What happens when the life you've known is taken from you in an instant? For Tricia Downing, a competitive cyclist, that moment came on September 17, 2000, when she was hit head-on by a car and paralyzed from the chest down.But Tricia's story isn't just about a life-changing accident. It's about the resilience she built long before that day, as a biracial adoptee growing up in a white family, navigating a world where she never quite fit in, always standing out.When her injury added another layer to her identity, Tricia had a choice: let it define her, or use it as fuel. Just five months after leaving the hospital, she completed a half-marathon in a racing wheelchair. She went on to become a Paralympian, the first female paraplegic to complete an Ironman triathlon, and a powerful advocate for disability inclusion.In this conversation, Tricia shares how being different, again and again, taught her not just to survive, but to lead. She reflects on the gift hidden in adversity and why she believes we're not here for ourselves, but to impact others.This is a story about transformation, acceptance, and discovering that sometimes standing out is exactly what the world needs.

Learn more about Tricia Downing:Website: https://triciadowning.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/triciadowning/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tricialdowning/Substack, The Semantics of Adoption: https://share.google/MA7xlTamUs9o1evkl

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: stan@beingthechangecoaching.comWebsite: beingthechangecoaching.com

In this deeply personal solo episode, host Stan Ajemian shares his journey through what he calls an "addiction to adrenaline", a pattern of seeking dangerous experiences that masked deeper pain from loneliness and depression. From triggering avalanches in the Canadian Rockies to two catastrophic cycling accidents, Stan reveals how extreme sports became his way of feeling alive and connected to others.

This isn’t just a story about adventure gone wrong, but one of transformation, self-awareness, and the power of inner work. Stan contrasts his two major cycling accidents, one before his meditation practice, when he was angry and difficult during recovery, and one after years of therapy and meditation, when he experienced compassion and even moments of bliss despite severe injuries.

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemian

Email: stan@beingthechangecoaching.com

Website: beingthechangecoaching.com

In this heartfelt conversation, Lyssa deHart shares her journey from running away from love to becoming the person who could truly receive it. Through self-awareness, courage, and deep inner work, she learned to release old patterns that once kept her safe but isolated. Lyssa opens up about moving beyond the need to be liked, to genuinely liking others, and herself, in return.

Together, Lyssa and host Stan Ajemian explore how our earliest experiences shape how we show up in relationships, and how Lyssa’s deeper understanding of both men and herself led to her marriage of 27 years. This episode invites listeners to reflect on the difference between chasing love and allowing it, and how becoming whole within ourselves lays the foundation for mutual, authentic relationships.

Learn more about Lyssa deHart:Website: https://lyssadehart.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyssadehart/Books: https://lyssadehart.com/books/Coaching Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-coaching-studio-with-lyssa-dehart/id1581009320

To learn more about your host, Stan Ajemian:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stanajemianEmail: stan@beingthechangecoaching.comWebsite: beingthechangecoaching.com