Everyday Wonder Women

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This week, I’m bringing you a conversation with an absolute legend—Jan Youren. She holds the Guinness World Record for the longest career in bareback bronc riding (yes, really!), and her stories are just as wild and inspiring as you’d expect. We talk about how she got started, what it’s like to break a whole bunch of bones and still get back on the horse, and why she kept riding well into her 70s. I also share a little about how fear shows up in everyday life—and how meeting Jan reminded me to stop letting it run the show.

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You know that weird little feeling in your gut that something’s off—but everyone around you is telling you you're just being dramatic? Nancy had that feeling. Her intuition was waving red flags, but her husband insisted she was just imagining things. In this episode, we dive into what happens when you start believing other people over your own instincts—and how that can cost you years of your life.

Nancy gets real about walking away from a ten-year career to raise kids, the slow unraveling of her first marriage, and the flipped blanket tag that became the first clue that her gut had been right all along. This one’s all about learning to trust yourself, even when it feels uncomfortable—and especially when others tell you not to.

We get into:

• What it really feels like to step away from your job to raise kids
• The lie that women can “have it all” without sacrifice
• All the tiny signs her first marriage was falling apart
• Why trusting your gut is basically a superpower
• The pressure to keep up appearances—and how to stop
• Starting over after divorce and finally choosing you over what everyone else thinks you should be

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Sarah’s story is proof that your past doesn’t have to define your future. She grew up in chaos—addicted parents, violence, and a home life that felt anything but stable. But she always knew she wanted something different.

• Left home at 17 to live with her grandfather and escape the dysfunction
 • Lost her mom at 20 and took custody of her 14-year-old sister at 21
 • Faced career setbacks and divorce, then started her own copywriting business
 • Transformed her health and committed to breaking generational cycles
 • Built a thriving business that’s about to hit its 10-year mark
 • Created the “normal” life she always dreamed of for herself and her son

Your destiny is not written in ink, it's in pencil. No matter what situation you're facing, you can find your bright lights and redefine your future.

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Stacee Longfellow reconnects with her college roommate Traci to share a powerful story of resilience through cancer and parenting children with learning disabilities.

• Diagnosed with breast cancer after multiple doctors dismissed her concerns
• Moved to a new city with toddlers just months before her diagnosis
• Cancer journey created unexpected community connections with new neighbors
• Both children diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD requiring specialized education approaches
• Used metaphor of "glasses for your brain" to explain medication to her son
• Found specialized school using Orton-Gillingham multi-sensory learning methods
• Emphasizes importance of parents advocating for educational testing
• Highlights how children often adapt more easily than adults to learning differences
• Stresses crucial importance of advocating for yourself in healthcare settings
• Recommends recording doctor appointments to review information later

Head over to Instagram @Stacee_Santi_Longfellow if you have questions for Traci or comments about the episode, and pick up Stacee's book "Stop Acting Like a Girl" on Amazon.

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Judy shares her remarkable journey from being a pregnant teenager in the 1960s to climbing the corporate ladder to Senior VP with no college education.

• Working up from bank teller to Senior VP at a mortgage company without formal education
• Learning the mortgage industry from the ground up with practical experience
• Facing workplace discrimination in the 1960s banking industry's "good old boys club"
• Getting pregnant at 17 and experiencing social shame and educational restrictions
• Marriage in Juarez, Mexico and telling her parents afterward
• Being forbidden from participating in extracurricular activities or socializing at school
• The importance of women supporting other women through difficult times
• Unexpected achievements including induction into the Softball Hall of Fame

If you enjoyed meeting Judy and want to see old photos of her playing softball, head to Instagram @Stacee_Santi_Longfellow. Don't forget to leave a comment on social media or give a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Lynn Santi never planned to become a trailblazer. Starting as a stenographer at the Santa Fe Railroad in the 1960s, she entered a world where women were exclusively secretaries in the "lower part of the pecking order." Fast forward through a 38-year career, and Lynn had risen to Director of Administration, overseeing operations across New Mexico, Arizona, and parts of Texas—a journey marked by determination, directness, and defying expectations.

"It wouldn't be odd to be in a meeting of 150 men with only two women," Lynn recalls, describing how male colleagues "tend to not think you had the same level of expertise." Yet her organizational talents and work ethic gradually earned recognition, particularly when she orchestrated the consolidation of railroad offices across multiple states. When a male colleague attempted to bully her early in her management role, Lynn's unforgettable response—"This isn't Little League, you're not the umpire. Sit down and shut up"—became legendary throughout the company and established her authority in a single moment.

Lynn's personal story proves equally compelling. Adopted at three days old, she grew up feeling specially selected: "My mother wanted me enough that she prayed and prayed till I was a special present to her." This perspective shaped her identity and likely contributed to her drive for achievement. At 19, Lynn experienced devastating loss when her mother died suddenly at 51, forcing her to rebuild her life's foundation at a pivotal moment. These personal challenges forged in her the resilience needed to later break gender barriers professionally.

For women navigating male-dominated spaces today, Lynn offers wisdom distilled from decades of experience: "Don't think about what you're not doing. Think about what you have done." Her story reminds us that confidence emerges not before challenges but through facing them—by working hard, showing up consistently, and gradually learning to believe in yourself even when you're charting unexplored territory. Ready to hear more stories of resilience and courage? Subscribe to Everyday Wonder Women for conversations with remarkable women overcoming extraordinary obstacles.