Girls Night with Stephanie May Wilson

Season 22 is here — and Girls Night just turned 8! In this special kickoff, Stephanie introduces our new series, Not the Life I Ordered, a single, long, rolling conversation about what to do when your life doesn’t look or feel the way you thought it would — especially in The Everything Era, when all the biggest decisions arrive at once. You’ll hear the origin story of Girls Night, why this season is different, why so many of us feel disoriented and isolated right now, and a simple practice to turn down the noise so you can hear (and trust) your own voice again. Stephanie also guides you through three clarifying questions and leaves you with four grounding reminders — including this one: It’s not too late. In this episode: • The Everything Era (and why you’re not behind) • When the formula “A + B = C” fails you • The people-pleaser’s trap • How to create quiet in a noisy world • A guided reflection to name what’s hard (and why it helps) Resource mentioned: What to Say Script Guide — practical, word-for-word responses for uncomfortable family questions (marriage, kids, timelines & more): stephaniemaywilsonshop.com If this resonates, please follow/subscribe and leave a quick rating & review — it helps more women find the show. And say hi! DM or email me — I truly write back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when two of the biggest parts of your life collide—your career and your desire to start a family? That’s exactly what we’re talking about in today’s Girls Night episode. I’m joined by my dear friend Jena Dunay—a mom of two, business owner, and career strategist who has spent years helping women navigate big transitions in their work lives. Jena knows firsthand what it looks like to juggle both career ambitions and motherhood dreams, and she’s here to share the wisdom she’s learned along the way. In this conversation, we cover: How to prepare your career for baby before you’re even pregnant What to do if you love your job but also know you want to start a family soon Whether you should “pull back” at work before baby—or lean in until it’s time to pivot How to know if your workplace will really support you as a mom The truth about maternity leave (paid vs. unpaid, how it works, what to ask your HR team) When and how to tell your employer you’re pregnant Practical ways to set boundaries and actually enjoy your maternity leave How to define “success” in your career during different motherhood seasons This episode is full of encouragement and practical advice for anyone who’s in what I call The Everything Era—that stretch of life when so many big decisions seem to come at once. If you’ve ever wondered how to hold space for both a career you love and a family you’re dreaming of, this conversation will be such a gift. Resources & Links: Connect with Jena: Instagram / Company Listen to Jena’s past Girls Night episodes on dating, singleness, and career transitions. More encouragement + resources for navigating The Everything Era: stephaniemaywilson.com ✨ If you loved this conversation, would you take 30 seconds to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify? It means the world and helps more women find the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey friend, welcome to Girls Night — a podcast for women who are figuring out what's next.  Whether you're focused on career, dating, getting married, having kids, or honestly just trying to figure out your life right now — this show gives you expert guidance and practical next steps to create a life you genuinely love, not one someone else thinks you should live. I'm Stephanie May Wilson — 9x author, TEDx speaker, and your host here at girls night and in each episode, we tackle the questions that keep so many of us up at 2 AM — like what to say when people ask invasive questions about your life choices, how to stop comparing your timeline to everyone else's, and most importantly, how to figure out what you actually want and what your next right step is to get there. As we’re trying to figure out our lives, you might find yourself running into some obstacles and wondering, “Is this normal?” Does everybody struggle with this or am I the only one?” Or maybe like me, you've had several friends receive ADHD diagnoses recently, and you're wondering,”What about me? Am I neurotypical? Or are there some things that are different and unique about my brain too?” Friend, in this episode you're going to hear from Greer Jones. Greer is the host of The Unfinished Idea podcast and a passionate advocate for neurodivergent families, helping others build lives that actually work for their unique brains.  I learned SO much from this conversation. I can’t wait for you to hear it.  Resources Mentioned: → "We Need to Talk" guide with scripts for 44 difficult conversations https://stephaniemaywilsonshop.com/products/we-need-to-talk-scripts-for-44-of-lifes-most-difficult-conversations → Love Your Single Life course for building confidence and navigating dating conversations https://stephaniemaywilson.com/SingleLife → Just Married course for newlyweds learning to navigate conflict and communication https://stephaniemaywilson.com/JustMarried → Becoming Mama course for advocating for yourself during pregnancy and early motherhood https://stephaniemaywilson.com/becomingmama → Create A Life You Love book https://stephaniemaywilson.com/create Connect with Girls Night: 🎧 New episodes every week: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/girls-night-with-stephanie-may-wilson/id1278993781 📱 Follow @SMayWilson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smaywilson/ 💌 Weekly newsletter with exclusive content https://stephaniemaywilson.com/email 🌐 Show notes and resources https://www.girlsnightpodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this engaging conversation, coach Alexandra Kaval shares her expertise on helping ambitious women manage overwhelm and redirect their focus. She discusses the 'big rocks method' that prioritizes life’s essentials, and offers practical strategies to combat distraction. The topics of balancing productivity with relationships and establishing boundaries are explored, along with personal anecdotes that resonate deeply. Listeners will gain valuable insights to live more intentionally and reclaim their time, making this a must-listen for anyone feeling burned out.

