MindShift Power Podcast

You Knew (Episode 130)

Your life can pivot on a decision you make in ten seconds and you usually feel the warning before you can explain it. I’m Fatima Bey, and I’m speaking straight to everyone under 21 with a rare solo message that’s raw, direct, and meant to keep you alive, free, and moving forward. I talk about the moment you ignore your inner voice because you don’t want to feel left out, you want to be wanted, or you’re chasing a quick high that won’t matter next week. We get specific about teen decision making: casual sex that can lead to pregnancy or STDs, dropping out for fast money that can trap you in long-term poverty, and keeping gossipers or constant drama close enough to sabotage your progress. I also go hard on dating and toxic relationships, because too many people see the red flags and paint them pink just to avoid being alone. Then we flip the lens to intuition versus logic. Logic can be useful, but it often waits for proof; intuition can spot danger and patterns early. If you can argue with that voice in your head, you’re already hearing it, which means you can choose to listen. I also share why I believe your generation has the power to solve problems older generations created, starting with the small daily choices that steer your whole life. If this hits home, subscribe, share it with someone under 21, and leave a review so more young people hear it. What’s the one decision you’re going to make today from what you already know? Send us an anonymous text message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2217223/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-support] Every episode brings global perspectives and leadership insights. Click on the "Support the show" link above and keep the mission alive! Search MindShift Power Podcast buy topic here: https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-search [https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-search] Explore more about my work beyond podcasting, check out the blog, share your thoughts, or become a guest! https://www.FatimaBey.com [https://www.FatimaBey.com] I also have another podcast called The MindShifter Audio Blog! Experience my written words like never before, as I personally narrate my blogs for a truly engaging audio journey. https://www.fatimabey.com/audioblog [https://www.fatimabey.com/audioblog] Join the MindShift Universe [https://www.fatimabey.com/communities#bn-forum-1-1-1186447641/0]—where real conversations spark transformation!  Follow me on social media: https://www.fatimabey.com/#1035650492 [https://www.fatimabey.com/#1035650492] Thank you for listening!

They Moved On - You Didn't (Episode 129)

Grief doesn’t fade on a schedule, and it often hits hardest after everyone else has “gone back to normal.” I’m joined by Kelly Edmondson, a nurse, mother, and the founder and CEO of Timely Presence, to talk about the stretch of time most people overlook: the weeks and months after the funeral, when the texts slow down, sleep gets harder, and a teen can feel forgotten. We get specific about teen grief and loss, including why the death of a close friend can be uniquely isolating, how adults sometimes leave teens out of ceremonies even when the bond is real, and what it looks like when a young person is silently carrying extreme sadness. Kelly shares a healthier way to think about mourning: we don’t move on from a loss, we move forward. That simple shift makes room for a truth teens struggle with: you can miss someone deeply and still find moments of joy, pride, and laughter. We also dig into practical grief support for parents, caregivers, and chosen family: ask better questions, build new rituals for birthdays and holidays, and stop trying to advise someone out of pain. Listening and fixing are not the same thing. Kelly explains why teens often have less realistic access to grief counseling than adults, even when schools offer resources, and what it means for adults to stand in that gap with steady presence. If you want a clearer map for supporting a grieving teen and a deeper understanding of bereavement, trauma triggers, and healing over time, hit play. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more families can find these tools. 🔗 Connect with Kelly Edmonson: http://www.thetimelypresence.com/ [http://www.thetimelypresence.com/] Send us an anonymous text message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2217223/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-support] Every episode brings global perspectives and leadership insights. Click on the "Support the show" link above and keep the mission alive! Search MindShift Power Podcast buy topic here: https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-search [https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-search] Explore more about my work beyond podcasting, check out the blog, share your thoughts, or become a guest! https://www.FatimaBey.com [https://www.FatimaBey.com] I also have another podcast called The MindShifter Audio Blog! Experience my written words like never before, as I personally narrate my blogs for a truly engaging audio journey. https://www.fatimabey.com/audioblog [https://www.fatimabey.com/audioblog] Join the MindShift Universe [https://www.fatimabey.com/communities#bn-forum-1-1-1186447641/0]—where real conversations spark transformation!  Follow me on social media: https://www.fatimabey.com/#1035650492 [https://www.fatimabey.com/#1035650492] Thank you for listening!

From Foster Care to Fierce: Adrienne Caldwell’s Fight to Be Unbroken (Episode 128)

She didn’t just write a memoir about surviving foster care, abuse, addiction, and homelessness. She posted the records. Adrienne Caldwell joins us to talk about Unbroken, Life Outside the Lines and the decision to put her Children’s Protective Services case files, psychological evaluations, and counselor reports online as proof, context, and a public reclaiming of truth. We get into the uncomfortable gap between paperwork and personhood. What happens when official files describe a teenager as manipulative, conniving, or cold, and that teen is actually improvising ways to survive? Adrienne speaks with rare honesty about the coping mechanisms she used, why she used them, and how she learned healthier communication and emotional skills later. If you care about trauma informed parenting, teen mental health, child welfare, or understanding “problem behavior,” this conversation puts real life texture on those words. We also focus on hope that is practical, not fluffy. Adrienne shares what she would tell a teen who feels judged or invisible, why your current environment is not permanent, and how opportunities like scholarships, exchange programs, trade school, the military, or college can become real exit routes. We close with a challenge to look at the people around us through a lens of understanding instead of judgment, because there is almost always a root reason behind behavior. Subscribe to Mind Shift Power Podcast, share this with someone who works with teens, and leave a review so more listeners can find these stories and this kind of healing. 🔗 Connect with Adriene Caldwell: https://www.unbrokencaldwell.com/ [https://www.unbrokencaldwell.com/] Send us an anonymous text message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2217223/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-support] Every episode brings global perspectives and leadership insights. Click on the "Support the show" link above and keep the mission alive! Search MindShift Power Podcast buy topic here: https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-search [https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-search] Explore more about my work beyond podcasting, check out the blog, share your thoughts, or become a guest! https://www.FatimaBey.com [https://www.FatimaBey.com] I also have another podcast called The MindShifter Audio Blog! Experience my written words like never before, as I personally narrate my blogs for a truly engaging audio journey. https://www.fatimabey.com/audioblog [https://www.fatimabey.com/audioblog] Join the MindShift Universe [https://www.fatimabey.com/communities#bn-forum-1-1-1186447641/0]—where real conversations spark transformation!  Follow me on social media: https://www.fatimabey.com/#1035650492 [https://www.fatimabey.com/#1035650492] Thank you for listening!

