Imagine having to deal with a traumatic accident that impairs your ability to function. Then, after recovering, you enter into an abusive relationship that does not go well and creates stifling ramifications to your ability to function and hold on to hope. To top it off, imagine being told that you are now allowed to act on a dream career that would propel you to new heights both personally and professionally. Today's guest, Elizabeth Meigs, fits all of these qualifications (and much more!) as she shares her story of survival, overcoming the odds, and becoming the best version of herself in the truest sense of the phrase. Despite life's many obstacles, the choices that we have in terms of processing the various situations we face, and the opportunities that we are granted, come from a single source: yourself. Being brave enough, just as today's guest was, can reward itself in many multiple ways if you are willing to be brave enough to have a voice against all odds that you face in life and beyond.

Guest Bio

Elizabeth Meigs is an overcomer and a fighter who knows her purpose is to inspire, provide hope, and encourage those going through the toughest challenge of their lives not to give up. She was born and raised in a small rural town in Southeast Kansas, where her family raised horses. She was an “outdoorsy” girl who loved fishing and riding her horse. Her dreams and goals were coming true when her world was turned upside down in a car accident one week into her first year of high school. That night, everything for her and her family stopped abruptly. She learned how to overcome the hard obstacles, and deep down, she knew there was a purpose for all she was going through. Not only did her dreams change, but a new purpose was revealed. Whether you're dealing with job loss, a failed marriage, a divorce, an abusive marriage/relationship, physical challenges, or other setbacks, the natural solutions and strategies she now teaches can help you stay focused on achieving your dreams.

Website: https://elizabethinspires.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethMeigsInspires

Instagram: @Elizabethmeigsinspires on Instagram

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@elizabethinspires

• The EI Method | Elizabeth Inspires (https://elizabethinspires.com/the-ei-method/) - Mentioned during today's episode, grab your free copy of Elizabeth's EI Method, available at this link.

Visit Our Website: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/

Visit Our Business Website: https://www.yourspeakingvoice.biz

Support The Mission Of The Business! Donate Here: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/support

Intro/Outro By: Michael Dugan, Podcast Host: Voice4Chefs

Welcome to the podcast where relationships, confidence, and

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determination all converge into

an amazing, heartfelt experience.

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This is Speaking From The Heart.

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Joshua: Welcome back to episode number

82 of Speaking From The Heart, and this

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is an episode that will strike you to the

heart because of what this next guest on

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our show will be sharing with us today.

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My guest is Elizabeth Meigs, and she is

an overcomer and a fighter who knows her

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purpose is to inspire, provide hope, and

encourage those going through the toughest

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challenge of their lives not to give up.

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She was born and raised in a small

rural town in southeast Kansas, where

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her family raised horses, and she was

always an outdoorsy type of girl who

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enjoyed fishing and riding her horse.

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Her dreams and goals were coming

true when the world was turned upside

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down in a car accident one week

into her first year of high school.

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That night, everything for her and

her family stopped abruptly, and she

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learned, from that moment on, how

to overcome the hard obstacles, but

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deep down, knew there was a purpose

for all that she was going through.

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Not only did her dreams change, but a new

purpose was revealed, so no matter whether

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you're dealing with job loss, a failed

marriage, a divorce, an abusive marriage

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or relationship, physical challenges, or

other setbacks, the natural solutions and

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strategies she teaches as a coach that

she does today in her work, can help you

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stay focused on achieving your dreams.

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Now I have to say, that even with all

these things that I've shared about her

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bio, nothing will compare to the fact

that in this interview, I have never

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been struck by so many different things

that have happened to a guest, but yet

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has kept on getting back up and kept on

persevering no matter what, and has such

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a positive outlook, that to me, it just

shows that even with the severe things

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that we go through in our lives, it's just

a matter of what kind of attitude that

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you take in order to keep moving forward.

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I will say in this episode that it might

be a little bit hard for you to understand

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what Beth is saying, but you'll quickly

understand why once we start getting into

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the conversation, so I encourage you,

if you need to, please use the episode

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notes that are located on my website,

speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm,

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or visit my webpage,

www.yourspeakingvoice.biz/podcast, in

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which you can access the link directly.

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I think that you will be blown

away by this woman's tenacity

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to keep moving forward.

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But with that, let's go to the episode.

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All right, we have

Elizabeth Meigs with us.

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Elizabeth, thanks for sharing

your heart with us today.

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Elizabeth: Thank you very much for

allowing me this opportunity to share my

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heart with you and all of your listeners.

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I'm excited to be here today.

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Joshua: I am so excited just

because of our conversation before

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we even got started today to talk

to you, and I'm really pumped,

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so, Elizabeth, I love asking this

question when I start out with guests.

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Can you tell us a little bit about

your backstory as in how it got you

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to where you are today, because as

I shared with the audience already,

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you're an inspirational speaker.

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You do a lot of awesome things for

what you do to serve others in that

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realm, but can you tell us a little

bit about yourself to kind of get

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the picture of essentially why

you're doing what you're doing today?

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Elizabeth: Sure.

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I would love to, so I was a

beautiful 14 year old girl.

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I was chasing after my goals and my dreams

of becoming a country music singing star.

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I had been performing and singing since

the age of seven, taking voice lessons.

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I was known for my voice.

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I was very popular; played

every sport, cheerleader.

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Everyone wanted to be my friend.

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I always had a boyfriend.

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In the spring of my eighth grade year, in

fact, my voice teacher saw my gifts, my

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talents, and she arranged for me to be in

a recording studio, cutting a demo tape.

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I had professional pictures taken, with

everything moving full speed ahead for

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me to graduate high school and move to

Nashville to pursue my singing career,

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but then, one week into my freshman

year of high school, my life was

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completely turned upside down when I

was severely injured in a car accident.

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My best friend, her mom, was driving

us to the movies when all of a sudden

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we were struck from behind which sent

us into a tailspin and then proceeded

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into a barrel roll multiple times.

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With every roll, my head

was at the point of impact.

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Joshua: Wow.

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Elizabeth: I had to be cut from the

vehicle, resuscitated multiple times

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at the scene, then I was transported by

ambulance to the nearest rural hospital

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that was not equipped to take care of

all of my health needs, so I was then

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life flighted to the nearest trauma

center an hour and a half away by car.

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My parents were given a very

dim prognosis; less than a

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25 percent survival rate.

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My brain was swelling rapidly, and

the doctors didn't give me much hope.

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I was placed in a drug induced coma,

which I would remain for three weeks.

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Once I came out of my coma, I basically

was reduced to that of an infant, and I

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had to relearn to do everything again.

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I couldn't even sit up on the

edge of the bed by myself.

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Joshua: Wow.

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Elizabeth: Therapists would get me

into the recliner at my bedside, and

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I would stay to sit up for 30 minutes

and then sleep the rest of the day.

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It was going to be a long road

of therapy and intensive rehab

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in order to get me back to caring

for myself again independently.

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Joshua: Wow.

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First off, wow.

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I mean, to have that kind of trauma

early on in life, let alone have it

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that you have to relearn everything,

especially at a young age, I can only

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imagine the difficulty that you've had

to go through to get to this point,

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which I have to tell you, it was shocking

to me to even just hear that because

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I've known of people that have been

in traumatic accidents, gotten out of

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their cars, no injury whatsoever, and

for you to go and have this opposite

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sort of situation happen to you.

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I mean, I noticed that you grew up in

Southeast Kansas, and you said something

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along the lines of not really having

that ability to really get a really

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good medical treatment, I guess, as

a result of that, I mean, if things

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were different, even if you had the

best of care, do you think that you

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would have had a different life?

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Would you have been able

to be a country singer?

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I mean, do you feel that that

would have been your calling?

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If not, do you feel like you've fulfilled

with what you're doing now as a result?

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Elizabeth: Oh, definitely.

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As I reflect back on my life, my

experience with singing, actually all

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leads up to me being a speaker on a

stage because I know how to work a room.

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I know how to work an audience

and make them feel like I'm

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singing directly to them.

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I spoke in May of 2023 and a

couple of people from the audience

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said, "Beth, I felt like you

were speaking directly to me.

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There's a room full of us right here,

but you spoke directly to me, so it all

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definitely led up to what my purpose

was as a result of this accident.

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Joshua: Walk us through what it meant

to be rehabilitated, because you started

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to mention some of those things, like

relearning the aspects of probably

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speaking, which I'm sure our audience

has already noticed there's a little

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bit of a difference between some of

our guests that we've had and what

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you go through, and that's to commend

you for the fact that you're able

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to have conversations with people.

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That is incredible in itself.

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I have to commend you for working so hard

and being persistent, but outside of that,

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from what we can hear, what other things

have you had to go through and relearn?

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Elizabeth: I had to relearn everything.

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It was 43 days before I even spoke a

word because of the ventilator that

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was in place for two and a half weeks.

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My vocal cords were very weak, so

when I did speak for the first time,

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my voice was nothing but a whisper,

and it would be months before I would

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be able to talk in full sentences

without my voice cutting out.

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It was a long road, and honestly,

the rehab portion and the relearning

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to walk and care for myself again,

being either able to bathe myself,

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dress myself, that was not the

most difficult part of any of this.

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It wasn't until I was back in school

after three months of hospitals and

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intensive rehab that I discovered

that I was going to be facing the

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biggest challenges of my life.

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I was not the same girl that

I was before the accident.

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I was a new person and I

had to rediscover who I was.

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I wasn't able to sing.

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I could barely speak sentences

without my voice cutting out.

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My parents actually had begun to

wonder if I would ever speak again.

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They were concerned because of the

fact that I was known for my voice.

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Everyone knew me for my voice.

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That's who I was.

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Once I got back into

school, my life was over.

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My friends lives had gone on.

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They were still playing the sports

we loved, still going out on the

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weekends, working their part time jobs.

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I had to do outpatient therapy

after school every day of the week.

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We had to hire tutors to help me

to stay caught up with my classes.

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My mom had to help me

with all of my homework.

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She had to read everything to

me so that I could remember it

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in order to pass my classes.

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I was alone and isolated.

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I dealt with judgment because people

would see something physically wrong

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with me, and if they didn't know

me before the accident, they would

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decide that I wasn't worth their time.

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That hurt.

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Joshua: Man, I feel like I can

resonate with that so much.

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I've always been overweight.

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My listeners have heard this in other

episodes about my struggles with school

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and trying to deal with bullies and trying

to overcome that stigma of what other

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people are saying about me or judging me.

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I can so relate to what that feeling is,

which it took me decades to go through

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that process to just get to where I

could love myself, and I can only imagine

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what that could feel like for you.

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Was there something that really

stood out to you when you were

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going through that, that really

left a lasting impression on you?

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Was there somebody that really did

something really bad that maybe reflected

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on, maybe this is going to be a tougher

road than I thought towards recovery?

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Elizabeth: No one really

did anything to me.

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It was just the judgment in general.

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It took me years to learn that

if people are going to judge me,

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I don't need them in my life.

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It took me years.

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I would come home from school multiple

times a week for four to five years

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and burst out in tears, screaming and

crying and tell my parents I should

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have died; I wish I was dead; I want

to kill myself, because I knew this

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world would be better if I wasn't in it.

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I thought everything would be easier.

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Little did I know, I didn't

see that that broke my parents

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hearts every time they heard it.

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I was just in, in my own little world,

feeling all of the pain, all of the

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heartache, all of the difficulty

that I had to face on a daily basis.

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I'm telling you right now, if

you're listening to this, you're

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listening to this for a reason.

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I want you to know that you are

worth so much more than any of the

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people who may be judging you and

you do not need them in your life.

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You are worthy of being loved and being

in this world and you have a purpose.

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I didn't know what my purpose was

at that time, but the voice in my

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heart that brought me nothing but

comfort and peace was the voice of

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God saying, "I have a plan for you.

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You can't stop.

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You have to keep going."

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I knew that if I had been able to talk

to someone who had been through what I

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had been going through when I was going

through it, It would have made a world of

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difference in my life, but I didn't have

that, so I knew I couldn't quit because

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I needed to be that for someone else.

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Joshua: Speaking of which, I mean, I

know our listeners have already heard

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so much about what you had overcome

at a young age, but if that wasn't

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enough, I understand that you went

through a marriage that was kind of

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messy in itself and also lost your

job and had other sort of setbacks.

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Can you just touch on some of those

things that later on after you recovered

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or had continued to do the recovery

process that really helped to motivate

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you into what you're doing now, because

my goodness, I was literally just

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talking about in episode number 80,

I had Lorayne Michaels on the show.

