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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, host Laurel Emory shares a decision she has made concerning the podcast and invites you to take a listener survey about the future of the Courage Becomes Her podcast.

Resources:

· Take the survey about the future of Courage Becomes Her

· Corey and I share what we have been going through in our marriage

· Michele talks about her new book: A Faith that Will Not Fail

· Michele and I talk about friendship and mid-life

· Erin and I talk about pivots in business

· Lisa and I talk about choosing to not launch a business

· The Mighty as a Mother podcast ladies talk about when to stop something

· Seven areas where I am being called to have courage

· Take the listener survey 😊 (by October 30th)

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Dr. Bev Wiens talks about sexual intimacy in mid-life. She shares that a satisfying sexual relationship is the result of a satisfying relationship outside of the bedroom. She educates us about the different types of sex drives and how our drives impact our sexual intimacy. She talks about the impact that perimenopause and menopause have on our sexual intimacy, and how our aging bodies can limit our sexual enjoyment. She shares, from her personal experience, about the impact that physical pain and disability have on sexual intimacy. She talks about the difficulty of enjoying sexual intimacy when we don’t feel comfortable with our bodies.

Dr. Bev Wiens has over 50 years of teaching psychology and counseling related subjects at several northern California colleges and universities. She is passionate about helping our relationships be richer and more loving and helping us to be better communicators who express gratitude to one another.

Dr. Bev would welcome to connect with you through email – bwiens@westernseminary.edu

Resources from my conversation with Dr. Bev:

· Come Away My Beloved by Frances Roberts

· Hidden Bedroom Partners by Frank Hajcak, Ph.D. & Patricia Garwood

· Replens Lubricant

· Conversation with Rhonda about self-care

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Joanna Teigen shares about major mid-life transitions, including going back to school, adopting a foster child, moving back to her home state, welcoming adult children back home, and facing unknowns in her physical health. She talks about how she has navigated these changes and how she has learned to view them as invitations to grow. She talks about the necessary trade-offs in times of transition and learning trust and humility by doing so. She talks about how she has learned more about herself and has grown in confidence about who she is because of transitions. She talks about the importance self-compassion and shares some tips for how to recover after transition.

Joanna Teigen is an author who is passionate about helping us grow strong and healthy marriages and to have wisdom in parenting. She has written a dozen books, devotions, and conversation starter cards to help us in our family life. She and her husband, Rob, have been married for more than 30 years and have five children, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, and two grandchildren. Joanna loves nothing more than to fill their West Michigan home with family, friends, church family, and students.

Joanna would love to connect with you through Instagram, Facebook, or her website where you can get a free resource that will help you with your marriage.

Resources from my conversation with Joanna:

· Books and conversation starters by Joanna

· Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss

o Read my review of this book on my 2021 book list

· Joanna and Rob’s podcast, Growing Home Together

o My conversation with them about rest

· Conversation about control in mid-life with Michele Cushatt

· Conversation with my marriage coach, Jill Savage

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Laura Tremaine talks about her experience with loneliness and going through a season without friends. She shares about how friendship does change with the seasons of life and that it is good to be forward-thinking about what we expect out of friendships both now and in the future. She encourages us to flex the muscle of putting effort into our friendships and to default to saying yes more than we say no to relationship. She talks about the value of consistency in friendships and her belief that women in mid-life do that well. She shares about the changes she is seeing in her friendships as she moves into mid-life.

Laura Tremaine is a writer, avid reader, and podcaster. She is the host of the 10 Things to Tell You podcast and author of two books. Laura grew up in Oklahoma and moved to Los Angeles sight unseen when she was 22 years old. She worked in film and television production for many years before pursuing writing full-time. Laura has been sharing her life online for over a decade, particularly focusing on friendship, anxiety, motherhood, and marriage. Her posts and podcast episodes resonate with women looking for ways to connect more deeply with others. Laura lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.

Laura would love to connect with you through Instagram, Facebook, or her website.

Resources from my conversation with Laura:

· Laura’s books: Share Your Stuff. I’ll Go First. and The Life Council

· It by Stephen King

· The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

· Bri McKoy’s book, The Cook’s Book

· Sara McDaniel of Simply Southern Cottage shares about the renovation of her historic villas

· Simply Southern Sisterhood – join by Oct 1st to be a Founding Member

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Southern lady, Rhonda Nelson, is an author, motivational speaker, and philanthropist. Her love of music led her to meet her husband while watching his band, the Little River Band, in a concert in Nashville in 1999. Rhonda loves sharing her gifts and talents with people and organizations and is grateful for the ability to support good work being done for children’s charities, cancer research, animal rescue, and women’s empowerment. She is passionate about helping women embrace middle age and discover what fulfills them and to love the life they live.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Rhonda Nelson talks about how women in mid-life are often forgotten, and their identities often get lost in the roles that they play in life like wife and mom. She talks about her journey of discovering and defining her true self apart from those roles, titles, and expectations, and finding contentment and happiness. She talks about what it looks like to take care of ourselves in this season of life and how that enables us to adapt to changes and more easily work through life’s obstacles.

Rhonda would love to connect with you through Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Rhonda:

· Conversation with Sharon Hodde Miller, Ph.D. about image management

· The Lives We Actually Have by Kate Bowler

· Good Enough by Kate Bowler

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Dawn Barton talks about being in the “sandwich generation” of parenting a teenager while also caregiving for parents. She talks about making the decision to be a multi-generational family with three generations living on one property. She shares about how her priorities have shifted in the last several years and even though there have been incredibly difficult moments, experiences, and emotions, that she doesn’t see it as a sacrifice and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Dawn Barton is an author and speaker who leads retreats for women who need encouragement about their gifts and talents and a space to process the changes of life. Despite having experienced significant loss and trauma, Dawn radiates joy and believes that sharing the hard parts of life with each other is what helps us to not feel alone. She lives with her husband, their teenage daughter, her mother-in-law, and her parents near Pensacola, Florida and is a short distance away from her adult daughter, son-in-law, and four grandchildren.

Please connect with Dawn through Instagram or her website, and for encouragement about mid-life you’re going to want to read her book, Midlife Battle Cry.

Resources from my conversation with Dawn:

· Attend one of Dawn’s retreats

· JeriLynne Clifford talks about her transition from corporate America to entrepreneur life

· Conversation with Sharon Hodde Miller, Ph.D.

· Conversation with Michele Cushatt

· Atomic Habits book by James Clear

· Spiritual Rhythm book by Mark Buchanan

· Greenlights memoir by Matthew McConaughey

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Jenny Ellis is an Enneagram 9 who loves time with her family and making and sharing beautiful pieces of art. She and her husband have a blended family of five grown children and five grandchildren. She spent her career as a high-end dressmaker and moved into the upholstery world 10 years ago and now has her artistic chairs featured in stores, restaurants, and hotels like the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Jenny Ellis talks about needing to re-invent herself in her late 50s and choosing to learn something new that was artistic, beautiful, and fun. She later realized that the heavy labor of upholstering chairs was becoming more than her body could handle and it was time to pass on her expertise to others through online courses. She talks about what it was like to find a new purpose and get excited about a new venture in what is typically seen as the retirement years.

You can take Jenny’s courses, purchase her artistic chairs, and reach out to her through Instagram or Facebook.

Resources from my conversation with Jenny:

· P.I.N.K. Creatives Retreat

· Wendy, Chair Whimsy’s Life Whimsy book

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we conclude our summer reads series with Karrie Garcia to talk about her new book, Free and Fully Alive: Reclaiming the Story of Who You Were Created to Be. Karrie talks about the value of facing the hard parts of our lives and not just leaving the past in the past but surrendering our stories to the kindness and care of God. She talks about the false freedom that is found in behavior modification and what it looks like to not just settle for relief but to find lasting freedom.

Karrie is a pastor, author, certified life coach, trauma-informed story coach, and CEO who shares her journey to inspire change in others. Despite facing struggles such as drug addiction and the suicide of her mother, Karrie emerged victorious through her faith in Jesus Christ. She is the founder of the Freedom Movement, a nonprofit that focuses on hope and healing from brokenness and pain. You can connect with Karrie through her website and Instagram.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of Free and Fully Alive, as sponsored by Zondervan, through the September 1st post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Karrie:

· Free and Fully Alive book

· Redeeming Heartache by Dan Allender & Cathy Loerzel

· Freedom Movement

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Michele Cushatt is an Enneagram 2 whose tank gets filled by hiking the Colorado Rockies. She is a wife and a mom to six, a three-time cancer survivor, and an executive coach, presentation coach, author, and speaker. Through her lived experiences, she is an expert on trauma, pain, and the deep human need for authentic connection and enduring faith.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Michele talks about friendship during hard seasons and what it’s like when your tank is empty and you’re unable to reciprocate or give to your friends. She also talks about how we make peace with mid-life when it’s not what we expected or envisioned, and how we face mid-life with hope rather than pessimism or fatalism.

Please take time to connect with Michele through her website, Instagram, and Facebook.

Resources from my conversation with Michele:

· A Faith That Will Not Fail by Michele Cushatt

· Undone by Michele Cushatt

· Walking with God through Pain and Suffering by Tim Keller

· Abba’s Child by Brennan Manning

· Lectio 365 app

· BEMA podcast

· July conversation with Michele

· Conversation with my husband, Corey

· Conversation with Sharon Hodde Miller

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we continue our summer reads series with Ashley Elliott to talk about her new book, I Used to Be ______: How to Navigate Large and Small Losses in Life and Find Your Path Forward. Ashley helps us courageously process our losses when we enter the realm of what “used to be.” She talks about what it looks like to grieve, the downsides of unprocessed grief, and how feelings like anger are signals of grief. She points us to positive coping mechanisms and how we can neutralize the things that trigger grief within us.

