There is something about Mary Marantz’s story and writing that I just connect so deeply with. Her memoir DIRT was one of my favorite reads of 2021 (listen to our conversation about it here) and she is back on the show to talk about her newest book, Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots, which came out last fall. In this episode, Mary and I talk about striving to be the most put together person in the room in the pursuit of perfection and acceptance, feeling like we need to prove that we deserve whatever success or opportunity we have, and how our little girl selves would be so happy with who we have become. (And how even still we wonder what it would be like if our lives were different.) Follow Mary Marantz on IG Listen to The Mary Marantz Show   FULL SHOW NOTES ARE HERE     SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eighteen months ago I started working with a business coach. It was the end of 2021 and I was, frankly, falling apart in several ways. In an effort to make something (anything) work, I hired business coach Retha Nichole to help me figure out how to prioritize the various aspects of my online work. I wanted to feel less scattered and I wanted to make more money.  At first, I felt embarrassed that I needed outside help with my business. And it wasn't an overnight fix. It has taken me almost two years (and multiple launches) to see all that has come out of this relationship, both emotionally and financially.  In this episode, I'm sharing the three most important things I've learned while working with business coach Retha Nichole: How to prioritize How to plan How to make more money In turn, Retha shares the main reasons people reach out to hire her. This conversation is not meant to sound like an infomercial - I want you to listen as a way to opening your mind to outside help in areas of your life that aren't working.    Follow Retha Nichole on IG HERE   FULL SHOW NOTES HERE   MENTIONED in this episode: The Big Boo Cast with Sophie Hudson and Melanie Shankle (Patreon)   SPONSORS: Betterhelp // Go to BetterHelp.com/YOU to get 10% off your first month   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My new book The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs came out last month, and one of the greatest pieces of feedback I've already received is that it would make a great book club pick!  I agree wholeheartedly - I envisioned both of my books being read with a friend, partner, or group. Which is exactly why I offered a book club as a preorder bonus and why I chose The Life Council as the April book club pick for Secret Stuff (my membership community).  JOIN SECRET STUFF HERE Today's episode is a live replay of the Secret Stuff book club meeting. (Recorded and replayed with permission.) All the meetings for Secret Stuff are held on zoom, with optional participation from members, and this the best work I'm doing online right now. We talk about all kinds of things together (not just books) and it's just so meaningful to connect twice a month with this community. So you can imagine how extra special it was to meet and discuss The Life Council. If you haven't read The Life Council, you'll still appreciate this candid conversation about friendship, including our struggles and joys. If you've already read The Life Council and are ready to talk about it, I hope this episode is a stand-in for the types of conversations I hope will come out of reading this book.   FULL SHOW NOTES ARE HERE   MENTIONED in this episode: Platonic by Marisa G. Franco   SPONSORS: Zocdoc // Go to Zocdoc.com/YOU to download the Zocdoc app for free Jenni Kayne // Go to https://www.jennikayne.com/YOU to save 15% on your first order   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As someone who has been writing and creating on the internet for over a decade, I know first hand all the challenges that one can face in their pursuit of creative work. The desire to create is there, but the obstacles are real, especially if you become a parent and feel like your time, resources and energy are limited. My guest, Ashlee Gadd, is the perfect person to speak to his as she has just released a book called Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood Ashlee and I ended up talking for two hours about art and perfectionism, how it takes a village to create good work, and the social media of it all. We also took a tangent and had a fascinating discussion about paid communities (including Patreon - where I host Secret Stuff), and metrics and some of the more in-the-weeds parts of content creation. That part of the conversation will be available to Secret Stuff members only. JOIN SECRET STUFF HERE I felt so inspired after talking with Ashlee. You don’t have to be a writer or online creator to enjoy this conversation. All of us are wired for some sort of creative expression and life can always get in the way of that. You can buy Ashlee’s book Create Anyway wherever you buy books. I hope this conversation inspires you to pursue your own creative outlet with abandon. Ashlee Gadd on Instagram: www.instagram.com/ashleegadd Coffee + Crumbs on Instragram: www.instagram.com/coffeeandcrumbs Ashlee Gadd on Substack: www.ashleegadd.substack.com  Ashlee Gadd on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ashlee_gadd/   MENTIONED in this episode: Ep. 57: Masterminds: How to create and structure a business peer group (with guests Jamie Golden, Bri McKoy, and Kendra Adachi)  The Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix Deep Work by Cal Newport Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport     SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As I head back to my home state of Oklahoma this week to promote The Life Council, I'm feeling nostalgic in every way.  Even as life has marched forward, and I entered my twenties, then my thirties, and now my forties, I have found it useful to tap back into the childhood version of me. It reminds me who I am in my core and it reminds me where I came from.  And sometimes, even as I evolve in a positive way, I need that reminder of where I started. I want to tap into that original spirit.  This episode has four questions to ask yourself about your childhood self. We're going to talk about: Place People Our bodies Our dreams Maybe you think about your childhood self all the time. Maybe it's been a long time since you really remembered that version of you.  This episode and these questions will bring you back to who you were when you were young.  FULL SHOW NOTES HERE   MENTIONED in this episode: Episode 68: Hometown: A conversation about race   SPONSORS: Betterhelp // Go to Betterhelp.com/YOU for 10% off your first month   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the final episode in my Friendship Stories series.  My guest today is someone you might recognize if you've ever emailed or DM'd the show, or you've just heard me talk about her giant contribution to 10 Things To Tell You, my book launches, and all other behind-the-scenes operations around here: Caroline! In this episode about the serendipity of friendship, Caroline tells us the story of her longtime friend Judi. After Judi experiences a tragic loss, Caroline was there for her when she needed it most. This is a story about the gift of friendship and how friends help us navigate life’s ups and downs. Throughout the course of this conversation Caroline also shares about her twin sister, Jill, which is a friendship story in and of itself.  Caroline’s multiple friendship experiences were the perfect ones to cap off this Friendship Stories series because I think it highlights the width and breadth of good friendship and its importance in our lives. This episode concludes the Friendship Stories series, which I loved putting together as part of my research and then launch of my new book The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs. BUY THE LIFE COUNCIL   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for another episode of Favorite Things (Right Now)! As a reminder, we do Favorite Things episodes because they're fun and also because thinking about what we're really into right now is another way of making a gratitude list.  Plus who doesn't love hearing and sharing awesome things?!   On this episode, I'm sharing a variety of favorites, including: The Life Council Book Tour New Favorite Alarm Clock The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schafler Neon Sign Big blanket Full Panic lipstick Dog trainer Laura Beth Davidson and also Jess Koehler Aura Judy Blume Forever   FULL SHOW NOTES HERE I'm also sharing some BONUS Favorite Things in the Secret Stuff community JOIN SECRET STUFF HERE   MENTIONED in this episode: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown Essentialism by Greg McKeown  BONUS Episode with Emily Ley: 5 Tips for Morning Routines   SPONSORS: HelloFresh // Go to HelloFresh.com/YOU50 and use code YOU50 for 50% off plus free shipping on your first box   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to another episode in my Friendship Stories series.  Carol and Gloria's friendship spans a few cultural differences, including race (Carol is Asian and Gloria is Black) and a large age gap (they have twenty years between them). In this episode, Carol speaks candidly about how these differences affects their friendship and bring both challenges but also beautiful gifts.  This conversation is also one about the importance of openness and vulnerability in friendship. I do want to say that as a white woman hosting this conversation, my job here was to listen to their lived experiences that are so different from my own. Carol and Gloria listened to this episode after we recorded it to make sure that their perspectives were represented.  Carol and Gloria’s friendship definitely qualifies as unique and I think you’ll enjoy hearing about it. The FRIENDSHIP STORIES series is a set of conversations I had while writing my new book The Life Council: Every Woman Needs.  BUY THE LIFE COUNCIL NOW * SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to another episode in my Friendship Stories series.  Over the last few months, we’ve heard a number of uplifting stories about unique and transformative friendships in this series. But today’s episode is about an aspect of friendship that is painful and rarely discussed: the friendship break up. My guest, JeriLynne, shares that when her marriage ended, there was collateral damage in the form of friendship loss as well. That friendship breakup left her without real closure and she continues to struggle to be vulnerable in friendships. While it’s certainly easier to talk about all the positive aspects of friendship, I think it’s also important to discuss these harder, more painful parts of these formative relationships. JeriLynne’s experience is significant and unfortunately a very real part of these friendship. I write about friendship breakups and friendship loss in The Life Council in a chapter called The Empty Chair.   BUY THE LIFE COUNCIL NOW   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In my new book The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs, I write about how the "old friend" doesn't necessarily mean than you've known one another for decades. All that is required to hold that Life Council seat is to have a friend who has known you from one version of yourself into another. That actual timeline might vary.  But Shauna Niequist is one of my oldest friends however you measure it. We met in the late 90's working at summer camp, where (as I wrote about in my first book Share Your Stuff), I learned from Shauna a different way to walk in the world than I had previously been exposed to.  For twenty-five years, Shauna has been a friend, role model, mentor, and, yes, even a fellow obsessive as we discuss in this episode.  Shauna Niequist is the New York Times bestselling author of Cold Tangerines, Bittersweet, Bread & Wine, Savor, Present Over Perfect, and I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet. She is married to Aaron, and they live in New York City with their two sons.  To listen to the full reading tangent Shauna and I take in this conversation, you'll have to join my Secret Stuff community.  LEARN MORE ABOUT SECRET STUFF You can learn more about Shauna here Follow Shauna on IG Follow Shauna on FB Subscribe to Shauna's Substack Reading & Eating   FULL SHOW NOTES HERE   MENTIONED: Episode 112: Who was there? (a conversation with Shauna Niequist) Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson   SPONSORS: Betterhelp // Go to Betterhelp.com/YOU for 10% off your first month   SUBSCRIBE to 10 Things To Tell You so you never miss an episode! CLICK HERE for episode show notes FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Instagram FOLLOW @10ThingsToTellYou on Facebook JOIN the 10 Things To Tell You Connection Group SIGN UP for episode emails, links, and show notes JOIN the Secret Stuff patreon BUY THE BOOK: Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. by Laura Tremaine BUY THE BOOK: The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices