I Just (Blank)! Now What?

Hey Friend, This week's episode I'm sharing a podcast update. We're going to be on a short hiatus after today for a little while. It's my birthday in a few days and normally around this time I do a lot of life reflection and reevaluate many areas of my life. And when I did that, I knew that I couldn't keep going with the show as it is right now. It has become unsustainable in its current format. And if you know me, that's a huge filter for my life. Is this sustainable? If not, how can I make it sustainable? What's possible? How can this be better? So in order to make the show more sustainable for the long term we're hitting pause. This isn't the end. Just a short hiatus. We'll be back. I promise. Listen in as I share about: Why I'm taking this hiatus right now mid-season What's happening behind the scenes. What's the plan for the show moving forward to make it more sustainable. Inviting you all to maybe hit pause on something in your life to retool it and make things better. More sustainable for you. Do you love the show? Support us on Patreon so we can keep growing! https://www.patreon.com/IJustBlankNowWhat I'd love to connect with you: Come follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess.loves.life/ Signup for my newsletter at: https://jessicastephens.ca/ Or read more about all the things I love on my Blog: https://jessicastephens.ca/blogs/jess-loves-life

Hey Friend, In this week's episode, I sit down with Natalie Guzman, who shares her extraordinary journey of being voluntarily placed into foster care by her mother and how she overcame the trauma and abandonment to build a successful life. Natalie recounts her life's ups and downs, including her adjustment to a drastic change in living conditions following her parents' divorce, her mother's decision to place her in foster care, and her efforts to maintain normalcy during her tumultuous teenage years. Despite the challenges, Natalie becomes emancipated at 17, works hard to make ends meet, and eventually builds multiple successful businesses. She also navigates rebuilding her relationship with her mother and finding love and a sense of family with her husband and children in Florida. Throughout her story, Natalie highlights the importance of setting boundaries, asking for help, and the resilience in facing life's adversities. This episode provides a powerful testimony on healing, growth, and the strength found in adversity. Natalie Guzman became a virtual assistant in 2015 after her job told her she had two days to give birth, and then she would have to return to work. She immediately started her virtual assistant business to make money from home, on her terms. When she decided to turn her side hustle into an agency. Now Natalie owns multiple businesses including a marketing agency and business consulting firm as well as an all in one software for business to build websites, emails, automations and more while raising her family in southwest Florida. Listen in as we talk about: Her life when her mom turned her over to child services What was going through her head when her mom dropped foster care on you out of nowhere Her foster family and emancipation Does she attribute her "what's possible" mindset to your upbringing Life after emancipation Advice for someone whose situation could even remotely resemble this one My tie in to Rising Strong Episode Sponsors Arbonne Greens Gut Glow Bundle. Use promo code ARBONNE10 at checkout to get 10% off. (https://www.arbonne.com/ca/en/shop-all/nutrition/green-gut-glow-convenience-pack/p/1055%20CA) Or start a subscription and save 20% off every order and free shipping! (https://www.arbonne.com/ca/en/arb/JessicaStephensToronto/cart?shareId=8835579432487) Do you love the show? Support us on Patreon so we can keep growing! https://www.patreon.com/IJustBlankNowWhat I'd love to connect with you: Come follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess.loves.life/ Signup for my newsletter at: https://jessicastephens.ca/ Or read more about all the things I love on my Blog: https://jessicastephens.ca/blogs/jess-loves-life Connect with Natalie: https://www.instagram.com/itsnatalieguzman/ https://www.tiktok.com/@itsnatalieguzman https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieguzmanva/ https://itsnatalieguzman.com/ Freebies: https://www.ngmarketinggroup.com/

Hey Friend, In this week's episode, Melody Murray joins me, who redefined her life through what she calls radical self-care. Melody discusses her shift from a life filled with depression, anxiety, and the struggles of managing her sister's addiction, to making bold decisions that included ending her marriage, shutting down her initial private practice, and adopting a lifestyle as a nomad. The episode explores the importance of setting boundaries with oneself and others, redefining personal values, and allowing oneself the flexibility to make mistakes. Melody shares insights from her book, 'Mourning the Living: When the Loved Ones You've Lost is Still Here,' aimed at navigating toxic relationships and finding peace in one's decisions. Melody is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Child Mental Health Specialist, known for her expertise in assessing and managing patients with critical mental health conditions, especially within hospital ER settings. Her experience extends over four years, where she has made significant contributions to evaluating homicidal and suicidal ideations, demonstrating a profound ability to navigate high-pressure environments with empathy and professionalism. In addition to her clinical prowess, Melody has been an influential voice in mental health advocacy, featured in interviews by major outlets such as the New York Times and Business Insider, and on shows like "The Doctors" and "Peace of Mind with Taraji." Her previous career in the entertainment industry, directing reality TV shows such as MTV's "The Real World" and "Bad Girls Club," adds a unique dimension to her understanding of human behavior, enhancing her approach to therapy and mental health communication. Listen in as we talk about: What's important to know about her What was happening before she blew up her life Shadow work Her retreat in Bali The first promise she ever made to herself Deciding motherhood wasn't for her Approaching being mindful of who is impacted by our actions without having that hold you back Episode Sponsors Join Arbonne 30 Days to Healthy Living (https://www.arbonne.com/ca/en/arb/jessicastephenstoronto/healthy-living/30-days) Or start a subscription and save with 20% off every order and free shipping! (https://www.arbonne.com/ca/en/arb/JessicaStephensToronto/cart?shareId=8835579432487) Do you love the show? Support us on Patreon so we can keep growing! https://www.patreon.com/IJustBlankNowWhat I'd love to connect with you: Come follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess.loves.life/ Signup for my newsletter at: https://jessicastephens.ca/ Or read more about all the things I love on my Blog: https://jessicastephens.ca/blogs/jess-loves-life Connect with Melody: www.instagram.com/MelodyLMFT https://www.linkedin.com/in/melody-murray-0a247419b/ www.MelodyLMFT.com

Hey Friend, In this week's episode, Farah Flisher joins me to talk about something many of us can relate to: the loss of her mother. Farah opens up about experiencing multiple personal losses, including the untimely death of her mother from a gunshot wound. Farah discusses how writing, baking, yoga, and counseling helped her navigate her grief, eventually leading her to write and publish her memoir 'Mahar and Me'. She also shares her philosophy of looking for hope and strength in times of adversity. Farah, who is of Parsi origin, was born in London and raised in North India. She is a British national with an Indian heart, and embraces the different facets of her identity with ease. After the untimely loss of her mother, struggling to reconcile the mysteries of life and death, Farah embarked on a journey inward to find a conduit to channel her loss and pain. Farah has built a career in the banking industry, across continents, over the span of thirty-plus years and is now based in Dubai. Listen in as we talk about: What's important to know about her How she moved through tragedy in her life The story of her mom's death How she started finding her way back from the tragedy Using her journal for therapy, starting her writing and working on her book Did the process of writing the book and publishing it help in her journey of grief Telling her children about her mother's death The one takeaway she hopes readers get from her book Advice to help move through grief Episode Sponsors Arbonne Greens Gut Glow Bundle. Use promo code ARBONNE10 at checkout to get 10% off. (https://www.arbonne.com/ca/en/shop-all/nutrition/green-gut-glow-convenience-pack/p/1055%20CA) Or start a subscription and save 20% off every order and free shipping! (https://www.arbonne.com/ca/en/arb/JessicaStephensToronto/cart?shareId=8835579432487) Do you love the show? Support us on Patreon so we can keep growing! https://www.patreon.com/IJustBlankNowWhat I'd love to connect with you: Come follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess.loves.life/ Signup for my newsletter at: https://jessicastephens.ca/ Or read more about all the things I love on my Blog: https://jessicastephens.ca/blogs/jess-loves-life Connect with Farah: www.instagram.com/Farah.Press https://www.linkedin.com/in/farahflisher/ https://www.farahpress.com

Hey Friend, In this week's episode, I delve into the stressful, unfocused and distracted season I'm experiencing and highlight the challenges I've faced recently. Mostly feeling unfocused, conflicting priorities and uncertainty. We also discuss the importance of establishing a morning routine for mental health, turning off digital distractions, maintaining physical cleanliness for mental clarity, and expressing emotions to trustworthy individuals to prevent mental clutter. I emphasize the necessity of recognizing my mental capacities and taking the necessary steps to alleviate stress. Lastly, we talk about my messy phase and share strategies to regain focus, while reassuring that it's okay to be in seasons like this. Listen in as we talk about: The season of life I'm currently in Feeling extremely distracted Not having the capacity to do all the things What I have been doing to try and help with the distraction Acknowledging the mess in my life adding to distraction Being overstimulated Tapping into what's important Talking about capacity The importance of talking things out Episode Sponsors Discover ChillBooks, a financial education course offering bookkeeping and QuickBooks training designed for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and home-based business owners. Created by CPA and entrepreneur Jamie Monte, ChillBooks aims to automate your financial processes, save time on bookkeeping, and empower you with the knowledge to lower your tax bill and make informed financial decisions. Enroll now at www.jamiemonte.com/chillbooks and use the promo code "NOWWHAT" to get $50 off. Do you love the show? Support us on Patreon so we can keep growing! https://www.patreon.com/IJustBlankNowWhat I'd love to connect with you: Come follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess.loves.life/ Signup for my newsletter at: https://jessicastephens.ca/ Or read more about all the things I love on my Blog: https://jessicastephens.ca/blogs/jess-loves-life