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We need a new definition of success—one that harmonizes meaning and money.
Imagine diving into your workday with renewed energy, leaving behind the exhaustion or dread of a monotonous grind.
Traditional beliefs about success and the root cause of burnout are the same:
Prove yourself.
Work harder.
Take care of the business, and it will take care of you.
We’re recycling the mindset and practices that keep us stuck. Our souls need a jumpstart into The Age of Humanity.
Tune in for a new way of working that honors our nervous system and the bottom line, using knowledge of the brain, the Bible, and business. We’ll discuss timeless truths that amplify growth, ignite change, and reshape the world of work. No corporate speak or business BS. Let’s get to the heart of a rewarding career and profitable growth.
We speak human about business.
What’s in it for You?
Value, Relevance, and Impact (VRI): No, it's not a new tech gadget—it's your ticket to making your work genuinely matter to you and your company.
Human-Centric Insights: We prioritize people over profits without sacrificing the bottom line. Think less "cog in the machine" and more "humans helping humans."
I'm your host, Rebecca Fleetwood Hesson, your thrive guide leading you into the new Age of Humanity. I’ve navigated the highs and lows of business and life, from achieving over $40 million in sales, teaching thousands of people around the world about leadership, trust, execution, and productivity to facing burnout, divorce, raising a couple of great humans (one with ADHD), and navigating the uncertainty of starting a business.
I’m committed to igniting change in the world by jumpstarting business into profitable growth with the timeless truths of our humanity.
Sound crazy? It’s only crazy until it works.
Hit subscribe to never miss an episode, and leave a review to help other listeners discover our show.
Want insight and advice on your real career and business challenges? Connect with me on social media or email me at rebecca@wethrive.live. Your story could spark our next conversation.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:00:10]:
That welcome back to the Business is Human podcast, where we discuss strategies to increase our VRI value, relevance, and impact. We're here to blend meaningful work with profitable success. I'm your host, Rebecca Fleetwood Hession, here to steward what we call the age of humanity, to transform the way we work so we can transform the way that we live. As always, my friendly request, if you like what you hear, hit subscribe so you don't miss any episodes, and then leave a review to tell the other humans that they might like it too. Always looking to help you and connect with others. Let's get into it, shall we? You know what I love about September? Other than living in the midwest? It's literally some of the most amazing weather we have all year is September is that weird kind of new yearish vibe, right? So the kids go back to school, so that's the new school year. And in business, it's usually when conversations start happening about the new year, meaning the next calendar year. But in terms of budget, planning and all the things that need to happen, in addition to having the holidays thrown in there, we got to start planning in September or January.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:01:35]:
And who doesn't love a good planning session? I actually had a couple of calls this week with clients that are having me come in and do a keynote, or at least a conversation. One's virtual, one's going to be live with their leadership team and one with their whole company to talk about the Business is Human framework as a precursor to their strategic planning. And here's why. It's such a simple framework, but so powerful in giving context and clarity about the goals and the planning. So let's just review it quickly, shall we? So Business is hHuman is two columns. On the business side, we need to control, measure, and optimize. We need goals, metrics, strategies, systems, processes, all of the good business stuff that is really about facilitating growth. I like to think of it as the scaffolding that needs to go up in order for people to know how to work together to grow the business.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:02:50]:
Now, on the other column is the human needs. Humans are personal, emotional, and social, and so the needs are very different, but they're both aligned to growth. So we as humans, we're hardwired with growth and ambition, and if we can build good scaffolding for understanding the human needs, we can bring those two things together for great results. But unfortunately, we often double down on the business side with more programs and more goals and more systems without really understanding how our human brain works and our emotions and all the things about our nervous system in how we make decisions, which then lead to all the things that we want for our business. So if we can double down on understanding the human needs and then combine those with the business needs, everybody wins, literally and figuratively. And so I am available virtual live. Let me come in and have this conversation with you and your team to set you up to win for next year. Sound like a plan? Well, this is a first.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:04:09]:
Today on the show, we have an Emmy award winner.
Lauren Sisler [00:04:15]:
Yeah.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:04:16]:
How cool is that? So, Lauren Sisler is an Emmy award winning sports broadcaster for ESPN. She's also an author and a keynote speaker. And I asked her to come on the show because, you know, around here, we talk about the humanity of business. And in a role like being a broadcaster on ESPN, where she's on the field, she's interviewing famous players and coaches and just has this dynamic way about her, this personality. She has the sideline shimmy that she does get pumped up for games.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:05:02]:
She's also got a story, and she's.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:05:05]:
Got a story that is sad, tragic, and like many that you've heard on this show, has taken that story and created an amazing life and has also been inspired to share that story in a way that will help others. And you know what? That's what humanity is all about. And when we can use our stories to help others, that's what makes our businesses better. That's what makes life and work worth it. And so because work is work and work is email and work is tasks. And, you know, even when you're an ESPN broadcaster. So what happened was when she logged on to the call, that was the first time we had met, other than exchanging emails. And as soon as I hit record, she asked me the question about my out of office email response, which is that I only check email on Mondays and Fridays, and it's probably the thing that I get asked about the most for people that have emailed with me.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:06:23]:
And so I just went ahead and kept this part of the conversation, which.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:06:28]:
Was just her and I getting to know each other.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:06:31]:
I kept it in there. So you'll hear us talk about why I only check email on Monday and Friday as the opening to this show. And then, of course, we launch into all the greatness that is Lauren's story. And she is a dynamic personality. I can't wait for you to get to know her. All right, here we go.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:06:53]:
I was in corporate sales for so long and a prisoner to email. And I just decided when I, if I'm going to run this business, I'm going to build a business that I want to live in and to work in. And so one of the key things that I coach about is moving. The definition of burnout is to prove yourself and always be working harder. And I thought being on for email is the definition of proving yourself, like, to do it twenty four seven. And so I thought I'm, I'm just not going to do that. And I'm, I'm a big faith prayer person. I was like, look, if the Lord wants to bless this business, it's going to happen whether I'm on email 24/7 or not.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:07:35]:
And it is probably the thing I get the most comments on.
Lauren Sisler [00:07:39]:
I mean, literally, I'm like, this woman is a incredible leader, just amazing in the, the business space and yet she's able to puzzle piece this thing together to where you have this opportunity to lean in. But also take that time midweek. And I feel like just with my schedule as a ESPN sports reporter, you know, I'm obviously on the road a lot. Emails are coming in at all times and especially during football season, it's a little bit harder. But it's one conversation my husband and I talk about like, how do you turn off?
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:08:14]:
And I nobody's going to give you permission. You just have to decide.
Lauren Sisler [00:08:17]:
Yes, I know. And it's like if I know that email sitting in an inbox, I'm sitting here thinking, oh my gosh, like they're waiting for my response and I'm like, stop.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:08:25]:
Like I had to unwind it. I had to unwind it. There were a few times in the beginning where I would literally have cold sweats about it. I'd be like, what kind of message is that sending? People are going to think you're not serious about your business and they're not going to take you seriously. And I was like, how can you teach people to unwind it if you're not willing to unwind it?
Lauren Sisler [00:08:43]:
Right? Yeah.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:08:44]:
And so I just said, I'm sticking it out now, of course, it says in, in my, out of office, like my clients can always use voxer. Like they can get ahold of me all the time. And then if you have an urgent request. But keynotes typically aren't urgent. I mean, let's be real, right? And then I have an on demand ea that they can go to if, if I'm gone. So it's not like you're just like, can't reach me, but it has changed my life just not to feel like I'm a prisoner to it.
Lauren Sisler [00:09:14]:
Yes, I know. I literally have a thousand emails sitting in my inbox right now that I'm just like, when I get off this podcast recording, back to work, gotta figure it all out, you know? And then you just wake up to so many and you're like, yeah. And you think like, oh, it should only take two minutes to answer an email, but some require a lot more attention. And then it's just your boom, boom, boom. So, yes, I am going to take some words of encouragement and wisdom from you, my friend. Okay. We can just turn this into a coaching session podcast.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:09:41]:
Let's do it.
Lauren Sisler [00:09:41]:
All to hear and see. I mean, let's do it.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:09:43]:
Let's do it. And you know what? We have so much in common. It's freaky. So one of your, like, a podcast pr person, like, reached out to me and said, hey, do you want to interview Lauren? And I looked at yes. But then I started digging in. Number one, we kind of look, like already kind of creepy, right? Youre tagline is to fall in love with your story. My book is called write your own story. And one of the key exercises I do with clients, I do it in.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:10:16]:
I did it yesterday with a team is to fall in love with your story. And I take them through this reflective exercise to unpack all the stuff, the good, the bad, all the things. And there were just the more I dug into your stuff, I was like, I think you're somehow connected to impact eleven, which I just joined last year.
Lauren Sisler [00:10:36]:
Wow.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:10:37]:
The same web designer, go live, did both of our website.
Lauren Sisler [00:10:41]:
Oh, my gosh. You know, it's funny because when I saw your website, I was like this. Did you do like a template I bought?
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:10:48]:
I had them do it, but, okay.
Lauren Sisler [00:10:50]:
Yes, but it was like, under a template. It was kind of already built, but they just went in and like, yes, okay, that's so funny you say that, because when I looked at your website, I was like, oh, that looks like it might be go live, girl. Well, I just. I probably need to get. I need to get some ball one. One for you, from you. I might need to. I might need to get in on some of your coaching because seriously, let's do it.
Lauren Sisler [00:11:12]:
Cause I do say when I sit down, especially with my therapist, that's the one thing we talk about, is how do I not burn out? How do I be more intentional with what I'm doing? And especially with the book coming out in football season and having a 13 month old at home and all the things it's like. And a husband, you know, that is basically being stay at home dad when I'm on the road four days out of the week. How to be intentional, being grounded. And so I think it's so important. So I love, love, love what you're doing and helping people, executives, business leaders, just to explore that before the burnout actually gets real. I think for me, one of the things I really lean into is overcoming shame and leaning into that when adversity comes your way, attack it, don't run from it. I think those are kind of the things. And obviously, with my book coming out, the shatterproof mindset.
Lauren Sisler [00:12:00]:
So I'm really trying to make that shift into, like, the corporate world with the shatterproof mindset, whether it's athletes, coaches, whatever. And that's just kind of looking at adversity, staring it in the face and taking it head on and not running from it. Right. But shame is like a big underlying piece of that. And I think owning our stories right and dealing with that shame is such a big part of it.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:12:20]:
One of the things I wanted to set up as a part of this conversation is something that we talk about a lot on this show, which is our uniqueness is really our superpower. And that's what you talk about with fall in love with your story. Mine is write your own story. And I love to use the metaphor of the differences between marbles and puzzles. So if you take a handful of marbles and you picture them in your hand, and they're all perfect, round, shiny, they're beautiful. But if you take that handful of marbles and you lay it on the table in front of you, they all roll away. Like perfection doesn't stick together very well, versus a puzzle piece with its jaggedy ass edges and the dust from the bottom of the box and all of its imperfections, if you take a handful of puzzle pieces and you put it on the table in front of you, and you look for the beautiful side, and then you figure out how those pieces fit together, you get something that's stronger, more beautiful, and every piece matters. And when I think about your story and the jaggedy ass edges and the highs and the lows of our lives and the pain that comes from your story and how you're teaching people to use that pain and not let it define you, but really work through it, I think is a message that is a humanity message, because so many people in business today especially, are trying to round out their edges.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:13:49]:
They're trying to be perfect. They're trying to make sure that they've got it all right, and that's impossible. The more you do that, the more that you pull away from the connections that you really need. So I would love for you to share, just share your story about how you're taking that, not only imperfections, but the tragedy and pain and using it for good.
Lauren Sisler [00:14:12]:
Gosh, I love, love, love just that illustration. Because you're right. I think that we are in this world where we're always trying to seek perfection. I'm a perfectionist, right? Like, so, Rebecca, I grew up a gymnast, and in the world of gymnastics, it's no longer like that. At the elite level, if you just watch the Olympics, there is no such thing as a perfect ten anymore. But at the collegiate level, there's still a perfect ten. So you're always striving for that perfect score, right? Because in gymnastics, there is a level of perfection. You can be perfect, and it's a very individual sport.
Lauren Sisler [00:14:41]:
And as I'm digging into this, I'm about to be 40 years old, y'all. Welcome to the fourth floor. About to roll up at the elevator.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:14:48]:
I think, girl, I've been there, done that. You're gonna be fine.
Lauren Sisler [00:14:51]:
Well, I mean, let me tell you, I'm embracing bracing. Bracing for it, y'all. But, you know, through these experiences and just kind of unpacking, right, what has shaped us into who we are, right? And almost in your illustration there, like, the marbles, like, shape, that roundness, right? And you're just striving for that perfection. And then you realize, like, wait a sec. Like, that doesn't even exist in this world. And so, for me, it has been taking a step back and owning the bits and pieces of my life, the good with the bad, to better understand why I am the way I am, who I am, and to dig a little deeper and not to say that just because I do something a certain way that might be different than, say, my husband. And that's where we, like, butt heads on something. It's recognizing, okay, we don't have to work separately.
