In this episode of The Brave Podcast, we get to hang out with Lori Marini. Lori is a fellow cancer suvivior! While working as a PA in Pathology, Lori found herself on the other side when she was diagnoised with breast cancer. Though the diagnosis was difficult, Lori found a way to empower other cancer survivors by coaching them. She is now a motivational coach who specializes in empowering women, during and after, their healing journey. Many lose their purpose and their fear of moving forward in life leaves them paralyzed. Coach Lori guides them to their higher purpose on many levels. You can also catch her podcast Courageous Cancer Warriors on Anchor FM.
In this episode, we discuss:
Follow the Brave Podcast
Learn more about Lori and check out her latest book!
Let's shop!
The Drifted Drum has apparel, gifts, and decor that are faith inspired and hand crafted by local artists in Tennessee. See something you like? Use the code "Brave" at checkout to receive 10% off your purchase.
Share a positive message with the clothing you wear;check out AlwaysHumble Apparel! This Fresno based apparel company has the goal to motive and inspire others.
Do you LOVE bagels? Coffee? Just plain joy?
Guys, one of my new favorite spots to visit is Clingans Junction. It's a quaint little coffee shop in Squaw Valley that is on the way to Kings Canyon National Park. If you're a Fresno local or you ever visit this area, you gotta stop here. Yummy homemade pastries and delish coffee await you.
Wanna learn more about me? Check out my website!
Love the Brave Podcast?
In this episode of The Brave Podcast, we get to hang out with Lori Marini. Lori is a fellow cancer suvivior! While working as a PA in Pathology, Lori found herself on the other side when she was diagnoised with breast cancer. Though the diagnosis was difficult, Lori found a way to empower other cancer survivors by coaching them. She is now a motivational coach who specializes in empowering women, during and after, their healing journey. Many lose their purpose and their fear of moving forward in life leaves them paralyzed. Coach Lori guides them to their higher purpose on many levels. You can also catch her podcast Courageous Cancer Warriors on Anchor FM.
In this episode, we discuss:
Follow the Brave Podcast
Learn more about Lori and check out her latest book!
Let's shop!
The Drifted Drum has apparel, gifts, and decor that are faith inspired and hand crafted by local artists in Tennessee. See something you like? Use the code "Brave" at checkout to receive 10% off your purchase.
Share a positive message with the clothing you wear;check out AlwaysHumble Apparel! This Fresno based apparel company has the goal to motive and inspire others.
Do you LOVE bagels? Coffee? Just plain joy?
Guys, one of my new favorite spots to visit is Clingans Junction. It's a quaint little coffee shop in Squaw Valley that is on the way to Kings Canyon National Park. If you're a Fresno local or you ever visit this area, you gotta stop here. Yummy homemade pastries and delish coffee await you.
Wanna learn more about me? Check out my website!
Love the Brave Podcast?
LMaudio_only
[00:00:00] Alexis Newlin: [00:00:00] Hey guys, welcome to another episode of the brave podcast. I'm your host, Alexis, and I'm so stoked to have you here with me on this Wednesday. It is the second week of March. How has a March already? You guys, I feel like. 2020 was just ending. And now we're in March of 2021. Just blows my mind. How fast time is moving. I feel the older I get the faster time moves.
It just blows my mind. Anyway. So today's guest is my new friend, Laurie Marini, me. Laurie is a fellow cancer survivor. I always love talking to people who have been on the cancer journey because there's so much, even though the cancer diagnosis can be so different, there's so many similarities and experience, and I've just found the cancer community to be the most welcoming people. And it just something that all unites. So something that's really awful, but the way that it unites people in build [00:01:00] relationship.
It's just wonderful. I tell people this all the time cancer, although it's sucked. Was probably the biggest blessings happen to me. I, it caused me to be more brave. It caused me to try new things. I met a ton of Austin people, people like Laurie. And so I am truly blessed by having cancer, which is a weird thing to say,
Anyway. So Lori is a cancer coach. She shares how she became a cancer coach through her own diagnosis of breast cancer. Today she helps women or people out there who are trying to navigate their journey after. Being done with treatment. So without further ado here is my guest, Laurie Maurine.
All right, Lori, I'm gonna have you introduce yourself officially while you're awesome. And give your story.
Lori Marino: [00:01:49] Oh, you're so sweet. All right . So I am Laurie Maurine. I am a certified pathologist assistant. So if you know anything about pathology is that [00:02:00] I'm a tumor expert. I spent the past 20 years identifying in diagnosing tumors and I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and it really shook up my life.
To the point that now I am a life wellness, cancer coach, and also a motivational speaker and I have a book coming up. So I'm actually a new author too, which I'm well, congratulations, really, really excited about. Yeah. Thank you. And I also have a podcast that's called conversations with courageous cancer warriors, where we have cancer warriors.
We have caregivers. We also have healthcare providers come on and just talk about their experience and how it's changed their life. And also more importantly, like how they keep a positive mindset through adversity.
Alexis Newlin: [00:02:50] Yeah. That is really cool. When did you start your podcast?
Lori Marino: [00:02:54] I started my podcast about a year ago.
Okay. Is it more, it might be more than a year [00:03:00] ago. I'm you know, I should really yeah, I'm really excited because it's getting some traction. We are international, which is like insane. I'm like, how did that happen?
Alexis Newlin: [00:03:09] Right. Appreciate what had happened. You were like people were another country or listing it doesn't even know who they are.
Lori Marino: [00:03:13] And I love it. I love it. I think it's just really great. And so we've been able to partner with a lot of different cancer groups and I'm just very, very blessed to be able to have people come on and share their story. I find that, this is a community we never wish anybody to become a part of, but you know, if we're going to do it, then let's just support each other to the best that we can.
Alexis Newlin: [00:03:33] Yeah. And I found it. It's the, one of the most supportive communities I've ever been a part of. They're just, yeah. Wonderful people in the cancer community. And it's a horrible thing that we're all brought together by cancer, but it's just the community is just by far amazing. Like just last night.
Actually, I had a friend who passed away from cancer a couple of weeks ago. And so we had a funeral, we had our like zoom funeral for him and man, I would've never met him. If it wasn't for this illness. He was end of life when I met him. [00:04:00] like you were saying earlier, he was like, I know I have this, but I'm going to live for the day.
And he just lived this amazing life. He just went after everything he wanted to do. , it just blows my mind. Cancer doesn't define who I am and it doesn't end my life because I have it.
Lori Marino: [00:04:13] Yeah, exactly. And I feel that people either have that mindset or they need to get in that mindset, right.
That they're heard, they're struggling to get there and then they eventually get there. And then like, they really, truly live all out and aren't defined by it. But it's so hard to make that transition because we all have the fear. We all have that little voice in the back of our minds of like, What's going to happen.
, I just personally went for my three-year follow-up and I was surprised by how nervous I was ? Yeah.
it's part of the process. It's part of the process of just it's almost like an acceptance where you just need to be like, okay, this is what it's a part of my life. I'm on Tamoxifen. I know I need to take that every night, even though I absolutely despise it, but it's a part of my life.
I just need to, get beyond it and just keep living [00:05:00] because all we truly have is today. So.
Alexis Newlin: [00:05:05] So through your own journey, what caused you to want to become a cancer coach? I'd never heard of anything like that before, until it was meeting you,
Lori Marino: [00:05:12] So, I didn't either to be honest with you. And it was one of those things that I my story is really just like everyone, else's, it's kind of unique and kind of like, Oh, no, right. So at 40 I went to my primary care provider and she's like, you need to go and get your mammogram this year. And I was like, yeah, yeah, I'll go and get it done. But I had just started a new job and I was just, it never happened.
So 41 came around and went to the same, practitioner and I'm like, I'm so sorry. I never went for my baseline. And she's like, Laura, don't worry about it. They just changed the guidelines to 45. You bought yourself a four more years. And I was like, Oh right. And I work in the fields and I hadn't heard that I had no family history.
We did a self exam. I did monthly self exams. We did not [00:06:00] find anything. And so I kind of went home and I was like, all right, well, am I going to wait or am I going to go? Right? But I had worked with metastatic cancer patients, my entire career. And now, what I was doing at the time was I was right in the front lines with them getting their biopsies and their surgeries done that I really saw the devastation firsthand.
So I kinda let it go. And then one night I had a dream. I had a dream where I was riddled with cancer and I woke up like, what the heck is going on. So I called my bestie and I'm like, look, I just had this really crazy dream. And I'm like, I need to schedule that mammogram. And in hindsight, I don't know why I automatically assumed it was the mammogram I needed to go and do, but it's just kind of what.It propels me to do that. So I ended up calling and for an appointment. They had an appointment the very next day, which, you know, never happens. Never, [00:07:00] never, never. I went for the appointment and they called me back for a second screening. And being in the field. I didn't think anything of it. I knew I had dense breast tissue.
