As featured guest on World Positive Thinkers Radio, Marti MacGibbon talked with host Ken Bossone and c-host Pam Lontos about how positive thinking helped her to escape from human trafficking, find her ideal mate (while homeless and hitchhiking) and triumph over addiction.

Few speakers have a personal comeback story as riveting and inspirational as Marti’s. She hit absolute rock bottom in every way, but by discovering and implementing a powerful personal program of daily renewal, she healed and recovered from severe drug addiction, being trafficked into modern slavery, domestic violence, and post traumatic stress disorder, grief and loss caused by enduring a life-threatening experience involving repeated rape and physical and psychological injury. Marti emerged from her downward spiral with her sense of humor intact, and she draws from a deep inner wellspring of joy and enthusiasm which is contagious to audiences as she shares simple, effective ways to get anyone back on track.

Praise from Radio host Ken Bossone, aka Mr. Positive: “Marti was on my radio show today, November 27. She is the most inspiring guest I have had in my two years of broadcasting…Her story is breathtaking and I was sitting on the edge of my chair all through the interview.”

Listen to the broadcast: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldpositivethinkers/2012/11/27/laughter-overcomes-adversity

Marti MacGibbon attended an event to raise awareness about human trafficking and networked with activists Somaly Mam of the Somaly Mam Foundation, and Linda Smith of Shared Hope International. The event was hosted by the Women Like Us Foundation, and Somaly Mam was the keynote speaker. A survivor of human trafficking in Cambodia, Somaly has not only survived tremendous hardships, but has dedicated her life to saving victims from the brothels. She has accomplished so much in her mission to rescue and protect children and women from modern slavery, and has brought about social change in her own nation and around the world.

Linda Smith, both during and after her term in congress, has worked to effect change with other lawmakers in Washington, D. C., and she has built shelters for rescued children in India. Turning her focus to the problem of child sex trafficking in the U.S., Linda works tirelessly to raise awareness and influence legislation in our nation’s capital.

As a human trafficking survivor who speaks to raise awareness about this terrible crime, Marti is passionate about working with anti-trafficking organizations, and lends her voice as a survivor to educate and call to action. She has spoken at events for International Justice Mission, Free the Slaves, and Not for Sale, and is a guest speaker at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.

Luck. We hope for it, count on it, blame it when things don’t go as planned. Isn’t it tempting to console ourselves that a rival’s success is due to luck, not talent and hard work? It’s just as tempting to dismiss any of our own accomplishments as luck, especially when the payoff comes long after all the effort, planning and angst. Attributing all successes to luck is certainly self-defeating, and that’d be, well, unlucky…because it’s daily effort, optimism, consistency and tenacious adherence to the journey that make the luck. That’s why the payoff, or lucky break, always seems to come out of nowhere, creating an “overnight success.”

I’m willing to accept the idea that a lot of success is chance, coincidence, and I celebrate that. Peace and serenity are big priorities in my personal life, and I need to maintain them in my consciousness. Chaos and anarchy are also important ingredients in my life. Creatively, I always get the best results when I break rules, ignore my fears and charge ahead relentlessly, fueled by passion, altruism, or rebellion and sarcasm.

When I’m writing, I shrug off my fears and inhibitions so that I can cut to the core of what I’m feeling or experiencing. I call that creative defiance. My fears and inhibitions assaulted me repeatedly as I wrote my memoir, Never Give in to Fear: Laughing All the Way Up from Rock Bottom, I wanted to describe some of my most forbidding and terrifying experiences, as well as those that are just plain hilarious. The book chronicles the worst years of my life. Ironically, those worst years have been some of the most interesting, and the story is entertaining and inspiring because I emerged from the train wreck of my life with my soul intact, thanks to a solid program of recovery and persistent applications of positive thinking and visualization.

