We’re doing this right. Right?

Happy Anniversary to ALL OF US! 🤍

• Cheryl Medeiros l San Luis Obispo County, CA • Season 3 • Episode 1

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colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Cheryl's famous quote is done is better than perfect. Right. But that you just. Just start and just do it.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

list, do the first thing on the list. And every day get up and put one foot in front of the other and keep working towards what you're working towards. And like I say all the time, I don't subscribe to failure. That's not failure. It's an opportunity to learn and pivot and change. Hey, so hey guys, welcome back. We're doing it right. Kind of. Yes. We're figuring it out as we go.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

yes. And guess what? We've been doing it right for a year. Episode

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

you guys. Oh, I wish I could, I know I wish I could send every one of us flowers to celebrate a year of chatting together and learning and growing and thinking about business and life and friendship and parenting and and family. Failures, which I don't subscribe to that word. There are lessons

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yes. Yes. Resiliency and determination and persistence. I,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

of success, whatever that is, we do it our way. We don't have to do it the way that everybody else is doing it

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

we were chatting a little bit before and and when we were planning this episode, I was kind of reflecting today on Oh my God, like we've been doing this for a year and for those of you who joined us, not in the beginning this podcast started out as Cheryl wanting to do a podcast and then messaging me and being like, Hey, I saw your Instagram story about your morning routine. I'm going to start a podcast. Do you want to come on and talk about. Your morning routine on my podcast. And I was like, absolutely. Yes, of course. And then she was like, actually, do you want to just do the show with me? And I was like, absolutely.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

because it turned into a FaceTime call. And we're just bantering back and forth about what she'd said about the morning routine on her car rant on

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

which you don't follow Colleen on Instagram. There's lots of car rants and I'm here for them.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah. Oh

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

so we're just ranting back and forth about the morning routine. And I'm like, God, this is an episode. And then it's the like candor and the just. The chemistry, if you will. I was like, actually you're the co host of this because I knew that I didn't want to talk at an audience for an hour every week. I didn't seem like methodology that would be appealing to me or listeners. And so I'm like, I was going to just in my mind, have a revolving co host okay, this week it'll be this person next week, it'll be that person. Almost like each week, just have a guest, I guess. And there'd probably be some repeats. And then when I just spent a little time with Colleen, I was like, Hey, actually, but you guys want to know something wild. You know, the six degrees of separation that you hear, like everybody's just six degrees of separation. Colleen and I might've been closer than six degrees

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

my God.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

to meeting each other.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

How insane is this? So just recap. So I grew up in California. And, but not central California, northern and southern. So I skipped, skipped over, went to IU for undergrad. So that's my Indiana connection, but then went to grad school in Oregon. So I've bounced all over. Right? So that's the background. And Cheryl,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

around is what she's saying. You guys.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

get around, And you've been predominantly in the central coast for, I mean, you were born in Michigan, but predominately.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

in Northern California, well I was born in Michigan, I grew up in Northern California outside of Sacramento, but very small town, nowhere near where Colleen was. then I moved to the central coast of California, so San Luis Obispo in 20, 2003 when I graduated high school and I've been here since. So. Been here a minute.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah, so then we keep finding people that we know mutually from like random, random parts of our life. Like the other day, the other day, we realized that we were not Facebook friends, which was bizarre. And so

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

weird.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

I like friended her and I was like, Oh, You know, I was like, Oh, you have a mutual friend with so and so. And she was like, yeah, how do you know that person? And I was like, well, I know them from Oregon state. And then she was like, how did you, how do you know, like, you know,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Ali is married to one of my very dearest friends that I grew up with. And then Ali's got a best friend and she's her best friend's married to a very dear friend of mine that I also grew up with. And I'm like, what the fuck do you know? These people,

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

and I knew all of them from Oregon state, which was like so bizarre. Anyway,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

is you guys, a chapter. I didn't even realize Colleen had in her life. I didn't know you were at Oregon state for a period of time. And then, uh, The other one was I was at Bunko one night and the podcast came up and this woman that I've met when my girls were really young in this group in San Luis Obispo, if you're not in parent participation with young children, you need to be because you'll make really deep, great connections. But anyhow, this woman that was at Bunko. It's like, wait a minute. How do you know Colleen Hungerford? And I'm like, uh, she's my podcast co host. How do you know her?

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

I forgot about it. And I knew her from when I worked in LA. Because she went to UCLA and then she worked, she was a volleyball coach at the high school that I worked at so bizarre that we have all of these commonalities, but also just goes to show one,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

yeah.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

the world is small and to

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

just start

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

connections and networking and really forming relationships and connections with people like how important that is. And how those connections last a long time if you are good at doing it, right? So we just love that. So anyway, so you were just like, join my podcast and was like, cool. Yeah, let's do it. And we've been literally just doing every week since then. Plus some more, sometimes more than once a week. And I think one of the things that I, it's really important. To mention is that like we didn't have any previous experience doing this We were literally Googling like how to podcast and like reading articles and watching YouTube videos and like researching among doing all this other stuff and really trial and error. You know, here I am a year and my internet's still fucked all the time. I've gone through like two microphones that don't work and I barely use them. But it doesn't matter. We've still recorded and produced 51 episodes so far. And we just keep doing it. And I think that really is a testament to who we are and what we do. And the example and the encouragement that we want for, for women and for listeners and for anybody. Is that like Cheryl's famous quote is done is better than perfect. Right. But that you just. Just start and just do it.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

list, do the first thing on the list. And every day get up and put one foot in front of the other and keep working towards what you're working towards. And like I say all the time, I don't subscribe to failure. That's not failure. It's an opportunity to learn and pivot and change. And, you know, there's been plenty of that through this as well. And we're still pivoting and changing and finding our way. And It's working for me. This is my definition of success.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

am so filled with joy when we record, I am filled with joy when I receive messages from our very loyal community who you know, cheerleading for us, promoting us Reaching out to tell us that they enjoyed us sometimes giving us feedback, which is important. And it's been such a freaking delight. I posted on my Instagram not too long ago, like when people ask me if I'm still enjoying this, I'm like more than anything, like this is soul filling for me. This is self care for me. And I know that if I need to learn about these topics that we're learning about, that likely. You guys, my community also needs it. So I'm just so happy to be, shining light on things that I think are important or that I need to learn more about, or that our, our guests are not our guests, our listeners, our community, tell us that they want to learn about. Like, we're just so happy to be here learning and growing every week and then

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

what I love, I love all of those things. In addition, what made me so happy the other day was when Sarah Armstrong was on Skye's Skye, Michael's happier human as a guest, right? Those two really powerful, really amazing people connected. And we're able to, to offer value to each other because of our podcast, right? Like, because Sarah was a guest and Skye was a guest and they were able to connect and because you connected them and I just, I have realized in the last few weeks, like how much joy and fulfillment it brings me to connect people together, even when it has no benefit to me. For me, right? Like it is. I was so proud that I felt like that was a big moment for us and for our podcast to be able to connect these really wonderful people in two totally different parts of the country at two different fields, you know, and and the more that we can do that and facilitate that for others is really. Such a gift for us, but also such a value add for our listeners, for our guests, like for us to be able to facilitate platforms for people, small businesses and to really shine a spotlight on them like that to me. Is just like, we have a question now when you apply to our to be a guest on our podcast. So if you want to be a guest on our podcast, please apply. And one of the things is like, what lights you up? And this lights me up, the podcast, connecting people, sharing you know, me, I don't like to gatekeep, like collaborating, all of those things. And I think, we're not perfect and our episodes have not been perfect and there's things that we'll continue to work on. There's technical shit we'll continue to work on there's whatever, but we're just doing it and we're just like. Continuing to create a really lovely community. And I'm so, so proud of that. I'm so proud of us for that.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

am too. I. Was editing my Instagram bio this weekend and I have on their master connector and I mean, I really truly believe it. And on that note, I'm going to make an announcement. Dr. Jenny Bennett and Julie Palumbo. I would like to connect you next. I've not yet done that, but I told Julie I was going to, so I'm going to connect

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

and Julie Palumbo will be such a great match in collaboration if they can connect like they're Their mantras and their mentalities seemed so familiar. And that'll be like another one from like, well, just because our network has expanded and we know these people now we're going to be able to connect to them. And how I think it's going to be great. I just love that. And I mean, it's what we're doing with the InspireHER Collective as well. So. You know, we've talked about it a little bit here, but we have our hyperlocal groups. So Colleen has her chapter in Indy. I have my chapter in San Luis Obispo. We're launching in Salt Lake City. We're launching in Charleston. We're launching in Denver. And so we each have our hyperlocal networks, which will be super beneficial for each of our, like every member of InspireHER their local chapter will be super resourceful for Them growing their business locally. But the second layer of that is this national network that we have, where we are able to now connect members from all the groups and they can collaborate and learn and grow together as well and expand their own networks nationally. Like a lot of the people we work with, or we've interviewed, or they're running an online business at this point where like they can have clients anywhere, like what Colleen and I do. You know, as our main of income is hyperlocal, but at the end of the day, we also have this broad network that we can connect our own clients and friends and family to over, which is guys, spoiler alert, like that's super beneficial to a real estate agent. If you allow your real estate agent to connect you with an agent in your town where you're moving or where you're. You're selling that is beneficial financially to our business, not only financially, but it's also just great for our network and us receiving other referrals from people that we've been able to send referrals to. And so I just wanna make sure everybody knows that if you have a realtor you love let them help connect you. And if you don't have a realtor you love, call Colleen and I and we're gonna be very happy to connect you to someone. That we can match make you with, because we also understand like, while I might not know Colleen's market or real estate market, I know Colleen, I know her skills and I can transfer someone over to her and know like if they'd be a good fit, vice versa. But Colleen's not the only agent. I know Colleen and I have been very intentional about growing a national network of agents that we know, and that we can support our clients and our friends and family with. Nationwide.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Right. And even globally now. I have global.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

yes, that's true. Mm hmm. That is true.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Please let me know. But yeah, I mean, I think that that is the theme and that is the thread that connects every single thing that we do. Cheryl is just. The, the matchmaking, the connection, the collaboration and doing what we do to help and support and to lift up others. And I think that is a great segue into, we were going to talk about our favorite episodes of

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

We are gonna talk about our favorite episodes we picked a top nine because we don't we're not gonna follow the crowd and do it like a top ten How boring we're gonna do a top ten top nine the top nine we separated into three that I felt were really impactful that really spoke to me. Colleen had a few that were really impactful that really spoke to her. And then we had a few that we agreed upon that were great. We both agreed. So it's three for me, three from her, three from us. And then honestly, would love to hear your top. How are many what were your favorite episodes? What did you learn the most from what spoke to your heart the most?

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

also disclaimer, this, that like we had 51 episodes to pull from and to pick this few was very challenging. And so nobody,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

challenging.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

got upset. Okay. Don't be good.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

yeah.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

love them all. All our guests. We love all of you and we love all the episodes. So nobody get upset. Here's your, you're, we're the ones that we felt most drawn to or impacted by.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

drawn to today. Also, if you asked me next week, it might be a totally different list.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Totally. Totally pull up the list because I can't remember.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Oh yeah. Back to see behind the scenes stuff. You guys technical technicalities over here. Is that big enough for you to see? Do you need glasses yet?

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

I do need glasses, but I can see that.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Okay, good. So I'll go first. One of the episodes and I pulled this one out because I feel like this is the that I most frequently referred to and like for weeks and weeks and weeks to come. I just remember listening to this episode and like jaw open, so impactful to me. So it was The Big Little Question with Despi Mayes and Despi Mayes wrote a book called the big little question and to unharmoniously, probably what the big little question is. If I like I truly mattered, what would I be doing for myself? as a working mom with many irons in the fire, if you will, I do a lot for everyone else all of the time. the things that get skipped are the things that are for me. So I've hardly been to the gym since I had children. Like exercise is an afterthought. There was a time in my life where I remember looking at people that didn't exercise and feeling like, how can they live their life that way?

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

And here I am. I've got a 7-year-old now and I could probably count on four hands the number of times I've exercised

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

and I was an athlete up until college. I participated in races after college. It's been something that's been so important to me for a majority of my life, and that's what that's also interesting to think about. The majority of my life this last seven years is actually very short.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

the span of how long I've been alive, but it has been the biggest part of my life and the hardest part of my life and the best part of my life.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Right.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

It's just so interesting. And I lately probably need to be doing more for myself to show up in the way that I'd like to show up for my family specifically. So. There's that, that's why that one was just so impactful. I think it's just like, I, I live for other people. I would, I'm like a servant leader, if you will. I'm a, you know, I work for clients. I want them to have the best experience ever. I just need to find a way to also fit. fit in time for me somewhere.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

You need to, it's, and it's changing that language. I hate the, you need to, but and I've mentioned this before, but it's actually, it's just prioritizing. The time is there. It's just prioritizing the time and prioritizing yourself, putting it in there because there is time because

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

we all

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

that's it. Okay. Go. What's your name? How's that?

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

hours and some people are making it happen. So we'll figure that out. a, that's a priority. And I have appreciated Despi bringing that. succinct question to the forefront. So, Colleen, you do yours. You're one of yours.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Oh, okay. So really top of mind for me, cause this was more recent, but I feel like this is something that has been very powerful for me. And that was our episode with Rachel Wainer. So transformative strengths, how to harness your superpowers. And that is the Clifton strengths conversation. And, you know, the shift for me when I was able to do that assessment and and look at those. Strengths and to really focus on what am I so good at just innately like me as, as a being me as a person, whatever, like here's what I'm good at. And, and I should be leaning into that instead of this idea of always correcting what's wrong with you, right. And spending so much time on the things that you're not good at to correct them instead of pouring into the things that you're good at. And that has changed. Me pretty significantly in the last few weeks. Like we've, we interviewed Rachel on the podcast, but we had talked to her previously in, in our CMC group. And just this idea of like using those to my advantage and using that language and using that as a way to help support me and my business and the things that I want to do, but then also help figure out. Okay, great. Here's what I'm good at, what I, what I am not as good at, or I'm not interested in. I need to find the people who can support me and who are good at those things so that I can fill them in. Right. So that has been that has been really, really impactful for me. Love her.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

also think that when we shift our focus to things we're good at, isn't that going to breed so much more self confidence in us instead of always focusing on the things we need to work on? It's like, I mean, it's kind of like the energy stuff we've talked about and the vibrations and that it's like the things that we give attention to are the things that are going to thrive in our life. I mean, it's like the grass is green where you water it, y'all. So if you are watering the strengths that you have and like, Just don't look at the weeds or okay, the weeds are there. And I can, I can bring in some flowers over there

