Strong Leadership Demands that You Never Start with WHY - Start with WHO

From Behind the Iron Curtain to a Career with the United Nations

At 16, after seven years of isolation, pain and physical and emotional abuse Christine Sadry reached a breaking point. She was battered, bruised, and could no longer see a way forward. In that moment of deep despair, she attempted to take her life. As she was slipping into unconsciousness, something deep within her stirred — a spark of life that refused to go out. She called a friend just to thank her for her friendship. Her friend heard something in Christine's voice and sensed something was wrong. That phone call saved her life. And it also became a turning point. That moment of hopelessness became the beginning of her strength. https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/1107725060779967534 Christine Sadry was born in Poland, behind the Iron Curtain, and was adopted in 1964 by a Polish American couple living in the United States. After graduating from West Catholic Girls High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she worked at the United States Social Security Administration from 1973 to 1979. She started her 31-year career with the United Nations in 1979, working on international conferences. Later, she began working with the United Nations peacekeeping missions in Angola, Mozambique, former Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/1107725060779967534 13 Years Lost was selected as a finalist for the Independent Book Publishers Award! The ceremony in St. Paul, Minnesota, was a beautiful celebration of literary voices and creative spirits. https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/1107725060779967534 Grab your copy NOW [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/1107725060779967534] Christine had a deep need to give voice to her story that was buried for so long to help others who have endured pain in silence. She wanted to show that even in the face of abandonment, trauma, and isolation, it is possible to heal, to rise and to live a life with hope and meaning. Standing alone in the baggage claim of JFK International Airport, nine-year-old Christine Sario anxiously awaited the arrival of her new parents. After the untimely death of her beloved mother and the abandonment by her father, Christine was sent by her grandmother to the United States and the hope of a better future. Her resilience led her to New York City, where she started over with her daughter, Dana. There, she will begin a remarkable, exciting career at the United Nations. This is the extraordinary story of a Polish immigrant who overcame unthinkable challenges and embraced the American dream. Follow Christine as she defies the odds, travels the world, is blessed by the Pope, and finds true love. C

How to Cope Through Pain: Shigeko Ito on Complex PTSD and Family Healing

Shigeko Ito is an author, educator, and mental health advocate with a PhD in Education from Stanford University. Drawing on her cross-cultural experience and academic insight, she writes about intergenerational trauma, the lasting effects of childhood emotional neglect, and the healing process. Her memoir, The Pond Beyond the Forest: Reflections on Childhood Trauma and Motherhood, tells the story of a middle-aged Japanese immigrant mother struggling to raise her teenage son and save her marriage while confronting memories of her own childhood trauma as her son enters adolescence. Throughout the journey, Shigeko remains committed to healing herself and improving her relationships with her husband and son. https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7344628069936535005 Her story resonates with many readers, especially those who feel burdened by unresolved trauma. In her interview, Shigeko spoke about the challenges of parenting as a survivor of childhood trauma, healing from complex PTSD, and how writing her memoir deepened her self-understanding, self-compassion, and acceptance. She is passionate about raising awareness of complex PTSD, a still-emerging diagnosis that many people overlook because of its subtle and elusive nature. INTERVIEW READ HER MEMOIR HERE [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7344628069936535005] https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7344628069936535005 For fans of Stephanie Foo's What My Bones Know, a memoir of a middle-aged Japanese immigrant mother's struggle to raise her teenage son and save her marriage when she finds herself triggered by memories of her own childhood trauma as he enters adolescence. At age twenty-two, Shigeko Ito immigrated to America to escape Japan's rigid society and a neglectful childhood home that landed her in a mental hospital at seventeen. She thrived in her new, healthier environment and thought her traumatic past was all behind her. Until it wasn't. Motherhood, she realized, was far more challenging than she could have ever imagined. But it was her son's high school years that proved to be particularly daunting, and that was when her past reemerged—in the form of intense flashbacks to her childhood trauma and tumultuous teenage years. With the stream of daily stresses compounded by menopausal irritability, Shigeko often found herself regressing into a bunker-like mentality with childish coping mechanisms, a pattern that threatened to undo her most prized achievement: her happy family. In The Pond Beyond the Forest, Shigeko faces her past head-on, taking the reader along on her quest to uncover the root causes of her lifelong struggles—a journey that leads to deeper self-awareness, understanding, and acceptance, and ultimately saves her family and marriage.

