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Hey, this is Linda books Johnson with the timeless fit. And if you really want to learn how to level up to the mind, you should be listening to the time to shower. Today podcast with muscle, Scott Ferguson. Make it a great day.

Hey, time to shine today podcast varsity squad. It’s Scott Ferguson and I am so blessed to be able to bring you my interview with Miss Linda Brooks Johnson. She is a two time get that two time cancer survivor, a mother and she’s also the founder and CEO of a time well spent. She’s a personal uplifting life coach. So I’m not going to speak too much right now I’m going to let her share her story. So get the tissues ready, maybe because she has a very powerful moving story about really the epitome of persistence. So without further ado, here’s Mr. Linda Brooks Johnson, let’s level up.

Hey, time to shine squad. It’s Scott Ferguson with our podcasts with. I am so excited with Miss Linda Brooks Johnson. Miss Johnson lives in Atlanta, Georgia. She’s a 21 year two time breast cancer survivor, which we’re gonna dig into that. She’s a certified professional life coach and spiritual motivational speaker. She specializes in coaching breast cancer, people that are going through breast cancer or survived breast cancer marriage and spiritual coaching. And she’s a huge breast cancer advocate. So Miss Johnson, welcome to the show. And please share with us your favorite color and why

I’m laughing recovered the pink.

I think I know why on that one.

Well, you know what, even before the breast cancer journey was symbolic to girly for me, you know, I’ve grown up pink just was always a color that I seem to favorite.

I love it. I’d wear pink, you know? I do. It’s a great it’s in my color. Yeah. So tell me a little bit how that’s Let’s start from the nuts and bolts because I just lost my mom, which my squad knows. September from from breast cancer. Was it a little bit more self inflicted? I love my mother. I miss her dearly, but it was more of a long cancer from smoking and metastasized to her brain. But tell me something like you’re the first real person that’s a two time survivor that I’ve ever really interviewed. And tell me what your feelings were when you were diagnosed.

Got it was it was like a bullet. Never been shot. But I can only imagine what that felt like I had just had my son, who’s now almost 22. But I just had him. Prior to that had gone through a long career journey with IBM that ended, my ex husband walked out. I was going through a number of things and then to get the breast cancer diagnosis. And, you know, I think, you know, I’ve got this saying that I have come to really, really love because it’s a testament of what we go through. And it’s, you know, God never brings us to something that he won’t bring us through it. But more importantly, our greatest blessings or greatest tragedies or greatest trials. It seems to read things out of us that we didn’t even know existed. So for me, it was a devastating time. But as I look back and reflect back on it now, it was the most profound time in my life to show me what my faith was truly about, and to also find out where my strength lies.

So if you had your faith and then strength, were you. You said it was a bullet. Were you scared?

You know, what’s got this is the most remarkable thing that I remember from that particular situation. The day that I went to get the diagnosis, and I had both kids in a double stroller, and they were playing like, Oh my god, like they were just the happiest campers. It was and then two doctors came into the room. And for the first time in my life, I can really say I had an out of body experience. I hear them, but I saw their mouths moving And when everything was done, it was this presence that grabbed me to make me feel so warm and secure. And I knew that was God. It was just him showing me that everything was going to be alright.

off. So, you were working? Were you done with IBM at the time of your diagnosis, or were you still with them? Or how did that

I’ve been laid off from them for about a year after 29 years.

Okay. And then you were going through your cancer and battling cancer? Mm hmm. Did the life coaching come then? Or was that a little bit down the line?

Oh, that was down the line. It was when I left IBM. I wanted to find out really what my, what my purpose was. It’s like I had this thirst thing and longing to find out. Okay. That was something I did that’s over. What can I really do now to give back and that was about a three year journey. That just really dealing with me, and showing me that I had always been doing life coaching, but just never just never knew it. And at that time, I began to take some courses, get certified, and then let him lead me into where I am now. And that’s how that really, you know, was already birth, I just had to realize that I had already delivered the baby.

