The Next ChaptHER

The past few weeks have been full of “full-circle” moments for me — from hosting my very first Next ChaptHER Connect event, Courage & Caramels, to speaking at a Pink Babka Bake in front of the most incredible group of women. Both experiences reminded me what this community is truly about: connection, conversation, and choosing happiness even when life feels sticky.

In this heartfelt episode, I share the reflections, mindset shifts, and stories from both events, including what I’ve learned throughout my seven-month breast cancer journey about how to stay grounded, use humor and gratitude to heal, and reach for those rose-colored glasses even when they’re foggy.

If you’re walking through something hard or just trying to find your footing again, this episode is for you. You’ll hear how small mindset shifts, community, and a willingness to laugh (even in the hospital gown moments) can help you rediscover your strength and your joy.

The real story behind Courage & Caramels and what inspired it

How humor and gratitude became my healing tools

Why “being strong” doesn’t mean pretending everything’s fine

How to keep your brain “online” when life feels chaotic

The power of faith, friendship, and letting yourself be seen

How to ask for — and receive — help without guilt

Why misery and happiness are both choices

The role the community plays in helping us find joy again

“Even when life gets sticky, there’s always sweetness if you’re willing to look for it.”

If today’s episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another woman who might need this reminder.

It’s been a season of slowing down and healing after my reconstruction surgery on October 6th, and at my recent follow-up, my doctors said the words “you’re healing beautifully.” Those words instantly lifted my spirits and reminded me how much happiness comes from choosing to notice the good, even in the messy middle.

So this week, I’m replaying one of my very first and most joyful conversations — my chat with Samantha Kestin, the creative heart behind Sweet Samantha. Samantha lives by her grandfather’s advice: “When you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.” In this episode, we talk about what it really means to find happiness, create sweetness, and keep following the road back to joy.

It feels extra special to revisit this one because Samantha is joining me today for my first live Next ChaptHER Connect event — Courage & Caramels: Finding Happiness Even When Life Feels Sticky.

Together we explore:

Website: www.sweet-samantha.com

If you’re ready to start writing your next chapter, visit www.fullyinformedlife.com to schedule your complimentary discovery session.

Subscribe on Apple | Spotify | Google — and if this replay inspires you, please rate, review, and share The Next ChaptHER Podcast.

Have you ever stayed in a relationship hoping it would get better — even as that little voice inside told you something was off? You’re not alone.

In this deeply personal and powerful episode, my guest shares her story anonymously to protect her privacy — but it could just as easily be any of ours. She’s smart, successful, and like so many women, she found herself in a relationship that looked like love but was actually built on control and manipulation.

This conversation goes beyond one person’s experience. Together, we explore:

The subtle red flags that often get ignored — and why

The impact of toxic relationships on self-worth, family, and children

How to establish and enforce boundaries, even when it feels uncomfortable

Practical steps to take when you’re ready to leave — emotionally, physically, and legally

The journey of reclaiming your strength, trusting your intuition, and embracing the freedom that follows

If you’ve ever ignored a red flag, stayed longer than you should have, or questioned your worth in a relationship — this episode will remind you that you’re not broken, you’re not alone, and there is a way forward.

If this conversation resonated with you and you need support, these resources can help:

Center for Relationship Abuse Awareness & Action – Education and resources for understanding relationship abuse

Safe Horizon – Emotional Abuse – Support and guidance for those experiencing emotional abuse

National Domestic Violence Hotline – Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788 for 24/7 confidential support

Love this episode? Here’s how you can support the show and continue the conversation:

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Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it today.

💻 Ready for more support? Visit fullyinformedlife.com to learn how we can work together.

This week on The Next ChaptHER Podcast, I sit down with Pam Lamp, author of Do the Next New Thing, for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation about what it really means to step into the unknown and create your next chapter.

This episode is extra special—it’s my first guest conversation back since my breast cancer diagnosis. Pam’s story felt like the perfect way to return. Her journey began in a season of uncertainty—relocating to a new city, feeling isolated, and wondering what’s next? Instead of staying stuck, she committed to doing one new thing every single day. What started as small daily steps turned into a transformative project that shifted her mindset, created connection, and sparked a book, blog, and podcast of her own.

In this episode, we talk about:

Whether you’re navigating a life change, searching for purpose, or simply craving something new, Pam’s story will remind you that your next chapter starts with just one small step.

📖 Learn more about Pam and grab a copy of Do the Next New Thing

👉 After listening, I’d love to hear from you—what’s YOUR “next new thing”? Tag me on Instagram @fullyinformedlifecoaching and let me know!

In this episode of the Next Chapter Podcast, I share a personal story about a seemingly small moment—trying on bathing suits for my 20th wedding anniversary trip to the beach—that turned out to be a profound reminder about the power of showing up. It’s not about the bathing suit or how we look, but how we choose to feel in the moments that matter.

I dive into how self-doubt and mental chatter can cloud our choices, but how mindset work can help us decide how we want to feel and what we want to embrace. If you’ve ever found yourself avoiding something you used to love because of how you think you look, this episode is for you. It’s a conversation about feeling present, reconnecting with who we are, and stepping into the next chapter of our lives with confidence, no matter where we’re at.

