One of the most common questions I get is, “How do I find my passions?” 

Author Kristin Hannah says, “Finding your passion isn't just about careers and money. It's about finding your authentic self. The one you've buried beneath other people's needs.”

I couldn’t agree more.

It is easy for moms to lose themselves in motherhood. It is very common to wake up one day, years into motherhood, and wonder:

The path to finding your passions and bringing TONS more joy and magic into your life is pretty simple, but not necessarily easy. It takes some time, but it’s well worth it – and the discovery can be really fun. 

Listen in to this episode as I share 7 steps to find your passions in life (beyond motherhood and family life.) I think you’ll be excited about starting a new journey of exploration after you take this in!

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Danny-J is an award-winning entrepreneur, coach, podcast host, and storyteller. As the former founder of The Sweaty Betties, an online fitness community, Danny-J discovered the most effective method for capturing attention and increasing revenue—sharing personal and brand stories. Danny-J's work can be heard in her weekly podcast, The Best Life Podcast and can be followed in real time on all the social media platforms.

As a real-life example of "Truth is Stranger than Fiction" she uses her real "Jerry Springer Life" stories to engage with her audience, teaches life lessons and inspires others to rewrite their stories. Danny-J now teaches innovative brands and influencers to close more sales, become better leaders and blow up their brands with the irresistible power of sharing. She also helps tens of thousands of families become debt-free by sharing her real life getting out of debt story and challenge #FindTheMoneyProject.

I have been following Danny on social media for a while now. When I learned she gave up a baby for adoption as a teen mom, I asked her to come on the show to be interviewed as a Shameless Mom. Danny’s story is filled with trauma and heartache, but it ends in triumph and so much love and joy that she could never have anticipated as a young desperate and clinically depressed young woman. 

In this interview, we dive deep into Danny’s childhood, which was deeply impacted by her family’s religion, sexual abuse at the hands of her cousin, learning her biological father was a sperm donor, a serious eating disorder, depression with ongoing suicidal ideation, and a pregnancy at age 15 that ultimately saved her life. 

Listen in to hear Danny share:

PLEASE NOTE: this episode has been divided into Part 1 and Part 2. Make sure to come back next week to enjoy Part 2.

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Body image has been a hot topic for me my whole life because it has been a struggle for me my whole life.

Working in the fitness industry for 16 years made me hyper-aware of how every woman battles her own body at some point in her life – sometimes for her entire life.

Having worked with thousands of women, I can tell you that a woman who weighs 125 pounds often has then same insecurities as a woman who weighs 225 pounds. Our insecurities are universal because they are programmed into us from a ridiculously young age. 

Today I’m going to talk you through 5 ways to start deprogramming the lies you tell yourself about your body so you can start healing the relationship you have with the body that has served you well your whole life. 

I’m going to give you a lot of information and a lot of resources, so take notes! Then go follow these Badass Body Positivity Babes on Instagram:

Additional Links Mentioned:

• SMA Episode 19: No, I didn’t lose my baby weight

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Jenny Yip, Psy.D., ABPP, is a clinical psychologist, author, speaker and a nationally recognized Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and anxiety expert. Since childhood, Dr. Yip has fought her own personal battle with OCD. Like so many others, she found herself falling victim to the daily struggles that OCD can bring to one’s life. Inspired by her childhood struggles and motivated to helping others overcome theirs, Dr. Yip established the Renewed Freedom Center in Los Angeles to help those suffering from OCD and anxiety disorders by providing the most advanced treatment available. She developed the Family Systems Based Strategic CBT, integrating Mindfulness Training and Strategic Paradoxical Techniques with Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). For over a decade, she has successfully treated severe OCD and anxiety disorders with this comprehensive modality.

I am so grateful to Dr. Yip for coming on the show and so openly sharing her story of postpartum Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I know many moms will be able to relate to the crippling effects of anxiety during that postpartum time. Dr. Yip does an excellent job shedding light on postpartum anxiety, hypervigilance, and OCD. 

After we cover adult OCD, we dive into what OCD can look like in children of all ages. You might be surprised, as OCD can manifest in many different ways in kids. If you have a child you think might be struggling with impulses, anxiety/worry, routines, depression, defiance, attention – there might be some new insights in this conversation for you.

Listen in to hear Dr. Yip share:

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Do you know what your non-negotiables are? 

What are the things you can’t go without? What are the practices, habits, routines, rules you make sure to incorporate on the regular to protect yourself from overwhelm, exhaustion, and loss of identity?

Identifying and implementing non-negotiables is a surefire way to have more control over your days and your JOY. 

Non-negotiables might include anything from a consistent bedtime to saying no extra work events to practicing affirmations first thing in the morning. Non-negotiables serve to protect your energy, create more joy, bring you peace and build better boundaries.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through the 11 non-negotiables that help me build a life I love and keep me sane when sh*t goes sideways – cause that definitely happens every now and then. 

Links Mentioned:

• SMA Episode 221: 7 Phrases of Freedom

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Rachel Paz is a Shameless Mom to her 9-year-old sonm as well as a relationship-readiness coach for independent women who feel like finding companionship and intimacy is impossible without settling.

Rachel didn’t magically know exactly what she wanted in a relationship and how to get it - but a divorce and entering the dating world again were a wake-up call to address the fear of intimacy she had experienced her whole life. To get at the root of the issue, she broke down everything she did in relationships to figure out the reason why behind it. Along the way, Rachel realized that everything she did in relationships that had her feeling like she was settling, were actually behaviors that inherently avoided intimacy. Through identifying the patterns of these self-sabotaging behaviors and practicing alternative ways of doing things, she developed a sense of loyalty to herself that had never been there before, leading her to have deeper and more fulfilling relationships than she ever thought possible.

Now Rachel leads women on this journey of examining who they are and who they want to be in their relationships, clearing out what’s in the way, and attracting partners that fit. She loves to see women unravel the intricacies of what they want, break patterns, and learn the skills to feel ready to love again without sacrificing themselves in the process.

Rachel gets extremely open, honest, and vulnerable in sharing her story and her path to a much better life through the demise of her marriage and finding herself through Orgasmic Meditation. Rachel’s dad was a priest before having a family. Rachel had always lead repressed, albeit comfortable and controlled, life. But she was not happy or fulfilled. She shares her defining moments here. 

If this conversation makes you uncomfortable, that miiiight mean you need to stick around and hear the message. This is a powerful conversation that might really hit home in ways you did not think possible.

Please note: while Rachel shares in the episode how Orgasmic Meditation (OM) changed her life, her sharing that experience is not intended to be an endorsement of the organization that teaches OM courses. Her coaching practice is based on principles she learned through practicing OM, and doesn't include OM itself, unless specifically requested.

Listen in to hear Rachel share:

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Let’s get real.

Real fast.

Shit happens. 

We all have brutally painful moments in life where everything changes. Dreams are lost, hearts are broken, grief is all consuming, the pain is REAL.  And sometimes relentless.

There is a time and place to sit in your pain.

And there is a time and place to turn your pain into POWER.

Today, I’m going to share 4 of my biggest struggles that I turned into 4 of my biggest strengths. These struggles have touched every area of my life. I know you’ll be able to relate to at least one of them, possibly all of them.

Tune in, take notes, and then get to work. 

Consider how you can start turning your struggles into your strengths by moving away from the limits of pain and into alllll of your power.

Links Mentioned:

• SMA Episode 214: Angela Stowell: On Grief Growth and Giving

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Deborah Reber is a New York Times bestselling author, coach, and the founder of TiLT Parenting, a podcast and online community for parents raising differently wired children. Debbie’s podcast has more than 300,000 downloads and on it, she interviews high-profile thought leaders in parenting and education. Debbie’s new book is Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World.

Prior to launching TiLT, Debbie spent fifteen years writing inspiring books for teen girls. As a teen girl authority, she frequently spoke about self-esteem and confidence.

In 2013, Debbie and her family moved from Seattle to Amsterdam, where she currently writes and homeschools her 13-year-old differently wired son, Asher.

I will share that I rarely read a book cover to cover before interviewing my guests. But I found Differently Wired to be such an essential read, I read every single page. Whether your child is differently wired or not, you will find such comfort and wisdom in Debbie’s stories and expertise. 

If you are parenting a differently wired child, Debbie’s work will be an invaluable resource. If you are in a community with differently wired kids (and I promise you are, whether you know it or not), you will learn how they see the world and how you might best be able to support their families. 

If you are parenting a neurotypical child, you will still find a ton of parenting support throughout the book. I dog-eared page after page. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Listen in to hear Debbie share:

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And all of the sudden we are HERE.

Summer!

The longer I am a mom, the more conflicting emotions I hear around summer.

“Yay! Summer adventures!”

“How will we navigate a different camp every week?”

“Precious times with my babies! Can’t wait for summer fun!”

“I have to be home for how long with these kids???”

“When can we just get back to our normal routine, please?!”

Regardless of where you stand on summer and time off school, you have the power to make this a fun, memorable and functional few months for you and your family. It does not have to be all madness and chaos. 

Listen in to hear me dive into the 5 F’s of summer:

Links Mentioned:

• Resource: Custom Bucket List

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Dana Malstaff is the CEO and Founder of Boss Mom. She is a mother of 2, an author, business strategist, podcaster, blind spot reducer, and movement maker. She is the author of Boss Mom: The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Business & Nurturing Your Family Like a Pro. With over 9,000 students in various courses and a 20k+ community. 

With over 10 years of experience in content creation, marketing, sales, community building, and business strategy, Dana grew the Boss Mom brand into a six-figure business in less than a year. Her Boss Mom Movement is all about losing the guilt when it comes to raising babies and businesses at the same time, and believes that pursuing our passions and building our dreams while including our children in the process, is the best way to build thriving businesses and families.                     

I met Dana at an event a few months ago and I knew I had to have her on the show when she got super vulnerable and super Shameless about her recent divorce and the impact of major transitions on a mom’s and business woman’s life. She shares a ton in this interview. I know you will be so fired up and inspired by Dana’s story and wisdom.

Listen to hear Dana share:

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