S8E9 - Navigating Life's Challenges and Transitions: From Ending Projects, Embracing Change to Celebrating Personal Growth and Parenthood!! #ShitHappens

Unpredictable Weather, Country Music, and the art of Home Decor!!

Well If you ever faced the challenge of ending a long-running project and felt the emotional weight of that decision then  jump into this deep and heartfelt conversation where we dive into the importance of recognizing the right time to close a chapter and embracing new beginnings, particularly through the lens of podcasting, highlight the significance of supporting fellow podcasters. 

We reflect on the mixed feelings that come with concluding a podcast series that began during the pandemic and how taking breaks and giving oneself grace is crucial in the creative process. 

Expect to hear memorable anecdotes, As we navigate through high-stakes moments and personal anecdotes as Sid recount an intense project involving a multi-million dollar campus development, and how a last-minute save with duct tape became a defining moment and saved the day, underscoring themes of resilience and creativity in both professional and personal spheres.

Sid even teases us with an upcoming home decor walkthrough video, all while we enjoy our mimosas.

The episode takes a reflective turn as we discuss the struggles of burnout and the transformative journey of self-discovery. Personal growth and resilience take center stage where we explore the importance of self-compassion and the courage to face life's unexpected turns. Unlearning ingrained beliefs, and navigating life's challenges come to the forefront, with stories that will resonate deeply with anyone facing similar crossroads. 

We also dives into the complexities of parenting, especially as Sid’s daughter turns 21, sharing the bittersweet journey of letting go and trusting that the values instilled will guide the children. From makeshift casts to emotional milestones, these stories underscore the universal challenges and joys of parenthood.

By sharing experiences of overcoming solitude after a breakup and drawing inspiration from Diego Cortez's success in real estate, we illustrate how trusting one's instincts can lead to true fulfillment. 

Connect with Sid; https://www.sidmeadows.com/

Transcript

Embracing Endings and New Beginnings

Speaker 1 0:00

There's a couple of things that come to my mind. First off is it is 100%, absolutely okay to take a break, to take a step back. I heard you say earlier you're taking a break at the end of this month. It is absolutely okay to take a break and step back.

Speaker 2 0:17

Right, it is also okay to give yourself grace and to say Welcome to shit happens where shit always happens, and no shit is too insignificant to discuss, From trivial inconveniences to life's profound challenges and everything in between. This show explores every aspect of the unpredictable nature of existence with your favorite shit talker and host P yeah, it's P.

Speaker 3 1:12

To listen to people's podcasts and leave reviews right, and sometimes when I find an episode like when and I would put it on Facebook and tell them to send me a link of their favorite, because sometimes maybe people have a specific one, just like you you send me a link of the one I needed to listen and it made me go listen to others.

Speaker 2 1:31

So that's how.

Speaker 3 1:32

I like when you send something. So some people sent theirs on my Facebook post and sometimes I'll just go and pick, but then once I like something, I'm like. Okay, let me listen to the next one.

Speaker 1 1:42

So what other two did you listen to?

Speaker 3 1:45

Oh my God, there was a lady what was her name? And I should have written this down.

Speaker 1 1:50

What was it about? Do you remember what the topic was about.

Speaker 3 1:56

No, I'm trying to. But I'll come back to it. I will remember, because lately I've been listening to too many podcasts and this is funny because I am those few podcasters who never listen to anybody's podcast. I don't even listen to my own. Until when I started this review thing, I was like I even have friends because most of my friends are in the podcasting industry, right and I'm like I've never listened to their podcast, so I have literally started tuesdays I listen to like 10 episodes of podcast and just, and look at, that mark is here in the

Speaker 1 2:30

house so I'm gonna ask your question, yeah no, I said I'm gonna answer it okay, okay so I think I, you, I heard Dominic talk about that.

Speaker 1 2:43

He was ending Black is America and it just got me thinking, like what is the future of my podcast? Like what is it that I want to do with it? And I love my show. I mean, it is my pandemic baby that I had no idea what was going to happen when I started it. I certainly didn't believe that we would be launching episode 136 on Monday. Right, that, just like like 136, I told you you're kidding me, that's not going to happen.

Speaker 1 3:13

But something in my soul just said you know what, sid? It's time to, it's time to pause this. It's time to take this chapter because life is about chapters. Right, we are all in different stages, different parts of our life, different chapters of our life, and I just it just felt good to me to say, hey, it's time to close this book, it's time to end this chapter, if you will. And so it wasn't anything that I said okay, five years later, I'm going to end it. It was just the feeling, after listening to Dominic talk about it, that I thought you know what it's the time? I'm really busy. You got a lot of stuff going on. I love my podcast, I love the conversations that I have, but it's time to yeah, it's time to pause it, time to end it. Close the chapter in the book, if you will.

Speaker 3 4:00

So I have an issue with endings right.

Speaker 3 4:03

So I have an issue with endings right, yeah, and this is crazy because it comes in my life as well, like even when friends or relationships you know they need to come to an end, but pulling that trigger to actually end it, that's my issue. So how are you feeling emotionally? Because, as you say, that was your baby and most of the time when our babies especially I'm like you my baby started in pandemic right, and most of us who started shit in pandemic after life kind of started opening up, very few people kind of continue with those things that they started. Like I mean, look at clubbers right During the pandemic.

Speaker 3 4:44

It it was where everybody had because we had all this time, and then life happened and I realized I still want to do this, this little hobby or project which was just meant to be a pandemic to keep me busy, and then now it's coming time to really say goodbye to it. So how are you feeling emotionally? Because you are recording your last season. So you're recording even though in your head you know like, oh, my god so there's a couple answers to this question.

