Heart and Soul

Hosted by Mariah McKechnie and Monique Forcier

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Welcome to 'Heart and Soul,' the podcast where we empower and inspire women to lead their best lives, harnessing the power of their hearts and souls. We are Mariah and Monique, your hosts and guides on this journey of self-discovery and personal growth. In each episode, we'll dive deep into topics that matter most to you, from self-love and confidence to career development, relationships, and everything in between. We believe that every woman has a unique strength and inner wisdom waiting to be unleashed. Join us as we cover insightful heart and soul centered topics and interview incredible women who've overcome challenges, chased their dreams, and found their true purpose. Through all of this you will discover practical tips, strategies, and real-life stories to help you navigate life's twists and turns. For whatever season of life you are in, this podcast is your safe space to explore, learn, grow and possibly even laugh and cry with us. So grab your headphones, your favorite drink, and let's embark on this transformative journey together. With Heart, I’m Mariah and with Soul, I’m Monique.

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August 17, 2026Episode 9043 min

What Your Body Already Knows About Giving Birth with Marie Berwald

Monique brought us the most incredible guest today, and I could not wait to sit down with her. Marie Berwald is the founder of Birth Bliss, and she has spent over two decades supporting women through pregnancy and birth. What started as a yoga teacher covering a prenatal class turned into a calling she never planned on. Marie fell in love with the magic and intensity of pregnancy, and she never looked back. Marie's story took a turn when her younger sister called her sobbing, eight weeks pregnant and struggling with nausea so severe she didn't want to be alive anymore. That moment sent Marie searching for tools beyond what she already had, and it led her to the Emotion Code and Body Code work that now shapes so much of what she offers women today. KEY THEMES AND TAKEAWAYS Morning sickness and other pregnancy symptoms often have emotional roots, not just physical ones Muscle testing is a simple tool anyone can learn to check in with their own body Our reactions to small stimuli are often tied to unprocessed emotions from the past The body stores emotion, and releasing it can shift physical symptoms There is no universal right answer for things like birth position, your body already knows what works for you Medical care works best as a collaboration, not a one way relationship where the expert has all the answers Rest during the day matters just as much as sleep at night FAVORITE QUOTES “I just kind of fell in love with pregnancy” “Neither the patient nor the physician has all the answers” “Your body will sway forward if it's a yes, because we move toward the things that are good for us” “Give yourself permission to lay on the couch every day and listen to a guided meditation” “Our state of being is the central point from which everything else flows” CHAPTER MARKERS 05:03 How Marie accidentally fell in love with pregnancy 09:38 The call from her sister that changed everything 12:39 What the Emotion Code and Body Code actually are 20:43 A simple muscle testing trick anyone can try 24:30 Why your body already knows the best birth position 25:40 The doctor who taught her that no one has all the answers 33:07 The permission every pregnant woman needs to hear YOUR TURN Where in your life are you pushing through when your body is asking you to rest? CONNECT WITH MARIE Find Marie and all her free resources, including meditations, yoga sequences, and guidance on morning sickness and healing after miscarriage, on YouTube, where she shares the most. https://www.birthbliss.ca/ ----- All Heart & Soul's Details: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mastermind program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MB01X6UYDWY85KP

August 3, 2026Episode 8946 min

How Do You Rebuild Your Life After Losing Everything in One Day? With Dr. Carolyn Colleen

What do you do when your body starts shaking and your legs won't carry you into your own house? This week Monique and I sit down with Dr. Carolyn Colleen, and she takes us straight into the driveway of her old life, mid panic attack, moments before she had to walk in and start the conversation that would end her marriage. Monique and I met Dr. Carolyn Colleen the way so many of the best friendships start now, in a Zoom room, feeling her energy through a screen and knowing we wanted more of it in our orbit. In person it was instant, the kind of connection where you just know the stars lined up on purpose. Dr. Colleen's story starts with storms. Not metaphorical ones she read about, real ones she lived through from a young age. She walks us through the moment everything cracked open, sitting in her car in the driveway, hands locked on the wheel, heart racing, in the middle of her first ever panic attack, right before she had to go inside and begin the end of her marriage. From there she built what she calls the fierce method, a tool she now teaches women all over the world, and she takes us all the way to the stage of the United Nations to show us what's possible when you stop bracing for the storm and start learning to move through it. KEY THEMES AND TAKEAWAYS Storms in life don't stop coming, but we can get better at navigating them A panic attack in the driveway became the turning point Dr. Colleen needed to rewrite her story The fierce method breaks down to breathe, focus, fierce action, your BFF for the hard moments Big change doesn't require a big leap, it just requires five minutes at a time Emotions like anxiety and worry aren't the enemy, they can be harnessed as fuel A 20 year goal to speak at the United Nations was reached in under three years once she let go of what wasn't hers to carry Real growth is about who you're being, not just what you're doing OUR FAVORITE QUOTES "I didn't know what it was and I couldn't move." "Is this storm going to break me, or is it going to elevate me?" "Your new best friend is right inside of you." "We're not necessarily getting rid of the old pathways, what we're doing is creating new ones." "How are you choosing to be, not the human doing?" CHAPTER MARKERS 07:57 The panic attack in the driveway 09:16 Choosing who to be before walking inside 13:08 Dreaming a 20 year goal out loud 14:32 Standing at the UN, three years ahead of schedule 17:55 Breathe, focus, fierce action, meet your BFF 22:09 Five minutes at a time 37:24 Human being over human doing YOUR TURN This week's reflection: where in your life are you bracing for a storm instead of learning to move through it? What would it look like to give yourself just five minutes to choose who you want to be next? ----- All Heart & Soul's Details: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mastermind program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MB01X6UYDWY85KP

July 20, 2026Episode 8841 min

Writing Your Own Job Description with Dr. Emily Langdon

What do you do when you move to a brand new city for someone else's dream job and there's no roadmap for you? Emily Langdon just wrote her own. We had one of our favorite kinds of guests in the studio this week, someone from our own community who we've watched become part of the fabric of Duluth. Dr. Emily Langdon is married to Charles Langdon, the Chancellor of the University of Minnesota Duluth, and when they moved here for his role, there was no job description waiting for her. So she wrote her own. Monique met Emily years ago at a holiday party and has been singing her praises ever since, and once we heard Emily speak at Leap about the leadership work she's building at UMD, we knew we had to get her on the mic. This episode is part origin story, part leadership masterclass, and part honest conversation about what it looks like to build a role, and a life, from scratch. KEY THEMES + TAKEAWAYS The winding road that took Emily from California to Ohio to Merced to Duluth, and what it taught her about partnership What it's really like to be a spousal accommodation and how she turned that into her own lane instead of someone else's shadow Why leadership can and should be taught, not just modeled or hoped for The metaphor that changed how we think about learning: reading the book versus cutting open the frog Why women especially need permission to fail forward instead of beating themselves up How co-curricular life on college campuses (clubs, sports, sororities) quietly builds the leaders of tomorrow The reminder that self-led people don't buy into the noise, they know what real leadership looks like OUR FAVORITE QUOTES "I whisper to my baby, I'm gonna get you out of here." "If you want someone to make all the decisions, then you just get to sit back and judge and throw rocks." "When you self lead, then you're not buying into the propaganda or the machine." "You have to cut up a lot of problems to know what's going on in this animal." "Stop beating yourself up and move forward with more information, with this knowledge you've gained." CHAPTER MARKERS 02:13 Welcoming Emily to the show 05:15 How a Minnesotan husband led her to Duluth 09:23 Building a university from a golf course in Merced 14:32 Writing her own job description as a chancellor's partner 20:02 Why leadership became her whole thing 26:24 The women who quietly get everything done 38:23 Her go to leadership resource YOUR TURN Where in your life have you had to write your own job description because no one else could? ----- All Heart & Soul's Details: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mastermind program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MB011ESEG6C0U0Z

July 6, 2026Episode 8742 min

Hardwired to Belong: A Conversation on Betrayal, Presence, and Coming Home to Yourself with author Becky Moller

What happens when the person you trust most tells you a truth that breaks you wide open? For Becky Moller, that moment became the doorway into a whole new life. Becky joined us this week to talk about her journey from betrayal trauma into becoming a mindfulness teacher, author, and mentor. In 2014, her husband disclosed an online relationship connected to a pornography addiction he'd struggled with for years. Becky had always been the high functioning, juggle everything kind of person, and this was the moment she finally broke. What followed was a decade of healing that took her through twelve step recovery, meditation and yoga training, and eventually into building her own program, Undone Academy. We talked about what it actually means to heal in the body, not just the mind, why relationships can be some of the most powerful growth machines we have, and how Becky came to understand that the pain she carried was never really about her husband at all. It was about learning to fully love and accept every part of herself. OUR FAVORITE QUOTES "I went from being a high functioning, juggle all the balls kind of person, to I just couldn't function anymore." "What he did had exposed all of this pain that was already in me. The stuff I actually had to heal had very little to do with him at all." "Your deepest self knows how to heal. It already knows. Our job is just to get out of the way." "We are literally hardwired to belong to each other." "The pain you feel is our human inheritance. Just focus on your next right step, because that's how you find your way through." CHAPTER MARKERS 03:13 Becky's life now and how she got here 03:50 The disclosure that broke everything open 07:07 The pain was never really about him 13:16 Healing starts with creating space 17:09 The body as a portal into presence 23:56 Stepping into a frequency you didn't know existed 29:03 The book, the retreat, and the 60 day challenge 37:26 You are not alone YOUR TURN Where in your life are you trying to think your way through something that your body already knows how to heal? This week, notice what happens when you stop analyzing it and just ask yourself, can I be with this? CONNECT WITH BECKY Becky is opening up the 60 Day Mindful Summer Challenge starting June 1st. It's three daily commitments, nourish, move, and anchor, broken into eight modules of Body-Soul work you can do in small pieces each day. Register here: https://beckymoller.com/mindful-summer/ If you're in a relationship that needs repair or a deeper level of connection, Becky is also hosting a Couples Retreat September 3rd through 6th in St George, Utah, built around the tools of embodied mindfulness. Register here: https://beckymoller.com/couples-retreat/ Becky's book, Undone, Unafraid, walks through her own journey from rock bottom into wholeness. Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Undone-Unafraid-Evolving-Betrayal-Femininity-ebook/dp/B0FZYSSNZM If Becky's story resonates with you, reach out. Email her directly at becky@beckymoller.com or visit her at beckymoller.com. She also posts weekly teachings and mindfulness practices every Monday on her YouTube channel, The Undone Path with Becky Moller: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8wzQA5FDVaTYUPox_NACSA ----- All Heart & Soul's Details: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mastermind program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MB01ISWYGPQVZRF

June 22, 2026Episode 8641 min

What Your Bloodwork Isn't Telling You with Dafna Chazin

WHAT IF YOUR FOOD COULD ACTUALLY HEAL YOU? We talk a lot on this show about taking care of yourself from the inside out, and this episode? It hit different. Because our guest has been through it, and she turned that rock bottom into a career helping other women find their way back to their bodies. We sat down with Dafna Chazin, a registered dietitian with over 15 years of experience who now specializes in women's hormones, fertility, and PCOS. Her path wasn't some perfectly planned journey. She was dealing with painful periods, anxiety, acne, and digestive issues in her 20s and said she was, quote, "kind of a hot mess." It took her close to ten years to figure it out herself, and that's exactly why she does what she does now. So nobody else has to take that long. KEY THEMES + TAKEAWAYS Women are being gaslit by a healthcare system that wasn't built for them, and standard bloodwork doesn't tell the whole story The "normal" lab ranges were largely determined using data from men, and even then, sitting at the edges of "normal" can still mean something is off PCOS (now being called PMOS) affects both reproductive and metabolic health, including weight, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk Healing doesn't have to mean perfection. Dafna literally tells her clients when they're being too strict The GPS analogy: you don't have to start over every time you go off plan. You just recalculate Practical first steps don't require a total overhaul, just smarter, consistent habits Homemade food is almost always better for you than restaurant food, even without trying DAFNA'S TOP TIPS FOR HORMONAL HEALTH Don't skip meals. A consistent breakfast, lunch, dinner, and one or two snacks keeps blood sugar stable all day Start breakfast with 20 to 30 grams of protein. Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a protein shake all count Choose high fiber carbs. Think beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, quinoa, chickpea pasta. These are what Dafna calls "steady carbs." Take a 10 to 15 minute walk after meals. Research shows short movement after eating lowers insulin better than one long gym session Get off screens two hours before bed. Blue light disrupts melatonin and wrecks sleep, especially for women in perimenopause OUR FAVORITE QUOTES "Once you learn how to eat, you're done. You can do this for the rest of your life." "I knew things about my body that I knew were not true, and I didn't want to rely on some dude in a white coat to tell me otherwise." "You're going to eat every single day anyway. Let's start there." "If you follow perfectly and then go on vacation and everything gets thrown off, you ain't coming back." CHAPTER MARKERS 2:46 Dafna's story and why she got into women's nutrition 8:28 When "normal" bloodwork actually isn't normal 12:54 How Dafna's program works and what customized really means 19:39 Meal structure, blood sugar, and what to actually eat 35:32 The GPS mindset and letting go of the restart cycle YOUR TURN This week's reflection: Where are you still waiting for someone else to validate what you already know about your own body? ----- All Heart & Soul's Details: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mastermind program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MB01Q2UET7NDZEX

June 8, 2026Episode 8537 min

Why You Actually Get People Wrong (And What Generations Have to Do With It)

We throw around words like "boomer" and "millennial" all the time, but do we actually understand what shaped those generations and why it matters for every relationship in our lives? Monique and I have been wanting to dig into this one for a while, and honestly the timing felt perfect. Right before we hit record, I was telling her about a moment with my mom and some of my high school best friends where the conversation just cracked something open. My mom offered perspective on relating to their own mothers that none of us had thought to ask for, and it landed differently coming from her. That moment is kind of what this whole episode is about. We walked through every living generation, from Baby Boomers to Gen Alpha, and talked about what shaped each one, how they show up in relationships and work, and how we can actually connect across those divides instead of just getting frustrated by them. Key Themes + Takeaways: Baby Boomers (1946-1964) defined themselves through career and loyalty, and many weren't taught to process emotions because the generations before them simply couldn't Gen X (1965-1980) built trust through consistency, not words, and their independence came directly from being left to figure things out Millennials (1981-1996) brought emotional self-development into the mainstream and are dealing with burnout, comparison culture, and a deep need for purpose and meaning Gen Z (1997-2012) are digital natives who value authenticity and psychological safety above almost everything, and they're pushing back on overly polished communication including AI Gen Alpha (2013-present) are the most tech-integrated generation yet and will need intentional guidance around critical thinking, emotional regulation, and real-world presence When you're struggling to connect with someone from a different generation, stop asking your peers. Ask someone from that generation instead. Judgment is the killer of understanding. Empathy starts with context. Our Favorite Quotes: "Instead of having the reaction of like, how do you just not know how that works, approaching it from compassion and empathy and understanding that we just aren't coming at this from the same place of life." "Trust is built through consistency, not words." "Judgment is really the killer of understanding. If we can just set judgment aside and be like, help me understand what's going on." "Ask your kids for help. Seek outside of your generation. I've learned so much from my kids." Chapter Markers: 0:00 Rainy day in the studio 3:30 Breaking down Baby Boomers 8:28 Gen X, that's us 13:43 The millennial moment 17:34 Getting into Gen Z 21:20 Meet Gen Alpha 25:52 What intergenerational connection actually looks like 29:14 Mariah's story that started it all Your Turn: Think about someone in your life from a different generation who you sometimes struggle to understand. What do you know about what shaped them? What would shift if you approached that relationship with more context and a little less judgment? ----- All Heart & Soul's Details: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mastermind program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MB01BZTHMMP4NTR

