Sass & Small TALK – Details, episodes & analysis

🎙️ Welcome to Sass & Small Talk: Reclaiming the Joy of Parenthood Beyond Burnout — Season 3, originally created with support from TELUS StoryHive

"I’ll start Monday."
Ever said that?

Or:
 "Once the kids are older… once things calm down… once I have time."
We’ve all been there.

In Episode 2 of Sass & Small Talk: Reclaiming the Joy of Parenthood Beyond Burnout, I sit down with health coach and mama, Emily Bowman to talk about something a lot of us don’t say out loud:
💥 The shame of being “busy” but still sedentary.
💥 The pressure to bounce back, shrink down, or “get healthy” according to society’s lens.
💥 The grief of losing our old bodies—and the quiet power of learning to love our current ones.

This one’s not about diet hacks or hitting the gym at 5am.
 It’s about releasing pressure, embracing what our bodies have carried us through, and redefining health our way.

Join Deb and Certified Fitness Coach, Emily Bowman of Nevaeh Jade Beauty and Wellness, as they explore personal wellness beyond societal norms. Emily shares her emotional, often isolating, journey from young caregiver to corporate burnout, igniting a passion for fitness and beauty as a wellness advocate in Victoria, BC. Tune in to discover ways of cultivating a healthy mindset, while enjoying Deb’s humorous attempts to master proper squat form as a way to fit movement into her chaotic schedule.

✨You’re not behind. You’re evolving.

Catch more laughter, squats, Yoga-envy 🧘🏻‍♀️, words of wisdom, and a tear or two… 🎙️NOW STREAMING on a 📺 near you. @Telus OptikTV (search “Storyhive Sass” on Demand), Ch. 9, Stream+ app, ‪@storyhive‬ .

💬 Watch the full season on this YOUTUBE playlist here.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on burnout, motherhood, identity, healing, and everything in between.

Let's Talk :: EMILY BOWMAN
• Instagram - @nevaehjade.beautywellness

Let's Talk SASS & SMALLS
IG - @sassandsmalls (Main)
@sassandsmalltalkpodcast
FB/X/PIN/TIKTOK
WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE
Listen on any platform HERE!
Send comments, questions, topic requests, or guests requests to: https://sassandsmalls.com

Let's Talk RATINGS
Are you a fellow Burnout bestie and you're enjoying what you've heard so far on the Pod? Please consider rating and reviewing our show at 5 Stars - This helps us get seen by other sass-searching Mamas. And be sure to tell us what you liked the most in this episode!

Let's Talk BYE BYE BURNOUT
MY GO-TO Cortisol-balancing, Gut-healing, Stress Resillience-Inducing "HAPPY" DRINK $10 OFF

🎙️ Welcome to Sass & Small Talk: Reclaiming the Joy of Parenthood Beyond Burnout — Season 3, originally created with support from TELUS StoryHive

In this Episode: We talk about the experience of Career Burnout, leading to a bold move of walking away from a successful career in Corporate, and making the pivot to a Family-First Business.

Join Deb and local lifestyle creator and entrepreneur, Natasha Mills of "Momma Mills". Natasha reveals her bold shift from a successful corporate career to building a personal brand from home, striving for family balance while advocating for her community in Victoria, BC. Will this new path bring the joy she seeks, or will it come with its own set of challenges and burnout? Tune in for an inspiring discussion on making a career pivot, finding purpose, and evolving as a recovering high achiever.

💬 Watch the full season on this YOUTUBE playlist here: 

🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on burnout, motherhood, identity, healing, and everything in between.

Connect with Natasha:
•Instagram
•Natasha's Website
• Natasha's Digital Marketing Course

Let's Talk SASS & SMALLS
IG - @sassandsmalls (Main)
@sassandsmalltalkpodcast
FB/X/PIN/TIKTOK
WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE
Listen on any platform HERE!
Send comments, questions, topic requests, or guests requests to: https://sassandsmalls.com

Let's Talk RATINGS
Are you a fellow Burnout bestie and you're enjoying what you've heard so far on the Pod? Please consider rating and reviewing our show at 5 Stars - This helps us get seen by other sass-searching Mamas. And be sure to tell us what you liked the most in this episode!

