104: Schools, Side-Boob & Shots, Untold Truths & Unexpected Pivots w/ Sydni O'Connell

All right, crew, we got a juicy one. Today I am going to be sharing parts of my story I have never shared, and doing so alongside of an amazing guest who I've had the privilege of working with this past year. And she is doing amazing things for children and families and this entire world, which, as you know, former educator, I'm so passionate about, that she has turned her skill set into her business of entrepreneurship and how she supports others. But we have a really shared, interesting story around what it feels like to feel betrayal or to feel like what you envisioned was just ripped out from under you. And so we're gonna dive into it today, and I just got goosebumps, so I know it's gonna be a good one. Both a little bit nervous, honestly, to talk about things that we haven't talked about and even, like, are we gonna be censored? Are we gonna like, what's gonna happen? But we're just saying it and we're going for it because these messages get to be heard because we know we are not alone in these experiences. So I'm excited. Sydney, welcome to the podcast.

Thanks for having me.

All right, so let people know, you know, give them some contacts, tell them about who you are and what you do.

Sure. So I'm a school psychologist by training, and I worked in the schools for many years, which we'll get to, But I now have my practice where I work with kids in person, and I incorporate physical movement in addition to, you know, what people think. Think of more as traditional talk therapy. So it's just a spin on the traditional talk there.

So good. I love, though, it's like embodiment, right? It's like feeling in your body and processing your emotions and all of that. So powerful.

Yep.

Yeah, it's so, so effective for kids, too. I mean, it just changes the dynamic. I don't expect any kid to come in and sit and look at me for 50 minutes and just talk. So we move, we move. We play games, we play sports. It's a lot of fun, and it's really beneficial for them.

So powerful. And what a gift it is for families, for siblings, for parents, and for that child to have the tools from a young age to be able to understand, express, and process their emotions.

Yeah, it's huge.

In a way that doesn't feel boring.

Exactly. That's the key. It's the key with kids.

But this was not your plan for what you'd be doing right now. Like, if someone had said to you, let me think, I don't know, a year ago. This is where you'll be right now in your life. What would like, would you have seen that?

Absolutely not even.

We'll go. I'm looking at the calendar like 14 months ago.

No, I mean, I had planned to work in a school as a school psychologist. I loved my job. I had started my fifth year, like on my own in the same school. And I thought I was going to be there for the next 25 and then maybe do this thing on the side. But that was my plan. And I'm a planner. That was my plan.

So we have so many similarities. It's really interesting. It's really interesting. And as the show and those who are listening, a lot is around grief and a lot is just around life because grief is an intense manifestation of life. But when we talk about some of our similarities, it's interesting for anyone listening who isn't aware. In my previous life, I was a high school administrator. I started in schools as a teacher for students with language based learning and social emotional disabilities, really working on how emotion impacts learning. I was also a high school coach. You know me, I always want to see what's the next level. And I, you know, they said you couldn't be an athletic director. And I was like, I'm going to be an athletic director. And I fought so hard for that job. I lost in the final round my first year of applying. And then my second year, I went to a different school, went all in, Learned so much in that year around the job and the role. I went to the person who got the job over me shook his hand and said, congratulations, you don't know the school. I do. I'm going to work as your unpaid assistant for a year and learn everything so I'd never lose an interview again. And he was like, okay. And so I didn't. So anyways, my point is, I landed this dream job. 300 people applied for it, and I thought that was going to be where I retired from. I was going to retire as a high school athletic director. You were going to retire as a high school or school psychologist.

Yep.

And that's not what happened.

Not at all. Nope. Not at all.

What's interesting, and I'm going to ask you to share a bit about your story. But what's interesting, as you just shared, was that for me, it was my fifth year as well.

Wow.

I had professional status. I was in the administrator's union, and I was told by my direct boss supervisor that I was going to be taken care of. And it creates the sense of safety.

No Sounds familiar.

Yeah, because we were both in really high performing school districts.

Right?

Really high standards, well performing, pretty affluent school districts. But I think what comes with that, Sydney, is actually a heavier price of politics.

I would agree. Yes. And ultimately, I mean, that's what drove me out. So it was last October. I had just recently gotten married, was riding the high of that and headed out for my honeymoon. Which side note, always, always take your days. If you're in a job that, you know, you're like, do I take my time off? Take your time off. Thank you. You never know what's going to happen. I'm so grateful that I did it that way, but I was on my honeymoon and ultimately fighting, fighting for my job. I was told if I didn't comply with getting the shot that I was going to be put on unpaid leave and like threatened to be terminated. And I mean, I was like, no way. Like, this, this isn't going to really happen. This isn't my plan. Like, there's, there's no way. But I returned from my honeymoon for, I think it was just a couple of days. And like the day, as the days passed, it got more and more real that they're like, no, you're going to be on unpaid leave as of October 26 or 26, whatever it was. And I remember like crying in the offices of my colleagues and my supervisors. And I was like, I guess I'm not coming in on Monday. Like, I don't know. And I don't know if I'll ever be back. I mean, it was just, it was a horrible, horrible feeling. And horrible for the kids I worked with too, which was one of the most frustrating parts because I didn't get a proper closure with any of them because I didn't know what was happening. So I didn't comply. I stood for what I believed in and they put me on unpaid leave. And that turned into months and I was eventually terminated at the end of the, the calendar year, December.

So thank you for sharing. And like, oof. I mean, just imagining what it must have been like to come back from the high of your honeymoon, married, you have professional status, you have relationships with kids, with families, with administrators, with colleagues. And then to literally be told that a choice that you are making about your health and your body and your beliefs was going to rip off basically any perceived safety net, right? And who really cares about the contributions you've made or what you've done because you're choosing not to have this shot that you, you're gone.

Truly, like the Word that comes up again and again. And at the time was surreal. I'm like, this. This isn't happening. I mean, literally sitting on the beach and, like, corresponding with a lawyer, like, how do. Like, how do I keep my job? Like, what? You know, it was just like, what the hell? And I joked with my husband. I was like, didn't know I was going to become a trophy wife so.

Quick.

Month into marriage. But, I mean, everyone. Thank God, everyone around me supported me, and they were like, you know what? Stand for what you believe in, and, like, you're going to be fine. You'll figure it out. But it was. It was like, I can't believe I'm just a number. Like, I'm. They. They don't care about me, you know, and we're in this, like, mental health crisis, but here they are willing to get rid of, you know, mental health support in the school. It just didn't make sense to me. It was truly surreal.

Surreal definitely resonates for me. So I was also put on administrative leave in my fifth year for something very politically driven. In fact, it was something that had kind of transpired in January, and it wasn't until April that I was put on leave. I was like, we'd all moved on. Well, moved on, but what do you think?

Right.

But then it was, you know, politics gets involved. And unfortunately, that was one of the. That was the hardest part of the school system for me, was that I felt like the vision, which is to educate and empower, gets lost in the politics. So I don't know about you, but did they have. Did they, like, walk you out?

No, because I was put on unpaid leave. And then it was. I was literally in limbo for, like, three months. Like, am I going to be allowed back or do I go get my stuff or. So they literally, like, walked me out.

To my car to watch me get in my car and leave. And I was like, I don't. I don't know what's happening right now. All right, like, and then I remember I. I called my secretary because I'm pulling out of the parking lot, and I was like, I left my juices in the fridge. And so I called her, and I.

Was like, can you bring my juices out? Good for you.

And, you know, and she's a dear, dear friend of mine. Still. Still. And I'm interested to know how your relationships have maintained or changed from that in the school system. I found for me, that it made it really clear who my people were.

Yeah.

And it actually strengthened a lot of my friendships.

Yeah, yeah, I would say, I would say the same. I mean, there's a handful of people I'm still in close contact with, even with, you know, differing, like, opposing views or whatever. But yeah, it does make it pretty clear, like, you know, who, who saw you as just, you know, filling that seat, doing your job, and who saw you as like a human and really felt for you that like, this was happening.

Yeah, I think it really, I think for me it's interesting how you said, like, filling a seat for me, like, in a role of a high school athletic director, you're as visible as the principal and the superintendent, and especially in a town that's performing well.

Right.

And what I think I realized was this, like, hard truth. One safety is. It's perceived. It's a perceived truth.

Yeah.

And we both learned this in a lot of ways.

Right.

And two was that I was an award winning president in my role in the state who had done a really successful job in my role, but none of it fucking matters when it's not convenient or when, like, people, like, when you are not making someone's life easier, whatever it may be. And I, I'm not even saying that with anger. I'm saying that with, like, it was a reality check for me. Like, wow, I was just so comfortable thinking I was just safe. And I, like, I was. This was just how I was gonna go. And I just almost assumed because I was really good and a good person, had good relationships and had done all that, that people were gonna fight hard for me. And it, it was kind of this, like, rude awakening, like a reality check. And again, I don't even necessarily blame some of them for not fighting. Like, I get it. I actually get it. But, like, it was a freaking awakening of, wow, Melissa, how are you taking full responsibility for your safety and not leaving that to any perceived status or certificate? And how are you taking full ownership of fighting for yourself so that. And creating the life that you want to live so that you aren't expecting that the life that you think you're going to live is going to be what it is? I don't know if that makes sense to me.

Yeah, it brings me back to thinking, like, yeah, I have. I had a plan. You know, I was like, I'm safe. And this is, this is how my next however many years are going to go. Like, I even, you know, working in a school, you can see the salary chart. Like, you're like, I know what I'm going to make and you have it all kind of you have the vision, like, you know how it's going to go, or so you think.

Yeah.

And I'm. I mean, looking back now, I'm grateful, too. I think I've grown so much from. I mean, I had no choice but to grow from this opportunity. So I have and, you know, shifted my energy and put it elsewhere because, yeah, it wasn't. It was a false. False sense of safety.

But I think Sydney, is what we're. You know, what we're drawing light to for the listener, is that really check in. Where do we just assume or do we think something's safe or guaranteed? I'm not saying that to be running around in fear, saying it's just running around in ownership. And I mean, we think. I mean, look, 50% of marriages don't last. Nobody gets on that, like, makes their. Says their vows thinking, this isn't going to work.

Right.

But then it becomes something that doesn't feel safe anymore. Something that felt safe.

Right.

You know, for me, I declared that it was going to be the last year of my life when I was pregnant with Laden, that I wouldn't be Santa. And I realized that that was a safety I had, like, assumed was gonna. Was gonna come true. And so I think what we're speaking to for anyone listening is, like, not. Not to, like, be, like, mean or dark, but where do you owe it to yourself to build your safety within you so that no matter what happens, you know, you're going to be okay if that relationship doesn't work, if that job ends, if that child doesn't survive.

Mm. Yeah.

Which I know is something that, you know, we share our journey on, which I want to get into that in a little bit. But coming back to schools, because we could go in so many directions. I mean, we got entrepreneurship, because how different is entrepreneurship when, like, we don't have exactly a salary schedule table telling us what we're going to be making on a. But I want to get into that. But I just think also really feeling into, like, what that was like for you when you felt like the plan was ripped out from underneath you or. Or feeling betrayed or feeling. I don't know. I felt shamed.

Yeah. Yeah.

I mean, in some ways, I did feel, like, empowered because I was, you know, I did have, like, the good for me. I'm standing up for what I believe in, and I'm like, I'm not gonna comply with something I don't believe in just to keep this job, which I did. I loved. I loved my job, but I was like, you Know what? I did have that clarity. And I attribute a lot of it to the people who surround me, my community and my family. So it was empowering. But it was like I didn't know what the heck to do. The safety net that I was used to and an income, and I just found myself with, you know, more free time. And that's why I, you know, put my energy into entrepreneurship. I said, you know what? This was the kick, kick in the ass I needed to get to get this going.

Yeah.

Well, which is so funny because we both invested in our first masterminds, like business programs when we were on administrative leave for March, our so quote, unquote safe jobs. Because that was, I remember for me, it was May of 2018, I believe, and I invested in that mastermind. I'm like, what are you doing? Like, no, you got, you're gonna go back to school, you're gonna fight for your job. And like, there was a part of me, like, I remember talking to my attorneys, like, I've gotta fight. I gotta fight. I gotta fight. I gotta fight. No, we gotta win. I gotta prove I'm right. Prove I'm right.

Prove him right.

Yeah.

And I realized that, like, proving I was right was an ego based conversation. And working on my business and focusing on myself was like an expansion based conversation.

Yes.

Yes.

And that's what you did. And that's how we met.

Yeah. Yep.

There we are.

So, Sydney, you started in what was 90 day CEO and then you continued now in elevate. And so entrepreneurship comes with a lot of ups and downs.

Right.

A lot of not sure how to manage it. I'm sure that your school experience, you know, kind of impacted how you navigate entrepreneurship. So what advice would you have for someone listening who is feeling like maybe like all of their power is in a job or a relationship or in something like that. If that were to disappear, they would feel completely lost.

Oof. I would say go do the work, like the internal work so that, you know, the thing that you think would never happen, like that job being taken away or that relationship ending, that you can stand on your own two feet and like grow from it and, you know, pivot or evolve or however you look at it, but have, you know, like, have that foundation so, you know, you'll. You'll be okay.

Yeah, I think doing, I mean, it's so powerful. I mean, that's when I, you know, I think for me, having had lost Laden prior to being on administrative leave and losing the job supported me in that if I could get through that I could get through this. And it's something I think we can all remind ourselves of. Like, we're not the only two people here who have, you know, listening, who have. Who have been through hard stuff.

Yeah.

And so I always like to look back at, wow. If I got through that, like, I can. I can figure this out.

Right.

And so I'm sure some of your skills in navigating and managing things through the school has supported you in entrepreneurship.

Yeah. Yeah.

And it's interesting when you just said that I had similar but different experience in that I lost my job first and then months later was met with another loss when I. We lost our first pregnancy. And it was again, like, from the highest of highs, like, the joy of finding out we were pregnant and then that being ripped from underneath us. And I. It actually dawned on me the other day, listening to your podcast with Brad when he was talking about the fact that, you know, he was grieving the loss of a career on top of grieving the loss of his daughter, I was like, oh, my God. That. That was. I was having a similar experience. I didn't know it at the time. I knew things were kind of piling up. I was like, wow. Like, this feels like one thing after another in some ways. But, you know, listening to that pot, I was like, wow. Like, I was still grieving, you know, that plan that I thought was safe and the next however many years, and then I was. I had to, you know, navigate this new manifestation of grief and losing my first pregnancy.

So, yeah, I mean, that was a really shitty stretch for you, and I think it's really powerful at the visualization of the highs and the lows that you shared.

Right.

Like, oh, my gosh, I got married about my honeymoon. Oh, my God, my job, my career is like, what? And then, oh, my gosh, we're pregnant. This is amazing. And then, wow, we lost our child.

Yep.

How did you keep yourself out of victim?

I honestly, I leaned in to the community and, like, the 90 day community was so critical for me at that time. And again, I knew it when I was going through it, but, like, looking back, I'm like, you know, thank goodness I had. I had that. I mean, I have amazing support in my friends and family, but that gave me something to, like, show up to and gave me a sense of belonging in, you know, entrepreneurship can be lonely, right? And then. Then you're met with this grief on top of it, and it was just like, holy shit. But I think surrounding myself with the support, like, allowing myself time to grieve, but also, you know, saying, like, I'm going to put my energy into moving forward and, you know, doing whatever's next for me.