Lauren Sisler [00:15:41]:
We have to work in tandem. But it doesn't mean I have to completely mold myself to him and him to me. Same thing in the workplace, right? Like, that's what makes us unique and different. And you learn to work together. You learn to work through things, but it's your experiences that shape you. And I think a lot of times, we lean out from those experiences. We lean away from them because we're fearful. We're afraid of fear and judgment.
Lauren Sisler [00:16:02]:
And, oh, my gosh, if these people know this about my personal life and know that I'm going through this, then they might take me less seriously or I might not be as credible. And then ultimately, we lean away from that circumstance and try to put it on a shelf versus using it as the ammunition, using it as something positive to charge forward. And what you'll find is, when you use that, there's so many people out there that are going through something similar, have experienced something similar. And ultimately, you find that connector. Right? Because connection is so key. And I have found in my line of work as a ESPN sports reporter, connection, relationships is key. And people always ask me, well, you know, like, you go talk to these coaches all the time, who's your favorite coach? And this and that, and then what's some of the best conversations you had? And, you know, where the best conversations come is when you've built that trust. You've built that trust in that person.
Lauren Sisler [00:16:57]:
And how do you build trust? It is operating, yes, with integrity. But it's also like breaking the walls down, because a lot of times these coaches, we're talking about, coaches, executives in the executive world, they build up these walls. They got to be strong and mighty, and they can't show people the real person, the real person that is flawed and that is imperfect in every way. So you got to break those walls down, right? Break those walls down. And remember, when you're sitting across the desks from somebody or you're sitting in the room with somebody, that is some radiant figure that is one of the most prolific athletes.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:17:29]:
To that radiant figure, you just say.
Lauren Sisler [00:17:33]:
Hey, you know what? They wake up up the same as I do every morning. They have anxieties just like I do. They have fears like I do. They have pressures like I do, and they go home and sit down, hopefully to a meal at nighttime. You know, sometimes it's different for everybody. Maybe that's a grab and go. I was eating a frozen pizza in the car just the other day, going to pick up my son from school. It all looks different, but at the end of the day, we're all the same.
Lauren Sisler [00:17:56]:
And it's leaning into that and breaking down those walls and saying, look, this is me. This is all of me. Let's talk about it. Right? And I think that's where you find, like you said, the jagged edges of that puzzle aren't necessarily a bad thing. They can be a beautiful thing. But it's how do you work that jagged edge into that other jagged edge to start creating this beautiful masterpiece.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:18:17]:
You can kind of feel when somebody's trying to round out their edges, they're trying to be more perfect. They're trying to be someone. They're actually nothing, because they think that's what people need, that I get that spidey sense from those people, and those are the ones that I just want to be like, you don't need to do that. That's not helpful. That doesn't make me drawn to you. Just tell me your real story, and let's have a real conversation. I don't want you to ever be around me thinking, you gotta round out your edges and be somebody that you're not.
Lauren Sisler [00:18:49]:
I love that. That's so good. What a great way to start our conversation. I feel like, whoo. And it really is such a good visualization. As I'm looking at my desk here, it's like, okay, you can either reach for the marbles, or you can reach for the puzzle pieces, right? And the marbles might just sit in a. In a bucket looking all pretty. Like you said, the minute you dump them out, they go scattered everywhere.
Lauren Sisler [00:19:10]:
But you can't piece marbles together. They don't form together. Right.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:19:15]:
And so, in fact, the game of marbles is about bigger ones knocking out the sword. That's literally what marvel the game is about.
Lauren Sisler [00:19:23]:
Yes. Which, of course, we might have to teach the younger generation marbles. Exactly, are, because I actually saw marbles. I was in Lake Tahoe, and I was in, like, a little gift shop, and I was like, I have not seen marbles like this and forever. And it was just kind of cool. I was like, wow. I said, that's a game that, you know, I haven't even introduced to my 13 month old. You know, of course, marvels are not really safe for kids that age.
Lauren Sisler [00:19:45]:
He would just stick them in his mouth. But nevertheless.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:19:48]:
But, you know, it is funny, that connection to fear, right? So I just saw a TikTok the other day where everybody gets all their news, right? TikTok, of course. And, like, a three to four year period in the eighties is when so much more fear was brought into our parenting. And therefore, if you bring it into your parenting, you're basically gonna bring it into your life. And it was through, like, a documentary about a child that was abducted. Now, all of a sudden, everybody was afraid to let their kids, like, not be supervised. And, like, there were two or three different things that happened that completely changed us as a society about fear. And just as you said that about marbles, I thought, there are so many parents right now that are thinking, I could never give my child marbles because that would be dangerous. Right? We have this.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:20:35]:
We walk around the world sometimes, like, afraid of things. And I think that also contributes to our inability or our apprehension about sharing who we really are because there's so much fear of being embarrassed or being judged. And I know that was something that kind of kept you down for a while from living this great life that you're living today. Was that, like, what if people find out my story's kind of sad or bad or tragic? Fear held you back? Is that a fair assumption? Knowing since we've known each other for, like, seven and a half minutes, I'm going to make that assumption about your story.
Lauren Sisler [00:21:12]:
But it honestly feels like we've literally. We're going to be taking this conversation, y'all, offline at some point, because let me tell you, we got. We got a lot to talk about. It is crazy because navigating life, right? Because, like, you know, here's this girl. She's a gymnast. She goes to Rutgers on scholarship. And, like, you know, I outwardly, right, I'm a public presence. You know, I'm on tv.
Lauren Sisler [00:21:36]:
I do the thing. I dance on the sidelines. I have a good time. I scream joy and excitement and laughter and, you know, goofy. I'm very goofy. Okay, y'all. But then underneath it all, like, I've got stuff, too. We've all got stuff.
Lauren Sisler [00:21:49]:
And, you know, for me, that stuff really has shaped who I am. And shame was such a big part of that for so many years. And so I'm going to share with you the footnotes version of my story. But I just want all you guys to recognize, as you're listening to this, that this has been a long journey of grieving, healing, acceptance, overcoming shame, and getting to this point where I have the courage to sit here on this podcast with you, Rebecca, and share this story. So, collegiate gymnast, go to Rutgers on scholarship, living out my dream. Life is good. I grew up in a family of four. It was me, my brother alan, and my mom and dad.