Let's Talk BYE BYE BURNOUT
MY GO-TO Cortisol-balancing, Gut-healing, Stress Resillience-Inducing "HAPPY" DRINK $10 OFF

S1 EPISODE 004 :: I think all of us mamas and caregivers can agree - there just aren't enough hours in the day. However, some {brilliant} people make the choice to follow the golden rule... sleep when the kids sleep.

And then... there's me.

On this episode, I'm sharing with you how habitually engaging in Revenge Sleep Procrastination finally took its toll on my health. Something pretty unexpected happened - and I'm 100% sure it had everything to do with this little habit of mine.

Revenge sleep is essentially resisting and putting off sleep while stretching out the last little bits of the day into the night. Living a life of back to back busy-ness, while running on empty, and doing everything for everyone, led to inevitable burnout.

Sound familiar, Mama?

So my dear friend slapped some sense into me. Check out what she does for herself, to maintain a normal sleep routine, and a better quality of life all around. How she was able to find balance between her wake hours and her sleep hours, by simply doing ONE. AMAZING. THING.

Join me, as I talk about the "why" behind my need to revenge sleep, and what happened to "scare" me into ending the madness, while working on "making things right" again.

Darling, go the eff to sleep.

READ MORE HERE: https://sassandsmalls.com/revenge-sleep/

#selfimprovement #momlife #quarantinelife #pandemiclife #adhd #adhdmom #domoresleepless #dolesssleepmore

Let's Talk SASS & SMALLS
IG - @sassandsmalls (Main)
@sassandsmalltalkpodcast
FB/X/PIN/TIKTOK
WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE
Listen on any platform HERE!
Send comments, questions, topic requests, or guests requests to: https://sassandsmalls.com

Let's Talk RATINGS
Are you a fellow Burnout bestie and you're enjoying what you've heard so far on the Pod? Please consider rating and reviewing our show at 5 Stars - This helps us get seen by other sass-searching Mamas. And be sure to tell us what you liked the most in this episode!

Let's Talk BYE BYE BURNOUT
MY GO-TO Cortisol-balancing, Gut-healing, Stress Resillience-Inducing "HAPPY" DRINK $10 OFF

S1 EPISODE 003 :: Have you ever been at the receiving end of discrimination, racism, hate, or overall disrespect? And for no good reason? Did it make you feel isolated? "Less than"? Small?

I experienced these moments far too many times to count throughout my life, but when it happened to my daughter during the pandemic, I was so stunned, I froze. For the first (and most inopportune) time in my life, I was at a loss for words. 

But luckily.... I had someone in my corner. Her name... is TRISHA.

In this week’s podcast, I will be telling you a story about how a very dear friend of mine, gave me a glimpse of what it feels  like to be seen and to be heard, when my daughter and I were treated with utter disrespect from a stranger. Having a friend in your corner during moments like this makes all the difference.

As we near the end of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we continue to bring awareness to racism in our community and the rise of hate against Asians. By starting in our own backyards, we are making change.

Enjoy this episode - and if you have a "Trisha" in your corner... be sure to share with her this episode.... and let her know she is making this world a better place!

In a world filled with "Karens"... BE A TRISHA.

Read more here:
https://sassandsmalls.com/be-a-trisha/

Let's Talk SASS & SMALLS
IG - @sassandsmalls (Main)
@sassandsmalltalkpodcast
FB/X/PIN/TIKTOK
WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE
Listen on any platform HERE!
Send comments, questions, topic requests, or guests requests to: https://sassandsmalls.com

Let's Talk RATINGS
Are you a fellow Burnout bestie and you're enjoying what you've heard so far on the Pod? Please consider rating and reviewing our show at 5 Stars - This helps us get seen by other sass-searching Mamas. And be sure to tell us what you liked the most in this episode!

Let's Talk BYE BYE BURNOUT
MY GO-TO Cortisol-balancing, Gut-healing, Stress Resillience-Inducing "HAPPY" DRINK $10 OFF

S1 EPISODE 002 :: Do you find you change the way you parent your child(ren) in front of others? Do you adjust your tone to satisfy what you believe is the expectation of how a parent "should" be with their kids - especially when they "misbehave"? In other words, do you find you become an Oscar winning actor when it comes to being around other Mamas? Do playdates, specifically those with seemingly perfect kids, stress you the hell out?

Do you OVERPARENT in front of others?

I sure did. And this is why it always left me feeling deflated, ridden with guilt, and made me question the choices I made as a mom. 

In this week’s podcast, I will be exploring how the overwhelm of caring too much about what other people (particularly other Mamas) think, completely affected my self confidence as a mom, and how I felt it left detrimental effects on my child.

https://sassandsmalls.com/overparenting-in-front-of-others/

Let's Talk SASS & SMALLS
IG - @sassandsmalls (Main)
@sassandsmalltalkpodcast
FB/X/PIN/TIKTOK
WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE
Listen on any platform HERE!
Send comments, questions, topic requests, or guests requests to: https://sassandsmalls.com

Let's Talk RATINGS
Are you a fellow Burnout bestie and you're enjoying what you've heard so far on the Pod? Please consider rating and reviewing our show at 5 Stars - This helps us get seen by other sass-searching Mamas. And be sure to tell us what you liked the most in this episode!

Let's Talk BYE BYE BURNOUT
MY GO-TO Cortisol-balancing, Gut-healing, Stress Resillience-Inducing "HAPPY" DRINK $10 OFF

S1 EPISODE 001 :: We're getting a little deeper with what's behind Sass & Small Talk.

In this episode, I briefly touch upon the seemingly popular idea that we, as moms, are expected to give our own needs/interests/creativity/bucket fillers the proverbial shaft, in order to be a "good" or present mom. But the truth is, it's essential  for us to place value in our own needs as well - allowing room for ourselves on that top bunk of the priority list. It's essential for our kids to see Mama... happy.

So here I am, chasing the happy - and wouldn't you know? A happier me, makes a more present me. 

More here - https://sassandsmalls.com/mama-needs-sass-back/

https://sassandsmalls.com/podcast/

Let's Talk SASS & SMALLS
IG - @sassandsmalls (Main)
@sassandsmalltalkpodcast
FB/X/PIN/TIKTOK
WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE
Listen on any platform HERE!
Send comments, questions, topic requests, or guests requests to: https://sassandsmalls.com

Let's Talk RATINGS
Are you a fellow Burnout bestie and you're enjoying what you've heard so far on the Pod? Please consider rating and reviewing our show at 5 Stars - This helps us get seen by other sass-searching Mamas. And be sure to tell us what you liked the most in this episode!

Let's Talk BYE BYE BURNOUT
MY GO-TO Cortisol-balancing, Gut-healing, Stress Resillience-Inducing "HAPPY" DRINK $10 OFF

TRAILER :: The who, what, and why behind Sass & Small Talk. Nice to meet you! I'm Deb. I'm a WAHM of 2, Homeschool Mama, Mrs. Fix it (Mostly Booboos), extra as all get out, and exhausted.... like no other. I'm ready for our virtual hang out with a cuppa coffee in hand (double double pls) and ready share "allllll the things" about fighting through the funk of Mamahood and getting that "sass" back.

If you're ready to join me on this journey, or simply want to get a glimpse into the everyday life of a mama trying to find herself through the chaos of parenthood - Lean in! I gotchu!

https://sassandsmalls.com/podcast/

Let's Talk SASS & SMALLS
IG - @sassandsmalls (Main)
@sassandsmalltalkpodcast
FB/X/PIN/TIKTOK
WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE
Listen on any platform HERE!
Send comments, questions, topic requests, or guests requests to: https://sassandsmalls.com

Let's Talk RATINGS
Are you a fellow Burnout bestie and you're enjoying what you've heard so far on the Pod? Please consider rating and reviewing our show at 5 Stars - This helps us get seen by other sass-searching Mamas. And be sure to tell us what you liked the most in this episode!

