Episode 27: She Was Told Not to Run Again… Now She Is (A Brain Cancer Survivor’s Story)

Episode 35: The Woman Who Could Do It All... Until Her Body Said No with Magdalena Rybka

What happens when you've spent your entire life being strong? When resilience becomes your identity. When you're the person who figures things out, pushes through, carries the weight, and never gives up. And then one day, your body asks you to slow down. In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Magdalena Rybka: podcast host, entrepreneur, community builder, author, and advocate for women navigating life's biggest transitions. Magdalena shares her remarkable journey from escaping communist Poland as a child, spending years in a refugee camp, immigrating to Canada, and becoming the strong, capable woman everyone knew her to be. After decades of pushing forward, her body began sending signals she could no longer ignore. Over the past three years, Magdalena has faced a series of unexplained health challenges that have forced her to reconsider everything she thought she knew about success, productivity, and self-worth. Through it all, she has learned how to honour her energy, listen to her body, and embrace what she calls a "midlife revolution." This conversation is an honest exploration of what happens when we stop fighting ourselves and start paying attention. In this episode, we discuss: • Growing up in Poland and immigrating to Canada • How childhood experiences shape our beliefs around strength and achievement • The hidden cost of always being the capable one • Burnout, unexplained health symptoms, and learning to slow down • Anxiety, panic attacks, and nervous system regulation • Why many women experience an identity shift in midlife • The difference between a midlife crisis and a midlife revolution • Learning to honor your energy instead of pushing through exhaustion • Raising daughters who understand both strength and softness • The role of meditation, walking, and curiosity in healing • Why women need community now more than ever A few reminders from this conversation: Your worth is not determined by your productivity. Strength and softness can coexist. Slowing down is not giving up. Your body is always communicating with you. Sometimes healing begins when we stop trying to force the answer. About Magdalena: Magdalena Rybka is the host of the Live with Lena Podcast, co-founder of The Expansion Room, and an advocate for women navigating life's transitions. After a successful 25-year corporate career, she is now focused on prioritizing her health, writing her first book, building meaningful communities, and helping women redefine what success looks like in midlife. Connect with Magdalena [https://www.instagram.com/its.magda.lena/] Tune in to her Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/live.with.lena.show/] Join her Expansion Room [https://www.instagram.com/the.expansion.room] If this episode resonated with you, share it with a woman who needs the reminder that she doesn't have to do it all, carry it all, or figure it all out alone. And if you're looking to reconnect with your body, build strength and confidence, and move through life with more ease, I'd love to connect with you. Book a complimentary Move With Ease Consult Call by emailing tatianna@tgphysiotherapy.ca or connect with me on Instagram @tatiannagrahaminc [https://www.instagram.com/tatiannagrahaminc].

Episode 34: I Thought Losing 10 Pounds Would Make Me Happy

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why you wanted to lose weight in the first place? In this personal solo episode of The Move With Ease Podcast, Tatianna reflects on her own journey with health, fitness, body image, and the evolution of what success means. Like many women growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, she spent years chasing smaller jeans, lower numbers on the scale, and goals like "lose 10 pounds." She even bought clothes that were too small, convinced she'd fit into them someday. But over time, something shifted. Through running, yoga, mindfulness, motherhood, and learning to truly listen to her body, Tatianna discovered that what she was really searching for wasn't a smaller body at all. It was confidence. Freedom. Strength. Community. And the feeling of being at home in her own skin. In this episode, she shares: * how dieting and weight-focused goals shaped her early years * the surprising lessons she learned through sport and running * why community became more powerful than the scale * how yoga and mindfulness changed her relationship with her body * the shift from aesthetics to longevity * why strength, muscle, bone health, and resilience matter more than ever in our 40s and beyond * and the question that completely changed how she approaches health today This conversation is an invitation to reflect on your own journey and ask: ✨ What am I really chasing? ✨ What do I want my body to be able to do? ✨ Have my health goals evolved? Because perhaps the goal was never a smaller body. Perhaps the goal was always confidence, vitality, freedom, and feeling strong enough to fully participate in your life. Topics discussed: * body image * weight loss culture * confidence and self-worth * running and fitness * motherhood * yoga and mindfulness * healthy aging * strength training * longevity * women's health in midlife * redefining success * identity and health If this episode resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you. Have your goals evolved over the years? Are you noticing a shift from chasing a number on the scale toward building strength, confidence, and longevity? Send me a message, share this episode with a friend, or leave a review. And if you're looking for support as you reconnect with your body and redefine what health means for you in this season of life, book a consult call to go over your goals and to learn more about The Move With Ease Method and our community of women who are learning to move, age, and live with strength and confidence - together. Because we're stronger together, and we were never meant to do this alone. Namaste, Tatianna Connect with me @tatiannagrahaminc [https://www.instagram.com/tatiannagrahaminc] Email or DM to book your consult: tatianna@tgphysiotherapy.ca

Episode 33: How a Mom of Twin Boys Ran a Sub-20 5K After Boston - with Kelly McDonald

Think your athlete days are over? Think again. In this energizing and inspiring episode of The Move With Ease Podcast, Tatianna sits down with nurse, mom of twin boys, Boston Marathon runner, and recent sub-20-minute 5K runner Kelly MacDonald to talk about prevention, intentional health, sustainable performance, and learning to tune inward before burnout or injury forces you to. Kelly shares her journey from competitive figure skating to marathon running, including: * qualifying for the Boston Marathon in her very first marathon * overcoming recurring shin splints and training setbacks * learning how to slow down enough to become a better runner * and how motherhood, nursing, and longevity have shaped her approach to health and fitness Together, we explore: * why easy runs actually matter * the mindset shift from constantly pushing to intentionally recovering * nervous system support for runners * breath awareness and inner core connection * balancing motherhood, work, and big goals * guilt and self-care as a mom * prevention and healthy aging * and the importance of building strength and resilience before breakdown happens Kelly also opens up about: * how her background in competitive sport shaped her mentally * the difference between judged sports and running * the emotional side of racing * and what was going through her mind during her recent sub-20-minute 5K at Ottawa Race Weekend One of the most refreshing parts of this conversation is Kelly’s perspective on prevention and longevity as a nurse: ✨ “You don’t have to wait until your body breaks down to start listening.” This episode is packed with practical wisdom, inspiration, and reminders that: ✨ goals and softness can coexist ✨ recovery is productive ✨ easy runs are still valuable ✨ and women and moms are allowed to have dreams too Topics discussed: * Boston Marathon qualifying * sub-20-minute 5K training * motherhood & fitness * prevention & longevity * nervous system support * recovery for runners * easy runs & aerobic training * inner core awareness * balancing goals with family life * competitive sports mindset * strength & sustainable performance Plus: ⚡ runner rapid fire ⚡ favourite fuel & recovery tools ⚡ race mindset ⚡ dream races ⚡ funniest mom-runner moments Connect with Kelly: 📍 Instagram: @kelly_skating — 🎧 Loved this episode? Share it with a runner, mom, or woman who needs the reminder that prevention starts long before burnout or injury — and that supporting your body better can actually help you thrive longer. And if you’re ready to reconnect with your body through breath, mindful movement, and inner core awareness, explore my FREE RESOURCES [https://beacons.ai/tatiannagraham] and get started! Tatianna

Episode 32: 14 Seconds

Is it possible to be proud and disappointed at the same time? After running a half marathon personal best of 1:40:14 — just 14 seconds shy of my goal — I found myself sitting in the tension between celebration and disappointment. And honestly? That tension taught me a lot. In this solo episode, I reflect on: * the physical and mental reality of racing * how life stress and energy expenditure impact performance * the power of community and being carried by others * the mental negotiations that happen inside the “pain cave” * learning how to receive support, compliments, and wins * why awareness matters more than self-judgment * and how growth sometimes asks us to celebrate ourselves before we feel fully satisfied This conversation goes far beyond running. It’s about identity.Resilience.Performance.Nervous system capacity.And the practice of holding both ambition and gratitude at the same time. Whether you’re an athlete, a parent, an entrepreneur, or simply someone navigating hard seasons and high expectations — I think you’ll resonate with this one 🤍 Thank you for being here.And thank you for cheering me on. Sub 1:40… I’m coming for you.

Episode 31: When Burnout Becomes a Breakthrough with Shannon Clarke

What happens when the life you carefully built no longer feels sustainable? In this deeply honest and inspiring episode of The Move With Ease Podcast, Tatianna sits down with Shannon Clark — entrepreneur, acting coach, mother, and founder of West End Playhouse — to talk about burnout, anxiety, people-pleasing, healing, and the unexpected path that led her from corporate HR into acting and creative expression. Shannon shares how years of over-functioning, perfectionism, and constantly adapting to fit into new environments eventually led to a complete breakdown during COVID. After taking on overwhelming responsibilities at work, suffering severe anxiety and panic attacks, and then tearing her ACL shortly after stepping away from work, Shannon was forced to slow down and finally confront the deeper patterns she had spent years suppressing. Together, we explore: * burnout and nervous system overload * social anxiety and people-pleasing patterns * childhood conditioning and constantly “fitting in” * meditation as a healing tool * learning to tell the truth and honor yourself * perimenopause and identity shifts * creativity as medicine * how acting became an unexpected path toward healing * inner core tension, holding patterns, and learning to let go * self-compassion and rebuilding trust in yourself One of the most powerful moments in this conversation is when Shannon shares the commitment she made to herself during her healing journey: ✨ “No matter what, I’m going to tell the truth.” That simple but profound decision changed everything — from her relationships, to her anxiety, to the way she now moves through life and motherhood. We also dive into the fascinating connection between creativity and anxiety, discussing how acting, imagination, and creative play can help regulate the nervous system and reconnect us to ourselves in ways we may never expect. This episode is a beautiful reminder that: ✨ healing is rarely linear ✨ slowing down can become the beginning of transformation ✨ and sometimes the life we’re meant for appears only after everything else falls apart Topics discussed: * burnout & panic attacks * nervous system regulation * social anxiety & masking * people pleasing & truth telling * meditation & mindfulness * creativity and healing * acting & self-expression * perimenopause and identity * self-compassion * inner core connection * learning to let go Connect with Shannon: 🎭 West End Playhouse [https://westendplayhouse.ca/] 📍 Instagram: @westendplayhouse.ca 📍 Instagram: @shanoonclarke — 🎧 Loved this episode? Share it with someone who’s quietly carrying too much, feeling disconnected from themselves, or learning how to finally let go of the version of themselves built purely for survival. And if you’re ready to reconnect with your body and move through life with more awareness and ease, explore the free resources linked below. Namaste, Tatianna FREE RESOURECS => HERE [https://beacons.ai/tatiannagraham]