The Art Career Blueprint with Nicole Gaitan

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What if the opposite of depression isn’t happiness—but purpose?
In this inspiring episode, Jessica Brodmerkel shares her journey from interior designer to certified personal trainer, author, and creator of The Balanced Athlete. With over 20 years of experience helping clients discover their gifts and create lives they love, Jessica reveals how tools like Ikegai and personal mission statements can transform not just your career, but your identity—especially for working moms and parents of teen athletes. We dive into how living your purpose can prevent burnout, guide your teens by example, and help you thrive in every season of life.

Find Jessica on Instagram: @jessiebrodmerkel

Book a discovery call with Jessie: CLICK HERE

Books we discussed in this episode:

The Change Your Thoughts Change Your Life

Wabisabi

Don't Keep Your Day Job

Atomic Habits

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

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Join Glow Wild as we go deep on what alcohol really does to the human body—and how it recovers—through science, stories, and cultural insight. Expect a warm, personal conversation that blends neuroscience, clinical research, behavior change strategies, and the cultural wisdom of Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker.

Brain & Structural Recovery Studies

ScienceAlert

Recovery Research Institute

ScienceDaily

BMJ+1

BMJ

Health Benefits of Quitting

• Quitting alcohol leads to improved sleep, enhanced liver regeneration, cardiovascular benefits, reduced inflammation, immune system strengthening, and cognitive clarity.
  Wikipedia
• Note: Even low levels of drinking carry health risks—no amount is truly safe.
  Wikipedia

Recovery Expectation & Brain Reversibility

• Partial cerebral atrophy reversal with abstinence—improvements in cognitive tests, memory, balance, working memory.
  Wikipedia

Intervention & Treatment Strategies

• Acamprosate shows promise for maintaining alcohol abstinence, although more research is needed on combined psychosocial and pharmacological strategies.
  BMJ

Books & Cultural References

• Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker — A cultural reckoning, redefining empowerment, and sobriety as self-respect.
• This Naked Mind by Annie Grace — Explores how awareness transforms drinking habits at a neurological level.

Quick Links to Key Research

• Cortical thickness recovery after 7.3 months sober
  ScienceAlert
• Early brain volume recovery within two weeks of sobriety
  ScienceDaily
• Moderate drinking & hippocampal atrophy over 30 years
  BMJ
• Long-term alcohol-related brain damage—even at low levels
  Wikipedia
• Health benefits of quitting alcohol summarized
  Wikipedia

Call to Action & Reflection

1. Reflect with curiosity—what does your drinking truly serve?
2. Try an experiment—even a short break can spark lasting change.
3. Explore tools—from mindfulness to habit rewrites, build what works for you.
4. Seek community & knowledge—books, peer support, clinical help — there's wisdom and hope waiting.

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From Tom Brady’s quarterback coach to Oprah’s trusted life coaches, the world’s top performers never reach greatness alone. So why do so many of us try to?

In this episode of Glow Wild, we dive into the powerful parallels between sports, business, and life—and why everyoneneeds a coach to reach their fullest potential. You’ll learn:

• Why coaches don’t “play” the game but are essential to winning it.
• How the right life coach can help you see blind spots, set stronger goals, and hold you accountable when motivation fades.
• What to look for in a life coach—from credentials to coaching style.
• How to know if a coach is the right fit for you.
• The science-backed tools great coaches use to help you get unstuck and grow.

Whether you’re building a business, chasing a personal goal, or just craving more clarity in life, this episode will show you how the right coach can change your trajectory—just like they’ve done for world-class athletes and leaders.

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• International Coaching Federation – Learn more about coaching credentials and ethics.
• Positive Psychology Coaching Tools – Evidence-based exercises for growth.

🎧 Listen now and find out why your next big leap might start with hiring a coach.

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 Episode Summary:

What if the way you spend your first 15 minutes could shift the entire trajectory of your day?

In this soul-stirring and science-backed episode of Glow Wild, Nicole shares a powerful new way to look at your morning routine—not as a chore, but as a sacred reset. Drawing from the wisdom of The 5AM Club, The Miracle Morning, Tony Robbins, and Jay Shetty, she guides you through the Glow Wild Morning Framework: a simple, 3-part ritual designed to ground your nervous system, activate your energy, and realign you with your purpose.

If you’re tired of waking up in chaos, feeling behind, or just going through the motions, this episode is your invitation to stop surviving your mornings—and start owning them.

 Partner Spotlight:

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Noka Organics—my go-to for clean, nourishing on the go smoothie pouches that support your glow from the outside in.

 Get 15% off your order with code GLOWWILD at checkout.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why your first 20 minutes of the day set the tone for everything
• How to use silence, movement, and intention to reset your mood and mindset
• What the top performers and mindset coaches do before breakfast—and how you can do it too
• A real-life, doable routine for even the busiest moms, creatives, and professionals

 Listen Now and start your day with more alignment, clarity, and joy.

 Tag @GlowWildPodcast and share your morning ritual—we’d love to feature your glow-up story!

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In this deeply inspiring conversation, Burr Purnell shares his journey—from corporate executive to ultrarunner, devoted dad, and social-impact leader—inviting listeners to ask themselves: What leap of courage are you holding back?

1. The Courage to Pivot
2. Burr recounts how his daughter’s innocent comment—“I’ve only ever lived in this one room”—sparked a life-altering decision. He and his wife decided to resign from their stable careers, homeschool their daughters, and travel the world doing service work with nonprofits like Yoga & Sport for Refugees  .
3. Ultrarunning as a Path to Self-Discovery
4. A seasoned ultramarathoner, Burr treats extreme running as more than sport—it’s spiritual exploration. He believes races lasting 50‑100 miles force you to “live on the edge” and ask bigger questions about purpose and resilience  .
5. Vulnerability & Leadership
6. In a 2020 interview, Burr emphasized urging men—and all people—to embrace vulnerability. “There is great power in being vulnerable,” he explained, warning against toxic machismo that distances us from ourselves and others  .
7. Marrying Creativity & Social Good
8. As VidMob Gives’ Director of Social Good, Burr leverages digital video to amplify nonprofit missions—supporting causes like charity: water and Movember. They raised over $20K in 13 days for refugees in Lesvos, Greece, funding gym equipment and athletic gear for youth  .
9. Lessons from Mistakes & Staying Grounded
10. With trademark humility, he laughs about accidentally sitting in someone else’s seat on a Virgin Atlantic flight—an event that reminded him not to take life (or himself) too seriously  .

🌱 Key Takeaways

• Vulnerability is Strength: Burr urges listeners—especially men—to shed masks and show emotional authenticity.
• Messy Transformations are Worth It: Career shifts and lifestyle changes rooted in courage can lead to richer, more meaningful paths.
• Suffering With Purpose: Ultramarathons aren’t just endurance tests—they’re journeys into identity, purpose, and connection.
• Accessible Creativity: Tech tools (like VidMob) can magnify nonprofit stories and catalyze real-world change.
• Keep Your Heart Open: Small, everyday moments (like his daughter’s question) can reframe life’s trajectory.

🔗 Notable Features

• Authority Magazine Interview (2020):
• Burr candidly discusses the importance of emotional honesty in men, calling out “machismo” and encouraging support for others  .
• TEDx Berkshires Talk (2023):
• Delivers a heartfelt narrative on aligning the mind and heart to transform personal and professional life  .
• TEDx YouTube Video:
• Explores how a moment of alignment shifted his entire trajectory  .

🎧 Quotes Worth Highlighting

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🌿 Episode Summary:

In this powerful and heart-wrenching episode, Nicole sits down with Heather Manson—a devoted mother, trauma survivor, yoga teacher, and fierce advocate for pediatric cancer research. Heather shares her journey through the unimaginable: losing her 11-year-old daughter Parker to a rare form of soft tissue sarcoma after a two-year battle filled with surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation.

But Heather's story is not just about grief—it's about resilience, transformation, and choosing purpose in the face of devastation. Just months after Parker’s diagnosis, Heather herself was involved in a traumatic accident that left her with a broken back, pelvis, and foot. She was bedridden, in recovery, while spending countless nights beside her daughter’s hospital bed.