Speaker 1 5:12

First off, I am focused on making this the best season that I can possibly make this season, um, with the right guests, the right content. You know, thanks to mark's help, some additional content right that I've been doing and so I'm solely focused on making it the best I can possibly make this season, this moment in time, right. But how am I feeling about it? Oh man, it is an emotional rollercoaster. When I was recording the episode that was kicking off this year episode number 130, and I was talking about it and I got to the end of that episode and I talked about what was happening and closing the chapter and all that. I got all emotional about it. So it's not going to. I mean, it's in my head, I know it's ending. I've loved doing it. I love doing it. Not past tense.

Speaker 1 5:58

The last episode though probably I'll be a freaking hot mess right it, just because it has been podcasting, has opened up so many doors for me. It has had such an impact on my personal and my professional life that I never expected would have happened when I hit the record button the first time. So, yeah, it's a five-year journey, or five-season journey, and it's going to be really emotional when it comes to an end, but that's, I'm okay with that. It is okay to be brave and to share your feelings right. And for me, honestly, I want to make sure that the people listening, the people that tune in that's a couple of hundred people that tune in every week I want them to know how grateful that I am for them and the gift they gave me for coming on this journey with me.

Speaker 3 6:52

But you're going to make me cry. Also, I need to correct something. By the way, Soda, you can start putting your questions down there. You said you have questions for Soda.

Speaker 1 7:00

Oh, I'm scared of her questions. Are you kidding me?

Speaker 3 7:03

You can start. Soda lately has been a firecracker, you know, but I feel like sometimes people need to be around you a little bit to allow themselves to really flourish through there, compared to Paula who just comes in straight, like you're going to love me or hate me, I don't care, this is who I am.

Speaker 3 7:20

And then some people kind of like marinate the soda and me and I have gotten so close lately because I've realized she's as crazy as me. You know I love crazy people. But back to you. I need to correct this. So actually the link you sent me wasn't the first episode I listened, but it was the episode that made me leave a review. Review. The first episode I actually listened was your um, your last, your first episode of your last season oh, so episode 130, where I talked about what's happening because in the beginning I really thought you're just pulling our legs like I was just like, okay, it's coming to an end.

Speaker 3 7:59

But once you announce it on your it is real right. It's like, oh shit, this is happening. I even shed a little tear like, oh my god, this is for real. I really need to get seen over here now.

Speaker 1 8:11

So let's, let's I mean the first off. I'm glad to be here, right, and excited to have this conversation with you, but every ending has a there's a new beginning. On the other side of the door, right, and that's how I'm looking at it. It's like this chapter is ending and what can I do next? What can I do next that will have the same, if not more, impact on people, because my podcast has had such an impact that I didn't know was coming. I didn't know what was going to happen, right, but what can I do next to help more people, to empower more people?

Speaker 3 8:47

And I think that's the exciting part knowing, yes, okay, this is coming to an end, but oh my God, what's next? Like you get to look forward to what is next, and especially when you've already been through this journey and you know, like I didn't know what I was doing with this shit, but look at all the outcome that came from it. So now you feel like I can do whatever I want. I just gotta figure out what I want. All my purpose, oh my god, oh okay. So there goes soda's first question what's the craziest thing you've done involving office?

Parenting and Letting Go

Speaker 1 9:20

okay, so I have I have two answers to this question, and you got to define crazy and I'm going to take the, the uh, the nice side of crazy, um. So, um, the craziest thing that I've done, oh my gosh. Uh, there's a couple of things that come to mind so, and it really wasn't crazy, but, um, we were doing a presentation, um, a mock-up presentation, which is where you set up sample furniture for people to come and look at, and I had been working on this project for about six months, living and basically leaving Michigan every because we lived in Michigan at the time leaving Michigan every Monday, flying to Richmond, virginia, and then coming back on Fridays for like six months, every monday, flying to richmond, virginia, and then coming back on fridays for like six months. Me and a whole team of people pursuing this large, significantly like 10 building, 10 000 people campus project did you say for six months?

Speaker 1 10:13

yeah, for six months, at least six months. Well, the hotel people knew us because we stayed at the same hotel every week, right, but, um, but it was, we're doing this mock-up and uh, they, uh, it was. We're getting close to the end of the process, right, and um, this is not really crazy, but this is a crazy thing that happened. Right, um, we're putting this desk together. Our presentation is like in two hours, we're putting this desk together for all the private office furniture and so wood desk. And we'd recently changed the way the product goes together and we started we went from a not be too technical a wood and dowel. So you know, have a wooden dowel with glue. We switched from that to a cam lock and cam locks very popular today when you put furniture together. Excuse me, so this is the first time we had done it First, first production off the line of this mock-up.

Speaker 1 11:08

And so the guys put the desk together, the installers putting the desk together, and it was upside down and they went to flip it over to get it right side up so that we could show it to them, and the desk went and the whole thing fell apart and I just that this was like the presentations. Like in an hour, all the cam locks popped out and I just looked at them and I went I can't, you got an hour to fix it and I left and I came back and it was set up. I think they use duct tape to set it up, mind you, but it was set up right. So I will never, ever, ever, forget, forget that. I just watched that desk go. You can hear the cam locks right fall apart. I just said I can't, this is a multi-million dollar opportunity and the desk just freaking fell apart. Are you kidding me? So yeah, that's probably the craziest thing that happened to me.

Speaker 3 12:03

Um, that I can remember but at least it didn't happen during the presentation, right, oh my god, I could only imagine we would have lost.

Speaker 1 12:10

We actually won that project. Um ended up being the largest project I've ever won in my career. Um, and it is today the company that I worked for. It is their single largest client today. Oh, wow, and that was that was actually before my daughter was born. She's 21. So that would be 23 years ago. The final presentation happened two weeks after September 11th.

Speaker 3 12:33

Oh, wow.

Speaker 1 12:34

Yeah, that's when the timing was of everything. So, oh wow, go ahead, go ahead, and so we'll have another answer to the question, though I'm going to let you answer that.

Speaker 3 12:43

But shout out to duct tape. If they use duct tape, duct tape saves you.

Speaker 1 12:49

They did use duct tape. They did use I think they did use duct tape. There's lots of uses for duct tape.

Speaker 3 12:53

Let's be clear I mean valencia, valencia, whatever that big uh decided to make a bracelet off a duct tape. So clearly people need duct tape and they're selling it like 1500, but it looks like a duct tape Pro and it's just as Balenciaga. I'm like oh wow.

Speaker 1 13:10

I'm going to tell you a story. So about my son was probably eight or nine, okay, and he was staying with a buddy around the corner and I was off in Dallas somewhere doing something. Teresa my wife was out of town, I think and the dad called me and said hey, uh, jackson fell um playing basketball and I think he might've broken his arm. I'm like, oh man, I said I'm on my way home, I'll be there in a few minutes. I got there, um, sure enough he'd broken his arm, but I got there and his arm, paula, no lie is up like this. They'd made him a makeshift cast for him out of duct tape and pencils, and that's how I took him to the emergency clinic was with his arm, with duct tape and pencils you're surrounded by doctor.

Speaker 3 14:01

Fixes like I know it right I'm gonna take it a little bit back out of from our topic because, um, you just mentioned that your daughter just, um, she's 21, right, yep, and um, I was raised by my dad and uh, and I'm just curious, right, your daughter being 21, how I remember, when I was turning 21, my dad called me, like literally in the middle, you know midnight, and he called me and we were in different. I was in Malaysia at this time and he called me and was like, please, stop growing and then please don't get pregnant. Like 21 was the gate opening of me getting pregnant. But he was really like he was excited at 10, 21, but it was also all these fears of, oh my god, my baby girl is literally now 21 and how, how are you feeling as a god dad?

Speaker 1 15:01

so, um, it's very interesting. Um, when she went off to college, I would check Life 360 occasionally, or actually too frequently, and I'd be like she got home at two o'clock in the morning. What the hell, what is she doing out until two o'clock in the morning? And I was complaining about it. My wife said you're going to have to quit looking.

Speaker 3 15:23

You're going to have to quit looking.

Speaker 1 15:26

Then I started remembering, like, how I acted when I was in college. Right, thank God there was no life 360 when I was in college, right, but um, but what I learned to do is as a parent. I don't know if Mark's still here, he probably has a comment to this too, but you know, what I learned as a parent was, um, I did my job, I did my job, I did my job and hopefully, my wife and I instill the right values, the right morals and the right decision-making for her and for him. Right, but we have to let them fly. They have to fly. They have to make mistakes on their own.

Speaker 1 16:04

I can't as hard as it is to say, because I want to protect both of them. Right, I want to protect them from falling, I want to protect them from getting hurt. I can't, because they need to, they need to learn, they need to stumble. So I have to learn to let them fly. So I don't look at life 360 anymore, I don't. I mean, I I call and text her, and but both of them right, to check in with them to see how they're doing. But, um, I gotta let them fly. And that was a decision that I realized while she was in college and when she turned 21,. I was really emotional because freaking that makes me old, but um, but I just have to let them fly. I have to go, let them live their life and be there to support them when things get tough, because it will get tough.

Speaker 3 16:51

Right, that's so true and that's what also my dad said. He was like I have done all I can, I've given you a good life. So at the end of the day you got to make decisions on yourself and I like we didn't have life 360 at that time, but thank God, I started going to a boarding school way young, so my dad was already used to that. So me going to college or anything wasn't new. I was moving countries or anything. But then for him it was the little things, while some goddads it was the big things, like oh my God, they're moving out, oh my God, but me it was those little things and because most of the time I didn't leave home and back back at that time we really didn't have social media compared to here where your kids constantly post, so you can kind of know for answer, like everything that's happening, what we are doing in college.

Speaker 3 17:37

You're not gonna see them. There's no pictures, there's no proof of this.

Speaker 1 17:41

Well, she is a. She is a active poster on social media. He is not. He is he is an observer.

Speaker 3 17:48

Guys, I never.

Speaker 1 17:49

No, he actually he's more like my wife. My wife's an observer, a stalker on social media, where I'm a poster, my daughter's a poster. But it was really interesting, paula. We dropped him off at school in May or August of last year and it's really weird coming home to a house that, for you know, 18 years there had been the pitter-pat of little feet everywhere, not just theirs but their friends, right, it's really weird coming home to a quiet house and we stopped on the way home and spent the night because it was. We left his school late and we spent the night in oklahoma city and we went to get something to eat and got our drink and I just looked there and I went kind of, my margarita was a mexican restaurant, my margarita my hand, and I went. We did good. Now the rest is up to them.

Speaker 3 18:34

We did good yeah, you, you really did, you did and and, by the way, you have a beautiful family I'm a stalker too, I I, when I start getting to know people in my life, I start stalking their family, like how I started stalking mark's wife and befriended that. Like everybody I give, I give a chance. First I start stalking, then I slowly, depending on how our relationship grows, then I slowly find my way. Hi, I'm this. I know your husband from this nice to meet you. I'm part of your family now that's hysterical.

