a little happy: Recent Episodes
Nattie Meador
Co-hosts Nattie Meador and Mary Susan Buhner share the real stuff, a few laughs and life's shared experiences. Join weekly conversations about relationships, kids, work, self and the pursuit of living an authentic life.
This week, Nattie sits down with guest Mahja Zeon and they chat about life's journeys. Nattie and Mahja met almost a decade ago and after hearing Mahja's story, Nattie was determined to reconnect with her - some 10 years later - to chat again. Mahja shares her experience coming to America as a Liberian refugee, growing up in Georgia, journey's back to her home country and reading The Alchemist on her birthday every year. Nattie and Mahja reflect on experiences that lead them into the "tea shops" of their lives and how to be content with where you are.
Amanda Zurawski joins Nattie on the podcast this week and she shares her tremendous story - a story full of heartbreak, of bravery, of advocacy and of hope. Amanda vulnerably shares her experience with infertility treatment, pregnancy loss, and how the lack of access to reproductive healthcare has resulted in the fight of a lifetime - advocating for women's health in the United States. Nattie and Amanda talk about grief, hope, and the power of speaking up and fighting for what you believe in.
Lindsey Hein is back and we are so excited! Nattie sits down with Lindsey and they talk kids, expectations, screen time, outside play and free range parenting. Lindsey shares her experiences navigating youth sports, providing space for her kids to explore on their own, and how a simple conversation with a friend leads to backyard chickens!
Check out what Lindsey is up to below:
Lindsey's Website
I'll Have Another Podcast
Why is Everyone Yelling Podcast
This week, Nattie sits down with Caroline Dowd-Higgins and they talk burnout! It is real and it is exhausting, and they are here to talk about it. Caroline shares her personal experience burning the candle from both ends and the affects it has had on her personal and professional life. Nattie and Caroline dive into the societal expectation of raising the bar, ways to challenge a historically traditional mindset of success, the powerful realization that "suffering is optional", and how we might mitigate burnout in the workplace.
This week, Nattie sits down with the Laura Deck, the owner of The Seedlings Flower Farm and Truck. Laura, her husband Logan, and their 3 kids share their flower farm with our community and it is such a joy! Laura shares her experiences around motherhood and how a love offering of a field of sunflowers inspired her to create and launch her flower business. Nattie and Laura talk failures, successes, and speaking things into the world.
Stay up to date on The Seedlings Flower Farm by subscribing to their email list!
Check out The Seedlings Flower Farm on Instagram and Facebook.
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This week Nattie and Mary Susan sit down with Jeannie Infante Sager, director of the Women's Philanthropy Institute at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Jeannie breaks down some myths around philanthropy and shares ground breaking research around how and why women give of their time, talent, and treasure. They discuss how empathy motivates behavior and the power of women realizing their worth.
Check out what's happening at the Women's Philanthropy Institute here.
Connect with Jeannie Infante Sager on LinkedIn
This week, Mary Susan and Nattie are back! Mary Susan asks Nattie to share her experience running 30 miles through the woods of Southern Indiana. Nattie shares the pursuit of "dating herself" for the past 2 years, reflections on depression, the power and hope from putting one foot in front of the other and conversations had deep in the woods. This is so much more than a running recap!
This week, Nattie sits down with guest Olivia Roberts. Olivia shares her experiences moving to Hawaii with her husband and 5 children, how they navigate his military deployments, ways she approaches homeschooling and how to seek daily rhythms that create stability and comfort for families. Olivia shares the concept of constantly repairing with our children, and the irrefutable truth that joy can come from all walks of life.
This week, Nattie is joined by Jodi Bondi Norgaard and they talk about the importance of fostering confidence in young girls. Jodi shares how shopping for a child's birthday gift launched a career in reframing the toy industry and the tireless work she has dedicated to advocating for and supporting girls and women.
Jodi Bondi Norgaard
https://www.jodibondinorgaard.com/
The Representation Project: Miss Representation
https://therepproject.org/
This week, Nattie is joined by twice Sunday Times Bestselling Poet and writer, Donna Ashworth. Donna shares how her work gained attention during a time when the world needed so much hope and love. They talk about how to find peace in the everyday, the power of dipping in and out of emotions, and what happens when we are brave enough to wear our hearts on our sleeves. Donna has published 8 books, most recently releasing Wild Hope.
This week, Mary Susan and Nattie chat about regulating the big stuff - emotions, kids, and ourselves! Nattie shares about family weekends, Mary Susan shares about living through a 21st birthday and the gals share how they track "pressure changes" before they need their oxygen masks.
This week, Nattie is joined by friend and colleague Dana Cummings and they talk about lived experiences of women in the workplace and the importance of wedging your foot into the doorway of opportunity. Dana shares her reflections as she pursues her doctoral degree, and the notion of never being able to get to everything on the "to-do" list.
This week, Nattie and Mary Susan talk marriage. They share experiences from their own marriages, ways they have celebrated anniversaries, moments of recommitment in relationships, and reflections on hitching wagons together for life.
This week, Nattie sits down with her friend Jean Sherfick and they catch up on seasons of life, running, the mindset of setting goals, how to choose the "green light moments" of life, and the power of noticing exactly where you are. Jean relates her experience running ultra distance marathons to strengthening mental fortitude in relationships with others and herself and shares her experiences of changing the mind over time.
This week, Nattie sits down with friend, Kim Van Lue and they talk happiness... how do we get it, how do we keep it, how much is too much? They reflect on the ebb and flow of life, how we come in and out of ourselves, how to stop "should'ing" on ourselves, and daily practices to pinpoint happiness triggers.
A few show notes:
Kim Van Lue's Business:
Northspring Leadership
https://northspringleadership.com/
Books:
The Happiness Curve by Jonathan Rauch
The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirksy
Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine
The Resilience Factor by Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatte
Beyond Mindfulness by Stephan Bodian
This week, Nattie and Mary Susan talk about how they navigate season of change, overcome the fear of the unknown, and rock the transitions... from Sunday to Monday or summer to school year.
This week, Mary Susan sits down with Trish Mong and shares reflection of their friendship, leaning into the mantra of "done is better than perfect" and that it's not about building the perfect fire, its about flipping the switch on to let the light in!
This week, Nattie is joined by her friend Jenny Henderson and they talk about the sparks we all carry, they discuss the various effects change has in life, and the beauty that can come from re-invention at any point in time.
This week, Mary Susan is on the podcast with her good friend Theresa Rhodes and they talk about the power of serving others, life after retirement, and the positive influence we can have on each other when we choose our words.
Sister, Sister! This week, Nattie talks with her little sister, Audrey Deinlein Bruetman. Audie and Nattie talk childhood dance parties, Nattie bringing Audie in as 4th grade show-and-tell, lessons learned in your 20s and 30s, role models, and the beauty of viewing life as stained glass.
Show Notes:
NAMI Chicago
https://www.namichicago.org
The Mild West
https://www.themildwestband.com
Summer is here! This week, Nattie and Mary Susan laugh about high school memories, mixed tapes, 4th grade school field trips, and ways to get your household ready for summer!
This week, Nattie and Mary Susan reflect on the messy and imperfect moments of motherhood - birthdays, end of school and summer - oh my! And, how "job-sharing" motherhood lightens the load.
This week, Patricia Russo joins Nattie on A Little Happy Podcast and they talk about the evolution of self, how we can embrace change and the shakes life can bring, and the ways our histories help us pursue a softer way of living. Pat is a mystic, muse and spiritual teacher guiding women into their hearts with the journey of softening. She's a published poet, a lover of hearts and a forever student.
This week, Mary Susan and Nattie get real about how they navigate the chaotic seasons in life, the sometimes inefficient ways to ways weather the storms, and lessons learned about the beauty of shutting up and listening to those around.
This week, Nattie is joined by friend, Lindsey Hein, and they get real about making friends in new places, building community wherever you are, and the beauty that can come from loosening the grip on parenting.
This week, Nattie is joined by special guest, Marian Frick Rigsbee, LCSW, MAC. Nattie and Marian get real about therapy, the power of self-compassion, leaning into mental health strategies and Nattie picks up a few tips and tricks along the way.
This week, Mary Susan and Nattie get real about the mental load we all carry, what it feels like to have 200 open tabs of "to-dos" in the brain, what they have learned from just letting go and how a 3 lb. bag of jellybeans and a run may be the key to lighten the heavy lifts of life!
This week, Nattie welcomes a dear friend and special guest, Katie Nikou, and they get real about positivity in adversity, unexpected blessings out of grief, and the power of unconditional friendship. This episode is vulnerable and authentic as they discuss grief and loss and the hope and light that comes out of the most unexpectd and dark places.
This week, Nattie and Mary Susan get real and talk about energy - how we find it, how we use it, and how it affects our days. They talk about Nattie as a tired extrovert, Mary Susan shopping for oranges, and the continued pursuit of living life authentically.
This week, Nattie and Mary Susan get real about swimsuit season, lessons learned from the inner dialogue in a dressing room, exercises to promote some self love, and the secret may just be in ordering a size up.
This week, Mary Susan and Nattie get real and talk about the power of waving the white flag, rides with emergency ski patrol, impromptu kitchen renovations, and experiences we have had when asking for micro or macro help!
Nattie chats with guest, Ashley Fleming and they get real about ways to show up with intention each day, how a good date night can conquer goal setting, and the power of building healthy habits for yourself and your family.
Nattie and Mary Susan get real about the roads traveled to reach humility, the stories that come out of daycare, how good humble pie can taste and the power of being vulnerable and authentic.
Nattie and Mary Susan officially launch the A Little Happy Podcast and get real about the power of conversations with their younger selves, how wisdom sometimes comes in the form of broken sunglasses, saying your a hot mess can provide relief, and three simple words, "I Need Help" can be the key to a little more happy in your life.
This episode, Mary Susan and Nattie get real over the power of pivot, having a conversation with your younger self and secret superpowers!
This episode, Nattie and Mary Susan get real about self-care, the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO), and why having a theme song to start your day makes all the difference.
This episode, Mary Susan and Nattie get real about how they handle being scared to leave their comfort zone and how they push past their fears. Tune in as they share how the gift of rejection, rock climbing and John Mayer help them overcome fear and do the things they love.
Mary Susan and Nattie get real about why we struggle to feel legit and how to finally kick the imposter syndrome to the curb!