Feminine Will

It's been a great season and the women I have interviewed have blown me away with who they are. Today I am ending the season with a short live show and stories around the songs. I will periodically do a live show this summer and then start up season 2 most likely in the fall. Thank you for tuning in! We've had over 1,000 listeners so far! I appreciate every one of you! Take time to go write a review and I'll be back in a few months!

Mazey came on the show a couple of weeks ago and shared her love of running at 17. She is 17 and ran a 50 miler trail race. She is stellar. After I interviewed her, she asked if she could interview me because she thought that I was so interesting. That's always an honor, so I was like, Yeah! I am constantly blown away by her desire to learn and grow and become the person she wants to be. She reminds me a lot of myself, eager to learn about people. Enjoy the conversation!

Addie qualified for the Olympic Trials in the marathon and the 10k. After 10 years of running, she decided to switch to trail running. She won her first trail race for nationals and went to the world competition. She is on the trail race Nike team and has competed in world competitions multiple times. It was inspiring to hear her story and how she was would sit and play in the grass while her dad ran laps at the track. Seeing her father run became a big part of why she began to see running as her thing. Now she is a world class racer and a Mental Performance Consultant. As a member of the LGBTQ community, she and her partner founded, OutRun, a running community for those who identify as LGBTQ. They also bring awareness to races to make them more inclusive, such as have more than two options for gender on a registration form. You can find her on IG @addiebracy @outrun

Mazey was an inspiration. She was invited to run in a 50 miler that some friends were putting on and instead of doing 50 miles, she decided she was going to plan on 35 miles. It was a trail race at night and the most she had run in perparation for it at one time was 8 miles. She did the 35 miles and was hooked. She became more formal about her interest in running ultras and signed up for a race local to Texas where she lived in February. Her family decided to homeschool recently (before COVID19) and she feels this has given her more time to pursue her passions and find interest in running. She talks about her family, including her parents, brothers and sister, and extended family and friends who she felt were a huge support to her. She's a strong young woman and has loads of feminine will. Whether you are a parent or an adult, you'll find nuggets of wisdom from this wise 17 year old. Subscribe to get episodes every week. Interested in Swet Seat's brand ambassador program, click here to apply.

Shelby was a whole lot of fun to talk to. She is smart, strong, focused, and ready to take on whatever challenge comes her way. She began truck driving three years ago when she dropped out of her classes to start driving semi trucks. Her low key obsession with semi-trucks led a friend of hers to help her recognize that she wasn't happy on the path she was on doing school and to give truck-driving a try. She took truck driving school after geting sponsored by a company, passed all the tests with flying colors, and then hit the road. Three months ago, she started a YouTube channel and it was an immediate hit. One of her videos has garnered more than 2 million views. She's become an icon in truck driving overnight. She's educated and is looking for ways to help others who are getting into the industry to find information about truck driving. She's looking for ways to help others, and now has a website that gives people basic info on how to get started. She's open about the challenges that come with being a woman in the industry. She's open about what she does to overcome the challenges, and she shares her journey. Enjoy our conversation and be sure to subscribe to Feminine Will. You can find her by the handle @happinessbythemile on any platform.

Today's show is an interview with Gina Meyer who is a podcast host of Rise Resolute, also empowering women to look at why might help them or what has helped them push past their limits, particularly in athleticism. I loved talking with her and doing this show spontaneously. We were drawn to have the conversation based on our shared love of empowering and celebrating women. Please subscribe to this podcast if you haven't yet. Go check out Gina's podcast @riseresolute and have a listen! You can find us on FB & IG @femininewillpodcast. Thank you for listening!

Lindsey Brown is doing her part to spread light. She tells an amazing story of how she performed better in a triathlon simply because she chose to smile at everybody along the way. She said it was her attitude that changed the game for her. She's done three half iron Man's and was about to do a full iron Man when cova 19 happened and the race was canceled. Like so many of you, she made the best of it. She's planning on an Ironman in September and is taking a break for the moment. She tells about what it's like to train for an Ironman and an injury that kept her out of training for a while. Listen to this week's episode to be totally uplifted and inspired. Subscribe were you listening to podcasts to get a dose of strong women every week. It will empower you and inspire you. Go listen now.

Laurie has competed in the Olympic trials for marathon running four separate times beginning in 2008. It was her determination and goal setting that sent her down the path to competing in the Olympic trials. First, she wanted to qualify for the Boston Marathon. After doing that, her goals sent her further and further down the road of getting a lower time for her marathons and with consistency and hard work, she found herself prepared to compete in the Olympic trials. She's dealt with injury along the way, learning patience to get through those tough times. She's had babies and appreciated the value of listening to her body. She has an amazing sense of humor and makes me laugh. Bonus: She shares what her and her family are doing during COVID-19, so get ready for some fun ideas. You will love our conversation, so tune in and share it with a friend. Sponsored by Swet Seat. Listen every Monday when new episodes come out. Subscribe to automatically get updates.

Amanda is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom who is adventurous all the way. If she had her way, she'd live in a tiny home on a piece of land, but in the meantime she's doing all she can to provide the experiences that her heart desires and that helps shape her kids. She and her husband sold their home and headed out on the road for a year. Brave and adventurous with zero RV experience in the past, they didn't even use YouTube to figure out how to reverse a truck with an RV. They just figured it out. With challenges along the way, they made lemonade out of lemons. They took this year to homeschool and enjoy time together. It came to an end when her husband needed to go back into the office to work. Although the hope had been to stay out for 2 to 3 years, they adapted and are back to normal life, but with a different perspective. She even tells about the costs associated with this endeavor. You'll get the whole scoop. With a kindergartner and first-grader, she sent her kids off to school this year. Now that her kids are back at home because of COVID19, she's loving it and reconsidering the idea of homeschooling. On top of that, she had been training for her first marathon and it got canceled because of COVID19. She planned her own and ran it anyway. You will love my conversation with Amanda. She's an inspiring friend and person. Subscribe to this podcast so you can get a new episode every week. Share this with a friend. Thank you for listening!

How Andrea went from no background growing up in music to writing songs, recording an album, and going on tour. I'm your host and I consider myself a very creative person. I've always loved to sing and did choirs in high school along with church choirs. I did a few solos, but my confidence grew in college. Songwriting became something that I fell in love with in college after a few experiences that led up to it. After my freshman college roommate, Tracy was killed in a car accident, I became intent on carrying out her songwriting legacy. She inspired me with her love of guitar and songwriting, so I took a guitar class. That particular method of guitar playing didn't resonate well with me, so I put the guitar down for a couple of years. I picked it back up when I started a bluegrass band for a talent show and it was history from there. I bought my own guitar, wrote my first song, and now I've written over 100 songs. I went on a house concert tour with my 6 month old after producing a 7 song album. You'll hear a few of those songs on this episode. You can find my music by Googling Andrea Belita. You can find my album anywhere you listen on Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon, YouTube, etc. Watch my two music videos I'm Yours and Going Dancing. I've also written a few kid's songs for The Leader in Me and Be Proactive has 145K views on YouTube with hundreds of kids across the country performing my songs for their schoolwide leadership programs.

I wanted to bring Margaret back onto the show because I got a lot of questions from people about details on how she actually went from the marathon to 120 mile race two months later. She is a power woman on a mission to complete and do well whatever race she pursues. She wins and places almost every time. She has grit and determination by the bucketload and once she sets her mind to something, that's it. She tells what it was like dry heaving and vomiting the final day of the race. She brings us to the now and what she would do different to prepare for the race given the chance. The good news, she's on to more adventures and is training for a 100 miles race that isn't spread across days. She implementing her new practices so that this race involves less puking. Maybe we'll have to check in with her again to see how that race goes! Subscribe to get episodes every Monday. Feminine Will talks about the will that women have to do the hard things in life and get what they want in life.

Keyasia was a state champion in track and field during college and while she's excellent at running and loves it, it wasn't her true passion. She found that dancing is always been her go-to for enjoyment and letting go. After graduating with a 4.0 in Arts and Fashion Design, she decided to pursue dance further. Now she's a dance fitness instructor and loves breaking it down for her class members so they can get it and feel confident with their accomplishments. She also dives into her struggles with social anxiety and what she does to deal with it. She says that although the preparation for a class sometimes gives her anxiety, it melts away when she starts dancing and teaching. She considers herself an introvert and you'd never know it watching her bust a move in the fitness studio, but that's what I love about interviewing women. You get to know the deeper side as well as what connects them to the pursuits they love. Subscribe to this podcast to hear interviews with incredible women every Monday.

Today, I have a surprise at the very end, so be sure to stick around. Kaia Lola went to college for photography and while there, took several fun class, just to see what they were like. She tried sewing and a few other things, but when she tried martial arts, she fell in love. Six years later, she is practicing six days a week, competing all over the country and world, and is about to make her professional debut, maybe even into UFC. Check out her Instagram @kailalola. This episode is sponsored by KeaPeak trucker visors for women. please follow us on Facebook and Instagram @femininewillpodcast. Share this with a friend and make sure you subscribe so that you get a new episode every Monday. Music by me: Andrea Belita and production by me.

I grew up on a hobby farm where we lived without electricity, raised our own meat, eggs, milk, and vegetables. Growing up without electricity felt very isolating because I didn't have a phone or TV. I didn't know the latest shows, didn't have a way to call friends, didn't know how to connect deeply with others because I felt so different. On top of that, our property felt like a messy junkyard with 30+ vehicles lying around and scraps of everything else you can think of. Life was frustrating in many ways and over time, I found that through creative pursuits, hard work, and optimism, I could get through anything. I also found that learning to build deep, connective relationships would be how I would ultimately find my greatest fulfillment. As we go through these tough times with COVID19 and the effects it is having on families and the economy, we can find peace in knowing that when doors close, although it may be tough for a while, it will get better and we will recover. You and I will make it through these hard times if we can inspire and life each other. Share this with someone that you feel could use some hope, an interesting story, or someone to relate with. Follow Feminine Will on FB and IG @femininewillpodcast. Sponsored by swetseat.com.

Kim's story is a bit of a roller coaster and definitely one you want to hear. She was in a catastrophic car accident 20 years ago and was left with having to breathe through a trachea tube for 3 years. She's not the stoppable kind, so she moved forward during those 3 years getting an MBA and marrying the love of her life after meeting in school. She worked as a management consultant for 15 years and during that time was dealing with infertility. She did 9 rounds of IVF and had two children during that time and lost two children to miscarriage. After the second miscarriage, she needed a way to come out of the heartbreak. She knew yoga was her way out and now she practices yoga every day. She does some incredible moves, so be sure to check those out on her Instagram @leapoffaith.yoga. Be sure to subscribe to hear new episodes every Monday. Sponsored by Swet Seat.

Crystal nNardico went from avid rock climber to stumbling upon an acroyoga class at a rock climbing gym. Over the last 5 years, she has built her practice and teaches acroyoga and performs at festivals. She talks about what it's like to be in a sport where you always have to have a partner and what that's like. She describes her journey through this space and why she loves it. Find her doing incredible formations and moves on her Instagram at @acuraroots. Sponsored by swetseat.com, a car seat cover for the athlete and adventurere. Share this podcast! Follow us on Instagram @femininewill

Christina Cocita is a CrossFit trainer and Nutrition Coach. She takes us through her experiences starting bodybuilding in college, needing to find more balance, and shifting her mindset of her body and wellness to something manageable, challenging, and enjoyable. You can find her on Instagram @shaped_by_faith. Sponsored by swetseat.com, a car seat cover for the athlete and adventurere. Share this podcast! Follow us on Instagram @femininewill

Margaret Spring went from running marathons to doing 100+ mile trail races. In this episode, we talk about everything from injury recovery to how to run alone safely. After being held at gunpoint in an unfamiliar city, she became keenly aware of the need to have safety precautions in place when she's out running. She doesn't go into details about that story, but she shares how she's been changed by it. You'll hear her story of how she became an ultra-runner and what she does to keep herself safe. She's also started a women's running group to build community around running. Check it out on Instagram @womenofrunning. You can find her running adventures on Instagram @runner4cake. This episode is sponsored by swetseat.com, a car seat cover for the athlete and adventurer. Share this podcast with others who could find inspiration in these stories. Follow us on Instagram @femininewill. Interested in winning a Swet Seat? Go give us a review wherever you listen to podcasts and you'll be entered into a monthly giveaway for a Swet Seat. We are also doing giveaways on our social media @femininewill, so go follow us!

From health challenges for decades to winning 2nd place in body-building competitions, Keleen Miskin has a way of showing us that transformation is possible. Not just transformation of the body, but also of the mind. Join us as we journey through her life and the unlikely way she stepped into body-building. Please share this podcast with anyone you think could be reminded that feminine will is a power that is potent and can get us through tough times and change. Each of us has within us a spark that needs only to be nurtured. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook @femininewill. You can find Keleen at @keleen_rae. PS - Happy Valentine's Day! I'll be celebrating the airing of this first episode along with a date night with my incredibly supportive husband, Nick. Know that on this day, whether you have a significant other or not. You are whole as you are, so show love to those who add joy to your life!