In this solo episode, Sarah dives deep into the topic of being "one and done" – and her family’s decision to have only one child. With a mix of personal experience, societal observations, and a dash of humor, Sarah unpacks the complexities of family planning in the face of infertility, societal pressure on what a “normal” family looks like, and personal convictions.

What do we chat about?

Coming from a large family but being at peace with the idea of having just one child.

The brutal journey to parenthood, struggling with infertility and IVF, and what it took to get the one.

Reasons for being "one and done". Emotional and physical toll of infertility treatments and pregnancy. Financial considerations (IVF is expensive, y'all!). Feeling complete with their current family dynamic.

Addressing common criticisms and questions about only children.

The pressure to have more children and how she responds.

What else?

Sarah's vivid description of the "romantic" process of trying to conceive: Nothing says "sexy time" like peeing on sticks and trying not to pee on your hands.

The classic "my dog walker's hairdresser's second cousin's best friend's sister got pregnant no problem after IVF" advice. Because clearly, that's a statistically significant sample size.

Join us for the convo!

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

Two CHATTY KATHY's are in the tent with this exciting episode with Liz Lehman of Nourished Families.

What do we talk about? Well....A LOT. As Liz says, "human-ing is HARD". The tent has to agree.

• What is a postpartum doula and how they support new families.
• The challenges of the "fourth trimester" and early parenthood.
• Letting go of perfectionism in parenting and life.
• The importance of self-care and maintaining identity as a parent.
• Honest communication with children about difficult life events.
• Embracing change and evolution throughout different life stages.
• Trusting your intuition as a parent.
• The value of simple acts of kindness and connection.

As Liz's dad noted to her, "The son of a bitch of it all is... life just keeps on going".

What will you take away from this conversation?

• How postpartum doulas provide full family support, not just baby care.
• That it's okay to not love every moment of parenting - it's normal to struggle.
• Why maintaining your identity outside of parenthood is crucial.
• That there is no one "right" way to parent - trust your instincts.
• Why small gestures of kindness can have a big impact. WE AGREE LIZ, WE AGREE!

Find Liz at her website HERE or on the interwebs HERE.

Thanks for tuning in to The Welcome to my Tent Podcast!

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 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