Man, am I glad I defied my fears as I wrote, because the result is a raw and unflinching description of life in the netherworld of American society, a slice of life as a full-on, hardcore drug addict who wrestled with addiction, trauma and inner conflict. And the story is inspirational because it’s written with humor and introspection. Anyone who reads my story will recognize his or her own story mirrored there. And Never Give in to Fear is a kickass comeback story. Everyone alive today is living a comeback story. Each day, people confront fears, learn from mistakes, manage regrets, and move on. If you’re alive, you’re on the comeback trail.

I had a lot of trouble coming up with a title for the book, and from time to time I question my choice. But the fact that I am author of a book called, Never Give in to Fear serves as a reminder not to pussy out and cave in to my worst anxieties and apprehensions and I move ahead with my life. Fortune favors the bold, so why hang back? We make our luck by refusing to give in to the naysayers, the haters and the fear merchants who, having given up on their own dreams, seek to discourage others.

So, do you feel lucky? If you have any thoughts on the efficacy of persistence, optimism and creative defiance in creating luck, please share your thoughts and experience with me. And if you’re a naysayer, by all means weigh in. Maybe the act of arguing your negative stance will energize you and your dreams will get the better of you. Action has a way of fueling passion. I never know who’s reading these posts, but I write ‘em anyway! It’s all part of creative defiance, and fearlessness in action. And after all I’ve lived through, I still feel lucky. I hope you do, too. We just might be the luckiest people in the world, as long as we stay the course.

Here’s something I learned from years of performing standup in clubs, colleges, auditoriums and a federal penitentiary: Standup comedy is metaphor for life. It’s tough, thrilling, often painful, often fun, always rewarding. And in standup, as in life, there are myriad things that are completely beyond your control. You learn by trial and error, but learn to make the best choices you can under pressure. And when — not if — you fail, you get back up onstage as soon as possible, knowing that the process will ultimately bring you success.

Okay, even though I think everyone would benefit from trying standup at least once in life, I realize that most people don’t want to do it and never will. And that’s perfectly cool. After all, somebody’s got to sit in the audience and laugh, heckle, or get offended and walk out, right? But the biggest lessons I learned in my ten thousand hours or so of professional standup experience can help you to meet any challenge or obstacle in life.

Employ some or all of these techniques and principles and see where they take you. Here they are:

Stand Up. Respect yourself, take a position, stand up for what you believe in. When you know who you are and you like yourself, you can approach life’s challenges with confidence. Build your character by taking on difficult projects and associating with people who are smarter, better, stronger and faster than you are. Never be afraid present yourself as you are. Never underestimate yourself. Be honest, and have a point of view. Be bold. “Fortune sides with he who dares.” — Virgil

Have Fun. This is a fantastic motivation for doing anything! If you’re having fun and you’re committed to your position, passionate about your process, no barrier can stand in your way — you’ll be invincible. It make take some time to win, but if you keep re-energizing your sense of fun and passion you will conquer.

Be Prepared. Timing is important, in standup and in life. Take time to prepare yourself well for any challenge or event. Stay healthy physically so you live in a state of strength and well-being. Work out at a gym and build your stamina. Study and research an upcoming project, and take time to plan carefully. After that, you can let yourself go with the flow. Learn to love rehearsal and preparation. Then you can be spontaneous, knowing you have structure and discipline to fall back on.

Never Take Yourself Too Seriously. Remember that life, like standup, is about the audience, i.e., everybody else. You’ll always do best if allow yourself to let go of self-centeredness and self-preservation. Toss your ego and its expectations out the window and focus on bringing your performance. Get out of your head and into the moment. Once you’re in the moment, stay there, so you can think on your feet with precision.

Never Hang Back, Always Move Forward. Be Proactive. Audiences respond to confidence and like-ability. When you’re onstage, always move toward the audience. Be ready to make friends, and don’t anticipate adversaries. Optimism always pays off, and when you expect good things to happen, they are more likely to happen. Retreat is not an option. Radiate self-assurance, give yourself an inner pep talk, and muster your enthusiasm. Your energy will be contagious and others will go with your vibe.

Respect Others. Respect, but don’t fear others. Never underestimate your audience, or your friends, family, associates or competitors. Refrain from taking anybody, or anything for granted. Start out your day with a moment of appreciation for the people you work with. Recognize and acknowledge the accomplishments of others and know that you are part of a greater reality.

