S2E3: Taking the Wheel: Agency in Hard Times 'N at

We talk about agency as the small, real choices we can still make when life is unfair, overwhelming, or full of grief. We connect self-awareness to action, name the nervous system “freeze” response, and share practical ways to find one next step without shaming yourself.  • defining agency as influence inside what you cannot change  • why awareness without action turns into shutdown  • Jodi’s story of leaving an unhealthy marriage over time  • what personal responsibility sounds like without blame  • Sherry’s health crash and the grief underneath “staying busy”  • rebuilding with deliberate, small moments of joy  • reframing coping as joy versus avoidance  • understanding fight, flight, and freeze in crisis moments  • sorting “what’s mine” versus “what isn’t”  • choosing one next small move instead of a full plan  • acknowledging real constraints like money and power dynamics  • owning harm you caused with a clean apology and repair  Crisis Support988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, available 24/7National Domestic Violence Hotline — call or text 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), available 24/7 — safety planning, local resources, online chat available if calling isn't safeIf You're Still in It and Not Sure How to StartNAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) — nami.org — family support resourcesAl-Anon Family Groups — al-anon.org — for those loving someone through addictionIf You're Ready to Take the First StepsHEARTH Pittsburgh — hearthpgh.org — transitional housing for moms and children rebuilding after homelessness and trauma, with wraparound services including workforce development, childcare, financial stability support, and therapy211 — call or text 211 — connects you to local housing, childcare, food, and financial assistancePA Legal Aid Network — palegalaid.net — free legal help for low-income Pennsylvanians navigating divorce and custody Let us know how we are doing.Support the showVisit👉 thrivingyinzers.com for resources to help you keep going and growing. Tackle your to-do list and organize your space with TY Services. Shop our TY Toolkit for practical tools, books, and organizing essentials to help you manage life with more ease and intention.Books referenced on the podcast are available in the TY Toolkit, but here are our top 3 picks. 👉 Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (paid link)👉Atomic Habits by James Clear (paid link)👉Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck (paid link)Help Us By:1. Share the podcast with your friends and family2. Rate and Review!3. Shop our TY Toolkit at thrivingyinzers.com or through Amazon Associates links listed above for books & resources mentioned on the podcast to keep you inspired. We receive a small commission for your purchase which helps support the podcast. 4. Sign up for email updates and special offers at thrivingyinzers.com/podcast.This podcast is a production of Thriving Yinzers LLC.Follow “This is It! The Podcast by Thriving Yinzers” on FacebookF...