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I’M KASSATA BOLLMAN. 

TODAY MY GUEST IS CHARMAINE MCHUGO.

SHE JOINS US FROM WALES…

WHERE SHE’S CURRENTLY CO-OWNER OF MICHELIN GREEN STARRED  RESTAURANT CHAPTERS…

I’LL OPEN OUR CONVERSATION….BY ASKING YOU TO REACH INTO YOUR MEMORY….

HERE…. “HAVE YOU EATEN YET ?”....IS FOCUSED MORE ON THE GREETING…IT’S A CHECK-IN OF SORTS….

WE’RE TWO MINDS…. ABOUT TO TAKE A TRIP INTO YOUR LIFE….

SO THIS IS AN OPENING… FOR US TO CONNECT…THROUGH FOOD….

THIS CAN BE A MEAL FROM ANYTIME IN YOUR LIFE….THE HOPE IS WHATEVER MEAL YOU CHOOSE TO TALK ABOUT…. IS MEANINGFUL….THAT IT BRINGS UP A  MEMORY…..OR EMOTION….

ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF A MEAL…HAPPENS LONG AFTER THE ACTUAL EVENT….THOSE MEMORIES CAN BE POWERFUL….AND WE LIKE TO HONOR AND EMBRACE THAT  CONCEPT HERE….CHARMAINE…. I’LL LET YOU TAKE IT FROM HERE….

[[CHARMAINE]]

GARDEN

I WOULD LOVE TO START OUR CONVERSATION TALKING ABOUT GARDENING…IT’S SPRING RIGHT NOW…THE SEASONS ARE IN TRANSITION….

PERSONALLY, EACH YEAR I’M ATTRACTED MORE AND MORE TO PLANTS…FROM MY INDOOR PLANTS TO MY YARD…..

AND IT HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN EASY FOR ME…YET, THE CHALLENGE OF GARDENING HAS GIVEN ME SPACE TO GROW IN MANY WAYS…

I KNOW THAT MANY OF THE INGREDIENTS AT YOUR RESTAURANT ARE GROWN IN GARDENS THAT YOU CARE FOR…

WHAT ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT YOU’VE EXPERIENCED SO FAR WHEN IT COMES TO TENDING TO THESE GARDENS ?

[[CHARMAINE]]

AND WHAT ARE THE HURDLES THAT YOU’VE  EXPERIENCED ?

[[CHARMAINE]]

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST LESSON THAT THESE PLANTS HAVE TAUGHT YOU ?

[[CHARMAINE]]

AND THEN AFTER CARING FOR THESE GARDENS….EACH NIGHT YOU’RE RUNNING ALL THINGS FRONT OF HOUSE IN THE RESTAURANT….WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR DAILY FLOW ?

[[CHARMAINE]]

ADVICE

WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE THAT YOU'VE EVER BEEN GIVEN ?

[[CHARMAINE]]

TRUE

HOW DO YOU STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF WHILE NAVIGATING THE UPS AND DOWNS OF LIFE ?

[[CHARMAINE]]

EVENTS

WHAT TURN OF EVENTS HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE? WHAT TOOK YOUR LIFE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, FOR BETTER OR WORSE?

[[CHARMAINE]]

YOUNGER SELF

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR YOUNGER SELF ?….MAYBE IT’S ADVICE, A THOUGHT….OR A FEELING….….

[[CHARMAINE]]

SERVICE 

REFLECTING ON YOUR CAREER…IS THERE ONE SERVICE THAT STICKS OUT …THAT BROUGHT YOU A DEEP SENSE OF JOY ?

[[CHARMAINE]]

CULTURE

WHEN IT COMES TO CHAPTERS…WHAT’S ONE THING THAT YOU LOVE OR ADMIRE ABOUT THE CULTURE…THAT YOU FEEL GOES UNNOTICED OR MAYBE  ISN’T TALKED ABOUT AS MUCH ?

[[CHARMAINE]]

INSPIRATION

HOW DO YOU TAP INTO INSPIRATION …..AND KEEP THAT ENERGY FLOWING THROUGH YOUR LIFE ?

[[CHARMAINE]]

OVERVIEW EFFECT

THE OVERVIEW EFFECT IS A SHIFT IN CONSCIOUSNESS THAT ASTRONAUTS EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY SEE EARTH FROM SPACE. 

IT'S A STATE OF AWE THAT CAN LEAD TO A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR THE PLANET….. AND A SENSE OF CONNECTION TO HUMANITY.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD AN EXPERIENCE SIMILAR TO THIS…SOMETHING THAT SPARKED A DEEP AND PROFOUND SENSE OF AWE ? 

[[CHARMAINE]]

NEXT

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU ?...….WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED FOR IN THE MONTHS TO COME ? ……IT COULD BE TRAVELING….CHANGING YOUR DAILY HABITS….SLOWING DOWN IN LIFE….A WORK RELATED PROJECT…WHATEVER YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO….

[[CHARMAINE]]

DEATH

DEATH IS A TOPIC THAT WE OFTEN AVOID OPENLY DISCUSSING IN OUR SOCIETY…YET IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL FACE AT SOME POINT IN LIFE….

PERSONALLY, HAVING HEALTHY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DEATH PRODUCES AN AWARENESS ABOUT THE PRESENT MOMENT…SPARKS AN APPRECIATION FOR LIFE….AND HELPS ME LIVE FULLY…

DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS OR INSIGHTS ABOUT DEATH…. …FROM YOUR UPBRINGING…..OR LIVED EXPERIENCE….THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE ?......AND THIS IS EXPANSIVE…..IT COULD BE PHYSICAL DEATH….OR THE MANY LITTLE DEATHS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR LIFETIME…EACH TIME SOMETHING ENDS; A BREAKUP, LEAVING A JOB….DEATH HAS MANY FORMS….

[[CHARMAINE]]

TAKEAWAY

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR WISDOM WITH US …

I BELIEVE THAT THE JOURNEY…. IS ALWAYS GREATER THAN THE DESTINATION. 

IT’S ON THE PATH THAT WE LEARN….EVOLVE AND….. ENCOUNTER LESSONS…. THAT SHAPE US…. INTO OUR BEST SELVES.

I ALWAYS LIKE ENDING…. BY ASKING…. IF THERE’S ANY TAKEAWAY THAT YOU’D LIKE TO LEAVE WITH LISTENERS…..THAT CAN POSITIVELY INFLUENCE THEIR LIVES.

IT COULD BE SOMETHING WE JUST TOUCHED ON…. A LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED ON YOUR JOURNEY…. OR GENERAL ADVICE THAT YOU LIVE BY...

[[CHARMAINE]]

AND WHERE OR HOW …..IS THE BEST WAY FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT…. OR GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU  ?

[[CHARMAINE]]

OUTRO

THANKS FOR LISTENING….AND IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY….... FOLLOW  “HAVE YOU EATEN YET?” ….WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS….

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