We are excited to invite you into our world on Take the Elevator through the innovative lens of Facebook Live as we navigate the exciting changes of 2024. Imagine weekly live interactions with us, your hosts Gen the Builder and Kory, as we delve into many transformative topics. We also discuss health and wellness and share a recent scare that reminds us of the importance of staying vigilant about our bodies and minds.
We loved Judith's insights on self-love that paint a vivid picture of the metamorphosis we all go through. We explore the idea that to grow is to change, and to remain the same is to stagnate. We are not just talking to you; we are inviting you to share your experiences on maintaining balance, good habits, and the perpetual hunt for motivation. Your voice is crucial to this narrative, and we appreciate your engagement.
Join us every Sunday to potentially co-host and participate in a live Q&A where you can engage and elevate with us in real-time. Remember, it's not just a podcast; it's a community where we honor our journeys, look up, and elevate!
We are excited to invite you into our world on Take the Elevator through the innovative lens of Facebook Live as we navigate the exciting changes of 2024. Imagine weekly live interactions with us, your hosts Gen the Builder and Kory, as we delve into many transformative topics. We also discuss health and wellness and share a recent scare that reminds us of the importance of staying vigilant about our bodies and minds.
We loved Judith's insights on self-love that paint a vivid picture of the metamorphosis we all go through. We explore the idea that to grow is to change, and to remain the same is to stagnate. We are not just talking to you; we are inviting you to share your experiences on maintaining balance, good habits, and the perpetual hunt for motivation. Your voice is crucial to this narrative, and we appreciate your engagement.
Join us every Sunday to potentially co-host and participate in a live Q&A where you can engage and elevate with us in real-time. Remember, it's not just a podcast; it's a community where we honor our journeys, look up, and elevate!
Hey, it's Jen the Builder and Corey and we're on Take the Elevator in a totally different way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, something new, something fun for 2024.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we wanted to experiment and just see what we needed to do. You know, we've been on Take the Elevator for over three years and I think it's time for a change. It's time to play with something. So right now we're on a Facebook Live and to our Facebook family man, we put this on pretty late today, so we understand if you can't make it. Hopefully you're listening to this episode or replaying this on Facebook. By the way, on Facebook we're really active on Genevieve Vilegis. People are like what's Vilegis? So that's my maiden name.
Speaker 2:V-I-L-L-E-G-A-S.
Speaker 1:And if you follow me on Jen the Builder on Instagram, I've put a link to our Facebook account, the one that we're going to be going on live for a while. So right now we've got Manny on Facebook and Corey, why don't you talk about Manny and how you know him?
Speaker 2:Manny is this really cool dude that has this incredible band called High Impact, and although this entire podcast won't be about High Impact, let me just say this they are truly a high impact and I really appreciate Manny and all that he did for the shameless band while he was a part of it. So just some shout out to them His phenomenal drummer, daniel I don't know the bass player's name, but Manny just really miss you, man, and wish you nothing but the best.
Speaker 1:So, manny, as you're in Facebook, go ahead and share some things you want people to know about. High Impact, where you're going to be playing next. I love your bassist. I was sharing that with you before we recorded. She's a female and a rock star and she just is on that stage loving every moment of every song, manny, that you all play. So it's so good to see you on Facebook live and we'll make sure to share your information on the notes for this episode. Indeed. So, corey, what has been going on? We said we're going to talk about what 2024 has been like for us. What's been good? I have a lot of changes coming up and I have to tell you, some of it makes me a little uncomfortable and this is someone who talks about change management all the time Absolutely.
Speaker 2:Well, 2024 has posed lots of great things for us, a lot of great things for a lot of people. I've been experiencing some growth changes myself, with the band, with the book, with live music, with the book, with life, with us. You know, jen had a little bit of a medical scare shortly back and thank God that everything turned out fine, and so that was the beginning to our year, was this? Oh my gosh, is Jen going to be okay? And so if you'd love to share something about that, I think people would appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thanks for that here. Let me start with what I've learned. I've learned that women don't share about the reality and some of the horror stories behind menopause. From the more what I call easier symptoms of menopause, from the hot flashes not sleeping throughout the night, right, those are a pain in the butt, but not as something as severe as you know you're, you're bleeding, comes back and it comes back with vengeance and you're like what's happening. So I'm gonna say that we suffered throughout 2023 because of it and there was concern for cancer. They weren't quite sure you know what the interventions were gonna be and unfortunately, I had to maneuver my way through medical Care because my doctors weren't Addressing it right.
Speaker 1:They were just treating it as oh, your woman who got her period back, as if that sounds right. So I, at 50 years old, right and I was diligent and seeking out the right care, a doctor who understood. So shout out to my OBGYN and we did a surgical intervention and thankfully I'm cancer-free. It's just a little bit of wear and tear on the body, which is what happens right sometimes. So it's, yeah, it's, that was amazing news. Absolutely. You want me to say more?
Speaker 2:no, Say whatever you want to say.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, that was it, and it took care of those symptoms and so that's been really good about 2024. Yeah we haven't had a challenge with that. I feel some kind of normalcy and stability, which is so important indeed. Yeah, as far as medical, that's pretty much it just trying to stand top of it, and I've talked to other women who are very on top of their medical medical care this year too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so here's the deal. The reason why that was important for me to bring up is because, again, women don't like to talk about their Things that they're going through, and I guess men are the same way. You know, we don't really want to divulge, you know, if we had to go through something that was traumatizing. But, um, it's normal, it's something that happens to everyone. Everyone has a medical scare at some point in time, and so I just wanted to start off the year with you know, sometimes you got to go get yourself checked up and checked out and make sure everything is running good. Yeah, I'm. As far as us as a family, you know, we are doing some pretty incredible things right now and I'm really proud of that. And so you say, well, I don't want to hear about you. So if you ask us some questions, if you have some things you want to talk about, we are more than willing to talk about those things. So, until that point, just sharing some information that that is happening with us and and what we have on deck, you know, and it's pretty exciting stuff in my opinion.
Speaker 2:You know, I did finish my third book as of last week, our third book. No, well, see, it started out as mine, and and so that's. That's the joy in it, because Jen is co-authoring my, the third book. I started a series for the ruffles fuzzy furry forest and so Jen decided I'm gonna give you a couple of pointers. And I said to myself these pointers are more like notes to write, so you're gonna get credit for writing on this. That's what it turned out to be.
Speaker 1:It's been fun and let me tell you about our process. I don't know if any of you were signed on or playing this back or listening on Spotify or Apple, whatever your platform is If you've ever worked on a project closely with someone and collaboration is so key, and so you've got all these different ideas and you're trying to communicate them regularly. So we're staying lined up, right Like. We're not like, oh, that's way off. So one of the things and yeah, I'm gonna put a plug in for Apple, even though they don't need the endorsement, even though my little endorsement wouldn't matter in their pockets, but we love Apple because we share notes. Literally, that's what the app's called. So, as I'm thinking about something, I'll plug it in, and then Corey plugs his thoughts in and just makes some moves on the book based on that. So I've learned a lot about collaborating with you. I thought we were already in a really tight, close partnership, but doing this book has added a whole other level of creativity and fun.
Speaker 2:A whole other level and layer, because as you dig deeper into writing a story together, you have to be on the same page and if you're not, basically what happens is you're writing two different books.
Speaker 1:Right, right. And you want it to be seamless. Yeah, you want it to feel like that book is cohesive, as she said.
Speaker 2:While we're thinking sponsors and people that have helped us and aided us to get to where we are, I need to give a shout out to Ector Soto Soto Custom Guitars, because he has been a proud sponsor of the Shameless Band with the guitars and he's not even just donated but he's making these guitars for us. So big shout out to Ector and all that he's doing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what I love about Ector, from my understanding, is he was totally committed to signing I don't know if that's the right word, but sponsoring you just based on your character, and I don't know if he shared that with you he just felt really good and solid about who you are.
Speaker 2:He did feel good and solid about it, but after he heard us he was a little bit more so yeah oh, then he became over the top like oh, he made the right decision right.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So I wanted to go back a little bit, Corey, because I don't know if anyone feels this way, and I wanted to make sure to share this Very vulnerable moment with me back to the medical care and just seeking out things that you're not sure of. Let's just leave it on that broad spectrum, right when there's something that you need to know, and sometimes we feel safer not knowing. I don't know if that makes sense to you or you're timid. There's some hesitancy to find out what the real story is, whether it be because you feel like you won't know how to handle it, you don't know how to cope.
Speaker 1:Some people think I'd rather not know, you know, and just kinda ignorance is bliss kind of thing. So I just wanted to put that out there, that if you exist like that, I existed like that, and I will tell you the two differences between not knowing and not being on top of things that are important to us, like life and health and the dreams that you have, versus being a very active part of it. I choose the latter, Like I'm so glad that that transition happened.