That was a huge aha moment. And for that you said there’s about a three year process in there to hear that right. Wow. Okay, so you’re, that’s it that the cancer decide not to downplay it at all. Okay, but let’s just set it to the side and going through the growth of your life coaching, and during this time, what was the worst growth moment to get to where you’re at now? Because I’m looking online right here and where you’re speaking about transforming marriages and stuff like that, like what was it Like, what’s your worst heart? Because we got your Aha, we know how you got there. But tell me about like a kid tells a story about like a bad moment that’s held that just kind of held you back. And I mean, I understand God’s got you and I’m a man of faith. So I agree with that, but we’re human. So we’re gonna have our bad. So

I think the biggest

fear for me if I can use that word, was not wasn’t. Transparency is something that we have to be. And I think for me, there was a time until I got to where I needed to be that I was afraid of letting anyone know that you know where I am, because I looked at it, in some sense with a marriage and looked at it as a failure. The the job thing, I looked at it as a failure. I was going through that period of Am I really good enough to be a life coach? I should update, you know, because my life was turned upside down at that time and I was going back self reflecting. And to me it was like I thought every you had to be perfect in order to, you know, Coach anybody counseling, but you know what I think. And I now understand that we can’t be effective in anything until we’ve experienced it.

That’s great because you even said earlier like your greatest blessings come from your greatest trials. Right? So you push through that time, then that that’s excellent. So let me ask you something. You have some experience now what what do you think makes a great coach then

a person that will listen and a person that can be empathetic in a way that you don’t pressure or make someone feel inferior We have to be in a position to where not only are we listening, but we’re learning from the experiences that we are privileged to have. And I think that’s what I don’t coach anything that I’ve not gone through. Because I want to have that sensitivity. And I want to have the compassion. I want to even feel what my clients are feeling

empathy, right, then they have Wow, that’s, that’s strong. So may I ask how you you’re dealing in, in helping people that went through traumatic experiences. A lot of people that come to me are like Scott, I want to level up my life and I want you to help me take the next level.

How do people approach you?

Well, you know, really, most of everything that I’ve done thus far has been word of mouth. Or people that know me come into contact with people that are going through different things, and I get a lot of phone calls and emails about Hey, would you be interested in coaching this would you be interested in coaching that so Really? I’ve been really blessed that people have sought me out? Oh,

okay. Yeah, that’s it that’s got to be like a whether it’s an email that’s a lot of tears on the keyboard coming from them reaching out, right I mean, or even the phone. Gotta be just heart wrenching. Sometimes we hear but again, you can be empathetic because you’ve been back to where you’re at. So without this experience, Miss Linda, what would you tell the 20 year old Linda?

Hmm Ah,

I think I’d start out telling her please be patient. Please, open up yourself more. To not judging yourself so hard. Because that’s that’s really I think I think I judge me a lot more heavily than someone else.

Gotcha. I love that. So be patient and don’t judge that’s, that’s amazing. That’s something that a 20 year olds not gonna listen to you but it’s always nice to write that letter back to our younger self. Yeah. You know, is there what in life has you went through the major instances but what in life has really blown your mind? You know, like you’ve went through the rough harbor? What is it out there? Right? I know you’re my answer was something of faith and I’ll be right there with you. But what’s really blown your mind?

Well, you know, what’s that? And it’s funny, you should ask that because I think about this every day. I was telling you that never have children. And I’ve got to the, my world turned upside down. When I gave birth to my daughter. That was my first child and seeing her look at me, and no my voice and oh god the look of love that was in her eyes that I think the birth of my kids have been the most. Oh god

dammit you would lay down your life literally. Right? Yes. Wow. Wow. So let’s take your cell phone totally out of this question Okay. What are three things that you can’t live without and let’s make that three nouns people place are things we can not live without

can you live without God? Good without see this

chocolate

you’re honest

yeah exactly in place Oh God.

You can make another person you can name anything that’s a noun you know a person place or thing three things

that chocolate My kids

love it. Love it family. Yeah. Your family first. Yeah, it’s fantastic. What is your definition of a life well lived.

One that you’ve given back.

And one day after you go on those foods, well, those flowers blossom. I love it.

