It’s June?! Whoa. Becky and Ashleyne take this episode to revisit their goals for the year, talk through what’s going well and what needs to adapt, and discuss the reality of total failure. If you have set any personal goals in the last year or two, this is a great opportunity to take a few minutes to think through how they’re going and what you can accomplish going forward!

Sergeant First Class Bran Lanning joins Ashleyne and Becky to dive into what she's learned about leadership from her 18 years in the Indiana Army National Guard. With wisdom on how not to micromanage, how leadership is defined in the military, and how to continue to grow, Bran brings big lessons and helpful insight into everyday life.

It's never too late to change your plans, and always worthwhile to pursue your passions! Becky talks with Steph Wilberden, an actress and fitness coach in NYC, about how to balance multiple dreams at once, and how to adjust when things don't go as expected.

It's Mental Health Awareness Month! It's important to talk about our mental health and our mental illness, to help end stigmas and shame, and to share strategies and experiences with those who experience mental illness. In this episode, Ashleyne talks about a recent stretch of depression, what it felt like, what others did to help, and what those with similar experiences can take away.

Have you ever felt exhausted or burnt out from caring about someone or something? Well, that’s a real thing and it’s called Compassion Fatigue! Ronnie Sullivan joins Ashleyne to talk about the benefits and reasons to develop your compassion muscles, but also chat about Ronnie’s time in the Peace Corps, where he learned that managing your compassion to avoid burnout was incredibly valuable. Ronnie includes a few action steps and some great resources on compassion!

None of us want to come across as needy or weak! But at the same time, we have real needs and sometimes we just have to communicate them! So how do we figure out what we need, how do we convince ourselves to talk about it, and how do we have that conversation? Becky and Ashleyne dive into the psychology behind why we avoid talking about our needs and then give you five steps to help you communicate what you need to others in a way that they can hear and act on.

This week, Becky and Ashleyne realize it’s the two-year anniversary of the Living Box-Free podcast, and it’s time to reflect and celebrate! Full of questions submitted by listeners, this episode is a fun look at how the podcast started, what’s been working, and all the fun and serious things our Box-Breakers want to know!

Life is full of uncertainty - the only thing you can be certain of is that things will change! And how we deal with the unknown makes a huge difference in how we process, lead, parent, and function. So are you good at dealing with ambiguity, or do you have room to grow? Becky explains to Ashleyne why navigating uncertainty well is important, the signs that you need to work on your navigational skills, and how to know if you’re doing it well.

Are you well-rested? Even if you're getting 8-9 hours of sleep a night, the answer might still be no. That's because there's more to rest than sleep and zoning out! In this episode, Becky and Ashleyne break down the types of rest and how to use them to become the healthiest version of you, including tips on how to rest well.

Parenting is a wild and crazy experience, to say the least! In this episode, Becky gets real about her experience being a mom of a toddler - what’s difficult, what’s great, what she would do differently. This is for all the parents out there and anyone who enjoys a funny story - we see you and we’re in it with you!