Dana LaVoie joins me this week for a conversation on menopause, aging, and your health. Which is fitting since this episode marks the start of our women’s health theme! Woo hoo! In this episode, we discuss how to treat peri-menopause symptoms, manage your hormones, and Dana shares some of the secrets to healthy aging. 

Dana is an Herbalist and Acupuncturist who has spent her career helping women balance their hormones naturally. She wants more women to know how to keep menopause and aging from interfering with their careers, home life, and dreams. 

Some of the topics we explore:

• Dana answers the question, “How do we know when we are in peri-menopause?” (5:57)
• The biggest mistake women make in caring for their hormones (15:53)
• The connection between resilience, burnout, and aging - and why are they all so directly connected to hormones (25:39)
• Getting on a good plan for managing your hormones helps with stress, anxiety, and brain function (36:57)
• Hormone "leaks" - what they are and how to address them (38:00)

http://andreaowen.com/484

Last week I received a DM on Instagram from someone I’d never communicated with before. This person compared not eating meat with addiction. 

I was perplexed, confused, and angry by this message. So, I replied. 

Check out this week’s minisode to hear what I said in response, what I think we can all learn from this person’s DM to me, and why this message rubbed me the wrong way. 

Is there somebody in your life who has really made an impact and you have not expressed that to them? If so, Gina Hamadey joins me to discuss her interesting take on expressing gratitude in a meaningful, yet easy way-- by writing thank you notes! Writing thank you notes to others can be an aspect of taking care of yourself as well as your relationships. 

Gina is the author of the book I Want to Thank You which depicts her year writing 365 thank-you notes to friends, neighbors, family members, mentors, and more (much more!)  Gratitude isn’t a new topic or conversation, but the way Gina talks about it, is unique and one I really wanted to share with you.   

Some other topics we explore:

• What sparked Gina to write thank you cards every day of the year (9:12)
• Some small ways you can begin to write thank you notes or go on a gratitude journey of your own (20:48)
• There are mental blocks and excuses when you attempt to express gratitude, Gina shares ways she overcomes some of them (25:25)
• It’s never too late to express gratitude (25:52)
• We are built for connection and expressing gratitude is so important in today's world (35:01)

http://andreaowen.com/482

Yasmine Cheyenne joins me for a conversation about self-healing, self-boundaries, and friendships. She is a self-healing educator, author, speaker, and mental wellness advocate who helps people learn how to cultivate daily practices to build healthy, joyful lives. 

In this episode we also talk about the magic of community when it comes to self-care, the benefits of social media for the purpose of self-healing, and acknowledging that healing doesn’t make life perfect, it supplies us with what we need to have ease, peace, and joy even when it feels like the world is falling apart. 

Some other topics we explore:

• Why self-healing is an important part of self-care (6:31)
• Strategies to start your self-healing journey (10:57)
• How creating boundaries can help you heal (11:23)
• Self-healing is not something you have to do on your own, you can do self-healing with a therapist, coach, or safe confidant (25:24)
• What to do when a friendship is not reciprocated (35:11)

http://andreaowen.com/481

There is a great deal of studies that show the importance of rest. In Emily and Amelia Nagoski’s book, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, the authors say we should try to spend about 42 percent of our time at rest. They continue, “We’re not saying you should take 42 percent of your time to rest; we’re saying if you don’t take the 42 percent, the 42 percent will take you. It will grab you by the face, shove you to the ground, put its foot on your chest, and declare itself the victor.”

In this minisode, I talk about the problem– that we tend to not get enough rest; but also ask you two questions that will hopefully help you unpack the reasons you don’t prioritize rest.

Angela Jia Kim is my guest this week! We are talking about radical self-love, the power that can be found in feminine energy, and self-care rituals. Angela is a former concert pianist and founder of Savor Beauty + Spa, a Manhattan-based skincare and spa brand inspired by Korean beauty rituals. She’s also the author of Radical Radiance: 12 Weeks of Self-Love Rituals to Manifest Abundance, Beauty, and Joy. I really think you are going to love her work, and this conversation, as much as I did! 

Some other topics we explore:

• Awakening and connecting with your feminine energy (5:22)
• How divorce helped Angela deepen her self-love and embrace a healthy dating mindset in her 40s (13:25)
• Self-love starts with one small change like taking five minutes at night to wash your face (17:20)
• Tips for planning self-care sabbaticals, self-love adventures, and inspiration getaways that restore your skin and your soul (30:03)
• Angela discusses how she went from a solo concert pianist to founding Savor Beauty + Spa (38:16)

http://andreaowen.com/479