Ashley and her husband, Chuck, co-wrote the book sharing their personal experiences of loss. They are content creators who have partnered with YouVersion and RightNow Media and have served as advisory board members for the AACC’s International Christian Coaching Association. Frequent speakers and popular workshop leaders, their numerous certifications in psychoeducational programs equip them to help others build relational success. Ashley is a licensed counselor and educator, and Chuck is a pastor. You can connect with them at chuckandashley.com or on Instagram.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of I Used to Be _____, as sponsored by Baker Publishing Group, through the August 25th post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Ashley:

· I Used to Be ______ book

· Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant

· Two excellent versions of The Bible:

o The Message and The Life with God Bible

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Kate Milford is an Enneagram 4 who values community above all else. Kate is a travel and lifestyle photographer who travels the world capturing epic imagery for her clients and their businesses and brands. A native Floridian, Kate currently calls Denver, Colorado home but can most often be found camping and hiking in the mountains with friends or trekking the globe in search of the perfect lighting and backdrop for her latest brand production.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Kate talks about her intentionality about making community a priority and taking friendships seriously. She talks about how she’s struggled with finding balance between managing a growing business, spending time with friends, and taking care of herself. She also talks about our deep need to be seen and known, and how belonging is found through ditching our phones, having shared experiences, and doing life in-person.

Resources from my conversation with Kate:

· You are a Badass by Jen Sincero

· You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero

· You are a Badass Every Day by Jen Sincero

· Kate’s Reel about Her Friends that went Viral

· Cultivating Community with Jenn Cohen & Laura Demuth

· The Branding Business School

Please connect with Kate through her Instagram and her website.

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we continue our summer reads series with Shauna Pilgreen to talk about her new book, Translating Jesus: How to Share Your Faith in Language Today’s Culture Can Understand. Shauna shares how to share the love and goodness of Jesus with others by noticing people, being curious, paying attention, being humble, listening well, getting out of our comfort zones, sharing our stories, and praying. She talks about how all people are significant and loved by Jesus, and though there might be some who don’t want Jesus in their life, more do than we realize.

Shauna Pilgreen, along with her husband, Ben, coleads Epic Church, a multiethnic congregation in the heart of San Francisco. She serves on the teaching team at Epic and as a network director for Alpha USA. She writes for "everyday evangelists" on her blog and website. Please take the time to connect with her through Instagram or Facebook.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of Translating Jesus, as sponsored by Baker Publishing Group, through the August 18th post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Shauna:

· Shauna’s books:

o Translating Jesus

o Love Where You Live

· The Watchmaker’s Daughter by Larry Loftis

· Alpha – Conversations about Faith, Life, and God

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Sharon Hodde Miller is an Enneagram 7, wife of 14 years, mom of three kids, and the author of three books. She has a Master of Divinity and a Ph.D. in Educational Studies. She and her husband founded Bright City Church in the Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina in 2018 and co-pastor the church together. Sharon is a passionate teacher about faith, culture, and the Bible.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Sharon talks about the revelation that came to her about self-preoccupation in friendship and how we can reframe rejection in friendship by seeing the woundedness of the other person. She also talks about how self-righteousness and shame contribute to isolation and loneliness in friendship. She shares about friendship that is safe and consistent.

Resources from my conversation with Sharon:

· Sharon’s Books:

o Nice

o Free of Me

o The Cost of Control

· Losing our Religion by Russell Moore

· The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Tim Keller

· The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen

· Sharon Interviews Beth Moore

· Sharon is Interviewed by Carey Nieuwhof

· Sharon is Interviewed by Annie F. Downs

· When Narcissism Comes to Church by Chuck DeGroat

· Podcast Episodes with Chuck DeGroat about Narcissism

o Carey Nieuwhof

o Saved by the City

Please connect with Sharon through her Instagram and her website.

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we continue our summer reads series with Amanda Held Opelt to talk about her new book, Holy Unhappiness: God, Goodness, and the Myth of the Blessed Life. Amanda talks about how disappointment, restlessness, and the feeling that life had let her down led her to realize that she thought she was entitled to happiness. An opponent of the health and wealth prosperity gospel, Amanda came to see that she was believing a similar ideology about happiness, that since she had done “all the right things” that God would grant her emotional prosperity and a blessed life.

Amanda Held Opelt is a speaker, songwriter, and author of two books, A Hole in the World: Finding Hope in Rituals of Grief and Healing and Holy Unhappiness. She believes in the power of faith, community, ritual, worship, and shared stories to heal even our deepest wounds. Amanda has spent the last 15 years in the non-profit and humanitarian aid sectors. She lives in the mountains of Boone, North Carolina with her husband and young two daughters. Please take the time to connect with her through Instagram or her website.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of Holy Unhappiness, as sponsored by Worthy Publishing, through the August 11th post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Amanda:

· Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

· The Evangelical Imagination by Karen Swallow Prior

· You are Not Your Own by Alan Noble

· Strange Rites by Tara Isabella Burton

· Self-Made by Tara Isabella Burton

· Amanda’s books:

o A Hole in the World

o Holy Unhappiness

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Sherry Hougard is a lifelong California beach gal. She has been married for 30 years and has three adult children. She has spent the last 20 years helping women learn to tell their stories and find beauty in whatever season they are in, including the mundane moments.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Sherry talks about transparency and vulnerability in friendship and being a part of each other’s lives during different seasons, and how to know when to let a friendship end. She also talks about bearing each other’s burdens in friendship and what it looks like to be a good friend by stepping out of self-preservation and self-focus. She shares about her journey of finding friendship with God through risk-taking and conquering mountains.

Resources from my conversation with Sherry:

· Two excellent versions of The Bible:

o The Message and The Life with God Bible

Please connect with Sherry through her Instagram – she welcomes your DM.

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we continue our summer reads series with Dr. Michelle Bengtson to talk about her new book, The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms. Dr. Michelle talks about her realization that she needed to share her story about physical pain that left her bedridden and depressed. She shares about the types of pain, including the pain caused by well-intentioned people. She talks about ideas and thoughts that can be harmful to our healing, and the importance of building new neural pathways constructed from healthy thoughts.

Dr. Michelle Bengtson is an international speaker, a national and international media resource on mental health, and the bestselling, award-winning author of Hope Prevails, the Hope Prevails Bible Study, Today Is Going to Be a Good Day, and Breaking Anxiety's Grip. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Your Hope-Filled Perspective. A board-certified clinical neuropsychologist in private practice for more than twenty years, Dr. Bengtson blogs regularly and offers a wide variety of resources on her website. Please take the time to connect with her through Instagram or Facebook.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of The Hem of His Garment, as sponsored by Baker Publishing Group, through the August 4th post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Dr. Michelle:

• Dr. Michelle’s books:
• The Hem of His Garment
• Hope Prevails
• Hope Prevails Bible Study
• Today is Going to Be a Good Day

• Breaking Anxiety’s Grip

• Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge

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Jenn Cohen and Laura Demuth are the hosts of Mighty as a Mother podcast. Both Jenn and Laura are former New Yorkers who live in Southern California. They are both millennial moms of toddlers as well as busy corporate executives in healthcare technology companies. They started their podcast with the goal of helping moms, especially moms who work outside the home, to not feel alone.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Jenn and Laura talk about long-distance friendships and making new friends after relocating across the country. They share their insights for how they have kept friends after moving thousands of miles away and how they made friends in their new communities. They also share about how their friendship began because of an online work-related conference.

Resources from my conversation with Jenn & Laura:

• Mighty as a Mother Podcast
• Friendship Episode

• Learn More about Jenn and Laura

• Jenn’s Novel, Falling Forward

• The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
• Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
• Fair Play by Eve Rodsky
• To Have and To Hold by Molly Millwood, Ph.D.
• Screaming on the Inside by Jessica Grose
• The Five Love Languages by Gary Thomas
• The Road Back to You (about Enneagram) by Ian Morgan Cron

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we continue our summer reads series with Michele Cushatt to talk about her new book, A Faith That Will Not Fail: 10 Practices to Build Up Your Faith When Your World is Falling Apart. Michele shares openly about 30 years of unrelenting suffering and consistent losses, and how she has not grown bitter or run from her faith. She talks about our need to acknowledge that pain is a normal part of life and that it is possible to grow through pain. She talks about the value of living healthy practices and disciplines, while also recognizing that those efforts won’t prevent pain but will help us in our pain.

An experienced communicator, Michele Cushatt speaks internationally to a wide variety of audiences and has published three previous books. A Faith That Will Not Fail is her fourth book. A three-time head and neck cancer survivor and parent of “children from hard places,” Michele is a (reluctant) expert in trauma, pain, and the deep human need for authentic connection and enduring faith. She and her husband, Troy, share a blended family of six children, including biological children, stepchildren, and foster-adopt children. They live on eight acres outside of Denver, Colorado.

Please take time to connect with Michele through her website, Instagram, and Facebook.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of A Faith That Will Not Fail through the July 28th post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Michele:

• Michele’s book, A Faith That Will Not Fail
• Walking with God through Pain and Suffering by Tim Keller

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Nancy Elmore, a native Californian, lives part of the year in Southern Central Texas and part of the year on California’s Central Coast, with her husband of 50 years, Don. Since her retirement from her job as a hospital nurse executive in 2002, Nancy has worked enthusiastically to provide educational scholarships for women and veterans. Family and friends are the focal point of Nancy’s life – when she and Don aren’t with their great-grandchildren and greater family, they’re living life with friends, new and old.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Nancy talks about friendship. She shares about what it is like to have lifelong friendships, including with her siblings and the intentionality that is a part of that. She also talks about why she prays for friends and how she doesn’t see it as a burden but as a calling and a blessing. She shares about what it’s like to make new friends later in life and starting a non-profit organization with long-time friends.

