In this episode, Grace Varca, host of DC’s first girly-pop podcast, “Kind of a Lot,” and founder of The Night Run Club, shares openly about navigating the challenges that come with job loss after experiencing a layoff earlier this year. Grace and I explore the emotional impact of layoffs, the journey of redefining identity, and the importance of community and creative outlets in navigating life's transitions. Grace shares her experiences with mindfulness, therapy, and the job search process, emphasizing the significance of self-investment and resilience. Our conversation highlights the power of taking ownership of your career and building supportive communities.

Takeaways:

• It’s important to give yourself time to grieve that version of yourself after a layoff
• Finding purpose can come from community building and creative outlets
• Mindfulness techniques like journaling can help manage mental health
• Investing in yourself through therapy is crucial for growth
• Job searching requires patience and reframing expectations
• Creating opportunities is essential when existing ones are lacking
• Manifestation takes time and energy, and it’s important to be patient
• It's important to recognize your worth in the job market

Chapters:

01:23 Introduction to Grace and Her Journey

05:23 The Day of Layoff: A Personal Account

09:43 Redefining Identity After Job Loss

13:34 Building Community: The Run Club and Podcast

17:36 Entrepreneurial Ventures and Future Aspirations

23:57 Navigating Life Changes and Mental Health

30:23 Advice for Those Facing Layoffs

32:28 Self-Discovery Through Adversity

38:19 Creating Opportunities from Setbacks

Connect with Grace:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/gracevarca/, https://www.instagram.com/kindofalotpod/, https://www.instagram.com/thenightrunclub/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gracevarca, https://www.tiktok.com/@kindofalotpod, https://www.tiktok.com/@thenightrunclub

Podcast Website: https://kindofalotpodcast.com/

Run Club Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-night-club-104412812021

If you know someone who could benefit from listening to this episode, please share it with them. As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback. You can also help me by leaving a review, commenting, and responding to the poll. Thank you! 🙂

Contact Us: https://www.thenakedtruthwithlauren.com/contact

Newsletter: https://thenakedtruthwithlauren.kit.com/newsletter

Email: hello@thenakedtruthwithlauren.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thenakedtruth.pod

In this episode, Amanda Bourbonais, founder of Health First Freelancer, shares her journey of building a successful six-figure freelance copywriting business while managing chronic Lyme disease and ulcerative colitis. She discusses the importance of prioritizing your health, the role of functional medicine, and her experience with EMDR therapy. Amanda also talks about her community, Health First Freelancer, which supports individuals with chronic illness in creating businesses that prioritize health.

Takeaways:

• Amanda built a successful freelance business while managing chronic illness
• Functional medicine played a crucial role in Amanda's health journey
• EMDR therapy helped Amanda process trauma and improve mental health
• It’s important to prioritize your health in buisiness
• Vitamin D supplementation was a turning point in Amanda's health
• Amanda advocates for exploring out-of-the-box health solutions
• Health First Freelancer supports those with chronic illness in business creation

Chapters:

01:23 Introduction to Amanda

03:12 Health Challenges and Breakthroughs

07:30 Understanding Chronic Illness

16:45 Building a Freelance Business

26:02 Therapy and Mental Health

27:45 Understanding EMDR Therapy

36:55 Scaling a Freelance Business

43:05 The Health First Freelancer Community

46:55 Advice for those Struggling with Chronic Illness

Connect with Amanda:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@healthfirstfreelancer

Website: https://www.healthfirstfreelancer.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/healthfirstfreelancer/

If you know someone who could benefit from listening to this episode, please share it with them. As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback. You can also help me by leaving a review, commenting, and responding to the poll. Thank you! 🙂

Contact Us: https://www.thenakedtruthwithlauren.com/contact

Newsletter: https://thenakedtruthwithlauren.kit.com/newsletter

Email: hello@thenakedtruthwithlauren.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thenakedtruth.pod

