Podcast
THE MAKING OF ME
Hosted by Aro Benaiah Kehinde · EN
“THE MAKING OF ME” is a podcast that explores the real experiences that shape who we become; the struggles, the lessons, the turning points, and the moments we usually keep to ourselves.
You’ll love this show if you enjoy honest storytelling, personal growth, and conversations that help you reflect on your own journey. Each episode breaks down simple but powerful truths about life, identity, and becoming better, one step at a time.
It’s real, it’s relatable, and it’s made for anyone who’s growing, evolving, or finding their way.
142episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Invisible Struggles and Strengths of Caregivers: Lessons from 25 Years of Partnership with Geoff Grant | The Making of Me
3d ago00:21:46Tap to summarizeWhat does it truly mean to give everything you have for someone you love — day after day, year after year, for 25 years?In this deeply human episode of The Making of Me Podcast, Geoff Grant explores the side of caregiving that rarely gets talked about — the invisible struggles, quiet sacrifices, and unexpected strengths that emerge when you commit to supporting a loved one through life's most difficult seasons.🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:The real, unfiltered experience of caregiving over 25 years of partnershipHow creativity became a survival tool when the emotional weight felt too heavy to carryThe painful reality of feeling unseen and unacknowledged as a caregiver — and how to navigate itWhy accepting the caregiving role — rather than resisting it — transforms everythingThe unexpected strengths and gifts that decades of caregiving revealedPowerful lessons for anyone currently navigating caregiving or supporting someone who isIf you're a caregiver, love a caregiver, or have ever wondered how people carry such invisible weight with such quiet grace — this episode will move you, validate you, and remind you that you are not alone.🔗 For more resources & to connect with Geoff: https://www.geoffgrantconsulting.com/🔗 Follow Geoff on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geoffgrantconsulting/📌 Don't forget to:👍 Like this video if it resonated with you🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode💬 Comment below — What's one thing you wish more people understood about the caregiving journey?#Caregiving #MakingOfMePodcast #GeoffGrant #Resilience #Podcast #CaregiverSupport #MentalHealth #Inspiration #PersonalGrowth #Transformation #Healing #Empathy #HumanConnection #Wellness #Strength
Transcribe →Breaking the Church Stigma Around Mental Illness: Jeff Dalton's Journey to Healing & True Faith
3d ago00:21:20Tap to summarizeWhat happens when the place that's supposed to offer grace becomes the place that wounds you most?In this honest and courageous episode of The Making of Me Podcast, author and poet Jeff Dalton opens up about his deeply personal journey through depression, bipolar disorder, and the painful stigma he faced from church leaders who didn't understand his struggle — and how he found genuine healing and freedom on the other side.🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:Jeff's raw, unfiltered journey battling depression and bipolar disorder while navigating faithHow church stigma around mental illness caused deep wounds — and why that needs to changeThe harmful impact of leaders who shame instead of support those struggling with mental healthHow vulnerability and authentic faith became the bridge to Jeff's healing and freedomWhy a loving, grace-filled relationship with Jesus goes far beyond performance and perfectionWhy faithfulness — not flawlessness — is what truly matters in the eyes of GodIf you've ever felt shamed for your mental health, judged for your struggles, or rejected by the very community that should have held you — Jeff's story will remind you that you are seen, loved, and never too broken for grace.🔗 Learn more & connect with Jeff: http://www.expressionoftheheart.com/🔗 Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-dalton-22920524🔗 Get Jeff's book Spaces of the Heart — Poems and Devotionals: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5Y3XTJK📌 Don't forget to:👍 Like this video if it touched your heart🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode💬 Comment below — Have you ever felt judged or misunderstood by a community that was supposed to support you? How did you find your way through?#MentalHealth #ChurchStigma #MakingOfMePodcast #JeffDalton #Faith #BipolarDisorder #Depression #Podcast #ChristianFaith #Healing #Vulnerability #Transformation #Grace #Inspiration #Wellness
Transcribe →How Changing Your Mindset Can Help You Defy Age: The Body Lesson Explained with Carolyn Hatton | The Making of Me
4d ago00:25:51Tap to summarizeWhat if the secret to feeling younger wasn't found in a bottle — but in the way you think?In this vibrant episode of The Making of Me Podcast, life success coach Carolyn Hatton shares her extraordinary journey from battling weight, self-doubt, and limiting beliefs to reclaiming her confidence, health, and vitality — even into her 80s. Carolyn breaks down her powerful "body lesson" and reveals exactly how your mindset, beliefs, and self-talk shape not just how you feel — but how you age.🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:What the "body lesson" is and why it could be the most important shift you ever makeHow Carolyn went from weight struggles and self-doubt to vibrant health and unshakeable confidenceThe powerful connection between your thoughts, beliefs, and how your body agesWhy self-talk is one of the most underestimated tools for transformation at any ageThe exact principles Carolyn teaches women to help them reclaim their Second ActHow to start your own vibrant reinvention — no matter how old you are or how long you've felt stuckIf you've ever felt like your best years are behind you — Carolyn's story and the body lesson will prove that your most vibrant chapter may still be ahead.🔗 Connect with Carolyn Hatton & learn more: https://the-foreveryoung.com/home🔗 Follow Carolyn on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolyns_hatton/📌 Don't forget to:👍 Like this video if it inspired you🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode💬 Comment below — What's one mindset shift that has genuinely changed how you feel about yourself?#MindsetShift #AgingGracefully #MakingOfMePodcast #CarolynHatton #BodyLesson #SecondAct #Podcast #WomensWellness #Reinvention #PersonalGrowth #Confidence #Transformation #Inspiration #Wellness #Motivation
Transcribe →Escaping the Hamster Wheel: How Founders Trap Themselves in Their Own Businesses with Peter Boolkah | The Making of Me
5d ago00:16:55Tap to summarizeWhat if the business you built to give you freedom is actually the thing keeping you trapped?In this eye-opening episode of The Making of Me Podcast, bestselling author Peter Boolkah breaks down why so many founders unintentionally build a prison around themselves — creating businesses that can't survive a single day without their constant presence, energy, and effort.🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:Why so many founders trap themselves in businesses that were supposed to set them freeThe hard truth about solopreneurship — and why it often leads to burnout instead of freedomWhy 80% of small businesses fail in the first 5 years and what the survivors did differentlyThe most common mindset traps that keep founders running faster but going nowherePractical steps to break free from the hamster wheel and build a business that works without youHow to achieve true entrepreneurial freedom — and what that actually looks like in real lifeIf you're working harder than ever but feeling more trapped than free — this episode will give you the honest wake-up call and practical roadmap you need.🔗 Learn more about Peter Boolkah & his work: https://www.boolkah.com/🔗 Connect with Peter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boolkah/📌 Don't forget to:👍 Like this video if it hit home🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode💬 Comment below — In what way has your business ever felt more like a trap than a freedom?#Entrepreneurship #MakingOfMePodcast #PeterBoolkah #BusinessFreedom #HamsterWheelTrap #Solopreneurship #Podcast #SmallBusiness #Founder #Mindset #BusinessGrowth #PersonalGrowth #Inspiration #Leadership #Motivation
Transcribe →How One Step of Faith Changed Everything: Gary Janzen's Journey from Pastor to Global Mission Leader | The Making of Me
6d ago00:30:34Tap to summarizeWhat if one moment of obedience could change the course of your entire life — and the lives of thousands around the world?In this powerful episode of The Making of Me Podcast, Gary Janzen — Executive Director of the International Church Mission Service — shares the remarkable story of how he walked away from comfort and certainty to answer a single, life-altering calling rooted in Genesis 12:1.From youth pastoring in Canada to planting churches and supporting 86 missionaries across 50 countries, Gary's journey is a testament to what happens when you say yes to faith — even when the path ahead is unclear.🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:The moment Gary heard the call from Genesis 12:1 and what made him choose obedience over comfortWhat it really cost him to leave a stable, comfortable life in ministry to step into the unknownHow one step of faith led to planting churches and mobilizing 86 missionaries across 50 countriesThe role of trust, risk, and surrender in building a global ministry from the ground upWhat Gary has learned about purpose, calling, and obedience after years on the mission fieldHow Gary's story can help you discern and respond to your own God-given callingIf you've ever felt the pull toward something greater but fear has kept you from saying yes — Gary's story will remind you that faith always rewards the obedient step.🔗 Support the ministry or connect with Gary: https://www.icms.org/📌 Don't forget to:👍 Like this video if it moved you🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode💬 Comment below — What's one step of faith you took that completely changed the direction of your life?#Faith #MakingOfMePodcast #GaryJanzen #Missions #Leadership #Obedience #ChristianFaith #Podcast #GlobalMissions #Purpose #Calling #Inspiration #Transformation #Resilience #Motivation
