Thank You, Mama

This episode is a bit different, because in this episode you host Ana Tajder will tell you her guest's mother's story. Because of technical difficulties with recording between US and China, the recording of the interview turned out blank, but Ana believed mama Chen's inspiring story must be shared, so she shared it herself. Ana's guest is the Beijing based artist and industrial design professor Xue Hongyan. Xue talks about her mom Chen who, after a life of hard work in a factory, started her own business at 50. Listen for a glimpse into a life of a working-class woman in China, and for important lessons on hard work, resilience, and courage to start a new professional phase in your 50s For more about "Thank You, Mama" please visit: http://www.tajder.com/ To contact Ana, please send a mail to: [email protected]

Personal chef Ana Kasparova talks about her Armenian mother Margarita who lost both of her parents at a very young age, and had to escape her home in Azerbaijan under very dramatic circumstances because of ethnic cleansing. Today, Margarita runs her very successful bi-lingual school in Bellevue, Washington. We hear about her lessons on strength, focus, determination, hard work, modesty, and gratefulness. To learn more about Chef Ana and her services, visit: https://www.anakasparova.com/ For more about "Thank You, Mama" please visit: http://www.tajder.com/ I would love to hear your feedback, or your mom's lessons, so if there's anything you'd like to share, please get in touch by mail: [email protected]

Rev. Michelle is a metaphysical minister, family constellation facilitator, and a clinical hypnotist helping women to heal their "Mother Wound". Michelle talks about her mother Karen who was an addict and lost her three children to foster homes, and shares the very profound lessons she learned from her: that we have to find compassion for the full woman our mother is, that we are inter-dependent with our ancestor, that we can never escape what we reject, and that our healing is tied to our mother's healing. For more about Rev. Michelle, please visit: https://revchelle.com/ For more about "Thank You, Mama" please visit: http://www.tajder.com/ To contact Ana, please send a mail to: [email protected]

Psychologist, author and homicide survivor, Dr. Jan Canty, talks about her mom Lou's lessons on seeing setbacks as an opportunity, remembering there's always someone that has it worse then you, being grateful, and treating others how you want to be treated. Jan also talks about her experience of being a homicide survivor, her battle with cancer, adopting her special needs daughters, her inspiring trips to Africa, cross-cultural psychotherapy, importance of imperfect parents, and facing sexism in 1950s America. For more about Jan and her work, please visit: http://www.jancantyphd.com/ For more about "Thank You, Mama" please visit: http://www.tajder.com/ To contact Ana, send a mail to: [email protected]

France Winddance Twine is a sociology professor and author of "A White Side of Black Britain", which examines interracial parenting among white English and Irish mothers of children whose fathers are of African-Caribbean heritage. Winddance talks about her mother Lois and her many lessons on embracing diversity, value of cultural capital, women's friendships, enjoying life, discipline, self-reliance, and respecting our parents' secrets. Winddance also talks about racism, art as a bridge between cultures, importance of sexual education, and knowing that our mothers did the best they could. For more about "Thank You, Mama" please visit: http://www.tajder.com/ To contact Ana, please send a mail to: [email protected]

This special episode deals with the academic discourse on modern motherhood. Social anthropologist Dr. Charlotte Faircloth, author of "Militant Lactivism", talks about her research on attachment parenting, about how (and why) motherhood has changed through history, about the intensity of modern motherhood, and shifts in parenting culture. Charlotte also shares very practical lessons she learned from her British mom Carolyn, a specialist early years teacher. For more about "Thank You, Mama" please visit: http://www.tajder.com/ To contact Ana, please send a mail to: [email protected]

Dr. Zsuzsa Berend, a sociology professor at UCLA and author of "The Online World of Surrogacy", talks about her Hungarian mother Rosa, who at 14 was the only Holocaust survivor in her family. Zsuzsa shares Rosa's touching story of abandonment, survival and depression, and talks about lessons she learned from her: the consequences of not dealing with trauma, the danger of believing in fairy tales, and the effects of over-protective parenting. Zsuzsa also shortly talks about surrogacy and motherhood. For more about "Thank You, Mama" please visit: http://www.tajder.com/ To contact Ana, please send a mail to: [email protected]

Ambi Kavanagh, author, astrologer, reiki master and sound healer from Los Angeles, talks about her Sri Lankan mom Rajeswary's lessons on faith, rituals, discipline, self-care, humility, getting help, and owning a home. Ambi's website: https://alchemywithambi.com/ For more about Ana and "Thank You, Mama": http://www.tajder.com/ To contact Ana, please send your mail to: [email protected]

Ashura Kayupayupa, a lawyer from Tanzania specialized in human rights, talks about her mother Rose, who, after her husband was killed in a car accident, was disowned by his family. In this episode, we learn about widow abuse, a problem that's still widespread in Africa. But mama Rose prevailed, and from her, we learn about hope, endurance, hard work, patience, and focusing on your life. We also learn that what truly matters is what we make out of a difficult situation, not why it had happened to us. For more about "Thank You, Mama" please visit: http://www.tajder.com/ To contact Ana, please send a mail to: [email protected]

Annie Averett is a mom of three from Seattle where she runs a small teaching and children's safety business. She talks about her mom Grady who runs her own HR consulting company. Grady taught Annie not to fall in love with the mirror, to be kind to others, and if failing - to fail with pride. For more information about Annie, please visit her business website: https://teaching-hands.com/ For more information about Ana and "Thank You, Mama" please visit: http://www.tajder.com/ You can contact Ana by mail: [email protected]

Sloane Ketchum is a business tycoon, best-selling author, coach and public speaker from Hawaii. Sloane talks about her mom Shelley who grew up in traditional Chinese culture, and her lessons on changing oppressing traditions, determining your future, and getting out of hard situations. Sloane also talks about her experience of being a teen mom, about not letting your circumstances to define you, and allowing yourself and others to sometimes not be ok. More about Sloane: http://www.sloaneketcham.com/ More about "Thank You, Mama": http://www.tajder.com/ You can contact Ana at: [email protected]

Intuitive and creative coach, Mara Marchesi, shares lessons she learned through healing herself in order to change her relationship with her mom. We learn that we need to accept people as they are (including their limitations), that we can only change (or heal) ourselves, not others, that we can change old patterns by managing our emotions before responding, and that we have everything we need inside of ourselves. For more about Ana and "Thank You, Mama": http://www.tajder.com/ If you'd like to contact Ana, please send your mail to: [email protected] To learn more about Mara: www.theintuitionqueen.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQrgTmoed3quUTObDg4g8IQ Mara's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/intuitive-queens-podcast/id1477108959

Sophia Wise One, a singer, speaker, teacher and transformational storyteller, shares her mom Grace's lessons on loving your body, applying yoga to your life, making decisions, and accepting change. From Sophia, we learn about empowering stories behind yoga poses, ancestral healing, chronic fatigue syndrome, letting things roll off your back, and saying "No". More about Sophia: https://www.sophiawiseone.com/ More about "Thank You, Mama": http://www.tajder.com/ If you'd like to contact Ana, please send an email to: [email protected]

Hamidah Thanawala, a financial consultant from New Jersey, talks about her Burmese mama Zubeda, and her numerous lessons. We learn to be content with what we have, to give, to celebrate life, that we are the owners of our experience, that trouble comes our way to teach us something, and that believing is achieving. We hear a very unique marriage story and as a little extra, we also learn how to prepare a Burmese dish called Kaukshwe. Hamidah's podcast "Sharing Life Lessons": https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sharing-life-lessons/id1495248815?uo=4 More about "Thank You, Mama": http://www.tajder.com/ If you'd like to get in touch with Ana, please send your mail to: [email protected]

Writer, co-author and editor of several life-style books, and a true New Yorker, Caitlin Leffel, talks about her mom Victoria, whom she lost when she was only 23. From Victoria, we learn to value our happiness, turn our passion into a profession, and that children do not guarantee happiness. Caitlin also talks about her experience of losing a mom, facing death with respect and dignity, the process of letting our mamas go, and learning to stand on our own. For more about "Thank You, Mama" go to: http://www.tajder.com/ To contact Ana, please send a mail to: [email protected] To listen to The Pumping Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pumping-podcast-l-motherhood-babies-family/id1474667560

Psychiatrist and coach Dr. Soniya Hirachan talks about her Nepalese mama Asha ("hope" in Nepalese) who grew up in the Himalayas, and every summer walked for a week to the nearest city to help her father sell the produce from their farm. Later in life, Asha built a profitable restaurant business and sent her children to the best schools in Nepal, India and the US. She teaches us about resilience, hope, humbleness, independence, and that it's ok to be different. The Pumping Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pumping-podcast-l-motherhood-babies-family/id1474667560 For more about Ana and "Thank You, Mama": http://www.tajder.com/ If you have comments, or a mama you'd like to share, you can reach Ana at: [email protected]

Leisa Peterson is a money and business coach, and author of "The Mindful Millionaire" (coming out today!). Leisa talks about her mom Jacquie, who was a hippie in Berkley during the '70s. Jacquie faced many struggles but always worked hard to support her children. We learn from her to not let the past dictate your future, to be independent and do whatever it takes to provide for your family, to be strong and never let them see you sweat. We also learn about the importance of savings and having a "nest egg", and to take care of our mental health. And from Leisa, we learn about growing up with hippie parents in the heart of the hippie movement, and about healing ourselves and our relationship with money. More about Leisa, her book and podcast: www.mindfulmillionairebook.com Leisa's free chakra balancing meditation: www.abundancegift.com The Pumping Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pumping-podcast-l-motherhood-babies-family/id1474667560 More about Ana and "Thank You, Mama": http://www.tajder.com/ Share your thoughts - or your mama: [email protected]

Susan Moylan-Coombs is an Australian First Nations woman, and an advocate for social justice. A member of the Stolen Generations, Susan talks about lessons she learned from both her adoptive mother and her biological mother. We learn that some situations are often not about you - it's about others, that sometimes you should just walk away, and to not allow trauma to dictate who you are. We also learn about Australian history, the Stolen Generations, Australia's First Peoples, and how their wisdom could help save the planet. To learn more about Susan and her work, go here: https://www.gaimaragal.com.au/home/ For more about Ana and "Thank You, Mama": http://www.tajder.com/

School counselor Rev. Dr. Marisha Stewart talks about her mother Rev. Patricia, and her lessons on believing in yourself, finding your faith, having courage, helping the ones who are forgotten by the society, and being a great mother. Marisha also shares her beautiful wisdom on raising a son. For more information on "Thank You, Mama" please visit www.thankyoumama.net

Economist Elisa Sitbon talks about her Tunisian Jewish mom Corinne and her lessons on being open-minded and establishing meaningful connections, not depending on others to make you happy, being incorruptible in a relationship, taking risks, and things not always being as bad as they seem.

In this solo episode, your host Ana Tajder talks about her mama, Jagoda Kaloper. Mama Jagoda was a celebrated actress and visual artist from Croatia and the reason Ana started this podcast. Ana shares the most important lessons she learned from her incredible mama about passionately loving life, leaving a mark, being your own source of happiness, aging gracefully, having it all by taking one step at the time, and being present and connected.

Molecular Biologist Dr. Özlem Yüce Petronczki talks about her amazing mama who wasn't allowed to go to school but pushed her daughters to complete PhDs. Listen for mama Fatma's lessons on being open-minded, honest and non-judgmental, on women's strength and courage, on overcoming boundaries and pushing your children to live up to their potential. And as a little extra, learn about Alevism and women's lives in Turkey. To contact Ana, please email at [email protected] For more information about "Thank You, Mama", please go to www.thankyoumama.net

Mindset coach Dr. Manuela Powell, a former breast cancer surgeon at the famous Sloan Kettering Hospital in NYC, talks about her Brazilian mother Andrea, a psychologist who taught her to stop and think, to consciously decide what you want from life, that you can build a successful new career in your 40s, and that you'll never feel ready for big things in life - so you should just do them. Having dealt with both, Manuela also gives us some great thoughts on burnout and cancer.

Wanjiku Kiarie, an accountant and podcaster from Kenya, talks about her mama Frasia, a teacher who raised and supported her four daughters during her husband's battle with drinking. The episode is bursting with lessons on finding God; forgiving and giving; working hard, saving and investing; raising amazing women; and honesty.

Stephanie Mitchell, a game producer from Seattle, talks about her mom Tanya who raised her three children as a single mother while working as a bar tender. We learn about hard work, being a people's person, how much independence is too much, and the importance of recognising and dealing with addiction running in the family.

Monica Cermeno, former performance testing engineer at Boeing, talks about her Mexican mama Fina, a seamstress who became a business owner. We learn to control our actions and not other people's, that good deeds come back three times, about working hard and making the best out of our circumstances, and the importance of saying "I love you."

In this special mini episode, seven little girls, Olivia, Elise, Gabriella, Lola, Sophia, Penny and Bailey, share the lessons they learned from their mothers. You will learn how to protect lettuce from naughty bunnies, avoid fighting, speak Spanish, Korean and Slovak, make lasagna, jump rope, that we all actually have many mamas who will love us forever, no matter how many mistakes we make, and many more awesome lessons.

Writer and podcaster Ronit Plank talks about her mom who left to follow Guru Bhagwan in India. We learn that while most people don't change, some do; that the way people treat you shows who they are, not who you are; the importance of expressing feelings in a vulnerable and constructive way; and to always use more herbs than the recipe calls for.

Ines Abejon, a stylist from Madrid, talks about her mom Pilar who grew up in Spain during Franco's dictatorship and became a successful lawyer, happy wife and mother of three. From her, we learn the importance of staying independent within a marriage, what makes the right partner, to always look the part, and that no one is perfect.

Karen DiConcetto is a TV-writer and a former pop-star from New York. Karen talks about her New Jersey mom Kathy, a nurse who bounced back from a divorce in her sixties and is now happily married. We learn from Kathy that it's never too late for a fresh start, to be authentic, not to take things personally, and that we don't need to do everything ourselves.

Roxanne Derhodge, a therapist and consultant specialized in resilience, talks about her mother Carol from Trinidad who had six children, and teaches us about caring for others, unconditional love, but also the importance of self-love, setting boundaries, and walking away when things aren't working.

Kathryn Sermak was Bette Davis' personal assistant and best friend during the last ten years of Davis' life. Davis wasn't Sermak's mom, but we're making an exception for the Hollywood legend, and celebrating her birthday by learning from her about marching to the beat of your own drum, owning your mistakes, making decisions, trusting your instincts, and living life to the fullest.

Doris W Lee, a former marketing expert, now a busy mom of three, is sharing her mama Sophia, a nurse from South Korea who is teaching us about being brave but also kind and sweet, having a healthy suspicion of people, not taking the first thing you get, and empowering your children by teaching them about sex.

Los Angeles based TV and movie actress Laura Allen talks about her stay-at- home-mom Julie, from whom she learned the importance of a career, the courage to age naturally, respect for other women, and how to embrace change.

Jaynie Jackson, a music talent manager from Los Angeles talks about her mom Florence who beat cancer in her seventies, and raised her nine children with a strong sense of religion, altruism and love for performing arts. Mama Florence teaches us the power of prayer, family values, art of sharing, loving and serving people, and living your passion.

Claire Bidwell Smith, best-selling author of three books on loss (The Rules of Inheritance, After This, Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief), a grief therapist, and a Charleston-based mom of three (or six!), lost her mama Sally when she was only 18. From Claire, we learn about "healthy grief" and that there is no right way to grieve. From mama Sally, a food stylist, we learn to embrace the messiness of life, not to try fitting into boxes, and to face pain.

Rupa Chawla, a retired United Nations employee from Austria and India, talks about her Burmese mother Ada who, at 86, is still the pillar of the family. Ada still meditates and practices yoga every day, and teaches us about gentle honesty, real strength, life without judgement, being self-contained, the magic of letting things be, and the blessings of gratitude.

Our mothers' lessons are an immense treasure, which so many of us never articulate. This podcast does just that: award-winning author and journalist Ana Tajder talks to women of different backgrounds, nationalities, ages and professions who share the most valuable lessons they learned from their mothers. This weekly trip around the world should allow the colorful experiences and wisdom of global mothers to inspire, motivate, and maybe teach the listeners a lesson or two.