Meditate In Style

I discovered Stephen and Erin through a shared post on their Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/couples.counseling.for.parents/ and was immediately hooked. They offer up some awesome marriage and parenting advice for everyone of all ages, genders and sexual identities. Stephen and Erin specifically focus on couples because they are passionate about others having access to experience the sense of healing, belonging, and love that comes with an intimate couple relationship. And like all couples, they have struggled, continue to struggle, and no doubt will struggle again, yet they are committed to a healthy, loving relationship which they share on their website and social media channels.

I asked them to join me on my Not So Darlin podcast so I could pick their brains and learn more, as I have found their posts to be super informative and speak to me in so many ways as a wife and boy mom. Please check out our conversation, be sure to visit their website, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/couples.counseling.for.parents.

As you all probably know by now I've been throwing a super fun 1-year flashback to celebrate my Not So Darlin podcast launch in spring 2020! It's been a blast bringing back my most listened-to guests for a "what's happening now" catch up session, and today's finale features Audrey May of Mizuguchi Plastic Surgery. Among other things Audrey is back for a quick update on how the COVID pandemic changed the world of plastic surgery and also gives us the 411 on the newest treatments & correction of the so-called 'tech neck'; how more men are opting for a little bro-tox; and checking out their latest device that utilizes a robot for hair transplants.

Audrey graduated from nursing school at the University of Louisville in 2008 and began her nursing career at Jewish Hospital where she gained 8 years of experience in bedside nursing, management and administration. She pursued her passion to become an aesthetic nurse in 2016 during which she truly found her niche. For Audrey her job is the best of both worlds combining her love of science and artistry, and her vast knowledge of both facial anatomy and the eyes for facial contours keeps her extremely busy and very successful.

One of the most important things in Audrey's practice is getting to know each of her patients as unique individuals, not just clients. She prides herself in having honest, transparent conversations with each person who sits in her chair and education is one of her primary goals for all patients to help them understand why the aging process is so much more than skin deep. She was voted best injector by her patients back-to-back in the 2019 and 2020 Voice Tribune’s "Bestie Awards". Audrey thoroughly enjoys teaching (and pampering!) her patients and loves to watch them achieve their aesthetic goals by enhancing their natural features and beauty.

And now, drum roll please: As I celebrate my one-year anniversary I want to celebrate one of you, my listeners/followers who have supported me and helped me grow. So...one lucky randomly drawn winner will receive a full face of Xeomin from award-winning Audrey - 50 units valued at $600 - along with a personalized skin consult with her valued at $250! All you have to do to enter is go to my Instagram @notsodarlintonya & follow instructions. The winner will be announced on @notsodarlin on Tues, May 4. Good luck & thanks!

#plasticsurgery #zeomin #byebyewrinkles

I've been taking a walk down memory lane this week to celebrate the 1-year anniversary of my Not So Darlin podcast & inviting a few of the original guests back for a "what's new with you" episode. My girl Melanie, who was the second guest on Season 1 last year, is back today where we talk all things warm & fuzzy, including our friendship! And #2 is obviously Melanie's lucky number because to date she is the second highest listened-to episode since my April 2020 launch ✌🏼 On this anniversary special we have a lot of fun chatting & laughing, as she catches us up on what’s new in the warm & fuzzy (& super fab) world of melanie-jean.com!

#WooWooWednesday 🙌 The mesmerizing, healing message Jenny delivered on my Not So Darlin Season One, Episode 10, from last year, was an all-ears standout so I HAD TO invite her back today to tell us about her life right now in 2021! Take a listen, respond & react my friends!

Jennyshanks.com SPIRITUAL MEDIUM & MENTOR JENNY SHANKS

SPIRITUAL MEDIUM, MENTOR, CERTIFIED CRYSTAL HEALER WHO CONNECTS WITH PASSED LOVE ONES TO HELP PROVIDE COMFORT DURING YOUR TIME OF HEALING.

As I celebrate my Not So Darlin podcast anniversary this month, I've invited back some of our fan favorite episode guests from Season 1 for a "What are They Doing Now" update. My 2020 Mother’s Day podcast last May was the #1 rated/most listened-to episode of the past 12 months and featured my very special guest Jessica, a widowed mother of three who is most definitely not your average soccer mom. This full-time special education teacher was living her fairy tale college romance story when one day mental illness changed her life forever. Jessica bravely and openly shared the story of her husband’s suicide to help others cope with their own pain, as well as acting as a vocal advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. I invited Jessica to come back for this week's episode to celebrate her courage, let her know the profound impact her story had on others, and also find out what's been happening in her world over the past year. I know you'll find it as inspirational, meaningful and touching as I have.

The modern-day gift for a one-year anniversary is a clock, which commemorates the passage of time over the first year of a major event. And I can’t think of a better analogy to celebrate the first anniversary of my Not So Darlin podcast today. While many would say time practically stood still during 2020, for me the past 12 months seem as if they flew by. It proved to be one of the most enlightening years of my life, a journey of self-discovery that opened up new horizons and experiences I never imagined.

It was also one of the biggest learning experiences of my 43 years around the sun, with lots of bumps, curves, and woulda/shoulda/couldas. But at the end of the day – make that 365 days – the rewards have been absolutely enormous. As we all shut down for quarantine last spring, I decided it was the perfect time for me to embark on a personal and professional reboot. I’ve always been fascinated by the stories of others who truly want to make an impact on our world, whether in baby steps or a big-time way. And what better way than to share these stories than to host an online forum that shines the brightest spotlight as possible on these very special people?

So please listen in as I take a brief trip back in time and give the appropriate shout outs to everyone who's been on this journey with me - especially all of you, my listeners - without whom there would be no Not So Darlin podcast.

Casey Jean first discovered holistic wellness when she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease at the age of 21. As she says, "she was sick and tired of being sick and tired," and was ready to explore and find a variety of ways to take care of herself.

Soon thereafter she discovered the power of slowing down and taking daily action to care for her mind and body. Now a 500-hour registered Therapeutic Yoga Instructor, she uses mindfulness, meditation, herbalism, and yoga to guide others on their paths to wellness.

In 2016 she created Jean’s Apothecare, a holistic body care and lifestyle brand based in Western Alabama. Jean only sources from trusted farmers and all of her products are made by hand, created in small batches to ensure quality and freshness. Additionally, all of her botanicals are organic, fair-trade, and sustainably, sourced with absolutely no synthetic ingredients in the products.

From her wellness services to products, her mission remains the same: to help us live in a way that nurtures our bodies and minds. Listen in as Casey Jean and I discuss what autoimmune disease means and what herbs have been effective in healing this disease (it most definitely it isn’t a one size fits all approach). And be sure to check out her website at jeansapothecare.com. Bonus: Enjoy $5 off your first order with code DARLIN at checkout!

Iloshe Swim was founded by designer Falak Burch, a Maldivian native and travel enthusiast whose inspiration is drawn from her hometown, as well as cultures from the many other countries she visits. Having lived in several developing countries, she has seen first-hand the negative impact fast fashion has had on the Earth and its inhabitants. Her vision has been to build a brand that promotes awareness of marine environment, plastic pollution and slow fashion through ethical and sustainable business practices.

Falak believes that fashion and sustainability should always play well together, which is why she and her company take the time to source the most high-end, recyclable fabrics on the market. Her mission is to provide a swimwear line that loves the Earth as much as it loves us. We met through our mutual friend Melanie and after a brief conversation we immediately connected over our shared love for the TV show Project Runway! Falak shared with me her technique of spiritual manifestation to whisper into the universe while listening to a podcast and how one day she hoped to be featured on one. Go figure, perfect for my Not So Darlin podcast! That very same day I asked her to be one of my guests. We discussed not only who and what her brand is all about, but how we both have struggled with self-esteem issues, discovering self-love, and dealing with imposter syndrome.

And as a special treat for my followers, enjoy 12% off your Iloshe Swim purchase with promo code NOTSODARLIN12 at iloshe.com, now through 6/1/21. Enjoy!

When Erin Craft and her husband Kevin were first married, they enjoyed shopping together. As they started a family, however, the chances for a day out to ‘hit the mall’ became slimmer and slimmer. Sweatpants and scrunchies became the norm for this physical therapist who was simultaneously raising three daughters plus showing up daily for a demanding job; eventually low self-esteem ensued. “I loved raising a family and really wanted to be able to spend more time with the children and Kevin. But I hated the idea that so many other women were stuck in the same rut,” she says.

Then it hit her: she decided a simple, fashionable and affordable online boutique was exactly what was needed for women like herself and decided to go into business for herself to supplement the family’s income and have quality time with Kevin and the kids. Founded on Christian principles, 3willowsboutique.com opened online in November 2017, accompanied by a Facebook page, to provide women everywhere with the style confidence they deserve. Erin believes in helping women of all sizes feel beautiful from the inside out, and that’s why 3 Willows carries sizes from small to 3X.

After much planning and hard work, she opened a 3 Willows bricks and mortar store in Louisville in February 2020, but after less than a month open the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly shut down the boutique. However, not one to be deterred, Erin made the boutique’s online efforts even more engaging and user-friendly with a host of Facebook Live events, along with the debut of the free 3 Willows shopping app available for download on the Apple App Store on Android Play Store. (Note, every Thursday a sale is held either on Facebook Live or on the app; how cool is that?!). The boutique, located at 12003 Shelbyville Road in Middletown, is now reopen with social distancing and masking in place, Tuesday-Thursday 11am-6pm, Fridays 11am-7pm, and Saturdays 10-4pm (closed Sundays and Mondays).

Listen in on our fun, female-centric conversation about the challenges and rewards so many women raising families today encounter.

Are you ready for the Solo Date Challenge? You'll be ready to give it a go once you listen to this week's podcast with Life Transformation Coach, Holly Hartman

Life Coach, Certified Health Coach, Motivatinal Speaker, Facilitator to Healers. Creator and coordinator of events, retreats and workshops. Quite a resume for just one woman but Holly Hartman isn't just any woman. As a life transformation coach Holly has undertaken the unique role of empowering women to date themselves - yes, date themselves - or as she often refers to it, intentional solo dating. After all, if we're not happy with ourselves how will we ever be happy with someone else? Holly's challenge helps women to live well, learn and grow, and love themselves, for themselves. Her methods take women on a self-discovery journey back to themselves with educational courses and group mentoring in private women’s communities. Holly is a dedicated mom and her faith inspired her own intensive personal development journey over the past decade of healing from a toxic, co-dependent relationship which was supplemented by addiction issues.

My conversation with Holly was enlightening and inspiring. Imagine learning how to 'date' yourself and fill your cup with joyful experiences! I'll admit while I love my husband and son more than anything, it’s been a struggle for me as a codependent wife and mother, one who gives a lot and ends up feeling guilty when wanting more for me and my own life. I have often felt like I fell into a trap of the idea of who I am supposed to be, but maybe in all reality my gifts are much more than what I used to believe they were. I'm hard on myself and dislike letting others down or feeling they're disappointed in me which has held me back to strive for greater things. But not anymore! As I branch out, heal, and learn more about myself with the help of Holly, I'm starting to feel my true worth in this world. For more about this ingenious, innovative and inventive woman listen here! Solodatechallenge.com