Speaker 1 19:06

You're a stalker? Well, thank you, they are. Yeah. Yeah, we did good. I'm really proud of both of them and where they're headed and what they're doing, and you know I'm here to support them in any way that I can.

Speaker 3 19:19

And it's funny because, well, not really funny, but kind of. But 2024, right, you became an emptiness. So one chapter ended. Your podcast is coming to an end. It's your year of closing chapters and new beginnings.

Speaker 1 19:35

So I wouldn't view it as closing chapters, though I would view it as it's a year of new beginnings, it's a year of transformation, it's a year of new opportunities, right yeah, but just like when you read a book, right Chapter 37,.

Speaker 3 19:47

You have to close the chapter to get to chapter 38. So you have left that one chapter where now, oh my God, the house was filled with kids. Well, you only have two kids, but kids always have their friends right the friends over the sleepovers, the hanging out.

Speaker 1 20:03

Yelling at them because they're playing Fortnite till two or three in the morning and making lots of noise and yeah, we don't have to do that anymore and every parent has that child, who has that friend, who never goes home right, they're so safe

Speaker 3 20:17

in your home that you're like, I know you have your own house like why are you? Always that's great, and now you even miss that you're like man. I even miss that kid being here, who was not ours, but always here.

Speaker 1 20:29

Yep.

Speaker 3 20:30

So that came, and then now this, and so it's really a year of new beginnings for you.

Speaker 1 20:36

Yes, it is, I'm excited.

Speaker 3 20:37

Me too. I'm excited for you, especially to just know what's coming next, because, as I said, now that I listen to your podcast I'm like oh shit. Say, now that I listen to your podcast, I'm like oh shit, I kind of don't want it to end. But then I'm also very excited about what's to come next. And I know for us in Empowered Podcasting room, we have thrown ideas right. There's been a book, there's been a coffee table book, there's been a new podcast, there's been storytelling. So now we're in this like what is it going to do next?

Speaker 1 21:09

oh, my god it's a really, really interesting question and I'm thinking about a lot of different things, um, but I I don't know the answer to that question right now.

Speaker 3 21:21

That's exactly right yeah, sometimes, you know, the answer comes at that, at the time where you didn't even expect to have the answer right. Because and this is what you always say because I remember that time when we were trying to pressure you to do your book so we can do a book signing at our event Because why the fuck not, right? Somebody has to, you know. And then we're like, and you said something was like it's all about timing, right. And you said something was like it's all about timing, right. When the timing feels like to you, it felt like this is the time to close this chapter and when the next chapter begins, the time will tell.

Speaker 3 22:00

So I'm in that place right now, where I am since last year, and that's why I decided to have shit happen. I was like, let me try to do it differently. Maybe that will give me the push, but I feel like I'm I'm losing interest in in podcasting, in in in this world, even though I enjoy it. But this was like, maybe if I do live stream, where it takes all the editing and all the stress of behind the scenes, makes it less, I will find. But then I also didn't do it right because I left my calendar open and sometimes I was having like five, six shows a day and I was like, okay, this is not also overwhelming, but because at the moment I don't have a job, right, I'm still in that, trying to figure out my next steps in life.

Speaker 3 22:48

So I was like, well, since I don't have anything else, why would I have a specific time? I can you know, at least in my head, to keep myself going and moving? But now I feel like I'm getting drained, I'm no longer enjoying it. That's why I didn't even apply to speak, because I really feel like I am losing myself, and not in a way that I like, choosing myself and not in a way that I I like. So what advice would you give a person who doesn't know whether the time is to call it quits, or they just need a break to go figure themselves out, or they you know cause I'm like. What advice would you give me right now, me?

Finding Fulfillment Through Self-Discovery

Speaker 1 23:25

There's a couple of things that come to my mind. First off is it is 100%, absolutely okay to take a break, to take a step back. I heard you say earlier you're taking a break at the end of this month. It is absolutely okay to take a break and step back, right. It is also okay to give yourself grace and to say I need the time to figure out what I want to do. You don't have to put the pressure on yourself to do something every day or to do a live stream every week or to keep a certain schedule. You don't have to do that. You got to give yourself grace to figure it out. Have to do that, right? You got to give yourself grace to figure it out. And then the next thing I would say to you is um, try things, try new things, right?

Speaker 3 24:14

so it's also about what do you love about podcasting talking to people hearing their story because, um, it fills my cup whenever I I bring, because I I pick my guests right. I don't randomly just want people to, even though I have a phone, but that phone is for once. I pick you, I send you the link and the phone. But, um, because it's conversations that end up inspiring, motivating, fueling my cup right, and, um, it's funny because most people bring their guests to see what they can do to other people, like to their listeners. I bring my guests to see what they can do.

Speaker 3 25:00

I'm selfish. On my podcast it's mostly about inspire me, motivate me, because I'm in this journey of learning myself and figuring myself out and, um, and learning some of the shit, and that's why I love having these deep conversations with people, because it makes me go back and look like, oh my god, so I thought I was over this shit, but I can do this. Or I thought I was good, good at this, but I can get better. It just makes me be a better person, which I hope. If I am feeling that way, then of course, somebody else is going to be doing that, but it has to be first with me, because I'm selfish like that.

Speaker 1 25:40

So, paula, let me let me. So I'm not going to give you any advice, because you already know the answers to your questions. You just need to discover them. You already know what you want to do, what you need to do to be fulfilled. You just need somebody asking you the right questions. Right, and as a coach, it's not a coach's job to give you the answers. It's a coach's job to help you discover the answers to your own questions.