Who Told You To Shut Up? (Episode 127)

Someone taught a lot of us to get quiet. Not always with words, but with a look, a dismissal, a “you don’t know enough yet.” That lesson follows kids into adulthood, where low confidence turns into smaller choices and muted leadership. I sit down with Jackie Bailey, an international conversation coach and the executive director of the Speak Feed Lead nonprofit, to name the moment silence gets learned and map out how young people can unlearn it. We talk youth leadership development in a way that’s practical and personal: how trust changes a child’s identity, why responsibility builds resilience, and why “letting kids fail” is often the most loving path to real maturity. Jackie also shares what she heard from young people during the pandemic, when school, sports, and routines disappeared and many felt they had to stay silent to protect stressed parents. If you care about youth mental health, parenting with intention, or building communication skills that last, this conversation connects the dots. Then we go deep on what happens when a young person steps onto a TEDx stage and what changes after they walk off. Jackie has coached youth speakers through that process, and she explains why the real win isn’t performance, it’s knowing “I can do hard things” with receipts. We also break down how Speak Feed Lead turns life experiences into stories, talks, podcasts, workshops, a Costa Rica family retreat built around real connection, and a Tanzania humanitarian mission that brings voices from remote villages to the world. If you believe a voice can change a life, support this work and help it spread. Listen, share with someone raising a teen, and subscribe so you don’t miss what comes next. After you listen, will you leave a review and tell me the first time you felt truly heard? 🔗 Connect with Jackie Bailey: https://jackiebailey360.com/ [https://jackiebailey360.com/] https://speakfeedlead.org/ [https://speakfeedlead.org/] Send us an anonymous text message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2217223/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-support] Every episode brings global perspectives and leadership insights. Click on the "Support the show" link above and keep the mission alive! Search MindShift Power Podcast buy topic here: https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-search [https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-search] Explore more about my work beyond podcasting, check out the blog, share your thoughts, or become a guest! https://www.FatimaBey.com [https://www.FatimaBey.com] I also have another podcast called The MindShifter Audio Blog! Experience my written words like never before, as I personally narrate my blogs for a truly engaging audio journey. https://www.fatimabey.com/audioblog [https://www.fatimabey.com/audioblog] Join the MindShift Universe [https://www.fatimabey.com/communities#bn-forum-1-1-1186447641/0]—where real conversations spark transformation!  Follow me on social media: https://www.fatimabey.com/#1035650492 [https://www.fatimabey.com/#1035650492] Thank you for listening!

No Title Required (Episode 126)

Think you need a title to lead? Think bigger. Leadership starts in small, daily choices—how you show up when no one is watching, how you treat people, and how boldly you stretch toward your potential. With leadership coach Leslie Nelson of Pivotal Connections, we dig into why growth isn’t optional, how to spot leaders in the making, and what to do once responsibility lands on your desk. We unpack the “law of the rubber band” and why healthy tension between where you are and where you could be fuels development. Leslie shares clear signals of emerging leadership—initiative, discernment, problem solving, generosity, teachability—and brings them to life with relatable examples from schools, first jobs, and teams. We talk character as alignment between values and actions, and how adversity forces a choice between character and compromise. From social courage to everyday integrity, credibility is built through consistent behavior. You’ll also hear practical guidance on choosing your circle wisely, steering clear of gossip and shortcuts, and finding mentors who live the standards you want. When a title arrives, the real work begins: learn your people beyond the “tip of the iceberg,” place strengths where they can thrive, communicate context, and apply the golden rule. Leslie closes with six concise commitments for young leaders—believe in yourself, write your vision, stand up for right causes, hold your values, keep stretching, and embrace generational diversity by learning across ages. If you’re ready to grow your influence, serve with integrity, and lead well—title or not—this conversation will meet you where you are and push you forward. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a nudge, and leave a review with the one leadership habit you’ll practice this week. 🔗 Connect with Leslie Nelson: http://www.pivotalconnect.org/ [http://www.pivotalconnect.org/] Send us an anonymous text message [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2217223/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-support] Every episode brings global perspectives and leadership insights. Click on the "Support the show" link above and keep the mission alive! Search MindShift Power Podcast buy topic here: https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-search [https://www.fatimabey.com/podcast-search] Explore more about my work beyond podcasting, check out the blog, share your thoughts, or become a guest! https://www.FatimaBey.com [https://www.FatimaBey.com] I also have another podcast called The MindShifter Audio Blog! Experience my written words like never before, as I personally narrate my blogs for a truly engaging audio journey. https://www.fatimabey.com/audioblog [https://www.fatimabey.com/audioblog] Join the MindShift Universe [https://www.fatimabey.com/communities#bn-forum-1-1-1186447641/0]—where real conversations spark transformation!  Follow me on social media: https://www.fatimabey.com/#1035650492 [https://www.fatimabey.com/#1035650492] Thank you for listening!