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A Contagious Smile Podcast
A Contagious Smile is a powerful platform dedicated to uplifting and empowering special needs families and survivors of domestic violence. Through heartfelt stories, we shine a light on the journeys of extraordinary individuals who have overcome unimaginable challenges. Their triumphs serve as a testament to resilience and strength, inspiring others to rediscover their own inner light. Each episode features candid interviews with survivors, advocates, and experts who provide valuable resources and insights to support those on their own paths to healing and empowerment. Join us as we celebrate the power of resilience, the beauty of shared stories, and the unstoppable spirit of those who turn adversity into hope. Let us guide you in rekindling your spirit, because every smile tells a story of courage and transformation.
A Contagious Smile Podcast
Laughter and Lessons: Navigating Family Fun, Confronting Toxic Dynamics, and Embracing Creative Growth
Ever announce your bathroom breaks at home? It might sound strange, but it's all part of the fun and laughter we share in our family. This episode, we introduce my wife Victoria's impactful book on dealing with life's real challenges, like navigating narcissists and setting boundaries with toxic family members. We also touch on the serious issue of cyberstalking, offering practical tips to keep your online presence secure. You'll hear personal stories about the importance of meaningful apologies and supporting those who've always had your back.
Prepare for a rollercoaster of humor and heart as we recount some unforgettable family pranks. Ever tried simulating labor pains with a TENS unit, only to find out it's a muscle relaxer? Well, that was quite the mishap! Plus, the hilarious moment when a father's protective instincts go into overdrive after discovering his daughter's new sports bras in the laundry. And as we wrap things up, discover how our new Podcasting Academy can empower your creative journey with its treasure trove of resources and a vibrant community, all designed to elevate your podcasting endeavors.
Howdy y'all? Welcome back to another episode of Take the Smile Unstoppable with the lovely and sexy Victoria.
Speaker 2:And my smart-ass husband.
Speaker 1:Where is he?
Speaker 2:Right in front of my face.
Speaker 1:Oh, so I got a question for you guys out there, or is it just me? And guys listen, do y'all, y'all, and guys listen, do y'all announce to your wife, significantly other the entire household, that you must go take a shit at this time. Are you serious right now, because I feel that need. Every time I go take a shit, I have to announce to the people in the house, whoever it may be, and I don't care who it is, I just do it. So that's my question for you, fellers.
Speaker 2:Really, my wife is just staring at me, no-transcript, and we have been looking at what can and cannot be done and so seeing a specialist and yada, yada, yada. So we've been even busier than normal. So I apologize for that, but that's on me. I'm so sorry. It's just been overwhelming to say the.
Speaker 1:So I want to give kudos out to one of my customers today whom called me up by the blue and told me that she has bought several of your books that you have published out there on Amazon and one book that our daughter has published out there. So, if she's listening, thank you for your support, absolutely, and I hope you make it through her first book. It is very challenging, it's very tough. I could not get through a page on air one night. I tried to read it and I couldn't. I broke down in what we would call Niagara Falls. Okay, so if you're up for a challenge, if you want to know the truth about, um, real monsters out there abusers, uh, narcissistic people, then pick up my wife's first book, who kicked first, by victoria curey speaking of monsters, let's talk about a few One, without going into individuality, if you will.
Speaker 2:one of my little cyberstalkers, right? So, as we've discussed before, we get notification of people who find us interesting and constantly check out what we're up to, what we're doing, blah, blah, blah who we think would be a good fit for us, right? So a little ways back, not too terribly long ago, I found out that this person, if you will, was cyber stalking, showcasing, leering, lurking, I don't know whatever adjective or whatever you choose to put in the sentence. And then, after announcing the hilarious side of the fact that it's my sperm donor, on just this one accord, I get notices of a new person that is quite interested in all that we do.
Speaker 2:Yet a different name, but same profile. Same people that are on that page that are young enough to be the grandchildren, if they were females, of the night, as I say as politely as possible, because you know, hey, there are people out there how do you say this? There are people out there who use their physicality for alluring purposes and they make their profiles as such, and there are plenty of those individuals on that account. So I think that's funny that some people think just changing the name makes it where you can't identify. I think that's kind of humorous, if you will.
Speaker 1:So Victoria has some awesome ideas for the survivors out there when it comes to hide your social footprint. She hosts a lot of classes and she advocates for survivors and special needs families.
Speaker 2:But I also teach you how to know if your stalker is chasing you Right and how you can find out which is. You know it's easier. Some people think it's not that easy, but it really can be. I'll teach you how to disappear from the world of social media, but yet you'll still be there, and that's just kind of ironic. If you will.
Speaker 1:What are you looking at on camera?
Speaker 2:The car light that just flashed through here from the neighbors at the beginning of the cul-de-sac. Our whole property is on cameras and film. In the office we have monitors that show us everything and it kept getting my attention because it was in the corner of my eye that one of the monitors was showing a car light and they were driving in the driveway.
Speaker 1:I don't have your attention. Oh, good grief. I don't have your eye. Huh, huh no.
Speaker 2:Anyway, as you were saying, you were saying hey we both had outreaches from narcissistic people. You did too.
Speaker 1:I did the first one remember.
Speaker 2:You had a text message.
Speaker 1:From.
Speaker 2:Your mother.
Speaker 1:Oh, oh, I already forgot about that.
Speaker 2:That's been ages ago it wasn't that long ago it's ages how long has it been? Less than a week okay, that's yeah and you just forgot it, or it just doesn't why, you just don't care exactly you want to give reason, no, but I think it's so helpful that men, that men see this well, because it happens to more than just women.
Speaker 1:So the reason I did not respond and I don't care to dwell on it is because you don't apologize to me. Okay, yes, you hurt me indirectly, but you hurt the ones I love. Are you saying, michael, that you don't love your mother? Listen you hurt the ones I love right here, my wife and my daughter, my family right here in this house, who have not forsaken me, who have not turned their backs on me. You hurt them. Apologize to them first, okay.
Speaker 2:If your mother did, are you saying that you would open those gates again?
Speaker 1:I would do whatever y'all thought was right.
Speaker 2:What do you think is right?
Speaker 1:I'm not thinking about it, I don't put any thought, I don't waste my time on it. It's not worth the stress, worry. It's not worth it.
Speaker 2:But in all fairness, 100% honesty here for her, because I know she listens. Did I in any way ask you to ignore her or not respond to her or have nothing to do with her in any way?
Speaker 1:You don't have any control over me. Woman, what?
Speaker 2:I'm being serious, oh okay I can't joke around not at this point, because I I don't want things to be said that you know and and I didn't. I told you absolutely if you want a relationship with her, that's on you and you're. I wouldn't stop you, but you were tired of her shit, I think in the my what are you still looking at camera?
Speaker 1:for I think in my second marriage that there was more control issues there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so but I appreciate you being so open because you know a lot of men do go through these exact things that you have unfortunately been through and we don't get that perspective unless you talk about it Right, absolutely. Absolutely. But then, when they can hear it from you, feel like you know you're their voice of reason and then you can give them must not be a man.
Speaker 1:Man, that's absolutely not true guys, we can only hold it in for so long, we can only bottle up so much before we implode or explode.
Speaker 2:So I don't mind talking about it, um but I know it helps so many of the listeners when they feel like, oh, he is talking about it, let me think of his perspective, let me think about how his situation might mirror mine and look at it that way, because, as you have stated, men don't want to be forthcoming about it and they hold it in and then they bottle it up and they suppress it, and that's not healthy and they need to get it out and discuss it and talk about it and think of options and things they can do. And so I appreciate you being open and discussing. You know what you do, because if it helps somebody, then it's absolutely worth it, which is like the reason why I published who kicked first?
Speaker 1:yes, y'all get on Amazon and.
Speaker 2:That was not a tag for you to try to sell it. It was not. It was absolutely not a plug for you to try it.
Speaker 1:The prequel is Narc Narc. Who's there? Get it, narc Narc.
Speaker 2:Is it Narcicistic?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Not.
Speaker 1:Narcotic.
Speaker 2:No, there has been no Narotics well, not with him I'm talking about with me. Yeah, not with me you mean?
Speaker 1:you hardly take an aspirin. I've never even. How many of you y'all men out there, women, redheads, I I particular, with extremely high pain tolerance. It's very.
Speaker 2:Just crazy high. We, you know, redheads require more anesthetic when they put them to sleep.
Speaker 1:It's insane, y'all I mean they To me they basically hacked off her arm.
Speaker 2:She was.
Speaker 1:You were going to say butchered, and she passed out because of the pain. I mean no anesthetic, no gas, no knocking on the head, no, nothing.
Speaker 2:Uh, I was under for part, yeah, but you know it's crazy. Most of my surgeries I like to not be put under because I don't like all that anesthetic, I don't like the medication they give you after, um, but even coming home, when they did both my jaws or my arm, you you can tell everybody I never took anything. You used to beg me because you're like I could see how much pain you're in and I'm like okay, and then you would say please take something, and I said that's just a band-aid, that's not going to be anything long-term that helps. So why do it? I mean to me, taking something like that is masking the injury and then it gets ripped off and then the pain comes back. You know it's not taking it away, because it's not a headache, it's not an earache, it's not regional pain syndrome.
Speaker 2:Due to the fact that I've had what are we at now? Surgically, surgically on this, like 19 on the arm, and then I've had nerve transpositions and nerve transfers, nerve transplants, muscle transplant, muscle transfers, muscle repositioning, muscle transplant, muscle transfers, muscle repositioning. I mean, like the inside of my arm, even my bone isn't in the right spot. My bone isn't even set correctly, for instance, if you put both of your hands out in front of you. Your palms face down, my left arm doesn't face down. It looks like I'm in that shake your hand position. So with all of that like why would I take something if it's not going to get rid of the pain completely and ongoing forever?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I just want to comment about my awesome wife.
Speaker 2:Pain tolerance.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, You're. You're as strong as anything I've ever experienced. Oh any guy out there. I mean, they get nuts on you. Oh, let me put this out there.
Speaker 2:I knew it. I knew it. Okay, my wife and my daughter. They got the wrong version. I went back and looked. She got the wrong version. This was supposed to be hysterical.
Speaker 1:Carry on, go ahead. No good, so Wrong version. They bring me into the after my shower. They bring me into the bedroom and they say OK, you, mr Michael, are going to experience what it's like for us women To give birth. Excuse me, yes. So they pull out this unit and they say okay, big boy, lick them and stick them, all right. So I connect these uh electrodes all over my hairy chest, my hairy stomach, and, uh, they proceed to exactly now.
Speaker 2:In fairness, I had control of the device because I know our faith. She would have started you on like mock one, right, she would have been like let's see, oh, extra, extra strength would have been what she would have done. So I started it on like one. Now, in fairness, we love faith. She is the apple of our eye. She picked out the device. After researching it, I realized she didn't get the labor stimulator. She got the muscle relaxing tens unit, so she really just kind of gave you an internal massage without doing the labor simulation.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, so it started zapping y'all and it was really no big deal, I guess. Even on the highest setting I never went all the way to the highest setting, but the prank was supposed to be hilarious.
Speaker 2:The joke backfired again yes, but she did get you today.
Speaker 1:Really, you're going to go there.
Speaker 2:I'm going gonna go there I'm gonna go there because, as a dad, as all dads are, I'm sure they don't want to see their daughters. You know, undergarments, right? You don't want to see this and you're not going anywhere.
Speaker 1:So, still and so I think our time's up, no it's not so faith.
Speaker 2:Who is, you know, a woman in her own way ask her she's effing hot.
Speaker 2:Oh, she'll tell you, she's effing hot all day long. So she purchased a couple of bras really, and hold on and they were in the laundry, which was all over our bed, because I have to sit on the bed in order to fold towels and do things like that. Well, I didn't know that she didn't take them out of our room prior to you coming home this afternoon. And then she came in with that grin on her face and we know something has transpired, I did not know. So what started out as laundry ended up that she left it on the bed for you to find, and I was in the kitchen when I heard you say what the heck? And then I didn't get to hear the rest of the dialogue because I was downstairs. So what did I miss? Let me ask you something?
Speaker 1:Why were they in the laundry?
Speaker 2:Because you have to wash them before you wear them once they're new. When they're new, you have to. Those are brand new.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I thought those were the old ones.
Speaker 2:No, she just got those.
Speaker 1:She got more. Yeah, those lace frilly.
