94: The Hard Work of Remembering Who You Are | Vicki M

“No one needs to be fixed. I just think we need to be remembered. And I also believe that we need to remember ourselves too.”

When we spend our lives taking care of everyone else, it is easy to lose sight of who we are beneath all the doing. In this episode of Tales of the Town, we explore what happens when major life disruptions force us to pause, look inward, and finally listen to our bodies and minds. This storytelling podcast features real stories and deeply personal stories about the messy process of self-discovery, moving through grief, and the quiet courage it takes to unlearn old habits. Through these community stories, we examine the difference between constantly doing for others and simply learning how to be.

ABOUT THE GUEST

In this episode, we’re joined by Vicki, a mother, grandmother, podcaster, and coach who spent years functioning as the primary doer for everyone around her. After facing a significant health crisis and the loss of both of her parents, Vicki had to confront a question she had never been asked before: who do you actually want to be?

TIMESTAMPS

00:21 – The weight of being the doer and losing both parents

01:10 – The question that changed everything: Who do you want to be?

02:58 – Navigating grief as an only child and managing an estate

04:26 – Remembering ourselves and moving off the back burner

06:16 – Finding fulfillment by learning to be alone without being lonely

09:13 – Processing a major health diagnosis and learning to listen to the body

11:43 – Navigating trauma, grief, and the absence of a timeline

14:40 – Breaking the cycle of numbing, overworking, and self-judgment

19:18 – Reflecting on parental worth and the generational ripple effect of healing

21:55 – How family dynamics shift when you start prioritizing your own path

“My being was more important than what I was doing, and I lost myself somewhere in the doing.”

WHO THIS EPISODE IS FOR

This episode is for you if…

• You constantly find yourself taking care of everyone else while putting your own needs on the back burner.
• You are navigating the heavy, timeline-free landscape of grief or recovering from a major health scare.
• You struggle to sit quietly with your own thoughts and feel the constant urge to stay busy.
• You are trying to break free from generational expectations and define success on your own terms.
• You want to learn how to trust your own intuition and give yourself grace when you are not at 100%.

CALL TO ACTION

If Vicky’s story brought up any reflections about your own journey or what it means to truly listen to yourself, please leave a comment below. We would love to hear your thoughts. If you want to hear more real, human stories like this one, feel free to subscribe to the channel.

INVITATION TO LIVE EVENT

If you enjoy these conversations, we invite you to join us in person for Tales of the Town. This monthly storytelling night is based in Windsor, Ontario, providing a warm, grounded environment where everyday people share real experiences. Share a story or witness one. It is a space where every voice has a place.

LINKS SECTION

Tales of the Town: http://www.talesofthetown.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theartofbeingunstoppable/

Vicki's Podcast: The Art of Being Unstoppable

Vicki's Website: VM Beautiful