What does it mean to live in alignment with your truth?

In this episode of Talking Smack 415, Debbie Mink and Jamie the Great sit down with writer, podcast host, actor, yoga teacher, and former corporate executive Kathryn Flaschner to explore authenticity, personal reinvention, creativity, purpose, and what happens when you step away from the life you thought you were supposed to live.

After building a successful corporate career, Kathryn made the bold decision to leave Corporate America and pursue a more creative and purpose-driven path. Through her podcast The Truth Is, she helps people explore the questions that move them and the truths that guide them forward.

Together, we discuss:

• Leaving a successful corporate career to follow a creative calling
• Finding your authentic self in work and life
• Reinvention in your 30s, 50s, and beyond
• The tension between security and purpose
• Creativity, writing, podcasting, and self-expression
• Why women struggle to prioritize themselves
• Identity shifts, motherhood, menopause, and life transitions
• The impact of social media on self-worth and authenticity
• Friendship as a source of truth and personal growth
• Learning to trust yourself and your next chapter

Kathryn also shares insights from her writing practice, her journey back to acting, and why embracing uncertainty may be the key to building a life that feels truly aligned.

Whether you're navigating a career change, questioning what's next, entering a new life stage, or simply trying to reconnect with yourself, this conversation offers inspiration, honesty, and plenty of laughs along the way.

About Kathryn Flaschner

Kathryn Flaschner is the creator and host of The Truth Is Podcast, where she explores authenticity, creativity, purpose, personal growth, and the stories that shape who we become. Her work focuses on helping people reconnect with themselves and live in alignment with what matters most.

You can find Kathryn on insta:

@Kathrynflaschner

@Thetruthis_podcast

Website:

Kathryn Flaschner

Share this episode with your friends and family who love to laugh. Subscribe to Talking Smack 415 and leave us a rating and review so more peeps can find us for laughter and friendship to feed your soul!

In this episode of Talking Smack 415, Jamie the Great and I sit down with Nikki Pearl and Susannah Wallenstrom, founders of Menopausitive Workshop, to talk about one of our favorite (and most needed) topics: menopause, perimenopause, hormone health, and women’s wellness in midlife.

Nikki Pearl, MA Integrative Health, wellness professional and yoga instructor, and Susannah Wallenstrom, MPH, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist, are health educators dedicated to helping women better understand menopause symptoms, hormone changes, healthy aging, and how to advocate for themselves in the healthcare system. Through menopause workshops, wellness retreats, workplace education, and community support, they’re changing the conversation around women’s health in midlife and beyond.

I first met these incredible women a few years ago when I attended one of their first menopause workshops, and it was honestly the first time I understood what was happening to my body. If you’ve ever Googled “Is this perimenopause” during an itchy hotflash with brainfog, and insomnia… this episode is for you.

We cover everything from perimenopause to post menopause, including:

• Common menopause and perimenopause symptoms
• Brain fog, sleep issues, hot flashes, anxiety, weight gain, and hormone shifts
• How to ask your doctor about HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)- And why you need to find a new one if they can’t help!
• Why the medical community knows so little about female health.. Spoiler alert traditionally the medical models were based on men
• Nutrition for menopause and midlife health (yes, eat more protein)
• Why strength training and lifting weights matter during menopause
• Hormones and menopause in the workplace
• Menopause education for younger women so they don’t suffer
• Menopausitive workshops, retreats, corporate wellness education, and community support

We also talk about why women need better menopause education, better healthcare advocacy, and more open conversations around hormone health, aging, and wellness.

Plus — Menopausitive is offering Talking Smack 415 listeners a special discount to their “Light Me Up!” retreat happening April 23–25, 2027.

Learn more about Menopausitive Workshop, menopause retreats, hormone health education, and women’s wellness resources here:
Menopausitive Workshop

Email them directly and mention Talking Smack 415 for retreat info and special pricing:
info@menopausitiveworkshop.com

Or follow along on Insta

@menopausitiveworkshop

And the book they mentioned by Dr. Stacey Sims

Next Level

Share this episode with your friends and family who love to laugh. Subscribe to Talking Smack 415 and leave us a rating and review so more peeps can find us for laughter and friendship to feed your soul!

In this episode of Talking Smack 415, we’re sharing our May 2026 Energetic Forecast: Maia’s take.

It’s a bittersweet moment because this is our final monthly forecast (for now) with our intuitive healer , Maia. Many thanks to Maia who's been with us for over a year sharing wisdom, perspective, fun, and energy forecasts!

So what’s the vibe for May?

• Transformation is underway
• You’re in the build phase
• Discipline = self-love
• Don’t give up (yes again, just like in April, because you need to hear it)

The animal this month is caterpillar. And we’re in the caterpillar phase, that messy, unglamorous, “am I doing this right?” middle. You’re not quite in the cocoon, and definitely not the butterfly yet, but something BIG is forming. And we are calling it a Big Life Change - BLC for short and yes we are trying to make it a thing.

This is the month where you:

• Stay consistent
• Protect what you’re building towards your BLC
• Trust a future version of yourself you can’t fully see yet

The tarot card Maia pulled is the two of cups. Which reiterates this month’s energy is rooted in self-love and self-commitment.
Showing up for yourself consistently is one of the highest forms of self love.

This month's flower is the peace lilly which symbolizes peace, new beginnings, spring like energy.

Don’t give up because Good things are coming they’re just not fully here yet.

And teasing some new launches:

• Maia is starting her own podcast and we’ll share once it’s out.
• Jamie the Great and I are starting a new monthly segment called - deep & shallow. Because as we say in our intro…sometimes we go deep and sometimes we go shallow!

Subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Follow along on IG @ringletleader and/or sign up for my newsletter for updates.

If you’re feeling impatient but still showing up and need a reminder to keep going, this episode is for you. Grab your ear buds and LFG to BLC!

Share this episode with your friends and family who love to laugh. Subscribe to Talking Smack 415 and leave us a rating and review so more peeps can find us for laughter and friendship to feed your soul!