Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
188. Survivor to Advocate for Change with Naomi Riley
54 Plays1 month ago
Naomi Riley is a brain injury survivor turned influential motivational speaker, who has catalyzed change in mental health and education reform. She is the founder of Text Pledge, a nonprofit in Greater Grand Rapids, MI, that seeks to change the world one pledge at a time. Their 10 pledges focus on ending some of the worst social issues affecting the communities, from distracted driving to gun violence. Each pledge challenges members to practice compassion, speak up when they witness injustice, and help others in times of crisis.
Contact Kendra Rinaldi to be a guest on the podcast or coaching https://www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com/
Recommended
Transcript
Unexpected Life Events and Daily Presence
00:00:00
Speaker
I was looking up at a hospital room ceiling going, why am I here? What brought me here? right So I was struck. There was a guy going 55 miles an hour, and I was hit out of nowhere. And sometimes we never know what can happen in our daily life.
00:00:20
Speaker
And I talk about the interactions that we have with those around us and the ones, you know, that we're presented with. It's so important that we really like put our best selves forward every single day of every single moment because we never know where life is going to take us.
Exploring Grief and Hope with Naomi Riley
00:00:49
Speaker
This podcast is about exploring the grief that occurs at different times in our lives in which we have had major changes and
00:01:05
Speaker
I created this podcast for people to feel a little less hopeless and alone in their own grief process as they hear the stories of others who have had similar
00:01:25
Speaker
Welcome to our podcast. Today we have Naomi Riley. She is an influential motivational speaker. She had her own health challenges that led her to this journey and I cannot wait to learn more about her journey. I read one of her e-books and I cannot wait to hear how she got to where she is now.
Overcoming Challenges with Faith and Determination
00:01:49
Speaker
So welcome Naomi.
00:01:52
Speaker
Thanks so much, Kendra. I'm so excited to be here and talk with you just openly and honestly about my journey. and It's been a journey then. so Let's start first with, where did you grow up? where You say you're in Michigan now, but where did you grow up? Yes. I'm a hometown girl. I did grow up in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.
00:02:14
Speaker
And, um you know, my journey started out when I was when i was actually young. um So when I was a child, I was diagnosed with a illness called JRA, and it's juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
00:02:31
Speaker
And you know as a child, when you're diagnosed with an illness, you can struggle quite quite a bit. um And so ah you know my journey began um at the age of seven when I was diagnosed. My parents are told early on that i would not I would not be able to walk after the age of 18. I talk a lot about the brain and what it does when it's in the crisis mode. and you know When I look back to my own youth, I'm like, man, I was in crisis mode when I was young because I was like, no, I'm going to fight to maintain mobility.
00:03:09
Speaker
And just for those of you that don't know, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis that arthriti ah is different when it's in kids. um So kids, when they're growing, their joints are affected.
00:03:24
Speaker
And they can experience growth deformities, they can experience um their their joints freeze and you know they do, they will lack the mobility. And back in my day, you know there weren't a lot of regiments for us to kind of ah get ourselves feeling better and stop the progression.
00:03:44
Speaker
And so mine was a lot of trial and error, and it was a struggle.
Family, Faith, and Resilience in Adversity
00:03:50
Speaker
But God prevailed, and I was able to make it past 18, and make it past 25, and make it past 27, and keep continuing on. And I did lots of you know home remedies, aqua therapies, and all these different things just to keep my own mobility. and um you know I've always had a closeness with God, let's just say that. Sometimes it was just like, why did you do this to me?
00:04:21
Speaker
and put me through this and then other times it's like, oh, thank you for blessing me, right? And um and so you know that gives you a little bit of a background and of who I am. um I was married when I was 22. I had three beautiful kids. They're now in their 20s and um you know they're out living their best lives. And you know i'm I'm very blessed now to look back at my own life saying, okay,
00:04:50
Speaker
I'm still going. I'm still still surviving, right? Yes. Yes. no That is so inspiring. Now, what kept you
Bullying, Illness, and Coping Mechanisms
00:04:59
Speaker
going? So at the young age, you're young, you have this diagnosis, right? You're living with it. You pretty much don't know anything different than what your life is because you you have a diagnosis since you're little.
00:05:12
Speaker
How did you and how did your parents help you navigate the emotions that come up from being like, wait, I can't do the same thing that my friends do or and how you're feeling? How did you navigate your emotions as a child?
00:05:27
Speaker
Wow, you know, that's a great question. um Oh, gosh, as children, we go through so, so much. I can vividly remember going back to some days where I was bullied, or I was, you know, discriminated against. I walked with a small limp, but you really couldn't see the differences in me. It was just kids being kids and not knowing, like,
00:05:50
Speaker
um I remember one day like this one kid was making fun of me and I just was so, so upset and so angry. You know, of course, then the girl comes in and we and we girls kind of tend to act a little bit more emotional. And so I came and I just would cry my eyes out and, um you know, ask God, like, why, why am I different? Why did it? Why was I made this way? And this is back in the, you know, some of these in the 80s and And um I remember my dad, he came, he would come up to my room and pray with me. And just because I, at times, I would be such in ah in a really bad emotional state that I would be like, God, just take me home. I don't want to be here anymore. People are going to be mean to me and not want to, you know, because as kids, it's really difficult to understand that um discrimination against, you know, people with disabilities and
00:06:50
Speaker
ah you know, anyone that's different, you know, I know nowadays that we're really taught that we're not supposed to be bullying or any things like that. And I'm really big proponent of that. And, um you know, I think the one thing that got me through it was my closeness with God and, and you know, my parents brought me up in the church and, and always had, you know, you don't know any of you, you know, scripture tells us this, and, you know, we need to, you know, put God first and, you know, say your prayers to Him, tell Him exactly how you're feeling. How can you get forward the next day? And so then, the you know, the strong will in me, I was the first born. I was just going to ask, how many kids were you? That was only two. okay There was only two of us, but I was i was very strong willed and determined. I think from a young age that I was not going to be this, and I was not going to do this, and I was just going to move forward.
00:07:48
Speaker
and and so you know I think that that you know really, of course, got me through that the emotional roller coaster that we can go on as as girls, as females. I mean, we all do it. you know it The more that we can balance ourselves out, the the easier it is, right? Absolutely. that nami what and So this was your battle then with juvenile arthritis. What led to your brain injury then? Was it part of that or was it something completely different?
00:08:20
Speaker
Yeah, so tell us that
Recovery and Positivity after Brain Injury
00:08:22
Speaker
story. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So 2017, I was mom, um I had dropped my, you know, high schoolers off at school and a dog daycare. And I was headed back and I was struck by a distracted driver.
00:08:40
Speaker
And I was like, Oh, seriously, you know, like, it wasn't like seriously, but I was like, looking up at a hospital room ceiling going, Why am I here? What brought me here, right? So I was struck. There's a guy going 55 miles an hour. And I was hit, I didn't know where, you know, and and sometimes we never know what can happen in our daily life.
00:09:04
Speaker
And I talk about the interactions that we have with those around us and the ones that we're presented with. It's so important that we really like put our best selves forward every single day of every single moment because we never know.
00:09:20
Speaker
where life is going to take us. It's such a journey. And um yeah, so I had a brain injury and several are other injuries and I spend the next nine and a half months in and out of a rehab hospital here in the Grand Rapids area. And I had to learn my new normal. um All my neural pathways had to be redeveloped. I had to learn how to walk, talk, ah comprehend everything and just really like focus in on the things I needed to focus in on to move forward now you know i was so frustrating for me i again i felt i went back to my. Little girl days of saying god why did you leave me here you know and i think that we can all get struck with so much.
00:10:07
Speaker
of why did this happen or why, why is this the way it is, you know, whether we lose someone in life, or, you know, we're, we're going through a divorce or, or a breakup in a relationship.
