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Life doesn't always go according to plan. Scratch that--life pretty much never goes according to plan. And that's okay! That's what makes it interesting. There's the way you thought your life would go and then there's your life, actually. This is where we celebrate the "actually", as Laura Behnke talks with women from all different backgrounds and perspectives about their own unique life paths. We're tossing out societal norms and redefining what it means to be a happy and successful woman r ...
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The Life Actually Podcast
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A Spiritual Awakening With Jamilah Lang
1:11:04
1:11:04
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Jamilah Lang knows what it's like to struggle. She understands working so hard for something you want so badly and still having it not work out in the way you expect. But that struggle is all part of her story. It's a huge reason why she's currently living a life of abundance. As a professional organizer and interior stylist she brings a holistic a…
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An Untraditional Order With Amanda Greenspan-D'Souza
1:03:51
1:03:51
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It didn't take Amanda Greenspan-D'Souza long to realize her now-husband was "the one" when they first met. She expected them to get married and start a life together at some point. What she didn't expect was how quickly that point would arrive. But four months into dating they both had to make a life-changing decision as he faced possible deportati…
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Loving Your Life & Yourself With Elizabeth DiAlto
1:02:19
1:02:19
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Elizabeth DiAlto is all about telling it like it is. Because when we have a deeper connection to ourselves through embodied living and self liberation, well, we have the tools needed to help us through the difficult times. But Elizabeth never planned to become the spiritual guide that she is today. No, she was going to become a millionaire selling …
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Letting Your Heart Lead With Tiffany Paul
57:51
57:51
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On paper Tiffany Paul was living her own definition of success. Happily married, a mom of two, and working her way up the corporate ladder over a 10-year career at Proctor & Gamble. But what that on-paper success didn't show was the struggles it took to actually become pregnant and then the struggles to find joy and satisfaction in the career she w…
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Self Love Activism With Femi Olafioye-Omogbehin
1:08:39
1:08:39
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For as long as she can remember Femi Olafioye-Omogbehin wanted to be in a relationship. In fact, the rest of the details of her plan were pretty fuzzy. Because the real expectation was to fall into her husband's plan. But as she grew up, Femi realized how much this plan was shaped by her own internalized racism. The daughter of Nigerian parents, sh…
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Finding Strength Over Pain With Gigi Robinson
52:19
52:19
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Gigi Robinson's life changed in ways she never could have expected at the age of 11 when she was diagnosed with a chronic illness. It altered not only her childhood but also her dreams for the future. Now just 23, this New York City-based content creator has already experienced living with chronic pain, disordered eating, and pushing herself to the…
What do you do when you're 32 and find everything you've spent your life working toward just disappear before your eyes? This was Ruth Chan's reality when she found herself getting a divorce at the same time that she lost her job. For a while she didn't know her way forward. Especially because she had spent her life assuming it would all go accordi…
There are so many topics and life experiences for women that have been silenced by society, including being childless not by choice. Which is something Jody Day is on a mission to change. As the founder of Gateway Women, a global friendship and support network for childless women, she is a voice for so many who are facing a reality they never expec…
Ever since she was young Debbi Rice wanted one thing in her life--to be single. Okay, maybe two things--to be single AND amazing. What she didn't expect were the societal pressures, especially from her church, that would push her toward marriage, even when she knew it wasn't right for her. Years later now Debbi truly is living her single and amazin…
Getting married, having kids and achieving professional success. That is exactly how Winn Clark expected her life to go. The professional success? She had that covered. But a husband and family? That was a lot more difficult to find. Winn struggled through years of being single, eventually coming to the difficult realization that she might never ha…
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A Journey Toward Fearlessness With Paola Rosser
1:15:22
1:15:22
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For years Paola Rosser was punishing herself for her traumatic and abusive childhood. She knew she wanted a better life but she didn't know how to make that happen. After years of falling into the same patterns, Paola realized her fate was in her own hands. She also discovered what it truly means to manifest the life you so desire--and spoiler aler…
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Creating Space For Change With Cat Cantrill
1:12:47
1:12:47
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Cat Cantrill didn't really have a plan for how she wanted her life to go, but she did have a very strong idea about how her life should go. As a result, she found herself married at 22 even though she had doubts about the relationship heading in. Even after divorcing 13 years later and navigating life as a single mom, she still felt the pressure of…
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Reinvention At Any Age With Sandra Rodriguez Bicknell
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56:36
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Sandra Rodriguez Bicknell has found her purpose. And it all began when she finally shared her voice through her bestselling memoir, Cuts of a Diamond. Now she works with others to help them do the same through their own writing. Sandra knows this is the work she was meant to do. But it didn't all come together until she was in her 50s. Which is fur…
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The Desires On Your Heart With Alexa Cawley
54:16
54:16
