Living Strong: The Flip Side of Adversity

Dionna (Coach Dee) Harris will share her personal wellness journey and how she managed to fight her way back from the unhealthiest point in her life. We will discuss her transition from corporate America to owning her own business. We’ll have an honest conversation about the struggles that come along with being a black woman in business and how she teach others to fight through the challenges of life to tap into their strength from within. She would love to discuss some of the most common myths about fitness and nutrition - and why motivation isn't something we should even be concerned with.

We are creating this quarterly episode to educate, encourage, and empower listeners with practical tools from the desk of Dr. V in order to live fearlessly. We invite you to be a part of this series of episodes. This quarter, Dr. V focuses on real conversation about resilience and strength. Dr. V welcomes questions from our listeners pursuing resilience goals and healing from our pitfalls. The reality of uncertainty can zap our hope, deplete our souls, and deflate our bounce. Let's talk about strength... not striving. And how the skills of resilience can offer strategy for work life harmony, soul care, productivity, and adaptability. Send us your questions on maintaining your bounce and redefining strength.

Join Jackie Bledsoe, bestselling author and marriage expert, as he transparently shares his marriage story and insights on how couples can thrive through adversity. In this special segment of Living Strong, Jackie explores the flip side of challenges in marriage, revealing the hidden opportunities for growth, connection, and lasting love. Discover practical tips, real-life experiences, and the power of a Christ-centered foundation in building and sustaining happily married couples. Get ready to transform your relationship and conquer life's storms together.

The world is full to the brim with passionate people! What would happen if those same passionate people transformed their passions into action? Our schools would be better! Our communities would be safer! Our relationships would be healthier! How do we get there? Dr. Stephanie Brown has three passions that electrify her life… faith, education, and writing. During the Pandemic Lockdown of 2020, God transformed her passions into action to address the lack of representation of characters of color in children’s literature and in curriculum. In fact, a survey of 3,716 books surveyed in 2019 indicated that only 11.9% had main characters that were African American. Animal character ranked at over 20% (Herndon, 2020). So, to transform her impact on education, her community, and the minds of children, she wrote and published a children’s book in 2021 called, “She Looks Like Me!”, where the main character is a spunky and curious little African American girl named Elena. The purpose of the book is to teach children about hidden figures in Black History and provide parents and educators with recommendations on how to promote diversity in children’s book at home and in the classroom. The impact of, “She Looks Like Me!” has been tremendous! The book has been read aloud in classrooms all over Philadelphia, bought by educators nationwide and the support keeps growing! Dr. Brown has also created an educational resource hub called I AM Educational Series that provides free lesson plans for teachers and parents in Black History and in Women’s History. And… On MLK Day 2022, a second book, “She Looks Like Me!: The Activity Book”, will be released to give kids an opportunity to reinforce their knowledge of hidden figures in Black History through building fine motor skills, word searches, matching, coloring and more! The Activity Book also comes with a lesson plan.

We are celebrating our 50th Episode with Grammy Award Winning Producer and Flipside of Adversity Engineer, Keith Pelzer. Sometimes new tasks can become the most important part of our lives. But we have to take the risk first, in order to achieve new things. In March of 2020, Living Strong Consulting had to create a huge pivot in order to survive and; often, choosing the person to bring your vulnerable ideas to can catapult or crush your confidence to succeed. We have had success beyond anything I could have imagined over the last two years, and people often ask … How do you keep growing against rollercoaster odds? Well… “The reward is in the risk. No one ever ascended a mountain without risk.” There have been three key components to our climb during the pandemic: Faith, Friendship, and Flipside stories. And the first step was connecting with a like-minded partner in crime willing to climb, dream, and create right along side of my adventure. Pastor, Producer, and Creative Keith Pelzer has been that person. It all started with a “YES” and possibility grew from there. What are you hesitating to say yes to because you can not be certain of the outcome? How are you allowing growth to remain on pause because you are afraid of risk? Are you playing safe and sabotaging your plan? Log into my conversation with the thought partner behind our radical shift, innovative changes, and traction for growth. We will share strategies, mindset, and technical tips to continuing to innovate in a season of change. We are not looking to bounce back to anything. Our bounce is forward with a momentum of an up and down climb with risks and learned lessons at each twist and turn. But we are not turning back. Join us on 4/28 @5pm EST for a lot of laughs and practical tips for your Flip!

Have you ever felt like you were digging yourself into a hole you may never get out of, or you’ve been pushed into a hole that may feel like your dead end. In this week’s Flip Side story, my Guest Co-host and Author, Latoya Thompson, will lead us into a conversation about transitioning after the disruption of divorce to find a door of deliberate growth. And with any growth story, we will encounter dirt, but LaToya will define the two perspectives we can have about dirt in our experiences and we’ll have real talk about how our choices either keep us constantly digging or constructively planting.

“It's possible for anyone to overcome their challenges and it's never too late to live purposefully. My family and I survived civil war; that's shaped the way that I do life professionally and personally. Whether you started out with a great start, or you come from humble beginnings, everyone has a story to tell. Once I discovered what God was calling me to do in my community, it's shaped the businesses I've launched, the relationships I invest in, and how I position myself to know what He wants me to do next.” Originally from Freetown, Sierra Leone, Andrena Sawyer and her family moved to the United States when she was nine years old due to a civil war that left thousands dead and untold numbers maimed and displaced. She now credits her family's move during the war for her interest in human triumph and perseverance. She has since actively worked to mobilize and empower others. She is the President of P.E.R.K. Consulting, an advisory firm for small to mid-sized nonprofits and businesses, and the Founder of the Minority Christian Women Entrepreneurs Network. Her passion for community, storytelling, and empowerment show up in The Minority Christian Women Entrepreneurs Network (MCWEN). MCWEN is a thriving community for Christian women of color who have an interest in entrepreneurship and business ownership. Using the Proverbs 31 woman as a model, MCWEN seeks to support women to become impactful and positively influential in their homes, community, and at work. For us, it's not just business as usual. Networking is an action work. Let’s get to work, TOGETHER!

Success is not a destination. It is a life-long strategy of empowerment that builds on strengths, minimizes weaknesses, and focuses on the people and points of life that are most important. To reach our potential, we must be intentional about personal, spiritual, and mental growth. Join me in a conversation with Yvonne Richardson, entrepreneur, master stylist, mentor, content creator, and…. My “accountability partner” for growth! It’s time for R.E.A.L. Talk (Relationships, Elevation, Attitude, and Leadership) that’s not just around “goal setting” but getting a growth mindset in 2023.

Stay tuned for our next episode of Living Strong: The Flip Side of Adversity when we talk with Dr. Irving Fryar about his Flip Side story of “From NFL to Prison Cell and Back’. Fryar retired from the NFL in 2001 after completing 17 NFL seasons. During that time, he caught 851 passes for 12,785 yards and 84 touchdowns, and 15,594 all-purpose yards. Fryar's 255 played games are the most ever for a New Jersey-born player. From the #1 draft pick in the NFL to the prison cell. We are having a “Then and Now” conversation with Pastor, Counselor, Community Leader, and Speaker- Dr. Irving Fryar. Dr. Fryar’s flip-side story has included seasons of victory, pain, regret, and recovery on and off the field. Join us on Sept. 2nd at 5:00 pm EST for his life lessons and hear his life mission to be a great witness of the Gospel by letting his life be a living example of Jesus Christ.

This conversation with Dr. Claudia Curry will focus on issues of isolation, self doubt, rejection, and low expectations that impact women and will empower women to persist. Don’t tell me what I can’t do!” is intended to be a resource and support for women to take matters into their own hands and create a Flip in their story.

For years I found myself on under a great deal of anxiety and stress which manifested in health issues such as fatigue, insomnia, weight gain and chronic asthma. The culprit? People pleasing! From the time I was a young girl, I sought the approval of everyone around me and worked tirelessly to keep the peace. This long-engrained behavior finally came to a head as I was turning fifty and looked at my life: married to a man with bipolar disorder; overwhelm as a caregiver and “married” single parent; struggling to leave the church of my childhood and fully embrace my God-given purpose. Through a decade-long study of the Word of God, I learned my true identity: one that is centered in pleasing God; not people. I learned how to trust myself, which resulted in an uncanny ability to trust others. I found the voice I had polished professionally and learned to speak out personally, where it mattered most: in parenting and in my personal relationships. The guilt that was engrained in me from childhood on lost its grip and I am able to live free! There is always a tipping point. For me it came as I battled the questions that arise when a loved one attempts suicide; then there was a divorce and finally a re-building of my life. Ironically, the re-buildig came quickly once I had stopped people pleasing, found my voice and began walking in a Christ-centered confidence. My story is no different than thousands of other women who remain in the grip of people pleasing. There is a way out and I can’t wait to talk about it!!

Fear was something that took over my life for many years. I was afraid of everything. Afraid of failure, afraid of what people thought of me, afraid of success, afraid of being seen, afraid of messing things up, and afraid of being what God has called me to be, just to name a few. It dictated everything in my life. When I looked up and saw that I was moving but standing still, I knew it was time to overcome it. Fear had crept up on me without my permission. Today I stand ready and willing to face the fear that has tried to control my life. I once heard someone say, the only way to overcome fear is to do whatever it is that you are afraid of. I’m so excited to share that in this season of my life, I am doing everything that fear told me I couldn’t do.

Why is wellness important and what does that practically look like for the working professional? What is the difference between mental and emotional wellness? Important questions for those in the workforce striving to Be Well. Join me for a conversation with Sierra H. Hillsman as we explore “How Working Professionals Can Learn to Increase Their Impact & Income”. Learn the importance of making wellness a priority in the workplace and how this can become mutually beneficial to both the organization and your talent.

Discover the shocking truth behind why couples split up and how you can avoid becoming another statistic. Communication problems are wreaking havoc on relationships worldwide, impacting everything from trust and intimacy to finances and family planning. Are you ready to tackle the biggest threat to your relationship head-on? Uncover the hidden dangers of a lack of communication and how it breeds trust issues, frustration, and a constant feeling of being misunderstood and unsafe. Don't let resentment and passive-aggressive behaviors take over your love life. Instead, learn the powerful techniques to have those difficult conversations and find solutions to move forward. Imagine a relationship where fights are replaced with understanding and empathy. Learn how to express yourself effectively, breaking the cycle of screaming matches and ignored pleas. Discover the transformative power of emotional intelligence, enabling you to connect with your partner on a deeper level and finally have your needs met. Conflict is unavoidable, but it doesn't have to tear your relationship apart. Unveil the secrets of your arguing style and gain invaluable tips for becoming a better communicator. Say goodbye to the destructive patterns that hold you back and say hello to a future filled with love, harmony, and genuine connection. Are you ready to tackle the biggest threat to your relationship head-on? Click now to embark on a journey of self-discovery and unlock the key to a fulfilling, thriving partnership.

??Is it possible to turn around the difficult things we face in life? Rapper and speaker Legin thinks so. In fact, that’s what his name means, Nigel (first name) spelled backwards is “Legin” and means Christ turned his life around. He’s overcome abandonment by his father due to drugs and alcohol, and all of the thoughts of “not being good enough” that come with it. In spite of that he’s become a successful husband and father while being a full time Christian rap artist and speaker for 10 years. He has released several projects, promoted tours, has traveled across the US, UK and Africa to perform and speak, and has founded organizations fighting sex trafficking and injustice. Legin takes the message of turnaround with him wherever he goes, whether schools, prisons, churches or conferences, because he believes “every life and every story matters,” and no matter where you are, God can turn things around.

“Believing that life interruptions—divine interruptions—are a privilege not only causes us to handle them differently but to await them eagerly. Will you surrender your plans and purposes into the greater known of God's unknown designs for your life?” - Priscilla Shirer What happens when life doesn’t look the way we planned? How do we navigate the detour? Where do we experience pitfalls that make us stall? How do we grieve the loss of the plan we planned for? Let’s Rewrite our perspective and regain from the loss …. No… It wasn’t suppose to be “this”. But even “this” can lead to possibility, opportunity, and a new life on the Flip Side of Adversity. Join CEO, leader, trainer, author, and speaker Uneeka Jay as she shares her own story of grief in the middle of an interruption and lean into her gift to ignite transformation with powerful, practical and refreshingly relevant tools to move forward.

WE HAVE TRIBAL WARS IN OUR STREETS, causing trauma. We have child soldiers. We have traumatized families that our passing generational trauma down to the next generation, who need generational racial trauma healing. We don’t have enough psychologists, counselors, and social workers for everyone hurting in America. We have church communities that can lead healing groups. We need lay people who can lead trauma healing groups. We can create safe places for people to encounter the healer – Jesus.

Kristina Valdez as CEO of Along The Way creates all the elements of the family life center that was placed on her heart almost 2 decades ago—filling gaps that impede families from thriving (free child care in our clients’ homes when schools/daycares are closed, parenting support, trauma education, job placement, car clinic, family events). For families who may not be experiencing physical poverty but who nonetheless experience poverty of heart in some way, yearning for meaning, Along The Way offers a way to concretely love their neighbor. The agency provides community and a chance to directly change the trajectory of the lives of single mothers and their families who are experiencing situational or generational poverty and marginalization. From the most economically disadvantaged to the most advantaged, Along The Way is “a village” and there is a place for families to get the support they need and to support their neighbors. Let’s talk about how healing in community creates a pathway to success.

There are times when we Hold Things In, and they become so heavy that they oppress our soul. There are seasons we Hold On To Things, and they become so weighty we are too exhausted to move forward. There are patterns in our behaviors we Hold on Repeat, and the outdated triggers paralyze our progress. When you allow yourself to outgrow what you once wanted, you will find yourself in love with what you never even expected! There comes a time when we Release It! These four women have learned and lived the power of releasing the hold of things that no longer serve their purpose or prevent their growth. Listen to this Coffee Conversation on the Flip Side of Adversity for practical healing tips, tools, and testimony for emotional, physical, mental, and career gains.

Dr. Prianca Naik is a board certified internal medicine physician and ICF certified life coach. Dr. Prianca clawed her way out of an emotional pit and learned not only how to get out of burnout and chronic stress and anxiety, but have peace of mind and joy...NO MATTER WHAT her circumstance. She realized she could control her life and guiltlessly prioritize her well-being enabled her to emerge where she could finally breathe again. Dr. Prianca has been featured in the Bump magazine , on the Rachel Ray Show, and many other media outlets. Her medical background, research of happiness, and expertise as a life coach, she has coached countless high achieving moms to end burnout and lead balanced and fulfilled lives. When she struggled with chronic stress and burnout, she wished that someone could have shown her this streamlined process to save her sacrifice and time. Dr. Prianca learned to love her life and find unconditional peace and purpose. You, too, can do the same.