Be Yourself. Let go of the urge to downplay who you are, or to overcompensate for any real or imagined flaw or weakness. Recognize that in the white hot truth, the reality of universal thought and consciousness, no one is above you, and no one is below you. You never have to try to impress anybody, or intimidate anybody, or play any games. Standup strips away everything but what’s funny. Life strips away everything but what’s real. So why feel like you’ve got to bullshit anybody or anything? You are enough, right now, as you are, and if you continue the brave work, you will continue to become more, and greater, exponentially. Trust in that and continue on your path, no matter how tough the challenges.

Okay, that’s seven. I’ve got more, but this ought to do for now. Remember, life, like comedy, is tough but fun. Focus too much on the tough and you break down. Focus on the fun and you win out. So have fun, be strong, keep working it, and you’ll wow your audience. Let the encores begin.

Kickass Personal Transformation is my term for the uplifting and energetic process that creates positive changes in life. KPT is progress, self-discovery, adaptability and optimism, and it always involves positive risk. The past month for me has been uber busy, working on the second annual Laff-aholics Comedy Benefit for Recovery, (Sept. 15th, 2012 at the IMA) and preparing for the upcoming release of my book, Never Give in to Fear: Laughing All the Way Up From Rock Bottom, on Oct. 8th, 2012. And during the past month I’ve been thinking a lot about calculated risk and positive vs. negative risk-taking.

I’m a recovering addict and alcoholic, so I know about negative risk-taking and its consequences! Negative risk-taking is impulse-based and emotionally driven; addicitive behavior to the nth degree. And like many people in recovery, my story makes for some heartbreaking yet hilarious reading, which is why I wrote the memoir. Writing the book involved risk — positive, calculated risk, and years of work. But the process sparked a new dimension of self-discovery for me, and helped me to heal on a deeper emotional level, and to develop new skills.

Positive risk pays off! Never hang back from a new prospect or goal because you’re afraid of what might go wrong. Make a bold, calculated risk. Engage in goal setting, plan your moves, and keep your eyes on the prize. As you move toward your goal, you’ll be delighted at the side benefits, that is, the things you learn, friends you make, and truths you discover along the way.

As a standup comic with years of professional experience, I’m well acquainted with the thrill and fun of positive risk! In standup, taking risks onstage adds dynamic energy to your act, and the audience responds. Standup comedy is always a rush. I like to think of it as extreme sports for uncoordinated people.

But it wasn’t until last year, when I produced, performed in, and hosted Laff-aholics 2011, that I experienced the risks and rewards of involved with bringing a major event to a successful outcome. We packed the 530-seat auditorium, put on a top notch performance and raised a significant amount of money for our beneficiaries, non-profit organizations that provide transitional housing and access to treatment services for recovering addicts and alcoholics.

This year’s Laff-aholics proved to be no different than the first one. Despite the obvious financial risk of renting a non-refundable venue, the six member Laff-aholics committee faced the daunting task of promoting the show primarily through grassroots, word-of-mouth channels. Brenda Brown of Clear Channel Communications generously assisted us with some PR and PSA announcements on radio, and thanks to her kindness, we sold out all seats two days in advance!

All progress, all growth, involves positive risk-taking. Stretching outside your comfort zone is always scary, but the rewards and benefits of doing so will thrill you if you stay the course. Examine all your motives, all your misgivings carefully, and once you determine that your risk is calculated and positive, power on through to your goal. Be unswerving and bold, and do not allow yourself to second-guess or judge your decision to grow and learn. As you advance, take time to appreciate, and to learn from, the people and resources you discover along the journey. Believe in yourself, your purpose, and the benefits you will be able to share with your community. You’ll never, ever regret it.

