Other People's Shoes

Neil Matthews
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

On my show, I intentionally create space for every voice and every point of view to be heard. Honest, constructive conversations have a way of opening our eyes to stories we might otherwise miss. After all, when you step into Other People’s Shoes, you gain what we’re all searching for… a different perspective on life.

  1. Stutter

    5D AGO

    Stutter

    🎙 STUTTER  🚪 🧩 WHO’S THERE? 🚪Every knock carries a moment… a decision… a voice we either trust or try to hide.This season is about answering the door… even when what’s on the other side scares you.  🚪 👣 GUEST INTRODUCTION:What if the voice you’ve been trying to hide… is the very thing meant to be heard? For Byron Athene, a stutter wasn’t just something he dealt with it became part of how he saw himself. It shaped his confidence, his choices, and the path he believed was available to him. So even though he was drawn to philosophy and psychology, he convinced himself that becoming a therapist wasn’t realistic. His voice, in his mind, disqualified him. So he stayed safe. For over two decades, Byron worked in office roles, keeping that deeper calling at a distance. But the knock never stopped. Over time, something began to shift. What if the limitation wasn’t his speech… but the belief attached to it?What if the story he told himself… wasn’t true? That question changed everything. Today, Byron is a counselling psychotherapist, certified mindset coach, clinical supervisor, and author helping others move past limiting beliefs and step into a greater sense of freedom, purpose, and fulfillment.  🚪 This conversation isn’t just about a stutter…It’s about finding your voice. 💡 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 🗣 Living with a stutter and how it shapes identity 😶 Avoiding conversations—and opportunities—because of fear 🛑 Why Byron didn’t pursue therapy earlier in life 🧠 Fixed mindset vs. growth mindset in real life 🔄 How one belief can redirect your entire life ✨ “We are perfect… unless we focus on our imperfections” 🎤 Letting go of what others think and reclaiming your voice 🔥 “You can hate them… but that won’t affect my enjoyment of them” 🌱 Helping others access freedom, fulfillment, and inner growth  🚪 🔗 CONNECT WITH BYRON ATHENE:Website: https://www.byronathene.com/  🚪 🎧 OTHER PEOPLE’S SHOES LINKS:🩵 Instagram👍 Facebook🐦 X (Twitter)📺 YouTube👟 Website  🚪 💭 FINAL THOUGHT: We spend so much of our lives focusing on what’s “wrong” with us…the hesitation, the flaw, the thing we wish we could fix. But what if that’s not the thing holding us back? What if it’s the meaning we’ve attached to it? So here’s the question… Are you letting your voice be heard…or are you still believing the story that it’s not enough?  🚪 📣 LEAVE US A REVIEW:If this episode made you think about your own voice… or challenged the story you’ve been telling yourself, don’t keep that to yourself.Leave a review and let us know how this conversation impacted you.

    38 min
  2. Goodbye

    MAR 18

    Goodbye

    🎙 GOODBYE   🧩 WHO’S THERE? 🚪 Every knock carries a moment… a decision… a person… or a goodbye we didn’t see coming.This season is about answering the door before it’s too late. 👣 GUEST INTRODUCTION: What is so good about goodbye? The word itself didn’t start the way we use it today. Back in the late 1500s, “goodbye” was actually a blessing short for “God be with you.” Over time, it softened, shifted, and lost its original weight… but maybe it wasn’t supposed to. Because when you really think about it… Goodbye isn’t just a word.It’s a moment. This week, I’m joined by Kelly Weaver, and her story brings that truth front and center. She has stood at the edge of life—on death’s doorstep and come back. After walking through ovarian cancer, widowhood, raising a daughter with autism as a single parent, and a life-altering illness, Kelly understands something most of us try to avoid: We don’t always get to choose when the last goodbye happens. Now, as an identity life coach, she helps high-achieving women over 50 rediscover who they are after retirement and major life transitions. But what she really offers is deeper than that clarity, perspective, and a reminder that life doesn’t end… it evolves. This conversation isn’t just about endings…It’s about being ready for them. 💡 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: The true origin and deeper meaning behind the word “goodbye.” Why do we often take our final moments with people for granted What it means to experience restoration, peace, and clarity Kelly’s powerful story of survival, loss, and reinvention The uncomfortable but necessary question: Are you ready to say goodbye? Why saving money and preparing for retirement is more emotional than financial How to step into your next chapter with purpose and intention 🔗 CONNECT WITH KELLY WEAVER: Website: https://kellyweaverconsulting.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_weaver_consulting 🎧 OTHER PEOPLE’S SHOES LINKS: 🩵 Instagram 👍 Facebook 🐦 X (Twitter) 📺 YouTube 👟 Website 📣 LEAVE US A REVIEW: If this episode made you pause… reflect… or think about the people in your life a little differently, don’t keep that to yourself.Leave a review and let us know how this conversation impacted you. 💭 FINAL THOUGHT: Inspired by The Breath You Take by George Strait… Life isn’t just about breathing in and out.It’s about the moments that take your breath away. So here’s the question… If today were the moment, would your goodbye say everything it needs to? 🚪

