Rebel Heart: Ellen R.B. Smith on Finding Strength, Laughter, and Belonging in a Turbulent Youth
The Not Old - Better Show
Paul Vogelzang
5 • 1.8K Ratings
🗓️ 21 November 2024
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to The Not Old Better Show’s Art of Living series. I’m your host, Paul Vogelzang, and today we’re about to dive into a remarkable story of resilience, humor, and self-discovery.
Our guest is Ellen R.B. Smith, author of a deeply personal and captivating new memoir that chronicles her coming-of-age journey amid societal upheaval. From an idyllic childhood that took a sudden turn after her parents’ divorce to being labeled a "troublemaker" by her small town, Ellen’s story is raw, honest, and ultimately inspiring. But beneath the rebellious exterior is a young soul grappling with loneliness, searching for acceptance, and learning how to stand up for herself—often through laughter, tears, and unexpected friendship.
This isn’t just a memoir; it’s a celebration of resilience, inclusion, and the unbreakable bonds we forge in life’s most challenging moments. With wit and poignancy, Ellen shows us how life's struggles can become stepping stones, and how even the darkest times hold the potential for growth.
Today, Ellen will share why she wrote this memoir—not for revenge, but to offer hope to those struggling in broken homes, feeling like outsiders, or just trying to find their place in the world. Whether it’s the hilarity of youthful escapades or the weight of profound realizations, Ellen’s story serves as a powerful reminder that we’re all a work in progress. And sometimes, the most important lessons are hidden beneath the surface of a good joke.
So, get ready for a conversation filled with laughter, insight, and inspiration. I’m thrilled to welcome Ellen R.B. Smith to The Not Old Better Show.
My thanks to Ellen Smith for her generous time today. My thanks to Executive Producer Sam Heninger for all his work in keeping our show as good as it is, and as good as it can be. My thanks to you our wonderful audience here on radio and podcast. Be well, be safe and let’s talk about better. The Not Old Better Show on radio and podcast. We’ll see you next time.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Not Old Better Show, the show covering all things health, wellness, culture, and more. |
| 0:06.0 | The show for all of us who aren't old, were better. |
| 0:09.0 | Each week we'll interview superstars, experts, and ordinary people, doing extraordinary things, |
| 0:15.0 | all related to this wonderful experience of getting better, not older. |
| 0:19.0 | Now here's your host, the award-winning Paul Vogelzang. |
| 0:24.2 | Welcome to the Not Old Better Show Art of Living interview series. I'm Paul Vogelzang. And today, |
| 0:30.8 | we are about to dive into a remarkable story of resilience, humor, and self-discovery. Our guest is first-time author |
| 0:41.0 | Ellen R.B. Smith, who has written a deeply personal and captivating new memoir that chronicles |
| 0:47.2 | her coming-of-age journey amid societal upheaval from idyllic childhood here in the northern Virginia area and all my audience locally |
| 0:56.8 | is going to enjoy that part of it immensely. But this childhood took a sudden turn after her parents |
| 1:02.1 | divorce to being labeled a troublemaker by her small town. Ellen's story is raw, honest, and |
| 1:09.7 | ultimately inspiring. But beneath the rebellious exterior |
| 1:12.8 | is a young soul grappling with loneliness, searching for acceptance, and learning how to stand |
| 1:18.9 | up for herself, often through laughter, tears, and unexpected friendship. Ellen Smith has written |
| 1:25.4 | the wonderful new book, Memoirs of a Suburban Troublemaker, |
| 1:28.9 | which we are going to talk about today. But, you know, this isn't just a memoir. It's really a |
| 1:33.8 | celebration of, as I say, resilience, inclusion, and the unbreakable bonds we forge in life's |
| 1:40.5 | most challenging moments with wit and poignancy, |
| 1:45.5 | Ellen R.B. Smith shows us how all the struggles |
| 1:49.2 | that can come from life can become stepping stones |
| 1:52.2 | and how even the darkest times hold the potential for growth. |
| 1:55.7 | We'll enjoy Ellen today who will share |
... |
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