The After 30 Podcast

“We all MUST remember that the people who created these rules, suggestions and standard for child-rearing and motherhood were NOT RAISING A BABY DURING A PANDEMIC + CIVIL RIGHTS CRISIS + ECONOMIC CRISIS all at once” (nsfmg)

We chat with the fabulous founders of The Rebel Mama, Nikita Stanley and Aleksandra Jassem on what it's been like to be a mother in 2020 and what we can do to get through the latter half. (*Hint, cannabis - legal in Canada now*). But also agility, calmness and community. 

Show Notes:

In 2014, the two unlikely moms combined their talents and mutual distaste for the typical mommy rhetoric and created The Rebel Mama(.com). Adored by cool moms the world over, the smart and edgy online publication creates a safe and judgement-free space that’s known for its celebration of both individuality and authenticity.

Between the two of them, Aleks and Nikita are mamas to three kids, a dog, and a cat. They reside in Toronto, Canada and survive (almost) exclusively on peanut butter sandwiches, Napolitano pizza, and coffee. So much coffee.

“The Handbook for (Cool) Moms” is available now on Amazon, Indigo, and Barnes & Noble.

Episode Partner:

Mini Mioche (or @minimioche) is our true go-to for baby and kids basics and essentials. Handmade in Toronto, sustainable, incredible quality and adorable as hell. Enjoy  15% off your order with code "Afterthirty".

We talk about growth - not upward growth, but lateral growth. Our 30’s are often a time when opportunities arise, particularly in our career. We typically expect to strategize for the next rung on the ladder in our current field, get a promotion, grow our businesses, and amplify goals - upward growth in a field that we know deeply, feels like the only existing direction. But what if we’re actually feeling a pull to something different? What if we recognize the value of our experience, and we know our passions better, and we actually see the importance of growing laterally in a specific context or environment? We have a tricky balance of learning how to put years of practical experience in place, with still not (or ever?!) being “senior” enough to not learn a new way.

With us today is Sarah Stockdale, author, speaker, and Founder & CEO of Growclass, an online growth marketing training school. Sarah’s chats with us about why NOW is the perfect time to learn more and grow laterally.

Show Notes:

Sarah Stockdale is the Founder and CEO of Growclass, a 6 week online growth marketing training program taught by experts in their field. She’s an author, speaker, and coach. Enrollment is now open, classes start on September 14. Follow her company Growclass on IG handle @growclass

Sarah’s  Bio:

Sarah is an entrepreneur, coach, speaker, startup growth marketer, and innovation professional. She is the Founder and CEO of Growclass, an online growth marketing training company. She is the author of: We Need To Talk About This, a popular blog and newsletter for millennial women, a guest tech expert for CBC, and CTV, and a TEDx speaker. She frequently speaks at universities, events and conferences across North America.

Sarah has spent her career working on early stage technology startups, starting as a foundational team member of Wave, a Canadian financial technology giant. More recently, she led the International Community Growth team at the San Francisco payments startup, Tilt, which was acquired by Airbnb in 2017. Sarah coaches businesses and individuals to achieve incredible growth.

About Growclass:

Growclass is Canada’s first Growth Marketing Training Program. Growclass works with incredible marketing professionals to help its students become fully skilled growth marketers. Growclass’ portfolio includes training for businesses and individuals to help level up their talent and ensure they’re on the cutting edge of growth marketing trends and best practice. Training is offered in person in Toronto, Ontario. To sign up, enrolment is now open.

Follow Growclass on IG @growclass

As always follow along on @theafter30podcast

As children around the world have been returning to school in the last few weeks (or more) stress levels have been high as parents, teachers and kids have tried to navigate the ever changing pandemic landscape. It felt more important than ever to hone in on a topic that could be a respite, give parents and children alike something in their toolbox to better cope with the strange realities around them for this back-to-school season. In this episode, we discuss what mindfulness means for kids, why it’s so important, and how we can encourage it in our children, teens and young adults.

Show Notes:

Lorena Dolinar is an author, mother, and registered psychotherapist. She holds an honours degree from the University of Toronto in psychology, as well as an addictions diploma from Georgian College. She has worked as a substance use therapist for over seventeen years. She has also been trained in mindfulness, and she teaches this skill to youth accessing counselling services. Her work reflects her deep concern for kids growing up in today’s fast-paced and uncertain world, as well as her dedication to helping others. She believes that mindfulness is an effective starting point for regaining a sense of calm and control and improving daily functioning. “Mikey Discovers His Superpower” is her first book. She currently lives in Oakville, Ontario, with her husband and two children, as well as the family’s miniature pinscher, Bella.

Partner:

Our Toronto go-to for our beauty needs: Sekai Nail & Beauty Bar. Use code AFTER30 for 10% off at Sekai. (sekaibeauty.com).

As always, follow us at @theafter30podcast.

We all understand the true value of sleep. Not enough of it, and its effect cascades onto our mood, memory, and concentration. Enough of it, and life through the lens of rest looks and feels more peaceful. We can experience better moods, stress reduction, and an increase in self compassion. The good thing - we can catch up on sleep. So here we are, asking you to take a moment and set some time aside for the duration of this podcast. Yoga Nidra means sleep with a trace of awareness. It is a state of mind in between wakefulness and dream. When you practice Yoga Nidra, you are opening the deeper phases of your mind. It is a powerful technique in which you can learn to relax consciously. The term Yoga Nidra is derived from two Sanskrit words; yoga- meaning union or one-pointed awareness, and nidra which means sleep. In Yoga Nidra, the state of relaxation is reached by turning inwards, away from outer experiences. 

Show Notes:  We pulled our reading from the book Yoga Nidra, adapted by Swami Satyananda Saraswati from the traditional tantric practice of nyasa. The book explains the theory of Yoga Nidra in both yogic and scientific terms and includes class transcriptions of the practice. It also presents the various applications of this versatile technique, which has been used for deep relaxation in stress management and therapy, to enhance the learning process in education, to harmonize the deeper unconscious and awaken inner potential, and as a meditative technique. Buy your copy here. This episode is inspired by our friends at The Get Sleepy Podcast, who create sleep inducing bedtime stories. 

The music for this episode is by Chris Collins, https://indiemusicbox.com" 

As always, follow us on @theafter30podcast

Intimacy and pleasure have taken on a new meaning in the last while. It’s commonly joked about that couples are either having a lot more sex right now with all of the closeness and the extra time, or couples are are sick of each other, exhausted and sex has become a unicorn -  that thing that’s beautiful and doesn’t exist. With us today is Dr. Jessica O’Reilly, AKA Dr. Jess. We'll discuss the layered emotions we've all been feeling during this time, its effect on intimacy, and what we can do about it. 

Show Notes:

Jess O’Reilly began working as a sexuality counsellor in 2001 and she has never looked back! Her PhD studies involved the development of training programs in sex education for teachers and her education and undergraduate degrees focused on equity and sexual diversity. Her training includes courses in counselling skills, healthy relationships, resolving sexual concerns, sex education, clinical sexology, sexual development, sex and disability, group therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Alongside her academic and television credits, Dr. Jess is also an accomplished author with three best-selling titles. Her latest, The New Sex Bible, has received rave reviews from professionals and clients alike and her first book Hot Sex Tips,Tricks and Licks is in its fourth print! Look for her monthly column in Post City or catch her on Tuesday mornings on Global TV’s The Morning Show, Wednesdays on 102.1 The Edge and Saturdays on PlayboyTV.

Dr. Jess’ work experience includes contracts with school boards, social services agencies, community health organizations and private corporations. A sought-after speaker, her sessions always attract a full-house at conferences and entertainment events alike. You’ll find her advice weekly in the likes of Women’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Cosmopolitan, SELF, Showtime and The Movie Network. 

Dr. Jess also has her own podcast, Sex with Dr. Jess, where she shares tips on how to enhance your sexual life to improve the quality of your relationships. She interviews guests with questions ranging from how to deal with jealousy to getting down in the bedroom, as well as hosting thought-provoking episodes centered around compatibility and strengthening relationships.

Dr. Jess recently released a book: The Ultimate Guide to Seduction and Foreplay - a guide to giving and receiving, teasing and pleasing for the best possible rewards, no matter how you define them.

Follow Dr. Jess on IG @sexwithdrjess

Partner:

Our Toronto go-to for our beauty needs: Sekai Nail & Beauty Bar

Use code AFTER30 for 10% off at Sekai. (sekaibeauty.com).

As always, follow us at @theafter30podcast

We're pulling from the vault! There isn't a better time than now to think about "Cultivating Acceptance"? Way back, we chatted with Nina Purewal,  co-author of bestseller Let That Shit Go and discussed acceptance, its benefits when we cultivate it, and some tips on how to get to a "super peaceful headspace."

Show Notes:

Unfiltered Mindfulness recently launched the Let That Shit Go Masterclass: a 3-month online course to calm the mind and reduce stressors. Buy the course here. Follow them on IG @unfiltered_mindfulness

Partner:

Our Toronto go-to for our beauty needs: Sekai Nail & Beauty Bar

Use code AFTER30 for 10% off at Sekai. (sekaibeauty.com).

As always, follow us at @theafter30podcast

Parenthood was once thought to be inevitable — a destiny — for healthy fertile adults. However, global trends, millennial pressures, and other common themes are causing more adults to choose to not have children.

We’re bringing in the incredible human Claudia Erban, who’s a Law Clerk by day, certified fitness instructor at Sweat & Tonic in Toronto by night, and the creator of @urban.meets.erban on IG. Claudia bravely agreed to come on the show to discuss this topic, and we say bravely because we know how many sensitivities are woven into this conversation, particularly for those that want children and struggle to have them. At the end of the day, we all have the right to choose; we'll dig into Claudia’s personal take on choosing a childless life.

Claudia Erban is a Law Clerk by day and certified fitness instructor at Sweat & Tonic in Toronto by night. Follow her on IG @urban.meets.erban. 

Supporting Articles:

Today

Notes: The number of babies born in the U.S. last year fell to the lowest level in 32 years, with younger women especially having fewer kids. Americans are now having fewer children than it takes to replace the population, a trend mirrored in other countries. Some examples from the article:

Vogue

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Sekai Nail & Beauty Bar - High quality services, reasonably priced, great ambience, our go-to for our beauty needs.

Use code AFTER30 for 10% off (sekaibeauty.com)

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Perfect for the high achievers that live in the "do-achieve" cycle, for anyone trying to make decisions that align with their values, and for all of us wanting to feel like we've actually arrived in our life. 

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Back for round 2 of a meta life talk, we chat with one of our favourite guests: Leisse Wilcox.  We’re reading the books, listening to the podcasts, doing all the things we need to do to seek fulfilment, find purpose and strive for that feeling of wholeness, and yet, at some point in our 30’s (and many other times in our lives), we may feel like we’re not getting to where we want to be. The impending questions: “Am I there yet?  What does the destination feel like and why does it feel like I’m not there yet?” sets a tone in our minds that makes us feel like we may not be getting it right.

So Leisse Wilcox, Transformational Mindset and Success Coach, is back - to us about these nagging questions. We’ll get to the crux of what it feels like to have arrived, look around, sigh, and feel the deep gratitude that is more available to us than we know and understand.

Show Notes:

Leisse's new book "To Call Myself Beloved" launches August 11 on @amazon

Find Leisse at leissewilcox.com, follow her on instagram @leissewilcox

Leisse is a transformational mindset success coach. She walks with women on the journey to become the version of themselves they just can’t stop dreaming about. Leisse’s first book: To Call Myself Beloved,  is now available for pre-order. Her podcast “To Call Myself Beloved” is a place to find clarity in what you want, confidence in who you are, and the courage to stay true to both – all while driving to work or at home doing the dishes.

As always, follow us @theafter30podcast

We're keeping it light today. Times have been incredibly challenging; we’ve been living under lockdown for 5+ months for us in Toronto and while things are opening up for us today in Toronto, the truth is, cases are rising everywhere and there’s no denying that this virus ain't going away for a little bit. Our lives of working from home, not seeing our friends and family as much as we used to and not travelling to our favourite dreamy destinations is just not in the cards for a bit. So today we’re keeping it light because we all need it! We’re focusing on what's making us laugh - we'll discuss what we’re pulling into our lives to bring in some lightness, laughter, and joy.  

Partner:

Pur-Oils - 100% natural, Made in Canada small batch skincare free of toxins, parabens and synthetic perfumes.

Use code AFTER30 for 20% off at Pur-Oils. (www.pur-oils.ca).

As always, follow us at @theafter30podcast

We're going back in the vault and pulling our very first episode up "Friendship in your 30's - Making New Ones & Letting Others Go". It's such a rich conversation that’s just as relevant today as it was a year and a half ago. Enjoy!

Partner:

Pur-Oils - 100% natural, Made in Canada small batch skincare free of toxins, parabens and synthetic perfumes. 

Use code AFTER30 for 20% off at Pur-Oils. (www.pur-oils.ca).

As always, follow us at @theafter30podcast