Together, Nicole and Heather reflect on:

• What it means to mother through trauma and loss
• The moments of light that broke through the darkest days
• How grief changes us—not just emotionally, but physically and spiritually
• The power of honoring our children’s legacies through action and advocacy
• The creation of the Little p Project, a nonprofit born from heartbreak and hope

This episode is a sacred invitation to witness what it looks like to keep loving, living, and showing up—even when the unimaginable happens.

💛 About Heather Manson:

• Mom of three: Maisey, Gates, and Parker (who would be 14)
• Founder of Little p Project — supporting pediatric sarcoma research and families in treatment
• Former pharmacist of 17 years
• Yoga teacher and advocate for mindful healing
• Currently living in Park City, Utah with her family

🕊️ In Honor of Parker:

Parker was a bright, brave 11-year-old who loved deeply, fought fiercely, and inspired everyone she met. Her legacy lives on through the Little p Project and the countless lives her story continues to touch.

🧡 Support & Resources:

• Donate to the Little p Project: www.littlepproject.org
• Learn more about pediatric sarcoma: Sarcoma Foundation of America
• Grief support resources: The Dougy Center | Compassionate Friends
• Follow Heather's journey on Instagram: @littlepproject

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review if this episode moved you. Sharing stories like Heather’s helps build a community of healing—and keeps Parker’s light shining.

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📌 Episode Summary:
In this mini but mighty episode, we’re joined by wellness expert and hormone specialist Georgie McNiff to talk about a topic that so many of us struggle with—weight loss.

Georgie discusses what she calls the lowest hanging fruit for those seeking to lose weight and how easy it is to get started.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What you need to DELETE from your daily habits to lose weight
• How sugar affects our bodies
• The easiest way to start your weight loss journey.
• Why quick-fix diets don’t work.
• Nutritional and lifestyle shifts that support healthy weight loss naturally

🔗 Guest Links:

Nurse Georgie – Website
👉 https://nursegeorgiehealth.com | [email protected]

Nutridyn Supplements
👉 https://nutridyn.com/

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In this special, somber episode of Glow Wild, Nicole addresses the heartbreaking catastrophe of the recent Central Texas floods. We delve into the devastating impact, sharing the tragic stories of child victims, and reflecting on the profound fear of loss, particularly from a parent's perspective. Finally, we provide a vital call to action, offering concrete ways to support the victims and families through donations to reputable organizations.

• The Texas Flood Incident
• Current Status and Death Toll
• Naming Child Victims: 
  • Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, 8 years old
  • Renee Smajstrla, 8 years old
  • Sarah Marsh, 8 years old
  • Eloise Peck, 9 years old
  • Lila Bonner, 9 years old
  • Janie Hunt, 9 years old
  • Blair Harber, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11
  • Linnie McCown, 8 years old
  • Mary Grace Baker, 2nd grader
  • Chloe Childress, 19 years old (camp counselor)
• Personal Reflection on Fear of Loss
• Scientific Ways to Overcome Loss (Especially Child Loss):
  • Acknowledging and validating all emotions.
  • Seeking and accepting social support (e.g., support groups).
  • Maintaining and creating memories of the loved one.
  • Practicing self-compassion and self-care.
  • Re-establishing routines gradually.
  • Finding meaning and purpose over time.
  • Considering professional support (therapists, CBT, EMDR).
  • Understanding children's grief for surviving siblings/family.
• KSAT: https://www.ksat.com/
• Associated Press: https://apnews.com/

Organizations for Grief Support (General & Child Loss):

• The Compassionate Friends: An organization supporting families after a child dies. (Search for "The Compassionate Friends" online to find their official website and local chapters.)
• Child Bereavement UK: Provides support for grieving children and families. (Search for "Child Bereavement UK" online.)
• Child Mind Institute: Offers resources on supporting children through grief. (Search for "Child Mind Institute grief" online.)

Organizations for Texas Flood Relief (Donations):

• Kerr County Flood Relief Fund: Managed by the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.
  • https://cftexashillcountry.fcsuite.com/erp/donate (search for "Kerr County Relief Fund")
• The American Red Cross:
• https://www.redcross.org/donate/disaster-relief.html
• The Salvation Army:
  •  (Texas Flood Relief Specific): https://give.salvationarmytexas.org/campaign/703236/donate
• World Central Kitchen:
  • https://wck.org/ 
• TEXSAR:
  • Donate Online: https://www.texsar.org/donate (You can specify "CTX" in the notes line for Central Texas support.)
• Austin Pets Alive!:
  • Donate Online: https://www.austinpetsalive.org/ (Look for specific flood relief initiatives or general donation)
  • Email for Flood Response: [email protected]

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🔥 Episode Summary:

This week on Glow Wild, we’re doing more than just setting goals — we’re getting aligned. This isn’t your typical Sunday planning session. This is a full-on life audit, a reset for your habits, and a deep dive into how to build a productive, purpose-filled week that actually feels good.

Nicole walks you through the exact steps to reset your week with clarity, focus, and intention — using science-backed strategies to reflect, realign, and reignite your goals. If you’ve been feeling burned out, stuck, or like you’re busy but going nowhere… this one’s for you.

You’ll learn how to:

• Reflect meaningfully on your week with a life audit
• Align weekly goals with your deepest core values
• Plan with energy, not just time
• Break one habit and replace it with a better one
• Build systems that match your next-level identity

💡 Key Takeaways:

• Life Audit Questions:
  • What gave me energy last week?
  • What drained me?
  • What am I proud of?
  • Where did I abandon myself?
• Power 3 Method:
  • 3 needle-moving goals
  • Broken into 30-min micro steps
  • 3x 90-minute focus blocks
• Values-Based Weekly Planning:
  • Align each goal with a top core value
  • Choose actions that feel meaningful, not just productive
• Habit Loop Rewiring:
  • Identify the cue → replace the routine → keep the reward
  • Use “implementation intentions” to anchor your new habits
• Energy > Time:
  • Work with your ultradian rhythms (90-minute cycles)
  • Rest is part of the plan — not a reward

🧠 Research + Tools Mentioned:

• WOOP Goal Setting Method by Dr. Gabriele Oettingen
  → https://woopmylife.org
  (Combines visualization with planning to improve goal success rates)
• Ultradian Rhythm & 90-Minute Work Blocks
  → Florida State University peak performance study
• Reflection + Performance Improvement
  → Harvard Business Review: The Power of Reflection
• Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation Research
  → Journal of Counseling Psychology study on value-driven goals
• The Habit Loop - Charles Duhigg, The Power of Habit
  → Summary of Habit Loop Framework
• Implementation Intentions by Dr. Peter Gollwitzer
  → APA summary on implementation intentions

📝 Your Weekend Challenge:

1. Answer the 4 Life Audit questions
2. Pick 3 goals that truly move the needle
3. Align them with your values
4. Break one habit loop and build a better one
5. Schedule rest — before burnout schedules you

✨ Share the Glow:

If this episode lit a fire in you — pass it on.
🎧 Tag @glowwildpodcast on Instagram and let Nicole know:
👉 What habit are you breaking this week?
👉 What’s your #Power3 for the week ahead?

🔔 Subscribe & Review:

If you loved today’s episode, hit that follow button, leave a review, and share it with your ambitious bestie or anyone craving a reset.

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📌 Episode Summary:
In this mini but mighty episode, we’re joined by wellness expert and hormone specialist Georgie McNiff to talk about a topic that so many of us struggle with—stress and its hidden impact on weight, hormones, and overall energy.

Georgie breaks down how chronic stress throws off your cortisol levels, disrupts sleep, spikes inflammation, and causes stubborn weight gain—especially around the midsection. But it’s not all doom and gloom. We also get into practical, bite-sized tools you can use today to calm your nervous system, support your metabolism, and feel more like yourself again—without adding more stress to your to-do list.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why your body holds on to weight during high-stress periods
• The connection between cortisol, insulin resistance, and belly fat
• How adrenal fatigue shows up in everyday life
• Why quick-fix diets don’t work when your hormones are off
• Simple ways to reset your nervous system in 5 minutes or less
• Nutritional and lifestyle shifts that support healthy weight loss naturally

🛠️ Quick Tools + Takeaways:

• Breathwork resets (2-3 minutes a day)
• Caffeine cutbacks to reduce cortisol spikes
• Adaptogens and supplements Georgie recommends for stress and weight balance
• How to create a “nervous system friendly” evening routine
• Foods that stabilize blood sugar and help reduce cravings

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