    41 min
  3. SMS

    MAR 11

    SMS

    🎙  SMS 🚪 Who’s There? 🚪 This season explores the moments when life knocks on our door. Sometimes the knock is quiet. Sometimes it’s loud enough to shake everything we thought we knew. “Who’s There?” is about those moments that stop us in our tracks and force us to answer the door to truth, change, and responsibility. 👣 Guest Introduction: Dave Booth How many of us have sent a text while driving?Or remember the days before Bluetooth when we held our phones up to our ear while cruising down the road? If I’m being honest… I struggle with a phone addiction. It’s easy to joke about. Easy to brush off. But the question that sits heavy on my mind is this: Could one text message cost someone their life? That message you just have to send.That song you feel like you have to hear right now.That quick glance down at the screen. Today’s guest, Dave Booth, knows exactly how dangerous that moment can be. Dave was sitting in backed-up traffic when everything changed. A teenage driver, distracted behind the wheel, slammed into him at roughly 75 miles per hour while Dave was traveling about 35 mph. In a split second, life became a before-and-after story. This conversation isn’t just about texting and driving. It’s about responsibility, forgiveness, healing, and the question many people struggle with after tragedy: Can you forgive the person who almost took your life? 💡 Episode Highlights 📱 SMS: Short Message Service the everyday texting habit many of us don’t think twice about 🚗 The crash that changed Dave’s life in an instant ⚖️ Understanding the real dangers of distracted driving 🧠 What happens when our phone habits become an addiction 🎖️ How something as simple as a duty belt can help hold life together 🤝 Wrestling with forgiveness after someone nearly takes your life 🗣️ Turning personal trauma into education that can save others 🐱 And yes… how the song “Soft Kitty” can actually play a role in healing ⚖️ Oregon’s Hands-Free Driving Law (ORS 811.507) Oregon law strictly prohibits holding or using a mobile electronic device while driving — even while stopped in traffic or at a red light. Key points of the law: 📵 Holding a phone, texting, browsing, or watching videos while driving is illegal 🎧 Drivers 18+ may only use hands-free accessories (Bluetooth, headset, mounted devices) with voice commands or a single touch/swipe 🚫 Drivers under 18 cannot use phones at all while driving — even hands-free 🚑 Exceptions only apply when contacting emergency services or when safely parked on the roadside Penalties First offense: up to $1,000 fine Second offense: up to $2,500 fine Third offense: may become a criminal misdemeanor with possible jail time 📊 The Reality of Distracted Driving According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): ⚠️ 3,275 people died in distracted driving crashes in 2023 🚑 324,000+ injuries occurred from distracted driving crashes 📅 On average, 9 people die every single day due to distracted driving 📱 At any given moment, 326,000 drivers are using handheld devices 🚗 Reading a text takes your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds the equivalent of driving a football field blindfolded at highway speed 📉 Texting while driving increases crash risk 23 times 🔍 Takeaway Questions This episode asks some hard but important questions: Is sending a text message worth someone’s life? What responsibility do we carry every time we get behind the wheel? Can you forgive someone whose mistake nearly killed you? How can personal stories help educate others before tragedy strikes? 🔗 Connect with Dave Booth Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/davebooth07 🎧 Listen & Follow Other People’s Shoes 🩵 Instagram 👍 Facebook 🐦 X (Twitter) 📺 YouTube 👟 Website 📣 Leave Us a Review If this episode made you pause… think… or look at your phone a little differently the next time you drive, don’t keep that to yourself. Leave a review and tell us how stepping into Dave’s shoes changed your perspective. 👉 https://www.opspodcast.com/reviews/new/

    43 min
  4. Rise UP

    MAR 4

    Rise UP

    🎙 RISE UP 🧩  WHO’S THERE? This season of Other People’s Shoes asks a powerful question: 🚪 “Who’s knocking at your life’s door?” Sometimes it’s opportunity. Sometimes it’s pain. Sometimes it’s a moment we never asked for but can’t avoid. The people and experiences that knock on our door often change the course of our lives. This season explores those moments the ones that challenge us, shape us, and ultimately invite us to step into deeper empathy for others. Because sometimes the knock we hear… is the beginning of a completely new chapter. 👣 GUEST INTRODUCTION This week I’m joined by Tiffaney Childers author, speaker, and suicide loss survivor whose story carries both unimaginable grief and remarkable hope. Tiffaney is the forthcoming author of The Rise Back: Reclaiming Life after Suicide Loss, Pain and Silence, a memoir and guide for anyone navigating devastating loss. After losing both of her parents to suicide, enduring chronic pain from a failed surgery, and walking through years of silence and emotional survival, Tiffaney reached a moment where she stopped running from the pain and stepped straight into it. Instead of allowing grief to define her future, she began the slow, gritty climb toward healing and purpose. Today she serves as a LOSS Team advocate, walking alongside people in the earliest moments after suicide loss and reminding them that even in the rubble of heartbreak, something new can rise. Her message is simple but powerful: You don’t bounce back from devastation like this.You rise from what’s left and rebuild piece by piece. 💡 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS • Why suicide loss survivors are seven times more likely to struggle with suicidal thoughts themselves• The silence that often surrounds suicide and why that silence can be dangerous• What it actually means to sit with someone in raw grief• Tiffaney’s personal story of loss, chronic pain, and emotional survival• The moment she stopped numbing the pain and began facing it directly• Why healing often looks less like “moving on” and more like rebuilding your life• The powerful belief that carried her forward: Everything in life is figure-out-able 🔥 THE RISE UP FRAMEWORK Tiffaney shares a practical guide for navigating grief, healing, and growth. R — Reach OutConnection matters. Healing rarely happens alone. I — Ink It OutWrite down your thoughts and feelings. Journaling creates space for clarity. S — Sit With ItPain, grief, heartache. Avoiding it only delays healing. E — Embrace Who You’re BecomingGrowth often happens in the middle of the hardest seasons. U — Unlearn the LiesYou’re not broken. You’re brave. P — Protect Your PeaceGuard your mental and emotional space so healing can happen. 🔗 TIFFANEY'S LINKS Websitehttps://risesavage.com/ Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/tiffaneychilders BookThe Rise Back: Reclaiming Life after Suicide Loss, Pain and Silence 🎧 OPS LINKS 🩵 Instagram 👍 Facebook 🐦 X (Twitter) 📺 YouTube 👟 Website 📣 LEAVE US A REVIEW If this episode moved you, challenged you, or gave you something to think about — don’t keep it to yourself. 👉 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know how stepping into someone else’s shoes impacted you.

    45 min
  5. Porch Light

    FEB 25

    Porch Light

    🎙 PORCH LIGHT 🚪 🧩 WHO’S THERE? This season leans into the moments when life comes knocking. The unexpected interruptions. The quiet invitations. The doors we hesitate to open. Sometimes the question isn’t just who’s there… it’s whether we’re willing to leave the light on. 🚪 👣 GUEST INTRODUCTION: Do you keep your porch light on? For years, that simple phrase from Motel 6  “We’ll leave the light on for you” has carried a quiet kind of comfort. An open invitation. A signal that someone is welcome, even before they arrive. In this thoughtful conversation, Neil sits down with Dr. Kelly Meyer, an international transformational coach, speaker, and author with nearly three decades of experience helping people grow into who they’re meant to be. Alongside his wife April, Kelly co-created Project Find Your Fire, a movement rooted in helping people discover their passion, live with purpose, and ignite meaningful change through growth, relationships, and wellness. Together, they explore what it really means to leave the light on… not just on a porch, but in our lives. 🚪 💡 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: Who are you… really? The deeper meaning behind the porch light metaphor Why the sooner you discover your purpose, the better off you’ll be The heart and mission of Project Find Your Fire Is helping a stranger still part of who we are? How growth, relationships, and wellness work together 🚪 🔗 CONNECT WITH DR. KELLY MEYER: Website: https://www.projectfindyourfire.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectfindyourfire/ 🚪 🎧 LISTEN & FOLLOW OTHER PEOPLE’S SHOES: 🩵 Instagram 👍 Facebook 🐦 X (Twitter) 📺 YouTube 👟 Website 🚪 📣 LEAVE US A REVIEW: If this episode made you pause, reflect, or maybe even check your own porch light… don’t keep it to yourself. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know how stepping into Dr. Meyer’s shoes impacted you.

    46 min
  6. Unboxing

    FEB 18

    Unboxing

    🎙 EPISODE TITLE: UNBOXING…  🧩 SEASON THEME: WHO’S THERE?This season explores the moments when life comes knocking, sometimes loud, sometimes quiet, and asks what we’re willing to open… and what we’d rather keep sealed. Who’s There? is about answering the door to truth, growth, and the unexpected. 👣 GUEST INTRODUCTIONWhat happens when success looks perfect on the outside… but the real work is happening beneath the surface? This week, we step into the story of Monica McKitterick, family nurse practitioner turned CEO, author, and bold entrepreneur. Monica didn’t just climb the healthcare ladder… she rebuilt it. From the ground up, she created Impact Family Wellness, a multi-million-dollar Direct Primary Care clinic in Texas, proving that grit and vision can rewrite the rules. After winning a nationally televised business competition and appearing on The Blox Season 18, Monica doubled down on her mission, launching The DPC Formula to help other providers build thriving, independent clinics. But this conversation goes deeper than business wins. We start with the simple act of unboxing everyday items… and quickly discover the harder things we all carry: unworthiness, self-doubt, loneliness, heartbreak, and the quiet battle for joy. Monica brings honesty, clarity, and just enough Duke-grad confidence to keep things interesting inside the Shoe Shack. Her story is about redefining success on your own terms… and learning which voices are actually worth listening to. 💡 EPISODE HIGHLIGHTSWhy chasing recognition can lead you off course Hard conversations around loneliness, pain, and heartbreak How Monica is helping reshape Direct Primary Care A mindset shift every high achiever needs to hear Why being a Duke grad still gets mentioned in the Shoe Shack 😄 Key Quote: “Someone’s opinion of you is none of your business.” 🔗 CONNECT WITH MONICA MCKITTERICKWebsite: https://dpcformula.com 🎧 LISTEN & FOLLOW OTHER PEOPLE’S SHOES🩵 Instagram 👍 Facebook 🐦 X (Twitter) 📺 YouTube 👟 Website 📣 LEAVE US A REVIEWIf this episode moved you, challenged you, or gave you something to think about don’t keep it to yourself! Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and let us know how stepping into the guest’s shoes impacted you.

    51 min
  7. Hello...

    FEB 11

    Hello...

    🎙Hello…🎙🧩 Season Theme: Who’s There? 🚪 This season is all about the knock. The moment you reach out. The question we all ask at some point: Is anyone really there on the other side? 👣 Guest Introduction: This week, I’m joined by Shane McKenna, the creator of LOQUI LISTENING a peer-to-peer listening app built around something that feels surprisingly rare these days: someone who will simply listen. The episode title Hello… was inspired (slightly embarrassing confession included) by the song Hello by Adele. There’s a line in that song that’s always stuck with me: “When I call, you never seem to be home.” That lyric feels like the heartbeat of this season. So many of us have called. Knocked. Reached out. And felt like no one answered. So the question becomes what do we do in those moments? And just as important… who’s there when we need someone right now? Shane believes no one should have to face those moments alone. 💡 Episode Highlights: Have we lost the art of actually listening and really talking? Why LOQUI LISTENING focuses on presence, not advice or fixing How peer-to-peer listening can meet people exactly where they are Why availability matters: someone there 24/7, no matter the emotion The surprising power of trust (and yes… even panda Dunk shoes 🐼👟) 🧠 What Is LOQUI LISTENING? LOQUI LISTENING connects people with real humans who are willing to listen no therapy labels, no counseling language, no pressure to “solve” anything. It’s about interaction, empathy, and being present in the moment whether you’re overwhelmed, joyful, anxious, or just need to say something out loud. Pricing discussed in the episode: $11 for 30 minutes $19 for 60 minutes (Note: one minute is deducted for each voice note or text message sent) Even the name LOQUI comes from Latin loqui, meaning to talk or to speak. In a world that’s constantly talking, Shane is asking a better question: Who’s actually listening? 🔗 Connect with LOQUI LISTENING: 📸 Instagram 🍎 Apple App Store 🤖 Google Play Store 🌐 Website 🎧 Listen & Follow Other People’s Shoes: 🩵 Instagram 👍 Facebook 🐦 X (Twitter) 📺 YouTube 👟 Website 📣 Leave Us a Review: If this episode made you think about the last time you knocked… the last time you called… or the last time someone truly listened take a moment to leave a review. It helps more people find the show and reminds them they’re not alone when they ask, “Who’s there?”

