Flourishing After Adversity

Laura Mangum Broome

If you've experienced grief, illness, loss, or life-altering setbacks—and you're ready to reclaim your joy—this podcast is for you. Hosted by Laura Mangum Broome, Resilience Coach and author of Flourishing After Adversity, this weekly show is your go-to resource for overcoming life’s toughest challenges with hope, courage, and clarity. Each episode dives into real-life strategies for emotional healing, building resilience, managing mindset, navigating unexpected change, and rediscovering your strength after adversity.  Whether you're facing the aftermath of divorce, struggling to move forward after loss, or starting over later in life, you’ll find practical tools and encouragement to help you grow—not just go—through what you’ve been through. If you're searching for inspiration, resilience coaching tips, or mental health support for difficult seasons, hit play and start flourishing after adversity. You've got this!

  1. 6D AGO

    S2:E14 Can Two Truths Exist at Once? (How to Hold Sorrow and Joy at the Same Time)

    Holding Two Truths: How to Process Mixed Emotions After Adversity Host Laura Mangum Broome welcomes listeners to the Flourishing After Adversity Podcast and shares a free guide, “Reframe the Spiral: 5 Quick Coping Strategies to Shift Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Day.” Using her father’s memorial service as an example, she explains that human emotions are often layered—sorrow and joy, dread and relief can coexist—and mixed emotions don’t mean something is wrong or that healing is failing.  Laura offers three steps to process two emotional truths: notice what’s coming up, name both truths honestly (e.g., “I feel relief and I also feel sadness”), and make room for both without rushing to fix it through practices like journaling, prayer, walking, or talking with someone safe. Reminders include using “and” instead of “but,” avoiding guilt when joy appears, and accepting both feelings as valid. 00:00 Why Mixed Emotions Happen 00:20 Welcome and Free Guide 01:05 A Memorial Service Story 01:33 Two Truths Can Coexist 02:31 Step One Notice Feelings 03:14 Step Two Name Both Truths 03:47 Step Three Make Room 04:24 Three Reminders This Week 04:52 Reflection and Action Step 05:21 Recap and Final Encouragement Free Resource: Reframe the Spiral: 5 Quick Coping Strategies to Shift Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Day: https://www.icope2hope.com/reframeiCope2Hope 3-Step Resilience Framework: https://bit.ly/FrameworkRoadmapWebsite: iCope2Hope: From Hardship to Hope: https://www.icope2hope.comMove Beyond Adversity Blog: https://www.icope2hope.com/blogFree Newsletter: Wednesday’s Resilient Recharge: https://www.icope2hope.com/newsletterSchedule a free 15-minute Clarity Call with Laura: https://bit.ly/15mincallLMB

    7 min
  2. APR 1

    S2:E13 Stop Letting People's Opinions Make Your Life Decisions

    Stop Letting Other People’s Opinions Decide Your Life Host Laura Mangum Broome discusses how fear of others’ opinions can keep people from pursuing dreams and making aligned decisions, sharing a friend’s example of starting a women’s garment business and bracing for family reactions. She emphasizes that while others may have opinions, they don’t carry the outcomes, and encourages focusing on what is within one’s control (thoughts, actions, boundaries) versus what isn’t (others’ reactions, the future).  She explains unsolicited criticism may come from fear, a need for control, projection, or discomfort with change, and offers three responses: acknowledge and ask to share your view, clarify you weren’t seeking advice, or thank them and change the subject. The episode closes with a reflection question, a small-step action challenge, and reminders to download her free guide and visit iCope2Hope.com. 00:00 Fear of Opinions 00:24 Podcast Welcome 00:45 Free Coping Guide 01:07 Friend Business Story 02:03 Who Carries Outcomes 03:03 Control vs Not 03:38 Why People Judge 04:55 Three Responses 05:28 Habits and Takeaway 05:58 Reflection and Action 06:28 Recap and Next Steps 07:27 Closing Encouragement Free Resource: Reframe the Spiral: 5 Quick Coping Strategies to Shift Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Day: https://www.icope2hope.com/reframeiCope2Hope 3-Step Resilience Framework: https://bit.ly/FrameworkRoadmapWebsite: iCope2Hope: From Hardship to Hope: https://www.icope2hope.comMove Beyond Adversity Blog: https://www.icope2hope.com/blogFree Newsletter: Wednesday’s Resilient Recharge: https://www.icope2hope.com/newsletterSchedule a free 15-minute Clarity Call with Laura: https://bit.ly/15mincallLM

    8 min
  3. MAR 25

    S2:E12 Decision Triage: Don't Make Every Decision at Once

    Decision Triage: How to Stop Overthinking After Unexpected Setbacks Host Laura Mangum Broome discusses how unexpected updates—like a diagnosis, financial setback, or sudden change—can trigger worst-case thinking and decision fatigue by making you mentally carry what might happen, not just what is happening. She shares a recent family medical scare that escalated from a routine appointment to possible procedures and transplant testing, and explains the importance of taking things one step at a time.  She introduces “decision triage,” comparing choices to an ER’s priorities, and offers three questions to reduce overwhelm: what needs a decision today, what feels urgent but can wait, and what information or support is needed before deciding. Practicing this in everyday situations builds resilience for harder seasons, helping you focus on the next right decision rather than solving the whole future. 00:00 When Your Mind Races 00:26 Podcast Welcome and Free Guide 01:13 Why Overwhelm Happens 02:05 A Family Health Scare 03:12 Decision Triage Method 03:25 Three Questions to Ask 04:11 Practice Builds Resilience 05:05 Try It Right Now 05:38 Recap and Next Step 06:16 Closing and Call to Action Free Resource: Reframe the Spiral: 5 Quick Coping Strategies to Shift Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Day: https://www.icope2hope.com/reframeiCope2Hope 3-Step Resilience Framework: https://bit.ly/FrameworkRoadmapWebsite: iCope2Hope: From Hardship to Hope: https://www.icope2hope.comMove Beyond Adversity Blog: https://www.icope2hope.com/blogFree Newsletter: Wednesday’s Resilient Recharge: https://www.icope2hope.com/newsletterSchedule a free 15-minute Clarity Call with Laura: https://bit.ly/15mincallLM

    7 min
  4. MAR 18

    S2:E11 How to Move Through Overwhelm One Step at a Time

    Overwhelmed? Find Your Next Step Host Laura Mangum Broome welcomes listeners to the Flourishing After Adversity podcast and offers a free guide, “Reframe the Spiral,” for shifting negative thoughts. She explains how overwhelm makes everything feel urgent, fuels racing thoughts and tension, and can cause people to freeze, especially during adversity such as grief, illness, heartbreak, or major change. She recommends asking one focusing question—“What’s the next step?”—to move from fear into action, emphasizing that first steps can be practical or emotional.  Laura shares three strategies: shrink the moment by identifying what matters now, focus on what you can control using two columns, and let small wins count to rebuild momentum and confidence. She provides reflection questions and a weekly challenge to choose one heavy area, define one first action, and plan when, support, and obstacles. 00:00 When Life Feels Too Much 00:20 Welcome and Free Resource 01:04 Why Overwhelm Freezes You 01:36 Ask What’s Next 02:38 Practical vs Emotional First Steps 03:09 Three Steps to Move Forward 03:13 Step One Shrink the Moment 03:37 Step Two Control What You Can 04:13 Step Three Count Small Wins 04:47 Reflection Questions to Reset 05:16 Weekly Challenge Plan It 05:41 Recap and Encouragement 06:21 Closing and Call to Action Free Resource: Reframe the Spiral: 5 Quick Coping Strategies to Shift Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Day: https://www.icope2hope.com/reframeiCope2Hope 3-Step Resilience Framework: https://bit.ly/FrameworkRoadmapWebsite: iCope2Hope: From Hardship to Hope: https://www.icope2hope.comMove Beyond Adversity Blog: https://www.icope2hope.com/blogFree Newsletter: Wednesday’s Resilient Recharge: https://www.icope2hope.com/newsletterSchedule a free 15-minute Clarity Call with Laura: https://bit.ly/15mincallLM

    7 min
  5. MAR 11

    S2:E10 Your Misogi Moment: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Strength

    Misogi: Choosing a 50/50 Challenge to Grow After Adversity Host Laura Mangum Broome invites listeners of the Flourishing After Adversity podcast to consider a “misogi,” a deliberately chosen challenge that reveals latent potential, inspired by The Comfort Crisis. She contrasts misogi with adversity and ordinary goals, sharing her own chosen challenge of climbing Enchanted Rock on the third anniversary of her heart transplant, and explains Elliot’s guidelines: it must be really challenging, you “can’t die,” and it should carry about a 50% chance of success.  She discusses research suggesting meaningful discomfort and “optimal stress” can build resilience, self-esteem, and belonging. Broome offers three steps—choose a personal 50/50 challenge, create a safety plan plus a fail-forward plan, and commit to an identity shift—and three tips: try a 7-day micro-misogi, recruit accountability, and track proof and learning rather than perfection. 00:00 Surprising Yourself 00:21 Welcome and Free Resource 01:14 What Is a Misogi 01:51 Laura’s Misogi Story 02:33 Misogi Rules and 50 50 03:54 Discomfort as Medicine 05:25 Three Steps to Choose Yours 05:56 Safety and Fail Forward 07:30 Identity Shift Commitment 08:07 Three Prep Tips 09:00 Recap and Next Steps 10:13 Closing Encouragement Free Resource: Reframe the Spiral: 5 Quick Coping Strategies to Shift Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Day: https://www.icope2hope.com/reframeEnchanted Rock Blog: https://www.icope2hope.com/blog/celebrating-life-after-a-heart-transplant-my-ascent-to-resilienceiCope2Hope 3-Step Resilience Framework: https://bit.ly/FrameworkRoadmapWebsite: iCope2Hope: From Hardship to Hope: https://www.icope2hope.comMove Beyond Adversity Blog: https://www.icope2hope.com/blogFree Newsletter: Wednesday’s Resilient Recharge: https://www.icope2hope.com/newsletterSchedule a free 15-minute Clarity Call with Laura: https://bit.ly/15mincallLMB

    11 min
  6. MAR 4

    S2:E9 What Do You Want? (Choosing Change Over Expectations)

    3 Questions to Stop Living for Approval and Take Your Next Right Step Laura Mangum Broome welcomes listeners to the Flourishing After Adversity podcast and introduces a free guide, “Reframe the Spiral,” for coping with negative thoughts after setbacks. She discusses how fear of judgment and living for others’ approval can keep people stuck, using a scene from The Notebook to illustrate the struggle of choosing between personal desires and others’ expectations.  Emphasizing that you are accountable for your own life, she offers three practical questions to gain clarity when wanting change: What are your passions, what are your strengths, and what resources do you have to take the first step. She encourages asking what you’d choose without others’ opinions, considering the cost of staying the same, and completing a 10-minute exercise to identify one next right step. 00:00 Fear of Judgment 00:20 Podcast Welcome 00:45 Free Reframe Guide 01:07 Living for Approval 02:21 Three Clarity Questions 02:46 Question One Passions 03:55 Question Two Strengths 04:57 Question Three Resources 06:03 When Fear Gets Loud 06:53 10 Minute Exercise 07:37 Recap and Next Step 08:32 Closing and Resources Free Resource: Reframe the Spiral: 5 Quick Coping Strategies to Shift Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Day: https://www.icope2hope.com/reframeiCope2Hope 3-Step Resilience Framework: https://bit.ly/FrameworkRoadmapWebsite: iCope2Hope: From Hardship to Hope: https://www.icope2hope.comMove Beyond Adversity Blog: https://www.icope2hope.com/blogFree Newsletter: Wednesday’s Resilient Recharge: https://www.icope2hope.com/newsletterSchedule a free 15-minute Clarity Call with Laura: https://bit.ly/15mincallLMB

    9 min
  7. FEB 25

    S2:E8 Throw Off the Comfort Blanket

    Throw Off the Comfort Blanket: One Brave Step After Adversity Laura Mangum Broome opens the Flourishing After Adversity podcast by reframing “I’m not ready” as a form of avoidance, explaining that comfort can support recovery but can also numb growth like a “comfort blanket.” She shares climbing Enchanted Rock in Texas on the third anniversary of her heart transplant as a physically and mentally difficult choice that gave her evidence of capability. She describes how taking steps outside her comfort zone led her to share her story publicly, start her podcast, and travel to Washington, DC to meet with members of Congress and staff to discuss the impact of high-potency THC, including her teenage son’s death by suicide 10 years earlier.  The episode presents two choices—staying under the comfort blanket and clinging to complacency versus throwing it off and trying something new—outlining short- and long-term consequences and rewards. Broome offers small, practical ways to take the next step (volunteering, joining a beginner class, attending a meetup, reaching out for coffee, sharing with one safe person) and emphasizes choosing the smallest next step because repetition builds evidence and courage. She prompts reflection questions, gives a 10-minute action exercise to identify one avoided thing and take one small step within 24 hours, recaps the key points, invites listeners to share and review the episode, and points to her free resource “Reframe the Spiral” in the show notes. 00:00 Not Ready Mindset 00:21 Podcast Welcome 01:12 Heart Transplant Hike 02:30 Comfort Blanket Truth 03:04 Saying Yes Again 03:58 Two Choice Framework 05:35 Small Steps Ideas 06:31 Reflection And Action 07:28 Recap And Sendoff Free Resource: Reframe the Spiral: 5 Quick Coping Strategies to Shift Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Day: https://www.icope2hope.com/reframeEnchanted Rock Blog: https://www.icope2hope.com/blog/celebrating-life-after-a-heart-transplant-my-ascent-to-resilienceParent Action Network 2026 Capitol Hill Day: https://learnaboutsam.org/pan/iCope2Hope 3-Step Resilience Framework: https://bit.ly/FrameworkRoadmapWebsite: iCope2Hope: From Hardship to Hope: https://www.icope2hope.comMove Beyond Adversity Blog: https://www.icope2hope.com/blogFree Newsletter: Wednesday’s Resilient Recharge: https://www.icope2hope.com/newsletterSchedule a free 15-minute Clarity Call with Laura: https://bit.ly/15mincallLMB

    8 min
  8. FEB 18

    S2:E7 If It's So Bad, Why Do We Stay Miserable in Our Comfort Zone

    S2:E7 If It's So Bad, Why Do We Stay Miserable in Our Comfort Zone Laura Mangum Broome welcomes listeners to the Flourishing After Adversity podcast and introduces a free guide, “Reframe the Spiral: 5 Quick Coping Strategies to Shift Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Day,” available in the show notes. The episode explores why people stay in unhealthy or draining situations, framing it as self-protection by the brain and nervous system to avoid the risks of the unknown. Laura shares a personal story about remaining in a frustrating job due to the effort required to leave, and contrasts being realistic (gathering information, seeking support, and making a strengths-based plan) with giving up on yourself (hopelessness and resignation).  She offers three practical steps: name what you don’t like and ask “why” to find the root issue; clarify a measurable desired outcome; and decide whether the current situation can realistically achieve that outcome, identifying what’s in your control and one action to start this week—or, if not possible, defining the type of situation you need and taking one small step toward it. The episode ends with a three-minute writing exercise (“I’m subjecting myself to…,” “It’s costing me…,” and “My next small step is…”) and a call to share the episode, leave a review, connect at iCope2Hope.com, and download the free guide. 00:00 Why We Stay in Miserable Situations  00:21 Welcome + Free Resource: Reframe the Spiral 01:14 Staying Isn’t Weakness, It’s Your Nervous System Seeking Safety 02:06 A Personal Story: The Job I Hated but Didn’t Leave 03:08 Realistic vs. Giving Up: Spotting Hopelessness in Disguise 03:53 3 Steps to Change: Step 1—Name What’s Not Working  05:02 Step 2—Define a Clear, Measurable Desired Outcome 05:35 Step 3—Can This Situation Get You There? Control, Plans, and Next Steps 06:51 Recap + A 3-Minute Writing Exercise to Choose Your Next Micro-Step 07:53 Closing Encouragement + Share, Review, and Download the Free Guide Free Resource: Reframe the Spiral: 5 Quick Coping Strategies to Shift Negative Thoughts and Reclaim Your Day: https://www.icope2hope.com/reframeiCope2Hope 3-Step Resilience Framework: https://bit.ly/FrameworkRoadmapWebsite: iCope2Hope: From Hardship to Hope: https://www.icope2hope.comMove Beyond Adversity Blog: https://www.icope2hope.com/blogFree Newsletter: Wednesday’s Resilient Recharge: https://www.icope2hope.com/newsletterSchedule a free 15-minute Clarity Call with Laura: https://bit.ly/15mincallLMB

    9 min

About

If you've experienced grief, illness, loss, or life-altering setbacks—and you're ready to reclaim your joy—this podcast is for you. Hosted by Laura Mangum Broome, Resilience Coach and author of Flourishing After Adversity, this weekly show is your go-to resource for overcoming life’s toughest challenges with hope, courage, and clarity. Each episode dives into real-life strategies for emotional healing, building resilience, managing mindset, navigating unexpected change, and rediscovering your strength after adversity.  Whether you're facing the aftermath of divorce, struggling to move forward after loss, or starting over later in life, you’ll find practical tools and encouragement to help you grow—not just go—through what you’ve been through. If you're searching for inspiration, resilience coaching tips, or mental health support for difficult seasons, hit play and start flourishing after adversity. You've got this!