This Mother’s Day, we celebrate a form of motherhood grounded in boldness, agency, and unwavering love, the path of the single mother by choice. In this powerful episode of This is My Silver Lining, Leslie Stone shares how one emotional moment at her niece’s Bat Mitzvah triggered a life-changing decision: to stop waiting for the traditional path and choose motherhood on her own terms.

Leslie, a former C-suite advertising executive, opens up about what it meant to make peace with uncertainty and go all-in on a path few dare to walk alone. She speaks candidly about the emotional and physical toll of navigating fertility, the surreal process of choosing a sperm donor, and the serendipity of becoming pregnant at 40 against the odds.

Leslie reflects on the sacred, joyful, and affirming experience of parenting solo, how she intentionally built an extended community of support for her daughter, and the clarity that comes from living life on your own terms. Her story is a compelling reminder that motherhood is not defined by convention, but by intention, courage, and deep love..

Episode Links and Resources

Leslie Stone

Single Mothers By Choice

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© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

When playwright, author, and performer Susan Lieu was just 11 years old, her mother died after undergoing what should have been a routine tummy tuck. Her family never talked about it.

The trauma, silence, and injustice was a hard-edged shadow for Susan. Her family’s silence only reinforced her determination to find answers.

Years later, Susan embarked on a courageous journey to make sense of the silence. In this episode, she shares how she uncovered the truth about so much more than her mother’s death and how she transformed her grief into bold, moving works of art, including a powerful memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter.

In this episode of This is My Silver Lining, we talk about:

✔️ Breaking intergenerational silence
✔️ Turning trauma into purpose
✔️ Finding healing through storytelling

Susan’s story is a powerful reminder of how reclaiming our narratives can set us free. 🎭

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

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© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Hard work alone won’t get you ahead—your success depends on how well you navigate workplace dynamics and communicate with decision-makers. That’s where Managing Up comes in.

In this episode of This Is My Silver Lining, I sit down with Melody Wilding, executive coach and bestselling author of Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge, to break down the essential skills for building better relationships with your boss, advocating for yourself, and taking control of your career—without stress or burnout.

We also touch on Melody’s previous book, Trust Yourself, which empowers Sensitive Strivers—high-achievers who feel deeply—to set boundaries, overcome self-doubt, and thrive at work.

If you’ve ever felt overworked, overlooked, or unsure how to move forward in your career, this episode is packed with practical, actionable advice to help you take back your power.

Episode Links and Resources

• Melody Wilding
• Melody Wilding - LinkedIn
• Managing Up: How to Get What You Need From the People in Charge
• Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Martha Underwood discusses the essential role of end-of-life planning and the emotional complexities it entails, sharing the inspiration behind her digital vault service, Prismm. She reflects on her family's immigrant background and how resilience, risk-taking, and a commitment to service shaped her approach to building a platform that helps families organize important documents and information to ensure access in order to facilitate the transfer of wealth after the death of a loved one.

In this conversation, Martha also highlights the importance of personal organization for effective caregiving, the risks of elder abuse in an AI-driven world, and her experience as a woman of color in tech. She underscores the value of support systems in entrepreneurship and shares her thoughts on modern parenting, focusing on open communication and emotional safety within the family. Balancing work and personal life, Martha even reveals some of her personal joys, including her love of dance and Korean soap operas!

Episode Links and Resources

Prismm

Martha Underwood, LinkedIn

Meet Martha Underwood, Bold Journeys Magazine, February 16, 2024

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome to a brand-new season of This is My Silver Lining!

As we step into the new year, host Ingrid Busson-Hall reflects on the journey of creating this podcast, its mission to inspire hope and resilience, and the exciting plans ahead. This season will feature more extraordinary stories of courage, kindness, and gratitude—reminders that even in life’s toughest moments, there’s always a silver lining to embrace.

In this episode, Ingrid shares a special update about Co-Host Kathleen Merrigan, who is stepping away from the podcast to pursue new opportunities. Though Kathleen will no longer be behind the mic, her spirit and support will always be part of the show’s DNA.

Thank you for joining us on this journey, and here’s to starting the year with optimism, fresh perspectives, and inspiring conversations!

Links and Resources

This is My Silver Lining: Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Website

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

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© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In this thought-provoking episode of This is My Silver Lining, I sit down with Dan Kowalski, founder of Plan A Thinking and author of W.I.S.E. Choices at Work: Go From Doubting to DECISIVE When the Clock is Ticking.

Dan's mission is to empower individuals and teams to make better decisions through deliberate and disciplined thinking. From his humble beginnings to navigating career transitions and founding his own consulting firm, Dan shares how curiosity, resilience, and a framework for decision-making have shaped his journey.

We explore the importance of creating space for reflection, asking the right questions, and understanding the downside of every choice. Dan also shares his insights on the evolving role of technology—especially AI—in decision-making and how to strike a balance between speed and thoughtful consideration in a fast-paced world.

Whether you're a leader, a professional facing tough decisions, or simply someone striving to think more effectively, Dan's wise and practical approach will leave you inspired.

Episode Links and Resources

Plan A Thinking

W.I.S.E. Choices at Work: Go From Doubting to DECISIVE When the Clock is Ticking

Dialogue Mapping: Building Shared Understanding of Wicked Problems, Jeff Conklin

Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions, Temple Grandin

Think Again, Adam Grant

I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times, Mónica Guzmán

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In this inspiring episode, we speak with Bill Burke, founder of the Optimism Institute and host of the Bluesky podcast, about the powerful link between optimism and gratitude. Bill shares his perspectives on how life’s toughest challenges ultimately shape us into better, more empathetic people, and how being grateful for these experiences opens us up to new relationships and greater possibilities in the future.

We dive into the importance of optimism—not as a naive perspective, but as a grounded, realistic outlook that fuels resilience, deepens connections, and helps us embrace the good in life.

Bill discusses his transition from being a high-powered media executive at Turner Broadcasting where he served as the first General Manager of Turner Classic Movies to relocating his family to Portland, Maine. Ironically, it was getting off the corporate merry go round that created the opportunity for Bill to serve as Ted Turner’s ghost writer on his highly anticipated biography, Call Me Ted.

Bill reflects on the importance of gratitude and how cultivating a mindset of optimism can transform not only your life but also the world around you. Tune in for a dose of inspiration on living with optimism, curiosity, and gratitude!

Episode Links and Resources

Optimism Institute

Bluesky Podcast

Call Me Ted

How to be an Optimist in a Turbulent World, Dr. Sue Varma

The Effects of Optimism on Health, Dr. Nicola Williams

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2024 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

In this heartfelt conversation, InsideWink co-creators and co-hosts Jean Trebek, widow of Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, and actress, Alison Martin, explore the transformative power of friendship, everyday miracles, grief, and compassion. Jean reflects on her journey of loss and resilience, sharing deeply personal experiences of losing her brother at a young age, overcoming an eating disorder, and caring for and grieving her beloved husband, Alex. Alison opens up about the impact of losing her father as a child and the simple, profound importance of being present for a friend in need. Through laughter and tears, they remind us that friendship is a precious gift of love from the universe.

Episode Links and Resources

InsideWink

A Course in Miracles, Helen Schucman

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Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2022 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Support this podcast by subscribing and reviewing.

Music is considered “royalty-free” and discovered on Audio Blocks.

Technical Podcast Support by: Jon Keur at Wayfare Recording Co.

© 2025 Silver Linings Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.