Tag: IVF

“Things are always in transition. Nothing ever sums itself up the way we dream about.” – Pema Chodron

I had this quirky social anxiety when I started the fertility process to have my kids via in vitro fertilization (IVF). It seems so silly now. But at the time I kept thinking that because I was in the process of trying to have kids as a single parent that everyone would know that I was the one who wanted kids. Yep, that was going to be obvious. 🙂

It’s hard to say why that seemed important to me at the time – there is lot to unpack when it comes to family and gender expectations. And perhaps parents who get pregnant the traditional way have the same feeling of vulnerability. It’s hard to know because often family planning is done behind closed doors.

It’s one of the many reasons that I love Mari Sarkisian Wyatt’s book, Saving the Fourth Generation and our conversation on the How To Share podcast. She magically, with self-awareness and dark humor, puts words to the complexity of the IVF process and what it’s like to have goals and obsessions for which it’s worth suffering the ups and downs, grief and miracles.

Mari and I talk about the different types of goals we have as we go through life and her Armenian grandmother’s wisdom about what it takes to make them happen.

There’s so much legacy in Mari’s story because her quest is in many ways a response to the shattering trauma that came from both of her grandparents’ families being decimated in the Armenian massacre of 1915.

We talk about Mari’s way forward as the sole child of her generation to have kids. She tells us how she navigated both the price and process of IVF. Her story is heartbreaking, miraculous and completely gripping.

We talk about her advocacy for her autistic son and how writing about her IVF process, 20 years after the fact provided some healing and delight in the miracle of family.

Mari’s story involves a lawsuit so in accordance with the settlement she’s not on screen for this episode. Nonetheless, Mari is entrancing as she shares the power of her journey and the warmth of her voice.

I know you’ll love it.

Takeaways

• This is the story of what women and their partners are willing to go through to have babies by IVF at the turn of the 21st century.
• Mari’s quest quickly became an obsession and she notes obsessions can hurt the people you love.
• Mari says if you just keep working toward your goal one step at a time, you might just succeed. Hopefully your family will forgive you.
• Writing this book nearly 25 years after her IVF journey has been healing for Mari and her family.
• The message is about resilience, personal growth, and the beauty of ordinary days.

Here’s a clip from Mari talking about her incredible book, Saving the Fourth Generation:

Here are some ways you can watch this amazing and thoughtful episode:

• The podcast player embedded below
• Click this link to watch in a browser: How to Share The Next Generation with Mari Sarkisian Wyatt
• Subscribe to How To Share on Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Podcasts
• Subscribing to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@howtosharepodcast

Please listen, watch, provide feedback and subscribe.

How To Tell Relatable Stories About Life – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

What makes a story truly relatable? In this episode of The Life of Try, Wynne Leon explores how the smallest moments in life can become the most powerful stories — from a beloved Seattle raccoon named Jimothy to a little boy celebrating soccer goals with his grandmother. Through humor, heart, and the idea of narrative transportation, this episode looks at why specific, human stories help us feel seen, connected, and inspired to keep trying.If you’ve ever wondered how to tell better stories about everyday life, how to make your experiences more meaningful, or why small moments can carry big emotional truth, this episode is for you.Key takeaways:• Relatable stories often begin with small, specific moments rather than big life lessons.• Details help listeners see, feel, and remember a story.• Everyday stories can reveal courage, connection, confidence, and support.• The most powerful stories do not need to be perfect — they need to be honest and human.• Living The Life of Try means celebrating small wins, showing up for each other, and trying again from wherever we are.🔔 Subscribe to The Life of Try for weekly conversations about resilience, courage, creativity, reinvention, mindset, and living with intention.ABOUT MEHi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying.Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🎥 Watch Next➡️ How to Overcome Burnout & Build an Upward Spiral of Growth, Fun & Resilience➡️ Near-Death Experience with Jesus | Liza Anderson on Faith, Healing and Recovery➡️ How to Embrace What Makes You Different | Finding Your Purpose with Kym Gordon Moore

1. How To Tell Relatable Stories About Life 07:50
2. Why Second Place Might Be Preparation, Not Failure 08:01
3. When Your Plan Falls Apart | How to Stay Resilient and Keep Trying 10:03
4. Barbara Nickless on A Voice In The Dark, Online Gaming and The Power of Story 29:40
5. Embracing What Makes You Different | Kym Gordon Moore 27:53

Links for this post:

How to Share the Next Generation transcript

Saving the Fourth Generation from Delphinium Press and on Barnes & Noble and Amazon

(featured photo from Pexels)