Life Happens with Barb and Michelle is your guide to navigating the twists, turns, and beautifully messy moments of life. Hosted by Barb and Michelle, a dynamic mother-daughter duo and the Co-Founders of Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life®, this podcast dives into the growth, shifts, and self-discovery that define our journeys. Together, they explore what it truly means to live authentically, strengthen mental health, embrace change, and rise after every stumble. Tune in for heartfelt conversations, insights, and inspiration to help you thrive in every chapter of your story.
Thanks so much for being with us, we love being with you and sharing life with you all! Join our YouTube community and see our episodes on video by subscribing to our channel @lifehappensthepodcast
Jen Hatmaker on Having the Courage to Choose Yourself | Life Happens
Épisode 242
mardi 27 janvier 2026 • Durée 58:11
Divorce breaks a million hearts — including your own.
But sometimes, choosing yourself is the bravest and most healing decision you can make.
What if all it took to change your life was the courage to trust yourself again?
In this week’s episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we’re joined by NYT bestselling author Jen Hatmaker for an honest, compassionate, and deeply moving conversation about life after divorce, listening to your intuition, and finding freedom on the other side of heartbreak.
Jen opens up about putting her life fully out there — the grief, the courage, the fallout — and what it was like to go from deep personal pain to becoming an instant New York Times bestseller. Together, we explore what happens when trauma finds you… and how ignoring your truth doesn’t make it any less true.
This episode is for anyone who feels stuck, conflicted, exhausted from self-doubt, or quietly wondering if it’s time for something different.
💬 In this conversation, we explore:
Choosing Yourself: Why freedom and joy begin the moment you decide your needs matter.
Life After Divorce: The heartbreak, the healing, and the unexpected growth that follows.
Comfort Over Coaching: Why people often want to soothe us instead of supporting real change.
The Sunk Cost Fallacy: Why no amount of time, history, or sacrifice is worth staying somewhere that no longer feels right.
Trusting Your Intuition: How we often gaslight ourselves out of the truth we already know.
Parenting Through Divorce: Navigating change, honesty, and healing with your children.
Feeling the Hurt: Grieving what was, what could’ve been, and honoring the pain without getting stuck in it.
Barb and Michelle also share their personal experience navigating divorce as a mother and daughter — and how choosing honesty, presence, and self-trust reshaped their relationship.
✨ This episode is a reminder:
You’re not broken. You’re not weak. And trusting yourself isn’t selfish — it’s necessary.
📖 Order Jen’s memoir, Awake, to go deeper into courage, truth, and choosing yourself:
🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday
📘 USA TODAY BESTSELLER — Dear Friend by Michelle Maros
Start 2026 with New Year, Brave You. Dear Friend is the perfect 365-day companion to help you cultivate self-love, clarity, presence, and inner peace—one gentle reflection at a time.✨ Begin the year with intention and courage.
241 - Rethinking the New Year: Why “Changing Yourself” Is the Wrong Goal | Life Happens
mardi 20 janvier 2026 • Durée 43:12
You don’t need to reinvent yourself this year 💫
With all the pressure to “fix” your life overnight and become a brand-new version of yourself, we’re taking a different approach to the new year—one that feels grounded, compassionate, and sustainable.
In this week’s episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we’re answering your questions on how to start the year with clarity and confidence—without stress, overwhelm, or unrealistic expectations. From self-acceptance to pursuing your dreams, this episode is a gentle guide to stepping into a year that loves you back.
💬 Barb shares how she’s redefined purpose and goals in her life, releasing pressure and unrealistic expectations.
💬 Michelle opens up about why self-care can feel “boring,” and how she discovered a practice that actually works in real life.
✨ What We Talk About
Starting the year intentionally: Releasing urgency, reframing the “new year pressure,” and letting go of unrealistic timelines
Practicing self-care consistently: Finding what supports you without feeling impractical or forced
Navigating triggering topics: Knowing your boundaries, honoring your standards, and speaking up when something feels unaligned with your values
Approaching goals with grace: Breaking your dreams into realistic milestones while staying connected to what you truly want
The pressure to reinvent yourself every January is exhausting. You don’t need a new version of you — you just need more compassion for the person you already are.
📘 USA TODAY BESTSELLER — Dear Friend by Michelle Maros
Start 2026 with New Year, Brave You. Dear Friend is the perfect 365-day companion to help you cultivate self-love, clarity, presence, and inner peace—one gentle reflection at a time.✨ Begin the year with intention and courage.
👉 Order your copy:
Our Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code LIFEHAPPENS20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: Privacy & Opt-Out:
240 - The Most Powerful Thing You Can Do: Becoming Your Own Best Friend
Épisode 240
mardi 13 janvier 2026 • Durée 52:24
Step into a year that loves you back 💫 You deserve your own friendship—kindness, care, and compassion included. You are worthy of the same love you so freely give to others.
