In this courageous conversation, Allison Kilfoy shares her personal journey from experiencing severe health issues to being diagnosed with cancer at a young age. She emphasizes the importance of self-advocacy, seeking second opinions, and finding a supportive care team.

The discussion also delves into the significance of understanding one's body, particularly regarding hormones, and the need for women to share their stories and support each other. Ultimately, the conversation highlights the power of words, the importance of listening, and the resilience required to champion oneself through life's challenges.

🔗 Book Allison as a Speaker!

📲 Connect with Allison on Instagram!

📲 Follow Allison on Tiktok!

8. In this episode of Words Are Life, we sit down with Martina Barksdale, a multimedia powerhouse and Director of Communications for VisitLEX. From acting in New York City to hosting Everyday Kentucky on WKYT, Martina has dedicated her career to storytelling—shining a light on culture, community, and the voices that often go unheard.

Martina opens up about her journey as a Black woman in media, navigating an industry where representation matters but isn’t always present. She shares the pivotal moments that shaped her perspective—the realization of what it truly means to show up in spaces that weren’t always designed for her and how she’s used her platform to challenge the status quo.

But beyond storytelling, Martina embodies the audacity to create—to build spaces of inclusion, acceptance, and belonging where marginalized communities don’t just exist but thrive. She shares how a little bit of delusion, boldness, and unwavering belief fuels her drive to disrupt norms, amplify Black voices, and cultivate spaces that shift culture. Through projects like SoulFeast Week, she’s proving that representation isn’t just about visibility—it’s about ownership, celebration, and impact.

Join us for a powerful conversation about breaking barriers, trusting your vision (even when others don’t see it), and creating the world you want to see. Martina’s insight, passion, and fearless creativity will leave you inspired to own your story, take up space, and move forward with audacity.

Follow Martina: @martibarksdale Learn more about SoulFeast Week: soulfeastweek.com

In this deeply personal episode, Jess shares her version of the love story that changed everything—how she met her wife, the journey of self-discovery before finding love, and the voids she once tried to fill. Through raw storytelling, she reflects on who she was before, the lessons she learned, and the words she wishes she could have told herself back then.

If you’re seeking love, discovering your identity, or longing for reassurance that your story is still unfolding, this episode is for you. Jess writes a heartfelt love letter to her past self, and maybe, just maybe, to you too.

Connect with Jess on Instagram: @jessupchurch.

6. Ever felt like you could create a supportive environment for a particular group?

In this episode, we're diving into the story of Sarah Nerswick, the founder of Green & Growing Education & Consulting, who transitioned from agriculture teacher to entrepreneur.

Balancing her entrepreneurial dreams with a demanding full-time job hasn't been easy, but Sarah's journey is a testament to perseverance and learning from challenges. She shares candidly about navigating advice that didn't quite fit her unique path and the invaluable lessons she's gained along the way.

🔗 ⁠Green & Growing Education⁠

🔥 ⁠BLOG FOR SOLOPRENEUR PLANNING⁠

🔗 ⁠Green & Growing Consulting⁠

📲 ⁠Connect with Sarah on Instagram⁠

CONNECT WITH JESS!

🔗 ⁠WORK WITH JESS⁠

📲 ⁠FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM

Welcome back to Words Are Life Podcast! Your host, Jess Upchurch-King, returns after a six-month hiatus with a powerful relaunch episode that dives deep into why she took a break, and what she's learned about purpose and ego.

In this episode, Jess reflects on her time away from the mic, sharing the personal and professional reasons behind her decision to pause the podcast. But it’s not just about the break—it’s about the lessons that have shaped her perspective going forward.

She shares what's IN and OUT for 2025! 

Something that's IN: Bi-Weekly episodes of Words Are Life! You can make sure you never miss a conversation by signing up for the newsletter! ⁠Sign up here!⁠

4. In this episode, Jess dives deep into the profound impact of thought work as the cornerstone of building a life you truly love.

Jess begins by recounting her personal journey discovering thought work and how it became a catalyst for profound transformation in her own life. She shares her initial skepticism, the pivotal moments of realization, and how embracing thought work allowed her to shift from merely existing to actively creating a life filled with purpose and joy.

Central to Jess's message is the concept of mind-body harmony—an essential understanding for anyone seeking to reclaim their power in shaping their reality. By mastering thought work, Jess explains, women can break free from the cycle of reactive living or not-enoughness, and instead step confidently into the driver's seat of their lives.

To further explore and apply these principles, Jess invites listeners to join her exclusive 8-week signature experience, Trust, Move & Evolve. Trust, Move & EVOLVE is an 8-week online experience to grow your confidence and embolden you as you step into the era where your daydreams become reality.

Trading self-doubt and inadequacy for audacious trust in yourself, moving you forward with confidence to evolve into the highest version of yourself. 

For more details about Trust, Move & Evolve and to connect with Jess, visit her website at ⁠jessupchurch.com/trust-move-evolve-experience⁠ or send her a message on Instagram @jessupchurch.

3. Are you stuck in a creative rut, feeling uninspired, and struggling to take action towards your dreams? You're not alone. In this episode of "Move Before You’re Ready," Jess opens up about her personal battle with the creative blahs and shares two powerful strategies she’s been using to overcome inertia and get back into her flow.

If you’ve been feeling meh and need a push to reignite your passion, this episode is packed with practical insights and heartfelt advice to help you move forward, no matter where you are on your creative journey.

For further resources and to stay connected with Jess Upchurch King:

• Visit this website at ⁠www.jessupchurch.com⁠
• Follow Jess on Instagram ⁠@jessupchurch

Join host Jess Upchurch King with her wife, Devanny King, on an eye-opening journey as Jess shares her personal experience with the infamous 5 AM wake-up call. Contrary to popular belief, early rising didn't skyrocket her productivity as expected. Instead, Jess and Devanny explores the importance of understanding individual chronotypes and how they dictate our energy levels and productivity peaks throughout the day.

In this insightful episode, Jess and Devanny delves into the fascinating world of chronotypes, a system designed to decode our sleep patterns and productivity rhythms. From bears to wolves, lions, and dolphins, discover where you fit in the chronotype spectrum and unlock the key to optimizing your daily routine.

For further resources and to stay connected with Jess Upchurch King, visit: 🌐 Website: ⁠www.jessupchurch.com⁠ 📱 Social Media: ⁠@jessupchurch⁠

To dive deeper into chronotypes, check out: ⁠Casper Blog - Chronotype⁠

1. Make Everybody Feel Like A Somebody with Devanny King

In this episode, we dive into the inspiring journey of Devanny King, Jess's wife, who played a pivotal role in encouraging Jess to start a non-profit.

A key theme emerges as Devanny emphasizes the essence of communication: listening. From a young age, she understood the importance of truly hearing others, laying the foundation for impactful relationships. Despite facing a decade of hurtful words, Devanny shares how she chooses not to be defined by them and instead chooses forgiveness and empathy.

For Devanny, life is about relationships, and she passionately believes in making everybody feel like a somebody.

Devanny King is the wife of Words Are Life Podcast Host Jess Upchurch King. She serves as a compass and business consultant to female entrepreneurs in Kentucky. 

Social media:

Instagram @devannyking

To learn how you can work with Jess Upchurch King:

www.jessupchurch.com

Here’s the deal: words are powerful. They can help someone realize their potential, bring a smile to their face, and remind them they’re not alone in this crazy world. This podcast is for women who knows deep down their life isn’t made for the ordinary. We dive into conversations that matter about how everyday women can create extraordinary impact - through storytelling, reminding you that you’ve got all it takes, sharing tools to help bring your dreams to life and connecting us all to feel more freer and bolder.