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We were just discussing that sometimes

just the number of things that we go

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through would have left people for dead,

but yet they continue to keep going

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forward and keep being strong, and I just

sensed that there's just nothing that's

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going to stop you, but yet you had this

happen to you, so can you describe a

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little bit about that for the audience?

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Elizabeth: What got me through was the

voice in my heart every night before I

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went to bed, no matter what had happened

that day, I would pray to God, thanking

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Him for my life and my blessings, and

asking Him to lead me and help me to

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make the right choices so that I could

help those He placed in my path, and

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I prayed for everyone in this world,

because what I was going through,

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I wouldn't have wished on anyone.

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My faith in walking through the

doors that He has opened in my life,

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fully trusting in Him and his plan

for my life, is what got me through.

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I graduated with my class by the

grace of God, went on to college,

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which changed my major four times,

going to school for eight years before

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finally graduating with my associate's

degree in occupational therapy.

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It was when I walked into my

first patient's room, who had

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suffered a stroke, and they told

me that they couldn't do this.

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They couldn't get through the recovery.

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They had lost hope.

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The fact that I could sit across from

them and share with them my story,

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that gave them hope, and they would

hug me on the day I would discharge

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from home and say, "Beth, I couldn't

have gotten through this without you.

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Thank you."

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That kept me going.

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That was the first part of

me discovering my purpose.

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I had the opportunity to move

to Waco, Texas in June of 2015.

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God has guided my path for

the last two plus decades.

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He will use anything to get you where

you need to be, even online dating.

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I was on an online date in July of

2016, where I was invited to a church.

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I didn't know where this

town was; this church was.

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It was in a suburb of Waco.

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I had heard of it, and one of

my co workers lived there, but

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I didn't see God pointing me to

that church, so I never went.

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November of 2016, I ended

up moving to this town.

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Every time I passed the church,

I would think of the invitation,

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see the gentleman's face who had

invited me, but still didn't see

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God pointing me to that church.

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In January of 2017, I was

in a Walmart before 7 a.m.

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in the morning, buying cooking ingredients

to do a cooking task with my patient.

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As I am walking away from the cash

registers, I hear a familiar voice

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talking to cashier behind me.

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I don't know where I know this voice

from, but I turn around, and it was the

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gentleman who had invited me to church.

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Joshua: Wow.

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Elizabeth: I slowed down.

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I waited for him to catch up.

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We recognized each other.

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We did small talk after our vehicles

parked right beside each other.

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Saturday morning, I sent him a

message in the dating app saying,

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"I moved to Spring, Texas.

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What time is church?

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I have yet to find a

church I feel at home at."

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It would be by joining this church

that I would find friends that would

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become family; friends that saw me.

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This was the first time in 17 years since

the car accident that I found a place

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where I really felt like I belonged.

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Two weeks after I joined this church, I

found out they had a Celebrate Recovery.

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I didn't know much of what Celebrate

Recovery was other than drug, alcohol

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abuse, depression, anxiety, and I

knew that me sharing my story from

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the stage would bring hope and

I would be able to help people.

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That's what opened the door for me

sharing my story on a much bigger level.

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Joshua: That's incredible, because for

some people to get even that opportunity,

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which I do public speaking coaching

amongst other things, trying to get

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broken into that market can be very

tough, because not only is it highly

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competitive, but you also have to have a

unique niche sometimes to understand how

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to connect with your audience and also

different people, but to hear this kind

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of fall on your lap, especially with the

way in which God built that for you, is

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nothing short of not only interesting,

but really is an important lesson for all

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of us, I think, as I'm writing this down

and to share even later on, I think that

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it's so important to never lose faith

in even the biggest of situations that

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might seem like chaos, to put it bluntly.

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Beth, I really am curious.

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You could easily say, "Yeah, I am

a victim of this", and not give up

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and keep doing what you're doing

and keep living a normal life.

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Why be a speaker?

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Why inspire others with

what you've been through?

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It's so easy to just dismiss it and just

say, "Yeah, I'm just like other people.

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I just want to fall into place with

where everybody else is at", but

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you kind of resisted against that.

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What was your motivation?

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Elizabeth: I was broken.

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I was broken.

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I was lost.

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I wanted to end it all, but I have a

purpose, and my purpose is to provide

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hope to those who feel broken, feel lost,

feel like there's no way to keep going.

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I'm supposed to inspire them.

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There are strategies that I learned

going through the darkest moments in

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my life, through the car accident.

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These strategies actually

helped me in my marriage.

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I continued to do online dating, and

I would meet my husband in 2019 who

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had insecurities that he hid from

me while we were engaged in dating.

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Insecurities that wouldn't come to

the surface until five to six months,

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eight months into our marriage.

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God was continuing to open the doors for

me to be able to grow as a speaker, and

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mold my message and get it out there to

everyone who needs to hear it, but my

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husband would tell me multiple times a

month for over two years, no one will ever

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pay you to speak; to share your story.

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The only financial security that

you will ever have is through

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your degree, but I knew better.

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God's voice was always so much stronger

in my heart than his voice ever was.

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In March of 2023, I would have the

opportunity to do a two day speaking

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00:22:05,557 --> 00:22:14,742

seminar, where I would learn to outline

my talk, and be able to share it so that

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I could get paid speaking opportunities.

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This two day seminar was going to get me

a professional demo reel for my website

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to share with potential conferences and

organizations that I wanted to speak at.

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It was going to get me professional

pictures for my website.

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I had to get permission.

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I had to speak to my husband on three

different occasions to get him to

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allow me to use my business money in

order to invest in this opportunity.

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He finally agreed.

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After I shared my story, in that five

to six minute clip from that stage,

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everyone in the audience was crying.

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I was getting applause.

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I got a standing ovation.

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One gentleman stood up and said, "You

need to take your story nationwide

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today because you can help so many

people who are lost in this world."

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I felt great.

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I went home after the second day.

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My husband didn't even

remember that I did it.

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At the end of that week, I would hear from

that friend who invited me to church that

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I hadn't seen in over three and a half

years, hadn't been close to in over four.

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He reached out to one of my best friends

in Waco and asked how I was doing.

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He was the first person that God had

brought into my life that I knew without

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00:23:40,192 --> 00:23:45,272

a doubt saw me, the beautiful person

I was on the inside, because he told

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me he saw the beautiful person I was.

