Mitzi Campbell, the inspiring force behind The Blessons Podcast, embodies resilience and a passion for learning through life’s trials and triumphs. Transitioning from a single mom to navigating an empty nest alone, Mitzi faced a series of life-altering challenges, including a mysterious health condition that forced her to overhaul her lifestyle completely. Through these experiences, she discovered her calling: to help others uncover and embrace the blessings and lessons, or “blessons,” in their lives. In this interview, Mitzi shares her journey, the birth of her podcast, and the profound insights she’s gained along the way, offering a heartfelt glimpse into her mission to foster self-discovery and gratitude.
What inspired you to focus on exploring the blessings and lessons of life through your podcast?
I move through life through the lenses of both teacher and student. Over the past several years, I had a series of stressful experiences that led me to ask myself big questions about meaning and purpose. I went from a single mom to a mom alone in the “empty nest” phase and that, I think, is even more of a challenge alone than if you are living with a partner. I put all my family heirlooms in storage, sold my family home and planned to move into a one-bedroom apartment. The renovation of my new place took many months longer than expected.
During that time, I watched the unfortunate consequences the pandemic had on higher education and the world at large. My little dog, my faithful companion all through my divorce and the many years of navigating the sometimes-rocky-road of shared parenthood, died. I experienced the shifting and loss of other relationships. And, the most difficult thing was that I reached the same age my mother was when she died of cancer. It was a whirlwind of challenges. All of this culminated in a mysterious health condition that started with a sudden attack of vertigo and turned into a neurological nightmare.
This is when I was inspired to start the podcast. I was not about to lay down and stop, yet I was debilitated by this strange and sudden illness. I was forced to change everything about my lifestyle including, my job, the food I ate, everything I put into my body and everything I did and everything I thought, and all the people and things I interacted with in my environment. I removed literally every physical, mental and emotional toxin to promote healing. I saw every doctor. But it wasn’t enough. I needed a new direction and a fresh start to inspire my healing. I finally “got” what the universe had been trying to tell me one day while I was flat on my back crying from dizziness. I saw an ad for a course to learn how to make a podcast. I knew that was my calling. It gave me hope. I believe we are here to learn. I believe that our lessons are contained within our experiences. And in asking myself, “What am I supposed to learn from all of this?” I got the answer, not only in the form of what my individual lessons were, but in what my purpose is in the world. It was a “download” if you will. I am supposed to help others to find and learn their unique lessons. I am here to learn and to help others learn by identifying the points of wisdom and the points of gratitude in their lives. So, I knew the podcast would be about others sharing their experiences and their expertise for the purpose of illuminating these blessings and lessons. That is when the name “Blessons” came to me. When my guests engage with deep questions, the listeners can connect and relate and this sparks an unconscious self-discovery process to take place. When we reflect on what we learn in addition to what we are grateful for, it takes self-awareness to a whole new level. It creates a ripple effect. This is how we change the world.
Could you tell us about a particular challenge or struggle you faced while starting or running your podcast, and how you overcame it?
I learned the basic logistics of starting a podcast easily. It was the nuances that only come with experience that I found difficult. I want everything to be professional and perfect out of the gate and I had to learn that doing it messy is ok. I had to learn that no one knows everything when they first start out. I watched what others were doing. I asked questions of people who were more experienced than me and I did so without embarrassment. For example, when I first began to schedule my guests, I would work with them to arrange a time and then I’d schedule a Zoom meeting and send them the link. I would ask them for their “info” manually. Nothing was automated. Then, I scheduled someone I met in a networking group and he asked me if I had a “scheduling link.” I had no idea what he meant, but I knew he also had a podcast, so I simply asked him how he did it. He was very happy to help me to develop my first system. I learned about using an online “scheduler.” I now use a service that sends my guests to a calendar where they can choose a date and time. It then sends them all the information they need including an overview of the conversation expectations and a link to a form where they can provide their social links and information and upload a picture for my promotion and podcast art.
Then, it even schedules the Zoom meeting for me and puts it on my calendar then sends us both a reminder! Wow! This was a life-saver. It was my first introduction to the world of entrepreneurship and tech tools. It was the first time I realized that I was not just a podcaster now; I was much more. I had entered a new and exciting world of entrepreneurship. I was no longer working for anyone else. I was the boss, and I was starting to see how to look and act like one. Since then, I have learned so much more and I am constantly open to new and better ways of running my business and now I help others to learn the things I did not know when I first began.
In your experience interviewing various guests, what are some common themes or lessons that emerge from their stories?
It’s interesting that you ask this question. I happen to be in the process of compiling this data as a part of my ongoing research for a book. The idea of patterns and themes is ever-present in my work in the podcast and in my mentoring practice. I divide the lessons into two main categories: Lessons of Self and Lessons of Others. Under those categories, there are only a few themes that continue to emerge. The four most prominent are themes of love, positive accomplishments, difficulties or trauma and spirituality. The specific lessons are always unique to the individual, but they all seem to fall into these baskets. My takeaway is that we each have our unique experiences that frame our lessons for us as individuals as they pertain to our lives, but in the context of the wider sense of meaning on a global scale, we all share the need to learn in certain areas of life. The most prominent lessons and blessings never have to do with material things; they always have to do with big important things like love, family and relationships with self and others. The way people learn these things is unique to everyone according to their life experiences. What this says to me is that there is a higher purpose for what we go through down here on this rock we call Earth.
Can you share a story or experience from one of your podcast episodes that particularly resonated with you or your audience?
One of my most popular episodes is Detra’s Story. The way I met Detra is very interesting. When I was working as a college professor, I used her story, which was featured on the Instagram Humans of New York, in my writing class. It’s a compelling tale about her life as an oppressed preacher’s wife. She got fed up and one day she and her husband got into an argument driving down the highway, and she told him to pull over. He did. She got out of the car and started walking. That was the moment she left him. And she had nothing with her except her purse. She began to hitchhike.
She was picked up by someone who she describes as an Angel. To make a long story short, she ended up moving to New York City from rural Arkansas. And she began to sing on stages in shows and smoke cigars and even swear. She’s a very brave woman who inspired me and my audience. A whole lot of people fell in love with her from that episode. I think what it taught me personally is that you can reach out to a stranger and they will tell you amazing and powerful things about their lives that teach you lessons that you could never learn if you hadn’t taken the chance to simply ask them if they would have a conversation with you. I read about her, and I reached out to her and she said yes. And this is what I want people to know in their lives. Do not be afraid to speak to strangers because they can provide you with beautiful experiences. Do not be afraid to ask for what you want because the worst that can happen is someone says no. But I’m here to tell you that people say yes much more often than they say no. And I have been vastly rewarded for not being afraid to ask.
What advice would you give to someone who is going through a tough time and is looking for inspiration or guidance?
The first thing to remember when going through something difficult is that it’s temporary. Find evidence in your life of when you’ve been through hard things and come out the other side “ok” and newly equipped with valuable lessons. It’s hard to hear when you are in the thick of it, but there is always a lesson. It’s important to look both inside and outside for guidance and empowerment. Take time to be still and quiet your mind. This could be in meditation or on a walk in nature. Connect with your inner voice and ask for answers. Often we already know what is best for us; we just have to take the time to go inside and tap into our intuition. Reducing toxicity or chaos in your outer environment is also a key component to successfully navigate rough waters. Turn off the TV. Take a break from social media. Enforce boundaries with negativity. Read an uplifting book. Focus on things that align with a growth mindset. Distance yourself from anything that weighs you down and associate only with people, places and things that support your healing and betterment. Tough times are great opportunities to evaluate our lives and make decisions about what serves us well in moving toward our goals and dreams and what we might need to leave behind or release. One of my favorite quotes on this is by Louisa May Alcott. “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”
How do you balance the emotional depth of discussing personal stories and experiences on your podcast while also maintaining a positive and uplifting tone?
I see everything as a learning opportunity and, as an empath, I am constantly reminding myself to observe, not absorb. I’ve learned that having compassion does not require you to lose yourself in others. People just want to be seen and heard and validated. They want sincerity, not pity. I am genuinely interested in the stories people tell. I feel honored that my guests trust me and my audience with intimate details about their lives. These tidbits are treasures. And I’m always in awe of what other people go through in life. I’m looking for the blessings, the lessons and the blessings. I feel connected to people when they tell me things, as I hope my listeners will feel. I want to help people see themselves through my eyes, as the beautiful people they are having this miraculous human experience that is complex. I am so open-minded and non-judgmental that it helps me to accept people as they are. I want to mirror back to people things like encouragement, strength, empathy and grace. If I fall apart when someone tells me something traumatic, then I’m not helping them. It’s like if your child falls down and scrapes their knees then turns to you to see how you react, if you freak out, then they will cry and feel hurt. But if help them dust off and say, “You’re ok,” they’ll run back out there to continue playing feeling strong. Watching my mom go through her cancer journey and die showed me a strength I didn’t know I had. I’m here to be a mirror for what people need to learn. Positivity, seeing the world with optimism, is a big part of that.
What are your future plans or goals for the Blessons Podcast, and how do you envision it evolving in the coming years?
I want to continue to foster connection and I see more opportunities for even deeper conversations with more visible guests. I love the impact I make with my one-on-one clients and I have some group programs in the pipeline for 2024. I have an expanding Personal Development Book Club Community that I am really proud of. There is nothing else like it out there. As a professor, I am uniquely qualified to help folks LEARN books, not just read them. This is a huge missing piece in the self-help world. We read but without really learning or using the concepts in our books. I want to change that! With all the amazing information available, we should all be happy and successful! I want my book club to go global! I’d love to take Blessons on the road one day! I want to do more speaking and more media to get everyone seeing the blessons in their lives. The sky’s the limit for me. I’m open!
Could you share a lesson or insight you’ve learned personally from hosting the podcast that has had a significant impact on your life?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned in moving from academia into entrepreneurship and podcasting has been the power of connections and relationships. When I look back at my life, I spent so much time going along in misaligned or downright toxic relationships thinking this is just how relationships are. But I was wrong. You don’t have to stay where you are not appreciated and sometimes it takes meeting new people to see that you are not being appreciated. When you begin to branch out into different circles, you discover that it’s possible to populate your village exclusively with people who will uplift and empower you and help you get where you want to go in life. We often forget that we have choices about who we allow into our circles. It’s YOUR circle. In meeting new people from all over the world, I realized how small I had been thinking and playing before. I have opportunities now that I never would have dreamed were possible. I learned that talking to strangers is the best thing you can do to expand your horizons.
Finally, how can listeners connect with you and support the Blessons Podcast and your other endeavors?
You can follow and listen to The Blessons Podcast on any podcast platform. My primary social media is Instagram @mitzianncampbell https://www.instagram.com/mitzianncampbell/ You can join The Blessons Personal Development Book Club here https://www.mitzicampbell.com/bookclub And don’t be afraid to reach out to me with a message, especially if you feel called to share something based on what you’ve heard me or one of my guests say or if you think I can help you in some way. I am here for it!
