Best Matthew Gowans Podcasts (2025)

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76: Copywrong 33:59

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11h ago33:59

33:59

In the book this week, the CEO of See More Films fills in his staff on his latest get-monopoly-quick scheme: AI generating every conceivable movie idea, and then copyrighting them all. Then, Matthew marries ChatGPT for tax purposes, and in memory of the late Office Ladies podcast, the boys count down their top 60 moments from the show. At the risk …

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Uncertainty is My Friend: A Postpartum Life Update and the Mantra that Keeps Me Grounded 57:45

9d ago57:45

57:45

After a podcasting hiatus, Dayna Gowan is back behind the mic – and she’s got a lot to share. In this solo episode, Dayna opens up about the wild ride that has been new motherhood, from unexpected detours in her birth plan to sleepless nights, big trips and moves, and the messy, beautiful process of adjusting to her new identity as “mom.” Plus, she…

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Punchlines & Progress: Jessica Halem's Journey of Comedy, Advocacy, & Connection 1:44:37

22d ago1:44:37

1:44:37

On this episode of Improvly Speaking, Dayna Gowan sits down with the incredible Jessica Halem, a powerhouse public speaker, communication strategist, LGBTQ+ health equity advocate, and a former stand-up comic trained at Second City. Jessica has worn many hats (and delivered many punchlines). She’s currently the Senior Director of the LGBTQ+ Health …

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Improvly Parenting: A Comedy Show in Real Life with Matthew Krekeler, Host of Girl Dad Nation Podcast 1:05:38

1M ago1:05:38

1:05:38

Parenting can be just like improv (aka Improvly Parenting) – you never know what’s coming next, and you just have to roll with it. That’s exactly the kind of real talk you get on the Improvly Speaking today with my guest, Matthew Krekeler – a proud “girl dad,” podcast host, and media pro from Denver, Colorado. Matthew is the founder of the Girl Dad…

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Yes, And Healing: Using Improv in Therapy with Salma Soliman 1:49:58

2M ago1:49:58

1:49:58

What happens when you combine the compassion of a therapist with the quick-thinking creativity of an improviser? You get someone like Salma Soliman – a licensed therapist and the founder of Brave Youth Therapy in California, and today’s guest on Improvly Speaking. I got the privilege of chatting with Salma for a joyful and heartfelt conversation ab…

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75: Guard Hard 40:25

2M ago40:25

40:25

In the book this week, the President's new bodyguard learns that the first day really is always the hardest. Then, the boys rack up a few more soft reboots, Erik solves every problem from the past and the present and the future, and Matthew relives the Vesuvius eruption. At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in Narration follows two friends…

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Brewing Up Improv, Business, and Big Dreams with Tony DeRosa 1:54:23

3M ago1:54:23

1:54:23

Today on Improvly Speaking, we hear from Tony DeRosa, owner and co-founder of hear.say brewing + theater, a new improv theater and brewery in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Tony blends his love of improv with beer, business, and community building, and is sharing it all on today’s episode. Tony's story is a great example of what can happen when you follow yo…

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How to Strengthen, Support, and Fall in Love with Your Voice with Susan Murphy 2:01:08

3M ago2:01:08

2:01:08

What do you think of your voice? If your answer is anything uncertain or negative, you’re definitely not alone. But as this week’s guest on Improvly Speaking proves, your voice isn’t something to cringe about — it’s something you can strengthen, support, and maybe even start to love. Today, we hear from Emmy-winning journalist and broadcast voice c…

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Exploring Ecstatic Dance, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, and Mindfulness with Dr. Bob Swoap 1:53:13

4M ago1:53:13

1:53:13

Have you ever felt completely lost in the rhythm of music, moving without thinking, and experiencing pure joy? That’s the essence of ecstatic dance – a practice that blends movement, community, and self-expression. In this episode of Improvly Speaking, we hear from Dr. Bob Swoap, Professor of Psychology and Expressive Arts Therapy at Warren Wilson …

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The Value of a Bold Choice: Jesse Greenfield on Starting the Kaleidoscope Training Center 1:35:29

4M ago1:35:29

1:35:29

Jesse Greenfield first appeared on the show nearly a year ago, and so much has changed since then! In this episode of Improvly Speaking, we catch up on their incredible journey, including the launch of their own business, Kaleidoscope Training Center, and our experience facilitating a 2-day Intensive Training Session at the 2024 Art and Science of …

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74: Celebrity Big Sandwich 40:38

5M ago40:38

40:38

In the book this week, George Clooney (not that one) is ecstatic to learn that a restaurant's named a sandwich after him, for some reason. Then, Erik explains why he wants the families of the Boston Celtics to starve and die, and Matthew finds out that COIN broke up in real-time. At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in Narration follows tw…

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The Power of Playback Theatre to Bring People Together with Ferran Luengo 1:51:44

5M ago1:51:44

1:51:44

Ferran Luengo is a Spanish actor, improviser and applied theatre facilitator based in London. He has his postgraduate on theatre in education and Applied theatre master degree. Ferran is passionate about playback theatre, a community oriented improv art form that he has been practicing since 2013. He’s brought playback theatre workshops around seve…

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73: Kraken Con (w/ Rat) 38:23

9M ago38:23

38:23

The boys are joined by Rat, and in the book of the week, the Kraken is a liar and a thief. Then, the boys discuss One Piece, live action One Piece with puppets, and whether One Piece had a steampunk arc (it did). Plus, Matthew gets Huawei with it. At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in Narration follows two friends (and sometimes a third!…

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72: Young Alan 33:14

10M ago33:14

33:14

In the book this week, a TV producer pitches her next smash hit: Young Alan. That’s gotta be a prequel show, right? Right?? Then, the boys get Huawei with it. At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in Narration follows two friends trapped in a fictional library. With no hope of escape, they resolve to read the library's many books, which are…

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71: A Lost in Tarnation Spinoff Celebration 44:09

11M ago44:09

44:09

In the book this week, a retired gunslinger bumps into a time traveler who’s perpetuating some harmful stereotypes about the Wild West. Then, the boys discuss whether it’s too late for Michael Caine to come back from retirement and play Jeeves in Jeeves Returns, and Lost in Narration Manuel Miranda. At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in …

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70: Love Factually 3 44:58

11M ago44:58

44:58

It's 70! In the book this week, Bulk Haulage realises he'll need to be more than just polite to ChatGPT if he wants the robots to spare him when they take over the world. Then, the boys discuss audio-described Love Island drownings, making America smaller again, Scottish independence, and the next pope: Erik! At the risk of breaking the fourth wall…

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All Improv, All In with Brian James O'Connell 2:01:45

1y ago2:01:45

2:01:45

Brian James O'Connell (or BOC as most people call him), is a working actor, writer, director, filmmaker and teacher based in Los Angeles. As a regular performer, coach and teacher, Brian derives most of his approach to improv from The Deconstruction, which we certainly discuss in this episode. He also offers "All Improv" deep-dive workshops across …

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69: The One Without a Story - Chapter Two 11:21

1y ago11:21

11:21

One year on from his library sabbatical, Erik finally comes clean. At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in Narration follows two friends trapped in a fictional library. With no hope of escape, they resolve to read the library's many books, which are actually just absurd comedy scripts written by Matthew. Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@losti…

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Putting Yourself Out There and Making Discoveries On Stage with Amanda Bonar 1:34:32

1y ago1:34:32

1:34:32

Amanda Bonar is an improv and sketch comedian based in Los Angeles. You can find her performing in the Sober Show and Do the Dumb shows at UCB, as well as other shows at the Clubhouse in LA. Amanda shares her improv journey and how she fell in love with improv around age 10 when her parents took her to a family-friendly improv show. She performed o…

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68: Lost in Tarnation?! (w/ Bob Buel) 50:43

1y ago50:43

50:43

HE'S ALIVE! Bob Buel (99 Questions) returns to the library. In the book this week, the mayor of an Old West town has an intervention for the local gunslinger, who's challenged so many people to duels for the smallest infractions that almost everyone in the town is now dead. Then, the boys announce the death of Osama bin Laden, and discuss Bob's nex…

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Improv Is For All Ages, Including Older Adults with Paula Dirkes 2:05:40

1y ago2:05:40

2:05:40

Paula Dirkes is an improvisational theater fan, actor, and facilitator based in metro Detroit, Michigan. She has spent over 20 years in the improv theater community as a performer and improv games leader. She is the owner and Chief Play Officer of Vintage Improvisation Detroit, which brings her love of improv games and older adults together through…

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67: Confirmation Bias at 20,000 Feet / Money Peanut 1:02:31

1y ago1:02:31

1:02:31

In a double-story season premiere, the boys read a book about budget flights, which are pretty much just regular flights except there's a little gremlin on the wing of the plane. Then, they read a book about a plucky passenger's plot to pilfer all the peanuts from the plane. Plus, in a game of 'Sabrina Carpenter Nonsense Outro or Not That', Matthew…

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Access the Issue and Push It Out of the Tissue with Susan Bartley 1:39:14

1y ago1:39:14

1:39:14

I promise the episode title will make more sense once you listen to the episode. :) It's amazing all that can happen in a year! My bestie Susan Bartley joins the podcast again for a part 2 episode to give some updates about all that happened in her business in 2023. In the first episode, which was released in April 2023, Susan shared all about her …

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66: The Sinkhole City Season Four Finale - Vol. 2 49:38

1y ago49:38

49:38

In Volume 2, the boys read a book about a giant rat mafia mob boss mixup. And Jerry. Plus, in a rousing round of the Segments-inspired ‘Sabrina or Sabrinah’, Erik must guess which lyrics were written by Sabrina Carpenter, and which were written by Matthew. See you in season five! At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in Narration follows tw…

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Improv-ing Your Video Presence and Performance with Chris Bogue 1:53:45

1y ago1:53:45

1:53:45

Chris Bogue is based in Chicago, and he coaches people to get on camera and create mercifully short video content for business. He is also a long-time improviser, sketch comedy writer, improv trainer and host of the podcast Chris Sells His Soul. In this episode, Chris shares about his improv and sketch comedy journey and how it led him to creating …

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65: The Sinkhole City Season Four Finale - Vol. 1 44:35

1+ y ago44:35

44:35

In Volume 1 of the season finale, the boys read a book about a COOL judge. He's not like other judges! Then, they discuss the importance of getting Jimmy Saville's name right, puppet club, and listening to TV through a wall through a cup. Stay tuned for Volume 2! At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in Narration follows two friends trapped…

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From Trails to Tales: Embracing Nature, Health, and the Improv Life with Dr. Jay Maddock 1:26:32

1+ y ago1:26:32

1:26:32

Jay Maddock, PhD, is based in College Station, Texas, where he is a Regents Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the School of Public Health at Texas A&M University. He is also the Director of the Center for Health & Nature and serves on the Brazos County Board of Health. In this episode, Jay shares all about his …

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64: A/B/...NO! (w/ StormVandal) 57:37

1+ y ago57:37

57:37

The boys are joined by StormVandal, and in her very own book, a [CENSORED] soon goes [CENSORED] when the [CENSORED] is actually [CENSORED]. Then, they discuss using milk to get people to buy more milk, Tambor alerts, slurs, The Mount of Monte Fisto, and jokes at Kate Middleton's expense that, at the time of the recording, weren't THAT insensitive. …

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The Mysterious Notebook of Goals and Creativity with Dr. Jana Hirsch 1:47:26

1+ y ago1:47:26

1:47:26

What would you do if you received a notebook from your local Buy Nothing Group that you thought was empty, but then later you noticed that it had a list of goals written in it? Would you tear out the pages and start with a fresh, clean notebook? Or would you take the list of goals on as your own? If you said you would tear out the pages and start f…

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Become a World Champion Speaker with Ramona J. Smith 1:29:44

1+ y ago1:29:44

1:29:44

Ramona J. Smith is a dynamic international speaker who holds the prestigious title of the 2018 World Champion of Public Speaking. She is based out of Houston, Texas, and she is on a mission to inspire, connect and transform lives globally using the power of words (and she's really great at it too)! In this episode, Ramona shares her journey to winn…

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63: Bad Dog Down (w/ Lamb and Sav) 37:28

1+ y ago37:28

37:28

In the book this week, a TV dog whisperer has built his reputation on finding quick but long-lasting fixes to almost any dog behaviour problem... but it's usually getting them put down :( Then, the boys are joined by Lamb (@llambface) and Sav (@spavmanna) to discuss why you shouldn't recycle, and serial killers again. Plus, Lamb finally asks the qu…

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Bringing Your Authentic Self to the Stage with Neil Curran 1:43:16

1+ y ago1:43:16

1:43:16

Our first international guest, Neil Curran, joins the podcast all the way from Dublin, Ireland! Neil is a professional improviser and communications and teams expert who has performed in shows and festivals all over the world. His signature show - Neil+1 - brings an audience member up to the stage to perform the improv show with him! (Would you be …

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62: Hawk Gotta Eat! 30:49

1+ y ago30:49

30:49

In the book this week, this hawk is feeling peckish. Then, the boys discuss the ungrateful pieces of shit on the Les Mis subreddit, reverse psychology affirmations, Baldur’s Gays, Chris Rock’s skull made out of rock, and Good Boy. At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in Narration follows two friends trapped in a fictional library. With no …

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Takeaways From Musical Improv That Can Boost Your Public Speaking Skills 56:44

1+ y ago56:44

56:44

The previous episode with Ashley Ward talks all about her journey into the musical improv world and why she loves teaching musical improv classes. This solo episode highlights my experience over the past year with musical improv, why I took musical improv in the first place, and how it's helped me with my public speaking skills and stage presence. …

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Improvly Singing and Trying Hard Things with Ashley Ward 1:34:23

1+ y ago1:34:23

1:34:23

Ashley Ward is an improviser, actor, writer, snack lover, and singer who has performed everywhere from the Kennedy Center to The Sydney Opera House. She can be seen on Dropout TV’s Play It By Ear and in Hello Jack! The Kindness Show on Apple+ as Delivery Delores. She is also a Jeopardy champion (and yes, we talk about that in the interview!). In th…

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Living a "Yes, And..." Life in a "Yeah, But" World with Joe Van Haecke 1:36:49

1+ y ago1:36:49

1:36:49

Joe Van Haecke is based in Des Moines, Iowa, and he has been performing and coaching improvisation for over 20 years! He is the Chief of Inspiration for his company Inspire Me Mr V, which provides improv-inspired life coaching to help people start living a "Yes, and…" life in a "Yeah, but" world. (hence the title of this episode) In this episode, J…

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61: The Former Mall Santa Support Group Troupe 45:16

1+ y ago45:16

45:16

In the book this week, two years on from the death of Santa Claus, a group of recovering mall Santas must finally learn to let go. Then, just for Christmas, the boys discuss Canadian serial killers and former wrestler Chris Benoit, before DMing Erik's favourite athlete. At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in Narration follows two friends …

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Letting Go of My Need for Alcohol, Thanks to Improv and Conquering My Fear of Public Speaking 44:33

1+ y ago44:33

44:33

One day, my solo episodes won't be considered special solo episodes because I will do them more and will be putting out more solo episodes than just 2-3 times a year. For now though, here is another special solo episode about my experience with alcohol and how I feel like I don't need it much anymore. Thanks to improv and overcoming my fear of publ…

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60: Lost Improv-ation #2 31:03

1+ y ago31:03

31:03

It's 60! Matthew finds 3 more books written by real, famous authors- or at least the first lines of them. Forced to make the stories up as they go along, the boys spout nonsense about not quite making the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, the University of Oxford, and letting a guy have his projects. At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in Narratio…

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59: Who the F**k Do You Think You Are? (w/ Devyn) 32:17

1+ y ago32:17

32:17

Devyn (TuddyTalk) makes his library debut to read a book about Felony Klein, who finds out the hard way that not every celebrity can have an interesting lineage. Then, the boys discuss the addictive properties of chocolate milk, family friendly turtle facts, and Erik's first beef in literally a year. At the risk of breaking the fourth wall, Lost in…

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Consistency in Comedy and Creativity with Fernando Funes 1:53:07

1+ y ago1:53:07

1:53:07

Fernando Funes is a poet, writer, improviser, and performer in the Los Angeles/Orange County, CA area. He has performed in hundreds of shows in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, Oakland, and even Brazil! Fernando loves to bring people of all backgrounds together, and lately, he has been producing a ton of local improv shows in the Southern…

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Elevate Your Sonic Branding and Flex Your Creative Thinking with Shantel Sole' (aka The Jingle Lady) 1:27:15

1+ y ago1:27:15

1:27:15

Have you listened to a few episodes of this podcast and loved the jingle that plays before each episode? Maybe you have found that you can't help but dance and sway when this jingle kicks off an episode. (You're not alone!) Shantel Sole' is based out of Atlanta, Georgia, and she joins this episode to discuss her journey as a singer, songwriter, and…

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58: 4 Cast 2 Curious 32:02

2y ago32:02

32:02

In 4 Cast 2 Curious, a YouTube conspiracy theorist gets a rude awakening when he finds out that his latest theory- weather channels are just guessing the weather- is actually true. Then, the boys play back some highlights from their Good Boy watch-along, DM some celebrities, and post a good tweet about Charlie Day. At the risk of breaking the fourt…

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Empowering Military Veterans with Healing and Resilience through Applied Improv with BJ Lange 1:54:31

2y ago1:54:31

1:54:31

Special guest BJ Lange shares how he supports military veterans by leading applied improv workshops and helping them learn important resilience skills as they navigate back into civilian life. BJ Lange is an actor (The Prank Panel, General Hospital, The Rookie), retired USAF Reserve medic, two-time testicular cancer survivor, and an alumni of iO We…

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57: Into the Multi-Worse 33:33

2y ago33:33

33:33

In this week's episode of the only official Good Boy podcast, the (good) boys read a book about a superhero whose multiverse powers, while impressive, are sort of a dead trope. Then, they discuss likely Good Boy post-credits scenes, songs from the perspective of the sun, and whether or not they're the asshole. At the risk of breaking the fourth wal…

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Clownly Speaking: From Clown Presence to Authentic Stage Presence with Don Colliver 1:03:24

2y ago1:03:24

1:03:24

Don Colliver is a speaker, communications consultant, comedian, improviser, and clown. His public speaking workshops have helped transform hundreds of nervous speakers into more joyful and effective communicators. He recently released the bestselling book entitled Wink: Transforming Public Speaking with Clown Presence. In this episode, Don shares h…

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Improv Saved My Life And Helped Me Get Sober with Erick Escalante 1:37:06

2y ago1:37:06

1:37:06

Erick Escalante is an improviser and creative performer from San Diego, CA. Erick took acting classes all throughout high school and college, but he tried his first official improv class in June 2021, when he decided to take a Level 1 class at Finest City Improv. Before that, Erick was struggling with depression and addicted to getting high and/or …

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56: PR Crisis on Infinite Earths 38:35

2y ago38:35

38:35

And we're back. In PR Crisis on Infinite Earths, a superhero accidentally tweets from the wrong account, revealing his secret identity. To fix his snafu, he enlists Yelp's highest rated PR agency, whose methods- rewinding time to before the mistake was made- have thus far been foolproof. Then, Erik reads Matthew's genuinely heartfelt letters, and t…

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Becoming the World's Greatest Improviser with Will Hines 1:31:08

2y ago1:31:08

1:31:08

Will Hines is a longtime improv teacher and performer who trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in both New York and Los Angeles. In April 2020, he founded the World's Greatest Improv School (WGIS and can also be pronounced Weegis), which the name of the school was based on his best-selling book on improv called How to Be The Greatest Imp…

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I Have Arrived at 35, and I'm Ready to Thrive! 46:07

2y ago46:07

46:07

SPECIAL SOLO BIRTHDAY EPISODE -- I turned 35 in May 2023 (yay!), and I wanted to do a solo episode to highlight this special birthday milestone. Not only is it a mid-thirties milestone, but also this is the age that I always thought I would magically just become confident and love myself. I don't know why I had in my head that I should be confident…