Maria Shriver: Life-Changing Lessons on Believing You’re Enough, Forgiveness & Creating Your Best Life Now! (Pt 1)
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for you to share those words where you're like, "Here's my intention and God lead me." I really try to sit in silence. I do my meditation and I sit in silence to try to hear my voice, try to hear God's voice, try to hear where I'm being directed.

I am so excited to say, get ready for a life-changing episode today with one of the most inspiring, wise, absolutely magnificent people I have ever had the gift of meeting and knowing. This person and her wisdom have changed and shaped my life in profound ways. And I know this conversation can do that for you today too.

Today, I am just so excited. I'm truly honored that the iconic legendary Maria Shriver is here with you and me.

And I'm just going to give you a heads up right now. This will be an episode you'll want to save and share with everyone you know, because the lessons Maria shares are the ones you want to take root in your life, in your spirit. They're truly tools to pull out of your toolbox and lean on, on those days that you might be doubting that who you are is enough.

On the days you might be tempted to stay in that unhealthy relationship or friendship even longer, knowing you're betraying yourself by staying. On the days when you need to practice forgiveness or feel more inspired to use the gifts your Creator gave you to help impact others and the world.

Identity is such a fluid thing. You know, we're a student, we're someone's child, we're someone's wife, we're someone's partner, we're such and such at a job. And I think the fear is if that job goes away, if that relationship goes away, if any of this goes away, will we be okay on our own? Will anybody love us on our own? Will anybody see us? I got fired from a job early on.

when I was the anchor of the CBS Morning News, I got fired. The whole show got fired. I had made the mistake of thinking that the show was my family. I had made the mistake of thinking that the show loved me, that everybody there were my great, great friends and would be there for me always. And then it was over. And I never made that mistake again. We think like, oh, if I just...

achieve enough, then I'll be worthy of love. Then I'll be enough. And I've always been- - I had that too. - Yeah. The first time you and I met and we were having lunch and you shared something that just sort of like stopped me in my tracks. - I gotta get going. I gotta get going with my life. I gotta get going. And she said to me, "Where are you going?" And I'm like, "What do you mean, where am I going?" She goes, "Where are you in such a hurry to go?" And I was like, "Where am I in a hurry to go?"

"Wow, I have no idea. I have no idea where I'm trying to go." And she goes, "I want you to think about that. You don't know where you're going and you're in a hurry to get there." - Saying I love you.

Yeah. I love you. What role did I love you play in growing up with you and your parents? None. None. Yeah. I wanted to change that for my own mothering. I wanted to do some of the things my mother did, but I wanted to be softer. Did she ever say I love you to you?

I love the idea that success leaves clues, and I love it even more when we have the blessing of being around incredible people who are willing to share those clues with us so that we can not only take shortcuts in our own journey toward what success looks like in our own lives, but also so that we can truly feel connected together, less alone, more enough,

more fully alive and more worthy. And this conversation with Maria today does that and so much more. Moving humanity forward is her ministry. Maria Shriver is an Emmy Award-winning, Gracie Award-winning, Peabody Award-winning, Lifetime Achievement Alzheimer's Association Award-winning,

journalist, author, and member of the legendary and iconic Shriver and Kennedy families. She's the author of the brand new number one New York Times bestselling book, "I Am Maria,"

filled with the most beautiful poetry. It's out now. Make sure to grab your copy. She's the founder of The Sunday Paper. You can get her incredible content at mariaschreiverosundaypaper.com. We'll link to it in the show notes. She's also the former first lady of California and the founder of the Women's Alzheimer's Movement.

She was married to former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and is the daughter of Sergeant Shriver, who founded the Peace Corps, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who founded the Special Olympics.

She's also the niece of the late President John F. Kennedy. She's a mom of four amazing children, Catherine, Patrick, Christina, and Christopher. And she's a grandma. And yet, just like you and me, she's separate and independent of all of those jobs and roles and labels. She is, most powerfully, Maria.

And that is more than enough. And I want to ask you right now, when you think of all of the roles that you're known for and play in your own life, whether it's mom or friend or wife or sister, daughter, boss, and you strip those away, you're left with who you innately are. And do you believe right now in this very moment that who you are innately is fully enough?

Today, we are talking about how to know it and believe it in your life right now. And whether today you're listening for yourself or because someone you love shared this episode with you, I want to welcome you to the Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast family. Thank you so much for being here. And can you take two seconds and do me a quick favor?

hit the subscribe or follow button on the app that you're listening or watching on. Thank you so much. It truly means so much to me. You can also get inspiration in your inbox from me for free. You can join my newsletter community at jamiekernlima.com.

Also, this incredible podcast episode today, it's not just for you and me. Please share this with every single person that you know who might need some inspiration today or perhaps a boost in their self-belief because what you're about to hear can truly impact mine, yours, and their life too. Welcome to the Jamie Kern Lima Show.

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When I look into Jamie's eyes, I feel like I am on some other cosmic level with her. I could see the light around her. She's infused with light. Imagine overcoming self-doubt, learning to believe in yourself and trust yourself and know you are enough. Welcome to the Jamie Kern Lima Show. Jamie Kern Lima is her name. Everybody needs Jamie Kern Lima in their life. Jamie Kern Lima!

Jamie, you're so inspiring. Jamie Kern Lima. I am so excited and honored to say Maria Shriver, welcome to the Jamie Kern Lima Show. Thank you, Jamie. Thank you. I'm so happy to be here. You've been so gracious and generous in your support of everything that I do. So I'm really happy to be here. Totally.

At peace. I'm happy on behalf of every single person listening. You know, I just have to say that the times I have spent with you, whether it was our first lunch or we traveled on the same flight together from an event. And I just feel like I can, there's only maybe two or three people in my life I can say this about, but when you say things, they like take root in me.

in this beautiful way where I feel like it makes my life so much better. And somehow it's almost like I borrow your wisdom and I save myself a whole lot of time. You've said some things and I'll share a little bit in this conversation today because I also know that there'll be someone listening or watching who just needs them in their life right now. And so for me, I don't know why I'm feeling emotional, but for me, it's such an honor that you're here.

Thank you. Because I also, you know, I do this show with the intention that it helps people feel less alone and more enough and, you know, more worthy. And I just know how much this conversation is going to matter to so many people. So I'm so grateful that you're here. So just thank you. Well, that's kind of the intention with which I live my life. Every day I try to get up and remind myself that I'm here to be of service. Yes.

in every way, shape and form. And my mission is to move humanity forward in everything that I do. And what that means to me is to be intentional about how I use my voice, intentional about what I'm doing, what I'm offering. Does it fit that mission statement?

Uh, am I walking that path? And so even like this morning I get up and I'm like, okay, I'm a child of God. I'm here to be of service. My mission is to move humanity forward. Everything I do today, I hope is in that, in thought, word and deed. And, um,

you know, lead me. And I try to kind of just follow that on a daily basis. And that helps me tremendously, uh, deciding like what to do, where to go, how to live. It's helpful to me. So I'm always, uh, grateful that if I'm offering something that it has, uh,

That it helps somebody in some way. Yeah, yeah. That is so powerful. So many people are going to pause that and rewind it. Because I think a lot of people are looking, how do I start my day? And maybe they try with a protein shake or they try with a workout. Those things are great too. Yeah. But for you to share those words where you're like, here's my intention and God lead me. Yeah, I do that. And then I do a meditation. I mean, I make my coffee. But then I really try to sit in silence.

I do my meditation and I sit in silence to try to hear my voice, try to hear God's voice, try to hear where I'm being directed. And then, you know, if what I'm doing, should I be making a left turn? Should I be making a right turn or something will come up and it'll say, God.

go spend more time with this specific child of yours. Go and spend more time on this specific project that you're doing. Go and think about how to do this specific thing better. I hear in the early hours of the morning. That's when I can hear my own voice or God's voice or direction. It's hard to hear it during the day. It's hard to hear it when everybody's

you know, telling you what to do or where to go, or you should be doing this, or you should be doing that. I think we're all susceptible to that. But the early morning is my sacred time, my special time, my God time, my me time. And it's really helpful to me and how I live my life. When you hear it or feel it, do you ever hear audibly or do you just kind of feel something

Oh, no, I hear it. I see it. I also ask for, you know, I ask for direction all the time. I'm a big believer in my higher power, my God. I'm a big believer in asking for help, for direction. And I don't know, you know, it's a voice that one hears inside, but if I weren't quiet and

I wouldn't hear it. And if I weren't quiet, I wouldn't have been able to write any of the poems that I wrote because they all emanated from quiet. And I know it's really hard for people to find quiet time. People are raising kids, taking care of aging parents,

working, sometimes one or two jobs. And they have to, you know, I remember when my kids were little running into the bathroom and shutting the door just to get five minutes by myself, you know, so I could go, you know, and breathe. But I wish somebody had told me back then that, you know, quiet time, your own time to, uh,

find your space, hear your voice would be the most important time you spend in your day. And I would have probably thought that was selfish, but if someone had explained it to me as a kind of saving time for yourself, I think that would have been helpful, which is why I always try to talk about it. That morning time, that quiet time is your time.

And whether you believe in God or not, but it's your time to hear your own voice. That's so beautiful. I get so many questions from especially women on how do I hear my own intuition? I don't even know how to hear it. How do I hear it? And then sometimes it will go to, and how do I trust it?

How do I hear it and how do I trust it? So for you, it's the morning time. It's morning. It's quiet. Yeah. It's stillness because I haven't read an email. Nobody has told me what I should do with the day. Nobody has tried to influence me. Right. And it took me a long time to get quiet, to be okay with quiet. Yeah.