Ever wonder how happy couples actually divide up household tasks without constant arguments? In this candid conversation, Stephanie sits down with her husband Carl to reveal the ONE thing that transformed their marriage: figuring out who does what around the house. After 11 years of marriage, they've cracked the code on avoiding resentment, eliminating daily arguments about chores, and creating a system that actually works. They share their real-life examples (including Carl's Marie Kondo folding methods vs. Stephanie's "bomb went off" approach), how they handle disagreements, and why clarity is the secret to feeling seen and appreciated. Whether you're newlyweds, engaged, or just tired of fighting about the dishwasher, this episode gives you practical tools to create your own system that works for YOUR relationship. What You'll Learn: How to inventory and assign household tasks fairly Why traditional gender roles don't have to dictate your marriage Real examples of how Carl and Stephanie divide everything from laundry to meal planning How to handle tasks you both hate (hint: outsourcing isn't just for the wealthy) The importance of acknowledging and appreciating each other's contributions Resources Mentioned: Fair Play by Eve Rodsky: [Book Link] Eve Rodsky's Girls Night Interview: [Episode Link] Just Married Course: stephaniemaywilson.com/justmarried Household Tasks Spreadsheet (available to Just Married and Becoming Mama students) Connect with Stephanie: Instagram: @SMayWilson Website: stephaniemaywilson.com Email: hello@stephaniemaywilson.com If this episode helped you, please leave a quick rating and review - it makes such a difference in helping other couples find these conversations! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever rehearsed a difficult conversation perfectly in the shower but completely froze when it came time to actually have it? Maybe you're avoiding setting a boundary with a friend, dreading the "where is this relationship going?" talk, or putting off asking for help when you're overwhelmed. If you've ever lost sleep over conversations you know you need to have but keep putting off, this episode is for you. This episode is for you if you've ever felt like everyone else got a manual for how to navigate conflict while you're just winging it, caught yourself saying "yes" when you wanted to say "no" because you didn't know how to set boundaries, or worried that speaking up about your needs would damage your relationships instead of strengthening them. In this episode of Girls Night, Stephanie breaks down exactly how to prepare for and navigate life's most difficult conversations. You'll get word-for-word scripts, practical strategies, and the confidence to finally have those talks you've been avoiding. What You'll Learn: Why your Everything Era makes difficult conversations both more important and more challenging The six-step framework for preparing for any hard conversation (so you never freeze up again) When you need to speak up versus when to let things go (the key indicators that will save you from unnecessary conflict) What happens when we avoid these conversations (spoiler: we end up living smaller lives) Word-for-word scripts for three of the most common difficult conversations women face How to anticipate pushback and respond thoughtfully instead of defensively Why people-pleasers and highly sensitive people actually have an advantage in these conversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're tackling something I know so many of you are dealing with as we head into summer family gathering season. Have you ever been at a family event when someone - let's call her Aunt Sharon - starts asking those pointed questions that somehow manage to hit every single insecurity you've been trying not to think about? You know the ones: 'So, are you seeing anyone special?' followed immediately by 'You're not getting any younger, you know.' Or maybe it's 'When are you giving me some grandchildren?' or 'Are you still doing that little blog thing?' Cue the internal screaming, right? Today we're diving into what I call 'The Aunt Sharon Effect' - why these well-meaning questions feel like such a gut punch, and most importantly, how to handle them with grace while protecting your own heart and mind. We'll cover practical scripts you can actually use, mindset shifts that will change everything, and how to walk away from these conversations feeling empowered instead of deflated. Because here's what I've learned: the way we handle these moments says so much about how confidently we're walking in our own authority. And building that confidence? That's exactly what we're going to work on today. Let's dive in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liz Forkin-Bohannon, an entrepreneur from Portland and community-building enthusiast, joins to discuss how to cultivate meaningful friendships as adults. She shares her journey from feeling isolated to living next to her best friends. The conversation dives into the mindset shift needed for friendship, the four pillars of lasting community, and why consistency is key before feeling connected. Liz also reveals her unique strategy of finding connections through 'losers' rather than established friend groups, offering practical tips for creating your own intentional community.

Hey friend! Welcome to Girls Night — your home as you navigate your Everything Era. I'm Stephanie May Wilson, and if you've ever had to excuse yourself to cry in a bathroom at someone else's celebration, this episode is for you. You know the feeling, right? You're genuinely happy for your friend who just got engaged, promoted, or pregnant — but there's this other part that feels like each piece of good news for someone else somehow makes your own dreams less likely to come true. If you've ever wondered how to be happy for friends when you're struggling with jealousy of friends' success, you're absolutely not alone. Today, I'm giving you a complete survival kit for celebrating friends' success when you're still waiting for your own good news. We'll talk about navigating wedding jealousy when you're single, baby shower jealousy when you're trying to conceive, and promotion parties when you're job searching. But first, let me tell you about the day before my husband Carl proposed to me, when one of my good friends got engaged — and I completely broke down at an Italian restaurant. Because here's what I learned that changed everything: just because someone else got something before you doesn't mean they got it instead of you. Your story is still being written, and someone else's timeline doesn't determine yours. So grab your coffee, put in those earbuds, and let's dive in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dive into the chaos of significant life decisions and the emotional rollercoaster that follows! Explore the common struggle of second-guessing your best choices, and discover how fear can masquerade as wisdom. Hear a personal story about facing panic and uncertainty before a big move. Learn to differentiate between genuine mistakes and the discomfort of new experiences, empowering you to trust your instincts. Embrace the journey of self-awareness to navigate life's transitions with confidence!