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Send us Fan Mail Outgrowing Who You Had to Be: Burnout, Identity & Self-Forgiveness | Featuring Amickoleh Imani What happens when the person you had to become to survive is no longer the person you want to be? In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Amickoleh Imani, founder of On The Cusp Wellness, for an honest and thought-provoking conversation about identity reinvention, emotional healing, burnout, spirituality, and breaking generational cycles. Together, we explore how childhood conditioning, family expectations, religious beliefs, and the pressure to constantly achieve can quietly shape our self-worth and disconnect us from our authentic selves. Amickoleh opens up about her personal experiences with high-functioning depression, burnout, and rediscovering her purpose. She shares why outgrowing an identity can feel like grief, how to distinguish fear from intuition, and why self-forgiveness is essential to personal transformation. In this episode, we explore: - Recognizing when you've outgrown an old identity- The hidden emotional, physical, and financial costs of burnout- Why productivity does not determine your worth- Breaking inherited beliefs and generational patterns- Learning to trust yourself and embrace authenticity- Understanding the difference between fear and intuition- Releasing guilt, practicing self-forgiveness, and rediscovering purpose Whether you're navigating a life transition, rebuilding your confidence, questioning old beliefs, or simply exhausted from being everything to everyone, this conversation is an invitation to reconnect with yourself. You are allowed to grow beyond who you had to be to survive. --- Meet Our Guest: Amickoleh Imani Amickoleh Imani (ah-meek-olay | ee-maw-nee) is an energetic medicine practitioner, teacher, guide, creative artist, and the Founder and Lead Educator of On The Cusp Wellness, a school for the energetic arts. Through her work, she supports creatives, founders, and visionaries as they navigate identity reinvention, emotional recalibration, intuitive development, and personal transformation. Her approach combines energetic medicine, creative wellness, intuitive strategy, and emotional intelligence to help individuals reconnect with their purpose, restore self-trust, and embrace authentic self-expression. Beyond her wellness practice, Amickoleh is a community designer, photographer, writer, singer, and podcast host. She hosts On the Cusp of Something Beautiful, a podcast exploring the intersections of spirituality, creativity, entrepreneurship, healing, and embodiment. Connect with Amickoleh: Instagram: www.instagram.com/onthecuspwellness Podcast: On the Cusp of Something Beautiful Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Founder + Lead Educator: On The Cusp Wellness Additional creative talents Community Designer | Photographer Ways to Work With Amickoleh For those who want to go deeper, Amickoleh offers a transformational pathway through On The Cusp Wellness: Slow is Smooth A self-paced offering that supports clarity, nervous system softening, and reconnecting to what your soul is asking for. The Medicine Circle A live group experience for identity shedding, emotional alchemy, and extracting wisdom from lived experience. The Authentic Soul Self Accelerator A private 1:1 container for creatives, founders, and visionaries ready to embody their soul’s work through deeper healing, intuitive strategy, and aligned action. Learn more: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/onthecuspwellness  Podcast: On the Cusp of Something Beautiful available on major platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify --- Connect With Your Host Christina Russell-Strong Founder of RusMix | Transformational Coach | Author | Speaker Host of Breaking Curses with Excellence Remember, healing is a journey, not a destination. You deserve the opportunity to grow, release what no longer serves you, and create a life that reflects who you truly are. Keep breaking those cycles with excellence! If this conversation resonated with you, please follow, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs the reminder that their past does not have to define their future. Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christina Russell-Strong speaks with Amy Tostenson, founder of Rise of the Phoenix Coach LLC, about childhood trauma, addiction, C-PTSD, generational abuse, recovery, and healing. Amy shares how unresolved trauma contributed to addiction and destructive patterns throughout her life and why deeper emotional healing became an important part of her recovery journey. The conversation explores breaking generational cycles, nervous-system healing, self-love, inner peace, finding your voice after trauma, and learning to acknowledge what happened without allowing the past to continue controlling your future. This honest conversation offers encouragement for survivors, cycle breakers, people navigating addiction recovery, and anyone working to rebuild their sense of self after painful experiences. Topics include: childhood trauma, C-PTSD, addiction recovery, generational trauma, breaking abuse and addiction cycles, inner healing, self-worth, emotional healing, nervous-system healing, sobriety, self-love, recovery, and giving voice to your story. Work with Amy!  https://riseofthephoenixcoach.com/ Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail How do you rebuild your life after grief, overcome burnout, and develop emotional resilience without losing yourself? In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christina Russell-Strong welcomes Niky Hamilton, Australian women's resilience and leadership coach, speaker, and author of Selfish Leadership: How to Lead Without Losing Yourself. After the devastating loss of her son, Baxter, Niky faced overwhelming grief, self-blame, and a profound loss of identity. Her journey toward healing transformed her understanding of resilience, self-worth, and personal growth. Years later, a serious health scare forced another life-changing realization: being strong for everyone else should never come at the expense of your own well-being. Together, Christina and Niky explore grief and emotional healing, overcoming burnout, setting healthy boundaries, breaking cycles of people-pleasing, and developing the confidence to choose yourself. In this episode, you'll discover: - Why true resilience isn't about bouncing back after loss - How to navigate grief and rebuild your sense of identity - The connection between burnout, people-pleasing, and self-worth - How women can practice self-leadership without sacrificing their well-being - Practical strategies for managing overwhelming emotions and unexpected setbacks - Why boundaries, self-compassion, and accepting support are essential for personal growth Whether you're navigating grief, experiencing burnout, facing a major life transition, or struggling to balance leadership and personal well-being, this conversation offers encouragement, perspective, Connect with Niky Hamilton: Website: https://nikyhamilton.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niky.hamilton/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikyhamilton FaceBook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/lead.her.rising Instagram https://www.instagram.com/niky.hamilton/ LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/in/niky-hamilton/ TedEX Talk https://youtu.be/rUOKeUXwDlg?si=hGCSaSETCtFwGkQO Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail Are you the person everyone depends on, yet secretly feel exhausted from carrying it all? What happens when being the strong one starts costing you your peace, energy, and sense of self? In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christina Russell-Strong welcomes Kamia Hayes, Capacity Liberation Specialist, author, and MSW Candidate, for an honest conversation about overfunctioning, burnout, boundaries, and learning to reclaim your capacity. Kamia is the founder of Capacity Liberation Group™ and author of It's Trash Day, a book encouraging women to release the responsibilities and expectations they were never meant to carry. As a wife, mother of six, full-time claims professional, and graduate student in social work, Kamia understands firsthand the challenges of balancing responsibility, purpose, and personal well-being. In this conversation, we explore: - The hidden cost of always being the strong one. - Why being capable doesn't mean you have to carry everything. - Breaking cycles of overfunctioning and burnout. - Creating healthy boundaries without guilt. - Releasing responsibilities that no longer serve you. - Learning to steward your energy, time, and capacity. "Capacity isn't something you expand. It's something you steward." — Kamia Hayes Sometimes breaking cycles means recognizing that you don't have to sacrifice yourself to show up for everyone else. Connect with Kamia Hayes: Capacity Liberation Group™ https://www.capacityliberated.com Discover her book: It's Trash Day 🎙️ Breaking Curses with Excellence — Breaking Cycles. Building Self-Worth. Leading with Purpose. Your turn: What's one responsibility you're ready to release so you can reclaim your peace? If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs the reminder that their worth isn't measured by how much they carry. Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail Change can feel uncomfortable even when it’s a change we wanted. The fear, second-guessing, resistance, and uncertainty don’t necessarily mean we made the wrong decision—they can simply be part of being human. In this episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Janine Lequay, Change Strategist, Author, and Speaker, for a powerful conversation about learning to navigate life’s transitions with greater intention instead of simply reacting to whatever happens next. Janine shares how her background in psychology, human resources, and organizational change management led her to develop a framework for helping individuals approach personal change differently. We talk about career transitions, layoffs, grief, relationships, identity, family changes, and why understanding how you naturally respond to change can make a major difference in how you move forward. We also discuss: • Why resistance to change is normal • The difference between reacting to life and moving intentionally • Why your career or title should not become your entire identity • Understanding your personal “shift pattern” during change • How different personalities approach decisions and transitions • Why awareness can improve relationships and team dynamics • The importance of community when life becomes difficult • Giving yourself grace while still taking ownership of your next step One of the biggest reminders from this conversation: you may not always control what changes, but you can become more intentional about how you navigate what comes next. ✨ Take Janine’s Change Archetype Assessment: MyChangeArchetype.com ✨ Learn more about Janine’s work: DoItChangeMethod.com The DO IT Change Method™ click on the link to GET The Book If this conversation helps you, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with someone navigating a season of change Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Breaking Curses With Excellence, Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Leah Marie Mazur, Certified Divorce Recovery Coach, speaker, and founder of Mindfully Ready, for an honest conversation about healing after divorce, rebuilding self-trust, regaining confidence, creating healthy boundaries, and becoming the woman you truly want to be. As a three-time divorced mom, Leah brings both professional experience and lived experience to the conversation. She helps women move beyond simply surviving divorce and begin rebuilding their emotional stability, identity, confidence, and relationship with themselves. We talk about what happens when divorce leaves you questioning who you are, why women sometimes abandon themselves in relationships, and what it takes to begin trusting yourself again after a major life transition. In this episode, we discuss divorce recovery, self-trust after divorce, rebuilding confidence, emotional regulation, boundaries, identity after divorce, personal transformation, starting over, and learning how to choose yourself again. Whether you're newly divorced, years into your healing journey, navigating separation, or simply rebuilding after a difficult season of life, this conversation is a reminder that your next chapter can be intentionally created. 🎙️ Guest: Leah Marie Mazur Certified Divorce Recovery Coach | Speaker | Founder of Mindfully Ready 🌐 Website: https://www.mindfullyready.com/⁠ 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindfullyready⁠ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfullyready/ ⁠ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindfullyready/⁠ ▶️ YouTube: http://youtube.com/@mindfullyready 🎁 Free Resource: Divorce Recovery Starter Kit 🎙️ Hosted by Christina Russell-Strong Breaking Curses With Excellence Real conversations about breaking cycles, rebuilding self-worth, healing, growth, and choosing what comes next. 🌐 TheRusMix.com If this conversation speaks to you, like, comment, subscribe, and share it with someone who may need to hear it. What is one part of yourself you are learning to trust again? Tell us in the comments. We appreciate your donations! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2454261/supporters/new Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail What if the life everyone thinks is beautiful actually feels like a cage? In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Crystal Peña—entrepreneur, domestic violence survivor and advocate, child-protection advocate, mother of four, first-generation American, business consultant, behavioral-health business owner, model, and Ms. Sublette County 2026. Crystal opens up about a life that looked successful and secure from the outside while, behind closed doors, she was beginning to recognize patterns of coercive control and abuse. And that is where one of the most powerful ideas from this conversation comes from: Sometimes the cage doesn’t look like a cage. It can be the beautiful home. The marriage. The lifestyle. The business. The life everyone else assumes you should be grateful to have. Crystal shares how her understanding of abuse changed when she realized that domestic violence does not always begin with physical violence. Emotional abuse, manipulation, financial control, coercive behavior, isolation, intimidation, and the gradual loss of personal freedom can be much harder to recognize—especially when the person experiencing it has normalized the behavior. Christina and Crystal also have a deeply personal conversation about what happens after someone leaves. Leaving can be an incredibly important step toward safety, but it does not automatically mean every problem disappears. Crystal discusses rebuilding her life, navigating continued conflict, protecting her children, rediscovering her identity, and finding the strength to keep moving forward. The conversation also explores breaking generational cycles. Crystal explains why one of the first steps toward changing a harmful pattern is simply being able to name it. When we recognize coercive control, manipulation, unhealthy relationship patterns, trauma responses, or behaviors that have been passed from one generation to another, we finally have an opportunity to change them. Faith is also woven throughout this conversation. Crystal shares a perspective on the story of Lot’s wife that changed the way she thought about moving forward: sometimes continuing to look backward is really about struggling to let go of the life, identity, comfort, or expectations we once had. Christina and Crystal discuss what it means to trust that there can still be something meaningful ahead of you—even when what you are leaving behind once meant everything to you. And parents, this conversation is especially important. One of Crystal’s strongest messages is that we have to do more than simply ask our children: “How was your day?” Ask deeper questions. What happened today? Who were you with? What did you talk about? How did that make you feel? Did anything make you uncomfortable? What kinds of behaviors are you seeing from other children or adults? We cannot control every environment our children enter, but we can create a home where they know they can talk about what they experience. Those conversations can help children develop emotional awareness, empathy, boundaries, discernment, and resilience—and they may also give parents an opportunity to recognize something important before it becomes a much larger problem. Christina and Crystal also discuss how to support someone who may be experiencing abuse without embarrassing, shaming, or pushing them away. Sometimes the person you love will not recognize what is happening immediately. Staying compassionate, maintaining connection, asking thoughtful questions, and remaining a safe person for them to call can matter more than we realize. They also dive into accountability, boundaries, healing, restoration, and second chances—including Crystal’s advocacy surrounding DUI and child-protection laws in Wyoming and her belief that changing laws and expectations can eventually help change culture. Crystal is also working on telling more of her own story through writing, including her upcoming book, which explores her experiences with domestic violence, survival, rebuilding, and what can happen after someone makes  Listen. Heal. Break the Cycle. CONNECT WITH CRYSTAL PEÑA 🧠 Precise Mind — Marriage + Individual Counseling https://precisemind.com ⚖️ Protect Wyo Kids — Learn More About Crystal’s Child Protection Advocacy https://protectwyokids.com 💼 Business Consultation / APRE Grow  https://apregrow.com/contact 📸 Crystal’s Instagram 📘 Crystal’s Facebook CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence  📘 Facebook   RusMix Coaching 💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you’ve spent so much of your life taking care of everyone else, staying quiet, people-pleasing, and making yourself smaller that you no longer recognize the woman underneath it all? In this powerful and deeply relatable episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell Strong sits down with Kim Brunson, life coach and founder of Breath of Sunshine, for an honest conversation about what it means to go from feeling invisible to finally allowing yourself to be seen. Kim shares how growing up alongside a sister with significant medical needs shaped her tendency to stay quiet, minimize her own needs, and become the person who could handle everything. Years later, those survival patterns followed her into adulthood—until she began asking a life-changing question: Who am I underneath all of these roles? Together, Christina and Kim talk about people-pleasing, self-worth, emotional triggers, boundaries, the inner child, nervous-system awareness, grief, forgiveness, burnout, and the ways our bodies can signal that something needs our attention. They also explore what it looks like to reconnect with the playful, spontaneous, adventurous version of yourself that responsibilities, survival mode, and adulthood may have buried. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Why people-pleasing can begin as protection but eventually keep us small What feeling “invisible” can look like in adulthood Learning to pause instead of reacting when something triggers you Reconnecting with your inner child and the parts of yourself you left behind Why rest and numbing are not always the same thing Simple ways to move yourself out of emotional shutdown Creating healthier boundaries without over-explaining your “no” Why professional support can sometimes offer something loved ones cannot Listening to your body before it reaches the point of complete exhaustion Giving yourself permission to start again—right now One of the most powerful reminders from Kim: Every minute is a fresh start. You do not have to wait until tomorrow, next year, after the promotion, after the kids grow up, or until life becomes easier to begin choosing yourself. If you’ve ever felt unseen, unheard, overwhelmed, disconnected from yourself, or exhausted from being everything for everyone, this conversation is for you. You are seen. You are valuable. And you deserve to take up space. Connect with Kim Brunson / Breath of Sunshine: Website: breathofsunshinellc.com http://breathofsunshinellc.com 🎙️ Breaking Curses with Excellence Hosted by Christina Russell Strong Therusmix.com  Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail What happens when one small step becomes a movement reaching people across the United States and beyond? In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Traci Kasper, founder of One Small Step Walks, to talk about the personal journey behind the growing walking community she created—and the obstacles she had to overcome along the way. This conversation goes far beyond walking. Traci shares how her experiences helped shape a mission centered around movement, connection, wellness, belonging, and community. What started with a step has grown into something much bigger, bringing people together in cities across the country and even internationally. We talk about what it takes to turn an idea into a movement, keep going when the vision becomes bigger than you imagined, and build something that gives other people a place to connect. In this episode, we explore: Traci Kasper’s story and what led her to create One Small Step Walks The challenges and personal experiences she had to overcome How walking can support mental, emotional, and physical wellness Why community and human connection matter Growing a grassroots movement beyond one city Turning personal experiences into purpose Building momentum even when motivation changes Creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and included Entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, and personal growth What it really takes to turn one small step into a global movement Whether you're building a business, rebuilding your life, searching for community, working on your wellness, or simply wondering whether your small idea could become something bigger, this conversation is a reminder: You don't have to see the entire path before taking the first step. 🎙️ Breaking Curses with Excellence is about real people, real conversations, breaking cycles, overcoming what tried to stop us, and creating a brighter tomorrow. If this episode speaks to you, subscribe, follow, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review. Your support helps more people discover these conversations. 👟 CONNECT WITH TRACI KASPER + ONE SMALL STEP WALKS Founder: Traci Kasper Organization: One Small Step  https://www.instagram.com/onesmallstepwalk LinkTree https://linktr.ee/onesmallstepwalks 🎙️ CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG Host of Breaking Curses with Excellence Speaker • Coach • Author • Entrepreneur 🌐 The RusMix: https://therusmix.com⁠ Follow, subscribe, and join me for more conversations about breaking cycles, building self-worth, healing, mindset, entrepreneurship, resilience, and leading with purpose. Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell-Strong sits down with transformational speaker, emotional coach, healer, and cancer survivor Halisi Ali aka Wizdom for an honest conversation about emotional healing, generational trauma, vulnerability, parenting, cancer, and breaking cycles. Halisi shares her personal journey and introduces her Emotional Alchemy Framework, a seven-stage process for transforming pain into awareness, healing, empowerment, and legacy. Together, they explore the pressure to always be strong, especially for Black women, the importance of emotional regulation and honest communication, and how healing can change what we pass down to the next generation. This episode is for anyone working through trauma, rebuilding self-worth, breaking unhealthy family patterns, or learning how to turn pain into purpose. Learn more about Halisi Ali aka Wizdom: https://halisialiel.com/⁠ Learn more about Christina Russell-Strong and RusMix: https://therusmix.com/⁠ Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you achieve the career, the title, the paycheck, and the success you thought would make you happy—but still feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or unfulfilled inside? In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Angela Jamieson, former petroleum engineer, CEO, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and creator of the Relaxed Productivity Framework, for an honest conversation about burnout, high achievement, self-worth, perfectionism, overthinking, grief, work-life balance, and redefining success. Angela shares how losing her father forced her to reevaluate the life she was building and recognize how deeply her identity had become connected to achievement and external validation. Her journey led her from the corporate world to helping high-achieving professionals become successful without sacrificing their mental and emotional well-being. One of Angela's most powerful reminders is simple: “Be where your feet are.” If your mind is constantly racing—thinking about work while you're with your family, worrying about tomorrow while trying to enjoy today, replaying conversations, comparing yourself to others, or wondering whether you're doing enough—this episode is for you. Christina and Angela explore how to: • Stop tying your self-worth to productivity and achievement • Recognize the connection between perfectionism, burnout, and emotional exhaustion • Manage racing thoughts and overthinking • Become more present instead of constantly living in the past or future • Create a “to-be list” alongside your to-do list • Use emotions as information instead of suppressing them • Break generational cycles of overworking, people-pleasing, and self-sacrifice • Reframe rejection, criticism, and negative self-talk • Navigate grief and loss while rediscovering purpose • Develop healthier ambition and a more sustainable definition of success • Create better work-life balance, self-compassion, emotional wellness, and personal growth Angela also introduces the idea of Relaxed Productivity—a practical approach that combines logic, mindset, emotional awareness, and intentional living to help busy professionals accomplish what matters without allowing productivity to consume their lives. Whether you're a high achiever experiencing burnout, a busy professional struggling with work-life balance, a perfectionist who never feels good enough, someone rebuilding self-worth, or simply a person whose brain never seems to turn off, this conversation offers practical tools you can begin using immediately. Success isn't only about what you accomplish. It's also about whether you're present enough to experience the life you're working so hard to create. Be where your feet are. 🎙️ Guest: Angela Jamieson Former Petroleum Engineer | Best-Selling Author | Keynote Speaker | Creator of the Relaxed Productivity Framework Learn more about Angela and her work at AngelaJamieson.com. 📖 Angela is also the author of Using Number Two to Get to Number One: The Shockingly Insightful Self-Help Book. 🎧 Breaking Curses with Excellence with Christina Russell-Strong explores healing, mindset, self-worth, relationships, personal growth, breaking generational cycles, and the real stories that help us become healthier, happier, and more whole. -----‐-------------------------------------------- Work with or Learn more about Angela Jamieson www.angelajamieson.com Best Selling Book: Available on Audible, Kindle, Hardcover Using No. 2 to Get to No. 1The Shockingly Insightful, Full-of-Crap Self-Help Book Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platforms. 🌐 TheRusMix.com If this episode speaks to you, follow the podcast, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a rating or review. Your support helps these conversations reach more people who are ready to break cycles, rebuild their self-worth, and create a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside. Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail What if the biggest thing standing between you and financial freedom isn’t your income—but the story you’ve learned to believe about money, success, and your own worth? In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell sits down with Dr. Billina Shaw, a triple board-certified psychiatrist, public health physician and financial wellness strategist, for a conversation that goes far beyond budgeting and debt. After unexpectedly losing a federal government position she deeply loved, Dr. Billina was forced to confront something many high-achieving people experience: Who are you when the title, paycheck, position, or achievement you built your identity around suddenly disappears? That experience led her to recognize something surprising. Although she was financially secure and had already built significant wealth, her mind was still operating from scarcity. Together, Christina and Dr. Billina explore how childhood experiences, generational trauma, career pressure, faith, family expectations and cultural messages can shape the way we think about money—and why financial wellness often requires emotional healing too. In this episode, you'll discover: - How to recognize a scarcity mindset in your finances, relationships and career - Why your net worth and self-worth are not the same thing - How childhood and generational experiences can shape your relationship with money - Why shame around debt can actually keep you financially stuck - The difference between chasing credentials and creating genuine value - Why comparing yourself to others can reinforce scarcity - How to pursue excellence without depending on titles or outside validation - The connection between mental health and financial stress - Why building assets and wealth can matter alongside paying down debt - How faith and financial abundance can coexist - Why boundaries—especially financial boundaries—can be a wealth-building strategy - How to stop over-giving from guilt and start giving from purpose - Why investing in yourself can create an impact far beyond money Dr. Billina also walks listeners through her four-part framework for creating change: 1. Align with Purpose Get clear about the life you're actually trying to build—not simply the title, job or financial number you're chasing. 2. Identify with Abundance Learn to recognize what you already have while becoming the person capable of moving toward what you desire. 3. Abolish Limiting Beliefs Challenge inherited beliefs about money, morality, success, worthiness and what you're "allowed" to have. 4. Act with Authority Make decisions, establish boundaries and take actions that match the person you're becoming. One of the most powerful reminders from this conversation: Your past can inform your present without dictating your future. Whether you're rebuilding after a job loss, trying to escape generational financial patterns, carrying shame about debt, questioning your purpose, struggling to set boundaries, or simply wondering why financial success still doesn't make you feel financially safe—this conversation is for you. This isn't only about having more money. It's about becoming healthier, freer and more intentional in the way you think about money, purpose, identity and your future. 🎧 Listen, take notes, and ask yourself: What would change if I stopped making financial decisions from fear and started making them from purpose? Connect with Dr. Billina Shaw Dr. Billina Shaw Triple Board-Certified Psychiatrist | Financial Wellness Strategist | Public Health Physician Board Certified in: - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry - General Adult Psychiatry - Addiction Medicine Dr. Billina also holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) and previously served as a Senior Medical Advisor with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), where her work included supporting the nation’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline infrastructure. Today, she combines her background in psychiatry, public health, strategic planning and behavioral science to help individuals transform their relationship with money, overcome scarcity thinking, strengthen their financial identity and build wealth from the inside out. 🌐 Financial Wellness: FreelyFlourishFinancial.com 📱 Text: Text GROW to 55444 📸 Instagram: @DrBillina 💼 LinkedIn: Click for Dr. Billina Shaw Dr. Billina offers financial wellness strategy coaching for individuals and business owners, as well as strategic planning and consulting support for organizations. --- Breaking Curses with Excellence explores healing, self-worth, mindset, relationships, personal growth and the work of breaking generational patterns so we can build healthier lives from the inside out. If this episode speaks to you, follow the podcast, share it with someone who needs this conversation, and leave a review. Your support helps these conversations reach more people who are ready to heal, grow and break cycles with excellence. Stay connected with The RusMix Insider — your monthly dose of growth, mindset, wellness, and community, created to help you keep breaking cycles, building self-worth, and growing into the healthiest version of yourself. To join, email: [email protected] Disclaimer: This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, mental health, investment, tax, or individualized financial advice. Coaching is not a substitute for therapy or treatment from a licensed healthcare professional. Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail What if the patterns affecting your relationships, confidence, parenting, faith, and sense of self didn’t begin with who you are today—but with what you learned to do to survive? In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell Strong sits down with Dr. Mylira Cary, PhD, LCSW, CCTP-II, CAIMHP, CEO/Founder of M. Green Enterprises LLC and The Metamorphosis Healing Experience, for an honest conversation about healing trauma, childhood wounds, survival mode, self-worth, emotional triggers, generational patterns, mental health, faith, and discovering who you are beneath what happened to you. Dr. Cary shares her own deeply personal journey through trauma, depression, suicidal thoughts, sexual assault, struggles with feeling “enough,” and the experiences that ultimately helped shape her calling to help others heal. Together, Christina and Dr. Cary explore what unresolved trauma can actually look like in everyday life—from people-pleasing, over-functioning and seeking validation to relationship conflict, isolation, defensiveness and repeatedly finding ourselves in the same painful patterns. They also unpack the difference between therapy and transformational coaching, how childhood experiences can follow us into adulthood, why so many people are surviving instead of truly thriving, and how becoming aware of our behaviors and emotional responses can help us uncover wounds that still need attention. One of the biggest reminders from this conversation: You are enough. Your trauma may be part of your story, but it does not have to control the rest of your story. If you've ever wondered: Why do I keep repeating the same patterns? Why am I always in survival mode? How do I heal childhood trauma? Why do I need so much validation? How do I stop allowing my past to affect my relationships? How do I rebuild my self-worth? How do I break generational cycles? This episode is for you. Listen, reflect, heal—and keep Breaking Curses with Excellence. 💜 CONNECT WITH DR. MYLIRA CARY YOUR Favorite Therapist Dr. Mylira Cary, PhD, LCSW, CCTP-II, CAIMHP CEO/Founder of M. Green Enterprises LLC and The Metamorphosis Healing Experience 📞 Phone: 757-609-0694 📧 Email: [email protected] 🌐 Website: MyliraTransforms.com⁠ 🎙️ CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA Christina Russell Strong Host of Breaking Curses with Excellence Founder of RusMix 📧 Email: [email protected] 🌐 Website: TheRusMix.com⁠ 💜 Breaking Cycles. Building Self-Worth. Leading with Purpose. Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence,  Christina  sits down with Dr. Shonda Allen Hill PHD for an honest conversation about money tension in marriage, financial disagreements between spouses, and what women can do when repeated money conversations only create more conflict. Dr. Shonda shares how financial stress once brought her marriage to a breaking point—and how she changed her mindset, eliminated more than $80,000 of personal debt, and eventually retired debt-free at age 51. You’ll learn: How to stop repeating unproductive money argumentsWhy your first budget may need to be a “mouth budget”The difference between financial disagreement and financial abuseHow to use goals, gains, and gratitude to reduce marital tensionHow the debt snowball method can create momentumWhat women of faith should understand about money and stewardshipHow to move forward financially even when your spouse is not ready Dr. Shonda is also sharing her FREE Solo Financial Plan worksheet to help women organize their finances, stabilize shared obligations, and begin creating a personal path out of debt. 🎁 Download the free Solo Financial Plan worksheet:  🎧 Listen to the full episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence at TheRusMix.com or wherever you listen to podcasts. Connect with Dr. Shonda Allen Hill: Facebook: Shonda Allen Hill Email [email protected] BOOK with DR. Shonda  Important note: This conversation addresses financial disagreements in otherwise safe relationships. Financial abuse, coercive control, or destructive behavior requires specialized support and should not be treated as a simple communication problem. Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail In this inspiring episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina sits down with independent artist, mentor, and Boys & Girls Club manager Enaka Betech (NOC) to explore a journey of identity, healing, resilience, and purpose. After moving from Cameroon to the United States as a child, Enaka struggled to find his voice while balancing family expectations, cultural differences, and the pressure to measure up academically. Those experiences led to years of self-doubt and depression before he rediscovered his purpose through music. This conversation goes far beyond music. It's about learning to believe in yourself, embracing your unique story, and understanding that your greatest purpose often grows from your deepest pain. Whether you're a music lover, creative, parent, mentor, or someone searching for purpose, this episode offers encouragement to stop chasing other people's expectations and start living authentically. One of the most powerful moments of this conversation is our discussion about web usage—how intentionally using the web and the content we consume can shape our mindset, broaden our perspective, and influence the way we think, feel, and heal. The information, stories, and voices we choose to engage with can either keep us stuck or help us grow into who we're meant to become. In this episode, we discuss: 🎵 Finding purpose through music 🌍 Growing up between two cultures 🧠 Overcoming depression and self-doubt 💜 Healing from childhood wounds 🎤 Using creativity to inspire and uplift others ✨ Why authenticity is more powerful than popularity 🌱 How changing what you consume—including your web usage—can transform your perspective and personal growth Connect with Enaka Betech (NOC) 🎵 Music: https://youtube.com/channel/UCbUhqmVa7SH6KsFfQedfhUg?si=3qVhgFluThlowqPt 🎧 Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/noc-beteck/1661647825 ▶️ YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCbUhqmVa7SH6KsFfQedfhUg?si=3qVhgFluThlowqPt Connect with Christina  🌐 TheRusMix.com Follow Breaking Curses with Excellence for more conversations that help you break unhealthy cycles, build self-worth, and lead with purpose. Support the show Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in self-doubt? Take the free 2–3 minute RusMix check-in and get a personalized insight, affirmation, and next step. Start here: https://rusmix-today.floot.app⁠ Optional 4-Day Personalized Reset available for 99¢. CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA RUSSELL-STRONG & RUSMIX 🌐 RusMix Website https://therusmix.com 🎙 Breaking Curses with Excellence ▶️ YouTube https://youtube.com/@christyrusmix 📸 Instagram Breaking  Curses  with Excellence 📘 Facebook  RusMix Coaching Feel free to support our mission at RusMix  💜 Coaching • Speaking • Books • Resources https://therusmix.com Music: Peachy Musician: Rizensun URL: https://rzznsnn.bandcamp.com/