Make Some Noise with Andrea Owen

Hey ass kickers! Continuing from last week I’ve written 44 Things I’ve Learned in 44 Years and am breaking it up into 3 parts! Part 1 was last week and today is Part 2! In Part 3 which will air on May 1st, you’ll get the list in its entirety. And if you haven’t heard, last week was MY BIRTHDAY! 🎉🎉🎉Not only that, but coming up on May 1st, Your Kick-Ass Life Podcast is turning SIX YEARS OLD! To celebrate BOTH birthdays, we’re giving away some prizes. A coaching session with me, gift cards, books, and more! Click HERE to see the prizes and enter to win. Here’s part 2, and if you missed it, please listen to part 1. All wisdom is created from healed pain Trying to control everything is my one-way ticket on the crazy train. Sometimes I forget this and get on board. The comparison trap is basically made-up stories of what I think someone else’s life is like We’re all scared. We all have fear. The people that say they are fearless are just pretending. None of us get out of this alive. And in the end, I want to be proud how I lived it. At your funeral, no one will talk about your failures. So, keep failing until you get it right. Uncomfortable conversations are always hard. However, that elephant in the room isn’t going anywhere (and takes up a lot of space)—so you might as well call it out. Most people really are too busy thinking about themselves to be obsessing about you like you think they are. That person that treats you like shit is a giant invitation to not be around that person, ever. If you spend time nosing in other people’s business, there’s probably something important in your life you’re purposely avoiding dealing with. Having an open mind can many times blow your mind. None of us are broken or need fixing. Improvement, yes. Whatever you think you are, will be your truth. And you are completely in charge of that, babe. The moment in an argument that you realize you’re either being unreasonable, that the other person has a point, or that you’re just wrong, is the exact moment it’s time to admit it and apologize. This is just the beginning! Stay tuned for next week when you’ll hear Part 3 which is the podcast’s birthday! 🎊🎊🎊 http://yourkickasslife.com/278 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey ass kickers! Guess what? It’s MY BIRTHDAY! 🎉🎉🎉 In celebration, you’re getting the podcast episode a couple days early AND we’re doing a GIVEAWAY! Not only is it my birthday today, but coming up on May 1st, Your Kick-Ass Life Podcast is turning SIX YEARS OLD! To celebrate BOTH birthdays, we’re giving away some prizes. A coaching session with me, gift cards, books, and more! Click HERE to see the prizes and enter to win. I’ve written 44 Things I’ve Learned in 44 Years and will be breaking it up into 3 parts, because obviously I want to talk to about all the 44 things! In Part 3 which will air on May 1st, you’ll get the list in its entirety. Cleaning up my own messes is the best way to sleep at night. This means apologizing when I’ve been an asshole and just generally doing my best to fix things I’ve made a mess of. Taking radical responsibility for my life is the only option. No one else is responsible for my happiness. No one. My children don’t define me. I used to think becoming a mother would be my ultimate life purpose. It isn’t. I used to have a lot of guilt and shame about that. But, I don’t anymore. No relationship will complete me. Not a single one. “Taking the edge off” really needed to be examined. For me, I was taking off all the edges. And sometimes edges just need to be dealt with. Many times exercise really is the best medicine. The voice in my head that tells me I’m not enough is a liar. Progress, not perfection. If I listen, my body is usually trying to tell me something. I only apologize when I really, truly can stand behind it. There will always be people that don’t like me and it’s not my job to change their minds. (I admit this one is still tough. It’s a one-day-at-a-time lesson.) My parents did the best they could, with what they had at that time. And as parents, that’s all we can do. Forgiveness is more about me, and not them. Time really doesn’t heal all wounds—I’m in charge of that. Time helps, but being proactive is the catalyst. This is just the beginning! Stay tuned for next week when you’ll hear Part 2, and then on May 1st (the podcasts birthday!) you’ll get part 3! http://yourkickasslife.com/277 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Well, hello there, ass kickers! I’m ESPECIALLY excited about today’s episode because it’s an episode that truly came from the fire in my heart. After a client session, I sat down, turned on the mic, and birthed a talk I think you’ll love. Special thanks to Kelly, who was open enough for me to use her session topic for this episode. In this episode you’ll hear: Kelly’s struggle with building self-trust and putting yourself out there Why there is no step-by-step process for building self-trust - whomp, whomp! But there is a way to gain self-trust (and its sister, self-confidence) What the ONE JOB is of your inner-critic Listening to your intuition vs. your inner-critic and stepping out of your comfort zone The importance of pursuing what makes you happy even if it seems impractical And if you loved this episode, you may want to check out working with me 1:1. There are three ways to do so: My longer, deeper work that focuses on curriculum stemmed from all of my training, including The Daring Way™ (methodology from Brené Brown’s research) click HERE. A shorter package that packs a punch-- these sessions are all open. In other words, no curriculum. YOU pick your primary focus and we dive in). Click HERE for that. Last, you can book a VIP Day, where I can come to you, or we can meet at an agreed upon destination. Click HERE to hang out with me during a VIP Day. http://yourkickasslife.com/276 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might be going through a really tough season in your life. You might be in that near desperate or full-on desperate place of wanting your situation to change. Maybe you’re going through a really hard break up. Or you hate your job. Or someone at work is a nightmare. Or your partner’s ex is making life hell for you. Many times, there’s no ANSWER or SOLUTION that will change how you feel or the situation you are in. You may know the tools, you may have the support, maybe you’ve done therapy and your year has just SUCKED. It’s continuing to suck and it feels like there’s no end in sight. The answer, the solution is that you have to just persevere. I have so much more to say on this, so if this is you or you know someone who is in this place (or you suspect you might be in this spot one day), this is for you. Also, I have two spots for 1:1 coaching right now, if you want to read about my longer package, you can click here, or a VIP Day is here. http://yourkickasslife.com/275 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Okay y'all, this week’s guest, Cornell Thomas, is my new best friend. Seriously. He is also the perfect example of turning a loss into a win. One week before accomplishing his dream of playing professional basketball, he suffered a career ending injury. And rather than stay in, “Why me?” mode, he turned his attention to, “What now?,” instead. Today Cornell is a global speaker, multiple title author, mindset coach, corporate trainer, and social entrepreneur. And you know what else he is? He is funny, endearing and passionate about fostering a positive mindset to overcome adversity. I absolutely adore him and I know you will too. In this episode Cornell shares so poignantly his story of adversity and how he overcame it. He also provides some insight and advice to those who may be facing their own internal or external battles. Midway through the episode, Cornell and I both get fired up about writing and putting your story to paper. Just do it! We go on to talk about being resilient and how to actually practice resilience when a storm comes and knocks you on your ass. Finally, Cornell reminds us why gratitude is always the answer. Yes life is hard, but this episode is a reminder that you can be resilient and move past adversity with gratitude and grace. In this episode you’ll hear: Cornell’s story of adversity and how he turned “Why me?” into “What now?” (9:30) If you have story inside of you, get it out on paper! (24:08) Saying, “No,” to things you like to, in order to do the things you love (28:42) Some ways to practice resilience in the face of adversity and the importance of weathering life’s “storms” (31:40) Fatigue mindset: what it is, how to overcome it and finding your finish line (35:36) http://yourkickasslife.com/274 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The first inkling of Spring is in the air and it’s got me pumped! You know what else has me pumped? Starting in April I’ll be rolling out something new over here at YKAL headquarters. If you like the podcast, then I think you will like what I am cooking up. I’m going to start sending short, to the point, “lift your day up” emails. They’ll be informative and kick-ass (obviously). They’ll go out to YKAL subscribers about 2-3 times a month. So, if you want in, you can click HERE to sign up. Alright, alright, alright, now onto this week’s episode! I welcome the ever lovely, L’Erin Alta. L’Erin is a personal growth facilitator for women. She teaches women how to stand in the brilliance of their own light. CAN I GET A HELL YES!? I followed her online for a long time and I am currently in a year-long program she is teaching. She is so wise and exudes so much peace. I just can’t get enough of her. I know you’ll love her just as much as I do! In this episode L’Erin and I talk about living your own truth and stepping into your sovereignty (plus what that all means). We also have an insightful conversation about getting comfortable with people being disappointed in you when you break out of your “good girl” shell. Plus, we talk about creating internal boundaries and why they are essential. Our conversation is one about growth, self-acceptance and expanding your curiosity; all without compromising who you were always meant to be. In this episode you’ll hear: What is a sovereign woman and how you can move towards becoming one (6:52) Why we fall into the trap of self-doubt and self-trust (8:14) Shatter points, what are they and what are some turtle steps to take when walking through them (14:16) Some ways to let the “good girl” die and set the world on fire and being comfortable with disappointing people (18:08) Creating healthy internal boundaries are essential, plus some examples (24:14) L’Erin’s routine and rituals that help keep her grounded (30:23) http://yourkickasslife.com/273 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I bring to you another conversation about shit that matters with unqualified people. My good friend Ella returns to the podcast to join me in a candid talk about the aging process. Ella is an Inspirational Speaker, a Personal Development Coach and the host of the popular On Air with Ella – a podcast about living better, starting now. She’s also an “IRL” friend, who lives locally to me. Ella and I are in this awkward and uncomfortable mid-life time in our lives. We know we’re just beginning into this “tipping point” into the aging process (I mean, the part where you see marked changes). This topic is something that comes up in our discussions every once in a while and, I thought it would be good to bring to the YKAL community. Take note, this is not a conversation between two women complaining about aging. I promise. These episodes are all about the real conversations I have with the women in my life. And serve as a reminder that like you, I don’t have everything figured out either. These episodes are here to help us all think a little bit more critically about life and look at things with a little bit of humor too. In this episode you’ll hear: Why conversations about aging are really about acceptance “Aging gracefully” and what we really think of the phrase In the weeds of the aging process and getting to a place of contentment Grappling with the idea of getting Botox or other aesthetics aging treatments The patriarchy, aging and becoming “unfuckable” The gray hair debate and going gray Not throwing in the towel: showing up as vital regardless of age http://yourkickasslife.com/272 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the YKAL podcast, I am especially excited to introduce you to my guest, Susan Hyatt. Susan is a Master Certified Life Coach, weight loss expert and creator of the Bare™ process. And if you ever wondered who coaches me to be my absolute best professionally and even personally - it’s Mrs. Susan Hyatt! She holds a special place in my heart, plus we go waaaay back. This week Susan joins me to discuss her new book, BARE, and the seven-step process she outlines to help transform your body, get more energy, feel amazing and become the bravest version of yourself. Yes, Susan, YES! I wholeheartedly agree with everything she has to say in her latest book and cannot wait for you to hear our conversation. But wait, there’s more! You’ll hear, in this episode, how you can win a free copy of Susan’s book, BARE, plus another bonus giveaway. In this episode Susan and I talk about diet culture in today’s society and the need for appreciating your body. We also touch on the importance of eating with attentiveness, a new approach to exercise and how to look at clothing in a whole new way. Finally we talk about practicing self-love with bravery and grace and the power to embody who you are without fear or regret - own it! In this episode you’ll hear: About the diet culture that exists today and the need to appreciate the body you’re in (3:54) Susan’s experience with a coach and the question that changed things for her life (7:51) Power foods and pleasure foods and the importance of eating with attentiveness (14:17) The benefits of exercise and a new approach to exercise (21:47) How to take a new look at your closet and the effect your clothing has on you (26:19) How to detox your mind and talk to yourself with love (29:03) Why it’s hard to stay consistent with healthy habits (36:09) The importance of reshaping your mind and your life and harnessing your energy for things that impact your life (39:01) http://yourkickasslife.com/271 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've read my books, you know I write about the inner critic a lot. In fact, you can't escape me talking about the inner critic in most of my work. And guess what, this week’s podcast episode is all about the inner critic too. Because the way you speak to yourself, the thoughts that run through your mind and even how you speak about yourself to other people, matters. It matters significantly. Managing your inner critic was one of the first real tools I learned in my coach training. It blew my mind that you can actually learn how to manage this voice in your head. And, I’ve come a long way, y’all. A long way. I do want to be clear, managing your inner critic is not about completely eradicating your negative self talk. That’s never going to happen. Sorry, not sorry. Sometimes when we listen to people on podcasts or we read their self-help books, we can think, ”Well, I'm sure they have it all together. They don’t have these problems anymore. They're so evolved and have kicked their inner critic to the curb.” I'm here to tell you I still have bouts of anxiety. I still have inner critic spirals. I still have compare and despair issues, at times. In this episode I share some stories from my own life about where my inner critic shows up and the tools I use to manage. While on the surface it can look like someone has it all together, we’re all doing the work, one day at a time. The good news is this: you can create new neural pathways in your brain, to where you can you catch your inner critic very quickly. Then you don’t have to go down those seemingly never ending spirals of negative self talk, again and again. Got it? Good. In this episode you’ll hear: About the time I found myself in an inner critic spiral at a red light Some ways I manage my inner critic About the Inner critic and how it can show up in relationships The importance of recognizing your triggers Last thing, if you haven’t applied to be a part of The Mentorship Masterclass, there’s still time and a handful of spots open? If you’re a woman who’s ready to implement all the tools you hear about on this podcast, have accountability, be guided by me and surrounded by other amazing, kick-ass woman, you need to get your booty over the info page, and if you’re heart is like YES, PLEASE, fill out an application. <3 http://yourkickasslife.com/270 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the podcast, I am super pumped to share with you my conversation with Keith McArthur. Keith is the creator of My Instruction Manual, a website, podcast and book series providing high-quality personal development and content. He is also the author of the new book, “Winning Resolutions: Achieve Your Biggest Goals and Wildest Dreams Once and For All.” I’ve been on Keith’s podcast twice and know him to be an amazing interviewer. This week, y’all, the tables have turned and Keith is my guest! So back in January, I released an episode called, “New Year New You”, in which I said, loud and clear, that you do not need a morning routine or for that matter, any routine that doesn’t fit your lifestyle. But yet, I also realize that the new year can be overwhelming for many. That’s why I invited Keith to the show to talk about ways to calm the New Year overwhelm, help shift our mindset around goal setting, and share what he knows about our environment and how it can affect goal achieving. Plus, he shares what values, shame and commitment have to do with it all. In this episode you’ll hear: Why we put so much pressure on ourselves at the start of a new year and how shame comes into play (11:49) Keith’s take on the “New Year, New You” mentality (13:27) The biggest mistake people make when creating a goal or resolution. Plus, some science-based strategies for achieving your biggest, baddest goals (16:19) How an accountability partner can help you with goals and the science behind finding the right accountability partner (25:03) Some ways to get back on track if you lose sight or abandon a goal, hint: think ahead! (27:43) Taking control of your environment and some ways to structure your environment for goal success (40:34) Lastly, ummm...why haven’t you applied to be a part of The Mentorship Masterclass? I know many of you have, but if you’re a woman who’s ready to implement all the tools you know and love (well, maybe like), have accountability, be guided by me and surrounded by other amazing, kick-ass woman, you need to get your booty over the info page, and if you’re heart is like YES, PLEASE, fill out an application. <3 http://yourkickasslife.com/269 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the podcast I have something a little different. I know you like to hear stories from women in the YKAL community once in awhile, so I’ve brought you two of them. You might hear some of yourself in their stories! Both of these women have gone through my signature program, The Mentorship Masterclass, and I hope you’re inspired when you hear what they’ve gained in their lives. First we hear from Courtney. Courtney has struggled with shame, not even realizing it was such a driving force in her life. Courtney says when she would start to feel good in her life, her mind would automatically wander and take inventory of all the “bad things” she’d done (in psychology this is called “confirmation bias”-- the way we tend to search for or recall information that confirms our core beliefs. And often these core beliefs are negative.) You’ll hear what happened when Courtney was taught the steps of shame resilience and the tools to implement them on the regular. Honestly, this woman’s transformation brings tears to my eyes. I’ve had the honor to work with her most of 2018, seen the ups and downs of her journey, and her unwavering commitment to her growth-- albeit massively uncomfortable at times. I hope her story gives you hope for your own life as well. Then we hear from Karissa. Karissa is the type who stays “all up in her head”-- convinced she can think her way through things. Karissa says she was struggling with how to get from point A to point B when it came to personal development. Self-help to her, for a long time, was done through reading all the books and listening to all the podcasts. And as a perfectionist, she was really struggling with where to go next in her journey. Some of Karissa’s work focused on emotions, more specifically learning tools to walk through and process them, and trusting herself that she would be okay if she just let them ride. Both of these women share their journey from being a podcast listener and self-help book reader, to diving in deeper. We’re currently accepting applications for the next round of The Mentorship Masterclass, you can read all about it here and apply. I’d love to chat with you to see if it’s for you. http://yourkickasslife.com/268 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the podcast we are talking about consent and some other extremely vulnerable topics with guest, Karen B.K. Chan. Karen is an award-winning sex and emotional literacy educator in Toronto, Canada, with over 20 years of experience. She is trained in creative facilitation, productive thinking and nonviolent communication. I have had Karen on my podcast guest wishlist for such a long time. I was so enthralled with her website. I read ALL.THE.THINGS. she has created, watched her YouTube channel and more. She is an amazing Emotional Intelligence educator and I'm excited for you to hear our conversation. In this episode Karen and I talk a lot about emotions, so much emotions y’all. But not only do we talk about emotions, Karen provides insightful advice and information on how to actually deal with emotions, how to feel our feelings and do the work. We also dive into sexual consent; how to navigate it, how to overcome emotional and social barriers relating to consent and letting go of guilt for creating boundaries around sexual intimacy. In this episode you’ll hear: Some ways to better deal with our emotions (8:42) How learning to navigate your feelings can lead to an outlet of creative expression, especially writing (11:24) How to deal with emotions when you are stressed or burnt out (16:01) Being innovative in your personal relationships as it relates to empathy, emotion, human connection and clarity (18:58) Working to decrease unconscious biases in our lives (28:37) Social and emotional barriers to sexual consent and how we can overcome them (37:14) How to let go of guilt for creating boundaries around sexual intimacy or sexual encounters (46:21) http://yourkickasslife.com/267 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there, ass kickers! Solo pod episode today, WHOOP! I start today’s show with a question from one of the amazing supporters over on Patreon (btw, the show is now listener supported! Check it out here.) Erica asks, “How can we celebrate our small wins on our self-development journey? Could there be a podcast on different ways we can encourage ourselves to look at how far we have come instead of focusing on our shortcomings?” Such a great question! I go into 5 or 6 different ways you can do this. Then, it’s off to the main content! A few weeks ago I was listening to Scene on Radio, an excellent podcast. It was episode 10, in season 3 where it was a man telling a story about his son going to 6th grade and the changes that took place-- I’ll let you listen to it (it’s REALLY good, please go listen to both season 2 and 3). There was a particular part where Terry Real, psychologist was talking and said something in particular that stopped me, and I had to pause the podcast, and cry. He talks about how children are made to “halve” themselves, to cut off certain parts of themselves (generally speaking for boys, it’s emotions). He talks about a certain age when “the patriarchy hits kids, lands on them, the psychic results can be severe”. He goes on to say, “Now if you read the literature on girls and girls development, that trauma-- and I use that word on purpose-- is traumatic to excise, to cut off half of your humanity, that trauma lands on girls about 11, 12, 13-- the edge of adolescence. That’s when they learn what Carol Gilligan calls ‘the tyranny of the nice and kind’. They learn to over accommodate and resent it. That’s the traditional set up. Fifty years of the women’s movement has changed that for a lot of girls and women, but it’s still part of the culture.” So, in essence, as we enter puberty, (and btw, he goes on in this episode to talk about how it hits even younger for boys), we learn about how to be. We learn to be nice and kind and accommodating. We learn to put others’ feelings, wants and needs before ours. Join me in this podcast episode as I explore this more, and ask a series of questions for you to answer about your own life to get the parts of you back that you were conditioned to let go of. Download the worksheet that accompanies this episode: http://yourkickasslife.com/266 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Allana Pratt, relationship intimacy expert, joins me on the podcast. She inspires open-hearted, unapologetic living. Allana and I go waaay back. She embodies such an amazing energy and has a true intimacy with herself, both of which I truly admire. She is divine. In this episode Allana and I talk about being vulnerable in relationships, cultivating rich, intimate relationships with ourselves, as well as, listening to our intuition. We also talk about the aging process and some ways we can embrace it with grace and humor. Plus, we talk about how to better harness our anger and the importance of releasing it in healthy ways. In this episode you’ll hear: Cultivating intimate relationships with ourselves and “In To Me I See” (11:00) Lack of trust and vulnerability in relationships: what you can do (12:52) What intimacy looks like for Allana and how she went from “victim to goddess” (19:32) Allana shares some ways to embrace and find humor in the aging process (27:07) Valuing your own self-worth and knowing you are enough (36:28) How to better harness your anger and/or rage (41:50) http://yourkickasslife.com/265 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I have another great conversation this week, this time with love coach, Nicole Moore. Nicole helps powerful, amazing women find their ideal partner using her signature Love Works Method. Before you dismiss this episode, hang on! This episode is not just for singles. We talk about love in general. There’s a bunch of wisdom in this episode for singles and those partnered up. I hope you stick around and listen to this amazing conversation with Nicole. In this episode Nicole and I talk about rewriting your childhood love story and overcoming love trauma, shifting your awareness around love, and how you can let love in by looking at your mind-body connection. Plus, we dive into an important conversation about self-trust and your emotions, how to know if you’ve settled in a relationship, what “being love” means and the number one thing anyone can do to feel more confident. In this episode you’ll hear: Nicole’s story of being born into a world of lack of love, healing her own love wounds and what brought Nicole to her work as a love coach (7 minutes and 32 seconds) Looking for “the one” and being stuck in a story that there is something inherently wrong with you, plus how to rewrite your story (10:29) Standing in an inferno of emotions with self-trust and worthiness (16:02) What stops most people from finding the right romantic partner (18:34) How to know if you settled in a relationship (21:36) What “being love” means and what it has to do with making a relationship work (25:39) Complaints and disagreements with partners: some advice on giving voice to your fears (29:39) http://yourkickasslife.com/264 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back, ass kickers! This is the first interview episode of 2019 and I am super pumped to share my conversation with Thais Sky. Thais is a truthspeaker, healer, women’s coach and feminist on a heart-led mission to support the seekers, the edge-dwellers, and the "why the heck do I feel so broken” of the world reclaim their sense of belonging by learning how to explore, trust and express themselves unapologetically. Thais is so expressive and downright poetic, as you’ll hear. I loved my conversation with her and I hope you do too. This week, Thais and I talk about the worthiness wound, what contributes to it, some critical steps to take to reclaim your worth and how healing the worthiness wound is a radical act. We also talk about personal development and how we often hope someone will save us, but it really comes down to doing the work. We also touch on holding the human experience and being capable of navigating through triggers, thoughts and feelings. Lastly, we talk about whiteness, patriarchy, becoming radicalized and acknowledging that one can be both the oppressor and the oppressed (and how that doesn’t mean you are a bad person). In this episode you’ll hear: What reclaiming our sense of worthiness truly means How to begin reclaiming your worth (and how it’s different from cultivating confidence) Taking on the responsibility of others and hoping someone will save us Healing the “little girl” within (aka inner child work) What contributes to the worthiness wound, and why we can’t talk about the worthiness wound without talking about whiteness Acknowledging ableism and fat phobia 💥💥JOIN ME THIS SPRING! 💥💥 If you’re ready to stop relying on your default coping mechanisms that end up making you feel like shit (isolating, numbing out, perfectionism, comparison, self-sabotage), then check out my signature program, Your Kick-Ass Life Mentorship. If it all resonates, there’s a link to fill out an application (application goes straight to me). Learn new, better coping mechanisms that make you feel proud, confident, and courageous. http://yourkickasslife.com/263 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m about to say something that goes against what you might be hearing from other self-help/motivational speakers/cheerleaders/thought leaders. You don’t need a morning routine if you don’t want one. Confession: I haven’t had a regular morning routine in about...well, never. I know there are self-help books specifically written about this. That scientists with glasses and white lab coats with clipboards have painstakingly studied the human effects of morning routines and found that it helps people Live Their Best Life. I know there are self-help people out there who have cute names for their lists of things they do in the morning, and keep telling you to get up an hour earlier than your early-rising children or dog, so that you can Live Your Best Life. I know you might feel like you’re doing it all wrong if you stumble out of bed and reach for your phone and coffee first thing. I know that the new year is full of NEW YEAR NEW YOU and that your morning routine feels like this *one thing* that you can change that will make 2019 your Best Year Ever. I know that you have probably made morning commitments in the past like: Meditating Working out Setting intentions Doing a coffee enerma so you can shit like a beast Pulling an angel card so you can conjure your spirits and guides to be able to Live Your Best Year and Best Life Ever. Or maybe it’s just me. I also know that in the past, I have regularly set my intentions of the day and that worked for a while. And now it looks different. And that I have told you about my morning routines and maybe you felt like if you did it too, you’d be Living Your Best Life. Here’s the thing: If you get up early and do whatever it is you need to do to set yourself up for the day, and you feel rested enough to do so and aren’t doing it because you think you have to-- if you do these things because it does in fact help you Live Your Best Life, then HELL YES, SISTER! Or, if you’ve tried a morning routine, and it’s made no significant positive changes in your life, then HELL YES, SISTER. You tried, and meh, it’s not for you. Or, If just the thought of all that makes you want to go back to bed, then HELL YES, SISTER. It might not be for you either. What I’m saying is watch out for the NEW YEAR NEW YOU trap that can make you feel like you’re doing it wrong. That can make you feel like you’re missing out, or that you’re not like everybody else. If you’d rather sleep the extra hour or 10 minutes, then sleep. If you follow someone on social media and you’re comparing your life to theirs, and it kind of seems like their life is too good to be true (it probably is), and it’s all making you feel shitty, then unfollow them. If they new year makes you feel motivated and inspired, then you do that. If the new year just feels like a new month and you’re just trying to keep your head above water, or you feel like the pace you’re going at is good for now, then you do that. There’s no right or wrong way to Live Your Best Life. 💥💥JOIN ME THIS SPRING! 💥💥 If you’re ready to stop relying on your default coping mechanisms that end up making you feel like shit (isolating, numbing out, perfectionism, comparison, self-sabotage), then check out my signature program, Your Kick-Ass Life Mentorship. If it all resonates, there’s a link to fill out an application (application goes straight to me). Learn new, better coping mechanisms that make you feel proud, confident, and courageous. http://yourkickasslife.com/262 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest this week is AH-mazing. During our conversation, I even referred to him as an evangelist for love. An evangelist. for. love, y’all. Yes, I’m excited to introduce you to Kute Blackson. Kute is a charismatic visionary and transformational teacher who offers a fresh, bold look at spiritual awareness for a whole new generation. Oh, and did I mention, he’s also very intense. I love intense people. Kute joins me to talk about love; including self-love, living your own truth and what it means to live a fulfilled life. Plus, we talk about allowing yourself to feel pain, coping mechanisms and conditioning, questioning who you truly are and what Kute means when he says, “we are born-free.” As Kute so eloquently stated, love is the most important thing on the planet and the most important thing to experience while we are alive. And lastly, “Real healing happens in the space of love.” Hell-to-the-yes. In this episode you’ll hear: Kute’s deep calling to serve humanity, following his own truth and integrity and how he began on a path to helping other people find themselves (8:15) What stops us from being fulfilled and free (13:23) How to reconnect with your heart and body to get to your own truth, plus 3 questions to ask yourself to help you get there (14:38) The layers that cover up your true self, coping mechanisms and shifting your conditioning (18:31) Creating your own opportunities, and add value to others lives (43:05) http://yourkickasslife.com/261 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I am ecstatic to introduce you to this week’s guest, Rob Mack. Rob is an ivy-league-educated Celebrity Happiness Coach, Positive Psychology Expert, Published Author, and TV Host/Personality. He just exudes peacefulness and while it looks like it comes naturally to him, he works hard at it. Rob joins me to talk about prioritizing peace, happiness, love and joy and how to focus on feeling better. We also talk about negativity bias, being comfortable with our uncomfortableness, being stuck in an identity story and some ways to let it go. Rob is such a delight. And, y’all, he is a very snappy dresser too! In this episode you’ll hear: Rob shares his story of suffering with depression and attempting suicide (11 minutes and 35 seconds) Micro-meditations (for super, busy women) (17:15) Some ways to build optimism, resilience, and real confidence (24:40) Negativity bias and why we tolerate being unhappy (26:45) Being stuck in an identity story and how to reframe it and let it go (31:04) A few simple actions you can take today to get on a path to happiness (39:58) http://yourkickasslife.com/260 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are in the last stretch of the year and it’s business as usual over here at Team YKAL with a brand new episode!. This week on the podcast, speaker, writer, and educator Melissa Toler joins me. Her work encourages people to make the connection between our culture's oppressive beauty standards and our personal struggle with self-acceptance. I’ve been following Melissa and her work online and social media for a while now. I love her message and I was so excited for the chance to speak with her. Today, we talk about challenging the cultural standards of wellness and beauty, plus diet culture and it’s messaging. We also talk about how we all have internalized thoughts around certain body types, including black bodies, brown bodies, or even trans bodies and how it perpetuates harm. Melissa reminds us the work of unpacking and unlearning our internal body biases is lifelong work. In this episode you’ll hear: Melissa’s pivot away from the wellness industry and why she became disillusioned with it (7 minutes and 24 seconds) How Melissa challenges the cultural standards of beauty and wellness (13:10) Questioning the messages we receive about body image, health and fitness (17:04) How health and wellness professionals can shift their education and start to question their current practices and philosophies (24:28) Fatphobia and unpacking internal biases (26:22) Melissa shares her story of her own weight loss obsession and how she overcame it (34:09) http://yourkickasslife.com/259 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy December! It’s podcast day, y’all. And this week, I am excited to introduce you to my guest, Nitika Chopra. She has been a leader in the wellness industry since 2010, is known for her straightforward tone and intense vulnerability, and recently created a conversation about self-love in the chronic illness community. The energy she exudes is just so magnetic. She is someone I wanted to have on the podcast for a while and I’m thrilled to share our conversation with you. Nitika and I talk in-depth about self-love, specifically her journey to finding self-love after suffering debilitating psoriasis for many years and her thoughts and philosophy about self care. Plus, Nitika shares openly and honestly about how she repaired the hatred she had over her body for so many years. In this episode you’ll hear: Nitika’s humbling and eye-opening journey to self-love (9 minutes and 11 seconds) Why Nitika thinks self-help can sometimes be more harmful than helpful (15:22) Self-care was Nitika’s saving grace; she explains why, as well as, shares some of her own self- care practices and describes where she thinks self-care really starts (22:08) Nitika’s letter to her body and why she was driven to write it (28:49) Some ways you can begin to love yourself more, today (32:12) Also, I have ONE spot open for 1:1 coaching. Two options there: I take women privately through The Daring Way™ work, as well as do traditional life coaching where we basically get down to what you want, I help you get there (with a little hand holding and a lot of holding your feet to the fire) and VOILA! You have Your Kick-Ass Life. http://yourkickasslife.com/258 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not long ago, I got inspired, turned on the mic, and riffed about comfort zones. I think I started sweating even a little, not because I was nervous, but because I get FIRED UP about this stuff. I go over what it is that keeps us stuck. Is it fear of failure? A habit? Fear of success? Is it our feelings and emotions that keep us from the person we want to be? I go over all of this. Alas, I don’t have this episode in written format, but you don’t want to miss this. Also, I have ONE spot open for 1:1 coaching. Two options there: I take women privately through The Daring Way™ work, as well as do traditional life coaching where we basically get down to what you want, I help you get there (with a little hand holding and a lot of holding your feet to the fire) and VIOLA! You have Your Kick-Ass Life. Simply reply to this email and we’ll get you started with an application and a call with me to see if it’s a good fit. Okay? Okay. http://yourkickasslife.com/257 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The holidays are upon us! If you’re like me, you love to get your shopping done early AND you love to get just the right gift for that special someone in your life (and even if they’re not that special to you, I mean sometimes we have the obligatory gift to buy, am I right?) Here’s a few of my favorite gift ideas as well as some nifty stuff we found on the internet to I like/love so you have a plethora of things to choose from! Happy shopping! Pet stuff Personalized pet socks. Y’all. YOU CAN GET YOUR ACTUAL PET ON A PAIR OF SOCKS. I mean, not the actual pet but their picture. You understand. Is this already a thing and I’m just learning of it? Whether it is or isn’t, it’s amazing. If you follow me on Instagram and watch my IG stories, you know Dirty Baby. If you don’t, then this won’t be funny at all (but seriously, get in on the joke, go to my Instagram profile in the “highlights” and click on “#dirtybaby”. You’re welcome). So, for your dog (or cat?) they CAN HAVE THEIR OWN DIRTY BABY and we can be gross pet toy friends. Barkbox is for those people who really, and I mean really love their dogs. They used to sponsor the podcast, so if you use this link you can get a free month. My dog LOST HER SHIT over their toys and treats. But, then again she eats rabbit poop in the backyard so she may not be a good judge of delicious things. Food stuff Chocolate covered pretzels GALORE. I’m just sayin’ that if someone wants to buy me these I will NOT be mad. At all. Fruitcake from Harry and David. For that person in your life who has everything and is also 137 years old, yes, fruitcake. My stepdad LOVES THIS STUFF and he’s only 76. But seriously, seniors love fruitcake and Harry and David know how to do it up. I can’t say I’ve personally tasted it, but we frequently buy it for Gene, the love of my mom’s life and he raves about it. Plus, super affordable. Also, their other food is delish. Read the rest of the list HERE http://yourkickasslife.com/256 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I welcome Lauren Handel Zander to the YKAL podcast. Lauren is the author of, Maybe It’s You: Cut the Crap, Face Your Fears, Love Your Life. She is also a life coach, university lecturer and co-founder of Handel Group. She joins me to talk about the everyday shit that we do that takes us farther away from the person we want to be and the person we were meant to be. We had an amazing conversation about her journey to becoming a life coach, what personal integrity means to her and her work, qualifying yes versus no, and the epidemic of lying. In this episode you’ll hear: Lauren’s path to becoming a life coach (7 minutes and 30 seconds) What is personal integrity and how she uses it to help people achieve their goals (13:51) One trick to keep you accountable when it comes to doing the work (20:17) Boundaries: Why people say, “Yes,” when they mean, “No,” and how to empower ourselves to say, “No”, when we really mean it (26:35) How to develop the awareness to stop the cycle of numbing out and isolating (35:12) The seven ways we lie, cleaning up your lies and telling the truth and how doing so can truly jumpstart your happiness (38:17) 💥 REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR THE NEW AND IMPROVED DARING WAY™ PROGRAM AND RETREAT! (Shouty caps on purpose!). LET’S CHAT ABOUT IT! Head on over here to check it out! 💥 http://yourkickasslife.com/255 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week my dear friend Kate Anthony is back on the podcast. If you are new to the show, I’ve started a new series where I’ve been talking with close friends about shit that matters. During these candid conversations, we take a big topic where we are not experts and unpack our own stuff around it and begin to make sense of it all. In this episode, Kate and I continue our conversation on rape culture and sexual assault. I highly encourage you to listen to part one of our conversation, if you haven’t done so already. The reason I wanted to create two episodes on this topic is to shed light on stories of non-consensual sex, rape, and assault. If you feel your story is not important enough, something I believed of my own story for a long time, know that your story is important. All of our stories are important and everybody’s story matters. That’s my why. And, trigger warning: Kate and I share our own experiences with non-consensual sex in this episode. In this episode you’ll also hear: The moment Kate realized her sexual assault was rape (10 minutes and 1 second) Saying yes out of fear and coerced consent (19:03) I retell the story of when, at 17, my boyfriend videotaped us without my knowledge and I lost my shit (24:28) And then, I share my own story of date rape (27:53) The untrue stories we make up about the kind of men that assault women, like, “Only scary looking men or strangers in an alley assault women.” (45:50) Kate shares a story about a man asking for consent (46:31) 💥🎉FREE LIVE TRAINING! 💥🎉 Okay, y’all-- there are two topics I’ve seen come up over the last few months during my retreats and programs. One is trusting women-- why do we have such a hard time with this and how do we overcome it? The other is the concept of feeling “good enough”. Do we just decide this and wait for it? Is it a mindset issue? Or something else? Join me on Friday, November 9th at 12:30 eastern time where I’ll break down these two topics and give you some tangible steps to take to make this happen in your life. As you know from my book HTSFLS, both of these topics are IMPERATIVE for you to stop feeling like shit and start living your kick-ass life. See you there! (And yes, a replay will be available) No need to sign up for anything, just mark your calendar, and put THIS LINK in there. Then, on 11/9 at 12:30 eastern, click the link and join us! 😘😘😘 http://yourkickasslife.com/254 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey ass kickers! I am bringing you another episode of Conversations About Shit That Matters with Unqualified People. My “unqualified person” this week is my friend Kate Anthony, who helped me kick off this series several months ago. For newcomers, here’s a brief introduction to Kate: Kate Anthony is a certified life coach who specializes in helping moms decide whether they should stay in or leave their marriages. This week, Kate and I are talking about rape culture. Kate is truly kick-ass, one of my dearest friends, and someone I feel totally comfortable with unpacking this sensitive topic. And, rape culture is a lot to unpack. As a reminder, before we get started, this is not an episode where I am teaching about rape culture. It’s an honest conversation between two unqualified people, emphasis on unqualified, about a very important and hard topic. We cover a lot, including what rape culture looks like, how we all participate in it, and some ways to start conversations with people about it. In this episode you’ll hear: Identifying rape culture and Kate’s experience with being slut-shamed in high school Defining toxic masculinity Our thoughts on Brett Kavanaugh and what he could have done to make the situation different Rape culture, protecting the internal patriarchy, and denial of sexual assault How to start to have deeper conversations with others and take steps towards change Bringing men into the conversation about rape culture and toxic masculinity Kate’s experience with today’s dating scene and why she has decided to take a step back from it 💥🎉FREE LIVE TRAINING! 💥🎉 Okay, y’all-- there are two topics I’ve seen come up over the last few months during my retreats and programs. One is trusting women-- why do we have such a hard time with this and how do we overcome it? The other is the concept of feeling “good enough”. Do we just decide this and wait for it? Is it a mindset issue? Or something else? Join me on Friday, November 9th at 12:30 eastern time where I’ll break down these two topics and give you some tangible steps to take to make this happen in your life. As you know from my book HTSFLS, both of these topics are IMPERATIVE for you to stop feeling like shit and start living your kick-ass life. See you there! (And yes, a replay will be available) No need to sign up for anything, just mark your calendar, and put THIS LINK in there. Then, on 11/9 at 12:30 eastern, click the link and join us! 😘😘😘 http://yourkickasslife.com/253 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With recent events that are happening in the news in the U.S. surrounding the U.S. Supreme court nomination of Brent Kavanaugh and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford coming forward with her story of sexual assault, I knew I needed to have a podcast on the topic of sexual trauma. While I do plan on having an episode where I speak with a friend on the topic of sexual assault, I knew how very important it was to have an expert on to discuss this topic, as well. Because, y’all, I am not an expert in this area, but as many of you know, finding an expert in a given field is something I take very seriously. And that is why I am honored and grateful to be welcoming back to the show, Licensed Marriage and Family and Therapist, Rebecca Bass-Ching. Rebecca is also a Certified EMDR Therapist+Consultant, Trauma Therapist and a Certified Daring Way™ Facilitator. Today you’ll hear us speak on the topic of sexual trauma, including: feeling triggered by sexual assault stories in the news, navigating the differencing of opinions to sexual assault, healing and processing from sexual trauma and the all important fact that there is no time limit on healing.Trigger warning: while we go into mostly surface level conversation related to sexual trauma and assault, it’s still a very tender topic. In fact, I let Rebecca really take the reigns in this episode because, as you’ll hear, I am still unpacking and navigating my own feelings too. In this episode you’ll hear: Some reasons why we may be feeling triggered, angered or on edge related to current events about sexual trauma or assault (8 minutes and 29 seconds) How to navigate feedback from people who have different opinions or reactions to sexual assault (14:02) Handling the question and red herring argument, “What if your son was falsely accused of sexual assault?” (21:21) Your memory network and trauma: remembering portions of trauma so very clearly (32:30) Healing from trauma is very inconvenient, plus we touch on residual trauma (34:35) The deep connection between sexism and racism (38:47) http://yourkickasslife.com/252 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the podcast Shanna Lee joins me. She is founder of the platform The Soul Frequency and author of the book of the same name. And, guess what? I’m holding a contest this week over on Patreon. One winner will receive a copy of Shanna’s book, Soul Frequency: Your Healthy, Awakened and Authentic Life. If you haven’t joined the Patreon Party yet, which is in full swing, you still can. Head over to Patreon to participate in this contest or to become a Patron, here. I know of Shanna because I was a guest on her podcast several months ago. Her message is very similar to the one I share with you here at YKAL. Once I learned she was about to release a book, I knew I wanted to have her on my show. Today, we talk about some of the concepts she covers in her book, including how to align yourself with the life you want to be living. Plus, we talk about suppressed anger as a woman and how to open the door to it, being open to bad experiences and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. In this episode you’ll hear: What The Soul Frequency actually means (9 minutes and 42 seconds) Shanna’s journey, and her own lesson of just showing up and being fully present (12:41) Walking your path, getting back into alignment with what feels good (15:48) Shanna’s anatomy of transformation and its four pillars: truth, release, experience, and align (19:02) Women’s anger and rage: your relationship around anger, how it's socially unacceptable, and ways to open the door to anger. (26:27) Being open to the bad that may be happening around you instead of shutting the door on it. (37:36) http://yourkickasslife.com/251 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I have a rich and amazing conversation with Rachel Foy for you this week on the YKAL Podcast. Rachel is an author, motivational teacher and the founder of the Soul Fed Woman. Rachel helps women overcome things like emotional eating, binge eating, and weight obsession. She helps them wake up and reclaim their lives so they are no longer missing from it. I am excited to bring you this topic today. But first, one quick note before we get started. At the start of this episode, I briefly share that I am gathering my thoughts on sexual assault all while trying to hold back my rage. I plan to talk about this tender topic in a future episode of Conversations About Shit that Matters with Unqualified People. Current events in our country, the #whyIdidntreport movement and the trauma many women have had to face, again, either due to reliving their own experiences or empathizing with that of another woman, is just too much. More on this topic will be coming soon. Okay, now back to today’s episode. Today, Rachel and I talk about emotional eating and bringing awareness to your coping mechanisms. We also touch on the topics of body acceptance and fat-phobia. Plus, we talk about numbing out, making empowering choices, and some ways to overcome many issues women experience around food, diet culture and emotions. In this episode you’ll hear: What to do when you start feeding your feelings with food (8 minutes and 50 seconds) Rachel’s own difficult journey with food obsession, eating disorders and dieting (10:32) Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD): what it is and how it can show up (15:15) Fat-phobic culture, preconceived perceptions, and breaking away from diet culture: stripping down fat-phobia (20:00) How to be emotionally fed and become a soulfed women (21:45) What to do if food is your only source of pleasure (26:17) Why we choose to numb out and some ways how to overcome it (34:05) http://yourkickasslife.com/250 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joining me on the podcast this week is leading Latina psychotherapist, Christine Gutierrez, LHMC. Christine is the founder of Christineg.tv, an online hub that features psychologically-savvy and soulful advice. Christine also specializes in love addiction which happens to be the topic of today’s episode. In this episode, we talked about healing from love addiction, Christine’s own experience with it and how she now helps clients move through the healing process. We also touched on codependency and love addiction red flags. It’s clear through my conversation with Christine that she has worked hard and tirelessly on learning how to trust in herself and lean into her biggest self. I’m happy to share our conversation with you. In this episode you’ll hear: What love addiction is, how Christine’s early childhood experiences ultimately led to love addiction, and how she got on the path to healing (1 minute 47 seconds) The distinction between healthy, falling in love and love addiction (5:46) Some tips and tools for women struggling with love addiction (11:21) Christine’s journey to helping other women heal, the merging of the mundane and divine and what the word diosa means to her (17:43) How to experience more fierce love in your life (and what fierce love is, exactly) (25:32) http://yourkickasslife.com/249 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today I have an episode for you that was a suggested topic from one of our awesome listeners on Patreon. Patron members can suggest show topics, as well as get their personal questions answered on Listener Q & A episodes, and so many more perks! Head on over HERE to read more about how you can become a member. Corrina asks: I would love to hear about how to tell the difference between the internal voice that is authentic and courageous versus the voice that is fearful and holding you back or is reactionary. For example, are you leaving a situation because it's good for you or are you in flight mode?I also wrote a blog post about this AGES ago (2011 omg) so I’ve dug it up, updated it and am putting it back out there. First and foremost, this is one tricky mother. To be honest, it’s still something I sometimes am challenged by in my own life, and when I am, I talk it out with a trusted friend. Sometimes processing externally can be helpful for you to be able to decipher. Journaling can also be helpful to process more internally. Second, I do believe there are going to be times where you just don’t know for sure if it’s your intuition speaking or your inner-critic/fear. In those instances, you’ll need to just make a decision and see what happens. I can say that the more you intentionally work on paying attention to your intuition (practices like meditation, stillness, being in nature, journaling, yoga) the more in tune you’ll be with it, and the more clear it will become. In no particular order, here are some ways to decipher if it’s your inner-critic/fear/gremlin or your intuition/soul voice speaking to you: Your inner-critic doesn’t like change; but if it’s good for you, your intuition will encourage it. Gremlins like to keep you exactly where you are, even if you’re not in a great place. For instance, if you hate your job it seems like a no-brainer that you would want to leave, right? So, you daydream about your dream job, doing that thing you’ve always wanted. Your gremlin pops up and says, “There’s no way. What if it doesn’t work? It’s too risky anyway.” You listen to your inner-critic and the days drag on in the grips of this sucky job. Your intuition is the voice and vision that is steering your daydreams. Your intuition is the voice of your soul and that voice wants you to be happy or else it wouldn’t give you all these dreams! Trusting your dreams is trusting your intuition. Practice adding on to these daydreams visions of you actually bridging the gap between where you are now and where you want to be. What steps are necessary for you to leave that sucky job and get your dream job? Scary, yes, your gremlin will tell you so. Notice it, keep dreaming, and taking action. Your gremlin voices come from your head, but your intuitional voice come from your heart. In my opinion, most of us live 99% of the time in our heads (especially if you are a part of my community, you smart, go-getting woman,you!). It takes practice and slowing down (what’s that?) to listen to our hearts. Often times I ask clients a big, pondering question during a coaching session and they respond quickly, without any hesitation, but that answer surprises them, or they backpedal. For instance, say I asked you if you could do anything for the next month, what would it be? And you responded with, “I’d get on a plane, go to an animal sanctuary that I follow on Instagram and volunteer there. But, there’s no way I could actually do that!” I know immediately that the initial answer came from their heart and the excuse came from their head. I respond with, “What if you answered that question just from your heart instead of your head?” and always they respond with something to the effect of, “Huh….let me sit with that for a minute.” Read the rest of the article HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode officially kicks off a series I’m calling Conversations About Shit That Matters with Unqualified People. Today, my friend Elizabeth DiAlto and I are talking about doing the work in terms of racism, white supremacy, and more. You might wonder what this has to do with personal development? Well, the deeper I get into my own personal development work and even trainings, the more I can see that the root of the problems many of us face (feeling not good enough, lack of confidence, etc.) is rooted in white supremacy and patriarchy. And trust me when I tell you there was a time many years ago when I would have disagreed with that. However, back then I hadn’t done enough work, nor (although largely unconscious at the time) had I wanted to admit that a system that I largely benefitted from could be the problem. One of the heavy topics I am passionate about dismantling is rape culture. The system that normalizes and trivializes the sexual assault and harassment of women. The idea that women’s bodies are disposable and that sexual violence is normal. A couple of years ago I realized that there is a direct connection from rape culture to both patriarchy and white supremacy, and so began my work over here on my own, so I can better educate. This episode is the very beginning of that. Also, as I mention in this episode, I have two solo episodes coming up in the next few months about core beliefs and inner critic that were suggested by Patreon members. I’ve decided to let go of advertising and sponsorships on the podcast, but in order to still be able to support the costs of the show, I’ve introduced ways for listeners to do that. When you become a Patron, there are perks! Including being able to suggest show topics, getting your personal development questions answered on Listener Q & A episodes, monthly Ask Me Anything calls, book giveaways and more (Last AMA call I answered a question from one of our patrons who had a question about an uncomfortable situation with her friends that she wanted my advice about. The month before that, someone asked about starting her own coaching business. I’ll answer virtually ANY question you have on those particular calls)! Head on over HERE to check out the different tiers and I thank you for supporting the show! Back to today’s episode! Although this isn’t a teaching/expert interview episode, Elizabeth and I explore some important topics, including: To be a true ally, you must perform acts of solidarity (15 minutes and 48 seconds) Unpacking white supremacy and white privilege: the power of group. community, safe processing buddies, and collective intelligence (24:04) Shaming and tone policing in social media (25:54) An important distinction between shaming and holding people accountable; and fragility (30:27) Being of mixed race, whitewashing cultures, and being ethnically ambiguous (40:05) Dropping unconscious biases and exploring assumptions about health and overweight people (48:10) http://yourkickasslife.com/247 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I have the pleasure of introducing you all to the brilliant and kind, Dr. John Duffy. Dr. Duffy is the author of the number-one best-selling book, The Available Parent. He is a nationally-recognized expert in self-awareness, relationships, and parenting. He is also the host of the podcast, Undue Anxiety. I met Dr. Duffy while on my book tour for, How To Stop Feeling Like Shit. Following our conversation (I was a guest on his podcast), I knew I wanted to have Dr. John on my show to talk about the very tender topic of depression, because it’s his speciality. Whether you are battling depression or you know someone who is, today’s topic is one that touches so many lives. Today we talk all about depression, how it shows up, why it’s not your job to fix a loved one’s depression and some ways you can support them. Plus, we touch on boundaries as it relates to depression and what to do if you are a parent of a child who may be struggling with some form of mental illness or depression. In this episode you’ll hear: How depression might show up in people’s lives and what it may look like Some ways you can support someone who is struggling with depression Therapies, tools, medications, and treatments for depression, today, as opposed to 25 years ago, really do work The U.S. is seeing an increase in suicide rates more than other countries: Dr. Duffy shares why he thinks this may be and why excessive stimuli could be part of the reason Changing gender dynamics, gender biases, and marketing: how they play into an increase in alcohol consumption and addiction by women What to do when you suspect your child is struggling with depression or another form of mental illness http://yourkickasslife.com/246 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back with another Listener Q & A episode! I plan to do these every quarter, and if you’re a member of Patreon, you can submit your questions for me and one of my expert friends to answer on an episode. Today I have my BFF and fellow life coach, Amy Smith of The Joy Junkie joining us to answer a listener question about her family. We get a little off track talking about poop, but it’s one of those things that happens to everyone! 🙈 The Listener’s questions are: How do you navigate family/friends when it comes to your self help journey? Whether it be your spouse/partner who is trying to help, but may be too pushy or you feel like you're disappointing him when you are not reaching your goals quickly. Or maybe your family who may be trying to protect you. They don't exactly discourage you, but are not exactly supportive of your big goals. Or your friends/family who will not let you forget your past mistakes? Constantly bringing up embarrassing situations or failures. Sometimes I feel like I am responsible for everyone's goals. And sometimes that makes me not want to try at all. It is a lot and I do not know where to begin. I have a large family and sometimes it feels like I am the only one who wants a better life. It is very overwhelming and discouraging. I feel like I have to make enough money to ensure my parents/brothers/sisters are financially set for life. Makes me not want to try harder because then more will be expected of me. Sometimes I wish I could be happy in mediocrity. Listen in as Amy and I give her advice on what to do and say in these tricky situations. Family can be the hardest to navigate, and virtually no one is immune to this! Thank you to our courageous listener for not only asking the questions, but taking initiate to change a situation in her life that she’s not happy about! http://yourkickasslife.com/245 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Diet culture and weight loss is really complicated. Following my episodes a few months ago on body image and diet culture with my good friend Kate Anthony, I was genuinely curious about what I may not know as it relates to diet culture, holistic nutrition and even the body positivity movement. I knew I had to ask an expert - all.the.things. And so, joining me this week is integrated health coach, host of the podcast Insatiable, and founder of Truce with Food®, Ali Shapiro. Today, Ali shares candidly her journey to body acceptance in her twenties, many years following her battle with childhood cancer, weight issues (she had her first Weight Watchers weigh-in at age 11) and emotional eating. We also talk in-depth about the many layers of diet culture, self-sabotage, and the difference between being self-aware rather than self-critical. In this episode you’ll hear: Ali’s journey to body acceptance and how she got to where she is today Ali’s view on diet culture and how she describes it as a product of patriarchy, white-supremacy, and capitalism Three patterns of conflict styles, self-sabotage and your inner-protector Vulnerability, belonging and how it relates to food/body struggles Listening to your body in a more methodical way The one question we need to ask when our mental food/body doubts creep in This episode is so rich with information, you may have to listen to it more than once. http://yourkickasslife.com/244 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I recently came across a video created by a young woman named Claire Wineman. Terminally ill with Cystic Fibrosis, she says that even though she’s going to die sooner than most and that no one can control the fact that their going to die someday, what can can control is if we’re living a life we’re proud of. I LOVED this message because that’s also my mission. The mission of YKAL is two-fold. I help women feel less alone and help them create and live a life they are proud of. So, how do we do this? What’s the path? Of course I don’t have all the answers, to all the things, but in my decade of experience helping women create lives their proud of and from walking through my own fire, creating a life I’m proud of, I think I have a handle on it. Here’s some questions I compiled to help you do this: Do you know what your values are and what they look like? Do you know what it means and looks like to have compassion for yourself? And do you practice it? Do you know what it means to have compassion for others? (Because when we don’t, check what kind of expectations you have. The expectations you have of others are often directly correlated to the expectations you have of yourself.) Do you know where you need to set boundaries? Do you know how to do that? Do you show up for the few people in your life that need you? Like really show up? Want a print out of all these questions and space foryou to journal on them? Of course you do!Do you ALLOW people to show up for you? And when they do, do you show them ALL of you, not just “the facts”? Do you take care of your physical body? Do you feel your feelings or do you stuff them and numb them away? Do you take care of your spirit? Do you take care of your financial house? Is there anything else you feel in your soul that you need to change that will make you proud of who you are? http://yourkickasslife.com/243 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Corinne Zupko is my guest this week on the podcast. She is the author of the best-selling book, From Anxiety to Love: A Radical New Approach For Letting Go of Fear and Finding Lasing Peace. And yes, today we are talking all about anxiety. In fact, anxiety focused episodes are the most popular episodes of the podcast. So, I know it’s what many of you want to hear about! In today’s episode, we talk about Corrine’s book and her inspiration to write it on this topic. She shares openly about her personal experiences with anxiety, panic attacks and phobias; and how her introduction to a particular kind of spirituality helped her recover from her anxiety and panic disorder. Plus, I share some of my own experiences with panic attacks and anxiety. And, later, Corrinne shares her thoughts on meditation and a three-step recipe for healing. Even if you don’t struggle with clinical anxiety, this episode touches on topics and information that is helpful to all. In this episode you’ll hear: Corinne’s inspiration to write a book on anxiety (5 minutes and 12 seconds) Corinne’s take on spirituality and her work with anxiety and healing (13:19) Distinguishing between the inner therapist voice (intuition) and the ego voice (inner critic) (19:30) A three-step recipe for healing (34:05) Resources from this episode Corinne’s website Corinne’s book Episode 153: Listener Q & A on anxiety and what to do about it Corinne’s podcast episode with John Mark Straud: Episode 8: “How to ‘hear’ guidance” ---- There are FOUR spots left for The Mentorship, which is a group program that incorporates The Daring Way™ and so much more. This is for women who are ready to take their personal development to the next level. I’ve decided to hop on a video call on August 28th at 3pm Eastern time (noon Pacific). No need to sign up for anything, just put this link in your calendar and join me at that date and time! Plus, it costs ZERO dollars! I’ll be covering: The four main topics to study in your life that will help you IMMENSELY with your confidence, relationships with others, and your general well-being. What the process of shame resilience actually is. The BIG surprise I had in 2011 which made me change the course of my coaching practice and go in the direction I’ve stayed in all these years. Plus, any questions you have about The Mentorship! I love doing these live videos with you (and yes, there will be a replay if you can’t be there live!) and sharing this work with you! Even if you don’t think The Mentorship is for you right now, you don’t want to miss this on the 28th! See you there! http://yourkickasslife.com/242 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I am excited, on so many levels, to have Geneen Roth on the show with me this week. She is the author of ten books, including the just released This Messy Magnificent Life. I was first introduced to Geneen and her writing, when I read her book, Women Food and God. It was one of the first books I read about how what we eat is connected to our core beliefs. I have since consumed many of her books and one of the reasons why I am happy she was my guest. In this episode, Geneen and I talk about her newest book, the evolution of her relationship with food and some of our meditation failures. Plus, we talk all about the inner critic, which Geneen calls, “the crazy aunt in the attic,” and Geneen offers some ways to manage her. In this episode you’ll hear: Wanting something more and deeper (7 minutes and 4 seconds) How Geneen’s relationship with food evolved over time and how the journey is depicted through her books (9:05) Our failures at meditation and insightful advice for those that are about to get started (15:49) All about the crazy aunt in the attic and how Geneen teaches people to deal with her (20:52) How to catch the background noise of the inner critic (28:10) http://www.yourkickasslife.com/241 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the podcast, my guest is Amber Rae, author of the book Choose Wonder Over Worry: Move Beyond Fear and Doubt to Unlock Your Full Potential. And, y’all, you know I get really excited when I have a guest on the show to talk about their new book. I cannot wait to introduce Amber to you. Amber is also an artist and speaker whose work invites you to live your truth, befriend your emotions, and express your gifts. Today, Amber and I talk about playing small, how to move beyond fear and instead go all in. Plus, Amber shares her unique way of classifying wonder and worry, listening to your inner guide and how to turn life’s messy moments into something beautiful. In this episode you’ll hear: How to distinguish when choosing small projects, how to say no, and to claim the life you really want (18:24) Classifying wonder & worry in distinct ways (21:44) Some ways we can be more in tune with our inner guide (27:37) How to turn something messy and fearful into something beautiful (32:52) The fear of rejection and what others think of you (38:24) http://www.yourkickasslife.com/240 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You’ve probably listened to hundreds of podcasts, read or listened to dozens of books, and have probably done a lot of work on yourself just from the awareness you’ve gained from those efforts. And I’m going to ask you to do more. Because sometimes we look at the metaview of how we want our life to change and it seems too daunting. Sometimes we look at other people’s lives and wonder how we will ever get to the place where we’re like them (well, the story we make up that is their life). Sometimes we feel like there are so many moving parts to personal development, where one thing leads to another and so on and so forth and where is the end to all this growth? (Hint: there isn’t an end.) So, I compiled a short list (not an exhaustive one, just a start) of small actions you can do today or this week or sometime soon that will make a difference. As you’ve heard me say over and over again, courage (even in the face of fear) brings confidence-- the knowledge that we can do hard things and even if we do the hard thing and fall on our face, we then realize we’ll live through it. In no particular order... Having a hard conversation. Who is the person you need to talk to? What is the thing you are afraid to say? What can you do this week to take a step in that direction? Controlled emoting. You may remember me talking about this in How To Stop Feeling Like Shit about controlled emoting. That thing you’ve been stuffing down? Feel it. Writing a letter you’ll never send. It can be to anyone or anything. It can be angry, sad, full of rage, I hate you, anything and everything you’re feeling about something happening. Write it to your mom, your president, your ex, your fear, the patriarchy, anything that brings up the uncomfortable feelings you’re trying not to feel. Researching starting your own business. Whether you want it to be a complete career change, a hobby, or a side hustle, so many people want to do this and never start. Research is the first step. Go to that poetry reading. Or open mic comedy night. Or political meeting. That place you’ve been thinking about that makes you uncomfortable but is the source of the fire in your belly. Throw out all the stuff from your ex that you’ve been meaning to throw away. Whatever you need to do to cleanse old energy. Maybe it’s just cleaning out your closet or your garage. Out with the old. Start that creative project you’ve been thinking about for forever. Too many times we put off creativity as a luxury, or being unproductive. If you wait until it doesn’t feel like that, you’ll wait forever. Just carve out 30 minutes and do it. (Remember, in the corresponding podcast episode, I go into more detail and even give you a pep talk at the end.) And hey! If you’re ready to take even BIGGER action, check out The Mentorship. I’m taking 12 women who are ready to do the work, on an epic adventure this fall. I’d love to chat with you about it if you think it’s a good fit. http://yourkickasslife.com/239 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlie Gilkey joins me on the podcast today. Charlie is known for his knowledge around the topic of productivity and who doesn’t want to be more productive? Am I right? Charlie is a sought-out after advisor and speaker on all things business and productivity. But have no fear, whether you are a business owner or not - his teachings can be applied to all facets of your life. In this episode Charlie and I talk about overwhelm versus overload, why we don’t make time for self-care, and the various ways to block time in order to be more productive. Plus, we discuss the behaviors and actions that get in the way of productivity, “wtf” moments and being in the moment. In this episode you’ll hear: Combating overwhelm by looking at your ‘overload’ (4 minutes and 40 seconds) Time blocking and how it can be used to help us be more productive (6:22) Illuminating “invisible tasks”, such as turning off the lights or cleaning up after family (9:26) Why self-care is typically last on our to-do list and the first to get pushed off (13:28) Charlie’s Random Wednesday Self-Care Challenge (15:26) Courage, boundaries and discipline; how they relate to each other (22:42) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s episode comes in two parts. First, I’m joined by my friend Ella, who participated in a sprint triathlon with me last month. You’ll hear how she SMOKED me and what I thought of that! Then, I’m sharing with you what I’ve learned from triathlons, both the training and the race itself. Sports can always be great metaphors for life, and triathlon is no different (You might remember an episode I did on what roller derby can teach you about life). Obviously, the audio podcast goes into much more, but here are seven ways triathlon is just like life: Consistency matters. I’ve done a total of about 15 races in my life, ranging from sprint triathlons to a half marathon. I’ve trained well and I’ve trained not well. I’m stating the obvious here, but when you train consistent, you’ll see better results. Yes, you might miss a workout here and there, but if the majority of your training is consistent, you’ll do well. And when you join a training group and/or hire a coach, you’ll see even bigger strides. This is the same with personal development. When you use your tools consistently, you’ll see better results. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with people on negative self-talk, they use one tool once, and they get exasperated that they still have negative self-talk. That’s like working out once in your life, competing in a triathlon and expecting to win the whole thing. It’s not going to happen like that, you need consistency. Persistency matters. Directly related to what I just stated, you must keep going despite difficulty. In triathlon training, your muscles will get tired. You’ll not want to do that brick workout. You’ll get tired of the chlorine hair. You’ll realize how slow you are and feel like it’s not worth it. But, there’s nothing like the feeling of carrying on when it’s gets hard. The feeling of strength and courage is what builds confidence. In self-help, sometimes it’s discouraging when none of your friends are into (btw, you can look for more friends), or when you feel like you’re not growing at the rate you want to or think you should. Or maybe you’re digging into a topic with your therapist that is bringing up trauma for you and you’re ready to quit it all, wishing you could go back to just living on the “surface” of your life. But, persistency is key. You must keep going because it matters and you matter. If you fall off the habit, just get back on. Maybe you get sick or injured, maybe you just get lazy and don’t train for a week. And then you think all your training was for nothing. So, might as well quit, right? NO! Like Dori says, just keep swimming (and running and cycling)! In personal development, you will have setbacks. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. And many times when that happens, you might feel like throwing in the towel. You’ll feel like you already worked on this and you have to start over, which feels discouraging. But, in order to have the life you want, to get the results you want in your life, you have to get back on the horse. It’s that simple. Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like. I don’t like to workout first thing in the morning. I don’t like to try and put on a sports bra after swimming when I feel like I’m trying to put on a strait jacket while soaking wet. I don’t like coming in last place in my age group. But, I do it all anyway. Obviously I’m not going to do things that put me in danger (although some would argue that swimming in open water puts you at risk for getting eaten by the Loch Ness Monster), but the things I don’t like during triathlon training are uncomfortable. Read the rest of the article HERE http://yourkickasslife.com/237 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

lives. Plus, we talk all about the power in motherhood. This episode, is NOT just for moms! I know even if you don’t have kids, you’ll get a lot out of this interview! In this episode you’ll hear: Sara’s pivot out of the fitness industry and into the launch of Shameless Mom Academy (7 minutes and 15 seconds) Performing well in fear; plus walking into fear and upleveling your life (20:41) Where women are limiting themselves and the action steps to take to live bigger lives (23:55) The power in motherhood and what many are missing (36:08) Living reactive versus proactive and its significance for growth and power (44:04) The YKAL Patreon party is in full swing! If you haven’t heard, the podcast is becoming listener supported, and by doing so I’m creating a community of YKAL podcast listeners who will be able to suggest guests, get their personal questions answered on Listener Q & A episodes, have opportunities to be gifted the books from guests I have on the show and SO MUCH MORE! Head on over to check out and become a patron! http://yourkickasslife.com/236 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the podcast Alionka Polanco joins me. She is an NYU-certified life and success coach, she is the founder The Big Vision Mastermind and author of "Beyond Profit: The Successful Woman's Guide to a Meaningful Life." Alionka and I have had a kindred friendship from afar for quite some time, including following each other and chatting on social media, and we even tried to meet up in real life (which sadly did not work out). That is why I am so excited to have her on the show. And, I am equally excited to share her amazing energy with you! In this episode we talk about living a fuller life, resolving fear, and getting clear on what you want. Plus, we talk all about our witch lineage, claiming the power of magic, and how the growth process can be a scary thing. In this episode you’ll hear: When Alionka realized she no longer needed to fit into a mold and how it made her feel (7 minutes and 58 seconds) Having the courage to get rid of what you don’t want and releasing what doesn’t serve you (12:10) One turtle step to help you get clear on what you truly do want (15:32) Waking up to spirituality, spirit guides, and our witchy maternal lineage (19:54) The fear of power, plus your definition of power (33:09) The Four Agreements and how to not take things personally (43:48) Also, these are the final few days to grab your extra bonuses over on Patreon! The podcast is becoming listener supported, and by doing so I’m creating a community of YKAL podcast listeners who will be able to suggest guests, get their personal questions answered on Listener Q & A episodes, have opportunities to be gifted the books from guests I have on the show and SO MUCH MORE! Head on over to check out and become a patron! http://yourkickasslife.com/235 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today is a great day because Laura Powers is back on the podcast! Laura is a celebrity psychic who has been featured by Buzzfeed, NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and many other media outlets. Not too long ago, Laura and I began talking about the inner-critic. And she happens to have a slightly different perspective on the inner-critic than I do. I love it when guests can come on to share their unique view on managing negative self-talk so you have even more tools to learn and grow. In this episode we begin with a conversation about the inner critic, of course. We then move on to talking about Mercury in Retrograde, the healing power of sleep and empathetic energy. This was such an interesting conversation. So much so, I may even have Laura (whom I’ve dubbed our ‘in-house psychic’) back on the podcast again! In this episode: Laura’s unique view about our thoughts, things we are receiving externally, and the inner critic (8:10) Mercury in Retrograde; what it means and how can it affect the world around us (20:27) The healing power of sleep (28:32) Empathetic energy, it’s possible your feelings are actually not yours (40:00) http://yourkickasslife.com/234 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On June 12th, 2008, I published my first blog post. I had no idea I would go on to create the YKAL community I’ve since created, I just knew I loved personal development and wanted to share it with the world, or at least 5 or 6 people who might read my little blog. A decade later, I’ve switched from “Live Your Ideal Life” to what you know now as “Your Kick-Ass Life”, wrote and published 2 books (the second being translated into 15 languages, wait, what!?), nearly 250 podcast episodes, helped thousands of women in their lives and I’ve learned a lot. Here’s some things I’ve learned just about writing alone... Writing makes you a better writer. One of the simplest pieces of advice I ever got and absolutely the truest. To be a better swimmer, you swim. To be a better kung fu fighter, you kung fu fight. Writing is the same, it’s getting your butt in the seat (unless you have a standing desk, if so, yay you!) and write. If you’re really committed, try to write every day. Write like no one is reading. This might be easy if you journal and lock it up in your safe that has 17 lock combinations on it and you’re sure no one will read it, but sometimes we are bloggers, freelance writers, and Facebook status updaters. We know people are reading and that knowing can change the way we write and express ourselves.When we do this, a little or a lot of bullshit can creep in. We start to worry about what people will think, we might skew our opinion to not seem “too much” of something, and things can go sideways, fast.If you want to write with your whole heart, if you want to tap into the innermost parts of yourself that are raw and real and uncensored, you must write like no one is reading. But also write like people are reading. I know I just gave you a heartfelt sermon on writing like no one is reading, but you have to know your audience once you create a community of readers. This lesson doesn’t apply if you’re writing with no goal in mind except to write (ie you’re not trying to build a business now or even eventually). If you want to grow your writing community, whatever that looks like, you must get to know who your best followers are. Follow your intuition, and listen to your audience at the same time. You will get criticism, even if it’s just about your grammar. A wise woman once said, “You haven’t made it until you get a hater” and “hater” being anyone from a troll to someone who criticizes your work. There’s thoughtful criticism which is basically just feedback that argues your points, opinions, or work in general, and then there’s people who are just dicks.The thing is, if you keep writing or putting your art out there, you will eventually get criticism. You’re not for everyone, and that’s okay. Read the rest of this article HERE http://yourkickasslife.com/233 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I welcome Scott Stabile to the podcast. He is the author of the book, Big Love. I’ve been watching him from afar for a while now. I heard him on another podcast, began following him on social media, and then read his book. Scott has such an amazing and heart-wrenching story, but it is one of resilience and strength. And, I knew I just had to introduce him to you! In this episode we talk a lot about love and forgiveness. We touch on Scott’s story, including how he evolved into being a teacher on the topic of love. Plus, we explore the topics of compassion and empathy, how small things matter, and how to show up for yourself. In this episode you’ll hear: Making the commitment to live our lives from love Does our life purpose really matter? The path to forgiveness is empathy Empathy, compassion and boundaries Scott explains how the writing process can be a powerful tool http://yourkickasslife.com/232 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kate Courageous is back on the YKAL podcast, y’all! She was one of my first podcast guests, way back in 2013. She is a dear friend of mine, as well, and I am thrilled she is back, this time to share her thoughts on fear, courage, and the inner-critic. Kate is also the author of The Courage Habit: How to Accept Your Fears, Release the Past, and Live Your Courageous Life. I am so happy her book is available! Today, we talk all about her new book and living more courageous lives. Plus, we cover the brain science behind courage habits, and identifying and then dealing with habits that are holding you back. In this episode you’ll hear: Four fear patterns that get people stuck (4 minutes and 36 seconds) Some ways we try to deal with fear (10:25) The more you go into the things you fear, the wider your comfort zone becomes (17:07) Reaching out and creating a community, courage-based values, and being vulnerable (22:17) Fear is a wound and needs understanding and how to strike a balance with fear (34:39) Also, did you know I’m back to doing weekly Facebook and Instagram Live videos? Join me on Thursday’s at noon Eastern time (9am Pacific) on either Instagram or Facebook as I talk about a personal development lesson (~ 10 minutes).(If you miss it, you can see archived videos on Facebook or my YouTube channel). http://yourkickasslife.com/231 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey ass kickers! Well, after nearly 10 years of blogging, 5 years and 228 podcast episodes, I’m FINALLY doing a favorite things episode! I tried to record both as a regular podcast episode AND video, but alas, I had an technology FAIL on the video side, so these images will have to do! So, without further ado, here are some of my favorite things… Misc. Golden Girls coasters. I don’t even think I need to sell you on this one. Hair and beauty: Nume Curling Wand- When I do actually do my hair, I use this curling wand. I’ve had a few different ones, and this one by far is my favorite. I often get comments on my hair and on one occasion was chased down in Target by a breathless woman asking me how I got my curls. Lush’s Sea Salt Spray-- I’ve tried several Sea Salt sprays, even a big brand name that will go unnamed, but they’ve all been a huge waste of money, until I tried Lush’s brand. The smell is amazing, it’s not sticky, and works great. MAC Cosmetics Studio Fix-- I use the powder (BTW, that link will take you to my shade, NC30, but you probably want to go somewhere where they sell it so someone can match your skin tone). Super easy to put on (I use a brush) and I use to even out my skin tone. Add a little blush, eyebrow pencil, and mascara and I’m done. The bralette- Two of my favorites are here and here. Great for the small to medium breasted women who don’t need a whole lot of support. Gold bond hand cream- I feel like such a grandma with this, but… I have really dry skin and can’t stand it when my hands feel dry. I’ve tried approximately 17,000 different hand creams and this one BY FAR is my favorite. It’s not greasy (unless you use way too much), and it works, even through a hand washing. I keep the small tubes in different drawers all over my house, in my purse, and in the car. I don’t consider myself a super techie person, but these are the apps I can’t live without AND they’re all easy to use. Check out the rest of this recommendations HERE http://yourkickasslife.com/230 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the YKAL podcast I am joined by Jeannine Yoder, a New York Times Featured Business & Feminine Leadership Coach For Coaches, Broadway Starlet and the Founder of Mentor Masterclass. Jeannine has such an incredible story of resilience and redemption. And you know how I love a good redemption story! In this episode Jeannine shares how she overcame a really difficult childhood, one surrounded by drug addicted parents, chaos and trauma. She talks openly about her path to healing, which spanned many years. Plus, she goes on to share how she ‘rose from the ashes’ and became a broadway star. Finally, she offers some of her own advice for healing the parental wound and making peace with it all. In this episode you’ll hear: Jeannine share in detail her childhood story and what she learned the most from her experiences (5 minutes and 58 seconds) Not being a victim of circumstances, plus listening to your inner voice to empower and guide you through life decisions (11:07) How to love your life with your whole being and still be healing and lessons learned from attending AA meetings with her father (16:00) Becoming a broadway star; the lifestyle of an artist (19:17) Jeannine’s tools and strategies for healing the mother wound (26:56) The greatest way to healing your story is by telling your story (38:10) Also, did you know I’m back to doing weekly Facebook and Instagram Live videos? Join me on Thursday’s at noon Eastern time (9am Pacific) on either Instagram or Facebookas I talk about a personal development lesson (~ 10 minutes).(If you miss it, you can see archived videos on Facebook or my YouTube channel). http://yourkickasslife.com/229 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices