August 26, 2025 • 29 mins
Have you ever had life crack you wide open when you least expected it?
In this episode, I get real about what it looks like when change doesn’t arrive gently but barges in with force, unraveling your plans, testing your identity, and asking you to find courage you didn’t know you had. From releasing my first book, to letting go of a community I loved, to processing sudden loss, I share the bold, the brutal, and the beautiful moments that shape who we become.
✔️ The difference between the change you choose and the change that chooses you
✔️ Why breakdowns can actually be doorways to your next becoming
✔️ How to pause, release control, and discover possibility in the middle of grief and pivots
This episode is for every woman navigating an unexpected shift, questioning her purpose, or wondering if she has what it takes to begin again. You are not behind, you are becoming.
Be sure to subscribe to the Rise2Shine Podcast so you never miss an episode, and share this one with a friend who needs to know she’s not walking through change alone.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the Rise to Shine podcast with Noel Custis where
we ignite the spark to discover your favorite self.
It is time to get real ladies. Hello, hello and welcome to the
Rise to Shine podcast. I'm your host Noel Custis.
(00:21):
Today's episode is titled When change smacks you in the face.
The bold, the beautiful and the brutal.
Oh wait, I think it's the other way around.
The bold, the brutal and the beautiful.
Listen, I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like change
doesn't just knock gently on thedoor.
(00:44):
It shows up like a Wrecking Ball, literally without warning.
Typically, there's no makeup involved.
There's a messy bun, there's sweatpants, and it's like, hey
girl, we're doing this right now.
I have to tell you, if you're a woman who has ever faced a
moment where life flipped the script on you, whether it was
(01:08):
planned or it was completely outof left field, this episode is
for you. If you are navigating loss, if
you are pivoting in purpose, or maybe you are questioning every
single thing that you have built, we're just wondering how
(01:28):
in the heck you are holding it all together while carrying the
weight of everyone else. This one is for you, I promise.
Because this just isn't about change.
This is going to be about identity.
It's about living fully now. It's about the grief and the
(01:52):
grace of letting go of something.
It's going to be about the courage to start again and what
it takes to do that. You see, here's the thing.
I started this year. It's so wild when I think about
it now. I started this year with the
word bold. OK?
(02:13):
I knew that was my word. I go through a whole thing
before the beginning of the yearand I really, really pray on it.
It is an intentional practice that I do is picking my word for
the year. And I can honestly say I thought
bold would mean big decisions. I knew it was going to be about
(02:38):
brave moves and I also knew thatit was going to be about
stepping into more because I wasjust starting the glow up
school. I was just launching it and yes,
all of those things have happened, OK, But what I didn't
(03:01):
expect was how bold would also mean breaking open, feeling
super raw, facing things that I was not planning for, and also
asking some hard questions I didn't think I'd have to ask.
(03:26):
So this week, for instance, I'm releasing a book and I am so
excited about it. It is a collaborative book, but
nonetheless, it's the first timeI've ever put a chapter of my
story into the world. OK, Like, wide open, knowing
(03:50):
that whatever I write, whatever I put down is going to be in
print in the world, right? Like that required a level of
vulnerability I wasn't totally prepared for.
(04:13):
So let's just sit in that for a moment.
Like the discomfort of being seen of like letting my story
breathe outside of my own journal or my prayer time that I
have, right? And yes, it was a chosen
(04:35):
experience. It was a chosen change.
But you don't realize until you're in it.
I said yes to it, for sure. I was excited about the
opportunity and I opened myself up to this process.
I peeled back the layers that I hadn't shared publicly before.
(04:55):
I mean, my circle knew the story.
You guys, if you've been around here for a while, you know parts
of my story. And again, this is just a
chapter. I know there is more to come,
but in doing this chapter I realized how healing and how
(05:16):
humbling it is to invite people into your truth before you have
the whole story figured out. And so, funny thing is, I
thought I was ready for the release and then all of a sudden
things shifted and the timing changed on when the book was
(05:38):
going to come out and all the logistics behind.
Because believe me, guys, there's lots of logistics behind
writing a book and publishing a book.
And what I envisioned this wouldbe transformed into something
else entirely. And I didn't have control over
(05:58):
the shift. And then all of a sudden, I
started freaking out. And I started second guessing
everything. I was going like, was this the
right time? Did I, you know, do this?
Maybe in the wrong season. Should I have waited?
But I, you know, soon realized that I needed to check myself.
(06:22):
I had to anchor back into the purpose.
My whole point being is that bold doesn't always look like
certainty. Sometimes bold means releasing
the thing even when the timing feels off, trusting that what
looks like a delay might actually be divine.
(06:47):
And while I was walking through that, guess what else happens?
Another wave hits. Isn't that how life goes
sometimes? So the other wave, for the last
two years I've been building something in my local community
that I loved deeply. I poured my heart into it.
(07:08):
I was leading a chapter, it was a networking chapter.
I was really creating space and I believe just really
cultivating this beautiful sisterhood.
And this summer, I found out it was going to be going away.
Our founder had to make her own bold pivot.
(07:29):
And suddenly I was faced with the decision, do I continue this
work on my own? Do I rebuild something from
scratch? Or do I just release it all
together? Because again, you know, I had
other things in motion. So it wasn't just a business
(07:52):
decision. It ended up being a real soul
deep wrestling. There were sleepless nights.
I cried some tears. I said a lot of prayers.
I was writing in my journal a ton, just asking myself a ton of
questions and then confessing some feelings that I was having
(08:15):
around it. And it was me sitting at the
edge of what I thought I was building and asking God, is this
still for me or is this my release?
So this pivot was hard earned. I feel like it, like I said,
(08:39):
filled with a lot of tears. It was really, I think the best
word I could use to describe it is it was disorienting.
And it actually started to change everything that I thought
was coming next. So that's what was so wild about
it. OK, so that's, you know, two
(09:00):
things that were just really prevalent.
And then this past weekend, something else hit me and it
kind of hit straight in the heart because I went to a
memorial for a parent of a former student.
And she was someone that I met, obviously when her child was in
(09:24):
my class. She was very active at the
school that I worked at. And then not to mention her
entire family became like this huge entity in our lives due to
different reasons. And this has been like for the
last 14 years, she has moved away from our, our town, our
(09:48):
city. But you know, through Facebook,
through social media, you still keep in touch and you still see
her, you know, parts of her family.
So although we weren't like bestfriends or anything like that,
she was someone that was special.
She was she was someone that wasalways so kind and just made an
(10:12):
impact. She just made an impact.
And I would call her a friend ifI saw her.
We would chat, we would catch up, we would talk in the DN
sometimes in our in our world insocial media.
And here's what happens. And this is the very, very long
story making it short is she hadgone to visit her daughter who
(10:36):
is my previous student who is just adorable and lovely and all
the things and she has babies now again, this starts to age
me. It freaks me out.
But she went to go visit her andshe went to go visit her
grandbabies and she got into a car accident within the first
day of being there. She ended up everybody else was
(11:00):
OK, but for her, she ended up breaking her leg in several
places. And honestly, it was very
serious. I mean, I was literally, you
know, getting phone calls, like keep her in your prayers because
she could lose part of her leg. But she made it through the
surgery and we were all rejoicing in that.
(11:22):
And then literally within 24 hours, she passed away.
And it all happened so fast. It felt so abrupt.
One minute. It was a phone chain of please
pray for her and the surgery. It doesn't look good.
She could lose part of her leg to literally passing away after
(11:44):
successfully making it through surgery.
Like what? Wait, slow down, rewind.
What is happening here? It didn't make sense and it
still doesn't make sense to me. And I have to just share this
really quickly. This is a very, very side note,
but I just think it is so beautiful and such a great
(12:07):
reminder while we're on this topic of loss and losing someone
so suddenly and talk about a change slapping you in the face,
literally. Her husband shared the story of
the last picture they took together and it was at sunset.
Sunsets were her favorite. So I guess this is just a little
tribute to her. But she made him take a walk up
(12:29):
this hill, which was her favorite spot to take pictures
of the sunset. And he didn't really want to.
He he very much like said I was complaining I didn't want to do
it. But she insisted she'd love to
take pictures too. So she loved her sunsets.
She loved to take pictures and of course, in his mind, like any
of us, I'm, I'm sure it's like the, oh, seriously, come on.
(12:52):
There's going to be so many moreopportunities to take a sunset
picture. And then here we are.
Fast forward now, this is the photo that he is clinging to.
So what I want to share in that is take the picture even when
you don't feel like it, even when it's inconvenient, even
(13:15):
when the lighting isn't perfect,your body's not perfect, your
makeup's not perfect. Because you never know when that
picture becomes the moment that matters.
And I just had to share that because he shared that so
beautifully as like a side note,like take the picture.
She would want you to know to take the pictures and just
(13:39):
meaning like be in the moment because we just never know when
change is going to happen. So I didn't want to leave that
part out because I thought it was so important to share.
But and of course, well, here's the thing, you guys, for those
of you that know me and you havebeen around this podcast for a
while, you know that this podcast comes from a deeply
(14:03):
organic space. I always feel like I want you to
feel like you're just on the couch with me, that we're just
having this conversation. My solo episodes are rarely pre
scripted. I mean, we talk about some
topics. I, you know, go over those
topics. But honestly, I can't even tell
you how many times I interrupt the whole thing.
(14:24):
And I'm like, I need to talk about this because this is
something that spoke to me this last weekend or this week or
whatever. Because they're really sparked
by life, by what I'm walking through, by what hits me deep.
And this one, this one came straight from that memorial.
Because in my mind, I was like, I need to talk about this.
(14:47):
I need to talk about the change that can smack us right in the
face. Because there's change that we
can choose, and then there's change that chooses us.
So writing the book was more of a chosen change.
I said yes to it, knowing it would stretch me, knowing it
(15:11):
would demand that vulnerability.I opened a door that I kept kind
of closing for a while, and eventhough it came with unexpected
timing and twists, it was something I chose to do because
I knew it mattered. I may not have chosen the end
result in timing and the processwe all went through to get this
(15:32):
book written and published, but it was still a choice to stay in
it for the longer haul. And then the business, well,
that pivot was something else entirely.
It was kind of more of my unraveling.
It was the kind of decision thatmade me question everything.
And it wasn't made in public. It wasn't even a brainstorming
(15:56):
session. It was made in the trenches.
When I heard it was going away, I had to make a decision and I
had to make it pretty quickly. So there again was a lot of
prayer and there was some back and forth dialogue with God.
There was dialogue with my husband, with my family, and
through wondering if I was giving up too soon or holding on
(16:19):
to it for too long. These are the changes that crash
in. And then of course, there is the
additional ones that crash in a different way.
And those are the loss. Those are the break UPS.
Those are the health scares. Maybe it's business, you know, a
(16:44):
breakdown in business, the unexpected change.
These moments that demand something from us we didn't
prepare for, they strip away thesurface and call us into
something deeper. They call us into something
that's going to be more anchored, something more honest.
(17:04):
And a lot of times they force usto slow down.
They force us to listen, to ask some of those new questions and
to maybe even stop performing and to start becoming.
And that that is where the transformation happens because
(17:32):
that's where we're being asked to meet a new version of
ourselves. And that's where I just want to
spend a little bit more time today, not just in the pain or
in the pivot, but in the possibility.
Because here is what I am learning is that every breakdown
(17:56):
is an opening. It's a doorway.
It is this invitation to become.And the way I have been looking
at it is that possibility is thespace between who you were and
who you are becoming. It's where clarity starts to
(18:18):
really form. Sometimes this is where new
dreams get whispered. And I can say that now looking
hindsight on what I've been through in the last couple of
months, that new dream started to get whispered.
It can be where you start to sense what you thought was the
(18:41):
end might actually be the beginning.
And oftentimes it is super uncomfortable.
Oftentimes it is really, really freaking painful.
I am not going to sit here and pretend like it's not, because
(19:04):
it is. But it's also sacred because
when you allow yourself to be cracked open, you also allow
more light to get in. And that is what I want you to
hold on to. This moment that you're in right
(19:28):
now might just be the making of you.
So I always just want to say don't, whatever you do, don't
rush to fix it. Don't numb it out and I
(19:48):
definitely want to say because Iknow I'm speaking to women that
love to hustle or just are so trained to hustle.
It is their default. Don't default to hustle.
This is the time when you need to pause, when you need to
(20:09):
listen and just be in it becausein the pause that.
Is when God often starts to speak.
That is when your intuition starts to speak.
And in that stillness He remindsyou, He reminds you you were
(20:31):
made for this, you were made forthis.
And that is what I think is so cool.
So what do you do with that? You get curious and you ask,
what is this here to teach me? What part of me is being
(20:54):
refined? What story do I get to rewrite?
Rewrite. Because let's face it, growth
that rarely looks glamorous whenyou're in it.
It's going to look more like tears in the car.
(21:18):
Sometimes it looks like deletingthe plan and starting all over
again. And just like I talked about it
sometimes just sitting in that silence and choosing not to
force it. You don't have to force it, but
(21:41):
what I can tell you is that every bit of it, it's doing
something in you, something holy, something necessary.
I think if we look at it from that lens, we start to see it
differently. It's the noticing.
(22:04):
It's the noticing in the becoming.
I sat with all of the authors inthe book the other night and we
recorded a YouTube video and we were talking about that and we
talked about the becoming and what we went through in the
process. And you know, it just was such
(22:28):
an eye opener. It's such a reminder.
So today might not be about fixing your life, right?
Because we're not here to rush it.
But maybe today is about findingyourself in the mess of it and
(22:48):
recognizing that this middle moment, this uncertain,
undefined space is where your next level of identity could be.
Your faith. Maybe it's the next level of
your faith. Maybe it's the next level of
(23:08):
your alignment. It's where all of that is
forged. And friend, I'm going to tell
you, if you let it in, this could be the beginning of the
greatest becoming yet. Believe me, trust me in this.
Trust me in this, even in the hardest, hardest times, you
(23:31):
guys, and here's what I want youto know too, is that eye to eye,
heart to heart, you do not ever have to figure out all of this
alone. Lean in on your people.
Lean into it. If you have a village, lean into
(23:52):
that because I never want anyoneto feel like they're alone in
it. And this is part of the reason
why I have such a heart for thispodcast is because I want women
to feel seen and heard. I want you to feel seen and
(24:12):
heard and to know that you are not alone.
We may be going through things differently, but there's this,
there's this same, what's the word I'm looking for?
There's this same thread. There's a thread that runs deep
(24:34):
through all of it, through all of us.
So I just want you to hold on tothat today.
And if you felt like I was speaking directly to you today,
it's because I always believe it's because you are meant to
hear this. And I believe that your story
(24:55):
matters, Your season matters. You're not crazy for feeling
overwhelmed in this shift, in this pivot, in this change that
took you by surprise. Trust me on this one.
I have had more unexpected pivots than I can wrap my brain
around. And the one thing I can also say
(25:16):
is it doesn't get easier. But one thing I do know for sure
is that the lessons become more clear.
And This is why I I also think community matters.
This is why being in the room matters.
This is why being a part of yourvillage matters.
(25:38):
You matter. So if this hit home for you or
maybe you're ready for more, here are just, you know, a few
ways to stay close with what we do here at Rise to Shine Co.
If you have thought, you know, Ijust want to have more of a
(26:03):
community. I don't really have that village
or my village has changed. Things have changed in my life.
And so I'm just trying to redefine that in itself.
Well, I will tell you that in that space, we are rising Better
Together. And it isn't just a space for
support, it's a space for activation as well.
(26:27):
So the Globe School would possibly be a great option for
you. I love being able to mentor
one-on-one as well. So if you're navigating
something really bold or huge identity shift and you just want
that real tailored support to hold your heart and to hold your
(26:48):
vision, I am so happy to talk and chat with that about you.
And of course, stick around here.
We'd love to cover all types of topics that are relevant in the
season of life. So just know that this space is
always here for you. And here are some questions just
(27:13):
really quick too, you know, if you are like, OK, wait, I still
am trying to process some things.
Here's some questions that you can journal through or talk out
with a trusted friend or someonethat you love.
Here's just a few you could journal out.
What truth did I need to hear today?
(27:36):
You could journal out where haveI been forcing something that's
no longer aligned with me? Or maybe you're even asking
what's the possibility that might be opening up in my life
right now? Maybe you need to really reflect
on that and answer that question.
So just know that you can journal that out.
I always find it's just a reallygreat way to reflect and find
(27:58):
some of that clarity if you are searching for that, if something
is tugging at you. And then of course, finally, if
this did speak to you, share it.You can tag me at Joyful under
score Noel and tell me what hit you the hardest.
My DMS are always open. I love, love, love to chat with
you guys because I want to celebrate your becoming right
(28:23):
alongside of you. I want to know what this
community is going through. I want to know how I can best
serve you. And then also, if you ever think
that this is something someone else needs to hear, share it,
please. All of that helps spread the
message and it helps spread thismovement.
And I am just so grateful for all of you.
(28:44):
So, so grateful. So you guys, until next time,
remember, you're not behind. You are becoming.
And then also, as I always say, keep rising, keep shining, and
know your best day is right herewaiting for you.
All right, my friends, see you next time.
(29:04):
Have a great day and sending youso much love through any change
you might be going through. All right guys, see you next
time. Thanks for joining me here
today. Your presence means the world to
me. If you enjoyed what you heard,
please consider leaving a ratingand review.
And don't forget to follow or subscribe so you never miss an
(29:25):
episode. Head to the show notes and let's
connect. Rise to Shine Co is ready to
support you in coaching, collaboration, light tips, or
even a coffee chat. Until next time, keep shining my
friends.
Welcome to the Rise to Shine podcast with Noel Custis where
we ignite the spark to discover your favorite self.
It is time to get real ladies. Hello, hello and welcome to the
Rise to Shine podcast. I'm your host Noel Custis.
(00:21):
Today's episode is titled When change smacks you in the face.
The bold, the beautiful and the brutal.
Oh wait, I think it's the other way around.
The bold, the brutal and the beautiful.
Listen, I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like change
doesn't just knock gently on thedoor.
(00:44):
It shows up like a Wrecking Ball, literally without warning.
Typically, there's no makeup involved.
There's a messy bun, there's sweatpants, and it's like, hey
girl, we're doing this right now.
I have to tell you, if you're a woman who has ever faced a
moment where life flipped the script on you, whether it was
(01:08):
planned or it was completely outof left field, this episode is
for you. If you are navigating loss, if
you are pivoting in purpose, or maybe you are questioning every
single thing that you have built, we're just wondering how
(01:28):
in the heck you are holding it all together while carrying the
weight of everyone else. This one is for you, I promise.
Because this just isn't about change.
This is going to be about identity.
It's about living fully now. It's about the grief and the
(01:52):
grace of letting go of something.
It's going to be about the courage to start again and what
it takes to do that. You see, here's the thing.
I started this year. It's so wild when I think about
it now. I started this year with the
word bold. OK?
(02:13):
I knew that was my word. I go through a whole thing
before the beginning of the yearand I really, really pray on it.
It is an intentional practice that I do is picking my word for
the year. And I can honestly say I thought
bold would mean big decisions. I knew it was going to be about
(02:38):
brave moves and I also knew thatit was going to be about
stepping into more because I wasjust starting the glow up
school. I was just launching it and yes,
all of those things have happened, OK, But what I didn't
(03:01):
expect was how bold would also mean breaking open, feeling
super raw, facing things that I was not planning for, and also
asking some hard questions I didn't think I'd have to ask.
(03:26):
So this week, for instance, I'm releasing a book and I am so
excited about it. It is a collaborative book, but
nonetheless, it's the first timeI've ever put a chapter of my
story into the world. OK, Like, wide open, knowing
(03:50):
that whatever I write, whatever I put down is going to be in
print in the world, right? Like that required a level of
vulnerability I wasn't totally prepared for.
(04:13):
So let's just sit in that for a moment.
Like the discomfort of being seen of like letting my story
breathe outside of my own journal or my prayer time that I
have, right? And yes, it was a chosen
(04:35):
experience. It was a chosen change.
But you don't realize until you're in it.
I said yes to it, for sure. I was excited about the
opportunity and I opened myself up to this process.
I peeled back the layers that I hadn't shared publicly before.
(04:55):
I mean, my circle knew the story.
You guys, if you've been around here for a while, you know parts
of my story. And again, this is just a
chapter. I know there is more to come,
but in doing this chapter I realized how healing and how
(05:16):
humbling it is to invite people into your truth before you have
the whole story figured out. And so, funny thing is, I
thought I was ready for the release and then all of a sudden
things shifted and the timing changed on when the book was
(05:38):
going to come out and all the logistics behind.
Because believe me, guys, there's lots of logistics behind
writing a book and publishing a book.
And what I envisioned this wouldbe transformed into something
else entirely. And I didn't have control over
(05:58):
the shift. And then all of a sudden, I
started freaking out. And I started second guessing
everything. I was going like, was this the
right time? Did I, you know, do this?
Maybe in the wrong season. Should I have waited?
But I, you know, soon realized that I needed to check myself.
(06:22):
I had to anchor back into the purpose.
My whole point being is that bold doesn't always look like
certainty. Sometimes bold means releasing
the thing even when the timing feels off, trusting that what
looks like a delay might actually be divine.
(06:47):
And while I was walking through that, guess what else happens?
Another wave hits. Isn't that how life goes
sometimes? So the other wave, for the last
two years I've been building something in my local community
that I loved deeply. I poured my heart into it.
(07:08):
I was leading a chapter, it was a networking chapter.
I was really creating space and I believe just really
cultivating this beautiful sisterhood.
And this summer, I found out it was going to be going away.
Our founder had to make her own bold pivot.
(07:29):
And suddenly I was faced with the decision, do I continue this
work on my own? Do I rebuild something from
scratch? Or do I just release it all
together? Because again, you know, I had
other things in motion. So it wasn't just a business
(07:52):
decision. It ended up being a real soul
deep wrestling. There were sleepless nights.
I cried some tears. I said a lot of prayers.
I was writing in my journal a ton, just asking myself a ton of
questions and then confessing some feelings that I was having
(08:15):
around it. And it was me sitting at the
edge of what I thought I was building and asking God, is this
still for me or is this my release?
So this pivot was hard earned. I feel like it, like I said,
(08:39):
filled with a lot of tears. It was really, I think the best
word I could use to describe it is it was disorienting.
And it actually started to change everything that I thought
was coming next. So that's what was so wild about
it. OK, so that's, you know, two
(09:00):
things that were just really prevalent.
And then this past weekend, something else hit me and it
kind of hit straight in the heart because I went to a
memorial for a parent of a former student.
And she was someone that I met, obviously when her child was in
(09:24):
my class. She was very active at the
school that I worked at. And then not to mention her
entire family became like this huge entity in our lives due to
different reasons. And this has been like for the
last 14 years, she has moved away from our, our town, our
(09:48):
city. But you know, through Facebook,
through social media, you still keep in touch and you still see
her, you know, parts of her family.
So although we weren't like bestfriends or anything like that,
she was someone that was special.
She was she was someone that wasalways so kind and just made an
(10:12):
impact. She just made an impact.
And I would call her a friend ifI saw her.
We would chat, we would catch up, we would talk in the DN
sometimes in our in our world insocial media.
And here's what happens. And this is the very, very long
story making it short is she hadgone to visit her daughter who
(10:36):
is my previous student who is just adorable and lovely and all
the things and she has babies now again, this starts to age
me. It freaks me out.
But she went to go visit her andshe went to go visit her
grandbabies and she got into a car accident within the first
day of being there. She ended up everybody else was
(11:00):
OK, but for her, she ended up breaking her leg in several
places. And honestly, it was very
serious. I mean, I was literally, you
know, getting phone calls, like keep her in your prayers because
she could lose part of her leg. But she made it through the
surgery and we were all rejoicing in that.
(11:22):
And then literally within 24 hours, she passed away.
And it all happened so fast. It felt so abrupt.
One minute. It was a phone chain of please
pray for her and the surgery. It doesn't look good.
She could lose part of her leg to literally passing away after
(11:44):
successfully making it through surgery.
Like what? Wait, slow down, rewind.
What is happening here? It didn't make sense and it
still doesn't make sense to me. And I have to just share this
really quickly. This is a very, very side note,
but I just think it is so beautiful and such a great
(12:07):
reminder while we're on this topic of loss and losing someone
so suddenly and talk about a change slapping you in the face,
literally. Her husband shared the story of
the last picture they took together and it was at sunset.
Sunsets were her favorite. So I guess this is just a little
tribute to her. But she made him take a walk up
(12:29):
this hill, which was her favorite spot to take pictures
of the sunset. And he didn't really want to.
He he very much like said I was complaining I didn't want to do
it. But she insisted she'd love to
take pictures too. So she loved her sunsets.
She loved to take pictures and of course, in his mind, like any
of us, I'm, I'm sure it's like the, oh, seriously, come on.
(12:52):
There's going to be so many moreopportunities to take a sunset
picture. And then here we are.
Fast forward now, this is the photo that he is clinging to.
So what I want to share in that is take the picture even when
you don't feel like it, even when it's inconvenient, even
(13:15):
when the lighting isn't perfect,your body's not perfect, your
makeup's not perfect. Because you never know when that
picture becomes the moment that matters.
And I just had to share that because he shared that so
beautifully as like a side note,like take the picture.
She would want you to know to take the pictures and just
(13:39):
meaning like be in the moment because we just never know when
change is going to happen. So I didn't want to leave that
part out because I thought it was so important to share.
But and of course, well, here's the thing, you guys, for those
of you that know me and you havebeen around this podcast for a
while, you know that this podcast comes from a deeply
(14:03):
organic space. I always feel like I want you to
feel like you're just on the couch with me, that we're just
having this conversation. My solo episodes are rarely pre
scripted. I mean, we talk about some
topics. I, you know, go over those
topics. But honestly, I can't even tell
you how many times I interrupt the whole thing.
(14:24):
And I'm like, I need to talk about this because this is
something that spoke to me this last weekend or this week or
whatever. Because they're really sparked
by life, by what I'm walking through, by what hits me deep.
And this one, this one came straight from that memorial.
Because in my mind, I was like, I need to talk about this.
(14:47):
I need to talk about the change that can smack us right in the
face. Because there's change that we
can choose, and then there's change that chooses us.
So writing the book was more of a chosen change.
I said yes to it, knowing it would stretch me, knowing it
(15:11):
would demand that vulnerability.I opened a door that I kept kind
of closing for a while, and eventhough it came with unexpected
timing and twists, it was something I chose to do because
I knew it mattered. I may not have chosen the end
result in timing and the processwe all went through to get this
(15:32):
book written and published, but it was still a choice to stay in
it for the longer haul. And then the business, well,
that pivot was something else entirely.
It was kind of more of my unraveling.
It was the kind of decision thatmade me question everything.
And it wasn't made in public. It wasn't even a brainstorming
(15:56):
session. It was made in the trenches.
When I heard it was going away, I had to make a decision and I
had to make it pretty quickly. So there again was a lot of
prayer and there was some back and forth dialogue with God.
There was dialogue with my husband, with my family, and
through wondering if I was giving up too soon or holding on
(16:19):
to it for too long. These are the changes that crash
in. And then of course, there is the
additional ones that crash in a different way.
And those are the loss. Those are the break UPS.
Those are the health scares. Maybe it's business, you know, a
(16:44):
breakdown in business, the unexpected change.
These moments that demand something from us we didn't
prepare for, they strip away thesurface and call us into
something deeper. They call us into something
that's going to be more anchored, something more honest.
(17:04):
And a lot of times they force usto slow down.
They force us to listen, to ask some of those new questions and
to maybe even stop performing and to start becoming.
And that that is where the transformation happens because
(17:32):
that's where we're being asked to meet a new version of
ourselves. And that's where I just want to
spend a little bit more time today, not just in the pain or
in the pivot, but in the possibility.
Because here is what I am learning is that every breakdown
(17:56):
is an opening. It's a doorway.
It is this invitation to become.And the way I have been looking
at it is that possibility is thespace between who you were and
who you are becoming. It's where clarity starts to
(18:18):
really form. Sometimes this is where new
dreams get whispered. And I can say that now looking
hindsight on what I've been through in the last couple of
months, that new dream started to get whispered.
It can be where you start to sense what you thought was the
(18:41):
end might actually be the beginning.
And oftentimes it is super uncomfortable.
Oftentimes it is really, really freaking painful.
I am not going to sit here and pretend like it's not, because
(19:04):
it is. But it's also sacred because
when you allow yourself to be cracked open, you also allow
more light to get in. And that is what I want you to
hold on to. This moment that you're in right
(19:28):
now might just be the making of you.
So I always just want to say don't, whatever you do, don't
rush to fix it. Don't numb it out and I
(19:48):
definitely want to say because Iknow I'm speaking to women that
love to hustle or just are so trained to hustle.
It is their default. Don't default to hustle.
This is the time when you need to pause, when you need to
(20:09):
listen and just be in it becausein the pause that.
Is when God often starts to speak.
That is when your intuition starts to speak.
And in that stillness He remindsyou, He reminds you you were
(20:31):
made for this, you were made forthis.
And that is what I think is so cool.
So what do you do with that? You get curious and you ask,
what is this here to teach me? What part of me is being
(20:54):
refined? What story do I get to rewrite?
Rewrite. Because let's face it, growth
that rarely looks glamorous whenyou're in it.
It's going to look more like tears in the car.
(21:18):
Sometimes it looks like deletingthe plan and starting all over
again. And just like I talked about it
sometimes just sitting in that silence and choosing not to
force it. You don't have to force it, but
(21:41):
what I can tell you is that every bit of it, it's doing
something in you, something holy, something necessary.
I think if we look at it from that lens, we start to see it
differently. It's the noticing.
(22:04):
It's the noticing in the becoming.
I sat with all of the authors inthe book the other night and we
recorded a YouTube video and we were talking about that and we
talked about the becoming and what we went through in the
process. And you know, it just was such
(22:28):
an eye opener. It's such a reminder.