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He would continue to tell me

that through 2017 and through

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2018 and not let me forget it.

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He was placed in my life to

help grow my confidence and

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what God was calling me to do.

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On Monday, April 3rd, I would get a call

from the speaking coach who did that

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two day seminar where I was told that I

was chosen to be gifted the scholarship

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for his four month speaking coaching

program to get me to where I learn how

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00:24:18,762 --> 00:24:24,432

to get paid speaking opportunities so

that I could share my story with many

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more people and help so many more people.

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Joshua: I have to stop you for a second

because you've seen my various reactions.

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I'm like all over this camera right

now thinking, "What the heck is

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happening?", because who would ever

say to somebody else, me being a

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public speaking coach, mind you.

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Why would anybody ever say that you

don't have a story and that you have

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to be stuck in your degree that you've

learned and your education that you got?

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First off, you blew my mind.

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It exploded, honestly, and just so that

our audience understands this, this

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happened in the last year, correct?

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Elizabeth: Yes.

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We got married.

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Joshua: Holy moly!

352

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Elizabeth: We got married in 2020.

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00:25:07,408 --> 00:25:15,803

I would be told from 2021 to 2022,

beginning of 2023, that no one

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00:25:15,803 --> 00:25:19,673

would ever pay me to share my story

with the economy the way it was.

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It was the enemy using

my husband to stop me.

356

00:25:23,693 --> 00:25:28,253

My husband came home from

work the evening of April 3rd.

357

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I knew that the conversation about the

scholarship wasn't going to go well.

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I had fear.

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I was sure that he was

going to make me cry.

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I made dinner.

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00:25:39,813 --> 00:25:45,316

After dinner, I shared with him the story,

how I got the call about the scholarship.

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His response to me was, "Until I see in

writing that there are no fees involved

363

00:25:53,806 --> 00:25:55,696

with this, you are not allowed to do it."

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00:25:56,896 --> 00:25:59,766

I immediately broke down, started crying.

365

00:26:00,801 --> 00:26:05,868

He glared at me and in a nasty voice

said, "Why are you crying?", and

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I said, "Because this is who I am.

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This is what God has called me to do, and

now he's opening the doors for me to do

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it, and you're telling me that I can't?"

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I knew in that moment, God has

consistently used one person over

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and over again in my life since 2016,

always get me where I needed to be.

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He needed to consistently use that

one person so that my eyes would be

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opened in this moment and I would

see that I didn't make the best

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choice when I chose to get married.

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Now, I wouldn't be where I am in my

speaking career if I didn't get married

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and hadn't moved to Dallas, but God

brings people into your life for a reason.

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My friend that God has continually

used was how he opened my eyes.

377

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I saw in that moment the manipulation,

the verbal and emotional abuse I had

378

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been enduring for over two years.

379

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I realized my husband never saw who

I was, and the one person that has

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00:27:19,461 --> 00:27:27,831

always seen me, God used that week to

open my eyes and I knew I had to leave.

381

00:27:29,111 --> 00:27:31,551

God moved mountains for me that week.

382

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I was able to, within 24 hours, transfer

from the hospital I was working as

383

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an occupational therapist in Dallas,

to their sister hospital in Waco.

384

00:27:43,481 --> 00:27:46,241

I was able to find an

apartment that I could afford.

385

00:27:46,739 --> 00:27:49,139

I did all of this in secret.

386

00:27:49,599 --> 00:27:51,389

I made my plan to escape.

387

00:27:52,139 --> 00:27:57,359

I had to protect myself because I

had been living in constant chaos and

388

00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:00,539

confusion for all of our marriage.

389

00:28:00,899 --> 00:28:05,959

I lost my peace when I got

married and moved to Dallas.

390

00:28:06,456 --> 00:28:11,206

I had grown further away from God,

because I had to work two to three days

391

00:28:11,236 --> 00:28:16,366

a week so that I could pay my half of

the bills, and the only two days that

392

00:28:16,416 --> 00:28:20,386

I could count on were Saturday and

Sunday, so I hadn't been going to church.

393

00:28:21,376 --> 00:28:25,026

I hadn't been feeling the Holy

Spirit, which I felt every Sunday.

394

00:28:25,666 --> 00:28:29,489

As soon as I got back to

Waco, I found my peace again.

395

00:28:30,489 --> 00:28:36,309

Joshua: I'm sitting here and I'm like,

not only shocked that somebody would ever

396

00:28:36,309 --> 00:28:40,569

say to someone else, first off, that they

don't have a message and I'm not going to

397

00:28:40,569 --> 00:28:46,339

pay you to give it this message because it

costs money, but just the sheer fact that

398

00:28:46,339 --> 00:28:51,789

you're sitting here, with a straight face

with me, like, I'm determined to do this.

399

00:28:52,319 --> 00:28:59,229

I see that fire right now, and I know

that I can hear it from you, as if this

400

00:28:59,229 --> 00:29:04,459

is something that you were meant to do;

whether that is God, whether that is some

401

00:29:04,459 --> 00:29:08,939

higher calling, whether that is something

that has set you up to where you're at.

402

00:29:09,519 --> 00:29:12,849

It's something that, even in the

public speaking business, I like

403

00:29:12,849 --> 00:29:16,889

to call it not only your message or

your story that you're selling about

404

00:29:16,889 --> 00:29:19,709

yourself, but it's really the punch.

405

00:29:20,109 --> 00:29:24,279

It's the punch in which that one

sentence just radically shifts the

406

00:29:24,279 --> 00:29:28,349

whole audience into a completely

different mindset, and that's literally

407

00:29:28,349 --> 00:29:29,699

what happened, I just got punched.

408

00:29:30,129 --> 00:29:32,579

I literally did, and not

even through the camera.

409

00:29:32,676 --> 00:29:36,781

It's one of those things that I sit

here and I think about what I've

410

00:29:36,781 --> 00:29:40,011

been through to get to where I'm at

today, Beth, which we were talking

411

00:29:40,011 --> 00:29:41,491

about a little bit before we started.

412

00:29:42,141 --> 00:29:46,741

It is so interesting that sometimes

these waves of different things that

413

00:29:46,741 --> 00:29:53,251

have happened in our life get to where we

ultimately need to be, and it's just, I'm

414

00:29:53,251 --> 00:29:56,271

amazed that you have still conquered that.

415

00:29:57,451 --> 00:29:59,211

Beth, we're almost at the end of our time.

416

00:29:59,291 --> 00:30:03,761

I can't believe that we are, but this

is so impactful that I think there's

417

00:30:03,761 --> 00:30:11,181

many takeaways for it, but my final

question to you is this: What if there

418

00:30:11,191 --> 00:30:17,911

was this opportunity to be a country

singer, going back to that a little bit.

419

00:30:18,571 --> 00:30:24,256

Hearing everything that you said, if

you were able to sing, do you think

420

00:30:24,256 --> 00:30:28,626

that it would make a big difference

in how you communicate your message?

421

00:30:28,626 --> 00:30:32,346

Because even for my public speaking

audience, I always think that it's

422

00:30:32,346 --> 00:30:36,806

really cool to be able to not only have

this special talent that you share,

423

00:30:37,096 --> 00:30:41,716

but It's always cool to radiate in a

different way that maybe people aren't

424

00:30:41,716 --> 00:30:46,766

expecting, so, if you belt out a singing

tune right now, this will be just the

425

00:30:46,766 --> 00:30:51,836

clincher to this overall interview, I'll

tell you that much, but in all honesty,

426

00:30:51,856 --> 00:30:56,356

and maybe to rephrase the question, if

you were given the choice, even with

427

00:30:56,356 --> 00:31:00,206

everything that you've been through,

would you still be a public speaker,

428

00:31:00,266 --> 00:31:02,026

or would you rather have been a singer?

429

00:31:03,436 --> 00:31:09,376

Elizabeth: I would not change anything

the last 23 plus years of my life.

430

00:31:10,086 --> 00:31:15,696

If I had made it to the country

music stage, my life would not be

431

00:31:15,706 --> 00:31:18,416

near as rewarding as it is today.

432

00:31:19,096 --> 00:31:21,006

I'm still pinching myself.

433

00:31:21,576 --> 00:31:27,856

When I shared my story from the stage

in 2017 and 2018, the people that would

434

00:31:27,906 --> 00:31:33,586

come up to me after they heard me speak

would say how much hope I gave them.

435

00:31:34,061 --> 00:31:39,081

One night, there was a woman who came

up to me and said, "Beth, I wasn't going

436

00:31:39,081 --> 00:31:43,721

to come to church tonight, but something

was telling me I needed to be here.

437

00:31:44,091 --> 00:31:45,941

I know now that that was God.

438

00:31:46,291 --> 00:31:49,641

I needed to hear your story

because it gives me so much hope.

439

00:31:49,981 --> 00:31:50,651

Thank you."

440

00:31:51,671 --> 00:31:57,111

I am doing what I was called to do,

and I wouldn't change any of it.

441

00:31:57,921 --> 00:32:03,686

I have learned to grow, become

stronger, become the resilient woman

442

00:32:03,686 --> 00:32:09,616

that I am today by facing all of my

challenges head on and not giving up.

443

00:32:10,436 --> 00:32:16,296

I encourage all of you who are

listening, I know it seems hopeless.

444

00:32:16,946 --> 00:32:18,156

You feel lost.

445

00:32:18,426 --> 00:32:21,606

You feel like you can't go anymore.

446

00:32:21,626 --> 00:32:23,116

You don't believe in yourself.

447

00:32:24,606 --> 00:32:27,596

I want to tell you, I believe in you.

448

00:32:28,236 --> 00:32:34,946

I know you can do it because whatever

is on your heart, God put there

449

00:32:34,996 --> 00:32:41,416

for a reason, and I promise you, He

has placed everything within you to

450

00:32:41,416 --> 00:32:45,596

make your goals and your dreams a

reality, whatever is on your heart,

451

00:32:46,146 --> 00:32:48,296

you can do it, but you can't give up.

452

00:32:48,756 --> 00:32:50,746

I know you have what it takes.

453

00:32:51,996 --> 00:32:56,766

Joshua: Definitely true words from

a very appropriate podcast called

454

00:32:56,776 --> 00:33:00,396

Speaking From the Heart to be on

to share that important message.

455

00:33:00,786 --> 00:33:05,436

Thank you for that, and either

way, I think, Beth, you are

456

00:33:05,436 --> 00:33:07,476

doing your calling, like I said.

457

00:33:07,846 --> 00:33:11,786

I know that was sort of a foolproof

question that maybe had an obvious

458

00:33:11,786 --> 00:33:16,076

answer, but I think sometimes we

have to pinch ourselves to realize

459

00:33:16,076 --> 00:33:20,156

that we are doing what we are set

out to do, and I'm really inspired

460

00:33:20,166 --> 00:33:22,036

by your story and what you shared.

461

00:33:22,456 --> 00:33:26,511

Thank God that you're here to

be able to tell it because it is

462

00:33:26,581 --> 00:33:28,581

something of great significance.

463

00:33:29,291 --> 00:33:32,091

To wrap us up, I would give

you the last few minutes.

464

00:33:32,251 --> 00:33:35,571

How can people book you as

being an inspirational speaker?

465

00:33:35,781 --> 00:33:37,231

How can they contact you?

466

00:33:37,581 --> 00:33:41,211

I know that you do some coaching that we

didn't even get into, but if they would

467

00:33:41,221 --> 00:33:44,801

be interested in something of that nature,

I would love for you to share it with our

468

00:33:44,801 --> 00:33:47,611

audience, but I'm going to give you the

last few minutes to go ahead and do that.

469

00:33:48,401 --> 00:33:54,001

Elizabeth: The best way to reach out to

me is to go to ElizabethInspires.com.

470

00:33:54,391 --> 00:34:00,001

You can see all of my social media,

Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram.

471

00:34:00,881 --> 00:34:05,851

You can send me a message

through any of those platforms.

472

00:34:06,181 --> 00:34:11,150

You can also download my free

strategy that I am offering

473

00:34:11,731 --> 00:34:13,851

to all of my listeners today.

474

00:34:14,201 --> 00:34:16,341

It is the EI method.

475

00:34:16,911 --> 00:34:21,041

It's one of the strategies that

I had to learn facing the most

476

00:34:21,041 --> 00:34:23,170

difficult challenges of my life.

477

00:34:23,771 --> 00:34:26,971

I wouldn't be here today if I

hadn't learned that strategy.

478

00:34:27,511 --> 00:34:34,446

In fact, I have created a 30 day

course so that I can help teach these

479

00:34:34,496 --> 00:34:41,266

strategies to anyone who is struggling

with anxiety and depression, and if

480

00:34:41,266 --> 00:34:46,126

having any difficulty with overcoming, I

want to help you to find your strength.

481

00:34:46,426 --> 00:34:49,666

I want to help you to become

resilient, just as I have.

482

00:34:50,146 --> 00:34:51,866

These strategies work.

483

00:34:52,186 --> 00:34:53,936

I am living proof of that.

484

00:34:55,565 --> 00:34:59,366

Joshua: You are living proof of

definitely a lot of things, that's

485

00:34:59,366 --> 00:35:03,626

for sure, and I think that it's

really impactful to hear all this.

486

00:35:04,126 --> 00:35:07,576

For those that are listening, Beth

did give a free resource which I'll

487

00:35:07,576 --> 00:35:10,496

put in the episode notes, go check

that out along with her website

488

00:35:10,496 --> 00:35:13,286

and everything she's mentioned,

but Beth, I want to end with this.

489

00:35:14,296 --> 00:35:20,486

It is always amazing to me, that I'm up to

episode 82 when we're doing this, and it's

490

00:35:20,496 --> 00:35:25,036

always been amazing to me just the number

of guests I've had on the show that have

491

00:35:25,046 --> 00:35:29,496

talked about what they have gone through,

whether it's going on a movie production

492

00:35:29,506 --> 00:35:35,166

set to going through drugs, going

through domestic abuse, going through

493

00:35:35,176 --> 00:35:39,386

some of the trials and tribulations of

opening a business, even finding their

494

00:35:39,396 --> 00:35:44,406

voice to be a public speaker, but I

have never encountered somebody quite

495

00:35:44,406 --> 00:35:50,991

like you that has gone through so many

different things: divorce, abuse, neglect,

496

00:35:51,731 --> 00:35:57,441

accidents, being on a recovery mode,

still dealing with some of those things

497

00:35:57,441 --> 00:36:02,151

even to this day, but yet, still have

the power and the will to change other

498

00:36:02,151 --> 00:36:07,051

people's minds, hearts, and souls with

the message that you have, and for all

499

00:36:07,051 --> 00:36:11,051

those reasons, I've really enjoyed what

you've shared with our audience today.

500

00:36:11,271 --> 00:36:13,081

Thank you for being on

Speaking From the Heart.

501

00:36:13,341 --> 00:36:16,721

It was really a privilege and an

honor to hear your story, and I

502

00:36:16,721 --> 00:36:20,171

can only wish the best of success

for you and your speaking career.

503

00:36:21,581 --> 00:36:24,481

Elizabeth: Thank you very

much for inviting me on.

504

00:36:24,501 --> 00:36:29,881

It was such a blessing to be able to share

my story with your audience, and please,

505

00:36:30,021 --> 00:36:35,931

if you are feeling lost and if you can

relate to any portion of my story, don't

506

00:36:35,941 --> 00:36:41,191

hesitate to reach out and don't hesitate

to download my free strategy today.

507

00:36:41,791 --> 00:36:42,301

Thank you.

508

00:36:42,826 --> 00:36:43,486

Joshua: Thanks, Beth.

509

00:36:43,536 --> 00:36:45,696

I really appreciate it so much.

510

00:36:45,816 --> 00:36:47,446

Thank you for what you shared today.

511

00:36:48,447 --> 00:36:52,477

Tragedy can strike at any time, and I

think that no matter what you're going

512

00:36:52,477 --> 00:36:57,287

through, no matter what is broken and

lost, you have to find a way in order

513

00:36:57,287 --> 00:37:01,987

to gain that strength back, in order to

gain that attitude of inspiration and

514

00:37:01,987 --> 00:37:04,117

hope, so you can keep moving forward.

515

00:37:05,007 --> 00:37:08,687

Those are just some of the many lessons

that I think we all heard from Elizabeth

516

00:37:08,687 --> 00:37:12,967

Meig's story today, and I really want to

thank her from the bottom of my heart for

517

00:37:12,977 --> 00:37:17,017

being part of this show, and just showing

the fact that no matter where you are,

518

00:37:17,307 --> 00:37:21,637

in this vast world that we live in, that

there's a lot of different opportunities

519

00:37:21,887 --> 00:37:26,482

to learn about what's involved with just

staying the path and moving forward, no

520

00:37:26,482 --> 00:37:28,502

matter what circumstances take place.

521

00:37:29,492 --> 00:37:33,602

Now, I've had a lot of people on this

show thus far, in which we've talked about

522

00:37:33,612 --> 00:37:37,852

so many different things that have been

challenges and obstacles, but nothing

523

00:37:37,852 --> 00:37:42,852

like a physical impairment, just like

I had growing up as a kid, to shake you

524

00:37:42,852 --> 00:37:47,582

to the core and remind you of how many

times it can be a challenge to understand

525

00:37:47,792 --> 00:37:52,042

and rediscover the ways in which when

things go upside down, you know that

526

00:37:52,102 --> 00:37:55,792

you still have a place on this earth,

in order to find the ways to navigate

527

00:37:55,792 --> 00:37:59,642

through them, which really leads into my

first question that we should all start

528

00:37:59,642 --> 00:38:04,942

thinking about, immediately: is it better

that you are not part of this world?

529

00:38:06,802 --> 00:38:10,022

Is it better that you are

not part of this world?

530

00:38:11,167 --> 00:38:14,177

I think that we all want to

say, "No, we absolutely don't

531

00:38:14,177 --> 00:38:15,587

want to say that to ourselves.

532

00:38:15,877 --> 00:38:17,817

I think that's an absurd question, Josh.

533

00:38:18,057 --> 00:38:22,907

Didn't you talk about this in so many

other episodes?", and yes, I have, but

534

00:38:22,927 --> 00:38:27,257

sometimes we have many people, whether

we want to accept it or not, that have to

535

00:38:27,287 --> 00:38:30,577

ask that question every day, especially

if they're going through some of the

536

00:38:30,577 --> 00:38:35,567

most challenging things, whether they're

physically impaired, socially inept, or

537

00:38:35,567 --> 00:38:40,017

financially behind in their bills and

obligations, then it might be better off

538

00:38:40,297 --> 00:38:45,637

asking that question more than anything

else, but what if you lost everything and

539

00:38:45,637 --> 00:38:47,667

you just need to keep pushing forward?