Resources from my conversation with Nancy:

• The Five Love Languages by Gary Thomas
• The Road Back to You (about Enneagram) by Ian Morgan Cron
• The Handbook to Spiritual Growth by Kenneth Boa
• Degrees of Skill Non-Profit Organization - You are welcome to email Nancy – nancy@degreesofskill.org

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we continue our summer reads series with Sue Detweiler to talk about her new book, Healing Rain: Immersing Yourself in Christ’s Love to Find Wholeness of Mind, Body, and Heart. Sue talks about her experiences of being healed from chronic pain and sickness. She talks about several strategies for healing and wholeness and talks about how self-pity is destructive to our ability to heal. She calls us to have courage to believe that we too can receive healing physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Sue Detweiler is a global prophetic speaker, revivalist, author, and host of the Healing Rain podcast, listened to in 135 nations. Sue is ordained with The Foursquare Church and is frequently featured in Charisma magazine, Christian Television Network, Cornerstone Television Network, and KCBI in Dallas. She holds a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt University and is pursuing her doctorate with Global Theological Seminary. Sue serves as the executive director of Life Bridge Global and lives with her husband, Wayne, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They are parents of six and grandparents of eight.

Please take time to connect with Sue through her website, Instagram, and Facebook.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of Healing Rain, as sponsored by Baker Publishing Group, through the July 21st post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Sue:

• Sue’s book, Healing Rain
• Humility by Andrew Murray
• Prayer by Andrew Murray
• The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
• The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee

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Diane Ward is a lifelong California beach gal. She is Mom to four and Grandma to 10 and loves every minute that she gets with her family. Diane has had a lifetime passion for clothes and has been helping women look and feel their best since the 1960s, including the last 18 years as a fashion stylist with cabi. She has served and advocated for the children of San Luis Obispo County as a school board member since 1989, and has volunteered for multiple other worthy causes, most recently as a Chaplain for a Tenet Health hospital.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Diane talks about what it takes to literally make friendships last a lifetime. Diane has nurtured and cherished friendships since elementary school and doesn’t go through a single day without communicating with her friends. She talks about what being a friend looks like in the sorrows and heartaches of life, and how she has made and kept friends with differing perspectives and beliefs on hot topics like politics and faith. She also shares how she has endeavored to prioritize friendships over work.

Resources from my conversation with Diane:

· The Five Love Languages by Gary Thomas

· The Road Back to You (about Enneagram) by Ian Morgan Cron

· The Bible Project podcast

· Tim Keller / Gospel in Life podcast

· Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

· Shop cabi

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we continue our summer reads series with Brandi Wilson to talk about her new book, Better than Okay: Finding Hope and Healing After Your Marriage Ends. Brandi talks about how she navigated things one day at a time, including the days when she could barely get out of bed. She also talks about what self-care looked like for her and how she leaned on her support system when she was tempted to isolate. She also talks about the process of healing and the pain of loneliness, and the importance of therapy and counseling, and how she wouldn’t change where she is today.

Brandi Wilson is an author, coach, and speaker who has been in leadership for more than a decade at Leading and Loving It, a non-profit created to empower women to love life and ministry. Brandi has helped plant two churches and is passionate about walking alongside single moms and divorced women as they navigate parenting and life. Brandi lives with her three sons in Franklin, TN.

Please take time to connect with Brandi through her website and Instagram.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of Better than Okay, as sponsored by Baker Publishing Group, through the July 14th post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Brandi:

• Brandi’s book, Better than Okay
• Inner Voice of Love by Henri Nouwen

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Instead of waiting for the end of the year to talk about my favorite books, I decided, for this episode of Courage Becomes Her, to share the best books I read in the first half of 2023.

I talk about the memoirs, self-care, soul-care, and personal growth books that have been life-giving to me this year. I also share about some of the changes in my reading practices, why I read the genres that I do, why I don’t read fiction, and how I choose what to read.

Here is my reading list for the first half of 2023 (with the 7 best noted with **):

· Book 1: Good and Beautiful and Kind by Rich Villodas

· Book 2: The 40-Day Feast by Wendy Speake

· Book 3: Martin Luther by Eric Metaxas

· Book 4: A Prayer Journal by Flannery O’Connor

· Book 5: What Your Mind Needs for Anxious Moments by Holley Gerth **

· Book 6: Women Who Risk by Tom and Joann Doyle

· Book 7: Judges for You by Tim Keller

· Book 8: The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak by Shannon Bream

· Book 9: The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates

· Book 10: All My Knotted-Up Life by Beth Moore **

· Book 11: The 40-Day Sugar Fast by Wendy Speake

· Book 12: Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill by Sonia Purnell

· Book 13: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom **

· Book 14: What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days by Holley Gerth

· Book 15: Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh **

· Book 16: Life Whimsy by Wendy Conklin

· Book 17: Free of Me by Sharon Hodde Miller **

· Book 18: The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Tim Keller **

· Book 19: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy **

· Book 20: Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant

· Book 21: Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II by Daniel James Brown

· Book 22: Stuff I’d Only Tell God by Jennifer Dukes Lee

· Book 23: Relentless Joy by Rachel Joy Baribeau

· Book 24: Soul-Deep Beauty by Melissa L. Johnson

Don’t miss episode 19 from January 17 where I share about my practice, habit, and discipline of reading, including why I read, what I read, when I read, and where I read.

Here are the best books I read in 2022:

· Scary Close by Donald Miller

· Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

· So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore

· The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

· I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet by Shauna Niequist

· Encounters with Jesus by Tim Keller

· What If It’s Wonderful? by Nicole Zasowski

· Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller

And here is my entire 2022 Reading List.

You can always find my reading lists from previous years here.

And the books that literally transformed my life are here.

Let's Be Email Friends

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we continue our summer reads series with Ally Henny to talk about her new book, I Won’t Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You. Ally talks about her journey of being silenced, as both a child and an adult, and trying to find her voice. She shares about her experiences with racist and toxic leadership, and the tipping point of realizing that she could assert her voice and speak out against racism. She shares how we can contribute in a meaningful way to liberation from racism by actively listening to the experiences of Black people, even when it challenges us or creates discomfort.

Ally Henny is a writer, speaker, advocate-minister, and vice president of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective, an organization committed to encouraging, engaging, and empowering Black Christians toward liberation from racism. She completed her MDiv from Fuller Seminary with an emphasis in race, cultural identity, and reconciliation, and she hopes to lead a church someday. Ally has been leading conversations about race on her social media and blog, The Armchair Commentary, since 2014, and her posts reach millions each month. She is a proud Chicago Southsider.

Please take time to connect with Ally through her website, Instagram, and Facebook.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of I Won’t Shut Up, as sponsored by Baker Publishing Group, through the July 7th post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Ally:

• Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement by Barbara Ransby

• Ally’s book, I Won’t Shut Up

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Laurel Emory talks about her birthday traditions and the outcome of one of her traditions being the recognition that she is being called to have courage in seven specific ways and areas.

Resources:

* Degrees of Skill non-profit organization

• Annette talks about creative play

• Christina talks about becoming a full-time artist

  • Ashley talks about life transitions
  • Melissa talks about assuming what God thought about her
  • What to do when you’re triggered by the stories of others
  • Laura cautions about losing ourselves to grief

  • Jill talks about owning fault in marriage

  • Corey and I talk about hiding and getting defensive

  • Gina talks about letting go of dreams
  • Elizabeth talks about seeing life as an adventure
  • Jodie talks about trusting God through transition
  • Nicole talks about reframing expectations and celebration

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we continue our summer reads series with Melissa Johnson to talk about her new book, Soul-Deep Beauty: Fighting for Our True Worth in a World Demanding Flawless. Melissa talks about her journey through an eating disorder and body shaming as a 30-something-year-old. She talks about how our culture is breeding toxicity by tying a woman’s value and worth to her body and its thinness. She talks about the biggest contributors to her eating disorder and what helped her to change the narrative and focus on the eternal view of beauty. She wants to help us create safe spaces filled with grace where we authentically love ourselves and each other.

Melissa Johnson is a marriage and family therapist, as well as a spiritual director. She also teaches an undergraduate course at Bethel University on soul wellbeing. Melissa is the founder of Impossible Beauty, a blog and podcast dedicated to redefining beauty as “the life of God at work in us and among us.” Melissa lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband.

Please take time to connect with Melissa through her website, Instagram, and Facebook, and take a listen to her Impossible Beauty podcast.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of Soul-Deep Beauty, as sponsored by Baker Publishing Group, through the June 30th post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Melissa:

• Waking the Dead by John Eldredge
• Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison
• Melissa’s book, Soul-Deep Beauty

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Sara McDaniel is a Louisiana gal who loves kayaking on the bayou and traveling both near and far. She is a former public-school teacher who left teaching to sell education curriculum. In 2016 she turned her sights to her dream from 4th grade and began restoring a broken down and forgotten 1926 Louisiana cottage. Little did she know that her yellow front door would be showcased by Better Homes & Gardens, catapulting her into the social media limelight – resulting in her also being featured by Southern Living, Country Living, Cottages & Bungalows, and American Farmhouse Style, and having partnerships with Martha Stewart, HGTV, Orian Rugs, Macys, Rodan & Fields, and many more.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Sara talks about her restoration of The Villas at Spanish Court, an 8-room historic building built in 1931 that was abandoned in the 1980s and left to rot. The renovation was named as the 2022 Project House for Cottages & Bungalows Magazine and gained national media attention because of Sara’s decision to restore a building that most other people would have demolished.

I know you’re asking yourself why I’m having someone with a couple hundred thousand followers on the podcast when I committed to having Courage Becomes Her be about women we can relate to, women who are experiencing life just like you and I are. And that’s exactly, why – Sara is a normal Southern gal; she never sought or asked for the influence that has come her way. In 2015 when she and I started working together, she was simply a girl with a dream and a willingness to work hard.

Sharing her story is important because you all have dreams, just like I do, just like Sara did and still does, and I want us to be inspired by her faithfulness to her dream and her courage to chase after it. Though her story may have a little more polish than yours or mine, I can tell you from years spent with her that I deeply desire to have her humility, her bravery, and her gumption.

Resources from my conversation with Sara:

• The Five Love Languages by Gary Thomas
• The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau
• The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
• Sara’s Website
• Sara’s Story about Her Divorce
• The Renovation of Sara’s Cottage
• How Sara Got Started in Real Estate and Some Tips For How You Can Too
• HGTV Episode featuring Minden, Louisiana
• Cottages and Bungalows Magazine
• American Farmhouse Style Magazine

Book your visit at The Villas at Spanish Court or Sara’s other properties through Mindenstays.com – she would love to welcome you.

Join Sara on Instagram or Facebook for updates about The Villas and The Creekside Apartments and her other projects.

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we continue our summer reads series with Rachel Joy Baribeau to talk about her new book, Relentless Joy: Finding Freedom, Passion, and Happiness (Even When You Have to Fight for It). Rachel talks about her journey out of drug addiction, domestic violence, abuse, and depression, and how God has turned her mess into a message. Rachel is on a mission to help us grow through our pain, find joy, and use our experiences to speak love and life to others.

Rachel Joy Baribeau is a Moth award-winning storyteller, an inspirational speaker, a highly sought-after teacher, a national movement maker, and a former ceiling-shattering national sportscaster. She received her bachelor's in Radio, Television and Film from Auburn University, and is the host of the Joystarters podcast. When she is not traveling to speak or teach, Rachel adores naps, dancing in her kitchen, museums and history, and trying to spread joy on a daily basis. Of all the titles she goes by, she loves wife and bonus mom the most. She lives in Florida with her family and fur-children.

Please take time to connect with Rachel through her website, Instagram, and Facebook.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of Relentless Joy, as sponsored by Baker Publishing Group, through the June 23rd post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Rachel:

• The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers (an Oprah’s Book Club Selection)
• The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino
• Rachel’s book, Relentless Joy

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Mom to 4 children (ages 18, 15, 13, and 11) and Chief Legal Officer and Chief Culture Officer for ChenMed, Stephanie Chen, Esq., shares her wisdom and insights for navigating the tender transition of sending your child off to college, especially with still having 3 children at home.

Stephanie and I talk about some fabulous resources and tools:

· The Road Back to You

· All the Light We Cannot See

· Where the Crawdads Sing

· Memoirs of a Geisha

· To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – book and show

· BeReal app

· Digital Message Board to Display Texts

· Figure out your love language by getting this book

· The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

Want to talk about life as a mom sending your kiddo off to college? Email Stephanie at steph@chenmed.com

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, we kick-off our summer reads series with Jennifer Dukes Lee to talk about her new book, Stuff I’d Only Tell God: A Guided Journal of Courageous Honesty, Obsessive Truth-Telling, and Beautifully Ruthless Self-Discovery. Jennifer talks about curiosity, the value of reflection, introspection, and journaling, and becoming comfortable with being honest and authentic (even in the face of criticism). Jennifer talks openly about her skepticism about Christianity and how her practices of journaling and asking God hard questions helped her wrestle through her doubts. She talks about how we grow by being honest with God.

Jennifer Dukes Lee is a bestselling author, thinker, and question-asker from Iowa. Her friends say they are scared to sit alone in a room with her because they end up telling her things they never intended to say. She is both proud of this fact and also a little annoyed at how nosy she can be. She put a bunch of her favorite questions into this new book, Stuff I’d Only Tell God. She’s also the author of Growing Slow and It’s All Under Control.

Please take time to connect with Jennifer through her website, Instagram, and Facebook.

Resources from my conversation with Jennifer:

· The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

· One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

· Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller

· Cornell Merlin Bird ID App

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Francesca Vittoria talks about being single. She shares about how she was so focused on making her parents proud by taking advantage of the access she had to an education and developing her career that she hadn’t been concerned with being in a relationship or getting married. But then friends started asking her why she didn’t have a man in her life and that led to shame, insecurities, and a season of discontentment and comparison. When complaining to a friend about being single, her friend challenged her to shift her perspective and to see her singleness as a blessing. She shares about her journey of accepting herself and her life and finding joy by seeing and appreciating the impact she’s able to have as a single woman.

Francesca’s parents immigrated to the United States to provide a life for Francesca and her sister that they would not have had in Italy. Francesca is a lifelong southern Florida gal who travels all over the east coast for her work as a regional Human Resources leader for a billion-dollar senior living organization. In addition to her busy corporate life, she is working toward a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership and Human Resource Development. In any spare time, she can be found doing yoga or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or relaxing with her dad and sister.

Resources from my conversation with Francesca:

· It Was Me All Along by Andie Mitchell about her journey of self-acceptance and overcoming food addiction

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Corey Emory talks about insecurity in husbands – what it looks like, how to identify it, what’s at the root of it, and what triggers it. He shares encouragement to wives whose husbands are not openly sharing about their insecurities and helps women to identify how they can be supportive of their husbands while also reminding women that it’s not their responsibility to try and rescue or fix their husbands. He shares candidly from personal experience with the desire to bring hope to those who are in the messy middle of insecurity within marriage.

Corey was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. When he was ten years old, he was put in an orphanage and spent five years living in orphanages, group homes, and foster homes. At 15, he and his twin brother ran away and spent three years living in a station wagon with their father, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia in the 1970s. In his mid 30s, Corey was diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Despite all of this, Corey has gone on to become a published author and writer, and is currently working on his 2nd literary fiction novel. He and his wife, Laurel, have been married for almost 22 years. He is happiest when they’re having a philosophical conversation about theology and art, relaxing together with their cats, or playing a game of sardines with their nieces and nephews.

Resources from my conversation with Corey:

· Corey’s first novel, Concerning the Dust

· The books that have impacted Corey’s life the most

o Less than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis

o Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton

· The books that have been most helpful to Corey as he’s worked through insecurity

o Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller

o Faithful Feelings by Matthew Elliott

o The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller

· Corey’s favorite modern painters

o Mike Carson

o Ruth Brownlee

· Corey’s website

· Laurel’s conversation with Marriage Coach, Jill Savage

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Laura Tassan talks about the stillbirth of her son, laboring through his delivery even though his heart was no longer beating, and the experience of living through devastating loss and how their faith carried them through it. She shares about her and her husband’s resolve to not allow their loss to tear them apart, and how they were intentional about focusing on their marriage especially through the initial trauma and grief. She talks about steps they have taken to honor their marriage and each other and how they make space and give grace for each other’s grief and emotions. She tells us how they knew that it was time to try again, and the welcoming of their newborn daughter just days before the first anniversary of their son’s passing.

Laura is a North Carolina country gal who spent over a decade in Georgia including her college days at Berry College. She has been with Chick-fil-A for 15 years and is the Owner/Operator of a restaurant on the west side of Winston-Salem where she dedicates her time to helping her team members grow and develop. She and her husband, Nick, have been married for three years, and enjoy making and eating a good meal with homegrown food and watching sunsets from their porch.

Laura welcomes you to connect with her through Instagram or Facebook Messenger.

Resources from my conversation with Laura:

· Jesus of My Grief by Kate Kelty

· Mindset by Carol Dweck, Ph.D.

· Laurel’s favorite books on grief and loss:

o Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant

o And Still She Laughs by Kate Merrick

o Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala

· WinShape Marriage Retreats

· The Hideaway Marriage Intensives

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Charla Anthony talks about her husband’s early onset dementia at 59 years old and her journey as his caregiver for over 11 years. She talks about how they became aware of his illness and the sudden shift it created in their lives. She talks about the financial impact as they were both still working and needed income. She talks about the team of people that supported them, and how she allowed herself to receive help. She talks about how she attempted to take care of herself and continue in her career while managing the daily caregiving for her husband.

Charla is a 5th generation Central Texas gal, with her family having settled in the Bryan/College Station area over 200 years ago. She is a faithful A&M Aggie. Charla has been a gardener for six decades and has proudly served her community as a professional horticulturist, plant consultant, columnist, and Master Gardener instructor. She brings her expertise about gardening in zone 8b to us through her Instagram, YouTube, and blogs on her website. When she’s not in her garden, she loves spending time with her two granddaughters and their mom and dad, gathering with friends for Bible study, and traveling to see gardens and landscapes.

Please connect with Charla through her Instagram, her website, and sign-up for her blog where she shares gardening insights and tips.

Resources from my conversation with Charla:

· Enneagram Coach, Kathy Reiter - https://zoe-life.net/

· The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

· Baylor’s Alzheimer Disease Center

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Gina Adams talks about how she accepted a marriage proposal from a work colleague when they hadn’t even been dating. She talks about how she had been praying about what she desired in her future husband and that when she was proposed to that it was instantly clear to her to say yes. Even though it meant giving up some of her career dreams, there was no doubt that she was making the right decision. Looking back now, after being married for 31 years, she says that God’s plans were better than her plans, and life is so much better than she ever imagined.

Although she has called Georgia home for 30 years, Gina is an Alabama gal who should be the head coach of Auburn’s football team. She daily conquers the NY Times Crossword Puzzle and has been featured in Georgia magazines for her holiday home décor. Gina and her husband, Jason, have two adult sons and three dogs, and operate a Chick-fil-A restaurant in the Augusta, Georgia area. When they’re not at the restaurant, you can find them at DisneyWorld, on a cruise, watching an Auburn game, or enjoying fellowship and a good meal with friends or their boys.

Gina welcomes you to connect with her via email – jgjadam3@aol.com.

Resources from my conversation with Gina:

· Swig Tumblers and Mugs

· Men are Like Waffles and Women are Like Spaghetti by Bill & Pam Farrel

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Jill Savage talks about being betrayed by her husband through his affair with another woman. She shares about what led to her husband’s affair, the pain and heartache of his rejection, and how it brought her to a place of seeing where she needed to grow and work to rebuild his trust in her. She tells how she took care of herself by accepting help, getting counseling, and sharing with her friends closest to her. She talks about how she believed that a miracle could happen and eventually did.

Jill is an Enneagram 1 who grew up in Indiana and has called Illinois home for 35 years. She and her husband, Mark, have been married for over 40 years and have five adult children and eight grandchildren. They have been in work ministering to families for years and are marriage and relationship coaches who offer intensive retreats for married couples who are struggling. They bring their experiences of brokenness to help other couples heal and grow.

Jill welcomes you to reach out to her and connect with her through Instagram or her website.

Resources from my conversation with Jill:

· Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (Look at how many reviews it has AND it’s been turned into a movie!)

· Jill and Mark’s book – No More Perfect Marriages

· Jill and Mark’s podcast conversations with Growing Home Together and The Unfolding

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Shannon Eckmann talks about becoming a widow at 31 years old and how she wasn’t interested in or ready for dating for a handful of years. She shares about how a friend suggested she consider dating and how and why she felt panicky about it. She also shares about what it’s like to be a young widow and unhappy in our culture and how to handle the low capacity of others. She then shares about the joy that has come for her through remarrying.

Shannon is an Enneagram 8 who grew up in Canada but has called Portland, Oregon home for over 20 years. She is an executive coach with Building Champions and has spent the bulk of her career helping people learn and grow. Whether traveling, going to a concert or a Portland Timbers soccer match, or just sitting on their deck, Shannon loves spending time with her husband, Matt and stepdaughter, Coco.

Shannon welcomes you to reach out to her and connect with her. Please do so through LinkedIn, referencing the podcast.

Resources from my conversation with Shannon:

· Becoming by Michelle Obama

· The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama

· Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown

· Bittersweet by Susan Cain

· Conversation with Heidi Hayes about nutrition in middle age

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Leslie Best talks about the death of her husband before their first wedding anniversary. She shares about how she moved into crisis response mode and how that was both a helpful and unhelpful strategy and distraction, how she tried to take care of herself, and how she acknowledged, honored, and celebrated the milestones. She talks about how she could have done a better job of asking for help, but also needed to experience some aspects of her grief journey by herself. She also shares about how this season has birthed new adventures that she never expected.

Leslie is a Midwesterner who has lived on both the east and west coasts, as well as internationally, and has found herself back in the Midwest in the last couple of years. She is a very successful engineer and corporate executive, with over 20 years at General Motors and another 10 years at leading engineering organizations. Leslie is a wise, strong, and courageous woman who loves traveling and being with family and friends, and has more recently embraced quietness and slowness in life.

Leslie welcomes you to reach out to her and connect with her. Please do so through LinkedIn, referencing the podcast.

Resources from my conversation with Leslie:

· SmartNews

· Smart Brevity book

· 5 Temptations of a CEO book

· How We Heal book

· The Body Keeps the Score book

· Laurel’s favorite books on grief and loss:

o Option B book

o And Still She Laughs book

o Wave book

· Conversation with Nicole Zasowski

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Reena Philpot shares about how she felt when she went to work for the same company as her husband, and then their transition to starting their own business when they had two small sons. She talks about how she and Earl determined their roles both for the business as well as for home. She shares about her love for vision boarding and goal setting, and how her personal successes helped create buy-in from Earl to start dreaming and setting goals together as a couple. Reena shares about their most recent adventure of buying a fixer upper farmhouse.

Reena is a lifelong Kentucky gal. She and her husband, Earl, have been married for over 30 years and have two adult sons. They have owned their business for 20 years. When they’re not helping clients, they can be found camping, relaxing on the porch, or spending time with their family. Reena loves going to estate sales and thrifting and finds joy through discovering treasures that she can bring to life through decorating and styling.

Reena would love to vision board with you! Reach out to her through her Instagram to schedule your vision boarding workshop. And join her on TikTok where she shares updates on the fixer upper farmhouse (one of her videos has over 50,000 views).

Resources from my conversation with Reena:

· See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar

· Reena’s Website

· Reena’s Selling with Charm Podcast

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I recently joined my friends Rob and Joanna Teigen for a conversation on their podcast, Growing Home Together. In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, I’m bringing their podcast to the Courage Becomes Her community.

In this conversation we talk about what it looks like to find true rest, real God-given rest. We talk about how productivity and hyper-individualism are hindering us from resting well. We talk about identifying what is not working for us in our search for rest, asking for help, and allowing others to use their gifts to help and support us. We also talk about how true rest looks different for each of us because of how we are each uniquely created with different identities, passions, and callings.

Rob and Joanna have been married over 30 years. They have two sons, three daughters, a daughter-in-law, and a grandson. They walk their talk as big believers in community, serving as foster parents, marriage mentors, and small-group leaders. They are authors, speakers, and podcasters, and have written dozens of books focused on growing healthy relationships with God and each other. You can connect with them, and find free marriage and family resources, through their website Growing Home Together.

Resources from my conversation with Rob & Joanna:

· The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan

· Free of Me by Sharon Hodde Miller

· Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas

· Finding Spiritual Whitespace by Bonnie Gray

· The Road Back to You by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Elizabeth Fiorito shares about her growing awareness that her dream job is no longer what it used to be and is causing her to feel trapped. She talks about how that led her to start a new adventure, and her process of working through doubt, overwhelm, and the opinions of others to stay true to herself and her new dream. She talks about how her mindset and perspective about opposition and challenge have changed because of this journey.

Elizabeth is a veteran public-school teacher who has taught literature at every high school level. She desires to nurture a love for literature and adventure in all of us. She loves to travel, plan dream trips, learn about history, look at dream homes, and spend time with her family. She and her darling cocker spaniels live in her romantically styled home in Hemet, California.

Please join and support Elizabeth in her launch of Literary Edventures. You will be inspired by Lizzie Everwrite and Penelope on their Edventures through blog posts, lesson plans, travel products, and literary tours – take a look at her teaser video on Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Elizabeth:

· The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

· Amelia Peabody Murder Mystery Series by Elizabeth Peters

· Mary Stewart Adventure Series

· You are a Badass by Jen Sincero

· Sara McDaniel – Simply Southern Cottage

· Wendy Conklin – Chair Whimsy

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Erin Davis talks about the realization that it was time to make changes to her successful business. She talks about how her heart wasn’t in it anymore and how external circumstances facilitated, and maybe even forced, an opportunity to rethink what she was doing and offering. She shares about how fears and limiting beliefs were driving her and how she worked through those to move to a place of being true to herself and evolving her business to align with who she authentically is. She talks about how she has felt alone over the last couple of years and how this shift in her business is also a means of deepening community in her life and creating that for other women as well.

Erin is a tenured brand strategist with a marketing and communications business that has successfully served clients for over 15 years. Erin is honored to serve women entrepreneurs by helping them build authentic brands so that they can grow their business with clarity and confidence. Erin is a California gal, and a married mom of four. She and her husband and their two younger children live on a ranch in California’s central coast where she loves walking the property with their dogs while praying and listening to podcasts.

Erin welcomes you to reach out to her and connect with her through her website, and you can also find her on Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Erin:

· The Road Back to You by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile

· Richard Rohr’s book about the Enneagram

· The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

· It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lysa TerKeurst

· Bible app

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Lisa talks about taking a leap of faith to not move forward with her business idea. She talks about how being true to her nature as a logical thinker and an intuitive strategist guided her through a rigorous and rich discovery process that ultimately led to the very difficult decision to not launch the start-up that she had been working on. She shares insights about the process she took, the questions she asked herself, and ultimately how she arrived at the decision she did. She also shares about how learning more about herself through the Enneagram affirmed her decision. She shares tips that other entrepreneurs can use when considering starting a business, as well as when you’re not experiencing the success you anticipated.

Lisa is a born and raised east coast gal turned west coast gal who prefers the beach over the mountains. She is an intuitive marketing and communications strategist and loves serving the start-up community through her work on the board of Sacramento State University’s Executive MBA program. Lisa can be found inspiring you with how you can style your sentimental memorabilia and family heirlooms. She and her husband can be found on regular walks with their dogs and enjoying time with their adult daughters.

Lisa welcomes you to reach out to her and connect with her through Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Lisa:

· The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

· The Artist’s Way Workbook by Julia Cameron

· P.I.N.K. Creatives Retreat

· The Lean Innovator Program

· The 5 Whys

· The Road Back to You by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile

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Rachel creates ease for you and your business by providing you with tailored systems, processes, procedures, guidance, and support. Name your operations management or virtual assistance need and Rachel will get it done!

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Rachel talks about taking a leap of faith to start a side hustle that quickly turned it into a full-time business. She talks about the life goals that led her to begin the side hustle, the mindset that governs her decision-making, her willingness to experiment and discover new things, her philosophy of staying adaptable and figuring things out as she goes, how she identified her niche and draws healthy boundaries so that she stays within that niche, and how she finds motivation each day.

Rachel is a long-time southern California gal who loves coffee, is a competitive power lifter, serves on the board of a non-profit that serves kids in her community, and is Mom to a spunky shih tzu, Wicket.