00:10:24
Speaker
There's a lot of unanswered questions that we have, right? And sometimes those questions are not ever going to be answered. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, and there's not a whole lot of things that we can do about it. Some say it's the universe telling us this, that, and the other.
00:10:42
Speaker
I truly believe in my heart, no, I don't think it's the universe telling us you know this. I think that you know the way that our culture is anymore is that we can't just allow you know um certain things to take over you know our life. and um you know the the the vehicles here and in in our world now, right? we um There's so many. and And we've kind of let you know distracted driving become a norm in society. And there's so many other things like discrimination and in bullying and cyberbullying and all of these things, right? And they take a wicked turn in our culture. And and sometimes
00:11:30
Speaker
you know, just bad things happen to good people and there's not a whole lot that we can do about that. So yeah, I had a brain injury and um it sucked. It really sucked. No, in nine, nine and a half months of that recovery, you you had how many kids, two kids you said at that time?
00:11:50
Speaker
Yeah, so I have three kids. Yeah, two of them were in high school. And then my oldest, he had already graduated high school, but it was really difficult. You know, I had, you know, lots of friends support and and and parents support during that time because I couldn't do anything.
00:12:06
Speaker
And, you know, I had to have a lot of forgiveness in my heart because we can get angry um over things that happened to us. And we can kind of live in this state of the woe is me, it's never going to get better. And why did this happen? And, you know, there's that energy level that is just I'm just going to go through life and it is it's just what it is. It is what it is. yeah and so I could have lived in that state ah for the rest of my life, but I chose to not. I think we all have a choice every single day that we wake up that we can either choose to live in that state of, okay, this happened to me and I am just going to be here or
00:12:56
Speaker
I'm gonna choose and I'm gonna rise. I'm gonna choose to figure out ways that my life can improve, that you know I can do things again and and know that this happens, but I know that I'm gonna be a ah difference maker moving forward. you know And that's so, so key, right? like Those are things that we are supposed to do as humans, right? Just to evolve into and to get better.
00:13:25
Speaker
to learn and to keep growing and hence the title of this podcast with grief gratitude but in the grain between and it's that it's the choosing making that choice to move forward and choice to live in gratitude and choice to live in hope and a choice to live in faith in order to keep for you know move forward because something happens now what you have a choice you could stay there in the woe is me, like you said, or make a choice. Now there's, of course, emotions. We're going to talk about this too. There's emotion. They just come, right? you They're going to come. You can't control how they're going to come and show up. What you can control is how you're going to address them as they come in, like a visitor knocking at your door, your kitchen's a mess, you have a shower, knock on the door, and you're like, up
00:14:21
Speaker
That's basically how emotions or grief or any ah or anxiety, we're going to talk about anxiety as well, show up. So you had this injury then, 2017, then at what point did you start shifting? Were you already a motivational speaker because of your juvenile are or no growing up? Okay, so how did you become then this motivational speaker
From Theater Coach to Motivational Speaker
00:14:45
Speaker
after that? And what was that journey from point A to point B?
00:14:50
Speaker
So let me tell you, I was a theater coach for 10 years prior to my accident. I'm a theater major. I studied theater. Oh, I so love that. I love that. That's bachelor. That's my bachelor. So kids in theater are my jam. So I ah was the theater coach for a Kids Theater for a long time. And I just have always loved the stage. um And so no, ah after my accident, though, everything had to be completely redone, right? And I didn't have a choice. Like I had to again, learn how to maneuver my whole life again. And um I just started using my story for the good to help others understand like, hey, you know, we kind of need to watch out for some things that are going on in society. And, you know, I want to share what happened to me and my story so that maybe it might help you and make wiser decisions to, you know, watch what you're doing on the roads or even bull you know that like the interactions that you have with others.
00:15:56
Speaker
Um, and just really, you know, share with kids. It's important. And so, yes, the motivational speakers that did not come about until way after. In fact, last year. Um, I was, you know, kind of like, given a choice, you're going to get on stage and I was scared to.
00:16:16
Speaker
death. I was so scared because um I had kind of taken this the back road, right? Like, I'm a researcher and developer and I don't really like being on stage and being that, you know, boys anymore. Okay, so you Or not anymore, so it changed, it shifted. Well, no, no, I will do it. So here's the thing. So I will go out and do it and, you know, for the greater good, I will do it. But it wasn't like anything like, I'm going to just do that. So, but I was forced to get on stage last year and I was trembling because my my yeah tremors come back so bad sometimes when i I'm on stage and I'm scared.
00:16:54
Speaker
And I think we all go through that, right? When we have a little bit of fairness, we're like, oh, how am I going to get through this? Um, and so I was forced to get on stage and then I felt, okay, like I had a little bit of tremors the first time. The second time my tremors were a lot less. And then the third time they were hardly there. The fourth time they were not there. And so I'm like, oh, I think I can do this again. This is not that big of a deal. And so then I'm like, okay, I can keep going. I can keep moving forward and share my story that way.
00:17:26
Speaker
but Did you start then first doing speak yeah talks in front of children or in front of adults? Who who was your first audience? Yeah, so it's it's always been adults since after my accident. And I always look at them and I would say, you know, normally my audience is a bunch of children.
00:17:45
Speaker
And so I'm just going to imagine you're a bunch of children right now because they're so forgiving. They're so like amazing and just vulnerable and they're wonderful people and they're like, and if I make a mistake, they just sit there and laugh and then they're like, get it, you know? so um And so, no, it's always been adult and everyone always you know really enjoys you know when I come out and I'd be very, very honest. And then I always say, if I get lost in my tracks, I'll get right back on, but just give me a minute. I might pause for a minute, but that's only because you know I've had him had some brain stuff going on and and they get it. you know They completely get it. so Well, even some of us that have not had brain stuff going on, get some freight brain farts, as I call them. And you're like, wait, where was I? Yes, right. yeah and Take us into that. How is it that your brain now does the connections? Like, so after then your brain injury, how different is it that you navigate? Yeah, you yeah yeah you know, it's so different.
00:18:50
Speaker
um Prior to my accident, I was not completely alert, I would say. I was living in this one like set of ways on how my brain had to operate. And um my neural pathways were redeveloped. And let me tell you, I had to understand complete sentences, complete stories, um what went together, how it went together, all of these different things. And it made me so alert
00:19:22
Speaker
um And I talk a lot about how anyone's brains can be rewired to think differently and to really like hone in on the things that you need to hone in on to move your business or whatever it is forward. Whatever you're looking to do, you can rewire your brain to move it forward.
00:19:44
Speaker
Let me give you an example. So you know I was a mom at you know just with my three kids. I worked my normal job. I did what I was supposed to do, right? As moms, busy moms, we we do that. We just kind of keep up with the daily norm and, oh, our kids come first. And and we kind of just sit back and we let them. And that's our job, right? We want to raise our kids the right way.
00:20:09
Speaker
And I always thought like this was where I was supposed to be. And I did this for 20 years. And I loved it. And I loved raising my kids. However, after my accident happened, my neural pathways were so much redeveloped. They were so redeveloped. And so I just became a constant researcher and studier. And I had to know like reasons why things were the way that they were.
00:20:36
Speaker
And um I was so against distracted driving at that time, right? I was so angry, of course, you know, someone was driving on the road, they could just like take away a portion of me that can never be returned, but they can move on with their daily life. I mean, you know, that was a very, very big struggle ah for me. And, um and so ah just moving forward, I started doing a lot of research and speaking with first responders and and and judges and ENTs and just so many professionals that are there right on the scenes. right and I wanted to know what what can we do to help our youth kind of navigate through all these issues that we've been seeing in society.
00:21:24
Speaker
and so Just to give you an example, this research project has lasted about seven years. And it's so cool because now I have amazing teams of people that are behind me saying, we want to see this change happen too.
The TextPledge Initiative and Youth Education
00:21:42
Speaker
So I didn't really talk about this movement, this this thing that we've got going on over here, but it's called taxpludge.us. It's a It's a nonprofit program and and it's for profit too. But ah what it does is it takes um youth through 10 of our country's biggest dilemmas, you know, from distracted driving, discrimination, acts of violence, bullying and cyberbullying. But then we ask students to raise their mental health.
00:22:11
Speaker
like understand what is going on all around them. How can they protect themselves and others just a little bit more? And then we added in the environment and animal rights because we feel that it is so important to really show with students you know, our country is needing a lot of help. And and so we did that, but then we also, um'm like I said, I'm a cancer researcher and developer, so I had to figure out a way we can help these students just a little bit more. ah So what you're gonna see, if you download the TextPledge app, you're gonna see the nation's first smart crisis card. So I look at it as when you were a kid,
00:22:52
Speaker
where you know baby sat or whatever and the moms would always show when you open the cover door here's a list of all the emergency numbers that you might need in a crisis situation from poison control to um you know 911 and united eight but then a lot of different numbers that you might need in a crisis situation the red cross i mean united way all of those things and so they're all on the text pledge app for students And so that was the 2nd part of our you know research project. And then the 3rd was we are constantly updating the national statistics. We're showing students, hey, this is where distracted driving is at. Hey, this is where. um
00:23:37
Speaker
hate crimes and and all that are at. Here's where this is at, you know, it's a very, very safe space for students and we develop curriculums and all these different things. And it's just such a cool project now that it's seven and a half years later and we're still moving forward and it's so cool. um But yeah, so, you know, I think that one thing that we can always do is be always learning and evolving. It keeps us humble, and it really like helps us understand like, we're just part of, you know, this one little thing in in in our world. And if we can make a difference in somebody's life, why not do it, right?
00:24:16
Speaker
Why not? And you've made quite a difference. That's a huge endeavor of, do you know, taking on with the text play job. That's a huge endeavor. Now, aside then from that, you've also then created, ah you know, both of us should speak or now you have a ton of e-books. The one that I was reading was Overcoming Anxiety. So that's one of many that you have.
Journey of Healing through Self-Love
00:24:45
Speaker
So which one was your first one that you wrote? And when did that happen?
00:24:52
Speaker
Yeah. Um, self-love was the one. Self-love. Okay. Yeah. So self-love. Yeah. Like that. So that was that one of your tools in this journey of recovering yourself. That is, if I'm not mistaken in your anxiety one, you have some steps regarding anxiety. and so Isn't self-love in there? Isn't self-love in there? Yes, of course. It is one of your, yes, it's one of your steps. So if that was one of your books, how did that then play a part in your journey because there is grief when you've had an injury and when you lived in an illness because things do not look the same. It's a huge transition. So how did that play a part in your journey? Yeah. So, you know, you have to accept the things that we cannot change, right? That's one of the biggest versus, or I think the things that I relied on as as
00:25:45
Speaker
most as possible. No one's going to be perfect. ah We don't live in a perfect society. And yes, we can strive to do our very, very best and look our very, very best and present ourselves in that way. um But we have to accept the things that we, you know, just can't change and be okay with that. Right. We're all unique in various ways. And, you know, our creator made us that way. he made us that way so that we can share our voice and share our differences and share our story with others. You know whenever I speak with someone or I talk you know I always remind everyone your story is probably someone else's journey and it's your job to share you know what you went through. Now do it in a safe environment a safe space but always you know
00:26:38
Speaker
Keep sharing who you are. it's It's the way that we need to you know evolve. it's It's so important. So I had to you know really look at myself and just say, okay.
