French Kissing Life

Starting a business gets this very shiny reputation: freedom, flexibility, being your own boss. And then there's the version nobody talks about as loudly, the one where you're thinking about your business at 2 am because the to-do list is never actually done.My former professor, Tom Swartwood, has spent decades working with entrepreneurs across industries, countries, and stages of business. He developed the entrepreneurship curriculum at Drake University, founded one of the first startup bootcamps for women in the United States, and is the kind of person who will tell you the truth about business ownership whether you asked for it or not. What you'll hear in this conversation is not a checklist or a roadmap. It's a perspective shift on what starting a business actually means, what separates the people who go for it from those who don't, and why the goal was never really about freedom in the first place.Topics Covered:Why "freedom and flexibility" is a misread of what entrepreneurship actually delivers.The three questions every aspiring founder needs to answer before anything else.What Tom calls the most dangerous advice founders listen to.Why starting a business is less about you and more about everyone else.The Craig Newmark story and what it means to decide what "enough" looks like for you.What actually separates people who go for it from those who stay on the sidelines.Why entrepreneurs aren't big risk-takers, they're just comfortable with ambiguity.Connect with Tom!LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomswartwood/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Plants have names for a reason. And once you start learning what those names actually mean, you can't walk past a dandelion or a hawthorn tree the same way again.In this episode, I'm joined again by Kim Gros, a New York City-based clinical herbalist, educator, and founder of an organic herbal product line. Kim leads plant walks in Central Park and has a gift for making the natural world feel alive through storytelling. We get into what plant names reveal across different languages and cultures, how ancient superstitions often turn out to have a scientific explanation, and how so much of our everyday language traces back to plants in ways most of us have never considered.Topics Covered:Why stories help us remember plants better than properties do.What plant names in different languages actually reveal.Botanical sexism and how it connects to your spring allergies.Why dandelions have a very literal (and unexpected) name in French.The pagan roots behind bringing holly and pine inside for the holidays.How superstitions about hawthorn flowers turned out to be scientifically accurate.Where "caught red-handed" actually comes from.Connect with Kim!Website: https://moonstoneandmulberry.com/Shop herbal remedies: https://herbalremedies.moonstoneandmulberry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonstoneandmulberryFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoonstoneandMulberry/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Something has been sitting with me lately, a contradiction I couldn't quite shake. I've always thought of myself as someone who loves change. Enneagram Seven, chases novelty, has a podcast called French Kissing Life. And yet when change actually shows up uninvited, I freeze. What I've landed on is that I'm not actually afraid of change. I'm afraid of uncertainty. And once you see the difference, you really can't unsee it. There's also a quieter, sneakier version of this that I've been living, and I wanted to talk about both.Topics Covered:The difference between fearing change and fearing uncertainty, and why it matters.Why our brains treat unexpected change like a threat (and what's actually happening neurologically).The hair growth analogy that reframes how we experience gradual vs. sudden change.What the research actually says about stress, uncertainty, and adaptability.The distinction between novelty you choose and change that arrives uninvited.How chronic deferral, "I'll do it when things settle down," is just fear wearing a productivity disguise.The two questions worth sitting with this week.Resources:https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/03/opinions/uncertainty-is-good-for-you-jacksonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=267cB6tNeUc______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Sometimes life gets so full of hard that you forget you're even allowed to want something light. That's where Lori Blachford found herself after seven years of caregiving and loss, and it's what led her to start snatching up small, slightly unpredictable experiences just to feel alive again.What started as "bucket list quickies" got a necessary rebrand and became bucket list minis, a practice of saying yes to the weird, doable, low-stakes things right in front of you and building a list of things you've already done instead of things you're still waiting to get to. In this conversation, we talk about blacksmithing classes found on Craigslist, piano lessons that may or may not summon Elton John, and a garage that somehow contains both hot steel and denture molds. But underneath all of it is something I think a lot of people will recognize.Topics Covered:How seven years of caregiving led Lori to the idea of bucket list minis.Why minis are opportunities you snatch up, not goals you write down and wait on.Ross Gay's Book of Delights and how it shaped Lori's thinking about everyday joy.The piano lesson that may or may not have summoned Elton John.How Lori's brother with Down syndrome was already living the mini philosophy before she had a name for it.What it feels like to build a list of things you've already accomplished.Holding joy and grief at the same time, and why that's not overindulgent.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, check out the article that Lori wrote for dsm magazine:https://dsmmagazine.com/2026/01/13/think-small/If you have 50 minutes, brainstorm a short list of 5 minis you could snatch up in your own life. Remember, don’t overthink it and don’t try to make it something grand or overly time-consuming. The point of the whole exercise is to simply let yourself try something new. Just go do it!Connect with Lori!Lori Blachford is a journalist whose words have carried her from news reporting to magazine editing, from grant writing to ghost writing, from marketing to community building, from corporate to academic to nonprofit work. In other words, she can write her way out of (and, more often, into) anything. She is the former Chair of Magazine Journalism at Drake University and a current second-grade reading mentor at Howe Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa. Email: [email protected] ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Spring doesn't always arrive the way we expect it to. One day it's a blizzard, the next it's pushing 80 degrees, and somewhere in the middle of all that, we're supposed to feel refreshed and ready. But what if the transition itself is the invitation, not a problem to push through?I'm excited to welcome back expressive arts therapist and trauma-informed care consultant Emma Sullivan Uebele for a conversation about what this season actually asks of us. We talk about what's really happening in our bodies as the light returns, why spring can feel surprisingly tender even when it looks beautiful, and how creativity, in the simplest, most accessible forms, can help us come back to ourselves and find what Emma calls a grounded hope, one rooted in the present moment rather than floating off into what we think spring should feel like.Topics Covered:What the body and nervous system experience as light returns.Why spring can feel disorienting or emotionally tender, even when it looks beautiful.Grounded hope and why hope untethered to reality can lead to burnout.Simple ways to reawaken creativity after a slower season.How art-making brings the brain into the present and why that matters.Making art for the process, not the product.Emma's spring journaling ritual, what she takes from winter, and what she leaves behind.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have five minutes, try the exercise Emma shared. Grab a pen and a small piece of paper… and just draw something you can see right outside your window. Not what you think it should look like. Just… what’s actually there. A tree. A branch. A shadow. The way the light is hitting something. Remember, the goal isn’t to be good at it. It’s to pay attention. And to give your brain a break from everything else… and come back to the present moment, even just for a few minutes.If you have 50 minutes, or you want something a little more guided, Emma has just released her Spring Blooms expressive arts workbook, which is designed to walk you through this exact seasonal transition. It includes a series of creative exercises, prompts, and reflections to help you reconnect with your creativity, process what’s shifting, and move into spring in a more intentional way.https://emmasullivan.art/shop/p/spring-blooms-expressive-arts-workbookConnect with Emma! Website: http://www.emmasullivan.art/ Expressive arts workbooks: https://emmasullivan.art/shopInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmasullivanart/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-sullivan-uebele/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

What if the first signs of spring have been whispering to us all along?In this episode, I’m joined by clinical herbalist and educator Kim Gros for a gentle conversation about the plants that quietly announce spring’s arrival. We explore the stories behind these early bloomers, the nourishment found in seasonal greens, and how paying attention to nature can reconnect us with our own rhythms of rest, renewal, and growth.We talk about early spring greens like nettles and dandelion, why bitter plants have long supported the body after winter, and how observing the natural world can help us become more present, more connected, and maybe even a little more whole.Topics Covered:How plants signal the changing of the seasons.Why winter invites rest and restoration.Kim’s path back to her lifelong love of plants.The magic of plant walks and plant folklore.Early signs of spring in the natural world.Spring greens like nettles, dandelion, and chickweed.A slower, more grounded approach to seasonal wellness.Reconnecting with nature through simple observation.Connect with Kim!Website: https://moonstoneandmulberry.com/Shop herbal remedies: https://herbalremedies.moonstoneandmulberry.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonstoneandmulberryFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoonstoneandMulberry/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Color analysis has been having a major moment lately, and after seeing it everywhere online, I finally decided to try it for myself. What started as simple curiosity quickly turned into a bit of a plot twist when my results left me with more questions than answers.So I brought those questions to someone I trust. In this episode, I’m joined again by Christy Meaux of Cohesive Confidence to talk about how color analysis really works, why different experts can sometimes see different things, and what happened when we revisited my own results together. If you’ve ever wondered whether your favorite colors are actually your best colors, this conversation might surprise you.Topics Covered:What color analysis actually measures and how the process works.The difference between warm and cool seasonal palettes.Why two professionals can sometimes reach different results.My personal color analysis plot twist and what we discovered together.How color affects confidence and personal presentation.Simple ways to start using your color palette without replacing your whole wardrobe.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have five minutes, Elf Cosmetics has a free quiz on its website that can help you understand what your unique color season is. Be wary that you may not get fully accurate results, as a quiz like this is limited in its analysis of your unique skin tone.https://elfnalysis.elfcosmetics.comIf you have longer, and you want to check out Christy’s color analysis service, I’ll leave the details in the show notes. She has graciously offered a $50 off discount for listeners. So if anyone wants to book a Confident Color Analysis + Personal Brand Presence, just use the code “FRENCHKISS50” and you’ll get $50 off.https://cohesiveconfidence.com/color-analysisConnect with Christy!Website: https://cohesiveconfidence.com/ Book a color analysis: https://cohesiveconfidence.com/color-analysisInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cohesiveconfidenceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christymeauxTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cohesiveconfidence ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Grief has a way of sneaking into the smallest corners of our day. It shows up in the empty space at the end of the bed, in the leash you no longer reach for, in the routines your nervous system still expects to keep. In this episode, I sit down with Ellen Laura to talk about pet grief, why it can feel so piercing, and why it deserves to be honored rather than minimized. We explore how love with our animals is woven into our daily rhythms, and what it means to stay soft instead of rushing ourselves to move on.We also wander into the mystery of it all. Ellen shares her experiences with reincarnation, intuitive signs, and the possibility that the souls we love may circle back in new forms. Whether through dreams, synchronicities, or the quiet conviction that love continues, this is not about convincing you of anything. It is about curiosity, reverence, and remembering that the bond we share with our animals does not simply disappear.Topics Covered:Why pet grief can feel uniquely gut-wrenching.How society minimizes animal loss and what that does to healing.Grief as a nervous system experience, not just an emotion.Reincarnation and the possibility of animals returning.Signs, dreams, and intuitive moments after a pet passes.Welcoming a new animal without bypassing old grief.The spiritual lessons animals teach us about tenderness and honesty.Connect with Ellen!Website: https://ellenmlaura.com/ Substack: https://substack.com/@ellenmlauraFeline-related books: PussyCat Messages: https://a.co/d/0aFM5CiJStarBorn Cats: https://a.co/d/0fwNa4gLFlame Beneath the Snow: https://a.co/d/0fwNa4gLFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellen.laura.58/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

There’s a particular kind of vulnerability that comes with wanting love after 40. You’ve built a life. You’ve done the inner work. You know you don’t need someone to complete you. And yet, there is still that quiet, steady longing to share your life with a partner who chooses you, and whom you choose right back.In this episode, I’m joined by dating and relationship coach Sibylle Ansley to talk about what it really takes to find love in midlife. We explore the pressure women feel as we age, the fear that time is running out, and the myth that if it hasn’t happened yet, it must be fate. Sibylle shares why she believes relationship success is not luck, but something we can learn. We talk about blind spots, chemistry versus compatibility, dating stamina, boundaries, and why inner work alone is not enough if we are not practicing relationship skills in real time.Topics Covered:Why wanting partnership after 40 is not weakness, but a fundamental desire.How “you don’t need a man” can become suppression instead of empowerment.The idea that relationship success is a skill that can be learned and practiced.How low self-worth and fear of being unlovable shape our dating patterns.Chemistry versus compatibility, and why spark alone is not a strategy.The importance of going through the numbers and building dating stamina.Protecting yourself in dating through boundaries and pacing intimacy.How to shift from scarcity thinking to a hopeful, intentional vision of the love you want.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have five minutes, Sibylle has a free quiz on her website that can help you understand what YOU can do to make your search for a life partner flow. https://dating-quiz.scoreapp.com/ If you have 50 minutes, Sibylle also has a blog on her site that includes answers to some of the most common dating questions people are asking right now.https://loveinyourlifecoach.com/sibylles-blog/Connect with Sibylle! Website: https://loveinyourlifecoach.com/ Dating Quiz: https://dating-quiz.scoreapp.com/ Conscious Dating and Relating Membership application: https://mailchi.mp/e53f0b506e03/membership Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sibylleansley/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sibylle-ansley/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sibylle.jasinski/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

If you have ever felt like you were gripping the reins of your life while the horse had other plans, this one is for you. My personal history with horses includes chaos, near collisions with tree branches, and at least one very stubborn fruit snack situation in Hawaii. So talking about Fire Horse energy feels both poetic and slightly hilarious.In this conversation with Jillian Rothschild-Scholar, master of Feng Shui and Chinese metaphysics, I explore what truly shifts with the Chinese New Year and why this Yang Fire Horse year carries bold, fast, illuminating energy. We talk about the difference between movement and wisdom, why this year has no water element, and how that absence can lead to burnout if we are not intentional.This is not a year for frantic reinvention. It is a year for clear direction. For visibility. For acting on the spark that began last year without exhausting yourself in the process.Topics Covered:The energetic difference between the lunar and solar Chinese New Year.What Yang Fire energy represents and how it shows up collectively.Why 2026 lacks the water element and what that means for rest and boundaries.The Three Harmony alliance of tiger, horse, and dog in business and leadership.Common Feng Shui misconceptions and what alignment actually means.How to work with strong momentum without burning out.Shifts in your home to support the year ahead.The deeper invitation of the Fire Horse, courage, clarity, and visible action.Connect with Jillian!Website: http://www.fsinmotion.com/ Personal calendar: https://fsinmotion.com/personal-calendar/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FengShuiJillian/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fengshuiinmotion/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fengshuiinmotion/  ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

If the last year left you feeling tired, reflective, or changed in ways you can’t quite explain, you’re not imagining it. Many of us have been moving through a long season of endings, letting go of identities, relationships, beliefs, and versions of ourselves that once made sense but no longer fit.In this episode, I’m joined by Meaghan Alton, a professional numerologist and former economist turned business strategist, whose work bridges logic and intuition in a way that feels both grounding and expansive. We explore numerology not as prediction, but as perspective. We talk about why the last nine years may have felt emotionally heavy, why grief can coexist with clarity, and what it really means to step into a universal one year, a year of initiation, identity, and possibility.This conversation is especially for the sensitive ones, the deep feelers, and anyone standing at the edge of a new chapter, curious, cautious, hopeful, or unsure. It’s an invitation to soften, listen, and remember that beginnings don’t require certainty, only a willingness to try.Topics CoveredWhy the last nine-year cycle felt heavy, emotional, and full of endings.How numerology can be used as a practical tool for understanding timing, identity, and life cycles.The difference between personal numerology and collective or universal year energy.What a universal one year really represents beyond the idea of a simple new beginning.How grief, uncertainty, and clarity can exist at the same time.Sensitivity as a strength, and learning to trust your intuition again.Identity, self-trust, and the stories we tell about who we are.Moving forward without a roadmap and learning to leap before everything is clear.Free download to learn more about your personal numerology codes: https://www.meaghanalton.com/opt-in-c70d8339-c7ee-4fb2-a191-1741035b82c4Private detailed numerology reading with Meaghan: https://www.meaghanalton.com/offers/6nffzj3y/checkoutConnect with Meaghan!Website: https://www.meaghanalton.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meaghan_intuitive_strategist/Free download: https://www.meaghanalton.com/opt-in-c70d8339-c7ee-4fb2-a191-1741035b82c4Book a reading: https://www.meaghanalton.com/offers/6nffzj3y/checkout ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

I promised myself when I started this show that I wouldn’t turn pain into a performance or force hope where it doesn’t belong. This episode is me keeping that promise. It’s short, it’s quiet, and it’s an invitation to pause with what feels heavy without trying to make it neater or easier to digest.I share a moment that left me feeling unsteady and out of control, and how it opened a much bigger awareness of the despair, division, loneliness, and exhaustion so many of us are living inside of right now. I reflect on how often we only celebrate healing once it’s finished, and how isolating it can feel to still be in the middle of the story. If you’re tired in a way rest doesn’t touch, if you’re still grieving or unsure or simply doing your best to get through the day, I want you to know there is nothing wrong with you. Today isn’t about sunshine. It’s about solidarity, about being seen, and about knowing you don’t have to pretend you’re okay here.Mentioned in this episode:IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DTivJfrEqRo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

