At the age of 12, James Davis-Massey made one of the most difficult decisions of his life: he stood before a court and divorced his parents. It was a soulful decision, one that defied logic and wasn't driven by what his head or even his heart told him, but by a deeper knowing that he needed to move toward safety and love. Growing up in an environment marked by abuse, alcoholism, and neglect, James knew deep within himself that he needed safety and love, even if it meant making an extraordinary choice that most children never face.

That moment of soulful decision-making became the foundation for who James is today. He moved in with his grandparents, and heard his grandmother's words, "James, you can be and do anything you want to be and do," which became a guiding light that he carries with him to this day. James developed a fierce independence. By age 14, he was working nearly full-time to support himself. While this responsibility forced him to grow up quickly, it also gave him the resilience and grit that would shape his future.

Now, James is the co-founder of The Human Blueprint, where he helps leaders, executives, teams, and organizations understand the power of human-centered leadership. His approach integrates the five dimensions of a leader—head, heart, gut, body, and soul—to help people align with their higher purpose and become their most powerful, influential, and fulfilled selves. From his early trauma to his work today, James's journey is a testament to the transformative power of making soulful decisions and serving others from a place of deep authenticity.

To learn more about James Davis-Massey:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdavis2/Website: https://www.thehumanblueprint.com/

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: stan@beingthechangecoaching.comWebsite: beingthechangecoaching.com

Aaron Simmons met his wife, Polly, in the Peace Corps, and together they built a life filled with art, literature, and deep partnership. They married, bought a house, and had three children. Then, three years ago, Polly died suddenly from a pulmonary embolism, leaving Aaron to navigate life as a solo father and to wrestle with unanswerable questions.

In the midst of his grief, Aaron discovered Polly's journals—pages and pages of her thoughts, insights, and humor written over the years. As he began writing through his own pain in the middle of the night, an idea emerged: what if they could write a book together, even after her death?

In this conversation, Aaron shares how he's keeping Polly present for his children, how writing became both his healing and their collaboration, and why he believes grief never truly resolves—it simply becomes part of who we are. He reflects on the tension between moving forward and honoring what was lost, and offers wisdom for anyone sitting with loss they didn't choose.

This is a story about creating beauty from loss, honoring the dead by living fully, and understanding that healing isn't linear—it's a mosaic.

To Learn more about Aaron Simmons:Website: aaronsimmons.name

To Buy the book widow— widower— widowest— a grief mosaicBook website: widowest.comPublisher website: www.motinabooks.com/book/widow-widower-widowest/Amazon:www.amazon.com/-/he/Aaron-Simmons-ebook/dp/B0FZ5HZZRM

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: stan@beingthechangecoaching.comWebsite: beingthechangecoaching.com

What happens when the life you've known is taken from you in an instant? For Tricia Downing, a competitive cyclist, that moment came on September 17, 2000, when she was hit head-on by a car and paralyzed from the chest down.But Tricia's story isn't just about a life-changing accident. It's about the resilience she built long before that day, as a biracial adoptee growing up in a white family, navigating a world where she never quite fit in, always standing out.When her injury added another layer to her identity, Tricia had a choice: let it define her, or use it as fuel. Just five months after leaving the hospital, she completed a half-marathon in a racing wheelchair. She went on to become a Paralympian, the first female paraplegic to complete an Ironman triathlon, and a powerful advocate for disability inclusion.In this conversation, Tricia shares how being different, again and again, taught her not just to survive, but to lead. She reflects on the gift hidden in adversity and why she believes we're not here for ourselves, but to impact others.This is a story about transformation, acceptance, and discovering that sometimes standing out is exactly what the world needs.

Learn more about Tricia Downing:Website: https://triciadowning.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/triciadowning/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tricialdowning/Substack, The Semantics of Adoption: https://share.google/MA7xlTamUs9o1evkl

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: stan@beingthechangecoaching.comWebsite: beingthechangecoaching.com