Because sometimes when you sit quiet, your mind is racing and you can't determine like whose voice is up there, whose voice is in here. And I think the more comfortable you get in time with your own voice, the

then you begin to trust it. Well, I want to talk about your journey to saying, I am Maria and Maria is enough. I think you share in your new beautiful book,

so much about this journey that I think the thing I love most about your book is I think every single person who picks it up, who reads it, is going to go on their own journey with it. Amen. Right? Yeah. And their own like, huh, you know, you talk a lot about

you know, growing up about people saying, which Kennedy are you? Which Kennedy? And then you have this incredible career in journalism. And then somehow you're back in the spot with, oh, you're the governor's wife. You're the actor's, you know, Arnold's wife. And then, you know, so many people I think can relate to this. And you talk about your journey of saying, well, wait a minute, without all of that, you know, I am Maria. Maria is enough. And for so many people listening right now, they're like,

They're known as so-and-so's mom or so-and-so's wife or the boss or, you know, the daughter, sister, you know, mother, friend. And our mutual friend, Bob Goff, I love when he says, he says, like, when you strip away everything you're known for, what's left is who you are. And so many people, I think, are...

are going, gosh, if I do that and I strip away everything is who I am.

want to take away all that i'm known for is who i am enough how did you can you share a little bit about well i think that's really i think identity is such a fluid thing you know we we're a student we're someone's child we're someone's wife or someone's partner we're such and such at a job and i think the fear is if that job goes away if that relationship goes away if what any of this goes away

will we be okay on our own? Will anybody love us on our own? Will anybody see us? If the show went away, right? If everything you've accumulated went away,

would there be anybody there for you? Would you be okay to say, I am Jamie and that, you know, full stop, end of story and be okay standing in that. And I think that's really up to each and every one of us. I'm a big believer, you know, in trying to figure out who is that and

Am I okay without all the other parts of that? And so I think that's a journey that we all go on. What I've seen with this book is that everybody that's picked it up has said to me, I went on my own journey with it, or this is also my life. I too have struggled with grief. I too have struggled with feeling small. I too have struggled with my parents. I too have struggled with invisibility. I think we live in such a

fast-paced world. We live in a world where everybody asks us what we do. Yes. And I think that makes people feel like what they do might not be enough to make you interested in talking to them, make you interested in spending time with them. And I think society tells you that what you do is who you are. And I'm trying to say, that's not who you are.

And you get to decide who you are and you get to decide how to introduce yourself. You get to decide how to stand in your own being. You get to decide if you're enough and what that means to you. I remember the first time you and I met and we were having lunch and you shared something that just sort of like stopped me in my track.

We need to pause for a super brief break. And while we do, take a moment to share this episode with every single person that you know who this could inspire. Because this conversation can truly be the words and inspiration they need to hear today to keep going, to remember that they matter, and to feel less alone and more enough, more connected and more worthy.

I am so excited for this book. You know why? Because it's going to save so many people. It's going to save you. Work hard.

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It's worth it. Imagine what would you do if you fully believed in you? I went from struggling waitress facing nonstop rejection to founder of It Cosmetics, a billion dollar company, by learning how to overcome self-doubt and believe I'm worthy of my hopes and dreams. And I'm sharing how you can too in my new book, Worthy, how to believe you are enough and transform your life.

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And it's time to believe that you are worthy of it. Because in life, we don't become what we want. We become what we believe we're worthy of.

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The gifts are going away, but they're all free right now on worthybook.com. Now more of this incredible conversation together. The first time you and I met and we were having lunch and you shared something that just sort of like stopped me in my tracks. You shared a story, you know, because I've always, I've kind of had this

And for anyone listening is how this people pleaser stuff or this achiever stuff where we think like, oh, if I just achieve enough, then I'll be worthy of love. Then I'll be enough. And I've always been- I had that too. Yeah. Will you share the story? Because you shared this and I just-

Ever since, I think about it all the time. You shared that you were in this whole season of your life. You had covered so many big stories in the news. One day you were driving. You're always in a hurry. On to the next thing, on to the next thing, on to the next thing. And I think that you ended up having to pull over. I'm trying to remember if it was Martha Beck that called you. Yes. Will you share that? Because- Yes, I was talking to Martha Beck and I was, who's a great friend of mine. And-

I was talking to her like, I need to get at peace. I need to figure this thing out because I'm going, I got to get going. I got to get going with my life. I got to get going. And she said to me, where are you going? And I'm like, what do you mean? Where am I going? She goes, where are you in such a hurry to go? And I was like, where am I in a hurry to go?

wow, I have no idea. I have no idea where I'm trying to go. And she goes, I want you to think about that. You don't know where you're going and you're in a hurry to get there. That's not a good situation. And I was like, yep, she's absolutely right. And I think all of us are taught to get going, to write a bestselling book, to win awards,

something for the show you're doing to be seen exterior. And I certainly bought into that. I was raised in a family that talked a lot about external achievement, that wanted you to go out and change the world. I saw my parents doing that. I saw my uncles doing that. So I was like, oh, I'm supposed to do that. That's the ticket. That's what society expects of you. And that's where the love is.