Rachel is open to new clients for operations management or virtual assistance. Please take a look at her website to learn more about her services and reach out to her through her website or through Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Rachel:

· Anne of Green Gables Book Set

· Nancy Drew Book Set

· Laura Ingalls Wilder Book Set

· Heavy Breathing Foundation

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Wendy wants to fill our lives with happiness, joy, and whimsy. Her popular chair design and styling courses teach her unique approach to color, fabrics, and design, which shows us how creative expression can upgrade our joy. Her P.I.N.K. Creatives business retreat with Sara McDaniel of Simply Southern Cottage is helping creative entrepreneurs bring their visions to life.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Wendy talks about taking a leap of faith to write and publish her book, Life Whimsy. She talks about why she decided to write a book, how she committed to the financial investment, the steps she took to actually get the book written, why she decided to self-publish, and how she is launching her book to the world. She also talks about her mental and emotional preparation, and how she doesn’t let fear or outside pressures keep her from moving forward. She talks about her intentionality of bringing joy and fun to every step of the book writing and publishing process.

Wendy is a lifelong Texas gal who is married with two adult daughters and a one-year-old Boston Terrier. She is a former educational consultant whose chair design courses sell by the thousands and whose P.I.N.K. Creatives business retreat sells out every time.

Wendy would love to make a difference in your life. Please join her community - subscribe to her YouTube channel, follow her on Instagram, and check out her website where you can take one of her courses or purchase one of her chairs.

If you’d like to connect with her personally, she welcomes you to email her – wendy@chairwhimsy.com.

Resources from my conversation with Wendy:

· Get your copy of Wendy’s book, Life Whimsy

· Want to join for Wendy’s launch party? Get your ticket here

· Creating Your Best Life by Caroline Adams Miller & Michael Frisch

· Wendy’s YouTube video about how to write a book

· Wendy’s YouTube video about hosting a fun launch party

· P.I.N.K. Creatives Retreat

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Laurel Emory talks about three experiences that are inevitable when taking a leap of faith: taming our fears, persevering through the unforeseen, and releasing the pressures. Laurel shares insights gleaned from the guests of episodes 20-24, Gwen Cole, Sara McDaniel, Christina Risse, Mary Aufdemberg, and Amy Paul that will help other women to courageously step out in their own leaps of faith.

Resources:

· What Women Fear by Angie Smith

· The Cost of Control by Sharon Hodde Miller

· I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet by Shauna Niequist

· Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen

· The 7 Books That Literally Transformed My Life

· My husband Corey’s book, Concerning the Dust

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When the pandemic forced us to change the way we do fitness, Amy, a seasoned fitness trainer, leapt into action and started a YouTube channel, TikTok page, and Instagram page to give her clients the ability to stay connected and not lose momentum on their holistic health goals. With the growth of her Git LIIT (Low-Intensity Interval Training) community to 20,000 people, she saw the need and opportunity to further support her community through an app, a blog, and a podcast.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Amy talks about her desire and plan to launch a podcast. She dives into talking about her areas of concern, the mechanics of getting started, how to choose what topics to cover, whether or not to have a beta tester group, how to stay true to yourself through marketing, and some general helpful tips of getting started in the podcast world.

Amy and her husband, Elbert, have been married for 23 years and have three children (19, 12, and 7).

Amy truly has a heart for helping you live a holistic life. Please join her Git LIIT community - subscribe to her YouTube channel, follow her on Instagram and TikTok, and download her App, so that she can help and support you. You are also welcome to DM her through Instagram or LinkedIn – she would love to connect with you.

Resources from my conversation with Amy:

· No Compromise: The Life Story of Keith Green by Melody Green

· Welcome, Holy Spirit By Benny Hinn

· Sound Production with Studio C Creative Sound

· Podcasting Equipment

o Microphone

o Microphone Stand

o Microphone Cord

o Recorder

· Pat Flynn’s How to Start a Podcast Tutorial

· Alli Worthington’s Podcast Course

· Impress the Boss Podcast

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Mary has been married to Jason for 19 years. They have two children (13 & 10), and three dogs. Mary is a second-degree black belt in martial arts and has found a new joy in roller disco. On weekend mornings she can be found enjoying a good book and a cup of coffee with a pup or two on her lap. She has been with the Daimler corporation for 19 years and is currently serving as the General Manager of Product Strategy and Market Development for Daimler Trucks.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Mary talks about how she ascertained that this was the right time for a cross-country move when she had turned down previous opportunities to do so. She talks about how getting comfortable with change is a process involving identifying what is important, talking openly and honestly about your concerns, recognizing your threshold for stress and your capacity for change, not being afraid of adventure, reminding yourself that nothing is permanent, not second-guessing yourself, and being intentional about exploring and discovering newness together as a family.

Mary would love to connect with you and chat with you about a big move you might be contemplating - please feel free to DM her through LinkedIn, referencing this podcast.

Resources from my conversation with Mary:

· Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

· The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle

· Quiet by Susan Cain

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Living in Dusseldorf, Germany, Christina loves her daily walks along the Rhine River. She considers New York City her second home and enjoys taking walks along the Hudson River and the inspiration that comes from the colors of the sky in Brooklyn. She spent years working for the CEO of one of the big-4 accounting firms and gave that up to pursue painting.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Christina talks about her decision to quit her successful corporate job to pursue painting full-time. She talks about how the pains of life changed her perspective and led her to give up security to follow her heart. She shares about how the fulfillment that comes from doing what she loves surpasses the fulfillment that comes from financial security. She also shares how she works through her fears to keep pursuing what she loves.

Join Christina on Instagram to view her latest pieces of art and for updates about her exhibitions and books. She would love to hear from you - please feel free to DM her through Instagram.

Resources from my conversation with Christina:

• Christina’s Website
• White Collar Warrior by Bill Hart
• Living Forward by Daniel Harkavy and Michael Hyatt
• Robert Freund, Dusseldorf Photographer & Collaborator with Christina

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Sara McDaniel is a Louisiana gal who loves kayaking on the bayou and traveling both near and far. She is a former public-school teacher who left teaching to sell education curriculum. In 2016 she turned her sights to her dream from 4th grade and began restoring a broken down and forgotten 1926 Louisiana cottage. Little did she know that her yellow front door would be showcased by Better Homes & Gardens, catapulting her into the social media limelight – resulting in her also being featured by Southern Living, Country Living, Cottages & Bungalows, and American Farmhouse Style, and having partnerships with Martha Stewart, HGTV, Orian Rugs, Macys, Rodan & Fields, and many more.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Sara talks about her restoration of The Villas at Spanish Court, an 8-room historic building built in 1931 that was abandoned in the 1980s and left to rot. The renovation was named as the 2022 Project House for Cottages & Bungalows Magazine and gained national media attention because of Sara’s decision to restore a building that most other people would have demolished.

I know you’re asking yourself why I’m having someone with a couple hundred thousand followers on the podcast when I committed to having Courage Becomes Her be about women we can relate to, women who are experiencing life just like you and I are. And that’s exactly, why – Sara is a normal Southern gal; she never sought or asked for the influence that has come her way. In 2015 when she and I started working together, she was simply a girl with a dream and a willingness to work hard.

Sharing her story is important because you all have dreams, just like I do, just like Sara did and still does, and I want us to be inspired by her faithfulness to her dream and her courage to chase after it. Though her story may have a little more polish than yours or mine, I can tell you from years spent with her that I deeply desire to have her humility, her bravery, and her gumption.

Resources from my conversation with Sara:

• The Five Love Languages by Gary Thomas
• The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau
• The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
• Sara’s Website
• Sara’s Story about Her Divorce
• The Renovation of Sara’s Cottage
• How Sara Got Started in Real Estate and Some Tips For How You Can Too
• HGTV Episode featuring Minden, Louisiana
• Cottages and Bungalows Magazine
• American Farmhouse Style Magazine

Book your visit at The Villas at Spanish Court or Sara’s other properties through Mindenstays.com – she would love for you to join her for the Grand Opening of the The Villas on March 24/25.

Join Sara on Instagram or Facebook for updates about The Villas and The Creekside Apartments and her other projects. And if you’re interested in talking with her, feel free to email her – sara@simplysara.com.

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Gwen Cole is a native and lifelong Colorado gal and dog mom. She is a gifted encourager, genuinely loves people, and is sincerely wise beyond her years. Gwen is an expert talent acquisition executive and consultant. She is a certified professional life and career coach, guiding people to find the career path that is best for them.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Gwen talks about leaving a role that had long been her dream job. She talks about the process she took to determine that it was time to leave and how she worked through the emotions that came because of her decision, including grief and loss, and how she nurtured her mental health through such a difficult decision and journey.

Resources from my conversation with Gwen:

• Love Languages Book
• Anything by Jennie Allen
• Option B by Sheryl Sandberg & Adam Grant

Interested in talking with Gwen about a possible career shift, mental health, or any of the topics that Gwen shared?

Please follow her on LinkedIn or contact her through her website or email her at gwencolecoaching@gmail.com.

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In this bonus episode of Courage Becomes Her, Laurel talks about her practice, habit, and discipline of reading, including why she reads, what she reads, when she reads, and where she reads.

She also shares the best books she read in 2022:

• Scary Close by Donald Miller
• Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas
• So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore
• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
• I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet by Shauna Niequist
• Encounters with Jesus by Tim Keller
• What If It’s Wonderful? by Nicole Zasowski
• Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller

Here is Laurel’s entire 2022 Reading List.

Enter to win the 8 books Laurel most highly recommends from her 2022 reading list on the January 17th post on Laurel’s Instagram.

Be Email Friends with Laurel Here

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Wendy Speake is a California gal now living in Texas with her husband and three teenage boys. She is a former Hollywood actress and is a natural storyteller and poet who loves to write and speak. She is an Enneagram 4 and calls herself a feeler who finds her joy in prayer and quietness.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Wendy Speake talks about how our culture is spiritually malnourished and has focused so much on looking good on the outside that we’ve neglected our spiritual development and understanding the foundation of our beliefs, philosophies, and worldviews.

We talk about Wendy’s new book, The 40-Day Feast, that is focused on inspiring us to have a habit and practice of reading God’s Word, The Bible, to spend time learning from God and allowing ourselves to be developed and transformed through wisdom.

Resources from my conversation with Wendy:

• Love Languages Book
• Hinds’ Feet on High Places Book
• Laurel’s two favorite version of The Bible: The Message and The Life with God Bible
• Laurel’s favorite daily readers:
• • The Songs of Jesus by Tim Keller
  • God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life by Tim & Kathy Keller
  • The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble
• Wendy’s Book, The 40-Day Sugar Fast
• Pre-order Wendy’s new book, The 40-Day Feast
• Additional Free Resources from Wendy

Please feel free to contact Wendy through her website and follow her on Instagram.

Enter to win a copy of Wendy’s new book, The 40-Day Feast, on the January 10th post on Laurel’s Instagram.

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Ginnaea Galvan is a California gal, a wife, and a mom of a teenage daughter. Ginnaea has over 18 years of aesthetics experience and is truly a skin therapist and skin whisperer. She owns her own business, New Dawn Esthetics, in San Luis Obispo, California.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Ginnaea Galvan talks about why we should care about our skin and what are the best ways that we can do so. She shares about being proactive and having a focus on our skin care as part of our overall health care. She also talks about what are the absolute worst things for our skin and are detrimental to our health. She also talks about what we should consider before getting botox or fillers.

• We want to look our best and feel our best and taking care of our skin plays a big part of that.
• What we eat impacts our hormones, which impacts our skin. Stress and anxiety also play a part.

Resources from my conversation with Ginnaea:

• Silk Pillowcase
• Cleanser (Gentle, Sulfate Free, Fragrance Free, Alcohol Free)
• Exfoliant
• Sun Block (SPF)
• The Rogue Pharmacist Podcast
• Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
• Love Languages Book
• Water Minder Water Tracker App
• Laurel’s Colorado Aesthetician – Happy Face Spa

Interested in learning from Ginnaea or scheduling an appointment with her?

Please contact her through her website and follow her on Instagram.

Enter to win the giveaway through the January 3rd post on Laurel’s Instagram.

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Annette Pellinat is a California gal, an Enneagram 8, a pursuer of vibrant good health, a wife, and a mom to an adult son and two rescue dogs. She has over 25 years of executive leadership experience in the aerospace and healthcare industries and is an ICF-certified executive coach with the coaching firm, Building Champions.

We live in a pragmatic culture that doesn’t truly value creativity, especially when creativity isn’t monetized. Yet, there is much research that says that unlocking the creativity within us helps us have less stress and better focus, helps us navigate change more easily and reframe how we see things, and helps us to grieve, grow, and learn.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Annette Pellinat shares about her journey of discovering creative play and how she has intentionally nurtured the creativity within herself. She also talks about how her creative self-expressions have helped her to learn about herself and process life experiences. She shares about addressing insecurities and giving herself the permission to explore her creativity without the pressure for it to be perfect or to make money from her creative projects.

• We are all creative.
• We all have a craving and desire to be creative.
• Surround yourself with supportive people who are also nurturing their creativity.
• Allow your imagination to be sparked.
• Give yourself permission to do something that has no purpose, no expectation, and is meant to simply be enjoyed.

Resources from my conversation with Annette:

• Love Languages Book
• Primal Kitchen Vanilla Collagen
• Your Super Super Greens Probiotics
• Bittersweet by Susan Cain
• Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
• What Women Create and Where Women Create Magazines

Interested in coaching with Annette or talking with her about creative play?

Feel free to follow her and DM her on Facebook.

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Laurel answers the question, “What is prayer?”, and shares why she prays, how she prays, and what she sees as the benefits of having a practice of prayer.

She also prays a blessing over the Courage Becomes Her community.

Resources regarding Prayer:

Prayer by Tim Keller

Purpose in Prayer by E.M. Bounds

Power through Prayer by E.M. Bounds

Going Higher with God in Prayer by A.W. Tozer

Journal

Lectio 365 Prayer App

Echo Prayer App

Good ol’ 3x5 Cards

Wild at Heart Daily Prayer

Laurel would be honored to pray for you!

Please email your prayer request to laurel@laurelemory.com.

(All requests are kept confidential)

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Nicole Zasowski is a Pacific Northwest gal who has made her home on the Connecticut coastline. She is a wife, mom of three (2, 3, and 7 years old), an author and speaker, and a licensed marriage and family therapist.

No stranger to personal pain and loss, in this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Nicole helps us to better understand how pain informs our lives and how we can take steps toward restoration and wellness by stewarding our hearts and emotions well. She shares about the benefits of counseling and how she has utilized therapy in her own life.

Nicole and I talk about some of the insights from her new book, What If It’s Wonderful, like how she discovered that joy and celebration are things that we need to be intentional about practicing and cultivating in our lives.

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of Nicole’s new book by going to the December 13th post on my Instagram page.

• A good therapist meets you where you are and gently leads you to new places.
• A violation of love informs our identity in a painful way.
• A violation of trust informs whether or not we are safe.
• We cannot speak truth to our feelings unless we know what our feelings are.

Resources from my conversation with Nicole:

• The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble
• The Choice by Dr. Edith Eva Eger
• Kleenex for Your Car Cup Holder
• Bath Bombs – Aromatherapy
• Restoration Therapy – Find a Therapist
• Love Languages Book

Interested in counseling with Nicole or inviting her to speak at an event?

Feel free to contact Nicole through her website

You can also follow her on Instagram or Facebook

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Heidi Hayes, is a Florida gal, a wife, a business owner, and an avid adventurer and outdoorswoman.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Heidi talks about how stewarding her health well is about having her behaviors align with her values – if she truly values her health, then she is going to act in a way that reflects that. She not only talks about her motivation for working out, but also about how exercise has helped her auto immune disorder, her journey of seeing food as medicine and a means of preventing illness and disease, and how she changes her approaches to fitness and eating well based on the changing needs of her body.

• The physical benefits are less important than feeling strong mentally.
• It’s about your health, not about how you look.
• Find an activity that you enjoy.
• Find a buddy to do fitness activities with.
• Look at food as medicine and a means of prevention.
• If it doesn’t come from a tree or doesn’t have a mother, don’t eat it.
• Find and do what works for you.
• Give yourself permission to take care of yourself.

Resources from my conversation with Heidi:

• Love Languages book
• The Automatic Millionaire book
• Primal Kitchen Vanilla Collagen
• Your Super Super Greens
• Laurel's Nutrition Coach – Jen Nolan

Want to talk about an aspect of your health?

Feel free to DM Heidi on Instagram

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Jenny Ward is a lifelong Colorado Mountain gal, a wife, mom of two (7 and 5), a former physician, and meditation practitioner.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Jenny talks about how the stress and difficulty of her medical school residency led her to a place of needing an escape and how that drew her to discover and reconnect with herself through the introspective practice of meditation. She talks about how that practice helped her to work through fears, insecurities, and negative and anxious thoughts, and ultimately transform her view of herself.

• Meditation is paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgment.
• Imagine what your older, wiser self would say to yourself.
• Find a quiet moment and take a few deep breaths.­

Resources from my conversation with Jenny:

• Love Languages book
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• Spirit Rock Meditation Center
• Ten Percent Happier Meditation App and Podcast

Want to talk about developing a meditation practice?

Feel free to email Jenny – jennyrue@mac.com

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Let’s be honest, The Holidays bring a lot! There is a lot of goodness, but there is also a lot of extra work. A lot of activity. A lot of emotion. A lot of expectation. Sometimes, we’re simply just trying to fake it until we make it to mid-January.

Becky Keife, is a Southern California gal, an author, speaker, Bible teacher, wife, mom of three boys (13, 12, and 10), and the Engagement and Editorial Manager for the community, (in)courage.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Becky talks about how to take care of yourself during the holidays, especially when they bring anxiety, sadness, stress, pressure, and grief. Becky shares openly about how she has dealt with family tensions and the dynamics of a broken family, how she has honored her grief and the memory of her Dad, how she navigates depression and anxiety, and attempts to kindle joy throughout the holiday season.

• Be conscientious of your traditions, and if something isn’t working for you then change it – maybe the actual day that you celebrate doesn’t need to matter.
• Build in margin between events.
• Make space for sadness and grief, and not judge yourself or your feelings.
• Make space to celebrate your loved one and honor your loss of them.
• Be realistic about your limitations.
• Be honest with your family about your needs and boundaries.
• Be gentle with yourself.
• Advocate for yourself.
• Be present in whatever moment you’re in.
• Simplify and do the things that bring us life, not because we feel obligated.

Resources from my conversation with Becky:

• Love Languages book
• 1000 Gifts book by Ann Voskamp
• Hidden Christmas by Timothy Keller
• Theology in the Raw podcast

Enter the giveaway to win a copy of the newest book from (in)courage, Come Sit with Me, as sponsored by Revell Books, through my November 22 post on Instagram.

Want to talk about your struggle with anxiety or depression, or your grief of the loss of a loved one, or parenting?

Feel free to reach out to Becky through her website or DM her on Instagram.

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In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Laurel responds to listener feedback to talk about what to do when your insecurities, doubts, and limiting beliefs are triggered by other women’s stories. She also talks about her work as a coach and what it means to invest in coaching for yourself. She also announces what she is going to talk about with guests for the remaining episodes of 2022.

