Control Freak with Molly Thayer

Michael Hackett and I grew up together in Baton Rouge, LA. Our fathers are both veterinarians and best friends. The best way for me to describe Michael is....one cool cat. Michael got the surprise of his life a year and a half ago when he was diagnosed with colon cancer. His whole life was turned upside down to say the least. What he says about this major life event will surprise and inspire you!

Have you ever seen someone across a room and just known...this person will be my friend? Brian Brister is one of those people for me. He is the biggest breath of fresh air and has lost a whopping 153 pounds. Brian says, "Food is what I did." Growing up in a Southern household...it is just the way things are done, people. Brian is from Mississippi and I am from Louisiana. Trust us...we know. His reason for wanting to lose weight? "I just wanted to be skinny." Little did he know, 50 pounds into his 153 pound weight loss, God would tell him to become a health coach. From that point on, everything has changed for Brian...and I do mean everything. He has built his emotional tool belt to maintain his weight loss and pay it forward. This is one of my favorite conversations about life long food addiction and how it can be conquered. One of the ways to do it: buy your will power at the grocery store.

Happy 2020, y'all! Where have I been? A LOT has been going on in my life. I touch on this and welcome my first returning guest, Kristen Dowd. We have had so many questions since her first appearance, we decided to answer some FAQ about the program we call Our Happy Place. We go deep on some personal issues, discuss how 2019 was one of the worst years I have had in a while, and how our whole lives have changed with one easy decision. Getting healthy has changed everything for us and we debunk it all in this convo. This is not my typical interview where I ask most of the questions. Kristen asks a lot of me this go round. Enjoy. Love y'all. Mean it!

Melisse Campbell and I chat about strategies to minimize stress, and about our lives as entrepreneurs and what it means to be your own boss...the good, the bad, the sometimes ugly. Interestingly enough, we are both somewhat introverted. I know, I know...I host a podcast, so how introverted can I truly be? Well, I am an introverted extrovert and Melisse and I discuss strategies for dealing with this weird oxymoron of a life. We talk planners (we both love paper calendars), hiding in the bathroom at a party (it works), career freedom, and multiple streams of income. Melisse's Control Freak example - ohhh...it's a fabulous one!

Christen Rodgers and I go deep!  First of all, she is one amazing woman, a daring soul who has faced some real adversity. The mental health struggles (and I had no idea what they were until we recorded this episode) that went hand in hand with her gaining 100 pounds are things a lot of people won't talk about. Her honesty is truly refreshing. Christen is a beautiful and kind and unique person. This episode showcases her core values and desire to help others. Listen in for the prayer she prayed for 20 years - and for her advice for making true change in your life!

Do you battle anxiety and/or depression? I get open and honest about my personal struggle with both. I look at how it has manifested in my life (as far back as high school and the physical signs that were there all the way to the 2019 LSU/Florida Tailgate) and how it has changed over the years. So many of my friends are going through hard times at the moment and it's got me thinking about how we deal with these issues. Therapy, medication, friends, family..all good stuff to think and talk about. Join me to dive into it all. If you need help, reach out and get it. No shame in that game. 

All I can say is...wow. Jennifer Hanna opens up and shares her raw, real, and shocking story of betrayal and deception. Her marriage to a famous New Orleans pastry chef caught red handed in the #MeToo movement ended with an anonymous phone call that would change Jennifer’s life forever. Jennifer is a big believer in signs and signals. I am too. Hearing her story is moving and, in a way, scary. She and I are both very trusting souls who don’t expect deception. And, after hearing her final advice at the end of the episode - I am changed, and you will be too!

My new pal, Shannon Perry, has such a unique story. Have you ever met someone with whom you immediately click? Like clicked with to the point that I know we were friends in another life? Shannon has faced so much adversity in her life. The deck was stacked against her - her sole caregiver, a hard working teacher & loving single mother died when she was 13 years old. Now, in her mid 40’s, she has a true understanding for God’s plan in her life. Her tale about catching a 1,000 pound Marlin (ends differently than you would think), her incredible weight loss journey, and her on-air discovery that she might just be a control freak make for a fantastic episode. Oh - and her Control Freak example from a stellar 1980’s John Hughes film turns into an entire cast analysis. Such a fun convo with one amazing woman!