Straight Talk For A Curvy World

A single act doesn’t define us, nor does a moment in time. When we feel weak or powerless, we search internally for the one version of ourselves that we think will best cope with the situation we are faced with. If our history includes anxiety, anger, or apprehension, we are basically like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’ll get. Often, we systematically compare our pain to that of our peers to self-judge our normality. Still, in doing so, we risk gathering all the pain within ourselves, primarily if we identify with it. Ultimately, we project our anxiety and anger inwards or outwards. If we understand that both are okay – just different – we take the following steps to emotional freedom. If you'd like to stay connected, please visit Ann's website and sign up to receive her weekly Love Notes. annpeck.com

*Consider who may be listening with you. This episode contains fun stuff that only adults should hear. A Special Passage for Monica From The Call - Sometimes, it comes as a soft-bellied whisper. Sometimes it holds an edge of urgency, but it always says, “Wake up, my love. You are walking asleep; there’s no safety in that.” Now, Where Did I Put That? Aging can be fun if we consider it a never-ending game of hide-and-seek. The physical aspects of getting older are more accessible for us to deal with than the mental and emotional changes occurring within our bodies. We may understand that a tire with a nail in it isn’t fit to be on the road, but if the exact tire doesn’t feel like going out for a Sunday drive because it may or may not feel flat, we have a hard time accepting that. And it’s not just us. There is a lot of judgment among people who view another person as being emotional as a weakness. Most of us remember when we have commented negatively about someone who allows their mental state to overwhelm th

In this Best of Straight Talk for a Curvy World® episode, I talk about my book. Smiling on the Outside: Secrets, Sex, Shame, and the Search for Self-Love became a #1 Best-selling book upon release and continues to show up in the top ten even today. It also won SIX national and international book awards and was selected for review by Publisher's Weekly. And even though I write about #Me-Too, my book was released long before the world ever heard that phrase! I hope you'll check it out and leave a review. Click on the title above, or request the book from your favorite bookseller.  Emotional Pain in the Physical Form During Christine’s uncertainty about staying in her marriage, she began having chest pains and suffered from shingles. At the time, she was unaware of the physical connection to her emotional distress. She recommends going to a doctor and talking with a trusted friend about what ails you. It may uncover that you have been trying to mold yourself into a form someone else wants you to be instead of wh

Lucky is how Mo Hannah describes herself. And when you consider the profound impacts she has withstood, you can agree that Mo Hannah is indeed lucky. Mo was destined to have found the Battered Mothers Custody Conference. Her personal life gave her reason, and her humanity gave her purpose. Ann and Mo talk about how being in the present can alleviate anxiety and how taking your time to feel out a problem gives your inner voice a chance to speak. The physical pain caused by grief is not a structured ailment. There is no amount of time when it ceases to be, but it does change form over time. Understanding that when we pass, we move on to a different realm, another level of consciousness, where we immerse ourselves in the universe. Mentions: Battered Mothers Custody Conference The Tao of Self-Confidence Podcast @iamannpeck annpeck.com ann@annpeck.com Think and Grow Rich - Napolean Hill

Caring for our parents can be one of the greatest gifts in life and one of our greatest hardships. You can never quite prepare yourself for the physical and emotional changes on the way. It is a challenging time that requires us to be many things to many people. We are the lucky ones spending as much time as possible with the people who gave us life. We are not alone on this journey. Mentions: Straight Talk for a Curvy World Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Nice Bike MüD ann@annpeck.com

Most of us believe medicines will heal our illnesses. We do not expect a drug to exacerbate our problems, so when one does, it’s difficult to know it is at the root of the problem. Karen shares with us how Prozac caused a mania that led her down the dark hallways of depression, suicidal thoughts, and the disintegration of her marriage to a good man. She has since recovered and sings jazz twice weekly and serves as a spiritual advisor in the unity church. Mentions: http://karengray.com/ Conversations with God - Neale Donald Walsch Unity Churches Lessons in Truth - Emily Cady Emmet Fox ann@annpeck.com  

Detaching yourself from grief shortly after a loss is a reliable way to ensure you prolong its influence. Frequently, additional losses compound the suffering and may cause other behaviors which eventually take their toll on your well-being. And even though most of us have difficulty handling grief, it seems men are more likely to bottle it up and not let it out. Jordan shares with us his recent reaction to the news about the loss of a peer and how he became aware of the value of living a more fulfilling life. We all must deal with this topic at some point in our lives. Jordan is one of the most talented people I know, and he's also one of my favorites. I've loved watching him grow his show and his family since we originally recorded this episode. Jordan Harbinger is a man worth knowing. But don't take my word for it; get to know him yourself. Be sure to check out Jordan's podcast, The Jordan Harbinger Show. Awarded a Best of Apple Podcast, you will love listening to the fascinating conversations and guests J

We don’t always plan on being pushed in the right direction, and more often than not, it takes us by surprise, especially when we are in our 40s. It usually happens when we take a deep breath and martyr our lives for those we care about. In Ellen’s case, her push came right after she bought her coveted little red corvette. She suddenly found herself needing a new way to support her family. And instead of wallowing in anxiety, she channeled her father’s wisdom and chose to do something that would make her happy for the rest of her life.   Mentions: Orangetheory Fitness Inc. Daring Greatly Brainblocks elatham@orangetheoryfitness.com Push - Ellen Latham AnnPeck.com @iamannpeck ann@annpeck.com

Many of us are just finding ourselves again in our 40s. Our relationships up until this point have been with people with which we share similar emotional attributes. We may try to recreate our family of origin because it is a familiar place. When we learn to stop living through other people, we start to have better relationships with ourselves. We can then build upon our losses and take risks that catapult us into clarity. Through meditation, we can tune into our inner wisdom, which will guide us in our journey. If you have benefited from this podcast and think it could benefit someone else, please share this podcast with a friend.

Welcome to a new season as we introduce the Best of Straight Talk for a Curvy World® podcast series. This "best of" series features some of your favorite Straight Talk for a Curvy World® podcast episodes.  Over the coming days and weeks, you'll have an opportunity to get reacquainted with our previous guests while we work behind the scenes on the next season of the all-new Straight Talk for a Curvy World® podcast. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a single episode!

Kelli Jaecks has been speaking nationally and internationally for ten years and is wrapping up work on her book Martinis and Menopause (out later this year). We’re discussing bioidentical hormones to help unshroud some of the controversy you may have heard about them. To start off, bioidenticals are made from plants. This means they cannot go through the same vetting process that chemicals made in a lab go through. The FDA does not grade and test them. Even so, Kelli is a believer and has used them for ten years on her journey through perimenopause and now during her postmenopausal state. Prescriptions vs. Over the Counter A key thing to keep in mind about bioidentical prescriptions is that they are not done through a “one size fits all” method. You usually have a blood draw which comes back with a detailed screen of estrogens, testosterone, and other hormones which your prescription is then tailored to. Your bioidentical is made on site at a compounding pharmacy specific to your prescription, which is vastly

My guest on today’s podcast is the Certified Life Coach at Emerge Now Coaching. Christine Khetarpal helps women who are contemplating divorce make clear, confident choices. Christine learned the hard way, filing for divorce four times before making the final commitment. She offers all of the beautiful women listening to this podcast a free reassurance tool, 5 Small Ways to Bring Peace Back Into Your Life Even if You Have a Decision to Make to help you love yourself during a difficult time.   Why I'm Smiling on the Inside Smiling On the Outside: Secrets, Sex, Shame and the Search for Self-Love is being released on June 6th, and then on June 8th I will be personally signing copies of my book at the Barnes and Nobles in New York City, yes, you read that correctly, right in the middle of Union Square! The signing is a free event. The only thing I ask of you is to share this information. Visit the Straight Talk for a Curvy World Facebook page, and share the event announcement or tell your friends. I look forward t

Welcome home, everyone. I am so happy to be back with you on the Straight Talk for a Curvy World podcast. My break was just a little longer than I had anticipated, but I took the time to line up some amazing guests for upcoming episodes. Today, Elaine Turso is here to tell us about her boudoir photography business, and to discuss body image.   Why I'm Smiling on the Outside Because my book is done! My long-awaited book is complete and it has a new title, Smiling On the Outside: Secrets, Sex, Shame and the Search for Self-Love. It will be available on June 6th, 2017. I’ll be sharing more about it as the launch date approaches.   A Quote to Kick Off the Conversation "A person's success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.” — from Tim Ferriss’s book Tools for Titans   Body Image: The subjective picture or mental image of one's own body. Elaine Turso has a rule in her studio, anyone coming in for a photography session must adhere to, they are n

Thank you all so much for the anniversary messages you sent me to celebrate this podcast’s one-year milestone last week. When you send in messages and share your stories with me, it validates that we are achieving our goals with this podcast. I know we are making a difference in each other’s lives. You are not alone and You are not crazy either.      Today’s episode is a replay of a previous episode with Monica Tarr. Monica’s deeply engaging episode is a conversation worth hearing again. Follow this link to read the show notes from the original episode, Understanding Your Physical and Emotional Limits.   Don’t worry if next week’s episode doesn’t automatically download in your podcast player, the Straight Talk for a Curvy World Podcast will be taking a short, one month break to organize and develop some amazing new content for the upcoming, Season 2!   Send Me Your Questions and Your Stories Do you need to catch up on early episodes of this podcast? If you do, go to Annpeck.com. You can share your comments,

Today’s episode marks the one year anniversary of my Straight Talk for a Curvy World podcast. I truly believe in the work we are doing here on the show and all of your generous feedback lets me know you believe in it too. To help me celebrate this milestone, I am speaking today with an amazing woman, Ann Sheybani. Ann was my very first guest on my very first episode of this podcast. During her episode, Sharing Secrets About the Stranger Within, she opens all the way up and shares her secret truths. Her episode is to date, the most popular and most downloaded episode from the past year.   A Great Writing Coach Ann Sheybani is my writing coach. If she tells me I am ready to release my book, I believe her. Ann says there are many people who are not able to share their stories with the world because they have not yet dealt with their emotions around the subject they want to write about. According to Ann, “When you are writing about your past, your feelings come back to you as if you are experiencing them again..

I continue my conversation with Carol Egan from last episode, where we discovered how a girl who dropped out of high school to raise her son, made it a priority to get her life and health in order. In this episode, we discuss her entrepreneurship, what happened after she got her college degree and just how far she will go to make her dreams come true.   The Root of Disease  Carol discovered she had a polysystemic problem, resulting in poor digestion and difficulty releasing excrement from her body. It built up so much fermentation and with it came fungus and an overload of yeast. So much, in fact, that it affected her well-being, thyroid and brain. Carol says allowing shit to build up makes your body acidic. An acidic body is a body in need of balance. To achieve balance the body starts depleting the bones of calcium and the muscles of magnesium.   Whatever it Takes Working at a restaurant was squelching Carol’s spirit. The universe told her it was time to focus on her business as a health coach. But getting

Today my conversation is with Carol Egan. Carol and I met online in a mastermind club. When she shared her story with me, I instantly thought of how courageous she was. It reminded me of the quote “Do you have the courage to bring forth the treasures that are hidden within you?” by Elizabeth Gilbert from her book, Big Magic.   It All Just Fell Apart When Carol was just about to enter high school, her parents got a divorce. They had hidden any troubles they had from their children, so it came as a shock to Carol and her brothers. Her father then lost his job and crumbled to the point of moving to the YMCA and making it his home for a year. She knew she couldn’t cope with the pressures of the private school she was scheduled to attend so she went to public school. In less than a year, Carol became pregnant.  She was sent to an unwed mother’s home in another town, the father denied paternity and Carol, at 18, had to become an instant adult.   She Was Broken  Just after delivering her baby, Carol watched Children

* This conversation involves sex talk, please be aware of who may be listening in with you.   My sister friends Charlie, Leigh and Felicia are back together again for an episode on Pornography. The four of us openly admit to having watched porn and for most of us, it is something best shared with a partner.      Jamaica Me Want to Touch It In addition to having every porn channel available on DIRECTV, Felicia and her husband found themselves in Jamaica during Wicked Pictures’ Pornography’s Fan Appreciation Weekend. She shares insights from her conversations and interviews about the super-nice porn stars she met, including their secrets to playing it safe. Plus, she has photos to prove it.      Soft Is Better Than Hard The ladies all agree soft porn is better than hard porn. The random pizza delivery guy showing up while the kids are at school or the Mr. Fix-It handyman fantasy scenarios are the best for foreplay. Some of us use porn as a way to spice things up and certain scenes may help with role playing act

My book title needs amending. My book coach and some very good, honest friends told me the title I previously had simply didn’t fit. I resisted and held onto the title for a long time, because I was emotionally attached to it. But, I am currently in the process of discovering a new title.   HuffPo Recently, I had my first article accepted into Huffington Post. They accepted me as a contributor and when I sent in my first article named, 3 Types of Grief Everyone is Going to Face and How to Overcome Them, they added it to the Common Grief, a healthy living editorial initiative. If you would like to read it, go to the Huffington Post and search “grief”, there you will find the original article. It’s gotten a lot of action on Facebook and Twitter. If you know someone dealing with grief, please share the article with them. It helps me to know I reached people who needed to be reached.   One Year Anniversary Believe it or not, Straight Talk for a Curvy World is coming up on the one year anniversary of this podcast!

My guest today, Penny Isaac Nelson, speaks candidly about an affair she had with an older, married man when she was in her 30’s. Now 52, she has been happily married for 10-years, volunteers for the church ministry and creates a video series, Focus Forward, which assists women in finding a work/life balance. Her advice to everyone is “There is value in being single.”   Record the Past as a Present For Your Child Both Penny and I were the caregivers of elderly parents who have since passed on. We both agree that the things we appreciate most in this world are the recordings and journals our parents left for us. Penny still hits replay on a voicemail of her mother, and in a previous podcast I helped fulfill my mother’s dream of having her story published by reading it to my audience. If you have an elderly parent I highly recommend making a video journal of them telling their stories.   A 5-Year Tryst Penny met her older lover at work. They were teachers in the same district. Their first date was something they