So today might not be about fixing your life, right?
Because we're not here to rush it.
But maybe today is about findingyourself in the mess of it and
(22:48):
recognizing that this middle moment, this uncertain,
undefined space is where your next level of identity could be.
Your faith. Maybe it's the next level of
your faith. Maybe it's the next level of
(23:08):
your alignment. It's where all of that is
forged. And friend, I'm going to tell
you, if you let it in, this could be the beginning of the
greatest becoming yet. Believe me, trust me in this.
Trust me in this, even in the hardest, hardest times, you
(23:31):
guys, and here's what I want youto know too, is that eye to eye,
heart to heart, you do not ever have to figure out all of this
alone. Lean in on your people.
Lean into it. If you have a village, lean into
(23:52):
that because I never want anyoneto feel like they're alone in
it. And this is part of the reason
why I have such a heart for thispodcast is because I want women
to feel seen and heard. I want you to feel seen and
(24:12):
heard and to know that you are not alone.
We may be going through things differently, but there's this,
there's this same, what's the word I'm looking for?
There's this same thread. There's a thread that runs deep
(24:34):
through all of it, through all of us.
So I just want you to hold on tothat today.
And if you felt like I was speaking directly to you today,
it's because I always believe it's because you are meant to
hear this. And I believe that your story
(24:55):
matters, Your season matters. You're not crazy for feeling
overwhelmed in this shift, in this pivot, in this change that
took you by surprise. Trust me on this one.
I have had more unexpected pivots than I can wrap my brain
around. And the one thing I can also say
(25:16):
is it doesn't get easier. But one thing I do know for sure
is that the lessons become more clear.
And This is why I I also think community matters.
This is why being in the room matters.
This is why being a part of yourvillage matters.
(25:38):
You matter. So if this hit home for you or
maybe you're ready for more, here are just, you know, a few
ways to stay close with what we do here at Rise to Shine Co.
If you have thought, you know, Ijust want to have more of a
(26:03):
community. I don't really have that village
or my village has changed. Things have changed in my life.
And so I'm just trying to redefine that in itself.
Well, I will tell you that in that space, we are rising Better
Together. And it isn't just a space for
support, it's a space for activation as well.
(26:27):
So the Globe School would possibly be a great option for
you. I love being able to mentor
one-on-one as well. So if you're navigating
something really bold or huge identity shift and you just want
that real tailored support to hold your heart and to hold your
(26:48):
vision, I am so happy to talk and chat with that about you.
And of course, stick around here.
We'd love to cover all types of topics that are relevant in the
season of life. So just know that this space is
always here for you. And here are some questions just
(27:13):
really quick too, you know, if you are like, OK, wait, I still
am trying to process some things.
Here's some questions that you can journal through or talk out
with a trusted friend or someonethat you love.
Here's just a few you could journal out.
What truth did I need to hear today?
(27:36):
You could journal out where haveI been forcing something that's
no longer aligned with me? Or maybe you're even asking
what's the possibility that might be opening up in my life
right now? Maybe you need to really reflect
on that and answer that question.
So just know that you can journal that out.
I always find it's just a reallygreat way to reflect and find
(27:58):
some of that clarity if you are searching for that, if something
is tugging at you. And then of course, finally, if
this did speak to you, share it.You can tag me at Joyful under
score Noel and tell me what hit you the hardest.
My DMS are always open. I love, love, love to chat with
you guys because I want to celebrate your becoming right
(28:23):
alongside of you. I want to know what this
community is going through. I want to know how I can best
serve you. And then also, if you ever think
that this is something someone else needs to hear, share it,
please. All of that helps spread the
message and it helps spread thismovement.
And I am just so grateful for all of you.
(28:44):
So, so grateful. So you guys, until next time,
remember, you're not behind. You are becoming.
And then also, as I always say, keep rising, keep shining, and
know your best day is right herewaiting for you.
All right, my friends, see you next time.
(29:04):
Have a great day and sending youso much love through any change
you might be going through. All right guys, see you next
time. Thanks for joining me here
today. Your presence means the world to
me. If you enjoyed what you heard,
please consider leaving a ratingand review.
And don't forget to follow or subscribe so you never miss an
(29:25):
episode. Head to the show notes and let's
connect. Rise to Shine Co is ready to
support you in coaching, collaboration, light tips, or
even a coffee chat. Until next time, keep shining my
friends.
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