You’re strong. You’re tough. You’re brave. Yes, it’s true, or you wouldn’t have made it this far. With every challenge, disappointment, obstacle or difficulty that you face, an opportunity to grow stronger, wiser, better and smarter presents itself. And when you take advantage of that opportunity, and rise to the occasion, reacting to adversity with grace and personal power, you build your inner strength. Your inner strength becomes a reservoir of hope, courage, determination, tenacity, humor, and love that uplifts, motivates and energizes you. The reservoir is deep within you, and sometimes you overlook it, or forget to tap into it, and you think you’re weak, or failing, or lacking in some way. But don’t get sucked down into the vortex with that self-fulfilling prophecy. There is nothing you lack — you hold the key to your strength, your happiness and your future.

In the worst of times, some people shine, triumph, and excel beyond all expectations. They do this because they’ve learned how to recognize, acknowledge, and implement their inner strength. They know that every time they make the brave choice, the choice that doesn’t involve self-seeking, self-pity or self-indulgence, they increase their inner strength reserves. And they know how to access those reserves. Here are four strategies, or practices that you can use to more readily recognize, build, and evoke your inner strength:

Know Yourself. This is ongoing, it’s a life-long journey. Life is constantly changing, and so is any living being. Our environment is in a constant state of flux. The universe is expanding, exploding. But there is an essential part of you, a knowing, that remains, that holds steady. That’s the part of yourself that anchors you. One way to access this self-knowledge is through the practice of meditation, prayer, or deep contemplation. Practice visualization and use mantras to focus your inner consciousness. Adversity introduces us to ourselves. So does love. So do giving and receiving gracefully.

Remember Who You Are and How Far You’ve Come. When you’re in a relaxed state of contemplation, meditating, listening to your favorite music, or exercising (in the zone), let your mind drift back over your past experiences. Remain as objective as possible, view these recollections as if you’re watching a movie. Give yourself credit for brave, generous, honest actions. Acknowledge any selfless deeds. Celebrate the good things. Look over the not-so-good or regrettable choices or actions. What have you learned, or can you learn from these things? Remember, everyone makes mistakes, it’s part of life. But we’re not doomed to repeat them, we can learn from experience and access the strength to move on.

Remember Where You’re Going. Stay focused on the things that you want to accomplish. Establish your short and long term goals, then reassess them daily, weekly, monthly and annually. you’re plotting your course through life. When you live in a state of consciousness that keeps your ultimate goals in front of you at all times, then difficulties are much easier to face. Sift out the petty drama and unnecessary stress by aligning yourself with a greater purpose or higher power. Ask yourself, “Will this matter in a year? Five years? A hundred years?” Bruce Lee said, “A goal is not always meant to be reached. It often serves simply as something to aim at.”

Refrain from Setting Limitations on Progress or Possibility. This is where badassitude takes self-doubt to the woodshed. Try thinking in terms of unlimited possibility. What would you do if you absolutely could not fail? Bruce Lee said, “If you always set a limit on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there. You must go beyond them.” You can if you think you can.

Whenever you push yourself beyond your comfort zone, you win. When you access your inner strength there is nothing you cannot accomplish. There are times when you’ll find yourself lagging on the path to your dreams. Those are the times when you can tap into your reservoir of hope, courage and experience. Practice meditation, prayer, and visualization. Use mantras and compile a list of self-enhancing statements to read to yourself before going to sleep at night. Write the statements in present tense and make sure they describe the state you want to attain as though you’re already there. These processes, when engaged consistently, will reprogram your mind to accomplish more than you ever dreamed possible. Your inner strength will become an inexhaustible source of self-empowerment, at your fingertips. It’s an unstoppable force within you. Use it well and wisely.

Two weeks have passed since I posted my last blog entry August 2nd. This summer for me is a busy one, almost too intense — sometimes overwhelmingly so — but fun. However, I’ve been cheating myself out of one of my favorite stress relievers — exercise. I’ve only done the minimum forty minutes or so of cardio daily, and my abs — a hundred crunches at night. Since my schedule’s been overloaded and often erratic, I’ve missed out on riding my mountain bike, which is something I really dig doing in the summer.

Also, I’ve gotta admit that the onset of the Olympics and its pantheon of well-muscled, insanely fit, amazingly graceful athletes did make an impact on my self-image. What I’m saying is, I started obsessing on my glutes and hams, and foolishly thought that a rigorous session of back kicks and leg extensions would set me right. And it might’ve, if I hadn’t done them “half-assed,” (no pun intended) that is, haphazardly and in such a hurry.

Shortly after I initiated my inept attempt at muscle sculpting, the harsh consequences of bad body mechanics pounded down on me like a stampede of rabid buffalo. On the morning of August 5th, I woke up with intense back pain, the kind of pain that assaults you, body-slams you, gets you in a rear naked choke hold and squeezes till all your creativity shrivels up and swoons like a Victorian debutante in a too-tight corset. I’ve spent the past eleven days managing the pain: moving gingerly, changing position frequently, applying Biofreeze, a topical pain reliever, to my lower back, and murmuring fervent prayers to the lumbar gods, beseeching their mercy.

My chiropractor rode to the rescue, as he always seems to do, and thanks to numerous visits, a plethora of ice packs, a well-timed session of kickass massage therapy, tons of positive self-talk and some highly focused positive visualization, I’m beginning to feel better. Since I couldn’t get comfortable sitting on my couch for any length of time, I’ve been sampling the Olympics, and checking it out on my laptop. I really don’t know why I watch any of it, except that it’s fascinating and inspiring to see the Olympians perform feats of strength, speed, beauty and grace, things that regular dorky uncoordinated people like me can only dream of doing.

And I love to see the way the athletes handle stress — the unimaginably difficult challenges of the competition, the seemingly omnipresent camera lenses focused on their every move, on each tiny reaction or facial expression as they glance at the scoreboard. Their performances are the sum of years of discipline, self-sacrifice and heavy investment, with no guarantee of remuneration or fame. Sure, they compete for the gold, and if they’re lucky they’ll get product endorsement deals later. But the essential truth of it is that they’ve got to be doing it out of passion, for the love of their sport, which is a beautiful thing.

That said, it’s no wonder that the Olympic Games have been a tradition in our modern world since 1896. Even dorks like me — those of us who plod along from day to day doing nothing more physically challenging than a half hour on a Stairmaster, and who can f*#% up our backs doing back kicks or squats, can relate to the singleminded pursuit of a dream and the ongoing effort to improve our performance in life — to be better…and sometimes, even to be best.

Did you know they used to have rope climbing as an Olympic event? The spectacle consisted of two people racing to the top of the rope, nothing more. They ended it in 1932, so why in the hell don’t they purge that odious form of torture from junior high gym class?

This year, women competed in all the sports, even boxing. That’s badass. Chicks rule. We do, seriously. Four years from now, maybe I’ll make it to Brazil. As a spectator, of course. Hey, my back feels so good I think I’ll go out and pump up the tires on my mountain bike. And if my back still feels good after that, maybe I’ll go for a ride. After all, I put my back on ice, not my dreams!

Each day presents new opportunities to hone your stress management skills and increase optimism. That’s one way to look at it, anyway, and I prefer to focus on the positive. In my opinion, it takes a true badass to embrace optimism and employ enough mental discipline to continue to cling to that positive spin, rejecting any and all negative input.

When I was on the streets, an active drug addict, I thought I knew what it meant to be a badass, but I truly had no clue. I lived my life anticipating negative events, and attracting more and more pain and problems into my already problematic existence. I suffered extreme hardships and adversity: beatings, rape, poverty, and homelessness. I was tough, that’s how I survived long enough to discover a way out of my misery and into recovery.

In recovery, I’ve learned the secrets of gratitude, unconditional happiness, and daily renewal of strength. I’ve learned about positive visualization, positive self-talk, mindfulness meditation and the power of physical exercise to renew and strengthen both mind and body. Self-empowerment and self-care are part of my daily regimen.

Recovery and Kickass Personal Transformation have taught me what it means to be badass, tough and focused enough to manage stress, practice self-discipline and stay the course.

My definition of the word, “badass,” is a relentless, unswerving, no-holds-barred application of mindfulness, love, resilience and courage to change, along with the tenacity to continue to stay the course, day in and day out, no matter what obstacles may appear on the path.

A positivity badass doesn’t worry, since worry is nothing more than the process of visualizing that which is not wanted. If you’re worrying about things that may happen, or could happen, or haven’t happened fast enough, you’re only rehearsing for disappointment, failure or aggravation.

Instead, a positivity badass stretches forward, out of the comfort zone, knowing that anything is possible, and visualizing a specific, positive outcome. A badass knows that to stay the course, you’ve got to set measurable goals daily, in addition to setting the ultimate goal.

It takes a badass to realize that complaining is as harmful as worrying, since it involves talking — or thinking — about real or perceived slights, annoyances, and setbacks, instead of seeing and using every difficulty, misstep, or obstacle as an asset, an opportunity to build more mindfulness, love, resilience, and courage to change, along the way to the full manifestation of the visualized goal.

I love badass people, people who encourage, uplift, and energize others and refuse to engage in putdowns, envy or controlling behavior. Over the weekend, I attended The National Speakers Association’s annual conference in downtown Indianapolis. I’ve been a member since 2010, and I always enjoy their meetings, but at this conference I met some real badasses.

I’m inspired, energized, and ready to stretch forward, out of my comfort zone and on new horizons. I know that my story can help others, and that my message is important and timely. All I need to do is stay the course, and embrace the badassedly positive state of mind.

California will always be my home — I’ve been a California resident for 25 years. Since I currently reside in both Indianapolis and the San Francisco Bay Area, alternately, I have come to appreciate Indianapolis. For one thing, it’s a city built by, of, and for sports. I’ve never been a jock. I love to work out — it raises my endorphin levels and keeps my energy up — but the only sport I truly understand and get excited about watching is basketball. And Indy is a basketball fan’s dream. Thanks, Indianapolis!

Indianapolis is also the “Racing Capitol of the World,” as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s history stretches back to the origins of the automobile itself. Today I drove past the Speedway on my way back from a business meeting, and I began thinking about the word, “racing.” I’m not talking about racing as a sport or spectacle, but the idea that in these stressful times, so many of us spend our days racing from one commitment to the next, always rushing, pressured, and sometimes panicked by obligations, ambitions, and survival needs.

Employers demand more and more productivity from employees, and cutbacks, benefit reductions, and reduced hours seem to constantly squeeze staff. The average American household lost an estimated 40% of its wealth in the 2008 recession and years that followed. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or an employee, there’s a good chance you’re feeling the pressure to produce, perform, and compete to stay afloat. Many of us have taken on two, three, or even more jobs in order to make ends meet and provide for our loved ones.

All that said, it’s no surprise when I find myself getting overwhelmed and frustrated. I’ve got a book coming out in October and am currently writing two more, one of which I hope to have completed by next summer. I write a blog for my website, and articles for magazines and corporate publications. And I am supposed to stay active on a variety of social media sites, but I confess I can only do social media in a half-assed way, especially now. And at the risk of sounding like a bummer, I am beginning to tire of Facebook. Their “privacy” stuff and sharing of information seems insidious to me, and although I am on FB, I’m using it less and less.

Okay, so when I get overwhelmed and frustrated, for whatever reason, I know it’s time to stop racing around my inner speedway and get centered. There’s no need to take lap after lap at top speed until you burn out. Rest, reflection, meditation, laughter and physical exercise provide excellent stress relief, and when I use these tools to get centered, I find I am much more creative, productive and fun to be around when I do get back to work. Mini-sabbaticals are really all I need: I can meditate for five minutes, or jump on my mountain bike and go for a long ride. Sure, there are no mountains in Indianapolis…California, I miss you! — but the riding is a rush, even on flat terrain.

What is your favorite stress reduction tool? Is it laughter, exercise, or meditation? Do you talk with friends, go out dancing, or listen to loud rock music and scream? Please feel free to share your stress management strategies with me. Lord knows, I appreciate any and all suggestions. After all, the Mayan Apocalypse is approaching…and if it doesn’t take us out with a bang, then it’s business as usual and back to stress management!