What do you do when you move to a brand new city for someone else's dream job and there's no roadmap for you? Emily Langdon just wrote her own.

We had one of our favorite kinds of guests in the studio this week, someone from our own community who we've watched become part of the fabric of Duluth. Dr. Emily Langdon is married to Charles Langdon, the Chancellor of the University of Minnesota Duluth, and when they moved here for his role, there was no job description waiting for her. So she wrote her own.

Monique met Emily years ago at a holiday party and has been singing her praises ever since, and once we heard Emily speak at Leap about the leadership work she's building at UMD, we knew we had to get her on the mic. This episode is part origin story, part leadership masterclass, and part honest conversation about what it looks like to build a role, and a life, from scratch.

KEY THEMES + TAKEAWAYS

The winding road that took Emily from California to Ohio to Merced to Duluth, and what it taught her about partnership

What it's really like to be a spousal accommodation and how she turned that into her own lane instead of someone else's shadow

Why leadership can and should be taught, not just modeled or hoped for

The metaphor that changed how we think about learning: reading the book versus cutting open the frog

Why women especially need permission to fail forward instead of beating themselves up

How co-curricular life on college campuses (clubs, sports, sororities) quietly builds the leaders of tomorrow

The reminder that self-led people don't buy into the noise, they know what real leadership looks like

OUR FAVORITE QUOTES

"I whisper to my baby, I'm gonna get you out of here."

"If you want someone to make all the decisions, then you just get to sit back and judge and throw rocks."

"When you self lead, then you're not buying into the propaganda or the machine."

"You have to cut up a lot of problems to know what's going on in this animal."

"Stop beating yourself up and move forward with more information, with this knowledge you've gained."

CHAPTER MARKERS

02:13 Welcoming Emily to the show

05:15 How a Minnesotan husband led her to Duluth

09:23 Building a university from a golf course in Merced

14:32 Writing her own job description as a chancellor's partner

20:02 Why leadership became her whole thing

26:24 The women who quietly get everything done

38:23 Her go to leadership resource

YOUR TURN

Where in your life have you had to write your own job description because no one else could?

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All Heart & Soul's Details:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the mastermind program:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie

Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier

Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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What happens when the person you trust most tells you a truth that breaks you wide open? For Becky Moller, that moment became the doorway into a whole new life.

Becky joined us this week to talk about her journey from betrayal trauma into becoming a mindfulness teacher, author, and mentor. In 2014, her husband disclosed an online relationship connected to a pornography addiction he'd struggled with for years. Becky had always been the high functioning, juggle everything kind of person, and this was the moment she finally broke. What followed was a decade of healing that took her through twelve step recovery, meditation and yoga training, and eventually into building her own program, Undone Academy.

We talked about what it actually means to heal in the body, not just the mind, why relationships can be some of the most powerful growth machines we have, and how Becky came to understand that the pain she carried was never really about her husband at all. It was about learning to fully love and accept every part of herself.

OUR FAVORITE QUOTES

"I went from being a high functioning, juggle all the balls kind of person, to I just couldn't function anymore."

"What he did had exposed all of this pain that was already in me. The stuff I actually had to heal had very little to do with him at all."

"Your deepest self knows how to heal. It already knows. Our job is just to get out of the way."

"We are literally hardwired to belong to each other."

"The pain you feel is our human inheritance. Just focus on your next right step, because that's how you find your way through."

CHAPTER MARKERS

03:13 Becky's life now and how she got here

03:50 The disclosure that broke everything open

07:07 The pain was never really about him

13:16 Healing starts with creating space

17:09 The body as a portal into presence

23:56 Stepping into a frequency you didn't know existed

29:03 The book, the retreat, and the 60 day challenge

37:26 You are not alone

YOUR TURN

Where in your life are you trying to think your way through something that your body already knows how to heal? This week, notice what happens when you stop analyzing it and just ask yourself, can I be with this?

CONNECT WITH BECKY

Becky is opening up the 60 Day Mindful Summer Challenge starting June 1st. It's three daily commitments, nourish, move, and anchor, broken into eight modules of Body-Soul work you can do in small pieces each day. Register here: https://beckymoller.com/mindful-summer/

If you're in a relationship that needs repair or a deeper level of connection, Becky is also hosting a Couples Retreat September 3rd through 6th in St George, Utah, built around the tools of embodied mindfulness. Register here: https://beckymoller.com/couples-retreat/

Becky's book, Undone, Unafraid, walks through her own journey from rock bottom into wholeness. Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Undone-Unafraid-Evolving-Betrayal-Femininity-ebook/dp/B0FZYSSNZM

If Becky's story resonates with you, reach out. Email her directly at [email protected] or visit her at beckymoller.com. She also posts weekly teachings and mindfulness practices every Monday on her YouTube channel, The Undone Path with Becky Moller: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8wzQA5FDVaTYUPox_NACSA

-----

All Heart & Soul's Details:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the mastermind program:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie

Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier

Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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WHAT IF YOUR FOOD COULD ACTUALLY HEAL YOU?

We talk a lot on this show about taking care of yourself from the inside out, and this episode? It hit different. Because our guest has been through it, and she turned that rock bottom into a career helping other women find their way back to their bodies.

We sat down with Dafna Chazin, a registered dietitian with over 15 years of experience who now specializes in women's hormones, fertility, and PCOS. Her path wasn't some perfectly planned journey. She was dealing with painful periods, anxiety, acne, and digestive issues in her 20s and said she was, quote, "kind of a hot mess." It took her close to ten years to figure it out herself, and that's exactly why she does what she does now. So nobody else has to take that long.

KEY THEMES + TAKEAWAYS

Women are being gaslit by a healthcare system that wasn't built for them, and standard bloodwork doesn't tell the whole story

The "normal" lab ranges were largely determined using data from men, and even then, sitting at the edges of "normal" can still mean something is off

PCOS (now being called PMOS) affects both reproductive and metabolic health, including weight, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk

Healing doesn't have to mean perfection. Dafna literally tells her clients when they're being too strict

The GPS analogy: you don't have to start over every time you go off plan. You just recalculate

Practical first steps don't require a total overhaul, just smarter, consistent habits

Homemade food is almost always better for you than restaurant food, even without trying

DAFNA'S TOP TIPS FOR HORMONAL HEALTH

Don't skip meals. A consistent breakfast, lunch, dinner, and one or two snacks keeps blood sugar stable all day

Start breakfast with 20 to 30 grams of protein. Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a protein shake all count

Choose high fiber carbs. Think beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, quinoa, chickpea pasta. These are what Dafna calls "steady carbs."

Take a 10 to 15 minute walk after meals. Research shows short movement after eating lowers insulin better than one long gym session

Get off screens two hours before bed. Blue light disrupts melatonin and wrecks sleep, especially for women in perimenopause

OUR FAVORITE QUOTES

"Once you learn how to eat, you're done. You can do this for the rest of your life."

"I knew things about my body that I knew were not true, and I didn't want to rely on some dude in a white coat to tell me otherwise."

"You're going to eat every single day anyway. Let's start there."

"If you follow perfectly and then go on vacation and everything gets thrown off, you ain't coming back."

CHAPTER MARKERS

2:46 Dafna's story and why she got into women's nutrition

8:28 When "normal" bloodwork actually isn't normal

12:54 How Dafna's program works and what customized really means

19:39 Meal structure, blood sugar, and what to actually eat

35:32 The GPS mindset and letting go of the restart cycle

YOUR TURN

This week's reflection: Where are you still waiting for someone else to validate what you already know about your own body?

-----

All Heart & Soul's Details:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the mastermind program:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie

Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier

Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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We throw around words like "boomer" and "millennial" all the time, but do we actually understand what shaped those generations and why it matters for every relationship in our lives?

Monique and I have been wanting to dig into this one for a while, and honestly the timing felt perfect. Right before we hit record, I was telling her about a moment with my mom and some of my high school best friends where the conversation just cracked something open. My mom offered perspective on relating to their own mothers that none of us had thought to ask for, and it landed differently coming from her. That moment is kind of what this whole episode is about.

We walked through every living generation, from Baby Boomers to Gen Alpha, and talked about what shaped each one, how they show up in relationships and work, and how we can actually connect across those divides instead of just getting frustrated by them.

Key Themes + Takeaways:

Baby Boomers (1946-1964) defined themselves through career and loyalty, and many weren't taught to process emotions because the generations before them simply couldn't

Gen X (1965-1980) built trust through consistency, not words, and their independence came directly from being left to figure things out

Millennials (1981-1996) brought emotional self-development into the mainstream and are dealing with burnout, comparison culture, and a deep need for purpose and meaning

Gen Z (1997-2012) are digital natives who value authenticity and psychological safety above almost everything, and they're pushing back on overly polished communication including AI

Gen Alpha (2013-present) are the most tech-integrated generation yet and will need intentional guidance around critical thinking, emotional regulation, and real-world presence

When you're struggling to connect with someone from a different generation, stop asking your peers. Ask someone from that generation instead.

Judgment is the killer of understanding. Empathy starts with context.

Our Favorite Quotes:

"Instead of having the reaction of like, how do you just not know how that works, approaching it from compassion and empathy and understanding that we just aren't coming at this from the same place of life."

"Trust is built through consistency, not words."

"Judgment is really the killer of understanding. If we can just set judgment aside and be like, help me understand what's going on."

"Ask your kids for help. Seek outside of your generation. I've learned so much from my kids."

Chapter Markers:

0:00 Rainy day in the studio 

3:30 Breaking down Baby Boomers 

8:28 Gen X, that's us 

13:43 The millennial moment 

17:34 Getting into Gen Z 

21:20 Meet Gen Alpha 

25:52 What intergenerational connection actually looks like 

29:14 Mariah's story that started it all

Your Turn:

Think about someone in your life from a different generation who you sometimes struggle to understand. What do you know about what shaped them? What would shift if you approached that relationship with more context and a little less judgment?

-----

All Heart & Soul's Details:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the mastermind program:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie

Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier

Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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What if the heaviest thing you're carrying... was never yours to begin with?

You know how we've been on this whole decluttering journey together?

We're talking spiritual decluttering — and before you picture someone sitting in lotus pose chanting at a shrine, let me stop you right there. This isn't about what you do. It's about what you let go of.

The beliefs you inherited but never examined. The emotions you've been lugging around that aren't even yours. The mental chatter that drowns out your own inner wisdom.

Monique is an energy worker and one of my dearest spiritual companions, and honestly — having her in my life feels like a constant gentle recalibration. I hope this conversation does the same for you.

Key Themes + Takeaways

Spiritual decluttering isn't about becoming someone new — it's about stripping away what's outdated, inherited, or simply no longer true for you, so your real self can come through.

So much of what we carry came from someone else — childhood belief systems, religious guardrails, family patterns. The powerful question is: Do I actually believe this? Or did I just absorb it?

Stuckness is spiritual clutter. If you feel like you can't move forward, it might not be a circumstance problem — it could be unprocessed weight sitting in your body, your mind, or your energy.

Your spiritual practice doesn't have to look like anyone else's. Walking in nature, journaling, prayer, a massage, rest, listening to a podcast — it all counts. The form matters less than the intention.

You don't have to do it all at once. Spiritual decluttering is maintenance, not overhaul. Just like I grab the trash out of my car every single time I get out — small, consistent acts of releasing add up to a lighter life.

You can just... let go. I used to think releasing something meant working really hard for it. Turns out, you can simply choose: I release this. It no longer serves me. It's a decision. And yes, it might come back — but you can choose again.

Ask yourself the questions that cut through: What feels heavy right now? Is this mine to carry? What's in the way of where I want to be? What's one thing I can let go of today?

Our Favorite Quotes

"The more you declutter spiritually, the more clearly you can hear yourself. That's really what it's all about." — Monique

"We're an accumulation society. And we just need to get back to our core essence of who we are." — Mariah & Monique

"You can't keep hanging on and dragging the third grader who got bullied everywhere with you. You gotta tell her she's okay. Heal her, integrate her, and let go of the story that's no longer serving you." — Monique

"It's not about overhauling your life. It's about letting go of what isn't yours anymore — and maybe it never was." — Monique

Chapter Markers

00:00 — The Clean Car We All Need (But Make It Spiritual) 

03:01 — So... What Is Spiritual Decluttering, Really? 

07:33 — The Emotional Weight We Were Never Taught to Put Down 

12:33 — A Live Guided Practice: Where Do You Feel Heavy? 

18:45 — Daily Maintenance vs. The Big Overhaul 

25:22 — You Can Actually Just... Let Go 

31:10 — Cycles, Shedding, and the Art of Beginning Again

Your Turn

This week's reflection:

What is one thing you've been carrying that might not actually be yours? Sit with it. Breathe. And ask yourself — is this mine to carry today?

You don't have to solve it. You don't have to fix it. You just have to notice it — and give yourself permission to set it down, even just for a moment.

-----

All Heart & Soul's Details:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the mastermind program:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie

Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier

Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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What if the pile of stuff sitting in the corner of your room isn't just clutter, it's actually you, holding on for dear life? This episode cracked something open for me, because I finally said out loud what I've been quietly avoiding: my physical spaces are a mess, and it's messing with my mind.

Okay, so here's the thing. A few episodes back, Monique and I dove into the many faces of letting go. And one of those faces? Physical clutter. The stuff piled in your car. The paperwork you walk past every single day. The closet that holds every version of you that ever existed.

I am very much living in a full house—literally and figuratively. I love being surrounded by things that carry memories. A shirt I bought in Italy. My kids' old baby onesies. That one coat I haven't worn in three years but cannot get rid of. Sound familiar?

Here's what I've realized: physical clutter isn't just a visual problem. It's emotional. It's mental. And if you've been walking through life feeling foggy or heavy and you can't quite figure out why—it might be time to take a good, honest look around you.

✨ Key Themes + Takeaways

Physical clutter is mental clutter. Your exterior environment is often a direct reflection of your interior one. A cluttered space isn't just inconvenient—it's draining your mental energy without you even realizing it.

Start with the thing that's not emotional. The car is a great place to begin. It's practical, it's contained, and cleaning it out won't send you into a spiral.

Bite-sized beats boiling the ocean. Don't try to declutter your entire life in one afternoon. One drawer. One corner. One car. Then celebrate that it's done before you move to the next thing.

Habit stacking makes it feel less like a chore. Pair your donation drop-off with a stop for a coffee or a quick nail appointment. Make the errand attractive, not dreaded. You'll actually do the thing.

Close the loop. Take the winter boots all the way to the basement—not just inside the front door. Finishing one task from start to finish, without detours, is its own kind of magic.

Some clutter is emotional, not just physical. The pile of papers I keep walking past isn't really about paperwork—there's something deeper keeping me stuck. Before I can clear it, I might need to sit with why I'm avoiding it.

Your stuff holds your stories. The closet isn't just fabric and hangers. It's your past career, your past marriage, a version of you that deserves to be honored—and then gently released.

Our Favorite Quotes

"Physical clutter is mental clutter—and if you don't acknowledge that, you're just living in it and you don't know why."

"I'm holding on to something that could be put back into the flow of the universe. And who am I to just be sitting on this?"

"I needed to know it was going somewhere good. That's a big part of it."

"Your exterior environment is a reflection of your interior environment."

"Future me is really going to be the best version of present me."

Chapter Markers

00:00 — The Clutter Confession

03:01 — Why Stuff Weighs So Much

09:18 — Starting with the Car: A Real-Time Plan

16:38 — Habit Stacking & the Errand Strategy

20:57 — The Paperwork Pile and What It's Really About

24:17 — The Closet Chronicles

37:55 — Riding the Wave Through the Mess

Your Turn

This week's check-in and journaling prompt:

Walk through your home—or your car, your office, wherever you spend the most time—and notice what's waiting for you. Pick one thing. Just one. What is it, and what story are you telling yourself about why it's still there?

-----

All Heart & Soul's Details:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the mastermind program:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie

Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier

Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have this incredible friend, Amy Fogarty — she's a nurse, a yoga teacher, and honestly just a stellar human being. I've done retreats with her in Santa Fe, and a while back she shared this acronym with me and I was like... wait, what? I've been lovingly pestering her ever since to let me bring it to you. So Amy, thank you — because I truly believe this can help people.

We're calling this episode WAVE, and it's not just a cute name. When emotions are washing over you — and they will — it can feel exactly like being caught in the spin cycle at Pipeline. (Monique actually tried to swim out past those 20-foot waves in Hawaii and... yeah. That did not go as planned.) The intensity builds, you're waiting for the crest, and then it crashes back on you again. Sound familiar?

Monique shared something really personal this episode — going through the college admissions process with her daughter, waiting for that email to open, trying to manage her own emotions and her daughter's at the same time. It was raw, it was real, and it's exactly the kind of moment this tool was made for.

Key Themes + Takeaways

W — Witness: Step outside the emotion and just observe it. You're not buying into the story — you're noticing. I'm emotionally flooded right now. That's it. Feelings are not who you are; they're windows into what's going on inside.

A — Allow: Let the emotion exist without pushing it down, pushing it away, or distracting yourself out of it. You can't hide from what's already within you.

V — Validate: Give yourself compassion. This is hard. This is real. Being human is hard — we didn't come with owner's manuals. Don't gaslight yourself into thinking you shouldn't feel what you feel.

E — Explore: Where do you feel it in your body? Would a hand on your heart help? Breath? Gentle movement — yoga, a walk? What color is this emotion? What would it feel like to send it love instead of resistance?

When you run from hard emotions, they get bigger. They become the dragon in the corner that just keeps growing — until you finally go make friends with it.

Two things can be true at once: you can be sad about something and excited about what's next. But if you skip the validation step, you're still gripping — and you can't hold something new when your hands are full.

This is a tool for everyone — kids, adults, men, women. Waves don't stop. Emotional intensities don't stop. So it's not about avoiding them, it's about having the right surfboard.

Our Favorite Quotes

"You can't hide from what's already within you."

"Feelings are not who we are — they're just mirrors and windows into what's going on inside."

"How can you hold something new when you're gripping?"

"I finally realized I need to go pet the motherfucking dragon." 🐉

"Memories are built riding these waves — it isn't when the seas are calm."

Chapter Markers

0:00 — Good vibes and a big tease

2:29 — Meet Amy Fogarty (and why Mariah wouldn't let this stay on Instagram)

3:52 — Monique's real-life wave: the college admissions rollercoaster

6:00 — Why it's called WAVE (and what happened at Pipeline)

7:46 — Breaking down the acronym: W, A, V, E

10:48 — The dragon in the corner (and why running makes it worse)

12:13 — What WAVE looks like in parenting — and why it matters

Your Turn 🌊

This week's reflection:

"Think about the last emotion that surprised you with its intensity. Where did you feel it? Did you witness it, or did you run? What might it look like to allow it — just for a moment — without trying to fix or explain it away?"

-----

All Heart & Soul's Details:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the mastermind program:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie

Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier

Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

MB016FYWIYHORQU

Have you ever walked into a room full of strangers and thought, I've been looking for this my whole life? That's exactly what happened — and it's what sparked an entire legacy.

Back in Episode 23, Monique and I introduced LEAP — the women's networking group we co-founded for Leaders, Entrepreneurs, and Professionals right here in Duluth. For two full years we poured our hearts into it, and then life expanded us in beautiful directions. It was time to pass the baton.

Enter Christa and Kristine. Christa pivoted from retail into financial advising and has grown into VP of Retirement Solutions at North Shore Bank of Commerce. Kristine built a six-figure women's mastermind, ran soul-filling retreats across the country, and now brings that same energy into real estate. When they sat down for coffee and realized something was missing in Duluth for women, they found each other — and then they found us.

Key Themes & Takeaways

– Rejection is redirection. Both women lost jobs tied deeply to their identity — and both discovered the road forward was better than anything they'd planned.

– You are the five people you surround yourself with. Intentionally putting yourself in elevated rooms isn't optional — it's the strategy.

– Networking should feel like women. LEAP is built around asking out loud, referring well, and building real relationships — not passing business cards.

– Radical honesty builds real partnership. Saying the true thing, delivered with care, is what makes a working relationship actually work.

– When you invest, you show up. Skin in the game changes everything — and LEAP puts that theory into beautiful practice.

– Abundance over competition. The most powerful shift is letting go of the need to compete and pouring into each other instead.

Our Favorite Quotes

"My rejection was my redirection — and it was everything I didn't know I needed."

"You're one conversation away from an opportunity. But you have to put yourself in the room."

"Selfishly, I didn't want this to go away — and then I realized what I was looking for was what other women were looking for too."

Chapter Markers

0:00 Spring fling catch-up & welcoming our guests

2:29 The origin story of LEAP

5:24 Christa's pivot: from retail to VP of Retirement Solutions

13:30 Kristine’s story: mastermind retreats & reinventing her hustle

19:29 The moment LEAP found its new owners

28:46 What makes LEAP different — format, venues & the philosophy

54:29 How to refer like you mean it: Kristine’s step-by-step framework

Your Turn

Where are you waiting for permission to ask for what you actually need? Is there a room you've been putting off walking into that might change everything?

What's holding you back from taking the leap?

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All Heart & Soul's Details:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the mastermind program:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie

Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier

Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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This episode was such a fun one for us because we got to have a guest back in the studio — and not just any guest. We sat down with Sara Zeleznikar, Director of Sales for Odyssey Resorts, and the conversation felt like one of those beautiful reminders that the right people really do find each other at the right time.

Of course, in true Monique fashion, this connection began with what we lovingly call “secret stalking.” She saw someone doing meaningful work, knew there was alignment, and decided to reach out. And honestly? We love that energy. Sara shared her side of the story too, and what came through so clearly was that this wasn’t just networking. It was one of those universe-level connections that turns into something meaningful.

What unfolded in this conversation was bigger than business. We talked about hospitality, memory-making, winter in the North, loving where you live, and what it looks like to build something that could one day become part of a region’s identity. Sara also shared the heart behind 218 Days, a growing northern Minnesota celebration centered around the 218 area code and all the magic, resilience, creativity, and community this region has to offer.

And honestly, by the end of this conversation, we were not only inspired by Sara — we were ready to start dreaming bigger right alongside her.

Key Themes + Takeaways

Community is built through intention.

Where we live can become part of who we are.

Winter deserves celebration too.

The “side quest” matters.

Rest, pleasure, and beauty are necessary.

The right people expand your world.

Our Favorite Quotes

“They don’t know they need me. But I for sure need them.”

“Community doesn’t just happen. It gets built.”

“It couldn’t just be one day.”

“Luxury is necessary.”

“Your worth is attached to nothing but your existence.”

Chapter Markers

02:21 — How Sara and Monique really connected

05:25 — What Sara does at Odyssey Resorts

08:41 — What is 218 Days?

13:28 — From 30 partners to 130+

16:17 — Why there’s no catch

22:34 — Building the team behind the vision

27:01 — Who Sara is outside of work

32:33 — Why rest is not wasted

Your Turn

This week’s reflection:

What part of your life, your community, or your season needs celebrating — even if it doesn’t look obvious to everyone else?

And maybe even more honestly: Where are you being invited to create more joy on purpose?

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All Heart & Soul's Details:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the mastermind program:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie

Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier

Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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What if the thing you’re asking for can’t fully arrive… because your hands are still full? Decluttering isn’t just about closets—it’s about letting go of what you’re clenching so you can actually receive what’s next.

Today on Heart & Soul, Monique and I went somewhere tender and real: decluttering your life—not just the physical stuff, but the emotional baggage, the spiritual noise, the energetic tethers, and even the identities we’ve outgrown.

We started by naming the obvious truth: letting go sounds simple in theory, but it’s messy under the hood. Because sometimes what we’re holding on to isn’t just “a thing”… it’s a story. A version of ourselves built in survival. A pain that’s become familiar. A should we’ve carried so long it feels like a personality trait.

Key Themes + Takeaways

Decluttering is a truth-telling practice. Not minimalist vibes—radical honesty about what’s serving you and what’s secretly draining you.

Clutter exists on multiple levels: physical (piles, closets, calendars), emotional (resentments, rehearsed conversations, guilt), and spiritual/energetic (tethers, unseen weight, other people’s “backpacks”).

We hold on because we’re afraid. Afraid of regret, wasting, disappointing someone… or afraid of who we’ll become if we let it go.

Letting go often comes with grief. Even if what you’re releasing wasn’t good for you, there can still be a sacred grieving process.

Emotional decluttering has a cycle: identify the block → create safety to feel it → release it (tears, boundaries, therapy, truth) → grieve → receive what’s next.

You can’t receive with a clenched fist. That image stayed with me—what’s meant for you can’t land if you’re still gripping the old thing.

Our Favorite Quotes

“You can’t receive what you’re asking for without letting go and creating space for something new.”

“Decluttering isn’t just about being a minimalist—it’s about being honest with ourselves.”

“What am I holding on to that’s holding on to me?”

“Forgiveness isn’t approval. It’s release. It’s choosing peace over punishment.”

“You can’t invite what’s next with a clenched fist. You have to open your hand.”

Chapter Markers

00:00 Birthday energy + why this topic matters right now

01:05 Decluttering beyond the closet: identity, energy, attachments

06:04 The “five-minute pile” and what we’re really resisting

10:31 Emotional clutter: resentments, scripts, guilt, and the need to be right

12:10 The key question: what’s holding on to me?

16:18 Trauma in the body, grief as release, and the “backpacks” we carry

36:32 The clenched fist metaphor: release → receive → move forward

Your Turn

This week, I want to offer you a gentle question—no pressure, just truth:

What are you holding on to that’s holding on to you? And if you got really honest… what would you have space for if you finally let it go?

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All Heart & Soul's Details:

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join the mastermind program:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie

Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier

Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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