I knew, that it's normal. They don't always call you back for something. So I went there, whatever, and they did a repeat mammogram. They even did, did a 3d, contrast mammogram. And then they put me they lay me down on the table and they start using the ultrasound machine and I'm like, Okay. Not thinking anything of it up until the point they were on image 65 and they were measuring my lymph nodes. And then that's when the light bulb went off. I'm like. Okay. There's something here. There's a problem because they don't measure your lymph nodes on a standard screening. Right? Like they saw something there's something going on.
And so they came in and they're like, okay, you know, we need to schedule a biopsy for you. Nobody said anything to me up until this point. They're like, we're want you to come back in tomorrow. We're going to be doing a [00:08:00] biopsy. And they literally had to ask them , What's going on. I needed them to say the words, even though I knew by the measuring my lymph nodes, I had something going on.
I was like staring at that colorful light that they have above head that I now understand why they have it. , planning my will, what I'm going to do when I get through this , how do I want to live my life? I just went down the rabbit hole , but nobody had yet to say the word cancer to me.
So I force them. I'm like, I need to know what's going on. And so they're like, well, you have cancer. And I was like, what do you mean? Tell me more. I need to know more. And I ended up having four lesions, one that is about the size of a golf ball in my breast. And we did not feel it, but didn't feel.
So when I kind of put all of that together, her telling me not to go for another four years , and , being diagnosed with a pretty advanced cancer I am so clear [00:09:00] that I probably wouldn't be sitting here with you today if I didn't take it upon myself to go and be my own advocate.
Yeah. Wow. Yeah. So I went through the process. Having my background helps me, but also really hindered me for the fact that I knew too much. So I knew automatically that I was going to go and get a bilateral mastectomy. My surgeon, my oncologist, they're all like you're being too aggressive. And I always had said to myself, if I'm ever in this situation this is what I'm going to do.
If I've learned anything in my career, as a medical professional is that we have one chance. You have one chance to do the right surgery upfront. And once you start manipulating your body, you're going to cause other complications for yourself. So for me, yeah, I didn't want to deal with it.
I'm going with a bilateral and my biopsies ended up showing that I needed to have that done anyways. So I went through all of that and went through reconstruction. I was very [00:10:00] fortunate that even though I had invasion in my breast tissue, my lymph nodes were negative. I didn't need radiation and I didn't need chemo.
At the beginning of this whole thing. I was like, , take my boobs, take whatever you need to take, please just spare me. Right. So I was very, very blessed and going to the doctor's appointments, doing all of that.
Even though I was in the place where I worked, I knew where to park. I knew where the cafeteria was. I knew where I could get a cup of coffee. I knew where my doctor's office was. I was still completely overwhelmed, like beyond, and I just sat there. , I know the system inside and out. I understand the language, I know the location.
I know everything. How do other people do it? How did they get through it? It has to be traumatizing just to be able to get through the process. So that's when the light bulb went off in my head where I'm like, I need to make a difference. I need to be able to support other people that are [00:11:00] going through this.
And that's how I became a coach and then from a life and wellness coach, because it's something that, I've always been interested in. I then recognize them the cancer community is who I need to support. So then I went ahead and I became a cancer coach. And then from there it just evolved.
The podcast happened. I now do motivational speaking and my mission in life is, if I could support, if I could help one person every day by just sharing my message and I've done my job. Yeah. I mean, yeah, it's just it's I I'm so clear. It's my calling.
Alexis Newlin: [00:11:39] That is a beautiful calling because the cancer community, after everything is said and done after the treatment's done , you're just left like, what's next?
Lori Marino: [00:11:47] Yeah. You're left alone. And that's what we talk a lot about is that the treatment part in a way, , it sucks. It's terrible, but it's kind of the easier part because you just go from appointment to appointment, you eventually know what [00:12:00] to expect.
You know that , you're going to feel like crap from chemo, but then it's like, once you're done. There's nobody there. Like your social worker's gone, your therapist has gone unless you seek them out. And what I found is I was good up until year two. And then at year two, I realized I just got hit with all the emotional baggage I was carrying and , so that's why I focus on mostly women. I won't turn down men, but I gravitate towards women. And I support them as you're done with your treatment. Like now, what, what do you want for your life? Like, you could have anything you want. And I really just support them in working through, like, you're always going to have that voice in the back of your head, but does it mean that you're not going to be able to handle whatever comes your way?
Exactly.
Yeah. And so now the time to live is now, you know?
Alexis Newlin: [00:12:53] Yeah. Wow. That is amazing. I love that. You've turned this like really scary [00:13:00] thing into something so beautiful to offer hope to other people. , it is the scariest words to hear you have cancer, the three scariest you're like, okay, what's going to happen.
And then when you're done with it, you're like, what's next? The what next is like, how do I pick my life back up? How do I live with these new symptoms? Or with neuropathy in my feet and my hands or my hair, or my image of my body. You've just been changed and how to kind of continue living after that.
So it's so great that you offer something to these people who can look to you for some help.
Lori Marino: [00:13:30] Yeah. Thank you. I've been very blessed to have some amazing people across my path. And I truly believe that part of what we need as cancer warriors is to just be heard.
Where I stand when I'm, even talking to you now, I'm listening for your greatness, like, what is it that you want for yourself? And then I'll support you in getting that. And it's something that I find it's kinda missed. There there's a certain Relatedness, right? Like, I've been through it, you've been through [00:14:00] it. We automatically connect, even though it's completely different journeys. It's still the same of , we have faced our mortality. We have lost that innocence that we had with life. Woo. You know, and like, we got to get serious for a second. We have to adult.
Yeah.
Alexis Newlin: [00:14:15] Yeah.
Lori Marino: [00:14:20] So, yeah, It's really just being a support and just being there for people and letting them realize that you can set goals for yourself. You can make plans, , you don't have to wait until your next screening to decide how you're going to live the rest of your life.
Live the life in between your imaging. Right. Which is what a lot of people do. They live it in a positive way. Like don't have , the rain cloud over your head the whole time. It's also that saying I tell people all the time, you don't know if you're going to get hit by a bus on the street, like crossing the street.
So what do you want to do right now? How do you want your life to look? And if it doesn't work for you get rid of [00:15:00] it. , if the relationships in your life don't work to get rid of it. If you don't like the way your doctor is, if you don't like your doctor, you don't like your treatment plan. Find somebody else, You have to be your own advocate in your life and you have to be the person to say enough. You have to set your boundaries. You have to really just take care of yourself. It's part of self care and self care is not selfish. If I learned anything throughout this, especially as a helper, I've always served people.
It's just who I am sometimes to a fault. I realized when I was going through my own healing process, I was still learning how to everybody else. And I was doing things I shouldn't be doing and hurting myself, slowing my progress down because I was dealing with other people. And I eventually got to a point where I'm like, that needs to stop.
I need to put myself first.
Exactly.
And I think as women it's really hard to do that.
Alexis Newlin: [00:15:51] It's so hard. You want to take care of others. I remember when I was going through my treatment and telling people about it there were people I couldn't tell because I [00:16:00] knew that I would be taking care of them.
And first I'm like, okay, I will. And God's like, stop. He's like, that is draining you, you can't. They will have to be okay. Or try to find a way to be okay. You have to think about you now. And it's not a selfish thing. And that was one of the biggest things I had to drill into myself. It is not selfish to need to take care of myself. It is not. I'm a helper too. So I'm used to serving, serving, serving, serving. And my cancer taught me to stop. It stops your world. You're like, okay, I need to look at me now.
Lori Marino: [00:16:29] You stop and you reevaluate. Everything that you have in your life, what you want.
, I thank you for bringing that point up because I gotten myself into some trouble because I was at a point where I could not listen to other people had to say about what was happening with me. I couldn't handle having to handle them. Does that make sense?
Alexis Newlin: [00:16:52] Yes, it does.
Lori Marino: [00:16:53] I would feel people out to see how they would react. There's certain people I had to tell I couldn't get around it, but for the most part, I didn't [00:17:00] tell anybody for a good year and a half.
Alexis Newlin: [00:17:02] Wow.
Lori Marino: [00:17:03] And even my really close friends that I adore, I just couldn't do it. Like I couldn't. And so. They got mad at me and I dealt with the lashings and I'm like guys, but it's just where I was.
, I wasn't emotionally strong enough to handle your emotions too. I was dealing with mine. I was forgiven but at the same time too when I would take a chance and tell somebody and they would come back with a really stupid comment because people don't know what to say.
Alexis Newlin: [00:17:35] They don't know what to say. They tell you some crazy things.
Lori Marino: [00:17:38] They don't know. It's terrible. and when it's so raw and so real, like the last thing you want to do is try to forgive somebody who's just made it worse for you. So like I just stopped talking really. I knew I had certain people I could talk to, and I'm not saying that that's how people should go through life, but for me, it's what I needed to do at the time.
Alexis Newlin: [00:17:56] Same for me. Same thing. Yeah.
Lori Marino: [00:17:58] That's why now I have a [00:18:00] distinction of surviving and being a warrior that was me surviving. You know, like just kind of going through it and just putting the pieces in place until I was able to just sit down and be like, what do I need to do?
How do I need to empower myself in this journey? And that's truly why we, you know, I have why the podcast is called that way. Like, I truly believe that going through something like this, you find the strength within you that you don't even know you have?
Alexis Newlin: [00:18:30] Yeah. It just comes out of nowhere. Am I going to lay down and die and basically let this take me, or am I going to fight?
Lori Marino: [00:18:37] Yeah. You have the choice. Right? And that's why I don't use the word survivor because survivor does not resonate with me. Survivor means that you are just letting the wind take you.
That's not me and that's not who I want the people in my life to be like. Let's set you up, let's get you the tools you need, the armor, everything you need in order to go in and really fight that battle. [00:19:00] And the other thing that comes along with that too, is like, just give yourself grace.
Sometimes it's going to be ugly. Sometimes you're going to look at yourself and be like, I'm horrendous. I look like this, my hair is like that. My skin's like this. Just love yourself, love yourself for where you are and just remember you're alive and give yourself some grace that it's not going to always be perfect.
You're not going to always look pretty. And it's okay. Right? Like still love yourself for all the stages that you go through. Yeah. And I don't know if that resonates with you and if I'm speaking out of line.
Alexis Newlin: [00:19:32] Totally resonates. They're just days where you're just like, ah, I am a dumpster fire.
Lori Marino: [00:19:37] Totally. It was terrible. , I'm going to be honest with you. I suffered for quite some time with like body confidence, right? So I have scars across my chest. I didn't have nipples. They're kind of like, one's a little bit lower than the other, we can go into it right? And then I went to go see my Oncologist, my new oncologist and the nurse and the oncologist were like, where did you get [00:20:00] your work done? That's the best we've ever seen. And here I am, I'm beating myself up for the past three years . These things are awful. Give yourself some grace. It'll be fine. It doesn't need to be perfect.
Alexis Newlin: [00:20:11] That's true. That is so true. I know with scarring, you mentioned that, I'm like, I look like I've been in a knife fight with my neck and all that. . Someone told me, those scars mean you lived. They mean that you are still here.
that is so true. It's just how you look at it.
Lori Marino: [00:20:25] It's all about perspective.
Alexis Newlin: [00:20:26] It is. It's about perspective.
Lori Marino: [00:20:28] Yeah. And that's why I try to live and how I try to support people is like, How can we make this into a positive? Yeah, what's the lesson you need to learn from it.
And stuff's going to happen to you; how do you just not fall apart? Right. Be strong for yourself and, It's so important to just have, that positive mindset to be like, it's going to be okay. I'll get through it.
Alexis Newlin: [00:20:53] Yeah, definitely. And there are times you will fall apart. There were times where you just lose it , and that's okay to do. It's okay to just lose it. It's a [00:21:00] scary thing. But then to remember, you've lost it. Okay. Get back up. Yeah. Keep going and to hang in there.
Lori Marino: [00:21:07] Yeah, absolutely.
Alexis Newlin: [00:21:09] So what is your book going to be about? Is it going to be about your journey?
Lori Marino: [00:21:12] So, yeah , I'm so blessed. I I have an opportunity to collaborate with 15 other amazing women who have all overcome adversity in life. the book is called women who boss up.
Alexis Newlin: [00:21:26] Oh I love it!
Lori Marino: [00:21:27] And so it's a health wellness and lifestyle addition, where we all talk about something that's happened to us. Where we've just overcome everything, and we've just put our warrior gear on and we've just went to battle for ourselves. And so it's going to be pre-ordering now and hard copies are coming out in January.
I'm so excited. I'm so excited. It was not on my radar at all. So when they presented it to me, I'm like, are you really? Like this is happening? No, I honestly, as you could tell, like I'm speechless around it, I still can't believe it's [00:22:00] happening. Yeah. That's amazing. Wow. Thank you.
Alexis Newlin: [00:22:06] So, what are some of your other goals for 2020? What are some other things you want to get into and do?
Lori Marino: [00:22:11] Yeah, so starting next week I have five 30 minute sessions on business talk radio too. Yeah. I'm really excited. And I'm going to be sharing , like what I shared with you today, self care tips, how to persevere through adversity, how to just be your own champion.
I'm really excited about that. And I also am creating a wellness retreat, a virtual wellness retreat with a group of four really amazing ladies. And we plan on launching that at the end of the year. Wow. It's going to be really great. , I'm very blessed that, these opportunities find me. Right.
Alexis Newlin: [00:22:50] That's really cool. What's the retreat going to be? I'm interested in it. what is the retreat gonna be about? Can people join it?
Lori Marino: [00:22:56] Yeah, absolutely. So we're going, yeah, we're going to be doing an [00:23:00] online retreat and I will be providing wellness tips. There's a yoga there's Reiki . There's also a nutritionist that's going to be on there. We just have like a really well rounded group of women who are there to support you and just creating the best life for yourself we're going to have different speakers and different topics that we're going to talk about. And if there's anybody that's interested in submitting a topic that you want to hear we're still in the middle of planning our talks. I'll be happy to submit those so you could get some insight.
Alexis Newlin: [00:23:35] Yeah. I'll have to share with my cancer group. That's really cool. Is it cancer patients only or is it just like everybody?
Lori Marino: [00:23:40] You know, it's geared towards cancer patients because pretty much everybody that's on the platform that is a cancer warrior. But it really can be for everybody. It's really like, let's get you back to just living an amazing life. Wow. Okay. Yeah.
Alexis Newlin: [00:23:56] So about your coaching, how do people find you? How do people sign [00:24:00] up?
Lori Marino: [00:24:00] Oh, thank you. Yeah, so everything is on my website, Lorimauri.com and you'll see that there's links for to schedule an appointment. I offer a complimentary 30 minutes session for anybody. , I'm not a hard sell. I'm here to help you. If you can be supported in one session I'm good with that. There's also links to a virtual a vision board course. that's also on there.
Alexis Newlin: [00:24:26] So cool!
Lori Marino: [00:24:27] Yeah . So hopefully it kind of inspires you a little bit. Makes you think about areas of life that you maybe hadn't considered. And what I love about it is that you could keep adding to it.
Right. And so I have that available. I have my email. I also have a phone number that I answer. So , if anybody actually wants to get me on the phone, please call me. I would love that. And I'm going to eventually put the retreat link on there.
It's just all in the headers, everything that you could possibly need. And if you don't find what you're looking for, have any questions, my email is [00:25:00] on there too. So definitely feel free to email me.
Alexis Newlin: [00:25:02] I wanted to pop back really quick. For people who don't know what is a vision board? Because some people don't know what that is .
Lori Marino: [00:25:07] Yes. So I believe in that you manifest your energy, right? I'm also a Reiki practitioner. I believe that we are made of energy and we manifest things through the energy that we hold. And that's why I believe having a positive mindset and a positive outlook really allows you to receive positivity in your life. Okay. It's kind of like one of those things where you always think that people are lucky, right? Oh, you're so lucky. It's like, I believe that you create that luck. Right. And so what a vision board does is you look at the different parts aspects of your life.
So your career, your relationships , where you live. Your lifestyle, anything that's important to you and you project out what you want to receive in that area. Like if you want a new career, if you want a new car, then you find the picture of a car that's similar to what you want or the exact car and you put it [00:26:00] on there. What happens is from you looking at this vision board in, which has a whole bunch of different pictures, like if you're looking to be if you're looking for more money, then put a roll of cash on there, right? Like whatever you want to keep working towards in Sustaining, I guess is the word that keeps coming to mind. So what it does is you will literally start taking action toward what you visualize every day. Right? It's kind of like that. It's just like the media. Over time they change your thought process, right? So having this vision board available where you look at it every day, it reminds you, Hey, that's a goal for me. So then you'll start looking for things in life or things in life will find you that'll actually allow you to attain that goal.
