15. Being Brave In Talking About Sex with Alexa Bowditch (Part 1/2)

Welcome back, Brave Table squad - I hope you’re ready because today’s episode is an EXTRA spicy one. We’re going to talk about the one topic many of us avoid or feel uncomfortable with - sex - with @thatsexchick, Alexa Bowditch.  Before Alexa became a sex coach and business mentor, she grew up in the deep south of Louisiana in a Catholic household, trying to follow all the “rules” in order to live out the so-called American Dream - like getting married young, having kids, and a house with a white picket fence.  But this wouldn’t be her story. Seeing her grandparents bicker and her mom marry 5 times normalized co-dependent relationships, leaving her to stay with her high school sweetheart well past their expiration date. After investing everything she had in making the relationship work, she experienced anxiety for the first time when it all fell apart and a loss of her sense of self.  What followed was a 6-year adventure working on cruise ships that took her all over the world, and what she describes as "the relationship that taught her everything", cracking her open to experiences with kink, BDSM, and consensual non-monogamy - as well as a completely new exploration of her identity.  As you listen to Alexa’s story and hear her share how she braved a new paradigm of sex in her life, I invite you to keep an open mind and investigate your own feelings around sex. Maybe you’re in a relationship and have been yearning to tell your partner your deepest sexual fantasies and desires - but aren’t sure how to approach it. Or, you’re navigating your personal relationship with sex and thinking about what you need from your future person.  Whether you're currently sexually active or not - how can you stop listening to the noise of what we’re told sex is supposed to mean and just follow what feels good for you?  Some of the juicy nuggets you’ll get out of this episode: - How to cope with losing your identity and who you are when a long-term relationship ends - What does BDSM mean, and understanding both its physical and mental components - Viewing sexual development as a part of your personal development - How to be a high-powered woman who still wants to submit and surrender - How to discuss your sexual desires with your partner and leave judgment at the door - Viewing kink and BDSM as nurturing and healing when done with love and care  - Breaking down the idea of ‘taboo’ for traditional couples  - How to rekindle your sexual spark with your partner and tips for bringing it up in conversation - Showing up as the full expression of you in the bedroom so that you can be your best self in all the other roles you play in life (as a mother, a leader, head of your household, etc) More resources on sex, relationships, and embodying your full self: - Follow Alexa on Instagram. - Grab her “Want Will Won’t” questions and other free resources here. - Listen to Alexa’s That Sex Chick Podcast  - Tune in to a conversation with my husband, Ajit, on difficult transitions and how we keep the spark alive in our relationship. - Check out this conversation with Alyson Charles who also touches on what to do when you lose yourself in a relationship and the healing that can follow.    - If you’re like Alexa, and people always come to you for advice on that thing you’re passionate about or an expert on, find out how you can leverage that to completely change the course of your life (like she did!). Thank you for being here, loves. I hope this conversation inspired you. If you loved it, I would be so grateful if you could leave me a 5-star review - this helps other people find the show so they too can learn how to be braver in life, just like you are.  See you next time!