In this episode, I introduce my super cool girlfriend and co-host of the “Water Girls” podcast, Marieka, who shares her journey through the ups and downs of dating, overcoming heartbreak, and finding her way to a place of strength and happiness. We discuss the importance of compatibility in relationships, the significance of mental health and therapy, the role of manifestation in achieving personal goals, and the story of how we met. Marieka shares the lessons she’s learned over time and advice for anyone currently going through heartbreak. Our conversation emphasizes the value of vulnerability and support systems. ♡

Takeaways:

• It's important to allow yourself to feel emotions
• Compatibility is key in relationships
• Manifestation requires letting go of control
• Self-discovery is essential after heartbreak
• Therapy can provide valuable tools for healing
• Socializing and hobbies can improve mental health
• It's okay to take a break from dating
• Building a support system is crucial
• Partnership means equal effort and support

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage

05:20 Highs and Lows: Personal Reflections

11:02 Dating Journey: High School to College

16:49 Coping with Heartbreak: The Low Point

22:50 Advice for Overcoming Dark Times

31:25 The Importance of Therapy and Support

36:55 Shifting Approaches to Dating

51:23 Manifestation and Its Role in Relationships

58:56 Defining Partnership After Growth

Where to Find “Water Girls,” a show about women’s sports:

Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/00NnoJZmugYg89ps4W9SiK?si=1ac5fdc3738f41ec

Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/water-girls/id1725190966

IG: https://www.instagram.com/watergirlspod1/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@watergirlspod

If you know someone who could benefit from listening to this episode, please share it with them. As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback. You can also help me by leaving a review, commenting, and responding to the poll. Thank you! 🙂

Contact Us: https://www.thenakedtruthwithlauren.com/contact

Newsletter: https://thenakedtruthwithlauren.kit.com/newsletter

Email: hello@thenakedtruthwithlauren.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thenakedtruth.pod

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Angeleaza to discuss the complex journey of navigating grief and loss. Angeleaza shares her personal story of losing her dad 11 years ago, exploring the unexpected nature of his passing and the profound impact it had on her life. The conversation dives into the different types of grief, the challenges of coping with PTSD, and the importance of acceptance and finding new normals after loss. Trigger warning: This episode contains discussions about death and grief. Please take care of yourself while listening and consider if this content is appropriate for you at this time. ♡

Takeaways:

• Healing is not linear; it will get better over time
• Accepting that you are not the same person after a loss is crucial
• Finding a 'just be' place, like fitness or meditation, can help with healing
• Grief can manifest in unexpected ways, such as PTSD or anxiety
• Community support is so important in the grieving process
• It's important to talk openly about grief and not shy away from it
• Grieving is a personal journey, and everyone experiences it differently
• Sharing stories and memories of lost loved ones can be healing
• Acceptance rather than resistance helps in navigating grief

Connect with Angeleaza:

Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qbkAd2e15P8qidh9BJWRx?si=be39ac150b534a93

Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-are-you/id1654322399

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-are-you-podcast/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/whatareyou_pod/

Email: hello@whatareyoupod.com

If you know someone who could benefit from listening to this episode, please share it with them. As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback. You can also help me by leaving a review, commenting, and responding to the poll. Thank you! 🙂

Contact Us: https://www.thenakedtruthwithlauren.com/contact

Newsletter: https://thenakedtruthwithlauren.kit.com/newsletter

Email: hello@thenakedtruthwithlauren.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thenakedtruth.pod

Get ready to unlock a whole new level of confidence, clarity, and calm in your workday! In this episode, I’m chatting with corporate meditation leader and keynote speaker Nadene Cherry, who I was first introduced to when I took one of her meditation classes at Deloitte (which was awesome!). Nadene helps professionals unleash their best work by finding inner peace through the power of meditation and mindfulness. After a successful 18-year career in enterprise technology sales, Nadene discovered the transformative power of a personal mindful meditation routine, which not only brought her inner peace but also helped her become a consistent top performer. Now, she's dedicated to teaching teams across industries about how taking “Permission to Pause” allows them to thrive both personally and professionally.

Connect with Nadene:

Website: www.nadenecherry.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadenecherry/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadenecherry/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nadenecherry

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or family member. As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback. You can also help me by leaving a review, commenting, and responding to the poll. Thank you! 🙂

Contact Us: https://www.thenakedtruthwithlauren.com/contact

Newsletter: https://thenakedtruthwithlauren.kit.com/newsletter

Email: hello@thenakedtruthwithlauren.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thenakedtruth.pod

In this episode, I’m chatting with a previous coworker and fellow UMD alum, Lauren Der, about her experience with a serious spinal injury, the connection between mind and body, therapy, her advice for those going through a serious health event, and more. She also shares her story behind creating Opsy, a health-tracking app that supports people tracking pain levels and mood to get a better handle on their physical and mental health. Whether you are living with a chronic health condition, going through long-term recovery from surgery, interested in trying therapy, or just curious to learn more about how Opsy can support your needs, this episode is for you. ♡

Learn more about Opsy:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/opsyhealth/

Website: https://opsyhealth.com/

Book Recommendation:

• The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or family member. As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback. You can also help me by leaving a review, commenting, and responding to the poll. Thank you! 🙂

Contact Us: https://www.thenakedtruthwithlauren.com/contact

Email: hello@thenakedtruthwithlauren.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thenakedtruth.pod

In this episode, I’m chatting with my high school friend Gabrielle, who you probably know as Zingara, the popular EDM DJ. We’re diving into how she’s used manifestation to build her dream life and career, going from DJing small local shows to playing huge festivals like Electric Forest and Red Rocks. She shares how mindfulness and grief have shaped her journey, and how she creates not just music, but an experience that connects with people on a spiritual level. We talk about her behind-the-scenes rituals, what manifestation actually looks like in her day-to-day life, and how she stays grounded in a world that’s constantly on the move. If you’ve ever felt called to chase a dream, but fear, doubt, or outside noise held you back, this episode is for you. 💫

Connect with Zingara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zingaramusic/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zingaramusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zingaramusic

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ZINGARAMUSIC

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5LxbXRVEMOw6i1WSa2YQn1?si=WY8Mc6kLQt-H2Q9IxWpvRQ

Book Recommendations:

• Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Joe Dispenza
• Ask and It Is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks
• Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or family member. As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback. You can also help me by leaving a review, commenting, and responding to the poll. Thank you! 🙂

Contact Us: https://www.thenakedtruthwithlauren.com/contact

Email: hello@thenakedtruthwithlauren.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thenakedtruth.pod

Trigger Warning: This episode contains a brief mention of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, reach out to a loved one, call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or text ⁠TALK to 741-741⁠ to text with a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free, 24/7. You are not alone. <3

I’m speaking with self-sabotage expert Dr. Phil Agrios about how to spot and stop the hidden trait that's sabotaging your success. Dr. Phil spent over 35 years as a chiropractor and functional medicine practitioner and experienced firsthand how stress, overwhelm, and hidden emotional patterns derail even the most driven people. His experience fueled his research into human behavior, ultimately leading him to discover what he calls the “Hidden Biological Trait,” which is an inborn mechanism that unknowingly causes self-sabotage, imposter syndrome, procrastination, and fear of rejection and failure. Now, through his T-NOW method, he helps professionals identify this trait, neutralize it, and break free from the cycles that keep them stuck - allowing them to thrive both personally and professionally. If you’re looking for practical steps to overcome self-sabotage in your daily life, this episode is for you.

Connect with Dr. Phil:

Websites: thetnowmethod.com and https://transcendnow.biz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drphilipagrios

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drphilipagrios

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drphilagrios

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or family member. As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback. You can also help me by leaving a review, commenting, and responding to the poll. Thank you (:

Website: https://www.thenakedtruthwithlauren.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thenakedtruth.pod