Life Happens with Barb & Michelle

"People are walking around asking, 'Is it okay if I'm just me?'" – Cory Allen

In this week's episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, Barb and Michelle are joined by Cory Allen, author of The Quiet Age: Creating a Calm Life in a Chaotic World, for an honest, relatable conversation about mindfulness and emotional well-being.

The mother-daughter duo and Cory explore what persistent digital noise is doing to our minds, bodies, and nervous systems. They take a deeper look into why the real problem isn't burnout, but rather losing connection with ourselves. 

Cory shares practical mindfulness tools for overcoming overwhelm: from writing down a racing thought and shelving it for a week, to a "wine tasting" approach for getting curious about hard feelings instead of running from them. Barb ties it back to the idea behind Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life®, and how real change happens quietly, from the inside out. Make sure you stay until the end, where the conversation closes with a short mindfulness practice for you to try the second the episode stops. 

In this episode, Barb, Michelle, and Cory also discuss:

• Why thoughts are suggestions, not instructions, and how to read a racing heart as a signal instead of an alarm
• How to get curious about hard feelings and why facing them is less scary than staying numb
• What a quiet life really looks like, and why it doesn't mean slowing down or giving up your drive
• Why so many of us outsource our power, and the permission we're all waiting for to live authentically

If you've ever wondered whether it's okay to just be yourself, this episode’s for you.

More from our guest, Cory Allen: 

Find Cory at @heycoryallen, and pick up The Quiet Age https://link.amazon/B06rAD2a.

🎙️Life Happens with Barb and Michelle is a weekly mental health podcast, with new episodes dropping every Tuesday.

Make sure you subscribe & join us next week for another episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 

Hosted by:

💕Barb Schmidt https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/ 

💕Michelle Maros https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/ 

Join our community! ⬇️ 

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/ 

Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

Listen to our podcast anywhere→ https://michellemaros.com/podcast/ 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today’s episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, Barb and Michelle are joined by writer, speaker, and advocate Libby Ward, author of Honest Motherhood: On Losing My Mind and Finding Myself. In a deeply moving and vulnerable conversation, we talk about the realities of modern motherhood, including the mental load, overwhelm, the pressure to do it all, and what it takes to let go of perfection.

Together, Libby, Barb, and Michelle explore the hidden roots of rage, overstimulation, and people-pleasing, unpacking how childhood trauma and hypervigilance make setting simple boundaries feel like a matter of life or death.

Libby shares her candid "Granola Bar" story, a pivotal moment of maternal rage that forces her to confront her limits and explains why genuine repair and self-compassion are the true keys to breaking generational cycles. From validating our children's experiences to unlearning the myth of the "perfect mother," this episode offers an honest, hopeful blueprint for reconnecting with your authentic self.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

The pressures of motherhood and learning how to prioritize yourself

Letting go of the pressure to be perceived as a “good mom"

Setting boundaries, choosing to say no, and how to live with the feelings of letting people down

Giving yourself permission to be imperfect and choosing radical honesty over a conflict-free relationship

Learning to apologize to your children and sharing the importance of feelings

This is a powerful, fun, and deeply honest conversation about parenting, identity, boundaries, and creating a healthier version of motherhood for ourselves and the next generation.

More From the Guest:

Get your copy of Honest Motherhood: On Losing My Mind and Finding Myself

Learn more about Libby Ward here and follow her @libbyward.

Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle!

💕🎙️Hosted by:

https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/Join our community

⬇️YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/

Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

Listen to our podcast anywhere→ https://michellemaros.com/podcast/

🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday✨

Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week’s episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, Barb and Michelle are joined by Kelly Rizzo, host of the podcast Comfort Food and widow of beloved comedian Bob Saget.

In this vulnerable conversation about grief and loss, Kelly shares the deep love she had for Bob, the heartbreak that followed his death in 2022, and how she continues to manage her relationship with grief and the trauma she experienced processing such a loss in the public eye.

Kelly also shares her personal experience of finding love again after loss, how she knew she was ready to date again, and also talks of her personal experience of choosing to live child-free. 

We felt such a beautiful connection with Kelly in this episode and we hope you love it as much as we do!

Episode Highlights:

• Grief after sudden loss while grieving in the public eye
• The trauma of grief, PTSD, and the blessing of sharing your story to help others
• Finding love again and the importance of not settling in relationships
• Choosing a child-free life and breaking free from societal expectations

📅 Subscribe & Join Us next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕

🎙️ Hosted by:

https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/

https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/

Join our community⬇️

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/

Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

Listen to our podcast anywhere→ https://michellemaros.com/podcast/

🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday

✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg

More on Kelly Rizzo:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyrizzo/?hl=en

Hoo.be hoo.be/comfortfood

Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/comfort-food-with-kelly-rizzo/id1716987177

Spotify open.spotify.com/show/5PW46ZYYpLlUCRPWn0Vfm7

Acast shows.acast.com/comfort-food-with-kelly-rizzo

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Have you ever found yourself thinking… I’m trying so hard to be a good parent, so why does it feel like I'm constantly struggling to connect with my child?

In today’s episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, Barb and Michelle are joined by clinical psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and founder of the conscious parenting movement, Dr. Shefali. Celebrating the launch of her two newest books, Raising Conscious Sons and Raising Conscious Daughters, Dr. Shefali breaks down how parents can move away from control, fear, and projection to build authentic, meaningful relationships with their children.

Dr. Shefali explores why raising children in today's digital age presents unique, unprecedented challenges for both boys and girls. She unpacks the specific pressures facing children today, and explains how parents can create healthy guardrails and boundaries. They also discuss the importance of healing your own emotional baggage, extending grace to your parenting mistakes, and showing up as a real, imperfect human.

Connect with Dr. Shefali and check out her new books available now! 

Raising Conscious Sons available here

Raising Conscious Daughters available here

https://www.drshefali.com/

🎁 Special Offer for Our Listeners:

Want to become a certified Conscious Parenting Coach? Dr. Shefali is offering an exclusive $500 DISCOUNT on her 5-month Coaching Institute program! Learn more here. 

CODE: 500OFF

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Conscious Parenting: What it Means and How to Raise Resilient Children
• The Difference Between Raising Sons vs. Daughters
• How to Stop Projecting Onto and Controlling Your Kids
• Why Need to Stop Using Your Kids to Feel Better About Yourself
• Owning Your Emotional Baggage 

📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕 🎙️ 

Hosted by:

💕Barb Schmidt https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/ 

💕Michelle Maros https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/ 

Join our community⬇️ 

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/ 

Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

Listen to our podcast anywhere→ https://michellemaros.com/podcast/ 🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday

✨ Available Now✨ Order Michelle’s book, Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever found yourself thinking—I’m stuck in old thought patterns, so how do I actually change my mind and heal from past trauma?

On today’s episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, Barb and Michelle continue the conversation in Part 2 of their Rewiring the Brain series, diving deeper into brain health, trauma, and the science of rewiring your mind. Opening up about personal experiences, including Barb navigating the traumatic emotional aftermath of a 33 year marriage and divorce, the mother daughter duo explores how unaddressed life trauma physically impacts the brain and how we can preemptively build resilience

Barb and Michelle break down how self-talk, Claude Steele's self-affirmation theory, and positive repetition physically create new neural pathways in the brain. They unpack why the nervous system prefers familiarity even when it's painful and why positive change can sometimes feel like a threat. From moving out of survival mode into creative growth to practical daily habits that keep the brain sharp, this episode serves as an empowering guide to taking control of your internal narrative, building confidence, and rewiring your brain through repeated practice.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

✨ How unaddressed trauma impacts the brain and how to build resilience through life's biggest changes.

✨ The power of self-talk and self-affirmation theory to physically rewire neural pathways.

✨ Why the brain prioritizes protection in survival mode and how to move into thriving.

✨ How taking action and building confidence creates new evidence for your mind.

✨ Simple daily practices and repetition tools to keep your brain sharp and healthy as you age.

📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕

🎙️ Hosted by:

https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/

https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/

Join our community⬇️

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/

Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

Listen to our podcast anywhere→ https://michellemaros.com/podcast/

🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday

✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have you ever found yourself thinking, I’m getting older, but what can I actually do right now to protect my memory and keep my brain healthy?

On today’s episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, Barb and Michelle dive into a deeply personal conversation about women's brain health, cognitive aging, and the fear of losing your mind. Inspired by turning 70 and navigating a major life transition, Barb shares her recent obsession with brain research, highlighting why it’s critical for women to start taking care of their brains long before older age. Together, the mother-daughter duo explores the vital connection between emotional wellbeing, trauma, and physical brain health.

Barb and Michelle look at some surprising statistics, including why nearly two thirds of Alzheimer’s diagnoses are in women, and explore how hormonal changes during perimenopause, postpartum, and aging can affect brain health. They explore neuroplasticity and the idea that the brain is always changing, looking at how resilience, mindfulness, and other healthy practices can help strengthen positive neural pathways, support brain health, and shape the way we respond to stress and trauma. Ultimately, they offer practical, empowering strategies to help you pause, settle your mind during life's adversity, and choose how you respond so you can keep your brain sharp and thriving at any age.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

 ✨ Why women are uniquely affected by brain health issues and cognitive decline. 

✨ The impact of unaddressed trauma and major life transitions on the brain.

 ✨ What neuroplasticity is and how resilience actually rewires your brain. 

✨ Practical tools to settle the mind, practice mindfulness as choice, and build brain health early.

📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕 🎙️

Hosted by: https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/ https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/ Join our community

⬇️ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/

Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

Listen to our podcast anywhere→ https://michellemaros.com/podcast/ 🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday

✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You've done the work. Everything should be easy now, right?

On today’s episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, Barb and Michelle explore what happens when stress and overwhelm show up, even when you’ve been doing the work, and challenge the common misconception that mindfulness “fixes everything.” In a real time moment during the recording, Barb becomes overwhelmed and asks to pause, creating an honest example of what it looks like to stop, acknowledge what you’re feeling, and give yourself space rather than pushing through. 

Barb speaks on how external circumstances cannot be controlled, only we as individuals can control their internal responses and rebuild their mind's narrative. Michelle walks through helpful frameworks like taking the mind to the gym and creating new neural pathways, they emphasize that managing stress is an ongoing practice of self-worth and resilience. Ultimately, they encourage listeners to offer themselves grace and practice tools like pausing, positive affirmations, journaling, self-compassion, and setting boundaries.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

✨ What to do in the moment when you feel stress and overwhelm.

✨Reframing the mind and building new emotional habits and skills.

✨The pitfalls of becoming more aware.

✨The power of the pause. 

📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕

🎙️ Host by:

• https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/
• https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/

Join our community⬇️

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/

Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

Listen to our podcast anywhere→ https://michellemaros.com/podcast/ 

🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday

✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is a special re-release about one of our most powerful tools; discernment. 

You don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to. 💭

In this episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we’re diving into how to protect your peace by picking your battles, knowing your triggers, setting boundaries, and loving people from afar.

We continue our conversation on navigating disrespect and difficult interactions by strengthening your discernment muscle. Barb and Michelle share personal stories, practical tools, and compassionate strategies to help you manage conflict without losing your inner calm.

In this episode:

💬 Barb opens up about lessons learned when she was triggered and crossed her own boundaries after divorce—and how she now practices loving people from afar.

💬 Michelle shares her mindset shift from being hard on herself for mistakes to embracing life as a laboratory for growth and learning.

Episode Highlights

✨ Don’t test yourself: Keep honoring your boundaries, even when you feel confident in your healing. Boundaries are meant to protect your peace.

✨ Develop a relationship with yourself: Balance compassion and accountability. Love yourself enough to grow through the hard things.

✨ Pick your battles: Be wise about what deserves your time, energy, and attention—you don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to.

✨ Know your triggers: Be aware of the areas where you’re vulnerable and communicate boundaries to protect your peace.

From recognizing your triggers to communicating with intention, this episode will help you preserve your mental health, stay rooted in your values, and engage only in the battles that truly matter.

Today’s Episode Sponsor:

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📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕

🎙️ Hosted by:

• https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/
• https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/

Join our community⬇️

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/

Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

Listen to our podcast anywhere→ https://michellemaros.com/podcast/ 

🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday

✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, the duo welcomes transformation specialist, trainer, and author Heidi Powell for a candid, heartfelt conversation about navigating life's biggest transitions, aging, and reclaiming your self-worth.

Heidi shares her personal journey through perimenopause, overcoming eating disorders, shifting her relationship with fitness, and how she navigated grief and loss to ultimately build a life grounded in self-love and community. Barb, Michelle, and Heidi explore the evolution of female friendships in their 40s and beyond, the pressures of social media, and how letting go of people-pleasing allows us to show up authentically. From physical wellness to emotional healing, this episode serves as an inspiring, empowering reminder that your best years are always ahead and that you are right where you're supposed to be.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

✨ The beauty of finding deep female friendships as you age

✨ The power of transformation at any stage and any age. 

✨Navigating perimenopause, body image, and the beauty of aging. 

📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕

🎙️ Hosted by:

• https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/
• https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/

Join our community⬇️

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/

Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

Listen to our podcast anywhere→ https://michellemaros.com/podcast/ 

🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday

✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There it is again – that phantom itch. Check email, then texts, then Instagram, then email again. The endless loop that pulls us from the moments we want to be present for to the things that are engineered to distract us. 

In this episode of Life Happens of Barb and Michelle, co-hosts and mother-daughter duo discuss the phenomenon of popcorn brain, or when your brain jumps from one thought or task back and forth to another. Barb shares that even as a mindfulness expert, she too is experiencing the retraining effects of technology. Michelle opens up about how task paralysis can impact your life in a variety of ways; from writing a book to watching Love Island. 

Barb and Michelle together dive into how awareness is always the first step in fostering a deeper connection between the body and mind. This episode ends with discussing a few ideas for first steps you can take in order to give yourself more space to connect without technology pulling you in. 

In This Episode, We Discuss:

✨ Introducing and defining “popcorn brain”, coined by researcher David Levy

✨ How to notice the phantom itch, task paralysis, trouble disconnecting, and more. 

✨ Practical tools for regaining control of your focus and finding small joys. 

📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕

🎙️ Hosted by:

• https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/
• https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/

Join our community⬇️

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/

Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

Listen to our podcast anywhere→ https://michellemaros.com/podcast/ 

🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday

✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.