Lauren Sisler [00:22:30]:
And, you know, very active family, love sports, were around, sports volunteer coach. Mom always took us to practice. We were always on the go, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, and very involved in our sports. So when I earned that college scholarship, like, that was a celebration, not just for me, but for my family. The investment that they put into my gymnastics career for years and years and years and years and years. And so I'm off to college. Life seems grand. I'm going to study pre med.
Lauren Sisler [00:22:54]:
I'm going to be a sports doctor. I'm going to be like, you know, I'm going to do all the things. And I get to my second semester, and I picked up the phone, call my parents, like I always did. We talked on the phone. I went to Rutgers, 8 hours away from where I grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, and picked up the phone, had a conversation with them like I always did. Life seemed fine, things seemed normal, and hung up the phone, set my alarm clock, went to bed, and I wake up to a phone call in the middle of the night from my father, who informed me that my mom had died. And it was just like, what? Like, we just talked on the phone a few hours ago. Everything seemed normal.
Lauren Sisler [00:23:29]:
It's the middle of the night. She's 45 years old. What's wrong? And so, of course, I'm starting to race with all these thoughts, like, what's going on? And then at that point, my dad said, get on the next plane. You can. I'll be at the airport to pick you up. So then I didn't even have time to think about, like, the tragedy itself. It was like, just get home. I get home and expecting my dad to be at the airport to pick me up.
Lauren Sisler [00:23:48]:
And unfortunately, he never showed up that day. And he, too, passed away within 5 hours of my mom. And, you know, of course, as an 18 year old, I'm trying to comprehend, like, the fact that my two best friends, the two people I love more than anything, are now gone, trying to comprehend how an 18 year old is going to survive this because, yes, I'm technically on my own in college, but still very much a child, didn't know how to write a check, didn't have, like, I didn't know how to survive on my own. And then on top of that, it's figuring out, like, the why and the how. And I think for so many years, I stuffed the why and the how down because I was so afraid to acknowledge the truth of what happened to my parents. And so for years and years and years, I ran from the truth, ran from the truth, ran from the truth, and it just got exhausting. And it got to the point where I would just do everything I could to manipulate the situation, sugarcoat the situation, not acknowledge what happened to them. And finally, my auntie Linda, my mom's sister, who really took me under her wing when my parents passed away.
Lauren Sisler [00:24:48]:
You know, she got through to me over time, chiseling away. We talk about that brick wall. Look, I put up that brick wall, man, and it was like a brick wall with a freaking steel plate around it. And I wasn't letting anybody in. And a lot of that was because on the outside, again, I'm the bubbly dancing personality. I used to DJ like Lauren Sisler, DJ Sizzler. What's up? Like, I was that person. I was the survivor.
Lauren Sisler [00:25:11]:
I was the overcomer. I was the girl that literally went through this tragedy, went back to Rutgers, grinded it out, found my way back into the lineup, was, you know, team captain my senior year. Like, just doing all the things. Obviously not an easy journey. Ended up almost flunking out of school because I couldn't keep up with all the academic piece of it.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:25:31]:
Well, that's real, Lauren, because even your desire to do that wouldn't allow your brain to learn because it was in shock. So even though you were trying to tough it out, I just wanted to insert that really quickly because that's a. It's a big. It's a. It's science. It's so no matter how much you're like, I'm just going to, like, ignore it, I'm not going to do it. Your nervous system was like, no, we are not in a state of learning now. Sorry.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:25:57]:
You can pretend like this is okay, but it's not okay. So no wonder you.
Lauren Sisler [00:26:02]:
That is so good. Yeah. Because honestly, like, I go back to school, I'm trying to stay above water, trying to keep up the grades, right? And on scholarship, you got to keep up a certain grades or you're getting kicked. You're losing your scholarship, lose your scholarship, get kicked out of school. So I'm, like, just trying to figure out. Not to mention, like, I chose premed. Like, of all majors, I chose premed. And now I'm like, okay, how am I going to do this, right? And so I'm pretty much flunking out of school, trying to stay above water, knowing that this is my life.
Lauren Sisler [00:26:31]:
Like, that's just unraveling in front of me. And I love what you said, rebecca, because I do think it is, like, almost that defense mechanism, right? It's like, how much more can I soak in? How much more can I take in when my body is in a state of shock? Like, I cannot absorb anything because everything is just like, yeah. You know?
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:26:50]:
Yeah.
Lauren Sisler [00:26:51]:
And I think that's what I want to bring people to as well, is that I think that we oftentimes put a timeline on things, right? So, like, in life, this happened, and whether it's an experience that you've went through before, maybe you lost somebody in your life. And then you start putting this comparison game, or you look at someone else, well, this is how they dealt with it. I should be over this by now. Like, it's been x amount of years. I should be over it, right? And so we start to do this comparison game and make ourselves think that we have to be on this certain timeline of healing and overcoming and all the things, and we should be back on our feet. We have no excuses anymore, right? But at the end of the day, number one, like, we're on our own journey and our own path, and our experiences are, again, what shape us. And I think that's what I started to realize in this journey. Like, you know, there is no blueprint or manual for, all right, this is today you're going to wake up, and this is how you're going to feel tomorrow.
Lauren Sisler [00:27:45]:
This is how you're going to feel the next day. This is how you're going to feel. And so for me, it was really, like you said, in shock, going through the motions and not really acknowledging the internal battle that I was experiencing, which ultimately was shame. And that shame came from how my parents died on March 24 of 2003. Because a lot of people would ask, what happened? Right? Your mom died, and then your dad died within 5 hours. Like, what happened, right? And it wasn't just this easy explanation. So I just did this whole sugar coated thing. Oh, well, my mom died of respiratory failure because guess what? Respiratory failure sounds so much better than drug overdose.
Lauren Sisler [00:28:24]:
So then you ask, well, what about your dad? Well, he died of a heart attack. Well, his heart stopped because he, too, went into respiratory failure. But that, again, sounded so much better than drug overdose.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:28:36]:
So you weren't lying. But you weren't lying. Telling the real story.
Lauren Sisler [00:28:42]:
Wasn't telling the real story. And so I had somewhere latched on to that word, respiratory failure. And I was like, that just sounds so much better. And my dad was an alcoholic growing up, but I did so good at compartmentalizing that piece, right? Like, he would relapse, go on a bender for a weekend, and then he'd go back to work, and life would be fine for six months, and then he'd do it again. And it was just almost like, all right, you know, dad's not quite himself. I'm going to kind of compartmentalize this, put it on a shelf, forget about it. Oh, life is great. Life is good, right? And so I was aware, but I didn't know what alcoholism was.
