She Took The Chance, Then What?

What happens when the opportunity you've been waiting for disappears?

In the very first episode of THEE BIG SWING, Lloyd Hassel sits down with longtime friend and media personality Rhenotha Whitaker for an honest conversation about betting on yourself after the spotlight fades.

After spending seven seasons on a nationally syndicated television talk show, Rhenotha found herself facing an unexpected crossroads. Instead of waiting for someone else to hand her the next opportunity, she made a decision that changed everything she created her own.

Together, Lloyd and Rhenotha explore what it means to start before you're ready, why consistency matters more than perfection, and how the biggest opportunities often begin with the courage to simply begin.

Along the way, they discuss:

• Why you don't need permission to pursue your dream.
• How comparison can quietly steal your joy.
• The dangers of measuring your life by social media.
• Why "it is what it is" can become a mindset of peace instead of defeat.
• How betting on yourself creates momentum that no one can take away.

This conversation is filled with practical wisdom, personal stories, humor, and reminders that everything you need to take your next step may already be within you.

If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start, questioned your own potential, or found yourself waiting for the "right time," this episode is for you.

Sometimes the biggest swing isn't landing the perfect opportunity.

Sometimes it's believing you're enough to create your own.

A written reflection for this episode is available at theebigswing.com/reflections.

You can also listen to the companion song She Took A Chance, performed by Brynn Ashsford from Thee Big Swing Sessions, created from the emotional center of this episode.

The episode is the story.
The reflection delves deeper.
The song carries the feeling.

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THEE BIG SWING with Lloyd Hassell

There's a version of you that existed before something shifted - before a conversation, a decision, a thing you almost didn't say. You don't always recognize the moment it happened. You just notice, later, that you're not who you were.

This is a reflective podcast about those moments: the emotional reckonings and subtle internal recalibrations that change our trajectory over time - and the possibilities still available in life.

Each episode explores what happens when curiosity, courage, accountability, or reflection opens a new way of seeing ourselves and the world.

Through personal reflections and conversations, Lloyd explores changing identities, relationships, self-trust, and the quiet decisions that alter how we see ourselves over time.

This is for people who are quietly realizing they are not the same person anymore - and that there are still choices left.

The biggest swing isn't always dramatic.

Often, it's the shift inside that changes everything.

If something here stayed with you, you can reach me at lloyd@theebigswing.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hi, my name is Lloyd Hassel. And I made a commitment this year that I would uh start a podcast. I want to talk with people who have stories to tell. Stories that they learned something from. Whether they succeeded and what they attempted to do, which is why I call the show The Big Swing. Or if they feel they failed. Neither really matters as much as what they learned and what they can share with others. So we're talking to everyday people about their experiences in life and what they could take away from them to make themselves a better person. I hope you enjoy listening, and we look forward to bringing you as many shows as possible. December 31st, 2025, Renatha Whitaker and Lloyd Hassel are sitting here on the big swing. Renatha is a very important friend of mine, and I wanted her to share her story. Renatha, would you be willing to do that?

SPEAKER_00 1:18

Lloyd, anything for you?

SPEAKER_01 1:21

Oh, that's very generous of you. Well, tell us. I mean, you the premise of the show is to share your story, which you took a big swing at. Whether you succeeded in your mind or failed, or feel lukewarm about it. Sure. Share something with us that we can kind of listen to and maybe learn from.

SPEAKER_00 1:48

Well, you don't know this about me. Maybe you do. I don't know. I know you're not really a grand kind of person. We don't really care much about um, you know, having been on TV and all this stuff. But um I was on a nationally syndicated talk show for seven years. And um, once I was on the show, I figured, you know, I'd get picked up by the show's host as a regular, which I kinda was. But um not it started dwindling down. And so, you know, when you're on the show, you're like, oh, this is gonna happen, that's gonna happen. Sure. Um, but for some reason I got stopped. Uh well, I I stopped being used as much like after three years of the show.

SPEAKER_01 2:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 2:48

Um, and I'll, you know, pat my own self on the back and say that after they stopped using me as much, they stopped winning Emmys. But you know. There you go.

