Grief can rearrange a life in minutes. Bills pile up, systems fail us, and some of us end up choosing between a roof and our pets. In that chaos, it is easy to believe we will never feel truly alive again.

In this conversation, ordained minister, spiritual healer, and author Megan Radke Madrid shares how she went from homelessness with three dogs and the loss of her husband to building a new life, career, and spiritual foundation. Her story shows how small daily choices, faith, and honesty about pain can slowly move us from surviving to thriving.

Press play to hear a real and practical take on rebuilding after loss, including:

• Losing a spouse, navigating a medical crisis, and sudden homelessness

• How Megan went from homeless to homeowner with three dogs by her side

• The role of faith, spirituality, and signs from loved ones in grief

• Moving from emotional hoarding to letting go of belongings with intention

• Simple habits that helped her shift from numbness to genuine joy

• Recovering from addiction and rewriting a personal identity after trauma

• Redefining what it means to be rich, successful, and at peace after loss

Connect with Dr. Kimberly:

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LinkedIn

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Facebook

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Pinterest

Episode Highlights:

02:38 Meet Megan: Minister, Healer, Author & Maverick

05:49 Husband's Medical Journey: Heart Failure, Diabetes, Dialysis & Blood Clot

09:11 Eviction, Default Judgment & the Slide into Homelessness

13:15 Emotional Support Dog Chica, Lost Luggage & Greyhound Nightmare

17:35 Dogs and Grief

23:25 Timeline: How Long It Took to Start Thriving Again

27:32 Recognizing If You're Stuck in Grief

33:41 From Addict to Sober Entrepreneur

39:22 From Homeless to Homeowner

42:50 Ending on Laughter and Lightness

Resources:

Freebies

Read Megan's Book: Adventures of Chica and Meg Grayhound Bus

Books

📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette

📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette

📖Get Megan's Book: How I Lost Everything and Everyone but Found Myself in the End

Thank you for listening.

To keep my podcast alive,

Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone?

• https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive

"Love never dies, it only changes form." —John Masiulionis (from Walking Each Other Home— Zachary's Mission: A Hospice for Children)

Grief can turn an ordinary life into survival mode, where every small task feels like a mountain. This conversation stays with the reality of loss while showing how faith, service, and everyday kindness can slowly rebuild a sense of meaning. It is about learning to keep going when a loved one is gone, and discovering that purpose can grow out of the deepest pain.
Manager of PR From The Heart LLC | Award-Winning Children's Author | Certified Animal Communicator, John Masiulionis, shares how the loss of his grandmother, a testicular cancer diagnosis, financial collapse, and a lifetime of self-doubt became the soil for his award-winning children's book Walking Each Other Home— Zachary's Mission: A Hospice for Children, his spiritual work, and his path as a certified animal communicator.
Press play to be part of a honest, hope-filled conversation about grief, purpose, and love that does not end with death, including:
How John's relationship with his grandmother shaped his spirituality and life work
The turning point when testicular cancer, debt, and near-eviction redefined success
The story behind Walking Each Other Home: Zachary's Mission, A Hospice for Children
Why children's hospice, chronic illness, and early mortality need gentler stories
How small "Earth Angels" moments can change the direction of a life
The role of faith, forgiveness, and self-love in moving through grief
How animal communication and our pets can support emotional healing

Connect with Dr. Kimberly:
Website: https://drkimberlyhubenette.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-hubenette-dds-magd-2800a624/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9--bH78AxF-FCR2ygP-Fyg
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/khubenette/_created/

Episode Highlights:
02:17 Meet John Babcia's Love and Spiritual Awakening
09:20 Career Change and Calling
12:44 Hitting Rock Bottom: Financial Crisis, Cancer Diagnosis, Learning Radical Trust
23:25 Self-Forgiveness, Self-Love, and Becoming a Better Man
27:43 Zachary's Mission
42:44 Keeping Loved Ones Alive by Name
46:45 Becoming an Animal Communicator
52:42 Follow Your Heart

Resources:
Books
📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette
📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette
📖Walking Each Other Home— Zachary's Mission: A Hospice for Children by John Masiulionis
🎨Walking Each Other Home—Zachary's Mission: A Hospice for Children-themed coloring sheet (to add link once John's website is updated)
Thank you for listening.
To keep my podcast alive,
Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone?
https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive

Life moves fast, and it rarely waits for us to feel ready. Many of us spend years reacting instead of choosing, putting off joy while handling responsibilities, loss, and constant pressure. This conversation centers on reclaiming control and deciding how we truly want to live.
Business strategist and connector, Heather Nelson, shares how unexpected loss reshaped her perspective on time, relationships, and leadership. Her journey from survival mode to intentional living now drives how she builds businesses, connections, and community.
Press play to explore how we move from drifting through life to actively shaping it.
Becoming the driver of our own life
How loss creates clarity and urgency
Letting go of waiting for the perfect time
Building a life aligned with value
The role of connection in growth and resilience
Moving from survival to thriving: how the road looks like

