Many of us are searching for the "secret" to making that change in our lives. But what if the first question you need to ask yourself is: Am I willing, wishful, or willful in wanting to live differently? In our Season Two Finale, Judeline Altema-Commey, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) and CEO of Guidance of Hope joins host Dana Tenille Weekes to unpack the true power of being willing. After a podcast episode or agency workshop Dana facilitates, a common question she receives is “How can I *really* get ready to make this change?” While always asked with sincerity and curiosity, Dana often replies, “You must be willing to make the change,” which is met with questioning, hesitation, or a labored sigh. This episode explores what it really means to be willing to live differently with intention, rather than through reactive measures that leave us where we started. Dana believes that being willing is necessary to navigate the world with an agency practice and in a rest mindset. Otherwise, listening to this podcast passes the time but doesn’t make true use of it. WHAT YOU’LL SETTLE INTO Why many of us think we’re willing to make a change, but we’re not. The difference between being willing, wishful, and willful.Why protection from the past and others’ dependencies challenge our ability to be willing. How showing yourself grace is not the same as giving up on yourself. KEY QUOTES & INSIGHTS Being willing will eventually ask us to examine our relationship to redefining what safety means to us and our future selves.“To be willing is to be in a season to receive and do the work it requires.” - Judeline Altema“People aren’t used to you being the reaper, when they are used to you being their sower.” - Judeline Altema WANT THE CONVERSATION TO CONTINUE? Read AFTERTHOUGHTS, the conversation after the (podcast) conversation — only on Substack. Subscribe to get AFTERTHOUGHTS delivered to your inbox. (Written interviews drop one week after the episode’s release.) ABOUT GUEST JUDELINE ALTEMA-COMMEY Judeline Altema-Commey, MA, LCPC, is a licensed behavioral therapist and clinical supervisor who understands the silence, resilience, and survival patterns that shape how mental health is experienced, expressed, and passed down across generations. As founder of Guidance of Hope, Judeline offers online and in-person counseling to help individuals, couples, and families move from survival to intentional living. She specializes in intergenerational trauma, emotional regulation, and relationship patterns within Black communities, while also centering the trauma and lack of mental health awareness within Afro-Caribbean and African cultures. She is also co-host of the podcast Couch Chronicles: Therapists After Dark, which breaks down mental health, relationships, and cultural dynamics in a way that is real, unfiltered, and rooted in psychoeducation. You can find Judeline on Instagram at @guidanceofhope and couchchroniclesllc. You can visit Guidance of Hope at guidanceofhope.com, and you can watch podcast episodes of Couch Chronicles on YouTube or listen on podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also visit therestofuspodcast.com to learn more about Judeline and this episode. PODCAST TEAM Host, Dana Tenille Weekes Editor, Sagheer Muhammad If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently. 🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen. ⭐ Leave a 5-star review. (We are grateful for you doing so.) Until next time, rest, my friends. Connect with Us Website: www.therestofuspodcast.com Instagram: @therestofus.podcast@danatenilleweekesSubstack: @therestofuspodcastLinkedIn: Dana Tenille Weekes