And it turned out, you know, that's actually not where the love is. The love is one-on-one. The love is time with your kids who love you and they don't know what you do. The time is with people who call you and want to just sit with you. You don't have to add other people. You don't have to have a big fancy party. They're fine with just you. The love is girlfriends who sit there with you no matter what.

or guy friends, or whomever, siblings, whatever, whoever your people are, that's where the love is. That's where being seen is. We think being seen is in external achievement. And I bought into that only to discover, wait a minute, this isn't giving me the feeling I thought it would. So let me go back.

so I can go forward in a different way. And I have since discovered that the feeling I was looking for is in this one-on-one connection, these friendships, the love that I was seeking. It doesn't come from what society tells you it's going to come from. That's fleeting. Yes. Yes. And

I think I bought into this lie for decades. I was like, okay, once I get the thing, then I'll be happy. Once I get that thing, then I'll feel connected and love and all the things. And I remember even on you and I were traveling from an event and

I was talking about the show and all my goals. And I'm like, and Maria is doing really well and all the things. But then I was kind of complaining to you that I was working 100-hour weeks again. And I remember...

this moment where you just looked at me and you said, okay, so what? You get a big hit show, but then if you're doing a hundred hour weeks and you're not with your family, your husband, you want to go home alone? And you just had me rethink of it. Well, what really matters? And

I just think this is a huge lesson that so many of us learn way too late or never learn where we keep our whole lives thinking, I just need to get that thing, then I'll be happy. Whether it's the job or the white picket fence or the six pack abs or whatever it is, whatever it is for us. And that's so beautiful and profound. And I feel like you've said those things to me a few times that just have really profoundly changed my life. Because I think even though I think like I know that,

When our brains are so wired to be achievers or think we have to earn love a certain way, it's almost like our default. And I feel like I got off when we were flying back, I got off our flight.

I remember going home and just looking at Paulo. I was like, how are you? Like, I just remember like being into whatever, you know, how his day, I just, I'm like, I need to reestablish or reprioritize connection in my life. Like the one-on-one connections of people, because you're right. It's like, where am I my happiest? Where I'm holding my daughter wonder when I'm, you know, when Paulo like sees me, it's like, how are you? When I'm with my girlfriends. And so it's like, why am I spending all

all this time sacrificing all those things. And what did you come up with? I came up with that. You're right. And then I'm, I'm reprioritizing right now in my life. And it's hard for me, actually. There's days I would rather work than, than, you know, go to the kids tennis lesson and just sit there. But I'm like, okay, but I, I, I don't want to repeat the mistakes I was raised in. My parents worked a hundred hour weeks, all of it. And I don't want to repeat that. And it's, I think it's,

It's hard. You share in your book, I Am Maria. That's so good. You talk a lot. I know, I think one of the many reasons this book is so powerful beyond just how beautiful the poetry and your words are is that, you know, in so many ways you, you

are a meaningful person in a lot of people's lives who've never met you and you're opening up for the first time. And I've never heard you share a lot of the stories you shared here about your family, about how you were raised with, with,

Growing up, I want to ask you about the role of mothers and of mothering. Can you share a little bit? You know, you share about the padded doors and about your relationship with your mom. And now you're a mom of four. Can you share...

a little bit with the person listening and maybe hasn't picked up the book yet, but is going to today because it's so good, just about your relationship with your mom and how that shaped you and maybe what you're now taking from it to pass down or doing differently. Well, that's a big... I could write a whole book just on my mom. And I'm an only girl. I have four brothers. And so I think...

When I came along, or from my mother, you know, we had this relationship where I was her only daughter. And she was a formidable, formidable force of nature. Had she been born in a different time, everybody always said she would have been president of the United States. And so I think she was a woman who grew up—not I think—she was a woman who grew up in a very male-focused family.

at a time when all of the energy of society and all of the lens of society was focused on men. And here she was as smart, as driven, as competent as any man in her family. And she went on to create the Special Olympics and her vision was and her mission was to change the world for people with intellectual disabilities, make them and their families feel seen,

feel equal, feel valued. I think the things that she was seeking as a woman herself, and she was pushing her mission through this population because she had a sister with an intellectual disability who couldn't find a place to go to camp, who couldn't find a place to compete in school. So she fashioned a program that her mother could have used, her sister could have used, and that she knew millions of other families could use

uh, and could have used. Right. And she kind of single handedly with her force, with her rage, with her passion, with her purpose made that come to life. And obviously with the help of thousands and thousands of volunteers and, uh, but that was her 100 hour a week. That was her thing, you know? And, um, so watching her, um,

You know, I thought like, wow, this was a woman who was driven, who to be seen. She didn't use those words. Right. But...

I think that was, she was fighting for a population who was unseen, but also she was fighting for herself. And, um, so it was both an honor and a privilege to be her only daughter. It was a lot to be her only daughter. She had tremendous grief in her life. Um,

Both of her brothers were assassinated. Her older brother killed in a plane crash in World War II. Her older sister killed in a plane crash. And she lived in a grief-illiterate family, and she lived in a society that was grief-illiterate. So the way that generation dealt with grief was to just...

experience it, shove it down and carry on. And the thing I think we know now about grief is that you can't shove it down. It will pop up in different ways in your life. You can't outrun it. You can't escape it because it stays in your body. And I think I have a poem in there about the padded door because my mother had padded doors. And I've since heard from other people since I wrote this who also had padded

Mothers with padded doors. And that was, she explained to me, her way of getting rest, sleeping, drowning out the noise.

so that she could go out and change the world. But as a child, I experienced that differently. But I have come to really have so much compassion and empathy for her that nobody helped her with her grief. Nobody had compassion for her grief.

while she was showing all this compassion and empathy for millions of people with intellectual disabilities, but nobody was doing that for her. And so I have this beautiful relationship with her in death.

and as an adult that I couldn't have had with her in life because she wouldn't have allowed it really. And so I, um, say that because I always felt like, Oh, who would I be without my mother when she died? I didn't think I could survive because she was my best friend. And I've crafted a different kind of relationship with her in death where I can, um,

where I can talk about her like this. And I can talk about, I think she represented so many other women of her generation and men really of her generation that weren't allowed or didn't think they were allowed to talk about what they saw in the war, be it World War II, be it the Vietnam War. And it's only now that we're beginning to talk about trauma. We're beginning to talk about grief. We're beginning to

allow these conversations in families. How are you experiencing this situation? How are you experiencing your parents' divorce? How are you experiencing a death in the family? And allowing people the space

for their grief and for their trauma. And so, you know, growing up with her, she was an incredible role model. She was, as I said, a force of nature. She carried a briefcase. She went to work. She hung with men. She raised me to compete with men and she raised me to be tough and

And, uh, and I think that was what I needed for a long, long time. And then it became something I didn't need. The word grief, illiterate. I think so many people are going to relate to that and be like, huh? Yep. Yep. That's how I was raised or that's how my family, um, can you talk about, you share, um,

even just saying, I love you. Yeah. I love you. What role did I love you play in growing up with you and your parents? None. None. Yeah. Nobody talked about, I love you. Right. It wasn't, um, you know, I'm constantly telling my kids, I love you, you know, squeezing them, holding them. And, uh, but that wasn't how my mother was raised. So she wasn't, you

You know, she was, I'm proud of you. Get out there. And when I accomplished something, she'd say, good job. Now, now what are you going to do now? What's next? Where are we going? She was the voice of where are we going? She was the voice of you can do more. She was the voice of and I took on her voice as my own. I think we often do that. Right. And.

And proudly so, you know, but I wanted to change that for my own mothering. I wanted to do some of the things my mother did, but I wanted to be softer with my

Did she ever say I love you to you? She did after she, when she got really much older and she was sick and I would get in the bed with her and I go, mommy, I love you. And she'd be like, I love you. And she's like, okay, I love you too. But I think it was, it was hard for her. And I've also talked to so many people who had the same experience. And did your dad say it?

Yeah, he did. But it wasn't once again, my parents were on a mission. Yeah. They were deeply religious people who felt that they were put here on earth to change the world.

In Jesus's name, in social justice's name, they were here to help the poor, heal the sick, change the world. And they did not sit around and talk about feelings. We did not sit on the couch and chill. They were not chillers. They were doers. If I talked to them about, I need to sit and chill or something, it was not something...

that was accepted, allowed. It was not their vibe. Right. When you think of your four kids now, one day, a couple of decades from now, let's just say, let's say 50 years from now, let's say 50 years from now, what do you hope is

They'll say about you as their mom. Oh, they say it now, right? I mean, they don't, I don't have to wait 50 years. They'll tell me, you know, they'll tell me now, I wish you would slow down. They, I wish you weren't running around as much as you do. They will say you were strict.

But I think that they will they'll say you emphasize manners a lot, which is true. They say you're the only one that gave us a curfew and we did not like that. You're the one that called and checked on other people's parents to see if they were home. It was embarrassing. You embarrassed us. You were strict. But they say, you know.

Now, when I'm sitting there, they say, oh, you know, we like that. We would emulate that. But I think every kid wants to maybe obviously change what their parents did. I think that's just the cycle. You know, I think they say certain things about how their dad was as a dad and how I was and am as a mom. I think probably.

If they had one request, it would be maybe that I wouldn't work at the level that I work. But I think they know that I tried and continue to try my hardest, that I was there. So I always say to them, you know, I'll go to therapy with you any day, any time, and you can complain all you want. The one thing you cannot say is that I wasn't there. Yeah.

Does that feel so good to be able to say that? - That I was there? - Yeah. - Yeah, I changed my career dramatically. Each time I had a kid, I downsized my career to adjust to the fact that I had four little kids.

I knew that I was married to someone who had a big career and that somebody was going to have to drop down and somebody was going to have to be at home. And I knew that somebody was going to be me. And I also tried to always look at it as the long haul, that this was a

time and space, you know, and that, you know, they're only little ones. They're only teenagers once. Before they go off to college, you only have this moment. And so I didn't want to miss that time. And so I knew my career would be there. Thank God I got fired from a job early on when I was the anchor of the CBS Morning News. I got fired. The

And I had made the mistake of thinking that the show was my family. I had made the mistake of thinking that the show loved me, that everybody there were my great, great friends and would be there for me always. And then it was over.

And I never made that mistake again. It helped me put work in perspective. It helped me realize, oh, wait a minute, this is not my family. This place can throw me out in a second. So I need to think about my family, my real family. I think I need to think about my real life and put this part of my life in perspective. But I think had I not been fired...

that probably I would have not had that wake up call. Yeah. Will you share just a little bit about your four kids and what you're most proud of each of them? Oh, well, there are, I'm first, I'm proud of them collectively. I'm proud of them, um, as a unit that they're very devoted to each other. They're very loyal to each other. They do things together. Um,

you know, separate from me or their dad. They each, Catherine is an incredible mom and wife. She's also writes books, children's books, but she's very highly organized and just born kind of to be a mom. Christina is deep and wise and loving and funny as all get out and

and really wants to help the world and help people who are struggling with their mental health and with animals that are left by the side of the road. And that's her passion. That's her mission. Patrick is my partner in business with MOSH. He's smart as all get out. He's funny as all get out. He's having a moment.

But he's an incredible boyfriend and I think will be an incredible husband and father. Christopher is wise and deep and loving. He was born that way. People all talk about his energy and his compassion and his empathy. And this morning we're taping this on the day that the Pope died and I had taken Christopher. I'd covered when the Pope became the Pope and I took him away.

with me to Rome.

to see that. And so my first call this morning was him. And he said, "I'm thinking about you today. I know how much you loved the Pope. And I remember when we went there, what a big deal it was for you. And I just, I love you, mommy. And I'm thinking about you this morning." So he's that guy. - Yeah. - And he's gonna be an unbelievable dad and an unbelievable husband. And they're all funny.

They're really funny. They have really good heads on their shoulders. I'm very proud of how they've navigated their lives, our divorce, how they are, you know, just devoted to both of us and to each other. And they're just really good people.

loving people. I've heard so many people say like their greatest success in their entire life, even people with massive careers or huge public fame or whatever it is, their greatest success is when their kids actually want to be with them when they're grown up. And watching at the party we just had, watching your whole family come together, watching Patrick put on bunny ears, watching everyone just... There's such...

feels like it's a unified family. And I'm so blessed with my son-in-law who is so loving and spiritual, kind. He's such a great husband and father, and he is such a great member of our family. Same with my daughter-in-law to be, Abby. And I think that that's really been...

super important, you know, when children get partners, how do those partners fit in? How do you welcome those partners? How does everybody make sure that they make room and how do we open up our hearts to make sure that we're a growing family, an inclusive family, a loving family? That's my

job. I always remind, you know, I have four brothers, so I have four sister-in-laws and it's really important. I always would say to my daughters, you know, you have to always make room. Your brothers bring somebody home. We've got to expand because our goal is to be

welcoming and to be open and to keep communication going because you never want to put yourself in a place to make a brother or sister choose between their partner and their relationship with you. Family is everything. So, so,

So far, so good. But I'm constantly, because I've heard so many people struggle in this space and see how fragile it is. So I think family's fragile. And I think recognizing and understanding that at every increment, it's fragile. And so to give it a strong foundation to keep the communication open is,

and recognize that it's both strong and fragile is important. Yeah. For your whole collective family. Yeah. You know, one of the things I'm so passionate about on the show, I've had people on here who vote different, who love different, who believe different. And I feel like for me personally, I feel like the only way to try and help heal, like you can't heal humanity through love if you don't understand all the humans that make it up. And so for me, I'm so comfy around people who

believe totally different things than I do. And one thing, we're in this sort of moment in time where, you know, people are struggling to get together for holidays because families disagree or they have different platforms. And one of the texts

There's a line from a text message you sent me that I want to read that I think is so beautiful. We were talking about your book and talking about your tour and you were saying, I'm very at peace and the reception's been beautiful. People are looking for inspiration and hope. They're looking knowing that they can break and then rise just like the country. And I know our country's in such a place right now.

And so when I think about family, I know on your tour for Aya Maria, you've been doing lots of stops with friends. And I know that you've been asked some of those stops about your family and about different views and about RFK Jr., all of that. So I'm not asking you about that. But what I do want to ask you about is family.

because this, I just think applies to everyone. Everyone has people in their family that have very different views or that are adamantly opposed at something. How do you reconcile with your whole collective family the amount you wanna keep everyone together in times where you may not agree at all with somebody?

We need to pause for a super brief break. And while we do, take a moment to share this episode with every single person that you know who this could inspire. Because this conversation can truly be the words and inspiration they need to hear today to keep going, to remember that they matter, and to feel less alone and more enough, more connected and more worthy.

Who you spend time around is so important as energy is contagious and so is self-belief. And I'd love to hang out with you even more, especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration, which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter that's also a love letter to you delivered straight to your inbox each and every Tuesday morning from me.

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If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy, and love hitting your inbox, I'm your girl. Subscribe at jamiekernlima.com or in the link in the show notes. Do you struggle with negative self-talk?

Living with a constant mental narrative that you're not good enough is exhausting. I know because I spent most of my life in that habit. The words you say to yourself about yourself are so powerful. And when you learn to take control over your self-talk, it's life-changing. And I wanted to give you a free resource that I created for you if this is something that could benefit your life.

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And now more of this incredible conversation together. How do you reconcile with your whole collective family the amount you want to keep everyone together

in times where you may not agree at all with somebody? Well, I think there are, you know, I think 60, 70, 80 million people who've been fractured by politics in this era. And so I hear it a lot. And my extended family is no different from that. And I think that's a work in progress, right? I think you have to come from a place of

Trying to accept, trying to be seen, trying to promote love, trying to promote understanding and not vilify. I was down at the King Center not too long ago in Atlanta. They were putting up a portrait of my parents.

and they put up portraits around the King Center of people who have continued in the work of Martin Luther King and nonviolence, and they were putting up a portrait of my dad and my mom. And so I went and looked at the principles of nonviolence, and one of them, which King got from Gandhi and espoused,

was not to other, not to vilify the person, right? That was espousing something different from you. And I think that, and just once again, coming back to the Pope, I was listening to something about him this morning and he said, the greatest tragedy today is indifference. People who have no opinion, people who don't care, people who are apathetic. So I think that there are people who care differently, who have different opinions.