Speaker 1 26:10

Right, and because here's the thing you're going to ask this question to 10 people and you're going to get 10 different responses, and then you're going to sit there and go well, what the hell am I supposed to do now? I got 10 people told me 10 different things. What should I do? The answers lie right here. Trust your gut, trust your feeling. I learned that not too long ago that when something you know, jackie would say when the universe puts it in front of you, right, listen, jump towards that. But I want to tell you a story. I don't know if you heard me tell this story. Were you in Clubhouse the other day, last Friday? No, can I share my win?

Speaker 3 26:43

No.

Speaker 1 26:44

Okay, let me tell you a story. I met a guy named Diego Correz Cortez Correz and I was at a real estate conference it was also a bit professional development conference, because I'm learning about real estate investing and, um, he was one of the keynotes and he talked about how, very similar to your path he immigrated into United States when he was 11 years old. Um, his family came in, brought him in and every step of the way he was 15, sorry, every step of the way a door closed, not just closed, slammed in his face. You can't get a driver's license right Because he's not, doesn't have work papers or a green card or any kind of papers right. Then he gets his papers under the Obama administration and then Trump takes them away. So he had it and then it went away. He was told he couldn't go to college. He was told that he couldn't get a job because he didn't have the appropriate paperwork right. And then he was told he couldn't do this and he couldn't do that and he said every time somebody shut the door, I just found another way.

Speaker 1 27:53

Today, this young man, who is 26 years old, owns a what I believe to be a multimillion dollar real estate business, where he is a broker and employs real estate. He still is not a legal citizen, does not have his green card, does not have his work papers, but he owns a business that employs real estate professionals selling, buying and selling houses. He's also a real estate investor. He's also a TEDx speaker, right? But what he said and this is what I would say to you when the door closes, jump through the window. And that's what he did. He said when they slammed the door in my face, I jumped through the window, not knowing what was on the other side. So, paula jumped through the window. Be brave, summons the courage that's inside of you to do what you want to do, to what fills your cup, right to what makes you happy. All of us need to do that, each and every one of us.

Speaker 3 28:59

Thank you for sharing that. I needed to hear that because, believe it or not, I don't talk about this, and this is sometimes when people tell me oh, you can get this job, you can do this. People don't know my situation because I am in Diegogo's situation and I have to deal with. It's not that easy compared to how people and you can't have this conversation with just anybody, because people don't understand it. And some people you know, depending on their beliefs in their politicals, you can just anyone.

Embracing Personal Growth and Self-Discovery

Speaker 3 29:32

But um, so they say city's so wise and that's why I always say I really listen to you and that's why I've never asked anybody this question, like I am here on this position, what should I do? There was a reason why I asked you, because I know, even if you won't give me advice, you will share something that will make me go deeper into that by my own. So, just like you shared this story, I needed to hear this story because I'm in that position, even though most people don't know. Most people just say, oh, paula is always just happy shit. Oh, paula, you have a master's degree, but why do you work retail? But you don't know, I have to do certain shit because bills got to be paid, life got to go on, but it's not where I want to be. And there the things out of my control.

Speaker 1 30:18

I can't, I can't, I can't force the government you're right, and it is hard to talk about because it is right now, especially right now. It is a very hot political button. Right, for many different reasons. But regardless of how you believe you, you know, what's important is that you, you know you have control of your own destiny. It is within your grasp, right? And here's the thing, just like I had to learn with my kids you're going to stumble, you're going to fall, you're going to scrape your knee, bruise your elbow right, spill your vodka cranberry all over the floor and get somebody mad at you, right? So that's, that's gonna happen. Right, because that's called life.

Speaker 1 31:01

But I have this philosophy about life, right? My philosophy is when you go and you try something new and you try, you, you put yourself out there. That's the first step. But the second step is, if you don't get the result that you wanted, you get the lesson that you needed. You don't fail, right? I don't believe there's any such thing as failure, because life's about lessons. Life's about teaching us things right. It's up to us to whether or not we heed that lesson, right. So I basically tell people there's no such thing as failure. You either get the results you wanted or you get the lesson that you needed. And then, when you get that lesson, or and you get that lesson, there's four questions that I believe you need to ask yourself. You ready, because in every situation I believe that this happened happens right.

Speaker 1 31:51

Um, first off, what went right? You tried something right and, even though maybe you didn't get the result you wanted, your brain's telling you you failed, but you didn't. Something in the process went right. So what went right? The second question is what went wrong? If you didn't get the result you needed, something didn't work out, so what is it that went wrong? Write this down right, write down what went wrong.

Speaker 1 32:25

The third question is what did I learn? Because we get the lesson, and if we don't learn anything from the lesson, if we don't acknowledge the lesson right, what good is the lesson? So what did you learn from that lesson? And then the fourth question, and I believe probably the most important question, is what am I going to do differently the next time? Because that's what I'm telling you Get your butt up, brush off your pants and go again. Learn from what you did the first time, but get up and do it again, but do it differently, based on what you learned, because you're going to get the. You keep working at it. You're going to get the result that you wanted right. So what went right? What went wrong, what did I learn and what am I going to do differently the next time?

Speaker 3 33:06

I love that. You see, and this is why I needed, I feel like Sid, you really know perfect timing, because I'm glad we are having this conversation today, because I really needed to hear this. And you're right, I'm also a person who tells people there's no failure. You tried something. Either it didn't work, that means it wasn't for you. Either you learned a way to do it differently, or maybe you also realize, oh shit, I actually don't like this shit.

Speaker 3 33:31

It's okay to quit if you don't like something, because sometimes we get these ideas in our heads that I want to do this or I need to do this, depending on sometimes we are oh, my friend is doing this, so I want to do this. Or because they're doing it, because there's so many podcasters, I need to start a podcast. But it's not for everybody, and sometimes at least, you try it and you realize. That way you don't live with regret like, oh, I wish I had tried. You try it. You realize it's not for you, but even when you realize it's not for you, you probably learned what's for you. Like, maybe you hate the podcasting, but you like talking to people, so maybe you're meant to be guests instead of a host, or maybe you like the content creation part, but not the podcasting, so just create content. So there's all these ways.

Speaker 3 34:14

I remember, even when I was dating. Right, people are like, oh my God, all these breakups. I'm like don't take them as losses, because not every relationship is supposed to take you to the altar. Some relationships make you learn about yourself, like, what do I want in my next relationship? What did I do wrong? Because most of the time we're pointing fingers at the other person. They did this, they did this, they did this, they did this, they did this. Okay, but what did you personally?

Speaker 1 34:35

paul, you bring up a really, really valid point here is that in any situation, you cannot control the other person. You cannot control their behavior, you can't control their response, right, you just can't. All that you can do is control and change and work on you. So focus on you, because comparison is the thief of joy.

Speaker 3 34:57

And that's what I. It's so amazing, you see, like yesterday I was having a live with this guy called Brian. I met him at Port First this year and we're talking. I was like I think the reason most people don't wanna get into this growth journey of unlearning shit or figuring themselves out is because they're gonna realize that there's shit wrong with you too, and nobody wants to realize that there's something wrong with me.

Speaker 1 35:24

I'll say it a little differently People are scared of growth. People are scared of discovering who they are and they're scared of doing the work that's needed in order to change.

Speaker 3 35:34

Because you have to dig in, you have to pull out all this shit, you have to unlearn the shit you thought you knew. You have to accept that there were times I was wrong. There were times that, yes, I was right, but I could have done it better or said it better or did it in a different way, and that's why most people don't want to go through the grudge.

Speaker 1 35:53

Well, I think it's important to remember that your beliefs. You need to go listen to episode number 131 with Rex Miller, where we talk about the genius spark and how you, how you're born as a creative when you're young no-transcript. Your beliefs are their beliefs, right. And so what you're unlearning, what I'm unlearning, what Soda's unlearning, everybody's unlearning, is the beliefs your parents said this is the way things should be right and this is because that's their belief system. And if you listen to Rex Miller talk about this, he talks about how, as you get older, your opinions and your creativity changes and you lose your creativity because you're told to lose your creativity because your parents implement their values on you. So I mean, it's really, really interesting.

Speaker 1 36:53

But kudos to you, congratulations to you for doing the work, congratulations for you for asking the question right, for looking at what is it? Because you go back to the podcast thing. Look at what you love to do and do more of it. Right, I mean look at it. I mean you did, you did a huge part of it, said you know what? I hate the editing. I can't afford to outsource it. I hate the editing. What can I do that takes that burden off my shoulders? And look at you you're doing live streams, no editing, right. And look at the smile on your face as you're thinking about this. Right then, do more live streams, right. I mean, just do more of what brings you joy, do more of what you love, because, guess what?

Speaker 3 37:40

life is too short that's what and you're so true and that's why I'm taking a break from social media, because I love content creating. I just hate the pressure of constantly creating, because social media makes you think Okay.

Speaker 1 37:54

Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up, Hold up, hold up. Who's putting the pressure on you to constantly create?

Speaker 2 37:57

social media.

Speaker 1 37:58

Who is social media? Who is? Who is social media?

Speaker 3 38:01

Like every time when I go on social media and I see constantly people posting and yeah, exactly why are you comparing yourself to other people?

Speaker 1 38:08

I? Don't know, it's my mind, bro, my mind social media is not sending you a text message every day saying paula, you need to create content today.

Speaker 1 38:17

You never know, maybe mark mark zagelberg is, he might be in your ear chirping, but, but seriously, there's nothing that says you have to create content every day. You're telling that self, you're telling yourself that, right. You're comparing yourself to other people and what you see other people doing. Right, you have to stop that. And you got to do what brings you joy. To bring you joy to do Instagram lives one day, every day a week. Then do Instagram lives every day a week, right, if it brings you joy to create content where you're walking down the street and hold the camera up to talk about whatever then do that.

Speaker 3 38:55

Oh my God, I miss Dominic's footsteps. Was that footnotes or footsteps? Something?

Speaker 1 39:00

like that yeah right, but you're listening to the chatter around you that you don't need to listen to. You need to listen right here, friend.

Personal Growth and Self-Discovery

Speaker 3 39:08

Thank you, friend, and that's why I needed to have you here. But also, I'm really gonna go listen to that episode 131 because you're so trained. I think the reason I was also able to work on me like um and I think it came in 2020, when I was dealing with breakup and I was the person who kept on moving from relationship to relationship and I had to sit down and be like I'm not getting in another relationship.

Speaker 3 39:29

I really need to work on me and get down me and be happy being myself and just live a life, because I was always the person who's surrounded by people, because I hated being alone and that's why I jumped into relationship, because I didn't want to be alone or anything. And now even my brother is like I hope you're not alone, because this you being alone is really annoying me, because I am literally okay being by myself. I party by myself. My old house, my balcony, I would make it nice. I'll listen to my country music, dance around, drink my beer, like I am perfectly.

Speaker 3 40:00

I would take myself to dinners and movies, like I am now in a place where I am because I did the work, but also because shout out to my dad, yo, because my mom is still very old school and that's a whole other thing.

