Welcome back Tenties! This week, Sarah Johnston welcomes the fabulous Claire Ayoub, a filmmaker who's turning Hollywood's beauty standards on their heads. Claire's here to dish about her upcoming movie "Empire Waist" - think "Mean Girls" meets "Project Runway," but with way more body diversity and zero Regina Georges.

What you'll will hear about (Besides the Fact That BMI is BS):

• How Claire went from angsty teen playwright to body-positive film maker.
• How her work on “Gyno Kid” is a comical ode to her gynecologist parents.
• The wild ride of making "Empire Waist” and how it got to where it is today.
• Why seeing diverse bodies on screen is more important than your daily green juice.
• How to make a movie about body image without triggering half your audience.
• The time Claire's mom accidentally revolutionized sex ed (go Claire’s mom!).

To quote our new life coach, Claire: "If the diet industry worked, it would have put itself out of business."

Things that will make you LOL:

• Claire's brief, ill-fated acting career (turns out being typecast as "fat friend #3" isn't super fun).
• The saga of Claire's childhood Xanga blog (pray it never resurfaces).
• Sarah's brief dream of becoming a Rockette (spoiler: being 5'4" is not ideal).

What is next for Claire!?

• "Empire Waist" hits theaters Fall 2024!!
• An educational curriculum that might actually make health class bearable.

Follow Empirewaistfilm and Claire on Instagram for behind-the-scenes peeks, body-positive pep talks, and the occasional fashion emergency. And hey, while you're at it, maybe give your body a high-five

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski

In this solo episode, Sarah gets introspective as she approaches her 35th birthday, sharing thoughts on aging, personal growth, and life lessons learned. With being mid-30's, she chats:

• The gift of getting older: Appreciating each year after losing Pop when he was only 72.
• The joy of learning from others: Embracing the fact that you can't know everything.
• Leaning into authenticity: Shedding the people-pleaser persona and embracing her true self.
• The time vs. space conundrum: Why having time doesn't always mean you have the capacity.
• Taking care of your body for the long haul and musings on some of the misuse of her body in prior years (RIP knees).
• Aging gracefully: Embracing changes and resisting societal pressure to look 25 forever.
• The art of not responding: Learning that not everything requires a reaction or is "that deep."

We also chat:

• Sarah's near-miss as a 4th of July baby (Mom tried, but Sarah was too cozy in there. SRY MOM).
• A brief ode to being a 90s kid and watching "weird shit on TV."
• Why bodies are not meant to be static. The only static Sarah has is static cling on her clothes.
• A candid chat about Botox and the internal debate of "Why am I doing this?"

Not everything is a fire drill, especially how the silverware is put away. Save your energy for the stuff that really matters! Like listening to this episode!

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski

In this episode, Sarah Johnston welcomes Andrea Johnson, a leadership coach, speaker, and host of the "Stand Tall and Own It" podcast. Andrea shares her authentic journey from growing up as a missionary kid in Korea to becoming a leadership expert and coach. They discuss the importance of understanding your core values, setting boundaries, and living authentically.

Key Topics:

• Andrea's unique upbringing in Korea and its impact on her life
• Overcoming challenges with food, body image, and eventual gastric bypass surgery
• The journey to motherhood through adoption
• Discovering and honoring your core values, which has become a pivotal part of her coaching and leadership business
• Balancing career and motherhood
• The importance of setting boundaries
• How understanding yourself leads to better leadership

Resources Mentioned:

• Andrea's Core Values Exercise: [link to be added]
• Stand Tall and Own It Podcast
• John Maxwell Leadership Training

Where to Find Andrea:

• Website: theintentionaloptimist.com
• Instagram: @theintentionaloptimist
• LinkedIn: Andrea Johnson
• Podcast: Stand Tall and Own It

You can take Andrea's free Core Values Exercise via her website.

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski

In this solo episode, I chat five "icks" or issues I have with the wellness industry:

What are the "icks" at a high level?

1. The one size fits all approach
2. Over reliance on wearable device stats
3. Demonizing certain types of exercise
4. Demonizing entire food groups/categories
5. Demonizing the desire to change one's body

This space can be magical, but it can also be loud. These are my opinions and based on my experiences while coaching. You may agree. You may disagree. That is okay!

I will always encourage you to create your own journey and definition of health.

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski

Ryan Penley, a self-described "rock bottom alumni," shares his powerful story of addiction, hitting rock bottom multiple times, and his inspiring journey to long-term sobriety. He discusses his struggles with alcohol, opioids, and other drugs, which ultimately led to homelessness, a diabetic coma, and jail time. Ryan emphasizes the importance of celebrating small wins, finding meaning even in the darkest moments, and using his experiences to help others battling addiction.

Podcast Takeaways:

• Addiction can sneak up on you gradually, and rock bottom may not be a single defining moment, but rather a realization that several elements of your life have become unacceptable.
• Tiny wins, like staying sober for just 15-20 minutes at a time, are crucial to building momentum in recovery and should be cherished, even if others don't understand their significance.
• Addiction doesn't discriminate and can affect anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. It's essential to approach those struggling with compassion and understanding.
• Hitting rock bottom multiple times doesn't mean recovery is impossible; it's a process that requires perseverance, support, and a willingness to keep trying.
• Sharing one's story of addiction and recovery can be therapeutic for the individual and help others feel less alone in their struggles.

Join us for a conversation with Ryan and how he has turned addition into his passion to help others on a similar path.

Please visit https://www.myrockbottomrecovery.com to learn more about Ryan and his dedication to help others!

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski

In this solo episode, Sarah discusses the idea of breaking up with versions of yourself that no longer serve you as you grow and change in life.

We chat that it's normal and necessary to change as a person over time, even if we sometimes resist it.

Sarah chats about becoming a mother, leaving the corporate world, and moving across the country were major life changes that caused Sarah to reevaluate parts of her identity.

She discusses letting go of a "yes girl" mentality and how that was challenging but necessary for personal growth.

There is a discussion about how breaking up with parts of yourself may mean that certain people, things, and activities may not fit into your life anymore. While that is challenging, that is also ok.

This is an episode that will talk about shedding layers of ourselves to find the most authentic core.

Join us for this conversation about personal development, becoming who we want to be, and what that has looked like along the way.

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Annie Temple, a sex worker activist, writer, and podcaster from Vancouver, Canada. Annie shares her fascinating journey from growing up in a small town to becoming an exotic dancer in the big city at age 23.

• Annie describes how financial pressures led her to start in the adult entertainment industry. Though nervous at first, she found it incredibly empowering and found a community of acceptance and love.
• They discuss misconceptions around sex work. Annie explains most enter the industry for financial reasons, not because they are being exploited. The majority find it empowering and many return to it even after trying to leave.
• Annie talks about how sex work actually made her more confident about her body, refuting assumptions that it would be degrading.
• She opens up about health challenges that impacted her work, including major intestinal surgeries that left significant scars. Annie has found a new sense of empowerment and love for her body through her ongoing journey with her health.
• Living openly as a sex worker, Annie strives to decrease societal divisions and judgment by sharing her story. She wants people to challenge their beliefs and be more accepting of others.

This candid conversation provides a rare window into the life of a sex worker, humanizing an often misunderstood profession.

Where can you find Annie?
On her Instagram HERE
Via her Website HERE
On her own podcast HERE

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski

Welcome back to SEASON 3 of The welcome to my Tent Podcast! We are coming in hot in episode 1 with Sarah's Mom!

In this episode, Sarah interviews her mom, who shares insights on parenting, career, and life experiences.

Sarah's mom discusses navigating divorce and blended families, emphasizing the importance of keeping kids out of parental conflicts and allowing them to form their own relationships with family members.

She shares her experiences as a woman in the male-dominated direct marketing industry and the challenges of balancing work and travel with young children.

Sarah and her mom talk about the importance of instilling values like self-sufficiency, hard work, and tolerance in children.

Sarah's mom opens up about losing her spouse and how the family navigated grief together, and what moving on and living her life now looks like.

The episode concludes with a lighthearted rapid-fire question segment and Sarah expressing gratitude for her mom's guidance and love.

This episode offers valuable insights on parenting, career, and personal growth that will resonate with listeners from all walks of life.

Enjoy this episode and WELCOME BACK TENTIES!

Thanks for listening! To follow along, please find me on instagram HERE, my personal website HERE, or my TikTik HERE.

Music for "Welcome to my Tent" by Rick Sniegowski
Graphics for "Welcome to my Tent" by Sam Sniegowski