May 25, 2026Episode 8437 min

The Clutter You Can't See: A Conversation on Spiritual Decluttering with Monique

What if the heaviest thing you're carrying... was never yours to begin with? You know how we've been on this whole decluttering journey together? We're talking spiritual decluttering — and before you picture someone sitting in lotus pose chanting at a shrine, let me stop you right there. This isn't about what you do . It's about what you let go of . The beliefs you inherited but never examined. The emotions you've been lugging around that aren't even yours. The mental chatter that drowns out your own inner wisdom. Monique is an energy worker and one of my dearest spiritual companions, and honestly — having her in my life feels like a constant gentle recalibration. I hope this conversation does the same for you. Key Themes + Takeaways Spiritual decluttering isn't about becoming someone new — it's about stripping away what's outdated, inherited, or simply no longer true for you, so your real self can come through. So much of what we carry came from someone else — childhood belief systems, religious guardrails, family patterns. The powerful question is: Do I actually believe this? Or did I just absorb it? Stuckness is spiritual clutter. If you feel like you can't move forward, it might not be a circumstance problem — it could be unprocessed weight sitting in your body, your mind, or your energy. Your spiritual practice doesn't have to look like anyone else's. Walking in nature, journaling, prayer, a massage, rest, listening to a podcast — it all counts. The form matters less than the intention. You don't have to do it all at once. Spiritual decluttering is maintenance, not overhaul. Just like I grab the trash out of my car every single time I get out — small, consistent acts of releasing add up to a lighter life. You can just... let go. I used to think releasing something meant working really hard for it. Turns out, you can simply choose: I release this. It no longer serves me. It's a decision. And yes, it might come back — but you can choose again. Ask yourself the questions that cut through: What feels heavy right now? Is this mine to carry? What's in the way of where I want to be? What's one thing I can let go of today? Our Favorite Quotes "The more you declutter spiritually, the more clearly you can hear yourself. That's really what it's all about." — Monique "We're an accumulation society. And we just need to get back to our core essence of who we are." — Mariah & Monique "You can't keep hanging on and dragging the third grader who got bullied everywhere with you. You gotta tell her she's okay. Heal her, integrate her, and let go of the story that's no longer serving you." — Monique "It's not about overhauling your life. It's about letting go of what isn't yours anymore — and maybe it never was." — Monique Chapter Markers 00:00 — The Clean Car We All Need (But Make It Spiritual) 03:01 — So... What Is Spiritual Decluttering, Really? 07:33 — The Emotional Weight We Were Never Taught to Put Down 12:33 — A Live Guided Practice: Where Do You Feel Heavy? 18:45 — Daily Maintenance vs. The Big Overhaul 25:22 — You Can Actually Just... Let Go 31:10 — Cycles, Shedding, and the Art of Beginning Again Your Turn This week's reflection: What is one thing you've been carrying that might not actually be yours? Sit with it. Breathe. And ask yourself — is this mine to carry today? You don't have to solve it. You don't have to fix it. You just have to notice it — and give yourself permission to set it down, even just for a moment. ----- All Heart & Soul's Details: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mastermind program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MB01FDPMCL22UQ8

May 11, 2026Episode 8343 min

Does a Cluttered Home Really Affect Your Mental Health?

