The Room to Be Brave: April Day Garcia on Trauma Healing, Sobriety, ADHD & Reclaiming Identity

Too Stressed to Laugh? Laughter Yoga for Burnout, Stress & Healing | Cathy Nesbitt

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2083529/fan_mail/new] Laughing on purpose sounds ridiculous — until you feel what it does to your body. In this uplifting conversation, Julie Fairhurst is joined by Cathy Nesbitt, a certified Laughter Yoga Teacher and Laughter Ambassador, to discuss laughter as a practical wellness tool for women who feel stressed, exhausted, overwhelmed, or emotionally maxed out. Cathy shares how she went from running a worm composting business to teaching intentional laughter, and why this work matters even more in a world where stress has become the default setting. Julie and Cathy explore what Laughter Yoga actually is — no flexibility required — and what a session can look like in long-term care, community groups, and everyday life. Cathy explains why group laughter is so contagious and how intentional laughter can help the body shift from stress and tension toward more joy, connection, and release. In simple, grounded language, Cathy breaks down the wellness benefits of laughter, including deep diaphragmatic breathing, increased oxygen, nervous system support, and what she calls your daily D.O.S.E. of feel-good chemicals: dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. They also talk about mirror neurons, why laughter sometimes shows up at “inappropriate” moments, and how those unexpected reactions may be your nervous system looking for safety and release. If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t feel like laughing,” this episode is for you. Cathy offers a compassionate way in, reminding us that simulated laughter can still support the body and that laughter can work alongside therapy, medication, healing, and other wellness tools. This conversation also touches on supportive practices like tapping, Brain Gym cross-crawls, qigong-style movement, grounding outdoors, choosing music over doomscrolling, and building small habits that bring more lightness into your day. If you are tired, stressed, heavy-hearted, or simply ready for a lighter way to move through life, this episode is a gentle reset. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a lighter day, and leave a comment with one thing that helps you come back to joy. Cathy's Chuckle Club https://www.cathysclub.com/ https://www.cathyscomposters.com/ https://www.cathysclub.com/ https://www.cathyssprouters.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathynesbitt/ https://www.youtube.com/@CathyLaughter  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559438955975 If this conversation stirred something in you… good. That’s where change begins. Make sure you’re subscribed, share this with someone who needs it, and if you’re ready to tell your story, step into your voice, or build a life that actually feels like yours… You’re in the right place. I’m Julie Fairhurst, and this is where stories turn into power. Go to my website if you would like to be a guest on the Women Like Me Stories & Business in the toolbar click Let's Podcast Julie's Website [https://juliefairhurst.com/]

Stop Saying Yes: The Boundary Test Every Woman Needs | Paula Mathias

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2083529/fan_mail/new] Your calendar can look “full” and still be empty of you. In this powerful conversation, Julie Fairhurst sits down with author and speaker Paula Mathias to unpack the quiet way women disappear inside lives that look fine from the outside. Together, they explore how women can come back to themselves through practical, repeatable choices — one pause, one boundary, one honest no at a time. Paula draws on her years as a technical recruiter in the tech industry, where she saw the same pattern again and again: women get hired, then struggle to stay when they do not feel heard, are interrupted, and carry extra emotional and invisible labor just to belong. Julie and Paula talk candidly about imposter syndrome, being the only woman in the room, workplace confidence, invisible labor, burnout, overgiving, and the lifelong conditioning that teaches girls to be quiet, helpful, agreeable, and easy to like — even when those habits quietly cost them their careers, their wellbeing, and their voice. Paula also shares her powerful Yes Test Method: Is it yours? Is it essential? Is it sustainable? From the “office mom” snack story to the pressure of being the default person at home, this episode gets real about how boundaries are actually built in everyday life. You’ll hear how to pause before the automatic yes, try a “no for now,” negotiate instead of overfunctioning, and remember that someone else’s emergency does not always have to become your priority. This conversation is for the woman who is tired, stuck, resentful, overbooked, overneeded, and quietly wondering where she went. It’s time to stop disappearing inside everyone else’s needs. Subscribe, share this with a woman who needs a stronger no, and leave a comment with the boundary you are practicing next. Paula Mathias, Author and Speaker https://paulamathias.com/ Books:  The YES Test: https://a.co/d/08mQsqJu Speak Up: https://a.co/d/06iE4lWS If this conversation stirred something in you… good. That’s where change begins. Make sure you’re subscribed, share this with someone who needs it, and if you’re ready to tell your story, step into your voice, or build a life that actually feels like yours… You’re in the right place. I’m Julie Fairhurst, and this is where stories turn into power. Go to my website if you would like to be a guest on the Women Like Me Stories & Business in the toolbar click Let's Podcast Julie's Website [https://juliefairhurst.com/]

How to Write Your Life Story Without Reliving the Pain | Memoir Writing for Women