SPEAKER_01 2:57

You know, that's what you get, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

That's what you get. Um, and so then the pandemic happened, and then after that, the show got canceled because he went rogue, and I'm not even gonna talk about that because I want you to get some good ratings, and I don't want you to get canceled.

SPEAKER_01 3:16

Um what I would really want for me and for this show is for people to be as sincere as possible.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

And share why certain things were important to them along the way.

SPEAKER_00 3:30

So the show got canceled, and after the show got canceled, you know, lots of folk were like, Renatha, that should have been your show. Renatha, the show should have been given to you. Um, and so um after that, I decided that I was gonna start my own show. But I had a lot of trepidation because I came from TV. Right, which was perfect, quote unquote. Okay. I came from running segments, I came from doing field shoots, I came from real standardized daytime television.

SPEAKER_01 4:12

And so the audience can't see me nodding my head. I'm I'm listening.

SPEAKER_00 4:19

And so my trepidation was whatever I do has to be just as good as where I came from.

SPEAKER_01 4:29

Okay, that's your choice.

SPEAKER_00 4:31

Right.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

To feel that way, to have that paradigm.

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Yeah. Um, and it took me a really long time, but the big swing that I made was that I bet on myself, and despite how I start, if it's in a studio, if it's in my house, if it's on my phone, if it's on, you know, whatever apparatus I find, as long as I start. And so I started my own web series called Single Lady Chronicles.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

Oh, that's wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:06

And just so that everyone knows, you were kind enough to have me as a guest on your show.

SPEAKER_00 5:11

I did.

SPEAKER_01 5:12

At least twice.

SPEAKER_00 5:13

Twice, yes.

SPEAKER_01 5:14

And you are one lively person.

SPEAKER_00 5:19

And this is interesting because you are not.

SPEAKER_01 5:24

Well, folks, there you have it. But my name is Welsh and it means gray, so I guess it fits me.

SPEAKER_00 5:34

No, so he's lively in his own way. Um, but yes, you are on my show. The show isn't what you think it is, right? So I'm single, and the reason why I got I got started is not because of dating or not because of some man, but because somebody tried to beat me on a windshield wiper. It was pouring rain, right? And I just drove into the fastest mechanic I could find because my windshield wipers stopped working.

SPEAKER_01 6:06

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:07

And I said, Well, how much? They were like, Okay, give us a few minutes. They came back and said $350.

SPEAKER_01 6:15

$350 for replacing the windshield.

SPEAKER_00 6:18

Because they said the motor broke. Oh, really? Yeah, they said the motor broke, and that, you know, that's how much it was gonna cost to replace it. Okay. And so, you know, they think I'm a big stupid woman. Right, right. And so I said, Okay, no, thank you. So I called a friend. Right. And the friend said, Renatha, call Chris. I'm like, where's Chris? I was in Maplewood, so I was kind of close to his house. Right. And because he lives in the West Ward, and so I was like, okay, I'm gonna call him. So I called him. It was literally a $2 fuse.

SPEAKER_01 6:49

A $2 fuse?

SPEAKER_00 6:50

It was a $2 fuse that they that he replaced for me for $20. And so that was the first time I ever put on my Facebook hashtag single lady chronicles. And then the second time.

SPEAKER_01 7:06

So that's how I got started.

SPEAKER_00 7:08

That's how I got started. Wow. That's literally how I got started because you know, when you're single, men, not you.

SPEAKER_01 7:18

This this is your story.

SPEAKER_00 7:20

Men sometimes think you don't know anything, right? And that you're just gonna take their word for it. And so, you know, that was and that was eons ago. That may have been like 2011, 2013, something like that.

SPEAKER_01 7:33

We're in 2025.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

And we're in 2025, right? We're in 2025. So I bought a house a couple years ago, right? And I was in Home Depot.

SPEAKER_01 7:43

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 7:47

Actually, no, I wasn't in Home Depot. Water started coming from my water heaters, even all over the floor.

