Bite of Courage

Alicia Bean is one of our country's frontline nurses putting her life at risk in an effort to save lives during the coronavirus pandemic. She is generously blessed with humility, compassion, and determination to care for others and is deferential to courage. Instead of ascribing it to herself, she attributes it to her colleagues, essential workers and volunteers alike. Alicia, who says fear lives in the lizard brain — the part of the brain that triggers our fight or flight response (like the rush to buy toilet paper during a pandemic) — tells us how she isolates fear to find joy. Thank you to Alicia, her colleagues, and all of the selfless people who are risking their lives to make other lives better. You are inspiring hope and spreading joy. Let's make that contagious. Visit BiteOfCourage.com for show notes and available downloads. © 2020 Mo Vear

My initial intention for today's episode was to talk to my guest, Judi Langley, about her twenty-five year marriage to her husband, Gotham. I quickly realized, however, that Judi is one of those people who has as much knowledge as she does depth, on a variety of topics. From her bi-racial, bi-cultural marriage and an illustrious thirty-five year career that she recently left behind, we talk husbands, kids, careers, family, and friends and the gifts that come to our communities when women have the courage to lift up and support each other. Visit BiteOfCourage.com for show notes and available downloads. © 2020 Mo Vear

Have you ever had to leave someone you love behind? My guest today is Ray. Over 8 years ago, Ray's partner, who was an illegal immigrant, was deported. Separated now longer than they were together, Ray travels back and forth to see him, but every time he's getting ready to go, he needs all the courage he can muster to go through with it. He knows the possibility of them ever returning to the U.S. together, and the place they once called home, is undetermined. "It's the hardest thing I've ever had to do," Ray says. "Each time I leave, I also have to leave behind the person I love most in life. © 2019 Mo Vear Visit: HumorMeWithMo.com Email: [email protected] Facebook page HumorMeWithMo @BiteOfCourage on Twitter Mo on LinkedIn Bite of Courage on Instagram Trio Productions. All Rights Reserved. In Association with Podcast Prowess.

Can a positive attitude help us heal? My guest today is Laura Alberts. While Laura is a breast cancer survivor, she isn't defined by it. In fact, after undergoing chemo and radiation treatments, Laura claimed to have her "breast year ever" in real estate. One of Coldwell Banker's top realtors in Orland Park, Illinois, Laura is also a musician, dancer, and vocalist and the winner of both Senior American Idol and Seniors Dancing with Seniors Dance Competition. "Things happen in life, but I've developed a skill set to deal with them. I have faith. I have courage. I have my music, and I have a sense of humor so I forge ahead and enjoy each day as it appears," she says. "Like the Cowardly Lion in the The Wizard of Oz, we all have the courage inside of us to forge ahead, and if we do things that bring us joy, we don't have time to think about fear. That's the key." © 2019 Mo Vear Visit: HumorMeWithMo.com Email: [email protected] Facebook page HumorMeWithMo @BiteOfCourage on Twitter Mo on LinkedIn Bite of Courage on Instagram Trio Productions. All Rights Reserved. In Association with Podcast Prowess.

Are you free, really? My guest, 41 year old Dawan Warren, has had a lot of time to think about this question. He's spent half of his life in prison. Indicted at the age of 18 for a series of robberies, Dawan was facing 40 years. Charged with 16 years at the age of 20, he had served 8 by the time he was released. 11 months later, he proceeded to commit bank robbery for which he was given a 34 year sentence. Dawan had no way of knowing that he'd be released twenty years early for good behavior, yet he found the courage to change his thoughts and behaviors and turn his life around. "A person can be free and still be incarcerated in their mind; a person can be incarcerated and still be free in their mind, too," he says. "I was looking for peace. That's what freedom is--peace. It's not about the physical world; it's about what's going on inside of you. Clean yourself up on the inside, and it does't matter what your circumstances are. You'll have joy." © 2019 Mo Vear Visit: HumorMeWithMo.com Email: [email protected] Facebook page HumorMeWithMo @BiteOfCourage on Twitter Mo on LinkedIn Bite of Courage on Instagram Trio Productions. All Rights Reserved. In Association with Podcast Prowess.