Your Kick Ass Life Podcast

Last week I sent out two episodes to help you cope through these uncertain times. You can find them here and here. I’ll be airing another one later this week. But, today, I wanted to put out a regular interview. While we are overwhelmed with heightened anxiety and unsure of what will come next, many may be looking for a reprieve; just 45 minutes to focus on something else. Anything else. I hope this episode is that for you.  I recorded this particular interview several months ago, with guest Regena Thomashauer (a.k.a. “Mama Gena”). I am such a fan of her work and of her, as a person! She is a teacher, mother, founder, and CEO of the School of Womanly Arts. She has authored four popular books, including her newest New York Times Bestseller, Pussy: A Reclamation.  In this episode, we discuss why women should reclaim the use of the word pussy, developing sex appeal and exploring pleasure, and the importance of allowing yourself to feel a full range of emotions.  In this episode you’ll hear:  Why women should us

Well, first and foremost, I hope you are well, taking care of yourself, and taking care of your loved ones and community if you can. During these uncertain times, that’s the main thing we all need to focus on.  Before I get into what’s on this extra-bonus episode this week, I wanted to urge you to take social distancing very seriously. If you haven’t played the Social Distancing Game, I urge you to go to this website and play around with the numbers. This is great to do with kids too. It shows you the math on what happens (in other words, how many people will die) if we wait to do social distancing, or if we just have a few friends over who aren’t sick, etc. Yes, people still need to work in order to make money. And yes, it breaks my heart that so many people in the service industry and other industries will take a huge hit during this time. If we work together in our communities, we can help those people recover, and if we practice social distancing we can collectively hit the brakes on this virus and less p

Originally I had an interview set to go out to you today, but since the world had other plans, we’ve adjusted.  I want to start out by saying the health and safety of you and your family is what’s MOST important right now. In this podcast episode, I’m going to be talking about how coronavirus is potentially impacting your life, so I just want to make sure you know in case you’re at your limit with what you can take in. Of course, my spin is always positive as I try to inspire you and give you tools to cope, and at the same time, our reality is what it is.  In this show, I offer a handful of tools to take care of yourself during this time. You know I’m mildly obsessed with coping mechanisms, and right now our coping mechanisms are being put to the test.  Also, I plan to do two podcast episodes a week at least for a few weeks to help you manage your life while we all try to navigate this new reality.  Xoxo, Andrea http://yourkickasslife.com/325 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice

This week we dive into another coaching episode, this time with a woman named Rebecca. She is a speech pathologist living in the NYC area. She has been through The Mentorship Masterclass with me and continues to do the work; because the work never stops.   In this episode, Rebecca opens up about her struggles with self-doubt. She shares her experiences with procrastinating on some tasks that are very meaningful to a big project in her life. You’ll hear us talk through some of her issues and decide upon some exercises she can use to work through them.  In this episode you’ll hear:  Rebecca shares her challenges and fears around starting her own business (4:55) Her struggles with feeling like she is ‘not doing enough’ (6:45) The fear of being judged and unwanted identities (6:56) Self-sabotage, comfort zones, and the fear of outshining (16:06) A kick-ass update from Rebecca (45:36) If you’re a regular podcast listener and resonate with what I tell you there and are wanting something a little more...maybe

This week on the show we’re hearing from podcast listeners! I know you like to hear stories from women in the YKAL community once in awhile, so I’ve brought you a few of them. You might hear some of yourself in their stories!  All of these women share their journey from being a podcast listener and self-help book reader, to diving in deeper. Dana, Kelly, and Millie have gone through my signature program, The Mentorship Masterclass, and I hope you’re inspired when you hear what they’ve gained in their lives.  First you’ll hear from Dana, who came into The Mentorship from all the way in Australia. She opens by telling us how she was feeling stuck, without a purpose, and having a bit of an identity crisis. You’ll hear her mention how the values work has shaped her and how she still relies on self-compassion that was emphasized in the program.  Then we hear from Kelly, who had reached mid-life and just didn’t know where to start, but knew she needed to start somewhere. She also mentions how the values work has he

I have another Conversations About Shit That Matters with Unqualified People for you. This week my friend, Nicole Whiting, joins me to talk about some of the life lessons we’ve learned from challenging times (including divorce, suicide, and love addiction). By the way, Nicole is my lead facilitator for the next iteration of Mentorship Masterclass!  I met Nicole last year and we became fast friends. During a road trip together, we opened up about some of our deepest, darkest secrets. Yeah, just your usual road trip conversational fare, right?

This week on the podcast I turned the mic on after a moment of feeling inspired and riffed for about 30 minutes or so about the fear of shining too bright.  Every once in a while I feel like there’s a podcast episode I REALLY want you to hear, and this is one of them.  Because I honest to goodness think we all struggle here. Our culture tells us not to shine too bright. Don’t draw too much attention to yourself, don’t brag, don’t take credit or praise or compliments, don’t take up too much space, don’t shine too much because you’ll make others uncomfortable and you’ll just look bad.  Even if we don’t consciously think these things, these core beliefs can be embedded in our DNA. Our mothers and our mother’s mothers were taught this too.  So, I break it down in the episode, plus give you some strategies to help you unlearn this and start shining.  BECAUSE WE NEED MORE OF YOUR SHININESS.

Jeanette LeBlanc is back on the YKAL podcast! She is the author of You Are Not Too Much: Love Notes of Heartache, Redemption, and Reclamation. Through her work, her writing, and today’s conversation, she offers a different take on how to reclaim your wants, needs, and desires.  (We’re doing a GIVEAWAY of Jeanette’s book, so make sure you listen to know how to win a copy!) Women often will put up with suffering or bullshit before deciding to walk away from a crappy situation. It takes a wild amount of courage to step into a life transition. Jeanette believes, “Sometimes our stories are the only things that can save us.” In this episode, we talk about acknowledging (and honoring) our deep revelations and having the willingness to step into them with radical honesty. Of course, there may be circumstances where you can’t step into your truth and Jeanette shares how her work gives voice to those who are unable to speak out.  In this episode, you’ll hear: Jeanette’s desire to be in a place of truth and transparenc

This week I have another coaching episode for you, on the topic of money. A few months ago Melanie joined me for a two-part coaching session on money and self-worth. But, the topic of money varies widely, from person to person. In fact, the topic of money is always nuanced and deeply personal.  In this episode, Erica, who was in my signature program, Mentorship Masterclass, joins me to talk about her beliefs about money. I have a feeling many will relate to what she has to say about how she feels about money and how she wants to change her mindset about it.  In this episode you’ll hear: Erica shares her issues with limiting beliefs around money, as well as her shopping and spending habits (7:00) Redirecting your thoughts and feelings about money (10:00) Some of the stories we make up about people whose finances appear to be in tip-top shape (13:20) We explore the question, “What if having the urge to spend is actually okay?” (19:00) Accepting the process, understanding behaviors and realizing that person

This week I welcome Dr. Valerie Rein to the YKAL podcast. Dr. Valerie discovered Patriarchy Stress Disorder (PSD) and created the only science-backed system for helping women achieve their ultimate success, happiness, and fulfillment by healing the collective, inherited trauma of oppression. She is also the author of Patriarchy Stress Disorder: The Invisible Inner Barrier to Women’s Happiness and Fulfillment.   I met Dr. Valerie at an event late last year. I serendipitously sat at her table and as she was talking about her work and her book, I was enamored. In fact, I invited her onto the podcast on the spot. Her work is important, interesting, and backed by science. When it comes to the patriarchy, as women, there is a deeper issue going on then the blame game. We are not going to heal by pointing fingers. My conversation with Dr. Valerie is just one step of many that will help move women towards healing from the patriarchy.  In this episode you’ll hear: How Dr. Valerie discovered PSD and how her search beg

At the end of 2019, Facebook memories told me I posted this 10 years ago... I found it so interesting that I’d posted this (I don’t at all remember what was going on that day), as the decade that was approaching did end up being a decade of tremendous change for me.  Seeing this prompted me to think about the entire decade and do a “decade in review”. I thought I would share it with you in hopes that you see some of yourself in this and gain some insight from some of my own life lessons.  In the episode, I start with January 2010, when I had a 2-year-old and a 4-month-old, was finishing up my life coaching certification hours, and blogging under liveyourideallife.com.  There were two moves across the United States, two book deals, sobriety, discovering our son had special needs, playing roller derby, my dad dying, and more.  You’ll hear about the thing that truly threw me for a loop, and prompted a withdrawal and what that looked like for me.  Ending the decade with an offer I couldn’t refuse.  I close the e

It’s been a minute since I brought you an episode of Conversations About Shit That Matters with Unqualified People. If you’ve been hanging on to the edge of your seat waiting for the next one to appear in your podcast feed, well, today is your lucky day. Conversations About Shit That Matters is back! If you are new to this series, it features candid conversations with my real-life friends about stuff that happens in everyday life. This is not an episode that offers expert advice, tools or tips. Instead, my friends (who may be experts in other fields) and I come on to talk, explore, and share about specific topics affecting our lives and the world in which we live.  This week, returning guest Kate Anthony joins me to talk about anxiety and depression. We’ve both struggled with anxiety, and Kate with depression. In this episode, we share our experiences and how we navigate these challenges in our own lives. We do also share some of the strategies we employ in our own self-care regimens. But please note, we are

Last week I sent out an email telling you all that January 2nd was the second birthday for How to Stop Feeling Like Shit. Over 170,000 copies sold and more than half of those are the audiobook version. It fills my heart with immense gratitude knowing that so many of you have read or listened to HTSFLS. In this podcast episode, I go over what shame has to do with all of the 14 habits I write about in the book. From Isolating and numbing out, to perfectionism and overachieving, it all has to do with shame.  I go on to talk more specifically about some in regards to all the habits. In talking about this book for the last two years, I heard which behaviors resonated the most with all of you. Tune in to the episode to see which ones!  The thing is, the real work happens when we take action. Reading books and listening to podcasts is fantastic, and the thing that’s going to allow you to have the most momentum and see the biggest results is when you take what you read or listen to and integrate it into your life.  A

This week on the podcast, I am re-broadcasting my conversation with Keith McArthur because NEW YEAR NEW YOU, right? Keith is the author of the book, “Winning Resolutions: Achieve Your Biggest Goals and Wildest Dreams Once and For All.” He’s also the creator of My Instruction Manual, a website, podcast and book series providing high-quality personal development and content. I’ve been on Keith’s podcast twice and know him to be an amazing interviewer.  So, about a year ago, I released an episode called, “New Year New You” (ep 262), in which I said, loud and clear, that you do not need a morning routine or for that matter, any routine that doesn’t fit your lifestyle. But yet, I also realize that the new year can be overwhelming for many. That’s why I invited Keith to the show to talk about ways to calm the New Year overwhelm, help shift our mindset around goal setting, and share what he knows about our environment and how it can affect goal achieving. Plus, he shares what values, shame and commitment have to do

Announcement! Not Another Self-Help Podcast is coming! Amy and I need your personal development questions so hit us up here. Also, we’d be honored if you listened to our first two episodes which drop Friday, January 3rd!  Two weeks ago was all about looking back on not just 2019, but the entire decade that’s ending. If you haven’t listened to that one, check out episode 309, plus there’s a free journaling PDF. Let’s start with the basics: values and the way you speak to yourself. Some people love to have a word of the year, and values work could be married together with that. I talk about values at length in How To Stop Feeling Like Shit, and I’ll give you a crash course here. This will be an important refresher for those of you who’ve done values work before.  Think about a time in your life where you were proud of yourself. Maybe you took action on something you were afraid to do. Maybe you left a relationship, set a boundary with someone, told someone how you felt or went to a party where you didn’t know a

As soon as I met this week’s guest, I knew I had to have her on the podcast. That is why I am thrilled to introduce you to Jessica Graham. She is a spiritual and sexual activist, author of the book, Good Sex: Getting Off without Checking Out, meditation teacher, and sex and intimacy guide. I first met Jessica when we had a chance meeting, in a cab, in Holland. I am so glad that the universe aligned and put us into each other’s orbit.  At the time of our meeting, I had been feeling the pull to do some inner work around the areas of sex and sexuality. I knew I needed someone to help guide me. Jessica’s message resonated with me, we shared a lot of things in common, and to make a long story short, we’ve been working together since the Spring. She’s my sexuality doula and she’s been enormously helpful. Today we talk about shame, the messaging we receive as a children about sex and sexuality, and what that all means. We also talk about the common struggle women face when it comes to their feelings around sex. Plus

When life hands you a bunch of BIG things all at once, they tend to take up a lot of energy, time and capacity in your life. And that’s what I’ve been dealing with lately. I even contemplated taking a break from the podcast this week, but then decided to just turn on the mic and talk about everything that is going on. I believe by sharing some of my experiences and how I am working through them is helpful (not only for me), but for you as well.  Tune in to the episode as I talk about three big things that are happening in my personal and professional life, what I'm doing about self-care, plus the feelings that surround it (read: guilt) and what you can do for YOUR life if you can relate. In this episode you’ll hear: My heartbreaking experience with bringing a rescue dog home Some book proposal news and waiting on a book deal Reflecting on how can you slow down in your life and take a break, guilt-free http://yourkickasslife.com/311   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Sydney Williams joins me on the show! Sydney is a former collegiate athlete and competitive skydiver (and it was news to me this is a competitive sport!) who unexpectedly found herself on the receiving end of a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis while grappling with unresolved trauma from a decades-old sexual assault. So what did she do? She set out on a mission to turn her pain into power. Two hikes across Catalina Island and 80 miles later, she founded Hiking My Feelings to help others tap into the mind-body connection and healing power of nature that helped kick her self-limiting beliefs and disease into remission.  In this episode, Sydney and I had a conversation about enduring hardships, the choices we make in the wake of them, and how we cope and make peace with our pain. We also talked about how Sydney’s hiking trips led her to appreciate her body, as well as, accepting and reversing her Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis. Her story is an incredible one. Our conversation was a beautiful one. I hope you’ll list

Where were you in November 2009?  This time ten years ago I had a two-year-old, a newborn, was finishing up my coach training certification and was in the planning stages of launching Your Kick-Ass Life into the Universe. At that time writing books seemed like a far-away dream as I felt I had enough plates spinning (and was dropping more than a few). As I look back on the last ten years, it’s clear that a lot can happen in a decade.  Yes, I’ve had a lot of success and I’m incredibly grateful for that. But, to be honest, the thing I’m the most grateful for and proud of is the internal growth I’ve done. The mental and emotional growth I’ve intentionally moved through. I couldn’t have had the other successes like writing and publishing books and business growth without doing my own work.  And I see you. I see you, the woman who listens loyally every week to this podcast, and other personal development podcasts every week. The woman who goes to therapy, who maybe goes to trauma therapy even though she’s had a goo

I am pumped to share today’s episode with you! Partly because it is a coaching session episode, partly because Tracie, the lovely lady I am coaching, is a longtime coaching client of mine, and partly because I was (and still am) fired up about the topic Tracie brought to our session! Oh and I also am doing something I haven’t done in a loooonnng time. All the details are in this episode, so you will have to listen in.