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Impact-Site-Verification: -2083779470 My personal journey with sustainability has certainly evolved through the years. Recently, I’ve found myself looking at that part of my life with much more intention – and someone who’s helped me learn a ton along the way just happens to be today’s podcast guest!

I met Liz Winkley last year at Beautycounter’s annual conference, and I was SO glad our paths crossed. In the months since getting to know her better (thanks, Instagram!) I’ve gleaned so much information from her on the topic of sustainability. After learning more about what plastic and other materials are doing to our planet, she and her husband opted to make some shifts in their behavior that have changed their household’s approach to “stuff” in general.

Speaking of those shifts…be sure to follow Liz on Instagram to keep up with the great information and inspiration she shares there. She also shared these accounts as being ones she loves to follow when it comes to living sustainably:

@thewholehome
@ajabarber
@zerowastechef
@impactforgood
@wastefreeplanet
@sarah.robertson.barnes

One thing I’ve known for years now is that “sustainability” is a buzzword (just like “clean beauty” has become an overused and often meaningless phrase when it comes to letting us know what’s actually IN a given product). Companies know that caring for our planet’s health and resources is important to so many of us…but their response can sometimes be misleading. And that’s a major bummer. Just because a brand touts itself as being sustainable doesn’t mean they actually are especially mindful of our planet.

Similarly, though so many of us recycle, we now know that those items may or may not actually go on to be used for other things down the road. Many might be added to ever-growing landfills. And often unnecessary packaging – specifically PLASTIC packaging and other plastic waste – is taking over our world in a huge way. It’s estimated there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050, in fact.

So…what’s an individual or single family to do about all this?

For one, we can start to pay attention and take in information. We can vote with our dollar and advocate for brands and policies that are prioritizing the planet in REAL ways. And we can also make small changes in our behavior that, when enough of us do them, can really start to add up.

We can bring our own cups to coffee shops and save a single-use cup.

We can make fewer purchases overall to limit bringing waste (in the form of packaging, of future waste when we no longer use or need that item, etc.) into our homes.

We can reuse items whenever possible.

We can compost our food waste to cut down on methane production.

We can buy things like clothing and home items secondhand.

We can, when possible, choose food items in the grocery store that use less packaging, or truly recyclable packaging such as glass.

Liz and her family are great about doing these things and then some. Admittedly, she is MUCH farther down this sustainability road than I am, but like I said – those little things ADD UP.

Think about this, for example:

There are about 16,000 Starbucks stores in the U.S. alone. If even 5% of people started bringing their own reusable cups to Starbucks and saving a reusable cup every time they went, think about how that would start to really make a difference!

So I’m focusing on increasing my own awareness, shifting my behaviors, and having conversations with my kids about the importance of prioritizing our planet. After all, we are borrowing this world from our children. The least we can do is care for it, right?

Okay, enough from me for now. Ready to hear from Liz Winkley about being more aware of how we use the earth’s resources? Here we go…

The post curiouser & curiouser Podcast: Episode 56 (Living Sustainably With Liz Winkley) appeared first on curiouser & curiouser.

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If you’re a parent to young children, like I am, chances are you’ve given thought to what parenting your kids once they reach adolescence might look like. And, if you’re like me, you might have a decent amount of anxiety when you fast forward to that stage in your mind. If that sounds at all familiar, you’re in the right place, and I think you’ll feel just a touch more confident and prepared at the end of this episode.

I met Dr. Andrea Lein through Pure Barre (a place where I meet SO many incredible women, by the way). She and I quickly connected over many shared interests, one of those being parenthood and the approach we take with it. I’ve learned a ton from her, and I asked her to be on my podcast so YOU could hear from her, too!

Dr. Lein is a psychologist with experience working with adolescents, and she’s also the mother of a 25-year-old daughter. She’s able to speak to parenting teens both personally and professionally, and I find that dual perspective so incredibly valuable.

I’m so grateful to Dr. Lein for sharing her wisdom, and I’m certain you’ll find it as valuable as I did.

Ready to talk raising adolescents with Dr. Andrea Lein? Here we go…

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Okay, did you know that you should NEVER be pushing anything out of your body? That includes when you go to the bathroom AND when you have a baby. When Dr. Katie Taylor, a pelvic floor physical therapist located here in Winston-Salem, shared that with me a few months ago, my brain exploded a little bit.

If you’re wondering why her recommendation is to avoid pushing when possible, you’re in the right place, and this podcast episode is for you.

The term “pelvic floor” was one that wasn’t at all on my radar during my pregnancy with my daughter Maggie back in 2016 and 2017, and unfortunately I know I’m not alone in being very undereducated about this important part of my body until relatively recently. Thankfully I WAS aware of my pelvic floor – and the importance of monitoring its health and strength – during my pregnancy with my son Vance in 2020 and 2021, and so after having him I met with Dr. Taylor to make sure everything was functioning optimally.

But even if you have never had a baby and don’t plan to, your pelvic floor health is something that’s so critical to be aware of. Without the right awareness, education, and provider (someone like Dr. Taylor), you might be living your life either now or down the road in a way that you THINK is normal but instead is just common. (And “normal” and “common” are two VERY different things.)

If you think peeing when you laugh or jump or sneeze after having a baby or once you get older is normal – think again.

If you think pain during sex is normal at some point in life – think again.

And if you have pain other places in your body and haven’t been able to pinpoint the source, that source might just be your pelvic floor.

I’m so grateful to Dr. Taylor for the work she’s doing to help women live healthier and happier lives, and a big part of that work is reducing the stigma when it comes to talking about this area of our bodies. After all, talking about incontinence or pain during sex can feel VERY uncomfortable, but those are also things that, if left untreated, can have a hugely negative affect on our lives. They are WORTH talking about, and it’s worth getting a pelvic floor physical therapist in your corner to help you address those things if you’re dealing with them. YOU are worth it.

Oh, and a quick plug to be sure to give Dr. Taylor a follow on Instagram. She shares SO much amazing information and education about the pelvic floor, so it’s a wonderful way to continue getting smart on this topic. You’ll benefit, and so will your friends, mothers, sisters, and daughters as you share what you learn with them!

Okay, ready to hear from Dr. Katie Taylor of Taylor Physical Therapy and Wellness? Here we go…

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As someone who struggled with an eating disorder for more than 10 years, doing all I can to help my children avoid a similar reality is often top of mind. And I know that, as a parent, I’m not a bit alone. Even if you aren’t someone who’s had an eating disorder, chances are you’ve had or still have your fair share of “food stuff” – because unfortunately that’s the water we swim in.

That’s why I was so excited to connect with Taylor Miller, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor specializing in eating disorders. Taylor is the owner of Nourished and Known Counseling here in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

A note: If you’re reading this and are tempted not to go any further because you aren’t a parent, stay with us! Our conversation ended up focusing a LOT on our work as adults when it comes to food and body stuff – things that can benefit parents and non-parents alike.

If there’s one thing I know to be true about food and body related struggles, it’s that talking about them – bringing them into the light – takes away so much of their power. It reminds us we aren’t alone in these struggles, and we aren’t to blame for them, either. The more we talk about these things – with professionals like Taylor and with friends and family, including our children – the more we can collectively and individually start to heal from them or, in the case of our kids, hopefully minimize them altogether.

Thanks so much for being here for this conversation. It’s an important one, and I hope you find it encouraging and helpful.

Okay, ready to hear from Taylor? Here we go…

Taylor shared lots of great resources during our chat as well. Here are some helpful links:

–National Eating Disorders Association statistics

–Winston-Salem Eating Disorders Coalition

–Association for Size Diversity and Health

Instagram accounts recommended by Taylor:

@blackandembodied

@bodyimage_therapist

@beauty_redefined

@bodyliberationwithlindley

The post curiouser & curiouser Podcast: Episode 53 (How To Help Prevent Eating Disorders In Our Kids With Taylor Miller, LCMH) appeared first on curiouser & curiouser.

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This episode was a blast to record, because it meant I got to spend time with four of my favorite women to talk about the thing that brought us all together. Sondie, Raquel, Chelsea, and Xani are all Beautycounter consultants who work together on the same team. That means we each have our own individual businesses – and get to run them however we want to – but we also get to lean on the support and knowledge of our team (and other consultants more broadly, too) to help us in that endeavor. In case you aren’t familiar with Beautycounter, it’s a skincare, makeup, and personal care brand dedicated to creating both high-performing AND incredibly safe products. As it turns out, there’s very little regulation here in the U.S. when it comes to the ingredients that can be included in the products we use all over our bodies every day, and Beautycounter is on a mission to educate people about this reality as well as change it at the state and federal levels.

I became a consultant six years ago, while I was about eight months pregnant with my daughter, Maggie. Early in my pregnancy, I’d learned that retinol needs to be avoided during pregnancy because it can cause birth defects, and I was definitely using some retinol-based skincare at the time. It honestly hit me like a ton of bricks: I considered myself to be really savvy when it came to the ingredients in food (also NOT GOOD in a lot of respects, which many of you know, too), but I had never thought about what might be in the products I was slathering all over my face and body and in my hair every single day. I think I unconsciously assumed that if those products were on the shelf, some form of vetting for safety must have been done. Turns out, I was wrong.

I started introducing some Beautycounter products after my eyes were opened to this reality, and was really impressed with their performance. It didn’t feel like a sacrifice at all – these products were made with incredibly safe ingredients, but they also WORKED. I decided to become a consultant, not quite knowing what that might look like for me, and quickly realized I loved sharing this brand – the products, yes, but also the education side of things – with other women. Through the years, it’s grown to be a hugely influential part of my life, and I credit Beautycounter with much of my personal and career growth.

So anyway, back to this episode…

My friends and I got together for this conversation to chat about what began our clean living journeys, what drew us to Beautycounter, what some of our perceptions of direct sales companies were before we joined Beautycounter, what we’ve gained from being part of this work, what’s surprised us most about this experience, and more. I hope you enjoy this listen, and I hope it helps to illustrate what I often try to convey on my own but can’t quite accomplish: That this work is pretty magical in the way it can be so individualized. As a consultant, YOU get to put YOUR fingerprints all over your business.

Okay, enough yakking from me – ready to hear from my four amazing friends? (Side note: The five of us recently took a girls’ trip to New York City and had planned on recording this podcast episode while we were together…but we were too busy talking about a million other things to make it happen. We hopped on Zoom a few days after our trip for this conversation, and I’m so glad we made it happen.)

Here we go…

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(I’m proud to be an Equilibria partner, and I have a discount code — CURIOUSER — you can use if you’d like to save on your order! More details on my two must-have products a bit later in this post…)

I’m soooo excited to share today’s episode with you, because it’s about something that I honestly was pretty skeptical of that’s now part of my daily life. We’re going to talk all things CBD! To do that, I brought in an expert: I talked with Maia Reed from Equilibria, the CDB brand I use and trust. Maia has so much knowledge when it comes to CBD, which can often be a controversial topic mainly due to lack of full understanding of what it actually is…and what it isn’t. I didn’t think CBD was something I could benefit from, and I couldn’t have been more wrong. I can’t wait to dig more into this topic with you, and I hope you’ll learn lots along the way!

Maia heads up Equilibria’s education team, and the fact that they have a dedicated team of educators to help support their CBD clients is really amazing, and it’s one of the many reasons I chose Equilibria for my CBD. (Just like with anything you’re putting on or in your body, by the way, where your CBD comes from REALLY MATTERS!)

In this episode, Maia and I talk about things like:

-What CBD does in our bodies – which is super fascinating!!
-How to determine whether you’re a good candidate for CBD
-How to find the right products and dosage for YOU, specifically
-Where Equilibria’s CBD comes from (remember — THAT MATTERS)
-And so much more

If you like what you hear and are interested in giving EquIlibria CBD a try after listening to this episode, be sure to use my discount code – CURIOUSER – to save on your order! I’m proud to partner with this brand I know, trust, and love so much. (My two personal favorite products, by the way, are the Sleep Gummies and the Daily Drops. I use them both every day, and Kevin takes the Sleep Gummies as well!)

Oh, and one last note before we jump in: This episode is meant to be informative, but is not meant to offer medical advice or replace your provider’s recommendations for you specifically. Be sure to chat with your provider before starting CBD, especially if you’re on any medications just to make sure there’s no issue with combining them.

Okay, ready to talk all things CBD with Equilibria’s head of education? Here we go!:

The post curiouser & curiouser Podcast: Episode 51 (Digging Into The Science Behind CBD With Maia Reed Of Equilibria) appeared first on curiouser & curiouser.

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I’ve found myself having several conversations recently that involve the topic of grief, and so I knew I wanted to dig into it more on a podcast episode. Bethany Godwin of Twilight Counseling here in Winston-Salem specializes in offering grief support, and so I knew she would be the perfect person to share insight about this subject.

Grief is one of those tricky things that ALL of us experience throughout our lives, but we often don’t know how to navigate it when we’re going through it — much less how to support others well who are grieving. In this episode, Bethany and I discuss the very personal story that led her to grief counseling, the broad definition of grief (it’s certainly NOT just an emotion brought on by a death), what some of the more unexpected side effects of grief can be, how there’s no “right way” to grieve, and much more.

She is a wealth of knowledge on this topic, and I’m so grateful she shared some of that wisdom with us here.

Learn more about Bethany and her practice, Twilight Counseling, at her website and via Twilight’s Instagram account. (Note: In addition to specializing in grief and loss, she also supports many women in the perinatal stage as they navigate the transition to motherhood.)

Ready to dig into grief with Bethany Godwin? Here we go…

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Something I’ve been thinking and sharing about a good bit recently is intentionality around our clothing. Culture has shifted in a BIG way over the past few decades as it relates to clothing, and now it’s common to view clothing as disposable and as something we can buy constantly without giving it much thought. As it turns out, there are major implications to that approach to clothing, though, including extreme damage to our environment and unethical treatment of the people who make clothing, such as low wages and unsafe working conditions.

There’s also the overwhelm that comes with just having too much STUFF – clothing or otherwise. I’ve been working on really rethinking my relationship to clothing over the past several months, and with that in mind I’m thrilled to share today’s episode with you.

It’s with my friend Charlotte Pottieger of House of Colour Durham, here in North Carolina. You may have heard me talk about House of Colour if you follow me on Instagram, because it’s something I’m a huge fan of and have invested in as part of my intentional clothing journey. Charlotte is going to share more about what House of Colour is all about (there’s both a color and a style component), the outcome of having your color and style analysis done (there are MANY benefits!), and she’s also going to talk about easy ways to incorporate sustainability into your wardrobe. Seriously – they’re much easier than you might think, AND they’re not nearly as black and white as you might guess…

I feel so fortunate Charlotte and I met, since we share so many values as it relates to clothing. I know so many of us are trying to give more thought to how we view “stuff” in general, and to push against the culture of bringing new things into our homes and our closets almost constantly. I hope this was a reminder that if that’s you, you are NOT alone – so many of us are doing this work to try to create meaningful change that starts with us as individuals but will, hopefully, become much bigger than ourselves. I’m so optimistic about what the future holds on this front.

Ready to talk about color, style, and developing intentional, sustainable habits when it comes to clothing? Here we go!:

The post curiouser & curiouser Podcast: Episode 49 (Clothing, Style, And The Ethics And Sustainability Behind It All With Charlotte Pottieger) appeared first on curiouser & curiouser.

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This was such a fun episode for me to record, and I know you’ll enjoy listening to it, too – particularly if you’re the parent of a young child and value movement of any kind. (I know that applies to a lot of us!!)

Suzie is lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, like I do, and we’ve been loosely connected for a while by virtue of having many overlapping connections and running in similar circles. (That’s a smaller city for you!) Despite not knowing her especially well from a personal standpoint, I knew she and I shared so many values and had similar perspectives on many things thanks to exchanges she and I have had on social media and the thoughtful content she shares on her Instagram account. I so appreciate when others are willing to be as open and vulnerable as she often is through their platforms, because it helps foster connection that can mean so much.

Since recording this episode, Suzie and I have been able to spend in-person time together, and it’s just as I expected it to be: Full of meaningful conversation that leaves me feeling nourished and energized and so much less alone.

In addition to being the mother to an adorable toddler named Tilly – who’s just a couple of months younger than my son, Vance – Suzie is also getting ready to give birth to a new venture: a fitness studio here in Winston called Synergy.

Synergy will be offering cycle classes, yoga classes, and HIIT classes, and it’s slated to open in early 2023. During this conversation, you’ll hear Suzie talk about where her relationship with movement began, what she hopes Synergy can be in our community, what the word balance means to her right now, and much more.

Oh, and one more thing: Synergy founding member memberships are now available, so if you want to grab one of those be sure to check out the studio’s Instagram account for more info. You’ll also want to be sure to follow Suzie’s personal account for some amazing content that will make you feel so very seen, especially if you’re a fellow parent to a little one.

Okay, ready to talk movement and motherhood with Suzie? Here we go!:

The post curiouser & curiouser Podcast: Episode 48 (Talking Movement & Motherhood With Suzie Vinograd) appeared first on curiouser & curiouser.

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I’m so happy to be sharing this episode with you, because it’s a topic that only came onto my radar a couple of years ago and yet it’s something that can be pretty transformative both in our mindset and our physical bodies, too. We’re talking CYCLE AWARENESS today!

If that’s an unfamiliar term for you, cycle awareness means using your cycle – which is far more than just your period, and is made up of four phases – as a life hack of sorts. Because women have hormonal fluctuation throughout the month, we can’t expect to have the same energy level every day, or to benefit from the same form of movement, or have the same appetite, etc. When we tap into those phases and use them to our advantage, we can unlock some pretty amazing knowledge and operate at our best.

I believe is critically important information if you’re a woman, because many physicians have started referring to a woman’s menstrual cycle as the fifth vital sign. Being in tune with our cycles can have huge effects on our overall health and wellbeing.

Oh, and P.S. – Did you know that if you’re on a hormonal birth control you don’t actually have a menstrual period even though you might bleed? I KNOW – so crazy. We’ll talk about that during this episode.

Today’s guest is my good friend and cycle awareness expert Noelle Miller. I’ve learned a TON from Noelle on this topic, and I’m excited for you to get to hear from her firsthand. She also offers lots of free resources and information about cycle awareness over on her Instagram account, so be sure to check her out there.

Ready to talk cycle awareness? Here we go!

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