In this week’s episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we continue our conversation on daily practices by exploring one of the most powerful tools for resilience and confidence: affirmations. We talk about how intentional self-talk can shift your mindset, strengthen problem-solving, and help you show up with more self-trust.
💬 Barb shares her wisdom on rooting the mind in truth and self-compassion, even when self-doubt and life’s challenges feel loud.
💬 Michelle opens up about discovering affirmations and how this simple practice transformed her relationship with herself.
✨ What We Talk About
Becoming Your Own Best Friend: Offering yourself the same grace and care you give to others
Negative vs. Positive Thinking: How choosing supportive thoughts helps create new neural pathways
Building Resilience: Staying grounded in your affirmations instead of spiraling into worry or self-doubt
Honoring Your Feelings: Affirmations don’t bypass emotions—feel your feelings without letting them define you
Remember: celebrate the small moments and the big wins. Speak to yourself with kindness, honor who you are becoming, and stay present in your day-to-day life.
📘 USA TODAY BESTSELLER — Dear Friend by Michelle Maros
Start 2026 with New Year, Brave You. Dear Friend is the perfect 365-day companion to help you cultivate self-love, clarity, presence, and inner peace—one gentle reflection at a time.✨ Begin the year with intention and courage.
Our Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code LIFEHAPPENS20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: Privacy & Opt-Out:
239 - Becoming Your Best Self Means Releasing Impatience and Entitlement | Life Happens
Épisode 239
mardi 6 janvier 2026 • Durée 53:33
With the New Year comes pressure to become the “best version” of yourself but true transformation starts with intention, patience, and compassion. 💫
In this week’s episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we’re digging into a modern epidemic fueled by entitlement, comparison, and our fast-paced culture: impatience. We explore why slowing down is not a weakness, but the pathway to confidence, alignment, and ease as we enter 2026.
💬 Barb shares why she chose patience as her intention word for 2026 and offers simple, grounded ways to cultivate patience in everyday life.
💬 Michelle opens up about her struggle with waiting for things to align and how trusting her timing—and herself—completely shifted her experience.
✨ What We Talk About
• The entitlement epidemic: How instant gratification and individualism have shaped our expectations and how awareness helps us reconnect with compassion.
• How impatience hurts us: Acting out of alignment, rushing decisions, and feeling hopeless when life isn’t moving fast enough.
• Patience attains all things: Trusting your timing, embracing the “in-between,” and finding purpose in waiting seasons.
• Building a relationship with yourself: Pausing, breathing, reconnecting, and beginning again, over and over.
Remember: the day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit.
Have patience. Your small shifts matter—and they are creating a better tomorrow.
📘 USA TODAY BESTSELLER — Dear Friend by Michelle Maros is out now!
A powerful 365-day companion to help you cultivate self-love, clarity, presence, and inner peace.
👉
Our Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code LIFEHAPPENS20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: Privacy & Opt-Out:
238 - Why Change Feels So Hard (and How Small Shifts Create Real Growth) | Life Happens Podcast
Épisode 238
mardi 30 décembre 2025 • Durée 43:57
“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” Change isn’t something to fear—it’s an invitation to grow, evolve, and step into what’s possible. 💫
In this week’s episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we close out the year with a powerful conversation about the one constant in life: change. Instead of viewing impermanence as something negative, we’re flipping the script and exploring how change can be a doorway to clarity, freedom, and fulfillment.
All growth is born from change—and learning how to work with it, rather than against it, can transform the way you move through life.
💬 Barb shares how embracing small shifts and cultivating self-awareness helped her recognize where change was needed in her life, ultimately leading to one of her biggest turning points.
💬 Michelle opens up about her struggle with resisting change, getting stuck in the habit of complaining, and what helped her begin moving forward with intention.
In this episode, we explore:
Embracing Change: Reframing change as an opportunity instead of a disruption
The Habit of Complaining: How staying in negativity keeps us stuck—and what to do instead
Small Shifts, Big Growth: Why easing into change creates lasting transformation
Practicing Presence: Finding peace by staying grounded in the present moment, even when things feel uncertain
You may not know how the story ends—but every chapter offers a new beginning. Trust the process, honor the season you’re in, and allow change to guide you forward.
📘 USA TODAY BESTSELLER — Dear Friend by Michelle Maros is out now!
A powerful 365-day companion to help you cultivate self-love, clarity, presence, and inner peace.👉
Our Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code LIFEHAPPENS20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: Privacy & Opt-Out:
237 - Powerful Lessons From This Year – Relationships, Loneliness, & Self-Worth
Épisode 237
mardi 23 décembre 2025 • Durée 46:20
Growth doesn’t happen all at once. It happens in honest moments, hard conversations, and small shifts we make every day. If you’ve been feeling disconnected, uncertain, or like you’re never quite enough, this conversation is for you.
In this week’s episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we’re reflecting on some of the most meaningful moments from our podcast this year. Together, we revisit powerful conversations on navigating conflict in relationships, the loneliness epidemic, self-doubt, body image, and the quiet practices that help us come home to ourselves.
This episode is a reminder that you’re not alone and that real growth begins with awareness, compassion, and presence.
✨ In this episode, we explore powerful moments from past conversations, including:
Navigating heated arguments with honesty and compassion — from Why Your Relationships Aren’t Working (And How Hard Conversations Can Help)
Moving through self-doubt to rebuild confidence and clarity by trusting your intuition — from Self-Doubt Ends Here | Leaning Into Your Intuition and Inner Voice
Understanding body image and why true confidence comes from within—not external validation — from Why We Think We’re Not Enough: The Truth About Body Image & Confidence
Our Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code LIFEHAPPENS20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: Privacy & Opt-Out:
236 - When the Holidays Don’t Feel Happy: Loneliness, Grief & Making the Season Your Own | Life Happens
Épisode 236
mardi 16 décembre 2025 • Durée 44:54
What if a “successful” holiday wasn’t defined by perfect traditions, packed schedules, or being surrounded by family? What if this season could feel lighter—rooted in ease, presence, and honoring yourself? 💫
In this week’s episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we’re answering your holiday questions and talking openly about navigating loneliness, grief, unwanted traditions, and disappointment. From estranged relationships and embracing solitude to feeling nostalgic or simply not feeling festive at all, this episode invites you to redefine what the holidays can mean for you.
What We Talk About
Navigating Loneliness — How to honor your feelings without getting stuck in them, and gentle ways to lift your spirits
Creating New Memories — Loosening our grip on expectations and allowing new traditions to emerge
Grieving During the Holidays — Making space for loss, estrangement, and difficult emotions; it’s okay if this season doesn’t feel joyful
Navigating Disappointment — Offering yourself grace while taking small steps that empower you to shift your experience
Remember: you’re allowed to celebrate differently.
You’re allowed to choose rest over routine.
You’re allowed to release traditions that no longer serve you.
Whatever this season looks like, you deserve to move through it with gentleness, honesty, and authenticity.
📘 USA TODAY BESTSELLER — Dear Friend by Michelle Maros is out now!
A powerful 365-day companion to help you cultivate self-love, clarity, presence, and inner peace.
Our Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code LIFEHAPPENS20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: Privacy & Opt-Out:
235 - Managing Holiday Pressures: Boundaries & Self-care in a Busy Season | Life Happens the Podcast
Épisode 235
mardi 9 décembre 2025 • Durée 53:35
The holidays don’t need to be perfect to be meaningful — here’s how to release the pressure and enjoy the season 💫
On this week’s episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we’re diving into holiday stress, perfectionism, boundaries, and the real reason so many of us feel overwhelmed this time of year. With 62% of people reporting elevated holiday stress, this conversation will help you slow down, stay grounded, and make space for joy and presence.
Whether you’re navigating family expectations, food triggers, financial pressure, or the urge to “do it all,” this episode offers practical guidance on creating a holiday season that feels peaceful and true to you.
✨ What We Talk About
How to release holiday perfectionism and find meaning in what’s real—not what’s flawless.
The art of saying no and the freedom that comes with not overextending yourself.
Checking in with your emotions: A simple practice for asking, “What do I desire and need this season?”
Setting boundaries without guilt so you can protect your peace and energy.
Navigating triggers & pressure:
Barb opens up about food triggers and social overwhelm as a recovering bulimic.
Michelle shares tools for managing financial stress and releasing unrealistic expectations.
If you’ve ever felt anxious, stretched too thin, or disappointed by the holidays, this episode is your reminder: You’re allowed to slow down. You’re allowed to choose peace. You’re allowed to make this season meaningful in your own way.
📘 USA TODAY BESTSELLER — Dear Friend by Michelle Maros is out now!
A powerful 365-day companion to help you cultivate self-love, clarity, presence, and inner peace.
Our Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code LIFEHAPPENS20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: Privacy & Opt-Out:
234 - Healing From My Eating Disorder & Letting Go of Perfection | Life Happens ft. Zosia Mamet
Épisode 234
mardi 2 décembre 2025 • Durée 59:04
What if the very thing you’re ashamed of is actually the thing that sets you free?
In today’s episode, we explore the truth that being messy is part of being human — and why perfection is the biggest lie we’ve ever been sold. 💫
This week on Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we’re joined by actress, comedian, and author Zosia Mamet for a deeply honest conversation about recovery, self-acceptance, and learning to embrace our imperfections.
In a world that glorifies thinness, achievement, and flawlessness, it’s easy to feel like you’ll never be “enough.” Zosia shares her raw journey through eating disorder recovery, the pressure to be perfect, and the unexpected power of community and vulnerability.
If you’ve ever struggled with self-worth, comparison, or feeling alone in your pain — this episode is your reminder that you are worthy, lovable, and not alone.
✨ Episode Highlights
• Releasing Comparison: How social media fuels unrealistic expectations—and how to break free.
• Healing From an Eating Disorder: Understanding the roots of addiction and why support is essential.
• The Importance of Community: Why you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) struggle alone.
• Learning From Imperfection: Growth happens in the mistakes, the messiness, and the trying again.
This conversation is a soft place to land — a safe space to breathe, heal, and remember who you really are. 🌸
DEAR FRIEND: USA TODAY & INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
We are so proud to announce that Michelle’s book Dear Friend is now a USA TODAY and International Bestseller!
This moment is only possible because of YOU — your support, your reviews, your love, and your belief in this work.
Our Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code LIFEHAPPENS20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: Privacy & Opt-Out:
233 - Redefining Self-Love: Loving Yourself Enough to do Hard Things | Life Happens Podcast
Épisode 233
mardi 25 novembre 2025 • Durée 52:44
Self-love isn’t always soft, easy, or comfortable—sometimes it means giving yourself the tough love you’ve avoided and finally doing the hard things. Growth happens in the moments we choose courage over comfort. 💫
This week on Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, we’re answering your questions about self-love and how to build a strong foundation within. With envy, self-doubt, comparison, and self-judgment at an all-time high, this conversation offers a gentle, grounded guide for breaking through the noise and cultivating real confidence.
💬 Barb opens up about the power of positive self-talk and how it helped her heal from perfectionism and years of self-doubt.
💬 Michelle shares her personal experience with envy and how understanding the root of it transformed her relationship with herself.
✨ Episode Highlights
• Cultivating Real Self-Love: How to act with compassion even when your mind is filled with negative thoughts.
• Releasing Tough Love Habits: Identifying when you’re bypassing your emotions and learning to honour your true self-love language.
• From Envy to Self-Satisfaction: Recognizing comparison, interrupting the negative narrative, and rewriting your internal dialogue.
• Navigating Singleness: It’s okay to feel disappointment—while still choosing joy, connection, and fulfillment in your life today.
Remember: You don’t need to earn your self-love. There is nothing you must prove or achieve to be worthy of kindness, compassion, and care. 🌸
USA TODAY and INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER 📖
Michelle’s new book Dear Friend is out now!
A daily companion with 365 reflections to help you cultivate self-love, clarity, and inner peace.
Our Sponsors:* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code LIFEHAPPENS20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: Privacy & Opt-Out:
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🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday
✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg
✨Coming soon✨
You asked. We answered.
We've been quietly creating a platform designed to support your emotional and mental wellbeing with practical tools, heartfelt teachings, and science-backed practices.
Next month, our new Emotional Wellbeing Toolkit will be LIVE! Save the date and join us in stepping into a year that loves us back💕
Be the first to know and have access by signing-up for our newsletter: https://peacefulmindpeacefullife.substack.com/
We've been quietly creating a platform designed to support your emotional and mental wellbeing with practical tools, heartfelt teachings, and science-backed practices.
Next month, our new Emotional Wellbeing Toolkit will be LIVE! Save the date and join us in stepping into a year that loves us back💕
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Saying No to Social Pressure — Navigating invitations from friends, family, and coworkers with confidence and compassion
Managing Financial Stress — Rethinking gift-giving, events, and the cost of “holiday expectations”
Handling Food Triggers — Staying grounded amid pressure to overindulge
Avoiding Overextension — Setting healthy boundaries to protect your energy and well-being
Letting Go of Perfectionism — Releasing the need to do it all and redefining what a meaningful holiday looks like
💬 We’d love to hear from you! What insight or moment resonated most with you in this episode? Share in the comments—we truly read every one.
📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕
Today’s Episode Sponsors:
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✨ Your New Must-Have Mindfulness Mug ✨ PMPL x Uncommon Goods
This isn’t just a mug—it’s a daily pause, a breath, a moment to return to yourself.
Every sip becomes a gentle reset, with year-round reflections designed to help you slow down, reconnect, and ground your day in intention. Make self-care simple, beautiful, and meaningful.
Letting go of judgment, comparison, and the urge to “fix” yourself
Finding genuine satisfaction and love for your life as it is
Navigating singleness with confidence and self-worth
💬 We’d love to hear from you! What insight or moment resonated most with you in this episode? Share in the comments—we truly read every one.
📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕
NEW MINDFULNESS MUG 💕 PMPL x Uncommon Goods
This isn’t just a mug—it’s a daily pause, a moment to breathe, and a gentle reminder to come back home to yourself. Each sip becomes a mindful reset, with year-round reflections delivered straight to your mug. Make self-care simple and meaningful. Shop your mug here:
