C25-19. Brenda Coffee, Maya Blue…

May 12, 2025May 11, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Brenda Coffee, on air from May 13th

It was a fairy tale until it wasn’t…

For a long time, that’s what successful businesswoman Brenda Coffee told herself whenever she dared to look back on her twenties and thirties. In Maya Blue: A Memoir of Survival, She Brenda opens up about the life she once lived—and all the secrecy, madness, trauma, abuse, and danger that came with it.

Brenda details her years married to Philip Ray, the genius who conceived and developed the first desktop computer terminal, followed by the microprocessor and the first personal computer. Their infamous and isolated home in San Antonio, Texas was known as the “Spy House on the Hill” for its scandalous history of harboring Nazis spies. It was in the basement of their historic home where Philip began spending every waking moment working on his self-destructive “project,” making cocaine from scratch — becoming addicted to it in the process.

Motivated by the rush and the rewards, Philip lived large and he took bold risks, and Brenda was on board with almost anything he wanted, whether it was adventurous, dangerous, sexual, or illegal.

After ten years of thrills and close calls, she began to question her blind loyalty when her husband seized on the idea of making real cocaine from scratch, and before long, their lives took a terrifying turn.

Philip Ray also created the first smokeless cigarette — Philip and Brenda were watched and threatened by the Big Six tobacco companies and/or the federal government for endangering their major revenue source. It was Brenda who coined the terms vape and vaping.

The sobering reality — after losing his battle with lung cancer, Philip left her with mountains of debt and a daunting fight to preserve the groundbreaking public company she helped him start.

Brenda embarked on a solo trip to Belize to reclaim the pieces of herself she’d surrendered to Philip, followed by a visit to the ruins of the ancient Maya city of Tikal—only to be forced into the jungle at gunpoint by the ruthless Guatemalan military. The United Nations estimates that between 1960 and 1996. 200,000 people were murdered, and 45,000 Los Desaparecido,s “the disappeared,” were killed by the Guatemalan military and the group that took her.

Her marriage to James Coffee, the man who made her feel safe, and his untimely death — he died unexpectedly on Christmas 2010 of cardiac arrest while out for a walk. She talks about grief and how his loss was the most difficult thing she’s experienced.

Brenda Coffee is also a breast cancer survivor, enduring 10 breast cancer surgeries and 8 rounds of chemotherapy.

ITunes	Spotify+Video	Soundcloud
Amazon	Youtube Music	iHEART
Podvine	Podcasher	Podcast Addict
Mixcloud	Radio Public.	FM Player
Odysee	Youtube	Opodium
DO ENJOY	THE WISDOM	Feedspot

Brenda Coffee is a published writer, photographer, and filmmaker with a BA in journalism and film. An avid adventurer, dynamic speaker, and successful businesswoman, she was a managing consultant and former board member of a public company she sold to Big Pharma. Coffee is also a breast cancer survivor, having endured 10 surgeries and 8 rounds of chemotherapy.

She is the creator of two Top 10 websites, including 1010ParkPlace.com, home to her popular BRENDA’S BLOG, delivering straight-talk about finances, fashion, life, and relationships to the best-educated, wealthiest, most powerful demographic in history: women over 50. She resides in Texas.

AMAZON

Writes Press/ Distribution by Simon & Schuster; May 20, 2025),

https://www.brenda-coffee.com.

https://www.facebook.com/brenda.r.coffee

https://www.instagram.com/1010parkplace/#

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-coffee

FIND MORE SHOWS OF ILLUMINATION HERE

Discover the sites we share on linktr.ee/saratroy

BE OUR GUEST AND SHARE THE WISDOM

All of our shows/interviews are done by donation; if you enjoyed this show, please support us here with either a one-time donation or subscribe and support. Thank you. Please support Our Forgotten Seniors anthology and help to bring this book to awareness.

C25-19. Barbara Anne. The Power of Being Seen

May 12, 2025May 11, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Barbara Anee, on air from May 13th

The Power of Being Seen — Portraits as a Path to Self-Worth and Legacy

For years, I watched people, especially women, who shrank from the camera, saying they weren’t photogenic, not ready, or not enough. But behind those words were deeper stories of self-doubt, invisibility, and lost identity. My journey as a portrait artist became one of personal discovery as well: I realized that through intentional portrait experiences, I could help people see themselves in a new light, worthy, powerful, and beautifully human. I need to share this topic because being seen is not about vanity; it’s about visibility, healing, and legacy. This message is for anyone who has ever felt unseen in their personal or professional life and is ready to step into their own story with confidence and purpose.

ITunes	Spotify+Video	Soundcloud
Amazon	Youtube Music	iHEART
Podvine	Podcasher	Podcast Addict
Mixcloud	Radio Public.	FM Player
Odysee	Youtube	Opodium
DO ENJOY	THE WISDOM	Feedspot

Barbara Anne is a portrait artist and entrepreneur whose journey began far from the camera lens. With a background in entrepreneurship, business coaching and community leadership, she spent years helping others grow their brands and voices—while quietly hiding from the spotlight herself. After a period of deep personal reflection and a growing frustration with how women, especially in business, undervalue their self-image, Barbara transformed her photography hobby into a powerful tool to change lives and never looked back. What had begun as a creative outlet quickly became a calling: to help people reclaim their sense of worth, one portrait at a time. Today, she runs Barbara Anne Photography, where she creates empowering portrait experiences that turn self-doubt into confidence and photographs into legacy artwork.

