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The Secret by Rhonda Byrne has become one of the most widely discussed personal development books in the world, introducing millions of readers to the idea that our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence the experiences we create in our lives. At its core, the book explores the Law of Attraction and invites readers to consider how awareness of our inner world can shape the direction of our outer lives.

This episode explores the central concepts presented in the book, including the role of dominant thoughts, emotional awareness, gratitude, visualization, and the creative process of Ask, Believe, and Receive. Rather than treating these ideas as quick formulas for success, the conversation focuses on how they can be applied thoughtfully and realistically in everyday life. The discussion examines how our beliefs about money, relationships, health, and identity influence the way we move through the world, and how shifting our focus toward possibility and intention can open new pathways for growth.

Listeners will also explore practical ways to apply these ideas, including developing awareness of thought patterns, recognizing feelings as feedback, practicing gratitude in advance, and allowing space for the next step to unfold without needing to control every outcome. These reflections invite a deeper look at how mindset, attention, and emotional patterns influence personal transformation.

Books like The Secret can become powerful tools for reflection when they are explored slowly and intentionally. Engaging with these ideas in conversation, questioning them, and applying them to real life creates opportunities for meaningful growth. This episode offers a thoughtful exploration of the book’s teachings and invites listeners to consider how greater awareness, self-trust, and intentional focus can support the life they are ready to create.

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Looking for your next great read? Download my free guide — 10 Books Every Badass Woman Should Read — a curated list of empowering books that inspire growth, confidence, and connection. Grab it ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠!

If you love conversations like this and want to read and reflect alongside other book-loving women, you’re invited to join Badass Book Besties — my book club community where we read together, meet live, and have real, honest discussions about books and life.

And if you’re craving deeper support — whether that’s clarity, confidence, creative momentum, or building a life that actually feels like yours — I also offer one-on-one coaching for dreamers and writers. You can learn more about working with me at Badass Books and Besties Coaching Packages.

Thanks for being here, bestie. I’m so glad you’re listening.

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In this episode, Brianna shares a thoughtful and realistic approach to building a writing habit that fits into real life, even when things feel busy, overwhelming, or unpredictable.

Drawing from a recent writing group session, she talks about why so many writers struggle with consistency, why motivation alone is rarely enough, and how small, flexible routines can make writing feel possible again.

You’ll learn how to design a writing habit that works with your energy, schedule, and responsibilities instead of against them, as well as how to let go of perfectionism and build forgiveness into your creative process.

If you’ve ever felt discouraged about “falling off” your writing routine or unsure how to stay connected to your creativity, this episode offers encouragement, practical guidance, and a gentle reminder that slow and steady progress truly counts.

Plus, learn how to join Brianna’s free book club for more connection, conversation, and support around books, writing, and creative life. Join us in the Badass Book Besties Community

Support the show

Looking for your next great read? Download my free guide — 10 Books Every Badass Woman Should Read — a curated list of empowering books that inspire growth, confidence, and connection. Grab it ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠!

If you love conversations like this and want to read and reflect alongside other book-loving women, you’re invited to join Badass Book Besties — my book club community where we read together, meet live, and have real, honest discussions about books and life.

And if you’re craving deeper support — whether that’s clarity, confidence, creative momentum, or building a life that actually feels like yours — I also offer one-on-one coaching for dreamers and writers. You can learn more about working with me at Badass Books and Besties Coaching Packages.

Thanks for being here, bestie. I’m so glad you’re listening.

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In this deeply personal episode of Badass Books and Besties, Brianna shares the five books that shaped her 2025 and explains why this year of reading meant more to her than any other.

After a year marked by grief, growth, and major life transitions, she reflects on how reading supported her emotionally, creatively, and personally during one of the most meaningful seasons of her life. These are not just favorite books, but the stories that helped her process loss, understand relationships more deeply, and reflect on the woman she is becoming.

In this episode, Brianna talks about:

• Why 2025 was such a meaningful reading year
• What kind of books she found herself craving during a season of grief and transition
• How reading became a form of emotional support and healing
• The five books that stayed with her long after she finished them

Featured books include:

• Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune
• Radium Girls by Kate Moore
• The Origins of You by Vienna Pharaon
• Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
• The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon

Brianna also shares why she created her free guide, 10 Badass Books Every Woman Should Read. This was created specifically for women who want to read with more intention and choose books that truly change how they think about their lives, their relationships, and themselves.

