcome to another episode of
Standing your Truth podcast.
I am your host, Yanni.
How is everyone doing?
I do believe by the time thisepisode comes out we should be
through spring break, sohopefully you guys enjoyed that.
Took some time for someself-care and some family time
and vacation.
I am going to allow my nextguest to introduce herself.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Hi everybody.
I'm Regan Saffel.
I know Yanni from being inYoung Professionals of Odessa.
I work at Odessa College andI'm just excited to be a part of
this.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yes, I'm excited, Reagan, literally I don't know.
I met her and I feel like, ascrazy as it is, a lot of times I
feel like we're kind of at thesame stage of life.
Yeah, so the friendship is justgenuine and easy, which is nice
for nowadays.
So, Freya, my first questionfor you is what motivates you.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
So what motivates me?
I am very family driven.
Coming from a single mom, Ialways want to make her proud.
I always wanted to make mygrandpa proud.
So everything I do is with theintent to make my family proud
and have a better life for myfamily, have a good life for
myself.
I never want to have to worryabout can I help them if
(01:50):
something comes up, or anythinglike that.
So I would say that I am veryfamily driven.
And then, when it comes to thecommunity, I just like to give
back to help.
I like came to Odessa Collegewhen I was in college and I
loved it so much, and now that Iwork here, I like to give back
because it really poured into meat that time in my life and so,
(02:11):
work wise, I would say that'swhat motivates me as well.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Yeah, well, I can tell you do a great job and I
tell you all the time Thanks.
You are changing generations.
Thank you, by the time, thatyou invest in your students at
the level you invest, becauseyou're not surface level, you're
kind of hands-on, dive in.
We're getting through this typeof thing.
So, yes, kudos to you on that,thank you.
How do you protect your mentalhealth?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
this is a hard one, um, mental health.
So I have struggled with, for Iwould say, since beginning of
college.
Um, I went through some thingsthat I really got me depressed.
I started getting anxiousthings like that, and it may
have been sooner than that, butthat's when I started noticing
it the most.
Um, but I feel like when I'm ina routine and I I've made it a
(03:01):
routine to go to the gym everyday or at least, and I've made
it a routine to go to the gymevery day or at least five times
a week, I can't say I do it onthe weekends, but I go at lunch
because I'm not going to wake upearly, I'm not going to stay
late, so I make it a point to goat lunch every day and I truly
believe that that has helpedwith my anxiety and my stressing
(03:21):
out and I am an overthinker.
But that gives me a time tolike watch a show or listen to
music while I'm working out andit kind of lets me decompress
okay yeah, I literally just toldErin yesterday I was like I do
so much better with the routineyes, me too taking
Speaker 2 (03:38):
me off of my routine, every good habit that I started
.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I'm probably not going to continue and I I am
like a I live off of my calendar, so routine is really big for
me.
So having that structure andthat was something I learned,
like the older I got I mean Ididn't have that in high school,
I didn't live off of a calendar, but now I literally have lunch
on my calendar, I haveeverything on my calendar and I
(04:00):
feel like that takes a wholeweight off of my shoulders too,
because I know what's coming up,I know what to prepare for um
you know what's going on.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, yeah, nothing's wrong with that at all.
What advice would you give youryounger self?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
it's all gonna be okay.
Um, this kind of ties back intoone of my life mottos that
we'll probably talk about sooner, but it's my secondary one, so
I'm going to bring it up.
My secondary one would beprogress, not perfection.
That has been something thatI've struggled with my whole
(04:37):
life.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
And I think it's like not wanting to let my family
down, not wanting to let anybodydown, not wanting to let my
coaches down.
In high school I strive to beperfect and you can never be
perfect.
And so when I didn't win thegame, or if I didn't get the job
or anything like that, it kindof hurt my mental health, it
hurt my everything, and so Iwould tell my younger self it's
(05:01):
going to be okay.
You don't have to win everygame, you don't have to get an A
in every class.
It is going to be okay.
Just keep having progress andworking towards perfection,
still have high standards, butif something doesn't go your way
, it's okay.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yeah, the idea of being kind of flexible, in a
sense, with your standards,that's a good one.
Okay, peek into the life model.
I caught that.
What is your mindset whenyou're told no or a door shuts?
Speaker 3 (05:33):
So this kind of like what I mentioned is really hard
for me, I would say, and it alsoties to my life motto.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
But I would say recently I've gotten better at
this and that's speaking a lotbecause I'm old, um, but uh,
you're not that old, becausethat means I'm old.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
So I'm just saying uh , I was not good with being told
no, because I have such acompetitive spirit and because I
have that want to be better andall that.
Um, it was hard.
So one of the hardest moments,I'll say, was when I went to
school to be a physicaltherapist and I didn't get
(06:10):
accepted into PT school.
That's when I really startedstruggling with my mental health
because they told me no and soI was like, well, what do I do
now?
Like that's what I've beenplanning for my whole life, like
I'm a failure, I suck, like allthis stuff hit me all at once
and I really struggled.
But I learned it just opens upanother door.
(06:32):
That door was not my door andother doors had been opened, and
those are the paths that I'vetaken.
So it's been hard.
I don't like I still don't liketo be told no.
However, I know now that it'sfor a reason.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
I don't know, I said this on the last episode, but I
just really love asking peoplethis question Because I feel
like it really does give aninsight into the person you're
speaking to, where they're at,like mentally, and I also think,
like maturity wise.
Yeah, because I think.
(07:09):
For me, when I first startedthis at this, recording this
podcast, and I asked myself thatquestion, I'm like, well, I'm
gonna be told no.
Well, I'm gonna find anotherway to do the same thing and
it's like, well, sometimesthat's not where you're supposed
to be, you're wasting yourenergy and I still may be a
little immature at first andthrow a little fit to myself.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
No for sure, but that's just because I mean, if
you have a drive and you want itso bad it's hard to be told no.
Yeah, and you're the same way.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yeah, no, it's like sometimes it does like it stings
and I'm like, what do you mean?
I'm like what do you mean?
I'm going to find a way.
But sometimes I'm realizing I'mlike, okay, if I'm told no,
where am I supposed to be, whatam I supposed to be focusing on?
And kind of shift.
