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Have you ever wondered what might happen if women in their 20s and 40s actually sat down and really listened to one another?
In this episode, I’m joined by two incredible women who inspire me daily, my daughter Alexa Johnston and her best friend Elysee Vielma, for a heartfelt, raw conversation about what it means to be a woman in your 20s today. We talk about ambition, anxiety, faith, pressure, balance, and the beauty of becoming your authentic self in every season.
Together, we explore how bridging the generational gap helps all of us, midlife women and younger women alike, see that we’re not so different after all. Because when we stop judging and start listening, we realize that every generation holds wisdom the other one needs.
✔️ Why 20-somethings feel the pressure to “figure it all out”
✔️ How ambition and anxiety often coexist, and what helps
✔️ What younger women wish midlife women understood about them
✔️ The importance of curiosity, faith, and radical self-acceptance
✔️ How gratitude and presence become the true markers of thriving
It’s an open-hearted, faith-filled conversation about connection, compassion, and becoming, no matter your age.
Listen now to bridge the gap, feel seen, and rediscover the power of generational sisterhood.
Episode Highlights
00:00 - Introduction
03:59 - Redefining Success in Your Twenties
09:45 - The Pressure to Grow Up & Find Balance
17:00 - Ambition, Anxiety, and Emotional Tools
23:55 - Social Media, Self-Expression & Radical Self-Acceptance
31:59 - Bridging Generations: Listening, Learning & Legacy
More About Alexa & Elysee
Alexa Johnston is a 23-year-old graduate of Concordia University Irvine and a current master’s student in Clinical Psychology. Passionate about helping women and teens find joy, purpose, and self-worth through creative, heart-centered therapies, she envisions building a practice rooted in healing and hope. Alexa loves life by the water, journaling, music, and spending time with her boyfriend of seven years, Jared, and their rescue pup, Oakley. She’s devoted to health, wellness, and making a meaningful impact in the world.
https://instagram.com/alexa.johnston
Elysee Vielma grew up in the small mountain town of Sierra Madre in Los Angeles County. She attended Mayfield Senior School, an all-girls Catholic high school in Pasadena, before moving to San Diego to study Behavioral Neuroscience on a pre-med track at the University of San Diego. After graduating in January 2023, she spent two years working in various healthcare roles and is now a medical student at UC San Diego. Elysee’s favorite thing to do is hang out with her 3 year old cousin, Riley, who is the world’s best dance and tea party host!
https://instagram.com/alyseevielma
🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE: THE RISE2SHINE PODCASTApple: https://bit.ly/Rise2ShinePodcastApple
Spotify: https://www.bit.ly/Rise2ShinePodcast
YouTube: https://bit.ly/Rise2ShinePodcastYouTube
🩷 GET YOUR FREE GLOW UP BLUEPRINT
Your step-by-step guide to reigniting your spark → https://rise2shine.co/glowupblueprint
💫 JOIN THE GLOW UP SCHOOL
Exclusive mentoring, identity-level shifts, and a community that gets it → https://glowupschool.co
📚 SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT
Including Rise + the Rise2Shine Journal → https://www.amazon.com/shop/joyful_noelle
💐 FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM
Daily inspiration, behind the scenes, and high-frequency coaching → https://instagram.com/joyful_noelle
#NoelleKustas #Rise2Shine #Rise2ShinePodcast #GlowUpSchool #GenerationalWisdom #FaithFilledWomen #WomenSupportingWomen #MotherDaughterConversations
By Noelle KustasHave you ever wondered what might happen if women in their 20s and 40s actually sat down and really listened to one another?
In this episode, I’m joined by two incredible women who inspire me daily, my daughter Alexa Johnston and her best friend Elysee Vielma, for a heartfelt, raw conversation about what it means to be a woman in your 20s today. We talk about ambition, anxiety, faith, pressure, balance, and the beauty of becoming your authentic self in every season.
Together, we explore how bridging the generational gap helps all of us, midlife women and younger women alike, see that we’re not so different after all. Because when we stop judging and start listening, we realize that every generation holds wisdom the other one needs.
✔️ Why 20-somethings feel the pressure to “figure it all out”
✔️ How ambition and anxiety often coexist, and what helps
✔️ What younger women wish midlife women understood about them
✔️ The importance of curiosity, faith, and radical self-acceptance
✔️ How gratitude and presence become the true markers of thriving
It’s an open-hearted, faith-filled conversation about connection, compassion, and becoming, no matter your age.
Listen now to bridge the gap, feel seen, and rediscover the power of generational sisterhood.
Episode Highlights
00:00 - Introduction
03:59 - Redefining Success in Your Twenties
09:45 - The Pressure to Grow Up & Find Balance
17:00 - Ambition, Anxiety, and Emotional Tools
23:55 - Social Media, Self-Expression & Radical Self-Acceptance
31:59 - Bridging Generations: Listening, Learning & Legacy
More About Alexa & Elysee
Alexa Johnston is a 23-year-old graduate of Concordia University Irvine and a current master’s student in Clinical Psychology. Passionate about helping women and teens find joy, purpose, and self-worth through creative, heart-centered therapies, she envisions building a practice rooted in healing and hope. Alexa loves life by the water, journaling, music, and spending time with her boyfriend of seven years, Jared, and their rescue pup, Oakley. She’s devoted to health, wellness, and making a meaningful impact in the world.
https://instagram.com/alexa.johnston
Elysee Vielma grew up in the small mountain town of Sierra Madre in Los Angeles County. She attended Mayfield Senior School, an all-girls Catholic high school in Pasadena, before moving to San Diego to study Behavioral Neuroscience on a pre-med track at the University of San Diego. After graduating in January 2023, she spent two years working in various healthcare roles and is now a medical student at UC San Diego. Elysee’s favorite thing to do is hang out with her 3 year old cousin, Riley, who is the world’s best dance and tea party host!
https://instagram.com/alyseevielma
🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE: THE RISE2SHINE PODCASTApple: https://bit.ly/Rise2ShinePodcastApple
Spotify: https://www.bit.ly/Rise2ShinePodcast
YouTube: https://bit.ly/Rise2ShinePodcastYouTube
🩷 GET YOUR FREE GLOW UP BLUEPRINT
Your step-by-step guide to reigniting your spark → https://rise2shine.co/glowupblueprint
💫 JOIN THE GLOW UP SCHOOL
Exclusive mentoring, identity-level shifts, and a community that gets it → https://glowupschool.co
📚 SHOP MY AMAZON STOREFRONT
Including Rise + the Rise2Shine Journal → https://www.amazon.com/shop/joyful_noelle
💐 FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM
Daily inspiration, behind the scenes, and high-frequency coaching → https://instagram.com/joyful_noelle
#NoelleKustas #Rise2Shine #Rise2ShinePodcast #GlowUpSchool #GenerationalWisdom #FaithFilledWomen #WomenSupportingWomen #MotherDaughterConversations