I struggle in this moment because so much of the work that I've done in Alzheimer's was to, I've testified twice before the Congress for more increased funding for Alzheimer's research so we can find a cure for these neurological diseases that impact so many millions of people. I partnered with President Biden and Dr. Biden to launch the first ever White House initiative on women's health and research

to try to elevate women's health and research, which lags decades behind that of men. And so that work is very focused at the NIH, as is the Alzheimer's research, and those are really bipartisan issues. But to watch them, you know, in the next couple of months go from an all-time high to an all-time low is challenging for somebody like myself, who's in the advocacy space.

So I'm trying to, like I think many people, find what is the right way to approach some of these issues at this moment. And I don't think, you know, I watch how other people have done it and I don't see, oh,

Oh, that's it. You know, I think kind of finding some kind of middle ground, finding a voice that will bring people together, finding a way to talk to one another, whether it's at the kitchen table or...

in the Congress is a challenge today. And so it's something that I'm thinking a lot about how to do that well. And when I figure out how to do it well, I'll do it. - You'll do it. - Yeah. - Is it weird? I don't know a better word. Is it weird that you're one of the people literally shaping our culture, doing something so big that matters so much. And then also maybe there's a family member that is also doing that.

And it's like opposing views. Well, I think it's, you know, I think a lot of people, you know, have that on smaller scales. Yeah. So I think it's, you know, once again, it's like listening to my own voice. If I listen to everybody saying, you should do this and you should do that and you should attack this person, you should go over there and you should make a stand here. And if you don't, you're complicit. If you do, you're not, you know, it's like, yeah, you know, I feel, you know, really proud of

I've made a difference in Alzheimer's. I've rewritten, along with others, the narrative in Alzheimer's to put women front and center, the Shriver Report.

did that after everybody telling me that Alzheimer's did not disproportionately impact women. I spent two years researching that going out and lo and behold it did and it does. And so pushing that boulder for the last 24 years has been the work of my life to tell researchers and doctors, "Wait a minute,

You don't have this right. Women are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer's. Two out of three brains that are diagnosed with Alzheimer's belong to women. Yeah. And that came from our work. Yes. Right? I partnered with the Alzheimer's Association and we did that. I started a nonprofit called the Women's Alzheimer's Movement because there was no research into women's brains.

And saying, you know, women do age differently. Women's health span is different. And people are like, no, no, no, it's not.

Women are just like men. Well, they're not. Yeah. And so very often the prevailing wisdom isn't actually the wisdom. Right. Yes. And women's health and research, when I've been trying to, you know, when I went to President Biden and Dr. Biden and said, you know, we're 11 percent of NIH budget women's health and research. That's.

Not right, we're half the population, we deserve better. Women who go to the doctor don't have the research when we want to know why do women have 80% of the autoimmune diseases. We don't have the research. We don't have the research on menopause, on perimenopause. We don't have the research on birth control. We don't have the research on MS.

Why? Because nobody thought to research women's health, right? Yes. And so I think that I'm very happy with how I've listened to my voice and it's led me in both of those areas. And I'm confident it will lead me at this moment into the right place. Yeah. You know, I am...

I want to just call this out because I just do that on my show. One of the reasons I'm so excited that you're here and having this conversation with everyone, and I've told Paulo this when he's asked about you when I met you for the first time and then when I've had, you know, seen you at friends things or whatever.

Maria, I feel blessed at this point in my life that I've met a lot of people that I've maybe watched or admire their work or watch them in films or whatever it might be. Of all the people I've met, you're easily in the top two or three ever of people who actually like walk the walk, like way more than you talk the talk. Like

It's so rare because there's a lot of people out there that are really good. They're really good at, you know, at talking the talk and they might be, you know, average at walking the walk. You...

walk the walk. And it inspires me as a human being to ask myself, how can I walk even more the walk? And I remember this was a long time ago, I was talking to you about my book launch. I think it was with Worthy and you were talking about the importance of self-worth and you said, and also the country. This was, I mean, this was

two years ago and you were saying, or a year and a half ago, and you asked me, and also, what are you doing for your country? And I was like,

I don't know if anyone's ever asked me that question my entire life. What are you doing for your country? And I was like, and also collectively, like when's the last time collectively we're also thinking about, well, wait a minute, as a person, what am I doing for my country? And how, you know, what am I doing for my community? And it was just this, I just continue. I just want to call this out because again, I feel blessed to have met a lot of people that I have

admired in different ways for decades. And I rarely ever see this where someone is absolutely utterly so congruent, so aligned, so mission driven. So I know you say that it's part of your ministry helping move humanity forward. And it's really freaking inspiring. And my hope and prayer for everyone listening is that they ask themselves right now, they just pause and be like, "Huh,

You know, like, how am I in my life walking the walk even more than talking the talk? And also, you know, how am I maybe helping move humanity forward? And how, what is my intention? And how do I get still and hear that? And then how do I do something about it? And I admire it so much. And the time you asked that, it just...