Connect with Dr. Kimberly:
Website: https://drkimberlyhubenette.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-hubenette-dds-magd-2800a624/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordr.kimberlyhubenette
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9--bH78AxF-FCR2ygP-Fyg
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/khubenette/_created/

Episode Highlights:
02:52 Meet Heather
09:58 Divorce, Starting Over & Choosing to Build a Life You Truly Love
15:28 Letting Go of Phones, Money Stress & Re-Focusing on What Really Matters
18:45 Moving Forward After Loss as a Business Owner (Getting Unstuck)
22:46 Rebuilding After Divorce
24:41 Mom of Four & Surrogacy
35:28 Manifesting, Abundance
43:53 Helping Hospitality & Event Businesses Grow

Resources:
Books
📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette
📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette
Thank you for listening.
To keep my podcast alive,
Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone?
https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive

"Let's change the conversation. Let's talk about grief like we talk about the weather." —Victoria Volk

Life can look fine on the outside while something underneath stays unresolved. Anger, numbness, anxiety, and self-sabotaging habits often point to grief we were never taught how to process. This conversation meets that reality without fixing, shaming, or spiritual bypassing.

The Unleashed Heart author, Victoria Volk, shares how unprocessed grief reshaped her identity and eventually led her to build a body-based, evidence-informed approach to healing that moves people from survival into real expansion.

Press play and sit with this conversation, then explore the themes that matter most right now:

• Grief beyond death and why endings linger in the body

• Trauma versus grief and how they interact

• STERBs and the behaviors grief often hides behind

• Rebuilding identity after life breaks open

• What thriving actually looks like after loss

• Living fully while carrying grief, not erasing it

Connect with Dr. Kimberly:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Pinterest

Episode Highlights:

02:13 Victoria's Grief Journey: Childhood Loss and Trauma

06:39 Childhood Emotional Suppression and Learning to Read the Room

10:14 Short-Term Coping: Shopping, Alcohol, Doom-Scrolling and More

14:12 Grief Timeline and the Reality of Doing the Hard Work

20:58 Energy Types Explained: Manifestors, Generators, Projectors, Reflectors

24:31 Grief Myths

27:26 What is Biofield Tuning and How Distance Energy Healing Works

31:33 How to Spark the Desire to Heal and Do the Inner Work

35:13 Short-Term vs Deep Work and Being Ready

Resources:

Books

📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette

📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette (COMING SOON)

📖Get Victoria's Book: The Guided Heart: Moving Through Grief and Finding Spiritual Solace by Victoria Volk

Thank you for listening.

To keep my podcast alive,

Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone?

• https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive

"Dogs are intuitive. They listen, they hear, and they actually respond back if you just allow them to. Dakota is my best friend." —Kimberly Hubenette

Grief can shrink daily life, leaving long hours that feel heavy and quiet. In this space, companionship becomes more than comfort. It becomes a reason to keep showing up.

After losing her husband, Dr. Kimberly shares how her rescue dog Dakota, became a steady presence through grief, responsibility, and healing. Their bond grew through training, trust, and the simple rhythm of caring for another life.

Press play for a heartfelt conversation on grief, pets, and resilience, and explore:

• Grieving a spouse and adjusting to life alone

• How pets support emotional healing after loss

• Rescue dogs, trauma, and rebuilding trust

• The role of routine and responsibility in recovery

• Unconditional love and nonverbal connection

• Training, leadership, and safety with dogs

• Why animals often know when we are struggling

Connect with Dr. Kimberly:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Pinterest

Episode Highlights:

01:25 Meet Dakota: More Than a Dog

05:23 Dogs Get It— Even When Humans Don't

09:57 Dakota Steps Up When It Matters Most

12:31 From Axious to Confident: Dakota's Training Journey

15:52 Unconditional Love on Four Legs and a Wagging Tail

19:12 Why Your Dog's Oral Health Matters

21:12 Dakota's Least Favorite Thing

Resources:

📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette

📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette (COMING SOON)

"You can handle things in life if you're taking care of yourself, physically and mentally." —Ann Tirrell

Some days it feels like no matter how much we try, the weight of loss, stress, or just everyday demands won't let us catch our breath. But strength isn't built in big leaps; it's in the small daily choices— the way we move, eat, rest, and show up for ourselves. When life knocks us off course, there's always a way back through routine, resilience, and the right kind of support.

After decades as a teacher and school administrator, and through seasons of grief and healing, Ann Tirrell became a wellness advocate and biohacker focused on balance, longevity, and self-care. Her journey shows how fitness, food, nature, and gratitude aren't just practices, but lifelines that make thriving possible.

Listen as Ann and Kimberly dive into aging well, addiction and loss, the role of movement and nutrition, the power of morning rituals, and why resilience is the real secret to lasting health.

Connect with Dr. Kimberly:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Pinterest

Episode Highlights:

02:36 Biohacking Basics: Aging with Intention

05:58 Eat to Thrive: Food as Medicine and Biohacking Routine

07:39 The Value of Habits

09:19 Move with Meaning

15:36 The Biiohacker's Toolkit: Sugar, Sweetness, and Electrolytes

18:32 The Roots of Self-Care

22:39 Growth Through Adversity

30:46 Daily Steps After Trauma and Loss

35:23 What Support Group Really Means

38:46 Catching Up with Mimi

Resources:

📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette

📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette (COMING SOON)

Thank you for listening.

To keep my podcast alive,

Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone?

• https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive

"Life is not a smooth, even journey. Life is a bumpy up-and-down journey. You have your highs and your lows. You have to just hold on to that bumpy road, and you just keep going." —William Quan

Life can break routines, identities, and relationships without warning. Grief changes how days are lived, decisions are made, and meaning is defined. This conversation holds space for the quiet realities that come after loss.

Dr. Kimberly Hubenette sits down with her father, Dr. William Quan, to reflect on his journey through grief after losing his wife of 44 years, his path as an immigrant son turned lifelong dentist, and the choices that helped him survive and continue building a meaningful life.

Press play to hear a raw, generational perspective on grief, resilience, and adaptation, along with practical wisdom shaped by decades of lived experience.

In this episode, we cover:

• Navigating grief after the loss of a spouse

• The difference between surviving and tolerating loss

• Immigration, identity, and resilience across generations

• The impact of long-term partnership and shared purpose

• Three paths widows and widowers often face after loss

• Why purpose, routine, and contribution matter later in life

• Journaling as a lifelong tool for reflection and grounding

• Living with memory without being trapped by it

Connect with Dr. Kimberly:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Pinterest

Episode Highlights:

02:44 Meet William: Early Life as a Chinese American Growing Up in El Centro

08:10 Working in the Family Grocery Store & Life Lessons

15:40 Marriage, Dental School Struggles & Perseverance

25:05 44-Year Marriage & the Loss of His Wife, Anna

33:40 Life After Loss – Depression, Bills, Isolation & Survival

40:20 Remarrying After Loss & Meeting His Second Wife

46:00 Life Philosophy, Values & Treating People Right

50:30 Thriving at 81, Adaptability & Lifelong Learning

Resources:

Books

📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette

📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette (COMING SOON)

Thank you for listening.

To keep my podcast alive,

Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone?

• https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive

"You can never care and love too much, so I've allowed myself to care and love even more in this new season of my life." —Daniel Gomez

Loss reshapes identity, and nobody comes out unchanged. In this episode, we name the hard parts of grief and show a path from raw pain to purposeful living that holds space for anger, tears, and faith.

Daniel Gomez shares how losing parents and siblings led to a crisis that became a calling to help others reclaim value, purpose, and joy. His story shows how grieving honestly and accepting spiritual and practical supports creates lasting resilience.

Press play to hear a clear, faith-friendly roadmap for moving from surviving to thriving, then use these takeaways to start small and steady change today.

• How to grieve without getting stuck and why men must be allowed to cry

• Recognizing grief for living people and pets and how to respond

• The difference between self-pity and healthy grieving release

• Practical rituals: celebrating life with three memory prompts

• Faith, prayer, and routine as emotional replenishment

• Choosing legacy over bitterness and reframing the obituary question

• Accept the Upgrade: shifting identity, work, family priorities

• How to get a free 30-minute discovery session with Daniel

Connect with Dr. Kimberly:

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Pinterest

Episode Highlights:

03:34 Facing Grief and Turning Point: Losing Mom and Dad

07:30 The Cost of Bottling Emotions

13:35 Find Your Own Path: Rejecting Comparison and Social Media Pressure

19:12 Learn from the Palm-Tree

24:04 When Loving Someone Means Letting Them Go

29:34 Accept the Upgrade

34:44 How to Support Someone Grieving

37:18 How Will Your Obituary Read?

Resources:

Books

📖Grid: Once in a Lifetime You Get to Start Over by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette

📖Live, Love, Survive, Thrive! by Dr. Kimberly Hubenette (COMING SOON)

Thank you for listening.

To keep my podcast alive,

Wanna buy my dog Dakota a bone?

• https://buymeacoffee.com/livelovesurvivethrive

📖 Accept the Upgrade: You Deserve It by Daniel Gomez