Make Some Noise with Andrea Owen

We’re talking about what it feels like to live in a world that just won’t let up and how to stay connected to yourself when everything around you feels chaotic. Returning guest Kate Swoboda is here to dig into fear, overwhelm, and the emotional fallout of constant crisis. Kate is the creator of YourCourageousLife.com, Director of the ICF-accredited Certified Life Coach Collective, and author of The Courage Habit. She’s spent years helping people break fear patterns and practice courage in real, everyday ways and she brings that wisdom straight into this conversation. Together, we unpack the toll nonstop stress takes on your nervous system, why doomscrolling feels like quicksand, and how courage has nothing to do with muscling through. Instead, it’s about capacity, self-regulation, and the internal stories that shape how you move through the world. Kate and I also talk about overwhelm, somatic support, and why the smallest emotional shifts often end up being the most life-changing. In this episode, you’ll hear: How to stay informed about a messy world without getting emotionally pulled under (3:44) What it really takes to build resilience and courage in daily life (14:53) Where to start when overwhelm takes over and you can’t see a way out of the spiral (21:01) What to consider if you’re drawn to becoming a life coach during your own growth journey (31:57) Resources from this episode:  Join me for my workshop: Live Like You Give a Damn (As the World Burns) Certified Life Coach Collective (CLCC) Insight Timer Kate’s website Kate on Instagram Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/podcast/706 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My new book, Live Like You Give a Damn, comes out December 9th, and I’m so excited for you to finally read it. And right after that, on December 18th, I’m teaching a free workshop to help you reset, reconnect with yourself, and head into the new year with clarity. In today’s episode, we’re digging into communication; specifically the two paths you have when things get tricky: the courageous, connection-building path of hard conversations, and the protective, peace-preserving path of grey rocking. Knowing which one to choose is the skill. In This Episode You'll Hear: Why hard conversations matter and how they’re the backbone of healthy relationships How to recognize when connection is possible versus when self-protection needs to come first What grey rocking actually is and why it’s not “cold,” it’s strategic How to choose the right communication lane instead of defaulting to old patterns An example of grey rocking with a difficult family member during gatherings Communication isn’t one-size-fits-all — it’s about discernment. Some relationships deserve your clarity, vulnerability, and effort. Others require neutrality, distance, and zero emotional investment. The magic is learning the difference and choosing the approach that keeps you grounded, sane, and true to yourself. Resources from this episode:  Pre-order my new book, Live Like You Give a Damn and sign up for my free workshop!  Amy Smith’s podcast Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ https://andreaowen.com/podcast/705 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re talking about stress and the body, the kind that simmers under the surface until something forces you to finally pay attention. This week’s guest, Stacey Garcia, knows that story intimately. After a lifetime of movement through dance, wellness, and “doing everything right,” she was hit with a breast cancer diagnosis that changed the way she thought about stress, healing, intuition, and what it really means to care for yourself. What unfolds in this conversation is an honest look at how stress wakes things up in the body (and not necessarily in a good way), why so many women minimize their symptoms, and how energy healing, daily practices, and self-advocacy become lifelines when your world tilts. Stacey, a dancer, trainer, Reiki practitioner, and host of Never Miss a Monday, brings a grounded wisdom to this episode that I know will stay with you long after it ends. In this episode, you’ll hear: Stacey shares how dance, wellness, and a breast cancer diagnosis shaped the work she does today (4:14) Why chronic stress often shows up right before a major diagnosis and how Stacey began to recognize her own patterns (10:38) What Reiki actually is, how it works, and the emotional releases people experience during sessions (16:09) The one belief about food and bodies Stacey wishes we would retire for good (21:49) Simple ways to tiptoe into spiritual or nervous system practices without overwhelm (24:15) Why becoming the CEO of your own health matters, especially when doctors dismiss you (34:01) Her evolving relationship with control and how energy work helped her surrender during treatment (40:46) Resources from this episode:  Join me for my workshop: Live Like You Give a Damn As the World Burns Never Miss a Monday podcast Stacey on Instagram Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: https://andreaowen.com/podcast/704 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emotional intelligence is often reduced to “keeping your cool” or not reacting, which is only a very small part of the equation. The real work begins when you can understand why someone is behaving in a way that challenges you, stay grounded in your own truth, and respond with both compassion and clarity. In this solo podcast episode, I unpack the deeper evolution of emotional intelligence; the point where empathy meets boundaries, and self-trust becomes your emotional compass. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Why emotional intelligence is more than just self-control or politeness The five core components of emotional intelligence and how they actually show up in real life The stages of emotional growth—from reactivity to true compassion How to hold empathy and boundaries without falling into self-abandonment What it looks like when your nervous system becomes emotionally mature As you listen, you’ll be invited to notice where you might be confusing compassion with tolerance, and how your relationships can transform when understanding doesn’t require self-sacrifice. Resources from this episode: Join me for my workshop: Live Like You Give a Damn As the World Burns Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: https://andreaowen.com/podcast/703 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let’s talk about pleasure. Yep, the thing women are taught to avoid, minimize, hide, or feel guilty about. And yet, as this week’s guest Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton says, “Pleasure has never been more radical, especially for women.” In a world that feels like it’s collapsing in real time (and let’s be honest, it mostly is), pleasure isn’t frivolous. It’s the way back into your body, your intuition, and your aliveness. Together, we get into how pleasure reconnects you to yourself when the world has trained you to disconnect, why so many women feel shame around wanting anything, and how small “what would feel good right now?” choices can quietly lead you home. Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton, intimacy scholar, trauma-informed coach, and founder of UNCOVER, brings her blend of research, real life, and hard-won wisdom to this conversation. In this episode, you’ll hear about: Kimberly shares the unexpected path that led her into intimacy work and how it shapes everything she teaches (5:30) Why knowing what you want starts with the tiniest daily choices (11:34) We talk about how vulnerability has challenged and transformed her relationships and career (20:21) Kimberly breaks down why pleasure feels so off-limits for women and how it can become a healing force (25:20) How grief shows up in intimacy work and why it matters (37:23) Simple ways to rediscover what actually brings you pleasure (42:22) Resources from this episode:  Sign up for my free workshop happening on December 18th! Rythmia Ayahuasca Retreat Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton’s website Kimberly’s book Kimberly on Instagram Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I’ve compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/702 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices