More Than a Vacation — Travel, Growth & Saying Yes to Life with Leeah Smestad

WWAMMD #4: Astrology, Ghosting, Respect & Returning the Shopping Cart | With Ambika Devi

It's time for another round of What Would Auntie Mel Mel Do? 💜 This month, I'm joined by returning guest and friend Ambika Devi for a fun, thoughtful, and completely unfiltered conversation as we tackle listener questions and some of life's surprisingly deep everyday dilemmas. We dive into: ✨ Astrology and why people connect with it 🛒 The great shopping cart debate (yes, we went there!) 👻 Ghosting and what it says about communication today ❤️ Respect, boundaries, and how we treat each other 🤔 Judging people based on first impressions 🌱 Personal growth, self-awareness, and accountability 😂 Plus plenty of unexpected tangents, laughs, and real talk As always, no topic is off limits and no script is required. Just two people sharing perspectives, stories, and asking ourselves: What Would Auntie Mel Mel Do? Connect with Ambika Devi: 🌐 https://ambikadevi.com [https://ambikadevi.com] 📚 Author of Cupid Is a Bastard and other transformational works 🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. #WWAMMD #AuntieMelMel #LifeUnfiltered #AmbikaDevi #Podcast #PodcastLife #Astrology #Ghosting #Respect #PersonalGrowth #SelfAwareness #Boundaries #RealTalk #LifeLessons #Spirituality #AuthenticConversations #MentalHealthAwareness #Community #Storytelling #WomenWhoPodcast

Carrie Danger: Sobriety, Healing & Finding Yourself Again

In Episode 35 of Auntie Mel Mel: Life Unfiltered, Carrie Danger joins me for a raw and vulnerable conversation about addiction, sobriety, healing, mental health, and rediscovering yourself after realizing something in your life needs to change. Carrie opens up about the mental side of alcohol addiction, questioning her relationship with drinking, and the emotional process of rebuilding herself through recovery. We also talk about trauma, authenticity, self-awareness, learning healthier coping mechanisms, and how becoming a runner became part of her healing journey. This episode is honest, emotional, relatable, and a reminder that healing is not linear — and nobody should have to struggle silently or alone. If this conversation resonates with you, please like, comment, subscribe, rate, review, and share with someone who may need it. #AuntieMelMel #LifeUnfiltered #SobrietyJourney #MentalHealth #HealingJourney #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryIsPossible #SelfDiscovery #SoberLife #MentalHealthAwareness #HealingOutLoud #Podcast #Authenticity #WomenInRecovery

More Than a Vacation — Travel, Growth & Saying Yes to Life with Leeah Smestad

What if travel wasn’t about escaping your life… but expanding it? In this episode of Auntie Mel Mel: Life Unfiltered, I sit down with Leeah Smestad of Newberry Travel for a conversation about meaningful travel, stepping outside your comfort zone, solo travel, fear, freedom, and why some of the biggest moments of growth happen when we finally say yes to experiences that scare us a little. We talk about: ✈️ Travel for connection, not consumption 🌎 Solo travel & rediscovering yourself 🧠 Why so many people struggle to take the trip 💛 Travel as an investment in yourself 🐧 Antarctica, penguins & unforgettable experiences ✨ Becoming a new version of yourself through travel This conversation was such a refreshing perspective on what travel can really mean beyond vacations and social media highlight reels. 🎧 NOW STREAMING: YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts Friday 05/22/26 at 6am EST 🌎 Connect with Leeah / Newberry Travel: https://www.newberrytravel.com/ [https://www.newberrytravel.com/] #AuntieMelMel #LifeUnfiltered #Podcast #TravelPodcast #MeaningfulTravel #SoloTravel #TravelCommunity #PersonalGrowth #SelfDiscovery #WomenWhoTravel #Adventure #TravelLife #MentalHealth #HealingJourney #TravelMore #ExploreMore #NewberryTravel #PodcastEpisode #TravelInspiration

Real Talk with My Cousin Matthew About Asexuality

Sometimes the most important conversations start with simply being willing to ask questions. 💛 In Episode 33 of Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered, I sit down with my cousin Matthew for one of the most honest and meaningful conversations I’ve had on the podcast so far. Matthew opens up publicly for the first time about identifying as asexual—sharing his personal journey, misconceptions people often have about asexuality, the complexity of the ace spectrum, and what it was like finding language that finally fit who he is. But this episode is more than just education. It’s about identity, acceptance, feeling different, finding community online, and realizing you are never as alone as you think you are. As someone who loves Matthew deeply, I’m beyond honored he trusted me and this platform with such a vulnerable conversation. This is exactly why I created Auntie Mel Mel Life Unfiltered—to give people a safe space to tell their stories openly, honestly, and without judgment. 🎙️ Episode 33: “Real Talk with My Cousin Matthew About Asexuality” 📅 Streaming Tuesday, May 19th at 6AM EST 🎧 Available on Spotify, YouTube & Apple Podcasts If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who may need to hear it. 💛 #AuntieMelMelLifeUnfiltered #Podcast #Asexuality #AceSpectrum #LGBTQIA #ComingOut #MentalHealth #Identity #AuthenticConversations #RealTalk #FamilyConversations #AsexualAwareness #Healing #Community #SafeSpaces #SpotifyPodcasts #YouTubePodcast #ApplePodcasts #LifeUnfiltered #PodcastCommunity

Parenting Outside the “Norm” with Brook: Homeschooling, Family & Intentional Living

In Episode 32, my cousin Brook joins me for an honest conversation about homeschooling, intentional living, and raising six children outside of society’s “norm.” We talk about the realities of homeschooling, navigating judgment from others, individualized learning for each child, bullying and trauma in traditional school settings, and what it truly takes to raise a family intentionally. This episode dives into both the beautiful and difficult parts of choosing a different path for your family — and yes, we asked the hard questions. #homeschooling #motherhood #parenting #familylife #intentionalparenting #lifeunfiltered #podcast