Resources Mentioned:

Substack: Read more about my Bathing Suit Moment and reflections on feeling like yourself in the current chapter. 

Lifestyle & Mindset Assessment: A tool to help you reconnect with how you want to feel mentally, emotionally, and energetically. 

Action Steps:

Ask yourself: How do I want to feel, not how do I look?

If you’ve been avoiding something you used to love, I challenge you to take the first step towards showing up—whether it’s a bathing suit, a pair of jeans, or something else.

Remember, you don’t have to wait for perfect—just show up as you.

Let’s Connect:

Website: https://fullyinformedlife.com/

Social Media: @fullyinformedlifecoaching 

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who might need this reminder to not feel alone in their own journey. Let’s continue to show up and choose how we want to feel!

In this episode of The Next ChaptHER, I’m pulling back the curtain on what nervous system regulation really looks like — especially when you're walking through something hard in real time.

Mindset matters — but it doesn’t work alone.

I’m sharing:

What regulation actually means (spoiler: it's not just breathwork and candles)

Unexpected ways I regulate in real life — from binge-watching to city walks

What I did in the middle of a medical procedure to calm my nervous system

Why regulation is about choosing your response — not controlling your emotions

The one question I ask my clients (and myself) when everything feels like too much

Whether you're navigating illness, burnout, parenting, recovery, or just regular life — this conversation is here to help you pause, reconnect, and come back to you.

📝 Read more real-time reflections on my Substack:

🎧 Listen to my go-to playlist for emotional regulation and strength:

🧭 Take the Lifestyle & Mindset Assessment I use with clients:

💬 Let me know what resonated — DM me on Instagram @fullyinformedlifecoaching or share your thoughts on Substack.

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✨ If this episode helped you feel seen or supported, pass it on to a friend or take a minute to leave a quick review. Every share helps more women find their way back to themselves.

Mindset isn’t about being strong all the time — it’s about staying present enough to choose your next step, even in the middle of the mess.

Back in March, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

In May, I had a double mastectomy.

And as of today — I’m still healing. Still a patient. Still navigating all the physical, emotional, and mental layers of recovery.

In this episode of The Next ChaptHER, I’m not speaking from the “other side.”

I’m sharing the mindset tools I’m using right now — in real time — to stay grounded when my nervous system wants to spin out.

This is for any woman navigating her own version of the messy middle — whether it’s health, identity, burnout, loss, or transition.

You’ll hear:

Plus, I share real moments from my journey as I actively work to stay grounded and in control.

If you’ve ever said, “This sucks… why me?” — and then wondered how to keep going anyway — this episode is for you.

🔗 Links & Resources:

🧠 Explore your own mindset lens:

Lifestyle & Mindset Assessment: Your Roadmap Back to J.O.Y.

📝 Follow my raw, behind-the-scenes healing journey on Substack:

The Next ChaptHER on Substack

🎧 Listen to the playlists that helped me regulate during this season:

📩 Let this episode be your reminder: you are not powerless. Even in the hardest chapters, you still get to choose your lens.

Thanks for being here — and walking this road with me.

It’s been a little while since we’ve had a new episode — and today, I’m sharing exactly why.

Back on March 28th, my life flipped unexpectedly with a breast cancer diagnosis. What followed was a blur of appointments, second opinions, doctors, and decisions I never thought I’d have to make. On May 27th, I underwent a double mastectomy — and while the physical healing is underway, the emotional healing is still very much in process.

In this episode, I’m catching you up on what’s been happening behind the scenes — the messy middle, the mental gymnastics, and what happens when life hands you a new chapter you didn’t choose.

This is real life. This is where I am. And this is exactly what The Next ChaptHER was always meant to be — conversations from inside the middle, not just once we’ve landed on the other side.

✨ If you want to follow more of my journey in real time, you can head over to my Substack where I’ve been writing and sharing the behind-the-scenes of this season:

👉 The Next ChaptHER on Substack: https://thenextchapther.substack.com/

Ways to stay connected:

🎧 New guest episodes and deeper conversations are coming soon — stay tuned!

We’re back with part 2 of our time management series—and this one’s a game changer. I’m sharing my CEO Method for time: a simple yet powerful framework that helps you lead your time with Clarity, Energy, and Ownership.

Because managing your time isn’t about squeezing more in—it’s about making intentional choices that honor your energy, your needs, and your priorities in this season of life.

In this episode, we cover:

✨ A quick note from me:

📝 Mentioned in this episode:

If this episode resonated, I’d love for you to share it with a friend or tag me on Instagram @fullyinformedlifecoaching—it helps more women find their roadmap back to J.O.Y.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review so you never miss an episode!

This isn’t the episode I expected to record. It’s not the topic I had planned. But here we are—and in true Next ChaptHER fashion, I’m showing up and sharing it with you.

Just days before my 48th birthday, I got a phone call that changed everything.

I share:

If you’re navigating your own plot twist right now, I hope this episode reminds you:

💬 I’d love to walk this chapter with you:

Thank you for being part of my Fight Club. Thank you for walking beside me. And thank you for sticking around as I figure out this new chapter—one moment, one choice, one step at a time.

❤️ If this episode resonated, share it with a friend or tag me @fullyinformedlifecoaching so more women know they’re not alone.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next.