It’s 2026, and January has already asked a lot of us. Everything feels a little louder lately, a little heavier, like there’s a low hum of intensity moving beneath our everyday lives. I wanted to pause in that space and speak to it honestly, without trying to fix it or rush past it. This episode grew out of noticing how deeply we’re all craving steadiness, softness, and something to hold onto when the world feels fractured.Today I'm sharing ten meaningful resolutions that aren’t about discipline or self-improvement, but about kindness, presence, and micro moments of care. These are small, nervous system friendly practices that help us feel more human, more connected, and a little less alone. Gentle choices that remind us peace isn’t something we wait for, it’s something we practice, step by steady step.Topics Covered:Acknowledging collective heaviness without bypassing it.Finding grounding and hope in simple, unexpected stories.Why kindness is one of the most powerful tools we have right now.Letting go of traditional resolutions rooted in pressure and willpower.Ten practices that support the nervous system.How micro acts of care ripple outward and inward at the same time.Reframing generosity as something that restores rather than depletes.Practicing peace through presence, intention, and everyday moments.______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

The beginning of a new year can quietly bring up more reflection than motivation. Instead of doubling down on hustle and pressure, I wanted to offer something softer, deeper, and far more honest. A way of creating change that comes from clarity, self-trust, and joy, not force.I’m joined by Anna Bates, who made a bold pivot at age 44 after running a successful swim school franchise, stepping into her work as a transformational coach. We talk about what it really takes to walk away from something familiar, how confidence is something you remember rather than manufacture, and why selling yourself does not have to feel pushy or performative. This is an invitation to trust your timing, honor your skills, and choose alignment over urgency.Topics CoveredWhy January burnout is not a personal failure, but a sign to soften your approach.What it really looks like to pivot careers in midlife, without burning everything down.How confidence comes from self-trust, not hustle or pretending.Letting go of hustle culture and reframing change as an act of clarity.Finding the through line between your past work and your next chapter.Redefining sales as self-advocacy, problem-solving, and authentic connection.Why it is never too late to begin again, and why your timing is perfect.Connect with Anna!Website: https://www.room11coaching.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/room11coaching/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-bates-woodhart/Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/room11coaching/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

The start of a new year doesn’t always feel light or clean. Sometimes it feels tender, heavy, or quietly hopeful all at once. As 2026 begins, I wanted to create space for something softer than resolutions, something more honest than reinvention.In this episode, I’m joined by Kristine Genovese, creator of the Soul Intelligence Method, for a conversation about energetic clearing, subconscious patterns, and what it really means to start fresh from the inside out. We talk about how old beliefs, stress, and unprocessed experiences live in the body, how energy-based healing differs from talk-based approaches, and why true change doesn’t come from forcing ourselves forward, but from gently releasing what no longer belongs.Together, we explore healing across physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and energetic levels, and how awareness and curiosity can open the door to real transformation. If you’re craving more ease, clarity, and alignment as you move into this new year, this is for you!Topics CoveredWhy a gentle energetic reset can be more powerful than traditional New Year goals.How subconscious patterns shape our lives long before we’re aware of them.What energetic clearing looks like without reliving past pain.The connection between physical symptoms and stored emotional experiences.How awareness and curiosity help interrupt old patterns.Healing the whole self, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and energetic.Why self-care is sacred, especially for healers and high achievers.Simple ways to begin 2026 feeling steadier, clearer, and more aligned.Connect with Kristine!Website: https://soulintelligencemethod.com/homeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinemgenovese/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinemglein/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gcimpactgroup/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0ttwY4KG6K1cN3EHNmiOqQ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

As the year winds down, I find myself in that tender in-between space, reflective, a little emotional, and quietly aware of all that has ended. This episode grew out of that feeling, the question of how we release what no longer fits without hardening ourselves or rushing the process.In this episode, I’m joined by Christy for an honest, soulful conversation about letting go with grace. We talk about grief, reinvention, entrepreneurship, and what it means to choose softness, self-trust, and courage in the middle of profound change. This one is for anyone standing at the edge of a new year, holding both gratitude and loss, and wondering what it looks like to move forward with compassion for yourself.Topics CoveredThe emotional weight of ending a year and the pressure to find meaning and closure.Letting go of relationships, identities, and expectations without hardening yourself.Navigating grief, personal loss, and unexpected life transitions.Giving yourself permission to be messy, soft, and human during change.Trusting intuition and choosing yourself when life demands reinvention.How entrepreneurship can become a healing and grounding force.Reframing endings as space for new beginnings and aligned growth.Practicing grace in the small, unseen moments of everyday life.Connect with Christy!Website: https://cohesiveconfidence.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cohesiveconfidenceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christymeauxTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cohesiveconfidence ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

It’s Christmas week, and there’s a certain hum in the air. A quiet pressure to keep everything moving, everyone happy, and yourself composed, even when you’re running on fumes.In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Susie Amato-Henderson for an honest conversation about creating real zen during the holidays, not by escaping the chaos, but by meeting it differently. We talk about her journey from caretaking and control to discovering joy later in life, and how mindfulness, nervous system awareness, and adaptive capacity can change the way we move through stress.This conversation is an invitation to slow down, soften your grip, and remember that peace isn’t something you earn once the holidays are over. It’s something you’re allowed to create, right now, exactly as you are. Topics Covered:The emotional pressure and quiet exhaustion that often show up during the holidays.Discovering joy later in life and letting go of a lifelong caretaker identity.The difference between resilience and adaptive capacity, surviving versus truly growing.How mindfulness helps regulate stress and calm the nervous system.Releasing control and perfectionism during family gatherings and daily lifeSimple, accessible mindfulness practices that take seconds, not hours.Protecting your peace around people who are not emotionally awareChoosing presence, self-care, and compassion in imperfect holiday moments.Connect with Susie!Website: https://www.sisuzy.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susie_ah/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558690847434LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanamatohenderson ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

We’re stepping into one of the most potent thresholds of the year. The winter solstice. The shortest day, the longest night. That quiet hinge in the season when the world slows, the light thins, and many of us feel heavier without quite knowing why. Because creativity can be a lantern in moments like this, I wanted to devote an entire episode to the rituals and tiny practices that help us feel held when the days feel dark.I’m joined by expressive arts therapist and trauma-informed care consultant Emma Sullivan Uebele for a grounding and deeply human conversation about how our bodies and nervous systems respond to winter, and why so much of what we experience during this season is completely natural. We explore how creativity can meet us gently when we’re tired, anxious, or disconnected, and how simple, accessible rituals can offer steadiness, reflection, and care during the darker days of the year.Topics Covered:The emotional, physical, and ancestral meaning of the dark season.How reduced light affects our nervous systems, energy, and creativity.Why winter naturally invites rest, introspection, and slower rhythms.Creative rituals for people who feel tired, overwhelmed, or uninspired.Using expressive arts as a companion rather than a performance.Low-stakes creative practices like collage, blind contour drawing, and breath drawing.Distinguishing between shadow moments that need compassion and seeds that hold potential.Holding both darkness and hope as the light begins its quiet return.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, I encourage you to think about some creative rituals you can build into your week. Maybe you want to do something specific for the winter solstice. If you have 50 minutes, check out Emma’s seasonal expressive arts workbooks in the show notes. They are a beautiful way to navigate winter with intention and warmth. And she pairs them with an accompanying workshop.https://emmasullivan.art/shop/p/winter-wonders-expressive-arts-workbookConnect with Emma!Website: https://emmasullivan.art/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmasullivanart/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-sullivan-uebele/ Expressive arts workbooks: https://emmasullivan.art/shop ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

The holidays come wrapped in sparkle and expectations. Joy! Magic! Gratitude! But if we’re honest, it can feel more like running a marathon in heels and a sequined dress.In this festive episode, I’m joined by body and life coach Courtney Gray for a soulful conversation about rewriting our holiday narratives. We talk about what really happens in our bodies when we override ourselves, how to stop people-pleasing through food and traditions, and why a little discomfort might just be the path to deep nourishment.Topics Covered:The “back burner effect” and how it sneaks into holiday seasonsWhy women often default to doing it all (and how to step back)How emotional eating is tied to boredom, guilt, and people-pleasingA 3-step tool for making aligned food choices in the momentWhy discomfort is often the doorway to lasting changeThe truth about time scarcity (and why it’s rarely about time)Simple micro shifts that create a more grounded holidayHow to decide what to keep, toss, or transform in your traditionsConnect with Courtney!www.modernbodymodernlife.comwww.instagram.com/modernbodymodernlifewww.facebook.com/courtneygraycoaching ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Well, butter my biscuit and cue the confetti cannons. This is our 100th episode, and I’m joined by one of my favorite humans (and former guest), Hillary O’Dell, to mark this wild, wonderful milestone. It’s tender, it’s unhinged, it’s full of heart, and it’s exactly what I hoped it would be.We reminisce about how we met (spoiler: it involves embarrassing confessions before hitting “record”), and we take you behind the scenes of what it really takes to make it to 100 episodes. There are pantyliner mishaps, wrestling ex-boyfriends, ghost guests, and plenty of sentimental tangents. At its core, this is an ode to celebration itself. To not brushing past the beautiful, hard-won things we create. To choosing joy. To showing up scared and sweaty, and doing it anyway.Thank you so much for French kissing life with me for 100 episodes. I wouldn't have gotten to this point without this community. This celebration is as much for you as it is for me. Cheers to the next 100 shows! xo, ShawnnaExtras from the Episode: 🎵 French Kissing Life Skating Rink Playlist: Listen on Spotify 📩 Email us: [email protected] 📩 BCC Hillary (you know you want to): [email protected] ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

As the holidays get closer, I always feel that familiar mix of excitement and pressure. The menus, the timing, the tiny details that somehow turn into big feelings. Hosting can so easily slip into performance mode, and I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit. So in this episode, I wanted to explore what it looks like to bring the heart back into gathering.I’m joined by Faith Kenzler, an event planner who believes hospitality is really about intention, care and connection. We talk about how to create a dinner party that feels warm rather than overwhelming, and how the smallest choices, from where someone sits to how you greet them at the door, can shift the whole atmosphere. Faith’s stories and insights offer such a grounding reminder that the most memorable moments are rarely the perfect ones, they’re the genuine ones.Topics Covered:The grounding purpose behind any meaningful gathering.How intention shapes the flow, mood, and energy of a dinner party.Staying present as a host without losing yourself in the details.Creating small moments of belonging for guests.Simple ways to infuse warmth without adding stress.How guests can contribute to connection and ease.Why imperfect moments often become the highlight of the night.Connect with Faith!Website: https://www.whimsyeventservices.comInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/whimsyeventservices Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whimsyeventservices ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Have you ever walked into a party and felt your chest tighten, or skipped an event entirely because it felt too overwhelming? Even as someone who leans more extroverted, I’ve been there, and I learned so much from this conversation. As the holiday season ramps up, so does the pressure to be on, to mingle, to make conversation that doesn’t always feel natural.In this episode, I’m joined by Coach Lee Hopkins, a social connections coach who understands the exhaustion that can come with trying to fit in. We talk about easing anxiety, using strategic vulnerability, and creating connections that feel honest instead of draining. This is a gentle, practical conversation about showing up as yourself, at your own pace.Topics Covered:What cozy living really means beyond décor or “doing more”.How our surroundings influence mood, creativity, and calm.Bringing nature, texture, and light into your home intentionally.The emotional power of scent and how it shapes atmosphere.Simple, budget-friendly shifts to create peace in your space.Why decluttering is less about getting rid of things and more about energy.Creating sitting corners as adult “timeouts” for rest and reflection.Approaching the holiday season with intention, gratitude, and joy.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, check out Coach Lee’s video called “How to be vulnerable without being overexposed.”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErCokjQaYoIIf you have 50 minutes, think of one small experiment to try in the next week. Maybe it’s saying hi to a stranger, starting a genuine conversation instead of defaulting to small talk, or practicing a little “strategic vulnerability” with someone you trust. Remember: confidence grows through competence — and every interaction is a chance to learn more about yourself.Connect with Coach Lee!Website: http://www.patternsofpossibility.com/LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/coachleehopkinsYouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@patternsofpossibilitySocial Connections Community: https://patternsofpossibility.circle.so/homepageStrategic vulnerability video: https://youtu.be/ErCokjQaYoI ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is survive. And sometimes surviving becomes the doorway to something extraordinary.In this episode, I talk with Zach Tidwell, a Marine Corps veteran who lost his sight in a suicide attempt and then rewrote the story of his life. From relearning how to navigate the world to becoming an award-winning software developer, Zach shares how he built purpose from pain, humor from heartbreak, and a vision for a more accessible world.His honesty is striking. He talks about addiction, disability, and depression without flinching. He also talks about snowboarding blind, competing in jiu-jitsu, and teaching himself to code because the systems meant to support him failed. This conversation isn’t just about resilience, it’s about possibility, design, and the quiet courage it takes to keep showing up.Topics Covered:Redefining purpose and service after military life.What it took to rebuild after losing his sight.The healing power of movement, risk, and adaptive sports.How broken systems sparked a new career in accessible tech.Why most software fails people with disabilities.Dispelling myths around suicide and mental health.The emotional weight of telling an unsanitized story.How everyday design choices can create more inclusive futures.Connect with Zach!Website: https://zachtidwell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556533676388Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachctidwell/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-tidwell-9076852ab/X: https://x.com/ZachCTidwellApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/going-in-blind-with-zach-tidwell/id1787306128Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/51IxT43v95otwaXDkyr6FW YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GIB_Pod ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

There’s something magical about this time of year when the air turns crisp and we reach for our softest sweatshirts. But cozy living isn’t about adding more; it’s about noticing more. In this episode, I’m joined by interior designer Sabine Hayes of Georgette Marise Interiors, who believes that design can bring peace, purpose, and joy to everyday life.We talk about the emotional side of home, the kind that has nothing to do with perfectly styled shelves and everything to do with how a space makes you feel. Sabine shares simple ways to transform your home into a sanctuary through scent, light, color, and gratitude. Whether your space is large or small, owned or borrowed, this episode will inspire you to soften, declutter, and savor the beauty already around you!Topics Covered:What cozy living really means beyond décor or “doing more”.How our surroundings influence mood, creativity, and calm.Bringing nature, texture, and light into your home intentionally.The emotional power of scent and how it shapes atmosphere.Simple, budget-friendly shifts to create peace in your space.Why decluttering is less about getting rid of things and more about energy.Creating sitting corners as adult “timeouts” for rest and reflection.Approaching the holiday season with intention, gratitude, and joy.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, think about ways you can create one small pocket of peace in your living space — maybe light a candle, clear a corner, assess whether there is indeed too much junk in the drawer, or simply sit and savor the quiet.If you have 50 minutes, I invite you to check out Sabine’s candle collection and eBooks. She has ebooks on designing dinner parties (which, spoiler, is a topic we are covering in a couple of weeks!), mastering organization, and elevating short-term rentals.www.georgettemarise.com/home-design-ebooksConnect with Sabine!Website: www.georgettemarise.com Candle Collection: www.georgettemarise.com/luxury-candles-collectionTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@georgettemarise Instagram: instagram.com/georgettemariseFacebook: facebook.com/georgettemarise Pinterest: pinterest.com/georgettemarise LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sghayes ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

When was the last time you truly dressed up, not to impress, but to express?This week, I'm joined by my dear friend Kristin Gredys Ihm for a conversation that’s part Halloween fun and part soulful exploration of self-expression through style. From Mickey Mouse cowboy boots to go-go boots in Catholic school, Kristin has always used clothes as a canvas for creativity and confidence. We talk about how dressing up isn’t about performance or perfection, but about permission. Permission to be bold, to play, and to connect more deeply with who we really are.Whether we’re reliving our most outrageous Halloween costumes or talking dopamine dressing and the quiet power of a great color palette, this episode is a celebration of fashion as art, joy, and identity.Topics Covered:Childhood memories of dressing up and the early spark of self-expression.Personal style as storytelling and why Kristin never wanted to look like anyone else.How clothes impact mood and energy, even on stay-at-home days.The joy and confidence boost of dopamine dressing.Halloween costumes as creative liberation (including Kristin’s unforgettable “wacky waving inflatable arm man”).Tips for adding playful, expressive touches to your daily wardrobe.The power of color analysis and small shifts in accessories.Looking in the mirror and choosing to see what makes you feel alive.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:I want to invite you to dress up for yourself. Pick one day this week to get ready like you’ve got somewhere fabulous to be, even if your only plans are coffee and your to-do list. Wear the thing that makes you smile — the bold lipstick, the statement earrings, the outfit that feels a little “too much” for an ordinary Tuesday because you deserve to feel extraordinary.And then just for fun, check out the article from VeryWell Mind that talks about dopamine dressinghttps://www.verywellmind.com/dopamine-dressing-how-to-dress-for-your-happiness-in-2022-5217231#Connect with Kristin!Instagram | Personal: https://www.instagram.com/kjgredys18/Instagram | Fashion Fits: https://www.instagram.com/kjg_creative/Check out the Retirement Roadmap course: https://theretirementroadmapacademy.com/?fpr=shawnna44 ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

We’re told retirement is a golden reward, a never-ending vacation filled with ease and leisure. But what if it doesn’t feel that way? What if the structure, the purpose, the rhythm of your days quietly vanishes, and you’re left wondering who you are without the title, the routine, the responsibilities?In this episode, I’m joined once again by Monique Rhodes, a happiness strategist and the wise guide behind the Retirement Roadmap. Together, we explore why retirement is about so much more than money and why it's often less like a holiday and more like a homecoming. We talk about the grief no one mentions, the courage to reinvent, and how to fill your days with meaning instead of just passing time.Topics Covered:The emotional and spiritual side of retirement that no one prepares you for.Why so many retirees feel invisible, restless, or unsure of who they are.How to rediscover your purpose after decades of caregiving, career, and doing.The silent grief of losing identity, structure, and daily connection.What it means to retire toward something rather than away from something.The surprising role of curiosity, creativity, and community in this life stage.Practical ways to reconnect with joy, meaning, and self-worth.Why retirement can be your most expansive and exciting chapter yet.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, check out her podcast, called In Your Right Mind which has short, digestible, daily episodes packed with actionable wisdom that you can apply to instantly upgrade your life.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-your-right-mind-with-monique-rhodes/id1084039067 If Monique’s words resonated with you and you have 50 minutes, I highly encourage you to check out her course, The Retirement Roadmap. It’s a truly transformative guide for navigating this stage of life with clarity and grace. You can find the link as well as all the ways you can interact with Monique’s work in the show notes. https://theretirementroadmapacademy.com/?fpr=shawnna44Connect with Monique!Website: https://moniquerhodes.com/Retirement Roadmap course: https://www.theretirementroadmapacademy.com/retirement-path63105932Listen to her podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-your-right-mind-with-monique-rhodes/id1084039067YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoniqueRhodesOfficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/m ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Every year that passes, I feel more permission to be fully myself. And what better way to celebrate another trip around the sun than with the person who knows me best? It’s my birthday episode, and this year I’m joined by my Canadian bestie Serena for a laughter-filled catch-up that’s equal parts meaningful and mildly ridiculous.We took a playful spin on Vogue’s 73 Questions, think less red carpet, more coffee and chaos, and covered everything from aging and authenticity to the power of theme parties and the magic of baby teeth. You’ll hear birthday reflections, stories about my Uncle Ray, and a reminder that life really is about joy, connection, and dancing when the moment calls.Topics Covered:Why birthdays feel different (and deeper) in your forties.Serena’s wild year of moving, motherhood, and milestones.The love and loss that shaped how I show up for life.My obsession with theme parties and why costumes are non-negotiable.A playful lightning round of Canada vs. USA.Pool table surprises and other sneaky competitive streaks.Why I still take five books on every trip (and read none of them).The green flags of friendship that stand the test of time.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:Whether you have five minutes to spare or 50, I want to invite you to celebrate yourself — the way you would a dear friend. Write yourself a birthday card, even if it’s not your birthday. Jot down three things you’re proud of, light a candle, and toast to the person you’ve become. Because you deserve to be seen and celebrated, too, and then just for fun, check out the 73 questions from Vogue that highlight some of your favorite personalities.https://www.vogue.com/video/series/73-questionsConnect with Serena!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_agirlandhergolden/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Some months arrive like a whisper, others like a whirlwind. Lately, I’ve been craving a little more steadiness in the swirl. So in this episode, I’m sharing five simple rituals that have become my non-negotiables; tiny anchors to bring more ease, clarity, and joy into each month.These aren’t grand gestures or expensive habits. They’re gentle practices for resetting your space, soothing your nervous system, reconnecting with what matters, and inviting a sense of playful wonder back into everyday life. Light a candle, open your calendar, and let’s make room for joy!Topics Covered:Why building a better life isn’t about overhauling everything at once.The magic of a “get your shit together” day to create order and focus.How unplugging for 24 hours can transform your nervous system.Finding wonder in your own city with a playful “tourist day”.Reconnecting with people you love without needing a reason.Embracing small adventures to build confidence and curiosity.The power of tiny rituals to spark big joy over time.An invitation to choose your own non-negotiable day and keep it sacred.Mentioned in this episode:IG post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DO58QyriXwq/?igsh=enR1OXZjNWtma2Rv______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Sometimes the smallest spark can light the way to something much bigger. When chef Tina McCard posed for a professional headshot, she didn’t just see herself; she saw a whole community of women who deserved to be seen too. That moment became the beginning of Our Table Chefs, a growing movement empowering women in food and hospitality to step into their craft with confidence and pride.In this conversation, Tina shares her journey from restaurant kitchens to luxury yachts, the lessons she’s learned in male-dominated spaces, and the joy of building something deeply collaborative. We talk about cooking with heart, finding your own flavor, and creating space at the table for every woman to be fully herself.Topics Covered:How visibility became a catalyst for community.Tina’s evolution from waitress to yacht chef and founder.The calm, clarity, and creativity women bring to kitchens.Letting go of outdated models of leadership.Cooking as a form of storytelling and self-nourishment.Why every dish (and every movement) begins in layers.The ripple effect of seeing and celebrating one another.Tina’s dream for bringing Our Table Chefs to more cities.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:Whether you have five minutes to spare or 50, I want you to think of a woman in your life who could use a boost of confidence right now. Maybe it’s a friend chasing a new dream, a colleague stepping into leadership, or even a family member who just needs to be reminded how much she matters. Find a small, simple way to build her up. Send a thoughtful text, share a memory of when she inspired you, or even just tell her what you admire most about her. Those little acts of encouragement ripple farther than we realize.Connect with Tina!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechefaquatic/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

It started with a text: “You have to have us on the podcast for National Family Day.” So, here we are. My nieces, Sarah and London, are taking over the mic for a no-holds-barred, completely unfiltered family roast.In this episode, we dive into the strange and delightful things only families understand. We unpack their wild devotion to our dad (a.k.a. Papa, a.k.a. the local heartthrob), debate the legitimacy of ketchup (is it just a tomato smoothie?), and break down the terrifying reality of crinkle cut fries.What begins as sass and hot takes ends with some real sweetness: favorite memories, what we love most about each other, and a reminder that even when families are chaotic, loud, and totally off the rails, they’re also full of love.Topics Covered:Why Papa is the unexpected star of his own fan club.The curious Gen Z mind: AI boyfriends, TikTok feuds, and digital cringe.Sports as a nerd hobby and the Olympic events that should be banned.A passionate takedown of crinkle cut fries (and a defense of curly ones).Hot take: ketchup might be a smoothie and no one is safe.Family chaos, inside jokes, and Griswold-style vacation flashbacks.A heartfelt exchange on what we admire in one another.Mentioned in this episode:Ep 59: AI Boyfriends, Valentine's Day and a Heartwarming Chat with My Momhttps://frenchkissinglife.buzzsprout.com/2279287/episodes/16597473-ep-59-ai-boyfriends-valentine-s-day-and-a-heartwarming-chat-with-my-mom ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

We’ve been drawing on cave walls longer than we’ve been talking. That little fact alone hints at just how primal and healing art can be.In this episode, I’m joined by mindful arts coach, author, and app developer Susan Day for a conversation that is full of heart, color, and quiet revelation. We explore the healing power of creativity, not as something performative or polished, but as a deeply personal and cathartic practice. Whether it's a crayon on the back of an envelope or a full-blown collage session, Susan shows us how creativity can become a gentle companion for navigating stress, anxiety, and even trauma.We talk about why you don’t need to be an artist to benefit from art therapy, what’s really happening in your body and brain when you create from the heart, and how simple rituals can help you come home to yourself. It’s a soulful and spark-filled conversation that just might inspire you to pick up a pencil or tear up a magazine page.Topics Covered:Why the process of creating matters more than the final result.How mindful art practices can soothe the nervous system.The neuroscience of creativity and why it bypasses the need for words.Collage, color, sculpture, and how each medium supports different emotions.Susan’s personal story of discovering art therapy through both grief and joy.How to use rituals to enter a creative mindset.The surprising emotional power of tearing paper or scribbling with a crayon.Why Susan developed a therapy app and how technology can support healing.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, sign up for Susan’s newsletter called the Soulful Spark. You’ll get a free art therapy activity each week, and she is generously sharing a free copy of her book, Rekindling Your Souful Spark, which is not available anywhere else.https://mindfulartstherapy.com.au/download-your-free-guide-to-healing-today/If you have 50 minutes, I invite you to check out Susan’s other brainchild, the Art Therapy App, which is an absolutely genius resource and user-friendly platform for creative expression.https://mindfulartstherapy.com.au/the-art-therapy-app/Connect with Susan!Website: https://mindfulartstherapy.com.au/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindfulartstherapy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulartstherapy/Instagram (app): https://www.instagram.com/thearttherapyre ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if you’re stuck in the thick of things, swamped, strung out, and nowhere near the finish line, this one's for you.In this solo episode, I’m sharing what it’s like to live through the messy middle. That foggy, frustrating stretch where you’ve started something, maybe a business, a healing journey, or just a new season of life, and suddenly it feels like quicksand. I open up about my own in-between: the overwork, the overwhelm, and the ridiculous list of deliverables that made me question my entire life. Not even kidding.But I also share what’s helping me find solid ground. From dance parties and dopamine deficits to teeny tiny micro-milestones, I talk through the truths I’m clinging to while I try to untangle what comes next. Because sometimes the transformation happens quietly, while you're just trying to stay afloat.Topics Covered:Why the middle of a journey feels so disorientingA brutally honest breakdown of my workload from March to JulyThe moment I realized I wasn’t just tired, I was drowningWhy long-term client contracts can be both a gift and a grindMy deep, desperate longing for an actual breakUsing music, movement, and margaritas to shift stagnant energyPractical ways to survive, and even embrace, the messy middleThe quiet, invisible magic of becoming who you’re meant to be______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Have you ever cried to a song and wondered why? Or felt completely transformed after hearing just a few chords? In this conversation with the brilliant and hilarious Molly Lord, we explore how music taps into the deepest parts of who we are.Molly is the creator of Tuned In Productions and author of Holy Dirt, a memoir about walking 500 miles across Spain’s Camino de Santiago. She shares how our playlists are shaped by the archetypes running our internal show, why a single song can shift our entire state of being, and what it means to use music as medicine.Topics Covered:What your playlist reveals about your inner world.How to use music to shift your emotional state.The surprising role of archetypes in song choice.The moment Molly realized music was more than entertainment.How music followed her, even when she tried to leave it behind.The three songs on Molly’s life soundtrack.Why transitions (like coming home from work) need their own soundtrack.What happens when we walk toward something that scares us.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50: If you have 5 minutes, and you want access to the interviews that Molly talked about gifting you during the episode, all you have to do is send an email to [email protected] and mention you heard this on my podcast, and she will send them over! If you have 50 minutes, create a playlist that you could use to switch archetypes. Think of the songs that get you out of a funk and immediately make you want to dance or bop around the kitchen. Think feel-good music that makes you smile and puts you in a lighter mood.Connect with Molly!Website: https://mollylord.com/Email: [email protected]  Buy Her Book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/holy-dirt-molly-lord/1147191074Check out the Music Pharmacy: https://mollylord.com/the-music-pharmacy/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

If your brain doesn’t thrive on traditional productivity hacks, it doesn’t mean you’re broken; it might just mean you have a spicy brain.In this conversation, I’m joined once again by Dr. Rebecca Block to explore how to work with your brain instead of against it. We talk about procrastination as emotion management, why low dopamine makes “helpful” tools harder to use, and how creativity and empathy can be powerful strengths when you let them lead.You’ll also hear practical ways to approach decision-making, motivation, and those two-minute tasks that somehow take two weeks. If you’ve ever struggled to find strategies that truly fit, this episode is full of joyful, judgment-free guidance.Topics Covered:Why traditional productivity strategies often fail neurodivergent minds.The ABCDs of motivation and how they apply to adults.How low dopamine impacts your ability to use helpful tools.The four root causes of procrastination (and what to do about each).Reframing productivity as play, experimentation, and emotional safety.Undervalued strengths like hyper-focus, empathy, and attention to detail.Why decision-making drains your energy (and how to make it easier).Fun, affirming strategies from Becca’s “Your Brain, Your Way” game.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, take this quiz from Exceptional Individuals to see if any of the traits feel like they fit how your unique brain operates. I found a couple of other quizzes that you could check out that are linked below.  https://exceptionalindividuals.com/candidates/neurodiversity-resources/neurodiversity-quizzes/If you have 50 minutes, I found an article from Care Scribe called “What does neurospicy mean?” and it has a ton of really useful information to help you dissect all of these “neuro” words that are showing up regularly in our newsfeeds.  https://carescribe.io/blog/what-does-neurospicy-mean/Connect with Rebecca!Website: http://www.beccablock.com/ and http://www.spicy-brains.com/Spicy Brains Get Stuff Done course: https://maven.com/rebecca-block-phd/spicy-brainsInstagram: https://instagram.com/spicybrainsgetstuffdoneTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@beccablock3YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@spicybrainsgetstuffdone ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

What if the recipe for joy was as simple as a smile, a little movement, and saying no to one more draining obligation? In this episode, I’m joined by Nathalie Botros, the radiant psychotherapist-turned-coach behind The Happiness Cocktail and the Bon Vivant Girl lifestyle. Her story is one of deep reinvention; from chasing happiness across countries and careers to realizing it was within her all along. We talk about the moment she stopped searching and started savoring, and how you can too.Nathalie shares the five playful, soulful ingredients to her signature happiness cocktail, and reminds us that joy isn’t something we earn, it’s something we practice. Whether you’re stuck in hustle mode or simply yearning to feel more alive, this conversation is an invitation to dance with life again.Topics Covered:How Nathalie’s international journey led to a radical reinvention of joy.The deeper meaning behind being a true bon vivant.The five ingredients of the happiness cocktail (and why they spell SMILE).Why chasing external validation keeps us stuck in unhappiness.Learning to enjoy your body before trying to change it.Replacing guilt and burnout with pleasure and purpose.Creating daily rituals of self-love and sustainable joy.The importance of saying no (even when you’re tempted to people-please).Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, I have a blog article called “Living life as a Bon Vivant”https://hillcountrybonvivant.com/living-life-as-a-bon-vivant/If you have 50 minutes, I have a podcast episode from the show, The Life of a Bon Vivant called “Being your most authentic self.”https://podcasts.apple.com/ae/podcast/season-3-episode-18-being-your-most-authentic-self/id1662290831?i=1000708045754Connect with Nathalie!Website: https://www.thebon-vivantgirl.com/Buy her book: https://www.thebon-vivantgirl.com/the-happiness-cocktailInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebon_vivantgirl/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-botros-5a4539/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/thebonvivantgirl/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChbdZ6QGfsROh1keJdCP5qQ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Sometimes the simplest tools can be the most powerful, and for me, journaling has always been one of them. In this conversation, I sit down with Pamela Byrd, who has been putting pen to paper since she was eleven years old, to talk about how writing can help us heal, grow, and truly know ourselves.Pamela shares her remarkable story, from navigating deep childhood trauma and the heartbreaking loss of her twin sister, to finding strength, clarity, and purpose through the pages of her journals. We explore the many styles of journaling, how they’ve shaped her boundaries and her work with women, and why connecting with your inner child might just change everything. This is a tender, honest, and deeply practical conversation about reclaiming your worth and writing your way toward a healthier mind.Topics Covered:Pamela’s journey from early trauma to becoming an advocate for mental health.How her sister’s passing influenced her healing path and her passion for helping others.Finding strength and clarity after her second divorce.Understanding different journaling styles, including dialogical and script journaling.Why connecting with your inner child can unlock self-awareness and healing.The link between journaling and breaking self-defeating patterns.Simple prompts to move from awareness to growth.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, I have an article from Calm called “How to journal for mental health: 7 tips to get started.”https://www.calm.com/blog/how-to-journal-for-mental-healthIf you have 50 minutes, I have a podcast episode from Pamela called “The Ultimate Guide to Journaling for Clarity and Focus”https://youtu.be/KYaCwA_8Qi0?si=rufXEw0Pb9kn45PFConnect with Pamela!Website: https://byrdseyeview.mvsite.app/ (Includes her courses)YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LetstalkboundariesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lets_talk_boundaries_podcast/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to say yes to something new, this might be it. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Anna VanAgtmael, founder of Wandering Roots, who shares how a car accident became the catalyst for a completely different kind of life. What started as a season of healing slowly turned into a life built around intention, courage, and connection.We talk about effortless adventure, how to create retreat-style moments in everyday life, and why showing up, just as you are, is its own kind of bravery. Whether you’re dreaming of a faraway trip or simply craving more joy at home, this conversation is a beautiful reminder that transformation doesn’t always need a plan. Sometimes, it just needs one small, brave yes.Topics Covered:How a car accident became the unexpected turning point of Anna’s lifeWhy adventure doesn’t need to be epic to be meaningfulThe quiet magic of doing something that scares you, just a littleThe power of being supported, without needing to prove or performWhat effortless adventure really looks likeHow to create retreat-style moments in everyday lifeLetting go of outdated definitions of success and self-worthWhy delight is not a luxury, it’s a guidepostHere are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, I have an article from OmNoire called “Retreat vs. Vacation: What’s the Difference and Which One Do You Actually Need?”https://omnoire.com/blogs/journal/retreat-vs-vacation?If you have 50 minutes, and you’re curious about what a retreat with Anna is like, check out her free DIY retreat guide (which usually costs $39!)https://freebie.yourwanderingroots.com/Anna’s 2-week email series for business owners who want to host retreats: moneymakingretreats.comConnect with Anna!Website: https://www.yourwanderingroots.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourwanderingrootsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-vanagtmael-214973b/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourwanderingroots/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

