FREE DOWNLOAD! 14 Nuggets of Wisdom for a Better Life!
Have you ever found yourself—or perhaps you’re in that place right now—feeling trapped by overwhelm, anxiety, and fear, wondering if true happiness is only reserved for everyone else? If so, today’s episode is going to teach you science-backed strategies proving that genuine joy and happiness are not only possible, but well within your reach!
Do You Need a Mental Health & Happiness Boost?
If you're craving genuine joy, battling overwhelm, or yearning for a better you, get ready—this conversation unlocks the motivational secrets behind true, lasting happiness!
Your Happiness Resources:
- Grab Kevin’s Free Ebook: 14 Nuggets of Wisdom for a Better Life"
- Visit: GritGraceInspiration.com
- Join Tamara's FB Group: Create a Life You Love Now!
- Find ALL the Ways to Connect with Tamara via Her Website: ALifeYouLoveNow.com
An Inspiring Story of Finding Happiness
In this raw and empowering episode, Tamara Zoner—a survivor of a 15-year emotionally abusive marriage—reveals how she turned rock-bottom despair into a thriving career as a science-backed happiness coach.
You’ll hear how she:
- Escaped financial and emotional captivity with three young children
- Used the “Passion Test” to reclaim her identity
- Teaches proven techniques to rewire negativity (backed by neuroscience!)
- Discovered that happiness is a muscle—not a destination
From viral COVID-era senior center workshops to her upcoming Radiant Happiness Retreat, Tamara’s story proves joy isn’t just possible—it’s teachable.
Your Happiness Roadmap:
- Happiness is a practice, not a personality trait: Learn daily habits to boost your “happiness set point.”
- Break free from “stuck” mindset traps: How to spot limiting beliefs (like “I have to make this work”) and replace them with empowered action.
- Fun is non-negotiable: Why silly walks, karaoke, and cat videos are secretly revolutionary acts of self-care.
Make Your Happiness a Priority!
Hit Play to unlock Tamara’s step-by-step framework for creating a life you love right now!
Today’s Inspiring Guest
Tamara Zoner is a certified happiness coach, speaker, and founder of A Life You Love Now. After escaping an abusive marriage and navigating single parenthood, she combines cutting-edge neuroscience with hard-won wisdom to help others cultivate unshakable joy. A recovering people-pleaser turned empowerment advocate, Tamara now leads retreats and workshops worldwide—proving that happiness isn’t just possible, but learnable.
Hey, it's Kevin!
I hope you enjoyed today's episode! If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to reach out. Below, you will find ALL the places and ALL the ways to connect!
- I would LOVE to hear from you! Send me a Voice Message
- Want to be a guest on GRIT, GRACE, & INSPIRATION? Send Kevin Lowe a message on PodMatch!
Show Notes
FREE DOWNLOAD! 14 Nuggets of Wisdom for a Better Life!
Have you ever found yourself—or perhaps you’re in that place right now—feeling trapped by overwhelm, anxiety, and fear, wondering if true happiness is only reserved for everyone else? If so, today’s episode is going to teach you science-backed strategies proving that genuine joy and happiness are not only possible, but well within your reach!
Do You Need a Mental Health & Happiness Boost?
If you're craving genuine joy, battling overwhelm, or yearning for a better you, get ready—this conversation unlocks the motivational secrets behind true, lasting happiness!
Your Happiness Resources:
- Grab Kevin’s Free Ebook: 14 Nuggets of Wisdom for a Better Life"
- Visit: GritGraceInspiration.com
- Join Tamara's FB Group: Create a Life You Love Now!
- Find ALL the Ways to Connect with Tamara via Her Website: ALifeYouLoveNow.com
An Inspiring Story of Finding Happiness
In this raw and empowering episode, Tamara Zoner—a survivor of a 15-year emotionally abusive marriage—reveals how she turned rock-bottom despair into a thriving career as a science-backed happiness coach.
You’ll hear how she:
- Escaped financial and emotional captivity with three young children
- Used the “Passion Test” to reclaim her identity
- Teaches proven techniques to rewire negativity (backed by neuroscience!)
- Discovered that happiness is a muscle—not a destination
From viral COVID-era senior center workshops to her upcoming Radiant Happiness Retreat, Tamara’s story proves joy isn’t just possible—it’s teachable.
Your Happiness Roadmap:
- Happiness is a practice, not a personality trait: Learn daily habits to boost your “happiness set point.”