00:26:49
Speaker
Well, here we go, let's move forward now. And by baby steps, it happened. you know Baby steps, lots and lots of baby steps. What were the things that I could do today to move forward? I had to eliminate any kind of distraction that I had to focus on my goals, whether it be understanding a story, whether it be understanding a sentence, whether it be not like allowing myself to have tremors. you know And and you know I would become so frustrated with myself when I couldn't remember something someone told me just 10 minutes earlier. And I think as adults, when we get older too, that's really difficult. So what are the things that you need to do to to make sure that you are on top of it? Make yourself notes. If you need to do that, make yourself notes.
00:27:43
Speaker
um We've got these brilliant things called cell phones and we've got some note takers on our thing. I have a friend that she, any reminder, she sets an actual like alarm, like full on alarm and with the title of every single thing is like, you know, don't forget to so not just like the reminder on the phone, it's like full on alarm with the things she needs to remember.
00:28:09
Speaker
Yes, very important. Yeah, no, it's like we really do go through. We have so many things on our plate sometimes and taking care of others that it is easy to forget to take care of of ourselves. And that does start kind of adding up into then how we feel.
00:28:28
Speaker
So in your in your book ah regarding anxiety, because that anxiety is one of these emotions that a lot of us struggle with, what was your journey and your relationship with anxiety that then you develop this way of kind of coping with it, you know, moving your yeah physical, you know, moving your body. There's all these different steps.
Coping with Anxiety: Strategies and Tips
00:28:49
Speaker
So what was this relationship you had with anxiety that led you to this? so Yeah, so anxiety is is one of the most hardest things that that we can get through any at any age in our life. it's It's constant, right? As we learn and we grow, I think just even from being a young student ah to now a middle-aged adult, we can still house anxiety. What can we do to avoid it or eliminate that?
00:29:22
Speaker
um One of the things that I always recommend is to practice gratitude. Set yourself up for the day where you wake up and you're just so, so grateful to be here and you thank your creator. Spend like two to three minutes thanking your creator or God for the things that you have here and now in your life. It's going to set your mindset off for a really, really great day.
00:29:52
Speaker
Another thing that you can do to eliminate anxiety is to make yourself those notes. What can I do today to help them might relieve my anxiety?
00:30:04
Speaker
That's really, really huge um because a lot of the times we can feel overwhelmed. We can feel like the world is caving in on us and we're not knowing what to do. And then sometimes we get into that freezing type mode. Well, I just don't know what I'm going to do. So they just, you know, I'm just giving up.
00:30:23
Speaker
that's not healthy. That's not one of the things that, you know, we're supposed to do. So we need to make our list. How can I get through this? Or what can I do to eliminate this anxiety that I'm having? Okay. Another thing is exercise, you know, get out there, do some breath work, you know, we're not supposed to be sitting by our desk or in front of our cell phone all the time. You know,
00:30:49
Speaker
um It's not a good thing. Another thing that we can do is like drop the cell phone for a while, turn it off, go walk in nature. You know, I think a lot of us can do that comparison itis where we're seeing everyone out on social media or we're seeing all these great people living out their best life.
00:31:12
Speaker
But you know that's just a very, very small portion of who they say they are. you know and And I think that that can be that can give us anxiety. There's so many things that can give us anxiety. But if we just take a step back and we say, OK, what do I want to do? How do I want to get there? How am I going to let this anxiety, how am I going to get rid of it?
00:31:37
Speaker
And how am I going to move forward? It's going to help you. It's going to set your mindset off for a really, really good path. Those are such practical tips. And you have little tips of like, okay, like there was one, hold on. If I can find the page, it was like, if you're overthinking, hold on. If you're overthinking, right. Hold on. I liked the little, it was really easy. Let me look for it.
00:32:01
Speaker
Because unless you remember it off the top of the head, let me see. Okay. Okay. Okay. Let me see. I like, okay. So it was like a daily, daily reminder. So if you're overthinking, right? If you're anxious, move. If you're tired, read, confused, walk. If you're sad, exercise. It was like, okay.
00:32:22
Speaker
Okay. That's a good, it's like, if you're overthinking, if you write it down, it's out of your head and on a paper. So that's why those notes are so good, right? If you're anxious by moving your body, then it just flows. If you're tired, take take me to the tired and then the read. What, what, what is that what cat part?
00:32:43
Speaker
I think we're more tired in this. I personally believe that the cell phone needs to be put away when we're tired. Just because this is just me personally, pick up an old ah pick up a book that might inspire you or help you just No, like this is this is okay. Okay, because you know, 25 years ago, not all of us had these cell phones. um And and what all of this electronics, you know, at least for in my eyes, I have to spend at least two hours away from any electronics or computers. um It definitely gives you a more relaxed state of feeling. um And it really like just helps
00:33:29
Speaker
relax you, you know, so I, you know, there's so many different tactics that we can use to help relax our brains and, and just get us there. It just for me, that's what it does.
00:33:44
Speaker
Yeah, and the perfect. i love i love it's but It's simple, yet we don't do it. and yes And I love the part that you said regarding nature nature. And just being outside, it's just a shift. And when people are sitting at their desk for work a long time, just that change of environment, if you can't step outside, if you have a pet too, like for I have two dogs and you mentioned your dog. just Even just touching this other life being and like yeah connecting with them, taking care of an ah and of a pet or an animal also is a huge it release for that anxiety and all those emotions. They just are such
00:34:28
Speaker
They're just... They're innocent and vulnerable creatures, and it's our job to take care of them as best as we can. They're beautiful creatures. I have two French Bulldogs, and then I have a few felines around their place. It's funny, they're annoying, but your gods love them. They're funnier than... They can really just change your emotion in the moment. Yes, it is. It's like you're thinking outwardly rather than thinking about yourself when you have, and the same when you have young children, especially, that's the same thing too. That happens. You kind of have to redirect the way that you think.
Final Thoughts and Resources for Positive Change
00:35:10
Speaker
Is there something I have not asked you, Naomi, that you want to make sure that we share with the audience before we tell them how they can get a hold of you?
00:35:19
Speaker
Oh my gosh, no, I, you know, I thank you so much for having me on here. This has been an amazing conversation. I've really enjoyed, you know, our talk and getting to know you and and the show and and everything that you're doing.
00:35:34
Speaker
I appreciate that. No, I'm glad you came on. And so now let's tell them how they can get a hold of you and make sure to add those notes below and what kind of offerings you have on your website if you can share that. Oh my gosh. Yeah, so I do a lot of different works and talk on a lot of different topics. You can go to Naomi L. Riley dot com and learn about all of my different works. And please reach out. Our contact information is there. I'd love to hear from you. um I just I love this. And please, um you know, take the book and all your listeners are more than welcome to, you know, read the book and hopefully it will inspire you to just let go of the anxiety that you might have in your life.
00:36:20
Speaker
Perfect. And just for everybody listening, just a reminder, even just if you're listening to this podcast, a reminder to all of us to don't text and drive and to be focused on what you're doing and not be distracted because you are here to tell the story, Naomi. I do have a friend that her mom did die by a distracted that driver. Yes.
00:36:45
Speaker
grateful that you are here to share it and be an advocate for that as well. Thank you so much. And and I guess I do have to say, anyone is welcome to go to textpludge.us. Under teacher resources, you are able to look up all of our educational resources for our youth.
00:37:03
Speaker
and get them implemented into your school today. Great teams of people and put these together just to make sure that this is a movement that goes forward. And the app, of course you're gonna have the crisis line, so. Perfect, thank you again Naomi. Thank you so much. Thank you.
00:37:28
Speaker
Thank you again so much for choosing to listen today. I hope that you can take away a few nuggets from today's episode that can bring you comfort in your times of grief. If so, it would mean so much to me if you would rate and comment on this episode. And if you feel inspired in some way to share it with someone who may need to hear this, please do so.
00:37:57
Speaker
Also, if you or someone you know has a story of grief and gratitude that should be shared so that others can be inspired as well, please reach out to me. And thanks once again for tuning into Grief Gratitude and the Gray in Between podcast. Have a beautiful day.