Make Some Noise with Andrea Owen

Diet culture and weight loss is really complicated. Following my episodes a few months ago on body image and diet culture with my good friend Kate Anthony, I was genuinely curious about what I may not know as it relates to diet culture, holistic nutrition and even the body positivity movement. I knew I had to ask an expert - all.the.things. And so, joining me this week is integrated health coach, host of the podcast Insatiable, and founder of Truce with Food®, Ali Shapiro.Today, Ali shares candidly her journey to body acceptance in her twenties, many years following her battle with childhood cancer, weight issues (she had her first Weight Watchers weigh-in at age 11) and emotional eating. We also talk in-depth about the many layers of diet culture, self-sabotage, and the difference between being self-aware rather than self-critical.In this episode you’ll hear: Ali’s journey to body acceptance and how she got to where she is today  Ali’s view on diet culture and how she describes it as a product of patriarchy, white-supremacy, and capitalism  Three patterns of conflict styles, self-sabotage and your inner-protector  Vulnerability, belonging and how it relates to food/body struggles  Listening to your body in a more methodical way  The one question we need to ask when our mental food/body doubts creep in  This episode is so rich with information, you may have to listen to it more than once.http://yourkickasslife.com/244    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I recently came across a video created by a young woman named Claire Wineman. Terminally ill with Cystic Fibrosis, she says that even though she’s going to die sooner than most and that no one can control the fact that their going to die someday, what can can control is if we’re living a life we’re proud of. I LOVED this message because that’s also my mission. The mission of YKAL is two-fold. I help women feel less alone and help them create and live a life they are proud of. So, how do we do this? What’s the path? Of course I don’t have all the answers, to all the things, but in my decade of experience helping women create lives their proud of and from walking through my own fire, creating a life I’m proud of, I think I have a handle on it. Here’s some questions I compiled to help you do this: Do you know what your values are and what they look like? Do you know what it means and looks like to have compassion for yourself? And do you practice it? Do you know what it means to have compassion for others? (Because when we don’t, check what kind of expectations you have. The expectations you have of others are often directly correlated to the expectations you have of yourself.) Do you know where you need to set boundaries? Do you know how to do that? Do you show up for the few people in your life that need you? Like really show up? Want a print out of all these questions and space foryou to journal on them? Of course you do!Do you ALLOW people to show up for you? And when they do, do you show them ALL of you, not just “the facts”? Do you take care of your physical body? Do you feel your feelings or do you stuff them and numb them away? Do you take care of your spirit? Do you take care of your financial house? Is there anything else you feel in your soul that you need to change that will make you proud of who you are?http://yourkickasslife.com/243  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Corinne Zupko is my guest this week on the podcast. She is the author of the best-selling book, From Anxiety to Love: A Radical New Approach For Letting Go of Fear and Finding Lasing Peace. And yes, today we are talking all about anxiety. In fact, anxiety focused episodes are the most popular episodes of the podcast. So, I know it’s what many of you want to hear about! In today’s episode, we talk about Corrine’s book and her inspiration to write it on this topic. She shares openly about her personal experiences with anxiety, panic attacks and phobias; and how her introduction to a particular kind of spirituality helped her recover from her anxiety and panic disorder. Plus, I share some of my own experiences with panic attacks and anxiety. And, later, Corrinne shares her thoughts on meditation and a three-step recipe for healing. Even if you don’t struggle with clinical anxiety, this episode touches on topics and information that is helpful to all.In this episode you’ll hear: Corinne’s inspiration to write a book on anxiety (5 minutes and 12 seconds) Corinne’s take on spirituality and her work with anxiety and healing (13:19) Distinguishing between the inner therapist voice (intuition) and the ego voice (inner critic) (19:30) A three-step recipe for healing (34:05) Resources from this episodeCorinne’s website Corinne’s book Episode 153: Listener Q & A on anxiety and what to do about it Corinne’s podcast episode with John Mark Straud: Episode 8: “How to ‘hear’ guidance” ----There are FOUR spots left for The Mentorship, which is a group program that incorporates The Daring Way™ and so much more. This is for women who are ready to take their personal development to the next level.I’ve decided to hop on a video call on August 28th at 3pm Eastern time (noon Pacific). No need to sign up for anything, just put this link in your calendar and join me at that date and time! Plus, it costs ZERO dollars!I’ll be covering: The four main topics to study in your life that will help you IMMENSELY with your confidence, relationships with others, and your general well-being. What the process of shame resilience actually is. The BIG surprise I had in 2011 which made me change the course of my coaching practice and go in the direction I’ve stayed in all these years. Plus, any questions you have about The Mentorship! I love doing these live videos with you (and yes, there will be a replay if you can’t be there live!) and sharing this work with you! Even if you don’t think The Mentorship is for you right now, you don’t want to miss this on the 28th!See you there! http://yourkickasslife.com/242  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I am excited, on so many levels, to have Geneen Roth on the show with me this week. She is the author of ten books, including the just released This Messy Magnificent Life. I was first introduced to Geneen and her writing, when I read her book, Women Food and God. It was one of the first books I read about how what we eat is connected to our