BarbaraAnne.ca

info@barbaraanne.ca

www.facebook.com/BarbaraAnnePhotography

www.instagram.com/barbaraannephotography

www.linkedin.com/company/barbaraannephotography

https://ca.pinterest.com/barbaraannephotography

https://www.tiktok.com/@Barbaradobbyn

FIND MORE SHOWS OF ILLUMINATION HERE

Discover the sites we share on linktr.ee/saratroy

BE OUR GUEST AND SHARE THE WISDOM

C25.18. Michaela Gaffen Stone. Your Human Design

May 5, 2025May 4, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Michaela Gaffin Stone, on air from May 6th

Discover the freedom of living as your truest self—aligned, empowered, and unapologetically you.

Aligned & Unapologetic: The Human Design Guidebook is your clear, compassionate, and transformative introduction to the Human Design system. Whether you’re brand new to this powerful modality or seeking a deeper understanding of your Bodygraph, this guidebook will walk you through the core principles with heart, clarity, and purpose.

Blending ancient wisdom with modern science, Human Design reveals how your energy is uniquely wired to navigate life, relationships, and decision-making. This guide breaks it all down—energy types, strategies, authority, profiles, and more—so you can begin living your design instead of chasing someone else’s.

Inside, you’ll find:

Clear explanations of the 5 energy types and how they’re meant to operate
An introduction to the Bodygraph: centers, gates, channels, and profiles
Practical tools for using your strategy and inner authority
Gentle reminders that you were never meant to fit someone else’s mold
Encouragement to trust yourself, your rhythm, and your natural gifts

Whether you’re a Generator, Manifestor, Projector, Manifesting Generator, or Reflector, this book gives you permission—and the tools—to live boldly in alignment with your authentic self.

You are not broken. You are designed.
And it’s time to come home to who you were always meant to be.

ITunes	Spotify+Video	Soundcloud
Amazon	Youtube Music	iHEART
Podvine	Podcasher	Podcast Addict
Mixcloud	Radio Public.	FM Player
Odysee	Youtube	Opodium
DO ENJOY	THE WISDOM	Feedspot

Born in England, I am a lifelong learner and nomad. Having lived in eight countries to date, I consider myself to be a Global citizen – where I come from is a story, not a place. Home is wherever I am, right now.
I took my expertise in tropical diseases nursing from London, UK, to Bangladesh to volunteer in an orphanage, later single-handedly running a High Commission’s medical clinic and caring for upwards of 300 people.
I became a Montessori assistant teacher in Belgium so I could work in the same system my kids were in.
I studied Buddhism and mindfulness with monks in Singapore. My quest for more took me from Bhutan, India, Ladakh, and Sikkim, to Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
I took my love for learning to college in the USA, becoming a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst. The science of behavior change ignited in me a deeper understanding of human potential. Diving into Doctoral studies fueled my desire to share my extensive knowledge of human behavior with people open to receiving all that I have to offer.
Throughout my travels, raising my two sons to be responsible global citizens was a priority and sharing what I learn though experience and study is what I am here for.

AMAZON

MIKKI ALSO CO-AUTHORED OUR BOOK. “OUR FORGOTTEN CHILDREN”, YOU CAN FIND MORE SHOWS WITH MIKKI AND HER BOOKS SEEN HERE.

www.gaffenstone.com

https://linktr.ee/michaelags
*mikki@gaffenstone.com

facebook.com/michaela.stone.

linkedin.com/in/mikki-gaffen-stone

inspiredchoicesnetwork.com/podcast

FIND MORE SHOWS OF ILLUMINATION HERE

Discover the sites we share on linktr.ee/saratroy

BE OUR GUEST AND SHARE THE WISDOM

C25-17. Ivana Chubbuck. “Power of the Actor”.

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Ivana Chubbuck, on air from April 29th

Renowned acting teacher and bestselling author Ivana Chubbuck. The updated edition of her book, THE POWER OF THE ACTOR(Avery/Penguin Random House), was published on April 29th. Ivana speaks to anyone who is serious about overcoming hurdles, hardships, and inner demons to achieve their goals. Ivana will share with your listeners tools and exercises to turn conflicts, traumas, insecurities, fears and shame into positive forces to fuel achievement, with a focus on winning.

What do Halle Berry, Beyoncé, Gal Gadot, Charlize Theron, Brad Pitt, Sylvester Stallone, Eva Mendes and Shia LaBeouf have in common besides fame and fortune? They can all credit a significant part of their skills to acting teacher Ivana Chubbuck.

THE POWER OF THE ACTOR is a revolutionary guide that unlocks the secrets of her transformative Chubbuck Technique. In addition to star-studded stories, The Power of the Actor offers a panoramic map for anyone serious about professional transformation. Her dynamic 12-step approach shows, actors, writers and directors how to unlock emotional depth and create performances that ring with authenticity. It’s also for anyone who is serious about overcoming hurdles, hardships, and inner demons to achieve their goals.

Drawing on psychology, behavioural science, cultural anthropology and examples of real-life heroes, Ivana takes the search for rich inner emotional information to the next level by focusing on winning. Ivana teaches people how to access their emotions to not just feel them, but also use them with dimension and power.

ITunes	Spotify+Video	Soundcloud
Amazon	Youtube Music	iHEART
Podvine	Podcasher	Podcast Addict
Mixcloud	Radio Public.	FM Player
Odysee	Youtube	Opodium
DO ENJOY	THE WISDOM	Feedspot

IVANA CHUBBUCK is the creator of the widely adopted Chubbuck Technique, an acting method taught in universities and in accredited studios all over the world. Her students — Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, Charlize Theron, Gal Gadot, Sylvester Stallone, Eva Mendes and Shia LaBeouf, among thousands, have gone on to win major awards, including Oscars, Emmys and Tonys. She lives in Los Angeles, where she runs the Ivana Chubbuck Studio. Her daughter, Claire Chubbuck, an award-winning filmmaker and Chubbuck teacher, is the legacy for furthering Ivana’s mission of empowerment through the arts.

AMAZON

https://www.ivanachubbuck.com

https://www.youtube.com/c/IvanaChubbuckOfficial

FIND MORE SHOWS OF ILLUMINATION HERE

Discover the sites we share on linktr.ee/saratroy

BE OUR GUEST AND SHARE THE WISDOM

C25-17. Nick Marshall “Try Again”

April 28, 2025April 28, 2025Self Discovery Wisdom Podcast

Choose Positive Living with Sara Troy and her guest Nick Marshall, on air from April 29th

Nick Marshall, New York City-based writer, actor, director, producer and author of the new book, Try Again: An Ex-Con’s Path from Prison to Prosperity. This is about the struggle, hope (both loss of and holding on to), grit and perseverance. It’s a story about working hard and trying again, even when we feel the odds are stacked against us — and about the desire to be a person of humility and integrity.

Nick’s journey back into society has been anything but easy. With a criminal record shadowing his every step, finding steady work and forming new relationships meant constantly confronting and disclosing his past. Despite these barriers, he poured himself into the hospitality industry, relentlessly climbing the ranks until he found himself at the center of New York City’s elite nightlife, working at iconic clubs like Avenue, The Darby, 1OAK, and Up&Down. But the path from suburban New Jersey kid to state prison inmate sentenced for armed robbery taught him hard, humbling lessons. Immersed in the glitz of A-list celebrity culture, Nick eventually lost himself in the illusion, costing him not only his career but his mental health and sense of stability. Through it all, his grounding force has always been storytelling, reading, and writing became his anchors, offering clarity amid chaos. Now pursuing his lifelong dream of being an artist, actor, director, and writer, Nick channels his pain into purpose. He co-founded The Collective NY, a not-for-profit theatre and film company dedicated to the authentic creative expression. His directorial debut, A Long Road, currently in pre-production, reflects his journey, a testament to the resilience, redemption, and the long path to healing. Nick continues to face challenges tied to PTSD, anxiety, OCD, and addiction, but through art, he finds strength, meaning, and a connection.

ITunes	Spotify+Video	Soundcloud
Amazon	Youtube Music	iHEART
Podvine	Podcasher	Podcast Addict
Mixcloud	Radio Public.	FM Player
Odysee	Youtube	Opodium
DO ENJOY	THE WISDOM	Feedspot

Nick Marshall’s story is one of grit, reinvention, and the price of chasing dreams. At just 21, he walked out of prison after serving three years for armed robbery, carrying the weight of his past and the uncertainty of a future as an ex-con. Though he had a steady job, a roof over his head, and the basics for survival, something deeper called to him, his need to create, to express, to be more than his record.

Willing to risk stability for purpose, Nick started at the bottom of the hospitality industry, eventually climbing his way into New York City’s high-end nightlife. From bartending to brand ambassador, he moved through the velvet ropes of celebrity-studded clubs like Avenue, The Darby, 1OAK, and Up&Down. Surrounded by fame, luxury, and endless access, Nick looked like he had made it. But beneath the surface, the fast life took its toll on his mental health, his identity, and the very dream that started it all.

Try Again: An Ex-Con’s Path from Prison to Prosperity is Nick’s raw, inspiring account of rebuilding a life against the odds. It’s about losing everything, more than once, and still choosing to rise. Today, he’s a writer, actor, director, and co-founder of The Collective NY, a not-for-profit theater and film company where he brings stories to life—his own and others’. His journey isn’t just for those who’ve been incarcerated, it’s for anyone who’s ever had to start over, question their worth, or fight to become who they were always meant to be. He is currently in pre-production for his first directorial feature, A Long Road, based on his experience as an ex-convict trying to reintegrate into society, and a scripted series based on his experience in a New Jersey state prison. Try Again is his first book.