Speaker 2:If you're just signing on, which I've just seen a couple of people, did you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, judy, my niece, our niece, just signed on. We just got to spend time with her a couple of weeks ago. It was good to see you. Hi, judy. Oh, she said exactly. Yeah, I think she's talking about just staying on top of everything. Judy, if you have any questions, comments, go ahead and put in the chat. We're everybody. We're recording live for our podcast and this is exactly how it's gonna be. We're just playing with some ideas for the near future.
Speaker 2:Indeed. So, like she said, if you're just signing on, we're trying some new stuff and we're just trying to see how it could work for us, if it could work for us, if we can push this a little bit further, into another dimension, or should we just trash it and go back to the O format?
Speaker 1:or change everything completely. I mean, that's the beauty of options, right? And speaking of something new, I'm looking at the cute little ukulele behind me. So when we went to NAMM, so I play the keyboard for those you don't know and I play chords and I'm a humble keyboard player, but I was like great, I'm going to try the ukulele. I've always loved the guitar, but it's always kind of awkward for me and the ukulele just is so cute and small and it seems like a good start. So, manny, I'm picking up the guitar and maybe you could give me some lessons, some lessons and some pointers. Judy loves this format. Thanks for your feedback. Let's hope it works out and it translates onto the podcast. Good.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So share with us you know what's coming up for y'all in 2024, any topics you just want to discuss here and then future state. You know we'll get people on as co-hosts so we can actually have a conversation on the podcast. But some of the things for me that I was sharing, corey, is just the change in certain things. You know, like you get very used to it being one way and then I understand change is good and change is inevitable and change is a part of life. But when it rocks the boat that you've been on and it's been smooth sailing for over seven years that rocking of the boat is making me seasick.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it tends to do that. I know that I don't mind change, but it's one of those things that when it happens, it's that let me brace, I don't know what's gonna happen. And so just encouraging people to know that change is coming one way or another you know, we got an election coming up change is coming one way or another. We have people getting new jobs and new cars and new homes that kind of change seems to be pretty good, and then sometimes it's not so good, you know, but I'm enjoying life right now and I think it's a good thing to put it out there, put those good vibes in the atmosphere.
Speaker 1:Definitely and also take time to reflect. So when change happens for me, I have to really authentically be in it. I'm not one of those like, okay, it's gonna be okay if that's not really how I'm processing it. You know what I mean. So I see that Judith is sharing that change for her this year is more self-love, yeah, and just understanding and acknowledging that change is inevitable in your life and that you need it. I love that perspective, judith. Thanks for sharing that. Like we need change. So, corey, what happens when we don't have change? Can you imagine what that would be like in life?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you remain a child for the rest of your life, pretty much you know.
Speaker 1:Still on the bottle.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you just.
Speaker 1:Crawling, crawling and never Change my diapers.
Speaker 2:Exactly.
Speaker 1:Yes, change is definitely needed. So, yeah, and I know a lot of people are impacted by the same change. I think there's a grieving process. That's very real, because there's a loss of what you know and some of the things that you were really involved with. And so now we say, okay, let's learn from them and all the people that were involved in the change, let's talk about it. So, moving forward, right, you're careful about relationships, you're careful about including people in conversations, so that way, change, although it's happening, can be easier. It doesn't have to be so tough.
Speaker 2:Or maybe not. You know, sometimes when I was younger, I just I didn't brace for the change. It just if it happens, it happens. So I made a lot of mistakes and enjoyed some of the mistakes and regretted a lot of them. I did notice that Makayla signed on. I did also notice that we know Kayla, we know Kayla, we know her. I also noticed that Manny said that the ukulele is only four strings. So that's more my alley. Yeah, but the courting, that's where it's gonna get complicated.
Speaker 2:They're strumming and plucking and all that kind of stuff. But we'll figure it out one way or another, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and one thing I learned about the ukulele that I didn't realize they did. I always knew about drum circles, but I didn't realize they did a yuki circle and that was pretty cool. We didn't get to stay for that, but we did walk by and slowed our pace down so we could see what it was about. And it was really cool to see Islander people there, I think, who was pretty much brought up in it and it's part of their ancestry leading it. So how amazing was that? So what else? When I think of 2024? What else is happening?
Speaker 2:Lots and lots of work. It feels like it just feels like I'm always working, I'm always doing something, always trying to make something happen. Anybody else feel like that, like they're just working really, really hard right now, and is it because it's the beginning of the year? Or is it because that's just what we do now as human beings is work super hard?
Speaker 1:Yeah, we'd love to hear how y'all are doing that, maybe how you're pacing what are some chips? Cause you know Corey is constantly working and that means I'm constantly supporting, and I'm not saying that in a complaining manner.
Speaker 2:No, not at all.
Speaker 1:Definitely not, but I believe that it's important to do things every day to go towards our future while still remaining present. And speaking of that I was just sharing with you. Today I feel like I'm lacking motivation, like it's only February and there have been spots where I'm like I don't wanna do that. I'm not today, you know, and I have to honor that. There's like something going on there, but today I just made up in my mind, like Jen, do the thing, do the thing, because then I start feeling worse about not making moves on the things that are important to me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's like exercise in a lot of ways for me. Most of the time, you really do feel like working out, but there's those few moments when you don't feel like working out, and if you don't do it, it'll create a pattern, and so I just say this when I don't feel like working, I'm in that pattern.
Speaker 1:I want out.
Speaker 2:I want out bad. Yeah, so when you don't feel like working or feel like you're motivated, you just gotta do it anyway and push for the best.
Speaker 1:I'd love to hear from Judith Makayla Manny, if you're still on here how do you deal with habits and keeping the good ones and staying on top of those Cause? It's good for you. Judith, you said things about self love 2024. You know what does that look like, and I know there's gonna be a bit of a delay because y'all are having to type this in, but we're gonna figure this out in a second. So, man, I'm a little. I have to tell you the truth between looking at the screen and allowing time and space for you all to have input and then filling in the time and the gap. This is new. This is something to adapt to and I'm actually very excited about it.
Speaker 2:I'm up for it. I like the challenge, I love challenges, and so, yeah, it's a little uncomfortable at times, but you just find your way. This is what it's about finding your way, and whatever you do, be it a new job, be it music, be it whatever it is just find your way and make your way through stuff, and maybe someone will come on and listen and say, oh, you know what, if they do this, it'll be a little bit easier, it'll be a little bit better for you, and I'm open to that too. I want all of it.
Speaker 1:You know it's speaking of finding your way. You wrote an amazing post on LinkedIn about your path. Can you speak on that? I think that'll really help some people help me when I read it.
Speaker 2:So I wrote a post about paths and I explained that a lot of times what happens when you're looking for the right path to be on, you may be looking for the wrong thing, and so my paths over the course of my journey found me, and then it wasn't so hard to do what it was that I'm supposed to be doing. I found that meeting the right people and going to the right places is a lot easier for you if your path finds you, opposed to you, out there searching for what you're supposed to be doing, searching for the people you're supposed to be connecting to, and I'm a firm believer in things that happen happen for a reason and that no one can change your situation. If it was meant for it to be, if it was meant to happen for you, it's going to happen regardless.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that is a beautiful concept and some people might say it's trusting the process.
Speaker 2:Trust the process.
Speaker 1:But when you listen to a lot of people and we're talking about your journey and your pathways, there's a lot of talks about creating it and making it and get on the right path. And your conversation about your paths finding you and being laid out for you is such a beautiful twist to that and it speaks to me more actually. So some people say, well, how do you know it's the right path? So, roy, we've got Roy who signed in. Who's a life coach, roy, my question is to you, if you could put it in the chat here what do you say to people who are trying to find their path, find their way through life and they're at a crossroads? How do you know which way to go? That's the question how do you know which way to go?
Speaker 1:And while you're putting that together, judith said that I think for me, I struggle a lot with being motivated and I will be mad at myself for not doing the things I was supposed to. There's a C more, corey, if you can look on your phone. So you struggle out with being motivated and you're mad at yourself when you don't do the things that you're supposed to.
Speaker 2:She says you learn to live in the moment.
