Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 23

WINNER: Diversity in TV/Streaming at NAEJ 2023 Awards

Thank you to the 16th annual National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards 2023! I won 2nd place for Diversity in Entertainment and was a finalist for both Podcast host and Personality Profile. K6. Diversity in the TV/Streaming Industry2nd place: Lisa Niver, We Said Go Travel, “Unveiling the Uncharted: Jeff Jenkins on Embracing Life Beyond Comfort Zones” Lisa Niver and Jeff Jenkins filming in Miami November 2023 with ReachTV network! J1. Radio/Podcast Anchor/Host FINALIST

* Lisa Niver, PODCAST: Make Your Own Map, “Lisa Niver HOST of Make Your Own Map”

K10B. Personality Profile, TV Personalities

Lisa Niver, Jewish Journal, “Walking with Andrew McCarthy”

From the Los Angeles Press Club: “For the 16th National A&E Journalism Awards, our judges carefully reviewed more than 1,600 entries, and you came out on top with the best A&E reporting in the nation.”

Thank you to Jeff Jenkins of Never Say Never and Andrew McCarthy of Walking with Sam for the interviews that led to these nominations. Thank you to ALL of my podcast guests and listeners from 41 countries on 6 continents. YAY!

USA   India Canada   Ireland Puerto Rico   UK    Italy   Australia  Philippines Singapore   New Zealand Portugal Saudi Arabia Switzerland Hong Kong    Mexico   Japan  Fiji Seychelles France Latvia   Netherlands   Kenya   UAE Cambodia Israel Guatemala Germany Uruguay Bangladesh Spain Panama Thailand Uganda    Greece   South Africa  Costa Rica  Bosnia and Herzegovina   Sri LankaRomania    Pakistan

Thank you to the Los Angeles Press Club and Diana Ljungaeus, Executive Director! At the Gala on December 3, 2023,

OUR HONOREES FOR THE GALA:
Barbara Eden will be honored with the Legend Award. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., host/producer/writer of PBS’ “Finding Your Roots” will receive the Luminary Award for Career Achievement. Legendary actor and educator LeVar Burton will be honored with the second Distinguished Storyteller Award for his Literacy Impact and director/writer/producer Ava DuVernay will accept the Visionary Award for Humanitarian Work. Iconic writer, director and producer Roger Corman is set to accept Los Angeles Press Club’s Distinguished Storyteller Award for filmmaking.

This year’s National A&E Journalism Awards Gala is dedicated to the memory of Bob Barker, the very first Legend Awardee and a cherished friend of the LA Press Club.

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Lisa Niver has won many awards! From 2017 to 2023, in the Southern California Journalism Awards and National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, she has won six times and been a finalist twenty-five times for a variety of broadcast, print, podcast and digital categories.

2023 Winner: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards Diversity in Entertainment2023 3x Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards 2023 2x Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Travel Reporting and Podcast Interview 2022 Finalist : Southern California Journalism Awards for BOOK CRITICISM2021 Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards for Commentary Diversity/Gender and Commentary Analysis/Trend — Film2021 Winner: Southern California Journalism Awards for  TECHNOLOGY REPORTING 2021 Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for BOOK CRITICISM2020 Winner: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards for Book Critic. See all of Lisa’s book reviews here.2020 Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards for Book Critic2020 Winner: Southern California Journalism Awards for print magazine article: Hemispheres Magazine for United Airlines2020 Five Time Finalist: Southern California Journalism awards2019 Winner: NAEJ Award for KTLA TV segment2019 Finalist: National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards in three categoriesCategory H2a. Soft News: Ms. Magazine: Polar Bears Can’t Vote So You Have ToCategory F6a. Soft News Feature – Under 5 Minutes—Film/TV: KTLA TV Oscars Countdown to Gold with Lisa NiverCategory C1b. Business, Music/Tech/Art: My Wharton Magazine article: Four Female Founders Share Their Origin Stories2019 Finalist: Southern California Journalism Awards for Broadcast Television Lifestyle Segment: Ogden Ski Getaway2018 Finalist for three categories of Southern California Journalism Awards:SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY REPORTING: Smithsonian TRAVEL REPORTING: Popsugar FitnessPERSONALITY PROFILE: Saturday Evening Post2017 2nd place winner for Southern California Journalism Award Print Column “A journey to freedom over three Passovers” and finalist for Travel Reporting.

More about Lisa Niver: https://lisaniver.com/awards/

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 16: BJ Korros and guest attend the Los Angeles Press Club’s 63rd Annual Journalism Awards Dinner at Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles on October 16, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images)

Jewish Journal Wins Two LA Press Club Awards and Several Other Honors

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BRAVE-ish at Wanderful Global Book Club

Join me for a virtual global book chat THIS SATURDAY Dec 16 9amPT/noon ET to talk about my award winning memoir, BRAVE-ish, with Wanderful, your travel sisterhood!

This group founded by Beth Santos includes thousands of travelers and content creators redefining travel for women worldwide.

I will be in conversation with Jordan Campbell of Global Debauchery. Join us for
our book discussion of BRAVE-ish and bring all your questions. Travel from Home with Wanderful’s Travel Lovers Virtual Book Club! Want to know more about Wanderful? I inteviewed Beth Santos about Wanderful, Wanderfest, Women in Travel Summit and her new book, Wander Woman, on my award winning podcast.CONGRATS to our THREE book giveaway winners! More about BRAVE-ish:

Although Lisa Niver has traveled in far-off locales from Vanuatu to Nepal and received numerous accolades for both her writing and her top ranked website, what people don’t realize is that this began from the wreckage of a rotten romance.

Newlywed Niver was on the adventure of a lifetime. She had quit her job, rented out her condo, and was traveling around Asia. To the outside world, Niver was a woman living out her dreams of exploring ancient ruins in Cambodia and seeing orangutans in Borneo. In private, she was keeping a dark secret. But, when she found herself lying on a sidewalk in Thailand, looking up at the sky in severe pain, she knew things had to change. At age forty-seven, Niver found the courage to set course on a new life.

Feeling like a failure, pushing fifty, and moving home to her parents’ house to start again from scratch, Niver started taking one tiny “brave-ish” step at a time to take her life far away from the old one and into the adventurous world of travel writing. These small hurdles led to the challenge of trying fifty new things before turning fifty. From diving into shipwrecks, swimming with sharks, bobsledding at 3 Gs, to indulging in wild escapades, Niver found herself traversing the world on a journey of reinvention, personal growth, and discovering what it actually means to be “brave.”

While Brave-ish chronicles Niver’s inspiring expeditions to distant corners of the world including Myanmar, Cuba, Morocco, Kenya and Mongolia this is more than a travelogue. Niver’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of perseverance. Brave-ish inspires readers to dream big, take risks, and embrace the unknown to create a life filled with wonder and excitement, even when courage seems elusive.