    47 min
  8. G_O_D

    FEB 4

    G_O_D

    🎙 SEASON 22: WHO’S THERE — EPISODE: G.O.D.Gift of Desperation 🚪 SEASON THEME: WHO’S THEREThis season keeps asking one question: Who’s there when life knocks, and how do we respond? Sometimes the knock comes as an opportunity. Sometimes as a disruption. Sometimes, as a quiet voice we’d rather ignore. This episode explores what happens when the knock doesn’t come from the outside but from God Himself. 👣 GUEST INTRODUCTIONMy guest this week is Stephanie Rivard. Stephanie spent 11 years serving as the Executive Director of a nonprofit. By every logical measure, she was exactly where she was supposed to be: stable, effective, and impactful. And then, last year, defying logic and comfort, she heard something unexpected. Through prayer, Stephanie sensed God telling her to leave. No roadmap. No backup plan. No safety net. Just obedience. 🙏 LEARNING TO LISTENThis episode centers on prayer not as a formula, but as a relationship. Stephanie shares how, over time, she has developed a deeper sensitivity to what she believes is God’s voice guiding and directing her steps. She’s honest and grounded about it. She doesn’t claim perfection. She doesn’t hear clearly every single time. But she does say this: the more she listens, the more familiar that voice becomes. And when the call came to walk away from a role she loved, she listened. 🔄 WHEN THE GUEST TURNS THE MICStephanie does something rare in this conversation, something most guests haven’t yet done. She asks me a question. Not a casual one. Not an easy one. A question that stops me cold and forces real reflection in the moment. It’s a reminder that when conversations are rooted in faith and honesty, they don’t always move in one direction. Sometimes the knock comes mid-conversation, and you have to decide how you’ll answer. 🧭 FAITH WITHOUT A PLANStephanie’s story invites us to sit with an uncomfortable truth: Sometimes following God means moving without clarity. Without confirmation. Without control. This isn’t a story about recklessness; it’s about dependence. Letting go of certainty. Trusting provision. Moving forward, when the next step hasn’t been revealed yet. 🎁 WHY “G.O.D.” THE GIFT OF DESPERATIONWe call this episode G.O.D., short for Gift of Desperation. Because desperation has a way of stripping away self-reliance and exposing what we truly trust. This episode challenges listeners to ask themselves: Do I have the gift of desperation? Am I desperate enough for God to hear and to respond? What would it take to become fully dependent on Him? Not out of fear. But out of trust. 💡 QUESTIONS THIS EPISODE INVITESThis conversation doesn’t rush answers. It invites posture: How do you know when God is speaking? What happens when obedience costs you comfort? Are you listening or waiting for certainty first? What if dependence is actually the point? 🪞 A REFLECTION FOR THE LISTENERStephanie’s story isn’t meant to be copied; it’s meant to be considered. You may not be called to leave your job. But you may be called to listen differently. To pray more honestly. To loosen your grip on control. And to ask whether desperation for God, not outcomes, might actually be a gift. 🔗 CONNECT WITH STEPHANIE RIVARD🌐 TeeMWORK – Stephanie Rivard ✨ The Clarity Advantage 🎧 LISTEN & FOLLOW OTHER PEOPLE’S SHOES🩵 Instagram 👍 Facebook 🐦 X 📺 YouTube 👟 Website 📣 LEAVE A REVIEWIf this episode challenged how you listen, pray, or trust, a review helps others find conversations that ask deeper questions. 👉 Leave a review

    47 min
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About

On my show, I intentionally create space for every voice and every point of view to be heard. Honest, constructive conversations have a way of opening our eyes to stories we might otherwise miss. After all, when you step into Other People’s Shoes, you gain what we’re all searching for… a different perspective on life.

Information

  • Creator
    Neil Matthews
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    381
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    ℗ & © 2026 Other People's Shoes
  • Show Website
    Other People's Shoes