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

to cover those, or someone who's good at pulling weeds can go over there and pull the weeds. And I can be over here watering this grass where I'm great at

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Find the person who wants, who can pull the weeds and that's what their strength is. And this was, here's a very good example of this. When I, two years ago, three years ago, two years ago, whatever, I was asked To be on the PTA at our school, and I really wanted to be involved. And they were like, well, the position we have open is treasurer, so you'll be a treasurer elect, and then the second year you'll be treasurer. This is not something I'm interested in. This is not a strength of mine. Like, not that I'm bad with money, but like spreadsheeting and tracking to me is not my vibe, but I wanted to be involved and this is what was available. So I'm a, I'm a yes I want, so I said yes. I did not do good at that job. Like I, nothing failed, like it was fine, but I didn't like it. I didn't enjoy it. It wasn't how I could contribute my best strengths to the PTA. Right. And so fast forward, I I'm part of was previously part of NABA, which is the National Association of Women Business Owners. And I was on their membership committee. And I pulled back because I felt like there was a lot going on, but they've asked me to come back. They've asked me to reengage. And so I said, okay, here's what I'm good at. Here's where my strengths are. Here's where I feel like I could be the best use of this committee. So if there's something that fits that role, then that's what I'm, that's what I can commit to. And that's what I can make time for because it's something I know I will succeed at. So this idea of understanding like also how to articulate and how to communicate, like I want to be a part of this group, but I also want to set myself up and set the group up for success so that I can be a great member of this team. And not just a member of this team who isn't really pulling my weight or isn't really contributing the way that I'd like to contribute. And it's really given me those tools in that and even that language to be able to, to articulate that. And I think that that has been really helpful and impactful for how I want to be involved in things.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Yeah. I have like similar, different, school, you know, we have teacher appreciation week every year I have I'm not creative. Yeah. am not crafty. I am not those things. And that's fine for me. What I am is I'm very organized and I am also very good at like motivating people to take action. So the way I've changed the way my kids classes do teacher appreciation week is I'm like, Hey, does everybody want to pitch in an amount of money that you're comfortable with? I have built this spreadsheet where you come in and you log that you sent money, you send money to someone. And now we're going to give these teachers like Five really stellar gift cards instead of everybody brings an apple and a mug because the teachers don't want that shit. And people are like amazed by me and I'm like, look, this is my, this is my skill set. You will not see me on teacher appreciation week. They're decorating the teacher's classroom door. That is not my strength and I am so fine with that. So I always just jump in and volunteer and say I'll handle this part.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

want to handle like wrapping the gift cards and presenting them, like I'll collect them. I'll got that all day long. The other part's not my strength. So let me take this thing that feels hard for somebody else, but that's so easy for me and just handle it.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

right.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

that is, I mean, it's just another place. Like. And in the house, I mean, we should be doing this in our homes with our partners too, like I'm really good at Y, and Z. You're really good at a, B, and C like let's divide and conquer that way. It's so powerful to do that because then everybody's just feeling better and more confident and great. Thank you, Rachel.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Okay. What's your, what's your second one? Dude. This one was

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

that's not normal. floor health with Lauren Edwards OT.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

so good. I think this one was probably one of our most impactful episodes. And the one I think we had so many people reach out to us about.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Yes. And I continue to share this episode probably the most when I'm talking to someone out and about, because I am in this. I mean, we're all here. We're all women, depending on where we are in our life. There's things happening with our pelvic floor that we have just been conditioned to accept and live with. And when I hear those conversations come up, I'm like, listen, while that's common, it's not normal.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yes. That was such an important.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

something, yes, there's something you can do about that. Or there may be something you can do about that. Listen to this episode. I want you to feel it. Normalized after listening to this episode, that you're not alone. And, and then I want you to find someone like Lauren, where you are so that you can, you don't have to live with this. And I'm going to be super transparent. I had worked with Lauren. Right after my second pregnancy, my second pregnancy, I had like severe incontinence issues during that pregnancy And then I went to work with her even though my OB was like are you sure you don't want to wait until you're done With your third kid and I'm like, yeah, man I don't want to wait until I'm done with my third kid. I want to not pee myself for the next year So I worked with her. We did a lot to improve it. Things were really good And then this year I relapsed with a chronic cough and Mother's Day I remember sitting on the bed coughing while I cough which I think is No woman is surprised by that. But what then ended up happening is like I was actually peeing when I wasn't coughing anymore and I was like, what the fuck

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

the fuck? And so I went back to Lauren and I'm working with her currently and like now we know my bladder prolapsed after having three kids

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

please.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

that's, Fucking crazy. And there's things that I can do about that that aren't surgical. And, you know, I'm working very closely with her. I trust her tremendously. It's like a really good relationship, but I don't have to live with that and you guys don't have to live with whatever it is you might have going on.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

I just was at Bunco the other night and a woman there was talking about how her, the piece of skin between. Your rectum and your urethra, your vagina, it collapsed when she was having her third baby, when she was pushing her third baby, she now has to like, reach her fingers inside of her vagina to help push the poop out when she goes to the bathroom. And,

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

That is. Oh

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

that's so hard that she's living with that. And when these things aren't talked about and you don't know that, like, that's actually something that you can get support for,

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

my God.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

don't know that.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Woman. Geez Louise

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

So exactly. And women are just living with this, with shame and embarrassment, like these types of issues, because we're not supposed to talk about our lady parts. Well, go ahead and talk about them and find someone to help you with them. Because while it may be common and it's. It's not necessarily normal, and there may be something that can be done to fix it, so.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah, I was just at this past week on Friday. It was Indy Maven. Let's shout out to Leslie Bailey. IndieMaven put on a women's health summit with a local clinic here, a woman's clinic called HerMD, that is strictly a gynecological clinic, anesthetics clinic, so they don't do OB. Which was very, very intentional because they, because of issues like this, right. And, and, and overall women's health. And there's so many, you know, that would be considered a pelvic floor, but also a kind of a gynecological issue, right. That when you go to an office, that's an OBGYN office, their focus is always going to be dominated by obstetrics. and, and things like that. And the care, the post care,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

are the urgent things. have to be dealt with now.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

And the post care, or even just women without children, there are women who have never given birth who are also having these issues or having other, you know, like physical issues. And, and just this focus on true woman's health and really advocating for yourself. We've talked about this a bunch of times now, but just know that there are resources out there if you're local to Indianapolis and you're a woman, please go to her MD and go to their website. They're phenomenal. They're evidence based. They take insurance. This is a free commercial. I'm doing for them now, but I was so impressed with with what they do. I told my best friend. I was like, listen, we're making appointments. We're going, we're going together, right? Like we need to go and make sure everything's good, so that, that episode to me, you know, when she, I remember, I remember sitting, I remember exactly where I was recording that episode in Michigan on fall break. And I was sitting there at the table. And I had my hand while we were talking, and I do this when we record a lot, like on my lower back on the left side. And she's talking to us and she's like, most women who have had children or have these dysfunctions have lower left, lower left side back pain. And I was like, Oh my God. Oh my God.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

It's me.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

It's me.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

women.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

It's literally me. I am. It's all everything you're saying is me. So we love, love that episode. If you haven't listened to it, please go back and listen to Lauren Edwards episode. And if you're a local to central coast area, go and see her, please. She's phenomenal. Okay.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Your next favorite.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Oh my God. My next, the one that I felt was really, really impactful was half assed and wholehearted with Katie Mann Katie Mann's journey to Indy with kids. And she's a local kind of like, Parent blogger here in Indianapolis, but this one was intense and this one was impactful and you know, she's shared her story about infant loss and how that affected and changed her business. And through loss and through sorrow and through grief sometimes other amazing things can happen in that process. And, 1 does not beget the other or whatever, it was just, I was so honored that she was willing to share her story with us and talk so so openly and so raw and, and we didn't know it was coming. Remember? Like we were just like, we didn't,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Yeah.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

we didn't know. And and I was just so thankful for her to, to share with us and, and to really understand and really see behind, again, we talk a lot about peeking behind the curtain, but to see behind the curtain, like you look at her and she's. At least locally. She's got, you know, ton of followers. She produces this amazing website blog. She's such a great resource, but like the business that she has built and what has happened in her life while building that business and talk about persistence and resilience and growth and. All of that, like that to me was just such an incredible story and it's a really, it's a really good listen. And but if there are, you know, trigger warning, they do talk about, we do talk about infant loss and that one. It's pretty, it's a, it's a tough one, but it's so, so good.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Very touching. Okay. My next one. Beyond the calendar, syncing lifestyle with biological rhythms with Lauren McAllister NTP. So this one was just like fucking wild to think about at the different stages of your cycle, we all cycle 28 days, maybe not everybody anymore, but like a lot of us in this stage are cycling every 28 days. And at different points in that cycle, in different phases of it, if you will, you are better. suited to be doing different behaviors, different things. So like the first couple of days of our period, we all know we're kind of tired and lazy and feel like shit, probably not the right time to be out doing a big proposal. Or if you can manage your schedule in this way, like scheduling time for downtime and rest.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

then when you come out of that phase and you're into the next one, like that's when you've got the motivation to go out and do like you've had the rest. Now you go out and do the motivation or like when you're in that ovulation phase, you know, you are dynamic and people are drawn to you because you're putting off all the pheromones.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yep.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

And like, literally people want to come and find a way to knock you up. Like go and do your big presentations then, because you're going to be magnetic and dynamic during those periods. And even as far as what types of exercise you should be doing during each different part of your cycle, like when's the best time to schedule the trip to Disneyland.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

it is, it was so incredibly eyeopening to realize that we as women have this big, Powerful cycle that we could lean into and. Make work for us instead of against us.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

I felt like that was just really eyeopening and remarkable conversation.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

So it is. And again, talking about this women's health summit the conversation that I moderated was about cycle syncing. And I was so pumped because we had had this conversation with Lauren already. And I was like, Oh my God, I know all these questions to ask. I know how to help this speaker. I know how to talk to these women about this. And it's this also this idea that like the work week and the nine to five and the 24 hour reset is a, was created by a man, right? Because that's how their hormones reset. And for us was such an important way. You know, you can't always control your schedule, like you just can't. But when you can. Try to, you know, like you said, try to make that pitch meeting during your, during the three to four days when you're ovulating, because if you can, that's when you're going to have your most energy. You're going to be most attractive and attractive, meaning like attracting people. And and maybe don't schedule important meetings during your luteal phase. Thanks. Thanks. Bye. Where you're like PMSing and cramping and tired and cranky and then, you know, your period's coming and this idea of putting it on your calendar and really being aware and observant of, of those times intentional. I love it. Such a good one. Okay. That was your number.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

So that was my number three. So you do your number three.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Okay. So my number three, this was hard, but I picked our very first episode. I picked our morning routine episode and I picked this because this is the topic that kicked it all off for us. This was the topic that I felt so passionate about. We didn't have a guest because we didn't even know that we were going how to book a guest pretty much at that point.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Was step, like three and the step of a hundred

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

to, to build a podcast. I

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

And I felt like this was such a passionate conversation that we had about just reality and about life and about like, how society pushes these ideas of what we quote unquote should be doing or that, really came down to. This is also when we first started talking about curating our Instagram feeds. But I was getting all this shit in my feed that was like, you got to wake up and you got to hit the CrossFit gym at 5am and you got to drink your green juice and like get your whatever. And if you're not hitting, if you're not in the office by 8am and like hitting the phones and making the calls, like you're a failure. And I was like, cool, bro. Like, I'm so glad that works for you. But like, who's watching your kids while you're doing that, you know, like, and that's not something I always felt like I was failing because I couldn't do these preconceived ideas of what is success and what a perfect morning looks like and whatever. So we've gotten way past that now and known that that's just bullshit and you have to do what works best for you. And that might not even be the best thing for you. It might be. But creating some kind of routine for yourself in the morning that sets you up for the day is important, but it doesn't have to look like everybody else's routine. But this one will always have a special place for me because that was really where we, I mean, literally where we started and how we launched and a topic that we felt like was so important to bring to the forefront. I think it was one that was like impactful to a lot of our listeners and they could relate to this so much and it was just a great way to launch, to launch the podcast. So that was it.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

I think the most eyeopening thing that I learned during that episode was fact that the morning doesn't end when my kids wake up. Because I felt like the morning routine, I had to do it before, like I started with my kids

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yes.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

then actually realized, Nope, the morning goes till about 11, 59, 59

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

every day. Okay.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

After drama, right?

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Yeah, like there's still morning beyond when my kids wake up and kind of restructuring my day. And I've done like different things now, knowing that at different times, depending on where, what, what our life looks like at the moment, but like, I like to sit in my car for 10 minutes before I walk into the office and read a few pages of whatever the book is that I'm reading at that time. Like just carving out moments to do these little things that are going to. I have a lot of return on my life and, there's like the hell, how Elrod morning Miracle Morning book. And I read that this year with the 6 AMers and Sky Michaels. And that was, he's got, I think the analogy is like scribes and it's like, it's like, right. Move. Move. Be quiet with yourself meditate. Like there's all these like things that people are finding when they do, they have a better day, but it was just so impactful for me to know that doesn't all have to happen at, you know, 6 a. m. before my children have heard me move

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

the house.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah. And I think one of the things that I really recognized Is that that morning routine can evolve and can change in dirt in different seasons or different parts of your life. Right? And not being so rigid and so stringent. That if you're in think that was one of the things for me, it's like, I always felt like if I wasn't doing it the right, quote unquote, right way, I was somehow failing, right. Or somehow like I have now, I, now I haven't done all the things to set myself up for the day and now I'm, I've already failed and it's only 7am, you know, so giving yourself a little bit of Space and grace and acknowledging that every day can be different, but mostly just to find that time to do some kind of regular things or more routine things that are setting you up for success for your day. And those look different for everybody. Oh my God.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

for those of you not on YouTube, Mater is making his video debut

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Oh my

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

He's biting

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

So cute. Oh, big. Okay.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

I didn't put him in his crate. So we're gonna have all kinds of gifts around the house. I'm sure when I get up from recording. Okay. So now we're going to go through the three that we equally agreed were impactful to us.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yes,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

the first one, Invisible Battles, how one woman took her six year infertility journey into a mission to help others with Abby feeder.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