Nowadays, for the most part, Ishift my energy in that way,
which sometimes I figure out,and sometimes I'm like, okay,
(07:58):
well, leave that alone for rightnow, if I can just figure it
out later.
Yes, all right.
If I can just figure it outlater, yes, all right.
So I'm going to ask you thisquestion and um, if you want
then to go ahead and introduceyour life model, okay, you can
go ahead.
Um, but what is one moment inyour life that's really shaped
you or made a huge impact inyour life?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
so I don't know if there has been like one instance
, but I will say there's been alot of instances.
Now that I reflect back on, andI think it was either a year
ago or two years ago, drWilliams was speaking to the
supervisor group and he saidsomething and it really stuck
(08:38):
with me and ever since that dayI'm like that's my motto and
like I know it's later in life.
But now that I reflect back itall makes sense.
And so he was talking to us andI was feeling down because I
had applied for a higherposition two different times and
I got interviewed but then Ididn't get the job and I was
just feeling like a failure,like what is my purpose then?
(09:00):
Like why am I here if I'm notgoing to move up?
Like I just started questioningeverything.
But he purpose then like why,why am I here if I'm not gonna
move up?
Like I just started questioningeverything.
But he was in this meetingtalking to not just me, but I
felt like like you know, whenthey they look at you and you
think it's just you in the roomright, and he was just like
trust the process period.
He just said trust the processand I was like it was like
something hit me hard and I waslike, wow, like okay, I'll just
(09:26):
trust.
Like I'm getting emotionalright now, yeah, like I'll just
trust the process.
And then I thought later on andI was like that means I gotta
trust God.
I mean, like it totally meanslike not only trust after
Williams, but he's gonna takecare of me at work.
I gotta trust God.
Trust God in my life.
And so it really hit me and Iwas like everything I've been
(09:47):
through, I just needed to trustthe process instead of
questioning and doubting.
And why me?
Why is this happening to me?
Like those bad relationshipsthat ended out of nowhere.
And I'm like why me?
I didn't do anything wrong.
Trust God, because it was for areason he was closing something
that I didn't need in my life.
Why didn't I get those jobs?
(10:07):
Well, now I'm at a point in mylife where I want to focus on my
family.
I want to focus on me and myhealth and my family.
And if I would have had thosejobs, I wouldn't have had that
time.
And so all of these things I'vereflected on, like why didn't I
get into PT school?
Well, maybe that's not where Iwas supposed to be Like thank
you God for not putting me there, because then I had the
(10:29):
opportunity to work withstudents with disabilities, I
had the opportunity to work inthe school system and now I have
the opportunity to be here backat OC helping my community.
So I don't think he knows howmuch that hit me that day.
But now every time somethinghappens, I'm like it's okay,
like it's okay, I'm just goingto trust the process, I'm going
(10:50):
to trust God and I'm just goingto roll with it, because it's
not my time, because that wasone door closed.
A better door will be openlater.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
So how has that affected your mental health?
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Like, how does that help you navigate that?
I think it has improved mymental health.
Yeah, like so much, because I'mnot worrying about like the
negative, like why do I suck?
Why am I not good enough?
Why am I this?
Why am I like, why didn't theywant me or why anything like all
negative thoughts to now.
That's okay, I wasn't meant forthat.
Something else will be meantfor me, something better will be
(11:27):
meant for me, somebody elsebetter will be meant for me.
And like, now that I'm marriedand I found my husband, mark,
and he's a perfect, I'm likeeverything negative I went
through was worth it.
Thank you, god for opening thisdoor, because this is the door
meant for me.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, kind of the thing that I see sometimes,
which I guess could be anotherlife model, is God's in the
details, like you don't realizehow your story one day is going
to affect another young lady oryoung man and encourage them to
get through whatever seasonthey're going through life.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
So that is like I'm thinking that trust the
processes, but it's somethingthat's hard it is hard and I'm
telling you, it's kind of likethe whole being told no thing.
I'm gonna throw a little fit atfirst, but then I have to
self-reflect, I have to prayabout it.
Like I have been focused more,I would say, within the past
(12:22):
three years, more about praying,being intentional with my
praying, like not only why this,why this, why is this happening
to me?
But more like thank you, thankyou for what you're providing,
thank you for giving me a roofover my head, thank you for this
.
Now guide me to where I need tobe next, like if this is where
I'm supposed to be, awesome, butif not, prepare me for my next
(12:42):
step, even if it's not right now.
And so that's why, when DrWilliams was like, trust the
process, I was like, okay, I'mgoing to focus on my job and I'm
going to be really darn good atmy job.
I'm gonna find like I'm gonnalearn every single day.
I'm gonna learn ins and outs ofoc, of my job, of my life, of
odessa, of texas, of educationin general.
(13:04):
I'm just gonna learn, and sowhen that next door opens, I'm
gonna be ready.
Yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
I don't know something about the whole
concept of like trust.
The process God's in thedetails, it's always the best
word I can use is amazing whenyou actually see some of your
like life puzzle pieces begin tocome together.
Yes, and I know for me it doesmake you dive in deeper in that
(13:33):
relationship not religion, butrelationship with God and you're
like okay, lord you, I feel you, I hear you, um, and it almost
like increases your appetite,like I want more, like I see you
, I feel you I hear you, youknow I want more, so you, like
you said you do dive in deeperwith the bible studies.
(13:54):
um, I know, for me last coupleof weeks I would say my thing is
I am 99% of the time listeningto only praise and worship music
, even when I work out, and itmay be like what is it called?
Like Christian rap or whatever,which is very interesting by
(14:17):
the way.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Don't doubt it if you haven't listened to it.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
It's interesting.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
It's a good word for it.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
It definitely is yeah , Because I feel like and I'm
not trying to, I'm like okaywell, this is a little
interesting, but I like it andit works and it gets me through
the gym, but I feel like it kinda certain degree um also
sensitive to be able to hearfrom him, because it's like the
(14:43):
gym for me, the time to um, Ishould kind of reset and like
slow down and pour into myself.
So to even have that is great,but I have no clue where I was
going with that well, it also.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
It changes your mindset because, you're
surrounding yourself more withpositive music, with spiritual
music, then that changes who youwant to be.
You're surrounding yourselfmore with positive music, with
spiritual music, then thatchanges who you want to be
surrounded with.
That changes your daily lifeLike it's like a trickle effect.
If you're listening to trash,you're going to act like trash,
but if you're listening topositive, encouraging Caleb, did
(15:11):
you get that Positive,encouraging Caleb?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
That is literally their slogan.
That is funny.
That is funny.
I didn't get it at first, Ithink you get it, and I was like
, uh, yeah, I got it.
But that's true though.
Yeah, because I think also itkind of you begin to have a
different set of eyes.
Yeah, um, and you realize, okay, wait, this person actually
isn't you know my person, or thefriend for me, or they were the
(15:36):
friend in that life and I'm ina different season and people
grow, yeah, and I don't thinkI'm carrying them over, right?
Um, I, what did I?
I was telling a friendyesterday um, I'm okay with you
eating, but you can't eat at mytable, amen.
So it's like a wish you muchsuccess over there, but A.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I think that goes back to mental health too who
you surround yourself with,because if you surround yourself
with the wrong people they'renegative, they complain, they
are gossipers or whatever thenthat affects your mental health
completely.
So I think the older I'vegotten, the more selective I've
been who I surround myself with,what I listen to, what I focus
(16:17):
on, and I do believe that withtrusting the process, it has
changed my mindset.
Yeah for sure.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
And I think a lot of us realize your mindset plays a
key part in a lot of things inyour life, like your mental
health.
If your mindset is shot, yourmental health is going to suffer
.
Your life, like your mentalhealth.
If your mindset shot, yourmental health is going to suffer
.
I think to some degree evenlike your physical health, um,
spiritual, all of it plays up, Ithink your mindset connected.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Yeah, I didn't realize that to be honest with
you.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Probably about the last, if I'm gonna be honest, I
think I really didn't realizehow much your mindset plays a
part, and so I started actuallydating aaron.
That was one of his main thingswas like your mindset you're
thinking, um, I think he had akey part in me actually changing
that to be more, uh, positive,but also just more aware of it.
(17:06):
Yeah, and how people are makingme feel and situations, and you
know something I can change andchange it.
That's my point of suffering umat all.
So for a person who may hearyour life model, um, and want to
apply it to their life, whatwould you tell them is the first
step in trusting the process,or is there a step.
(17:29):
This is just a gun.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
It I think.
I think my first step was kindof reflection, like
understanding what he was sayingfirst of all, like if you don't
get it, then you're not goingto be able to apply it.
And then kind of reflecting,like this happened to me, but
then something good happenedlater.
This happened to me and youdon't really understand, like
(17:53):
this good happened later, untilyou reflect, because you may not
know they're even connected andyou might not ever take the
time to reflect, which I thinkis also mental health.
But, um, I would just say,reflect back on.
I mean, if you want to startwith everything bad that happens
to you, go to that and thenconnect it with something good
that's happened to you.
And then I say, just go for itand just say you know what?
(18:14):
I'm just going to trust theprocess.
I mean I'm going to put myfaith in God.
He's going to open up anotherdoor.
And then I would say pray, justpray, and I would say, lord,
please help me, trust thisprocess, please show me Like,
even right now, I pray about thefuture and I'm like, if I'm
(18:37):
meant to do this, please put mein a place where it can happen,
put the tools in me where I canmake it happen, even if it's not
happening right now.
I pray for the future and I'mlike, if it's not meant for me,
then please remove it from mylife, and so I think all of that
is part of trusting the process.
You can trust the process andstill pray about it.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Goodness, something about removing it from my life.
I feel like that prayer isalways scary, because then, when
stuff starts removing, you'relike oh, I didn't even realize
that that was like holding meback.
Yeah, until you know, god showsyou like.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Or had an effect on you or like people.
I mean people's a big one.
I think people is more of a bigone than people realize.
Just one removal or oneaddition can have the biggest
effect on your life and yourfamily's I mean, that's who
you're surrounded with.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
What did I say?
Birds of a feather flocktogether, but a lot of times we
don't realize.
You know, we don't want to seethat the people that we're
giving our time to are actuallypulling away from us Like we
don't are pulling us down.
So I say we don't really, ever,really want to take that moment
(19:43):
of self-reflection, becausethat does require you to kind of
look in the mirror and realizelike, oh wait, I could be doing
more, yeah, or I could be doingless, if the person is doing too
much.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Well, and I think it's hard for people like us,
because we want to help, like wewant to help, like we want to
fix, we want to help, we want tobe the person for them.
But you also, I mean it affectsyou, I mean it can kill your
mental health, it can kill yourpositivity just because you're
putting so much into somebodyelse.
So I think there's a balance ofbeing a good person but having
(20:15):
boundaries.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yeah, I had to realize that, like, my thing is
I just want to serve, like Iwant to volunteer.
In my head I wanted tovolunteer everywhere, like, oh,
I like your cause, how can Ihelp you?
And instead of actually takinga second and actually having a
conversation with God beforemaking some of those moves and
(20:37):
you know, just say, hey, god,you know, you gave me this
servant's heart.
Where do you want me to servethis community?
Who would you like me to pourinto?
Because me pouring intoeveryone got me to where I was
burnt out.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Well, and you can't pour into everybody if your cup
is empty.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Yeah, no, mine was like girl.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
No, the gas meter.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
I was on like negative five miles, um, and I
had to take a huge step back,and I think that's one thing
that I'm thankful for um OC, forthe program positive OC,
because it still allows me tovolunteer, but at the same time,
um, there's not so much of acommitment.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
So it's like not overdoing.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Yeah, and I'm like I can do a little bit here.
A little bit here, yeah, umstill get introduced to
different opportunities and kindof also hone in more on, um,
what I like and where I actuallywant to volunteer at.
Cause that is one thing, causeyou get an array of volunteer
opportunities and if you takeadvantage of it, it'll open new
(21:39):
doors for you.
So that is one thing that I dolike.
Well, um, what do you stand for?
Speaker 3 (21:45):
what do I stand for?
So I am really big um and it'snot always a popular view, I
guess in being genuine andhonest.
Yeah.
So I truly believe thateverybody just needs to be
themselves.
Yeah, don't be fake, don't like.
This is probably another lifemotto.
(22:07):
But not everybody's going tolike you.
You're not going to beeverybody's best friend, no for
sure.
So I'm just really big on beinghonest.
I mean, I think there's a wayto be honest and kind at the
same time, but still not beingfake or anything.
So I'm really big on beingyourself, being genuine, and I
do think that trickles intobeing kind.
It trickles into a lot ofdifferent aspects of your life.
(22:28):
And then I'm also really big ongiving back.
I think if you expect thingsout of your community or your
job or your friends, that youshould also give back.
I think if you should expectthings out of your community or
your job or your friends, thatyou should also give back.
So I think that goes intowalking the walk, like if I am a
supervisor for somebody or ifI'm an advisor for the
scholarship program, like I'mgoing to be there too, I'm going
(22:51):
to walk the walk.
I'm not going to ask somethingof you that I wouldn't ask of
myself, and so I've been reallybig on that.
When I was an assistantprincipal, I was big on that
when I was a teacher, I was bigon that as a daughter, as a wife
, like I'll be there too andwe'll do it together.
So I would say that's my bigone is walking the walk, cause I
don't want anybody to gothrough anything alone.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Yeah, that's why we're friends, Cause that's
literally what I tell people.
I said I lead with the mindsetof I'm not going to ask you to
do anything.
I wouldn't do so if it's youknow, if I'm leading and we have
to picking up trash with you,Because I always believe you
know, at the end of the day,we're all humans, Our blood is
somewhat the same.
It may be different types ofblood, but our blood is always
(23:35):
like somewhat the same.
So, yeah, I felt that for sure.
I think also for me.
I don't know I'm at this thingnow.
You know I answered thisquestion before we started
recording, but I think mine hasactually changed, changed.
I just feel like, to somedegree, you just I mean, I did
say this actually but you justcan't judge a book by its cover,
right?
Especially without having aconversation with your neighbor
(23:57):
you don't know what people aregoing through.
No, you have no idea, so youcan't sit there and say, like
you know they're a lot, when doyou know why they're a lot?
Yeah, do you know what you knowtheir life has been and, yeah,
some of that is.
You know their choices thatthey made, um, or didn't make,
but at the end of the day, youdon't know.
I just reminded to myself saythis all the time, because
(24:17):
sometimes it's a hard onecustomer service in, just in
general I won't say odessa, butno, just in general, um, it's a
lot.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Yeah, somehow you'll be tripping and I'll be like, oh
, what's wrong with you?
Speaker 2 (24:30):
I have to remember I don't know.
I don't know what it took forthem to get up this morning.
Yep, like they could be on theirlast stream, you know yeah when
I say my prayers at night mosttimes I'm sure erin thinks I'm
crazy because we pray togetherin the mornings, at night most
times, um, but I'm alwaysusually praying for those that
are um thinking of likecommitting suicide or dealing
(24:53):
with mental health, or I feellike they're alone, um just
because I've been there beforemy previous marriage, so it's
always like an extra like alittle something, a little bit a
spot in my heart, um, for thoseindividuals.
But I don't know.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
You just don't ever know it's hard to remember that,
though, because we're human too.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Yeah, sometimes, oh for sure, emotions.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
I'm telling you.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I'd be ready to be like uh, excuse me, where are
your manager?
Traffic Right, yeah, andcertain fingers be flying.
But uh, no, that's a good point.
It's a good point, it's a goodreminder.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
It is a reminder.
It was a constant reminderbecause, like I said, we're
human.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
And it's hard to not have emotions too?
Yeah, another reason why I likerecording these podcasts and
have this conversation, becauseit's a reminder to myself that,
like no one's perfect, like yousaid, everyone's figuring out
life step by step, piece bypiece.
U-turns are okay.
Yeah, like you said, you justgotta start by just first of all
(25:54):
moving and doing something,hopefully, in the right
direction hopefully I meanthings happen so well.
Um, my last question for you isum, if there's a listener
listening and needing someencouragement, what
encouragement do you have forthem today?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
um, I would say if you're going through something
hard, don't give up.
You are loved.
You mark tells me this everysingle morning and I'm telling
you I need to hear it everysingle day you are loved, you
are cherished, you are accepted,you, you can be yourself.
Um, but don't give up.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
And my last advice would be to trust the process
yeah, I mean hey that is what itis, and you know it's funny
because that's how I in mypocket.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
So I tell them I said remember, you are loved.
Um, there's only one you.
That is your superpower.
There's only things that can bedone in this world if they're
done by you, which may soundvery crazy, but if you stop and
think about it like god onlymade one of you.
So there's a talent inside ofyou and a story inside of you
(27:04):
that someone needs to hear.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
Yeah, and for every weakness you think about because
we all think about thenegatives about ourselves you
have a positive that you're justnot thinking about oh yeah, so
it's just changing your mindset.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Yeah, for sure.
And also, I would say, when youget the chance to tell your
story and I know sometimes it'shard because some people's
stories are intense're intense.
Yeah, um, there's a lot of hurtand pain in the story, but when
you get a chance to tell yourstory, don't be so afraid to
tell it.
(27:39):
Yeah, like I said, someoneneeds to hear it and it takes
courage, and I would definitelysay, if you're thinking about it
, stop and have a conversationwith god to give you, um, the
words to say and the courage tosay it, for you to be bold in
him, not in yourself, because,like I said, there's someone
that needs to hear your story.
(27:59):
Absolutely and for them to beable to navigate life.
So that's my last thing.
Just remember always to be kind, spread encouragement, go hug
your neighbor.
Hopefully they weren't to go toher.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
I'm just saying, okay , that's it all, right, bye
thank you for listening toanother episode of standing in
your truth with Yanni.
And if no one told you today,you are loved, you are beautiful
, you are needed.
You are beautiful, you areneeded and you matter.
Be sure to follow on Facebookat Standing In your Truth
Podcast with Yanni.
Also on Instagram Talks WithYanni.
Hello everyone, welcome to Standing In your
Truth podcast with your host,yanni.
On this podcast you'll hearYanni, family and friends having
open-ended discussions onanything from faith, finances,
relationships and how to staymotivated during life's trying
times.
Make sure to follow on allsocial media platforms.
(00:23):
The social media link is in thebio.
Sit back and get ready to enjoy.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Hello everyone, Welcome to another episode of
Standing your Truth podcast.
I am your host, Yanni.
How is everyone doing?
I do believe by the time thisepisode comes out we should be
through spring break, sohopefully you guys enjoyed that.
Took some time for someself-care and some family time
and vacation.
I am going to allow my nextguest to introduce herself.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Hi everybody.
I'm Regan Saffel.
I know Yanni from being inYoung Professionals of Odessa.
I work at Odessa College andI'm just excited to be a part of
this.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yes, I'm excited, Reagan, literally I don't know.
I met her and I feel like, ascrazy as it is, a lot of times I
feel like we're kind of at thesame stage of life.
Yeah, so the friendship is justgenuine and easy, which is nice
for nowadays.
So, Freya, my first questionfor you is what motivates you.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
So what motivates me?
I am very family driven.
Coming from a single mom, Ialways want to make her proud.
I always wanted to make mygrandpa proud.
So everything I do is with theintent to make my family proud
and have a better life for myfamily, have a good life for
myself.
I never want to have to worryabout can I help them if
(01:50):
something comes up, or anythinglike that.
So I would say that I am veryfamily driven.
And then, when it comes to thecommunity, I just like to give
back to help.
I like came to Odessa Collegewhen I was in college and I
loved it so much, and now that Iwork here, I like to give back
because it really poured into meat that time in my life and so,
(02:11):
work wise, I would say that'swhat motivates me as well.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Yeah, well, I can tell you do a great job and I
tell you all the time Thanks.
You are changing generations.
Thank you, by the time, thatyou invest in your students at
the level you invest, becauseyou're not surface level, you're
kind of hands-on, dive in.
We're getting through this typeof thing.
So, yes, kudos to you on that,thank you.
How do you protect your mentalhealth?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
this is a hard one, um, mental health.
So I have struggled with, for Iwould say, since beginning of
college.
Um, I went through some thingsthat I really got me depressed.
I started getting anxiousthings like that, and it may
have been sooner than that, butthat's when I started noticing
it the most.
Um, but I feel like when I'm ina routine and I I've made it a
(03:01):
routine to go to the gym everyday or at least, and I've made
it a routine to go to the gymevery day or at least five times
a week, I can't say I do it onthe weekends, but I go at lunch
because I'm not going to wake upearly, I'm not going to stay
late, so I make it a point to goat lunch every day and I truly
believe that that has helpedwith my anxiety and my stressing
(03:21):
out and I am an overthinker.
But that gives me a time tolike watch a show or listen to
music while I'm working out andit kind of lets me decompress
okay yeah, I literally just toldErin yesterday I was like I do
so much better with the routineyes, me too taking
Speaker 2 (03:38):
me off of my routine, every good habit that I started
.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I'm probably not going to continue and I I am
like a I live off of my calendar, so routine is really big for
me.
So having that structure andthat was something I learned,
like the older I got I mean Ididn't have that in high school,
I didn't live off of a calendar, but now I literally have lunch
on my calendar, I haveeverything on my calendar and I
(04:00):
feel like that takes a wholeweight off of my shoulders too,
because I know what's coming up,I know what to prepare for um
you know what's going on.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, yeah, nothing's wrong with that at all.
What advice would you give youryounger self?
Speaker 3 (04:16):
it's all gonna be okay.
Um, this kind of ties back intoone of my life mottos that
we'll probably talk about sooner, but it's my secondary one, so
I'm going to bring it up.
My secondary one would beprogress, not perfection.
That has been something thatI've struggled with my whole
(04:37):
life.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
And I think it's like not wanting to let my family
down, not wanting to let anybodydown, not wanting to let my
coaches down.
In high school I strive to beperfect and you can never be
perfect.
And so when I didn't win thegame, or if I didn't get the job
or anything like that, it kindof hurt my mental health, it
hurt my everything, and so Iwould tell my younger self it's
(05:01):
going to be okay.
You don't have to win everygame, you don't have to get an A
in every class.
It is going to be okay.
Just keep having progress andworking towards perfection,
still have high standards, butif something doesn't go your way
, it's okay.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Yeah, the idea of being kind of flexible, in a
sense, with your standards,that's a good one.
Okay, peek into the life model.
I caught that.
What is your mindset whenyou're told no or a door shuts?
Speaker 3 (05:33):
So this kind of like what I mentioned is really hard
for me, I would say, and it alsoties to my life motto.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
But I would say recently I've gotten better at
this and that's speaking a lotbecause I'm old, um, but uh,
you're not that old, becausethat means I'm old.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
So I'm just saying uh , I was not good with being told
no, because I have such acompetitive spirit and because I
have that want to be better andall that.
Um, it was hard.
So one of the hardest moments,I'll say, was when I went to
school to be a physicaltherapist and I didn't get
(06:10):
accepted into PT school.
That's when I really startedstruggling with my mental health
because they told me no and soI was like, well, what do I do
now?
Like that's what I've beenplanning for my whole life, like
I'm a failure, I suck, like allthis stuff hit me all at once
and I really struggled.
But I learned it just opens upanother door.
(06:32):
That door was not my door andother doors had been opened, and
those are the paths that I'vetaken.
So it's been hard.
I don't like I still don't liketo be told no.
However, I know now that it'sfor a reason.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
I don't know, I said this on the last episode, but I
just really love asking peoplethis question Because I feel
like it really does give aninsight into the person you're
speaking to, where they're at,like mentally, and I also think,
like maturity wise.
Yeah, because I think.
(07:09):
For me, when I first startedthis at this, recording this
podcast, and I asked myself thatquestion, I'm like, well, I'm
gonna be told no.
Well, I'm gonna find anotherway to do the same thing and
it's like, well, sometimesthat's not where you're supposed
to be, you're wasting yourenergy and I still may be a
little immature at first andthrow a little fit to myself.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
No for sure, but that's just because I mean, if
you have a drive and you want itso bad it's hard to be told no.
Yeah, and you're the same way.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yeah, no, it's like sometimes it does like it stings
and I'm like, what do you mean?
I'm like what do you mean?
I'm going to find a way.
But sometimes I'm realizing I'mlike, okay, if I'm told no,
where am I supposed to be, whatam I supposed to be focusing on?
And kind of shift.
Nowadays, for the most part, Ishift my energy in that way,
which sometimes I figure out,and sometimes I'm like, okay,
(07:58):
well, leave that alone for rightnow, if I can just figure it
out later.
Yes, all right.
If I can just figure it outlater, yes, all right.
So I'm going to ask you thisquestion and um, if you want
then to go ahead and introduceyour life model, okay, you can
go ahead.
Um, but what is one moment inyour life that's really shaped
you or made a huge impact inyour life?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
so I don't know if there has been like one instance
, but I will say there's been alot of instances.
Now that I reflect back on, andI think it was either a year
ago or two years ago, drWilliams was speaking to the
supervisor group and he saidsomething and it really stuck
(08:38):
with me and ever since that dayI'm like that's my motto and
like I know it's later in life.
But now that I reflect back itall makes sense.
And so he was talking to us andI was feeling down because I
had applied for a higherposition two different times and
I got interviewed but then Ididn't get the job and I was
just feeling like a failure,like what is my purpose then?
(09:00):
Like why am I here if I'm notgoing to move up?
Like I just started questioningeverything.
But he purpose then like why,why am I here if I'm not gonna
move up?
Like I just started questioningeverything.
But he was in this meetingtalking to not just me, but I
felt like like you know, whenthey they look at you and you
think it's just you in the roomright, and he was just like
trust the process period.
He just said trust the processand I was like it was like
something hit me hard and I waslike, wow, like okay, I'll just
(09:26):
trust.
Like I'm getting emotionalright now, yeah, like I'll just
trust the process.
And then I thought later on andI was like that means I gotta
trust God.
I mean, like it totally meanslike not only trust after
Williams, but he's gonna takecare of me at work.
I gotta trust God.
Trust God in my life.
And so it really hit me and Iwas like everything I've been
(09:47):
through, I just needed to trustthe process instead of
questioning and doubting.
And why me?
Why is this happening to me?
Like those bad relationshipsthat ended out of nowhere.
And I'm like why me?
I didn't do anything wrong.
Trust God, because it was for areason he was closing something
that I didn't need in my life.
Why didn't I get those jobs?
(10:07):
Well, now I'm at a point in mylife where I want to focus on my
family.
I want to focus on me and myhealth and my family.
And if I would have had thosejobs, I wouldn't have had that
time.
And so all of these things I'vereflected on, like why didn't I
get into PT school?
Well, maybe that's not where Iwas supposed to be Like thank
you God for not putting me there, because then I had the
(10:29):
opportunity to work withstudents with disabilities, I
had the opportunity to work inthe school system and now I have
the opportunity to be here backat OC helping my community.
So I don't think he knows howmuch that hit me that day.
But now every time somethinghappens, I'm like it's okay,
like it's okay, I'm just goingto trust the process, I'm going
(10:50):
to trust God and I'm just goingto roll with it, because it's
not my time, because that wasone door closed.
A better door will be openlater.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
So how has that affected your mental health?
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Like, how does that help you navigate that?
I think it has improved mymental health.
Yeah, like so much, because I'mnot worrying about like the
negative, like why do I suck?
Why am I not good enough?
Why am I this?
Why am I like, why didn't theywant me or why anything like all
negative thoughts to now.
That's okay, I wasn't meant forthat.
Something else will be meantfor me, something better will be
(11:27):
meant for me, somebody elsebetter will be meant for me.
And like, now that I'm marriedand I found my husband, mark,
and he's a perfect, I'm likeeverything negative I went
through was worth it.
Thank you, god for opening thisdoor, because this is the door
meant for me.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, kind of the thing that I see sometimes,
which I guess could be anotherlife model, is God's in the
details, like you don't realizehow your story one day is going
to affect another young lady oryoung man and encourage them to
get through whatever seasonthey're going through life.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
So that is like I'm thinking that trust the
processes, but it's somethingthat's hard it is hard and I'm
telling you, it's kind of likethe whole being told no thing.
I'm gonna throw a little fit atfirst, but then I have to
self-reflect, I have to prayabout it.
Like I have been focused more,I would say, within the past
(12:22):
three years, more about praying,being intentional with my
praying, like not only why this,why this, why is this happening
to me?
But more like thank you, thankyou for what you're providing,
thank you for giving me a roofover my head, thank you for this
.
Now guide me to where I need tobe next, like if this is where
I'm supposed to be, awesome, butif not, prepare me for my next
(12:42):
step, even if it's not right now.
And so that's why, when DrWilliams was like, trust the
process, I was like, okay, I'mgoing to focus on my job and I'm
going to be really darn good atmy job.
I'm gonna find like I'm gonnalearn every single day.
I'm gonna learn ins and outs ofoc, of my job, of my life, of
odessa, of texas, of educationin general.
(13:04):
I'm just gonna learn, and sowhen that next door opens, I'm
gonna be ready.
Yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
I don't know something about the whole
concept of like trust.
The process God's in thedetails, it's always the best
word I can use is amazing whenyou actually see some of your
like life puzzle pieces begin tocome together.
Yes, and I know for me it doesmake you dive in deeper in that
(13:33):
relationship not religion, butrelationship with God and you're
like okay, lord you, I feel you, I hear you, um, and it almost
like increases your appetite,like I want more, like I see you
, I feel you I hear you, youknow I want more, so you, like
you said you do dive in deeperwith the bible studies.
(13:54):
um, I know, for me last coupleof weeks I would say my thing is
I am 99% of the time listeningto only praise and worship music
, even when I work out, and itmay be like what is it called?
Like Christian rap or whatever,which is very interesting by
(14:17):
the way.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Don't doubt it if you haven't listened to it.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
It's interesting.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
It's a good word for it.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
It definitely is yeah , Because I feel like and I'm
not trying to, I'm like okaywell, this is a little
interesting, but I like it andit works and it gets me through
the gym, but I feel like it kinda certain degree um also
sensitive to be able to hearfrom him, because it's like the
(14:43):
gym for me, the time to um, Ishould kind of reset and like
slow down and pour into myself.
So to even have that is great,but I have no clue where I was
going with that well, it also.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
It changes your mindset because, you're
surrounding yourself more withpositive music, with spiritual
music, then that changes who youwant to be.
You're surrounding yourselfmore with positive music, with
spiritual music, then thatchanges who you want to be
surrounded with.
That changes your daily lifeLike it's like a trickle effect.
If you're listening to trash,you're going to act like trash,
but if you're listening topositive, encouraging Caleb, did
(15:11):
you get that Positive,encouraging Caleb?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
That is literally their slogan.
That is funny.
That is funny.
I didn't get it at first, Ithink you get it, and I was like
, uh, yeah, I got it.
But that's true though.
Yeah, because I think also itkind of you begin to have a
different set of eyes.
Yeah, um, and you realize, okay, wait, this person actually
isn't you know my person, or thefriend for me, or they were the
(15:36):
friend in that life and I'm ina different season and people
grow, yeah, and I don't thinkI'm carrying them over, right?
Um, I, what did I?
I was telling a friendyesterday um, I'm okay with you
eating, but you can't eat at mytable, amen.
So it's like a wish you muchsuccess over there, but A.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I think that goes back to mental health too who
you surround yourself with,because if you surround yourself
with the wrong people they'renegative, they complain, they
are gossipers or whatever thenthat affects your mental health
completely.
So I think the older I'vegotten, the more selective I've
been who I surround myself with,what I listen to, what I focus
(16:17):
on, and I do believe that withtrusting the process, it has
changed my mindset.
Yeah for sure.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
And I think a lot of us realize your mindset plays a
key part in a lot of things inyour life, like your mental
health.
If your mindset is shot, yourmental health is going to suffer
.
Your life, like your mentalhealth.
If your mindset shot, yourmental health is going to suffer
.
I think to some degree evenlike your physical health, um,
spiritual, all of it plays up, Ithink your mindset connected.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Yeah, I didn't realize that to be honest with
you.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Probably about the last, if I'm gonna be honest, I
think I really didn't realizehow much your mindset plays a
part, and so I started actuallydating aaron.
That was one of his main thingswas like your mindset you're
thinking, um, I think he had akey part in me actually changing
that to be more, uh, positive,but also just more aware of it.
(17:06):
Yeah, and how people are makingme feel and situations, and you
know something I can change andchange it.
That's my point of suffering umat all.
So for a person who may hearyour life model, um, and want to
apply it to their life, whatwould you tell them is the first
step in trusting the process,or is there a step.
(17:29):
This is just a gun.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
It I think.
I think my first step was kindof reflection, like
understanding what he was sayingfirst of all, like if you don't
get it, then you're not goingto be able to apply it.
And then kind of reflecting,like this happened to me, but
then something good happenedlater.
This happened to me and youdon't really understand, like
(17:53):
this good happened later, untilyou reflect, because you may not
know they're even connected andyou might not ever take the
time to reflect, which I thinkis also mental health.
But, um, I would just say,reflect back on.
I mean, if you want to startwith everything bad that happens
to you, go to that and thenconnect it with something good
that's happened to you.
And then I say, just go for itand just say you know what?
(18:14):
I'm just going to trust theprocess.
I mean I'm going to put myfaith in God.
He's going to open up anotherdoor.
And then I would say pray, justpray, and I would say, lord,
please help me, trust thisprocess, please show me Like,
even right now, I pray about thefuture and I'm like, if I'm
(18:37):
meant to do this, please put mein a place where it can happen,
put the tools in me where I canmake it happen, even if it's not
happening right now.
I pray for the future and I'mlike, if it's not meant for me,
then please remove it from mylife, and so I think all of that
is part of trusting the process.
You can trust the process andstill pray about it.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
Goodness, something about removing it from my life.
I feel like that prayer isalways scary, because then, when
stuff starts removing, you'relike oh, I didn't even realize
that that was like holding meback.
Yeah, until you know, god showsyou like.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Or had an effect on you or like people.
I mean people's a big one.
I think people is more of a bigone than people realize.
Just one removal or oneaddition can have the biggest
effect on your life and yourfamily's I mean, that's who
you're surrounded with.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
What did I say?
Birds of a feather flocktogether, but a lot of times we
don't realize.
You know, we don't want to seethat the people that we're
giving our time to are actuallypulling away from us Like we
don't are pulling us down.
So I say we don't really, ever,really want to take that moment
(19:43):
of self-reflection, becausethat does require you to kind of
look in the mirror and realizelike, oh wait, I could be doing
more, yeah, or I could be doingless, if the person is doing too
much.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Well, and I think it's hard for people like us,
because we want to help, like wewant to help, like we want to
fix, we want to help, we want tobe the person for them.
But you also, I mean it affectsyou, I mean it can kill your
mental health, it can kill yourpositivity just because you're
putting so much into somebodyelse.
So I think there's a balance ofbeing a good person but having
(20:15):
boundaries.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Yeah, I had to realize that, like, my thing is
I just want to serve, like Iwant to volunteer.
In my head I wanted tovolunteer everywhere, like, oh,
I like your cause, how can Ihelp you?
And instead of actually takinga second and actually having a
conversation with God beforemaking some of those moves and
(20:37):
you know, just say, hey, god,you know, you gave me this
servant's heart.
Where do you want me to servethis community?
Who would you like me to pourinto?
Because me pouring intoeveryone got me to where I was
burnt out.
Speaker 3 (20:49):
Well, and you can't pour into everybody if your cup
is empty.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Yeah, no, mine was like girl.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
No, the gas meter.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
I was on like negative five miles, um, and I
had to take a huge step back,and I think that's one thing
that I'm thankful for um OC, forthe program positive OC,
because it still allows me tovolunteer, but at the same time,
um, there's not so much of acommitment.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
So it's like not overdoing.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Yeah, and I'm like I can do a little bit here.
A little bit here, yeah, umstill get introduced to
different opportunities and kindof also hone in more on, um,
what I like and where I actuallywant to volunteer at.
Cause that is one thing, causeyou get an array of volunteer
opportunities and if you takeadvantage of it, it'll open new
(21:39):
doors for you.
So that is one thing that I dolike.
Well, um, what do you stand for?
Speaker 3 (21:45):
what do I stand for?
So I am really big um and it'snot always a popular view, I
guess in being genuine andhonest.
Yeah.
So I truly believe thateverybody just needs to be
themselves.
Yeah, don't be fake, don't like.
This is probably another lifemotto.
(22:07):
But not everybody's going tolike you.
You're not going to beeverybody's best friend, no for
sure.
So I'm just really big on beinghonest.
I mean, I think there's a wayto be honest and kind at the
same time, but still not beingfake or anything.
So I'm really big on beingyourself, being genuine, and I
do think that trickles intobeing kind.
It trickles into a lot ofdifferent aspects of your life.
(22:28):
And then I'm also really big ongiving back.
I think if you expect thingsout of your community or your
job or your friends, that youshould also give back.
I think if you should expectthings out of your community or
your job or your friends, thatyou should also give back.
So I think that goes intowalking the walk, like if I am a
supervisor for somebody or ifI'm an advisor for the
scholarship program, like I'mgoing to be there too, I'm going
(22:51):
to walk the walk.
I'm not going to ask somethingof you that I wouldn't ask of
myself, and so I've been reallybig on that.
When I was an assistantprincipal, I was big on that
when I was a teacher, I was bigon that as a daughter, as a wife
, like I'll be there too andwe'll do it together.
So I would say that's my bigone is walking the walk, cause I
don't want anybody to gothrough anything alone.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Yeah, that's why we're friends, Cause that's
literally what I tell people.
I said I lead with the mindsetof I'm not going to ask you to
do anything.
I wouldn't do so if it's youknow, if I'm leading and we have
to picking up trash with you,Because I always believe you
know, at the end of the day,we're all humans, Our blood is
somewhat the same.
It may be different types ofblood, but our blood is always
(23:35):
like somewhat the same.
So, yeah, I felt that for sure.
I think also for me.
I don't know I'm at this thingnow.
You know I answered thisquestion before we started
recording, but I think mine hasactually changed, changed.
I just feel like, to somedegree, you just I mean, I did
say this actually but you justcan't judge a book by its cover,
right?
Especially without having aconversation with your neighbor
(23:57):
you don't know what people aregoing through.
No, you have no idea, so youcan't sit there and say, like
you know they're a lot, when doyou know why they're a lot?
Yeah, do you know what you knowtheir life has been and, yeah,
some of that is.
You know their choices thatthey made, um, or didn't make,
but at the end of the day, youdon't know.
I just reminded to myself saythis all the time, because
(24:17):
sometimes it's a hard onecustomer service in, just in
general I won't say odessa, butno, just in general, um, it's a
lot.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Yeah, somehow you'll be tripping and I'll be like, oh
, what's wrong with you?
Speaker 2 (24:30):
I have to remember I don't know.
I don't know what it took forthem to get up this morning.
Yep, like they could be on theirlast stream, you know yeah when
I say my prayers at night mosttimes I'm sure erin thinks I'm
crazy because we pray togetherin the mornings, at night most
times, um, but I'm alwaysusually praying for those that
are um thinking of likecommitting suicide or dealing
(24:53):
with mental health, or I feellike they're alone, um just
because I've been there beforemy previous marriage, so it's
always like an extra like alittle something, a little bit a
spot in my heart, um, for thoseindividuals.
But I don't know.
Speaker 3 (25:05):
You just don't ever know it's hard to remember that,
though, because we're human too.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Yeah, sometimes, oh for sure, emotions.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
I'm telling you.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I'd be ready to be like uh, excuse me, where are
your manager?
Traffic Right, yeah, andcertain fingers be flying.
But uh, no, that's a good point.
It's a good point, it's a goodreminder.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
It is a reminder.
It was a constant reminderbecause, like I said, we're
human.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
And it's hard to not have emotions too?
Yeah, another reason why I likerecording these podcasts and
have this conversation, becauseit's a reminder to myself that,
like no one's perfect, like yousaid, everyone's figuring out
life step by step, piece bypiece.
U-turns are okay.
Yeah, like you said, you justgotta start by just first of all
(25:54):
moving and doing something,hopefully, in the right
direction hopefully I meanthings happen so well.
Um, my last question for you isum, if there's a listener
listening and needing someencouragement, what
encouragement do you have forthem today?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
um, I would say if you're going through something
hard, don't give up.
You are loved.
You mark tells me this everysingle morning and I'm telling
you I need to hear it everysingle day you are loved, you
are cherished, you are accepted,you, you can be yourself.
Um, but don't give up.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
And my last advice would be to trust the process
yeah, I mean hey that is what itis, and you know it's funny
because that's how I in mypocket.
Speaker 2 (26:43):
So I tell them I said remember, you are loved.
Um, there's only one you.
That is your superpower.
There's only things that can bedone in this world if they're
done by you, which may soundvery crazy, but if you stop and
think about it like god onlymade one of you.
So there's a talent inside ofyou and a story inside of you
(27:04):
that someone needs to hear.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
Yeah, and for every weakness you think about because
we all think about thenegatives about ourselves you
have a positive that you're justnot thinking about oh yeah, so
it's just changing your mindset.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
Yeah, for sure.
And also, I would say, when youget the chance to tell your
story and I know sometimes it'shard because some people's
stories are intense're intense.
Yeah, um, there's a lot of hurtand pain in the story, but when
you get a chance to tell yourstory, don't be so afraid to
tell it.
(27:39):
Yeah, like I said, someoneneeds to hear it and it takes
courage, and I would definitelysay, if you're thinking about it
, stop and have a conversationwith god to give you, um, the
words to say and the courage tosay it, for you to be bold in
him, not in yourself, because,like I said, there's someone
that needs to hear your story.
(27:59):
Absolutely and for them to beable to navigate life.
So that's my last thing.
Just remember always to be kind, spread encouragement, go hug
your neighbor.
Hopefully they weren't to go toher.
Speaker 1 (28:15):
I'm just saying, okay , that's it all, right, bye
thank you for listening toanother episode of standing in
your truth with Yanni.
And if no one told you today,you are loved, you are beautiful
, you are needed.
You are beautiful, you areneeded and you matter.
Be sure to follow on Facebookat Standing In your Truth
Podcast with Yanni.
Also on Instagram Talks WithYanni.
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