In a world that too often forgets how to play, today’s episode is your permission slip to remember. I’m joined by the radiant Melquea Smith, a Black, Queer, multi-award-winning children’s book illustrator and certified kid at heart, who also creates joyful clip art for educators, authors, and entrepreneurs.We talk about what it means to be a "certified kid at heart", how to feel wonder again, how to soften in a hardened world, and how to choose joy not as a feeling, but as an act of rebellion. Melquea’s art centers positive, joyful imagery of Black kids and Black families, especially little Black girls of all shapes, sizes, and shades. And her voice is just as vibrant as the illustrations she brings to life. Topics Covered:Why joy is a creative, rebellious act in a chaotic worldHow Melquea brings her kid-at-heart energy into daily lifeThe surprising path from drawing animals to illustrating picture booksHealing childhood gaps by drawing the representation she longed forCreative rituals for romanticizing the ordinary and staying enchantedThe emotional weight of choosing softness in hard timesWhy reconnecting with awe can shift your entire perspectiveGentle, practical ways to rediscover play and imagination as an adultHere are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have a little more than 5 minutes, I have a TedX video called “Rediscovering childlike wonder as an adult” that invites you to rediscover the magic in everyday momentshttps://youtu.be/aHsDd0ZSags?si=6JBK2zLq7kZ-54tDIf you have 50 minutes,  I have an article from The Aesthetics of Joy called “How to embrace your inner child and find more joy.” They also have a guide you can download that gives you 50 ways to find joy every day.https://aestheticsofjoy.com/embrace-your-inner-child/https://the-aesthetics-of-joy.kit.com/1af2b71031Join the monthly clipart membership, Brown Sugar Graphics! https://prettykittypaintings.com/bsgConnect with Melquea!Website: https://www.prettykittypaintings.com/Free illustrations here: https://prettykittypaintings.com/podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettykittypaintings/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

If last week’s episode was about hot takes and summer sass, this week’s is a long, slow exhale.We’re shifting into something quieter and deeper...something that touches all of us, even if we don’t often name it. In a world addicted to instant gratification and easy answers, what does it mean to stay with the discomfort? To resist the urge to fix and instead let healing unfold in its own time?I’m joined by Julian Bermudez, a therapist and guide whose work is anything but conventional. He helps people reconnect with the truth of who they are, beneath the patterns, beneath the panic, and beneath the need to perform, please, or escape. His approach is gentle and grounded, rooted in presence, curiosity, and the belief that healing isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about remembering who you’ve always been.Topics Covered:Why we crave instant gratification (and how it backfires)The seven emotional circuits that shape our livesHow early trauma wires our nervous systemThe cost of healing shortcuts and surface solutionsWhy disconnection is at the heart of traumaUsing presence and somatic awareness to healHow childhood wounds show up in adult habitsWhat real, lasting healing actually looks likeHere are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, take a quiet moment to place a hand on your heart and ask yourself: Where am I craving a quick fix right now? And what might shift if I softened into the process instead of rushing the outcome?If you have 50 minutes, I have an article from Sandstone Care called “Delayed gratification: 7 tips to teach yourself impulse control.”https://www.sandstonecare.com/blog/delayed-gratification/Connect with Julian!Website: https://www.psychedelic-integration.net/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@psycheintegrationLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julian-bermudez-ma-ccmp/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psycheintegration/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

You know how summer has a way of bringing out the most random opinions? You're either all in, outside with iced coffee and sunscreen, or you're absolutely not. And people get very passionate about their preferences. So I thought, what better way to celebrate the season than with a full-on summer hot take showdown? Naturally, I had to bring in my partner in spicy opinions, my hilarious friend Ivy Boyd.We pulled some of the wildest summer takes from Reddit and talked through each one, laughing our way through fireworks, parades, popsicles, and the very controversial question of whether ketchup belongs on a hot dog. Also, yes, you’ll hear the childhood impersonation that made me think I was either destined for podcasting or phone sex.Hot Takes Covered:Summer nostalgia: carefree freedom or endless chores?The 900-number jingle that still lives rent-free in my brainWhether ketchup is for kids and why the Hot Dog Council can chillFireworks at 3am, bottle rocket mishaps, and dog-parent guiltParades as community joy or just candy-littered chaosPopsicle shame, push-pop memories, and Ivy’s freezer stashA passionate defense of Halloween and some Thanksgiving slanderAre beach vacations soothing or just a hot, sandy scam?Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:I have three activities for you to try that are all summer-themed! And I think you can do any of them for 5 minutes, or you can commit more effort if you have more time.Create a Summer Adventure Jar: Write down different activities, and draw one each week.Storytelling Nights: Share your favorite childhood summer stories and bask in the fun of your past adventures.Discovery Days: Choose one day a week to explore a new place you’ve never been to before.Connect with Ivy!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivysavanah/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivyboydmakeup/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portraitbeautyco/Website: https://www.portraitbeauty.us/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Happiness isn't just a fleeting feeling; it’s a skill we can learn and a practice we can live. In this episode, I’m joined by Monique Rhodes, host of the “In Your Right Mind” podcast, for a warm and inspiring conversation about joy, suffering, and the inner work of becoming who you are.After traveling the world to study the habits of the happiest people, Monique discovered something beautifully simple that they all have in common. We talk about emotional reactivity, self-worth, and how choosing peace over chaos is a daily act of courage. Her story is living proof that happiness isn’t found, it’s built.Topics Covered:The one surprising trait shared by the happiest people in the worldWhy self-worth is the foundation of emotional resilienceHow a near-death experience changed Monique’s life pathWhat it really means to choose peace over reactivityThe daily practice Monique uses to check in with herselfThe shift from “what do I want to do” to “who do I want to be”Why healing begins when we meet ourselves with kindnessHow happiness is cultivated, not achievedHere are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, take the happiness quiz on Monique’s website. It will give you your happiness score and some practical ways to boost it. https://moniquerhodes.com/If you have 50 minutes, check out her podcast, called In Your Right Mind which has short, digestible, daily episodes packed with actionable wisdom that you can apply to instantly upgrade your happiness. There is a reason why Monique’s podcast has over one million downloads!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-your-right-mind-with-monique-rhodes/id1084039067Connect with Monique!Website: https://moniquerhodes.com/Listen to her podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-your-right-mind-with-monique-rhodes/id1084039067YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoniqueRhodesOfficialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/moniquerhodesofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquerhodesofficial/ ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

There are days when the world feels too loud, too fast, too much. But what if relief could be found in something as simple as your next exhale? In this episode, I’m joined by Leo Marrs, founder of America’s first breathwork studio and creator of the Ethr app, for a rich and deeply human conversation about anxiety, presence, and the quiet power of breath.Leo shares how growing up in the wilds of Alaska shaped his sensitivity to danger, and how learning to breathe (really breathe) changed his life. We talk about nervous system regulation, creativity, and how the breath helps us return to our essential selves. He even guides us through a calming breathwork practice you can try right now.Topics Covered:How growing up in Alaska shaped Leo’s relationship with fear and survivalThe nervous system’s role in anxiety and why breath is the fastest regulatorWhy breathwork is often more accessible than meditationLeo’s personal awakening and the search for presence through altered statesThe science behind the “double inhale, sigh” techniqueUsing breath to unlock creativity and access flowWhat it means to be a conscious creator in the meaning economyHow breath awareness helps us meet life with clarity and compassionHere are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, I have an article from TIME magazine called “How to start – and stick to – a breath work practice”  https://time.com/7005562/how-to-do-breathwork/If you have 50 minutes, check out Leo’s app, called Ethr, which combines precise breath sequences with advanced sonic architecture. Let me just tell you the website is so cool!https://www.ethr.one/Connect with Leo!Website: https://www.leomarrs.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LeoMarrsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leomarrs/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theleomarrs/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theleomarrs ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

