When Sh#t Strikes Twice | Monika Demel and Matthew Sommerfeldt

Sue Eyres | Life and Death Sh#t

In this episode of 'Through the Shit', host Jen McDowell speaks with Susan Eyres about her harrowing journey through a life-threatening health crisis. Susan shares her experience of battling a mysterious illness that left her unable to breathe, the emotional toll it took on her and her family, and the eventual diagnosis of a rare liver condition that required a transplant. Susan's story begins at the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic when she woke up on her couch, disoriented and unable to recognize her surroundings. After being rushed to the emergency room and treated for the flu, she is discharged from the hospital, only to have her health continue to deteoriate over the course of several months, leaving her in a state of fear and confusion. She faced the harsh reality of being isolated from loved ones and missing significant family events, while doctors all across the country were unable to find a cause for her illness. For months, Susan navigated the labyrinth of medical opinions and tests, seeking explanations for her declining health, yet answers eluded her. Finally a breakthrough: doctors diagnosed her with a rare liver condition that hindered oxygenation to her lungs and required a transplant. This revelation brought both relief and uncertainty about her future because diagnosis was merely the first step. Susan then faced the daunting task of getting on the transplant list and preparing for surgery, which involved numerous medical procedures while managing the emotional toll of waiting for a donor. With a story that highlights resilience, connection, and the beauty of human spirit, Susan takes us through her challenging experiences and the lessons learned along the way. Throughout her journey, Susan emphasizes the importance of community support, resilience, and finding joy in small moments, even in the face of adversity. She offers valuable insights and advice for others going through similar struggles, highlighting the power of connection and the necessity of asking for help.

Lessons Learned So Far...

In this episode of "Through the Sh#t," host Jen McDowell reflects on the stories shared by recent guests and distills their experiences into ten key lessons that can help others navigate their own difficult times. Topics include: * The inescapable truth that everyone will go through sh#t. * The cumulative effect of multiple sh#tty circumstances. * The paradox of both loneliness and connection that can occur when going through the sh#t. * The importance of finding support and comforting resources. * The benefits of getting clarity after going through the sh#t. * Ways to feel more empowered. * The blessing of impermanence. To conclude the episode, Jen reflects on her own growth and offers a teaser for upcoming episodes.

Sh#t in Three Acts | Kimberly Zimmerman-Rand

In the latest episode of "Through the Shit," host Jen McDowell welcomes Kimberly Zimmerman-Rand, financial counselor, consultant and coach, who shares her experience of professional growth after experiencing the same setback on three separate occasions. From rejection letters to unexpected firings, Kimberly's story is a testament to resilience and the strength of the human spirit. Kimberly relays her story of being forced to make a hard career pivot in her early 20’s, only to face the all-too-common experience of working for a micromanager who undermines her abilities. Her enthusiasm for her role was met with hostility that escalated to intimidation and eventually culminated in a shocking confrontation where he chased her across a parking lot and fired her on the spot. While the experience was disorienting, Kimberly quickly moved on to other roles only to have the same experience occur again and again over the course of decade. Through these experiences, Kimberly learned the importance of resilience in overcoming workplace challenges. She urges listeners to recognize their own strength and to understand that overcoming adversity is part of the professional journey. Her experiences serve as a reminder that setbacks can often lead to new opportunities and personal growth, emphasizing that we can indeed rise from the ashes of our trials. Discussion highlights include: - Making sense of the misalignment between your self-image and how others see you (and having the self-compassion not to let others shape your perspective) - Looking beyond our jobs as a source of identity - The consequences of ignoring your intuition - The importance of building both subject matter expertise and relational skills like self-regulation, seeing the big picture and getting yourself out of bad situations. - The importance of managing your own career trajectory and maintaining strong professional networks - How to navigate age/gender dynamics and have candid workplace conversations about expectations - How to identify red flags during the interview process - Finding clients who are values aligned and setting boundaries along the way Website: https://www.dragonflyfinancialsolutions.com/ [https://www.dragonflyfinancialsolutions.com/] LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyzrand/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyzrand/]

When Sh#t Strikes Twice | Monika Demel and Matthew Sommerfeldt

In this episode of Through the Sh#t, host Jen McDowell sits down with award-winning photographer Monika Demel and her husband, Matthew Sommerfeldt, as they reflect on Monika's two-time experience with breast cancer. Monika relays the ups and downs of her experience: receiving her first diagnosis right before Christmas, the difficult decisions regarding her treatment plan, and the parts of cancer recovery that no one talks about. Just as Monika thinks she's in the clear, she learns she needs to have additional surgery to remove the marker placed during her biopsy, followed by the discovery of new, fast-growing tumors and an extensive second surgery and grueling radiation protocol. Monika and Matthew reflect on the ways that people react to and process difficult news, comparing Monika's preference to work through her diagnosis privately with Matthew's preference to be surrounded by supportive people during his own cancer journey several decades prior. Given their differences in preference, they share tips for how they navigated the experience together, ensuring that they both had outlets to process what was happening. Monika also reflects on the impact of her diagnosis on her life and work, and the creation of the Brave Pink Warrior project to empower other women facing similar challenges. https://www.demelportraits.com/ [https://www.demelportraits.com/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikademel/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/monikademel/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-sommerfeldt-858ab315/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-sommerfeldt-858ab315/]

Ioana Bazavan | When Your "Best" is a Moving Target

In this episode of Through the Sh#t, host Jen McDowell sits down with Ioana Bazavan, a seasoned cybersecurity professional and coach as she reflects on her journey of "chosen sh#t" leading teams through major security breach recovery efforts. Between the grueling hours, strained relationships and the high-stress environments, Ioana emphasizes the importance of staying grounded and nurturing resilience when navigating turbulent waters. Ioana shares her experience leading back-to-back breach recovery efforts for Fortune 500 companies, noting that these situations demanded both technical expertise and emotional fortitude. Arriving at a client site to find executives in panic mode, she quickly learns that trust and communication are paramount. As a consultant, she must navigate the delicate balance of offering guidance while being perceived as an outsider, highlighting the necessity of emotional intelligence in leadership, especially during crises. Ioana reflects on the importance of corporate culture and basic kindness as people are navigating the worst days of their professional lives. She also talks about the importance of expectation setting--at home and at work--and learning how to indirectly influence others by maintaining a calm, consistent presence. Jen and Ioana discuss parallels between the challenges that occur at work and those that occur in our personal lives, noting that bad things can happen even when preventive measures have been taken. They also discuss the importance of recognizing that "doing one's best" is a moving target and that self-recrimination is a waste of energy. Ultimately, Ioana's journey through challenging cybersecurity breach recovery projects is a testament to the power of resilience. In sharing her experiences, she demonstrates the breadth and profundity of learning opportunities that can result from choosing to do hard things. Key takeaways include the importance of building relationships, maintaining consistency, having patience and restraint, and recognizing that resilience is forged through adversity. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ioanavb [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ioanavb]  www.oceanswellopps.com [http://www.oceanswellopps.com]