540

00:38:48,347 --> 00:38:49,077

Could you do it?

541

00:38:50,032 --> 00:38:53,402

I think for many of us, we might not

even be able to take on that question.

542

00:38:53,798 --> 00:38:57,768

It would be a struggle, no matter what

would happen, to try to address what those

543

00:38:57,788 --> 00:39:02,458

things are, and I think that we have to

find the ways through the broken pieces

544

00:39:02,458 --> 00:39:07,268

that might be left, especially from a

car accident in Beth's case, in which

545

00:39:07,268 --> 00:39:12,858

we have to find that purpose, but being

told what you want to do in your life

546

00:39:13,068 --> 00:39:19,158

from somebody else, I think that even

for my guest today would say that that's

547

00:39:19,168 --> 00:39:24,883

not something that is entertainable in

our lives, and I think that sometimes,

548

00:39:25,143 --> 00:39:29,353

trying to address those big challenges

that stay in front of us, no matter

549

00:39:29,353 --> 00:39:33,933

what those causes are, can create

some of the most biggest ramifications

550

00:39:34,233 --> 00:39:35,853

that we often don't want to face.

551

00:39:36,313 --> 00:39:40,213

It's almost as if we're putting it off

because we know that the decision that

552

00:39:40,213 --> 00:39:44,578

we're about to make might change radically

the direction of our lives forever.

553

00:39:46,218 --> 00:39:50,608

I recently had that happen to me, in

which, I think that we all think about

554

00:39:50,608 --> 00:39:54,678

the ways in which we want to be the most

encouraging type of person in the world.

555

00:39:55,308 --> 00:39:58,968

We really want to find the ways in which

we can navigate all these different

556

00:39:58,968 --> 00:40:03,638

challenges and be our best cheerleader,

even if being the best cheerleader

557

00:40:03,638 --> 00:40:08,118

means being able to encapsulate that

feeling of success, means that we

558

00:40:08,118 --> 00:40:11,328

often have to take a big step back

and think about all the blessings

559

00:40:11,328 --> 00:40:14,848

that we have in our lives, in which

sometimes there are too many to count.

560

00:40:15,538 --> 00:40:18,088

There might be even so many

different things that are happening

561

00:40:18,088 --> 00:40:21,528

in our lives, that really, we

don't know what to do with them.

562

00:40:22,368 --> 00:40:26,458

I like to call those things, fame

and fortune, because, if you think

563

00:40:26,468 --> 00:40:29,858

about it, some of the most successful

people, especially in the United

564

00:40:29,858 --> 00:40:33,383

States and even abroad, if you're in

my international audience, you think

565

00:40:33,383 --> 00:40:37,528

about all the celebrities and all the

influencers, that are on social media,

566

00:40:37,858 --> 00:40:39,768

that are able to have that success.

567

00:40:40,778 --> 00:40:44,058

They're able to understand and

capitulate all the different types of

568

00:40:44,148 --> 00:40:48,998

opportunities that they have, but they

have a platform in being able to do that.

569

00:40:49,628 --> 00:40:53,758

While some of the Joe Schmoes,

like yours truly, your podcast

570

00:40:53,758 --> 00:40:58,768

host, might have to resort to

other devices, such as a podcast.

571

00:41:00,028 --> 00:41:03,498

With all joking aside, Isn't it

true that sometimes we're left with

572

00:41:03,508 --> 00:41:07,058

very little choice in terms of the

options that we have available to us?

573

00:41:08,328 --> 00:41:12,178

While some people might think it might

be as easy from going from name brand

574

00:41:12,208 --> 00:41:16,018

to maybe the cheap generic brand at

the grocery store to buy our items,

575

00:41:16,528 --> 00:41:20,808

some people have to make the decision

between what we can actually eat and

576

00:41:20,808 --> 00:41:24,608

maybe what kind of bill that we have

to pay because of the limited resources

577

00:41:24,608 --> 00:41:29,618

that we have and I think that is what

the crux of this whole conversation

578

00:41:29,618 --> 00:41:32,108

today with Beth has really been about.

579

00:41:33,208 --> 00:41:35,268

Who is really opening your eyes?

580

00:41:35,968 --> 00:41:40,628

Who is saying no in your life and

when you don't have the opportunity

581

00:41:40,788 --> 00:41:44,288

to really make that choice, because

some people don't even get to

582

00:41:44,288 --> 00:41:46,448

make that choice for themselves.

583

00:41:46,958 --> 00:41:51,658

There are other people that make that

controlling factor happen in their own

584

00:41:51,658 --> 00:41:56,298

life, and I've had one or two guests,

if you've been a long time listener,

585

00:41:56,988 --> 00:42:01,618

that have had that situation play out in

their own lives, and you've seen where

586

00:42:01,618 --> 00:42:08,498

they have come, from zero to having

it all because they stopped letting

587

00:42:08,508 --> 00:42:12,108

someone tell them what they are not.

588

00:42:13,878 --> 00:42:18,898

Beth went against the grain

of society, and said that, "I

589

00:42:18,898 --> 00:42:20,488

want to make that influence.

590

00:42:20,528 --> 00:42:22,378

I want to inspire others.

591

00:42:22,748 --> 00:42:26,068

I want to bring healthy

alternatives to the table."

592

00:42:26,508 --> 00:42:32,078

That is what you need to be doing to be

able to give yourself that calling of

593

00:42:32,078 --> 00:42:38,118

what you are potentially able to do; to

be able to say to yourself, "I am worthy."

594

00:42:38,558 --> 00:42:42,618

that I am able to make such a big

difference in what other people are

595

00:42:42,618 --> 00:42:49,373

saying about me, and I'm going to dispel

them no matter what, but I know that

596

00:42:49,373 --> 00:42:53,433

nagging question: Do I know my self worth?

597

00:42:54,323 --> 00:42:58,273

Do I think it's better that I'm not part

of this world, might be some of those

598

00:42:58,283 --> 00:43:02,133

questions that you might be asking, and

by all means, if you are having those

599

00:43:02,133 --> 00:43:06,423

sort of thoughts in which you want to

act upon them, I still encourage you to

600

00:43:06,423 --> 00:43:10,763

call 988, especially if you're in the

United States, or seek out your local

601

00:43:10,773 --> 00:43:17,533

health alternative in your country that

you're living in, and determine why you're

602

00:43:17,533 --> 00:43:23,433

thinking the way you are, because I know

that situations like this, the financial

603

00:43:23,433 --> 00:43:28,403

security, the ways in which your income

might not be bringing enough in because of

604

00:43:28,403 --> 00:43:30,403

the vast amount of expenses that you have.

605

00:43:30,953 --> 00:43:35,213

In this world that we live in still

plagued by inflation and all other

606

00:43:35,213 --> 00:43:40,353

troubles that we have in our lives, the

things that we got going on that we might

607

00:43:40,353 --> 00:43:45,003

need that prayer to be sent to us, those

sayings in which we have to be able to

608

00:43:45,003 --> 00:43:50,873

understand what is it that we are able to

do to have that significance in our life.

609

00:43:52,553 --> 00:43:57,233

It does take a lot of contemplation and

a lot of strength to keep moving forward.

610

00:43:58,353 --> 00:44:02,553

I think the question really is, instead

of asking yourself, "why is it that

611

00:44:02,553 --> 00:44:07,263

I should live on this earth?", should

be, "What purpose can I continue to

612

00:44:07,263 --> 00:44:13,798

have on this earth, given the God given

talents that I was provided?", and

613

00:44:13,798 --> 00:44:17,228

I know there's going to be skeptics

out there that say, "Josh, why do

614

00:44:17,228 --> 00:44:18,778

you keep bringing religion into this?

615

00:44:18,778 --> 00:44:23,348

I thought this was a non partisan, non

religious show.", but the truth of the

616

00:44:23,348 --> 00:44:28,588

matter is, we all have some sort of

faith, whether we believe in religion

617

00:44:28,588 --> 00:44:33,498

or not, in the choices that we're going

to make, and in itself, that means we

618

00:44:33,498 --> 00:44:36,338

have some sort of religious ideation.

619

00:44:37,158 --> 00:44:40,618

Whether you believe it or not, it's about

really rediscovering those choices that

620

00:44:40,618 --> 00:44:45,373

we have in our lives that we continuously

make, whether they are from the outside

621

00:44:45,383 --> 00:44:50,163

in or the inside out, we are making that

conscious decision every single day.

622

00:44:50,793 --> 00:44:55,753

We, in other words, are trying to make

the best version of ourselves come

623

00:44:55,753 --> 00:45:02,457

alive from the things that we do, but

Beth challenges the status quo, and

624

00:45:02,457 --> 00:45:05,907

I think today we have to really think

about what if we did lose it all?

625

00:45:07,037 --> 00:45:09,167

Will we have the faith that Beth has?

626

00:45:10,162 --> 00:45:13,332

I think that we all have those

moments in which we fall down,

627

00:45:13,342 --> 00:45:14,562

but we need to get back up.

628

00:45:14,812 --> 00:45:19,232

It's almost like Rocky Balboa, the

famous fictional character played by

629

00:45:19,232 --> 00:45:23,722

Sylvester Stallone in the five Rocky

movies, plus all the extra movies

630

00:45:23,722 --> 00:45:28,997

thereafter, that have talked about the

importance of tenacity, to keep moving

631

00:45:28,997 --> 00:45:33,547

forward, to keep pushing, even when

you've been shoved down to know your

632

00:45:33,547 --> 00:45:39,627

self worth, because sometimes the world

ain't all full of sunshine and rainbows.

633

00:45:40,637 --> 00:45:47,437

We have to keep fighting, especially if

we get knocked down, but being told what

634

00:45:47,437 --> 00:45:52,347

you needed to do and being told what

you need to say means that you are a

635

00:45:52,387 --> 00:45:58,380

subservient to some other voice, to some

other pattern, and I think that you have

636

00:45:58,380 --> 00:46:02,970

to understand that there is much more in

this world than just thinking that you

637

00:46:02,970 --> 00:46:05,520

are just a servant to some other whim.

638

00:46:06,490 --> 00:46:07,770

You do have a voice.

639

00:46:08,690 --> 00:46:13,370

You do have something that says something

even stronger than what you are hearing

640

00:46:13,370 --> 00:46:19,490

right now, and if you are in that negative

headspace, just remember, that isn't

641

00:46:19,500 --> 00:46:21,280

just about what you're feeling today.

642

00:46:22,255 --> 00:46:26,235

It isn't just about the short term,

but it's about what you're creating

643

00:46:26,615 --> 00:46:31,675

as your long term success plan, and I

think that you are able to make that

644

00:46:31,675 --> 00:46:36,775

success plan happen if you're just

willing to stay committed, so don't wait.

645

00:46:37,335 --> 00:46:40,265

Fame and fortune is not

everything that you need in life.

646

00:46:41,415 --> 00:46:45,395

I think that it's a lot more than just

what is in the material sense, the

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00:46:45,395 --> 00:46:47,745

physical interpretations of what we have.

648

00:46:48,915 --> 00:46:53,725

It's about what we're willing to do,

even if we're broken and lost, to find

649

00:46:53,725 --> 00:47:00,110

our purpose because serving our purpose

is what really counts the most, and

650

00:47:00,110 --> 00:47:06,160

I think that you all have purpose,

especially in Beth's case, to keep moving

651

00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:13,150

forward, so dust yourself off, pick

yourself back up, and keep on fighting.

652

00:47:13,970 --> 00:47:21,300

Keep on striving, keep on learning, keep

on growing, and keep on, keeping on.

653

00:47:22,920 --> 00:47:26,220

Thanks for listening to episode

number 82 of Speaking From the

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00:47:26,220 --> 00:47:30,330

Heart, and I look forward to

hearing from your heart very soon.

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00:47:31,126 --> 00:47:31,956

Outro: Thanks for listening.

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00:47:32,166 --> 00:47:36,556

For more information about our podcast

and future shows, search for Speaking From

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00:47:36,556 --> 00:47:41,096

The Heart to subscribe and be notified

wherever you listen to your podcasts.

658

00:47:41,466 --> 00:47:43,886

Visit us at www.

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00:47:43,916 --> 00:47:44,256

yourspeakingvoice.

660

00:47:45,526 --> 00:47:49,226

biz for more information about

potential services that can help you

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00:47:49,226 --> 00:47:51,996

create the best version of yourself.

662

00:47:52,216 --> 00:47:53,106

See you next time.