- Break free from “stuck” mindset traps: How to spot limiting beliefs (like “I have to make this work”) and replace them with empowered action.
- Fun is non-negotiable: Why silly walks, karaoke, and cat videos are secretly revolutionary acts of self-care.
Make Your Happiness a Priority!
Hit Play to unlock Tamara’s step-by-step framework for creating a life you love right now!
Today’s Inspiring Guest
Tamara Zoner is a certified happiness coach, speaker, and founder of A Life You Love Now. After escaping an abusive marriage and navigating single parenthood, she combines cutting-edge neuroscience with hard-won wisdom to help others cultivate unshakable joy. A recovering people-pleaser turned empowerment advocate, Tamara now leads retreats and workshops worldwide—proving that happiness isn’t just possible, but learnable.
Hey, it's Kevin!
I hope you enjoyed today's episode! If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to reach out. Below, you will find ALL the places and ALL the ways to connect!
- I would LOVE to hear from you! Send me a Voice Message
- Want to be a guest on GRIT, GRACE, & INSPIRATION? Send Kevin Lowe a message on PodMatch!
- Sign-Up to Receive My LinkedIn Newsletter
- Plus Hangout with Me on LinkedIn
- Let's Schedule a Virtual Coffee Date
- Come Checkout the Website
Stay Awesome! Live Inspired!
© 2025 Grit, Grace, & Inspiration
Show Transcript
00:00:00.737 --> 00:00:06.897
Kevin Lowe: If you've ever felt lost, overwhelmed, even frustrated at trying to regain your happiness,
00:00:07.477 --> 00:00:12.557
Kevin Lowe: Well, today's episode, today's conversation is going to give you the tools you
00:00:12.557 --> 00:00:16.317
Kevin Lowe: need to break free and create a life you truly love.
00:00:16.577 --> 00:00:21.077
Kevin Lowe: Our guest, Tamara's owner, she was trapped in an emotionally abusive marriage.
00:00:21.377 --> 00:00:26.737
Kevin Lowe: She was convinced she was stuck until, of course, she made one monumental decision
00:00:26.737 --> 00:00:27.997
Kevin Lowe: that would change everything.
00:00:28.337 --> 00:00:33.537
Kevin Lowe: Today, Tamara is a science-backed happiness coach, proving that pure joy,
00:00:33.537 --> 00:00:39.377
Kevin Lowe: it's not just possible, but rather it's a skill that can be learned and mastered.
00:00:39.777 --> 00:00:44.937
Kevin Lowe: If you, my friend, are in need of a little bit more joy in your life,
00:00:45.097 --> 00:00:49.297
Kevin Lowe: some happiness, you could benefit from a masterclass on happiness,
00:00:49.697 --> 00:00:52.217
Kevin Lowe: well, you're exactly where you're meant to be.
00:00:52.397 --> 00:00:59.777
Kevin Lowe: This, my friend, is episode 367. Now, as a quick reminder, if you would love
00:00:59.777 --> 00:01:04.517
Kevin Lowe: a little help in being sure that this year is indeed the best year of your life,
00:01:04.697 --> 00:01:07.017
Kevin Lowe: well, you got to go check out my free resource.
00:01:07.197 --> 00:01:10.837
Kevin Lowe: It's called 14 Nuggets of Wisdom for a Better Life.
00:01:10.977 --> 00:01:16.557
Kevin Lowe: I've created a free ebook plus an exclusive free podcast episode,
00:01:16.777 --> 00:01:20.857
Kevin Lowe: all designed to help you make this year the best year of your life.
00:01:20.857 --> 00:01:25.537
Kevin Lowe: A link is at the top of today's show notes where you can click to download,
00:01:25.537 --> 00:01:32.437
Kevin Lowe: or you can also head on over to gritgraceinspiration.com, the website for the podcast,
00:01:32.757 --> 00:01:36.197
Kevin Lowe: where you will also find a link to access that same resource.
00:01:36.657 --> 00:01:41.957
Kevin Lowe: It's just my way of trying to help you make today a little bit better than yesterday.
00:01:41.957 --> 00:01:45.037
Kevin Lowe: And of course, this year, the best year of your life.
00:01:45.197 --> 00:01:47.897
Kevin Lowe: With that said, I hope you enjoy today's episode.
00:01:48.237 --> 00:01:53.017
Kevin Lowe: Here's my interview with Tamara Zona. Hey, I'm your host, Kevin Lowe,
00:01:53.137 --> 00:01:56.197
Kevin Lowe: and you are listening to Grit, Grace, and Inspiration.
00:01:57.347 --> 00:02:03.527
Kevin Lowe: What has happened to my friends? Welcome back to the studios here at Great Grace and Inspiration.
00:02:04.067 --> 00:02:08.927
Kevin Lowe: Today, I have the pleasure of being joined by another amazing woman here in
00:02:08.927 --> 00:02:12.087
Kevin Lowe: the studio with me, Tamara. Welcome to the podcast.
00:02:12.867 --> 00:02:14.807
Tamara Zoner: Thank you. It's a joy to be here.
00:02:15.027 --> 00:02:19.207
Kevin Lowe: Oh my goodness. Well, Tamara, I've been super excited for us to get to talk
00:02:19.207 --> 00:02:22.547
Kevin Lowe: today and get to unpack really kind of,
00:02:22.687 --> 00:02:26.687
Kevin Lowe: I guess I would say it, both kind of like this personal journey and professional
00:02:26.687 --> 00:02:32.247
Kevin Lowe: journey that you've been on and all of this around this amazing topic of happiness.
00:02:32.607 --> 00:02:35.887
Kevin Lowe: I want to ask a question to kick things off today.
00:02:36.327 --> 00:02:44.327
Kevin Lowe: When we talk about happiness, do you think of happiness as a destination or
00:02:44.327 --> 00:02:45.387
Kevin Lowe: is it part of the journey?
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Tamara Zoner: It is the journey.
00:02:50.287 --> 00:02:56.547
Tamara Zoner: Yeah, I think there's a big problem if we think that it's the destination because
00:02:56.547 --> 00:03:00.247
Tamara Zoner: we're never going to get there. We're always here.
00:03:00.647 --> 00:03:06.227
Tamara Zoner: And so if we can just plant our feet and know that happiness is a moment to
00:03:06.227 --> 00:03:09.667
Tamara Zoner: moment practice, then we'll feel more of it.
00:03:10.327 --> 00:03:16.687
Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Yeah. I love that so much. Well, then talking about the journey is,
00:03:16.927 --> 00:03:19.667
Kevin Lowe: I always love to kind of go back a little bit. And so
00:03:20.411 --> 00:03:24.131
Kevin Lowe: I'll let you decide where we pick up your story at.
00:03:24.311 --> 00:03:31.131
Kevin Lowe: But what I'm curious is, is when you look back on this journey you've been on, was there any person,
00:03:31.471 --> 00:03:37.071
Kevin Lowe: an event, even maybe just a period of your life that you feel like was really
00:03:37.071 --> 00:03:39.891
Kevin Lowe: significant on getting you to where you are today?
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Tamara Zoner: Yes. Yes and yes.
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Tamara Zoner: The most significant point in my life where I feel like really where I am today
00:03:52.911 --> 00:03:57.511
Tamara Zoner: began is about 15 years ago,
00:03:57.511 --> 00:04:04.111
Tamara Zoner: where I really discovered and admitted to myself that I was not living for me.
00:04:04.111 --> 00:04:07.571
Tamara Zoner: I was trying to be someone for someone else.
00:04:07.791 --> 00:04:14.091
Tamara Zoner: And that was a glimmer. And then I continued for a few more years in this controlling,
00:04:14.571 --> 00:04:20.291
Tamara Zoner: emotionally abusive marriage because we had had a third child and I didn't want to be a single parent.
00:04:20.291 --> 00:04:25.631
Tamara Zoner: But as I had tried everything to fix the marriage, to make it better,
00:04:25.871 --> 00:04:30.231
Tamara Zoner: to be who we wanted, and none of it worked, I finally turned back to myself
00:04:30.231 --> 00:04:32.611
Tamara Zoner: and was like, well, I feel miserable.
00:04:33.071 --> 00:04:37.051
Tamara Zoner: This isn't working for me. I hate life.
00:04:37.271 --> 00:04:41.391
Tamara Zoner: I don't like me. and I'm supposed to be happy, right?
00:04:41.551 --> 00:04:47.831
Tamara Zoner: Because I've got children and a husband and I'm living in another country.
00:04:48.051 --> 00:04:53.031
Tamara Zoner: And like, ideally it should be a happy life, but it's not.
