Chatting With My Amigas

Today we are getting to know one of our four amigas better, Michy. Tuning in you’ll hear about Michelle’s background growing up in Venezuela, how her family came to immigrate to the USA when the political situation started changing, her initial resistance to the move, and how her perspective changed over time. Michelle opens up about the events that shaped who she is today from learning independence to her financial struggles, and the stories of the toxic relationships she got involved in and then got out of. She opens up about how her parent’s marriage modeled for her what she believed she was supposed to put up with as a wife and how she found the courage to leave her abusive husband after 12 years. She explains how she diminished her level of tolerance for abuse and stopped repeating the pattern. Tuning in, you’ll find out about the profound revelation she had from a conversation with her ex-husband and how this impacted her life. For some great wisdom from an inspirational woman who has overcome so much, tune in today! Please note that this episode carries a trigger warning for domestic abuse.

Key Points From This Episode:

• Hear about what it was like for Michy to grow up in Venezuela.
• How her family decided to emigrate when the political situation started changing. 
• How the opportunity came about for Michelle’s dad to work in the USA. 
• Michelle’s plans to return to Venezuela and what changed her perspective on living in America.
• Her goal to become a financial analyst. 
• How getting out of a toxic relationship helped Michelle learn independence. 
• The financial struggles she experienced when she first went off on her own.
• The story of how she met the man who would become her husband and her son’s father while working as a bank teller. 
• How her career developed into property management.
• How Marcy and Michelle met through a mutual friend and Michelle’s first impression of Marcy.
• What led to the end of Michelle’s marriage and how this impacted her life.
• TW: For listeners who wish to skip Michelle’s recount of the abuse suffered by both her mother and herself, please skip audio from [31:39] to [35:11] 
• How the modeling of verbal abuse in her parents’ marriage influenced her own marriage and the abuse she suffered.
• How Michelle diminished her level of tolerance for abuse and stopped repeating the pattern.
• The conversation that Michelle had with her ex-husband that led to the realization that she had allowed herself to be abused.
• How much of the story Michelle’s son, Steven, knows about her relationship with his father.
• Thoughts on the difference between choices and sickness.
• Why Marcy is impressed by Michelle’s refusal to settle and her continued efforts to raise the bar for herself. 
• Where to reach out for support if you are in an abusive relationship.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: 

National Domestic Violence Hotline  — 1800 799 SAFE (7233)

Chatting With My Amigas Website 

Chatting With My Amigas Email

Chatting With My Amigas on Instagram

There is a difference between having friends and having friends you do life with. The four of us have a very unique friendship that grew organically out of respect, transparency, and love of course! Collectively, we are the best versions of ourselves and we support the best versions of each other. In this episode, we share how we came to be friends who do life together, and what we feel is so special about our connection. We discuss the immense value we’ve gained from our friendship, the commitment we have to each other, and the acceptance we each feel. We also take a look at how this friendship differs from the ones we have with high school friends or from the connection we have with our sisters. Tune in to hear about our journey together as amigas, as well as the most pressing things on our minds today, from enhancement surgery to our kids growing up! We look forward to sharing our friendship with you.

Key Points From This Episode:

• What’s on our minds today!
• Daimy’s upcoming enhancement surgery and the body image challenges of aging.
• Why Marcy and GG don’t own scales!
• The options we have today to dress well within any budget.
• What enhancement surgery GG is planning and why.
• Michelle’s teenage son’s first day driving alone!
• The self-transformation program Marcy’s starting: 75 Hard.
• The difference between being friends and doing life together.
• How we became friends who do life together, collectively and individually.
• The value we gain from our friendship and how we support and enhance each other.
• The differences in the way we approach life.
• The transparency and commitment we have within our friendship.
• How our friendship with each other and with high school friends differ.
• Our will for each other to win! 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Chatting With My Amigas Website 

Chatting With My Amigas Email

Chatting With My Amigas on Instagram

75 Hard

All four of us are mothers, so we know that motherhood is as challenging as it is rewarding! Based on our experiences, in today’s episode, we are going to be sharing our top pieces of advice for all the other moms out there. We discuss the approaches that we have taken to discipline, teaching our children about budgeting, instilling a sense of responsibility in them, and more! We also dive into our experiences of “mom guilt” and how we have learned to navigate these feelings. It’s important to remember that every mom and every child is different and although it is very helpful to learn from others’ experiences, at the end of the day, you need to trust yourself to make the decisions for your family unit. This episode also serves as a reminder that nobody is perfect so don’t aim for perfection as a parent, just aim to be the best mom that you can be!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The importance of addressing bad behavior.
• Why your children need to know that you are not their friend, you are their mother.
• The benefits of tough love.
• Examples of how to teach your children the value of money and hard work.
• Ways to instill a sense of responsibility in your children. 
• There isn’t one right way of doing things, every parent and every child is unique so you need to figure out what works for both of you.
• The value in being open to adjusting your parenting strategies depending on the context or the child. 
• Differentiating between needs versus wants (and between what we want and what our children want).
• Why you should never aim for perfection as a parent.
• Examples of what “mom guilt” can look like, and advice for how to navigate these feelings.
• The importance of paying attention to what your children are doing and saying.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Chatting With My Amigas Website 

Chatting With My Amigas Email

Chatting With My Amigas on Instagram

Women seem to face a near-constant stream of scrutiny, whether it’s about the way we dress, the lifestyle choices we make, how we parent our children, or how we forge ahead in the corporate world. Even if you aren’t aware of it, nearly everyone is guilty at some point of tearing a woman down and, oftentimes, it’s other women who are the biggest critics, not necessarily men. Fortunately, figuring out how to stop making negative comments about women in your everyday life can be as simple as getting real with yourself about your behavior and examining how these microaggressions might be reflections of your own fears or insecurities. Tune in today to learn more!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Expectations of career women, who are seen as ‘full of themselves’, not confident.
• Why women should empower each other, not tear one another down.
• Microaggressions and bullying, which are likely rooted in resentment or insecurity.
• The importance of surrounding yourself with strong woman mentors and role models.
• Examining your motivations for making a negative comment about another woman.
• Conflating freedom of speech with feeling entitled to vilify others.
• Understanding that different people have different styles of communicating.
• The progress we have seen in society; but there’s still a lot that needs to change!
• Why women need to shift the conversation about other women, starting at home.
• Why living unapologetically doesn’t mean you never have to apologize.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Chatting With My Amigas Website 

Chatting With My Amigas Email

Chatting With My Amigas on Instagram

We live in a world of many conflicting beliefs and opinions, and unfortunately there is a trend toward giving the loudest voices in the room precedence over the rest. In today's conversation between the Four Amigas, we unpack some of the issues we have with intolerance in today's society. We see these problems arising in all areas of modern life, whether we are in the workplace, at schools, or attending family gatherings, creating an unsafe and unaccepting atmosphere for many people. With so many hot-button political issues and the prevalence of social media in our lives, it can be hard to escape the judgment of others and the cruel ways that different stances can lead to being discounted. To hear us talk about how this relates to important subjects such as abortion laws and freedom of religion, and how we can begin to have more respect and space for different opinions and belief systems, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How the loudest voice in the room dominates the narrative. 
• Intolerance and how it is justified in today's climate. 
• What today's attitudes toward abortion say about the state of society. 
• Other issues that deserve attention right now. 
• The role of education and why facts and skills should take precedence over opinions.
• Examples of attacks and minimizations of other peoples’ beliefs. 
• The Value of learning about those who are different from us. 
• How acts of kindness should be given more of a platform. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Chatting With My Amigas Website 

Chatting With My Amigas Email

Chatting With My Amigas on Instagram

In the light of the recent school shooting in Texas, the four amigas reflect on this tragedy and some of the many other tragedies that have affected children over the past few years. We all lived close to Parkland when tragedy struck in our community a few years ago and we reflect on how, to this day, it continues to affect us and our kids. Tuning in, you’ll hear why we believe everyone has a role to play in making spaces safer for children. We discuss why we need to be using our voices for good, not blaming others, and how if you are feeding hate or divisiveness, you are part of the problem. We touch on topics such as gun control and mental health before Marcy breaks down what she believes could be the solution to this problem. The amigas feel that everyone with a platform should be using it for something positive, and today we use ours to reinforce that we are all responsible for making this world a better place for our kids!

Key Points From This Episode:

• How today’s topic was inspired by the tragic school shooting in Texas. 
• The amigas experience of the Parkland tragedy in their community a few years ago. 
• Conversations we’ve each had with our kids about these incidents. 
• Other tragedies that have struck kids over the past year. 
• Our children deserve better and we are all responsible for making the world safer for them.
• Why we need to be using our voices for good and not blaming others. 
• How, if you are feeding hate or divisiveness, you are part of the problem.
• Thoughts on how it feels like no one can agree on anything anymore. 
• Michelle questions why people have to carry guns and Daimy defends why her husband carries one.
• The failure of society to properly deal with mental health issues.
• Statistics on the cost of an election and why Marcy believes people should rather donate money to the local community.  
• Everyone has influence and you should use yours for something positive. 
• How we should be looking for what we can all agree on. 
• The importance of engaging with kids and being their safe space. 
• Why Daimy believes we need to bring God back to school. 
• Closing words on how we are all responsible for making this world better for our kids.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Chatting With My Amigas Website 

Chatting With My Amigas Email

Chatting With My Amigas on Instagram

Welcome back to Chatting with My Amigas! Since this week is Mother’s Day, today’s topic is motherhood. Tune in to hear each of our stories of parenting and being parented by the women in our lives. Becoming parents has made us appreciate our own mothers in a different way, as we navigate raising children in a world so different from the one we grew up in. Today’s conversation also explores the impact of family planning and parenthood on our relationships with our partners and former partners. One thing we all agree on is that nobody can challenge and reward us the way our children do through every phase of life. Join us to hear what becoming mothers and being mothered means to each of us today. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Today’s topic in light of Mother’s Day coming up.
• GG’s journey into motherhood and the turning point she experienced with her ex-husband.
• How becoming a parent has made GG appreciate her own parents.
• Differences between what our parents experienced as children in comparison to today.
• Daimy’s story of support and care from her mother during an unexpected pregnancy.
• The story of how Marcy’s mother became a friend to her when she moved out.
• How she and her partner decided to have a child of their own.
• Why nobody can challenge and reward you the way that your children do.
• How the family dynamic changes when your children find partners.
• The reality: many couples end up gravitating toward the woman’s side of the family.
• Noticing your mother’s attributes in yourself as you grow older. 
• How your feelings as a parent never change no matter how old your children are.
• Where to find, rate, and share the podcast with your own amigas.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Chatting With My Amigas website

Chatting With My Amigas on Instagram

What do your weekends look like? Do you ever look back and find that you have spent a lot of time doing nothing? During today’s chat, all four amigas share their thoughts on creating free time and spending it wisely to recharge, relax, and connect with loved ones. We touch on guilt, the influence of the pandemic on how we spend our time, and Marcy’s husband’s suggestion to create a fun game out of doing a household chore. Join us today to learn more!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Reflecting on the weekend and how we spend our time.
• An observation that we create time to relax, but end up craving busyness.
• Striving to be productive as a result of the pandemic’s pressure to use the time well.
• The dance between feeling guilty about wasting time or deciding to ‘waste time’ and enjoy it.
• How you are likely to either be wasting money or wasting time.
• Why the struggle is not necessarily wasting time, but rather how much time you are wasting.
• Creating effective business practices where you are able to have the free time you need.
• Gamifying your daily tasks to increase efficiency, as per Marcy’s suggestion.
• The meaningful time that Marcy had with her sister and daughter over the weekend.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Chatting With My Amigas Website 

Chatting With My Amigas Email

Chatting With My Amigas on Instagram

Today as we catch up with our amigas, Marcy explains a recent situation where she found herself in close proximity to someone who chews very loudly. She explains why this is a pet peeve of hers and how it inspired the topic for today’s episode. The rest of the amigas chip in with the things that bother them the most. Tuning in, you’ll hear about personal space invaders, loud husbands who think they are funny, people who drag their feet, distractingly long eyelashes, noisy jewelry, needy Facebook friends desperate for validation, and even people whose toes hang off the edge of their shoes! For a lighthearted look at all those little pet peeves and a couple of laughs along the way, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Marcy’s pet peeve of hearing people chew and how the other amigas can relate.
• How Daimy hates it when people invade her personal space.
• Michelle and Daimy’s pet peeve of people slurping.
• GG’s pet peeve: when she’s engaged in a conversation with someone and they have a side conversation with somebody else. 
• Why Marcy hates it when her husband mutters to himself.  
• Michelle’s pet peeve of being put on speakerphone in someone’s car.
• Marcy’s pet peeve of when other people use the speakerphone in the office.
• How Daimy struggles with her husband and mother-in-law’s loudness.
• How Marcy’s husband thinks he’s a comedian and why this bothers her.
• Marcy’s frustrations with the aggressive noises her sons make when playing games.
• GG’s frustrations with her husband’s loudness in the mornings.
• Michelle’s frustration with people who drag their feet. 
• How Marcy gets distracted by eyelashes that are too long. 
• Michelle’s pet peeve of big jewelry that makes a noise.
• Marcy’s pet peeve of people who wear ill-fitting shoes where their toes hang off the edge.
• Why Marcy doesn’t like it when doctors or dentists are late for an appointment without an explanation. 
• Michelle’s frustration with people who have bad body odor. 
• Marcy’s frustration with people who draw out a story. 
• Marcy’s pet peeve with people posting about how in love they are on social media. 
• Daimy’s frustration with unnecessarily negative people.
• GG’s friend who is constantly asking for validation on social media.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Chatting With My Amigas Website 

Chatting With My Amigas Email

Chatting With My Amigas on Instagram

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had global ramifications, driving the cost of fuel and food up significantly. As a result, Business Insider released an article that suggests that Americans budget an extra $5200 this year. Join the Amigas today as they discuss this article and how the price increases have affected their parenting. We dive into the discussion with why Marcy feels that $5200 is not enough, and how each of the Amigas are tightening their belts. As mothers, it's important to the Amigas not to let their kids suffer the same way they did, but how do you get them to appreciate the value of money when they have never been exposed to it? Daimy talks us through how she has changed her attitude towards what she cooks, while GG breaks down the challenges of being a yes mom. The key takeaway from today is to be mindful of your finances, and to parent in such a way that your kids are mindful (but not stressed!) about finances too. For all this, and so much more, press “Play” now. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• The article that Marcy came across that suggested Americans budget an extra $5200 this year, and why the Amigas feel this is too little!
• What the Amigas are doing to tighten their belts: from reducing their travel, to changing their shopping habits, to eating in. 
• Why you don’t want to be dipping into your savings yet, and how Marcy’s dad taught her to notice price changes. 
• How these increases have impacted businesses and those on fixed incomes. 
• Why it’s important to explain to kids what the current situation means for them, financially. 
• Saying “No”: the tradeoff between wanting the best for your kids but not spoiling them. 
• How Daimy’s changed her approach to what she cooks and the activities she lets her kids do. 
• Why living through struggle is something that will make you stronger. 
• A debate on how to show kids the value of money without making them stressed. 
• The benefits and the drawbacks to being a yes mom or a no mom.
• Being mindful of how the current situation can be a teachable moment.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Americans Should Budget an Extra $5,200 This Year to Cover Rising Prices, Bloomberg Economists Estimate

Chatting With My Amigas Website 

Chatting With My Amigas Email

Chatting With My Amigas on Instagram