Liz Matney shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Liz, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
What’s bringing me joy lately is returning to the unhurried, simple things in life. Time with family, observing the playfulness and stillness in nature, and learning to step back from the cortisol-driven pace that can too easily becomes our “normal.” Joy, for me, is found in the steady practice of inner wellness. Knowing that I am safe and my loved ones are doing well, that brings the greatest sense of peace.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I come from a background that has moved between business, education, and humanitarian work. I helped establish businesses like The Skipping Stone, taught at the university level, and have long been involved in initiatives that focus on people at the margins. Now, through my writing, I want to share meaningful, cross-cultural bridge-building stories with the world. My memoir, Home in Exile, grows out of this journey that is rooted in family legacy, tested by global currents, and strengthened by the belief that storytelling can hold together what history and politics so often pull apart.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A year ago, on August 6th, 2024, I was illegally detained in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, India along with my family, yes, even my children. We were held under house arrest without a warrant. The police had been instructed to target my father, but the shadow fell on all of us. Cataclysmic moments like that strip away our innocence; they peel back whatever illusions we carry about safety, or about the goodness of authority.
What I saw more clearly that day is how fragile freedom can be when small-mindedness hardens into mob mentality, and how dangerous it is to live in a place where suspicion is weaponized against anyone educated, independent, or unwilling to conform to the prevailing ideology. My parents believed they were making a sacrifice for humanity and to honor God but I came to see that no sacrifice should come at the expense of our children’s wellbeing or our own inner wholeness.
Until then, I had shaped my choices by the voices of elders I respected. But that event awakened something else: the gift of discernment. I realized that God entrusted me with an inner compass, and if something unsettles my spirit, I must shape my life around that truth, even when it contradicts the loudest voices around me.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I grew up valuing politeness and honor, but no one taught me to speak my pain. I stopped hiding it when I could name it, when I could write it, and finally share it. Writing transformed my pain into power, giving it form and purpose. My prayer is that by telling my story, it can help others turn their own pain into something meaningful and start a ripple that reaches far beyond themselves.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Smart people often overcomplicate what is simple. Our narratives are complicated but grace is simple. We blame God for suffering, when in truth much of it comes from human choices. People hold on to their own hurts. We want to cling to our narratives. The wars we wage, the environment we damage, and the ways we treat others as enemies instead of trying to understand their pain. Yet God, seeing the brokenness of humanity, sent Christ so that we might know redemption and freely receive the gift of grace. This isn’t some divisive religiosity; it’s a simple, profound invitation to love, forgiveness, inclusiveness, and peace. And yet we make it complicated, clinging to pride, hurt, or fear, when all along, the gift of grace is freely available to every heart, mind, and spirit. It is a simple gift to allow oneself to step into grace.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What will you regret not doing?
Loving more freely than I do. Perhaps, it has become habitual to hide love behind caution and pride, ironically, especially from those I cherish most. I wish it wasn’t so easy to forget that connection only blooms when hearts are brave enough to be seen. Like I said, definitely easier said than done!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lizmatney.com/
- Youtube: https://g.co/kgs/tejiT7x
Image Credits
Sam Sandeep
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