00:04:53.431 --> 00:04:57.891
Tamara Zoner: And so when I started to kind of dig into what would make me happy,
00:04:58.211 --> 00:05:03.631
Tamara Zoner: I stopped kind of the lying to myself of like, this will get better because
00:05:03.631 --> 00:05:05.011
Tamara Zoner: it wasn't getting better.
00:05:05.911 --> 00:05:10.971
Tamara Zoner: And I instead said, what do I need? now? What would make me feel happy?
00:05:11.111 --> 00:05:13.031
Tamara Zoner: And I happen to at the same time,
00:05:13.840 --> 00:05:18.580
Tamara Zoner: meet a woman who was a certified passion test facilitator.
00:05:18.840 --> 00:05:22.800
Tamara Zoner: And when we first exchanged business cards, I didn't know what that was.
00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:25.620
Tamara Zoner: I've never heard of it, but something in my whole body knew.
00:05:25.960 --> 00:05:33.180
Tamara Zoner: I felt like shivers and chills. Like when you just know something is about to change or happen.
00:05:33.500 --> 00:05:38.020
Tamara Zoner: That's how I felt when I read those words. And before I'd even taken what's
00:05:38.020 --> 00:05:41.400
Tamara Zoner: called the passion test, I had signed up to become a certified facilitator.
00:05:41.960 --> 00:05:49.860
Tamara Zoner: And it was really that process that helped me and still helps anybody I work
00:05:49.860 --> 00:05:53.180
Tamara Zoner: with to identify what I wanted life to look and feel like.
00:05:53.740 --> 00:05:59.160
Tamara Zoner: And the interesting thing for me at the time was that you make a list of 10
00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:01.760
Tamara Zoner: to 12 things that you want to be, do, feel, or have.
00:06:01.940 --> 00:06:07.360
Tamara Zoner: And my family was on that list, but the process is getting down to the top five.
00:06:07.660 --> 00:06:10.900
Tamara Zoner: And my family hit one of those.
00:06:12.100 --> 00:06:16.980
Tamara Zoner: And the rest was about me feeling authentic, about me having confidence,
00:06:17.280 --> 00:06:22.860
Tamara Zoner: about me having my own voice and friends because I had no friends because controlling husband.
00:06:23.060 --> 00:06:28.460
Tamara Zoner: And so it was really awakening for me. It was eye-opening. It was heart awakening.
00:06:28.900 --> 00:06:34.720
Tamara Zoner: Like, oh, I've been living this lie to try to make someone else happy who is
00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:38.800
Tamara Zoner: never happy and never going to be happy with me.
00:06:39.260 --> 00:06:42.280
Tamara Zoner: And now I get to choose something different.
00:06:42.500 --> 00:06:48.800
Tamara Zoner: And as, and it's a long story shortish, but as I opened to what made me feel
00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:55.120
Tamara Zoner: good and I stepped back into personal development and personal growth and really honoring myself,
00:06:55.120 --> 00:07:00.340
Tamara Zoner: I was able to gather the courage to walk away from that painful,
00:07:00.460 --> 00:07:07.180
Tamara Zoner: painful marriage and really step more fully into being who I am and reclaimed
00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:12.120
Tamara Zoner: or remembered the joyful person that I naturally am.
00:07:12.320 --> 00:07:16.680
Tamara Zoner: And so it was quite a process. But the reason I do this work is because I was
00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:22.240
Tamara Zoner: desperately unhappy, but I could remember a version of myself with some natural happiness.
00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:25.680
Tamara Zoner: And it was all about finding her again.
00:07:26.520 --> 00:07:34.080
Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Now, how long were you in this relationship before you really started
00:07:34.080 --> 00:07:36.060
Kevin Lowe: coming to this kind of awakening?
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Tamara Zoner: 12 years and I left at 15 years.
00:07:39.900 --> 00:07:49.600
Kevin Lowe: Wow. Now, how I don't even know how to frame the question of how were you able
00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:52.940
Kevin Lowe: to to get out of such a relationship?
00:07:52.940 --> 00:07:59.480
Kevin Lowe: Because obviously that takes extreme courage and strength on your part.
00:07:59.700 --> 00:08:01.220
Kevin Lowe: What was that like for you?
00:08:02.056 --> 00:08:06.836
Tamara Zoner: It was so hard, Kevin. It's so scary to be, especially as a parent, right?
00:08:07.276 --> 00:08:11.416
Tamara Zoner: To be a parent of three young children who I had worked on and off,
00:08:11.536 --> 00:08:15.036
Tamara Zoner: but we had moved from country to country. My ex-husband is French.
00:08:15.376 --> 00:08:19.276
Tamara Zoner: So we weren't like, he wasn't attached to the United States where I'm from.
00:08:19.516 --> 00:08:25.416
Tamara Zoner: And so we had lived in Asia. We had lived in the UK and I had this reoccurring
00:08:25.416 --> 00:08:30.236
Tamara Zoner: thought that I was just stuck because how was I supposed to support three kids
00:08:30.236 --> 00:08:32.516
Tamara Zoner: on my own? Where would we even live.
00:08:32.916 --> 00:08:38.956
Tamara Zoner: And as I just became clearer and clearer on what I needed to do,
00:08:39.156 --> 00:08:43.516
Tamara Zoner: which was to gather that courage to do something more for myself,
00:08:43.936 --> 00:08:45.196
Tamara Zoner: synchronicity played a part.
00:08:45.416 --> 00:08:52.916
Tamara Zoner: So I had gained enough confidence and courage to fight for coming home for a
00:08:52.916 --> 00:08:56.136
Tamara Zoner: visit with my three kids and me, just us, just the four of us.
00:08:56.256 --> 00:09:01.376
Tamara Zoner: My ex, still husband at the time, stayed in the UK where we were living because
00:09:01.376 --> 00:09:03.236
Tamara Zoner: he needed to work and couldn't take the time off.
00:09:03.416 --> 00:09:08.356
Tamara Zoner: And normally I didn't travel without him, but I've, I've fought for this one.
00:09:08.356 --> 00:09:11.276
Tamara Zoner: I was like, I need to go home. I need to see my family.
00:09:11.496 --> 00:09:14.076
Tamara Zoner: I need to see my friends. The kids need to see their family.
00:09:14.536 --> 00:09:20.756
Tamara Zoner: And so he agreed. So we came back to Michigan, August of 2014.
00:09:22.456 --> 00:09:28.336
Tamara Zoner: And after a few days, I noticed myself start to relax.
00:09:28.476 --> 00:09:35.896
Tamara Zoner: Like I wasn't constantly bracing for the next outburst or what I was going to be in trouble for.
00:09:36.236 --> 00:09:41.156
Tamara Zoner: And I started to relax and think, well, wow, here are these people around me
00:09:41.156 --> 00:09:43.596
Tamara Zoner: who say they love me and they act like it too.
00:09:45.236 --> 00:09:49.516
Tamara Zoner: And I was a brand new passion test facilitator at the time. So I had just gotten
00:09:49.516 --> 00:09:52.436
Tamara Zoner: certified as a life coach, as a passion test facilitator.
00:09:52.576 --> 00:09:57.796
Tamara Zoner: And so I wanted to practice my new skills on my family and friends who I hadn't seen in years.
00:09:58.676 --> 00:10:03.976
Tamara Zoner: And I was giving a workshop and like any good abused spouse,
00:10:04.376 --> 00:10:08.616
Tamara Zoner: I had informed my husband exactly what I'd be doing all day long, right?
00:10:08.776 --> 00:10:13.656
Tamara Zoner: I'm not going to be answering my phone for three hours because I will be doing this workshop.
00:10:13.976 --> 00:10:19.756
Tamara Zoner: So the unspoken words were, so please don't accuse me of things I'm not doing, but he did.
00:10:20.016 --> 00:10:26.296
Tamara Zoner: So during the workshop, he called 24 times, 24 times until one of my friends
00:10:26.296 --> 00:10:30.056
Tamara Zoner: picked up my phone and said, Tam, maybe it's an emergency. I think you might
00:10:30.056 --> 00:10:31.176
Tamara Zoner: want to call your husband.
00:10:31.516 --> 00:10:36.056
Tamara Zoner: And so I did. I went and I called him and I was like, is everything okay?
00:10:36.716 --> 00:10:41.416
Tamara Zoner: And he just went on this rampage. And I thought to myself, oh my gosh,
00:10:42.656 --> 00:10:45.456
Tamara Zoner: like here is the biggest sign.
00:10:45.716 --> 00:10:54.296
Tamara Zoner: And if I miss it now, there's no hope for me Because he is showing me exactly who he is.
00:10:54.396 --> 00:10:59.196
Tamara Zoner: And I am thousands of miles away and I don't ever have to go back to that.
00:10:59.869 --> 00:11:00.349
Kevin Lowe: Hmm.
00:11:01.009 --> 00:11:06.969
Tamara Zoner: And so, yeah, over the course of a few days, he demonstrated many ways why I
00:11:06.969 --> 00:11:08.749
Tamara Zoner: did not need to return to that relationship.
00:11:08.969 --> 00:11:11.949
Tamara Zoner: And I was so grateful, you know, as I look back and of course,
00:11:12.009 --> 00:11:14.489
Tamara Zoner: in the moment, it's all scary and it's like, what am I going to do?
00:11:14.629 --> 00:11:16.369
Tamara Zoner: And I don't want to go back to that.
00:11:16.809 --> 00:11:20.029
Tamara Zoner: And parents, could you please let me stay here for a while in your basement
00:11:20.029 --> 00:11:27.189
Tamara Zoner: with my three children? And so I am fortunate in the fact that I had family
00:11:27.189 --> 00:11:30.589
Tamara Zoner: that I could ask for support from.
00:11:30.729 --> 00:11:34.789
Tamara Zoner: And I recognize that not every person has that. And I feel very,
00:11:34.909 --> 00:11:38.369
Tamara Zoner: very grateful and fortunate that I was able to lean on them and have a safe
00:11:38.369 --> 00:11:39.949
Tamara Zoner: place for my children and I to stay.
00:11:40.429 --> 00:11:46.609
Tamara Zoner: And then, you know, suck up my ego and ask for state assistance for a time because
00:11:46.609 --> 00:11:49.929
Tamara Zoner: my ex, as soon as I decided to stay, cut me off from her bank accounts.
00:11:50.229 --> 00:11:56.809
Tamara Zoner: So I had no money, three kids. And I was not so proud that I wasn't willing
00:11:56.809 --> 00:12:01.029
Tamara Zoner: to ask for the social assistance that is available to a lot of us.
00:12:01.129 --> 00:12:02.469
Tamara Zoner: And sometimes we're too proud.
00:12:02.629 --> 00:12:08.829
Tamara Zoner: And so we keep ourselves stuck because we won't ask for help. But I did. And I got it.
00:12:09.029 --> 00:12:12.429
Tamara Zoner: And that helped me get back on my feet and be where I am today,
00:12:12.469 --> 00:12:14.049
Tamara Zoner: which is in a really amazing place.
00:12:14.449 --> 00:12:20.989
Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Wow. It's such a powerful story. and I hope for anyone,
00:12:21.349 --> 00:12:27.409
Kevin Lowe: man or woman listening to this today, who's in a relationship, as you have described,
00:12:28.209 --> 00:12:34.109
Kevin Lowe: I hope that this can be that little spark that they need to hear today,
00:12:34.769 --> 00:12:36.749
Kevin Lowe: that they don't have to stay.
00:12:37.089 --> 00:12:40.449
Tamara Zoner: Me too, because it's only a belief in our mind that we're stuck.
00:12:40.449 --> 00:12:45.309
Tamara Zoner: I held it for so long. I was so attached to the belief that I had to make that
00:12:45.309 --> 00:12:48.829
Tamara Zoner: marriage work, that I was stuck in it, that I could never leave.
00:12:48.829 --> 00:12:52.429
Tamara Zoner: My own parents will celebrate 60 years of marriage in December.
00:12:52.789 --> 00:12:59.589
Tamara Zoner: So I thought I had to make this work, that I just had to deal with life, but that's not living.
00:13:00.929 --> 00:13:05.549
Tamara Zoner: That's not living. And so if anybody listening is feeling stuck,
00:13:05.729 --> 00:13:09.629
Tamara Zoner: like you don't know what to do, you don't have to know how to do it.
00:13:09.909 --> 00:13:13.429
Tamara Zoner: You simply have to decide what you want.
00:13:13.749 --> 00:13:14.189
Kevin Lowe: Yeah.
00:13:14.409 --> 00:13:15.609
Tamara Zoner: I want to feel better.
00:13:16.802 --> 00:13:25.262
Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Wow. Now, after that part had ended and you, you separated,
00:13:25.502 --> 00:13:28.722
Kevin Lowe: you left your husband, you're back at home.
00:13:28.942 --> 00:13:36.122
Kevin Lowe: How do you kind of begin to create a new kind of chapter for you, for your kids?
00:13:36.142 --> 00:13:38.722
Kevin Lowe: How does that all pan out for you?
00:13:39.242 --> 00:13:44.382
Tamara Zoner: One day at a time. And I really got clear on what I wanted my life to look and
00:13:44.382 --> 00:13:46.702
Tamara Zoner: feel like. So I use the very process that I teach.
00:13:47.042 --> 00:13:54.242
Tamara Zoner: So, you know, when my life is ideal, I am able to easily support my children
00:13:54.242 --> 00:13:56.242
Tamara Zoner: in their emotional and physical growth.
00:13:56.402 --> 00:14:03.222
Tamara Zoner: When my life is ideal, I am working in a job or a career that I love that makes
00:14:03.222 --> 00:14:07.422
Tamara Zoner: me feel alive and step by step by step like that.
00:14:07.622 --> 00:14:12.662
Tamara Zoner: So I, of course, I had kids to feed. So I did go, I was a brand new coach.
00:14:12.982 --> 00:14:17.402
Tamara Zoner: So here I had just begun building my business in the UK. And now I was back
00:14:17.402 --> 00:14:20.982
Tamara Zoner: here in Michigan, starting over from scratch.
00:14:21.402 --> 00:14:26.222
Tamara Zoner: And eventually I was like, going to stay true to being a coach and not go get a J-O-B.
00:14:26.582 --> 00:14:29.082
Tamara Zoner: But then I needed to feed my kids. And my parents were like,
00:14:29.242 --> 00:14:31.262
Tamara Zoner: what are you doing, Tam, are you going to get a job?
00:14:31.882 --> 00:14:37.282
Tamara Zoner: And so I started looking for positions that felt good.
00:14:37.442 --> 00:14:42.142
Tamara Zoner: I didn't want to just do anything. I wanted to, for the first time in my life,
00:14:42.242 --> 00:14:45.702
Tamara Zoner: to stay true to me, to stay authentic to me, to stay in integrity,
00:14:45.702 --> 00:14:48.762
Tamara Zoner: because I had been out of it for so long.
00:14:49.082 --> 00:14:54.862
Tamara Zoner: And so by the time I got a call from a senior community, I didn't even remember
00:14:54.862 --> 00:14:57.022
Tamara Zoner: what I had applied for. It had been weeks.
00:14:57.222 --> 00:15:01.942
Tamara Zoner: I was living on, I had state assistance. I had a little bit of savings from a tax return.
00:15:02.402 --> 00:15:08.502
Tamara Zoner: And I finally got this call, went into a senior community to be interviewed
00:15:08.502 --> 00:15:14.202
Tamara Zoner: for whatever position they had open. And I ended up in life enrichment and activities,
00:15:14.302 --> 00:15:16.242
Tamara Zoner: which was a perfect fit for me.
00:15:16.973 --> 00:15:22.773
Tamara Zoner: The place was five minutes from my house. So I could still watch my kindergartner
00:15:22.773 --> 00:15:27.413
Tamara Zoner: get on the bus in the morning, go to work, be on time, even if I left late,
00:15:27.453 --> 00:15:31.533
Tamara Zoner: and then be home in time for him to get back off of that bus.
00:15:32.413 --> 00:15:39.053
Tamara Zoner: Or have my mother, who I was now living with my parents, meet him at the bus if I couldn't be there.
00:15:39.173 --> 00:15:46.053
Tamara Zoner: So it wasn't me working around the clock. It was me still being able to be a
00:15:46.053 --> 00:15:50.973
Tamara Zoner: present parent and have my children at home where I actually grew up,
00:15:51.093 --> 00:15:51.953
Tamara Zoner: which was pretty amazing.
00:15:52.313 --> 00:15:57.113
Tamara Zoner: So it's a big 10 acres of land so they could run and play and I'd have to watch
00:15:57.113 --> 00:15:59.093
Tamara Zoner: them every second. And that was amazing.
00:15:59.973 --> 00:16:03.753
Tamara Zoner: And then I still kept coaching and speaking on the side,
00:16:04.153 --> 00:16:08.293
Tamara Zoner: running workshops here and there, but having fun in senior communities until
00:16:08.293 --> 00:16:12.773
Tamara Zoner: finally I got another call from a friend who there was a full-time director
00:16:12.773 --> 00:16:16.453
Tamara Zoner: of life enrichment position available at another senior community,
00:16:16.713 --> 00:16:18.493
Tamara Zoner: an independent senior community,
00:16:18.813 --> 00:16:20.573
Tamara Zoner: pretty luxury too.
00:16:20.933 --> 00:16:23.913
Tamara Zoner: And so I interviewed for that job and had it within three days.
00:16:24.093 --> 00:16:28.213
Tamara Zoner: And that really, now I was fully on my own feet.
00:16:28.353 --> 00:16:33.393
Tamara Zoner: I was working more, but it was a fun job and it was definitely enriching.
00:16:33.553 --> 00:16:37.593
Tamara Zoner: So one of my rules of life is to do things that light me up.
00:16:38.193 --> 00:16:43.913
Tamara Zoner: I don't think any of us have to struggle through life. If we do,
00:16:44.113 --> 00:16:46.633
Tamara Zoner: that's just our mind lying to us.
00:16:46.813 --> 00:16:51.993
Tamara Zoner: And it's really actually so important that we do things that bring us light
00:16:51.993 --> 00:16:57.213
Tamara Zoner: and joy and love, because that opens up a world of possibilities for us when
00:16:57.213 --> 00:16:58.753
Tamara Zoner: we're in this energy of love.
00:16:58.973 --> 00:17:03.733
Tamara Zoner: Then I think from my personal perspective, like a spirit or source or whatever
00:17:03.733 --> 00:17:07.593
Tamara Zoner: you call that big guy in the sky or don't call, it doesn't matter to me.
00:17:08.393 --> 00:17:14.353
Tamara Zoner: Then that greater being responds like, oh, you're doing good stuff for you here.
00:17:14.513 --> 00:17:15.653
Tamara Zoner: I'll give you some more of it.
00:17:15.913 --> 00:17:22.653
Tamara Zoner: And so life just kept getting more fun and more rich and until COVID hit,
00:17:22.853 --> 00:17:26.413
Tamara Zoner: but that's a whole second segment of the story. Right.
00:17:26.753 --> 00:17:31.193
Tamara Zoner: So I just took one day at a time and really allowed my heart to guide me?
00:17:31.493 --> 00:17:38.773
Kevin Lowe: Yeah. Wow. Now, when I'm listening to you talk about this, the question I have
00:17:38.773 --> 00:17:46.433
Kevin Lowe: when you talk about almost like talking to the person listening today and you
00:17:47.708 --> 00:17:51.188
Kevin Lowe: So many times I think we get stuck in a rut.
00:17:51.368 --> 00:17:54.748
Kevin Lowe: Like when you talk about like following what you really like,
00:17:54.908 --> 00:17:59.008
Kevin Lowe: what you love, your passion is, what lights you up, what is fun.
00:17:59.568 --> 00:18:05.888
Kevin Lowe: I think so many times as adults, we get stuck in the thing of what's it's it's
00:18:05.888 --> 00:18:09.888
Kevin Lowe: the it's our job, whether we like it or not. we go to work, we do the job.
00:18:10.348 --> 00:18:15.488
Kevin Lowe: And there's probably not even anything that most people can say that they have
00:18:15.488 --> 00:18:18.168
Kevin Lowe: as even a hobby that they love or enjoy.
00:18:18.708 --> 00:18:20.548
Kevin Lowe: What do you say to that person?
00:18:21.128 --> 00:18:24.748
Tamara Zoner: Find that hobby. Like a lot of people have forgotten because you're right,
00:18:24.928 --> 00:18:28.528
Tamara Zoner: we're weighed down by all the shoulds of adulthood. We're supposed to do this.
00:18:28.668 --> 00:18:32.628
Tamara Zoner: We have this checklist that we're, you know, we have to get a degree or a good
00:18:32.628 --> 00:18:35.868
Tamara Zoner: job or a career and then a house and then a partner, and then a family.
00:18:36.028 --> 00:18:40.408
Tamara Zoner: And we think this is this prescribed way of being that we have to do the same.
00:18:40.868 --> 00:18:45.628
Tamara Zoner: And so many times, and this is typical of my clients, they get to this point
00:18:45.628 --> 00:18:49.108
Tamara Zoner: where they say, Tamara, I've checked all the boxes and I'm still not happy.
00:18:49.648 --> 00:18:54.068
Tamara Zoner: Well, what is something that used to make you happy? So here's what I encourage
00:18:54.068 --> 00:18:57.408
Tamara Zoner: people to tap into. What used to make you feel happy?
00:18:58.088 --> 00:19:04.048
Tamara Zoner: What lights you up? Maybe you love true crime. Who cares?
00:19:
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