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After Divorce: Rebuilding Self-Trust, Confidence & the Woman You Want to Be | Leah Marie Mazur
In this episode of Breaking Curses With Excellence, Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Leah Marie Mazur, Certified Divorce Recovery Coach, speaker, and founder of Mindfully Ready, for an honest conversation about healing after divorce, rebuilding self-trust, regaining confidence, creating healthy boundaries, and becoming the woman you truly want to be.
As a three-time divorced mom, Leah brings both professional experience and lived experience to the conversation. She helps women move beyond simply surviving divorce and begin rebuilding their emotional stability, identity, confidence, and relationship with themselves. We talk about what happens when divorce leaves you questioning who you are, why women sometimes abandon themselves in relationships, and what it takes to begin trusting yourself again after a major life transition.
In this episode, we discuss divorce recovery, self-trust after divorce, rebuilding confidence, emotional regulation, boundaries, identity after divorce, personal transformation, starting over, and learning how to choose yourself again.
Whether you're newly divorced, years into your healing journey, navigating separation, or simply rebuilding after a difficult season of life, this conversation is a reminder that your next chapter can be intentionally created.
🎙️ Guest: Leah Marie Mazur Certified Divorce Recovery Coach | Speaker | Founder of Mindfully Ready
If this conversation speaks to you, like, comment, subscribe, and share it with someone who may need to hear it. What is one part of yourself you are learning to trust again? Tell us in the comments.
What if the life everyone thinks is beautiful actually feels like a cage? In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Crystal Peña—entrepreneur, domestic violence survivor and advocate, child-protection advocate, mother of four, first-generation American, business consultant, behavioral-health business owner, model, and Ms. Sublette County 2026.
Crystal opens up about a life that looked successful and secure from the outside while, behind closed doors, she was beginning to recognize patterns of coercive control and abuse. And that is where one of the most powerful ideas from this conversation comes from:
Sometimes the cage doesn’t look like a cage.
It can be the beautiful home. The marriage. The lifestyle. The business.
The life everyone else assumes you should be grateful to have. Crystal shares how her understanding of abuse changed when she realized that domestic violence does not always begin with physical violence. Emotional abuse, manipulation, financial control, coercive behavior, isolation, intimidation, and the gradual loss of personal freedom can be much harder to recognize—especially when the person experiencing it has normalized the behavior.
Christina and Crystal also have a deeply personal conversation about what happens after someone leaves. Leaving can be an incredibly important step toward safety, but it does not automatically mean every problem disappears. Crystal discusses rebuilding her life, navigating continued conflict, protecting her children, rediscovering her identity, and finding the strength to keep moving forward.
The conversation also explores breaking generational cycles. Crystal explains why one of the first steps toward changing a harmful pattern is simply being able to name it. When we recognize coercive control, manipulation, unhealthy relationship patterns, trauma responses, or behaviors that have been passed from one generation to another, we finally have an opportunity to change them. Faith is also woven throughout this conversation. Crystal shares a perspective on the story of Lot’s wife that changed the way she thought about moving forward: sometimes continuing to look backward is really about struggling to let go of the life, identity, comfort, or expectations we once had.
Christina and Crystal discuss what it means to trust that there can still be something meaningful ahead of you—even when what you are leaving behind once meant everything to you. And parents, this conversation is especially important.
One of Crystal’s strongest messages is that we have to do more than simply ask our children:
“How was your day?”
Ask deeper questions.
What happened today? Who were you with? What did you talk about? How did that make you feel? Did anything make you uncomfortable?
What kinds of behaviors are you seeing from other children or adults? We cannot control every environment our children enter, but we can create a home where they know they can talk about what they experience.
Those conversations can help children develop emotional awareness, empathy, boundaries, discernment, and resilience—and they may also give parents an opportunity to recognize something important before it becomes a much larger problem. Christina and Crystal also discuss how to support someone who may be experiencing abuse without embarrassing, shaming, or pushing them away. Sometimes the person you love will not recognize what is happening immediately. Staying compassionate, maintaining connection, asking thoughtful questions, and remaining a safe person for them to call can matter more than we realize.
They also dive into accountability, boundaries, healing, restoration, and second chances—including Crystal’s advocacy surrounding DUI and child-protection laws in Wyoming and her belief that changing laws and expectations can eventually help change culture.
Crystal is also working on telling more of her own story through writing, including her upcoming book, which explores her experiences with domestic violence, survival, rebuilding, and what can happen after someone makes
What happens when you’ve spent so much of your life taking care of everyone else, staying quiet, people-pleasing, and making yourself smaller that you no longer recognize the woman underneath it all? In this powerful and deeply relatable episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell Strong sits down with Kim Brunson, life coach and founder of Breath of Sunshine, for an honest conversation about what it means to go from feeling invisible to finally allowing yourself to be seen. Kim shares how growing up alongside a sister with significant medical needs shaped her tendency to stay quiet, minimize her own needs, and become the person who could handle everything. Years later, those survival patterns followed her into adulthood—until she began asking a life-changing question: Who am I underneath all of these roles? Together, Christina and Kim talk about people-pleasing, self-worth, emotional triggers, boundaries, the inner child, nervous-system awareness, grief, forgiveness, burnout, and the ways our bodies can signal that something needs our attention. They also explore what it looks like to reconnect with the playful, spontaneous, adventurous version of yourself that responsibilities, survival mode, and adulthood may have buried. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Why people-pleasing can begin as protection but eventually keep us small What feeling “invisible” can look like in adulthood Learning to pause instead of reacting when something triggers you Reconnecting with your inner child and the parts of yourself you left behind Why rest and numbing are not always the same thing Simple ways to move yourself out of emotional shutdown Creating healthier boundaries without over-explaining your “no” Why professional support can sometimes offer something loved ones cannot Listening to your body before it reaches the point of complete exhaustion Giving yourself permission to start again—right now One of the most powerful reminders from Kim: Every minute is a fresh start. You do not have to wait until tomorrow, next year, after the promotion, after the kids grow up, or until life becomes easier to begin choosing yourself.
