The Art of Badassery with Jenn Cassetta: Mindset, Motivation and Empowerment for Women

Ever wonder how to stay kind and grounded when the world feels angry, divided, and unsafee, specially as a woman carrying so much? On The Art of Badassery podcast, Jenn Casseta interviews mindfulness teacher and author Oneika Mays about her book Sit With Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation, unpacking metta (loving-kindness) and how it’s practiced by extending care from yourself to loved ones, strangers, difficult people, and all beings, without abandoning boundaries. Oneika shares her path through trauma, grief, career identity loss, and rediscovering herself through therapy, yoga, and meditation, including pivotal lessons on the “middle way.” She also describes teaching trauma-informed mindfulness at Rikers Island, the sensory intensity of jail, and breakthroughs like choosing tree pose instead of violence. They close with a practical 15-second mindfulness reset using the hands as an anchor. Connect with Oneika Mays:Website https://www.oneikamays.com/Instagram @oneikamaysBook “Sit With Me: A No-BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation”Substack: oneikamays.substack.comSend us Fan MailConnect with Jenn on Instagram @jenncassetta or her website www.jennifercassetta.com

Ever wonder how to stay ambitious without tying your worth to your work? On The Art of Badassery Podcast, host Jenn Cassetta reunites with Jess Ekstrom, founder of Headbands of Hope and Mic Drop Workshop and author of Chasing the Bright Side and Making It Without Losing It, to talk about starting young, trying before you feel ready, and learning through setbacks. Jess shares how Headbands of Hope began after seeing kids with cancer want headbands, how a fraudulent manufacturer nearly derailed her, and how later she spent six figures on an app idea before cutting her losses and reframing it as “tuition” for the lesson. They discuss separating output from self-worth, building confidence through evidence, focusing on problems over outcomes, and Jess’s “purpose test” for intrinsic motivation, plus Mic Drop’s mission to help more women land paid speaking opportunities. Connect with Jess Ekstrom:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jess_ekstrom/Website - https://jessekstrom.com/New Book Making It Without Losing It - https://jessekstrom.com/makingit/Send us Fan MailConnect with Jenn on Instagram @jenncassetta or her website www.jennifercassetta.com

Have you ever wondered if turning 40 could actually be the beginning of your most authentic chapter yet?For generations, women have been handed a script: get married, have children, build a career, stay youthful, and somehow do it all on a prescribed timeline. But what happens when you decide to write your own story instead?In this episode of The Art of Badassery, I sit down with multimedia journalist and author Stacy Lindsay to discuss her book, Being 40: The Decade of Letting Go and Embracing Who We Are. We explore why so many women are finding greater freedom, confidence, and clarity in their 40s by releasing expectations around aging, success, relationships, and identity.Stacy shares her own journey through a challenging period while writing the book, along with insights on unlearning shame, embracing change, and navigating the realities of perimenopause and hormonal shifts. This conversation is a powerful reminder that getting older isn't about becoming less—it's about becoming more of who you truly are.Connect with Stacey Lindsay:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/staceylindsayWebsite - https://www.staceylindsay.com/Book Being 40 - https://www.staceylindsay.com/bookSend us Fan MailConnect with Jenn on Instagram @jenncassetta or her website www.jennifercassetta.com