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2083529/fan_mail/new] Have you ever wanted to write your life story but stopped because you thought, “What if I’m not interesting enough?” or “What if people judge me?” or “What if writing it brings all the pain back?” In this episode, Julie Fairhurst shares a steady, compassionate way for women to begin writing their personal stories without forcing themselves to relive every wound. You’ll learn why women’s stories matter, why visibility can feel so uncomfortable, and how to begin with one honest moment instead of trying to write your whole life at once. Julie also talks about the difference between writing from the wound and writing from the wisdom — because your story is not just about what happened to you. It is about what you learned, survived, carried, healed, and now have the courage to say. This episode is for the woman who knows there is something inside her worth writing, but she needs permission, structure, and a safe place to begin. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why so many women dismiss their own stories • How fear of judgment keeps women silent • Why your life does not have to be dramatic to be meaningful • How to start writing with one honest moment • How to turn memory into meaning • Why writing your story can become an act of courage, healing, and legacy Your story counts. Your voice matters. And somewhere, there may be a woman waiting for the words only you can write. What is one moment from your life you are ready to write first? Share it in the comments. Subscribe for more videos on writing, publishing, women’s stories, visibility, book marketing, and turning your lived experience into words that matter. Julie Fairhurst is a writing coach, publisher, business strategist, podcast host, and founder of Women Like Me. With 34 years in sales and marketing, Julie helps women authors and women in business write their stories, publish their books, clarify their message, and use their voices with courage, confidence, and heart. Through Women Like Me, Julie has supported women in sharing true-life stories, building visibility, and turning lived experience into legacy, healing, and meaningful impact. If this conversation stirred something in you… good. That’s where change begins. Make sure you’re subscribed, share this with someone who needs it, and if you’re ready to tell your story, step into your voice, or build a life that actually feels like yours… You’re in the right place. I’m Julie Fairhurst, and this is where stories turn into power. Go to my website if you would like to be a guest on the Women Like Me Stories & Business in the toolbar click Let's Podcast Julie's Website [https://juliefairhurst.com/]

Aaronna Martin: Honest Motherhood, Loneliness & Finding Your People

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2083529/fan_mail/new] Loneliness can be one of the strangest parts of motherhood. You can be doing school drop-offs, standing at the park, surrounded by people, and still feel like a real connection is missing. In this episode of Women Like Me Stories & Business, Julie Fairhurst sits down with Aaronna Martin, an HR professional, mom, blogger, truth teller, and founder of HR Next Door, for an honest conversation about motherhood, loneliness, burnout, identity, friendship, and what happens when women finally say the quiet things out loud. Aaronna shares the pressure many mothers feel to be the “perfect mom,” how burnout can show up at home after giving everything away all day, and why social media can make real life feel like it is falling short. She opens up about being “one and done,” how an emergency C-section and early motherhood shifted her sense of identity, and why she began writing at 3 a.m. just to get the feelings out. What began as private journaling became blogging — and when Aaronna shared her truth, other women reached back with the words so many of us are waiting to hear: “me too.” We also talk about motherhood and entrepreneurship, including Aaronna’s journey building her consulting firm, HR Next Door. She shares why starting a business can feel exciting and lonely at the same time, the humbling reality of building from scratch, and why finding your people through mom groups, coworking communities, networking circles, and women’s friendships matters more than we admit. If you are looking for honest motherhood conversations, postpartum loneliness support, women in business stories, mom burnout recovery, or a more human version of work-life balance, this episode will feel like a deep exhale. Subscribe to Women Like Me Stories & Business for more real conversations with women who are telling the truth, building meaningful lives, and reminding others they are not alone. Here are a few ways to reach out to Aaroona: https://www.instagram.com/hr_next_door/ If this conversation stirred something in you… good. That’s where change begins. Make sure you’re subscribed, share this with someone who needs it, and if you’re ready to tell your story, step into your voice, or build a life that actually feels like yours… You’re in the right place. I’m Julie Fairhurst, and this is where stories turn into power. Go to my website if you would like to be a guest on the Women Like Me Stories & Business in the toolbar click Let's Podcast Julie's Website [https://juliefairhurst.com/]

Starting Over at 40: From Single Mom Scramble to eBay, Etsy & Author Success | Kira Hartley Klinger

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2083529/fan_mail/new] Starting over at 40 is rarely a clean reset. Most of the time, it is a messy rebuild while life keeps moving. In this episode of Women Like Me Stories & Business, Julie Fairhurst sits down with entrepreneur, author, and speaker Kira Hartley Klinger for a brutally honest conversation about rebuilding your life, your income, and your confidence without a perfect resume, a college degree, or a pile of startup money. Kira shares how she went from single-mom scramble mode to generating real income through auctions, eBay reselling, Etsy, vintage fabric, and relentless reinvesting. What began as survival turned into business, and what began as trial and error became proof that women can start again with grit, instinct, and one brave next step. We talk about impostor syndrome, confidence, debt-free living, reselling online, building an Etsy shop, free marketing, self-publishing, book marketing, and why Amazon will not sell your book unless you show up and do the work. Kira also shares what it was like to publish her first book at 55 after writing for decades, and why it is never too late to become the woman you were quietly becoming all along. This conversation is for women who are thinking about midlife entrepreneurship, starting a side hustle, selling on eBay, opening an Etsy shop, self-publishing a book, getting out of debt, or finally trusting themselves again. If you have ever felt stuck, underestimated, unqualified, or too late, this episode is your reminder: you are not too late. You are in the rebuild. Subscribe for more honest conversations with women entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, and everyday women turning their stories into strength. Where you can find Kira: https://a.co/d/0aVjfuVQ https://www.instagram.com/dododdity? igsh=ejN5aG1lenk5YWtk&utm_source=qr https://www.linkedin.com/in/kira-hartley-klinger-319a68a5?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app https://www.facebook.com/share/1H9akapnTT/?mibextid=wwXIfr If this conversation stirred something in you… good. That’s where change begins. Make sure you’re subscribed, share this with someone who needs it, and if you’re ready to tell your story, step into your voice, or build a life that actually feels like yours… You’re in the right place. I’m Julie Fairhurst, and this is where stories turn into power. Go to my website if you would like to be a guest on the Women Like Me Stories & Business in the toolbar click Let's Podcast Julie's Website [https://juliefairhurst.com/]