Lauren Sisler [00:29:15]:
I didn't know what addiction was. I had no idea. I could not comprehend the scope of it, and that this was going to be a lifelong battle for my father and that he was having to manage this thing. And ultimately the impact that it had not only on him, but also my mom and us as children and the finances and just everything was in complete array. And so what it ultimately ended up happening is my mom and dad. My dad was dealing with chronic pain, also dealt with some PTSD from his service in the military. So there was some depression and things like that. So drinking was like his outlet.
Lauren Sisler [00:29:49]:
Well, he had back surgery. He was dealing with the pain of that. That wasn't really working. My mom started experiencing chronic pain, okay? And so she goes in for surgery, has a neck fusion, has another neck fusion, and then basically learns that there's this thing called pain management. And pain management is a new thing. We're going to go to this pain management doctor, and she goes to this pain management doctor and starts getting prescriptions. And the prescriptions start out on this level, and then all of a sudden, it's OxyContin, and all of a sudden, it's a 90 day mail in supply, and then Noxicon's not working anymore. Now let's look at fentanyl.
Lauren Sisler [00:30:27]:
We're going to wear a fentanyl patch. We're going to use that to manage the pain. I mean, it was this whole process in this three to four year period where my mom starts going to this doctor when my dad's in pain, he's going to start going to this doctor. They're getting prescription drugs, and it is just snowball effect. Right?
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:30:44]:
Wow. Yeah.
Lauren Sisler [00:30:45]:
But on the outside, Rebecca, like, everything seemed normal. Like, they're taking their prescription drugs as prescribed. They're functioning. Mom had to go on disability because of her pain, but she was still working part time, and they were taking care of life. Right. We had a roof over ahead. We had food on the table. It was.
Lauren Sisler [00:31:03]:
We're still doing our athletics, mom's cooking, nice dinners at home. We're going on, you know, trips when we can. I knew there was a little bit of a budget, but for the most part, like, life seemed normal.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:31:13]:
Normal, yeah.
Lauren Sisler [00:31:14]:
And then the walls come crashing down. And I think the hardest part of all that, Rebecca, is just like you. When you walk through life, you have this picture of, like, how it's supposed to go, right? This next chapter is supposed to look like this. Right? You have this vision for it. Never in a million years that I think that I would lose my parents to addiction and then ultimately having to stand up and say that in front of people was so hard, because I think about my parents and the fact that they never told us, told anybody that was close to them that they were experiencing addiction the way that they were. They were living in shame. And ultimately, when they died, I inherited that same shame, and I just kept it bottled up for so many years because people couldn't possibly look at me the same if they knew my parents died of prescription drug overdoses.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:32:11]:
That's the story that you told yourself? That's what you believed?
Lauren Sisler [00:32:13]:
Yep.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:32:14]:
How long did you live like that, do you think?
Lauren Sisler [00:32:17]:
I kind of mapped it out. And a lot of this, I have to say, has come through working through my book. Right. The labor of love. You've got a book. I know that you know, oh, girl.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:32:27]:
I'm on my writing my second one right now, and sometimes I think I'm crazy for doing it again, but here we are.
Lauren Sisler [00:32:32]:
Yeah, I know it's a process, but, you know, I will say it has been a journey, a journey of healing. And I will say that even 21 years after my parents passed away, suddenly I'm still learning a lot, still growing. But, like, the amount of healing that I have experienced in this process has been amazing. But when I've tried to go back and map out the timeline, because we remember things in segments. Right. So there's, like, a lot of black holes in there, and you're like, wait a sec. How did this work? But really, it took about seven years to get to the place where I wasn't literally ready to knock out my aunt for speaking up and sharing the truth. She was all trying to share the truth, and I would literally want to just, like, fisticuffs with her, because she would try to lovingly tell me that, you know, mom and dad, how they died, and this is the sort of pathway they took.
Lauren Sisler [00:33:24]:
And I just like, no, no, no. Like, you're. You're telling lies, right?
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:33:29]:
You know what's interesting about it being seven years?
Lauren Sisler [00:33:31]:
What's that?
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:33:33]:
I have chills. Seven is actually the number of perfection in the Bible. But our body's nervous system, cellular structure regenerates every seven years. And so you're literally a different person every seven years. And so the fact that it was seven years is really interesting. So, all of that regeneration was happening behind the scenes. Whether you were willing, in your prefrontal cortex, to actually name it and own it, your subconscious and everything that runs the rest of your body was still regenerating and doing its own healing behind the scenes.
Lauren Sisler [00:34:09]:
That is so interesting. You say that because I literally just had a therapy session talking to my therapist about the number seven, the biblical piece of it. And it was actually just talking about, like, even in marriage, how, like, we're different people. Like, my husband and I have been together seven years. We got married in 2020, but ultimately, we've been together seven years. And just the growth and. And the changeover and the things that used to work don't work now, and the things that didn't used to work are working. Like, you know, all the things.
Lauren Sisler [00:34:37]:
That's amazing. Wow. And it makes sense, right? Because it's almost like it's the seven year mark is when I finally just said, okay, like, lay your arms down. Quit trying to fight this thing. Quit trying to fight, like, quit trying to fight this thing. It is what it is. And so I started to accept what had happened around the seven year mark. And then I.
Lauren Sisler [00:34:58]:
It was really the ten year mark when I actually opened up the toxicology reports and on paper, acknowledged what happened to my parents, had that final opening, like, that just clarity of, like, you.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:35:12]:
Had to look at it in black and white on a report to actually own it and believe it.
Lauren Sisler [00:35:17]:
This is fact. Like, this is what it is. And so I think that was kind of the journey. And really, and I share this a lot, especially in my keynotes and whatnot. Is my auntie, amongst other people, you know, really just kind of helped me to understand my parents are not defined by how they died. It's how they live their lives. And when I started sharing their story with people, my biggest fear is people were going to think differently of them. I was holding on to their legacy, doing everything I could to keep their legacy bound in my hands.
Lauren Sisler [00:35:50]:
And when I started sharing their story openly, like, people embraced us and they embraced them even more. They didn't love my parents less. They didn't love me any less. They didn't love my brother any less. And really, it gave people some peace of mind, you know? And I think that is what I held onto this fear for so long that it was just going to be this big shock to people. I think a lot of people kind of knew they were at least suspicious or had their inkling about it, and they're like, okay. But eventually, you know, they move on with their lives. They're not really thinking about it.
Lauren Sisler [00:36:21]:
So that timeline is interesting. And like you said, how we grow in that 70, it makes sense, right? Because sometimes you're walking through life, and then all of a sudden you blink and you're like, wait, how did I get here, right. But you recognize, like, you're an entirely different person than you were seven years ago.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:36:40]:
Right.
Lauren Sisler [00:36:40]:
You're entirely different person as you're growing through different things. And I just think that's really cool to kind of acknowledge that. And it's not just a coincidence, right. There's actually science behind it and how.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:36:53]:
We operate as human beings, and it's hardwired in us. God wanted us to grow. Like, we can't not grow. You're growing in some way from something all the time. And back to what you said earlier, is we have painted this picture of how we think things should be on our timeline. So we are constantly trying to control things and control the outcomes. And if we would take our hands off of it a little more often and let him have reign over our growth, boy, would it just release us from a lot of stress and pain and frustration.
Lauren Sisler [00:37:34]:
Absolutely. And I think that's where, too, you know, bringing the faith element to it. Right. Because faith is such a big part of this. Right. And having faith, as a christian woman, I lean into my faith in God and Jesus Christ, whatever it is that you're leaning into, faith is such a big part of it. And if you don't have that faith and that trust, how in the world are you ever going to move forward? How are you ever going to push forward in this life and ultimately find purpose in that? And I think that's such a big part of why we're here, is finding purpose in what we do, not just going through the motions, not just putting life on cruise control. And like you said, just sitting there, la da da da da da da.
Lauren Sisler [00:38:20]:
Like, you know, we've got to lean in and find that purpose and figure out what ultimately drives us. Right. And what drives us to the next chapter of our lives and what drives us to that fulfillment. And I think a lot of that comes with finding our purpose and using our purpose to impact the lives of others.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:38:43]:
Yeah.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:38:44]:
Bible says he'll use it all for our good. And so it's exactly what you're doing is you're taking your story, a tragic story, a sad story. It's unthinkable. And saying, how can I write the next chapters of my story in a way that will help and serve people and the joy that you bring watching your video and your sideline shimmy that you do when you're out there on the field, like, that's. That's joy. I mean, when I logged on today, it's just your energy and your vibrance and your light is so bright and beautiful. And so it's that that allows you to bring this story to people so that they can connect with you and probably have some part of them healed in the process as well.
Lauren Sisler [00:39:29]:
Yeah, I love that. I love that so much. I appreciate that.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:39:32]:
Me too. And so you now, not only are you out on, with ESPN, on the field interviewing and doing great stuff there, but now you're as a keynote speaker, you've got a book coming out in October. You're taking this story out there to the world. What are some of the big takeaways that you want people to have from your book and when they hire you to keynote for them?
Lauren Sisler [00:39:59]:
Yeah, I appreciate that. You know, it's, as we talked about before, it's been a journey, a journey of healing. But really, we talk about write your own story. My mantra of fall in love with your story. Right. It's owning each and every piece of that, every chapter. You know, it's interesting because I've had a lot of opportunities to kind of learn and grow and sort of figure out by why. And I recently, a friend of mine, Giselle, she's actually with impact eleven.
Lauren Sisler [00:40:28]:
I know. We talked about that. Giselle. I love Giselle.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:40:32]:
Get her on the show. She's amazing.
Lauren Sisler [00:40:34]:
She actually asked me, we were doing a retreat with a dear friend of mine, Kelly and Brittany Turner. Kelly Straka and Britney Turner. And it's interesting. We were all kind of coming together just kind of as like in little different industries but learning from one another. And Giselle had asked me a question and I never, it's funny because I literally had never thought of it this way. But, like, you know, when you're in business, right, one big question you get is, like, who is your target audience? And it's something I've never really answered because I think we get in this mindset of like, oh, let's just help everybody. Let's just cast that net really wide and figure it out. And I think there is space for that.
Lauren Sisler [00:41:07]:
But like she said, close your eyes and envision, like, who you see out there when you speak to people. And I think what's interesting is I just had this, like, moment in this realization, right, that, you know, I'm speaking to that man and I envision my father, like, standing, standing on the audience, sitting in the audience. And it's that man that is trying to provide for his family, trying to provide, whether that's at the corporate level, executive level, you know, wherever it's at, trying to provide for his family, trying to prove to everybody that he's worth it, that he's a man, that he is here to serve and do his due diligence, to live life and to support his ecosystem, the people that are around him. Right? And then I envision the mom, you know, my mom, she, in life, just did everything for my brother and I. And, you know, these are the hardworking moms that are out there trying to also prove themselves that, hey, as a woman, I can work in corporate America, or I can also be an amazing domestic engineer sitting at home, not sitting, by the way, running around chasing children, doing all the things. Because let me tell you, being a stay at home mom, that is domestic engineer, something I heard from another dear friend of mine, is a full time, like a quadruple full time job. And just envisioning that, and then that person that's out there, that's lost, right? Just trying to find their way, trying to figure out who they are, what they want to do to help serve others, to find purpose. And I think that's the one thing that I just hope that people will learn.
Lauren Sisler [00:42:38]:
And if they get to the opportunity to pick up my book, shatter proof, right? It's like building that shatterproof mindset, and we talk about adversity leaning into it, not leaning away from it. Jump scared. Right? And I think that that is what I hope that people will find. And as a woman of faith, you know, I pray that people will pick up that book and I can meet them where they're at, because maybe they haven't experienced addiction in their family, but they've experienced something that has created shame, because everybody has experienced shame in their lifetime, whether it's a divorce, it's an infidelity. They've got an addiction to gambling. It's pornography. It's whatever it is that you're going through. I meet them where they're at and help them to realize that, look, this is a piece of you, and this isn't all bad.
Lauren Sisler [00:43:21]:
Let's shape this and use this as something positive, to use this to help push you forward and ultimately lean into others, create authentic connections, and fall in love with your story. Because I think that that is how we become the best versions of ourselves and ultimately can serve others and ultimately serve the man above. And I think God, you know, puts us on this earth and puts us exactly where we're meant to be. You know, I think a lot of times I ask myself, why did it take me 21 years to publish a book, right? Like, why didn't I do this sooner? Maybe I could have impacted more lives. I wasn't ready. As I told you in that process, I was not ready. And I'm ready. I'm ready to get it out there.
Lauren Sisler [00:44:02]:
I'm ready for people to hear the truth. And some of the truth is hard. Like, it's not an easy book, it's an easy read, but there's pieces of it that are gut wrenching, and it's just like, ugh. Like gut punch. And it is hard, but at the same time, that that is life. Right? And you have to make that choice to get up. And how are you going to map out your day? How are you going to respond to adversity? Right? Are you going to lean out? You're going to lean in, and it's going to smack you in the face whether you want it to or nothing. So you might as well, just might.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:44:31]:
As well go in, put on the.
Lauren Sisler [00:44:33]:
Gloves, and let's just go, baby. Right?
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:44:35]:
Yeah.
Lauren Sisler [00:44:36]:
And so that is my prayer for people. And then ultimately, you know, just. Just falling in love with your story. And one thing coaches talk to us a lot about is be where your feet are. And it's such a. It's a mantra that I love because I think a lot of times we get in this mindset of, like, again, yes, we do have to focus forward and how do we continue pushing forward? But it's also being grounded where we're at, being intentional. And I think you and I talked about this previously before we jumped on the podcast, right. The idea of burnout happens, and then you get to be, you know, I'm, like I said, hitting the elevator button to the fourth floor.
Lauren Sisler [00:45:11]:
You get to the fifth floor and the 6th floor, and you start to look back and think, like, what have I done with my life? Like, where have I gone? Like, my child's grown up now, and I haven't even been here to, like, spend that time. And so, you know, I just love the idea of being more intentional, right. Being more intentional with our time and taking the opportunity to just step back sometimes and say, like, I'm here, I'm getting after this. And then ultimately recognizing when to take a breath. You fight and you keep fighting and you keep fighting, and then you take a moment to breathe and recognize all the hard work that you've done and celebrate those victories. Right. You know, that's. It's definitely a lot to unpack, but ultimately, my goal was just to help people learn that it is possible to fall in love with your story every single chapter.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:46:00]:
I love that who you saw when you. When Giselle asked you about who you serve was your dad and then your mom, because you're giving a keynote speech and let's say 50 some year old, 40 some year old man is in the audience, and he's struggling. He's struggling. And the industrial age model of work is what told us we have to control everything and make sure everything's okay and always make sure that we're providing. And it didn't leave much room at all for the vulnerability and the empathy and the connection and for him to hear your story and have that moment of, oh, my gosh, I. Where I'm at right now isn't going to take me ultimately to the life that I really want. For him to see that as the flash of what he doesn't want to happen is the path that your dad was on and didn't have anybody that was able at that time in our history of society that he could reach out to. To say, I'm hurting.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:47:13]:
I'm struggling, this isn't going well. And to give that gentleman in that audience or that woman in that audience hope that there are people that will understand what they're going through and help them reshape and rewrite the rest of their story in a way that they can really use it for their good, I think is a beautiful representation of your story.
Lauren Sisler [00:47:36]:
Oh, now you're making me cry.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:47:38]:
Yeah, because that's. I mean, that's what it's all about, babe. If we don't want to connect in some way that helps change and nurture people, what the hell are we doing? I mean, I know. Seriously. And I stumbled on. I didn't stumble. God threw it right in my face three different times. Who am I kidding? This part of the Bible that talks about that, basically, our self ambition that we were told was the right answer.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:48:05]:
I mean, the literal definition of burnout, the root cause from 1974, 1st study ever done, is to prove yourself, work harder and take care of the business or everything else and more than taking care of you. Right. And so that prove yourself thing is exactly the theme that you're talking about, and it is the root of all evil that it is. We got to have self ambition. We got to go out there, and we got to figure it out, and we got to be successful, and we got to have the thing that shows.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:48:33]:
Other people are successful.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:48:35]:
And, like. And then a lot of really successful people get to a certain point in their life, they're like, is this it? Like, I got granite countertops, a great car. However many figures in my salary and a pretty good title. Like, is that it? I thought it would feel better. That's what people say to me. I thought this.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:48:53]:
I thought success would feel better, and.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:48:56]:
We can still have success. My gosh, I plan on making a lot of money. The Bible says that prosperity is part of the deal, right?
Lauren Sisler [00:49:03]:
Yeah. Yeah.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:49:04]:
But if we don't feel the connection that we have with one another in a really intentional way, like, your aunt was able to pour into you and just stay connected to you, and it took seven years for the message to finally come through. But if we don't have the intention in our work, in our lives, in our friendships, that we're looking for ways that we can really impact people on that soul to soul level, then I don't know. I just think it's all a waste of damn time.
Lauren Sisler [00:49:34]:
Oh, so good. It is so good. And, yes, I mean, everything you said, and it's just that connection piece, right? It's building that bridge from one person to another and creating that human connection, that authentic connection. And, as you said, giving people hope. And I didn't know what I didn't know. I was 17 when I went off to college, turned 18. It's just crazy, because I think, why didn't I see it? Why didn't I see the hurt and the pain that my parents were going through? And I think a lot of it. Number one is they were darn good at math.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:50:06]:
I was gonna say they were working full time overtime to make sure you didn't see it or feel it.
Lauren Sisler [00:50:12]:
Yep. Absolutely. And I just. You know, I think to myself, like, what do I do for a living? Literally, I ask questions. Like, I am the question queen. Like, give it to me, baby. I love asking questions. That's what I do.
Lauren Sisler [00:50:26]:
But I think back and I'm like, you know, why didn't I ask more questions? And, you know, I could spend all this time, like, beating myself up at the end of the day. But that's what I want to encourage people. Like you said, I. You know, I don't feel like I need redemption in all of this. Right. My parents went down that path. It was not up to me. I can't save your life.
Lauren Sisler [00:50:44]:
You can't save my life. That. Like, that. That is beyond our control. But I do feel I have the opportunity to provide some hope to that man, like you said, that woman. I think about my brother, people out there that need hope. And it could either be the person that is literally struggling to put food on the table or the person that is flying around the world in a private jet, like you said, wondering, wow, this is it. Because, I mean, everyone's chasing that next thing.
Lauren Sisler [00:51:19]:
Everyone's chasing what it's like to be on the other side where the grass is greener. But that's not where fulfillment comes from. And it's, where do you find your fulfillment? Right? Where do we find our fulfillment? And it's different for you than it is me.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:51:32]:
No, it's supposed to be, right?
Lauren Sisler [00:51:33]:
Supposed to be, yeah. And it's not chasing what everybody else wants and not what everybody else wants for you. It's finding that within yourself, making that list of things that you feel can fulfill you. And yes, it is okay if that is a monetary compensation in some way, shape or form, but also, what can you do with that monetary compensation that fulfills you? Not just go out and buy pretty handbags for me, like sneakers. That's my thing. Right? Like, you know, what's, what's going to fulfill you and all that. And so that's what I just challenge people as they head into the day, head into the work week, head into the next phase of their lives, is just figure out what it is that fulfills you, what fills up your cup, write those things down, and start chasing after those and lean into those things and say, okay, what's it going to take to get there? And it's okay to put it out, speak it into the universe. Let people hear it.
Lauren Sisler [00:52:33]:
Let God hear it. You know, he hears you. But hey, it's okay. It's okay to speak it out time and time and time again, even if.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:52:40]:
It'S things that you want that everybody else wasn't a fan of. Crossed that a lot in my coaching business that, you know, my parents or my coach or my, somebody told me I should do this thing that I'm doing now, and it's not really what.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:52:55]:
I wanted to do.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:52:56]:
And I'm always saying, it's not too late. Make this shift, make the pivot. Do. Do the thing that's on your heart. That's the thing.
Lauren Sisler [00:53:04]:
Never too late.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:53:06]:
That's the thing that God put there. And if he put it there, you can't stop it.
Lauren Sisler [00:53:10]:
Hey, let me tell you, speaking on that, you know, I told you I wanted to be a sports doctor. Okay, well, where did, where did sports reporting come from? Sports piece, right? Yeah. I will tell you. When I was literally flunking out of school, I had to call my uncle. So my aunt and uncle, like I said, took me under their wing. My uncle was an ER physician. For. For over 40 years, he's.
Lauren Sisler [00:53:27]:
He just retired.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:53:28]:
And probably where you got that seed of pre med, that that was a thing that you should probably.
Lauren Sisler [00:53:34]:
That was a thing, you know?
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:53:35]:
Yeah, yeah.
Lauren Sisler [00:53:35]:
And I will say, you know, I think being an athlete, having to go see the orthopedic doctor a lot, I was like, this would be a pretty cool profession. And then, of course, he's a doctor. I was terrified to tell him that I was no longer going to pursue medicine because I was so afraid of that approval. And, like, you know, and the best part about it is, and, you know, he. He's a straight shooter, let me tell you this. Straight shooter, very realist, but also kind of said, like, it's probably a good thing that you're not going into medicine. I mean, your GPA is not real good right now. It probably would have been hard to get that GPA back up.
Lauren Sisler [00:54:06]:
And honestly, like, if you're going to be cut out for medicine, and I. It's funny because I laugh about it. I said, I don't think I'm smart enough for that stuff right now, but I have my gifts elsewhere, and that's fine.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:54:16]:
And that's God's redirection, too. Like, you flunking out is God's gift, to say, oh, girl, this was not the choice I had prepared for you. Now you're made for what you're doing now, like, doing it.
Lauren Sisler [00:54:28]:
I'm doing the dang thing, and I'm having fun. You know, it's stressful. It's not as glamorous as people think, right? But I'm having fun, and I'm finding purpose in that. And I think that is where, as we come full circle in this conversation and put a big bow on it, right? Owning your story, writing your story, falling in love with your story, all came to me because, guess what? I ask questions. I'm a professional storyteller. I get out there, I tell stories. That's what I do. But when I got into this industry, it was the glamour, the lights, the cameras on.
Lauren Sisler [00:54:59]:
Ooh, look at me. I'm on tv. I'm interviewing this person. Confetti's falling on the field. Oh, my gosh, this is so cool. But then it's realizing, like, oh, wait a sec. This is impact. So when I step foot on that field, national anthem plays hand on the heart, close my eyes, guess who I'm talking to.
Lauren Sisler [00:55:15]:
The good lord above, telling him to help me in some way, shape, or form. Give me the word, give me the opportunity to impact somebody's going to hear this story and they're going to say, wow, this resonates with me, gives them a hope, glimmer of hope, something shine a light on it. And that, to me, is where impact comes in. So I appreciate what you do, Rebecca. Just being a coach and a mentor to people that need. They need this, right? And this is not for the fainted heart. This is not just like, oh, let's just fall in love with your story. Like, it takes work.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:55:52]:
People, too. Yeah.
Lauren Sisler [00:55:53]:
Going in deep, right. So this is no, like, little cakewalk. Like, oh, let's just fall in love. No. Dang, we're going to war.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:56:00]:
And, you know, every.
Lauren Sisler [00:56:01]:
Going to war with ourselves.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:56:03]:
Absolutely. And everybody can have that beginning of the day, hand over heart national anthem playing moment from your home office, on your commute, on the way to work every morning, I say to God, use me today in whatever way that makes sense for you, for your purpose. And sometimes that's a conversation with a barista at Starbucks. Sometimes it's a coaching client, sometimes it's one of my kids. I never know how it's going to show up. And that's the way it's supposed to be. Like, I've already surrendered it to him. And so I'd love for people to take what you said about that moment because that's emotional.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:56:43]:
I felt that we can all have that hand over heart start of our day, start of whatever work that we do moment to ask who we're serving today. And you never know. It's always a little bit of an adventure to see what shows up when you pray, that prayer. So after the book comes out, after people are starting to experience the impact that you want, come back on the show and you can start to tell us some stories about that.
Lauren Sisler [00:57:10]:
Let's do it. Rebecca, thank you so much for this opportunity. So appreciative and, yeah, we got. We got lots to talk about. So thank you so much and thank you all for listening and would love to connect with y'all. Ping me. My DM's are open. I say that people are like, how do I talk to you? Just shoot me a D.
Lauren Sisler [00:57:26]:
laurensisler.com
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:57:27]:
Or Lauren Sisler, right?
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:57:30]:
S I. Yeah.
Lauren Sisler [00:57:30]:
Laura. Lauren Sisler. L a u r e n s. Yep.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:57:34]:
Lauren Sisler, Instagram. And on your website, same thing. Go find you, follow you, chat with you, all the things. And buy the book. Yes, we'll make sure.
Lauren Sisler [00:57:42]:
Buy the book October 1. It's coming at you. We'll have it on pre sale, though. Pretty soon. So I appreciate you guys following along on the journey. Rebecca, thank you. Keep doing great work, my friend. Write your own story.
Lauren Sisler [00:57:53]:
Fall in love with it. Let's do the dang thing.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:57:55]:
Woo.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:58:02]:
Thanks for listening to this episode. I would love it if you would go to Apple podcast and leave a rating and a review, and then you can go to rebeccafletwoodhession.com and join the Badass Women's Council. And if you really want to take a deeper dive, join the movement of a thousand thriving women. There's amazing thrive tools there for you today. Love you. Mean it.
Lauren Sisler [00:58:24]:
I'm not coming down.
Rebecca Fleetwood Hession [00:58:28]:
Hey y'all, fun fact. Did you like the music for the podcast? That is actually my son, Cameron Hession and I would love it if you would go to Spotify and itunes and follow him and download some of his other music. My personal favorite is tv land.