Featured in Conde Nast Traveler Women Who Travel Book Club: 10 New Books We Can’t Wait to Read this Fall ⟶ As seen in Forbes Best New Non-Fiction ⟶ I am so honored that my book, Brave-ish, was selected for the long list of the 2023 Hearten Book Awards for Uplifting and Inspirational Non-Fiction ⟶ Goody Business Book Awards Winner / Self-Help – Memoir ⟶ The Zibby Awards Finalist – Best Book For The Strong Woman ⟶

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Diving into Gratitude: DEMA Show 2023 New Orleans

THANK YOU DEMA 2023 New Orleans!

As the curtains close on my recent journey to the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association (DEMA) 2023 conference in the vibrant city of New Orleans, I find myself reflecting on the incredible opportunities that unfolded during this unforgettable event.

I had the honor of presenting my new memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty, at the Author’s Corner.

I am grateful to Susan Bejeckian, Fiona Teama and Visit Solomon Islands for allowing me this opportunity and my adventures there are in my book. I also wrote about the Solomon Islands for Smithsonian Magazine and several other publications.

The true highlight of the conference was the rekindling of old friendships and the forging of new connections. I loved seeing dive buddies from past adventures like Jonathan Oosterhof from VIP Diving in Bonaire who is in my book and Alex Fogg from Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida who was a recent guest on my podcast when I was there as a judge for the Lionfish Derby. When I was in Destin, I went on my very first fishing expedition and dove a brand new artificial reef.

It was great to make new connections and think about my future dive plans to Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Bonaire, Fiji, Tobago, Palau, St. Eustatius, Papua New Guinea,Seychelles and more. I cannot wait to get back underwater!

Beyond the conference halls, the city of New Orleans beckoned with its rich cultural tapestry, and I seized the chance to immerse myself in the history and flavors that define the Big Easy. From the time-honored elegance of Antoine’s, a family-owned establishment since 1840, to the soul-stirring music and delectable cuisine that permeates the streets of NOLA, every moment was a celebration of the city’s unique spirit.

Where to STAY?
The Westin New Orleans proved to be a perfect haven. From my luxurious suite, I marveled at the breathtaking cityscape, a panorama that encapsulated the dynamic energy of the Big Easy.

https://youtube.com/shorts/M3WG0O8a7UY

I ate in both Bistro at the Bend and Observatory Eleven which had incredible views and live music at night. Thank you to Chef Drew Mills and Oliver Sobel for making the time to speak with me about their restaurants. Located just across from the recently renovated aquarium, its prime location, within walking distance to an array of excellent dining options and venues pulsating with live music, added an extra layer of convenience and enjoyment to my New Orleans experience.

I am grateful for the opportunities, experiences, and connections that unfolded during my time in New Orleans: the chance to be in Author’s Corner, the memories of the Westin, the taste of Antoine’s delicacies, and the rhythm of NOLA’s music. Join me underwater on my next adventure!

Save the date: DEMA 2024 in Las Vegas Nov 19-22!

MORE DEMA COVERAGE:

DEMA 2023: Author’s Corner with Lisa NiverDEMA 2021 Vegas: I learned to TikTok!DEMA 2018 Vegas: Making new friends!More SCUBA articles and videos: click hereTHANK YOU to DiveNewsWire and Deeper Blue Author’s Corner: Lisa Niver On Being ‘Brave-Ish’ And How Scuba Diving Helped Reinvent Herself

Lisa Niver, a writer and avid scuba diver, shares her transformative journey in a new memoir titled “Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, And Feeling Fearless After Fifty.”

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Lisa Niver To Appear In Author’s Corner At DEMA

PADI Divemaster and author Lisa Niver is set to appear at two locations at this year’s DEMA Show in New Orleans, Louisiana. Niver will be at the Author’s Corner and the Solomon Islands booth. Her memoir is “BRAVE-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.” At the Author’s Corner, she will be discussing her memoir.

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Author/Divemaster Lisa Niver Unveils New Book – “BRAVE-Ish”: Meet Her At DEMA Show 2023

The DEMA Dive show is about to get an infusion of courage and adventure as Lisa Niver, PADI divemaster and author of the memoir, “BRAVE-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty” appears at author’s corner as well as in the Solomon Islands booth to talk about her with her 50 Things Before 50 project.

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Miraculous Moments: My Chanukah Gift Guide

The lights of Chanukah hold a special place in my heart. This joyous celebration with eight nights of candles serves as a reminder of miraculous moments from our history. The tale of the oil that lasted for eight nights and the triumph of the Maccabees against Antiochus adds a profound layer of significance to this festival. My Chanukah gift guide shares eight of my favorite things this year!

1. Soar Above the Lights with a NYonAir NYC Helicopter Experience: Channel the spirit of resilience with a doors-off helicopter ride over New York City. Just as the oil miraculously lasted for eight nights, this exhilarating experience with NYonAir will be an enduring memory, offering a breathtaking view of the city and its landmarks. I went with my sister to celebrate our birthdays in October.

2. Ignite the Mind: In the spirit of the miraculous victories of the past, gift the opportunity for intellectual growth with a class. Like the enduring flame in the temple, education is a flame that can never be extinguished, lighting up the mind for a lifetime. During the pandemic, I took 10 classes with UCLA Senior Scholars. Most universities offer a program for seniors. If you want to expand your writing, I can highly recommend a workshop with David Hochman at UPOD Academy or take Professor Susan Shapiro’s 5 week Pitch Class!

3. Empower and Explore: Celebrate with a trip to the Women’s Travel Fest in Mexico in Feb 16-19, 2024. Rendezvous with women who share a passion for travel and new experiences. I am speaking at the conference about my award winning memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty. I will share stories of courage, self-discovery, and the joy of embracing new adventures. Use my special promo code: BRAVE-ISH for a $25 discount on your tickets.

Shawn, Lisa and Erica at the Business Traveler Awards

4. Style Revolution: Anatomie’s travel luxury clothes blend style and comfort seamlessly transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary. Their collection is designed to fly but you will find yourself wearing your new clothes for every occasion. I wore the Marine Velvet Dress when I judged the Business Traveler Awards in Miami and have basically not taken off the Travel City Slick jacket since I got it. This collection promises an infusion of elegance and practicality, offering a delightful wardrobe upgrade for your loved ones during this festive season. Use my code for 15% off site-wide for your first purchase: NiverAlpha23

5. Elevate Your Journey Effortless maneuvering becomes second nature with smooth-rolling wheels and a 360-degree spinner system, ensuring you navigate through airports and streets with ease. The secure zippers and built-in TSA-approved combination locks provide peace of mind, allowing you to travel confidently. Level8’s luggage makes a fashion-forward statement, reflecting a blend of aesthetics and functionality. Gift the joy of stress-free and stylish travel this Chanukah, and let your loved ones embark on their adventures with the elevated features of Level8’s new luggage.

6. Express Yourself in Style Unleash the power of self-expression with a shopping spree at Macy’s, your ultimate destination for an eclectic mix of brands. Macy’s offers a shopping haven where beloved brands like Calvin Klein, INC, and Vince Camuto converge, allowing you to curate your style from a diverse selection. Dive into the award-winning Vince Camuto collection, a true gem in Macy’s fashion portfolio. I wore a navy Vince Camuto pantsuit for my sermon at Stephen Wise Temple and a light blue floor length Vince Camuto gown when I won a Diversity in Television award at the 2023 National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards. As you explore the aisles or look through the app which I wrote about for WIRED, step into the light of self-expression, celebrate your unique style, and embark on a shopping spree.

7. My Cherished Companion since 2008: The convenience of carrying an entire library in one slim device is a game-changer for any avid reader. This Chanukah, consider the gift of Kindle – a portal to countless adventures, an ode to the love of reading, and an opportunity to share the magic of literature, whether through timeless classics or the latest page-turner, including my award winning memoir, Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty. The Kindle is more than a device; it’s an invitation to embark on a literary journey that knows no bounds.

8. Dive into Joy As an avid swimmer and scuba diver, the allure of a great pool in a hotel is like discovering a hidden oasis during my travels. The glistening surface invites me to dive in, embracing the joy of swimming that brings peace to my soul. I travel with my swim goggles and a cap. For those who share my passion, I recommend checking out Swim Outlet for top-quality swimming gear. This link helps my favorite young swim team, you not only get excellent gear for yourself but also contribute to a talented team. This Hanukkah, gift the joy of swimming, and let the water become a source of boundless happiness and well-being.

Take Chanukah Auction: Israel has mobilized its entire society to respond in strength to Hamas’
unprecedented and unprovoked attack on October 7—the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Take a moment to purchase Israeli products, as a practical means of demonstrating solidarity, contributing to the country’s economic stability, and fostering our global and collective sense of unity in these tumultuous times. Am Yisrael Chai! BUY BLUE AND WHITE

Let’s celebrate the miraculous moments of the past while creating new ones by embodying the spirit of light, triumph, and resilience. This Chanukah, I am praying for the remaining hostages to return to Israel healthy and alive and for the strength of the soldiers to bring them home.

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Youtube Videos Latest

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Thankful for Brave-ish! Nov News 2023

Nov News 2023 with Lisa Niver & We Said Go Travel:Thankful for your support of my memoir, BRAVE-ish!For the Thanksgiving season, my heart is brimming with gratitude. Your unwavering support for my memoir has been incredible. Thank you for buying my book, showing up at my events, watching my videos and listening to my podcast which is up for THREE AWARDS! I am so happy to share my first byline for Travel and Leisure: “How Travel Healed Me After Divorce — and Made Me Fearless in My 50s.”
AWARDS:

Lisa Niver is a 3x National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards Finalist!

Lisa Niver is a JUDGE for the 2023 Business Traveler Awards USA

My wish is for all of the hostages to come home.

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NEW ARTICLES and INTERVIEWS about me and my BOOK! Lisa Niver On Philly Mag

Author and travel expert Lisa Niver will discuss her new travel memoir Brave-ish, about her exploits in Myanmar, Cuba, Morocco, Kenya and Mongolia.

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BRAVE-Ish On NBC 10 Philadelphia With Sheila Watko

Thank you to Sheila Watko for this segment on NBC 10 Philadelphia about my book BRAVE-ish and my event tonight NOV 10 5:30pm at the PENN BOOKSTORE.

Watch Interview

Lisa On Moms Don’t Have Time To Read Books By Zibby Owens

Zibby hosts Lisa Niver to discuss Lisa’s book, BRAVE-ISH: ONE BREAKUP, SIX CONTINENTS, AND FEELING FEARLESS AFTER FIFTY. The conversation delves into Lisa’s transformative journey post-divorce, including her adventures across continents, overcoming physical challenges, and gaining a deeper self-understanding.

Listen to the Interview

Brave-Ish On Broadcast Retirement Network

Jeffrey Snyder invites me to talk about my latest book “Braveish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless after 50”, and a lot more! 

Watch the Interview

Brave-Ish Author Lisa Niver On Zoo Logic

I joined Dr. Grey Stafford from Zoo Logic to discuss my new book, Brave-Ish, and also shared my experiences in eco-tourism, as well as, other adventures around the world and the importance of facing one’s fears.

Listen Podcast

Brave-Ish On Jewish Sacred Aging

On this week’s episode of Rabbi Richard Address’ Seekers of Meaning TV Show and Podcast, author Lisa Niver discusses her book, Brave-ish, One Break-up, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.

Watch the Interview

Author’s Corner: Lisa Niver On Being ‘Brave-Ish’ And How Scuba Diving Helped Reinvent Herself

Lisa Niver, a writer and avid scuba diver, shares her transformative journey in a new memoir titled “Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, And Feeling Fearless After Fifty.”

Read Article

Brave-Ish On Travel Classics

My latest “BRAVE-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty” book is featured on Travel Classics!

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Chick Lit Central – FEATURED BOOK: BRAVE-ISH By Lisa Niver

Thank you to my friends at Chick Lit Central for featuring my book “Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty”.

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Are you looking for a holiday gift? My BOOK would make a great present and it is already on TWO GIFT GUIDES!Thank you to Debbie Zelasny for putting BRAVE-ish in The Jersey Momma Gift Guide and to Melissa Curtin for including BRAVE-ish in her LaLaScoop Gift Guide! Read some of my reviews hereRAVE + INSPIRING. A GREAT READ FOR SOLO TRAVELERS, ASPIRING TRAVEL WRITERS, & TIMID TRAVELERS.

★★★★★5/5

Lisa Niver makes the extraordinary relatable. Her voice is that of a friend you haven’t spoken with for ages. She’s made the bad choices and ignored the signs that so many of us do – you know, the ones that, in hindsight, were so strong that they might as well have been flashing neon signs – and come out stronger with an inspiring story to tell. Niver’s book inspires more than emotional strength and perseverance; as a travelogue should, it filled me with more wanderlust and a new list of places to put on my travel bucket list. I’ve been through bad relationships and ignored the flashing neon signs myself. I also started dipping my toes into the travel writing waters in my 40s, so I found Niver’s story extra encouraging. by MELISSA PETERSON

THANK YOU to the PENN GAZETTE and Penn Bookstore BRAVE-ISH Featured In The Penn Gazette – Briefly Noted 107

Thank you to The Penn Gazette and University of Pennsylvania for the print feature in “Briefly Noted” about my award winning memoir, BRAVE-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty! Nov/Dec 2023 issue https://thepenngazette.com/briefly-noted-107/ page 49. more photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0LHm-uNRL9 

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BRAVE-ISH Featured In The Penn Gazette – Briefly Noted 106

Thank you The Pennsylvania Gazette and University of Pennsylvania for including my book in Briefly Noted: https://thepenngazette.com/briefly-noted-106/ and for my event at the PENN BOOKSTORE

“Niver seemed to be on the adventure of a lifetime, traveling around the world with her husband. But in private, she was keeping a dark secret: her marriage was failing. At age 47, she finds the courage to set course on a new life, trying 50 new experiences before she turns 50.”

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READ my Nov articles on We Said Go Travel, MSN & Google News:

Grateful for Zibby Owens, A Light for the Book Industry

Exquisite Luxury at Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve: A Haven of Opulence

Reese’s Book Club new Lobby Library at The Sheraton Grand Los Angeles!

Celebrating Women’s Equality Day at Take the Lead Conference 2023

Museum Store Sunday: Thank you to the Skirball Cultural Center

EVENTS

Meet me at Author’s Corner in New Orleans at DEMA 2023

Best of the West 2023 at Sofitel Los Angeles

BRAVE-ish at Penn Bookstore Nov 10, 2023

Thank you Frequent Traveler University!

All Ghouls Gala 2023 for Autism Care Today

THANK YOU for watching my podcast! It has now been seen and heard in 40 countries on 6 continents!

USA   India Canada   Ireland Puerto Rico   UK    Italy   Australia  Philippines Singapore   New Zealand Portugal Saudi Arabia Switzerland Hong Kong    Mexico   Japan  Fiji Seychelles France Latvia   Netherlands   Kenya   UAE Cambodia Israel Guatemala Germany Uruguay Bangladesh Spain Panama Thailand Uganda    Greece   South Africa  Costa Rica  Bosnia and Herzegovina   Sri LankaRomania

New PODCAST episodes:

Courageous Living: Margie Warrell on Embracing Challenges

Jen on a Jet Plane: Journeying Beyond Borders

WATCH my podcast, “MAKE YOUR OWN MAP: Are YOU ready to be BRAVE?” on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Podcast,  Google Podcasts, Audacy, Audible, Anchor, Pandora & iHeart RadioWHERE CAN YOU FIND MY TRAVEL VIDEOS?

Here is the link to my video channel on YouTube where I have over TWO MILLION views on YouTube! (now at: 2,024,500 views)

Thank you for your support! Are you one of my 4,175 subscribers? I hope you will join me and subscribe! For more We Said Go Travel articles, TV segments, videos and social media: CLICK HERE

Find me on social media with over 150,000 followers. Please follow  on TikTok: @LisaNiver, Twitter at @LisaNiver, Instagram @LisaNiver and on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and at LisaNiver.com.

My Podcast: “Make Your Own Map!”

Fortune Cookie SAID:

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough. Cherish the moments, big and small.”

“The secret to a joyful life is simple: cultivate gratitude. Let it be your guiding star.”

BRAVE-ish, One Break-up, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty At Thanksgiving, we lit early Chanukah candles! I hope the festivals of light in this season of darkness bring hope and warmth to your family and loved ones.

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Celebrating Women’s Equality Day at Take the Lead Conference 2023

Angel City FC, Actress Kathleen Turner, Ms. Magazine, and Netflix’s Darnell Moore were honored at Take The Lead Women Power Up Conference 2023. Take The Lead celebrated Women’s Equality Day with a conference and concert in Los Angeles with goal of advancing gender parity. 

Awardees: 

Ms. Magazine, Leading Media Award Angel City FC—Julie Uhrman, CEO, Leading Company AwardBarbie, Leading Woman AwardKathleen Turner, Wear the Shirt AwardDarnell Moore, Alexander Barbanell Leading Man Award

 In Los Angeles on Aug 26, 2023, Take The Lead hosted the “Power Up” Conference and Concert to advocate for intersectional, gender parity in leadership across all sectors. The conference included dynamic panels, networking and awards at UCLA Luskin Conference Center.

Speakers and panelists included: Gloria Feldt, President, Take the Lead Women Sophia Yen MD MPH, CEO & Co-Founder, Pandia Health  Giovanna Rossi, NPR Well Woman Show Erin Lebacqz, High Value Writing Haley Lickstein: The Future of Advocacy

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Marva Bailer: Be Unexpected

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AND MORE INCLUDING…..Sherry Bass, Regional VP, Primerica, Alicia Chin Greer, Leadership/Executive Coach, Rosser Goodman, Film and TV Director, Laura Nix Gerson, Director, Women & Worth, Worth Media VP Partnerships, Jevin Hodge, National Engagement Director, LINK Strategic Partners, Amanda Huffman, Author & Speaker, Women of the Military Podcast, Aayati Dash Kar, Poet, Ginger Miller, President, and CEO, Women Veterans Interactive Foundation, Presidential Appointee to USO Board of Directors, Alicia Ontiveros, Writer/Director, Veros Productions, Jorgi Paul, Founder, Lady of Record, Jyoti Sarda, Founder and CEO, Nimble Media, Maggie Sanchez, Global CEO, Harvard Project Director, Catherine Scrivano, President, Casco Financial Group TAKE THE LEAD 2023 CONCERT included: BETTY, Kathleen Turner, Marina Arsenijevic and MILCK

About Take The Lead 

Founded by Gloria Feldt and Amy Litzenberger in 2013, Take The Lead is an organization whose bold mission is to prepare (train), develop (mentor), inspire (role model), and propel (thought leadership) all women of all diversities and intersectionalities to take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors by 2025. You can learn more about the organization and Power Up conference at www.taketheleadwomen.com or follow Take The Lead on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, TikTok, or Twitter.

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Museum Store Sunday: Thank you to the Skirball Cultural Center

“The Feminist Fight Forward: Lessons from 50 Years of Ms.” event at the Skirball Museum was on Sunday, October 29, 2023 to celebrate the new book, 50 Years of Ms. I wanted to share about it today in honor of Museum Store Sunday.

I absolutely love the Skirball Museum at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles! It’s not just a museum; it’s a vibrant celebration of Jewish heritage and its profound connection to the American experience. Since its establishment in 1996, the museum has been a source of inspiration for me, offering a captivating journey through time with its extensive collection of artifacts, artworks, and interactive exhibits. What sets it apart is its dynamic approach to storytelling – it doesn’t just showcase history; it invites you to actively engage with it. Every visit feels like an adventure, uncovering the rich tapestry of Jewish history and its influence on the diverse cultural landscape of America. The Skirball Museum is not just a place to admire art; it’s a space that fosters understanding, appreciation, and a genuine sense of community.

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About the Program: The Feminist Fight Forward

Gender equity is rooted in the Jewish cultural traditions of pursuing justice and upholding freedom for all people. Join the Skirball Cultural Center and Feminist Majority Foundation as we honor Ms. magazine’s enduring commitment to feminism with the release of its new anthology, 50 Years of Ms. This daylong event will feature keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and conversations with artists, poets, scholars, political leaders, and others as we examine the evolution and future of women’s rights. Details about the daylong symposium, including session descriptions and speaker bios are available here. 

Welcome and Opening Keynote

Dr. Michele Bratcher Goodwin, Executive Producer, Ms. Studios
Dolores Huerta, labor and civil rights activist
Katherine Spillar, Executive Editor, Ms., and Executive Director, Feminist Majority Foundation

Breakout Session 1—Enshrining Our Rights in the US Constitution

Dr. Michele Bratcher Goodwin, Executive Producer, Ms. Studios
Brad Sears, Executive Director, The Williams Institute, UCLA
Esta Soler, President, Futures Without Violence
Katherine Spillar, Executive Editor, Ms., and Executive Director, Feminist Majority Foundation (moderator)

Breakout Session 2—Reproductive Rights in the Fight for Freedom

Rabbi Sari Laufer, Stephen Wise Temple  
Michele Pred, conceptual artist and activist 
Carmen Rios, Consulting Digital Editor, Ms., and feminist superstar (moderator)
Sophia Yen, MD; Co-Founder, Pandia Health; and Clinical Associate Professor, Stanford University

Breakout Session 3—Changing the World for Women

Crystal Bayat, Afghan social activist and human rights advocate
Renee Montagne, Contributor, Ms., and Special Correspondent and Host, NPR News (moderator)
Rayka Zehtabchi, Iranian American Academy Award–winning filmmaker, Period: End of Sentence

Closing Keynote

Dr. Michele Bratcher Goodwin, Executive Producer, Ms. Studios
Elaine Brown, Former Chairwoman, Black Panther Party 

For the Ms. Magazine book launch, I was part of the event at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena:

Kathy Spillar and Ms. Magazine received an award at the Take The Lead Conference on Women’s Equality Day August 27, 2023. We heard MILCK and Marina Arsenijevic perform.

We also celebrated our new books in New York City and at the Global Women’s Rights Awards in Los Angeles.

One of the standout feminist exhibits at the Skirball Museum was undoubtedly the tribute to the iconic Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, often affectionately known as “Notorious RBG.” This exhibit provided a compelling exploration of Justice Ginsburg’s life, career, and impact on gender equality. From her groundbreaking legal work to her ascent to the Supreme Court, visitors were immersed in the story of a trailblazer who tirelessly fought for women’s rights. The exhibit beautifully captured the essence of her legacy, showcasing the challenges she faced and the milestones she achieved in the pursuit of a more just and equal society. It was a poignant retrospective that celebrated the enduring influence of a remarkable figure in the history of feminism. I wrote about the Notorius RBG exhibit for The Female Quotient.

On Museum Store Sunday, I am grateful for the Skirball Museum and its unwavering commitment to fostering meaningful cultural conversations. This museum has not only been a custodian of our shared heritage but also a dynamic platform for critical discussions. This Thanksgiving weekend, let’s extend our thanks to the Skirball for their ongoing work. Their exhibit honoring Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as well as the all-day event dedicated to “50 Years of Ms.” magazine are shining examples of the museum’s dedication to impactful exhibits and important issues. Let’s celebrate not only the past but also the enduring legacy of the Skirball’s contributions to our community and the wider world.

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Lisa Niver is a JUDGE for the 2023 Business Traveler Awards USA

I am grateful to the Business Traveler Awards USA team for the privilege of serving as a judge in this year’s evaluation of the finest in the business travel sector. Navigating through the diverse categories, including airlines, airports, cruises, and hotels, has provided a comprehensive view of the industry’s multifaceted excellence.

Witnessing the remarkable innovations and exceptional standards set by nominees in each category has been truly inspiring. From the cutting-edge services offered by airlines to the seamless operations at airports, the luxurious experiences aboard cruises, and the exceptional hospitality provided by hotels, it’s evident that these sectors are pushing the boundaries of excellence. I am honored to have played a part in recognizing and celebrating the outstanding contributions within these distinct realms of the business travel industry.

My sincere thanks to the Business Traveler Awards team for including me as a judge for this opportunity. I look forward to being in Miami for the unveiling of the winners on Nov 30, 2023 who continue to elevate the standards of travel excellence in each category.

SEE ALL THE FINALISTS BELOW and results will be announced in the Business Traveler December/January double issue.

Airlines & CabinsNorth America

Best Airline:
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue
United Airlines

Best Business Class:
American Airlines Flagship Business
Delta One
United Polaris

Best Premium Economy:
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
United Airlines

Best Frequent Flyer Program:
American Airlines AAdvantage
Delta SkyMiles
United MileagePlus

Best Airline App:
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
United Airlines

Best In-Flight Food and Beverage:
Alaska Airlines
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue

Best Private Jet Company North America:
Flexjet
NetJets
VistaJet

World

Best Airline:
Emirates
Qatar Airways
Singapore Airlines

Best First Class:
Air France
Emirates
Singapore Airlines

Best Business Class:
ANA Business Class
Qatar Airways Qsuite
Singapore Airlines Business Class

Best Premium Economy:
Emirates
Qantas
Virgin Atlantic

Best In-Flight Food and Beverage:
Emirates
Singapore Airlines
Turkish Airlines

Best Airline Alliance:
Oneworld
SkyTeam
Star Alliance

AirportsNorth America

Best Airline Lounge:
American Airlines – DCA
Delta Sky Club – LAX
United Polaris Lounge – SFO

Best Independent Lounge:
Centurion Lounge – JFK
Chase Sapphire Lounge – BOS
Private Suite – LAX

Best Airport:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
San Francisco International Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Best Private Terminal:
Banyan Air Service – Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport (Florida)
Business Jet Center – Dallas Love Field (Texas)
McKinney Air Center – McKinney National Airport (Texas)

World

Best Airline Lounge:
Qatar Airways – Al Mourjan Business Lounge, Doha
Emirates – Business Class Lounge, Dubai
Cathay Pacific – The Pier Business Lounge, Hong Kong

Best Independent Lounge:
Centurion Lounge – Hong Kong
IGA Lounge – Istanbul
Plaza Premium – London Heathrow T2

Best Airport:
Doha Hamad International Airport
Singapore Changi
Tokyo Haneda

Cruises

Best Luxury Cruise Line:
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Viking
Virgin Voyages

Best Boutique Cruise Line:
AmaWaterways
Ponant
Windstar

Automobiles

Best Car Rental Company:
Avis
Hertz
Sixt

Best Car Service:
Blacklane
Carey International
Empire CLS

Hotels & Properties

Best Business Hotel Brand in North America:
Hilton
Hyatt
Marriott

Best International Business Hotel Brand:
Four Seasons
Kempinski Hotels
Mandarin Oriental

Best Hotel Loyalty Program:
Hilton
IHG
Marriott

Best Golf Resort:
The American Club (Wisconsin)
Bandon Dunes (Oregon)
Gleneagles (Scotland)

Best Wellness Resort:
JOALI Being (Maldives)
Lefay Resort & SPA Lago di Garda (Italy)
Six Senses Crans Montana (Switzerland)

Best Hotel Brand for Conventions:
Hyatt
Marriott
MGM Resorts International

Best Brand for Extended Stays:
Hyatt House
Residence Inn
Staybridge Suites/IHG

Best Coworking Brand:
COhatch
Soho Works
WeWork

Best Private Club Brand:
The Ned
Neuehouse
Soho House

Best Overall Global Sustainability Initiative:
1 Hotels
Accor
Rosewood

Credit Cards & Luggage

Best Credit Card Rewards Program:
American Express Membership Rewards
Capital One Rewards
Chase Ultimate Rewards

Best Overall Credit Card:
American Express Platinum
Capital One Venture X
Chase Sapphire Preferred

Best Luggage Brand:
Away
Rimowa
Tumi

Destinations

Best U.S. Meeting Destination:
Chicago
Las Vegas
Orlando

Best International Meeting Destination:
Dubai
London
Singapore

Best Restaurant Group:
Dinex Group
Lettuce Entertain You
Nobu Restaurants

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I am thrilled to announce the release of the November issue of @BizTraveler_USA, featuring stories by my esteemed friends @JTGenter, @SpaethFlies, and @RachelDube_

Please check out the digital version by clicking on the link below! @inkglobal – https://t.co/t00ZyEAnTJ pic.twitter.com/Ap9ijhLtEJ

— Enrique Perrella (@Enrique77W) November 2, 2023

Learn more about my travels in my book, BRAVE-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.

Featured in Conde Nast Traveler Women Who Travel Book Club: 10 New Books We Can’t Wait to Read this Fall
As seen in Forbes Best New NonFiction

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Courageous Living: Margie Warrell on Embracing Challenges

I’m thrilled to interview a powerhouse in the world of personal development, a bestselling author, and an expert in courage and leadership. Margie Warrell‘s passion lies in empowering individuals to lead more purposeful and courageous lives by challenging them to step outside their comfort zones and embrace life’s challenges. As Margie told me, “Courage is uncomfortable. Courage is also learnable, but courage is also contagious.“

Listen or watch our interview on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or your favorite podcast platformTranscript of our interview is below:

Lisa Niver:

Good morning. I am so excited to be here with Dr. Margie.

Dr. Margie Warrell:

Good morning. Good to see you too, Lisa.

Lisa Niver:

One of the things that I’m so excited to share with everyone who’s listening to us is I have a new book. My book is Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After Fifty. And the first of your books that I found was called Brave, and it talks about 50 acts of courage. I know that you have seven books now, but I appreciate in all of your books how you’re really talking about the importance of courageous conversation and courageous acts. How did this get started? You are from Australia, you’ve lived around the world, you’ve raised children, you’ve done so many impressive things, but what made you focus on bravery and courage?

Dr. Margie Warrell:

Well, Lisa, I grew up on a dairy farm in the Aussie bush. I had very limited horizons. My parents both left school at 16 and most people actually where I grew up still live where I grew up or many do. I just knew I wanted to expand my own horizon and that required an act of courage in its own way, overcoming all my own doubts and fears of have I got what it takes and am I good enough. I set off and moved four hours away to go to university. I feel like I have been living outside my comfort zone for much of the time since, which was quite a few decades ago. I also traveled around the world, as you said. One of the things that struck me the most as I’ve met people across so many different countries and cultures and lived in some of them for a period of time myself, is that as humans, we’re so often held back by our fear of failure of not having what it takes, of not being good enough, of being exposed as inadequate or unworthy or unlovable in some way.

Courage to me, it is not the absence of self-doubt or misgivings or being afraid of being found out. It is just deciding that something more important lays at stake in being willing –to quote Susan Jeffers “feel our fear and move forward anyway.” Even writing my first book many years ago, I had four kids who were age seven and under at the time, which was an act of courage. I never studied writing, I didn’t know where all the apostrophes go, et cetera, but I feel really called to do this. If I look back on my whole life story, so much of it has been me practicing walking the path of courage over fear in so many different ways.

Lisa Niver:

I know for myself, when I was leaving my marriage, people kept saying to me that I was brave. I kept looking the word up in the dictionary because I did not feel brave. I felt anything but brave. I actually really appreciated in your book talking about the doing things anyway and trying to figure out the life that you want to have. In you book, you have 50 courageous acts. How did that come about? What inspired those 50 courageous acts?

Dr. Margie Warrell:

In my book, Brave, which was my third book, the reason that book came about, I’d written two books at that point, Find Your Courage and Stop Playing Safe. People said, fantastic, very helpful, but how do I actually do some of these things? How do I say no to someone because I hate letting people down. I’m a bonafide people pleaser. How do I give someone feedback? How do I set a vision? How do I deal with rejection? How do I pick myself up when I’ve had a fall? 50 Brave everyday acts of Courage came about because sometimes we want to be brave, but we just don’t know how to be brave. That book was very much inspired by that. 50 is the number of different ways that I could readily categorize different ways we can be brave.

Lisa Niver:

I love that because in my book I did 50 things before I turned 50. In your book, You’ve Got This, you talked about for your husband’s 50th birthday, your whole family went climbing together and that was very courageous and full of challenges. Can you talk about how did that happen that you’d made this family choice to do something courageous together?

Dr. Margie Warrell:

Yes, well, , there’s a long story, the short version of it and the medium size. Ironically enough on his 49th birthday, I knew it was the next day. I remember the day before I knew it was his birthday the next day, but on the actual day, life was busy. I was working away. He was off at his work. We often speak to each other throughout the day for a quick call. We spoke four or five times, I just forgot it was his birthday. Finally, my daughter arrives home from high school and she walks in the door at four o’clock and said, “Hey mom, what’s for dad’s birthday dinner?”

Lisa Niver:

Dr. Margie Warrell:

He started laughing and he said, “I was wondering how long it would take you.” So, I said,
What do you want to do for your 50th birthday?” And he said, I would really love to go on a safari in Africa and he shared that with the kids. One of my sons, Ben, who was 13 at the time said, “Africa is really cool, but wouldn’t it be even more cool to climb to the rooftop of Africa?” He did this whole PowerPoint presentation complete with all the details of Mount Kilimanjaro, which is at the rooftop of Africa and it sits at 19,000 feet and blah, blah, blah. Anyway, he got us all really excited and I thought, wouldn’t this be a cool thing to do for my husband’s 50th birthday?

I set about the job of all the logistics and managing it all, but it really was Ben’s idea. We decided as a family that it would be a really cool thing to do as a family to mark and honor my husband’s 50th birthday. Let me just say Lisa, that it was actually way harder than we had imagined it would be. It is. I had done some altitude climbing with Andrew but the kids hadn’t done it. I don’t think any of them could have known what it is like to be hiking at altitude when you do not get the full quota of oxygen into your lungs. My youngest at the time, Matt was 13. The younger you are the harder it can be for your body to adapt to the thinner air.

So it was a grueling climb on Summit Day. The whole trip was a week of hiking, but Summit Day was nine hours to get from base camp at about 18,000 feet up to the top. We did it very slowly with a lot of breaks, some vomiting. I had a wretched headache, I felt nauseous. There’s something about when you have other people around you who are all working toward a goal. None of us wanted to be the one that gave up. I thought about it multiple times, but I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life with the kids saying– mom gave up. She said it was too hard. We all just lifted each other up, literally sometimes physically, but also just emotionally . You can do it -one more step and we’ll have another break, another three steps and we’ll have a break. I think it speaks to the nature of courage.

Courage is uncomfortable. Courage is also learnable, but courage is also contagious. And when we dare to do something that’s bigger than we’ve done before, when we dare to risk falling short and failing, it inspires other people around us. It makes it safer for them to raise their sights and to do bigger things and scarier things. And I don’t think we should ever underestimate the impact we have on others when we decide to be brave with our lives.

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Lisa Niver:

It’s really beautiful that your family has also been a part of this. You are one of seven children and raising four children and you lived in Singapore, you’ve done so many incredible things. I love the comment you made about the airplane that in order for the airplane to take off, it takes 25% of the fuel to get in the air. Because I know for a lot of people trying to be courageous, the beginning is so hard and I really appreciate the 50 steps you give people. Another thing that’s problematic, and maybe you can speak to this, if it’s universal or worse in the United States, is we don’t have a great definition of failure. In your book, you talk about what failure really is. Can you help people redefine failure as part of the process and not the end.

Dr. Margie Warrell:

Yes, it is part of the process. Let me just say this, the greatest reward we get from acting with courage and being brave in any of the many ways we can be brave is not what we achieve from it. It’s not that we had the incredible trip around the world or we climbed to the top of the mountain because we might not have got to the top of that mountain. There was a strong chance.  You don’t always get to choose how badly altitude impacts you and it can impact very fit people. But it’s not about what you achieve. It’s not about whether you fall short and fail when you are trying to do something. It’s who you become in the process. And so failing at something shows that you actually have got the guts to try. Don’t over personalize it, make it mean something.

Failure is an event. It is not a person. You are not a failure. You just tried something and didn’t succeed at it. You put effort towards something and didn’t land the desired outcome. Sometimes we get an even better outcome though. It’s not what we think we wanted at the time. But looking back, we can say, I’m really glad that happened because I wouldn’t be who I am now and where I am now. Had it not been for that failure, that relationship breakup, that job that didn’t work out, that business that didn’t take off because I ended up doing something else and I learned something else. We have to be careful in the stories that we tell ourselves that we are not spinning ourselves a yarn that we are a failure. No, you tried something, you got result B and you wanted result A, learn the lessons, mind them for the gold that they hold.

Examine it, do an autopsy on it. What happened, what did I miss? What did I not do? Maybe it was totally out of your control. Maybe something that was seismic in the world was happening- I think of 2020 –people who were opening a restaurant in March, 2020 or something, right? Maybe it failed, because it was just what was going on. You are not a failure. But even if you launched it and it didn’t take off, you just didn’t know things. You didn’t know all the things you needed to know. And now you know more so take the lessons. Maybe you needed to secure more financing. Maybe you needed to get more stakeholders on board. And you thought that just because you had the best idea that was enough.

No, you needed to get a coalition of other people supporting you. Maybe you needed to manage people differently. Maybe you didn’t handle an issue and it got out of control. Maybe you didn’t repair trust when it was damaged. And that had a ripple effect. Do not tell yourself a story that you are a failure. Look at the failure for what you can learn from it. Failure is just another word for iteration when we’re in a business environment. The word mistake comes from the Latin misstep. It’s a misstep in a direction where you took a step in a direction that didn’t get you what I wanted. Move your step in another direction. Don’t keep stepping in the same direction if it’s not working. Don’t fall for what’s called sunk cost bias where we keep doing more of what’s not working. We don’t want to acknowledge that I’m on a failed course here and sometimes we can get caught in that. Yes. We’ve have to be so careful in our relationship to failure, how we interpret it, what we make it mean, and how we sometimes wrongly internalize it to be about who we are.

Lisa Niver:

That was really beautiful and helpful and I love that. I’ve never heard that about mistake and misstep. That’s amazing. I like that. Learn the lesson and trust your wings, not the branch. Sometimes we learn to fly on the way down. We’re filming in October, it’s breast cancer awareness month. And you mentioned Covid. One of the things in your books is your write about who there’s been a lot of challenges in your family. You wrote about when you were in Papua New Guinea and got held up and had a miscarriage, your loss of your brother and your own personal challenges with food. If someone’s feeling very bereft, your stories can help them feel less alone. When I was getting divorced, people said to me you’re so brave.

I looked that word up in the dictionary because I did not feel brave at all. I’d love if you could speak about -don’t put yourself in a mental wheelchair.  I guess it’s part of how we view failure, but for people that already feel very, very stuck. What are some of the maybe helpful steps that they could reach out for? I know you talk about asking for help and dealing with your brother. What can we share with people at this time? How can they do more self-care?

Dr. Margie Warrell:

The phrase that I like to use is self-fullness. It’s not selfishness and it’s not selflessness, which are both two sides of the same coin. They’re both dysfunctional and they don’t serve us and they do not serve others. Self-fullness- that is filling up your own cup because others can’t drink from an empty cup. You can’t give what you don’t have. I’ve had to work at that. I still have to work at that. I had to work at it a lot more when I had young children at home. You have to prioritize your children’s needs. They need to be fed, nappies, diapers need to be changed. You’ve got to put your kids first in the morning when they get up versus you going off for an hour and a half to do a yoga class because you have children.