Yeah. So powerful. It's like controlling what you can control and letting go what you can't. And so often we try to. We try to control the things we can't, and we don't take ownership for the things we can. Like, we can only take ownership for our own energy, yet so often we're resistant to doing that. And that's really powerful how you shared how, you know, the community really supported you. And it's a concept. I coach a lot in grief, and I've done a whole podcast episode on it called building your world, which is like, the grief, the loss, the breakup, the job change that doesn't actually get smaller, but when you build your world up to be bigger, it takes up less space. And so what I was envisioning as you were talking about that was like, your world expanding.

Right.

And having that support and knowing, like, yeah, entrepreneurship can be lonely. It definitely can be lonely.

Right?

Yeah. So we've shared these commonalities, and, well, we've been together 90 day and elevate, but we've got the Tulum crossover.

Right.

When you found out all this was happening, which is kind of funny because I was here.

Yep.

We've got five years. We've got the loss of our first child.

Right.

And entrepreneurship and this, like, vision to educate impact. So I don't know what we're meant to create in this universe together. Sydney. But I'm just saying right now, to anyone listening, just, like, stay tuned. Okay. But there's definitely something there. You know, I'd like to come back to what it feels like. You know, I think there's a level of. And this is something I did a solo podcast on, some very passionate about it. And I believe that if I'm here to teach one lesson, it is this and it is that we are entitled to nothing and worthy of everything. And so often we think that we are worthy of nothing or we need a number on a scale or a bank account or a relationship or a job to validate our worthiness. And yet we also can walk around like we're entitled to things.

Right.

Like, I'm in. I was entitled to my union protecting me in that job because I paid dues.

Right.

Or I'm entitled to have, you know, my administrators fight frigging harder for me and not given to politics because I'd worked my ass off for five years. And I realized like, that feeling of betrayal that I felt when the politics won was actually an entitlement that I was carrying of. Like, I'm entitled to this because I did this. And it's something that my daughter Layden taught me prior to this. But it's a lesson we always learn over and over and over.

Right.

Was I wasn't entitled to a healthy child. I want one. I'm worthy of one. I can grieve and be pain and feel all the feels that comes with not having been blessed with one. But it's this feeling of entitlement, Cindy, that I just feel like keeps coming up and what you're talking about, because also entrepreneurship is ownership. It's knowing I'm worthy of pursuing what I want to do. And it's also you on administrative leave investing, you know, thousands of dollars in building a business that you don't even. You made a dollar off of.

Right.

Like, whatever it may be, but that's not entitlement. That's ownership of, like, I am worthy of this. I am investing in this. I'm going to learn how to do it, and I'm going to be in the driver's seat. So I don't know if anything just came alive for you in that, but I just think you are of the model of letting go of the entitlement and take stepping into ownership.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, I think when you, when you put it like that, like, when you, when you make that transition into the ownership or, you know, you start like, embodying that, it's so powerful and, you know, don't feel like, entitled to anything or like you don't have that. Not that it was like, I would never describe myself as arrogant, but, like, you know, sometimes you think you're invincible to certain that you're like, that's not going to happen to me. Like, I'm not going to lose my job. Like, I'm. I'm not somebody that would ever be fired. Like, I'm not going to do anything wrong.

Or even that feeling of if I don't do anything wrong, then everything will go right.

Yeah, yeah, right.

True. Very true. And like you said before, you know, you really can focus on what you can control, and that's it. There's so much that you can't.

And not doing anything wrong is like a scarcity thing.

Right.

I mean, I was in that for a while.

Right.

I checked the classes. Don't do anything wrong. But that's a scarcity way of being versus this idea of, like, I can't Possibly fuck it up. I can't possibly fuck it up because there are bunny opportunities. I can always learn.

There's always feedback.

Right.

There's always something valuable in whatever I'm experiencing, you know?

Yeah. Yeah.

And I look back now and I know we think we've both said this. Like, it's one of the best things that could have happened to me is, you know, being told to leave my job.

Yeah. Yes. Thank you for bringing that up. And we're. When we were kind of talking about it, it's like that hidden pivotal moment, like that hidden life changing. Like you were saying, you think landing that career or getting married or having a child, like, that's going to be your pivotal moments. Like, that's what society tells us are the pivotal moments.