It's super simple and people are like, really? this really works up until the point that the first time you're like, Oh, that's a coincidence. The second time. You're like, yeah, that's still [00:27:00] a coincidence. And then the third time it makes you sit back and be like, wait a second.
There's something to this. I have a reinvented my life so many times by using this technique. I'm a true believer in it.
Alexis Newlin: [00:27:12] Yeah. And it helps. I'm a visual learner and I 'm a goal setter, so when I see something I'm like, okay, this is my goal work towards it actively.
I have a bucket list of things. these are things I want to do and I need to make visual, but I still keep to it. I wanted to go to Italy one year and I'm like, these are all places I wanted to go and I plan for it.
And I'm like, yeah to accomplish it, it's just the most exciting feeling .Like I did that. And what's my next goal. Goals are just so important. Being able to see it just kind of makes it more real and more tangible.
Lori Marino: [00:27:41] Absolutely. . And you know, the other thing too, is that you, don't the vision board that I created in 2017 while I was in treatment is the life I have now. . And it's one of those things of When I think back on it, I'm like, "Oh my goodness, that's really on my vision board." Right. I surprised myself, but I shouldn't be surprised because you've worked towards the things that [00:28:00] you keep wanting right? It becomes part of your path. It becomes part of your journey.
To go with what you're saying, like you wanted to go to Italy, then Italy will find its way to you. Something will appear in your life that will get you there. I truly believe that in the law of attraction.
That's why honestly, you know, I do still work as a PA. I just limit myself as to my interactions and what I do because I mean, I guess it's not so bad now , but in the early stages for me, I was really susceptible and I take people's emotions so it was really difficult for me to be there with other patients that were going through a difficult time and me trying to kind of heal myself. So I , I just really reinvented my life.
I created a new job based on my education. That was something like nobody's ever done before I found a new home. Yeah, I just changed it up, because it's like, If not now when?
Alexis Newlin: [00:29:00] [00:29:00] Yeah, exactly. And I relate to that. And even now, like I have a hard time working with cancer patients at work. I have one and she has a bad diagnosis. , I'm just praying to God , please save this kid. It's hard. It is hard. I will do it, but , it is painful to watch and it hits close to home. You're like, Oh my gosh, this could be happening to me, you know? . I work with anything, but like when I get an oncology kid on my caseload, it just brings things back again.
Lori Marino: [00:29:26] it's just human right? It's just human to think that way. We don't , I don't want ever the other person to feel bad because a solid feeling by recognizing what they're suffering is.
Right. But at the same time, it's part of the relatedness, you know, it's part of just understanding what somebody is going through. Yeah. It's hard. It is really hard.
Alexis Newlin: [00:29:51] All right. So my final question for you is when did you decide that you were brave?
Lori Marino: [00:29:56] Oh, I love this question and I didn't expect it. [00:30:00] You know, , I'm a courageous little soul sometimes to my own detriment. but there's no way that you could get through a cancer journey or a life crisis without being brave. Because, even though things happen, circumstances happen, you don't look for certain things to go down, in your life. You really get to choose how you're going to react to them. Yeah. And so I choose to react bravely. I choose to react to courage and with positivity. And I didn't realize that that's really, really, really how I was until I went through what I just went through.
Alexis Newlin: [00:30:44] Yeah.
Lori Marino: [00:30:45] And it's other people really pointing it out to me.
Right. Cause you never know.
Alexis Newlin: [00:30:48] Yeah.Until someone says , you know, you're this, you never think of it.
Lori Marino: [00:30:52] Yeah. when I'm still trying to take care of other people, when I should be taking care of myself. Right. That's a little dumb my thing for me [00:31:00] to do. But at the same time I realized perseverance. Just keep going one step, one foot in front of the other.
Yeah. Yeah. And I love what the show is about. I just want to take the time to just truly say thank you for who you are in the world and for the positivity and the greatness that you're putting out there.
Alexis Newlin: [00:31:23] Lori. Thank you. I appreciate that. It's so funny, I probably wouldn't have done half the things I'm doing like writing. If I wouldn't have gotten this diagnosis and gotten cancer and God basically saying," here's some things you can do". And it was honestly the Lord who was like, you should do a podcast and talk to you about their stories and overcoming. And I'm like, okay, at first I was like, no, I'm terrified.
