Growing Up Oldest of 13, Leaving at 17, and Building a Life Nobody Showed You How to Live

What Do You Hold On To After Surviving the Unimaginable?

In this deeply moving conversation, Rachel Blogg sits down with Holocaust survivor Mary Eckstein to explore a life shaped by loss, resilience, courage, and gratitude. Mary shares her firsthand experiences as a child in Nazi-occupied Hungary, surviving fear, hunger, separation from family, and the uncertainty of war while witnessing extraordinary acts of kindness that helped save lives. As the conversation unfolds, Mary reflects on the heartbreak of losing family members in Auschwitz, the challenges of rebuilding a life after the Holocaust, immigrating to America, and later facing the loss of her son and husband. Through it all, she reveals the mindset that has carried her through decades of hardship: focusing on what remains rather than what was taken away. This episode is a powerful reminder that while we cannot change our past, we can choose how we carry it forward. Mary's wisdom on gratitude, resilience, kindness, and the dangers of hate offers lessons that feel especially relevant today. Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/therachelblogg/], Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheRachelBlogg], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheRachelBlogg/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/therachelblogg/], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelwblogg] ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

Growing Up Oldest of 13, Leaving at 17, and Building a Life Nobody Showed You How to Live

Rachel Blogg sits down with Alicia Michelle, founder of The Koi Collective, for a conversation that took a completely unexpected turn. What starts as a business chat quickly becomes one of the most raw and honest conversations about surviving a childhood defined by poverty, abuse, and chaos, leaving home at 17 with nothing, and slowly, painstakingly building something different. Alicia opens up about growing up the oldest of 13 siblings in Section 8 housing, discovering in her mid-twenties that her siblings shared a different father, navigating a physically abusive marriage with no financial safety net, and walking away from it all with zero support and zero dollars. She talks about what it actually takes to rebuild not just a business, but a sense of self, over 13 years of showing up imperfectly and refusing to stay stuck. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like the odds were stacked against them before they even started. Alicia's story is not about one big breakthrough moment. It is about consistency, boundaries, and deciding that your past does not get to write the rest of your story. Connect with Alicia: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-michelle-45a442151/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aliciamichlle/] Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/therachelblogg/], Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheRachelBlogg], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheRachelBlogg/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/therachelblogg/], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelwblogg] ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

From the NFL to Real Estate to a TikTok That Went Viral: A Conversation About Kindness, Purpose, and What We Owe Each Other

Rachel Blogg sits down with Malcolm, founder and CEO of Langdon Park Capital, whose paths crossed in the most unexpected way — through a TikTok video Rachel posted after helping his college-aged son get home safely following a March Madness game. What started as a simple act of concern from one parent to another became a moment that restored faith in humanity for nearly half a million people. In this conversation, they unpack how that moment happened, what it meant to both families, and why kindness like that feels rare when it really shouldn't. Malcolm opens up about his journey from NFL player to Wall Street banker to mission-driven real estate investor, and how each chapter was shaped less by ambition and more by a deep sense of responsibility to the communities he grew up in. He shares how a single question from his wife while he was recovering from knee surgery — "will you figure it out?" — became the quiet turning point that launched everything that followed. The conversation also goes deep on mental health in athletics, the pressure young student athletes face around NIL money, and Rachel's own courageous shift toward performance coaching after nearly three decades as a licensed clinical social worker. Together they explore what it really means to build a life around purpose, not just profit, and why the people who do that well make all of us a little better. Connect with Malcolm: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/malcolm-johnson-5036651/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/langdonparkcapital/] Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/therachelblogg/], Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheRachelBlogg], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheRachelBlogg/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/therachelblogg/], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelwblogg] ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

How Garrison Carter Built Mental Toughness Beyond Basketball

In this episode of Imperfectly Human, Rachel sits down with Garrison Carter for a powerful conversation about identity, discipline, leadership, and resilience. As a senior student-athlete at Illinois Institute of Technology, Garrison shares the realities behind competing at a high level while balancing academics, personal growth, and life beyond basketball. Together, they discuss overcoming injury, losing 40 pounds during COVID, handling pressure as a college athlete, and learning how faith and family helped shape his mindset. Garrison opens up about mental toughness, the fear of failure, and how he learned that success is not just about performance on the court, but about growth, consistency, and staying true to yourself. This episode is an inspiring reminder that we are all more than the titles, achievements, or expectations placed upon us. Meet my Guest Garrison Carter is a senior at Illinois Institute of Technology from Island Lake and a four-year captain of the men’s basketball team. A Dean’s List student and one of the top scorers in program history with more than 1,000 career points, Garrison has earned First Team All-Conference honors along with multiple all-conference selections throughout his college career. Outside of basketball, Garrison serves as President of the Black Student Athlete Association and has previously served as President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. He is also a Resident Advisor and mentor who is passionate about leadership, community, and helping others grow both on and off the court. Through his experiences as an athlete and leader, Garrison continues to inspire others with his humility, discipline, and commitment to personal development. Connect with Garrison: Instagram, [https://www.instagram.com/garrisonc.30/]Linkedin [http://www.linkedin.com/in/garrison-carter-b88812250]  Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-blogg-lcsw-47799434/], Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@RachelBlogg-LCSW], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/RachelBloggLCSW], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rachelblogglcsw/], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelwblogg] ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

From Rock Bottom to 15 Years Sober: What Finally Made It Stick

Rachel Blogg sits down with Meghan Brooks, a recovery advocate and treatment professional with 15 years of sobriety, who shares the honest, unglamorous truth about what it actually took to get sober and stay that way. Meghan opens up about growing up with addiction in her family, bouncing between cities trying to outrun her disease, and the moment she got kicked out of her own IOP group, which turned out to be the day everything changed. This conversation goes deep on the early struggles of sobriety that nobody talks about, including why the first two years felt awful, how Meghan intentionally surrounded herself with women who had decades of time, and why doing the steps more than once can completely shift your perspective. They also touch on the misconceptions around AA, higher power, and what it really means to protect your recovery without guilt. If you or someone you love is waiting for the "right moment" to ask for help, this episode is a reminder that the window of willingness is real and worth walking through. Connect with Meghan on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/Meghan.brooks] Stay connected with Rachel: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-blogg-lcsw-47799434/], Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@RachelBlogg-LCSW], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/RachelBloggLCSW], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/rachelblogglcsw/], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelwblogg]   ℹ️ The podcast content is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.