Let's Talk BYE BYE BURNOUT
MY GO-TO Cortisol-balancing, Gut-healing, Stress Resillience-Inducing "HAPPY" DRINK $10 OFF

S2 EPISODE 012 :: It's VDay - celebrate the beautiful concept of loving ourselves as women and mamas!

In this episode, there's NO. HOLDING. BACK.
<Ahem... you may want to move away from little ears, as we dig deep into topics that made even your host blush in all shades> 

Jannine Mackinnon, a community builder and advocate for all women, specializes in Women’s empowerment and female sexuality. She offers a safe space to challenge the social norms that we, as women and mothers, have been conditioned to accept as our reality. 

But it doesn't have to be.

Did you know that women's empowerment goes beyond equal access, breaking gender bias, and feminism? It's all encompassing and it STARTS AT HOME with the decision ultimately being... our own. So let's talk about it!

9:24 - Let's Talk MAMA MARTYRDOM - understanding ourselves as women, resisting the temptation to fall into martyrdom. 

22:55 - Let's Talk FEMINISM  - challenging the "anything you can do, I can do better" approach celebrating where women differ.  

26:13 - Let's Talk HORMONES - did you know we have superpowers that come alive at different points in our cycle?

32:19 - Let's talk RELATIONSHIPS - how the "transactional" approach to relationships, promotes disconnection. 

And the part where your host talks a mile a minute, to offset her flushed cheeks. (you will LOVE this part mamas)

37:50 - Let's talk "ABOUT SEX, baby"- You will soon see (Youtube version), just how your favourite "PRUDE" (yours truly) is literally transformed in one sitting, as we "go there" in the world of self love, and tapping into our own needs.

Give yourselves the ultimate day of self-love, and a much deserved reset. Sit back, and be enlightened by a candid conversation that will blow your mind, open your eyes, and relieve all that pressure (heh, heh).

READ MORE HERE!
WATCH THIS EPI HERE!

LINKS

Let’s Talk :: JANNINE
https://unapologeticmotherhood.com/
IG - @

Let's Talk SASS & SMALLS
IG - @sassandsmalls (Main)
@sassandsmalltalkpodcast
FB/X/PIN/TIKTOK
WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE
Listen on any platform HERE!
Send comments, questions, topic requests, or guests requests to: https://sassandsmalls.com

Let's Talk RATINGS
Are you a fellow Burnout bestie and you're enjoying what you've heard so far on the Pod? Please consider rating and reviewing our show at 5 Stars - This helps us get seen by other sass-searching Mamas. And be sure to tell us what you liked the most in this episode!

Let's Talk BYE BYE BURNOUT
MY GO-TO Cortisol-balancing, Gut-healing, Stress Resillience-Inducing "HAPPY" DRINK $10 OFF

S2 EPISODE 011 :: Chatting about all things Motherhood - the good, the bad, and the exhausting. Lacey shares her insight on how the Millennial Mom is torn between the allure of the internet as a source of information, inspiration, community, as well as a creative space to share and connect, and its addictive appeal leading to the inevitable pressures of having to "keep up". Fostering a culture of perfectionism, it's no wonder Mamas are left to feel inadequate, resentful, and burnt out.

From online Sisterhood (which brought us two mamas together in the first place), to the toxic nature of comparison, to the testing of boundaries in the latest phenomenon, "Sharenthood", Lacey and I speak candidly about what a mom really NEEDSto survive and thrive in motherhood. Including, navigating a love-hate relationship with the very tool that feeds our creative souls with a platform to express ourselves creatively. But at what cost?

Does more necessarily mean better?
How do we navigate a barrage of parenting information we are faced with as we scroll through the interwebs?
And would reading the captions before judging an IG Mama on her pretty aesthetics, worth the extra time we don't have in the first place?

And like clockwork, the cutest little guest makes a surprise appearance at the end - You may want to make your way to our Youtube version of this episode!

READ MORE HERE!
WATCH THIS EPISODE HERE!

LINKS

Let’s Talk :: LACEY
IG - @lifeoflaceyjanette
TikTok - @lifeoflaceyjanette
Facebook - @lifeoflaceyjanette

Let's Talk SASS & SMALLS
IG - @sassandsmalls (Main)
@sassandsmalltalkpodcast
FB/X/PIN/TIKTOK
WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE
Listen on any platform HERE!
Send comments, questions, topic requests, or guests requests to: https://sassandsmalls.com

Let's Talk RATINGS
Are you a fellow Burnout bestie and you're enjoying what you've heard so far on the Pod? Please consider rating and reviewing our show at 5 Stars - This helps us get seen by other sass-searching Mamas. And be sure to tell us what you liked the most in this episode!

Let's Talk BYE BYE BURNOUT
MY GO-TO Cortisol-balancing, Gut-healing, Stress Resillience-Inducing "HAPPY" DRINK $10 OFF

S2 EPISODE 010 :: (Trigger Warning) Part of getting our "sass" back as a mom, is finding that inner part of ourselves that drives, inspires, and reignites that creative part of our brain. As to be expected, once kids and responsibilities enter the picture, we often push our dreams aside with the intention of revisiting said dreams at a later time when life gives us the opportunity to do so.

Enter... Andrew Velázquez.

Cosmetics Brand CEO
Author (Love is Art, Art is Love, Amor es Arte, Arte es Amor)
Educator
Cosmetologist
Reality TV star and finalist (American Beauty Star)
Celebrity Hair & Makeup Artist

With his star studded career touching the faces of some of Hollywood’s brightest stars including Lady Gaga, Demi Levato, Carmen Electra, as well as being part of the Makeup Artistry team on Keeping Up with the Kardashians - Andrew had his share of life and work and experience in the world of beauty.
 
Why is Andrew on Sass & Small Talk, you ask?

Listen to the episode to see why he is a self-proclaimed Mama in his own right. Between caregiving for his younger siblings in his preteen years, to teaching his students and mentoring aspiring Artists (my daughter is eagerly waiting in line for her turn), to loving on his fur kids - it comes as no surprise that Andrew has quite a soft spot for all mamas, especially his own. 

His journey of self discovery, following a history of trauma navigating life as a young, gay, Mexican American, in the heart of East LA, eventually led him down a path of self destruction. He shares how, along with the encouragement of his Mom (his first love, and the original beauty inspiration in his life), he used these trial moments to help fuel his drive to realize his dreams. Andrew attributes these first critical steps in his young life - to being the very decisions that saved his life and led him to where he was destined to be. 

From fighting the inner saboteur, to setting healthy boundaries, integrating mindfulness practice in his day to day life, while being of service to others - Andrew allows us to dig deep into his history that brought him to this exciting phase in his life of becoming an Author and CEO of his own Cosmetics Brand.

Disclaimer (Trigger Warning) : There will be a brief mention of self harm and suicidal ideation as Andrew opens up about his Mental Health journey, battling the inner struggles of fi

Let's Talk SASS & SMALLS
IG - @sassandsmalls (Main)
@sassandsmalltalkpodcast
FB/X/PIN/TIKTOK
WEBSITE

SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE
Listen on any platform HERE!
Send comments, questions, topic requests, or guests requests to: https://sassandsmalls.com

Let's Talk RATINGS
Are you a fellow Burnout bestie and you're enjoying what you've heard so far on the Pod? Please consider rating and reviewing our show at 5 Stars - This helps us get seen by other sass-searching Mamas. And be sure to tell us what you liked the most in this episode!

Let's Talk BYE BYE BURNOUT
MY GO-TO Cortisol-balancing, Gut-healing, Stress Resillience-Inducing "HAPPY" DRINK $10 OFF