103 | A Mom’s Lesson in Moving Forward with Love Instead of Fear with Lisa Brennan

Listen to A Mom’s Lesson in Moving Forward with Love Instead of Fear with Lisa Brennan on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your player of choice

I am joined by Lisa Brennan, an incredible person who I’ve known for a very long time, and I’ve been eager to have her on the podcast for a while now!

Lisa and I go way back – I actually went to school with her kids and built a friendship with her oldest son. Lisa is a wife, mom of two, and now a published author. In January 2018, Lisa and her family started a new chapter in life, after her youngest child shared she was a transgender woman. While this was unexpected and definitely came with adjustments, the Brennan family found that treasuring someone for who they truly are is magical and sacred – it doesn’t have to be scary, or something to hide. Lisa even wrote a beginner’s guidebook for friends and family, and after immense support and positive feedback, she wrote a book about her journey. Her book has shown how incredibly powerful love and acceptance can be, and her family has felt very blessed and encouraged throughout this process.

In today’s episode, Lisa and I discuss a mom’s lesson in moving forward with love instead of hate. When you experience moments of isolation, or situations that are very unfamiliar, it’s natural to think that no one else ‘gets’ it, or is going through the same thing. This is when the power of community and support from others really comes into play though – you have to find your people! Feeling seen and deeply understood during vulnerable times shows us that we’re never alone, and most of the time, the scenarios we’re playing out in our heads are very disjointed from what actually happens. When we choose to live authentically and not be afraid to challenge societal ‘norms’, it allows others to do the same, and proudly embrace who God created them to be (transgender or not). 

The longer I live, the more I realize we are all people simply trying to ‘exist’ together on this planet, and it’s okay to have different points of view. It’s important to be open-minded, and not be afraid to look within ourselves when issues arise that we don’t fully understand; everything DOES affect all of us. This was a beautiful conversation, and I hope Lisa’s story encourages you to lead with love, curiosity, and openness, because doing so will only change things for the better!

In January of 2018, Lisa started a new chapter of life, as her youngest child shared with the family that she is a transgender woman. After some adjustment, the Brennan family has found that when you treasure someone for who they are, it is magical and sacred. Lisa wrote a beginner’s guidebook for friends and family and to her surprise, it was widely shared, with churches, hospitals, and schools asking her to share her family’s story of love and acceptance. This prompted Lisa to write a book about her journey. She is thrilled that the book has brought some love and education into the world. 

Lisa Brennan is the proud daughter of a United Church of Christ minister. She and her husband Mike have been married for 36 years and have two grown children. They reside in a smallcommunity outside of St. Louis, Missouri. Lisa attended college at the University of Evansville, Indiana and spent some time working in England before she settled down with her husband. She runs the national support email for Transparent USA, a 501c3 not for profit. Transparentusa.org provides support and resources for raising gender independent children.

In this episode, A Mom’s Lesson in Moving Forward with Love Instead of Fear with Lisa Brennan, we cover:

• Lisa’s story of navigating a new journey with her transgender daughter + how this eventually led to her writing a book about everything she learned and experienced
• How Lisa’s transgender daughter came out to her and her family + the research and resources Lisa started diving into in order to better understand everything
• The power of time and community that’s incredibly vital when you’re experiencing moments of isolation, and/or stepping into unfamiliar territory
• The overwhelming love and support Lisa and her family received when her daughter came out, instead of the ‘worst case scenarios’ she expected
• The beauty that comes from living authentically and doing what’s placed on your heart, and how this gives others permission to do the same
• Not being afraid to challenge religious and societal ‘norms’ and proudly embrace who God created you to be
• Lisa’s oldest son’s experience with being a contestant on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise + the support he showed for his trans sister, and what that led to
• Understanding that gender identity is already hardwired in your brain when you’re born + simply choosing to show kindness to trans people
• Taking time to look within yourself and being open to important issues around you, even if you don’t think you’re affected by them
• Continually learning and evolving, no matter your age or what you *think* you know

Resources & Links:

• Gather in Growth Sponsorship Inquiry
• More info on the Ignite + Grow Micromind
• Join the Ignite + Grow Micromind waitlist
• Learn more about my speaking
• Get your YouDoYou32 tracker! (82’s little sister!)
• Get your YouDoYou82 tracker and join the Facebook community!
• Gather in Growth podcast produced by: Jill Carr Podcasting

Connect with Lisa:

• Follow on Instagram 
• Get Lisa’s book, The Auditorium in My Mind: Treasuring My Transgender Child

Connect with Emily:

• Follow on Instagram and Facebook
• Join my email list
• Check out my website
• Connect with on LinkedIn

Related Episodes:

• Episode 096 | Ask Better Questions
• Episode 082 | The Domino Effect

More about Gather in Growth podcast: 

Where can I connect with fellow rural women who aren’t afraid to dream big dreams? How do I create and sustain daily habits that help me reach my personal and professional goals? Am I the only one that absolutely loves living in the middle of nowhere but wants to understand the world beyond my backyard? What should I do about the unshakable feeling that there’s more to life than just showing up? How do I break free from other people’s opinions and confidently live as my authentic self? 

Welcome to Gather in Growth, a show created for passionate, growth-focused rural women like you. From mindset work and building strong habits to nerding out over personal growth books through the lens of life on a backroad, this is a show to leave you feeling joyful, inspired, ready to take action, and a little less alone. 

Tune in for honest and heart-felt conversations with host, Emily Reuschel, and fellow thought leaders, to talk about personal growth and thriving as a rural woman. Here you’ll gain tactical strategies to bring your dreams to reality, real talk about the ups and downs of tackling goals, meaningful insight from fresh perspectives, and the confidence to step into the calling that’s been laid on your heart for a reason. If you crave to feel seen in a small town, you’re in the right place. 

Whether you’re currently running on a backroad, shuffling kids to town, hopping along for a tractor ride, or three loads deep into folding laundry… we’re in this together. Absolutely anything is possible and I’m so grateful to be on this journey with YOU! 

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