Yeah, I just felt like, holy moly, like this is, for me, it was a big moment. And I rarely feel those. And I just want to share it with everybody. And I think that what I've, you know, out on this book tour, I think people often feel, I've felt, you know, they're heartbroken about things that go on in their lives. But there's a lot of heartbreak about the country.

as well. But there's so many good people in the country and there's so many people doing really inspiring things. And people who are doing things, you know, like people come up to me all the time and they'll say like, I'm just doing this small thing. There's no small and big, right? Whatever you're doing is big to the person you're doing it for. If you're out serving on a soup line,

Giving that person a bowl

is huge. If you're out working in your church, handing out food, that's huge. If you're donating clothing and handing out clothing, that's huge. I think we live also, once again, coming back to this, you know, in a society where like people think like what I'm doing is small and someone else's thing is big. And therefore, does this really matter? Right. And one of the things that I love about the book tour is that I get to hear all the

monumental, moving humanity things that are going on without hearing big or small, without hearing, you know...

Is this important or is this not? And that that's what really moves humanity forward. People who are taking responsibility in their neighborhoods, working in their schools, working in their local churches, working with their local fire department, their police departments, running for city council, running for the school board. These are all huge things.

acts of service, acts of service. And I think that I hope that we can get back to just honoring acts of service and not thinking if they're big or small, not thinking about... Yeah, because we feel insignificant, like, oh, well, you know, I can only do this much. It's like, well, that much really matters. That much really matters. And that much is significant. Who's to decide what

If something is insignificant or significant, who's to decide if something is big or small? Who's to decide whether what you're doing matters or not you? Yeah. That's why coming back to the morning to your voice was...

When people say like, you have to make a statement about this, or you have to jump into this, or you have to do something bigger than what you're doing, or you should scale up. Like, says who? Says who. Says who. This conversation with Maria Shriver is so incredible. We made it into more than one part. And if you're ready to gain true life-changing lessons on how to believe you're enough,

on forgiveness, and on how to create your best life right now, you are not going to want to miss this incredible part two of our conversation with the iconic Maria Shriver coming up in the next episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show.

Remember, this episode's not just for you and me. Please share this with every single person that you know because it can impact and change their life too. And if you loved today's episode, please click on the follow or subscribe button for this show on the app you're listening to it on or watching it on.

And if it added value to your life, if you could please give it a rating or review, I'd be so grateful. And again, share it with everyone who you believe in. Share it with another person in your life who could benefit from it. Maybe someone you know is making a change in their career or in their marriage or in their health or just needs to say who they are is enough.

Please post this episode and share it with others online or in your community who just might need the words and tools and lessons in this episode today. You never know whose life you're meant to change today by sharing this episode. And thank you so much for joining me today. And before you go, I want to share some words with you that couldn't be more true.

You, right now, exactly as you are, are enough and fully worthy. You're worthy of your greatest hopes, your wildest dreams, and all the unconditional love in the world. And it is an honor to welcome you to each and every episode of the Jamie Kern Lima Show. Here, I hope you'll come as you are. Here, I hope you'll come as you are.

heal where you need, blossom what you choose, journey toward your calling and stay as long as you'd like because you belong here. You are worthy. You are loved. You are love. I love you. And I cannot wait to join you on the next episode of the Jamie Kern Lima show.

In life, you don't soar to the level of your hopes and dreams. You stay stuck at the level of your self-worth. When you build your self-worth, you change your entire life. And that's exactly why I wrote my new book, Worthy, How to Believe You Are Enough and Transform Your Life for You. If you have some self-doubt to destroy and a destiny to fulfill, Worthy is for you.

In Worthy, you'll learn proven tools and simple steps that bring life-changing results, like how to get unstuck from the things holding you back, build unshakable self-love, unlearn the lies that lead to self-doubt, and embrace the truths that wake up worthiness.

Overcome limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome? Achieve your hopes and dreams by believing you are worthy of them and so much more. Are you ready to unleash your greatness and step into the person you were born to be? Imagine a life with zero self-doubt and unshakable self-worth.

Get your copy of Worthy, plus some amazing thank you bonus gifts for you at worthybook.com or the link in the show notes below. Imagine what you'd do if you fully believed in you. It's time to find out with Worthy. Who you spend time around is so important as energy is contagious and so is self-belief.

And I'd love to hang out with you even more, especially if you could use an extra dose of inspiration, which is exactly why I've created my free weekly newsletter that's also a love letter to you delivered straight to your inbox from me.

If you haven't signed up to make sure that you get it each week, just go to jamiekernlima.com to make sure you're on the list and you'll get your one-on-one with Jamie weekly newsletter and get ready to believe in you.

If you're tired of hearing the bad news every single day and need some inspiration, some tips, tools, joy, and love hitting your inbox, I'm your girl. Subscribe at jamiekernlima.com or in the link in the show notes.

It's such an honor to share this podcast together with you. And please note, I'm not a licensed therapist and this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional.