French Kissing Life
If you were free to be who you really are deep down and who you were always meant to be, what would your life look like? What does it mean to have a zest for life? Can you *really* invite more joy into your everyday living through doable steps that don’t take a lot of time? Yes, yes, and more yes!
French Kissing Life is an inspirational podcast that guides you toward finding your spark and unleashing it into the world. If you’ve been yearning to celebrate your unique presence and fall in love with who you truly are, then you’ve found your tribe. If you believe the world needs what only you can offer, this community will be your biggest cheerleader. Picture this podcast as your weekly dose of encouragement – a sanctuary where you can escape the noise of the world and embrace the beauty of your own existence.
From skinny dipping in Portugal to auctioning herself off for a date and testing whether a slinky will go down an ancient pyramid, host Shawnna Stiver knows a thing or two about going for it and the hilarious stories that await. Through heartfelt, playful and funny conversations, Shawnna helps you discover what makes your heart race, your soul dance and your spirit soar. You’ll also hear from guest experts who share insights on how to navigate the journey of self-discovery and invite the world to come alive alongside you.
In a world that demands you be anything but yourself, this is your permission slip to be a little more YOU. Together, we’ll make every moment count and create a life that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside. If you’re ready to shed the shoulds and welcome in a life that feels uniquely, beautifully, and authentically yours, subscribe now and let’s make every episode a celebration of YOU! Buckle up for an adventure where realness reigns, inspiration thrives and fun is the name of the game. Are you ready to french kiss life?!
French Kissing Life
Ep 116: From Quickies to Bucket List 'Minis' with Lori Blachford
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Sometimes life gets so full of hard that you forget you're even allowed to want something light. That's where Lori Blachford found herself after seven years of caregiving and loss, and it's what led her to start snatching up small, slightly unpredictable experiences just to feel alive again.
What started as "bucket list quickies" got a necessary rebrand and became bucket list minis, a practice of saying yes to the weird, doable, low-stakes things right in front of you and building a list of things you've already done instead of things you're still waiting to get to. In this conversation, we talk about blacksmithing classes found on Craigslist, piano lessons that may or may not summon Elton John, and a garage that somehow contains both hot steel and denture molds. But underneath all of it is something I think a lot of people will recognize.
Topics Covered:
- How seven years of caregiving led Lori to the idea of bucket list minis.
- Why minis are opportunities you snatch up, not goals you write down and wait on.
- Ross Gay's Book of Delights and how it shaped Lori's thinking about everyday joy.
- The piano lesson that may or may not have summoned Elton John.
- How Lori's brother with Down syndrome was already living the mini philosophy before she had a name for it.
- What it feels like to build a list of things you've already accomplished.
- Holding joy and grief at the same time, and why that's not overindulgent.
Here are some actions you can take, whether you have 5 minutes or 50:
- If you have 5 minutes, check out the article that Lori wrote for dsm magazine:
- If you have 50 minutes, brainstorm a short list of 5 minis you could snatch up in your own life. Remember, don’t overthink it and don’t try to make it something grand or overly time-consuming. The point of the whole exercise is to simply let yourself try something new. Just go do it!
Connect with Lori!
Lori Blachford is a journalist whose words have carried her from news reporting to magazine editing, from grant writing to ghost writing, from marketing to community building, from corporate to academic to nonprofit work. In other words, she can write her way out of (and, more often, into) anything. She is the former Chair of Magazine Journalism at Drake University and a current second-grade reading mentor at Howe Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa.
Email: loriblachford@gmail.com
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Contact French Kissing Life Podcast
- DM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or Facebook
- Connect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedIn
- Email us at frenchkissinglifepodcast@gmail.com
Until next time, muah!
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