Heidi and Ellen take questions from Rikki and Jacqueline. Rikki has been an educator for over a decade. This year, she plans to finally make a big and long-awaited move with her family to Washington State. She is conflicted about continuing her teaching career or taking a chance at something new She wonders if this is the right time for so many changes (5:15). 

Jacqueline has been in career reinvention for the past 8 years, doing emotional and artistic work with children and parents, fine art and digital art, hypnosis, and end-of-life doula training. Recently, she has been working on a big and exciting project that will not come to fruition for some time. In the meanwhile, she needs to find good-paying work. She is at a crossroads (15:00).

Ellen and Heidi also talk about the TV series The Split, the latest episodes of Succession, The Diplomat, Tiny Beautiful Things, and The Last Thing He Told Me. They also share thoughts about building habits and the book, Atomic Habits by James Clear (25:57).

After a full, feisty, fiery Aries season, Heidi and Ellen welcome the quieter, lush, fertile energies of Taurus. Venus, as the ruler of Taurus, enters the room and magnetizes the beautiful. It's a time to spread out our metaphorical picnic blanket beneath a sturdy tree, read good books, and rest in a splash of sun. 

They look at the birthday of King Charles lll, a Scorpio with a Taurus moon whose historical coronation is on May 6th. Heidi reads the poem August Day by Jane Hirschfield.

Sara Alvarado is a writer, speaker, and fierce advocate for racial equity in real estate. Sara built her real estate business into a successful brokerage with her husband, Carlos. Working in real estate and for racial equity led her to co-creating OWN IT: Building Black Wealth, a groundbreaking initiative working toward eliminating substantial barriers to wealth and homeownership for Black and brown families. She is the founder of Step Up: Equity Matters in the Workplace, Badger Rock Middle School, and Nuestro Mundo Community School. 

Sara recently published her first book, Dreaming In Spanish. She has also written the Racial Justice Toolkit for Real Estate Professionals, a Guide for Change Agents, and numerous articles and essays.bIn the podcast episode they talk about her writing journey as well as her commitment to racial justice and equity. 

Heidi and Ellen, freshly back from the Radiant Life Retreat, talk about the wonderful week they just shared. The time was filled with astrological embodiments, song, poetry, and dance.  It was a feast for the senses! They take questions from Annie and Ellen. Annie is an avid reader and is thinking about writing a fiction book. She wonders: ‘Should I/ Shouldn’t I’?  (Spoiler alert- we say YES! ) (5:37) Ellen is a history teacher and loves her work, but worries about the current political climate that often forces teachers to parse words and limit curricular topics. She asks if we can recommend effective communication strategies so she can better dialog with parents and school officials. (12:38) Heidi and Ellen also chat about the latest episodes of Succession; Ted Lasso; and Shrinking, as well as music producer Rick Rubin’s new book, The Creative Act- A Way of Being.

Happy Astrological New Year! Heidi and Ellen welcome the fiery sign of Aries. Under this sign, we reset, start afresh, plant seeds, and launch ourselves into a whole new astrological cycle. Aries offers us fire, passion, vitality, and boldness. Aries takes action and gives us the chance to begin again. They do a deep dive into the astrological chart of the passionate journalist and social activist, Gloria Steinem. Heidi reads the poem growth, glory by J. Sullivan. 

Heidi and Ellen begin by talking about the Academy Awards and their favorite moments of the show. They then take questions from Siobhan and Jen. Siobhan has been working in the property sector since 2008. She no longer finds it motivating and in spite of a relatively recent job change, the spark is gone. She is looking for a change of direction and is considering nutritional therapy. Jen has been struggling to find her career footing for the last several years. For most of her career, she has worked in higher education, first as a faculty member and an administrator, and now in corporate and nonprofit learning. She is not finding her current work stimulating and wonders if her best days have passed her by. Ellen and Heidi also talk about the movie The Big Short, the series Fleabag and the book Bittersweet by Susan Cain.

Heidi and Ellen take questions from Roshni and Rachel. Roshni is feeling confused about the next steps in her career.  She is a nurse, but after caring for her mom and the stress of the pandemic, that career has lost its spark.  She has lots of ideas but can’t seem to weave them together into a business. She is feeling stuck (10:37). Rachel is an art teacher, but since having a baby over a year ago she has little desire to return. She is highly creative and a good communicator, but she can’t figure out how to put it all together into a career. She worries about money but also about doing something that does not align with who she is (22:16). Ellen and Heidi talk about the book Enchantment by Katherine May; the series Bad Sisters; the movie Women Talking; and the documentary Fire of Love (34:57).

Heidi and Ellen take questions from Em and Theda. Em lives an idyllic life but feels more and more it is not one that is meant for her.  She and her husband have the opportunity to move to a community near family 2000 miles away, but she fears her job might be jeopardized (5:28). Theda has written a book that is close to her heart. She has tried to get it published but so far has met with no success. She wonders whether to self-publish (16:19). Ellen and Heidi also talk about the amazing odyssey of award-winning screenwriter Lesley Patterson (All Quiet On The Western Front), the documentary Navalny, the TV series Shrinking, and the books My What If Year by Alisha Fernandez Miranda and Spare by Prince Harry.

Heidi and Ellen were thrilled to talk to Zibby Owens about her path to becoming one of the most powerful and respected voices in the book publishing world. Zibby is an author, award-winning podcaster, entrepreneur, and CEO. She founded Zibby Media, a privately-held media company, in 2018, with her award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books. The company has since grown to include the publishing house Zibby Books, the magazine Zibby Mag, the podcast network Zibby Audio, the education platform Zibby Classes, and community events like retreats, a book club, and a writing community. This past month her publishing house released its first book, My What If Year by Alisha Fernandez Miranda. And this past weekend her first brick-and-mortar bookstore, Zibby’s Bookstore, opened in Santa Monica. She was celebrated as “New York’s Most Powerful Book-fluencer” by New York Magazine. Owens is a regular contributor to "Good Morning America" and other broadcast outlets. She is the author of the memoir Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature, the children’s book, Princess Charming, and the editor of two anthologies. She lives in New York with her husband and her four children. Follow her on Instagram @zibbyowens.

Heidi and Ellen welcome Pisces, the season of poetry, music, charitable acts, and compassionate action. We dream. We float. We ramble. Our imagination takes a front seat all month long. Pisces marks the end of the astrological year. What is culminating? What is synthesizing? Typical sun in Pisces traits includes being compassionate, romantic, artistic, intensely empathic, and sensitive. Pisces individuals are the creatives of the zodiac; when they channel their emotions into their favorite art form, they feel more centered and enlightened. Heidi and Ellen examine the chart of the Pisces icon Rihanna. Heidi reads the poem Camas Lilies by Lynn Unger.