I'll

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

So this one was just incredible. The thing that really I found them, I mean, the whole story was incredible and impactful and heart wrenching. And then it ended with, You know, a happy ending and a career path for Abby, but I really enjoyed the, how to support someone going through this portion of the episode, because I think we all, and she said, she said the thing about if you don't bring it up because you don't want to remind someone of what's going on. Like, They haven't forgotten

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

there.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

is impactful regardless of what somebody in your life is going through just Acknowledge the elephant in the room

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

thinking of it. It's not like if you don't bring it up They haven't thought about it.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah. And she said, and you're, you talked about this too, is don't ask what you can do for somebody. Just do something right. Don't

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

up

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

put it on them to tell you what to do. Just do it if you want.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

going through something like that Whether it's infertility whether it's a new diagnosis of a chronic illness, whether it's an infant or pregnancy loss Regardless of what it is that and I can You guys know me now after a year, I am biggest go getter that you will meet. I know what I want. I go after it. I make the list. I start, well, I can tell you that in the most traumatic parts of my life, simply go on autopilot and like, don't have a lot of thought, or it's just. It's insane

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Right.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

be such a different person when you're going in something through something that is traumatic in the way that, infertility is or infertile pregnancy loss or any of these things like the death of a parent that, you know, there's so many things that we all will go through in our lives that are so hard. Just so fucking hard

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

just show up for those people just be there and Abby talks about how she had this friend That just wasn't answering the phone But she would call every day and leave a message even though the woman wasn't ready to speak to her Or talk about it in, but she, she said this and this really stuck out was like, but at the end of my life, even if she never answers the phone, I can feel good about, I continually showed up for this person

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

was in a really dark time and needed someone like I let her know I love her through action and just by showing up.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Right. He's an amazing, amazing woman. And a good, good friend of mine. I was so happy for her to come on and really. You know, share her story, which she's very open about and and has been, and I have learned so much from her. You know, and in so many ways, but particularly about, fertility, infertility, the whole process and just how to treat people and how to be a good friend, you know? If you haven't listened to that one, it's got a lot of great, a lot of great tools in that one, a lot of great ways to be helpful. So that's a great one. Okay.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

The reality of success, a heartfelt exchange with CEO, Kristen Hitch. First of all, I'd like to call out that this one has our most views on YouTube,

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yes.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

really fun because we are very, every week, our platform that we use to produce and publish the podcast, send us a recap of how many downloads and stuff we've had in which episodes have had downloads. And we can go in and see that on any given day. But. We weren't really checking YouTube. We were kind of just new to YouTube. We were just toying with it. Just, you know, just trying it on for size.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

you know, it sounded like that's what people did. And all of a sudden we went and looked and we're like a hundred and something downloads on YouTube. Like what,

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

is this?

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

And Kristen. So Kristen is been one of my best friends since I was 18 years old. And again, this is one of those really cool experiences of watching someone for me, watching someone grow into their success and watching and that success is not a linear path. Right. And watching her achieve. This level of quote unquote, business success, becoming a CEO, handling a big merger, you know, of companies and whatnot, but also knowing that she is doing that, while being a mom while dealing with, like being a step mom, being new, relatively newly married, like combining families, dealing with life, but also doing business. Success the way I would like to do success, which is like with compassion and with grace and with kindness. And I loved to be able to see and show our audience and show our listeners here's this really bad ass woman who is, who is a CEO and has reached this like really high level in her And she did it in a way that was So full of joy and so full of compassion and so full, you know, uh, thoughtfulness. And that was something that was just so amazing to see. And I don't think that that gets highlighted enough, right? Like we think of people getting, getting to where they are in their top pinnacle of what they've decided their career is. And it's always like, I struggled and I had to do things I didn't want to, or I had to be really tough or I had to, you know, like. Whatever. And she had to do tough things for sure, but she was able to maintain like her just really kind, generous heart. And that has never left her no matter what her role has been. And I think that that's such a cool lesson or experience or such a great example or role model for, for people. So I just, I mean, I could talk about her for a billion years,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

I also really liked the authenticity of her sharing too, like. While my career was being super successful over here, like I was going through a divorce over here and just like that, the two can exist at the same time. And I could, I could mirror that, the last few years in my marriage have been difficult and I have been the happiest professionally

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

I've ever been. And those two things can happen, not only in my marriage, but just with my family and being at this stage of parenting, I find it very difficult. It is not, I'm not the best at it. And but work, I'm crushing it. I'm so good at work.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Right.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

I'm so solid here. And then there's all this happening in the background over here and just acknowledging that like the two exist at the same time. And we are like a very dynamic and complicated beings that I can be so happy here and be so, um, Having the hardest time over here. So just interesting Really really like the episode felt like a warm hug.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

loved it.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

I felt like I had a new best friend immediately

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

She, she is everybody's friend. Okay.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

our final highlighted episode. We couldn't do this countdown without Susie

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

And this episode, so the mental load episode with Susie Adamson. So as everybody knows, unless you're first time listening, Susie is the like unofficial third member of this podcast. She's always, you know, like she's come on a couple of times. She listens every single day. She gives us all the feedback and she's. Such a wonderful force behind Cheryl and I to help push us and, and love us and, and guide us in so many different ways. So one, we just adore and love Susie so much, but two. This episode was literally life changing for me in my life. It was, so we talk about the mental load and everything that, you know, traditionally in, in you know, heterosexual, cisgender roles, the woman or the wife carries, and that might be true. Different in different other relationships, but the, what the wife, the mother, all the things that in these traditional gender roles, we're supposed to be responsible for in a relationship and not just the physicality of in the doing this, but how much it weighs on us mentally and emotionally. And this is one episode that my husband listened to back when he was listening. I don't think he listens anymore. And. It made such an impact on him and really changed some of the dynamics in our own home. And what I think was really interesting in that is that he listened to it and got this whole perspective, I think. That it wasn't just me, right? Like this just wasn't a me thing. This was a more systemic issue. And it wasn't just me complaining that I needed help doing the laundry or whatever, you know, or that even thinking that help that I needed help doing these things when really these things are both of our responsibilities. You know, it shouldn't be me asking him for help. And I can say he really stepped up as a result and really became a more equal partner and it's not perfect. And we, we still talk about it all the time, but but he really recognized. That there was inequity in the partnership. And so I'm just, for me, I'm so thankful. And I think it's a really great episode to like, be able to share, you know, share with your partner or share with another woman or share with somebody else. Like. Just so that we all know that it's not just us. It's not just you, right? Like this thing that you're dealing with when you can't, when you feel overwhelmed by everything that you are responsible for and the checklists and the remembering and the doctor's appointments and the kid's syllabus and the did you bring your water bottle and the did you call the guy?

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

the relationships

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Yeah,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

and the social calendar and

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

play dates and birthday parties. And work meetings and you know, whose career is more important than all of those things. Um,

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

home with the stuff he knows who's you know?

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

yeah, again, it gives us language and a way to like, talk about these things, right? Like, you know, I have, I've gotten to a point in my career where my contributions financially are equal, if not more now than my husband's, but yet. There is still an expectation somehow that we've set up in the, in this structure that I am what I call 95 percent parent, right? Like I'm the 95 percent parent. I, you know, and so it allows me to give some, some language and some commonality to be like, okay. We need to share this load, right? It's no longer that I'm working less or making less. So I'm the one who has to accommodate. We both need to contribute to this now. So it's super, such an impactful episode, such an impactful topic.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

Yes, and I the thing that I wanted to touch on you just did was like you'll get language here that you can use in your own situation in your own And that is like one of our core pillars that Colleen and I really focus on. And we challenge our guests to bring is just actual tangible things that you can walk away. Like how many times have you sat in a very motivational room or with a speaker and you leave and you're like, I'm so fired up. I can't wait to start. And then you're like, what? How, how, what do I do?

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

What do I do next? That's how you get to

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

that Colleen and I have is we want to inspire and motivate you. And then we also want you to have a stepping stone, a first step that you can take to help you put that motivation into action. All right.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

next level on everything, to be honest.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

It's this, you gotta, you gotta have the first step. You gotta do the first thing. Well, happy anniversary, you guys. I love you. If we were going to be together tonight, I'd get you roses and champagne and we'd snuggle, do our favorite show, you know, a little bit of Netflix and chill.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Or whatever, whatever you would want. Maybe that's not what you want. Maybe you want like the full laundry. What's the one else to pull the laundry? That would be. Yeah.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

we were together, just get you like a house helper this week. So you don't have to do as much. I would spoil the shit out of you guys if we were together. So

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Well, Cheryl, I am so thankful to do this show with you every single week, and I'm so excited for our year two and all the amazing things we're going to bring to everybody next year, or this year.

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

till you see our new branding and our new logo or our new cover today, you guys get excited.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Let's get excited! We're always changing the world!

cheryl_1_08-26-2024_091611:

you guys, we'll see you next week. Keep doing it right.

colleen_1_08-26-2024_121611:

Bye!

People on this episode

Head Shot

Cheryl Medeiros

Co-host
Head Shot

Colleen Hungerford

Co-host