Girls Night with Stephanie May Wilson

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to better understand yourself and your kids using the Enneagram. Since the Enneagram has gained popularity in the past few years, I’m guessing most of you are at least somewhat familiar, but, if you need a refresher, The Enneagram Test is basically a personality assessment to help us know ourselves better and to help us overcome some of the roadblocks in our lives and become the best versions of ourselves. I personally love using the Enneagram because it has helped me understand my heart and my mind and my personality SO MUCH BETTER. But, something I haven’t spent as much time on is learning how I can use Enneagram as a tool to better understand my kids and learn how they feel and process things. And that’s why I cannot wait to share today’s conversation! Our guest for today’s episode is my friend, Beth McCord. Beth is an accomplished Enneagram speaker, author, coach, and teacher with over two decades of dedicated experience. Her passion lies in helping individuals rewrite their life stories, empowering them to realize that lasting change and meaningful relationships are possible. Beth's mission led to the creation of the Your Enneagram Coach community—a nurturing space where individuals safely explore the Enneagram. Her most recent book is called, The Enneagram for Moms: See the True Colors of Yourself and Your Children as God Intends, and I cannot wait for you to hear more about it! I absolutely loved this conversation and I know you’re going to love it too! Here’s my conversation with Beth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 July 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Today we’re continuing our brand new series on the Girls Night Podcast called, “How She Does It.” About once a month we do a profile of a woman who’s living a beautifully, unique life and we'll get to hear the behind-the-scenes of how she does it. We’ll also talk about what things she does or, maybe more importantly, doesn’t do to make it all happen! The idea for this series came to me while I was writing my new book, Create A Life You Love, and so I want to read you the passage that inspired it. Over the years, I’ve spent more and more time looking for women who are breaking the mold—creating lives that look like them and feel like them and work for them. And the more I see, the more I notice, the more empowered I feel to create my own life in a way that’s a little different, a little outside the lines, but that looks like me, feels like me, and works for me and my family. — Create a life you love That's my hope for these episodes. I’m so excited about today’s episode because we’re talking to my dear friend, Christy Wright. Christy is an author, podcaster, certified business coach, dynamic speaker and personal development expert. I’ve been a huge fan of Christy for years — she’s truly one of the most inspiring women I know! The plan for the episode was to go through all of my usual questions that I ask for this series. Questions like “What “supposed to’s” have you wrestled with in your Everything Era?” and “How did you do things differently?” We made it through the first two or three and then totally changed gears… but in the best way possible! This conversation is one I wasn’t expecting, but totally needed, and I think you’ll feel the same way. We talk about listening to God’s voice, interpreting signs, following God’s lead (even when it feels scary), and so much more! Christy has so much faith and wisdom — you’re going to love her! Okay, let’s dive into the conversation! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about How to make your travel dreams a reality. I’m excited about this episode because if you’re anything like me, you want to travel and explore new places, but there’s a few things that tend to hold you back. First, traveling is expensive. You really want to make travel a priority, but between plane tickets, lodging costs, and other travel expenses, it gets to be a lot. Two, you don’t know who to travel with. Maybe you’re single and not sure if you want to travel solo or you're married but it seems like none of your friends are able to travel. If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone, but today’s guest is going to help us! Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Whitney Haldeman. Whitney is a Luxury Travel Advisor and Founder of Blonde Atlas, a luxury boutique travel company that provides planning services for individual clients, as well as group tours for women called Atlas Adventures. She is passionate about connecting like-minded women who have a shared love for travel. In this episode, she’s helping us figure out how to incorporate travel into our lives no matter our budget or whether or not we have someone to go with. One of my favorite tips she shares is splitting time between budget friendly lodging and luxury lodging — more about that in the episode! If you have the itch to explore and want to make your travel dreams a reality, this episode is for you! Okay, let’s hop into my conversation with Whitney! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. When writing my book, Create a Life You Love, I did a ton of research on what life has been like for women throughout history. One of the biggest themes I’ve found is that throughout history, women have had next to no authority over their lives. And while that’s been getting better — we have more options today than any generation of women in history, we also are carrying more than any generation of women in history, because the more we’re able to “do it all” the more we’re being expected to actually, “DO IT ALL.” That’s why I cannot wait for you to hear from today’s guest! Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Paula Faris. Paula is a journalist, author and Founder of CARRY Media, which advocates for working moms. Paula’s mission is to make sure being a working mom works! One of my favorite parts of the episode is when she talks about the “mom default” and why so much of the load seems to be left in the hands of women — and what we can do to change that! Paula is funny, and brilliant, and an advocate for real change — you are going to love this conversation! Let’s hop into the episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! A few weeks ago, my husband Carl and I hosted a virtual live girls night of sorts with the incredible crew of women who helped me launch my new book, Create A Life You Love. Nothing was off the table — we had them send in any and all questions they had for us, and we answered as many of them as we could. We made sure to record that Q&A session, and I’m so glad, because now we get to share it with you. In this episode, we’re talking about marriage, dating, pursuing your dreams, and we’ll be answering a few questions about moving to Spain — what that looks like and what we’re most excited about! This was such a fun conversation to have, especially with mine and Carl’s 10 year wedding anniversary coming up in early July! So, without further ado, let’s dive into my conversation with my husband, Carl Wilson! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to become an informed voter and avoid misinformation on the internet. I’m excited about this episode because if you’re anything like me, you feel the weight of the political tension happening in our world right now – especially as we’re inching closer to election time! Your social media feeds are filled with everyone and their mom’s opinions on leaders and policies and, before you know it, you’re feeling angry, frustrated, and confused. And, on top of all of that, you’re wondering if your vote will actually make a difference or if it will just get lost in a giant pool of people. Friends, if you’re feeling this way, you’re not alone and I cannot wait to introduce you to today’s guest! Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend and go-to politics guru, Sharon McMahon. Sharon is on a mission to curate facts, fun, and inspiration by educating Americans on democracy, politics, and history. After years of serving as a high school government and law teacher, Sharon took her passion for education to social media to combat political misinformation with non-partisan facts. In this episode she’s helping us figure out which news sources are helpful and which ones might be unhelpful, why our votes matter, how to manage our mental health during elections, and how to set boundaries with family members around political conversations (and avoid arguments). Friends, I love this episode because it’s a (actually fun) conversation about politics (for the girl who hates politics! 🤣). No matter what political party you align with, this episode will help you find out what’s most important to you so that you can make an informed decision this November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I am so excited for what we have going on this week. Put on your coziest sweatpants and listen in, because today we’re talking all about boobs! I’m excited about this episode, because, if you're anything like me, you haven’t spent a ton of time learning about your breast health. Sure, you know the basics and they’re a part of who you are, but you also have some questions that maybe you’ve been too embarrassed or uncomfortable to ask. Questions like “Is it normal to experience pain in xyz scenario?”, “Should I be doing a self breast exam and how often,?” or “How do I control my boob sweat?”. Also — as we go through life, are there things we’re supposed to know about our boobs? Ways we’re supposed to take care of them? I wasn’t aware of any for so long, and I always worried that I was missing something. If you can relate to any of those things, I’m so glad you get to hear this conversation! Our guest for today’s show is Dr. Gillian Goddard. Gillian is an endocrinologist in private practice in New York City and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. I first discovered her work after reading an article she collaborated on with Emily Oster from Parent Data called An Owner's Manual for Breasts. The research was so helpful and informative, so I knew we needed to have her on! This episode is especially close to my heart right now, because I had a bit of a health scare last week. I had my second ever mammogram, and thought it would be a simple check-up. But it turns out, they needed to go in to take another look, and then I actually ended up having to get a biopsy! Thankfully, I’m totally fine. The spot was benign. But that experience has me more resolved than ever to talk about things on the show that are just not talked about enough. Our bodies are incredible — and they’re also kinda complicated sometimes — but thankfully, we don’t have to figure ANY of this out alone. Let’s dive into the episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to get on the same page about household responsibilities with your spouse. Question for you – Do you and your spouse (or partner or roommate) ever have a hard time figuring out who is responsible for managing certain household tasks? This could apply to chores, paying bills, or making meals. Okay, another question for you – Are you frustrated because the majority of household tasks always seem to fall on you? Friends, I’ve lived in that tension before, but, today’s guest (and her book) changed everything for me and my relationships in general! Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Eve Rodsky. Eve is an expert on the gender division of labor. She wrote one of my favorite books called, Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live). In it, she discusses the issue of unequal labor in the home, why this is hurting our relationships, and what we can do to fix it. One of my favorite parts of the episode is when she explains the concept of being the “She Fault” and why so much of the domestic work falls in the hands of women. More about that soon! Friends, whether you’re married, engaged, single, or dating, I know there’s something for you in this episode! Okay, one more quick thing before we dive in – I wanted to let you know that there are a handful of cuss words in this episode, so if you’re listening with tiny ears around that repeat everything like my girls do, maybe put some headphones in for this conversation! Alright, let’s jump into my conversation with Eve! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about why it’s so important that we stop trying to be the “perfect” Christian. Tell me if any of this sounds familiar to you: You try to do all of the “right” things like pray and read your Bible, but sometimes it feels like you’re checking boxes off a to-do list rather than experiencing real intimacy with God. Or maybe you feel like you need to do X,Y, & Z, you fill in the blanks, in order to be a “good Christian” or person of faith. Or, if you don’t have your quiet time (or whatever the thing is you feel you’re supposed to do), you feel like a bad Christian and that God must be disappointed in you. Does any of this resonate with you? If so, I want you to know you’re not alone and we’re going to work through this together. Our guest for today’s episode is Kimberly Stuart. Kim is a writer, speaker and podcaster. Her most recent book is called, Star for Jesus (And Other Jobs I Quit): Rediscovering the Grace that Sets Us Free. In it, she’s reminding us that our faith is not about trying to be good enough or doing all of the right things — instead, it’s about accepting the free gift of God’s grace. Kim is hilarious and warm and relatable and wise. I can’t wait for you to meet her. One of my favorite quotes Kim says in the episode is this, “There is more than enough grace to cushion every single fall every single day.” Yes and amen to that! I hope this conversation reminds you how loved you are and that there’s room for everyone at God’s table! Okay, let’s dive in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about friendship, specifically how to navigate friendship conflict and find forever friends. To help us with this, I invited a Girls Night favorite back on the show, my dear friend, Danielle Bayard Jackson! Danielle is a female friendship coach and educator who speaks nationally about the science of women’s platonic connections. She has a brand new book out called, Fighting for Our Friendships: The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women's Relationships. This book offers the strategies we all need when navigating our friendships and she’s sharing several of those strategies with us in today’s conversation! She’s also sharing more about “friend types” and how to know which one you are! One of my favorite moments of the episode was when she shared her advice for setting boundaries in your friendships. Y’all need to listen in, because you’re going to LOVE what she has to say about this! Okay, friends, make yourself cozy — here’s my conversation with Danielle! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to stay present even if you’re not exactly where you want to be in life. I’m excited about this episode because if you’re anything like me, when you’re going through a waiting season, all you want to do is skip forward and get to the “good part” where it feels like you have your life together again. Or maybe you want to skip ahead because what you’re currently facing — in your job, in parenting, in a relationship — is too hard, too messy, or not at all where you pictured you would be at this time in your life. Friends, I get it. I’ve been there too. But the more waiting seasons I’ve lived through, the more that I’ve discovered that they're not something to wish away. They’re actually something to lean into, and today’s guest is going to teach all about this! Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Ruth Chou Simons. Ruth is a bestselling author of several books and Bible studies, an artist, entrepreneur, podcaster, and speaker, using each of these platforms to sow the Word of God into people’s hearts. I’ve been a fan of Ruth for years and love the work that she does. Her newest book is called, Now and Not Yet: Pressing in When You’re Waiting, Wanting, and Restless for More. In the description she says this book is showing us how to “embrace the biblical truth that someday is made up of thousands of right nows” and that’s really what this episode is all about! If you’re feeling stuck in your current circumstances, I hope today’s conversation is the reminder you need that no season is wasted and it’s possible to grow in the right here and right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2024

I’m so excited about today’s episode. Here’s the thing — we’ve all been there. We’ve all had days where it feels like our emotions are getting the best of us or our minds can’t stop racing. These moments are so frustrating because often we think, “I shouldn’t be feeling this way” — but still, we do! And these feelings have a way of impacting every facet of our lives — our relationships, our career, our body image and so much more! But, the truth is, it’s okay to feel our emotions, what matters is how we respond to them! Our guest for today’s episode is Dr. Alison Cook. Alison is a psychologist, podcast host, and the author of three books, including her newest book called, I Shouldn't Feel This Way: Name What’s Hard, Tame Your Guilt, and Transform Self-Sabotage into Brave Action. For 20 years, Alison has helped women, ministry leaders, couples, and families learn how to heal painful emotions, develop confidence from the inside out, forge healthy relationships, and fully live out their God-given potential. One of my favorite parts of the episode was when Alison shared her strategy on how to “name, tame, and transform” our thoughts. I will be using this all of the time! Friends, my hope is that you leave this episode feeling like you have a better grasp on how to navigate your tricky emotions and have more compassion for yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Today, I’m so excited to read a section from my new book, Create A Life You Love. Did you know that the average woman makes most of her biggest life decisions between her 25th and 35th birthdays? Who you are, what you want to do with your life, where you’ll call home, who your people are, which person you’ll share your life with, and whether you’ll have kids—there's major pressure (internal, external, and even biological) to decide the major plot points of our lives, all within just a few short years. My book, Create a life You love, is a guided journey of self-discovery, helping you take the pressure off what you think your life is supposed to look like by now and intentionally, confidently, and authentically build the life you actually want to live — a life that looks and feels like YOU. The book comes out THIS WEEK, and you can order or purchase a copy wherever books are sold. I’m SO excited and honored to share this with you. Okay, so for today’s episode, I want to actually read a section of the book to you! Eeek, I can’t wait to share this with you. Let’s dive in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to decorate your home (when you’re not a professional home designer). Decorating a home can feel challenging because there are so many different components to consider, but, like most things in life, there are some guidelines we can follow to help make things a little bit easier! To walk us through this, I invited a Girls Night favorite back on the show and that’s my dear friend and home design enthusiast, Myquillyn Smith. Myquillyn, also known on social media as “The Nester,” believes every home has a silver lining. She's created a beautiful home in 15 different houses and she loves teaching how to create beauty in imperfect circumstances. She recently wrote a book called, House Rules: How to Decorate for Every Home, Style, and Budget. In it, she shares 100 universal decorating truths that apply to every house. One of my favorite rules that she shares is, “you can’t ruin something you already hate” — more about that in the episode! This episode inspired me to look at my home through a new lens and I hope it does the same for you! Ready? Let’s dive in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today you’ll hear the advice I WISH I would have had when I was single. Today’s episode is going to look a little different than usual. If you’ve been around our Girls Night community for a while, you know that it’s girls only. (With the occasional exception of my husband Carl). Today, we’re breaking that rule — but I promise it’s for a really good reason! Our guest for today’s episode is my long-time friend, Ryan Wekenman. Ryan and I met back in college at a campus ministry we were both a part of, but today he’s the teaching pastor at a church called Red Rocks Austin. He recently wrote an incredible book called, Single Today: Conquer Yesterday's Regrets, Ditch Tomorrow's Worries, and Thrive Right Where You Are. In this episode, Ryan is sharing his journey as an unmarried pastor for over a decade. He has such a unique perspective on this topic and I knew we needed to have him on! Ryan is the REAL DEAL. He’ll talk us through some of the biggest struggles we all face when we’re single — “How do I respond to a relative who keeps nagging me about my relationship status?” “How do I stop comparing my timeline to the other people in my life?” “Can I experience intimacy even as a single person?” “Is there something wrong with me for wanting to be single?” or “Is there something wrong with me because I’m not married yet?” And that’s just the beginning! If you’re a single person in your twenties or thirties, I hope this episode will bring you so much encouragement and remind you that you’re not alone! Okay, ready? Let’s dive into my conversation with Ryan! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about why your 20s & 30s are some of the most important years of your life and how you can make the most of them! To walk us through this, I invited none other than the twentysomethings expert herself, Dr. Meg Jay. Meg Jay is a clinical psychologist and author who specializes in twentysomethings. I read her book, The Defining Decade, about a decade ago, and it totally changed my life. And she actually has a new book releasing this week called, The Twentysomething Treatment which is about young adult mental health — I cannot wait for you to hear more about it! In our conversation, Meg is teaching us why the twentysomething (and thirtysomething) years are so critical in shaping who we are. Along with that, she’s sharing her research on the young adult mental health crisis in America and her best solutions for improving your mental health, and your life in general! My hope is that you’ll walk out of this episode feeling less alone knowing that it’s totally normal to struggle with life in your 20s or 30s, but also, feeling so equipped to take your next steps forward. You don’t have to do this alone! Okay, you ready? Here’s my conversation with Meg! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! As you may know, I have a new book coming out soon called Create a Life You Love and in it I tackle what I call the Everything Era — that wildly confusing decade-ish where we have to make some of the most significant decisions of our lives, typically all at the same time. I've spent the last 10 years wrestling with these big life decisions and the pressure that comes with them — and I've talked to countless women who are doing the same. But I didn't know it was a thing — actually a thing — until two years ago when I heard a statistic I will never, ever forget. In a rare study of life-span development, researchers at Boston University and the University of Michigan found that 80% of our life’s most defining moments happen before we turn 35. In fact, the average woman makes the majority of her biggest life decisions in the decade between her 25th and 35th (ish) birthdays. So… I wasn't exaggerating, it wasn't my imagination, this season of life is actually as big, and hard, and consequential as it feels. So that's when I started to dig. I needed more information. I wanted to know more about what's happening in us during these years, and what's happening around us. I also started to wonder what these years have looked like for the generations of women who have gone before us, because I realized I didn't actually know. I have learned SO MUCH as I’ve heard stories of women from past generations. The more I’ve learned about women’s history, the more I understand why our lives look the way they do today. This is why I’m so excited to introduce you to today’s guest! Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Sarah Gristwood. Sarah is a former film journalist and now writes books about women’s history. Her most recent is called, Secret Voices: A Year of Women’s Diaries. In it, she analyzes a collection of excerpts from women’s diaries, looking back over four centuries to discover how women’s experience—of men and children, sex and shopping, work and the natural world—has changed down the years. And, of course, how it hasn’t. I LOVED this conversation, and I can’t wait for you to hear it. Before we dive in, I wanted to read you just a little snippet of my new book, Create A Life You Love — because in it, I explain why learning about women’s history has meant so much to me. “Recognizing the pressures women have been under throughout history helps me feel like I’m not alone. I’m part of a large sisterhood, and I’m honored to be. This truth is especially helpful to me during times when I start to wonder if the pressure I’m feeling is imagined—if the expectations I’m sensing are really as heavy and forceful as they feel. As I look back at the centuries of pressure and expectations and opinions about women’s lives and how they should spend them, I see that yes, this actually is as big as it feels. And that’s so validating. It helps me be kinder to myself as I navigate all of this. I hope it helps you too.” “Not only is it helpful for me to know that this pressure isn’t new—that women have always had people breathing down their necks telling them what they should do and how they should live—but also, the more I find out about the expectations placed on women throughout history, the more I understand why some of the decisions I’m trying to make in my own life today feel so heavy.” You guys, Sarah is the best. I can’t wait for you to meet her. You ready? Let’s dive in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! As you may know, I have a new book coming out soon called Create a Life You Love and in it I tackle what I call the Everything Era — that wildly confusing decade-ish where we have to make some of the most significant decisions of our lives, typically all at the same time. I've spent the last 10 years wrestling with these big life decisions and the pressure that comes with them — and I've talked to countless women who are doing the same. But I didn't know it was a thing — actually a thing — until two years ago when I heard a statistic I will never, ever forget. In a rare study of life-span development, researchers at Boston University and the University of Michigan found that 80% of our life’s most defining moments happen before we turn 35. In fact, the average woman makes the majority of her biggest life decisions in the decade between her 25th and 35th (ish) birthdays. So… I wasn't exaggerating, it wasn't my imagination, this season of life is actually as big, and hard, and consequential as it feels. So that's when I started to dig. I needed more information. I wanted to know more about what's happening in us during these years, and what's happening around us. I also started to wonder what these years have looked like for the generations of women who have gone before us, because I realized I didn't actually know. I have learned SO MUCH as I’ve heard stories of women from past generations. The more I’ve learned about women’s history, the more I understand why our lives look the way they do today. This is why I’m so excited to introduce you to today’s guest! Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Sarah Gristwood. Sarah is a former film journalist and now writes books about women’s history. Her most recent is called, Secret Voices: A Year of Women’s Diaries. In it, she analyzes a collection of excerpts from women’s diaries, looking back over four centuries to discover how women’s experience—of men and children, sex and shopping, work and the natural world—has changed down the years. And, of course, how it hasn’t. I LOVED this conversation, and I can’t wait for you to hear it. Before we dive in, I wanted to read you just a little snippet of my new book, Create A Life You Love — because in it, I explain why learning about women’s history has meant so much to me. “Recognizing the pressures women have been under throughout history helps me feel like I’m not alone. I’m part of a large sisterhood, and I’m honored to be. This truth is especially helpful to me during times when I start to wonder if the pressure I’m feeling is imagined—if the expectations I’m sensing are really as heavy and forceful as they feel. As I look back at the centuries of pressure and expectations and opinions about women’s lives and how they should spend them, I see that yes, this actually is as big as it feels. And that’s so validating. It helps me be kinder to myself as I navigate all of this. I hope it helps you too.” “Not only is it helpful for me to know that this pressure isn’t new—that women have always had people breathing down their necks telling them what they should do and how they should live—but also, the more I find out about the expectations placed on women throughout history, the more I understand why some of the decisions I’m trying to make in my own life today feel so heavy.” You guys, Sarah is the best. I can’t wait for you to meet her. You ready? Let’s dive in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Today’s episode is going to be a little different than usual! A few weeks ago, my new friend, Jacqueline Genova, invited me to be a guest on her podcast called How to be Wellnstrong. We talked about all different types of transitions women face in their 20s and 30s — and we talked so much about dating and breakups and what I wish I could go back and tell myself in the midst of all of that. I loved our conversation so much, I asked Jacqueline if I could share it here with you guys! She was so gracious to say yes and so that’s the episode you’ll hear today! Jacqueline is in the interview chair, and I’m answering the questions! We’re going to be talking about… How to heal from a hard breakup What to do if your friend gets into a relationship or marriage before you do How to be happy for your friends even when you’re still waiting How to navigate the dating scene Why you should give online dating another try And that’s just the beginning! I’m so excited to share this conversation with you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! On the show today, we’re talking about how to decide if you should stay where you are, move to a new city, or move back home. To walk us through this I invited my dear friend, book editor, and now literary agent, Carly Kellerman, to join us! In this episode, Carly is sharing the story of leaving her home and community in Michigan for a season to move to Nashville. She was leaving SO much behind with that move — a support system and a home she LOVED — but she’ll say that leaving it all behind for a season was one of the best decisions she ever made. I can’t wait for you to hear why. But then, we’re talking about the decision she made a handful of years later to move back home and she walks us through the expectations and fears and insecurities she had to overcome when making that decision. Friends, if you’ve ever contemplated moving to a new city or moving back home, but you’re not sure what your next steps should be, this conversation is for you! One of my favorite things Carly says in the episode is this: "You have to take the steps in front of you and do it with boldness and hope and strategy and faith." Yes to that! You ready? Let’s dive in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Today we’re talking about how to know if it’s time for us to stay or time for us to go. I love this topic, because if you’re anything like me, this is a question you’ve come to over and over again throughout your life. Should you stay in the relationship, or is it time to go? What about the job? What about your hometown? What about this new opportunity you didn’t see coming, but now can’t stop thinking about? These moments are so intimidating, because in a lot of ways, it feels like the fate of our future hangs in the balance. It feels like with one little decision, we might just ruin everything. Or maybe that’s just me. I couldn’t think of a better person to walk us through this than my dear friend, Emily P Freeman! Emily is someone I have looked up to for years and years. She’s an author, podcaster, spiritual director and workshop leader. Her most important work is helping to create soul space and offering spiritual companionship and discernment for anyone struggling with decision fatigue. She recently wrote a new book called, How to Walk into a Room: The Art of Knowing When to Stay and When to Walk Away, and that’s what we’re talking about today! In this episode, Emily is teaching us what caution flags to look for when we feel like it’s time to make a change, how to know the difference between readiness and timeliness, how to move forward after leaving something behind, why the right decision doesn’t always feel comfortable, and so much more! This conversation felt like the biggest hug and was truly so encouraging. So grab your coziest blanket and your favorite notebook and let’s dive in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to make decisions in pregnancy and in the first few months after your baby is born. There are so many myths and misconceptions floating around, and today we’re going to work through some of them. In the first few months after my girls were born, I spent so much time Googling — wondering, when does this get easier, am I doing this right? Am I going to mess up my kids? Should I do this or this? Should I choose this option or this one? I was totally overwhelmed by the responses to my google searches — one because there were about a MILLION of them. It’s so great to live in an age where the wisdom of the world is at our fingertips, but when you’re exhausted and already overwhelmed, that amount of information can be a lot. To make it even harder is the fact that a lot of it conflicts! People have different ideas about the right way to do things, and so in this episode, we’re going to talk about how to filter through that information and figure out what’s right for you and for your particular family. Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Emily Oster. Emily is a New York Times best-selling author, Professor of Economics at Brown University, and founder and CEO of ParentData, a data-driven guide to pregnancy, parenting, and more! I’ve been following Emily’s work for years, and when I tell you that she changed (and maybe even saved) my life as a mom, that’s not an exaggeration. She is my #1 go-to source for parenting information. Emily’s science-backed resources and research have given me so much peace of mind, especially in the early stages of motherhood, and my hope is that she can do the same for you! You ready? Let’s dive in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Today we’re continuing our brand new series on the Girls Night Podcast called, “How She Does It.” Once a month we do a profile of a woman who’s living a beautifully, unique life and we'll get to hear the behind-the-scenes of how she does it. We’ll also talk about what things she does or, maybe more importantly, doesn’t do to make it all happen! The idea for this series came to me while I was writing my new book, Create A Life You Love, and so I want to read you the passage that inspired it. Over the years, I’ve spent more and more time looking for women who are breaking the mold—creating lives that look like them and feel like them and work for them. And the more I see, the more I notice, the more empowered I feel to create my own life in a way that’s a little different, a little outside the lines, but that looks like me, feels like me, and works for me and my family. — Create a life you love That's my hope for these episodes. Y’all, I’m so excited about today’s “How She Does it” guest. I’m talking with my new friend, and someone I’ve looked up to… you know… for just about ever — Savannah Gutherie. Savannah is the co-anchor of the Today Show, she’s NBC News' chief legal correspondent and she’s a primary anchor for the network's election coverage. (Casual, right?) Guys, I am not exaggerating when I tell you that this is one of my favorite conversations I’ve ever had. It was so encouraging personally and professionally for me and I know it will be for you too. In this episode you’ll get to hear Savannah’s career backstory — the twists and turns and detours that led to where she is today. I walked away so encouraged and inspired, and I know you will too. So, you ready to dive in? Here’s my conversation with Savannah Guthrie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m looking forward to today’s episode because this is a topic I think all of us need to hear. Today we’re talking about how to stay hopeful when there’s so much bad news in the world, how we can stay informed without being totally crushed in the process. We’re also talking about how we can all help make positive change in our world and in our communities. To help us with this, I invited my dear friend, Danielle Coke Balfour back on the show! Dani is a graphic designer turned artist, advocate, speaker, and entrepreneur. She’s the founder of Oh Happy Dani, an illustration-based educational platform that uses artwork and resources to make complex ideas more accessible and help others seek justice while staying hopeful. She recently wrote an incredible book called, A Heart on Fire: 100 Meditations on Loving Your Neighbors Well. This is something we all need, especially with everything happening in our world right now. Here are a few of the things she’s going to teach us in this episode: How to process all the bad news when it feels like the world around us is falling apart How to figure out what we actually can and should do and what’s within our sphere of influence Practical things we can do with our influence, time, and money How to stay informed without damaging our mental and emotional health And more! Friends, if you’re feeling discouraged by all of the bad news and tragic events happening in our world, you’re not alone. But amazing women like Dani are teaching us how to stay hopeful and take action and that’s why I’m so excited for you to hear this conversation!

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! So, if you’ve spent any time in my little corner of the internet lately, you’ve probably heard me say that I have three big secrets I’ve been keeping from… well… basically everybody for the last, gosh, it feels like forever. I finally got to share secret #1 a few weeks ago, and that was some of the big changes we’ve had going on here at Girls Night: New cover art, new music, new focus, new network! I’ve been so excited to share that news with you, but I have to tell you, Secrets #2 and #3 have been MUCH harder to keep. I finally get to tell you Secret #3 on March 18th, AND… I get to tell you Secret #2 TODAY. Friend, I am truly over the moon about this. In this episode, I’m going to tell you my huge news, and all of the details that I’ve been dying to share with you for AGES. I’ve been keeping this secret for the last 18 months, and today, I finally get to tell you everything. My dear friend Carly Kellerman is here to help me share the news, and I honestly can’t wait any longer. Let’s do this. Let’s dive in!

Transcribed - Published: 12 February 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Today we’re talking about how to navigate friendships as an adult, including friend breakups! To talk us through this, I invited my dear friends Jess Johnston and Amy Weatherly back on the show! Jess and Amy met online several years ago and became really close friends. Since then, they’ve started an amazing online community called, Sister I Am With You, where they talk about all things friendship. They are also co-authors of a brand new book called, Here For It (the Good, the Bad, and the Queso): The How-To Guide for Deepening Your Friendships and Doing Life Together. Gahh, I love that so much! Here are a few of the things you will learn in today’s episode: How to navigate friend breakups in a healthy way even if it’s not mutual How to go deeper in your friendships How to have more self-awareness in our friendships And more! Put on your coziest sweatpants, and grab some queso! You’re going to love this conversation!

Transcribed - Published: 5 February 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Friends, I’m so excited because today we’re starting a brand new series on the Girls Night Podcast! The series is called “How She Does It” and in it we’re sharing profiles of women we look up to. Here’s what I’ve been learning over the past decade or so of my life — Women, including myself, feel an intense pressure (especially between the ages of 25-40ish) for their lives to look a certain way, and it can be crushing. It’s even more crushing to glance around at the women ahead of you in life, and for it to seem like they’re somehow doing it all without breaking a sweat. So that’s what these episodes are going to help us with. About once a month, I’ll have a woman come on the show to talk through the story of why she is who she is today. We’ll hear everything from the pressures and pushback she’s faced to what she’s had to give up to be where she is today. We’ll also talk about what things she does or, maybe more importantly, doesn’t do to make it all happen! I’m so excited because our first “How She Does It” profile is with my guest, Jasmine Roth. Jasmine is a California-based designer and builder. You might recognize her from her HGTV show, “Help! I Wrecked My House!” I’ve been following Jasmine and watching her show for years now and I absolutely love the work that she does. In this conversation you’ll hear about her job as a designer and builder, but you’ll also hear about her time in corporate America, the areas of life where she’s needed to ask for help, her battle with overcoming mom guilt, her experience with going to therapy, her best tips for having success, and so much more! My hope is that by hearing what life looks like for women like Jasmine, you’ll be able to see women who are living in beautifully unique ways that are all their own — and feel permission to do the same.

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to take charge of your finances and actually enjoy the process! I’m excited about this episode because if you’re anything like me, figuring out what to do with your money – how to save, how to invest, where to spend, where not to spend — can feel a bit overwhelming at times, especially when you don’t have a degree in finance or you weren’t taught this information in school (anyone else wish there was a budgeting 101 class in middle school, or, you know, college?! 😂) But, thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way! Taking charge of your finances is easier than you think — and can actually be fun! And I have the perfect person to walk us through this! Our guest for today’s episode is Katie Gatti Tassin. Katie is the founder and host of the growing personal finance media company Money with Katie. I’ve been following along with Katie for years now and her advice on money has been invaluable in my journey of becoming more confident in my finances! (Her content is also just so much fun. She’s this dynamite combination of brilliant and hilarious. You guys are going to love hearing from her!) So make sure you grab your coffee and a notepad — you’re going to love this conversation!

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2024

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Friends, I’m SO excited to be back for Season 19 of The Girls Night Podcast! We’re kicking off the season with a solo episode! I’m talking about New Year’s resolutions, or lack thereof (More about that in the episode!) and how to ask for help this year! Here’s the thing, I love a reset as much as anybody, a fresh start. But the expectation that it all needs to happen on the first day of a new year is a lot of pressure. (And leaves you feeling like you’ve already failed just two weeks in). So today I’m sharing what I do instead! Along with that, we’re talking about what it looks like to ask for help in the new year and why it’s one of the most important things you can do for yourself! Oh, and make sure you stick around until the end of the conversation, because I will be sharing a super exciting announcement about the podcast that you won’t want to miss! Welcome to Season 19, friends!!

Transcribed - Published: 15 January 2024

I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to have less stress and set healthy boundaries during the holidays! As this episode is airing, the holidays are right around the corner. I know for a lot of us this means spending more time with our family, which can come with a whole range of emotions. Family dynamics can be complicated and figuring out what to say or what not to say in different scenarios can feel overwhelming. But today’s guest is going to help us work through this! Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Courtney J Burg. Courtney is a writer and the founder of Discover Your Worth, an online membership designed to support women with practical tools to break free from codependency while establishing a healthy boundary practice. She has a new book coming out on December 12th called, Loyal to a Fault: How to Establish New Patterns When Loving Others Has Left You Hurting. In this episode she’s helping us work through the common scenarios a lot of us face during the holidays. Scenarios like your Aunt Sharon commenting on your weight or your cousin Joe asking when you’re going to have kids. She’s also teaching us how to set boundaries with difficult family members in a healthy and loving way. This episode is full of practical tools we can all use to make the holidays, and really any family gathering, as smooth and stress free as possible! I can’t wait for you to hear from her! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 December 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to stop comparing your journey to others and figure out what success means for you. We’re also talking about how to be intentional with the hours in our day so we can be fully present with the people and opportunities that mean the most to us. And there’s no better person to talk us through this than my new friend, Sazan Hendrix. Sazan is a globally recognized digital creator with her husband Stevie Hendrix. They have spent almost a decade in the online space connecting with millions worldwide. Recently, they wrote a book together called, A Real Good Life: Discover the Simple Moments that Bring Joy, Connection, and Love. In it they share their story and what they discovered as they were searching for “the good life” as they refer to it. So that’s what you’re going to hear about today! Y’all, I loved this episode. I can’t wait to introduce you to Sazan! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 December 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to live a healthy, balanced life when you have both kids and a demanding career. I wanted to do this episode because I know that so many of you are in a similar situation as me where you’re trying to figure out how to be the best mom you can be while also balancing a career and doing all of the things…like laundry and finding pockets of rest. There’s also women listening who desire to have kids in the future, but you’re trying to figure out the logistics and asking yourself questions like, “How am I going to find and afford childcare?” or “Is it possible to work and to be a mom?” These are really great questions and my guest for today’s episode is going to help answer them! Today, we’ve invited my friend, Robin Long, back onto the podcast. Robin is a Pilates Instructor, Founder and CEO of Lindywell, mom of four kids under the age of 9, and most recently added author to her long list of achievements! Robin is someone I’ve followed and admired for years. She has incredible wisdom to share about balancing work life and being a mom because she’s been doing it herself for the last several years! She even has twins like me! Friends, I hope this episode is a reminder that you’re not alone in this journey and there’s people in your corner cheering you on as you go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today I’m doing my second solo podcast and we’re talking all about what to do when you feel like giving up on a dream! I wanted to share this episode with you because I was in that spot not too long ago. For the last 18 months, I dove head first into a passion project that I dreamed about for years…but came really really close to giving up. Today, I’m sharing what happened, what changed my perspective and caused me to pivot, and what you can do if you’re feeling the same way I did! The passion project is my newly re-imagined shop and you’ll be hearing all about that in this episode as well — including details about the launch on Black Friday weekend!! Seriously, this will be your new go-to shop for all things friendship! Friends, I can’t wait to share this with you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 20 November 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to find joy when you’re feeling stressed and anxious. I don’t think it’s any secret that there’s a lot happening in our world right now. There are heartbreaking things and scary things and heavy things happening in other people’s lives and our own lives. And on top of that, there are pressures each of us face on a daily basis at work and at home. It’s a lot to carry. And it really doesn’t help when we are scrolling through social media and seeing hundreds of people who seem to be doing it better than us. So, where is the hope in this? How do we find peace and joy even when life seems a bit crazy? And is that even possible? Today’s guest is going to help with this! Our guest for today’s episode is Raquelle Stevens. Raquelle is an author, producer, and host based in Los Angeles, California. You might recognize her from starring in the Apple documentary called, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, and the HBO Max series Selena + Chef. This year she released a book called, The Sunshine Mind: 100 Days to Finding the Hope and Joy You Want. I love the word “sunshine” because that’s what this conversation felt like to me. In this episode, we learn how to embrace our path and stop trying to measure up to everyone else, how to manage our stress and anxiety in practical ways, and how to experience just a little more joy in our lives, even when everything else feels crazy. Friends, I left this conversation feeling lighter and so encouraged and I hope you feel the same. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 13 November 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how looking back at our history helps us understand our present, our future, and ourselves better. Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Jasmine L. Holmes. Jasmine is a mom, a historian, and a writer. Her newest book is called, Crowned with Glory: How Proclaiming the Truth of Black Dignity Has Shaped American History. I wanted to have Jasmine on the show because I’ve spent so much time lately looking back at our history as women — seeing where we’ve been, and how we got to where things are today, and it’s just given me so much insight and context into my present to know more about our past. So when I saw that she had written this book, I knew I wanted to hear what this journey has looked like for her digging back into the past and what she learned from it. You guys, Jasmine is a brilliant teacher. She answered all of my questions so beautifully — (the big ones and also the ones that I worried might be kinda dumb?). Her answers were somehow simple and easy to understand, and also totally profound. I learned SO much in this conversation and I cannot WAIT to share it with you. Jasmine is a treasure. You’re going to love her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 6 November 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how our past experiences can point us to our purpose for the future! To talk us through this, I invited my new friend, Jami Nato, on the show. Jami is a writer, serial entrepreneur, and an instagram influencer who loves keeping it real. A few months ago, I received her book in the mail called, This Must Be the Place: Following the Breadcrumbs of Your Past to Discover Your Purpose Today, and I knew I needed to have her on to talk about this with us! In this episode, Jami shares the story of discovering her unique identity by drawing on her past experiences and why she truly believes that God can use every part of our story, even the messy parts. Embracing her new identity has given her the freedom to step into her gifts and live a more joyful and purpose-filled life, and she’s telling us how we can do the same. I left our conversation feeling so inspired and encouraged and I know you will too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 30 October 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to make cooking more fun and less stressful. If you’ve been listening to Girls Night for awhile, you know that I absolutely love food. I can tell you exactly what I’ve eaten on every one of my birthdays, and I am pretty sure that great restaurants are my love language. The caveat is, I would much rather someone else make the food for me than try to cook it myself. Can anyone else relate?! But cooking is an incredible thing and it’s something I want to get better at, so I wanted to talk with someone who can simplify this for us and help us become more confident in the kitchen. And today’s guest is going to do just that! Our guest for today’s episode is Bri McKoy. I recently received Bri’s cookbook in the mail called, The Cook's Book: Recipes for Keeps & Essential Techniques to Master Everyday Cooking, and absolutely fell in love! Bri calls herself an accidental home cook, which she’ll explain more in the episode, but she truly fell in love with cooking and is here to teach us some of the things she learned along the way! In the episode, she shares how to make a meal plan, how to tweak recipes and your kitchen to fit your personal taste, what staples we should have in our pantry and she even shares some of her favorite recipes from her cookbook. My mouth is watering just thinking about them! Friends, if you’re a beginner in the kitchen, like me, I love that there are ways to make this more enjoyable and Bri is going to tell us how! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 23 October 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I absolutely love the conversation I get to share with you today. Today we’re talking about how to best care for your loved ones during hard times. To walk us through this, I invited my new friends, Christy Knutson and Jane Butler on the show! Christy is a healthcare strategist and entrepreneur. After a series of early losses, she is working to improve the end-of-life experience with a deep belief that there has to be a better way. Jane is a creative professional and entrepreneur. When Jane’s fiancé (now husband) was diagnosed with brain cancer at the young age of 24, they quickly learned the value of grief support and care in their healing. Together, as business partners, they co-founded an amazing company called Near to help change the way we offer care and support during difficult times. In this episode, they’re answering the hard questions so many of us face during our lives. Questions like… What happens when someone I love receives a diagnosis? How do I support a friend or family member who’s going through a difficult time? What do I say or not say to someone who’s experiencing grief? When do I start thinking about end-of-life planning whether it’s for my parents or for myself and how do I even approach that conversation? And the list goes on! Friends, these are heavy things to talk about, but I know we’ll all be better friends and caretakers because of it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 16 October 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Friends, I’m so excited, but also really nervous for today’s episode. I can’t believe this, but today I’m sharing my very first solo episode! This may be the first of many or may be the first and last solo episode — I’m not totally sure yet! 🤣 But either way, I cannot wait to see what you think! In this episode, I’m talking about how to find rest amidst our busy schedules. We often hear about the importance of rest and self-care, but how many of us can claim to truly understand what that means for us, individually? It's one thing to set time aside for ourselves but quite another to figure out what rejuvenates us, what actually fills our cup. That’s what I’m going to help you through, today. In this episode, I share the 3 most important things I’ve learned about rest and how to practically apply them to your life. I don’t have this all figured out and I’m not perfect at this, but I’ve grown a lot in this area over the past couple of years, and want to share what I’ve discovered along the way. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your schedule and having a hard time figuring out how to incorporate rest into your daily, weekly or even seasonal routine, then grab some coffee and get comfortable, this episode is for you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 9 October 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to become a mom without totally losing yourself in the process. As a newer mom myself, I’ve experienced first-hand pressures that come along with becoming a mom. First of all, motherhood is taxing. It’s consuming. It requires everything you have to give and often way more. And so being a mom while also being… yourself… it’s a LOT. It’s also a lot because the expectations society puts on mothers are HIGH. There’s no shortage of opinions on what a good mom should do and be and act like and provide for her kids — the list of expectations is so long it’s actually totally impossible to measure up to — which leaves a lot of us feeling like we’re failing. And this is an area of life where we absolutely do not want to fail. We’re pouring over the parenting books out there, trying our very best to do everything exactly right and feeling like we’re going to mess up our kids lives — or just mess up our kids in general — if we make even one tiny mistake. We’re killing ourselves trying to be perfect, and still somehow falling short. Is this really what our kids need from us?? The answer is no. It doesn’t have to be this way, it shouldn’t be this way, there IS a better way — and that’s why I can’t wait for this conversation! Our guest for today’s episode is my friend, Alli Worthington. Alli is an Entrepreneur, Author, Podcaster and is helping women reach their dreams in business and in life. She’s also a mother of five boys, so she’s been on this motherhood journey for several years now. Alli recently wrote a book that I’m so excited about called, Remaining You While Raising Them: The Secret Art of Confident Motherhood. This book is not a parenting book, but rather a book focused on moms. In it she’s sharing why modern motherhood is broken and helping us remove the myths we’ve believed about what it means to be a “good mom.” And, from the principles she wrote about in this book, Alli is going to teach us how to: Intentionally care for ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and physically as a new mom Conquer the mom guilt we might be feeling Stop comparing ourselves to other moms Embrace our unique mothering style And more! This episode is for the brand new mom or the woman who really wants to be a mom, but is scared of the pressures that come along with it! I promise you’ll come out of this conversation feeling way more empowered and encouraged! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 2 October 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to be more gusty — how to stop procrastinating, get unstuck, and pursue your dreams. Tell me if this sounds familiar… You have a dream in your heart — maybe something with your career or life in general — and you’ve been wanting to do something about it for a long time, but you have no idea what your next step should be. You’re feeling stuck and constantly find yourself seeking the validation and approval of others, which only leaves you feeling more tired. So what do we do about this? How do we get past these fears, stop putting things off, and go for what we want? Today’s guest is going to help us answer those questions! Our guest for today’s episode is my new friend, Natalie Franke. Natalie is an Author, Speaker, Community Builder, Neuroscience Nerd, and the Chief Evangelist at Honeybook, where she supports over 100,000 independent business owners. Because of that, Natalie knows a thing or two about what it looks like to pursue your dreams and not let your fears hold you back. Her newest book is called, Gutsy: Learning to Live with Bold, Brave, and Boundless Courage. In it she gives readers the push they need to take the next step and bravely follow their dreams. Here are just a few of the things she's going to teach us: How to stop procrastinating on our dreams How to reframe our mindset on failure How to embrace our own path How to stop letting the opinions of others hold us back And so much more! I know I say this a lot, but this is one of my favorite episodes we’ve ever had on the show! So cozy up, grab a notebook, and get ready to make a move on your dream! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 25 September 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to build more grit and resilience in our life and how to keep going even when things feel really hard. If you’re anything like me, you’ve had moments in your life where you know you’re supposed to do something — maybe it’s a career path you’re supposed to pursue or a dream you want to accomplish. But at some point along the road, we meet some resistance. Things start to feel really hard, we can’t get over something that happened in our past that makes us feel like we’re not good enough, we feel like we’re falling short compared to everyone else around us, we’re wondering if maybe we’re just not cut out for this. So how do we move past those obstacles? How do we keep moving forward and not give up? To help us answer those questions, I invited my dear friend, Bianca Juarez Olthoff, back on the show. Bianca is a bestselling Christian Author, Speaker, and Podcast Host. She recently released her brand new book called, Grit Don't Quit. In it she helps readers cultivate perseverance, embrace resilience, and embark on a life of purpose. And that’s what she’s helping us do today! Here are just a few of the things she’s going to be teaching us: How we can train our brains to be more resilient How to keep going even when things feel really hard or even painful How to combat feeling like we’re falling short or falling behind How to hear from God and keep pursuing what He has for us And so much more! Whether you’re trying to figure out your next steps in life, in a relationship, or in your career, this episode might just be the nudge you need to keep moving forward. I hope so. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 18 September 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! I’m so excited about today’s episode. Today we’re talking about how to truly enjoy your single life instead of just enduring it. We’re also talking through some of the lies or myths we’ve believed about singleness or dating. Lies like “my success is way too intimidating so I need to tone it down a bit”, or “I’ve been single for X amount of years, so I’ve missed my shot at finding my person.” Y’all, I’m even more excited because we have a really special guest to talk us through this! Our guest for today’s episode is singer, actress and my new friend, Michelle Williams. Many of you know Michelle from her days singing in the popular musical group Destiny's Child. Along with being a super talented singer, Michelle is also an amazing speaker! I had the privilege of hearing her speak and meeting her in-person at a conference I attended earlier this year in Atlanta. After hearing her heart for singleness and dating, I knew I needed to invite her on the show! In this episode, Michelle is sharing about her journey as a single woman and the biggest lessons she’s learned in her dating life. She’s also teaching us how to: Be confident in who we are and not let anyone dim our light Cherish our time as a single person Stop feeling lonely in our singleness Figure out the type of partner we need Stop settling And so much more! I can’t wait for you to hear from her! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 11 September 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! Y’all, I am so excited to be back for Season 18 of the podcast!! I’m even more excited because our first guest is my new friend, Madison Prewett Troutt. I’m guessing a lot of you are familiar with Madi after her debut on the reality TV show, The Bachelor. But, along with being a TV personality, Madi is an author, speaker, and has an incredible social media presence. Her life mission is to share the name of Jesus and to help women discover who they were made to be and where to find the truest form of love. Madi has a brand new book called, The Love Everybody Wants: What You’re Looking For Is Already Yours. In it, she talks about so many important things like how to stop settling for less than you deserve, how to see yourself the way God sees you, how to find a partner who’s going to compliment you, not complete you, and so much more! And that’s what today’s episode is all about! One of my favorite things she talks about are strategies to combat the lies we so often tell ourselves during waiting seasons. Lies like, “I’m just hard to love” or “I’m never going to be enough.” Y’all are going to love this episode. I can’t wait to share it with you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 4 September 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! At the moment we’re in between seasons here on the show. But while we’re waiting for our next official season to begin, we thought this would be a great time to pull some of our favorite episodes out of the Girls Night archive. This is the perfect time to catch up on episodes you might have missed, or listen again to old favorites. Several months ago, I had the honor of being interviewed by my sweet friend, Kait (Warman) Tomlin, for her podcast, Heart of Dating, and that’s the episode I want to share with you today. Now, I know I’m not telling you anything new when I say that we’re given a lot of mixed messages when it comes to our desire for marriage. People either act like marriage is the end-all-be-all goal for our lives, or we’re told to push away our desire for marriage to focus on “more important things” (I put those in air quotes). But in this conversation, I help us find a middle ground, so we can truly embrace our desire for marriage while also not putting an unhealthy pressure on it. A middle ground where we can prepare for marriage and look toward the future, while also savoring and making the most of the present. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 28 August 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! At the moment we’re in between seasons here on the show. But while we’re waiting for our next official season to begin, we thought this would be a great time to pull some of our favorite episodes out of the Girls Night archive. This is the perfect time to catch up on episodes you might have missed, or listen again to old favorites. Today I’m chatting with my friend, Debra Fileta! Debra is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of a new book called, Love in Every Season. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. I can’t wait for you to hear from her! Especially because today we’re talking about a subject that is very near and dear to my heart. Today we’re talking about how to know if you’ve found “the one.” The reason I’m so excited about this episode is because this is a question I MAJORLY wrestled with when Carl and I were dating. This is also a question I get asked all the time by our Girls Night listeners. You're dating a guy, things are going well, but how do you know when things are going well enough for you to actually get married? How do you know if he’s “the one?” For me personally, this was one of the most stressful, anxiety-ridden questions I’ve ever asked in my life. I know that’s not everybody’s story, but it was mine, and I know I’m not alone. So in this episode I ask Debra all of the questions I wish I could have asked back when Carl and I were dating — and I’m hoping that this episode brings some peace and clarity to anyone who really needs it right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 21 August 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! At the moment we’re in between seasons here on the show. But while we’re waiting for our next official season to begin, we thought this would be a great time to pull some of our favorite episodes out of the Girls Night archive. This is the perfect time to catch up on episodes you might have missed, or listen again to old favorites. Our guest for today’s episode is my dear friend, Kait (Warman) Tomlin. Kait is a speaker, a writer, and the host of the Heart of Dating podcast. Kait’s actually been with us on the show before. I just love her so much and I knew we had to have her back! Today we’re chatting about a topic that I know I struggled with like CRAZY throughout the years. We’re talking about how to move forward after a breakup. Kait has so much wisdom in this area, and such a passion for helping women through it, and I’m so glad because this is so important. Kait is going to teach us what it looks like to grieve and process a breakup in a healthy way (and what can happen if we don’t). She’s going to talk us through what it looks like to actually let go of someone we’ve loved so that we can move on and be ready to love someone new. And speaking of loving someone new, she’s going to help us recognize how to know when we’re ready to step into a new relationship. I loved our conversation and I can’t wait to share it with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 14 August 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls Night! At the moment we’re in between seasons here on the show. But while we’re waiting for our next official season to begin, we thought this would be a great time to pull some of our favorite episodes out of the Girls Night archive. This is the perfect time to catch up on episodes you might have missed, or listen again to old favorites. Today we’re talking about the beautiful things that can happen when your life doesn’t go according to plan. Several months ago, I had the privilege of being a guest on a podcast called, On the Front Porch. The hosts are two amazing women from our Girls Night community, Angela and Mary. They are so much fun. They asked amazing questions. And I loved the conversation so much I just knew I had to share it with y’all. I asked them if I could share the interview we did for their show here on Girls Night and they so graciously said yes! I’m excited about this episode because if you’re anything like me, you’ve had this picture in your head for a long time of how your life was going to play out. You were going to attend that school, get that degree, get hired for that one job you’ve always wanted, get married, have kids, buy your dream house and the list goes on! But, as most of us know, life doesn’t always play out like we want it to or in the time frame we hope it will. Sometimes God has a way of wrecking our plans, or at least that’s how it’s felt to me at several points along the way. And that’s the story you’ll get to hear today. In this episode, I’m sharing about my faith journey and how I met Jesus in the most unexpected way, and in the most unexpected place. I’m talking about several times when God completely wrecked my plans when it came to my career. And finally, I’m sharing how God completely transformed my outlook on dating and relationships and helped me make the most of my single life. You guys, I share so much of my story in this episode and how God has shown up in the BEST ways possible, and I truly believe he can and will do the same for you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 7 August 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! At the moment we’re in between seasons here on the show. But while we’re waiting for our next official season to begin, we thought this would be a great time to pull some of our favorite episodes out of the Girls Night archive. This is the perfect time to catch up on episodes you might have missed, or listen again to old favorites. Several months ago I got to catch up with a woman in our girls night community who has just graduated from college. She was in the thick of it, trying to answer the question we all find ourselves wrestling at one point or another — “What am I supposed to do with my life? (Or at least with the next few years)” She was holding her newly-minted degree in one hand, a few different opportunities in the other hand, and she had no idea what to do. This moment felt like such a pivotal one — and she was absolutely feeling the pressure. She reached out to me specifically because several of the things she was weighing — her specific degree, the specific opportunities she was considering — were crazily similar to the ones I was weighing when I first graduated from college. So we hopped on the phone and talked through it together. I shared with her some of the things I learned as I was taking my first steps into my career, away from my degree, into a job that paid next to nothing and made absolutely no sense. But also, it did make sense, and it led directly to everything I’m doing today. (Okay, not directly — there were several twists and turns and falls along the way as well). But as I was sharing that story with her, I realized that I’m not totally sure I’ve shared this story with you guys. And so that’s what we’re doing here today. I’ve brought my dear friend Marri back on the show to take over the host chair, and she’s going to help me walk back through my own personal career story — where I started, and how I got to where I am today and all that I learned along the way. Whether you’re just graduating college, or you’re in a different life stage completely, I know there are so many women in our community who are trying to make some big decisions right now, or waiting for something, longing for something or hoping for something in their careers, but it just hasn’t happened yet. I also know there are so many women who have a general idea of what they want to be doing in their careers but they have no clue how to actually get there. I also know there are so many of us who have no clue what we want to be doing, but we know for a FACT that it’s not what we’re doing today. This episode is for you. It’s the story of where I started, where I am today, and all of the twists and turns that happened in the middle. I cannot wait to share this with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 31 July 2023

Hey friends! Welcome to Girls’ Night! At the moment we’re in between seasons here on the show. But while we’re waiting for our next official season to begin, we thought this would be a great time to pull some of our favorite episodes out of the Girls Night archive. This is the perfect time to catch up on episodes you might have missed, or listen again to old favorites. I’m so excited because, recently, I had the honor and privilege of interviewing my all-time favorite author, Shauna Niequist, and that’s the conversation you’re going to hear today! If you’ve been following along with my corner of the internet for a while, you’ve probably heard me mention Shauna and her books — one of my favorites being Cold Tangerines. Her words and stories and wisdom have impacted my life and truly shaped who I am as a person, a writer, a friend and, now, as a mom. Shauna has a book called, I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet: Discovering New Ways of Living When the Old Ways Stop Working, and in it she talks a lot about life in the midst of transitions. Well, today she is talking us through some of the things we all need to hear in the midst of life’s biggest transitions and I cannot WAIT for you to hear what she had to say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 24 July 2023