Trauma stole her ability to sing. Her voice now heals people through a wisdom podcast and guided meditations

By Kay Newton

Life has its own natural rhythms and cycles. We often come back to what matters the most, even if it takes a lifetime to make the connection. At six, diagnosed with a hearing problem, Carol Chapman never thought her voice would be so important. Today, at 65, she runs the popular wisdom and meditation podcast Hearts Rise Up using her voice as a tool to help people live heart-centred lives.

As a child, Carol almost went deaf and had difficulty keeping up in school. “My first-grade teacher thought I was stupid. The traumatic experience led me to years of self-limiting beliefs and conditioning. As a result, I grew up feeling I was not smart or good enough,” she shares.

Fortunately, Carol’s hearing was saved after having her tonsils and adenoids removed. “Many of our conditioned programming stems from societal conditioning and our ancestral past and upbringing. To prove I was not stupid, I became a high achiever. I was the first in my family to graduate from college,” says Carol, who is now based in Atlanta Metropolitan Area, Georgia, USA.

Despite her hearing issues, Carol had always loved music and wanted to pursue a career in singing. Unfortunately, just after she graduated from high school, her brother committed suicide, and she developed an acute case of laryngitis.

The laryngitis eventually subsided, but it affected her singing voice so much that she never felt confident to pursue music.

The Wandering Path of Life

Instead, for the next 20 years, Carol worked her way up the corporate ladder. As a high achiever with a strong work ethic, she achieved great success. “Yet despite what I could accomplish, I reached a point where I felt uncomfortable using the traditional way to define success,” she says.

And so, in midlife, Carol left the corporate world feeling disillusioned and dissatisfied with how large corporations were run. Two months after leaving her job and returning to the US, she suffered a brain aneurysm, another life-altering point.

“I was in the ICU (intensive care unit) for 14 days. Despite surgery, I did not have any real cognitive issues, just fatigue. The tiredness meant I had time to take a deep exploration of my life. I began spiritual meditation, journaling and defining how I wanted to serve others,” she narrates.

Carol then became a certified executive coach and certified coach in emotional intelligence training, taking on small to midsize businesses as clients. She also co-authored a book Brand DNA: Uncover Your Organization’s Genetic Code for Competitive Advantage.

But her real path was yet to unfold.

Back on Track

As Carol took a deeper dive into meditation, journaling and spirituality, she birthed Hearts Rise Up. “It is a platform that explores what it means to live a heart-centred life. To align heart, mind and body and not focus on external validation,” Carol explains.

As well as interesting articles, courses and coaching, you will also find a podcast and guided meditations on the platform. “When I started Hearts Rise Up in 2018, I hadn’t intended to start a podcast. One of my co-founders felt a podcast would work well for her. However, her priorities changed and I found myself in front of the microphone for each session!” she laughs.

Carol took her new role to heart and researched before every recording. “I listened to other successful podcasts, which led me to put together a theme and a flow for the show covering heart-centred living, self-discovery and awareness, mindset, spirituality, personal development and other similar topics,” she shares.

Listening also helped her develop interview techniques to allow the guest to shine. “As the guests inspire and empower, it catalyzes the listener to tap into their inner wisdom and rise to their heart-centred self. These compelling conversations create a higher level of consciousness, awareness and inspiration for what all of life has to offer us,” she says, adding that she is supported by her friends and business partners Christopher Drummond and Ann Serrie in bringing out high-quality podcasts.

In 2021, Hearts Rise Up was selected Top Wisdom Podcast on Feedspot for its exceptional quality.

Guided Meditations

Carol has been gifted with a distinct voice, which is not only perfect for interviewing guests on a podcast, it is also unique for guided meditation soundtracks. She has now come full circle, incorporating sound in her life, using her voice to heal and create transformational change in others.

Her advice: “Your voice is unique – never doubt the fact. Be the best you can be but above all, be yourself. Follow your heart as it never lies. Focus on what is important to you. Use your inner wisdom to guide you first and foremost. Pay attention to how your body reacts as you contemplate your decisions in life. If you feel fluttering, expansive and exciting feelings, then maybe that is the right decision for you.”

You can find Carol at Hearts Rise Up.