So I get that there may be people listening to this who think, Hey, I’ve got a whole lot of responsibilities. I can’t just go off to a spa when I want it. I can’t even afford it. But, there’s always something you can do that helps to top up your cup and in doing so, it expands your bandwidth to do everything else better. The heavier the load that we are carrying, the more crucial it is for us to prioritize what empowers us and what helps us bring our best selves to whatever problems and pressures that we are dealing with. When I was a kid my dad used to take us out in his old rusty tin boat and sometimes it would spring a leak and he always said, “boats don’t sink because of the water around them, they sink because of the water that gets in them.”

Boats don't sink bc of the water AROUND them but from water that gets IN them. Given the storms raging right now, don't let them pull you down or off course. Rather CHOOSE to model the values & mindset you want to see in others. That's #leadership & it's needed more than ever. pic.twitter.com/TB2qJVrRPG

— Dr Margie Warrell (@margiewarrell) November 1, 2023

When you are dealing with a lot of churn and a lot of stormy waves and a lot’s going on around you, it’s easy to feel like you are going under. It is just so much going on and you can feel down on yourself, down on life, down on your luck, down on everybody else treating the people who love you the most, the worst. And that’s where we have to just take whatever amount of time you can take, even if you can only do 10 minutes in a day, take 10 minutes and go for a walk around the block and listen to some music, and sit under a tree. I can read something that speaks to my spirit. In my book, You’ve Got This, I wrote about the importance of having daily rituals and practices. When I say rituals, I’m not talking about going to mass every day. I’m talking about the small little things that you do that just help to fill you up physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I feel very passionately about prioritizing those things and how I start my day because how I start my day sets me up for the day.

Lisa Niver:

You spoke about how challenging it can be for people with young children. We also see challenges with the sandwich generation, people caring for young children and caring for their elderly parents. It can be very challenging to ask for help. One of the other things that is really important is forgiveness. We talked about redefining failure. One of the hardest things for people, myself included, when I left my marriage is thinking about how –you make a comment about don’t carry the past weight into the future and that we can have a life as big as we dare. And at the end of life, people regret the things they didn’t do. There is a misunderstanding about what does it mean to forgive that it’s not letting someone who harmed you off the hook, but it’s about carrying that weight yourself. One of the things that really is challenging for people, when they’re trying to be brave and move forward is— I read once you cannot drive your car, if you only look in the rear-view mirror, you can’t go forward. Can you help us think about how to redefine forgiveness?

Dr. Margie Warrell:

Yes, absolutely. I’ve written about forgiveness a lot because I see it causing so much suffering for us. As we’ve heard, it’s like drinking a bottle of poison and waiting for the other person to die. We have to make a distinction between forgiveness and reconciliation. They’re two different things. We might never reconcile with someone. But that doesn’t mean we don’t let go of the anger that we’re holding onto. They’ve got their life to forge, they’ve got their conscience to deal with, that’s their stuff. But I’m not going to hold onto this in myself because it’s eating me from the inside. Forgiveness does begin with forgiving ourselves, forgiving that part of us that may have trusted someone.

Maybe we stayed in a situation longer than in hindsight, we should have. Not paying attention to signs, not listening to our gut continually making excuses for something, turning a blind eye, et cetera. For our own failings. None of us are perfect. Jesus said in the Bible, Let he, who among you who hasn’t sinned, throw the first stone. We love to throw stones, but none of us get it right all the time. For myself, sometimes some people are harder to forgive. We can hold onto those vindictive thoughts and just be sitting there kind of wishing something bad would happen to someone and it would serve them right. We have to forgive ourselves for being human too.

We’re all human. None of us are perfect. We’re not all loving all the time. The more we can extend grace to ourselves and extend grace to others the more it frees our energy to move on and make the most of our lives to be a person that lifts ourselves and lifts others and isn’t bogged down in blame and resentment and bitterness and vindictiveness. That’s how life works. I look at this as our deep work of being a human. The deep human work to continually shed that which keeps us from showing up as the highest holiest, bravest, best version of who it is we can be. We are many selves and we have many aspects of who we can be. Continually peeling off those layers to quote Ann Lamar of what keeps us a stranger to the best of who we are.

Lisa Niver:

That was very beautiful. I do think those are incredible goals for ourselves. You write in your books about setting goals, and in my book, I talk about being brave. I’ve been asking people on my podcast before we finish, and you’ve shared so many brave challenges, obviously living on multiple continents and climbing the highest mountains. But is there any brave challenge that you want to share with us? Maybe something you’ve already done or something that you’re planning to do next? What’s something that’s on your list? What challenge are you looking forward to?

Dr. Margie Warrell:

Oh, thank you. I’m currently writing my next book, which is in itself a challenge because I want this book to impact people in a way beyond any of my previous books. So that is a challenge. I’m also looking at what the next season of life holds in terms of where am I being called to step up in bigger ways in the world beyond what I already have done now that the season of the day in, day out raising of children is past. I have a strong ethos around using our gifts for good in the world. I’m not sure what that is actually Lisa, but I’m just sitting with it. It takes a level of courage sometimes and I’m not as good at this to just sit in the questions and in the not-knowing and to be patient and wait for the path forward to reveal itself versus going out and trying to figure out what that path is. Sometimes I need to trust that I’m going to get clarity over time versus being in the doing and sitting in a place of being versus in the doing. That’s a muscle that I have to flex myself and strengthen is just to be versus to always be doing.

Lisa Niver:

I think that is a good lesson for everyone to think about being more of a human being than a human doing. If people want more from you, obviously they can find your books. You have books everywhere, Amazon, and on your website. I know you have the Train the Brave Challenge, but tell people where can they find you and what would you recommend if someone is new to your work, what book should they start with and, and how can they get more of you?

Dr. Margie Warrell:

Thank you. I would invite you to just go over to my website margiewarrell.com and I have my own Live Brave podcast that you can check out wherever you listen to podcasts. And jump on Amazon and check out my books. I would recommend my book, Brave, but if you’re feeling really stuck and you just want to reset or a new vision for your life, I’d recommend starting with Make Your Mark, a guidebook for living a brave hearted life.

Lisa Niver:

You are such an inspiration, Margie. I really appreciate you spending this time with me and my listeners. I’ve been working hard on what does it mean to be brave, and your books were really helpful to me, so thank you.

Dr. Margie Warrell:

Oh, my pleasure, Lisa. Thank you for inviting me onto your podcast.

LISTEN on APPLE PODCAST: MAKE YOUR OWN MAP Learn more about Margie and her climbing adventure in Kilmanjaro with her family: Click here

“Growth and comfort can’t coexist. Just because something is hard and uncomfortable doesn’t mean its bad. Embrace the discomfort; look for the growth.“

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