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

In this deeply personal solo episode, host Stan Ajemian shares his journey through what he calls an "addiction to adrenaline", a pattern of seeking dangerous experiences that masked deeper pain from loneliness and depression. From triggering avalanches in the Canadian Rockies to two catastrophic cycling accidents, Stan reveals how extreme sports became his way of feeling alive and connected to others.

This isn’t just a story about adventure gone wrong, but one of transformation, self-awareness, and the power of inner work. Stan contrasts his two major cycling accidents, one before his meditation practice, when he was angry and difficult during recovery, and one after years of therapy and meditation, when he experienced compassion and even moments of bliss despite severe injuries.

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemian

Email: stan@beingthechangecoaching.com

Website: beingthechangecoaching.com