7 Ways to Cultivate Peace and Beauty When You’re Triggered:

1. Be courageous and allow yourself to acknowledge your feelings.
2. Be courageous and let go of the expectation that you should have it all figured out or should know better.
3. Be courageous and embrace the season of life you’re in.
4. Be courageous and steward your unique calling and gift, and make space for others to do the same with theirs.
5. Be courageous and believe that someone else’s success does not mean your loss.
6. Be courageous and set your heart toward hopefulness.
7. Be courageous and talk vulnerably with a friend or trusted advisor.

I appreciate your ongoing support! Will you please take 3 minutes and do the following:

• Share an episode with a friend
• Rate and review the podcast on your favorite platform
• Become Email Friends with me

Want to talk about what being courageous looks like in this season of your life?

I have openings for 6 complimentary consultations between now and Christmas.

Email me (laurel@laurelemory.com) or reach out to me through my website to schedule your consultation.

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Lifelong Texas Gal, Diane Clark, is a wife, mom, grandma to four, and an exceptionally successful career woman.

In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Diane talks about planning and preparing for retirement, as well as becoming aware of how much her identity was wrapped up in her work and what it has looked like to embrace quietness and become more whole through this new season of retirement.

• Be honest with yourself about your hesitations for retirement
• Identify the lifestyle you want to have in retirement so that you can prepare for that and work toward it
• Surround yourself with good people who will help you achieve your goals
• Cling to your friends; get involved in their lives
• Have relationships outside of your work life
• Enjoy the ordinary in life

Resources from my conversation with Diane:

• Love Languages book
• There are hundreds of versions of the Bible available today; here are my two favorites: The Message and The Life with God Bible

Want to talk about preparing for retirement or how to move to a lifestyle of being quiet or discovering who you are aside from your career?

Feel free to reach out to Diane – dianetclark49@gmail.com

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Ashley Ward, wife of 14 years, mom to four kids (13, 10, 6, and 2 months) shares openly about the struggle of finding inner peace through huge life transitions of moving to a new state and leaving behind friends and community, having a baby, and trying to manage the feelings of her family and herself.

• Find and make home wherever you are
• Determine the quality of life that you desire
• Identify what you can be excited about in a life transition
• Be sad together with your kids when they’re navigating their own feelings
• Act like a team; try not to take the tension out on each other
• Don’t expect to maintain your prior normal routine
• Release expectations of yourself
• Give energy to yourself and your needs
• Identify what provides internal peace for you
• Don’t go through difficult times or transition on your own; ask for help; lean on your community

Ashley and I talk about some wonderful resources:

• Love Languages book
• My Side of the Mountain book
• The Hiding Place book
• Ashley’s website

Want to talk about life as a home school mom, an artist, a mom of four, navigating parenthood without family nearby, or moving to a new state?

Feel free to reach out to Ashley - ashleyward.aw@gmail.com

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Jodie Boggess is passionate about helping young people discover their God-given purpose and calling by giving them permission to dream and nurturing a spirit of curiosity. In this episode of Courage Becomes Her, Jodie vulnerably shares how she is navigating a season of new beginnings, change, and transition following a season of loss and grief.

• Allow yourself to discover the purpose that is planted in your heart
• Ask yourself what you are called to do
• Have a spirit of curiosity
• Give yourself permission to dream and to talk about your dreams
• Know that you will probably change your mind and that’s ok
• Be intentional about reaching out to other people and build your network circle
• Be open to friendships
• Do your research, develop a vision, be organized, and make a plan
• Allow yourself to hit the reset button
• Be you and stay true to you

Jodie and I talk about some wonderful resources:

• The Circle Maker book
• Love Languages book
• In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day book
• So Long, Insecurity book
• HRHotSeat Mastermind Community
• Rachel Pulido – Virtual Assistant
• Jodie’s Podcast – Job Shadow
• Jodie’s Guide Book – Hired Happens
• Jodie’s Website

Want to talk about life as an entrepreneur or empty nester, or get some help in your career transition?

Contact Jodie through her website

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Home cook, style maven, and the definition of southern hospitality, JeriLynne Clifford, The Hill Country Bon Vivant, is dedicated to empowering people who are intimidated by cooking and entertaining by making it simple. In this episode of Courage Becomes Her she shares her wisdom and insights for navigating the transition to life as an entrepreneur.

• Surround yourself with people who will encourage you and be your cheerleader
• Rip off the band aid and take the leap
• Be ok with starting small
• Make a plan and make it happen
• Have faith
• Use social media to your advantage; find your sweet spot
• Give grace to yourself
• Tell people that you love them

JeriLynne and I talk about some fabulous people and resources:

• I.N.K. Creatives
• Lydia Menzies Supper Club
• Erin Stoll, Style Thief
• JeriLynne’s blog about finding their forever home
• Funny reel
• The Silver Palate Cookbook
• Figure out your love language by getting this book
• Become email friends with JeriLynne and she’ll send you her top 5 recommended kitchen gadgets

Want to talk about transitioning to an entrepreneurial life?

DM JeriLynne on Instagram or contact her through her website

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Mom to 4 children (ages 18, 15, 13, and 11) and Chief Legal Officer and Chief Culture Officer for ChenMed, Stephanie Chen, J.D., shares her wisdom and insights for navigating the tender transition of sending your child off to college, especially with still having 3 children at home.

• Make the milestones significant
• Use and embrace technology
• Help your younger kids connect with the one who left for college
• Allow yourself to grieve
• Ask for advice and let others help you
• Let yourself sit in the hard; it’s ok to be sad
• Invite community, even if it’s awkward

Stephanie and I talk about some fabulous resources and tools:

• The Road Back to You
• All the Light We Cannot See
• Where the Crawdads Sing
• Memoirs of a Geisha
• To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before – book and show
• BeReal app
• Digital Message Board to Display Texts
• Figure out your love language by getting this book
• The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom (PS: Stephanie and I recorded our conversation before episode 4 with Drea was released – how incredible that this is such a transformative book for both of them and that they don’t know each other!)

Want to talk about life as a mom sending your kiddo off to college?

Email Stephanie at steph@chenmed.com

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Mom to 2nd and 6th grade girls, and Executive Consultant for Carter Baldwin, Dr. Andrea Ramirez, shares her wisdom for helping make the back-to-school experience successful and meaningful, especially as a traveling executive without family living nearby.

• Cast a vision with the girls about doing their very best in school as a means of loving God
• Have traditions that signify the beginning of the new year
• Speak blessing over the girls
• Prepare for the year ahead of time to inspire them and talk about their concerns
• Talk and pray each night about their experiences and learnings
• Affirm their strengths and uniquenesses
• Review the week ahead of time with your kids
• Use technology to connect daily when traveling
• Invite your kids into your work experiences and have them travel with you
• Have rules and boundaries identified for traveling
• Create community where you live, especially if you don’t have family living nearby
• Have weekly planning meetings with your spouse
• Identify where you need to say no so that you can stay committed to your family
• Let go of the expectations of work-life balance in seasons where it is simply not possible
• Look for opportunities to connect, even if it’s a short phone call, or FaceTime, or connecting in the work parking lot for a few minutes
• Use checklists and have regular established routines

Andrea’s husband, Fabian Ramirez, speaks at schools across the country about bullying and substance abuse – if you’re interested in having him come to your kid’s school, you can reach out to him through his website.

Also, their 6th grader wrote a book about kindness - check it out here.

Dr. Drea and I talk about some fabulous resources and tools:

• Marco Polo
• Whitney English – great lists and checklists
• Figure out your love language by getting this book
• Comedian – Nate Bargatze
• The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

Want to talk about life as a traveling executive mom?

DM Dr. Drea on Instagram or LinkedIn

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Single mom of a 12-year-old and 14-year-old, and public-school 4th grade teacher, Melanee Todd, shares her tips for helping make the back-to-school experience as successful and drama-free as possible.

• Find a rhythm and routine and stick to a schedule – be protective of the schedule
• Make sure you plan for fun activities together and downtime
• Tell the kids the schedule and what fun things they can look forward to
• Allow yourself trial error to figure out what works best for your family
• Use tools that help you to stay organized and give you back time
• Invite your kids into the problem-solving, so that they have buy-in
• Be a team with your kids
• Extend grace to yourself, to your children, to teachers

If you haven’t read Boundaries – this is your notice to do so. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, stop, and order and read this book immediately!!

And if you have a ‘highly recommend’ book that teaches boundaries to teenagers, please message Laurel so that she can pass on the helpful info.Want to talk about life as a single working mom?

DM Melanee on Instagram

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Courage Becomes Her is born out of a deep need for community amongst women, and selfishly, for host Laurel Emory to have the opportunity to connect and reconnect with women she loves, is inspired by, and wants to learn from.

In this episode, Laurel will tell you a little about herself, more about Courage Becomes Her, and her desire to help you cultivate confidence, courage, and joy in your life and work.

Connect with Laurel:

www.laurelemory.com

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You are not alone – there are other women who have been
right where you are.

Join seasoned business executive and coach, Laurel Emory,
Ph.D., for this unscripted, unrehearsed, unpolished, real-life
podcast intentionally designed to help you cultivate confidence,
courage, and joy in your life and work.

Each week you’ll be inspired and encouraged by the stories of
women experiencing life just like you. From thriving in
transition to navigating fears, discovering your gifts to living a
purposeful life, dreaming big to managing priorities and time,
we’ll talk about it.

Motivated by the practical insights and wisdom from
courageous women and rooted in truth about who you were
created to be, each episode will call you to a life of courage and
joy, and will embolden and equip for the adventure.

Share Your Stories and Guest Suggestions:
www.couragebecomesher.com
#couragebecomesherpodcast

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Copyright 2022 Laurel Emory & Co.