April 8, 2025 • 46 mins
In this powerful episode, we're welcoming the inspiring Brittany Wheeler to the mic for a heartfelt conversation about stepping into God-sized dreams with bold faith.
Brittany, host of the podcast The Brittany Wheeler Show, shares her personal journey of walking away from the career she thought she wanted, trusting God through uncertainty, and walking courageously towards the vision God called her to.
Coolest things we talk through: ✅ How to silence fear and boldly pursue your purpose ✅ Trusting God when the path ahead feels unclear ✅ Embracing the unknown with unwavering faith
If you’ve ever felt called to something bigger but were held back by fear, this episode will encourage you to take that next step baby!! Tune in for a soul-stirring conversation that will ignite your faith and challenge you to dream beyond limits.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
EmLed (00:24):
What's up, everybody.
And welcome back to theWrestling With Life podcast.
I am your host, Em Led, and I amjoined today by an awesome guest
who I'm so excited to speak with.
We have Brittany Wheeler on the show.
Welcome, Brittany.
Hi.
Brittany Wheeler (00:39):
Also, can I just say that your voice, I just was listening
and I was like, I could take a nap.
Oh my gosh.
Listening to your voice.
You were like, hi, welcometo Wrestling With Light.
I was like, oh my gosh,that's so beautiful.
EmLed (00:48):
Thank you so much.
You have a good voice, too.
You have a good podcast voice.
And that's a good thing because Brittanyactually has her own podcast as well
called The Brittany Wheeler Show.
And, uh, yeah.
I'll actually let you explain whatThe Brittany Wheeler Show is all
about because that's your baby.
Brittany Wheeler (01:04):
Yeah,
EmLed (01:04):
thank
Brittany Wheeler (01:04):
you.
EmLed (01:05):
I was just sharing it
Brittany Wheeler (01:05):
when I was getting coffee today.
Um, it's a really simple one liner.
Like, I interview ordinary peopleliving extraordinary lives.
And my goal is to blessone person every episode.
So, there's not two storiesalike, two shades, colors, sizes.
Um, You know, this, this podcastis definitely not for Christians.
There's Christians on the podcast,but it's for the world and for
the community that needs to feeland see love and be inspired and
(01:26):
empowered and grow and all the things.
Um, and it's, it's, it'sincredibly beautiful.
I'm humbled every interview, everytime just to, just to feel how
significant it is and to be alsoso humbled by the fact that people.
Trust me, and like, allowme to steward their story.
This is a global podcast, and so peoplesay some really tough, personal things.
(01:48):
Absolutely,
EmLed (01:48):
yeah.
And
Brittany Wheeler (01:49):
that's not lost on me.
EmLed (01:50):
Mm. That's beautiful.
I love that you recognize that, becausewhen you have honest, vulnerable
conversations and you're creating spacelike that, it can be very healing, but
it can also be very scary for people.
So I love that you havethat respect for it.
Brittany Wheeler (02:02):
Thank you.
Yeah.
And it makes it so much more rich, too.
EmLed (02:04):
It does.
Yeah.
So I'm so excited forour conversation today.
Um, I'm starting a newseries on the podcast.
This is a series three and I'm sittingdown with a bunch of local entrepreneurs
in Wilmington who are being bold andtaking risks and who consider themselves
maybe Christians, maybe spiritual, butthe common link is that they do have faith
(02:25):
in a greater power outside of themselvesand they recognize their human limits.
Um, and I'm interviewing themon, you know, how they trust God
when it comes to their career.
And you have a very cool storyto share when it comes to that.
So I would love to just pass itto you and just ask you to share
about five to 10 minutes of yourtestimony, um, your career, your faith
(02:47):
and how it relates to that topic.
Brittany Wheeler (02:49):
Yeah.
Um, Thank you for thinking that my storyis cool, because when I was in my 20s
and 30s, I was like, where is my story?
I mean, I'm still in my 30s, I'm
34,
um, and I, I was just like, where, when's my story beginning?
And so I think it's really cool thatI'm speaking to the younger version of
myself, you know, in this audience groupand in the demographic that you're serving
(03:10):
and getting to bless with your, yourpodcast and um, And so for me, you know,
I think the beginning parts of my storyand we'll, you know, I think people get
to hear my heart through the remainingquestions and we'll talk about my
relationship with God, I think later on.
But one of the things I think is importantto recognize is how I got started, right?
And what did that career look like?
I think so many people that arein their twenties and thirties
(03:31):
that are ambitious, that are just.
feeling this like, like,I'm not feeling right.
I'm not feeling comfortable.
I'm not feeling like I'm in my space.
Or maybe you grew up feelinglike, gosh, like, I don't belong.
I don't I don't have a place to fit,you know, so you're spinning your
wheels of like, this doesn't feel right.
This will feel comfortable.
And I just want to prefaceby saying You're right.
Right?
Like, that feeling is not,doesn't mean you're crazy.
(03:54):
No, it's so normal.
It doesn't mean that you areobnoxious for wanting to leave a job
after college for one year, right?
Or maybe you grew up ina certain type of career.
Like, I just want to saythat you are not crazy.
Many times you're probably just first.
A lot of people listening, I wantyou to think, think about, like,
who are the people that have gonebefore you in your own world?
Do you have examples?
(04:14):
That's good.
Yeah.
Right?
And a lot of us don't.
You know, I don't have any examples.
of, you know, I have one, my grandfatherwas an entrepreneur, but nobody
that was dreaming and envisioning alife that I have, that I have, and
that God has aligned with me on.
So, I just wanted to preface thatbecause I think a lot more people,
I, I felt very crazy, very muchlike I felt a life of significance.
(04:38):
I felt like amazing things weregoing to happen and yet that was
not at all what I was experiencing.
Right.
I can relate to that so much.
And it, and it's.
Again, you feel crazy and you do.
And I think that's potentiallywhy some people stay where
they are because you don't feelnecessarily validated to move on.
EmLed (04:54):
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (04:55):
But you also don't feel excited to stay.
EmLed (04:57):
Yeah.
And we were just talking about this,who you surround yourself with really,
really plays into that mindset.
So if you don't have that examplegrowing up or even just someone close in
proximity to you that you look up to inthat way, you are going to feel alone.
And you're going to feel like,holy crap, like, am I crazy?
A hundred percent.
Brittany Wheeler (05:16):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I, I went to school, uh, FranklinPierce University on the Western side
of New Hampshire, hashtag Ravens.
And that's funny because all theWonder Hill here, blah, blah, blah.
And so I loved my four year degree.
I went into school to be a teacher,to be an elementary education teacher.
You know, I loved kids.
I still love kids.
Um, I saw my grandmother be a teacher andI thought, that's what I'm going to do.
(05:37):
And so I went to school through that.
And it was challenging.
It was hard.
You know, I would say I enjoyeda lot more things about school
other than the school part of it.
Um, I was very social.
I played rugby in college.
Um, I was very active.
I was like the most involvedperson that could be involved.
Like, what wasn't I doing?
Which is kind of a theme.
Uh, relatable.
That translates throughnow in my thirties.
(06:01):
Um, and I loved it.
And I honestly, I'm very involved andI interview a lot of fellow alumni, and
that's really a cool experience as well.
So cool.
And then I graduated and Iwent back to upstate New York
where I was living at the time.
I grew up between, um, I spent the firsttwo high schools, I was in New Hampshire
and then my third high school, my senioryear, I moved to upstate New York.
And so I went back there.
(06:21):
And I was working in retail and Ijust kind of like fell into what
was, you know, it was really hardin 2012 to make a way in education.
I was feeling a lot of, from 2012to 2014, I felt a lot of shame.
I felt a lot of shame of notfeeling as excited to go into the
profession that I got a degree in.
Um, I was not a good test taker.
I took the, The SATs and the ACTslike 17, 000 times, fell asleep
(06:45):
in like three different sessions.
No, you did not.
Yes, I did.
Uh, I got overwhelmed.
And so I can see how like my traumaresponse, right, would be to shut down.
Sure.
Or it would be to get tired.
Because I didn't test well.
Um, and so when it came to taking thenext level of the Praxis exam, I finally
went and took it and I failed it.
And so all the shame that I hadalready been feeling and the desire
to not necessarily go through,you know, teaching, I also felt
(07:07):
like in order for me to teach, Iwould have to substitute teach.
In order to substitute teach, Icouldn't have a full time job.
So it was a really also very uniquespace of, I didn't get, I didn't
raise, I didn't get raised, Ididn't have a family that, you know.
I could just substitute teach andeverything was provided for, you
know, I needed a car, I, I had to bethe financial provider for myself.
Sure.
(07:27):
And so it was a really easy decisionto take a five year already career
and jump right into management.
EmLed (07:31):
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (07:32):
And so, you know, I started with Old Navy at that time,
I was an associate for, you know, so,so long, maybe three years at a time,
and promoted, and then where I livedwasn't enough, I just wasn't, Upstate
New York is beautiful, and I'm gratefulfor my time there, but it just wasn't
where I was feeling invigorated.
And so I was like, you know what,let me go back to New Hampshire.
I have a lot of family and friendsthere, and a community, and I
(07:52):
think I could really like it.
And so I went and sought out anotherOld Navy, and I promoted, um, To
a larger store and more exposure.
And that was a really interestingexperience because I was like, okay,
well, I'll go to Old Navy and promote,but I'll still pursue teaching.
I'll figure out how to make it workbecause I'm still in that shame space.
Yeah, I get that.
Right?
I get
that.
And so fast forward, you know, until 2016, I had a really
(08:15):
fast and amazing career in retail.
By the time I left, I wasrunning a 10 million store.
I had had vice president, presidentexposure, you know, recognize some of
my teaching modalities that I applied.
Yeah.
In my career were used for the fleetat the time into the training manuals
that they were doing and so what what Ididn't know God then but but what God was
(08:38):
showing me and I look back now is likethe things that I learned is teaching and
being a teacher is what actually like.
I was using them, you know, in my career.
Um, and so, you know, I was introducedto, at that time, I was introduced to
my health and wellness business, myfirst time of being an entrepreneur.
Yeah.
And it sparked something in me, right?
(08:58):
So I had this longing and desire,I was going to climb the ladder of
Old Navy, I was going to go to thetop, but like how many people were
going to have to die or retire?
For me to get there.
A lot of them.
To be morbid and real, like howmany people are going to have
to leave, retire, or die beforeyou get to where you want to go?
I mean, you're
EmLed (09:17):
not, we've all had that thought.
I just love that you actually said it.
Yeah, Because I
Brittany Wheeler (09:21):
just, it is, right?
Like, and, and, and there was a lot.
Yeah.
You know?
A hundred percent.
And, and so this, this business andbeing an entrepreneur and personal growth
started opening my eyes up to things like,There's no U Haul at the end of a hearse.
You got one life, no dress rehearsal.
Things that I was like,okay, well, what am I doing?
Right?
Yeah.
So, you know, in my early 20s, I was 24at the time, I was thinking radically
(09:43):
different things than my friends oreven other people because I was like,
wait a second, I'm climbing this careerfor an okay pay that like I could stay,
but it's not really giving me value.
I just started to think differently,which made me act differently.
So I would say if someone is listening andyou, you start doing something bold and
different that you feel peace in, and youstart noticing behaviors and changes, it's
(10:07):
probably because they're meant to happen.
Oh, that's good.
And that you need to be around thosepeople because you're thinking in your
growth mindset and all those things needto change to get you out of where you are.
Oh, that's so good.
Because I wouldn't have left Old Navy.
EmLed (10:19):
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (10:20):
If I hadn't.
changed my environment.
I hadn't started my business.
I hadn't grown personally.
EmLed (10:25):
Yeah, absolutely.
Brittany Wheeler (10:27):
Um, and so fast forward, I walked away from that career.
I was on the, you know, I wasbeing performance managed out
because I no longer had thepassion and the drive for it.
And I don't recommend doing this.
Um, but I did take my401k and I walked away.
Um, for me as a person being stuck in ajob, uh, versus, finding something That
makes sense, even if it's not somethingthat I would love to do feels way better
(10:50):
than being stuck there and the chains, theanxiety, the stress that comes, it takes
over my whole body because my whole worldand so I chose to walk away because that
felt more comfortable than staying, which.
That makes me radically different.
It does.
But also what I produce and what Ido is radically different, right?
It absolutely is.
Wow.
So whoever needs to hear that, makea plan, like if you're unhappy, don't
(11:13):
WWBD, don't do what Brittany did, but,but make a plan, you know, like make a
plan, you know, put something in place.
If you are a believer, pray on it,ask God to guide you in those steps,
ask God to give the right time.
Because when the next opportunitycame to walk away from my.
career, I went into higher educationseveral years later, and that was
God's plan, and I started to know God,and I involved Him in the process.
(12:37):
So I had two experiences whereGod allowed me to go through one,
and the next time He allowed me togo through, but it was with Him.
And it was so much easier.
of a way to leave.
I still had the same feelings.
I still was so unhappy.
I was so unsettled.
But the difference is, I didn'tchoose to leave on my own accord.
I prayed and I asked God for a sign.
And the timing of everything that playedout, I still walked away with nothing.
(12:58):
I still walked away with just my paycheck.
But the provisions that he had werevery different than the first time.
I had to go and work with my own twohands and hustle and like, you know,
uh, grasp onto those things in 2016.
Where in 2021, things juststarted to align in front of me.
EmLed (13:15):
Oh, that's cool.
Brittany Wheeler (13:16):
So that's in a nutshell of two really big
monumental things of my career.
And then fast forward.
I started my own business in 2021called Local Motive Collaborative,
uh, which started being a smallbusiness advising company hit us
since transition is really like Iempower the community to help people.
So it's kind of the hub for everythingthat I do is what a podcast lives
under and will evolve and changeand add more businesses as I go.
(13:39):
Um, and I learned a lotfrom that, but I think.
If I was to give my story, I hopethat that is, I feel like that is
what the audience needs to hear of allthe things and then we can, if things
need to get elaborated, I'm happy to.
No, thank
EmLed (13:51):
you so much for sharing all of that.
That was beautiful.
And I definitely want to digmore into the faith piece of it.
I want to dig more into theentrepreneurial mindset.
What I wanted to share with youreally quickly before we do that.
So.
On my Instagram at EM underscore LED 11.
I like to put polls up there for peoplewho listen to the podcast to just get
(14:13):
their voice in on these conversations.
It's been really fun because you justget to see what people are thinking,
you know, and I'm not as alone asI think I am in a lot of stuff.
Like it shows me like, wow, thesefeelings are these thoughts that I'm
having other people are having them too.
So prior to this series, Iwas pulling people about their
thoughts on taking risks.
(14:33):
In their career, um, what kindof things they are afraid of when
it comes to career rejection.
if they could start their business andit, you know, there's a hundred percent
guarantee of success, would they do it?
So I wanna share these twostats with you that I'm just
like, whoa, okay, I'm pumped.
So 34% of people say they fear.
Career rejection, and this includeslike applying or interviewing for
(14:57):
a job, not getting it, startingyour own business and failing just
anything that would put yourself in aposition to either fail, be told no,
or to look like a loser in some way.
I'll be honest with you, Ithink this number is really
low and maybe not accurate.
Brittany Wheeler (15:12):
Yeah, because a lot of people that probably didn't answer because
they were afraid of actually answering.
EmLed (15:15):
Exactly.
Brittany Wheeler (15:16):
Because the admitting that there have fear means that.
They need to address something.
EmLed (15:21):
Yes, 100%.
That was my thought.
Because, I'll be honestwith you, That's way too
Brittany Wheeler (15:25):
low.
I
EmLed (15:25):
have had major fear of career rejection, but I'm still doing it.
Do you know what I mean?
So I think a lot of people feel likethey can't be honest about the fact that
they're afraid and that they're in denial.
So I thought this stat was really crazy.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on that.
What is it about fear that One, holdsus back and keeps us from pursuing the
(15:46):
calling that God has on our life, buttwo, why can't we be real about it?
Brittany Wheeler (15:52):
So good.
All right.
So Fear is a Liar, you know, great, agreat, uh, I can't remember the, the
author, and it's not Zac Brown Bandat all, but, oh gosh, what's his name?
It'll come to me.
Anyways, Fear is a Liar.
He'll still stop your rest, healyour happiness, cast your fears.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Great song.
And honestly, like, youknow, it's, it's real life.
I think when we, I lovetalking about enemy warfare
in ways that are so relatable.
(16:13):
Like to me, when I think of theenemy, I think of Voldemort.
Like I just think of like this likemystical power that just like floats
over because it is so much easierto tackle, address, and actually
admit that that exists when youhave a tangible way to view it.
And so same thing with fear.
When I stopped thinking that fear wasjust this feeling and I actually was
(16:34):
like, oh, fear is because of something.
Then I'm like, okay, enemy, likenot today, Satan, I see you.
And so I think for anybody listening,like if you're dabbling in fear,
put a name to the fear, right?
Because fear wasn't, wewere not made to carry fear.
So when we understand that aboutourselves, then we're like, Oh,
well, where did fear come from?
And it's like, Oh, Satan put it there.
And then all of a sudden you're like,okay, well then why do I have fear?
(16:57):
It's almost like you, like you said,you're willing to then address it and
then navigate it because all of a suddenit's not this big and And I think that
again, for me, when you think about careerrejection, for all my sweet little 20
(17:20):
year olds, there's a lot bigger thingsthat you are going to navigate, right?
And I think that right now, someonetelling you that you're not enough,
even though That's not who should betelling you're not enough and that
you, that you actually take that, youknow, for real for as like God's word.
Um, there's so many bigger thingsin life that matter over a career.
(17:42):
A
EmLed (17:42):
hundred percent.
Over a
Brittany Wheeler (17:45):
career.
So
EmLed (17:45):
well said.
Brittany Wheeler (17:46):
You know, like even as an entrepreneur.
When we realize that like, you know, whatwe're doing, yes, is is impacting people
and helping people and changing lives.
There's no doubt about it.
That's how I'm motivated.
But at the end of the endof the day, it's a business,
EmLed (18:00):
not my
Brittany Wheeler (18:00):
family.
It's not my health.
And so I think before evenaddressing the fear, it's really it.
It's really understanding, like,what's your bigger picture?
Like, what does this careeractually mean to you?
You know, if your grandmother wasill for a month and in hospice care,
would you keep, would you hold onto your job or would you walk away?
If your dad fell off a ladder and couldn'thelp your mom and you had to go home, if
(18:24):
your sister, Um, was pregnant and it was,and you wanted to be there by their side.
These are the questionsthat I was faced with.
And some of the lighthearted thingsthat I was faced with in my 20s was
like, I was, I was the maid of honor.
I was the bridesmaid.
I was the girl that was in all the things.
And I was like, well, theseare only going to happen once.
These weddings are only goingto happen once in theory, right?
(18:46):
These, all of this was like,so am I going to choose?
Old Navy, am I gonna choose this jobthat's not gonna be on my bedside.
The people will, but this company,these CEOs are not gonna be
by Brittany Wheeler's bedside.
When I'm dying.
I'm gonna choose that.
Mm. Over going to be the people.
With the people.
That would be, that's where itwas so easy for me to be like, no.
Yeah.
Like that's not worth it.
(19:07):
Mm-hmm.
EmLed (19:07):
You're preaching, girl.
That's not worth it.
You're preaching.
Brittany Wheeler (19:09):
So I think before we even address the fear, you need to
address what that job means to you.
What actually
EmLed (19:13):
matters.
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (19:14):
And what matters.
EmLed (19:15):
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (19:15):
It doesn't matter whether it's a job, a career, a business,
if, if your priorities are unaligned,fear will creep in and it'll work.
But if your priorities are aligned andyou're like, you know what, Brittany,
thank you for calling me up a little bitand saying what, what, what does matter?
Because impact will happen.
Like life will happen.
Impact will happen.
These moments that I said, I'm nottrying to will them or, or manifest
(19:37):
them into existence, but thereality is they're going to happen.
They
EmLed (19:40):
will.
Yeah, that's life.
Brittany Wheeler (19:41):
They're going to happen.
EmLed (19:42):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Brittany Wheeler (19:43):
And, you know, I've seen time and time again with men and
women that are willing to To do hardthings, get uncomfortable, create more
of a life that makes sense for them.
Mm. When life and impact happened, theirdecision making was very different.
Because of the life that I've choseto create, I have been able to show
up and be present for friends inways that other friends couldn't
because they have careers or jobs.
(20:04):
Mm. I moved to Wilmington, North Carolina.
To watch and babysit my six monthold nephew while my best friend went
to work in finance remotely becausethere was no one else that was going
to be able to care for her son.
And I could do it becauseI was an entrepreneur.
I'm not saying that needs to be your path,but I'm saying those are my priorities.
EmLed (20:24):
What are your values?
What matters at the end of the day?
So good.
So well said.
And something that I think those of usin our twenties and our thirties can't
even think about because we have beenconditioned, brought up in school systems.
Sometimes a lot of ushave gone through college.
And have our degree and we havethis deep seated belief that having
the career and having financialstability is the most important thing.
(20:45):
Mm-hmm . So this segues really, reallywell into the next question that I
really wanna talk about, which is money.
Yeah.
And something that really, reallystood out when we first spoke
getting connected for this podcastwas you just explained so well.
Your relationship with God and howyou trust him to provide in your
life, which as an entrepreneur,you kind of have to have.
(21:06):
If you don't believe in God, I don'tknow even how you do it because
it's such a huge step of faith.
I'm actually in the seasonof my life right now.
I just left my corporate job andI'm doing freelance marketing.
And so right now, my.
My paycheck is not the steadypaycheck that it used to be.
I don't have benefits.
I'm in a position where I have totrust that God will provide in this
(21:27):
space of unknown before all the jobscome in, before I'm as successful in
this as I was in my corporate career.
So, I would just love to know, andI, I think people listening really
need to hear, how do you kind of undothat wiring your brain, that security
comes from money, that security comesfrom a predictable, stable career,
(21:51):
and how did you get to that mindset,or how did you get to that place in
your relationship with God where youreally, truly believe He's going to
provide for your every single need?
Brittany Wheeler (22:00):
Yeah.
So good.
Such a good question.
We need another 45 podcasts,and then we get to part one,
part two, part three, part four.
Um, so I think the first thing I wantedto address that you mentioned was the
entrepreneur piece and not having faith.
And it's interesting because I gaveadvice to someone, um, who was not
new necessarily to success, butwhat I did find out wasn't going to
(22:21):
be, like, new to entrepreneurism.
And I was not and this person was olderthan me and it was just really interesting
to be giving this advice and I justreally cautioned them because I was
like, you know, there are two types ofentrepreneurs, very, very high level.
They're the ones that have faith, right?
And I'm not even going to gointo denominations or whatever,
(22:41):
but they have this sense ofassurance in a higher power, right?
And they're the ones that.
Don't.
And the ones that have assurance and ahigher power, I believe, um, not only
find sustainability in their business,but will constantly overcome, will
constantly find ways out, uh, without,the key is, without it becoming an issue.
(23:03):
Thank you.
a sacrifice or an impact ontheir, their health and their
family, uh, and the other type ofentrepreneur or someone that doesn't.
And what ends up happeningis we watch those people.
It doesn't mean they won't besuccessful, but what we end up seeing
is how, uh, the world and how theenemy and how evil that is money.
(23:23):
And vices becomes them.
And so I just have encouraged peoplethat are entrepreneurs like it makes
it just makes a difference when youbelieve because it doesn't change that
both entrepreneurs are not successful.
It's just at what cost.
Yeah, so that's that's the first thing.
Um, and then I think.
You know, I didn't grow up very wealthy.
(23:43):
I grew up not wealthy.
Um, I grew up with a single mom.
My grandparents were prettymuch the only reason why I had
a lot of the things that I had.
And so, you know, I grew up withdoing a lot of the wrong things.
I didn't have parents that werefinancially literate in the sense
of like, This is how you plan.
This is how you prepare.
So a lot of my, a lot of thethings that my sisters and I
(24:05):
are doing have been self taught.
So I just want to encourage anybodyout there that like if you didn't have
parents that knew better and it's nota shame on them, it's just like the way
that they came into parenthood, it'sokay to go out and seek it yourself.
And it's okay to be asking friendsand to go and find resources like Dave
Ramsey and other things that are outthere and are available and just to be
willing to soak it up because, um, yeah.
(24:26):
You know, in my 30s, I was developingskill sets that many people are taught,
you know, in their early 20s, lateteens, and it's just never too late.
I ultimately think this answer to thisquestion is Whether or not your dreams
are big enough, and whether or not youbelieve that only God can bring them.
EmLed (24:49):
I feel so convicted.
I feel so convicted.
Guys, her eyeballs are like bopping at it.
Brittany Wheeler (24:54):
Uh, because that is, I think, if I was
to sum it down, that is it.
And to elaborate a little bit more.
Because everyone's like, Brittany,give me a 10 steps, like 10
step plan on how to trust God.
And for me, what ended up happening was,uh, in 2022, I was a social alcoholic.
Um, so I could go without, youknow, I could go without drinking.
(25:18):
When I drank, I drank too much.
Recently discovering that, like, Iwas drinking to fill a God sized hole.
So there's a whole other conversationto talk about addiction as a
chemical and biological, you know.
upset versus a God size hole.
And then we choose thingslike pornography, shopping,
alcohol, drugs, right?
And when the God size holes coveredand filled in the right ways, you
(25:39):
no longer need those things, right?
So I had a God size hole and I had A lotof God sized dreams, God sized soul, God
sized dreams, something wasn't working.
And so I slowly was givingup alcohol, even socially.
Every time I drank, I just felt anxious.
I felt like I hurt somebodybecause I spent so much of my time,
you know, self inflicting painwhich ended up hurting people.
It still hurts people, right?
(26:00):
That still makes no sense.
And so, um, I did what I think a lotof really good humans do, and that's
just try to make a deal with God.
And I was sitting on my couch, and Isaid, God, here, I'll make you a deal.
I will quit drinking ifyou grow my business.
I'll quit for a couple monthsif you just grow my business.
I don't recommend doing that.
There's no fine print.
You don't have any representation.
(26:21):
He, he doesn't have to do it.
And so I quit drinking because I wasgoing to honor my side of things, right?
And so, uh, I rememberabout a month and a half in.
And this is the onlytime I've ever heard God.
And I was sitting on my porch, therewas a beautiful oak tree, it was like
a canopy, and it shimmered and theleaves fluttered and the sun was coming
up, and I lived right outside of D.
C. at the time, so you still have likethe hustle and bustle, but there was
(26:43):
like this sanctuary in the backyard, andI'm sitting on the porch and my Bible
is open and I'm doing my good prayertime thing, and God said to me, Is the
life you long for worth drinking for?
And I said no.
And that was it.
It was like a Tupperware container had,had just locked into place on all sides.
(27:03):
All the things that I had done,I had like three sides closed.
This was the last side.
And that to me was the beginningof what it meant to trust God
and to fill my God sized holes inorder to have my God sized dreams.
EmLed (27:19):
What were you willing to give up so that you could have him?
Brittany Wheeler (27:21):
Right.
EmLed (27:22):
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (27:22):
And then, and then for those that are looking for a
12 step program that are, you know,type A, you can follow me along
and write them out if you want to.
But from there, it went into, okay,so I gave up alcohol, and then
was I willing to move for him?
Was I willing to radicallychange my life for him?
Was I willing to trust thenudges that were coming?
(27:43):
Was I willing to put myself in a new city?
Was I willing to go with, I spentthe first six months in Wilmington.
In theory, I wasn't homeless as we,as we know, uh, some of our city here
is in poverty, but I had no home.
And so it was people's, I, at one pointsomeone bought me a hotel room for
three nights, a good friend of mine.
(28:04):
And then I live with my friendJames, who's now my roommate.
God provided all of those times, so, andit transitioned, it transitioned from
there, but the more that I gave God, themore that I spent time with him, you know,
so I think that if you are really unsure.
of whether or not to trust God.
(28:26):
Ask yourself, can yourdream come true without him?
And if it can't, are youwilling to make time for him?
Are you willing to reorient?
Are you willing to trust the process?
Are you willing to like, I haven'tbeen shopping in so long and I'm
so ready for clothes, personally.
I'm so, like, I just, I watchMeghan Markle styles, like,
oh my gosh, I'm obsessed.
And so I can't wait for thatseason to come full circle.
(28:47):
But in the meantime, I'm like, okay,God, here's, here's where you have me.
Right.
And, and I think that's really it islike, what are you willing to give up?
You know, what's your investmentto God to say, Hey, I trust you.
I believe in you and I know,but I'm also not saying this.
I think something that I, I. that Ithink we could do better as Christians,
is this like, I'll be obedient, andit's all gonna work out, and I'm
(29:11):
gonna pretend like nothing is wrong.
No, it is okay to kick and scream.
It is okay to beuncomfortable and talk it out.
We don't have to pretendthat everything is okay.
We can still say, thissucks, and I'm annoyed, and
frustrated, and God, I'm angry.
It's different if we feel that wayand we act on it and do something we
shouldn't, or hurt someone, versusfinding a very constructive place,
(29:32):
like your quiet time, and talking itout with him, and writing it out in
your journal, so that he can hear you.
He's your father.
If you have an earthly father, do youjust pretend everything's okay when
your dad took your keys away fromyou, or when he decided that you were
grounded because you didn't listen?
No.
You didn't just say, Thanks, Dad.
This has been great.
Like, you wouldn't do itwith your earthly father.
(29:52):
So don't be afraid to do itwith your heavenly father.
And I think for me, again, it isnot easy, and there are times where
it is just, it is a challenge.
But I also am like, There'salso comfort in, well, there's
not much left for him to take.
EmLed (30:09):
Yeah.
I mean, to put it plainly, yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (30:12):
Right?
And so, because of, because of mymindset, because of trusting God with
my God sized holes, and my God sizeddreams, he stripped me of everything.
I'm like a floatingisland here in Wilmington.
I don't have a home.
I live with a friend.
I manna season.
God is literally, like, notgrowing and abundant yet.
Yeah.
Because I, I was doing all the work.
(30:34):
Brittany Wheeler was scraping and punchingholes in walls and making things happen.
And what he's been showingme is like, well, if you do
it, you've got to uphold it.
But if I do it, I have to uphold it.
And so there's definitelylayers to this process, right?
But I think the first thing isadmitting like, is your dream God size?
If it is, you know, willyou trust him with it?
(30:54):
And then just like knowat the end of the day.
He would never do anythingto, to harm you, right?
And so when we, just like your own earthlyfather, if you have one, you know, they're
not going to do something to harm you.
They're going to teach you.
You're going to have a lesson fromit, and you're going to learn.
(31:14):
And so I think when it relates to money,I also just am very clear that the life
of abundance that God is going to provide.
So at the same time as I know thathe's the only one that can bring
it, I have always felt a life ofsignificance and a life of abundance.
And so am I willing in this season tolearn and to be, and to be without.
And to have manna and to learn, I mean,scripture says it, Matthew 525 or 526,
(31:39):
like, if you can handle a little, youcan handle a lot, and like, that's really
simple, but it's kind of true, like, ifyou can handle and budget X amount and
still tithe and still give and stilllove people, you're going to do the same
exact thing with 500, 000 a year, right?
But if you're not doingthat and you're comfortable.
Right?
You're comfortable in your life andyou've got all these things, but you're
still not loving and serving and doingthose things, then you weren't going
(32:01):
to do it with 100, 000 more a year.
Absolutely.
So that's something that I've alsolearned as well, is it's am I willing
to do the things that still matter,that are still important, that
are still, you know, I, health andwellness is really important to me.
I budget.
I take supplements every single monthwith my health and wellness business.
I eat well.
I'm gluten free.
(32:21):
Those things matter now, so Imake them matter with money.
Sure.
Right?
And I prioritize.
Um, and then God providesall the little rest.
So I hope that was, Ihope that was helpful.
EmLed (32:31):
That was amazing.
The wisdom pouring out of you right now,I, I really feel the Holy Spirit is here
because there are so many parallels withwhat you're saying with other messages
that I've been learning and receivingfrom other people and books and sermons
and podcasts for the last few months.
I've been on a journey of, um, Justrealizing how much pride runs the show
(32:53):
for me, and everything that you justsaid is dripping with humility, and
recognizing your place as creatureand God's place as creator, and that
is a tough pill to swallow when pridehas been running the show for a long
time, and, you know, I walked througha season of my life where God wasn't
even a part of the picture, at all.
(33:13):
And so integrating him back in andrecognizing his power over my life
and the fact that he's actuallyin the driver's seat, not me.
And that's a huge realization andone that I'm still battling with and
trying to surrender to every day.
And I just, I just wantto commend you for.
Having that posture of humility, it isnot easy and it's something that those
(33:37):
of us in our 20s and 30s who are in ourcareer, I can imagine most of us don't
have that mindset and it doesn't take longlooking at, you know, Gen Z, Millennials,
those of us who grew up with screens andselfies and social media, the message of
self is everywhere that you should do whatmakes you feel good, that you should cut
off things and people that don't serveyou, that you are in the driver's seat.
(34:00):
That is the message that isbeing pounded into our heads.
Yeah.
Constantly.
So, I just love that you kind ofexplained how you got to that mindset.
I think it's going to givepeople listening, uh, just
some really good encouragement.
Brittany Wheeler (34:15):
And you have to, I think what you just said too is like
not to shoot down the generation at all,but I think there's such a, there's,
there's a lot of good things that arebeing said and you have to be able to
discern the garbage from the fruit.
Right?
Because a couple of thingsthat you said are right.
Like boundary setting is things that myparents didn't do, and my grandparents
(34:36):
didn't do, and I'm a product ofbreaking that generational curse.
Let's go like Gen Z. Let's,let's set up boundaries, right?
But boundaries are fences thatcan be opened and taken down.
They are not brick walls, right?
And so the same thing, like that is agreat tool to take, but like you were
in the driver's seat, you know, itis, it is praying like it's up to God.
It's working like it's up to you.
(34:58):
I, I think in the same vein of socialmedia and everything happens quick,
just remember that like there are somany incredible, and I had an incredible
guest on the show a couple months ago.
They're, um, three brothers.
They're the Hudson brothers and,um, they're all in their twenties.
I hired one of them at Old Navy and hehas two younger brothers and we had a
great conversation about the power ofthis generation and what there is to give.
(35:21):
And so there are so many beautifulthings, but I think to remember
that no matter how much technology.
And social media makes things seem easy.
The principle of easy has not changed.
It is still hard.
It is still hard to do things.
It is, it, it, there are easierways and things that potentially
can make it seem, uh, lighter.
(35:42):
But if you want to have what youdesire, the same principles apply
to this generation that will, thatapply to my grandparents generation.
Grit.
tenacity, grace, love, mercy, um, courage.
That is the same from the people thatare in being influencers right now, as
it is to the men and women that startedcompanies that we are, you know, inundated
(36:04):
with, like Apple and Chick fil A and,you know, Fortune 500 companies and
women and men that have paved the way.
So.
I think there's an element ofweeding through what is, what
is fruit and what is garbage.
Mm, so good.
And recognizing there's power inthis generation, but that quick
is, like, quick is not sustainable.
Absolutely.
You know?
There's tools, and I am all aboutusing tools and being effective.
(36:28):
And my sister was born in 1995, soshe, she, you know, toggles that line.
And there are things thatI love that she'll think of
that I won't think of, right?
Sure.
So you don't need to work harder,um, but don't think that, like You're
going to be without like you can fasttrack all the rest of it because just
as fast as you can grow, you can fall
EmLed (36:49):
so good.
And it also depends on what youbuild your growth on the foundation.
If it's up to
Brittany Wheeler (36:55):
you, if you build it.
You have to sustain it.
EmLed (36:58):
Exactly.
I
Brittany Wheeler (36:58):
was, I think people can relate to this, uh, if you haven't had
a chance, the Dyer was CEO interviewedMr. Beast and I, it was a beautiful, uh,
episode that I got to listen to and whatI could, because I, I, I am a disciple
and because I have such an authority thatGod has given me in my time and I can
see things a lot differently, I couldsee how this man, his heart is so good.
(37:20):
And for those of you who don't, don'tknow Mr. Beast, he created Feastables and
All these different things is incredible.
He's grew his business on YouTube andjust, yes, YouTube grew him, but like he
put in the work and he talks about thatand that, but I could see so clearly
how this man who has such a heart toserve people is at a juxtaposition
because in order to maintain thegrowth and to be able to serve and
(37:42):
love people and help people at thelevel he's doing, guess who it's up to.
Well, right now, it's up to him.
And I just thought, man, if God could gethis hands on him, how much better his life
could be in the sense of sustainability,in the sense of this man is traveling.
Almost like 300 days a year.
It's stupid.
And he has Crohn's, so he alreadyhas an autoimmune disease.
(38:04):
Oh wow.
He fights the fight everysingle day to get up.
And I just could see so clearly,like, if God was in his life and
he gave this to God, the amount ofinfinite growth this could have.
And so that's what I mean about, like,Are you willing to do it with your
own hands versus giving it to God?
And like you said, the foundation.
Yeah.
And when you release, it's not easy, but like when all of a
(38:26):
sudden like God starts bringing stuffin your life and you were just sitting,
you know, binge watching somethingon Netflix for a minute and you're
like, this opportunity just arose.
You're like.
Okay, I believe it.
I believe it's gonna happen.
So there's, there's trust in that as well.
EmLed (38:39):
I love that.
That's really interesting about Mr. Beast.
And I mean, I've noticed in my ownlife, once God's come into the picture,
there's less resistance, alignment.
I think that's kind of like a, I guess,buzzword that's going around right
now, alignment, and it's not usuallyin the context of trusting the Lord.
It's usually like spiritual or evenlike Buddhist light, I would say, but,
(39:01):
I feel that with God in the picture.
He's knocking down the doors forme, rather than me busting them open
myself, and then a lot of times he'sopening the right one, so I found a
lot of times I was busting down doorsthat I had no business busting down.
So, so good.
Um, the final thing that I wantto ask you, and then we'll close
out, if you had to leave, 20, 30somethings that are struggling in
(39:25):
their career, they're feeling burntout, they're feeling overwhelmed.
They know that there's a higher callingon their life, but they don't know
what it is, and they just feel stuck.
And they're like, what do I do next?
If you had to give them one pieceof simple advice, what would it be?
Brittany Wheeler (39:40):
Um, it's going to sound really simple, but you have
to, you have to decide, make thedecision that what you're feeling.
Is real and that there is somethingmore and make the decision that you're
going to do whatever it takes to makeit happen because you can have this
(40:03):
feeling and you can talk to 17 differentfriends, you can tell you talk to your
mother, you can, you know, um Talkto guidance counselor or a therapist,
whatever, and still find yourself sixmonths later in the exact same place.
But if you make that decision, and Ihighly recommend making it with God,
if you know God, if you don't, higherpower, whatever, making that decision
(40:25):
to say, okay, this has got to change,and I'm willing to do what it takes,
the rest will, will fall into place.
Because If you don't decide, like Isaid, and you go seek advice and all
these things, and it's not from yourown self, you spend six months and look
back and be like, oh, remember that timeI really wanted to leave, or I really
wanted to try this thing, or whatever?
And I think the biggestthing is make the decision.
(40:47):
The moment that I made the decisionto do something different, to get
something different, is the moment thatmy life really began, in every area.
Every area of my life, from gettinggastric bypass, starting my business,
falling in love with Jesus, like,it was the decision to do something
different, to get something different.
And standing on that, and I highlyrecommend also not inviting 17,
000 people into that decision.
(41:09):
Pick someone who iswhere you're going to be.
I think that's really important.
So if there is a teacher or a familyfriend or a friend or wherever
that is where you want to be.
I'm not just talking about money, butI'm talking about quality of life.
I'm talking about how theytreat How they show up, how
they manage their time, right?
Money doesn't mean anything.
(41:29):
If people can't manage their time,they're overstressed, they eat like
crap, and they don't show up for people.
It means jack, right?
So who are the people thatare where you want to be?
Find that, maybe consult with them.
Find someone who's at your levelbut dreams as much as you are,
is feeling as uncomfortable.
So you have a comrade in it, right?
And tell God or your higher power.
Keep it to as minimum as possible becausethe enemy will work through people.
(41:50):
Um, I say often on the podcast,especially from our family, advice is
filled with love and coated with fear.
EmLed (41:56):
That's so true.
So true.
Well, that's amazing advice.
And this conversation isleaving me feel so inspired.
I can see your trust in the Lord.
I can see just how willing you areto sacrifice so many things to pursue
the calling that God has on your life.
And that's something that I so desperatelyneed in this season of my life.
(42:18):
So thank you for opening your heart andsharing your story and being willing
to come in here and, and keep it real.
I really appreciate it.
Brittany Wheeler (42:25):
Thank you for asking me.
This is my first, you know, I have overI don't know how many I have, but I
have like 60 episodes that I've done.
This is my first podcast ever beinga guest, so this has been awesome.
And it's very refreshing.
I didn't have to do anything.
I just show up and drink my coffee andget to have an awesome conversation.
Thanks for, for doing whatyou're doing and trusting and
(42:48):
being willing to have faith and.
Being willing to go so other people cansee it, you know, like I didn't know
it in 2014, but people were watching,people are watching, they are right,
and when your heart reorients and youhave a head heart connection, and all of
a sudden the things that you do are somuch more about other people, then you
realize all the sacrifice and the thingsthat you are making are for others, you
(43:10):
will do it Over and over and over again.
And I'm not talking about yourfamily, I'm talking about you.
I would never have known in 2014 that mydecision to make and do things differently
would lead me to this conversation to helpsomeone who is where exactly I was making
those tough decisions of walking awayfrom comfort and seeking greatness, right?
So like, You do this for your futureself, do this for your future family,
(43:34):
do this for your future community,for the men and women that are
growing up right now in elementaryand middle school that feel unsettled,
that don't feel like they belong.
Our decisions today are for them.
And when we think like that,and when we do that, it makes
life so rich and so fulfillingthat the money will be a reward.
(43:55):
It won't be the focus.
EmLed (43:58):
So good.
Wow.
I'm gonna re listen to this episodeprobably like 17 times just so I can
soak in everything that you said.
I
Brittany Wheeler (44:05):
need to sit on your couch and put your
headphones in, like, therapy
EmLed (44:08):
session
Brittany Wheeler (44:08):
with
EmLed (44:09):
Britney today.
Yes, I absolutely will.
Well, thank you so much again.
And oh, before I forget, where canpeople find you, listen to your
podcast, or get in touch with you?
Brittany Wheeler (44:17):
Absolutely.
So, um, the podcast is wherever youlisten to podcasts, Spotify, Apple.
Uh, I heart and a bunch of otherrandom ones that I really don't
know about, but they're there.
Uh, and so it's the Brittany Wheeler show.
So B R I T T A N Y W H E E L E R show.
So you can find us there.
I, depending on when this airs,I may be on YouTube yet, may not
(44:38):
be, but we'll be going to YouTube.
So that'll be a way that you canaccess the show in a couple of months.
That's huge.
So huge.
Yay.
Such big girl panty moments.
Uh, and then you can find uson Instagram and TikTok, the
Brittany Wheeler show, same thing.
Follow the episode, message me.
Like, I'm the kind of girl,like, I want to be involved.
Like, if you heard this episodeand you're like, um, thank you
so much for stewarding her.
I want to know more.
(44:58):
Like, I'm doing what I'm doingbecause I want to help people.
And so message, DM me.
Like.
I check Instagram more than TikTokbecause I'm, I'm from the 90s.
So I'm working it because Iknow it's beneficial, but I'm
not like, it's not my strength.
So yeah, DM me.
I'm happy to chat and, um, andguide in any way that I can.
EmLed (45:16):
Amazing.
Well, thank you so much, Brittany.
Go check out her podcast.
Bye everybody.
Bye guys.
Thanks.
What's up, everybody.
And welcome back to theWrestling With Life podcast.
I am your host, Em Led, and I amjoined today by an awesome guest
who I'm so excited to speak with.
We have Brittany Wheeler on the show.
Welcome, Brittany.
Hi.
Brittany Wheeler (00:39):
Also, can I just say that your voice, I just was listening
and I was like, I could take a nap.
Oh my gosh.
Listening to your voice.
You were like, hi, welcometo Wrestling With Light.
I was like, oh my gosh,that's so beautiful.
EmLed (00:48):
Thank you so much.
You have a good voice, too.
You have a good podcast voice.
And that's a good thing because Brittanyactually has her own podcast as well
called The Brittany Wheeler Show.
And, uh, yeah.
I'll actually let you explain whatThe Brittany Wheeler Show is all
about because that's your baby.
Brittany Wheeler (01:04):
Yeah,
EmLed (01:04):
thank
Brittany Wheeler (01:04):
you.
EmLed (01:05):
I was just sharing it
Brittany Wheeler (01:05):
when I was getting coffee today.
Um, it's a really simple one liner.
Like, I interview ordinary peopleliving extraordinary lives.
And my goal is to blessone person every episode.
So, there's not two storiesalike, two shades, colors, sizes.
Um, You know, this, this podcastis definitely not for Christians.
There's Christians on the podcast,but it's for the world and for
the community that needs to feeland see love and be inspired and
(01:26):
empowered and grow and all the things.
Um, and it's, it's, it'sincredibly beautiful.
I'm humbled every interview, everytime just to, just to feel how
significant it is and to be alsoso humbled by the fact that people.
Trust me, and like, allowme to steward their story.
This is a global podcast, and so peoplesay some really tough, personal things.
(01:48):
Absolutely,
EmLed (01:48):
yeah.
And
Brittany Wheeler (01:49):
that's not lost on me.
EmLed (01:50):
Mm. That's beautiful.
I love that you recognize that, becausewhen you have honest, vulnerable
conversations and you're creating spacelike that, it can be very healing, but
it can also be very scary for people.
So I love that you havethat respect for it.
Brittany Wheeler (02:02):
Thank you.
Yeah.
And it makes it so much more rich, too.
EmLed (02:04):
It does.
Yeah.
So I'm so excited forour conversation today.
Um, I'm starting a newseries on the podcast.
This is a series three and I'm sittingdown with a bunch of local entrepreneurs
in Wilmington who are being bold andtaking risks and who consider themselves
maybe Christians, maybe spiritual, butthe common link is that they do have faith
(02:25):
in a greater power outside of themselvesand they recognize their human limits.
Um, and I'm interviewing themon, you know, how they trust God
when it comes to their career.
And you have a very cool storyto share when it comes to that.
So I would love to just pass itto you and just ask you to share
about five to 10 minutes of yourtestimony, um, your career, your faith
(02:47):
and how it relates to that topic.
Brittany Wheeler (02:49):
Yeah.
Um, Thank you for thinking that my storyis cool, because when I was in my 20s
and 30s, I was like, where is my story?
I mean, I'm still in my 30s, I'm
34,
um, and I, I was just like, where, when's my story beginning?
And so I think it's really cool thatI'm speaking to the younger version of
myself, you know, in this audience groupand in the demographic that you're serving
(03:10):
and getting to bless with your, yourpodcast and um, And so for me, you know,
I think the beginning parts of my storyand we'll, you know, I think people get
to hear my heart through the remainingquestions and we'll talk about my
relationship with God, I think later on.
But one of the things I think is importantto recognize is how I got started, right?
And what did that career look like?
I think so many people that arein their twenties and thirties
(03:31):
that are ambitious, that are just.
feeling this like, like,I'm not feeling right.
I'm not feeling comfortable.
I'm not feeling like I'm in my space.
Or maybe you grew up feelinglike, gosh, like, I don't belong.
I don't I don't have a place to fit,you know, so you're spinning your
wheels of like, this doesn't feel right.
This will feel comfortable.
And I just want to prefaceby saying You're right.
Right?
Like, that feeling is not,doesn't mean you're crazy.
(03:54):
No, it's so normal.
It doesn't mean that you areobnoxious for wanting to leave a job
after college for one year, right?
Or maybe you grew up ina certain type of career.
Like, I just want to saythat you are not crazy.
Many times you're probably just first.
A lot of people listening, I wantyou to think, think about, like,
who are the people that have gonebefore you in your own world?
Do you have examples?
(04:14):
That's good.
Yeah.
Right?
And a lot of us don't.
You know, I don't have any examples.
of, you know, I have one, my grandfatherwas an entrepreneur, but nobody
that was dreaming and envisioning alife that I have, that I have, and
that God has aligned with me on.
So, I just wanted to preface thatbecause I think a lot more people,
I, I felt very crazy, very muchlike I felt a life of significance.
(04:38):
I felt like amazing things weregoing to happen and yet that was
not at all what I was experiencing.
Right.
I can relate to that so much.
And it, and it's.
Again, you feel crazy and you do.
And I think that's potentiallywhy some people stay where
they are because you don't feelnecessarily validated to move on.
EmLed (04:54):
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (04:55):
But you also don't feel excited to stay.
EmLed (04:57):
Yeah.
And we were just talking about this,who you surround yourself with really,
really plays into that mindset.
So if you don't have that examplegrowing up or even just someone close in
proximity to you that you look up to inthat way, you are going to feel alone.
And you're going to feel like,holy crap, like, am I crazy?
A hundred percent.
Brittany Wheeler (05:16):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I, I went to school, uh, FranklinPierce University on the Western side
of New Hampshire, hashtag Ravens.
And that's funny because all theWonder Hill here, blah, blah, blah.
And so I loved my four year degree.
I went into school to be a teacher,to be an elementary education teacher.
You know, I loved kids.
I still love kids.
Um, I saw my grandmother be a teacher andI thought, that's what I'm going to do.
(05:37):
And so I went to school through that.
And it was challenging.
It was hard.
You know, I would say I enjoyeda lot more things about school
other than the school part of it.
Um, I was very social.
I played rugby in college.
Um, I was very active.
I was like the most involvedperson that could be involved.
Like, what wasn't I doing?
Which is kind of a theme.
Uh, relatable.
That translates throughnow in my thirties.
(06:01):
Um, and I loved it.
And I honestly, I'm very involved andI interview a lot of fellow alumni, and
that's really a cool experience as well.
So cool.
And then I graduated and Iwent back to upstate New York
where I was living at the time.
I grew up between, um, I spent the firsttwo high schools, I was in New Hampshire
and then my third high school, my senioryear, I moved to upstate New York.
And so I went back there.
(06:21):
And I was working in retail and Ijust kind of like fell into what
was, you know, it was really hardin 2012 to make a way in education.
I was feeling a lot of, from 2012to 2014, I felt a lot of shame.
I felt a lot of shame of notfeeling as excited to go into the
profession that I got a degree in.
Um, I was not a good test taker.
I took the, The SATs and the ACTslike 17, 000 times, fell asleep
(06:45):
in like three different sessions.
No, you did not.
Yes, I did.
Uh, I got overwhelmed.
And so I can see how like my traumaresponse, right, would be to shut down.
Sure.
Or it would be to get tired.
Because I didn't test well.
Um, and so when it came to taking thenext level of the Praxis exam, I finally
went and took it and I failed it.
And so all the shame that I hadalready been feeling and the desire
to not necessarily go through,you know, teaching, I also felt
(07:07):
like in order for me to teach, Iwould have to substitute teach.
In order to substitute teach, Icouldn't have a full time job.
So it was a really also very uniquespace of, I didn't get, I didn't
raise, I didn't get raised, Ididn't have a family that, you know.
I could just substitute teach andeverything was provided for, you
know, I needed a car, I, I had to bethe financial provider for myself.
Sure.
(07:27):
And so it was a really easy decisionto take a five year already career
and jump right into management.
EmLed (07:31):
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (07:32):
And so, you know, I started with Old Navy at that time,
I was an associate for, you know, so,so long, maybe three years at a time,
and promoted, and then where I livedwasn't enough, I just wasn't, Upstate
New York is beautiful, and I'm gratefulfor my time there, but it just wasn't
where I was feeling invigorated.
And so I was like, you know what,let me go back to New Hampshire.
I have a lot of family and friendsthere, and a community, and I
(07:52):
think I could really like it.
And so I went and sought out anotherOld Navy, and I promoted, um, To
a larger store and more exposure.
And that was a really interestingexperience because I was like, okay,
well, I'll go to Old Navy and promote,but I'll still pursue teaching.
I'll figure out how to make it workbecause I'm still in that shame space.
Yeah, I get that.
Right?
I get
that.
And so fast forward, you know, until 2016, I had a really
(08:15):
fast and amazing career in retail.
By the time I left, I wasrunning a 10 million store.
I had had vice president, presidentexposure, you know, recognize some of
my teaching modalities that I applied.
Yeah.
In my career were used for the fleetat the time into the training manuals
that they were doing and so what what Ididn't know God then but but what God was
(08:38):
showing me and I look back now is likethe things that I learned is teaching and
being a teacher is what actually like.
I was using them, you know, in my career.
Um, and so, you know, I was introducedto, at that time, I was introduced to
my health and wellness business, myfirst time of being an entrepreneur.
Yeah.
And it sparked something in me, right?
(08:58):
So I had this longing and desire,I was going to climb the ladder of
Old Navy, I was going to go to thetop, but like how many people were
going to have to die or retire?
For me to get there.
A lot of them.
To be morbid and real, like howmany people are going to have
to leave, retire, or die beforeyou get to where you want to go?
I mean, you're
EmLed (09:17):
not, we've all had that thought.
I just love that you actually said it.
Yeah, Because I
Brittany Wheeler (09:21):
just, it is, right?
Like, and, and, and there was a lot.
Yeah.
You know?
A hundred percent.
And, and so this, this business andbeing an entrepreneur and personal growth
started opening my eyes up to things like,There's no U Haul at the end of a hearse.
You got one life, no dress rehearsal.
Things that I was like,okay, well, what am I doing?
Right?
Yeah.
So, you know, in my early 20s, I was 24at the time, I was thinking radically
(09:43):
different things than my friends oreven other people because I was like,
wait a second, I'm climbing this careerfor an okay pay that like I could stay,
but it's not really giving me value.
I just started to think differently,which made me act differently.
So I would say if someone is listening andyou, you start doing something bold and
different that you feel peace in, and youstart noticing behaviors and changes, it's
(10:07):
probably because they're meant to happen.
Oh, that's good.
And that you need to be around thosepeople because you're thinking in your
growth mindset and all those things needto change to get you out of where you are.
Oh, that's so good.
Because I wouldn't have left Old Navy.
EmLed (10:19):
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (10:20):
If I hadn't.
changed my environment.
I hadn't started my business.
I hadn't grown personally.
EmLed (10:25):
Yeah, absolutely.
Brittany Wheeler (10:27):
Um, and so fast forward, I walked away from that career.
I was on the, you know, I wasbeing performance managed out
because I no longer had thepassion and the drive for it.
And I don't recommend doing this.
Um, but I did take my401k and I walked away.
Um, for me as a person being stuck in ajob, uh, versus, finding something That
makes sense, even if it's not somethingthat I would love to do feels way better
(10:50):
than being stuck there and the chains, theanxiety, the stress that comes, it takes
over my whole body because my whole worldand so I chose to walk away because that
felt more comfortable than staying, which.
That makes me radically different.
It does.
But also what I produce and what Ido is radically different, right?
It absolutely is.
Wow.
So whoever needs to hear that, makea plan, like if you're unhappy, don't
(11:13):
WWBD, don't do what Brittany did, but,but make a plan, you know, like make a
plan, you know, put something in place.
If you are a believer, pray on it,ask God to guide you in those steps,
ask God to give the right time.
Because when the next opportunitycame to walk away from my.
career, I went into higher educationseveral years later, and that was
God's plan, and I started to know God,and I involved Him in the process.
(12:37):
So I had two experiences whereGod allowed me to go through one,
and the next time He allowed me togo through, but it was with Him.
And it was so much easier.
of a way to leave.
I still had the same feelings.
I still was so unhappy.
I was so unsettled.
But the difference is, I didn'tchoose to leave on my own accord.
I prayed and I asked God for a sign.
And the timing of everything that playedout, I still walked away with nothing.
(12:58):
I still walked away with just my paycheck.
But the provisions that he had werevery different than the first time.
I had to go and work with my own twohands and hustle and like, you know,
uh, grasp onto those things in 2016.
Where in 2021, things juststarted to align in front of me.
EmLed (13:15):
Oh, that's cool.
Brittany Wheeler (13:16):
So that's in a nutshell of two really big
monumental things of my career.
And then fast forward.
I started my own business in 2021called Local Motive Collaborative,
uh, which started being a smallbusiness advising company hit us
since transition is really like Iempower the community to help people.
So it's kind of the hub for everythingthat I do is what a podcast lives
under and will evolve and changeand add more businesses as I go.
(13:39):
Um, and I learned a lotfrom that, but I think.
If I was to give my story, I hopethat that is, I feel like that is
what the audience needs to hear of allthe things and then we can, if things
need to get elaborated, I'm happy to.
No, thank
EmLed (13:51):
you so much for sharing all of that.
That was beautiful.
And I definitely want to digmore into the faith piece of it.
I want to dig more into theentrepreneurial mindset.
What I wanted to share with youreally quickly before we do that.
So.
On my Instagram at EM underscore LED 11.
I like to put polls up there for peoplewho listen to the podcast to just get
(14:13):
their voice in on these conversations.
It's been really fun because you justget to see what people are thinking,
you know, and I'm not as alone asI think I am in a lot of stuff.
Like it shows me like, wow, thesefeelings are these thoughts that I'm
having other people are having them too.
So prior to this series, Iwas pulling people about their
thoughts on taking risks.
(14:33):
In their career, um, what kindof things they are afraid of when
it comes to career rejection.
if they could start their business andit, you know, there's a hundred percent
guarantee of success, would they do it?
So I wanna share these twostats with you that I'm just
like, whoa, okay, I'm pumped.
So 34% of people say they fear.
Career rejection, and this includeslike applying or interviewing for
(14:57):
a job, not getting it, startingyour own business and failing just
anything that would put yourself in aposition to either fail, be told no,
or to look like a loser in some way.
I'll be honest with you, Ithink this number is really
low and maybe not accurate.
Brittany Wheeler (15:12):
Yeah, because a lot of people that probably didn't answer because
they were afraid of actually answering.
EmLed (15:15):
Exactly.
Brittany Wheeler (15:16):
Because the admitting that there have fear means that.
They need to address something.
EmLed (15:21):
Yes, 100%.
That was my thought.
Because, I'll be honestwith you, That's way too
Brittany Wheeler (15:25):
low.
I
EmLed (15:25):
have had major fear of career rejection, but I'm still doing it.
Do you know what I mean?
So I think a lot of people feel likethey can't be honest about the fact that
they're afraid and that they're in denial.
So I thought this stat was really crazy.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on that.
What is it about fear that One, holdsus back and keeps us from pursuing the
(15:46):
calling that God has on our life, buttwo, why can't we be real about it?
Brittany Wheeler (15:52):
So good.
All right.
So Fear is a Liar, you know, great, agreat, uh, I can't remember the, the
author, and it's not Zac Brown Bandat all, but, oh gosh, what's his name?
It'll come to me.
Anyways, Fear is a Liar.
He'll still stop your rest, healyour happiness, cast your fears.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Great song.
And honestly, like, youknow, it's, it's real life.
I think when we, I lovetalking about enemy warfare
in ways that are so relatable.
(16:13):
Like to me, when I think of theenemy, I think of Voldemort.
Like I just think of like this likemystical power that just like floats
over because it is so much easierto tackle, address, and actually
admit that that exists when youhave a tangible way to view it.
And so same thing with fear.
When I stopped thinking that fear wasjust this feeling and I actually was
(16:34):
like, oh, fear is because of something.
Then I'm like, okay, enemy, likenot today, Satan, I see you.
And so I think for anybody listening,like if you're dabbling in fear,
put a name to the fear, right?
Because fear wasn't, wewere not made to carry fear.
So when we understand that aboutourselves, then we're like, Oh,
well, where did fear come from?
And it's like, Oh, Satan put it there.
And then all of a sudden you're like,okay, well then why do I have fear?
(16:57):
It's almost like you, like you said,you're willing to then address it and
then navigate it because all of a suddenit's not this big and And I think that
again, for me, when you think about careerrejection, for all my sweet little 20
(17:20):
year olds, there's a lot bigger thingsthat you are going to navigate, right?
And I think that right now, someonetelling you that you're not enough,
even though That's not who should betelling you're not enough and that
you, that you actually take that, youknow, for real for as like God's word.
Um, there's so many bigger thingsin life that matter over a career.
(17:42):
A
EmLed (17:42):
hundred percent.
Over a
Brittany Wheeler (17:45):
career.
So
EmLed (17:45):
well said.
Brittany Wheeler (17:46):
You know, like even as an entrepreneur.
When we realize that like, you know, whatwe're doing, yes, is is impacting people
and helping people and changing lives.
There's no doubt about it.
That's how I'm motivated.
But at the end of the endof the day, it's a business,
EmLed (18:00):
not my
Brittany Wheeler (18:00):
family.
It's not my health.
And so I think before evenaddressing the fear, it's really it.
It's really understanding, like,what's your bigger picture?
Like, what does this careeractually mean to you?
You know, if your grandmother wasill for a month and in hospice care,
would you keep, would you hold onto your job or would you walk away?
If your dad fell off a ladder and couldn'thelp your mom and you had to go home, if
(18:24):
your sister, Um, was pregnant and it was,and you wanted to be there by their side.
These are the questionsthat I was faced with.
And some of the lighthearted thingsthat I was faced with in my 20s was
like, I was, I was the maid of honor.
I was the bridesmaid.
I was the girl that was in all the things.
And I was like, well, theseare only going to happen once.
These weddings are only goingto happen once in theory, right?
(18:46):
These, all of this was like,so am I going to choose?
Old Navy, am I gonna choose this jobthat's not gonna be on my bedside.
The people will, but this company,these CEOs are not gonna be
by Brittany Wheeler's bedside.
When I'm dying.
I'm gonna choose that.
Mm. Over going to be the people.
With the people.
That would be, that's where itwas so easy for me to be like, no.
Yeah.
Like that's not worth it.
(19:07):
Mm-hmm.
EmLed (19:07):
You're preaching, girl.
That's not worth it.
You're preaching.
Brittany Wheeler (19:09):
So I think before we even address the fear, you need to
address what that job means to you.
What actually
EmLed (19:13):
matters.
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (19:14):
And what matters.
EmLed (19:15):
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (19:15):
It doesn't matter whether it's a job, a career, a business,
if, if your priorities are unaligned,fear will creep in and it'll work.
But if your priorities are aligned andyou're like, you know what, Brittany,
thank you for calling me up a little bitand saying what, what, what does matter?
Because impact will happen.
Like life will happen.
Impact will happen.
These moments that I said, I'm nottrying to will them or, or manifest
(19:37):
them into existence, but thereality is they're going to happen.
They
EmLed (19:40):
will.
Yeah, that's life.
Brittany Wheeler (19:41):
They're going to happen.
EmLed (19:42):
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Brittany Wheeler (19:43):
And, you know, I've seen time and time again with men and
women that are willing to To do hardthings, get uncomfortable, create more
of a life that makes sense for them.
Mm. When life and impact happened, theirdecision making was very different.
Because of the life that I've choseto create, I have been able to show
up and be present for friends inways that other friends couldn't
because they have careers or jobs.
(20:04):
Mm. I moved to Wilmington, North Carolina.
To watch and babysit my six monthold nephew while my best friend went
to work in finance remotely becausethere was no one else that was going
to be able to care for her son.
And I could do it becauseI was an entrepreneur.
I'm not saying that needs to be your path,but I'm saying those are my priorities.
EmLed (20:24):
What are your values?
What matters at the end of the day?
So good.
So well said.
And something that I think those of usin our twenties and our thirties can't
even think about because we have beenconditioned, brought up in school systems.
Sometimes a lot of ushave gone through college.
And have our degree and we havethis deep seated belief that having
the career and having financialstability is the most important thing.
(20:45):
Mm-hmm . So this segues really, reallywell into the next question that I
really wanna talk about, which is money.
Yeah.
And something that really, reallystood out when we first spoke
getting connected for this podcastwas you just explained so well.
Your relationship with God and howyou trust him to provide in your
life, which as an entrepreneur,you kind of have to have.
(21:06):
If you don't believe in God, I don'tknow even how you do it because
it's such a huge step of faith.
I'm actually in the seasonof my life right now.
I just left my corporate job andI'm doing freelance marketing.
And so right now, my.
My paycheck is not the steadypaycheck that it used to be.
I don't have benefits.
I'm in a position where I have totrust that God will provide in this
(21:27):
space of unknown before all the jobscome in, before I'm as successful in
this as I was in my corporate career.
So, I would just love to know, andI, I think people listening really
need to hear, how do you kind of undothat wiring your brain, that security
comes from money, that security comesfrom a predictable, stable career,
(21:51):
and how did you get to that mindset,or how did you get to that place in
your relationship with God where youreally, truly believe He's going to
provide for your every single need?
Brittany Wheeler (22:00):
Yeah.
So good.
Such a good question.
We need another 45 podcasts,and then we get to part one,
part two, part three, part four.
Um, so I think the first thing I wantedto address that you mentioned was the
entrepreneur piece and not having faith.
And it's interesting because I gaveadvice to someone, um, who was not
new necessarily to success, butwhat I did find out wasn't going to
(22:21):
be, like, new to entrepreneurism.
And I was not and this person was olderthan me and it was just really interesting
to be giving this advice and I justreally cautioned them because I was
like, you know, there are two types ofentrepreneurs, very, very high level.
They're the ones that have faith, right?
And I'm not even going to gointo denominations or whatever,
(22:41):
but they have this sense ofassurance in a higher power, right?
And they're the ones that.
Don't.
And the ones that have assurance and ahigher power, I believe, um, not only
find sustainability in their business,but will constantly overcome, will
constantly find ways out, uh, without,the key is, without it becoming an issue.
(23:03):
Thank you.
a sacrifice or an impact ontheir, their health and their
family, uh, and the other type ofentrepreneur or someone that doesn't.
And what ends up happeningis we watch those people.
It doesn't mean they won't besuccessful, but what we end up seeing
is how, uh, the world and how theenemy and how evil that is money.
(23:23):
And vices becomes them.
And so I just have encouraged peoplethat are entrepreneurs like it makes
it just makes a difference when youbelieve because it doesn't change that
both entrepreneurs are not successful.
It's just at what cost.
Yeah, so that's that's the first thing.
Um, and then I think.
You know, I didn't grow up very wealthy.
(23:43):
I grew up not wealthy.
Um, I grew up with a single mom.
My grandparents were prettymuch the only reason why I had
a lot of the things that I had.
And so, you know, I grew up withdoing a lot of the wrong things.
I didn't have parents that werefinancially literate in the sense
of like, This is how you plan.
This is how you prepare.
So a lot of my, a lot of thethings that my sisters and I
(24:05):
are doing have been self taught.
So I just want to encourage anybodyout there that like if you didn't have
parents that knew better and it's nota shame on them, it's just like the way
that they came into parenthood, it'sokay to go out and seek it yourself.
And it's okay to be asking friendsand to go and find resources like Dave
Ramsey and other things that are outthere and are available and just to be
willing to soak it up because, um, yeah.
(24:26):
You know, in my 30s, I was developingskill sets that many people are taught,
you know, in their early 20s, lateteens, and it's just never too late.
I ultimately think this answer to thisquestion is Whether or not your dreams
are big enough, and whether or not youbelieve that only God can bring them.
EmLed (24:49):
I feel so convicted.
I feel so convicted.
Guys, her eyeballs are like bopping at it.
Brittany Wheeler (24:54):
Uh, because that is, I think, if I was
to sum it down, that is it.
And to elaborate a little bit more.
Because everyone's like, Brittany,give me a 10 steps, like 10
step plan on how to trust God.
And for me, what ended up happening was,uh, in 2022, I was a social alcoholic.
Um, so I could go without, youknow, I could go without drinking.
(25:18):
When I drank, I drank too much.
Recently discovering that, like, Iwas drinking to fill a God sized hole.
So there's a whole other conversationto talk about addiction as a
chemical and biological, you know.
upset versus a God size hole.
And then we choose thingslike pornography, shopping,
alcohol, drugs, right?
And when the God size holes coveredand filled in the right ways, you
(25:39):
no longer need those things, right?
So I had a God size hole and I had A lotof God sized dreams, God sized soul, God
sized dreams, something wasn't working.
And so I slowly was givingup alcohol, even socially.
Every time I drank, I just felt anxious.
I felt like I hurt somebodybecause I spent so much of my time,
you know, self inflicting painwhich ended up hurting people.
It still hurts people, right?
(26:00):
That still makes no sense.
And so, um, I did what I think a lotof really good humans do, and that's
just try to make a deal with God.
And I was sitting on my couch, and Isaid, God, here, I'll make you a deal.
I will quit drinking ifyou grow my business.
I'll quit for a couple monthsif you just grow my business.
I don't recommend doing that.
There's no fine print.
You don't have any representation.
(26:21):
He, he doesn't have to do it.
And so I quit drinking because I wasgoing to honor my side of things, right?
And so, uh, I rememberabout a month and a half in.
And this is the onlytime I've ever heard God.
And I was sitting on my porch, therewas a beautiful oak tree, it was like
a canopy, and it shimmered and theleaves fluttered and the sun was coming
up, and I lived right outside of D.
C. at the time, so you still have likethe hustle and bustle, but there was
(26:43):
like this sanctuary in the backyard, andI'm sitting on the porch and my Bible
is open and I'm doing my good prayertime thing, and God said to me, Is the
life you long for worth drinking for?
And I said no.
And that was it.
It was like a Tupperware container had,had just locked into place on all sides.
(27:03):
All the things that I had done,I had like three sides closed.
This was the last side.
And that to me was the beginningof what it meant to trust God
and to fill my God sized holes inorder to have my God sized dreams.
EmLed (27:19):
What were you willing to give up so that you could have him?
Brittany Wheeler (27:21):
Right.
EmLed (27:22):
Yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (27:22):
And then, and then for those that are looking for a
12 step program that are, you know,type A, you can follow me along
and write them out if you want to.
But from there, it went into, okay,so I gave up alcohol, and then
was I willing to move for him?
Was I willing to radicallychange my life for him?
Was I willing to trust thenudges that were coming?
(27:43):
Was I willing to put myself in a new city?
Was I willing to go with, I spentthe first six months in Wilmington.
In theory, I wasn't homeless as we,as we know, uh, some of our city here
is in poverty, but I had no home.
And so it was people's, I, at one pointsomeone bought me a hotel room for
three nights, a good friend of mine.
(28:04):
And then I live with my friendJames, who's now my roommate.
God provided all of those times, so, andit transitioned, it transitioned from
there, but the more that I gave God, themore that I spent time with him, you know,
so I think that if you are really unsure.
of whether or not to trust God.
(28:26):
Ask yourself, can yourdream come true without him?
And if it can't, are youwilling to make time for him?
Are you willing to reorient?
Are you willing to trust the process?
Are you willing to like, I haven'tbeen shopping in so long and I'm
so ready for clothes, personally.
I'm so, like, I just, I watchMeghan Markle styles, like,
oh my gosh, I'm obsessed.
And so I can't wait for thatseason to come full circle.
(28:47):
But in the meantime, I'm like, okay,God, here's, here's where you have me.
Right.
And, and I think that's really it islike, what are you willing to give up?
You know, what's your investmentto God to say, Hey, I trust you.
I believe in you and I know,but I'm also not saying this.
I think something that I, I. that Ithink we could do better as Christians,
is this like, I'll be obedient, andit's all gonna work out, and I'm
(29:11):
gonna pretend like nothing is wrong.
No, it is okay to kick and scream.
It is okay to beuncomfortable and talk it out.
We don't have to pretendthat everything is okay.
We can still say, thissucks, and I'm annoyed, and
frustrated, and God, I'm angry.
It's different if we feel that wayand we act on it and do something we
shouldn't, or hurt someone, versusfinding a very constructive place,
(29:32):
like your quiet time, and talking itout with him, and writing it out in
your journal, so that he can hear you.
He's your father.
If you have an earthly father, do youjust pretend everything's okay when
your dad took your keys away fromyou, or when he decided that you were
grounded because you didn't listen?
No.
You didn't just say, Thanks, Dad.
This has been great.
Like, you wouldn't do itwith your earthly father.
(29:52):
So don't be afraid to do itwith your heavenly father.
And I think for me, again, it isnot easy, and there are times where
it is just, it is a challenge.
But I also am like, There'salso comfort in, well, there's
not much left for him to take.
EmLed (30:09):
Yeah.
I mean, to put it plainly, yeah.
Brittany Wheeler (30:12):
Right?
And so, because of, because of mymindset, because of trusting God with
my God sized holes, and my God sizeddreams, he stripped me of everything.
I'm like a floatingisland here in Wilmington.
I don't have a home.
I live with a friend.
I manna season.
God is literally, like, notgrowing and abundant yet.
Yeah.
Because I, I was doing all the work.
(30:34):
Brittany Wheeler was scraping and punchingholes in walls and making things happen.
And what he's been showingme is like, well, if you do
it, you've got to uphold it.
But if I do it, I have to uphold it.
And so there's definitelylayers to this process, right?
But I think the first thing isadmitting like, is your dream God size?
If it is, you know, willyou trust him with it?
(30:54):
And then just like knowat the end of the day.
He would never do anythingto, to harm you, right?
And so when we, just like your own earthlyfather, if you have one, you know, they're
not going to do something to harm you.
They're going to teach you.
You're going to have a lesson fromit, and you're going to learn.
(31:14):
And so I think when it relates to money,I also just am very clear that the life
of abundance that God is going to provide.
So at the same time as I know thathe's the only one that can bring
it, I have always felt a life ofsignificance and a life of abundance.
And so am I willing in this season tolearn and to be, and to be without.
And to have manna and to learn, I mean,scripture says it, Matthew 525 or 526,
(31:39):
like, if you can handle a little, youcan handle a lot, and like, that's really
simple, but it's kind of true, like, ifyou can handle and budget X amount and
still tithe and still give and stilllove people, you're going to do the same
exact thing with 500, 000 a year, right?
But if you're not doingthat and you're comfortable.
Right?
You're comfortable in your life andyou've got all these things, but you're
still not loving and serving and doingthose things, then you weren't going
(32:01):
to do it with 100, 000 more a year.
Absolutely.
So that's something that I've alsolearned as well, is it's am I willing
to do the things that still matter,that are still important, that
are still, you know, I, health andwellness is really important to me.
I budget.
I take supplements every single monthwith my health and wellness business.
I eat well.
I'm gluten free.
(32:21):
Those things matter now, so Imake them matter with money.
Sure.
Right?
And I prioritize.
Um, and then God providesall the little rest.
So I hope that was, Ihope that was helpful.
EmLed (32:31):
That was amazing.
The wisdom pouring out of you right now,I, I really feel the Holy Spirit is here
because there are so many parallels withwhat you're saying with other messages
that I've been learning and receivingfrom other people and books and sermons
and podcasts for the last few months.
I've been on a journey of, um, Justrealizing how much pride runs the show
(32:53):
for me, and everything that you justsaid is dripping with humility, and
recognizing your place as creatureand God's place as creator, and that
is a tough pill to swallow when pridehas been running the show for a long
time, and, you know, I walked througha season of my life where God wasn't
even a part of the picture, at all.
(33:13):
And so integrating him back in andrecognizing his power over my life
and the fact that he's actuallyin the driver's seat, not me.
And that's a huge realization andone that I'm still battling with and
trying to surrender to every day.
And I just, I just wantto commend you for.
Having that posture of humility, it isnot easy and it's something that those
(33:37):
of us in our 20s and 30s who are in ourcareer, I can imagine most of us don't
have that mindset and it doesn't take longlooking at, you know, Gen Z, Millennials,
those of us who grew up with screens andselfies and social media, the message of
self is everywhere that you should do whatmakes you feel good, that you should cut
off things and people that don't serveyou, that you are in the driver's seat.
