Our book launched on Tuesday, February 6th, and thanks to each of you and many others, we are International Best Sellers!!
I have dedicated this miniseries of The Embrace Family Recovery Podcast to introducing you to a few of my 44 fellow women authors who penned ‘Voices of the 21st Century Women Empowered Through Passion and Purpose.’
Today, I am in the guest chair as Gail Watson, Founder and CEO of the Women Speakers Association, interviews me. Gail was my guest on the first episode of this miniseries, and the Voices of the 21st Century Book series was her brainchild!
#embracefamilyrecovery #WSA #womenspeakersassociation #bermudianauthor #voicesofthe21stcentury #passionandpurpose #wsapublishing #womenauthors #womentransformingtheworld #womenempowered #familyrecovery #familyrecoverycoach #familyrecoverycoaching #womenpodcaster #podcast #yourstorymatters
See full transcript below.
Intro 00:14
Hello everyone, Margaret Swift Thompson of Embrace Family Recovery, here with you today to share this special series that I’m putting out on the Embrace Family Recovery Podcast. So, I have done something that I have dreamed about, I have been suggested to do and I have been fearful of through much of my career. And that is right part of my story. I am excited to announce that I am in a collaboration created by Women Speakers Association, a book entitled, Voices of the 21st Century Women Empowered Through Passion and Purpose. I along with 44 other remarkable women from around the world, have chosen to write a chapter each based on the stories of our lives, our experiences, about passion and purpose. And so, I am thrilled during this series to introduce you to some of my co-authors. And in the next month leading up to the book launch on February 6, I am honored and thrilled to share space on this platform with my co-authors. So, buckle up and meet some of the women who have been experiencing this journey with over the last year leading up to the launch of our book, voices of the 21st century, women empowered through passion and purpose.
Gail Watson 02:02
Welcome to the author spotlight show a platform dedicated to celebrating remarkable women who share their purpose and their passion to make a difference in this world. My name is Gail Watson, I’m the founder and CEO of Women Speakers Association, a global community of women who use their voice to powerfully inspire others. Today, we’re talking about the book Voices of the 21st Century, Women Empowered through purpose and passion, your Passion and Purpose. And this book features extraordinary women from various backgrounds and walks of life, who share how their message has merged from their life experiences. With passion and purpose these stories inspire readers to embrace their own power, break barriers and create a better future. These women are a testament to the strength and collective voice of women in shaping this world that they envision. So I would like to please join me in welcoming Margaret Swift Thompson, co-author of Voices of the 21st Century. Hello,
Margaret 03:06
Hello, I can’t even tell you how that sounds to be stated that way. It’s kind of amazing.
Gail Watson 03:13
Well, it’s a it’s a great book that you’ve come together and put together with your story and you share. You know, today I was reading your story, again, in reviewing it. And I just had this feeling of this. Like it was like a love story with yourself. And what I would you know; I know the title of your story is called ‘I Didn’t Know What I Didn’t Know.’ So let’s dive a little bit deeper into that. And please share with us, you know, what inspired you to share this story?
Margaret 03:45
Well, thank you, Gail, thank you for this opportunity and supporting women and writing this powerful book, and the many ones that you have been a part of. I would say first of all, your concept of this being a love story is the first time I’ve heard that. And that is quite emotional for me because I don’t think I would have ever used that language for my journey because love was such a component of my story, lack of love for self, lack of belief I could be loved. And so, that’s pretty remarkable that that’s how you felt. So I’ll take that and thank you. What inspired me to write the story is that the power of storytelling has given me my life. I’ve heard people share their stories. And that gave me the chance to believe there was hope and there was a way forward that was different than what I had been experiencing. And so I thought it’s probably time for me to do for others hopefully what people have done for me before.
Gail Watson 04:46
Awesome you know, as I read your story, made a few key statements in there you were you there was one that jumped out at me and it was saying you’re trying to be as small as possible throughout your life. Like you didn’t want to be seen.
Margaret 04:59
Right, which would probably surprise everybody who knows me, because I have a larger than life personality. Ask my family, they would tell you that my poor brother who was older than me and tolerated some of my insanity. But I would say that that was one of the masks I wore, to make me feel good enough, or valuable enough, or lovable enough. And it was all based on a place of feeling damaged or broken and not good enough. And so I think that I overcompensated and did a lot of things that were amazing and remarkable and that I put down to coincidences. Right place, right time, risk taking in a good way. And overall, a higher power or an entity and energy that had a plan for me that I couldn’t avoid. And some I wish I had because some was painful. But I couldn’t avoid that has brought me to a place of fulfilling my passion through the work that I’m privileged to do today. And all of that came from the journey that I lived through, no doubt about it.
Gail Watson 06:07
I love when those journeys, they transform us. And when we can find that peace. That was our pain, but now it’s our passion to help. So, let’s talk about what do you want, when you envision somebody sitting there reading your story? What do you want them to take away from it?
Margaret 06:27
Find a way to connect, you know, alone in my story, my journey, my mind plays a lot of tricks on me. My mind says things and holds power over me that I believed for a very long time. And so, find people who you can truly be thoroughly authentic with and share part of your stories that you may not have with others. I think that requires a sense of compassion with yourself, which only translate to giving compassion to others, which is a beautiful byproduct of it. But when I look back, and the times I was in my own thinking in my own head about all of this, it was ugly, and it was dark. And it was not kind to me, and probably not kind to other people along the way. So my hope would be that people reading would say, would be able to see I don’t have to be alone with this, even though the desire to hide it, the shame pushing it into that secret spot, try to lean into not feeding that and doing the exact opposite, which is very uncomfortable, but worth it because I believe that when we share it, it lightens it. It’s kind of like what do they say the putting the light on the dark spots of our life makes them less dark. That’s what I think I would like people to do, give themselves grace, be kind to themselves instead of so hard and mean to themselves, and allow others in who could possibly help find a path forward that’s different than what they may think they can do.
Gail Watson 08:00
I love that. So, let’s talk about I mean, from you this journey that your purpose in life here, you’ve started a company called Embrace Family Recovery. Right?
Margaret Swift Thompson 08:12
Correct.
Gail Watson 08:13
Yeah, let’s talk about that. What are you doing to help people?
Margaret 08:16
Yeah, so again, the universe does for us what we can’t do for ourselves. And I was plummeted into the recovery world and treatment world and working with people with addiction when I swore, I would never do it. I was a master’s educated counselor. And I was never going to do that. Never say never. And so I ended up in that environment and was gifted not only in clinical and professional experiences, that was amazing. I was given windows into myself; I was shown ways to find healing from things I never thought I could change or heal from. And after, many of us, COVID happened, and the world shifted on its axis. I was again afforded an opportunity, my higher power did for me what I wouldn’t do for myself, and it was like, okay, kid, if this isn’t there anymore, what are you going to do? And so, I took the leap of faith. And on Valentine’s Day in 2021, I started embrace family recovery. And it is a coaching business where I come alongside people who have been affected by this disease, through love and relationship. And I support and assist them on paths forward that give them more peace, more joy, and healing, which starts with understanding the impact on them and the way the disease affects them as individuals. And so that’s what I’ve been blessed to do for the last two, almost two years. And I’m very, very grateful.
Gail Watson 09:43
Love that. Now you also have a very popular podcast. What’s the name of that?
Margaret 09:48
I do. I have the podcast called The Embrace Family Recovery Podcast, which is on all streaming platforms and on my website. And it’s a chance for people, this is my vision of it when I started with my service project, my vision was, when I think back to when I was at my darkest times, I didn’t think anyone out there had walked my path. And I thought there was no way forward. And so my hope is someone puts on an ear pod, or is driving their car and just throws on a podcast and hears someone tell a story, that gives them a sense of less isolation, maybe even a strategy to try, to give them some sense of peace or perspective they didn’t understand. So, it’s an education and a support avenue for people who don’t necessarily get to be in an office with a coach or a counselor, a therapist or a family program.
Gail Watson 10:39
You really speak a lot about community coming together, whether it’s close friends, or people that we don’t know, just to really support us in getting through this. Who do you want your mean, if we think of the ideal person reading your story? If somebody is sitting out there listening right now, and wondering, oh, should I get this? Or do I know somebody that I can give this to? Who do you want to see, you know, this book in the hands of?