What if the next version of you isn’t about becoming someone new, but finally coming home to yourself? In this episode, I’m joined by the ever-delightful Fabienne Jacquet, whose new book Champagne and Apple Pie is a fizzy and heartfelt manifesto for anyone craving a bold reinvention.From her move from France to the U.S. in the 90s to the lessons she's poured into her second book, Fabienne offers a refreshing take on starting over—not as escape, but as expansion. We talk about intuition, identity, and the unexpected beauty of asking for help. Plus, we play a little “champagne or apple pie” game that will leave you smiling.Topics Covered:Why moving abroad was an act of self-discovery for Fabienne, not escapeThe surprising role of feminine energy in personal reinventionHow intuition guided her decision to start overCreating a life formula based on joy, not just improvementThe power of cultural contrast to reveal your true selfWhy reinvention doesn’t require fixing yourselfThe human need for connection in an increasingly digital worldHow to prepare emotionally for big life changesHere are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, I have a video from Marie Forleo called “Need a life reset? Ask yourself these 5 questions”https://youtu.be/mrEUJBQCKs8?si=8AGaDYRnfMBsjlXhIf you have 50 minutes, I have a podcast episode from Brendan Burchard called “10 Questions to Reinvent Your Life”https://youtu.be/FbolW1dB8LM?si=WKbpP2PLAUchWuGKConnect with Fabienne!Website: http://www.fabiennejacquet.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabienne-jacquet/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabiennejacquet_/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innoveveLLC ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Let’s be honest, it’s easy to move through the year on autopilot. But what if we took a moment to pause, breathe, and check in with ourselves? In this episode, I’m inviting you to do just that with four simple questions to help you reflect, reset, and realign with what truly matters.Whether you’ve had a season of stretch or stillness, this is your space to get honest about how 2025 is feeling so far. No pressure to fix anything, just an invitation to come home to yourself and move forward with clarity, intention, and a little more ease.Topics Covered:Four reflective questions to reimagine your year aheadHow to shift from productivity to presenceCreating space for self-compassion and growthWhat to celebrate from the first half of the yearEvaluating what no longer aligns with your energyInjecting joy and creative spark into your daysSetting grounded intentions for the next six monthsTips to take inspired, consistent action without overwhelmMentioned in this episode:Chie Tamada mid-year check-in template: https://chietamada.com/blogs/resources/free-resource-mid-year-check-in-worksheet______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

How do you find your voice when life has left you speechless? In this beautiful and heartfelt conversation, I talk with Alisa Sieber, trauma-informed leader, writer, and radical truth-teller, about what it means to speak truth in the midst of pain. Alisa shares how her journey through heartbreak and loss led her to create sacred spaces where women can be seen, heard, and held. We talk about the power of writing, the complexity of grief, and why your voice still matters even when it shakes.This is a tender, honest reminder that beauty and sorrow can co-exist, and both deserve to be spoken.Topics Covered:Alisa’s experience of grief and how it reshaped her relationship with her voice.Why sharing your story doesn’t require perfect clarity or healing.The role of writing in processing emotion and creating meaning.How witnessing others can help you feel seen in your own story.The impact of small moments and phrases that hold deep resonance.Letting your voice evolve and deepen through life’s seasons.The beauty of holding space for women in their raw, real experiences.Why it’s okay to show up messy, scared, and still speaking.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, read this article from Motivation called “Using your struggles for personal growth.”https://vocal.media/motivation/how-to-turn-pain-into-purpose-using-your-struggles-for-personal-growthIf you have 50 minutes, I have a podcast episode from the Ed Mylett show called “Turning pain into purpose and protecting your peace with Trent Shelton”https://youtu.be/2Y6nSHK0UGY?si=wig7DHNHzTn9yE-MConnect with Alisa!Follow her writing: https://bit.ly/m/writingbyalisaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisa.sieber/Substack: https://substack.com/@alisasieberTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@writingbyalisaYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@writingbyalisa ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

What happens when you finally stop sitting on the edge of your life and decide to dive in fully? In this episode, I sit down with coach, mentor, and all-around magic-maker Katie Den Ouden, who helped guide me in the early days of stepping into my own voice and vision. We talk about what it means to skinny dip into your life, the magnetic energy of feminine leadership, and how to build a life and business that feels as good as it looks. This one is full of laughter, truth bombs, sisterhood, and a reminder that being alive, not perfect, is what changes the world.Topics Covered:The story behind Katie’s “Skinny Dip Society”.Why so many women resist owning their full selves—and how to shift that.How ambition and softness can co-exist in feminine leadership.The power of luminaries: people who light the path for what’s possible.Why we need to question the hustle culture that leaves women burnt out.Katie’s definition of a delicious life and how to create one.Audacious goals, edge-meeting, and doing the scary thing anyway.How feminine energy changes everything.Connect with Katie!Website: https://katiedenouden.com/Instagram: https://instagram.com/katiedenouden/Substack: https://katiedenouden.substack.com/B Hive: https://katiedenouden.com/b-hive ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Ever feel like something needs to change—but you don’t know where to start? In this solo episode, I’m sharing the 8 mental shifts that truly changed my life. These aren’t Pinterest quotes or coffee mug mantras. They’re lessons I’ve lived, sometimes painfully, sometimes joyfully—and they’ve shaped how I show up, love, and lead. If you’re craving more peace, more clarity, or more courage to do the thing you’re meant to do, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. Pick one shift. Try it on. Let it change you.Topics Covered:Why bringing your own energy shifts everything around you.Letting go of control and learning to protect your peace.Reframing the messiness of learning as the best part of growth.Embracing 3% shifts instead of all-or-nothing overhauls.Releasing the need for others’ approval to live more authentically.Using luminaries as mirrors to reflect your own possibility.Learning to trust your inner voice over outside opinions.Living from the belief that you are already enough—no proving required. ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

If success still feels hard—even after doing “all the right things”—this episode is for you. I’m joined by DeDee Cai, performance coach and founder of Fit to Profit, for a powerful conversation on why self-worth is the true foundation of wealth.We talk about burnout, cultural expectations, emotional healing, and how your relationship with yourself shapes your relationship with money, business, and rest. If you’re ready to stop proving and start profiting, this episode is your permission slip to do it differently.Topics Covered:Early warning signs of burnout we often ignore.How trauma and upbringing shape our sense of worth.Why hustle culture is glorified—and how to step away from it.The connection between emotional healing and abundance.How your environment impacts your beliefs about success.DeDee’s four daily non-negotiables for sustainable success.Simple steps to reconnect with your desires and self-trust.Why self-care is a business strategy, not a luxury.Connect with DeDee!Website: https://fittoprofit.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dedeecai/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fittoprofitllcLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dedeecai/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE3Ui5CzopMifGijINpAQEg ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

What happens when you hand your mom a microphone and ask her to spill the tea on your childhood? You get an episode full of love, laughter, and a few outrageous confessions! In this special Mother's Day edition, my mom is back by popular demand, and we’re reminiscing about diaper disasters, broken arms, and the infamous moment I declared my future sex life at age 13.We also play a hilarious “how well do you know each other” game and get a little sentimental about parenting, love, and what truly matters most. If you need a bonus mom today—or just want a good laugh—you’re in the right place.Topics Covered:Childhood chaos and embarrassing family storiesHonest truths about motherhood’s hardest and most rewarding partsWhy my mom might be your new favorite podcast guestThe most outrageous thing I ever said at 13Parenting before social media and opinion overloadA sweet game that reveals just how well we know each otherMy mom’s most nostalgic memories and parenting adviceWhat we hope to pass down and never forget ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]

Feeling stressed, disconnected, or just plain exhausted? In this episode, I sit down with somatic coach Ashleigh Westenhoff to talk about how tuning into your body—not your to-do list—can be the key to true healing and joy. We dive into why you can’t think your way out of stress, the real reason rest feels so uncomfortable, and simple, everyday ways to start reconnecting with yourself. If you're ready to slow down, breathe deeper, and finally feel like you're living in your own life again, this conversation is for you.Topics Covered:Why you can’t think your way out of chronic stress.How to start listening to your body in simple, everyday ways.The difference between numbing and true restorative rest.How stress shows up in the body and what to look for.How Ashleigh’s sobriety journey shaped her somatic healing work.Why nervous system regulation isn’t about being calm all the time.Practical ways to build safety and trust within your body.How nature can be a powerful tool for healing and connection.Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:If you have 5 minutes, read this article from Good Good Good called “33 ideas to celebrate Earth Day meaningfully.”https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/how-to-celebrate-earth-dayIf you have 50 minutes, I have a podcast episode from the show Across the Sky called “Earth Day: Stories of people, climate, and hope.”https://open.spotify.com/episode/5mnf2wddRTKeCJ6WDt5YUn?si=77d2d05ee10a4ef2https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/how-to-celebrate-earth-dayConnect with Ashleigh!Website: https://www.somaticsforstress.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somaticsforstress ______________________Contact French Kissing Life PodcastDM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at [email protected] Until next time, muah! ______________________French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today!Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/Email: [email protected]