S2 EP 15: Bridgette Di Ferdinando - Be Learning, Always

This is the final episode of Season Three, and we are closing out the season with some reflections and thoughts. The theme of the Season Three was change – highlighting different stories of change and how people navigate change within their life. Some were forced to make a change, others knew a change was inevitable, some embraced change from a young age, and yet others actively made the choice to make a change. The bigger message being – LIFE IS CHANGE. If you resist it, all you do is cause yourself more issues and angst. I do not believe that you can identify, embrace and accept that change if you are not willing to listen. Willing to listen to those around you. Willing to listen to your environment. Willing to listen to yourself.

Features: Chapter Be's theme song, Happiness by Dave Preston and Listen by David Guetta ft. John Legend

Michelle Poler was working on her Masters in Branding at the School of Visual Arts in New York City when she was given the assignment of a 100-day project. She ultimately decided to face a different fear each day in an effort to overcome being a rather fearful person. Her 100 Days Without Fear project would lead her to a whole new career. Michelle now travels the world speaking about what she learned about fear during those 100 days in order to share with others how they can overcome their fears in order to live the life they want to lead.

Features: Chapter Be's theme song, Happiness by Dave Preston and Rather Be by Clean Bandit

Eddy Bowles was a Broadway dancer who found himself contemplating what would be next in his career – always knowing that professional dance as a career tends to have an expiration date. Dance was his passion, but he also recognized that it was not something that you can financially live off of forever. When he met his future husband, David, in Denver, CO while on a tour of Mary Poppins, he decided he was ready to make a change. He left New York, moved to Denver and opened his own custom framing business. In this episode we talk about what it means to transition out of a career that you are passionate about, the importance of self-confidence and being comfortable with yourself and how vital it is to ask for help when making a change! 

Features: Chapter Be's theme song, Happiness by Dave Preston and Be Alright by Ariana Grande

Janis Wilson Hughes struggled for 11 years to find fulfillment working in chemical engineering, until she made the decision to leave the corporate world entirely to pursue her passion for clay. She is now a fulltime ceramic artist and owner of Evolution Stoneware Pottery. We dive into how you navigate a change, when you discover that your dream has changed and why self love is so important throughout the process.

Features: Chapter Be's theme song, Happiness by Dave Preston and She's Got To Be by Amy Ray

Chris Guillebeau is an entrepreneur, author and speaker who has committed his life to living unconventionally and encouraging others to do the same. He has written four books, visited every country in the world by the age of 35, and created the World Domination Summit. He learned early in his life that he worked best being self-employed and hustled to make it a reality – like all good entrepreneurs. Yet, the other part of Chris's story is that he was a high school dropout and juvenile delinquent. Making him living proof that change is possible and we can chose how we want to BE.

Features: Chapter Be's theme song, Happiness by Dave Preston and That I Would Be Good by Alanis Morissette

Saira Rao is the Creative Director and Co-Founder of In This Together Media, a book packager of children’s fiction with greater diversity in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation, and experience. She was a television news producer turned lawyer turned author – who as a mother recognized the complete lack of diversity in children's literature and programing. So, she set out to change this by starting a company that creates compelling stories for underserved markets, where readers see themselves in the stories they are reading. She changed her life so that she could make a change! 

Features:

Chapter Be's theme song, Happiness, by Dave Preston and

Tried to Be True by Indigo Girls

Lisa Congdon is a fine artist, illustrator and author of seven books, but she did not begin her professional life as an artist. It was not until her thirties, when she went to an art class with her brother, that Lisa discovered her love for painting and drawing. Before that, she worked in the education field – first as a teacher and then as a director at an education non-profit. In 2007, at the age of 40, she made the decision to leave her job to focus on becoming a professional artist full time. With her late start on the creative career path, she is often referred to as a late bloomer. Lisa stands as an example that taking the time to bloom into what you want to be – and being okay with the fact that the change may be slow – is indeed all worth it.

Features:

Chapter Be's theme song, Happiness by Dave Preston and

Be Like This by JD Samson & MEN

Bobby Lefebre is an award-winning spoken word artist, actor, and social worker. He is a walking example that we do not have to pick one passion to follow in life - and, in fact, we can live a life that honors all of our passions. Bobby recognized from an early age that he had many interests and that putting his answer to "What do you do?" into one box was not for him. Bobby's BE story is one that shows that it is possible to live the life you want to live, on your own terms. 

Features:

Chapter Be's theme song, Happiness by Dave Preston

Be Intro by Common

Kayla Fruchtman was on a track to become a professor, when she made the decision to leave grad school, move across country and start her life anew. Her path lead her to non-profit work, which eventually allowed her the space to be an intrapreneur and launch The Her Initiative - a community of women who are providing access to clean water and health & hygiene education to women and children throughout the world.

Features:

Chapter Be's theme song, Happiness by Dave Preston

There Will Be Time by Mumford and Sons

Doug Reiser did not want to grow old as a tired and bored attorney in Seattle, so he made a change & moved to Asheville, NC to start Burial Beer Co. with his wife and a friend. Three years later they are opening up a second location! We discuss how he went from being a lawyer with a beer hobby to a brewery owner with a law hobby in order to live his authentic life of being.

Features:

Chapter Be's theme song, Happiness by Dave Preston

Be Above It by Tame Impala