Transcribe →Finding Everyday Joy: How to Notice the Good in a Busy World with Peg Guilfoyle | The Making of Me
1w ago00:21:48Tap to summarizeWhat if joy wasn't something you had to chase — but something you just had to learn to notice?In this beautiful episode of The Making of Me Podcast, award-winning author Peg Guilfoyle shares how the simple, deliberate act of paying attention can help us rediscover everyday joy — even in the middle of busy, messy, difficult seasons of life.🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:How simple acts of noticing can completely shift the way you experience your everyday lifeThe powerful connection between curiosity, creativity, and joy — and how to cultivate all threeHow Peg balanced a full, busy life while staying rooted in wonder and beautyPractical tips for slowing down and paying attention in a world that never stops movingThe story behind her Midwest Book Award-winning book An Eye for Joy and what inspired itHow to start seeing the world through new eyes — no matter how ordinary your day feelsIf you've been rushing through life and missing the moments that matter most — this episode will gently slow you down and remind you where joy has been hiding all along.🔗 Sign up for Peg's joyful essay series & explore her work: https://pegguilfoyle.com/🔗 Follow Peg on Instagram: http://instagram.com/peg_guilfoyle_author/📌 Don't forget to:👍 Like this video if it inspired you🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode💬 Comment below — What's one simple everyday moment that brings you genuine joy?#EverydayJoy #MakingOfMePodcast #PegGuilfoyle #AnEyeForJoy #Mindfulness #Podcast #Curiosity #Creativity #Inspiration #SlowDown #PersonalGrowth #Gratitude #Transformation #Wellness #Motivation
Transcribe →How Overcoming "You Can't" Turned Rejection into a Creative Superpower: Zac Baldwin | The Making of Me
1w ago00:19:22Tap to summarizeWhat happens when the world keeps telling you "you can't" — and you decide to create anyway?In this inspiring episode of The Making of Me Podcast, Zac Baldwin shares how a lifetime of rejection didn't break his creative spirit — it became the very fuel that powered it. From struggling through dance classes to writing powerful female action heroes in Hollywood, Zac's story is one of stubborn persistence, relentless creativity, and an unshakeable refusal to compromise his vision.🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:How Zac turned a lifetime of being told "you can't" into his greatest creative superpowerThe real story behind his journey from rejection and self-doubt to writing for HollywoodWhy stubborn persistence is often the most underrated ingredient in any creative careerHow embracing hard work and discomfort became the foundation of his creative processThe powerful message behind writing strong female action heroes and why representation mattersWhy staying true to your vision — even when the industry says no — might be the most courageous act of allIf you've ever been told you're not enough, not talented enough, or not the right fit — Zac's story will remind you that rejection is just redirection in disguise.🔗 Get the book The Legend of Johnnie Swann: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-legend-of-johnnie-swann-zac-baldwin/1147862102📌 Don't forget to:👍 Like this video if it inspired you🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode💬 Comment below — What's one "you can't" moment in your life that ended up pushing you toward something greater?#Rejection #Creativity #MakingOfMePodcast #ZacBaldwin #Hollywood #Persistence #Podcast #LegendOfJohnnieSwann #Resilience #CreativeSuperpower #PersonalGrowth #Inspiration #Storytelling #Motivation #Transformation
Transcribe →Turning Adversity into Opportunity: The Inspiring Story of Nakia Navarro | The Making of Me
1w ago00:21:06Tap to summarizeWhat happens when life keeps handing you setbacks — do you fold, or do you build something out of the wreckage?In this inspiring episode of The Making of Me Podcast, Nakia Navarro — author, entrepreneur, educator, and single mother — shares how she turned every closed door into a blueprint for something new. From building nonprofits from the ground up to starting businesses, earning two master's degrees, and raising children all at once, Nakia didn't wait for opportunity — she created it.🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:How Nakia built nonprofits and businesses from scratch by creating what she could not findWhat it really looked like to raise children, run organizations, and earn two master's degrees simultaneouslyThe role of faith and resourcefulness in turning her biggest setbacks into her greatest fuelHow she navigated the unique challenges of being a single mother and entrepreneur at the same timeWhy Nakia learned to turn heartbreak into humor — and how that shift changed everythingThe hard-earned wisdom she wants every person facing obstacles to walk away withIf you're in a season of setbacks and wondering how to turn the pain into purpose — Nakia's story will move you, motivate you, and show you exactly what's possible.🔗 Explore Nakia Navarro's work & books: https://www.nknavarro.com/🔗 Connect with Nakia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AUTHORNK📌 Don't forget to:👍 Like this video if it inspired you🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode💬 Comment below — What's one adversity in your life that ended up opening a door you never expected?#Adversity #MakingOfMePodcast #NakiaNavarro #Entrepreneurship #SingleMother #Faith #Resourcefulness #Inspiration #Podcast #PersonalGrowth #Resilience #Opportunity #WomenInBusiness #Transformation #Motivation
Transcribe →Overcoming Loneliness and Finding Faith: Desiree Taylor's Journey with Hearing Loss | The Making of Me
1w ago00:23:03Tap to summarizeWhat happens when your world sounds different from everyone else's — and the silence feels like it's swallowing you whole?In this heartfelt episode of The Making of Me Podcast, Desiree Taylor shares her deeply moving journey navigating progressive hearing loss from childhood — and how isolation, depression, and a painful encounter with legalistic religion almost kept her from discovering the freedom and faith that would ultimately heal her.🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:What it was really like growing up with progressive hearing loss and feeling different from the world around herHow isolation and depression took hold — and what finally broke through the silenceThe painful impact of legalistic religion and how it almost pushed her away from faith entirelyHow Desiree discovered a true, living relationship with faith beyond rules and religionThe moment she found real hope, healing, and purpose on the other side of her painWhat Desiree wishes she could tell her younger self todayIf you've ever felt alone in your struggle, misunderstood by the world around you, or trapped by religion without relationship — Desiree's story will remind you that healing is possible and freedom is real.🔗 Connect with Desiree Taylor & find more resources: https://www.arenewedcreation.com/🔗 Connect with Desiree on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desiree-taylor-536827199/📌 Don't forget to:👍 Like this video if it touched your heart🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode💬 Comment below — What's one thing that carried you through your loneliest season?#HearingLoss #Faith #MakingOfMePodcast #DesiréeTaylor #Loneliness #MentalHealth #Healing #OvercomingAdversity #Podcast #ChristianFaith #Transformation #Hope #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #Inspiration
Transcribe →How Surviving a Near-Fatal Car Accident Gave My Life New Purpose: Emillio Rodriguez's Story | The Making of Me
1w ago00:31:16Tap to summarizeWhat do you do when you survive something that should have killed you — but the hardest battle is the one happening inside?In this powerful episode of The Making of Me Podcast, Emillio Rodriguez opens up about surviving a devastating car accident at just 16 years old — and how the years that followed became a journey through guilt, depression, and a deep search for purpose.🎯 In this episode, you'll discover:How Emillio survived a near-fatal car accident at 16 and what the emotional aftermath really looked likeWhy guilt and depression can outlast physical wounds — and how Emillio found his way throughThe role that family, friends, and mentors played in carrying him through his darkest momentsWhy healing often starts not with grand gestures but with someone simply showing up and seeing your potentialHow Emillio rebuilt his identity and found new purpose on the other side of traumaThe SPACE framework — Emillio's powerful model for building trust and meaningful human connectionIf you've ever felt lost after a life-altering moment, or wondered how to truly show up for someone in pain — this episode will move you and give you the tools to connect more deeply.🔗 Learn more & download Emillio's practical guide: https://www.emilliorodriguez.com/🔗 Connect with Emillio on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilliorodriguez/📌 Don't forget to:👍 Like this video if it moved you🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode💬 Comment below — Who showed up for you during your darkest season, and what did that mean to you?#SurvivorStory #MakingOfMePodcast #EmillioRodriguez #Resilience #HumanConnection #MentalHealth #OvercomingAdversity #Trauma #SPACEFramework #Podcast #PersonalGrowth #Healing #Purpose #Motivation #Inspiration
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