No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women
No Shrinking Violets is all about what it truly means for women to take up their space in the world – mind, body and spirit. Mary Rothwell, licensed therapist and certified integrative mental health practitioner, has seen women “stay small” and fit into the space in life that they have been conditioned to believe they deserve. Drawing on 35 years in the mental health field and from her perspective as a woman who was often told to "stay in your lane," Mary discusses how early experiences, society and sometimes our own limiting beliefs can convince us that living inside guardrails is the best -- or only -- option. She'll explore how to recognize our unique essential nature and how to use that to empower a new narrative.Through topics that span psychology, friendships, nature and even gut-brain health, Mary creates a space that is inspiring and authentic - where she celebrates the intuition and power of women who want to chart their own course and program their own GPS.
Mary's topics will include sleep and supplements and nutrition and how to live like a plant. (Yes, you read that right - the example of plants is often the most insightful path to knowing what we truly need to feel fulfilled). She’ll talk about setting boundaries, communicating, and relationships, and explore mental health and wellness: trauma and resilience, how our food impacts our mood and the power of simple daily habits. And so much more!
As a gardener, Mary knows that violets have been misjudged for centuries and are actually one of the most resilient and ecologically important plants in her native garden. Like violets, women are often underestimated, and they can even mistake their unique gifts for weaknesses. Join Mary to explore all the ways the vibrant and strong violet is an example for finding fulfillment in our own lives.
No Shrinking Violets Podcast for Women
Intentional Holidays: Traditions, Boundaries, And What Really Matters
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The calendar is racing, the daylight is fading, and the pressure to do it all is loud. After returning from a trip to visit a 99‑year‑old father‑in‑law, we sit down for a short, heartfelt reflection on how to navigate the holiday rush with intention. If your plans include hosting, caregiving, tight timelines, or all of the above, this conversation offers simple, human ways to slow down and reclaim what matters.
We unpack the pull to recreate every tradition and every recipe “the way it’s always been,” and we talk honestly about what gets lost when we chase perfection. From planning a 20‑person Christmas Eve to managing family health concerns, we share how we’re simplifying menus, resisting consumer pressure, and choosing rituals that fit our lives now. You’ll hear practical ideas for setting boundaries, saying no without guilt, and designing a season around presence rather than performance. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the winter solstice, or none at all, you’ll find encouragement to name your values before the noise decides for you.
Shorter days can be an ally. Nature cues us to rest, cozy up, and move at a gentler pace—and we explore how to build that into a realistic week: earlier bedtimes, quiet evening rituals, tech‑light moments, and gatherings that highlight connection over consumption. Most of all, we reaffirm a simple truth: the memories that last come from who’s around the table, not how many dishes are on it. If you’re ready to trade overwhelm for intention and end the year with more ease, this one’s for you.
If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a calmer season, and leave a quick review telling us one tradition you’re keeping and one you’re letting go.
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Hi, welcome to a mini episode of No Shrinking Violets. So I walked in the door about 20 minutes ago from a trip to see my husband's father. We live in Pennsylvania. He lives in Ohio. He is 99 years old. And normally I plan ahead. I rarely record an episode. Well, not a full-length one for sure, but I rarely even record a mini episode less than, oh my gosh, now it's 12 hours till it's going to be live. But this time of year, as we go into Thanksgiving and then the Christmas holiday at the end of the year, it feels like the roller coaster coming down the other side of the hill after it has clicked to the top. And it just gains more and more momentum as things get towards the bottom. And I'm guessing that you can relate. So we're hosting our family this year. We celebrate on Christmas Eve. And it's often about 20 people. I know many of you probably have larger gatherings, but that is something that needs to be planned for. We have some pretty significant things before that, including a family member who is very dear, dear to us, that's having some major surgery. So there are a lot of things happening. And it always makes me think about how I want to be intentional for this time of the year, because even if you don't celebrate some type of year-end holiday, whether it's Hanukkah or Christmas or Kwanzaa or whatever it might be, I think about the winter solstice because you know I'm a nature girl. And the days are certainly quite short. But I try to really focus on what that means as far as rest. And we certainly need to slow down because I mean, right now it's a quarter of 8 p.m. And so I would be probably still outside if it was summer. But when it gets dark sooner, there's a lot more cozying up, a lot more tea drinking. So I try to really focus on how I want to spend my days and making sure that when I look at each day, or especially when I look at things a week at a time, how am I going to have time in there that is really for rest and to slow down because it is what we need? And you know, often I talk about rest and the cycle of nature, and our trees are starting to get ready to rest now because there are so many leaves on our lawn right now. But as you're thinking about the end of the year, the days being shorter, wherever you are, whatever you celebrate, think about the concept of intentionality. What do holidays mean for you if you celebrate? Because often, especially in our social world, there is such a huge focus on buying gifts and spending money and you know doing things like even celebrating with alcohol. And maybe that isn't something that you want to prioritize. But if you think about what are the things that make this time of year special for you, are there traditions that you want to carry forward? That doesn't mean you have to do everything that your family always did. Make some traditions of your own if you have your own family, or pick out one or two that are really special to focus on and make memories because I can tell you that even though I love buying gifts and I love wrapping gifts, and I have huge plastic totes of ribbon that are color-coded by container, I remember really special gifts. I mean, I guess that's something that we often do, but what I remember more are the memories, are the funny things that happened, or the special things that happened, or who was with us each year to celebrate. So take some time to intentionally slow down and intentionally focus on what you want this holiday to look like for you, or this end of year, or this winter solstice, whatever, whatever you celebrate as we're approaching Thanksgiving, which is only about a week and a half away, as I'm recording this. Think about how do you want to celebrate. Don't feel like you have to do everything, because I think that's when we start to allow stress to win. Don't feel like you have to make every food that your mom always made. And I'm saying that because that used to be me. Think about the things that make it special, the ways you want to make it special, who do you want to gather with, and try to focus on those things the most. Focus on the things that mean something, what the traditions are that you want to pass along, and how you want to make memories. So I am gonna actually be heading to bed in about an hour and a half. So thanks for listening, and until next time, go out into the world and be the amazing, resilient, vibrant violet that you are.
