What if your superpower was secretly destroying your life?

Ian Fee spent decades thinking alcohol was his key to connection – his edge in business and relationships. He built a successful career, a massive network, and a party-filled life that looked like everything was working. But beneath the surface, he was numb, disconnected, and silently unraveling.

Everything changed on the third day of rehab, when a moment of clarity hit: if he wasn't right with himself, nothing else would ever be right. That spark ignited a complete shift. Since then, Ian's found deeper purpose through daily routines, emotional healing, and a strong core of support. He's sharing his story not just to reflect, but to help others know it's never too late to change your life.

Takeaways:

• A moment of emotional awakening in rehab changed Ian's direction for good
• He learned to replace numbing with daily healing practices like journaling, meditation, and cold plunges
• His transformation was possible because he built a small, trusted circle of support who saw every version of him

Topics Discussed:

• Why he believed alcohol was the key to his professional success
• The emotional suppression that followed decades of drinking
• Entering rehab and hitting a breaking point
• The role of his "core four" in keeping him grounded
• Creating daily rituals to feel better, not just function
• How sharing vulnerably helped him reclaim his story
• The ripple effect of helping others through his book

Websites:

makeitgreat.me – Ian's personal site with merch and info

Amazon – The Wild Ride to Sobriety by Ian Fee

Resources: To listen in on more conversations about pivotal moments that changed lives forever, subscribe to "The Life Shift" on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate the show 5 stars and leave a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Subscribe to The Life Shift Newsletter: https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/newsletter/

The Life Shift was just named one of the top 60 life-changing podcasts by FeedSpot: https://podcast.feedspot.com/life_changing_podcasts/

Connect with me:

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This bonus episode brings back Elizabeth Rosenberg, a past guest on The Life Shift, to reflect on her journey since we last chatted. She shares how her perspective has evolved over the months, particularly regarding vulnerability and sharing personal stories. Elizabeth emphasizes the importance of leaning into our truths and how doing so can lead to unexpected growth and healing. It’s fascinating to hear how her experiences have shaped not just her personal life but also her professional endeavors.

If you're curious about the impact of sharing your story and the shifts that can follow, this conversation is definitely for you.

I’m excited to share bonus episodes from Patreon, where I revisited past guests to discuss what has changed and the value of sharing their stories. Since I currently only have the lower tiers available, I wanted to make these conversations accessible to the public feed. If you'd like to support the show directly, please consider joining the $3 or $5 tier on Patreon – www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast.

What if the moment you learned who you really are changed everything?

Leyla King grew up in a vibrant family surrounded by food, faith, and love, but she did not have the language or clarity to name her Palestinian identity. In this episode, Leyla shares how a high school film screening shifted everything, leading her to reclaim her heritage, record her grandmother’s stories, and write Daughters of Palestine: A Memoir in Five Generations.

This conversation explores the power of generational storytelling, the intersection of faith and culture, and the deep responsibility of telling stories that were nearly lost.

You’ll hear about:

• Discovering her Palestinian identity as a teenager

• Recording her grandmother’s oral history in 2002

• How passing as white shaped her understanding of privilege

• The role of faith in survival, resilience, and storytelling

• Why she’s sharing her family’s truth with the world now

Guest Bio:

Leyla K. King is a Palestinian American Episcopal priest and the author of Daughters of Palestine. She’s a founding member of Palestinian Anglicans and Clergy Allies and serves as the Canon for Mission in Small Congregations for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas.

More from Leyla:

Website: thankfulpriest.com

Book info & essays: thankfulpriest.com

Groups: palestiniananglicans.org, smallchurchesbigimpact.org

Resources: To listen in on more conversations about pivotal moments that changed lives forever, subscribe to "The Life Shift" on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate the show 5 stars and leave a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Access ad-free episodes released two days early: https://patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast

Subscribe to The Life Shift Newsletter: https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/newsletter/

The Life Shift was just named one of the top 60 life-changing podcasts by FeedSpot: https://podcast.feedspot.com/life_changing_podcasts/

Connect with me:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thelifeshiftpodcast

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelifeshiftpodcast

YouTube: https://bit.ly/thelifeshift_youtube

Twitter: www.twitter.com/thelifeshiftpod

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelifeshiftpodcast

Website: www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com

Chantal Watts joins me again to dive into what’s changed since her first appearance on The Life Shift podcast. We get real about the impact of sharing her story, especially how it resonated with her former teacher and classmates.

Chantal reflects on the healing power of being open about her past and how it helped her connect with those who once knew her. It's all about the significance of vulnerability and how our stories can touch others, creating community and support. This bonus episode is a reminder that sharing isn’t just about us; it’s about the connections we forge along the way.

I’m excited to share bonus episodes from Patreon, where I revisited past guests to discuss what has changed and the value of sharing their stories. Since I currently only have the lower tiers available, I wanted to make these conversations accessible to the public feed. If you'd like to support the show directly, please consider joining the $3 or $5 tier on Patreon – www.patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast.

Healing isn’t linear. Just when you think you’ve moved on – from heartbreak, betrayal, or someone who broke your trust – something small can bring it all back. A song, a post, a memory. And suddenly you're asking yourself, “Why does this still hurt?”

That doesn't mean you’re broken.

It means you cared.

It means you trusted.

And it hurt.

This short reflection reminds us that healing has no perfect timeline. Even if it’s been months or years, it’s okay if the sting still shows up. It doesn’t mean you’re stuck – it means you’re still healing.

If an old wound is still lingering, this is your permission slip to feel it without shame, to honor the ache without rushing it away.

What happens when your child whispers, “It hurts everywhere, Mama”?

When the unthinkable becomes your reality, how do you show up — not just for your child, but for yourself? Laura DeKraker Lang-Ree shares the moment her world split in two with her daughter’s cancer diagnosis, and the extraordinary path it put her on.

Here’s what Laura’s story reveals:

• How trusting her intuition led to a life-saving diagnosis and years of fierce advocacy

• The power of creating a new “normal” when the old one shatters overnight

• Why she turned her pain into purpose, writing the guidebook she so desperately needed

From redefining resilience to honoring the lessons that only come with time, Laura opens up about what she learned through crisis — and how she’s turning that knowledge into a lifeline for others.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The night Laura's daughter told her she hurt “everywhere” — and how that changed everything

• What it feels like when you hear “your child has cancer”

• Stepping into the role of advocate without a manual

• The mental load and emotional weight of caregiving

• Finding community with other parents — and facing survivor’s guilt

• The moment a stranger handed her a lifeline in the hospital hallway

• Choosing not to live in the trauma for three years straight

• How a simple monologue unearthed a deeper calling to write her book

• Collaborating with her daughter’s oncologist decades later

• Why she believes parents need options, not just hope

More About Laura DeKraker Lang-Ree

Website: cancerparentshandbook.com

IG/FB/LinkedIn: @cancerparentshandbook

When Laura DeKraker Lang-Ree’s 3-year-old daughter, Cecilia, was diagnosed with leukemia, she was thrown into the chaos of childhood cancer—only to realize there was no guide, no roadmap, no expert to turn to. Determined and terrified, she became a crash-course “cancer expert,” uncovering the emotional, logistical, and relational challenges parents face.

Her book, The Cancer Parent’s Handbook: What Your Oncologist Doesn’t Have Time to Tell You, is the guide she wishes she’d had—practical, no-nonsense, and packed with strategies to help parents move beyond paralyzing stress and grief. Laura teaches families how to ask for help, build support systems, and advocate fiercely for their children while holding their own lives together.

Now an author, speaker, and advocate, she equips parents to navigate the relentless world of pediatric cancer and chronic illness with strength, clarity, and a solid plan. She lives in Los Gatos, California, and travels nationwide to support families, medical teams, and advocacy groups.

Resources: To listen in on more conversations about pivotal moments that changed lives forever, subscribe to "The Life Shift" on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate the show 5 stars and leave a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Access ad-free episodes released two days early: https://patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast

Subscribe to The Life Shift Newsletter: https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/newsletter/

The Life Shift was just named one of the top 60 life-changing podcasts by FeedSpot: https://podcast.feedspot.com/life_changing_podcasts/

Connect with me:

Instagram:

Sometimes, the life you built no longer fits who you are becoming. The old habits, the roles you played, the way you showed up in the world – it might feel familiar, but also a little tight, a little scratchy, like a favorite sweatshirt that doesn't quite belong to you anymore.

That’s not failure. That’s growth.

This short reflection explores what it means to feel the tension between who you were and who you're becoming. It's a quiet invitation to honor your past self – the version of you that got you this far – and gently let them go.

If you’ve been feeling the itch to evolve, the tug to shift, this is your permission slip to keep growing. You don’t have to stay the same to prove your worth.

Starting over is never easy. Whether you're in a new job, a new city, a new relationship, or simply facing a new season of life, there's a part of us that resists feeling new.

It whispers things like, "I should have figured this out by now," or "I shouldn't feel this lost."

But feeling like a beginner isn't failure – it's growth in disguise.

This short reflection offers a gentle reminder that the discomfort of starting over is also an invitation:

If you're fumbling your way through something unfamiliar right now, you're not alone. You don't have to have it all figured out. It's okay to be new at this.