If you are a woman who loves reading, is navigating grief or personal growth, or simply wants better book recommendations, this episode is for you.

Support the show

Looking for your next great read? Download my free guide — 10 Books Every Badass Woman Should Read — a curated list of empowering books that inspire growth, confidence, and connection. Grab it ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠!

If you love conversations like this and want to read and reflect alongside other book-loving women, you’re invited to join Badass Book Besties — my book club community where we read together, meet live, and have real, honest discussions about books and life.

And if you’re craving deeper support — whether that’s clarity, confidence, creative momentum, or building a life that actually feels like yours — I also offer one-on-one coaching for dreamers and writers. You can learn more about working with me at Badass Books and Besties Coaching Packages.

Thanks for being here, bestie. I’m so glad you’re listening.

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In this episode of Badass Books & Besties, we’re diving deep into Book Club Session 2 of Untamed by Glennon Doyle—and this conversation is honest, layered, and anything but surface-level.

Pulled straight from one of our live Badass Book Besties discussions, this episode captures real women reacting in real time to Untamed: what resonated, what challenged us, and what didn’t sit right. We talk openly about purpose, the pressure to be endlessly productive, and the complicated question of what it actually means to feel “enough”—especially as women navigating work, relationships, expectations, and identity.

This isn’t a polished book review or a highlight reel of quotes. It’s a candid book club conversation where we explore:

• How productivity and hustle culture get tied to worthiness
• Why rest can feel like failure—and why that’s so hard to unlearn
• The idea that heartbreak and anger might point us toward purpose
• Contradictions in Untamed that sparked debate and frustration
• Confidence, imposter syndrome, and why women downplay themselves
• What “being untamed” really looks like in real life—not just on the page

If you listened to Session 1, this episode builds on that foundation and goes deeper into the messy middle of the book—where inspiration, discomfort, and disagreement all collide. And if you’re new here, you’ll quickly learn this is a space where you don’t have to pretend a book worked for you just because it’s popular.

Whether Untamed empowered you, irritated you, or left you conflicted, this conversation invites you to think more deeply about your own relationship with purpose, productivity, and self-worth.

🎧 Press play, pour a drink, and join us for one of our most thought-provoking book club conversations yet.

Support the show

Looking for your next great read? Download my free guide — 10 Books Every Badass Woman Should Read — a curated list of empowering books that inspire growth, confidence, and connection. Grab it ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠!

If you love conversations like this and want to read and reflect alongside other book-loving women, you’re invited to join Badass Book Besties — my book club community where we read together, meet live, and have real, honest discussions about books and life.

And if you’re craving deeper support — whether that’s clarity, confidence, creative momentum, or building a life that actually feels like yours — I also offer one-on-one coaching for dreamers and writers. You can learn more about working with me at Badass Books and Besties Coaching Packages.

Thanks for being here, bestie. I’m so glad you’re listening.

Send a text

In this episode of Badass Books & Besties, we’re sharing Book Club Session 1 of Untamed by Glennon Doyle — pulled straight from a live, real-time discussion inside our book club.

This is not a review or a recap. It’s an honest, unfiltered conversation between women of different generations responding to the ideas and themes in Untamed and how they show up in real life. We talk openly about freedom, expectations, feminism, religion, bodily autonomy, beauty standards, social media pressure, and the ways women are conditioned to shrink, perform, and seek approval.

You’ll hear different perspectives, strong opinions, moments of disagreement, humor, reflection, and yes — strong language. This episode includes feminist topics and candid discussions about sex, relationships, and autonomy. It’s thoughtful, sometimes uncomfortable, and very real.

If you’ve read Untamed and found yourself questioning your own conditioning, or if you’re curious why this book has resonated so deeply with so many women, this conversation offers a grounded, relatable entry point. And if you haven’t read the book yet, you’ll still walk away with plenty to think about.

This episode is part of an ongoing Untamed book club series. If you’re craving more conversations like this — real-time discussions, thoughtful reads, and a community of women who aren’t afraid to talk about the hard stuff — that’s exactly what we do inside the Badass Book Besties.

Support the show

Looking for your next great read? Download my free guide — 10 Books Every Badass Woman Should Read — a curated list of empowering books that inspire growth, confidence, and connection. Grab it ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠!

If you love conversations like this and want to read and reflect alongside other book-loving women, you’re invited to join Badass Book Besties — my book club community where we read together, meet live, and have real, honest discussions about books and life.

And if you’re craving deeper support — whether that’s clarity, confidence, creative momentum, or building a life that actually feels like yours — I also offer one-on-one coaching for dreamers and writers. You can learn more about working with me at Badass Books and Besties Coaching Packages.

Thanks for being here, bestie. I’m so glad you’re listening.

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In this conversation, you’ll meet Dr. Melanie McNally—licensed clinical psychologist, brain coach, and author of The Emotionally Intelligent Teen and Helping Your Unmotivated Teen. You’ll hear how emotional intelligence really works (it’s more than “people skills”), why self-awareness without self-regulation can spike anxiety, and an instant tool you can use anywhere to calm your nervous system. We also dive into writing routines (time-blocking vs. “waiting for inspiration”), handling tough editor feedback, and the power of stories to change behavior. Bonus: you’ll get a peek at Melanie’s next book inspired by dog-sledding (“mushing”) and what leaders and parents can learn from it.

If you support teens (or love one), if you’re a writer who craves momentum, or if you’re ready to feel less overwhelmed and more you, this one’s for you.

What you’ll learn

• The 3 pillars of Emotional Intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, interpersonal skills—and how to strengthen each
• Why Gen Z often has high awareness but low regulation (and what to do about it)
• A 10-second nervous-system reset: the “doublet breath” you can use before tests, hard talks, or stressful moments
• Practical ways to protect writing time, prep your research, and get words down—even when inspiration is MIA
• How to navigate conflicting editorial notes without losing your voice
• Why stories drive change (and how to use them at home, school, and work)

Connect with Dr. Melanie McNally

• Website
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Support the show

Looking for your next great read? Download my free guide — 10 Books Every Badass Woman Should Read — a curated list of empowering books that inspire growth, confidence, and connection. Grab it ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠!

If you love conversations like this and want to read and reflect alongside other book-loving women, you’re invited to join Badass Book Besties — my book club community where we read together, meet live, and have real, honest discussions about books and life.

And if you’re craving deeper support — whether that’s clarity, confidence, creative momentum, or building a life that actually feels like yours — I also offer one-on-one coaching for dreamers and writers. You can learn more about working with me at Badass Books and Besties Coaching Packages.

Thanks for being here, bestie. I’m so glad you’re listening.

Send a text

Why do we keep repeating the same patterns in love, conflict, and self-worth? In this episode of Badass Books & Besties, we dive deep into The Origins of You by therapist Vienna Pharaon—a transformative guide to understanding the emotional wounds that shape our adult lives and how to finally heal them.

You’ll uncover the five core wounds we all carry—worthiness, belonging, prioritization, trust, and safety—and learn how they influence everything from the way we communicate to the way we love. Through real-life examples, journal prompts, and reflection practices, you’ll explore how to:

✨ Recognize when your past is showing up in your present.
✨ Name and understand your emotional wounds without shame.
✨ Rebuild self-trust and create safety in your body.
✨ Communicate your needs clearly and set healthy boundaries.
✨ Reclaim your authenticity and stop performing for love.

This episode is equal parts self-study and soul work—a compassionate roadmap to healing the younger parts of you that still crave love, safety, and belonging.

📚 Book discussed: The Origins of You by Vienna Pharaon

Support the show

Looking for your next great read? Download my free guide — 10 Books Every Badass Woman Should Read — a curated list of empowering books that inspire growth, confidence, and connection. Grab it ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠!

If you love conversations like this and want to read and reflect alongside other book-loving women, you’re invited to join Badass Book Besties — my book club community where we read together, meet live, and have real, honest discussions about books and life.

And if you’re craving deeper support — whether that’s clarity, confidence, creative momentum, or building a life that actually feels like yours — I also offer one-on-one coaching for dreamers and writers. You can learn more about working with me at Badass Books and Besties Coaching Packages.

Thanks for being here, bestie. I’m so glad you’re listening.

Send a text

I will be sharing insight from Part 2, Embrace Your Inner Badass,  of the book,  “You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living An Awesome Life" by Jen Sincero. If you haven’t had a chance to hear Part 1, I would highly recommend checking out episode 17, which is all about how you became who you are and what how you can start the process of becoming who you’re meant to be. 

Today’s main idea (sorry, former English teacher), is all about how to:

👏🏼 love yourself fully without fear

👏🏼 stop worrying what others think

👏🏼 figure out your life’s purpose

👏🏼 remember how much of a badass you really are

Support the show

Looking for your next great read? Download my free guide — 10 Books Every Badass Woman Should Read — a curated list of empowering books that inspire growth, confidence, and connection. Grab it ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠!

If you love conversations like this and want to read and reflect alongside other book-loving women, you’re invited to join Badass Book Besties — my book club community where we read together, meet live, and have real, honest discussions about books and life.

And if you’re craving deeper support — whether that’s clarity, confidence, creative momentum, or building a life that actually feels like yours — I also offer one-on-one coaching for dreamers and writers. You can learn more about working with me at Badass Books and Besties Coaching Packages.

Thanks for being here, bestie. I’m so glad you’re listening.

Send a text

Ever dreamed of writing a book but have no idea where tostart? This episode takes you behind the scenes of the From Idea to Outline workshop — a transformational session that helps writers go from scattered thoughts to a clear, confident writing plan.

Inside, you’ll learn:

✨ How to capture every idea and organize it into a powerful “brain dump” that sparks clarity.

✨ The simple 4-step process that turns chaos into a workable book outline.

✨ How writers used tools like ChatGPT and Trello to visualize their stories from beginning to end.

✨ Real participant breakthroughs — from discovering their book titles to mapping out key scenes they couldn’t wait to write.

✨ Action steps you can take today to finally start your own writing journey.

Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, this episode will help you find focus, structure, and creative momentum so you can turn your story idea into something real.

Watch the full workshop replay here: From Idea to Outline

Ready to build your confidence and spark your creativity through books, writing, and meaningful conversations? Join the Badass Book Besties Membership

Need one-on-one support to write the book of your dreams? Check out Badass Writing Coach Packages

Support the show

Looking for your next great read? Download my free guide — 10 Books Every Badass Woman Should Read — a curated list of empowering books that inspire growth, confidence, and connection. Grab it ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠!

If you love conversations like this and want to read and reflect alongside other book-loving women, you’re invited to join Badass Book Besties — my book club community where we read together, meet live, and have real, honest discussions about books and life.

And if you’re craving deeper support — whether that’s clarity, confidence, creative momentum, or building a life that actually feels like yours — I also offer one-on-one coaching for dreamers and writers. You can learn more about working with me at Badass Books and Besties Coaching Packages.

Thanks for being here, bestie. I’m so glad you’re listening.

Send a text

Elizabeth Zott isn’t just a character—she’s a revolution in a lab coat. In Session 2 of our Female Fiction Reads book club, we’re diving into Bonnie Garmus’ bestselling novel Lessons in Chemistry, a story our group rated an incredible 4.6 out of 5 stars.

This episode explores the powerful themes that made this book unforgettable:

• How Supper at Six transformed kitchens into classrooms of empowerment.
• Why Calvin’s sudden death and Elizabeth’s grief still spark debate.
• The weight of internalized misogyny—and how women continue to push back.
• The bold quotes that made us shout “booyah!” in our discussion.
• Faith, science, and the fight for women to be seen beyond “pretty.”

If you loved Lessons in Chemistry or just want to be part of an honest, empowering book club conversation, you’re in the right place.

📚 Grab your copy of the book here: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

👉 Want to join the conversation live next time? Come hang out with us inside Female Fiction Reads at badassbookbesties.com.

Support the show

Looking for your next great read? Download my free guide — 10 Books Every Badass Woman Should Read — a curated list of empowering books that inspire growth, confidence, and connection. Grab it ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠!

If you love conversations like this and want to read and reflect alongside other book-loving women, you’re invited to join Badass Book Besties — my book club community where we read together, meet live, and have real, honest discussions about books and life.

And if you’re craving deeper support — whether that’s clarity, confidence, creative momentum, or building a life that actually feels like yours — I also offer one-on-one coaching for dreamers and writers. You can learn more about working with me at Badass Books and Besties Coaching Packages.

Thanks for being here, bestie. I’m so glad you’re listening.