July 14, 2026 • 35 mins
Most of us underestimate the power of starting over — no matter our age. At 57, Barbara Warren Blums decided it was time to embrace her true calling, proving that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. Her story is a masterclass in resilience, showing how a lifetime of experiences can fuel a bold new chapter filled with creativity, purpose, and unapologetic passion.From growing up in a small town, handling heartbreaks, and becoming a mother in her teens, to excelling as a nurse, leader, and cosmetologist, Barbara’s journey is a testament to how responsibility and perseverance lay the groundwork for reinvention. She shares how each stepping stone — whether it was her career, motherhood, or side passions like sewing and acting — built her resilience and unlocked new ambitions. Her story challenges the belief that dreams expire with age, revealing instead how life’s lessons prepare us for the next great adventure.In this episode, you’ll discover:
- How Barbara navigated the challenges of early motherhood and a small-town life to become a dedicated nurse and leader in healthcare.
- The surprising way her experience on "The Price is Right" ignited her passion for acting at 57, proving the power of pursuing dreams regardless of age.
- The importance of viewing failure as a lesson, not a setback, and why it’s the secret to continual growth.
- How embracing your creative side, whether sewing, performing, or modeling, can change how you see yourself and open new doors later in life.
- Practical advice for listeners juggling responsibilities—parents, caregivers, or career professionals—who feel stuck or think their dreams are out of reach.
Why does this matter? Because Barbara’s journey highlights that the right moment to start is always now. Her story urges you to break free from limitations, trust your lived experience, and pursue what truly excites you—no matter your age. Whether you’re contemplating a career switch, chasing a long-held dream, or simply need a dose of inspiration to keep going, her story is a reminder: your best chapter is still ahead.Meet a woman who has worn many titles—mother, nurse, mentor, artist, actress—and shows us that success isn’t about perfection; it’s about perseverance and daring to begin again. Her unapologetic embrace of her evolving identity will inspire you to see age as a catalyst, not a barrier, to your passions. Perfect for anyone feeling the call to reinvent, renew, or simply live more fully—this episode is your blueprint to starting now, with courage and joy.
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SPEAKER_02 (00:00):
When you feel like life has got you a hand of
unfair cards.
Instead of voting, you doubledown.
We stuck in the game.
You face battles.
You felt broken.
But hey, do us a favor.
Put your hand on your heart.
You feel that?
You're still here.
Welcome to the Resilience FilesUnlocked, where survival meets
(00:25):
transformation.
Welcome back to the ResilienceFiles Podcast.
I'm your host, Carrie Bernance,and I am so excited about our
guest today.
First off, she was workingovernight in with some ICU
patients, and God bless herheart.
We are so thankful to have suchcaring guests on here, but she
(00:46):
has a phenomenal story that Ifeel like you need to hear
today.
And her story comes with it'snever too late to become.
When society says your dreamsexpire, but your soul says it's
time to begin, listen to it.
Well, as we do here on theBrazilian spouse podcast, we
like to read our guest essay.
And I would love to introduceyou to our guest today, Barbara
(01:09):
Warren Blums.
My life, becoming again andagain.
I have lived many lives in onelifetime.
Some were chosen, some werenecessary, and some waited
patiently until I was braveenough to claim them.
If there is one truth that runsthrough my story, it is this.
I have never stopped becoming.
(01:30):
I grew up knowing early thatlife would act something of me.
I learned responsibility young.
I learned how to show up evenwhen I was unsure, how to keep
moving when the path aheadwasn't clear.
Those early years shaped my workethic, my resilience, and my
belief that nothing meaningfulcomes without effort.
I didn't always know where I wasgoing, but I knew I was meant
(01:53):
for more than standing still.
I became a mother early, andwith that came a fierce sense of
purpose.
Suddenly my life wasn't justabout my own dreams.
It was about stability,survival, and setting an
example.
I worked hard, sometimesrelentlessly, determined to
prove to myself and the worldthat I was capable, dependable,
(02:15):
and strong.
I made a promise that I wouldnever settle for less than what
my children and I deserved.
That promise became a drivingforce in everything I did.
Nursing found me not byaccident, but by alignment.
It was the perfect marriage ofdiscipline and compassion,
science and humanity.
Over the years, I grew into myrole, not just as a nurse, but
(02:38):
as a leader, a mentor, and asteady presence in moments when
people felt most vulnerable.
I have held hands in fear,celebrated recoveries, and stood
quietly in rooms heavy withgrief.
I learned that true strength isoften soft-spoken and that
showing up consistently is itsown form of courage.
(02:58):
As a charged nurse and a unitshift coordinator, I became
someone others relied on.
I took pride in becomingorganized, calm under pressure,
and deeply respectful of everypatient and colleague.
I saw potential in new nursesbefore they saw it in
themselves.
I believed in lifting others asI climbed, as I climbed, because
(03:21):
healthcare is not just aboutskill, it is about humanity.
Nursing did not just become myprofession, it became part of my
identity.
But there was another side of methat never went away.
Before the scrubs, before thecredentials, there was
creativity.
There was an awareness ofpresence and expression of how
(03:43):
people communicate beyond words.
My work as a beautician andcosmetologist taught me on how
transformation, both externaland internal, can change the way
someone sees themselves.
Sitting across from clients, Ilistened to their stories.
I learned how confidence can berestored with care, attention,
and trust.
(04:03):
Those moments reminded me thatwe are all performing roles, all
hoping to be seen.
Still, for many years, I toldmyself that certain dreams had
an expiration date.
Then, at 57, I decided to stopbelieving that.
Starting acting lessons later,and life was both terrifying and
exhilarating.
Walking to that first class, Iwas surrounded by people younger
(04:25):
than me.
But I carried something theydidn't yet have, life
experience.
I have lived heartbreak,responsibility, joy, loss,
success, and reinvention.
I realized that every moment Ihave survived had prepared me
for this new chapter.
Acting didn't feel like startingover.
It felt like coming home.
I discovered that everything Ihad done before, nursing,
(04:49):
motherhood, leadership,cosmetology, had trained me for
storytelling.
I understood human emotion, notfor theory, but from lived
experience.
I knew how to listen, how torespond, how to be fully
present.
I wasn't chasing fame.
I was answering a call that hadwaited patiently for me to be
ready.
Being signed to an agency was amoment of quiet validation, not
(05:12):
because it meant that I had madeit, but because it proved that
it was never too late to betaken seriously, to be seen, to
begin again.
I'm building something new now.
Not in spite of my age, butbecause of it.
Today I stand as a woman who hasworn many titles: mother, nurse,
leader, mentor, petition,artist, actor.
(05:33):
None of them cancel the other.
They coexist, strengthening oneanother.
My story is not aboutperfection.
It is about perseverance.
It is about choosing growth overfear and possibility over
limitation.
I am still becoming.
And for the first time, I'mdoing it fully,
unapologetically, and withgratitude for every chapter that
(05:56):
brought me here.
Beautiful.
Wow, Barbara.
So, so beautiful.
Thank you.
Oh, wow.
You said so many great things.
First off, hearing your essayread out loud, how do you feel
right now?
SPEAKER_00 (06:09):
I'm surprised I wrote that.
It's it's all true though.
Like, but you want to know whatstarted off my acting thing?
Yeah, what started you there?
That I was on the prices rightand I won the showcase showdown.
Wow.
Okay, we love that.
I had a lot of fun being oncamera, and so I've always
(06:30):
wanted to do acting, so that wasI I just decided that I can do
everything.
Yeah.
You know.
And actually, and um I've beenworking where I work for um
twenty twenty-six years, and Ican retire next year and I
(06:53):
probably will and go findanother nursing job, um, but
collect my pension.
And I'm definitely pursuing likemodeling and acting jobs too.
Um But I'm lucky I can I can doI can do a lot of different
things.
You know, I I do hair, I do I donursing, I'm a mom, a grandma,
(07:15):
dog owner.
I love that.
SPEAKER_02 (07:18):
I want to start from your early responsibility before
you before you got into thisworld.
Multiple lifetimes in one bodyfrom all the careers you've had,
like you said, mom, doctor,nurse.
SPEAKER_00 (07:29):
It started like on this day 40 years ago.
This is my son's 40th birthday.
SPEAKER_02 (07:35):
Um Wow Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (07:37):
So when I had my son, I realized I could do
anything.
I mean, I didn't start out likesaying, Oh, I'm gonna keep
getting more and more and morestuffed, but just with with
being, you know, I w I gotmarried after I had him and had
my daughter and like he he dranka lot and we just went our
(08:02):
separate ways, and it it wasnecessary for me as a single
parent to provide an income forour family, you know.
Um and I I got lucky all alongthe way.
I got into a LPN program.
Well, before that, I I got mycosmetology degree.
So I always had an anotherlittle job that was boosting me
(08:24):
up to my next one.
So like I worked worked as abarber and on a barber shop as I
was going to LPN school.
I got my LPN, then I kept goingand got my RN.
And like I've done that for somany years.
And just I think all mydifferent, all the different
(08:45):
education things that I've doneall along the way have like
built well onto each other.
And I I feel like they theycomplement each other, all of
them do.
That's what it sounds like.
SPEAKER_02 (08:59):
Responsibility didn't break you, it built you,
it led you from one thing to thenext thing to the next thing.
And it seemed like you used itas stepping stones, you know,
where people would have soughtlike heartbreak and the divorce,
you know, maybe wasn't asfavorable or it wasn't what you
wanted at the time, but it waswhat was necessary in order to
(09:20):
maintain your mental health aswell as your children's.
And then that led you tosomething else.
You were able to have that sidejob.
I think that so many people arelistening today and they're
probably wondering, like, well,how am I gonna get here?
This is a big goal, this is abig dream.
And like you said, you got yourLPN that led to your RN.
And it's those stepping stonesthat keep the momentum alive.
(09:43):
Do you feel like that was it foryou?
SPEAKER_00 (09:45):
Yeah, I, you know, everything that I've ever done,
I have to say, go back to mykids, to providing a good future
for my kids.
And both my kids have turned outto be great people.
My son is a computer engineer,and my daughter is a ward
secretary at at the ER where Iwork.
So I work with her frequently.
(10:06):
They are the ones I like, Iwouldn't have been as motivated.
Like, if I didn't have my kids,I wouldn't be as motivated to
keep building us a future.
And I'm married, I'm remarriednow.
I we've been married for 26years.
And he he's a really goodstepdad for my kids.
(10:28):
So that's good.
Yeah.
I'm lucky.
Lucky in love, the secondchildren.
Oh, you are.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, congratulations.
SPEAKER_02 (10:36):
The kids are proud of you.
SPEAKER_00 (10:39):
The kids are the whole reason I did everything.
And like coming from the smalltown that I came from, I don't
know if you're familiar with howsmall towns are, but a lot of
gossip, a lot of um people thatare not always so nice behind
your back.
And I just felt like I alwayshad to prove myself.
And like I I had my son when Iwas a senior in high school, and
(11:04):
I wasn't gonna have that be thereason that I didn't achieve
whatever I wanted to achieve.
It just made it uh having mykids made me more motivated than
less.
I mean, it yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (11:20):
Yeah, that's exactly what I was gonna say.
It feels like motherhood didn'tshrink your dreams, it sharpened
them, it motivated them, itignited the fire.
And you know, I think that it'snot like the most favorable
situation to have a kid duringhigh school, but you didn't let
it stop you.
And no, I think that that's atestament of his own.
You know, I think there'sprobably some young mothers out
there, like my mom also waspregnant with me, her senior
(11:43):
year in high school as well.
And to just see like what typeof fire and drive that it gives
you, you know, you're leavingchildhood, entering adulthood
and motherhood at the same time.
And I want to applaud you forthat because I think that could
be so difficult.
But you kept going and youdidn't let go of your dreams.
How did you feel like becoming amother changed your ambition?
SPEAKER_00 (12:05):
I mean, I was scared to fail because I didn't want my
kids to fail.
You know what?
I didn't feel like my kidsshould have to pay the price for
me.
Like they shouldn't have to havea decreased standard of living
or whatever, like a decreasedstandard of living just because
they were born to somebody whowasn't educated yet and was
(12:28):
younger than she, you know, Ishouldn't have had a a baby when
I was 18, but I wasn't gonna letthat impact their lives.
They they didn't they they grewup not um having to be a product
of like just somebody who, youknow, I like I I felt like I had
(12:48):
to keep going.
I had to have I I had to doeverything I had to do because
what else would I do?
How else would I survive withthem, you know?
And wanting them to have thebest, um, it motivated me.
SPEAKER_02 (13:05):
Yeah, I love that.
I think that's so beautiful.
What was that transition likefor you when you got into
nursing?
Because I find it so beautifulthat you did that, because you
said like you held hands withbasically fear and grief at the
same time.
And to me, that's very sacredwork.
And it takes a very special,warm kind of person to get into
(13:27):
a career that is so selfless.
What did you what was thatcareer option for you that
decided that nursing was theright thing for you?
What made you want to get yourLPN that led to your RA?
SPEAKER_00 (13:39):
Um, there was a uh opening for a satellite program.
You know, I I'm from NorthDakota and there was a satellite
program.
It was a brand new program whereyou could do distance learning.
It was now it's all the thing,but I mean, back then it was
like the first that anybody hadever done that up there.
(14:00):
And I got into the program.
My mom had gotten into a programlike that, and so she encouraged
me to apply.
I was even through high school,I was a nursing assistant at the
nursing home.
So I've always liked taking careof people.
I mean, I'd and my sister is 12years younger than me, so I've
(14:21):
always liked taking care ofyounger people in my life or
like at the nursing homeworking.
Like ever since I was old enoughto work, I I worked, you know.
And and like my dad, when I whenI got pregnant with my son, he
wouldn't talk to me for aboutsix months because he was so
(14:42):
ashamed.
And he said he was just, youknow, talking to a friend one
night about how hard of a workerI was, and then he found this
out.
That really made me feel bad,you know.
Like um, I'm still the sameperson, you know, but I just
really disappointed him.
Kind of some of it was to try tofix that disappointment in him.
SPEAKER_02 (15:07):
Yeah, you're trying to get acceptance.
SPEAKER_00 (15:09):
Yep.
unknown (15:10):
Yep.
SPEAKER_02 (15:11):
When did when in talking about that when your dad
was disappointed at that moment,when did you feel like you he
finally accepted you or the factthat you know you were gonna
have his grandbaby regardless ifhe liked it or not?
SPEAKER_00 (15:24):
Like this was this was it.
As I got like almost to the dolike towards the end of the
pregnancy, uh, he really camearound and he was a
over-the-road truck driver andhe was there when when my son
was born, and of course, he'slike the apple of his eye, you
(15:47):
know.
He just loved him.
And and my dad my mom and dadare both past now, but um the
they they were their onlygrandkids, you know, until my
sister had she had two kids, butthat was after my mom had
passed, my dad was he only gotone of her kids when she was
like a baby.
So my grand my kids were thegrandkids of the family for a
(16:10):
long time.
Yeah.
Like my my son would go truckdriving with my dad every
summer.
They were really good friends,you know, good buddies.
And so, like, it wasn't longafter I had my son that I had my
dad back, you know.
Oh yeah, he got better.
SPEAKER_02 (16:29):
Yeah, that's beautiful.
I would love to know, like, whatdo you feel like nursing taught
you about humanity?
I think like Hippocrates said,wherever the art of medicine is
loved, there's also the love ofhumanity.
And I think that obviously, likeyou've always loved people, you
always cared for your child andchildren.
And we were just talking brieflybefore this podcast about, you
(16:54):
know, you caring for ICUpatients.
What do you feel like mostpeople don't understand when a
person is like at that lowestpoint, you know, maybe for the
patient, and then also maybe asa nurse's perspective?
SPEAKER_00 (17:12):
I feel like um sometimes some of my nursing
colleagues can be kind ofjudgmental to people, like they
come in and they're veryunkempt, maybe big beards, like
not taking care of themselves,um, teeth missing, but those
those people are still peopleinside.
And so like I always try to umtreat each person like an
(17:36):
individual and not just as theshell of what they show on the
outside, because they're stillstill the person on the inside,
and I like to layer like getthrough the layers of stuff and
find the person on the inside.
I I just love I love that.
(17:59):
I love getting to know peopleand like even like my coworkers,
like the other day I was justsaying to my coworker, we were
talking about somebody, I said,Oh, I just love them.
I just love them.
And then it wasn't that muchlonger later, and I I said, Oh,
I love her, she's just awesome.
She said, Do you love everybody?
And I think I do.
(18:19):
I think I do love everybody.
SPEAKER_02 (18:21):
That's so beautiful, it's so sweet and so warm, and
I'm so thankful that we have anurse like you on our side.
And thank you, you know, thesepatients.
Because I think it's that you'reyou mentioned in your essay,
it's like such a vulnerableplace to be in when you have to
go to the hospital or you haveto go to the doctor, and you
don't want to be there.
And I think the last thing youwant to be mad with is judgment.
(18:42):
And I appreciate you for like,you know, making it a
judgment-free, lovable zone.
And I think like there has to besome love because like this a
person's life is on the line.
And exactly, you know, and alsoat the end of the day, like I
think this world is such alonely place and it's such a
such a um really it's just alonely place.
(19:04):
And people don't really receivecare and love, not even from
their family members or closefriends.
And the older they grow, themore they're left alone, and the
more that that builds up on themand they're already in like a
dark spot of life.
And I think like even if theyhad to come to the hospital to
get light, you know, or to findrelief or find some joy, no, if
(19:26):
that's of course in the healingof it, but more even if it's in
the people of it.
And I I I'm so happy they haveyou.
SPEAKER_00 (19:34):
I think well, that's sweet.
Thank you.
I I think um some people do liketo be in the hospital, they do
like the care that they get, youknow what I mean?
Like they kind of like theattention sorta.
Um my husband is uh he he's amaintenance man at a 55 plus
apartment.
And um he he's actually 12 yearsolder than me, so he's 70.
(20:00):
So he's kind of in that he goesand has coffee with his friends
every morning.
And uh we we get really attachedto the people that live there.
Like when when my Price is Rightshow was on, we had a watch
party at the at that place, anda lot of those people are
lonely.
And my husband is justwonderful.
He one of them is on hospiceright now, and he has been
(20:22):
bringing them food every day.
You you just gotta reach out toyour community and try to help
as many people as you can.
Whether it's at work or whetherit's at in your community, you
know.
SPEAKER_02 (20:35):
Yeah, that's so beautiful.
Oh, I'm so happy that yourhusband and you are like a
matchmate for sure, you know.
And for you all just to havethese beautiful, warm hearts.
And I hope that it trulyinspires someone that's
listening today.
Um, absolutely.
I love that you mentioned inyour essay that dreams don't
(20:55):
die.
They wait.
And I feel like, you know, somany people need to hear that.
Like starting over at 57, yousaid, I'm not starting over, I'm
beginning new, I'm coming hometo what has been waiting for me.
This could be a good thing.
SPEAKER_00 (21:12):
Because all this time, all this time I've had to
be so serious.
And like I do keep gettingcertifications at my work, you
know, like I study and take morecertifications to be, you know,
prove my skills and stuff.
But I've always wanted to dothis side of my, you know, the
acting side, and I just nevercould really, but now is the
(21:34):
time in my life I can, you know,and um I'm just gonna go for it.
SPEAKER_02 (21:39):
Did you ever feel like you had to bury that
creative side of you?
SPEAKER_00 (21:42):
Very much so.
Very much so.
I mean, I didn't have time forthat, or you know, and like I
even told my husband the otherday, like, I don't like I'm 58.
I just turned 58 and I don'tfeel looking amazing.
SPEAKER_02 (21:58):
Hi.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (22:00):
Thank you.
Um, so like I don't feel like,oh my god, I'm getting so old, I
don't want to get older.
Like I look forward to 59 isgonna be cool because then I can
start taking money out of mybouquet and like I I feel like
every little step, even likejust even getting older is just
exciting because there's alwaysthere you don't have to stop
(22:23):
dreaming just because you're acertain age.
SPEAKER_02 (22:26):
Like yes.
SPEAKER_00 (22:28):
I I feel like they still need older people too in
everything, you know?
SPEAKER_02 (22:32):
Absolutely, yes, they do.
And I love that I think so manypeople are so afraid of getting
older, and it's so it frustratesme.
I'm like, you know, like can youimagine?
Like we unfortunately the peopledie every day, and death is
inevitable, and we can still besix feet above ground, and it's
beautiful over here.
And I'm not saying that, youknow, death is not beautiful
(22:56):
because it has its own identityas well, but I'm saying, like,
while you're here and you'reable to go after and chase these
dreams and find joy that to rollin that.
And I'm so happy that um yousaid, yeah, like, girl, draw
that money out of your 401k,IRA, all of that stuff when you
(23:19):
get older.
I think also so many peopledon't take advantage of that.
They're like, oh, I'm gonna doit at 65, I'm gonna do it at 70.
No, like go live your life, havefun.
SPEAKER_00 (23:27):
Like, yeah, my husband is like, he's scared, I
think, because like, you know, II like money and I have a bunch
of gay money.
I'm like, oh, that's gonna bedangerous, really.
SPEAKER_02 (23:37):
No, go check out.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (23:41):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (23:42):
Um, I I love that you didn't.
I I wanna I think somebody mightbe listening right now and
saying, like, okay, see, uh,they might be in their 30s or
they might be in their 40s, andthey might hear and like, well,
she didn't start until she was57, then do I need to take on a
serious career first and thenlike put my dreams on the back
burner and then do it?
(24:03):
Or what would you say to thatperson, that a person that might
be a little younger?
Do you think that they cansimultaneously do it at the same
time?
Or do you think they should goall in?
Because maybe they haveresponsibility, maybe they have
children, or they're caring fora parent.
What do you feel about that?
SPEAKER_00 (24:18):
I I feel like God only gives you what you can
handle.
And like, I don't think you haveto wait for one thing than the
other.
I think you can dosimultaneously two different or
more than one different thing.
It's just that you have to be asolid, smooth person for your
kids.
Always do that.
Always be your, you know,whatever you need to do to be
(24:40):
your solid, smooth person foryour kids when they're growing
up.
And then um when when they'redone, you know, when they've
grown up, I mean they still needyou, they still uh need stuff,
but um then you can kind ofbranch off a little bit, you
know.
SPEAKER_01 (24:57):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (24:57):
Um, but I don't think I don't think just because
you're 30 and you haven't donethis or that, I mean that
doesn't that shouldn't hold youback.
I don't think age is a thingthat should hold you back ever
at all.
Period.
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (25:10):
I love that.
I feel like age isn't alimitation, it's leverage.
Like it is, and with moreexperience, like you mentioned
as you got into acting, you camewith more experience than the
younger people, and that livedexperience definitely helps
drive the story and moves itforward and gives more context.
I would love to talk about that.
(25:30):
What did it feel like walkinginto your first acting class?
SPEAKER_00 (25:33):
No, it was scary, very scary, because like I was,
I mean, I'm 58, and the nextyoungest person was, I think
he's like 24, and they're allyounger from there, you know.
And it was intimidating becauselike, well, each week you learn
a different thing.
Like they they, you know, we tewe learn about commercials or
(25:55):
you know, how to present acommercial and and monologues
and all the different there's somany different things like
improvisation, and it's veryintimidating to get up in front
of a whole group of people andsay your commercial and um feel
at ease about it.
And I still feel nervous eventhough I know the people in the
class.
Um but and actually I just wentto Hollywood about a month ago
(26:21):
and did an audition like foragents, and it was a contest, an
acting contest, and I gothonorable mentionment for my
acting in a commercial and formy headshots.
And so it's never too late.
Nothing is too late.
It's just it's scary to do thatfirst step.
But once you do the first step,you know, you've got it.
SPEAKER_02 (26:43):
Yes.
Once you do the first step,yeah, you got it.
I love that.
Yeah.
Um, yeah, you just gotta takethe first step.
I always say one day or day one.
Like today could be day one,tomorrow could be day two.
And if you keep making steps,you'll be on day 100 before you
know it.
But unless you make that firststep or you make that first
move, it's never gonna happen.
unknown (27:04):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (27:05):
You just say, one day I'll do it, or you know, or
if you let fear swallow you.
SPEAKER_00 (27:11):
You know, I I um also like I I like to do a lot
of creative things.
I do a cricket.
If you've ever heard of cricket,you know, yes.
Um and then like I got a sewingmachine a couple years ago
during COVID, but I didn't knowhow to thread it, and I would
just sit here and just almostcry because I I was like telling
(27:34):
my husband, I don't know what todo.
I want to sew so bad, but Idon't know.
I finally got somebody to showme, and now I've got like a
fusion dollar embroiderymachine, and I just did a quilt
for my friend with you know, hermom passed away, so I did her
t-shirts into a quilt.
And sewing can be frustratingtoo.
(27:54):
Everything can be frustratingthat you're learning that's new,
but just because you're acertain age doesn't mean you
can't learn.
And even if you make a mistake,you just back it up and do it
over again.
I mean, like if you're innursing school and you fail a
test, or if you're I don't know,if you're cutting somebody's
(28:15):
hair and you didn't do thatgreat a job and somebody has to
cut it over again for you, oryou know, they come back in and
complain.
So you back it up and do itagain.
You just keep on trying, youknow.
SPEAKER_02 (28:26):
Yeah, you don't give up just because you made a
mistake.
SPEAKER_00 (28:29):
You know, you check mistakes are inevitable.
SPEAKER_02 (28:33):
Yes, mistakes are inevitable.
I agree with you.
SPEAKER_00 (28:35):
So, like it's never too late for you to begin again,
kind of.
SPEAKER_02 (28:39):
Um Yes, absolutely.
And you Yeah, never too late tobegin again.
But you also mentioned likesigning with the agency, and you
said, like, what did you feellike it represented for you?
I think that so many people areso excited when they sign with
agencies, but we know it's notyour go ticket to Hollywood per
se, but it is your it's likeyour entry play.
(29:00):
Like you it is you get moreaccess.
SPEAKER_00 (29:03):
I got when I went to that contest in Hollywood, I got
an agent in LA and an L agent inAtlanta, and I have one here in
Minneapolis, and I have aninterview with one in New York
coming up here.
Um, and I've truly I'm gettingmore audition requests than I
can even handle.
I I wish I had more time tolike, because my husband is bad
(29:26):
at reading lines with me, and soI have to wait for my daughter
or somebody to do that with me.
SPEAKER_02 (29:31):
Yeah, you know what?
I'm gonna recommend you.
There's this amazing, amazingplatform called We Audition
W-E-A-U-D-I-T-I-O-N.
I'll send it to you after this.
And I have a question.
Yeah, can you email that to me?
Absolutely.
Yeah, we audition.
SPEAKER_00 (29:47):
It's it's so hard, and I can't like there's so many
little parts I'd like to reallytry to pursue, and it's
frustrating because I don't havetime to do all of it.
But part of it is because yeah,I don't have anybody to read
with me.
SPEAKER_02 (30:00):
Yeah, we audition.
There you'll have a reader in amatter of seconds, as well as if
you use the app and you need tolook off the lines, they all put
the you can do it a scrollfuture where you can see the
lines on the screen.
SPEAKER_00 (30:14):
That's another thing that's so hard too, is like I
get all these cool scripts, butlike it's hard to really
memorize all of them to do, youknow, like on a self-tape.
It's so hard.
So hard.
But yeah, I I'm just trying towing my way through it.
I love that.
Well, you're gonna do it.
(30:35):
I will, yeah.
Yeah, we'll we'll be uh TV starstogether.
SPEAKER_02 (30:40):
We will, absolutely, absolutely.
And look, you might even beplaying something that you've
already done before.
The way that you are already inthe nursing field.
There's so many doctor shows anda lot of opportunities in the
medical field.
SPEAKER_00 (30:54):
The the show The Pit.
Yeah, and and um the mayor ofKingstown.
SPEAKER_02 (31:01):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (31:02):
Um, I I have been trying to get a role with, you
know, like background orwhatever, and uh a lady reached
out to me and asked me if Iwould be willing to think about
being a medical consultant forone of those shows.
So that was pretty cool.
That's great.
So that was cool.
SPEAKER_02 (31:19):
But you know, one thing leads to another.
A hundred percent.
And that's what people need tounderstand, especially in this
industry or any industry, isthat one thing does lead to
another.
Taking that opportunity can verywell put you right there on set
where you have an opportunity tosay something to the producer or
the director and say, if you'reever looking for a nurse,
(31:40):
exactly a few lies that knowsterminology, I'm right here.
And yeah.
As we wrap up, we talk aboutbecoming a lot on this episode.
What do you feel like right nowin your life?
What are you still becoming?
SPEAKER_00 (31:55):
I mean, I feel like I'm always becoming a nurse.
Like, and I kind of like shotmyself in the foot.
I I I left a job I kind ofliked, you know.
I was mentoring young nurses onthe med surge floor, and now I'm
on the float team, so I I go toa different place all the time.
Um, so every time I go, I I kindof have to adapt to that units.
(32:20):
There there's certainpersonalities of every unit of
the nurses that work there.
So you kind of gotta always keepbecoming like to fit into that.
Um and I mean this acting thingis really I got a lot to learn.
I'm really learning a lot.
So I'm I'm working on becomingthat all the time too.
(32:44):
Yeah, that's so beautiful.
SPEAKER_02 (32:45):
Your life is proof.
SPEAKER_00 (32:47):
Oh, go ahead.
SPEAKER_02 (32:47):
Sorry.
I'm probably not even makingsense anymore because I'm tired.
No, you're fine.
You're doing just great.
And I think that your life isdefinitely proof that evolution
has no expiration date, that youcan always continue to get
better.
You can always continue to getmore credentials, you can always
continue to evolve.
And if that's taking on a newdream that you wanted to do at
(33:09):
57, or if that's like doublingdown on the career that you
currently have because you loveit so much as well, like
whatever that is for you, thatas life continues to evolve, you
do too.
As long as you accept it and youdecide to put one foot in front
of the next.
I always say that resilience isrepetition.
Every day you'll find somethingto be more resilient on.
(33:31):
And you can always have joy inthat moment of resiliency.
Resiliency doesn't have to behard, it doesn't have to be
tough.
As we begin to wrap up thisepisode, I always ask everyone,
what would you tell your youngerself right now?
Like younger Barbara, what wouldyou what would you tell her?
SPEAKER_00 (33:47):
I would tell her, look at me, look, look what we
did.
Look what you know, there'sgonna be scary times ahead.
Um, but you're gonna comethrough it okay.
You you're gonna do well.
And don't doubt yourself.
Um and failure is just another Ifeel like a failure on one thing
(34:08):
is just a w another branch togrow off in.
You know, I mean, I don't feellike failure is ever a lost
lesson.
It's just another way to go.
You you just figure out anotherway to go.
I would tell my younger self,just strap in.
It's a been a bumpy ride, butyou'll get there.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (34:27):
I love that.
Well, you all heard it.
It's never too late to becomeand don't let failure stop you.
Let it lean you in, straightenyou up, and have you stand
stronger on more higher stepsthat tried to take you down.
You got this.
I'm Carrie Vernon's.
This has been so wonderful hereat the Brazilian Spouse Podcast.
(34:49):
If you feel like this episodemotivated you, inspired you, if
you know someone who feels likethey want to just give up on
their dreams, that they aretired, exhausted, that they
don't even see it anywhere insight, send them this episode.
Let them know it's never toolate.
SPEAKER_00 (35:04):
You can contact me anytime too.
I'd be I would love to havepeople contact me.
I would love it.
SPEAKER_02 (35:10):
Okay, yeah, Barbara, how do people get in contact
with you?
SPEAKER_00 (35:14):
Um my um I'm I think I I think I'm at um Blum Six
Seven for my Instagram.
SPEAKER_01 (35:26):
Thank you so much visiting.
When you feel like life has got you a hand of
unfair cards.
Instead of voting, you doubledown.
We stuck in the game.
You face battles.
You felt broken.
But hey, do us a favor.
Put your hand on your heart.
You feel that?
You're still here.
Welcome to the Resilience FilesUnlocked, where survival meets
(00:25):
transformation.
Welcome back to the ResilienceFiles Podcast.
I'm your host, Carrie Bernance,and I am so excited about our
guest today.
First off, she was workingovernight in with some ICU
patients, and God bless herheart.
We are so thankful to have suchcaring guests on here, but she
(00:46):
has a phenomenal story that Ifeel like you need to hear
today.
And her story comes with it'snever too late to become.
When society says your dreamsexpire, but your soul says it's
time to begin, listen to it.
Well, as we do here on theBrazilian spouse podcast, we
like to read our guest essay.
And I would love to introduceyou to our guest today, Barbara
(01:09):
Warren Blums.
My life, becoming again andagain.
I have lived many lives in onelifetime.
Some were chosen, some werenecessary, and some waited
patiently until I was braveenough to claim them.
If there is one truth that runsthrough my story, it is this.
I have never stopped becoming.
(01:30):
I grew up knowing early thatlife would act something of me.
I learned responsibility young.
I learned how to show up evenwhen I was unsure, how to keep
moving when the path aheadwasn't clear.
Those early years shaped my workethic, my resilience, and my
belief that nothing meaningfulcomes without effort.
I didn't always know where I wasgoing, but I knew I was meant
(01:53):
for more than standing still.
I became a mother early, andwith that came a fierce sense of
purpose.
Suddenly my life wasn't justabout my own dreams.
It was about stability,survival, and setting an
example.
I worked hard, sometimesrelentlessly, determined to
prove to myself and the worldthat I was capable, dependable,
(02:15):
and strong.
I made a promise that I wouldnever settle for less than what
my children and I deserved.
That promise became a drivingforce in everything I did.
Nursing found me not byaccident, but by alignment.
It was the perfect marriage ofdiscipline and compassion,
science and humanity.
Over the years, I grew into myrole, not just as a nurse, but
(02:38):
as a leader, a mentor, and asteady presence in moments when
people felt most vulnerable.
I have held hands in fear,celebrated recoveries, and stood
quietly in rooms heavy withgrief.
I learned that true strength isoften soft-spoken and that
showing up consistently is itsown form of courage.
(02:58):
As a charged nurse and a unitshift coordinator, I became
someone others relied on.
I took pride in becomingorganized, calm under pressure,
and deeply respectful of everypatient and colleague.
I saw potential in new nursesbefore they saw it in
themselves.
I believed in lifting others asI climbed, as I climbed, because
(03:21):
healthcare is not just aboutskill, it is about humanity.
Nursing did not just become myprofession, it became part of my
identity.
But there was another side of methat never went away.
Before the scrubs, before thecredentials, there was
creativity.
There was an awareness ofpresence and expression of how
(03:43):
people communicate beyond words.
My work as a beautician andcosmetologist taught me on how
transformation, both externaland internal, can change the way
someone sees themselves.
Sitting across from clients, Ilistened to their stories.
I learned how confidence can berestored with care, attention,
and trust.
(04:03):
Those moments reminded me thatwe are all performing roles, all
hoping to be seen.
Still, for many years, I toldmyself that certain dreams had
an expiration date.
Then, at 57, I decided to stopbelieving that.
Starting acting lessons later,and life was both terrifying and
exhilarating.
Walking to that first class, Iwas surrounded by people younger
(04:25):
than me.
But I carried something theydidn't yet have, life
experience.
I have lived heartbreak,responsibility, joy, loss,
success, and reinvention.
I realized that every moment Ihave survived had prepared me
for this new chapter.
Acting didn't feel like startingover.
It felt like coming home.
I discovered that everything Ihad done before, nursing,
(04:49):
motherhood, leadership,cosmetology, had trained me for
storytelling.
I understood human emotion, notfor theory, but from lived
experience.
I knew how to listen, how torespond, how to be fully
present.
I wasn't chasing fame.
I was answering a call that hadwaited patiently for me to be
ready.
Being signed to an agency was amoment of quiet validation, not
(05:12):
because it meant that I had madeit, but because it proved that
it was never too late to betaken seriously, to be seen, to
begin again.
I'm building something new now.
Not in spite of my age, butbecause of it.
Today I stand as a woman who hasworn many titles: mother, nurse,
leader, mentor, petition,artist, actor.
(05:33):
None of them cancel the other.
They coexist, strengthening oneanother.
My story is not aboutperfection.
It is about perseverance.
It is about choosing growth overfear and possibility over
limitation.
I am still becoming.
And for the first time, I'mdoing it fully,
unapologetically, and withgratitude for every chapter that
(05:56):
brought me here.
Beautiful.
Wow, Barbara.
So, so beautiful.
Thank you.
Oh, wow.
You said so many great things.
First off, hearing your essayread out loud, how do you feel
right now?
SPEAKER_00 (06:09):
I'm surprised I wrote that.
It's it's all true though.
Like, but you want to know whatstarted off my acting thing?
Yeah, what started you there?
That I was on the prices rightand I won the showcase showdown.
Wow.
Okay, we love that.
I had a lot of fun being oncamera, and so I've always
(06:30):
wanted to do acting, so that wasI I just decided that I can do
everything.
Yeah.
You know.
And actually, and um I've beenworking where I work for um
twenty twenty-six years, and Ican retire next year and I
(06:53):
probably will and go findanother nursing job, um, but
collect my pension.
And I'm definitely pursuing likemodeling and acting jobs too.
Um But I'm lucky I can I can doI can do a lot of different
things.
You know, I I do hair, I do I donursing, I'm a mom, a grandma,
(07:15):
dog owner.
I love that.
SPEAKER_02 (07:18):
I want to start from your early responsibility before
you before you got into thisworld.
Multiple lifetimes in one bodyfrom all the careers you've had,
like you said, mom, doctor,nurse.
SPEAKER_00 (07:29):
It started like on this day 40 years ago.
This is my son's 40th birthday.
SPEAKER_02 (07:35):
Um Wow Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (07:37):
So when I had my son, I realized I could do
anything.
I mean, I didn't start out likesaying, Oh, I'm gonna keep
getting more and more and morestuffed, but just with with
being, you know, I w I gotmarried after I had him and had
my daughter and like he he dranka lot and we just went our
(08:02):
separate ways, and it it wasnecessary for me as a single
parent to provide an income forour family, you know.
Um and I I got lucky all alongthe way.
I got into a LPN program.
Well, before that, I I got mycosmetology degree.
So I always had an anotherlittle job that was boosting me
(08:24):
up to my next one.
So like I worked worked as abarber and on a barber shop as I
was going to LPN school.
I got my LPN, then I kept goingand got my RN.
And like I've done that for somany years.
And just I think all mydifferent, all the different
(08:45):
education things that I've doneall along the way have like
built well onto each other.
And I I feel like they theycomplement each other, all of
them do.
That's what it sounds like.
SPEAKER_02 (08:59):
Responsibility didn't break you, it built you,
it led you from one thing to thenext thing to the next thing.
And it seemed like you used itas stepping stones, you know,
where people would have soughtlike heartbreak and the divorce,
you know, maybe wasn't asfavorable or it wasn't what you
wanted at the time, but it waswhat was necessary in order to
(09:20):
maintain your mental health aswell as your children's.
And then that led you tosomething else.
You were able to have that sidejob.
I think that so many people arelistening today and they're
probably wondering, like, well,how am I gonna get here?
This is a big goal, this is abig dream.
And like you said, you got yourLPN that led to your RN.
And it's those stepping stonesthat keep the momentum alive.
(09:43):
Do you feel like that was it foryou?
SPEAKER_00 (09:45):
Yeah, I, you know, everything that I've ever done,
I have to say, go back to mykids, to providing a good future
for my kids.
And both my kids have turned outto be great people.
My son is a computer engineer,and my daughter is a ward
secretary at at the ER where Iwork.
So I work with her frequently.
(10:06):
They are the ones I like, Iwouldn't have been as motivated.
Like, if I didn't have my kids,I wouldn't be as motivated to
keep building us a future.
And I'm married, I'm remarriednow.
I we've been married for 26years.
And he he's a really goodstepdad for my kids.
(10:28):
So that's good.
Yeah.
I'm lucky.
Lucky in love, the secondchildren.
Oh, you are.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, congratulations.
SPEAKER_02 (10:36):
The kids are proud of you.
SPEAKER_00 (10:39):
The kids are the whole reason I did everything.
And like coming from the smalltown that I came from, I don't
know if you're familiar with howsmall towns are, but a lot of
gossip, a lot of um people thatare not always so nice behind
your back.
And I just felt like I alwayshad to prove myself.
And like I I had my son when Iwas a senior in high school, and
(11:04):
I wasn't gonna have that be thereason that I didn't achieve
whatever I wanted to achieve.
It just made it uh having mykids made me more motivated than
less.
I mean, it yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (11:20):
Yeah, that's exactly what I was gonna say.
It feels like motherhood didn'tshrink your dreams, it sharpened
them, it motivated them, itignited the fire.
And you know, I think that it'snot like the most favorable
situation to have a kid duringhigh school, but you didn't let
it stop you.
And no, I think that that's atestament of his own.
You know, I think there'sprobably some young mothers out
there, like my mom also waspregnant with me, her senior
(11:43):
year in high school as well.
And to just see like what typeof fire and drive that it gives
you, you know, you're leavingchildhood, entering adulthood
and motherhood at the same time.
And I want to applaud you forthat because I think that could
be so difficult.
But you kept going and youdidn't let go of your dreams.
How did you feel like becoming amother changed your ambition?
SPEAKER_00 (12:05):
I mean, I was scared to fail because I didn't want my
kids to fail.
You know what?
I didn't feel like my kidsshould have to pay the price for
me.
Like they shouldn't have to havea decreased standard of living
or whatever, like a decreasedstandard of living just because
they were born to somebody whowasn't educated yet and was
(12:28):
younger than she, you know, Ishouldn't have had a a baby when
I was 18, but I wasn't gonna letthat impact their lives.
They they didn't they they grewup not um having to be a product
of like just somebody who, youknow, I like I I felt like I had
(12:48):
to keep going.
I had to have I I had to doeverything I had to do because
what else would I do?
How else would I survive withthem, you know?
And wanting them to have thebest, um, it motivated me.
SPEAKER_02 (13:05):
Yeah, I love that.
I think that's so beautiful.
What was that transition likefor you when you got into
nursing?
Because I find it so beautifulthat you did that, because you
said like you held hands withbasically fear and grief at the
same time.
And to me, that's very sacredwork.
And it takes a very special,warm kind of person to get into
(13:27):
a career that is so selfless.
What did you what was thatcareer option for you that
decided that nursing was theright thing for you?
What made you want to get yourLPN that led to your RA?
SPEAKER_00 (13:39):
Um, there was a uh opening for a satellite program.
You know, I I'm from NorthDakota and there was a satellite
program.
It was a brand new program whereyou could do distance learning.
It was now it's all the thing,but I mean, back then it was
like the first that anybody hadever done that up there.
(14:00):
And I got into the program.
My mom had gotten into a programlike that, and so she encouraged
me to apply.
I was even through high school,I was a nursing assistant at the
nursing home.
So I've always liked taking careof people.
I mean, I'd and my sister is 12years younger than me, so I've
(14:21):
always liked taking care ofyounger people in my life or
like at the nursing homeworking.
Like ever since I was old enoughto work, I I worked, you know.
And and like my dad, when I whenI got pregnant with my son, he
wouldn't talk to me for aboutsix months because he was so
(14:42):
ashamed.
And he said he was just, youknow, talking to a friend one
night about how hard of a workerI was, and then he found this
out.
That really made me feel bad,you know.
Like um, I'm still the sameperson, you know, but I just
really disappointed him.
Kind of some of it was to try tofix that disappointment in him.
SPEAKER_02 (15:07):
Yeah, you're trying to get acceptance.
SPEAKER_00 (15:09):
Yep.
unknown (15:10):
Yep.
SPEAKER_02 (15:11):
When did when in talking about that when your dad
was disappointed at that moment,when did you feel like you he
finally accepted you or the factthat you know you were gonna
have his grandbaby regardless ifhe liked it or not?
SPEAKER_00 (15:24):
Like this was this was it.
As I got like almost to the dolike towards the end of the
pregnancy, uh, he really camearound and he was a
over-the-road truck driver andhe was there when when my son
was born, and of course, he'slike the apple of his eye, you
(15:47):
know.
He just loved him.
And and my dad my mom and dadare both past now, but um the
they they were their onlygrandkids, you know, until my
sister had she had two kids, butthat was after my mom had
passed, my dad was he only gotone of her kids when she was
like a baby.
So my grand my kids were thegrandkids of the family for a
(16:10):
long time.
Yeah.
Like my my son would go truckdriving with my dad every
summer.
They were really good friends,you know, good buddies.
And so, like, it wasn't longafter I had my son that I had my
dad back, you know.
Oh yeah, he got better.
SPEAKER_02 (16:29):
Yeah, that's beautiful.
I would love to know, like, whatdo you feel like nursing taught
you about humanity?
I think like Hippocrates said,wherever the art of medicine is
loved, there's also the love ofhumanity.
And I think that obviously, likeyou've always loved people, you
always cared for your child andchildren.
And we were just talking brieflybefore this podcast about, you
(16:54):
know, you caring for ICUpatients.
What do you feel like mostpeople don't understand when a
person is like at that lowestpoint, you know, maybe for the
patient, and then also maybe asa nurse's perspective?
SPEAKER_00 (17:12):
I feel like um sometimes some of my nursing
colleagues can be kind ofjudgmental to people, like they
come in and they're veryunkempt, maybe big beards, like
not taking care of themselves,um, teeth missing, but those
those people are still peopleinside.
And so like I always try to umtreat each person like an
(17:36):
individual and not just as theshell of what they show on the
outside, because they're stillstill the person on the inside,
and I like to layer like getthrough the layers of stuff and
find the person on the inside.
I I just love I love that.
(17:59):
I love getting to know peopleand like even like my coworkers,
like the other day I was justsaying to my coworker, we were
talking about somebody, I said,Oh, I just love them.
I just love them.
And then it wasn't that muchlonger later, and I I said, Oh,
I love her, she's just awesome.
She said, Do you love everybody?
And I think I do.
(18:19):
I think I do love everybody.
SPEAKER_02 (18:21):
That's so beautiful, it's so sweet and so warm, and
I'm so thankful that we have anurse like you on our side.
And thank you, you know, thesepatients.
Because I think it's that you'reyou mentioned in your essay,
it's like such a vulnerableplace to be in when you have to
go to the hospital or you haveto go to the doctor, and you
don't want to be there.
And I think the last thing youwant to be mad with is judgment.
(18:42):
And I appreciate you for like,you know, making it a
judgment-free, lovable zone.
And I think like there has to besome love because like this a
person's life is on the line.
And exactly, you know, and alsoat the end of the day, like I
think this world is such alonely place and it's such a
such a um really it's just alonely place.
(19:04):
And people don't really receivecare and love, not even from
their family members or closefriends.
And the older they grow, themore they're left alone, and the
more that that builds up on themand they're already in like a
dark spot of life.
And I think like even if theyhad to come to the hospital to
get light, you know, or to findrelief or find some joy, no, if
(19:26):
that's of course in the healingof it, but more even if it's in
the people of it.
And I I I'm so happy they haveyou.
SPEAKER_00 (19:34):
I think well, that's sweet.
Thank you.
I I think um some people do liketo be in the hospital, they do
like the care that they get, youknow what I mean?
Like they kind of like theattention sorta.
Um my husband is uh he he's amaintenance man at a 55 plus
apartment.
And um he he's actually 12 yearsolder than me, so he's 70.
(20:00):
So he's kind of in that he goesand has coffee with his friends
every morning.
And uh we we get really attachedto the people that live there.
Like when when my Price is Rightshow was on, we had a watch
party at the at that place, anda lot of those people are
lonely.
And my husband is justwonderful.
He one of them is on hospiceright now, and he has been
(20:22):
bringing them food every day.
You you just gotta reach out toyour community and try to help
as many people as you can.
Whether it's at work or whetherit's at in your community, you
know.
SPEAKER_02 (20:35):
Yeah, that's so beautiful.
Oh, I'm so happy that yourhusband and you are like a
matchmate for sure, you know.
And for you all just to havethese beautiful, warm hearts.
And I hope that it trulyinspires someone that's
listening today.
Um, absolutely.
I love that you mentioned inyour essay that dreams don't
(20:55):
die.
They wait.
And I feel like, you know, somany people need to hear that.
Like starting over at 57, yousaid, I'm not starting over, I'm
beginning new, I'm coming hometo what has been waiting for me.
This could be a good thing.
SPEAKER_00 (21:12):
Because all this time, all this time I've had to
be so serious.
And like I do keep gettingcertifications at my work, you
know, like I study and take morecertifications to be, you know,
prove my skills and stuff.
But I've always wanted to dothis side of my, you know, the
acting side, and I just nevercould really, but now is the
(21:34):
time in my life I can, you know,and um I'm just gonna go for it.
SPEAKER_02 (21:39):
Did you ever feel like you had to bury that
creative side of you?
SPEAKER_00 (21:42):
Very much so.
Very much so.
I mean, I didn't have time forthat, or you know, and like I
even told my husband the otherday, like, I don't like I'm 58.
I just turned 58 and I don'tfeel looking amazing.
SPEAKER_02 (21:58):
Hi.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (22:00):
Thank you.
Um, so like I don't feel like,oh my god, I'm getting so old, I
don't want to get older.
Like I look forward to 59 isgonna be cool because then I can
start taking money out of mybouquet and like I I feel like
every little step, even likejust even getting older is just
exciting because there's alwaysthere you don't have to stop
(22:23):
dreaming just because you're acertain age.
SPEAKER_02 (22:26):
Like yes.
SPEAKER_00 (22:28):
I I feel like they still need older people too in
everything, you know?
SPEAKER_02 (22:32):
Absolutely, yes, they do.
And I love that I think so manypeople are so afraid of getting
older, and it's so it frustratesme.
I'm like, you know, like can youimagine?
Like we unfortunately the peopledie every day, and death is
inevitable, and we can still besix feet above ground, and it's
beautiful over here.
And I'm not saying that, youknow, death is not beautiful
(22:56):
because it has its own identityas well, but I'm saying, like,
while you're here and you'reable to go after and chase these
dreams and find joy that to rollin that.
And I'm so happy that um yousaid, yeah, like, girl, draw
that money out of your 401k,IRA, all of that stuff when you
(23:19):
get older.
I think also so many peopledon't take advantage of that.
They're like, oh, I'm gonna doit at 65, I'm gonna do it at 70.
No, like go live your life, havefun.
SPEAKER_00 (23:27):
Like, yeah, my husband is like, he's scared, I
think, because like, you know, II like money and I have a bunch
of gay money.
I'm like, oh, that's gonna bedangerous, really.
SPEAKER_02 (23:37):
No, go check out.
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (23:41):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (23:42):
Um, I I love that you didn't.
I I wanna I think somebody mightbe listening right now and
saying, like, okay, see, uh,they might be in their 30s or
they might be in their 40s, andthey might hear and like, well,
she didn't start until she was57, then do I need to take on a
serious career first and thenlike put my dreams on the back
burner and then do it?
(24:03):
Or what would you say to thatperson, that a person that might
be a little younger?
Do you think that they cansimultaneously do it at the same
time?
Or do you think they should goall in?
Because maybe they haveresponsibility, maybe they have
children, or they're caring fora parent.
What do you feel about that?
SPEAKER_00 (24:18):
I I feel like God only gives you what you can
handle.
And like, I don't think you haveto wait for one thing than the
other.
I think you can dosimultaneously two different or
more than one different thing.
It's just that you have to be asolid, smooth person for your
kids.
Always do that.
Always be your, you know,whatever you need to do to be
(24:40):
your solid, smooth person foryour kids when they're growing
up.
And then um when when they'redone, you know, when they've
grown up, I mean they still needyou, they still uh need stuff,
but um then you can kind ofbranch off a little bit, you
know.
SPEAKER_01 (24:57):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (24:57):
Um, but I don't think I don't think just because
you're 30 and you haven't donethis or that, I mean that
doesn't that shouldn't hold youback.
I don't think age is a thingthat should hold you back ever
at all.
Period.
Yes.
SPEAKER_02 (25:10):
I love that.
I feel like age isn't alimitation, it's leverage.
Like it is, and with moreexperience, like you mentioned
as you got into acting, you camewith more experience than the
younger people, and that livedexperience definitely helps
drive the story and moves itforward and gives more context.
I would love to talk about that.
(25:30):
What did it feel like walkinginto your first acting class?
SPEAKER_00 (25:33):
No, it was scary, very scary, because like I was,
I mean, I'm 58, and the nextyoungest person was, I think
he's like 24, and they're allyounger from there, you know.
And it was intimidating becauselike, well, each week you learn
a different thing.
Like they they, you know, we tewe learn about commercials or
(25:55):
you know, how to present acommercial and and monologues
and all the different there's somany different things like
improvisation, and it's veryintimidating to get up in front
of a whole group of people andsay your commercial and um feel
at ease about it.
And I still feel nervous eventhough I know the people in the
class.
Um but and actually I just wentto Hollywood about a month ago
(26:21):
and did an audition like foragents, and it was a contest, an
acting contest, and I gothonorable mentionment for my
acting in a commercial and formy headshots.
And so it's never too late.
Nothing is too late.
It's just it's scary to do thatfirst step.
But once you do the first step,you know, you've got it.
SPEAKER_02 (26:43):
Yes.
Once you do the first step,yeah, you got it.
I love that.
Yeah.
Um, yeah, you just gotta takethe first step.
I always say one day or day one.
Like today could be day one,tomorrow could be day two.
And if you keep making steps,you'll be on day 100 before you
know it.
But unless you make that firststep or you make that first
move, it's never gonna happen.
unknown (27:04):
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (27:05):
You just say, one day I'll do it, or you know, or
if you let fear swallow you.
SPEAKER_00 (27:11):
You know, I I um also like I I like to do a lot
of creative things.
I do a cricket.
If you've ever heard of cricket,you know, yes.
Um and then like I got a sewingmachine a couple years ago
during COVID, but I didn't knowhow to thread it, and I would
just sit here and just almostcry because I I was like telling
(27:34):
my husband, I don't know what todo.
I want to sew so bad, but Idon't know.
I finally got somebody to showme, and now I've got like a
fusion dollar embroiderymachine, and I just did a quilt
for my friend with you know, hermom passed away, so I did her
t-shirts into a quilt.
And sewing can be frustratingtoo.
(27:54):
Everything can be frustratingthat you're learning that's new,
but just because you're acertain age doesn't mean you
can't learn.
And even if you make a mistake,you just back it up and do it
over again.
I mean, like if you're innursing school and you fail a
test, or if you're I don't know,if you're cutting somebody's
(28:15):
hair and you didn't do thatgreat a job and somebody has to
cut it over again for you, oryou know, they come back in and
complain.
So you back it up and do itagain.
You just keep on trying, youknow.
SPEAKER_02 (28:26):
Yeah, you don't give up just because you made a
mistake.
SPEAKER_00 (28:29):
You know, you check mistakes are inevitable.
SPEAKER_02 (28:33):
Yes, mistakes are inevitable.
I agree with you.
SPEAKER_00 (28:35):
So, like it's never too late for you to begin again,
kind of.
SPEAKER_02 (28:39):
Um Yes, absolutely.
And you Yeah, never too late tobegin again.
But you also mentioned likesigning with the agency, and you
said, like, what did you feellike it represented for you?
I think that so many people areso excited when they sign with
agencies, but we know it's notyour go ticket to Hollywood per
se, but it is your it's likeyour entry play.
(29:00):
Like you it is you get moreaccess.
SPEAKER_00 (29:03):
I got when I went to that contest in Hollywood, I got
an agent in LA and an L agent inAtlanta, and I have one here in
Minneapolis, and I have aninterview with one in New York
coming up here.
Um, and I've truly I'm gettingmore audition requests than I
can even handle.
I I wish I had more time tolike, because my husband is bad
(29:26):
at reading lines with me, and soI have to wait for my daughter
or somebody to do that with me.
SPEAKER_02 (29:31):
Yeah, you know what?
I'm gonna recommend you.
There's this amazing, amazingplatform called We Audition
W-E-A-U-D-I-T-I-O-N.
I'll send it to you after this.
And I have a question.
Yeah, can you email that to me?
Absolutely.
Yeah, we audition.
SPEAKER_00 (29:47):
It's it's so hard, and I can't like there's so many
little parts I'd like to reallytry to pursue, and it's
frustrating because I don't havetime to do all of it.
But part of it is because yeah,I don't have anybody to read
with me.
SPEAKER_02 (30:00):
Yeah, we audition.
There you'll have a reader in amatter of seconds, as well as if
you use the app and you need tolook off the lines, they all put
the you can do it a scrollfuture where you can see the
lines on the screen.
SPEAKER_00 (30:14):
That's another thing that's so hard too, is like I
get all these cool scripts, butlike it's hard to really
memorize all of them to do, youknow, like on a self-tape.
It's so hard.
So hard.
But yeah, I I'm just trying towing my way through it.
I love that.
Well, you're gonna do it.
(30:35):
I will, yeah.
Yeah, we'll we'll be uh TV starstogether.
SPEAKER_02 (30:40):
We will, absolutely, absolutely.
And look, you might even beplaying something that you've
already done before.
The way that you are already inthe nursing field.
There's so many doctor shows anda lot of opportunities in the
medical field.
SPEAKER_00 (30:54):
The the show The Pit.
Yeah, and and um the mayor ofKingstown.
SPEAKER_02 (31:01):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (31:02):
Um, I I have been trying to get a role with, you
know, like background orwhatever, and uh a lady reached
out to me and asked me if Iwould be willing to think about
being a medical consultant forone of those shows.
So that was pretty cool.
That's great.
So that was cool.
SPEAKER_02 (31:19):
But you know, one thing leads to another.
A hundred percent.
And that's what people need tounderstand, especially in this
industry or any industry, isthat one thing does lead to
another.
Taking that opportunity can verywell put you right there on set
where you have an opportunity tosay something to the producer or
the director and say, if you'reever looking for a nurse,
(31:40):
exactly a few lies that knowsterminology, I'm right here.
And yeah.
As we wrap up, we talk aboutbecoming a lot on this episode.
What do you feel like right nowin your life?
What are you still becoming?
SPEAKER_00 (31:55):
I mean, I feel like I'm always becoming a nurse.
Like, and I kind of like shotmyself in the foot.
I I I left a job I kind ofliked, you know.
I was mentoring young nurses onthe med surge floor, and now I'm
on the float team, so I I go toa different place all the time.
Um, so every time I go, I I kindof have to adapt to that units.
(32:20):
There there's certainpersonalities of every unit of
the nurses that work there.
So you kind of gotta always keepbecoming like to fit into that.
Um and I mean this acting thingis really I got a lot to learn.
I'm really learning a lot.
So I'm I'm working on becomingthat all the time too.
(32:44):
Yeah, that's so beautiful.
SPEAKER_02 (32:45):
Your life is proof.
SPEAKER_00 (32:47):
Oh, go ahead.
SPEAKER_02 (32:47):
Sorry.
I'm probably not even makingsense anymore because I'm tired.
No, you're fine.
You're doing just great.
And I think that your life isdefinitely proof that evolution
has no expiration date, that youcan always continue to get
better.
You can always continue to getmore credentials, you can always
continue to evolve.
And if that's taking on a newdream that you wanted to do at
(33:09):
57, or if that's like doublingdown on the career that you
currently have because you loveit so much as well, like
whatever that is for you, thatas life continues to evolve, you
do too.
As long as you accept it and youdecide to put one foot in front
of the next.
I always say that resilience isrepetition.
Every day you'll find somethingto be more resilient on.
(33:31):
And you can always have joy inthat moment of resiliency.
Resiliency doesn't have to behard, it doesn't have to be
tough.
As we begin to wrap up thisepisode, I always ask everyone,
what would you tell your youngerself right now?
Like younger Barbara, what wouldyou what would you tell her?
SPEAKER_00 (33:47):
I would tell her, look at me, look, look what we
did.
Look what you know, there'sgonna be scary times ahead.
Um, but you're gonna comethrough it okay.
You you're gonna do well.
And don't doubt yourself.
Um and failure is just another Ifeel like a failure on one thing
(34:08):
is just a w another branch togrow off in.
You know, I mean, I don't feellike failure is ever a lost
lesson.
It's just another way to go.
You you just figure out anotherway to go.
I would tell my younger self,just strap in.
It's a been a bumpy ride, butyou'll get there.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (34:27):
I love that.
Well, you all heard it.
It's never too late to becomeand don't let failure stop you.
Let it lean you in, straightenyou up, and have you stand
stronger on more higher stepsthat tried to take you down.
You got this.
I'm Carrie Vernon's.
This has been so wonderful hereat the Brazilian Spouse Podcast.
(34:49):
If you feel like this episodemotivated you, inspired you, if
you know someone who feels likethey want to just give up on
their dreams, that they aretired, exhausted, that they
don't even see it anywhere insight, send them this episode.
Let them know it's never toolate.
SPEAKER_00 (35:04):
You can contact me anytime too.
I'd be I would love to havepeople contact me.
I would love it.
SPEAKER_02 (35:10):
Okay, yeah, Barbara, how do people get in contact
with you?
SPEAKER_00 (35:14):
Um my um I'm I think I I think I'm at um Blum Six
Seven for my Instagram.
SPEAKER_01 (35:26):
Thank you so much visiting.
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