Speaker 2:They're not lace frilly things. Okay, they're not see-through. Let's clarify, Okay, first of all, they're not see-through. They are of the gothic, I guess nature. They are sports bras with a little clip on the back.
Speaker 1:They are inappropriate for my daughter.
Speaker 2:They cover everything they don't cover enough. They are. They're like you know, they're black and they have like little skull whatever things all over them and it has like a little clip thing in the back and that it's like an exercise top and she left two of them. They're not lacy, they're not anything you'd see at Frederick's of Hollywood or Victoria's Secrets. They're none of those. They're none of that. There's no lace or see-through material in this at all. Hold on, there's none of that in this, in this material. And you see her sports bras and you lose your shit because they're your little girls sports bras and you flip out. Now it's different. If it was like one of my lacy, see-through bras, that would be different.
Speaker 1:Yes, because you have um.
Speaker 2:Yes, you have nice underwear so, but you flipped out over our daughter workout sports bra it's our daughter, our little girl. But yet when you two do your daddy daughter movie night and and there it gets hanky-panky on there, do you cover her eyes, do you make her change the channel? Totally Every time, that little rat, that's your little girl. How is it your little girl? And now she's a rat? I'm not the pranker. She's been pranking the living snot out of you.
Speaker 1:Yes, and whoever's been pranking the living snot out of you? Yes, and whoever's been giving those pranks to her? Who was the last time you gave her a prank?
Speaker 2:One of your guests or there's been quite a few that have given her some. Oh, she's got some in the bank waiting. She's got some in the bank ready to go for you.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's go back a minute, okay.
Speaker 2:I'm not telling you anything about frederick hollywood to our mighty app.
Speaker 1:Carry on. How can the listeners get access to this mighty app or the website that?
Speaker 2:I will link it in the show notes in the show notes. Yes, but why don't you explain how things go with the academy, how there's like a welcome spot and a discussion group, a? Lot of stuff on there and there is um go figure it better not ever happen again I mean I mean, I mean I wasn't meaning that I was cheating on you, babe, and she didn't look on my phone.
Speaker 2:Also, there's a resource library which I would say has a good, solid couple of dozen great article, application tips, advice in there. I'm adding more every day into that. There are right now there's two sets of courses that have already been up and running. One of them has we have different subscriptions and, depending on what you get, every subscription allows you access to the welcome and the discussion and the member portal and the daily feeds and the resource library. But you can either pay you pay monthly and, like you can get the subscription for the first one, which has two courses in it, then you can cancel and then go to the next. That way you're not just continuing, you can go to the next subscription, which is the same price but it's for a different class, and then you can do the next and the next. That way you're not tied in and when you finish your course you don't have to continue paying, which a lot of applications do they make. You just continue and continue, and this you don't. You pay monthly. When you're finished, you're done and then you can cancel and then go to the next course. That way and you still have access to everything, which is great and we have not even technically opened it for pre-launch yet and I'm hoping that it helps listeners do what we've done for our shows.
Speaker 2:Because, god knows, I have spent I don't even know how long in courses, classes, seminars, talks, chats, webinars, you name it. I've sat in it, I've done it, I've paid for it. It's been ridiculous amounts of money. Now I've implemented what works, what doesn't work. I've taken out what doesn't work. I've taken out what doesn't work. I've gotten into the social content creation. I've gotten into doing logos and um content creation and marketing for many different companies and people and podcasters and help them get started and launch into the top 10. And yeah, so now you've had time to observe and what do you see?
Speaker 1:uh, just going through just the resource library, y'all. She has spent so many hours, uh, creating this content and she really wants to get it out there to y'all so you can, like she said, be successful, as she has brought this business up and uh. Anywhere you type in victoria curate, she is literally everywhere. I think she fills the first 11 pages of google, or is that bing? Or internet explorer or whatever I mean, okay, type in your name and see type in the words your name no type as in the listeners okay, okay, type in the doughy bag of donuts.
Speaker 1:Yes, okay type in your name, see, see how many times you pop up. So what? What I'm getting at is no, you're not insignificant, but my wife can teach you. Victoria can show you how to get out there like she is now.