What if the pile of stuff sitting in the corner of your room isn't just clutter, it's actually you , holding on for dear life? This episode cracked something open for me, because I finally said out loud what I've been quietly avoiding: my physical spaces are a mess, and it's messing with my mind. Okay, so here's the thing. A few episodes back, Monique and I dove into the many faces of letting go . And one of those faces? Physical clutter. The stuff piled in your car. The paperwork you walk past every single day. The closet that holds every version of you that ever existed. I am very much living in a full house—literally and figuratively. I love being surrounded by things that carry memories. A shirt I bought in Italy. My kids' old baby onesies. That one coat I haven't worn in three years but cannot get rid of. Sound familiar? Here's what I've realized: physical clutter isn't just a visual problem. It's emotional. It's mental. And if you've been walking through life feeling foggy or heavy and you can't quite figure out why—it might be time to take a good, honest look around you. ✨ Key Themes + Takeaways Physical clutter is mental clutter. Your exterior environment is often a direct reflection of your interior one. A cluttered space isn't just inconvenient—it's draining your mental energy without you even realizing it. Start with the thing that's not emotional. The car is a great place to begin. It's practical, it's contained, and cleaning it out won't send you into a spiral. Bite-sized beats boiling the ocean. Don't try to declutter your entire life in one afternoon. One drawer. One corner. One car. Then celebrate that it's done before you move to the next thing. Habit stacking makes it feel less like a chore. Pair your donation drop-off with a stop for a coffee or a quick nail appointment. Make the errand attractive, not dreaded. You'll actually do the thing. Close the loop. Take the winter boots all the way to the basement—not just inside the front door. Finishing one task from start to finish, without detours, is its own kind of magic. Some clutter is emotional, not just physical. The pile of papers I keep walking past isn't really about paperwork—there's something deeper keeping me stuck. Before I can clear it, I might need to sit with why I'm avoiding it. Your stuff holds your stories. The closet isn't just fabric and hangers. It's your past career, your past marriage, a version of you that deserves to be honored—and then gently released. Our Favorite Quotes "Physical clutter is mental clutter—and if you don't acknowledge that, you're just living in it and you don't know why." "I'm holding on to something that could be put back into the flow of the universe. And who am I to just be sitting on this?" "I needed to know it was going somewhere good. That's a big part of it." "Your exterior environment is a reflection of your interior environment." "Future me is really going to be the best version of present me." Chapter Markers 00:00 — The Clutter Confession 03:01 — Why Stuff Weighs So Much 09:18 — Starting with the Car: A Real-Time Plan 16:38 — Habit Stacking & the Errand Strategy 20:57 — The Paperwork Pile and What It's Really About 24:17 — The Closet Chronicles 37:55 — Riding the Wave Through the Mess Your Turn This week's check-in and journaling prompt: Walk through your home—or your car, your office, wherever you spend the most time—and notice what's waiting for you. Pick one thing. Just one. What is it, and what story are you telling yourself about why it's still there? ----- All Heart & Soul's Details: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mastermind program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

April 27, 2026Episode 8229 min

WAVE: A Simple Tool for Riding Life's Emotional Intensities

I have this incredible friend, Amy Fogarty — she's a nurse, a yoga teacher, and honestly just a stellar human being. I've done retreats with her in Santa Fe, and a while back she shared this acronym with me and I was like... wait, what? I've been lovingly pestering her ever since to let me bring it to you. So Amy, thank you — because I truly believe this can help people. We're calling this episode WAVE, and it's not just a cute name. When emotions are washing over you — and they will — it can feel exactly like being caught in the spin cycle at Pipeline. (Monique actually tried to swim out past those 20-foot waves in Hawaii and... yeah. That did not go as planned.) The intensity builds, you're waiting for the crest, and then it crashes back on you again. Sound familiar? Monique shared something really personal this episode — going through the college admissions process with her daughter, waiting for that email to open, trying to manage her own emotions and her daughter's at the same time. It was raw, it was real, and it's exactly the kind of moment this tool was made for. Key Themes + Takeaways W — Witness: Step outside the emotion and just observe it. You're not buying into the story — you're noticing. I'm emotionally flooded right now. That's it. Feelings are not who you are; they're windows into what's going on inside. A — Allow: Let the emotion exist without pushing it down, pushing it away, or distracting yourself out of it. You can't hide from what's already within you. V — Validate: Give yourself compassion. This is hard. This is real. Being human is hard — we didn't come with owner's manuals. Don't gaslight yourself into thinking you shouldn't feel what you feel. E — Explore: Where do you feel it in your body? Would a hand on your heart help? Breath? Gentle movement — yoga, a walk? What color is this emotion? What would it feel like to send it love instead of resistance? When you run from hard emotions, they get bigger. They become the dragon in the corner that just keeps growing — until you finally go make friends with it. Two things can be true at once: you can be sad about something and excited about what's next. But if you skip the validation step, you're still gripping — and you can't hold something new when your hands are full. This is a tool for everyone — kids, adults, men, women. Waves don't stop. Emotional intensities don't stop. So it's not about avoiding them, it's about having the right surfboard. Our Favorite Quotes "You can't hide from what's already within you." "Feelings are not who we are — they're just mirrors and windows into what's going on inside." "How can you hold something new when you're gripping?" "I finally realized I need to go pet the motherfucking dragon." 🐉 "Memories are built riding these waves — it isn't when the seas are calm." Chapter Markers 0:00 — Good vibes and a big tease 2:29 — Meet Amy Fogarty (and why Mariah wouldn't let this stay on Instagram) 3:52 — Monique's real-life wave: the college admissions rollercoaster 6:00 — Why it's called WAVE (and what happened at Pipeline) 7:46 — Breaking down the acronym: W, A, V, E 10:48 — The dragon in the corner (and why running makes it worse) 12:13 — What WAVE looks like in parenting — and why it matters Your Turn 🌊 This week's reflection: "Think about the last emotion that surprised you with its intensity. Where did you feel it? Did you witness it, or did you run? What might it look like to allow it — just for a moment — without trying to fix or explain it away?" ----- All Heart & Soul's Details: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mastermind program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MB016FYWIYHORQU