Speaker 3 40:14

But my dad, he's the person who also, even though he taught me certain things, he's in that process where he's unlearning shit and he'd come to me and be like I'm sorry, I told you this and this and this, you can do this, like it's okay. So for him also because he's doing the work, and I'm like if my dad, who is the one who told me this, this has to be what it is. He's now coming and telling me yo that ain't it like, if that's that's the way you wanna to do, it, do it. And I'm like, even though I didn't need the permission, but it shows me that we are in this world to unlearn the shit we were told, because my dad is unlearning the shit and I just want to bring up, so to say, sid, I need to interview you about this subject. This is good.

Speaker 1 41:00

Well, thank you for that and I'm happy to be interviewed. Just let me know when you want to do it. I would.

Speaker 3 41:05

I would love to love to talk more about it, um and that's an important topic and that's why I say people need to talk. Like see the way you talk and just make us, even though we know what we're supposed to do, but the way you you phrase it or you make us look, it's like oh shit, you know, sid is right, I got to do this, but we are coming down to the hour and I wanted to bring this up.

Speaker 3 41:31

Because, Sid, when I was, I found out you had another podcast, the Amazing Entrepreneurship Club.

Speaker 1 41:40

Let's work on saying that word entrepreneur.

Speaker 2 41:43

Entrepreneur the.

Speaker 1 41:44

Amazing saying that word entrepreneur, Entrepreneur.

Speaker 3 41:46

The Amazing.

Speaker 1 41:47

Entrepreneurs Club yes.

Speaker 3 41:49

Yes, which ran from November 2nd in 2021 to March 29, 2022. So what made you end that one?

Speaker 1 42:03

It's really interesting Because you were doing two podcasts at the time. You started March 19th in 2020.

Speaker 3 42:12

And it's funny because you ended it in March 29th and your trend started in March 19th, which is also my brother's birthday.

Speaker 1 42:21

So I will tell you that I didn't actually end the Amazing Entrepreneurs Club. I just walked away from creating content for it. I really I didn't end it. I didn't make some big announcement, I just quit creating content for it. And there was a lot of shit happening in my life at that point in time with people that I had surrounded myself by mistakenly and I was feeling emotionally in my head about things and I needed to remove that stuff from my life in order to heal and move forward right. And so I removed all of that stuff from my life and I stopped that podcast. Now should I pick it back up? Probably so, because I love talking to entrepreneurs about their journey. I love them sharing tips about what made them successful, but at that time it was the right thing to remove anything that was remotely associated with those people that were in my life at that time. I needed to remove from my life so that I could move forward.

Speaker 3 43:26

I hear you Because for me in 2020, when I was figuring myself out, I had to remove certain people in my life, and it's not like me for anything. It's just like our season has come to an end. We are going through different journeys and I'm sorry, I just can't take you with me in the next journey.

Speaker 1 43:43

Do you hear what you just said? Do you hear what you just said?

Speaker 3 43:46

Season came to an end. I knew you were going to come.

Speaker 1 43:53

Yeah. So I have a question, though I want to ask Soda Soda, you only asked me one question. You said you had lots of questions. We got like a couple of minutes. Ask me another question.

Speaker 3 44:11

I'm couple of minutes, ask me another question. I'm happy to answer it right, but I think also, she was like oh, uh, she was also saying um, I needed, I think, the question I asked you. She said I need this question too in the same situation. But yeah, see, uh, so while we wait for soda, in case she has another question, we have um like seven minutes left. I, I don't like that because I was enjoying this too much.

Speaker 1 44:26

So let me tell you are you going to ask me a question or can I tell you a story you tell?

Speaker 3 44:29

me, go ahead and tell me a story, and then I'll ask you my last final question to close this.

Speaker 1 44:33

So, um, when I started my business in 2017 and I said I'm going to be a coach, right, I'm going to hang up a sign on my door and say I'm a coach and it felt creepy. Coaching people, it felt weird. I felt like I was their boss. I felt like I was telling them what to do and consulting with them. It felt more consulting than coaching. So I said you know what, If I'm going to hang up a sign that says I'm a coach, I'm going to go get the credentials to become a coach. And so I went through this process of finding programs and found one, went through this whole interview process until we got to the price and she told me the price. I'm like what? The no, no, sorry. So I kept coaching and it just kept feeling weird. And so, finally, a few months later, I called back and I said okay, I'm ready, I'm going to suck it up, I'm ready. And on March, the 17th March 17th right around St Patrick's Day- what's with you and March?

Speaker 1 45:35

I don't know but sometime in March I have to go back and look. I walked into a room and met 25 people that changed my life forever and I spent a year with them. And I spent a year with them learning what limiting beliefs were, learning what gremlins are, learning what coaching really meant and what if reframing and acknowledgements and all that are right, and I worked on myself during that time frame, right.

Speaker 3 46:16

And so it had a huge impact on me. And I say all that to say that journey of that year with those 25 people that had a profound impact on me is what has given me the ability to have the conversation that I'm having with you today.

Speaker 1 46:25

Well, thank you to those 25 people in that room, because I needed the seed. I don't know about the seed before March 17th.

Speaker 3 46:30

Yeah, they had a huge impact on me, so I see her question.

Furniture Assembly and Personal Growth

Speaker 1 46:32

By the way, Soda, what is your like? I feel like our questions are really like I can answer this question, though this is hysterical. So in the world of real office furniture, sid just sells the crap. I don't put any of it together. They're installers that put that together. But, soda, we bought our first rental property and we furnished it in July of last year and we had a lot of fun doing it. My wife, literally, I think, bought out every piece of furniture at Wayfair, felt like it, all the boxes arriving every day, and so we loaded all that crap up in a U-Haul and we went down to Nacogdoches, where our house is, and started putting all the furniture together. And we got to the barstools about an hour into me putting she's putting this together and I'm putting that together About an hour into those blankety blank barstools. I looked at her and I said I'm just going to walk away from this.

Speaker 3 47:23

I was expecting to start to that. Nope, I said I'm'm just gonna walk away from this.

Speaker 1 47:25

I was expecting to start to that. Nope, I said I'm just gonna walk away from this. This is not anything that I need to do, and so I went to, which is great, because she ended up getting them together and putting it was hard. That screws that. They're all wonky, the set wasn't square right and but I'm like I have to walk away. Then we go to the sofa to put the sofa together and, uh, it's one of these like snap it in and you screw in.

Speaker 1 47:48

Has these little posts that come up, make it seem so easy but it never is until we got to the corner and there was no post in the corner and I'm like, okay, there's no post in the corner. So I go to to the lows I could know there was no post.

Speaker 1 48:06

The hole was, there was no post right and so we go to the lows because not for reasons to discuss they will never shop at a home depot ever again. But um, I said, you know, we'll get some flat brackets. I'm gonna get a power screwdriver. I had my power screw. I can get some screws and some flat brackets. I'm gonna screw this sob together. And we did it. It worked. I told my daughter, I said don't move it, you can't take it. I'm going to get a power screwdriver. I had my power screwdriver. I'm going to get some screws and some flat brackets. I'm going to screw this SOB together. And we did it. It worked. I told my daughter, I said don't move it, you can't take it apart, don't move it. We sat on it and jumped on it to make sure that it worked. So, soda, yeah, we actually. I mean, yes, she does.

Speaker 3 48:39

Did you just jump on it yeah?

Speaker 1 48:41

yeah, yeah, no, no, no, we jumped on it my daughter's house, but Soda, here's the short answer to this question. Of course she watches me. Have you seen me lately? Have you seen how good I look? Come on, I look sexy in my shorts and a t-shirt, putting furniture together. What the heck.

Speaker 3 48:58

We need a video where you're putting furniture to see how your wife is reacting. A video where you're putting furniture to see how your wife is reacting.

Speaker 1 49:03

I'm about to do it. I bought new patio furniture from Walmartcom and I'm about to go out to the patio and I'm about to go to the garage and put patio furniture together.

Speaker 3 49:11

We need content, but you did start. Was it yoga or hiking or something she's?

Speaker 1 49:20

talking about my video of putting furniture together.

Speaker 3 49:24

But no, when you became emptiness that you start.

Speaker 1 49:27

You started trying new things yes, I did, yeah, yeah, do you still go to yoga no, it's why yoga was pilates. Here's why I don't go to pilates is because I started traveling a lot more and I'm paying 100 and something bucks a month to be a member of this pilates club and I can only go one time a month and I'm like that's ridiculous so I canceled the pilates and then the weather got super cold and it's just now getting nice enough where you can actually go hiking again.

Speaker 1 49:53

Right so, uh, but I love hiking. So going hiking in may in the uh smoky mountains with some friends all right, we need content for that.

Speaker 3 50:04

But, sid, as we come to an end, like, oh my God, this was so much fun, thank you for talking to me. You have really inspired me and I'll be reaching out because I feel like there's a conversation that I need to have deeper with you from what we spoke about right now. But as we come to an end because, oh my God, I have another live in an hour right now, but, um, as we come to an end, because, oh my god, I have another live in in an hour right now, but, um, let the people know, uh, where they can find you and, uh, how they can support you, uh, and what they can look forward to, and any advice on somebody who's not sure on when to call it quits like a message, like what do they need to to realize?

Speaker 1 50:43

it's time. So that's like five questions, right, it's called you can go. You are a podcaster, you can go on so the first thing is, if you want to follow along with me and my journey, the best place to do that is on linkedin. Um, you can find me there really easy. You can also follow me, as at coach said meadows, on instagram. I probably post more real life stuff there, instagram more business related.

Speaker 1 51:05

Yeah, yeah, yes, I love TikTok. I'm just not a huge creator on TikTok. You can always go to my website at SidMeadowscom and check that out. It needs to be updated, so don't judge that. It's things that I don't do anymore, but okay. But yeah, follow along, connect with me. If you do connect with me, especially on linkedin, send me a note and tell you heard me here on talk shit with p, so that I know why you're coming to me or why you're connecting with me. So that would be great, right? So, paula, what I would tell anybody, um anybody, is just try it, take one step, stick your toe in the water. You might actually find out that you love it.

Speaker 1 51:44

So try new things, do different things and try new things I'm trying to be a comedian, a comedian, I'm trying my my foot in comedy world this should be interesting I'll bring my best shit to charlotte yeah, yeah, yeah, see, see, paula, I think you know from what I know of you, I would love to see you up on a stage to Charlotte. Yeah, see, paula, I think, from what I know of you, I would love to see you up on a stage telling your story.

Speaker 3 52:10

You see, sadly it won't be in Charlotte, but we'll make that happen.

Speaker 1 52:18

I didn't apply to be a speaker either, by the way.

Speaker 3 52:20

It's my birthday weekend, plus I figured like like.

Pushing Past Life's Challenges

Speaker 2 52:25

I am coming to just meet people and have fun and learn, but also, I figured, Thank you for tuning in to Shit Happens, an integral segment of the innovative platform Talk Shit with Pete. If you enjoyed today's episode, make sure to hit subscribe and leave a review. You can find Shit Happens on YouTube at Talk Shit with P. If this served, share with friends or family who can relate. Remember we all face challenges, but it's how we push past them that defines us. So until next time, keep pushing forward and remember shit may happen, but so does growth, and you got this.