Step Into Resilience with Kelli Chu

In this episode of the Everyday Resilient Women: Stories of Strength series, Kelli sits down with Caela Bulzing, founder of Caela Esthetics, to share her powerful journey from growing up in a domestically violent home to overcoming alcohol addiction and building a thriving business.Caela opens up about sobriety, self-worth, healing from trauma, setting boundaries, and how skincare can be a form of nervous system care. This heartfelt conversation is a reminder that your past doesn’t define you and that even your hardest chapters can become the foundation for something stronger.Caela Bulzing is the founder of Caela Esthetics, a holistic skincare business she has owned for nearly five years. Her work is deeply informed by her personal journey of resilience, having grown up in a domestically violent home and later overcoming alcohol addiction. Five years sober, she is passionate about helping others feel confident, cared for, and deeply supported—believing that true healing and beauty begin within and extend far beyond the surface of the skin.Connect with Caela Bulzing:Website: https://caelaesthetics.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CaelaestheticsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@CaelaestheticsLearn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this episode, Kelli challenges the common phrase "bounce back" and why it might actually be setting you back. She shares a personal reflection on how life's hardest moments aren't meant to return you to who you were — they're meant to transform you into someone new. Takeaways include a fresh way to think about struggle, change, and identity that will leave you seeing your own challenges in a completely different light.Learn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this episode, part of the Everyday Resilient Women: Stories of Strength series, Kelli sits down with Nicky Diaz-Bys for a candid conversation on confidence, identity, and finding your place in a world that doesn’t always reflect you.Nicky shares pieces of her journey growing up with a limb difference, the evolution of her self-perception, and how community and connection have shaped her along the way. Together, they explore themes of inclusion, representation, and what it means to truly feel supported, while highlighting how the very thing you once saw as a limitation can become your greatest strength.A grounded, honest conversation that reminds you: you’re not alone, and your story matters.Nicky Diaz-Bys is a public relations pro and disability advocate with a passion for storytelling and connecting with people. She’s currently based in Chicago and has spent the past few years living in San Diego and New Mexico, experiences that fueled her love for travel, hiking, and exploring new places. She brings that same curiosity and fresh perspective into everything she does.Connect with Nicky Diaz-Bys:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickydiazzz/Learn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this episode, Kelli explores what it means to navigate purpose after a life-altering event and the uncertainty that often follows unexpected change. Through personal reflection and thoughtful guidance, she encourages listeners to pause, reconnect with themselves, and begin thinking about what the next chapter could look like. You’ll walk away with a few reflection prompts and gentle action steps to help you move forward with more clarity, curiosity, and self-compassion.Learn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this episode, Kelli welcomes Jasmine Williams for the Everyday Resilient Women: Stories of Strength series. After losing her brother unexpectedly during her freshman year of college, Jasmine hit rock bottom and had to rebuild her mental health from the ground up.Now, as a public speaker, Jasmine shares how grief reshaped her life, the daily choice of resilience, the myths about “getting over it,” and the importance of community, flexibility, and rest. This powerful conversation is a reminder that resilience isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about learning to live fully, even in the unknown.Jasmine Williams is an Adversity and Resilience Speaker who teaches audiences how failure and adversity can help them grow. Using her firsthand experiences, Jasmine helps audiences support classmates and colleagues through grief, anxiety, and other difficult experiences.Jasmine also works as a public speaking coach to teach others how to deliver a polished message with confidence. She graduated from High Point University with her B.A. in Communication and a minor in Psychology.Connect with Jasmine Williams:Website: https://jasminecwilliams.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/JasmineCWilliams/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msjasminecwilliamsLearn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this inspiring conversation, Kelli sits down with disability advocate and creator Chelsea Bear to celebrate World Cerebral Palsy Day and talk all things vulnerability, advocacy, and self-acceptance. Chelsea opens up about her journey living with cerebral palsy, how sharing her story online became a path to healing, and what it means to confidently take up space in a world that isn’t always built for accessibility. Together, Kelli and Chelsea explore resilience, representation, and how we can all become better allies to the disability community.Chelsea Bear is a South Florida-based content creator, disability advocate, and public speaker with more than 900K followers across her social media platforms. Born with Cerebral Palsy, she shares authentic and lighthearted content that fosters awareness and inclusion, and has partnered with leading brands, travel bureaus, and nonprofits to amplify accessibility. Her work has reached millions worldwide and been featured by outlets like USA Today, CNN, and Fast Company.Connect with Chelsea Bear:Website: https://chelseabear.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseabear/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realchelseabear/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realchelseabearYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@realchelseabearLearn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this episode, Kelli explores the powerful relationship between boundaries and self-care — and why both are essential for protecting your peace, preventing burnout, and building resilience. With practical guidance and grounding reminders, Kelli helps you reconnect with what you need, honor your capacity, and reset before the new year. You’ll walk away with reflection prompts and two simple action steps to carry you through the weeks ahead with more clarity and ease.Learn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this heartfelt and introspective episode, Kelli takes a thoughtful look back at her younger self — reflecting on how much she’s grown, what she’s learned, and the lessons she wishes she had known then. Through honest storytelling and gentle wisdom, she explores what it means to trust yourself, release expectations, and embrace the imperfect, ever-evolving journey of life. This episode is a comforting reminder that growth and healing take time — and that every twist and turn along the way is part of becoming who you’re meant to be.Learn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this episode, Kelli dives deep into the power of vulnerability—what it really means to show up as your true self and why it matters. She shares her own journey of learning to be open after her car accident, how that honesty led to healing and connection, and why vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s courage in motion. You’ll also learn simple, practical ways to practice vulnerability every day so you can build deeper relationships, release emotional tension, and grow into your most authentic self.Learn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this episode of Everyday Resilient Women: Stories of Strength, Kelli sits down with award-winning author and keynote speaker Leia Baez to talk about turning pain into purpose. Leia shares her powerful journey from journalist to storyteller, opening up about recovery, motherhood, and healing after trauma. Together, they explore the power of vulnerability, faith, and resilience—and how sharing your story can help others find strength in theirs.Leia Baez is the award-winning author of A Star for Stella and a keynote speaker known for her raw, inspiring storytelling. Once a journalist telling others’ stories, she now shares her own journey of resilience and reinvention—featured everywhere from viral speeches reaching over 6.5 million people to a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey. Today, Leia empowers entrepreneurs, leaders, and changemakers to transform struggle into strategy and step into their strength, reminding us that resilience is built one step at a time.Connect with Leia Baez:Website: https://www.leiabaez.com/LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/leiabaezInstagram: @‌leia_baezLearn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this episode, Kelli opens up about one of life’s most universal — and challenging — experiences: navigating the unknown. Drawing from her own journey of recovery after a life-altering car accident, Kelli shares honest reflections, mindset shifts, and practical tools to help you face uncertainty with courage and grace.Learn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this episode, Kelli sits down with Marina Hollenbeck, a transpersonal coach who helps highly sensitive women align with their truth and reclaim their power. Marina shares her own journey of overcoming childhood trauma, depression, and substance dependency, opening up about what resilience looks like in real life—building self-awareness, reshaping her relationship with substances, and creating tools to stay grounded. Through modalities like cycle-synching, internal family systems, and her signature Root-to-Rise method, Marina now guides clients from self-doubt to self-leadership. She is a certified Whole-Person Coach and is working toward accreditation with the International Coaching Federation. This raw and honest conversation is part of the Everyday Resilient Women: Stories of Strength series.Learn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this episode, Kelli shares her personal journey of rebuilding self-worth after a life-changing car accident. From facing scars and loss of hand function to finding the courage to be seen again, she opens up about what it really takes to move forward when life knocks you down. With practical strategies and heartfelt insight, this conversation will inspire you to reclaim confidence, embrace vulnerability, and keep going—one small step at a time.Learn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

In this very first episode, Kelli opens up about the life-changing car accident that reshaped her twenties, the challenges of recovery, and the path that led her to share her story through speaking and now podcasting. She introduces the mission behind Step Into Resilience—a space for honest conversations, lessons in bouncing back, and stories of strength to remind you that you’re never alone in life’s challenges.Learn more & stay connected:Website: https://kellichu.com/LinkedIn: Kelli Chu | Speaker & CoachInstagram: @‌itskellichu

Can we agree that life is HARD? Step Into Resilience is the go-to podcast for anyone facing life’s curveballs and craving real talk, support, and inspiration. Hosted by trauma-informed coach and keynote speaker Kelli Chu—a TEDx alum and an advocate for the limb difference community and disability awareness—this show helps you navigate tough transitions, build self-worth, and develop a stronger, forward-thinking mindset.Through powerful storytelling, practical tools, and honest conversations, Kelli creates a space where you’ll feel less alone and more equipped to face life head-on. Whether you’re healing from hardship, starting over, or simply seeking encouragement to keep going, each episode will remind you: you’re not broken—you’re becoming.Tune in and reclaim your power, reframe your perspective, and take bold steps toward the life you deserve!Website: http://kellichu.com/Instagram: @itskellichuLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kelli-chu-speaker-coach