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Alexa Cawley didn't know exactly how her life would go but she did expect a couple of things: she'd be married and have kids. Now in her early 30s she's realized that may not go according to plan. At least not on her original timeline! Alexa has been too busy following her entrepreneurial spirit and carving out her own space in the health and welln…
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The Things We Celebrate With Lisa Cleary
1:07:13
1:07:13
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There are certain things we openly celebrate in a woman's life, like engagements, getting married, having kids and getting that promotion. But what about everything else? Lisa Cleary knows all about what she calls the "toxic milestone mentality". And the feeling that if you aren't checking off those boxes then you are failing. After ending a toxic …
It has been a long journey, but in this solo episode Laura tells her pregnancy story. She and her husband Marc and so thrilled to be welcoming a baby in December, 2021, but getting to this point has not been easy. From dealing with a rare genetic condition, to educating themselves on infertility treatments, to dealing with a global pandemic and end…
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Discovering Yourself With Laura Friedman Williams
1:05:20
1:05:20
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For 27 years Laura Friedman Williams thought she was living out her happy ending. She'd been in a loving relationship with her husband for nearly three decades and had three beautiful kids as a result. It was everything she had planned for. Then one day she learned of her husband's affair and it not only rocked her world but also set her off on a c…
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No Ordinary Life With Francesca Hogi
1:06:50
1:06:50
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Francesca Hogi has never really had a plan. In fact, she still doesn't! Her main goal has always been to not live an ordinary life. Turns out, that hasn't been a problem. Francesca has been a corporate lawyer, worked in Hollywood, gone back to being a lawyer, been a two-time reality show loser--her words!--tried her hand at matchmaking, and now hel…
Hillary Seiler never wanted to be a person who just checked off a box because that's what someone else told her she was supposed to do. No, Hillary refuses to settle, not only in relationships but in every aspect of her life. Her perspective on life changed drastically when she watched her family struggle for years through her mom's terminal illnes…
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Everything To Fight For With Ceta Walters
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1:00:00
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Ceta Walters's plan didn't exactly go the way she expected but the end result was the same: a great job, a husband, and two beautiful kids. But that's where much of her story begins. Because in the span of just a few months in 2019 Ceta filed for divorce and then learned she had breast cancer. That's right, it was the Big C and D, as Ceta calls the…
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An Unexpected Journey With Laurie Hellmann
57:06
57:06
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Laurie Hellmann is a planner. So, she thought she had her life all figured out. Until she didn't. Like most parents, Laurie had big expectations for children and their futures. Then her son was diagnosed with severe non-verbal autism at the age of 3. And those expectations, like her life, completely changed. But navigating the unknowns of raising a…
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Creating Intentional Purpose With Marissa Lee
57:10
57:10
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Marissa Lee knows that even the best laid plans often don't go the way we expect. From graduating from college without a job, to working abroad, to starting a business, to not being married with a family when she expected, Marissa's story hasn't followed the traditional route. Which is why she's focused on following her purpose and intentions above…
We all know that even the best laid plans have a habit of totally changing. But what about when you don't even have a plan? Mara Krausz says, no problem! This book and television writer has definitely followed her own path with her own plans, even when she wasn't sure exactly what those plans should be. She's proof that not only is there no age-lim…
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The Purpose Of Influence With Lissette Calveiro
54:43
54:43
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What does it mean to have influence? For Lissette Calveiro it goes far beyond the perfectly curated social media feeds and performative attempts at perfection. This self-proclaimed recovering perfectionist learned that the hard way. But it put her on a path to finding her purpose. From moving back home after college, to going into debt in pursuit o…
Stephanie Feger had a plan. She would get married, start a family, and work her way up in the corporate PR world. What she would begin to realize is that making a plan is often futile. She may have gotten married but then she and her husband lost their first pregnancy. And even as she achieved the PR success she had always dreamed of she couldn't h…
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Defying Expectations With Dominique Baker
56:34
56:34
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Dominique Baker is all too aware of the expectations in life. You find a steady career and stick with it no matter what, get married, and have kids. But what if those expectations simply don't work for you? Dominique is proving there is no one way to live a happy and successful life, one social media post at a time. This full-time beauty and lifest…
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What It Means To Be Single With Shani Silver
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If there's one thing Shani Silver wants you to know it's that single people are valid and completely capable of enjoying infinitely amazing lives. But she hasn't always felt this way. For years this podcaster and humor essayist believed that being single made her incomplete and that her life wouldn't truly start until she found her person. Now, she…
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Creating Your Own Happiness With Jeannette Ceja
59:38
59:38
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Jeannette Ceja knows what it's like to tell yourself that good things will happen for you once you achieve a certain milestone. Like, when I'm married I'll take that trip to Paris. Or, I'll have confidence in myself and what I offer when I finally have that perfect job. But if there's one thing traveling all over the world by herself has taught her…
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Daring To Change With Beate Chelette
1:04:36
1:04:36
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Take a look at Beate Chelette’s bio and you can’t help but be impressed. She’s known as the Growth Architect, now helping visionaries and leaders make an impact in their lives and businesses. A #1 International bestselling author she also once sold a business to Bill Gates in a multi-million dollar deal. But while her list of accomplishments is lon…
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Discovering Your Joy With June Suepunpuck
1:02:59
1:02:59
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June Suepunpuck is a self-described recovering perfectionist. She spent years trying to please everyone but herself, which led to a very successful but unfulfilling career in the entertainment industry, a relationship that was toxic, and an uncertainty about what she was supposed to do with her life. The result was a whole lot of soul searching and…
Alanna Rizzo knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. From going back to school so she could make a huge career pivot in her late 20s, to ending a marriage that wasn't the right fit, to confidently knowing she doesn't want kids of her own, to finding incredible success in the male-dominated sports broadcasting world, Alanna makes no ap…
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Embracing the Unexpected With Elsi Pacheco
1:00:59
1:00:59
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Elsi Pacheco has had little in her life go exactly according to plan--and that's okay. It's actually more than okay! The unexpected has helped her build the beautiful life she enjoys today. But there were ups and downs getting here. From having a baby at 16 to leaving the corporate world years later with no concrete plans--just confidence in the be…
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Finding Your Identity With Ivanka Dekoning
48:40
48:40
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Like so many of us, it took Ivanka Dekoning time to figure out who she truly is and what makes her happy. And once she did, there was no looking back. A true champion of the LGBTQ+ community, Ivanka uses her voice to bring awareness and inclusivity to the fashion and beauty world, while breaking down stereotypes along the way. But getting to this p…
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Transforming And Evolving With Jessica Ryan
55:42
55:42
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What does it mean to be happily single? For Jessica Ryan it's about understanding you can be fulfilled and energized on your own while also being fully capable of giving yourself and your love to a healthy and supportive relationship. But she didn't just figure it all out overnight. Jess has worked hard to maintain an incredibly busy and successful…
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Learning To Be Confident With Regina Bonds
53:52
53:52
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Regina Bonds thought she knew exactly how her life would go. But when she got pregnant her senior year of high school everything changed. Since welcoming her son, Regina has discovered so much about herself, what she wants and needs in life, and how to have the confidence to go after it.By Laura Behnke
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Following Your Calling with Alexis DelChiaro
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45:10
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For as long as Alexis DelChiaro can remember she hasn't just wanted to be a mom--she has known she would be a mom. But even as she found herself in a happy and loving marriage her dream still seemed out of reach. That is to everyone except Alexis. She has experienced infertility, a failed adoption, and countless setbacks, but as Alexis tells Laura,…
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The Power Of Hope With Regina Sather
1:01:36
1:01:36
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Regina Sather thought she had gotten her happily ever after until she found herself widowed at 33 with a young son to raise. She will be the first to tell you her life hasn't gone the way she planned, but through it all she leaned heavily on her faith and her hope to get through. Regina tells Laura she believes she's just now getting started on all…
Wendy Kim grew up believing there was a way she was supposed to live her life. But even as she checked off the boxes of getting married and having kids she felt something was missing. That something was an ability to help women and people of color find and use their voices in a meaningful way. In this episode Wendy tells Laura how she followed her …
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Learning To Pivot, Part Two With Jessica Bloodgood
1:00:36
1:00:36
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Jessica Bloodgood never had a set idea for how her life should go, instead she just let her life happen. In the second half of Laura's conversation with her good friend, Jessica talks about the changes she's made in her career from working on a dude ranch to now becoming a non-profit fundraiser. She also shares how she's dealt with difficult change…
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Living & Loving The Single Life, Part One With Jessica Bloodgood
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41:19
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Jessica Bloodgood and Laura met in the first two weeks of college back in 1998 and became fast friends. Neither had much luck with relationships in the years that followed until they both got married within three months of each other... 20 years after they first met. But while Laura spent those 20 years constantly worried about being single and won…
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From Brazil To The US, Following Your Passions With Flavia Lemos
50:05
50:05
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Growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Flavia Lemos thought she'd marry a Brazilian man, have a family and life happily ever after. Then she was rejected by potential love interests 29 times (yes, she counted!) and had to face a difficult reality about her ability to have children. Flavia tells Laura how she stays so positive as she navigates the ups and do…
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Choosing Single Over Settling With Dr. Karin Anderson Abrell
1:00:24
1:00:24
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From breaking off an engagement to finding true love after 40, Dr. Karin Anderson Abrell is proof you never have to force yourself to settle on anything in life. A champion of the single woman and the single experience, Karin talks with Laura about choosing not to get married to the wrong guy and how it led her (eventually) to the right one.…
The Life Actually Podcast is here! In this episode you'll meet your host, Laura Behnke, as she shares parts of her own story while letting you know what's to come in the conversations ahead.By Laura Behnke