SPEAKER_01 7:56

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 7:57

And I had no idea what was happening.

SPEAKER_01 8:00

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 8:01

And that was another hashtag single lady chronicles moment. Because I put it on Facebook and I was like, help, help.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

She likes the snort.

SPEAKER_00 8:14

I was like, help, somebody help me. What is going on? I did a video, I took a picture, what's happening? So I got a f a bunch of phone calls and um, you know, things like that. Single lady Chronicles is not necessarily about um dating, it's not necessarily about trying to find a man, but it's about navigating single life as a single person, um, because and it's anything, and it also can resonate to any person. But I just call it single lady chronicles because you know, that's the hook.

SPEAKER_01 8:43

So is this show starting this show from your experiences, is this the big swing you this is a big swing that I think is substantial because it is a transition, my transition from daytime television to what my version of, and I call it a web series because it's not on TV, but because it's on the internet, right?

SPEAKER_00 9:13

You call it a web series, but it is my start of my eventual talk show.

SPEAKER_01 9:20

I think that's great. I mean, you did say you took a chance on betting on yourself, yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:27

And so, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 9:30

Well, what have you what have you learned from from the experience?

SPEAKER_00 9:34

I learned that as long as you have continuity and consistency, you have a product. Um a lot of people think that you have to do all these things first in order for you to get started with something, but you don't.

SPEAKER_01 9:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 9:53

You as long as you have consistency and um that's it. Just consistency and making sure that you show up, you have a product. Um, lots of folks, again, always think that you have to have all this equipment, you have to have um a studio, you have to spend a whole bunch of money. You don't. You can certainly have something that can be turned into something big from doing something in your living room, as long as you just do it. You shouldn't let anyone stop you or shouldn't let yourself stop you from achieving your goals. And one of my goals is to eventually eventually have a consistent talk show that I host, right, and that um gets picked up by mainstream TV.

SPEAKER_01 10:52

Well, I certainly hope that you get what you want and that you keep learning from the experience. That is a big swing. Um, no one was paying you to do it, right?

SPEAKER_00 11:01

No.

SPEAKER_01 11:02

You were on your own time and your own dime.

SPEAKER_00 11:05

On my own time, on my own dime, I'll I'll admit something.

SPEAKER_01 11:09

What's that?

SPEAKER_00 11:10

Um, before before the nationally syndicated talk show, I did a radio show that I paid for.

SPEAKER_01 11:19

You got paid for.

SPEAKER_00 11:20

No. You didn't? No. Okay, I missed that. That I paid for.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

Paid for.

SPEAKER_00 11:26

Yes. Um, so when podcasts started, lots of people started creating their own streaming platforms and started creating their own um streaming channels. Right. And basically they're just websites where people can um upload other people's shows to their websites and call it a radio station.

SPEAKER_01 11:49

Okay, I see.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

And so my naivete, um, actually, I'm gonna tell you later who told me to um do this right do this radio show.

SPEAKER_01 12:01

Right.

SPEAKER_00 12:02

Um, but she said, Renatha, you know, you will be you would um be good on your own radio show. You know, call so-and-so. And so I called him, and he showed me that he had like X amount of followers and X amount of listeners and um, you know, a broad network of folk that would listen to my show. Um, and it was called Indeed with Ranatha. It was called Indeed, like yeah, somebody. And so, you know, so we did hot topics, um, you know, we looked at some of the lyrics and and some of you know some of the lyrics from back in the day, and so we just um, and then I had a special guest, like I had CeC Penniston one time, um, and so but I was paying for it. That made absolutely no sense. In my mind, I'm like, why am I paying to produce my own radio show on somebody else's quote unquote platform that's not really getting me any listeners? Right. And so after a while I stopped and then that was that was 2014. Okay. And then I got on a TV show.

SPEAKER_01 13:30

You you haven't said which TV show, and if you if you care to, feel free, but if you don't, it's okay, because this is your story, the way you want to tell it.

SPEAKER_00 13:39

Well, it was the Dr. R Show. I was on the Dr. R Show for seven seasons from 2015 to 2020 2022. So 2015 to 2022.

SPEAKER_01 13:57

That's a long run.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:58

And that's the real deal, right?

SPEAKER_00 14:00

That's that's the real deal.

SPEAKER_01 14:01

That's TV. Yeah, that's real TV, production, like lighting, sound, yeah, makeup, water.

SPEAKER_00 14:08

Hair, makeup, wardrobe, special guests, surprises. It was a good run. I had a good time. I met a lot of folks. Uh Tyson Beckford. Um, what's my guy from The Best Man?

SPEAKER_01 14:20

Um I don't remember.

SPEAKER_00 14:22

Gosh. The Best Man.

SPEAKER_01 14:25

Yeah, I know the film, but it was a few. Morris Chestnut.

SPEAKER_00 14:28

You met Orange Chestnut, Michael Strahan, Oprah. Okay. Um, yeah. Lots of folks.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

Noteworthy people. And what did it was did you learn anything from meeting those people that you may have seen on the screen before you met them?

SPEAKER_00 14:45

And I learned more behind the scenes than on camera. Um, and behind the scenes meaning make sure your paperwork, make sure you're make sure your money is right. Um, so my contract when I first started, I was like, okay, I'll sign it.

SPEAKER_01 15:06

Yeah, right. Just let me in. Let me in.

SPEAKER_00 15:10

Let me in, let me in. Let me in. And that was a big swing by just signing that contract, blind, not getting the lawyer to look at it or anything, you know?

SPEAKER_01 15:20

It was a big swing.

SPEAKER_00 15:21

Yeah. Um, and how I got the contract was I did one, I did one episode, and I did a really good job.

SPEAKER_01 15:30

Right.

SPEAKER_00 15:30

And they said, Oh my gosh, we're keeping you. And I said, Okay. And then my second show, they gave me a contract.

SPEAKER_01 15:37

Here, sign this.

SPEAKER_00 15:38

Here, sign this. And you did. And I did. I said, Okay. Um, I it was a really good run. I well, I went to their lawyers, the lawyer was a sister, so you know, she was like, it's good. Okay. Um, and so behind the scenes, meaning like learning how to negotiate for myself, especially when I know I'm the product. Because I was. Right. Because I was, and it's and I say I pat myself on the back, but I have to give myself credit because when I was on on a raid, I did over a hundred episodes. Um and so when I was like going three times a week, getting picked up by car service and um, you know, doing three to four episodes per week. Um I was basically adding to Dr. I's Dr. Rise's ability to receive Emmys. And after that, after they started, after they stopped using me as much, right, they stopped winning Emmys.

SPEAKER_01 16:53

Is that right?

SPEAKER_00 16:55

Yeah. And so I guess what I learned is is that I need to bet on myself, and that I don't need a machine behind me. I don't need a machine. It's nice to have a machine, but you don't need one because you can build your own momentum.

SPEAKER_01 17:17

That what you just said is really powerful. I'm gonna repeat it. You learned that you can build your own momentum. What does that mean?

SPEAKER_00 17:31

You already have what's in you will come out. You already have what you need. You just need to access it, and that will create your momentum.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

I'm sitting here and you can see my face, and the audience can't. But I'm kind of my mouth is hanging open and my eyes are wide, like what you just said is pretty powerful.

SPEAKER_00 17:56

Yeah, we have everything we need. Um, we don't, I mean, obviously, you know, we need to be learned, we need to have some sense in our head. Sure, sure, you know, um, but everything you have is within you. And you don't need a PR person, you don't need um a producer. You because you know, we are creatives, and everything you have is within you. You just need to access it and go for it.

SPEAKER_01 18:30

And is that how you live?

SPEAKER_00 18:32

That is how I live.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

I do. I think that's impressive. Many times I know for myself and I've known of others where we might want to try to tiptoe through life and not crack any eggs as we take the next step.

SPEAKER_00 18:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:49

And there are no eggs on the f on the floor, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:51

But we act like they are there are life is literally throwing something against the wall and see if it sticks. And sometimes it's sometimes it'll stick, sometimes it won't.

SPEAKER_01 19:04

Right.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

But you have to learn from both experiences.

SPEAKER_01 19:09

And it's funny that you say that at this point because that's that's the essence of the show, or that's what I would hope the essence would be, is that you would learn from your experiences, and from those, you have something to share. And we each learn something, we can learn something from others if we care to.

SPEAKER_00 19:31

Yeah, right. But don't make people the barometer.

SPEAKER_01 19:37

I don't understand.

SPEAKER_00 19:39

So, you know, we look at what rachine got going on and think that that's what you want. Or we look at Robert and see what he has going on and we make them the barometer. It's like, oh, they can do what I can too. Don't make people the barometer. Don't look at someone else's life and think that, oh, because they're doing it, you know, I can too, right? Sometimes that works, but when you can stifle yourself because you can soar beyond whatever Robert is doing or whatever Rasheen is doing.

SPEAKER_01 20:20

Possibly, yeah, sure.

SPEAKER_00 20:21

Um, and so having some kind of having some kind of uh semblance of what you want to do first before you compare yourself to somebody else is what you need to have in your pocket versus making somebody else the barometer. You know, it's like vision boarding. Oh um, you know, putting Oprah on your vision board or putting, you know, it's like it's like they're great, they're awesome, but you have it within you. And so that's my thing. Don't make people the barometer. It's like somebody idolizing their pastor, you know, he's a human person. Sure. Don't make him the barometer, don't make her the barometer.

SPEAKER_01 21:06

So it's great that you have that philosophy and that paradigm. Did you learn it from experience or was it?

SPEAKER_00 21:15

Absolutely. Because you always think that the grass is always greener. It is not, because I had a young man who, and I think it's after him. I think it's after him that I was like, look, we can't um be on the outside looking in and think that everything is roses with people. Right. Cause it's not. A young man who passed away, he was 25 years old, he was like one of my mentees. He um he struggled with uh being on Facebook and seeing what's going on, whatever. Else, but nothing's happening with him.

SPEAKER_01 22:02

Really?

SPEAKER_00 22:02

And so he turned to alcoholism. Wow. And he eventually passed. And so ever since then, I'm like, we can't look at social media. Okay. And that's literally what it was. We can't look at social media and think that that is our barometer and think that that is our North Star. Because whatever's happening with other people, what we see isn't what could really be happening. You don't know what's actually happening in their homes.

SPEAKER_01 22:38

No, we don't.

SPEAKER_00 22:39

They could have a million followers. They could have a million likes. But guess what? They broke.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

Okay. I wouldn't doubt it.

SPEAKER_00 22:53

He was a brilliant actor, a brilliant, um, just brilliant. And he let he let the outside looking in be his demise. Um, and he turned to he turned to alcoholism and unfortunately passed away.

SPEAKER_01 23:17

So what you're sharing, pardon me for interrupting, maybe somebody needs to hear that right now.

SPEAKER_00 23:22

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 23:22

And if they don't hear it right now, maybe one day they'll pick up this recording, and that'll be waiting for them. Because they may need to know that and internalize it.

SPEAKER_00 23:35

Yeah. We live in a society in 2025, especially because, you know, you wouldn't be doing a podcast if you weren't inspired by um, you know, what you have to say and as well as what your guests have to say, right? But in 2025, we live in a time where we think because engagement is high, and by engagement I mean um likes and shares and views is high, right? That that is what we strive for. And unfortunately, listen, we just gotta live day by day, day by day, worry about what we have going on and not worry about what anybody else has going on, and and be our own barometer.

SPEAKER_01 24:30

You know, the fact that you have that wisdom now is great. I don't know how long you've had it, but that isn't taught, I think, enough in in homes. Children don't hear that enough. Um, so we can be susceptible to what we believe to be true from what we see surrounding someone else. And you're right, we don't know what's happening behind closed doors. So it's really important to keep that in mind. And then you mentioned day by day. I say to people, we live, we're we're given life day by day. I even said to someone this morning, you know, I sometimes laugh when people ask, What is your five-year plan? I said, five-year plan, I don't know if I'm gonna be around five months from now.

SPEAKER_00 25:20

Right.

SPEAKER_01 25:20

But that's not to say I'm irresponsible and don't care because we are future-oriented beings. But we are given life one day at a time. So we can't live five days at a time. It's impossible. Five years at a time, or five days. Right. So I said to the person, if we practice or learn how to practice doing what we really want, obviously what we need to do, but then striving for what we want to do in real time in that day, then that's the best we can do. That's the best we can do. Because we're not getting five years offered to us in one slot and we never sleep, and it's five years running, and that's it. No, we get this what we call 24-hour period. That's how we measure time, but that's it.

SPEAKER_00 26:04

You know, there's a saying, man plans and God laughs. I've heard that. I've heard that. Um, you know, we there's nothing wrong with being planful, right? There's nothing wrong with being planful.

SPEAKER_01 26:23

It's important.

SPEAKER_00 26:24

But like you said, the sometimes the not necessarily downfall, for lack of a better phrase, um, of being too planful is that you you disappoint yourself.

SPEAKER_01 26:41

Right.

SPEAKER_00 26:43

Um, and my philosophy is that it's not about disappointing yourself, but it's about achieving what you can now.

SPEAKER_01 26:59

That's all you can do.

SPEAKER_00 27:00

That's all you can do. It's achieving what you can now. You can do what you want to do now. Um, and you know, if in the future, if you plan for something in the future and it it um manifests itself, then good. But if it doesn't, then you're not disappointed.

SPEAKER_01 27:20

So I I love that because that's that's what taking a big swing is about. Yeah. It's really taking a chance, right? And sometimes chance feels so scary. Because we want some of us want guarantees, right? We want proof of a concept, right? We want something to be validated and verified up front. And it doesn't happen like that.

SPEAKER_00 27:47

It doesn't. You hope for the best. But hoping for the best is not disappointing yourself. If we go.

SPEAKER_01 28:07

I don't want to you can speak freely here.

SPEAKER_00 28:12

Yeah. You know, it's like, you know, we we plan, we plan, we plan, and then we ruin our day.

SPEAKER_01 28:21

Right. I know what you mean. Without before you say it, I think I think I know what you mean.

SPEAKER_00 28:27

We ruin our day and disappoint ourselves because we we we go so hard um on something that may not necessarily work out. But if you just tell yourself in advance whatever's gonna be is gonna be, then you should be alright.

SPEAKER_01 28:52

That's a good philosophy. That's what you just shared, is something that I need to or could adopt and make my journey feel a lot different, more comfortable. I'm getting better, yeah. But I can see that I still need to give myself some more love, time, and patience while I attempt to grow emotionally and psychologically. So thanks for for sharing that.

SPEAKER_00 29:28

Thank you for that.

SPEAKER_01 29:30

You're welcome. You're welcome. I mean, you know, I said to someone today, I've been alive more than 22,000 days, and most of those days I could say I've squandered them in terms of the potential of the day. I just took them as another day. 22,000 days, more than it's a lot of days, but I didn't have the mindset along the way that wow, this day is important.

SPEAKER_00 30:07

You know what I choose to do? Um, 2025 was really tumultuous for me. Um, but the good outweighs, and so I choose to see the glass half full versus it being half empty. Um, because at the end of the day, we're still here, we made it, right? True, we're still here, we made it. We are hours away from 2026, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:41

Just hours away.

SPEAKER_00 30:42

Just hours away. And when you internalize that cliche, because they're all cliche, but when you internalize it, it's not cliche anymore, right? It's it's your way of living.

SPEAKER_01 31:00

Yeah, once you really grasp it or hold on to it, yes, try to make it a part of your ethos.

SPEAKER_00 31:07

Yes, it's no longer cliche, it's literally how you live. Um, and you say it a lot. It is what it is. That it is what it is, doesn't have to be a negative connotation. That it is what it is, it's like, yup, it is what it is, and it's gonna be what it's gonna be, and I'm gonna be alright, you know? It is what it is. Um it is what it is, and you know, and the glass is half empty and not full, and I'm sunshine in rainbows, not not um cloudy, dreary day. Because it's not about psyching yourself out, it's just about um having that mindset because in order to get through what you need to get through, it needs to be more positive than negative. And so 2025 was super tumultuous for me, but to God be the glory, the good outweighs the bad.

SPEAKER_01 32:05

I'm glad to hear that. I'm really glad to hear that. I know you to be a positive person, or your outlook, your your demeanor, the way you engage with others. I've only noticed uh a high energy level and positivity. And I think that's kind of rare, at least in my experience. So I admire that about you. And you know when I say it is what it is, it's usually after I've struggled with something or I've felt challenged. And I have to allow those feelings, right? Sure, right. And I haven't learned yet how to fully not allow those feelings. That's when I wind up saying, it is what it is, and that good cannot weigh the bad. Well, that one I need to put on my list to adopt of things of mantras to adopt.

SPEAKER_00 33:05

Yeah. And you can flip the it is what it is, you know? It can be flipped. It doesn't necessarily have to be because something negative happened. And even if something negative happened, it is what it is, and it's gonna be alright.

SPEAKER_01 33:21

Well, that's true, because I've had a lot of negative things happen in life where they felt negative or I deemed them negative.

SPEAKER_00 33:27

Right.

SPEAKER_01 33:27

And I'm still here, yeah. And I've had the chance to get better.

SPEAKER_00 33:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 33:33

So, as I said, you have this positive out here. I do know you to act as though the glass is half full.

SPEAKER_00 33:42

The glass is half full, then then half empty. I I know for a fact that you know when you change your mindset, things happen for the good. Things happen for the good. You just have to turn that switch on and want it. And want it. Um, and so that's what I've adopted.

SPEAKER_01 34:24

Everything you said is healthy. And we need we need sound mental health to really enjoy whatever the number of days we get, we need sound mental health to make it through.

SPEAKER_00 34:42

Right.

SPEAKER_01 34:43

And um hopefully some things you share tonight will help somebody. I know I don't mean to be to be uh gloomy about it. Uh yeah, I'm hopeful that your story, the way you shared it, resonates with somebody.

SPEAKER_00 35:02

I hope so too. Um, and it's not anything hard. Um, it's not anything complicated. Um, I would say my outlook on just being is it is what it is. And I'm gonna be alright. All right now.

SPEAKER_01 35:32

It is what it is.

SPEAKER_00 35:37

You know what it is, yo.

SPEAKER_01 35:40

Do you think we'll do this again sometime in the future?

SPEAKER_00 35:43

Yes, absolutely, if you'll have me.

SPEAKER_01 35:47

Okay, that's another show. But any event, we'll say yes.

SPEAKER_00 35:54

We'll say yes. Thank you so much for having me.

SPEAKER_01 35:58

On another show. Really, it's not a show, it's a sit down and let's sit down and talk. Yeah, let's sit down and and share. Hopefully, we learn.

SPEAKER_00 36:09

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 36:09

Um, that's what taking a big swing is about. That's what taking a big swing is all about. And this is the first podcast episode, or let's say 1A. But this is the beginning today.

SPEAKER_00 36:26

Congratulations.

SPEAKER_01 36:27

Well, thank you. You're so welcome. For a long time, I've wanted to be a part of a podcast or create one, and finally I said, hey, I'm gonna do it before the end of 2025.

SPEAKER_00 36:41

And you have accomplished your goal, and you've helped me quite a bit with it. You're so welcome.

SPEAKER_01 36:47

With the setup, the technology, and just being here with me. You are the the person that I wanted to share the first episode with.

SPEAKER_00 37:01

Thank you. I'm so glad. I'm grateful. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 37:05

You're welcome.

SPEAKER_00 37:06

You're welcome.

SPEAKER_01 37:09

Folks, we will be around, and you'll be able to hear us somewhere on some platform. Um, and we hope you come back. Thank you. Thank you for listening in to the big swing.