Margaret 11:09
I would say anyone who inside themselves feel less than, broken, has this core sense of shame about themselves. I would like them to have this, I would also like anyone who loves them to read it. Because, you know, when you navigate this world, you do it within a family system, who does absolutely the best they can to love you. And they do that. But they don’t always get what your experience is because it’s truly unique to each and every one of you. But if someone could read my story, and have a better understanding of their partner, their parent, their child, their sibling, that would be really extraordinary. And I would love that. I would love it to be something people walk away and feel there is hope. Because I can tell you when I came into this journey in my late 20s, when it all culminated in the perfect storm, I was absolutely sure I could not survive it. Let alone find love and have a family and a passion for a career that I didn’t think I would have. And so, I’m just hoping people will walk away with a sense of hope. And that it can touch someone’s story who may not have a voice because unfortunately, addiction for example, people will talk about substance use disorder and chemical addiction, but we don’t talk about food addiction very often. And I think just even if somebody read it and had that new lens, that would be fantastic.
Gail Watson 12:37
I love that. Okay, so let’s talk about where can we get a copy of your book?
Margaret 12:43
So as of February 6, when we are published, which is amazing, I will be offering my book on my website embracefamilyrecovery.com. And I’m actually thinking about starting a pre-sale thing, because I hear that’s a good idea. And so, look for it on my website. And if you want to reach out to me about it, you can always email me at Margaret@nullembracefamilyrecovery.com.
Gail Watson 13:10
Awesome. Okay, so a great book, for anyone listening right now, to read, as I mentioned before, as I read it, it really touched me in a very special spot, because it’s just spoke about that acceptance of ourselves, how to learn to love ourselves. And I thought, what a beautiful journey, although very rocky, and could potentially be life threatening, and all sorts of, you know, to emerge and just have that wonderful feeling. So, I want to, personally, thank you for being so vulnerable, in this book. To show up with that heart on fire, you know, to light up this world and to bring hope to others who can, even if they just relate to a small piece of it, because it takes women like you to stand in that courage, to find that courage to really pull it from within. So, I want to thank you for that.
Margaret 14:13
I want to say with that, that women have been a fundamental part of me finding myself. And so that’s another reason that I was so drawn to this book was with the other 45 other than me, women who’ve written these powerful stories of their own. What a compilation of remarkable human beings. And I think sometimes women don’t get encouraged to show up for themselves and each other. So, seeing that happen is just beautiful. So, it was great to be a part of.
Gail Watson 14:42
That’s awesome. Well, you shared a lot of great tips with us and pieces of your story. And I know there’s a lot within you. So would you please leave us perhaps with some of your words of wisdom.
Margaret 14:56
So I think the thing that I would leave everyone with would be to say, the kindness we show ourselves is so fundamental in life. Because when I was living in that place where I believed I was damaged goods, and I was not kind to me, I was perpetually waiting for someone to find out the rottenness in me, no matter the good things, they said to me. That’s a horrible place to live. And so, if we can acknowledge trauma, and harm, and mistakes, and decisions that were made out of non-heeled places, we can offer ourselves kindness. And I think then when we give that kindness away to others, we don’t live in that perpetual state of fraud, and fear, which is a hard place to come from when we live in this world. And I do think at the core of every human being, we are good and wonderful human beings, and life happens to us, and pain happens. And resiliency happens, and strength happens. So, I would say give yourself grace. And give yourself compassion and find someone else so you’re not alone in it, because alone in it, we will not change. Allow people to come alongside you, whether it be a coach, a therapist, a mentor, a great friend, a family member, an elder, a spiritual guide, and let them assist you. If you know, at this point in your life, you’re struggling, really, you deserve not to struggle alone anymore. So let somebody come alongside you and help you. That’s my wish for everybody.
Gail Watson 16:41
That’s a beautiful wish. We can’t do it alone.
Margaret Swift Thompson 16:44
We cannot.
Gail Watson 16:45
We can’t do it alone. Okay, Margaret, thank you so much for again, sharing your heart, sharing your story. And just really showing up in the true you and with the intention of healing power to others. So thank you very much for joining us.
Margaret 17:04
Thank you, Gail, thank you for giving this platform, and this space for women like myself to have a voice and to offer the voice to other people who choose to read it. So, thank you for doing that.
Gail Watson 17:15
Okay, thank you and to everyone who’s listening, thank you so much. And wherever you are, are in this world. Please make it a great day and we’ll talk with you soon.
Outro 17:42
Remarkable, the courage and tenacity, and strength of women to be vulnerable, and authentic, and share tips, and strategies, and resources from their story for each of us to learn from. Whether it’s my chapter or one of the other women’s chapters, I assure you there is something in this for every woman in the world to gather support, encouragement, maybe passion, light, a passion in you. These women who have taken the time to write their chapter and be a part of this book, Voices of the 21st Century Women Empowered Through Passion and Purpose. Until next time, take care of you!