(34:00):
That is the message that isbeing pounded into our heads.
Yeah.
Constantly.
So, I just love that you kind ofexplained how you got to that mindset.
I think it's going to givepeople listening, uh, just
some really good encouragement.
Brittany Wheeler (34:15):
And you have to, I think what you just said too is like
not to shoot down the generation at all,but I think there's such a, there's,
there's a lot of good things that arebeing said and you have to be able to
discern the garbage from the fruit.
Right?
Because a couple of thingsthat you said are right.
Like boundary setting is things that myparents didn't do, and my grandparents
(34:36):
didn't do, and I'm a product ofbreaking that generational curse.
Let's go like Gen Z. Let's,let's set up boundaries, right?
But boundaries are fences thatcan be opened and taken down.
They are not brick walls, right?
And so the same thing, like that is agreat tool to take, but like you were
in the driver's seat, you know, itis, it is praying like it's up to God.
It's working like it's up to you.
(34:58):
I, I think in the same vein of socialmedia and everything happens quick,
just remember that like there are somany incredible, and I had an incredible
guest on the show a couple months ago.
They're, um, three brothers.
They're the Hudson brothers and,um, they're all in their twenties.
I hired one of them at Old Navy and hehas two younger brothers and we had a
great conversation about the power ofthis generation and what there is to give.
(35:21):
And so there are so many beautifulthings, but I think to remember
that no matter how much technology.
And social media makes things seem easy.
The principle of easy has not changed.
It is still hard.
It is still hard to do things.
It is, it, it, there are easierways and things that potentially
can make it seem, uh, lighter.
(35:42):
But if you want to have what youdesire, the same principles apply
to this generation that will, thatapply to my grandparents generation.
Grit.
tenacity, grace, love, mercy, um, courage.
That is the same from the people thatare in being influencers right now, as
it is to the men and women that startedcompanies that we are, you know, inundated
(36:04):
with, like Apple and Chick fil A and,you know, Fortune 500 companies and
women and men that have paved the way.
So.
I think there's an element ofweeding through what is, what
is fruit and what is garbage.
Mm, so good.
And recognizing there's power inthis generation, but that quick
is, like, quick is not sustainable.
Absolutely.
You know?
There's tools, and I am all aboutusing tools and being effective.
(36:28):
And my sister was born in 1995, soshe, she, you know, toggles that line.
And there are things thatI love that she'll think of
that I won't think of, right?
Sure.
So you don't need to work harder,um, but don't think that, like You're
going to be without like you can fasttrack all the rest of it because just
as fast as you can grow, you can fall
EmLed (36:49):
so good.
And it also depends on what youbuild your growth on the foundation.
If it's up to
Brittany Wheeler (36:55):
you, if you build it.
You have to sustain it.
EmLed (36:58):
Exactly.
I
Brittany Wheeler (36:58):
was, I think people can relate to this, uh, if you haven't had
a chance, the Dyer was CEO interviewedMr. Beast and I, it was a beautiful, uh,
episode that I got to listen to and whatI could, because I, I, I am a disciple
and because I have such an authority thatGod has given me in my time and I can
see things a lot differently, I couldsee how this man, his heart is so good.
(37:20):
And for those of you who don't, don'tknow Mr. Beast, he created Feastables and
All these different things is incredible.
He's grew his business on YouTube andjust, yes, YouTube grew him, but like he
put in the work and he talks about thatand that, but I could see so clearly
how this man who has such a heart toserve people is at a juxtaposition
because in order to maintain thegrowth and to be able to serve and
(37:42):
love people and help people at thelevel he's doing, guess who it's up to.
Well, right now, it's up to him.
And I just thought, man, if God could gethis hands on him, how much better his life
could be in the sense of sustainability,in the sense of this man is traveling.
Almost like 300 days a year.
It's stupid.
And he has Crohn's, so he alreadyhas an autoimmune disease.
(38:04):
Oh wow.
He fights the fight everysingle day to get up.
And I just could see so clearly,like, if God was in his life and
he gave this to God, the amount ofinfinite growth this could have.
And so that's what I mean about, like,Are you willing to do it with your
own hands versus giving it to God?
And like you said, the foundation.
Yeah.
And when you release, it's not easy, but like when all of a
(38:26):
sudden like God starts bringing stuffin your life and you were just sitting,
you know, binge watching somethingon Netflix for a minute and you're
like, this opportunity just arose.
You're like.
Okay, I believe it.
I believe it's gonna happen.
So there's, there's trust in that as well.
EmLed (38:39):
I love that.
That's really interesting about Mr. Beast.
And I mean, I've noticed in my ownlife, once God's come into the picture,
there's less resistance, alignment.
I think that's kind of like a, I guess,buzzword that's going around right
now, alignment, and it's not usuallyin the context of trusting the Lord.
It's usually like spiritual or evenlike Buddhist light, I would say, but,
(39:01):
I feel that with God in the picture.
He's knocking down the doors forme, rather than me busting them open
myself, and then a lot of times he'sopening the right one, so I found a
lot of times I was busting down doorsthat I had no business busting down.
So, so good.
Um, the final thing that I wantto ask you, and then we'll close
out, if you had to leave, 20, 30somethings that are struggling in
(39:25):
their career, they're feeling burntout, they're feeling overwhelmed.
They know that there's a higher callingon their life, but they don't know
what it is, and they just feel stuck.
And they're like, what do I do next?
If you had to give them one pieceof simple advice, what would it be?
Brittany Wheeler (39:40):
Um, it's going to sound really simple, but you have
to, you have to decide, make thedecision that what you're feeling.
Is real and that there is somethingmore and make the decision that you're
going to do whatever it takes to makeit happen because you can have this
(40:03):
feeling and you can talk to 17 differentfriends, you can tell you talk to your
mother, you can, you know, um Talkto guidance counselor or a therapist,
whatever, and still find yourself sixmonths later in the exact same place.
But if you make that decision, and Ihighly recommend making it with God,
if you know God, if you don't, higherpower, whatever, making that decision
(40:25):
to say, okay, this has got to change,and I'm willing to do what it takes,
the rest will, will fall into place.
Because If you don't decide, like Isaid, and you go seek advice and all
these things, and it's not from yourown self, you spend six months and look
back and be like, oh, remember that timeI really wanted to leave, or I really
wanted to try this thing, or whatever?
And I think the biggestthing is make the decision.
(40:47):
The moment that I made the decisionto do something different, to get
something different, is the moment thatmy life really began, in every area.
Every area of my life, from gettinggastric bypass, starting my business,
falling in love with Jesus, like,it was the decision to do something
different, to get something different.
And standing on that, and I highlyrecommend also not inviting 17,
000 people into that decision.
(41:09):
Pick someone who iswhere you're going to be.
I think that's really important.
So if there is a teacher or a familyfriend or a friend or wherever
that is where you want to be.
I'm not just talking about money, butI'm talking about quality of life.
I'm talking about how theytreat How they show up, how
they manage their time, right?
Money doesn't mean anything.
(41:29):
If people can't manage their time,they're overstressed, they eat like
crap, and they don't show up for people.
It means jack, right?
So who are the people thatare where you want to be?
Find that, maybe consult with them.
Find someone who's at your levelbut dreams as much as you are,
is feeling as uncomfortable.
So you have a comrade in it, right?
And tell God or your higher power.
Keep it to as minimum as possible becausethe enemy will work through people.
(41:50):
Um, I say often on the podcast,especially from our family, advice is
filled with love and coated with fear.
EmLed (41:56):
That's so true.
So true.
Well, that's amazing advice.
And this conversation isleaving me feel so inspired.
I can see your trust in the Lord.
I can see just how willing you areto sacrifice so many things to pursue
the calling that God has on your life.
And that's something that I so desperatelyneed in this season of my life.
(42:18):
So thank you for opening your heart andsharing your story and being willing
to come in here and, and keep it real.
I really appreciate it.
Brittany Wheeler (42:25):
Thank you for asking me.
This is my first, you know, I have overI don't know how many I have, but I
have like 60 episodes that I've done.
This is my first podcast ever beinga guest, so this has been awesome.
And it's very refreshing.
I didn't have to do anything.
I just show up and drink my coffee andget to have an awesome conversation.
Thanks for, for doing whatyou're doing and trusting and
(42:48):
being willing to have faith and.
Being willing to go so other people cansee it, you know, like I didn't know
it in 2014, but people were watching,people are watching, they are right,
and when your heart reorients and youhave a head heart connection, and all of
a sudden the things that you do are somuch more about other people, then you
realize all the sacrifice and the thingsthat you are making are for others, you
(43:10):
will do it Over and over and over again.
And I'm not talking about yourfamily, I'm talking about you.
I would never have known in 2014 that mydecision to make and do things differently
would lead me to this conversation to helpsomeone who is where exactly I was making
those tough decisions of walking awayfrom comfort and seeking greatness, right?
So like, You do this for your futureself, do this for your future family,
(43:34):
do this for your future community,for the men and women that are
growing up right now in elementaryand middle school that feel unsettled,
that don't feel like they belong.
Our decisions today are for them.
And when we think like that,and when we do that, it makes
life so rich and so fulfillingthat the money will be a reward.
(43:55):
It won't be the focus.
EmLed (43:58):
So good.
Wow.
I'm gonna re listen to this episodeprobably like 17 times just so I can
soak in everything that you said.
I
Brittany Wheeler (44:05):
need to sit on your couch and put your
headphones in, like, therapy
EmLed (44:08):
session
Brittany Wheeler (44:08):
with
EmLed (44:09):
Britney today.
Yes, I absolutely will.
Well, thank you so much again.
And oh, before I forget, where canpeople find you, listen to your
podcast, or get in touch with you?
Brittany Wheeler (44:17):
Absolutely.
So, um, the podcast is wherever youlisten to podcasts, Spotify, Apple.
Uh, I heart and a bunch of otherrandom ones that I really don't
know about, but they're there.
Uh, and so it's the Brittany Wheeler show.
So B R I T T A N Y W H E E L E R show.
So you can find us there.
I, depending on when this airs,I may be on YouTube yet, may not
(44:38):
be, but we'll be going to YouTube.
So that'll be a way that you canaccess the show in a couple of months.
That's huge.
So huge.
Yay.
Such big girl panty moments.
Uh, and then you can find uson Instagram and TikTok, the
Brittany Wheeler show, same thing.
Follow the episode, message me.
Like, I'm the kind of girl,like, I want to be involved.
Like, if you heard this episodeand you're like, um, thank you
so much for stewarding her.
I want to know more.
(44:58):
Like, I'm doing what I'm doingbecause I want to help people.
And so message, DM me.
Like.
I check Instagram more than TikTokbecause I'm, I'm from the 90s.
So I'm working it because Iknow it's beneficial, but I'm
not like, it's not my strength.
So yeah, DM me.
I'm happy to chat and, um, andguide in any way that I can.
EmLed (45:16):
Amazing.
Well, thank you so much, Brittany.
Go check out her podcast.
Bye everybody.
Bye guys.
Thanks.
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