April 13, 2026Episode 811 hr 2 min

Rejection, Redirection & Radical Honesty: The LEAP Story Continues

Have you ever walked into a room full of strangers and thought, I've been looking for this my whole life? That's exactly what happened — and it's what sparked an entire legacy. Back in Episode 23, Monique and I introduced LEAP — the women's networking group we co-founded for Leaders, Entrepreneurs, and Professionals right here in Duluth. For two full years we poured our hearts into it, and then life expanded us in beautiful directions. It was time to pass the baton. Enter Christa and Kristine. Christa pivoted from retail into financial advising and has grown into VP of Retirement Solutions at North Shore Bank of Commerce. Kristine built a six-figure women's mastermind, ran soul-filling retreats across the country, and now brings that same energy into real estate. When they sat down for coffee and realized something was missing in Duluth for women, they found each other — and then they found us. Key Themes & Takeaways – Rejection is redirection. Both women lost jobs tied deeply to their identity — and both discovered the road forward was better than anything they'd planned. – You are the five people you surround yourself with. Intentionally putting yourself in elevated rooms isn't optional — it's the strategy. – Networking should feel like women. LEAP is built around asking out loud, referring well, and building real relationships — not passing business cards. – Radical honesty builds real partnership. Saying the true thing, delivered with care, is what makes a working relationship actually work. – When you invest, you show up. Skin in the game changes everything — and LEAP puts that theory into beautiful practice. – Abundance over competition. The most powerful shift is letting go of the need to compete and pouring into each other instead. Our Favorite Quotes "My rejection was my redirection — and it was everything I didn't know I needed." "You're one conversation away from an opportunity. But you have to put yourself in the room." "Selfishly, I didn't want this to go away — and then I realized what I was looking for was what other women were looking for too." Chapter Markers 0:00 Spring fling catch-up & welcoming our guests 2:29 The origin story of LEAP 5:24 Christa's pivot: from retail to VP of Retirement Solutions 13:30 Kristine’s story: mastermind retreats & reinventing her hustle 19:29 The moment LEAP found its new owners 28:46 What makes LEAP different — format, venues & the philosophy 54:29 How to refer like you mean it: Kristine’s step-by-step framework Your Turn Where are you waiting for permission to ask for what you actually need? Is there a room you've been putting off walking into that might change everything? What's holding you back from taking the leap? ----- All Heart & Soul's Details: Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the mastermind program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.heartandsoulmastermind.com/heartsoul⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@mariahmckechnie Say hi to Monique on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@moniqueforcier Leave a review on the Apple Podcast app and the Spotify app: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ MB01KKVWOJGKTSR