Relentlessly Resilient Podcast

From Real Estate to a real escape, Annette turned tragedy into a new path

Life is complicated, and when Annette's husband passed away in a very tragic and public way, life for Annette seemed more complex than ever. This real estate and business professional, who had always lived a very structured and planned life, decided to become more comfortable with discomfort. She completely changed her lifestyle, learning to trust the ‘Spirit’ and literally moving to Hawaii for a real escape that led to real change. Now, she inspires others to thrive in their own way, including our host Michelle Scharf, who invited her to share her story on this episode of Relentlessly Resilient today. 
Even though we live in challenging times, we can become ‘Relentlessly Resilient’ as we lean on and learn from one another’s experiences. Hosts Jennie Taylor and Michelle Scharf are no strangers to overcoming adversity; Michelle lost her husband to cancer, while Jennie’s husband, Major Brent Taylor, was killed in the service of our country. Their stories bond them together, and now listeners can join them weekly as they visit with others enduring challenges and who teach us how they are exercising resiliency, finding value in their grief, and purpose in moving forward. 
Presented by Minky Couture, makers of the most luxurious and soft blankets with a mission to share comfort and love during the special moments of life.
Listen to the Relentlessly Resilient Podcast regularly on your favorite platform, at kslpodcasts.com, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio App. Join the Resilience conversation on Facebook at @RelentlesslyResilient and Instagram @RelentlesslyResilientPodcast. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Business Coach Heather Higgins on empowering transformations with NovelExpressions.org

Heather Higgins took a setback and made it an opportunity that worked for her! Now, she empowers others to take on similar transformations with her personal and business consulting programs and retreats. Using her decades of successful business experience in sales and manufacturing, she started Novel Expressions with a mission to empower business leaders to unlock their full potential through core value alignment and comprehensive training. She joins this episode of Relentlessly Resilient to share her story, wisdom, and LifeSynce program for holistic personal development. 
Even though we live in challenging times, we can become ‘Relentlessly Resilient’ as we lean on and learn from one another’s experiences. Hosts Jennie Taylor and Michelle Scharf are no strangers to overcoming adversity; Michelle lost her husband to cancer, while Jennie’s husband, Major Brent Taylor, was killed in the service of our country. Their stories bond them together, and now listeners can join them weekly as they visit with others enduring challenges and who teach us how they are exercising resiliency, finding value in their grief, and purpose in moving forward. 
Presented by Minky Couture, makers of the most luxurious and soft blankets with a mission to share comfort and love during the special moments of life.
Listen to the Relentlessly Resilient Podcast regularly on your favorite platform, at kslpodcasts.com, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio App. Join the Resilience conversation on Facebook at @RelentlesslyResilient and Instagram @RelentlesslyResilientPodcast. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

A mother and daughter’s stories of teenage pregnancy and adoption part 2: Kiara’s open adoption in 2017

Teenage pregnancy and adopting out is an emotional and heart-wrenching experience for all involved. But when Kiara Williamson found herself as a pregnant teenager in 2017, her experience was much different than what her mother, Heather Andrews, had experienced two decades before. In this second part of a two-part series, Kiara shares her own pregnancy and adoption story. And unlike her mother, Kiara had the support of family, friends, and her then-boyfriend. She was even able to place her baby girl in an open adoption and continue to be an integral part of her child's life! 
Empowered by her journey, Kiara is helping others find their “Birth Mom Tribe” at TikTok, Instagram, and on Facebook. The juxtaposition between these two stories highlights the importance of nonjudgmental support, the danger of cultural shame, the power of communication, and the importance of tapping into your own personal power. 
Even though we live in challenging times, we can become 'Relentlessly Resilient' as we lean on and learn from one another’s experiences. Hosts Jennie Taylor and Michelle Scharf are no strangers to overcoming adversity; Michelle lost her husband to cancer, while Jennie’s husband, Major Brent Taylor, was killed in the service of our country. Their stories bond them together, and now listeners can join them weekly as they visit with others enduring challenges and who teach us how they are exercising resiliency, finding value in their grief, and purpose in moving forward. 
Presented by Minky Couture, makers of the most luxurious and soft blankets with a mission to share comfort and love during the special moments of life.
Listen to the Relentlessly Resilient Podcast regularly on your favorite platform, at kslpodcasts.com, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio App. Join the Resilience conversation on Facebook at @RelentlesslyResilient and Instagram @RelentlesslyResilientPodcast. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

A Mother and daughter’s stories of teenage pregnancy and adoption part 1: Heather’s closed adoption in 1997

Teenage pregnancy and adopting out is an emotional and heart-wrenching experience for all involved. When, in 1996, Heather Andrews found herself pregnant at 18 years old without her family and the baby’s father's support, she faced a systematic culture of shame, guilt, and abandonment. In this first of a two-part series, Heather shares the story of her first traumatic pregnancy, which ended with her adopting out her firstborn son in a closed adoption. 
In our second-part episode, we will then hear a similar story two decades later in 2017, when Heather’s daughter Kiara Williamson, as a pregnant teenager herself, adopted her daughter out in a much more supportive story with an open adoption. Kiara, empowered by her journey, is helping others find their “Birth Mom Tribe” at TikTok, Instagram, and on Facebook. The juxtaposition between these two stories highlights the importance of nonjudgmental support, the danger of cultural shame, the power of communication, and the importance of tapping into your own personal power. 
Even though we live in challenging times, we can become 'Relentlessly Resilient' as we lean on and learn from one another’s experiences. Hosts Jennie Taylor and Michelle Scharf are no strangers to overcoming adversity; Michelle lost her husband to cancer, while Jennie’s husband, Major Brent Taylor, was killed in the service of our country. Their stories bond them together, and now listeners can join them weekly as they visit with others enduring challenges and who teach us how they are exercising resiliency, finding value in their grief, and purpose in moving forward. 
Presented by Minky Couture, makers of the most luxurious and soft blankets with a mission to share comfort and love during the special moments of life.
Listen to the Relentlessly Resilient Podcast regularly on your favorite platform, at kslpodcasts.com, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio App. Join the Resilience conversation on Facebook at @RelentlesslyResilient and Instagram @RelentlesslyResilientPodcast. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Cohost Conversation: Jennie Taylor on ‘The Brent Taylor Five’ tips for success

Jennie Taylor continues to honor her husband’s legacy through programs, scholarships, celebrations, and events with the Major Brent Taylor Foundation. This includes traveling the country to teach business leaders and students Brent’s five tips for success, which he originally gave at his high school's graduation ceremony in 1997 as the school’s student body president. On this special cohost conversation episode of Relentlessly Resilient, she shares these tips and invites listners to create five of their own tips. 
Want to learn more about the “BT5?” A leadership workshop, tailored for 7th—12th-grade students, will be held at Weber High School on Saturday, May 4th, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch and a T-shirt are included for just $10. Secure your spot now by registering here, or visit MajorBrentTaylor.com to learn more. 
Even though we live in challenging times, we can become Relentlessly Resilient as we lean on and learn from one another’s experiences. Hosts Jennie Taylor and Michelle Scharf are no strangers to overcoming adversity; Michelle lost her husband to cancer, while Jennie’s husband, Major Brent Taylor, was killed in the service of our country. Their stories bond them together, and now listeners can join them weekly as they visit with others enduring challenges and who teach us how they are exercising resiliency, finding value in their grief, and purpose in moving forward. 
Presented by Minky Couture, makers of the most luxurious and soft blankets with a mission to share comfort and love during the special moments of life.
Listen to the Relentlessly Resilient Podcast regularly on your favorite platform, at kslpodcasts.com, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio App. Join the Resilience conversation on Facebook at @RelentlesslyResilient and Instagram @RelentlesslyResilientPodcast. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Survivor Mandi Schill on her postnatal stroke and evolving sense of health

Baby and mother seemed to be perfectly healthy when 30-year-old Mandi Schill gave birth to her firstborn son, but three weeks later, she was back in the hospital having survived a stroke. Since that time a few years ago, this Director of Resource Development at United Way of Northern Utah, used her story to help expand Medicaid care for women in Utah from 60 days to a full year post birth. Mandi joins this episode of Relentlessly Resilient to share her story and how health means something different to her now. 
Even though we live in challenging times, we can become 'Relentlessly Resilient' as we lean on and learn from one another’s experiences. Hosts Jennie Taylor and Michelle Scharf are no strangers to overcoming adversity; Michelle lost her husband to cancer, while Jennie’s husband, Major Brent Taylor, was killed in the service of our country. Their stories bond them together, and now listeners can join them weekly as they visit with others enduring challenges and who teach us how they are exercising resiliency, finding value in their grief, and purpose in moving forward. 
Presented by Minky Couture, makers of the most luxurious and soft blankets with a mission to share comfort and love during the special moments of life.
Listen to the Relentlessly Resilient Podcast regularly on your favorite platform, at kslpodcasts.com, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio App. Join the Resilience conversation on Facebook at @RelentlesslyResilient and Instagram @RelentlesslyResilientPodcast. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Trauma and disaster management specialist Jeffrey J. Denning on mental and spiritual health

Author and trauma and disaster management specialist Jeffrey J. Denning returns to Relentlessly Resilient to discuss the importance of self-awareness and self-wellness. Over his long career as a US Army officer, Federal Air Marshal, police captain, turned counselor and therapist, Jeff has been interested in trauma-informed mental and spiritual health. Today, he discusses five steps to help individuals in crisis find resilience, which is really all of us as we face the stress and disappointments of life. These steps are adequate sleep, healthy nutrition, daily physical activity, positive socialization, and a grateful attitude. The key to active resilience is understanding your identity and purpose and, thus, understanding your worth. 
 
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and/or visit them online at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org   
Even though we live in challenging times, we can become 'Relentlessly Resilient' as we lean on and learn from one another’s experiences. Hosts Jennie Taylor and Michelle Scharf are no strangers to overcoming adversity; Michelle lost her husband to cancer, while Jennie’s husband, Major Brent Taylor, was killed in the service of our country. Their stories bond them together, and now listeners can join them weekly as they visit with others enduring challenges and who teach us how they are exercising resiliency, finding value in their grief, and purpose in moving forward. 
Presented by Minky Couture, makers of the most luxurious and soft blankets with a mission to share comfort and love during the special moments of life.
Listen to the Relentlessly Resilient Podcast regularly on your favorite platform, at kslpodcasts.com, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio App. Join the Resilience conversation on Facebook at @RelentlesslyResilient and Instagram @RelentlesslyResilientPodcast. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Rowena Montoya, creator of the award-winning JulieAnn Caramels, on creating sweetness amid life’s hardships

Rowena Montoya didn’t let a harsh childhood hold her back; instead, she chose to seek the better. And even when her life seemed to fall apart decades later, she chose to create something delicious in that darkness. She created “JulieAnn Caramels,” using a recipe and the namesakes her aunts had given her. Now, her award-winning sweets can be found across the Intermountain West and online at JulieAnnCaramels.com. Her premium caramels were first introduced to our hosts when our guest, Aimee Snow, brought them into the studio for her recording. They have immediately become a hit worthy of discovering their story today. 
Even though we live in challenging times, we can become Relentlessly Resilient as we lean on and learn from one another’s experiences. Hosts Jennie Taylor and Michelle Scharf are no strangers to overcoming adversity; Michelle lost her husband to cancer, while Jennie’s husband, Major Brent Taylor, was killed in the service of our country. Their stories bond them together, and now listeners can join them weekly as they visit with others enduring challenges and who teach us how they are exercising resiliency, finding value in their grief, and purpose in moving forward. 
Presented by Minky Couture, makers of the most luxurious and soft blankets with a mission to share comfort and love during the special moments of life.
Listen to the Relentlessly Resilient Podcast regularly on your favorite platform, at kslpodcasts.com, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio App. Join the Resilience conversation on Facebook at @RelentlesslyResilient and Instagram @RelentlesslyResilientPodcast. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Cohost Conversation: Six steps to better self-awareness

One of the most uncomfortable things in life is facing the faults, and strengths, we have within our individual selves. But this self-awareness can truly be a key to understanding your body, brain, heart, and soul. In this cohost conversation episode of Relentlessly Resilient, Host Michelle Scharf applies her life coaching skills to teach us “Six steps to better self-awareness.” Simplifying self-awareness is as easy as slowing down to breathe correctly, sitting in a quiet place, and reflecting on how you are feeling.
Even though we live in challenging times, we can become Relentlessly Resilient as we lean on and learn from one another’s experiences. Hosts Jennie Taylor and Michelle Scharf are no strangers to overcoming adversity; Michelle lost her husband to cancer, while Jennie’s husband, Major Brent Taylor, was killed in the service of our country. Their stories bond them together, and now listeners can join them weekly as they visit with others enduring challenges and who teach us how they are exercising resiliency, finding value in their grief, and purpose in moving forward. 
Presented by Minky Couture, makers of the most luxurious and soft blankets with a mission to share comfort and love during the special moments of life.
Listen to the Relentlessly Resilient Podcast regularly on your favorite platform: kslpodcasts.com, kslnewsradio.com, or the KSL NewsRadio App. Join the Resilience conversation on Facebook at @RelentlesslyResilient and Instagram @RelentlesslyResilientPodcast. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Listener Holly Hall has a “Grand Canyon” of insight after the unexpected death of her husband Garrick

When Holly Hall’s husband passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack in early 2023, she turned to others for comfort and care. In her pain, she remembered the story of Jennie Taylor’s loss and found our Relentlessly Resilient podcast. Hearing other’s stories of widowhood, perseverance, and their tools of resilience helped her face her first year of loss. Now, she joins host Michelle Scharf to share her journey, along with a unique perspective from a family trip to the Grand Canyon just before her husband's death. 
Even though we live in challenging times, we can become 'Relentlessly Resilient' as we lean on and learn from one another’s experiences. Hosts Jennie Taylor and Michelle Scharf are no strangers to overcoming adversity; Michelle lost her husband to cancer, while Jennie’s husband, Major Brent Taylor, was killed in the service of our country. Their stories bond them together, and now listeners can join them weekly as they visit with others enduring challenges and who teach us how they are exercising resiliency, finding value in their grief, and purpose in moving forward. 
Presented by Minky Couture, makers of the most luxurious and soft blankets with a mission to share comfort and love during the special moments of life.
Listen to the Relentlessly Resilient Podcast regularly on your favorite platform, at kslpodcasts.com, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio App. Join the Resilience conversation on Facebook at @RelentlesslyResilient and Instagram @RelentlesslyResilientPodcast. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.