Really.

Our pivotal moments are usually a lot less celebratory, and they can change our whole lives. I mean, man, do I really wish. I'm just going to say it might have to do a whole episode, but do I really wish that, like, a tiny sliver of my side boob wasn't on social media and didn't go, like, viral among all my students? Yeah, I do. But I do wish that never happened.

Right.

But if that was what it was going to be to. For me to be on the path that I'm on now, where I'm actually in so much more vision, making so much more impact and so much more free from politics and bullshit, and all of my energy gets to go into growing things. Like, I remember. I'm just going on it, Cindy, But I remember, like, I remember, like, having these feelings, like, why am I fighting so hard to improve things? Like, why is me wanting to work hard a battle because of all the red tape and the politics and who and who? And like, Like, I'm just. We're just trying to make this better. Like, and I've realized, and gosh, I know. I have a lot of educators that listen to this podcast. One of the things I realized as we get into education, because we want to help people and we work hard, no one is going into it for the money. You have a work ethic in education, and you're committed and you want to help people.

Right?

What I realized is I was working so hard, hard, and yet I was worthy of reaping the benefits of how hard I work. And so when I took my work ethic and then my vision and figured out how to build a business, it's unbelievable how much has changed. And so thank you. Sad boob on the interwebs.

That's what it takes.

Right.

But, like, I know Cindy, you'd never want to go through it, but you wouldn't be where you are right now had that not happened.

Yeah.

No. And I feel like I'm much more in alignment with my help, my service, what I want to do for kids. And I could only do so much in the school, and like, you said, so much red tape. And I mean, I'd be in meetings where I would be like, are we losing sight of the fact we're Talking about a 12 year old girl who needs help? Because, like, we were so concerned with, like, oh, she doesn't have meet criteria for this disability. And like, we don't have a program that would help, you know, But I'm like, what the hell? We're talking about a kid. Like, what are we going to. What are we going to do for her? And now I get to. I get to do. I get to, like, do the things that, you know, the schools maybe weren't capable of.

Yeah, totally. And you know, like, I don't. I don't even fault anyone that was in the school. That's really the system. I really don't. But people are so worn down, they don't realize it doesn't have to be that way. One of my friends asked me about a year or so ago, if you could do one thing in your whole lifetime, what would it be? And I was like, I want to change the entire education system. And he was like, whoa. And my vision has shifted a little bit. But I mean, that changes our world. Yeah, that changes our world. But I mean, I remember. So for me, you know, what you're doing right now through exercise. Exercise.

Exercise. Just exercise and psychology pushed together.

I know.

And I made it psyched because I was so excited.

Well, that's my. That's my Instagram handle because, you know, things were taken and whatever else.

Okay.

Okay, good.

So exercise. But what you're able to do now is you can go even deeper. You can just focus on the human being in front of you and not worry about the paperwork. And like the. I remember the IEP flowcharts from when I was in them. Like, oh, yeah. Oh, check the box. Yes. No. Okay, if. No, this way. If. Yes, that way, like, like human beings. This was a fit in a 1970s roadmap box or whatever it is, right?

Yep, exactly.

And for me, like, you know, I'm a. I'm a creator. I'm a. Like, my ideas don't stop. I swear, Brad, sometimes, like, does your brain stop? Like, no. But I'm a creator, and so that came out for me. And so when I was a high school administrator, I was like, okay, we're bringing this back, and we're going to do this, and we're going to rebrand, and we're going to. And I had so many ideas. I'm like, I created captain's council, coaches advisory, parent advisory. I brought pep rally back. I rebranded the colors. Like, I was like. And it got to the point where, like, they were, like, the school was, like, annoyed by all my ideas. Because, one, it's time. It's money, and, like, why do we need to. It's not broken. Don't fix it. It's not broken. Don't fix it. And I am a It's not broken. Is it optimized thinker. How can we make it better? And I realized that I never, ever would have grown to my optimal had I stayed in school.

And I would also push back that, you know, some things in the schools are broken. I mean, why not change them? Optimize them.

Totally is. Unfortunately, it's a culture that, like, it breeds mediocrity because, I mean, you see it all the time. People come in young, energized, enthusiastic. They work really hard, but then they either burn out, quit, or become, like, resentful.

Yeah.

And it takes a lot to be like you. Like, not even challenging the system, just trying to update it, or, like you said, optimize it. I mean, a lot of people, I have so much respect for educators, but, I mean, because of the politics and different things, people just are complacent. Like, they just show up, do their thing for kids, and that's it. It takes a lot to overhaul things that need to be updated.

Oh, gosh, we could do a whole other podcast on that. Well, Sydney, thank you so much, like, for creating this environment where we can talk about, you know, what it's like when what you expected completely doesn't happen. Whether it's, you know, for both of us in our careers and for both of us with our journeys as mothers, you know, and both of us as entrepreneurs, and I think just standing as a model for people of what's possible and also the courage that it takes, because I'm just gonna guess. I'm gonna guess there was a part of you, because there was a big part of me that wanted to go back and be, like, prove your point. Like, if I were you, given, like, the. The shot, whatever, I would have probably wanted to go back and, like, bring research and articles, and I'd Be on, like, telegram, where, like, news isn't censored. And I'd be like, look, motherfuckers.

Right?

Oh, yeah. I've had people sending me. Things are like, send this. Send this to your district. And there is. There was that part. And then, you know, I reached the point of, like, this isn't where my energy is going anymore. Like, this is. This is draining me versus filling me, and I'm. I'm moving on.

You know, it's funny, like, you had a lot of people fighting for you too, right? Yeah, there's a lot of. A lot of letters written on my behalf. People fighting for me. And I remember, like, talking to. Except a lot of relationships with local media, right. From being in athletics or whatever. And I remember talking and, like, being like, all right, we're gonna do an interview. I'm gonna tell the true story. I'm gonna, like. And I was gonna go on, like, the local tv, and I was like, I'm gonna tell it all, because everyone needs to know the truth, because what was out there, if anyone is listening, was not true.

It was fake news.

And I remember, like, on the conversation with my attorney, like, you know, ultimately I resigned. Ultimately, I resigned, but I wanted to fight and go back and go back just to prove and win. And my attorney was like, melissa, do you even want to be there? Is this even worth your energy? And that was, like, a moment where I was like, blossom, release. Just let it.

Yep, exactly. And once you reach that point, oh, it's just freeing.

Freeing is the perfect word. Yeah. All right, Sydney, thank you so much. I can't wait to see what unfolds for us.

I know. I'm here for it. I'm here for whatever we're gonna co create.

Yeah. So where can people find you if they want to learn more about you and your work?

Yeah. So my. So my Instagram handle is Xercyched. So E X E R P S Y C H E D. And similarly, my website, exercyched.com.

Amazing. And, you know, if you are looking to have support for, you know, your child or anyone that you work with and in managing their, you know, really their emotional intelligence, what's coming up for them, their feelings, and giving them the tools that they are so worthy of having to not fear their emotions, but, like, to flow through them, definitely check out Cindy's work, even if she's not in your area yet.

Right.

Reach out, because she is an abundance of resources, of love and of commitment to our future generations.

Thank you.

All right, we'll see you all soon.

Thank you all so much for being here at Grief and Guts as Layden's mom. Being able to spread the stories, the strategies, the lessons I have learned through Layden and from Layden is the thing that means the most to me in this world and allowing my daughter's short life to have long and lasting impact by shining her light. Truly, nothing means more if you align with and believe in the work that we're doing here in these messages. The best way to give back and to spread this out into the world is to rate and review on Spotify and on itunes. Thank you for taking just a moment to do that. Feel free to shoot me a message. Let me know what you want to hear more of, what you want to see more of. I am here to serve. I'm grateful to do so, and I'm cheering you on in your journeys.

Always.