You know, my mentor used to say that you become a mentor and mentor and help as many people as you can. that builds up your immortality. Exactly, you know, so helping give I love that I love your answers. Okay, we’re going to go into our leveling up, lightning round. There’s five or six questions. And you and I could speak for 2030 minutes on each one of them, but I’m gonna give you five to 710 seconds, Max. All right. You ready? Awesome. What’s the best leveling up advice you’ve ever received?

Oh God, I guess it’s been a you know, don’t try to overdo it or overthink anything that I’ve done.

Love it. share one of your personal habits that contributes to your success

listening

beautiful. Other than your own website and time to shine today website Of course. Can you give us another internet resource that you like to go to to help level up your life?

Um, I go and things look a lot

beautiful. Other than the big great book the Bible. Can you recommend to another book that we should run out and grab and make sure we read it?

Oh, there’s one that got right here. As a matter of fact. I do love this one in the shadows of his wings. Oh, wow. Okay, yeah,

there you go. Who’s that my Linda?

Um, Is that it doesn’t have a name on it. Oh, wait a minute.

You’re gonna make the date for this one.

You’re fine. Um,

it looks like it’s by Louis Emerton.

Somerton. Okay. Gotcha. What’s your favorite charity that you like to work with or give to?

Um, I’ve been working with quite a few. Really, Susan Coleman is one that I work with.

Love it. And last question, what is the best decade of music 60s 70s 80s are 907 is right there with you. We can hang out. We got the classic rock and the disco and you got it all in one. It was that when it’s at its infancy. That’s I love that time. The low

70s It’s

so before we kind of wind things down. Can you can you share with the time to shine squad out there that’s listening, last Knowledge Nugget that you want us to walk away with.

Always remember that everybody needs somebody. We’re not here to try to get it on our own. Please use people or resources to help you get to that level that you want to be. The roadblocks are there to kind of make you look at and re evaluate your journey. So if I could say anything, please reach out. And when you run into those pitfalls of it, yeah, for some some help.

That’s where everyone needs somebody. And there’s no reason to be alone when there is hope there just have to be bold enough to ask. And so if I’m out, talking to people, or someone starts talking to me, what would trigger me to think of Linda Brooks Johnson, that this person would be a good prospect Fact or possible client or referral.

Hopefully if you’re looking for honesty, and some compassion, and really someone that will listen and help you navigate the troubled waters, hopefully, you’ll think of me. I love it and

how can we find you online?

You can find me on

LinkedIn on Facebook, everything is under a time well spent

time will spend

time will fit on most of the social media sites on Lincoln. It’s under coach Linda Brooks Johnson.

I love that’s how we connected I believe I believe I reached out I read your story and I was like I have to have Miss Johnson on here.

I thank you and I appreciate you so much like

it’s it’s it’s me to be thanking you And hey, squad. I hope that you’ve really enjoyed and picked up some knowledge nuggets some time if you want to think about perspective. And what someone has to go through of having a newborn husband walking out, and they get slapped slammed with that, that stupid C word. Your re listen to this podcast because there’s knowledge nuggets, it’s everywhere. From what I really picked up as the greatest blessings kind of our bread from the greatest trials. And, you know, when we surround ourselves with people like Miss Johnson, who are always leveling up their health and leveling up their wealth, she stays humble. Yes, she stays hungry and eager to help people. That’s the kind of people we’d like to be around. And Miss Johnson. Thank you so much. I’m humbled and I’m grateful that you’ve taken this time out of your valuable day. Okay, so I can get a virtual fist pump for the video. Love it. Love it. Thank you so much, Miss Johnson. Well, hey, thanks so much for listening to this episode of time to shine today podcast, probably brought to you by Southern Nugent real estate, real estate excellence who can be reached at 561-249-7266 And online at www dot Sutter and nugent.com. If you’re a business owner or professional who would like to be interviewed on time to shine today, please visit time to shine today.com slash guest. If you liked this episode, please subscribe on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcast. There’s a link in the show notes to our website. Also there you will see our recommended resources. We hope that you will support our show by supporting them. If you like what you’ve been listening to, it’d be great if you could just give us a five star rating and tell your friends to subscribe while you’re at it. I’m your host, Scott Ferguson. And until next time, let’s level up it’s our time to shine.

Music Courtesy of: fight by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/58696 Ft: Stefan Kartenberg, Kara Square

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