Speaker 2:We've done all of our own marketing. We've never hired outside. We've never um saw anything like that. We've done it all on our own and like, uh, we've been in the top one percent for a year and a half when we almost lost faith, we jumped up to the five percent and then within six weeks we we got down to 3%. So we've been in the top 3% or 2% for over a year, but we have been in the top 1% a year and a half as well.
Speaker 2:I've done over oh, I could easily say maybe 500 interviews. I've done international speaking. I've done international speaking. I've done local speaking. I've done let's see, we have hosted. We've also had a lot of mini series. We've put out well over 350 podcasts about well over 350 podcasts and we have you know, it's so cute even when Faith says anything because let's talk about Valentine's for one second, because you're going to say, oh, she's going out in left field but we're not. So at Valentine's dinner I look and there's a video email and I look over at my beautiful girl. Are you freaking, kidding me? Right now, aram mush, by, from the blacklist, sends her yet another video and I think that he is one of the nicest human beings on the planet, like he's so genuine yes he is such a nice guy.
Speaker 2:Now faith has had him on her list of wanting to interview, like he's one of her top, like I think he is the number one person she wants to interview that she hasn't interviewed, right, like she always wanted Abigail from Blue Bloods and she interviewed her while in the ICU, but Aram, just like the first time, and then he sent her like a seven-minute video and then this one was wishing her a happy Valentine's Day and he remembered how you know, the last time they spoke she just had her 34th surgery and that he was so touched that he was with her when we almost lost her earlier and that meant the world to him. And so she's like, yeah, well, let's see. Last year I had Dermot Mulroney asked me to be his Valentine and this year I have. And then she looks over and says, dad, what about you? How are you topping that with mom? What are you going to do there?
Speaker 2:But it's because of the authenticity that, like we've been blessed, we've had so many people we were thinking about. You know some of the people we've had China Phillips from Wilson Phillips, people we were thinking about. You know some of the people we've had china phillips from wilson phillips. Um, lou diamond phillips. No relation um who else? Abby lee miller and um who's the guy who wished you a happy birthday, the frank. You know what's his name. He played. You know who he was. He had dark hair. Oh my gosh, now I feel horrible because I'm not. I don't remember his name. You knew him and he said he was going to wish you a happy 50th in your next 50 years and he hoped you enjoy your day, babe.
Speaker 1:you're talking to me. I barely remember what I had for breakfast. Hell, I can't even speak, right.
Speaker 2:Well, now I have to look, so you carry on about the website. Malcolm Goodwin oh, what a nice guy.
Speaker 1:That is too right he reached out, didn't he?
Speaker 2:three times he heard from someone else somebody he knew reached out and asked him to thank me because I saved her life and I had no idea. And he wanted to thank me and he says you have a forever listener in me and I wanted to thank you for what you did for my friend and that was out of nowhere. Currently playing on reacher, lisa leslie, olympic gold medalist, was amazing. Oh wow.
Speaker 2:Scott hamilton, he like, oh mr backflipper there's just so many, like there really is. There's so many and I don't want to discredit anyone by not remembering um and not saying names. I thought it was um, you have, dermot maroney, you have. I can't. Who's the guy who wishes happy anniversary from, uh, booker t? No, what, that guy right there, of course you don't have your glasses on that one right there there, of course, you don't have your glasses on that one right there. That guy I don't know who.
Speaker 1:That is Alright, I'm going to play it. Oh, sheriff Buford T Justice.
Speaker 2:No, yes, it is see what was that guy's name. So talk about the academy real quick, because that's going to drive me berserk.
Speaker 1:So going back to the academy, y'all uh y'all once it's posted and, uh, you get the link. I seriously and encourage y'all to get on there and learn, learn this stuff, you know. Uh, okay, it may cost you a person cressley okay but, rascal flats, we all know you pay for knowledge, okay, and this is, this is invaluable stuff that my wife has compiled together just just in the resource library. Um, the things like mastering the art of podcasting in frank wiley, oh, frank wiley. Yes, okay, your interview.
Speaker 2:Sorry, frank tony denson, your guest.
Speaker 1:You know you don't have to make them where it's an interrogation. Okay, make it a conversation with two between two, between between between two friends. What do you put it at? Yes, I'm gonna put it at what do you get?
Speaker 2:uh, it's a conversation between two friends.
Speaker 1:Forget the microphone okay, building your brand identity. Okay, what, what? What are you? Who are you? When people hear a contagious smile and they see our logo, uh, they may see a puppy dog on there and they, oh, you breed dogs we did dogs. Well, we did at one time.
Speaker 2:Well, we help special needs and we donated more than 80 percent right, but we're all about advocating for special needs and survivors of abuse so, uh, I'm there.
Speaker 1:guys. There's a a lot, a lot of stuff in here Unconventional secrets for social media posting success Okay, unconventional. Well, that must not work because it's unconventional. Bs. Look at a contagious smile numbers. Look at Victoria Curie's numbers.
Speaker 2:Look at any of her videos I'm gonna pull up my numbers right now and you can read them.
Speaker 1:Put your glasses back on you know we had, we had compiled all the numbers from uh across all sorry, sorry, across all social platforms, oh god, about a year ago or more. And uh it was, it was over 40 million followers. Ok, if you have over 40 million followers then you can put out your own course. But my wife has put together everything that she's learned and you know I'm a redneck over these past three and a half four years since we've been podcasting. She has a guru of a podcasting husband named dave campbell and yoda okay.
Speaker 1:So some of her videos here that she's posted uh, 3.7 million listens. Uh, these are different from views or downloads or downloads, because most of our podcasts are audio only.
Speaker 2:And then, like one point four million, I mean they're all way over they get another one. One point three million. Four point two million. I mean all of them are in the six, if not seven, figure. Every one of them. I mean you scroll down in every single one and you know what. That's not because of my husband, that's not because of them. I mean you scroll down in every single one and you know what.
Speaker 2:That's not because of my husband, that's not because of me, it is because of you, it is because we try to bring true, authentic genuineness. We try to, you know, stand up for the voiceless. We are the voice for the voiceless. You know, we may not agree with everyone, we may not agree with everyone's opinion, but that's what makes vanilla, chocolate, chocolate, mint, chocolate chip, strawberry, that's what makes it. But you know what? We're not going to belittle you, we're not going to talk down about you.
Speaker 2:You know, yes, we talk about narcissism and narcissistic abuse, because both my husband and I survived it and that's different.
Speaker 2:But like we don't advocate for bullying, we don't advocate for, you know, derogatory, hurtful things. We stand to help people build themselves up, because, building themselves up, you should not basically have to spend your adulthood recovering from your childhood and that is such a phrase I use all the time because it's true and you get one childhood and you're supposed to love it and enjoy it and have fun and you know, and enjoy and have, make great memories, not be like every time I think of something, it's you know, it just makes me want to crawl into a dark hole and that's not how it's supposed to be. So we want to help you realize that even the smallest, tiniest flicker of light can start a wildfire and show you your spark, show you that you can rise again. You can be that phoenix. You can, you know, come back and just be all that you can and all that. You can rise again. You can be that phoenix. You can come back and just be all that you can and all that you are. That's what we're here to help.
Speaker 1:I think that's a beautiful ending to this show.
Speaker 2:Then you can take us out.
Speaker 1:I brought us in my wife. I tell you what y'all. She's something else. She's my soulmate. We already established that she's the love of my life, could not live without her and yes, I can live with her.
Speaker 2:But seriously, y'all be looking out for the link here for the, the podcast powerhouse and growth academy, and there's also a, an app, I think it's through mighty yeah, it shows you, once you've joined, how you can get the app, and it'll be like and uh, yeah, y'all get on there whenever y'all log in.
Speaker 1:Um, I see you. Uh, I might be running around all day, you know, doing my full-time job, but I will get on there and say hey and welcome, and if you have any questions, uh, I can help you out. So there, and we'll see y'all on, I guess, sunday when we do another episode.
Speaker 2:Now it's recorded that you're going to do this.
Speaker 1:Of A Contagious Smile.
Speaker 2:It releases Monday at 5 am Correct.
Speaker 1:But I've only got two days off a week and I get bogged down with you know old man naps and you know honey-do list. Close your mouth, babe. Your kitchen flies.
Speaker 2:Yes, from all the shit you're talking.
Speaker 1:Good night y'all. Thank you for listening to Contagious. Smile Unstoppable.