No , I'm a writer. I don't get on camera or talk behind a microphone, but it's been the most amazing thing I've ever said yes to. And I'm so glad I did.
Lori Marino: [00:31:53] I'm so glad you were brave to do it, right. That's your example of brave, for sure. [00:32:00] Yeah. And I love that because people need this and they need to hear from you and thank you. Thank you for who you are.
Alexis Newlin: [00:32:07] Thank you, Lori. This has been great.
Lori Marino: [00:32:09] Yeah. Thank you for having me. This is truly an honor. \
Alexis Newlin: [00:32:12] I love it. All right. I will put all like your info in the show notes so people can find you and I will definitely share your, your resource to my cancer people because there's a lot of people who wonder, like what now?
And it'd be so helpful to have this and I will email you all the fun adventure stuff you can do that because there's so much.
Lori Marino: [00:32:32] I think, you know, it's, like I said, there's just so much out there that you really need to look for that as I was going through, you know, my journey, I was just so overwhelmed that I'm like, I can't even just try to do one more thing, like for a good part in survival mode.
And that's why now I can recognize it. Right. And I'm like, you don't need to be there. I wish somebody would have done that for me. You can step beyond that. Exactly.
Alexis Newlin: [00:32:58] Well, I'm glad you've [00:33:00] decided to create this, it's a definite asset to the cancer community.
Lori Marino: [00:33:04] Thank you. Thank you so much. I really appreciate you.
Alexis Newlin: [00:33:07] Hey guys. Thanks so much for tuning into today's episode. I will put all the info about Lori and her coaching program in the show notes. So if yourself or anyone that you know is going through cancer, who has survived it, and now is trying to figure out what to do. You can reach out to Lori and she can kind of.
Give you some tips on how to navigate your life again. Also, I will also put like the links to all the fun things I did as an adult with cancer. There's so many great programs. I remember when I got diagnosed. Officially, the first thing I thought is what fun things can I do? Cause I'm a rec therapist and my professional life. And so I spend most of my time looking for things that my kids can do after their injury or illness. And so I'm like, there's gotta be something for adults to do. That's fun.
With the cancer diagnosis. So I found first the sense, send it [00:34:00] APIC. There's so many awesome things that you can do, or your loved one can do if they're 18 to 40 with some of these programs. They can go on adventures. It's great. I love it. It's built a great community. So I put all that in the show notes.
Alright next week's guests. I want to kind of give you guys a heads up two of our guests. We're going to talk about sexual assault and also sexual abuse or. You kind of think of another word for it are basically types of abuse that happened in the church. And so I'm going to give you guys that heads up. So you're aware that episode is the first episode with Tiffany bloom, who is an amazing, I had so much fun talking to her. You're going to love our interview.
Despite the difficult topic. I had an awesome time talking with her. She talks about her newest book. Pray tell and navigating abuse. And the secular and faith world. And that another guest of ours, Sandy Phillips Kirchen. She also talks about that. I'm going to stagger it and [00:35:00] maybe put her at the end of the month. So it's not two back to back episodes of a difficult topic. She talks about her experience with sexual abuse as well. So I just wanna give you guys a heads up. If you listen to these episodes, that is a topic. If you're triggered by those things, you may either want to wait. Also, if you have children, you might want to listen to these episodes with headphones. So they don't.
Hear that topic. If you're not ready for them too. Thank you guys so much for tuning in here are my big asks. Ask number one. Ratings. If you love what you hear, if you love what you heard giving ratings on iTunes really helps people find the podcast I've gotten ratings and I absolutely love. Reading the feedback you guys give about the podcast. I am so grateful for you.
Who have done that. So if you feel like you want to give a rating, even if you hate it, let me know. I want to know. Secondly, if you heard something today that you loved share the episode with a friend. It's easy to share. You can just send a link via text on Facebook on Instagram, shares the episode with a friend, [00:36:00] and then finally subscribe.
You can go to brave one ministries.com go to contact us and you can shoot, put your stuff, your email in the list, and you will. Get on there. I, that was a tongue twister for me, for some reason. Well, yeah, you can sign up for our email list there. You could episodes a date early and you'll find out about any cool things that are going on. With the brief podcast and other fun things that i'm doing all right thank you guys so much for tuning in we'll see you next week for another brand new episode with tiffany bloom thanks bye all