Speaker 1:So that's helped her, then Learning to be nice to herself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm a firm believer in self cheerleading. I'm always pumping myself up, motivating myself, pushing myself to new heights and saying you can do this. You got this. All you have to do is put your mind to it and just get it done. And those continuous conversations with myself. It's a life changer. It's made me into who I am today. I'm not mad about the person I've become today. There was a time when I wasn't happy with myself. I wasn't happy with the choices I was making, and so to go from that to where I am now and that continuous conversation that I can get it done if I just put my head to it and put my mind to it, it's been a game changer.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, judith, I wanted to share something with you and everyone listening, and it's something that was written by Michelle C Clark that I just ran into today and I love it. And so these are commitments that are rooted in self love. So she makes these promises to self, and it's I promise to never give up on myself, I promise to be patient with myself, I promise to speak up for myself, I promise to protect my energy, I promise to give myself grace, I promise to honor my calling and I promise to forgive myself. I just think those are such powerful promises. We make promises all the time to other people, and so I'm one of those people that I'm more motivated to help others, right? So if Corey tells me we're going to do this today, I'm motivated to partner. Now, if I say I'm going to do this today, the motivation is a little lacking, and what this is saying is I promise to honor myself like I would other people, and make those promises to me and hold true to them.
Speaker 2:And I think a lot of that has to do with you being a woman. Women typically have it easier to partner with other people. Number one. Number two you're really good with supporting, whereas myself, being a man, knowing that if I'm healthy and if I'm OK, then I can start the trend, and you, being my wife, would be able to support me a little bit better than you saying, ok, this is what we're going to do and this is how we're going to do it, and hoping that I join along.
Speaker 1:That's a good point and I'm interested to see if people who are in this Facebook live agree with that. It's a female thing to be supportive and maybe even to require support for motivation, whereas for men they're more self starting and more what's the word Any self reliant, self reliant.
Speaker 2:But let me, let me be clear, because I don't want to start. I don't want to start no fight here. I'm actually saying that because I can start something. It's easier, because I know I have your support in finishing it.
Speaker 1:Opposed to that's because the level of my support Exactly I got you. I got you and not to toot my own horn, but my level of support is pretty special and I've learned that about myself Maybe it's you know, growing up in a single parent home, being the oldest, although I did have a wonderful cousin who I call my sister, who I think is logged in here, Jane, yeah hey, jane hey.
Speaker 1:Jane, it's so good to have you here. So you just learn to support others and partner with them. So I don't know if Roy's still in here, but if you see him on Facebook Live Roy Meiser, he's a coach and I'm certain he's a wonderful one. I grew up with him and he always had a lead role in the youth group, so check him out, and that's another thing.
Speaker 1:Everyone, cory and I, are so about the things that you're doing, and we want to lift you up. We want to elevate you, spread you around. So if you have a product or if you have an interest, you know we can lead people to you and just plug them in. It's so important that we support each other. We just made a new connect. Well, no, we just made two new connections this week. One of them we just met with in detail today, and we are so lined up about what we're doing and our purpose in the world and how we can support one another. And more than product, more than business, more than money, is really what you're trying to do in this world for other people, and so we were just able to line up there. It's been great. So what else, cory?
Speaker 2:Man, it's been 30 minutes already, you know. Yeah, the time goes by when you're having fun and when you don't know what you're doing. Yeah, and as funny as that sounds, you know, I'm just thinking about how we can engage with people a little bit more, how we can probably have, we can plan this and have we are going to plan it, yeah.
Speaker 2:And have people able to just in real time say, hey, this is what I'm thinking about, what do you think about this? How do you move forward? Because we just love engaging. We love talking to people and in getting their input on things. That's something that we've always done, even working with youth, you know, we love to hear the younger mind's perspective.
Speaker 1:So yeah, and coupled with that, we love to hear what our peers are going through and the wisdom they have reached out there Wisdom.
Speaker 2:I was just thinking that, yeah, and for the younger.
Speaker 1:So here's what we're going to do. I've put this on Facebook events every Sunday at 7 pm. If you have a topic and if you're interested in jumping on here with us and being recorded for the podcast, let me know and I'll add you as a co-host, and before that I'll send you some stuff via email just to get us used to the format for this podcast. But that would be awesome. And so what we're going to do here is because it has been 30 minutes and that's usually the time we take for the podcast we're going to sign off on the recording, but we're going to stay here on the live because we have that. We're here till eight. Yeah, don't go nowhere, don't go anywhere. So everyone who's listening today, we are so glad that you're here. We hope that you have an amazing rest of the week because you know us to take the elevator. We say look up and let's elevate.
Speaker 2:Every day Elevate, and so, for those of you that are still there, we're just listening to our exit music so that we can jump back on and have a good time with you guys.
Speaker 1:Elevate.