core beliefs. I have since consumed many of her books and one of the reasons why I am happy she was my guest.In this episode, Geneen and I talk about her newest book, the evolution of her relationship with food and some of our meditation failures. Plus, we talk all about the inner critic, which Geneen calls, “the crazy aunt in the attic,” and Geneen offers some ways to manage her.In this episode you’ll hear: Wanting something more and deeper (7 minutes and 4 seconds) How Geneen’s relationship with food evolved over time and how the journey is depicted through her books (9:05) Our failures at meditation and insightful advice for those that are about to get started (15:49) All about the crazy aunt in the attic and how Geneen teaches people to deal with her (20:52) How to catch the background noise of the inner critic (28:10) http://www.yourkickasslife.com/241  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the podcast, my guest is Amber Rae, author of the book Choose Wonder Over Worry: Move Beyond Fear and Doubt to Unlock Your Full Potential. And, y’all, you know I get really excited when I have a guest on the show to talk about their new book. I cannot wait to introduce Amber to you. Amber is also an artist and speaker whose work invites you to live your truth, befriend your emotions, and express your gifts.Today, Amber and I talk about playing small, how to move beyond fear and instead go all in. Plus, Amber shares her unique way of classifying wonder and worry, listening to your inner guide and how to turn life’s messy moments into something beautiful.In this episode you’ll hear: How to distinguish when choosing small projects, how to say no, and to claim the life you really want (18:24) Classifying wonder & worry in distinct ways (21:44)  Some ways we can be more in tune with our inner guide (27:37) How to turn something messy and fearful into something beautiful (32:52) The fear of rejection and what others think of you (38:24) http://www.yourkickasslife.com/240  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You’ve probably listened to hundreds of podcasts, read or listened to dozens of books, and have probably done a lot of work on yourself just from the awareness you’ve gained from those efforts.And I’m going to ask you to do more.Because sometimes we look at the metaview of how we want our life to change and it seems too daunting. Sometimes we look at other people’s lives and wonder how we will ever get to the place where we’re like them (well, the story we make up that is their life). Sometimes we feel like there are so many moving parts to personal development, where one thing leads to another and so on and so forth and where is the end to all this growth? (Hint: there isn’t an end.)So, I compiled a short list (not an exhaustive one, just a start) of small actions you can do today or this week or sometime soon that will make a difference. As you’ve heard me say over and over again, courage (even in the face of fear) brings confidence-- the knowledge that we can do hard things and even if we do the hard thing and fall on our face, we then realize we’ll live through it. In no particular order...  Having a hard conversation. Who is the person you need to talk to? What is the thing you are afraid to say? What can you do this week to take a step in that direction? Controlled emoting. You may remember me talking about this in How To Stop Feeling Like Shit about controlled emoting. That thing you’ve been stuffing down? Feel it. Writing a letter you’ll never send. It can be to anyone or anything. It can be angry, sad, full of rage, I hate you, anything and everything you’re feeling about something happening. Write it to your mom, your president, your ex, your fear, the patriarchy, anything that brings up the uncomfortable feelings you’re trying not to feel. Researching starting your own business. Whether you want it to be a complete career change, a hobby, or a side hustle, so many people want to do this and never start. Research is the first step.  Go to that poetry reading. Or open mic comedy night. Or political meeting. That place you’ve been thinking about that makes you uncomfortable but is the source of the fire in your belly. Throw out all the stuff from your ex that you’ve been meaning to throw away. Whatever you need to do to cleanse old energy. Maybe it’s just cleaning out your closet or your garage. Out with the old.  Start that creative project you’ve been thinking about for forever. Too many times we put off creativity as a luxury, or being unproductive. If you wait until it doesn’t feel like that, you’ll wait forever. Just carve out 30 minutes and do it. (Remember, in the corresponding podcast episode, I go into more detail and even give you a pep talk at the end.)And hey! If you’re ready to take even BIGGER action, check out The Mentorship. I’m taking 12 women who are ready to do the work, on an epic adventure this fall. I’d love to chat with you about it if you think it’s a good fit.http://yourkickasslife.com/239  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlie Gilkey joins me on the podcast today. Charlie is known for his knowledge around the topic of productivity and who doesn’t want to be more productive? Am I right? Charlie is a sought-out after advisor and speaker on all things business and productivity. But have no fear, whether you are a business owner or not - his teachings can be applied to all facets of your life. In this episode Charlie and I talk about overwhelm versus overload, why we don’t make time for self-care, and the various ways to block time in order to be more productive. Plus, we discuss the behaviors and actions that get in the way of productivity, “wtf” moments and being in the moment.In this episode you’ll hear: Combating overwhelm by looking at your ‘overload’ (4 minutes and 40 seconds) Time blocking and how it can be used to help us be more productive (6:22) Illuminating “invisible tasks”, such as turning off the lights or cleaning up after family (9:26) Why self-care is typically last on our to-do list and the first to get pushed off (13:28) Charlie’s Random Wednesday Self-Care Challenge (15:26) Courage, boundaries and discipline; how they relate to each other (22:42) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s episode comes in two parts. First, I’m joined by my friend Ella, who participated in a sprint triathlon with me last month. You’ll hear how she SMOKED me and what I thought of that!Then, I’m sharing with you what I’ve learned from triathlons, both the training and the race itself. Sports can always be great metaphors for life, and triathlon is no different (You might remember an episode I did on what roller derby can teach you about life).Obviously, the audio podcast goes into much more, but here are seven ways triathlon is just like life:Consistency matters. I’ve done a total of about 15 races in my life, ranging from sprint triathlons to a half marathon. I’ve trained well and I’ve trained not well. I’m stating the obvious here, but when you train consistent, you’ll see better results. Yes, you might miss a workout here and there, but if the majority of your training is consistent, you’ll do well. And when you join a training group and/or hire a coach, you’ll see even bigger strides.This is the same with personal development. When you use your tools consistently, you’ll see better results. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with people on negative self-talk, they use one tool once, and they get exasperated that they still have negative self-talk. That’s like working out once in your life, competing in a triathlon and expecting to win the whole thing. It’s not going to happen like that, you need consistency.Persistency matters. Directly related to what I just stated, you must keep going despite difficulty. In triathlon training, your muscles will get tired. You’ll not want to do that brick workout. You’ll get tired of the chlorine hair. You’ll realize how slow you are and feel like it’s not worth it. But, there’s nothing like the feeling of carrying on when it’s gets hard. The feeling of strength and courage is what builds confidence.In self-help, sometimes it’s discouraging when none of your friends are into (btw, you can look for more friends), or when you feel like you’re not growing at the rate you want to or think you should. Or maybe you’re digging into a topic with your therapist that is bringing up trauma for you and you’re ready to quit it all, wishing you could go back to just living on the “surface” of your life. But, persistency is key. You must keep going because it matters and you matter.If you fall off the habit, just get back on. Maybe you get sick or injured, maybe you just get lazy and don’t train for a week. And then you think all your training was for nothing. So, might as well quit, right? NO! Like Dori says, just keep swimming (and running and cycling)!In personal development, you will have setbacks. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. And many times when that happens, you might feel like throwing in the towel. You’ll feel like you already worked on this and you have to start over, which feels discouraging. But, in order to have the life you want, to get the results you want in your life, you have to get back on the horse. It’s that simple.Sometimes you have to do things you don’t like. I don’t like to workout first thing in the morning. I don’t like to try and put on a sports bra after swimming when I feel like I’m trying to put on a strait jacket while soaking wet. I don’t like coming in last place in my age group. But, I do it all anyway. Obviously I’m not going to do things that put me in danger (although some would argue that swimming in open water puts you at risk for getting eaten by the Loch Ness Monster), but the things I don’t like during triathlon training are uncomfortable.Read the rest of the article HERE http://yourkickasslife.com/237  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

lives. Plus, we talk all about the power in motherhood. This episode, is NOT just for moms! I know even if you don’t have kids, you’ll get a lot out of this interview!In this episode you’ll hear: Sara’s pivot out of the fitness industry and into the launch of Shameless Mom Academy (7 minutes and 15 seconds) Performing well in fear; plus walking into fear and upleveling your life (20:41) Where women are limiting themselves and the action steps to take to live bigger lives (23:55) The power in motherhood and what many are missing (36:08) Living reactive versus proactive and its significance for growth and power (44:04) The YKAL Patreon party is in full swing! If you haven’t heard, the podcast is becoming listener supported, and by doing so I’m creating a community of YKAL podcast listeners who will be able to suggest guests, get their personal questions answered on Listener Q & A episodes, have opportunities to be gifted the books from guests I have on the show and SO MUCH MORE! Head on over to check out and become a patron! http://yourkickasslife.com/236  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the podcast Alionka Polanco joins me. She is an NYU-certified life and success coach, she is the founder The Big Vision Mastermind and author of "Beyond Profit: The Successful Woman's Guide to a Meaningful Life." Alionka and I have had a kindred friendship from afar for quite some time, including following each other and chatting on social media, and we even tried to meet up in real life (which sadly did not work out). That is why I am so excited to have her on the show. And, I am equally excited to share her amazing energy with you! In this episode we talk about living a fuller life, resolving fear, and getting clear on what you want. Plus, we talk all about our witch lineage, claiming the power of magic, and how the growth process can be a scary thing.In this episode you’ll hear: When Alionka realized she no longer needed to fit into a mold and how it made her feel (7 minutes and 58 seconds) Having the courage to get rid of what you don’t want and releasing what doesn’t serve you (12:10) One turtle step to help you get clear on what you truly do want (15:32) Waking up to spirituality, spirit guides, and our witchy maternal lineage (19:54) The fear of power, plus your definition of power (33:09) The Four Agreements and how to not take things personally (43:48) Also, these are the final few days to grab your extra bonuses over on Patreon! The podcast is becoming listener supported, and by doing so I’m creating a community of YKAL podcast listeners who will be able to suggest guests, get their personal questions answered on Listener Q & A episodes, have opportunities to be gifted the books from guests I have on the show and SO MUCH MORE! Head on over to check out and become a patron! http://yourkickasslife.com/235  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices