In this powerful and inspiring episode, we explore fear, resilience, motherhood, illness, and the radical courage it takes to start saying yes to life even when uncertainty feels overwhelming.
In this episode of Broken Beautiful Me, Kelly sits down with Asha Mevlana, a two-time breast cancer survivor, professional violinist with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, motivational speaker, and author of To Hell With No: Adventures in Finally Saying Yes.
Asha's life changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 24 years old. Faced with the fragility of life far earlier than expected, she made a decision that would reshape everything: she created a "fear list" — a list of the things that scared her most — and began saying yes to them one by one.
Skydiving. Silent meditation retreats. Touring the world as a professional musician. Building a life filled with experiences instead of limitations.
But life had another challenge waiting.
Twenty-five years later, while raising her young son, Asha faced breast cancer again. This time the stakes felt different. The question was no longer simply how to live bravely — but how to redefine strength while being a mother, navigating fear, and learning how to stay present for the life unfolding right in front of her.
In this deeply moving conversation, Asha shares how resilience is not about pretending to be fearless, but about allowing courage and vulnerability to coexist.
In this episode, Asha shares:
• 🎻 How a breast cancer diagnosis at 24 became the catalyst for a life of bold choices
• ✨ The "fear list" practice that pushed her to say yes to the unknown
• 🧠 Why fear often disguises the very experiences that lead to growth
• 💔 Facing cancer again decades later — this time as a mother
• 🤍 How motherhood changed her relationship with courage and vulnerability
• 🌍 Life as a touring violinist with Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• 🌱 Why resilience isn't about toughness, but about presence
• 🔥 How saying yes to life can transform even the darkest chapters into purpose
Asha also reflects on how surviving cancer twice reshaped her priorities and her perspective on success, reminding us that the most meaningful moments in life are rarely the ones we plan.
Her story is not just about survival.
It is about choosing possibility, even when fear whispers louder.
This episode is a powerful reminder that courage does not mean the absence of fear — it means refusing to let fear decide the limits of your life.
A heartfelt and inspiring conversation about illness, resilience, motherhood, creativity, and the extraordinary power of saying yes to life.
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Follow Asha Mevlana
Website:
https://www.ashamevlana.com
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/ashamevlana
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ashamevlana
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashamevlana
Book – To Hell With No: Adventures in Finally Saying Yes
https://www.amazon.com/Hell-With-No-Adventures-Finally/dp/1647424984