Empowerment Series: 5-time Emmy Award Winning Journalist, Founder of “Life’s About Change,” Karen Swensen Shares her Faith with AW

Karen Sweeney recently appeared as a guest on a best friend’s edition of Hoda Kotb’s Making Space podcast. She is Hoda’s bestie but she is also, a mom, journalist, student of life, entrepreneur, and a woman of incredible faith who has been repeatedly tested by adversity.

• In 2000, six years before her wedding, she was operated on for a benign tumor in her uterus.
• In 2005, while covering Hurricane Katrina, her own home was destroyed by the storm.
• In 2011, after a brief time in Boston, she returned to New Orleans 6 months after her husband was diagnosed with advanced cancer. She was a mother of a 9-year-old, at the time. Her husband lost his battle with cancer after 6 years.

Karen is an award-winning correspondent with multiple Emmys, Gracie’s, Associated Press, and Press Club Awards.  Walking away from a successful career, as WWL-TV-New Orleans Anchor on the Eyewitness News was not easy but her calling to fulfill a purpose was strong. She wanted to start “Life’s About Change” to help others find joy. 

AW had the incredible honor of interviewing Karen. Honestly, it was an emotional conversation. I connected with her pain, as a woman and human being. Her life turned upside down and inside out but she is here and thriving. We all have a story, some go through more pain than others. Her grace, smile, and open heart were a gift and I know readers will be inspired, as they deal with their own struggles.

I love your company and the work you are doing! Can you tell us a bit about the mission of “Life’s About Change?” It all boils down to helping people navigate change that otherwise might be overwhelming. In my experience, after Hurricane Katrina such a monumental catastrophe, I was in a deep spot for a long time and did not seek help. I thought, “I cannot change what happened but can change how I react to it.” When I shifted my focus from what remained instead of what I lost, it changed my life. My focus was different and this stuck with me for a long time. I want to promote change to help others in a state of gratitude. Change isn’t always bad. It can be great but always presents challenges. 

Where do you draw strength from? How did you come to a place of acceptance and purpose? In a nutshell, my faith. Keeping those I love close. If you can see someone down the road on the same journey, and get through then it will give you hope. The clouds can’t stay cloudy forever. The sun will come out, you have to just wait it out.

What is the alternative to not finding acceptance? Whether I accept things or not, what is the alternative? With every challenge I have been equally blessed, there is a flip side. Every little victory is magnified, celebrate them. 

You have experienced a world of change. We all deal with the reality that “Life is really about change.” How have you changed, as a woman from five years ago? I have somewhat blossomed, and am more confident, and fearless. I value so much more what you can’t put a price tag on. I live in more gratitude than ever before. Sometimes change is forced upon us, but it is elusive too. Either way, it brings its own set of stressors, The more we can work with it instead of fighting it, the more successful we will be, as people.

In a CBS interview, you said, “Just trust the Universe.” What did you mean? For me, that means trusting God, that he has a purpose for me. I am not part of any organized faith but to me, the Universe is a blanket phrase for that. Trust that if I am on the right path, things will work out. I am open and people like you will enter my life. 

“If you don’t have peace about it, you must reject it.” It is the only rule I will ever use, if I don’t feel good about it, I will shelf it. It is about trusting a higher power for me.

What has been your greatest life lesson, so far? I would have to really think about it but this is all very temporary. Better things await. We are given this time to do these three jobs, love, serve and be happy. It comes down to finding the true joy in life. We don’t need all this other “stuff.”

We like to end all our interviews with a message to empower and inspire readers. What words can you share with those resisting change, or unable to move forward with their lives because of a life-changing event? Be kind to yourself because it will come. Life is about change and how you face it.” It’s ok if you are nowhere near where you want to be. When ready, embrace the growth, and the lesson. Gain strength from it,  become fearless, then go live your life.

Everyone goes through a fair amount of change throughout the course of their life. In the areas of love, home, career, family, and ourselves there is a constant evolution. I have had my share of changes including divorce, depression, motherhood, job loss, relocation, loss, and great love. Change can be extremely difficult, it takes us out of our comfort zone. But, as Karen said, if we can accept instead of fearing pain, it can create our greatest moments!

I will borrow a quote Karen used in a recent interview with Hoda Kotb, “We are all here to walk each other home.” It is possible to learn from one another and plant seeds everywhere that help encourage others. My hope is that our conversation motivates you to shift your own perspective, next time you have hardship.

This interview can be found on the AW Confidential Podcast on all streaming services, as well as, its YouTube channel. Share this inspiring episode with anyone who needs encouragement!

To learn more about Karen, visit lifesaboutchange.com, and Instagram@lifesaboutchange. 

*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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