Strong Leadership Demands that You Never Start with WHY - Start with WHO

David Ask states boldly that everything rises and falls on men leading well. When men fail to lead—or to love well—everyone loses. But when men lead with courage, nobility, and kindness, everyone wins. David Ask is an entrepreneur with products in over 3700 retail stores, including giants like The Home Depot and Lowe's. David collaborates closely with Dr. Andy Garrett as the Lead Coach for the transformative True North Resiliency program. David believes that understanding who you are on a very granular level is the key to understanding why you do what you do. "Never start with WHY; start with WHO." https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/2309850939374607550 Today, David is going to share his story: a 15-year struggle of spinning his wheels and feeling disillusioned about purpose and joy. Many of you will relate to and appreciate his story of success. Tune in to The Ask Experience [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/2309850939374607550] The Ask Experience is a bold, honest, and deeply personal podcast for people who refuse to live small, distracted, or disconnected. Hosted by David Ask - entrepreneur, vocalist, and author of the upcoming book "The Guardians of Grit" - this show goes straight to the heart of what it means to truly know WHO'S you are and who you are and then have the courage to live from that place every single day.

How Do You Recreate Your Life After Setbacks and Become More Successful?

Before the COVID‑19 pandemic, Julie Marty‑Pearson spent nearly 20 years working in higher education. While she built a successful career, the demands of her work began to take a toll on her health. After being diagnosed with kidney disease, she lost her father six months later. In 2019, she stepped away from her role to undergo surgery. When the pandemic began shortly thereafter, higher education institutions shut down—leaving her unexpectedly unemployed. That pause created space for reflection and ultimately led her to pursue a new professional path grounded in purpose, flexibility, and fulfillment. https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878 Julie Marty‑Pearson, PsyD, is a podcaster, speaker, coach, advocate, and storyteller who empowers women to share their stories through podcasting. She hosts two shows: The Story of My Pet, which features inspiring pet stories while advocating for animal rescue, fostering, and adoption; and Podcast Your Story Now, which spotlights women podcasters and guests as they amplify their voices and grow their businesses through podcasting. Julie is also the founder of the Women's Podcaster Party Networking Community, created to support and connect women, podcasters, guests, and speakers. https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878 Julie's story will inspire you to consider your options if you have had a setback. INTERVIEW Own Your Voice. Share Your Story. Amplify Your Confidence. Julie helps women use podcasting and storytelling to build confidence and visibility with clarity and purpose—through supportive programs and community. CONNECT WITH JULIE HERE Julie's Website [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] The Story of My Pet Podcast & Blog Website [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] Podcast Your StoryNow [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] Julie's Social links YouTube [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] Linkedin [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] Facebook [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] Instagram [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878]

How Do You Recreate Your Life After Setbacks and Become More Successful?

Before the COVID‑19 pandemic, Julie Marty‑Pearson spent nearly 20 years working in higher education. While she built a successful career, the demands of her work began to take a toll on her health. After being diagnosed with kidney disease, she lost her father six months later. In 2019, she stepped away from her role to undergo surgery. When the pandemic began shortly thereafter, higher education institutions shut down—leaving her unexpectedly unemployed. That pause created space for reflection and ultimately led her to pursue a new professional path grounded in purpose, flexibility, and fulfillment. https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878 Julie Marty‑Pearson, PsyD, is a podcaster, speaker, coach, advocate, and storyteller who empowers women to share their stories through podcasting. She hosts two shows: The Story of My Pet, which features inspiring pet stories while advocating for animal rescue, fostering, and adoption; and Podcast Your Story Now, which spotlights women podcasters and guests as they amplify their voices and grow their businesses through podcasting. Julie is also the founder of the Women's Podcaster Party Networking Community, created to support and connect women, podcasters, guests, and speakers. https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878 Julie's story will inspire you to consider your options if you have had a setback. INTERVIEW Own Your Voice. Share Your Story. Amplify Your Confidence. Julie helps women use podcasting and storytelling to build confidence and visibility with clarity and purpose—through supportive programs and community. CONNECT WITH JULIE HERE Julie's Website [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] The Story of My Pet Podcast & Blog Website [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] Podcast Your StoryNow [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] Julie's Social links YouTube [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] Linkedin [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] Facebook [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878] Instagram [https://draft.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/5922534140630607175/7621117075381818878]