The Life Shift | Conversations About Life Before and After

Learning to Trust Yourself Again | Bonus

This episode is part of The Things We Carry, a solo series shaped by the themes that keep showing up after more than two hundred conversations on The Life Shift. Today I am talking about self trust and what it means to rebuild it after years of doubt, shame, or fear. Trusting yourself is not a single moment. It grows slowly through messy progress, small choices, and the courage to keep showing up even when you feel uncertain.In this reflection, I talk about the back-and-forth nature of healing, the quiet bravery it takes to listen to your own voice, and the way small wins can slowly rewrite the stories you once believed about yourself. Self trust is not perfect confidence. It is the willingness to face your own feelings, try something new, set a boundary, or simply stay with yourself when things feel hard.If you are in a season where trusting yourself feels out of reach, I hope this episode gives you some gentleness. You do not have to be fully healed to begin. You do not have to silence every doubt. You can start small. You can take one step. You can remember that the younger version of you deserved care, and the current version of you does too. You have always been enough.

She Found Her Voice After Years of Silence

Some moments reshape us before we even have words for them.In this episode of The Life Shift, we explore a pivotal life shift and the before and after moments that shaped Erin Snow’s journey toward reclaiming her voice, worth, and sense of self.Erin Snow carried one of those moments for most of her life. What began as a buried truth became a quiet weight she learned to navigate on her own. And somewhere along the way, that silence started to turn into something else. A nudge. A voice. A call to reclaim the parts of herself that had been taken.Her story is not only about what happened. It is about the slow return to her own strength, the tenderness of being heard at the right time, and the courage it takes to tell a truth that once felt impossible to say. Erin reminds us that healing is not tidy. It grows in seasons. It begins in small ways. And often it starts with listening.What You’ll Hear:The childhood moment that marked a clear before and afterHow silence shaped Erin’s sense of worthThe long path toward reclaiming her voiceWhy advocacy became a way to healHow listening became her life’s purposeThe freedom of saying something you once held aloneGuest Bio:Erin Snow is a transformative listening strategist who turns the art of hearing into a powerful tool for personal and professional empowerment. As the founder of Seacoast Listening Lounge, she has pioneered a revolutionary approach that creates a sanctuary where women can not just survive, but truly reclaim their narrative and inner strength.With sixteen years of frontline experience as a legal advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, Erin has witnessed firsthand the life changing power of authentic, compassionate listening. She made history as the first paralegal in New Hampshire to represent clients directly in family court, breaking barriers and reshaping traditional legal norms.Her work bridges trauma-informed advocacy with deep emotional intelligence, offering individuals, leaders, and organizations a pathway to genuine, transformative connection. Erin can be reached at seacoastlisteninglounge.com.Listen and follow: www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/followSupport the show for ad-free and early-release episodes: www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcastSubscribe to the newsletter: https://thelifeshiftpodcast.beehiiv.com/

You Don’t Have to Be Healed to Begin | Bonus

This episode is part of The Things We Carry, a solo series shaped by the themes that keep showing up in the conversations on The Life Shift. Today I am talking about the belief that you have to be fully healed before you can change your life. I do not think that is true. Healing is not a finish line. It is not a requirement you have to meet before you are allowed to grow or move forward.In this reflection, I talk about why healing and change often happen together, and why waiting to feel whole can keep you stuck for years. Change is messy. Healing is slow. Sometimes you start showing up for yourself long before you feel ready. Sometimes the shift begins in the middle of the grief or confusion or fear. You do not need to be perfect or certain to take a step toward the life you want.If you are sitting in a season where you feel broken, overwhelmed, or unsure, I hope this episode helps you breathe a little easier. You do not have to fix everything first. You do not have to have it all sorted out. You can start right where you are, even in the mess, even in the doubt. That small beginning counts.

A 3% Chance of Survival Changed Him. His Purpose Followed.

What if the hardest thing you’ve ever faced became the reason you kept going?In this episode of The Life Shift, we explore a pivotal life shift and the before and after moments that shaped John Ulsh’s journey through trauma, recovery, and rebuilding a life with purpose.After surviving a horrific car accident that left him with a three percent chance of survival, John Ulsh spent years relearning how to live, move, and believe in the life ahead of him. Across 45 surgeries and 17 years of recovery, he found that healing wasn’t about getting “back” to normal. It was about building something new — one intentional day at a time.In this conversation, we talk about:How John reframed pain into purpose and found strength in progress, not perfectionThe role of patience, humility, and self-compassion in long-term recoveryWhy falling in love with the process can matter more than the goal itselfJohn’s story reminds us that survival can be just the starting line — and that even the hardest chapters can fuel something good.John Ulsh knows what it means to rebuild. In 2007, he, his wife, and their two young children were in a catastrophic head-on collision. While his family suffered serious injuries, John took the brunt of the impact and was given less than a three percent chance of survival. After enduring over 45 surgeries and years of relentless recovery, he discovered that true resilience isn’t about avoiding hardship — it’s about learning to rise from it. Now, as the author of The Upside of Down, a speaker, and a coach, John helps others overcome adversity and turn setbacks into success. Learn more at www.johnulsh.com.Listen to this episode and more at www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com.Get ad-free and early access on Patreon: www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast.Subscribe to The Life Shift newsletter for behind-the-scenes reflections: thelifeshiftpodcast.beehiiv.com.Follow along on social: @thelifeshiftpodcast

The Moments That Change Everything | Bonus

This episode is part of The Things We Carry, a solo series shaped by the themes that stay with me after the conversations on The Life Shift. Today I am talking about those quiet or sudden moments when everything in your life shifts. The ground moves. The story you thought you were living no longer fits. And you find yourself standing in a new version of your life without knowing how you got there. In this reflection, I talk about the before and after moments we do not always see coming. The times when you feel stuck in fear, or pulled toward something new, or caught between the life you built and the life you want. Change rarely happens in one dramatic sweep. It shows up in small choices, in discomfort you can no longer ignore, in the quiet recognition that something has to give. If you have felt that internal shake or noticed a line in the sand you cannot uncross, I hope this episode meets you gently. You do not have to understand the whole shift. You only have to name the moment and keep moving with curiosity. These turning points shape who we are becoming, one small step at a time.