How do you feel about second chances? How do you feel about starting over? Maybe you had a dream to become a veterinarian. Or a goal to start a nonprofit. Maybe you have always wanted to travel outside of the country. I’m sure there’s something that once made your heart race just thinking about it. But just like everyone else, life happened. Doubt crept in. And that dream was placed on the back burner, got buried under the weight of “what-ifs” and “maybe laters,” or worse…you threw your dreams away because someone said they were unrealistic. If that sounds like you, I want you to write down this following quote from George Eliot: “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” – Want to connect? Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.tamikacody.com/contact Want to take part in the Story of Survival series? Email your entry to [email protected] Or put pen to paper and keep the USPS in business by mailing your entry to: Stories of Survival P.O. Box 39072 Washington, D.C. 20016-9072

Every once in a while, I come across a speech that inspires me to take action. The other day, while scrolling on TikTok, I stumbled on a speech by Rolonda Watts. For those of you who don’t know, Rolonda had her own talk show back in the mid 1990s. The syndicated show ran from 1994 until 1997. Now I must admit, at first glance I didn’t recognize the face but the voice, I definitely knew. After consulting with Google, I quickly paired the voice to the face I finally remembered. This entire discovery is actually quite ironic because in her speech, Rolonda briefly shared that she herself has gone through several reinventions. But the part that got me in my feelings is when she gave this simple advice, “if you don’t like something change it.” – Want to connect? Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.tamikacody.com/contact Want to take part in the Story of Survival series? Email your entry to [email protected] Or put pen to paper and keep the USPS in business by mailing your entry to: Stories of Survival P.O. Box 39072 Washington, D.C. 20016-9072

For this episode, I’d like to share an excerpt from a sermon. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines sermon as a “religious discourse delivered in public usually by a member of the clergy as a part of a worship service.” Usually, sermons are paired with a life lesson and a passage from religious scriptures from books like the Holy Bible, the Quran, the Torah, etc. Now depending on where you are in life, when you hear or read that pairing of a life lesson and religious scripture, it seems like that sermon was meant specifically for you. The title of the sermon I recently heard, the one that inspired me to hop on the mic and press record for this episode – Know your role. — Want to connect? Want to be a guest on the show? https://www.tamikacody.com/contact Want to take part in the Story of Survival series? Email your entry to [email protected] Or put pen to paper and keep the USPS in business by mailing your entry to: Stories of Survival P.O. Box 39072 Washington, D.C. 20016-9072

This episode I’m doing something a little different. There is no excerpt from a book, poem, essay or quote. Instead, I just want to talk about TikTok and its coming and going. The on again off again situationship of TikTok between the U.S. government and China, gave me enough time to flip the switch to pursue my goals before I downloaded the app and got sucked into the doom scroll portal club. I have no regrets about the time I wasted on the app. The app taught me so much including: * How to use a rice cooker for other things besides cooking rice * How to kick my fashion up a notch without breaking the bank * How to make a prime rib roast * How to take what resonates from the tarot card readers * The best financial institutions to open a High Yield Savings Account * How to wear a bold red lip with confidence * Perimenopause symptoms ←this helped me not to go crazy * How to deal with toxic situations in the workplace The app also gave me breaking news before the other news outlets: * The collapse of the bridge in Baltimore * All things taking place in Gaza * Kendrick Lamar’s GNX Album * Kendrick vs Drake ← The commentary from TikTokers were deep * 2025 L.A. Fires * Food recalls * P Diddy’s arrest * TikTok going dark in the U.S. Despite everything I’ve learned, the short blackout of TikTok allowed me just enough time to hit the reset button and get back to what I was doing before I downloaded the app. — Want to connect? https://www.tamikacody.com/contact Want to take part in the Story of Survival series? Email your entry to [email protected]. Or put pen to paper and keep the USPS in business by mailing your entry to: Stories of Survival P.O. Box 39072 Washington, D.C. 20016-9072

This episode is for those who’ve stopped pursuing a dream. Or maybe you never had the courage or support to dream. Or maybe fear is holding you back from imagining what’s possible. Langston Hughes once said, “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” A broken-winged bird that cannot fly. They are stuck. Grounded. Wishing they could soar. That’s a pretty vivid analogy of a person who lost the hope to dream. Here’s what I know…you can dream again. And for those who never ‘dreamed’ it’s never too late to start. So, why do we stop dreaming? For some of us, it’s fear. Fear of failure, fear of judgment, fear of the unknown. For others, it’s disappointment. Maybe you chased a dream once, and it didn’t work out. You got hurt, and now you think, “What’s the point?” — Want to connect? https://www.tamikacody.com/contact Want to take part in the Story of Survival series? Email your entry to [email protected]. Or put pen to paper and keep the USPS in business by mailing your entry to: Stories of Survival P.O. Box 39072 Washington, D.C. 20016-9072

Welcome to "Better Said Than Written," the podcast that shares inspirational excerpts from books, essays, poems, and quotes that, when read aloud, just sound better said than written. For this episode I would like to touch on one of life’s most profound truths: “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” That timeless quote comes from Confucius, and it’s a reminder we all need, especially in moments when life deals us a bad hand at the poker table. Like many of you listening, there have been times in my life when I’ve felt like I couldn’t get back up from a catastrophic fall. And not just any fall. I’m talking about a fall into a deep hole where there was nothing but darkness. I was buried under a thick blanket of uncertainty, and fertilized with fear. The fall was so bad, it felt like I didn’t have enough strength to pull myself up out of the bottomless pit. Afraid of lifting my head and facing my peers in public. Have you been there? Maybe you’re there right now. If you are, you’re not alone. Want to connect? https://www.tamikacody.com/contact Want to take part in the Story of Survival series? Email your entry to [email protected]. Or put pen to paper and keep the USPS in business by mailing your entry to: Stories of Survival P.O. Box 39072 Washington, D.C. 20016-9072

Welcome to "Better Said Than Written," the podcast that shares inspirational excerpts from books, essays, poems, and quotes that, when read aloud, just sound better said than written. This episode is all about new beginnings—that first step on the journey toward a better future. I’d like to start with a quote, well, a Chinese proverb some of you might recognize. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Such a simple idea, yet so profound. When we think about a “journey of a thousand miles,” it can feel overwhelming. Maybe that’s where you are right now. I’ll be honest with you, it’s where I am on my career journey. Want to connect? https://www.tamikacody.com/contact Want to take part in the Story of Survival series? Email your entry to [email protected]. Or put pen to paper and keep the USPS in business by mailing your entry to: Stories of Survival P.O. Box 39072 Washington, D.C. 20016-9072

In the last episode of Better Said Than Written, I introduced you to the series, Stories of Survival - S.O.S. - where I share stories from or about people who overcame difficult challenges in their lives. This next S.O.S. is an anonymous entry. Melanie shares her story of the time when she too was forced to create a plan. For her and her daughter’s sake, Melanie needed to figure out a way to leave an abusive relationship. An abusive relationship by the hands of an intimate partner who was also the biological father of her child. Throughout this piece, Melanie admits she ignored all of the red flags. SHOW NOTES: If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, help is available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline will guide you toward the right direction. 800-799-7233. Or text BEGIN to 88788. If you have a story of survival to share, email your entry to [email protected]. Or put pen to paper and mail your entry to Stories of Survival P.O. Box 39072 Washington, D.C. 20016-9072.

Welcome to "Better Said Than Written," the podcast that shares inspirational excerpts from books, essays, poems, and quotes that, when read aloud, just sound better said than written. For the revamp, and return of Better Said Than Written, I plan to share stories from or about people who overcame difficult challenges in their lives … Stories of Survival. The goal… to help others who may be going through struggles of their own. Some people are strategically looking for inspiration and or a blueprint on how they can move forward in their life’s journey. Take a moment to think about it. As we navigate through this thing called life, there are moments we just don’t know what to do. No matter how much we consult our friends, family or therapist, Google, or ask ChatGPT for advice, its the real life stories from strangers that helps us get through troubled times. Single parenting, loss of a job, self doubt, procrastination, managing life before during and after a divorce, financial mishaps, loss of a loved one, falling in and out of love, homelessness, managing anxiety, keeping intrusive thoughts at bay…you get the point. All of the above, I’ve dealt with at some point in my life…and I’m still here. I survived even when I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. What helped me get through? Reading memoirs, watching documentaries, and pausing my scroll to listen to those who had the courage to share their stories of survival on social media. To kick this series off, I intended to share one peg of my survival story with you, but a headline from the Los Angeles Times that stopped me dead in my tracks. Molly Wadzeck Kraus, published a personal story where she shared how a cooking show saved her from anorexia and depression. While reading through the piece, I thought “now this is the perfect for S-O-S…stories of survival.” The show - Barefoot Contessa. 
 The headline - How Ina Garten Changed my Life. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES If you have a story of survival to share, email your entry to [email protected]. Stories of Survival P.O. Box 39072 Washington, D.C. 20016-9072.

Today's reading comes from a LinkedIn post that I wrote. It’s been quite some time since my last recording. Truth is, I just wasn’t motivated to create, produce, or write a single word. Life took a lot of energy out of me. here’s the thing…I’ve come too far in this life just to be average. one of my goals is to be an inspiration to others and to help others who are on the verge of losing hope. there are a few people in particular who I want to be proud of me. My five-year-old self, my 15-year-old self, and my elderly self. And this is where that LinkedIn post comes in. I wrote it on the first day I started one of my dream jobs.