If you’ve ever felt unseen, unheard, overwhelmed, disconnected from yourself, or exhausted from being everything for everyone, this conversation is for you. You are seen. You are valuable. And you deserve to take up space.
What happens when one small step becomes a movement reaching people across the United States and beyond? In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Traci Kasper, founder of One Small Step Walks, to talk about the personal journey behind the growing walking community she created—and the obstacles she had to overcome along the way. This conversation goes far beyond walking. Traci shares how her experiences helped shape a mission centered around movement, connection, wellness, belonging, and community. What started with a step has grown into something much bigger, bringing people together in cities across the country and even internationally. We talk about what it takes to turn an idea into a movement, keep going when the vision becomes bigger than you imagined, and build something that gives other people a place to connect. In this episode, we explore: Traci Kasper’s story and what led her to create One Small Step Walks The challenges and personal experiences she had to overcome How walking can support mental, emotional, and physical wellness Why community and human connection matter Growing a grassroots movement beyond one city Turning personal experiences into purpose Building momentum even when motivation changes Creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and included Entrepreneurship, leadership, resilience, and personal growth What it really takes to turn one small step into a global movement Whether you're building a business, rebuilding your life, searching for community, working on your wellness, or simply wondering whether your small idea could become something bigger, this conversation is a reminder: You don't have to see the entire path before taking the first step. 🎙️ Breaking Curses with Excellence is about real people, real conversations, breaking cycles, overcoming what tried to stop us, and creating a brighter tomorrow. If this episode speaks to you, subscribe, follow, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review. Your support helps more people discover these conversations. 👟 CONNECT WITH TRACI KASPER + ONE SMALL STEP WALKS Founder: Traci Kasper Organization: One Small Step
Host of Breaking Curses with Excellence Speaker • Coach • Author • Entrepreneur 🌐 The RusMix: https://therusmix.com
Follow, subscribe, and join me for more conversations about breaking cycles, building self-worth, healing, mindset, entrepreneurship, resilience, and leading with purpose.
In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell-Strong sits down with transformational speaker, emotional coach, healer, and cancer survivor Halisi Ali aka Wizdom for an honest conversation about emotional healing, generational trauma, vulnerability, parenting, cancer, and breaking cycles. Halisi shares her personal journey and introduces her Emotional Alchemy Framework, a seven-stage process for transforming pain into awareness, healing, empowerment, and legacy. Together, they explore the pressure to always be strong, especially for Black women, the importance of emotional regulation and honest communication, and how healing can change what we pass down to the next generation. This episode is for anyone working through trauma, rebuilding self-worth, breaking unhealthy family patterns, or learning how to turn pain into purpose.
What happens when you achieve the career, the title, the paycheck, and the success you thought would make you happy—but still feel exhausted, overwhelmed, or unfulfilled inside?
In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Angela Jamieson, former petroleum engineer, CEO, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and creator of the Relaxed Productivity Framework, for an honest conversation about burnout, high achievement, self-worth, perfectionism, overthinking, grief, work-life balance, and redefining success.
Angela shares how losing her father forced her to reevaluate the life she was building and recognize how deeply her identity had become connected to achievement and external validation. Her journey led her from the corporate world to helping high-achieving professionals become successful without sacrificing their mental and emotional well-being.
One of Angela's most powerful reminders is simple:
“Be where your feet are.”
If your mind is constantly racing—thinking about work while you're with your family, worrying about tomorrow while trying to enjoy today, replaying conversations, comparing yourself to others, or wondering whether you're doing enough—this episode is for you.
Christina and Angela explore how to:
• Stop tying your self-worth to productivity and achievement • Recognize the connection between perfectionism, burnout, and emotional exhaustion • Manage racing thoughts and overthinking • Become more present instead of constantly living in the past or future • Create a “to-be list” alongside your to-do list • Use emotions as information instead of suppressing them • Break generational cycles of overworking, people-pleasing, and self-sacrifice • Reframe rejection, criticism, and negative self-talk • Navigate grief and loss while rediscovering purpose • Develop healthier ambition and a more sustainable definition of success • Create better work-life balance, self-compassion, emotional wellness, and personal growth
Angela also introduces the idea of Relaxed Productivity—a practical approach that combines logic, mindset, emotional awareness, and intentional living to help busy professionals accomplish what matters without allowing productivity to consume their lives.
Whether you're a high achiever experiencing burnout, a busy professional struggling with work-life balance, a perfectionist who never feels good enough, someone rebuilding self-worth, or simply a person whose brain never seems to turn off, this conversation offers practical tools you can begin using immediately.
Success isn't only about what you accomplish.
It's also about whether you're present enough to experience the life you're working so hard to create.
Be where your feet are.
🎙️ Guest: Angela Jamieson Former Petroleum Engineer | Best-Selling Author | Keynote Speaker | Creator of the Relaxed Productivity Framework
Learn more about Angela and her work at AngelaJamieson.com.
📖 Angela is also the author of Using Number Two to Get to Number One: The Shockingly Insightful Self-Help Book.
🎧 Breaking Curses with Excellence with Christina Russell-Strong explores healing, mindset, self-worth, relationships, personal growth, breaking generational cycles, and the real stories that help us become healthier, happier, and more whole.
Listen and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platforms.
🌐 TheRusMix.com
If this episode speaks to you, follow the podcast, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a rating or review. Your support helps these conversations reach more people who are ready to break cycles, rebuild their self-worth, and create a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.
What if the biggest thing standing between you and financial freedom isn’t your income—but the story you’ve learned to believe about money, success, and your own worth?
In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell sits down with Dr. Billina Shaw, a triple board-certified psychiatrist, public health physician and financial wellness strategist, for a conversation that goes far beyond budgeting and debt.
After unexpectedly losing a federal government position she deeply loved, Dr. Billina was forced to confront something many high-achieving people experience: Who are you when the title, paycheck, position, or achievement you built your identity around suddenly disappears?
That experience led her to recognize something surprising. Although she was financially secure and had already built significant wealth, her mind was still operating from scarcity.
Together, Christina and Dr. Billina explore how childhood experiences, generational trauma, career pressure, faith, family expectations and cultural messages can shape the way we think about money—and why financial wellness often requires emotional healing too.
In this episode, you'll discover:
- How to recognize a scarcity mindset in your finances, relationships and career - Why your net worth and self-worth are not the same thing - How childhood and generational experiences can shape your relationship with money - Why shame around debt can actually keep you financially stuck - The difference between chasing credentials and creating genuine value - Why comparing yourself to others can reinforce scarcity - How to pursue excellence without depending on titles or outside validation - The connection between mental health and financial stress - Why building assets and wealth can matter alongside paying down debt - How faith and financial abundance can coexist - Why boundaries—especially financial boundaries—can be a wealth-building strategy - How to stop over-giving from guilt and start giving from purpose - Why investing in yourself can create an impact far beyond money
Dr. Billina also walks listeners through her four-part framework for creating change:
1. Align with Purpose Get clear about the life you're actually trying to build—not simply the title, job or financial number you're chasing.
2. Identify with Abundance Learn to recognize what you already have while becoming the person capable of moving toward what you desire.
3. Abolish Limiting Beliefs Challenge inherited beliefs about money, morality, success, worthiness and what you're "allowed" to have.
4. Act with Authority Make decisions, establish boundaries and take actions that match the person you're becoming.
One of the most powerful reminders from this conversation:
Your past can inform your present without dictating your future.
Whether you're rebuilding after a job loss, trying to escape generational financial patterns, carrying shame about debt, questioning your purpose, struggling to set boundaries, or simply wondering why financial success still doesn't make you feel financially safe—this conversation is for you.
This isn't only about having more money.
It's about becoming healthier, freer and more intentional in the way you think about money, purpose, identity and your future.
🎧 Listen, take notes, and ask yourself: What would change if I stopped making financial decisions from fear and started making them from purpose?
Connect with Dr. Billina Shaw
Dr. Billina Shaw Triple Board-Certified Psychiatrist | Financial Wellness Strategist | Public Health Physician
Board Certified in:
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatry - General Adult Psychiatry - Addiction Medicine
Dr. Billina also holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) and previously served as a Senior Medical Advisor with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), where her work included supporting the nation’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline infrastructure.
Today, she combines her background in psychiatry, public health, strategic planning and behavioral science to help individuals transform their relationship with money, overcome scarcity thinking, strengthen their financial identity and build wealth from the inside out.
Dr. Billina offers financial wellness strategy coaching for individuals and business owners, as well as strategic planning and consulting support for organizations. ---
Breaking Curses with Excellence explores healing, self-worth, mindset, relationships, personal growth and the work of breaking generational patterns so we can build healthier lives from the inside out.
If this episode speaks to you, follow the podcast, share it with someone who needs this conversation, and leave a review. Your support helps these conversations reach more people who are ready to heal, grow and break cycles with excellence. Stay connected with The RusMix Insider — your monthly dose of growth, mindset, wellness, and community, created to help you keep breaking cycles, building self-worth, and growing into the healthiest version of yourself. To join, email: info@therusmix.com
Disclaimer: This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, mental health, investment, tax, or individualized financial advice. Coaching is not a substitute for therapy or treatment from a licensed healthcare professional.
What if the patterns affecting your relationships, confidence, parenting, faith, and sense of self didn’t begin with who you are today—but with what you learned to do to survive?
In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell Strong sits down with Dr. Mylira Cary, PhD, LCSW, CCTP-II, CAIMHP, CEO/Founder of M. Green Enterprises LLC and The Metamorphosis Healing Experience, for an honest conversation about healing trauma, childhood wounds, survival mode, self-worth, emotional triggers, generational patterns, mental health, faith, and discovering who you are beneath what happened to you.
Dr. Cary shares her own deeply personal journey through trauma, depression, suicidal thoughts, sexual assault, struggles with feeling “enough,” and the experiences that ultimately helped shape her calling to help others heal.
Together, Christina and Dr. Cary explore what unresolved trauma can actually look like in everyday life—from people-pleasing, over-functioning and seeking validation to relationship conflict, isolation, defensiveness and repeatedly finding ourselves in the same painful patterns.
They also unpack the difference between therapy and transformational coaching, how childhood experiences can follow us into adulthood, why so many people are surviving instead of truly thriving, and how becoming aware of our behaviors and emotional responses can help us uncover wounds that still need attention. One of the biggest reminders from this conversation:
You are enough. Your trauma may be part of your story, but it does not have to control the rest of your story. If you've ever wondered: Why do I keep repeating the same patterns? Why am I always in survival mode? How do I heal childhood trauma? Why do I need so much validation? How do I stop allowing my past to affect my relationships? How do I rebuild my self-worth? How do I break generational cycles?
This episode is for you. Listen, reflect, heal—and keep Breaking Curses with Excellence.
💜 CONNECT WITH DR. MYLIRA CARY YOUR Favorite Therapist Dr. Mylira Cary, PhD, LCSW, CCTP-II, CAIMHP CEO/Founder of M. Green Enterprises LLC and The Metamorphosis Healing Experience 📞 Phone: 757-609-0694 📧 Email: info@myliratransforms.com 🌐 Website: MyliraTransforms.com
🎙️ CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA Christina Russell Strong Host of Breaking Curses with Excellence Founder of RusMix 📧 Email: info@therusmix.com 🌐 Website: TheRusMix.com 💜 Breaking Cycles. Building Self-Worth. Leading with Purpose.
In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina sits down with Dr. Shonda Allen Hill PHD for an honest conversation about money tension in marriage, financial disagreements between spouses, and what women can do when repeated money conversations only create more conflict.
Dr. Shonda shares how financial stress once brought her marriage to a breaking point—and how she changed her mindset, eliminated more than $80,000 of personal debt, and eventually retired debt-free at age 51.
You’ll learn:
How to stop repeating unproductive money arguments
Why your first budget may need to be a “mouth budget”
The difference between financial disagreement and financial abuse
How to use goals, gains, and gratitude to reduce marital tension
How the debt snowball method can create momentum
What women of faith should understand about money and stewardship
How to move forward financially even when your spouse is not ready
Dr. Shonda is also sharing her FREE Solo Financial Plan worksheet to help women organize their finances, stabilize shared obligations, and begin creating a personal path out of debt.
Important note: This conversation addresses financial disagreements in otherwise safe relationships. Financial abuse, coercive control, or destructive behavior requires specialized support and should not be treated as a simple communication problem.
In this inspiring episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina sits down with independent artist, mentor, and Boys & Girls Club manager Enaka Betech (NOC) to explore a journey of identity, healing, resilience, and purpose. After moving from Cameroon to the United States as a child, Enaka struggled to find his voice while balancing family expectations, cultural differences, and the pressure to measure up academically. Those experiences led to years of self-doubt and depression before he rediscovered his purpose through music. This conversation goes far beyond music. It's about learning to believe in yourself, embracing your unique story, and understanding that your greatest purpose often grows from your deepest pain. Whether you're a music lover, creative, parent, mentor, or someone searching for purpose, this episode offers encouragement to stop chasing other people's expectations and start living authentically.
One of the most powerful moments of this conversation is our discussion about web usage—how intentionally using the web and the content we consume can shape our mindset, broaden our perspective, and influence the way we think, feel, and heal. The information, stories, and voices we choose to engage with can either keep us stuck or help us grow into who we're meant to become. In this episode, we discuss:
🎵 Finding purpose through music
🌍 Growing up between two cultures
🧠 Overcoming depression and self-doubt
💜 Healing from childhood wounds
🎤 Using creativity to inspire and uplift others
✨ Why authenticity is more powerful than popularity
🌱 How changing what you consume—including your web usage—can transform your perspective and personal growth Connect with Enaka Betech (NOC)
In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christina Russell-Strong sits down with Sonia Rodrigues, MA, LPC, LMFT, LCADC, ACS, NCC—licensed therapist, speaker, author, and Founder of Transition to Wellness—for an honest conversation about healing, confidence, career growth, and breaking unhealthy cycles.
With more than 20 years of experience in mental health, Sonia shares practical wisdom on helping high-achieving women heal from emotionally unavailable relationships, betrayal trauma, attachment wounds, anxiety, and major life transitions. Together, Christina and Sonia explore how childhood conditioning, self-worth, mindset, and emotional healing influence every area of our lives—including our careers, relationships, and purpose.
In this episode, you'll learn: • Why mindset can determine your future more than your résumé • How childhood messages shape confidence and self-worth • The connection between emotional healing and professional success • Why rejection isn't always failure—it can be protection • How to recognize limiting beliefs and replace them with confidence • Practical steps for creating a healthier, purpose-driven life If you're ready to stop shrinking yourself, heal from the past, and step into the life you deserve, this conversation is for you. If this episode encouraged you, please Follow, Subscribe, Leave a Review, and Share it with someone who needs this message.
Can your mindset determine the opportunities you attract?
In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christina, author, life coach, speaker, and founder of TheRusMix.com, sits down with Executive Career Coach and Success Strategist Alison Hemmings to uncover how our beliefs, expectations, and internal dialogue influence every area of our lives—from our careers to our confidence, relationships, and purpose. After spending more than a decade recruiting executives for Fortune 500 companies, Alison learned that success isn't only about talent or experience. It's about how you think, the questions you ask yourself, and the stories you believe about what's possible.
Together, Christina and Alison explore:
✔️ Why mindset often determines success before your résumé does ✔️ The hidden beliefs that keep high-achievers stuck ✔️ How changing your expectations changes your outcomes ✔️ Why the questions you ask yourself matter more than you think ✔️ Building confidence without pretending to have it all together ✔️ Breaking generational cycles around work, worthiness, and success ✔️ Healing from burnout while creating a meaningful life ✔️ Practical ways to think differently so you can live differently Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder, building a business, feeling stuck in your career, or simply ready to stop repeating old patterns, this conversation will challenge you to think bigger, believe differently, and pursue the life you were created to live. ‐---‐-----‐--------‐-------------------------------------
Connect with Alison Hemmings LinkedIn: Alison Hemmings --‐----‐-------------‐-------------------------------------
Connect with Christina 🌐 TheRusMix.com
If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone ready to break old cycles and build a life of purpose. Breaking Curses with Excellence is the podcast where real people share real stories and practical strategies for breaking generational cycles, increasing self-worth, and leading with purpose.
We often spend years grieving the parent who wasn't there, chasing the love we deserved, hoping one day things will be different.
But what if our healing also requires us to honor the parent—or caregiver—who consistently showed up?
In this heartfelt solo episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell explores why so many of us can become consumed by the love, approval, or attention we didn't receive that we unintentionally overlook the person who faithfully carried the responsibility of being there.
This isn't only about absent parents. Sometimes both parents are physically present, yet one parent carries most of the emotional support, guidance, encouragement, discipline, daily care, or sacrifices that keep a family together. Sometimes that person is a grandparent, stepparent, foster parent, sibling, aunt, uncle, or another caregiver who quietly stepped into the gap.
This episode is an invitation to recognize those people.
Not to dismiss the pain of what was missing—but to acknowledge the love that remained.
In this episode you'll discover: Why we naturally long for validation from those who couldn't or wouldn't give it How that longing can cause us to overlook the people who consistently loved us Reflection questions to help you recognize the quiet sacrifices made on your behalf Practical ways to express gratitude to the people who showed up Why honoring consistent love is a powerful step toward healing and breaking unhealthy cycles
Healing doesn't mean pretending your wounds don't exist.
Healing also means learning to recognize, appreciate, and celebrate the people who chose to love you consistently—even when their sacrifices weren't always noticed.
Connect with Christina & RusMix 🌐 Website: https://TheRusMix.com
🎙️ Breaking Curses with Excellence Podcast
Helping people heal, break unhealthy cycles, build self-worth, and lead lives filled with purpose through honest conversations, practical tools, coaching, speaking, and personal growth resources. 💜 If this episode encouraged you, please:
⭐ Follow the podcast
⭐ Leave a review on your favorite listening platform
⭐ Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it today
Your support helps these conversations reach people who are searching for hope, healing, and a fresh perspective.
Thank you for being part of this community.
I'll see you next week for another episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence.
Many of us spend our adult lives reacting to wounds we never realized we were still carrying.
In this heartfelt episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christy Russell sits down with Mariam Safla, Soul Alchemist and Shadow Work Coach, to discuss how acknowledging our inner child wounds can lead to emotional healing, healthier relationships, stronger self-worth, and lasting generational change. Together, we explore: 💜 Healing the inner child 💜 Shadow work and emotional awareness 💜 Breaking unhealthy generational patterns 💜 Building self-worth and authenticity 💜 Healing ourselves before passing our pain to the next generation 💜 Living with greater purpose, empathy, and freedom Healing doesn't erase our past—but it gives us the power to write a different future. If you're ready to stop surviving and start healing, this conversation is for you.
🌟 Connect with Special Guest Mariam Safla all the way from South Africa!
💜 Connect with Christy & RusMix 🌐 Website https://TheRusMix.com
Don't Forget! ❤️ Like this episode 🎧 Follow the podcast ⭐ Subscribe for future episodes 📝 Leave a Review to help others discover these life-changing conversations. Every share, follow, and review helps us reach more people who are ready to Heal. Empower. Elevate.
💰 What if the biggest obstacle to financial freedom isn't your income, your job, or the economy—but the beliefs you've carried your entire life?
In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christy sits down with coach Kenny Ingersoll to uncover how generational conditioning, scarcity thinking, fear, and shame quietly shape our financial decisions and self-worth.
Together, they discuss:
✨ Why most financial struggles begin in the mind
✨ How childhood messages about money impact adulthood
✨ The connection between self-worth and financial success
✨ Breaking free from generational financial patterns
✨ Practical steps to build a healthier relationship with money
✨ Why it's never too late to change your financial future
Whether you're trying to pay off debt, build wealth, overcome financial anxiety, or simply create a healthier mindset around money, this conversation offers actionable insights and hope for lasting change.
🎙️ Listen now and take the first step toward breaking the financial cycles that no longer serve you.
Breaking Curses with Excellence is a podcast dedicated to helping people break generational cycles, heal from limiting beliefs, overcome adversity, and create lives filled with purpose, self-worth, and growth.
🎙️ WHO ARE YOU BENEATH SURVIVAL MODE? A Conversation on Healing and Authenticity with Elisha May
What if the version of yourself you've been showing the world isn't who you truly are?
In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christy sits down with Elisha May, Intuitive Energy Coach and Founder of Freedom of Self®, for a deeply honest conversation about trauma, grief, survival mode, people-pleasing, self-worth, and the journey back to your authentic self.
Elisha shares her personal experiences navigating PTSD, loss, emotional suppression, and the process of reclaiming her identity after years of surviving rather than truly living.
Together, Christy and Elisha discuss:
✨ Healing from trauma and PTSD
✨ Grief, loss, and rebuilding your identity
✨ Breaking free from people-pleasing
✨ Emotional safety and self-worth
✨ Trusting your intuition
✨ Living authentically and unapologetically
✨ Moving from survival mode to self-trust
✨ What Freedom of Self® really means
If you've ever felt disconnected from yourself, struggled to prioritize your own needs, or wondered who you are beneath the expectations of others, this episode is for you.
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🎙️ GUEST: ELISHA MAY
Intuitive Energy Coach
Founder, Freedom of Self®
Helping soul-led humans return to truth, freedom, and alignment.
What happens when faith, healing, boundaries, and self-worth collide? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Maz Alexander—Mental Wellbeing & Transformational Coach, Social Worker, Author, Speaker, Mother, and Comedian—to discuss breaking free from burnout, people-pleasing, emotional exhaustion, limiting beliefs, and the cycles that keep us feeling stuck. Maz shares insights from her book, Arise Kintsugi Queens: You Are Becoming All You Were Meant to Be, and explains how our broken places don't disqualify us—they can become the very places where healing, strength, and purpose emerge. In this episode we discuss: ✨ Healthy boundaries ✨ Faith and recovery ✨ Self-care without guilt ✨ Burnout and emotional exhaustion ✨ Reclaiming your identity ✨ Overcoming limiting beliefs ✨ Self-worth and personal transformation ✨ Breaking generational cycles ✨ Healing from rejection ✨ Living authentically If you've ever felt overworked, depleted, rejected, unworthy, or trapped by expectations and traditions, this conversation is for you.
🎧 Episode Title: Heal Out Loud: Breaking Free from Burnout, Boundaries, and the Need to Prove Your Worth Connect with Maz Alexander: 📖 Book Reviews: https://gettingtotherootwithdrreva.blog/2024/04/01/resilience-through-brokenness-lessons-from-arise-kintsugi-queens/ https://www.melanatedminds.co.uk/maz-alexander-arise-kintsugi-queens 🔗 Connect with Maz: https://linktr.ee/mazwellbeing
In this empowering episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christi Russell Strong sits down with author, speaker, and positivity strategist Cindi Goodeaux for a meaningful conversation about healing negative self-talk, rebuilding self-worth, emotional resilience, and learning how to choose purposeful positivity without denying real emotions.
Together, they explore the difference between toxic positivity and healthy mindset transformation while sharing practical tools for overcoming self-sabotage, rejection, identity loss, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, and limiting beliefs.
Cindi introduces her powerful “Catch It. Check It. Choose It.” method — a practical approach to reframing negative thoughts, building confidence, and creating healthier emotional patterns.
This episode is for anyone navigating: • Low self-esteem • Trauma recovery • Emotional healing • Anxiety & overwhelm • People-pleasing • Negative thought cycles • Personal growth & mindset shifts • Confidence rebuilding • Healing from emotional pain • Learning to love yourself again
🎙 Episode Title: Catch It. Check It. Choose It: A Path to Purposeful Positivity
Guest: Cindi Goodeaux Host: Christi Russell Strong
Connect with Cindi Goodeaux: https://linktr.ee/WriteCuteStories
Follow Breaking Curses with Excellence for more conversations centered around healing, self-worth, emotional wellness, breaking generational cycles, mindset growth, and purposeful living.
What happens when trauma doesn’t just hurt you… but disconnects you from yourself?
In this deeply powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Dr. Stephanie Byerly joins us for an honest, transformative conversation about emotional numbness, survival mode, high-functioning trauma, radical self-compassion, and what it truly means to become “UNNUMB.”
Dr. Stephanie Byerly is an anesthesiologist, trauma-informed professional coach, TEDx & keynote speaker, founder of The UNNUMB Method & The UNNUMB Coaching Collective, helping people reconnect to themselves through healing, awareness, purpose, and emotional safety.
In this episode, we discuss:
✨ How trauma quietly lives in the body and nervous system
✨ Why many high-achieving people secretly feel emotionally disconnected
✨ The hidden impact of survival mode, burnout, and perfectionism
✨ Reframing pain without minimizing your experience
✨ Radical self-compassion and reconnecting with your identity
✨ Learning how to live through a new lens of power, possibility, and purpose
This conversation is for the person who has spent years being “strong” while silently carrying emotional exhaustion, grief, pressure, or unresolved pain behind closed doors.
You are not weak for feeling numb. Many people learned numbness as protection. Healing begins when we safely reconnect with ourselves again.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and everywhere podcasts are streamed.
Connect with Dr. Stephanie Byerly:
🌐 http://www.stephaniebyerly.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniebyerlymd
If this episode touched your heart, helped you feel seen, or encouraged your healing journey, and you would like to support the continued mission of these conversations, donations of any amount are greatly appreciated:
In this deeply honest and transformational episode, Christy Russell-Strong sits down with Tiyon L Simpson to discuss breaking inherited limitations, overcoming mental health struggles, healing from internal battles, and building a life beyond survival mode. Together, they unpack generational patterns, mindset shifts, identity, emotional healing, purpose, and what it really takes to rise above the environments and beliefs that try to define us. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt stuck, overlooked, emotionally exhausted, or afraid they could never become more than what they came from. You are capable of building a different future.
Connect with Tiyon L Simpson: Facebook: Facebook Profile Instagram: @tiyonlsimpson LinkedIn: LinkedIn Profile YouTube: TLS E Vision YouTube Channel The Life of Someone Extraordinary Podcast: 🎧 Listen on Spotify 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts
Stop playing small and start stepping into your purpose.
In this powerful episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina sits down with Dr. Natasha Norris to talk about self-worth, confidence, visibility, and personal growth—and what it really takes to be seen, heard, and respected in your life and career.
This conversation dives deep into: Overcoming self-doubt and fear Breaking generational cycles and limiting beliefs
Building confidence and emotional healing Stepping into leadership and purpose-driven success
Letting go of people-pleasing and shrinking
If you’re on a self-growth journey, looking to improve your mindset, heal from past experiences, and level up your life—this episode is for you.
🎧 Tune in and take the next step toward becoming who you’re called to be.
Healing isn’t a straight line—some days feel like freedom, others like you’re drowning in the same old pain. In this real and raw episode, w
Healing isn’t a straight line—some days feel like freedom, others like you’re drowning in the same old pain. In this real and raw episode, we talk about the reality of healing setbacks: what they are, why they happen, and how to stop letting them define you.
Whether you're feeling stuck, tired of the same triggers, or questioning your progress—this episode is for you. I share practical strategies to help you shift your mindset, reset your emotions, and remind yourself that healing is still happening even when it feels hard.
This isn’t just inspiration—it’s your roadmap to keep going. 💪🏽
In this episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, we explore the lived experience of young men growing up in today’s world—from childhood to adulthood—through a powerful cross-cultural conversation with a guest from Ireland. This discussion highlights the emotional and societal challenges faced by young men, with a deeper lens on the Black male experience, while offering insight that applies to all men and those raising them. We cover:
The impact of upbringing on young boys
Emotional suppression and mental health in men
Masculinity, identity, and societal expectations
Healing from generational trauma
How to support and raise emotionally healthy men
This episode is for parents, mentors, and anyone seeking to better understand the emotional world of men and how to break cycles that limit growth, connection, and self-worth.
Mr James Lumumba -Instagram account see the amazing Work he is doing!
At a party, someone greeted us with an odd question that carried a lot more weight than they realized: “So who’s the mom?”
For bonus parents and step parents, moments like this can bring up complicated emotions—love, pride, insecurity, and sometimes feeling unseen. In this episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christi Russell shares her personal experience navigating the role of a bonus parent and the deeper truth about what it means to show up for a child who didn’t come from your body but still lives in your heart.
This conversation explores blended family dynamics, healing generational cycles, and redefining what real love and real parenting actually look like. If you are a step parent, bonus parent, co-parent, or part of a blended family, this episode will remind you that showing up with love matters more than labels.
The parents who do the work's breaking generational curses anthem!
Parents are more than caregivers — they are the emotional foundation that shapes a child’s identity, confidence, and future relationships. In this episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, Christina Russell explores the powerful influence parents have on emotional health, attachment styles, and generational patterns within families. Whether you are a parent trying to raise emotionally healthy children or an adult working to heal from childhood wounds, this conversation dives into the importance of intentional parenting, emotional intelligence, and breaking unhealthy family cycles. Christina shares insights on how parenting styles affect self-worth, relationship choices, communication patterns, and long-term mental health. This episode encourages listeners to reflect on the foundations being built at home and how conscious parenting can help create stronger families and healthier future generations. If we want emotionally healthy adults, confident leaders, and secure relationships, the work must start with the foundation we build as parents. Tune in to learn how to break generational curses, build emotional resilience, and create a legacy of healing and love for the next generation.
The relationship between a mother and daughter is powerful — but it can also be complicated. Why do some mothers feel deeply connected to their sons, yet struggle emotionally connecting with their daughters? Why do daughters often feel misunderstood, judged, or emotionally unseen? In this episode, we explore the emotional differences in how mothers connect versus sons connect — with a deep focus on mother–daughter dynamics. We discuss: • Why emotional triggers often show up stronger between mothers and daughters • The impact of generational trauma on female relationships • How unhealed wounds create distance • The “mother wound” and how it affects a daughter’s self-worth Most importantly, I share key practical ways mothers can intentionally build a healthier emotional connection with their daughters — without guilt, shame, or defensiveness. If you are a mother wanting to connect better… Or a daughter wanting to understand your mother more clearly… This conversation will open your eyes and give you tools for healing. Because healing between women changes generations.
In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with a married couple whose love story began not with romance—but with heartbreak. After painful breakups and emotional wounds, neither was looking for dating or relationships. They were focused on healing, personal growth, and finding genuine friendship with someone who understood trauma and emotional recovery. What started as two people bonding over shared pain and life lessons slowly grew into a healthy relationship built on emotional safety, trust, communication, and mutual respect. Today, they are married and thriving, having created a loving partnership rooted in healing, faith, and intentional love. This episode dives into relationship healing, overcoming emotional baggage, breaking unhealthy relationship patterns, and how self-awareness and inner work can prevent self-sabotage in love. If you’re navigating heartbreak, dating after trauma, marriage growth, or learning how to build healthy love from the inside out, this conversation is for you.
After Trauma: What To Do When Survival Is Finally Behind You December 11
You’ve left the traumatic situation. Now you’re facing the part no one prepared you for: the aftermath. The quiet. The questions. The emotional waves. The rebuilding.
Inside this episode, we unpack the real steps that help you heal once the chaos is gone — grounding, creating safety, regulating your nervous system, reclaiming identity, rebuilding confidence, and letting yourself exist without fear. This is the part of the healing journey that rarely gets discussed, and it’s one of the most important.
For anyone who’s learning to trust themselves again, trying to navigate life after trauma, or working to break generational cycles — this conversation will feel like a warm, steady hand on your back saying: “You are safe now. Let’s rebuild together.”
In this episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, we sit down with a family member who turned a passion for travel into a thriving business. This conversation goes beyond destinations and bookings — it’s about legacy, courage, and building something meaningful from the ground up. We talk about what it really takes to step into entrepreneurship, especially when you’re breaking cycles, balancing family expectations, and learning to believe in yourself as a business owner. From challenges and sacrifices to faith, consistency, and vision, this episode highlights how travel entrepreneurship can become a vehicle for freedom, impact, and generational change. Whether you’re dreaming of starting a business, growing one you already have, or redefining success on your own terms, this episode offers inspiration, real-life lessons, and encouragement to keep going — even when the journey feels uncertain.
In this episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, we explore a truth that so many of us overlook: you are someone to be grateful for. When self-esteem is low, it’s easy to forget the quiet, everyday ways you show up for others — even when you’re exhausted, hurting, or doubting yourself.
We dive into why it's important to not only practice gratitude, but also recognize the attributes others appreciate about you. Maybe it's the way you take a moment to check on someone even when you’re overwhelmed. Maybe it’s the safe, nonjudgmental space you naturally offer — the kind of space people feel relieved to enter because they know they can be real with you. Or maybe it’s the compassion, patience, and understanding you give without expecting anything back.
This episode helps you uncover those hidden strengths, the parts of you people don’t always say thank you for — but deeply value. You’ll learn how to identify the qualities that make you worthy, loved, and impactful, even if you’ve struggled to see them your whole life.
What You’ll Learn:
How gratitude and self-worth work together to heal low self-esteem
Subtle ways you make a difference without realizing it
Signs that others appreciate you more than you think
How to start acknowledging your own impact with compassion and honesty
Practical ways to shift from self-criticism to self-recognition
If you’ve ever wondered whether who you are is “enough,” this episode will remind you that your presence, your heart, and your small acts of warmth are already creating change.
of Breaking Curses with Excellence, host Christy RusMix sits down with visionary entrepreneur Aly Breathe, who shares her journey of rising against all odds. From overcoming generational trauma to launching a purpose-driven brand, Aly opens up about the personal battles she faced, the mindset shifts that changed everything, and the healing work it took to break free from family patterns.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in cycles that weren’t yours to carry—or doubted your ability to build something meaningful from struggle—this episode will remind you of your power. Aly’s transparency and courage are a testament to what’s possible when you choose healing, wholeness, and hustle.
What You’ll Learn:
How Aly identified and broke generational curses
The early struggles and breakthroughs behind her business
Real talk on resilience, purpose, and self-worth
You can reach Aly by using this link
https://linktr.ee/alybreathe
Subscribe to hear more stories of entrepreneurs who are breaking cycles and building lives of excellence—on their own terms.
In this episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, we explore how the family dynamics we grew up in shape the families we create as adults. From communication patterns and emotional wounds to unspoken expectations and generational beliefs, we unpack how childhood experiences influence parenting, partnership, boundaries, and the way we show up in love. This conversation will help you recognize old patterns, break unhealthy cycles, and build a healthier, more intentional family rooted
In this heartfelt episode, we open up about the real, raw, and beautiful journey of blending our families. From navigating new roles to celebrating the wins and learning from the challenges, we’re sharing both of our perspectives—honestly and vulnerably.
If you're part of a blended family or preparing to become one, this episode is for you. We explore how healing from past wounds, embracing growth, and redefining what family looks like can lead to deeper connection, love, and long-term success.
Whether you're a stepparent, co-parent, or navigating new dynamics with your partner, you'll find encouragement, insight, and hope here.
Topics We Cover:
The challenges and breakthroughs of blending families
Have you ever felt like you’re standing in your own way? I feel like it's something we don't see, I surely didn't see it! Self-sabotage is when our thoughts, fears, or behaviors stop us from reaching the life we tru In this episode, we’ll break down what self-sabotage really is, how it shows up in everyday life, and why so many of us—especially those healing from childhood trauma—fall into these patterns.
I’ll share some of my own experiences with self-sabotage, plus real-life examples of how it manifests in others, from procrastination and toxic relationships to fear of success and self-doubt. Most importantly, we’ll dive into how to break free: recognizing the root cause, shifting your mindset, and taking steps toward healing and growth. It’s time to stop holding yourself back and start stepping into your full potential!
Do you struggle with setting boundaries, attracting healthy love, or feeling truly valued in relationships? In this episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, we dive deep into the powerful link between self-worth and the quality of our connections. Learn how your self-esteem shapes your relationships, impacts the love you attract, and determines the respect you receive.
Discover practical ways to boost your self-worth, break free from toxic patterns, and build relationships rooted in mutual love and respect. Whether you're healing from past wounds or striving for better connections, this conversation will empower you to create the love and support you deserve.
Are you constantly giving to others, only to feel drained, unappreciated, or taken for granted? Or maybe you've been told that putting yourself first is selfish, but deep down, you know you need a change. Finding the balance between generosity and self-care is key to living a fulfilling life.
In this Patreon space, we’ll explore:
✅ The difference between healthy giving and overgiving
✅ Why overgiving can lead to burnout, resentment, and unhealthy relationships
✅ How to set boundaries without guilt
✅ The truth about “selfishness” and why self-care is necessary, not optional
✅ Practical steps to reclaim your energy, time, and self-worth
As parents, we often want to give our children everything we never had—especially if we grew up feeling oppressed, invalidated, or unheard. But in trying to protect them from the pain we experienced, we risk over-spoiling them and unintentionally creating entitlement instead of empowerment.
In this episode of Breaking Curses with Excellence, we explore the importance of balance in parenting—giving love and support without taking away the struggles that build strength, resilience, and independence.
We’ll discuss:
How our childhood wounds influence our parenting styles
The difference between healthy nurturing and overindulgence
How to set loving boundaries that create capable, confident adults
Ways to break generational cycles of oppression without overcorrecting
If you’re striving to raise emotionally strong, independent, and fulfilled children, this episode is a must-listen!
I’m Christina, a life and love coach helping you break generational cycles, overcome self-sabotage, and step into the best version of yourself. In this podcast, we talk about real healing — from childhood and relationship trauma to self-worth, faith, and personal growth.
Each episode gives you powerful insights, practical tools, and encouragement to build healthy relationships, embrace self-love, and create the life you deserve — with excellence.
If you’re ready to heal, grow, and break free from what’s been holding you back, this is your safe space to start.