Pivotal People

Stephanie Nelson
  • 5.0 (28)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Join us in conversations with inspiring, wise and kind guests. Their insights and experiences motivate us to find purpose, contentment and peace in every life situation. Our guests include authors, artists, leaders, coaches, pastors, business people and speakers who are making a difference in the world. Listen in and learn from their wisdom to improve your life each day.

  1. Aug 4

    What Is Alcohol Really Giving You? | Christy Osborne

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! Alcohol can be the most accepted coping tool in the room and the hardest one to question out loud. We sit down with Christy Osborne, author of Love Life Sober and a senior sobriety coach, to talk about what happens when drinking stops feeling “fun and normal” and starts feeling like a default setting you can’t turn off, even when your life looks fine from the outside. We get honest about the social pressure to drink, the fear of being “boring” without it, and the weird push-pull of modern culture that celebrates wine everywhere while quietly warning us about alcohol’s impact on mental health, sleep, anxiety, and the brain. Christy shares her own turning point, including how grief and loss exposed the ways alcohol had become a counterfeit comfort, and why presence, connection, and joy can look completely different when you’re fully awake to your life. We also dig into the practical side: the dopamine hit that lasts about 30 minutes, the habit loop that keeps you chasing more, and why so many women fall into self-medicating without realizing it, especially in mommy wine culture. Christy explains why you don’t need a permanent label to want change, how alcohol use disorder sits on a spectrum, and how her 40-day alcohol fast is designed so you “can’t fail” because every stumble can become a growth point and real data for healing. If you’re sober curious, tired of negotiating with yourself every night, or looking for faith-based sobriety support that’s rooted in grace and clarity, this conversation will meet you right where you are. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest insight you’re taking with you. Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/ Learn more at StephanieNelson.com Follow us on Instagram  @stephanie_nelson_cm Follow us on Facebook at CouponMom Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential

    What Is Alcohol Really Giving You? | Christy Osborne

  2. Jul 21

    Are We Following Jesus or Following Christian Culture?

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! We sit down with Christian leader, speaker and author Kendall Mariah to talk about how doubt, discomfort, and “soul friction” can strengthen real faith instead of destroying it. We name the pain of performative Christian culture and come back to Jesus as the clearest measure of what belief should look like.  • Kendall’s background in church and why asking questions builds trust  • “Soul friction” as discernment and a doorway to sanctification  • Why comfort-driven Christianity can block transformation  • What it feels like when Christians online act unlike Christ  • How 2020 intensified questions about racism, empathy, and hypocrisy  • Deconstruction as rebuilding belief through better questions  • How culture and context shape theology and church expectations  • Fruit of the Spirit as a better measure than rulekeeping  • Practical hope for people tired of pretending and ready for honest faith  One of the best gifts you can give yourself is to get Kendall Mariah's book, "This Little Fire of Mine: How Flickers of Doubt Can Spark a Bolder, Brighter Faith."   Connect with and follow Kendall on many social media platforms and get her book wherever you buy your books. Kendall's website: https://kendallmariah.com/ Instagram, Tik Tok: @kendallmariah Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/ Learn more at StephanieNelson.com Follow us on Instagram  @stephanie_nelson_cm Follow us on Facebook at CouponMom Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential

    Are We Following Jesus or Following Christian Culture?

  3. Jul 7

    The Difference Between Goals and Vision (And Why It Changes Everything)

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! If you have ever hit a big milestone and immediately felt the quiet panic of “now what,” this conversation will land hard. We sit down with Dr. Dave Jones, a former professional hockey player turned Air Force veteran, sport performance psychology expert, executive coach, and Christian marketing leader, to unpack why goals can actually leave you feeling emptier when they become your identity and why a compelling vision keeps you steady through every season. We get specific about what “vision” really means and how it differs from goal setting, productivity, and achievement culture. Dr. Dave shares a simple criteria that makes vision practical: it must be short, portable, easy to understand, memorable, inspiring, and have a God factor that goes beyond personal effort. We also talk about the arrival fallacy, the danger of idolizing money and status, and how to craft a clear vision statement that can guide your decisions at work, at home, and in your community. The second half of life shows up in a big way here. If you are retired or nearing retirement and wondering whether you missed your chance to matter, we explore a better frame: constant recalibration. Along the way, we dig into “toxic motivators” fear, lust, anger, pride and the antidotes faith, giving, forgiveness, humility so you can spot what is really driving you and lead yourself with vision instead. Listen, then share this with a friend who needs direction, and please subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s one short phrase that could become your vision? Connect with Dave, order his books, listen to his podcast, follow him on social media to continue learning from him.  His website: https://misgood.com/ His agency on IG: https://www.instagram.com/misgoodagency/ Order his first book, "Vision Wins" https://www.amazon.com/Vision-Wins-Strategies-Mental-Toughness/dp/173664680X Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/ Learn more at StephanieNelson.com Follow us on Instagram  @stephanie_nelson_cm Follow us on Facebook at CouponMom Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential

    The Difference Between Goals and Vision (And Why It Changes Everything)

  4. Jun 22

    Widows Who Wine: From Grief to Thriving

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! We sit down with Pam Baker, founder of "Widows Who Wine" and author of "Where's the Key to the Safe"  to talk about rebuilding life after loss through friendship, purpose, and practical preparation. We also get into the uncomfortable but essential money and paperwork realities that hit families during grief and how to make them easier.  • Pam’s path from cystic fibrosis advocacy to widowhood leadership  • Why Widows Who Wine is a social sisterhood rather than a grief group  • How loneliness shows up after loss and what helps women rejoin life  • The “business of death” and why probate tasks feel brutal in grief fog  • The widow tax and the hidden ways cash flow can drop  • How to choose financial help and how various fee structures work  • Common traps like authorized user cards and lack of account access  • Beneficiary reviews that can override a will and trigger conflict  • Writing letters to children to explain decisions and reduce infighting  • How to start a Widows Who Wine chapter with support from Pam and her team Connect with Pam: Order her book: https://lastinglegacyconsulting.com/book/ Connect via her website: https://widowswhowine.com/ Find her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/widowswhowine Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/ Learn more at StephanieNelson.com Follow us on Instagram  @stephanie_nelson_cm Follow us on Facebook at CouponMom Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential

    Widows Who Wine: From Grief to Thriving

  5. Jun 10

    How Entrepreneurs Stay Steady When Success And Failure Hit

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! Success can go to your head. Failure can go to your heart. And if you’re building something from scratch, it’s easy to let the business decide who you are. We sit down with Brett Smith, Executive Director of the Center for LIFE at Miami University (Leading the Integration of Faith and Entrepreneurship), to dig into what founders rarely say out loud: entrepreneurship is a tough, lonely sport that can amplify stress, shame, and identity swings. Brett shares what his research reveals about the “high highs and low lows” of entrepreneurial life and why a founder’s identity often rises and falls right along with revenue, funding, and momentum. Then we get practical. Brett explains how a relational identity with God can act as a stabilizing counterbalance to entrepreneurial identity, affirming you in the lows and humbling you in the highs. We also unpack why success can be just as destabilizing as failure, how faith can shape decision making when the information is ambiguous, and why translating academically rigorous research into everyday language actually matters for entrepreneurs, investors, and teams. Finally, we point you to free tools through Faith Driven Entrepreneur’s Research Insights and share where to learn more about the Center for LIFE, including resources on faith-driven entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a founder friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. Brett Smith Bio: Brett R. Smith, Ph.D. is the Cintas Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship, Founding Director, Center for Social Entrepreneurship, and Founding Research Director, Leading the Integration of Faith & Entrepreneurship (L.I.F.E.) Research Lab at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. His research interests focus on social and faith-based entrepreneurship. His research has been featured in leading academic journals. Learn more and contact Brett at: https://lifemiamioh.com/ Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/ Learn more at StephanieNelson.com Follow us on Instagram  @stephanie_nelson_cm Follow us on Facebook at CouponMom Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential

    How Entrepreneurs Stay Steady When Success And Failure Hit

  6. May 22

    A Single Yes Can Be Life-Changing. What’s Your Next Yes?

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! A 13-year-old says, “I want to go to Uganda,” and a whole future cracks open. That’s where our conversation with Dr. Janelle Aby goes, and it’s why it sticks. Janelle is a physician, a clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University, and the medical director of the newborn nursery at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, but her most surprising work might be the stories she’s been brave enough to write down. We talk about her book-in-progress (working title: A Beautiful Mess) and why storytelling can cut through the endless noise and get us back to what matters. We dig into how she writes without formal writing training, how reading shapes voice, and why the best stories often start as moments you can’t forget but can’t fully explain. One memory about her son Jack and a homeless man becomes a lesson in generosity with no guarantees. If you’ve ever wondered how to journal, write a memoir, or simply make sense of your life, her process is a practical map: capture the scene, then stay curious until the meaning shows itself. Then the conversation turns to Uganda, global health, and faith in action. A connection with Damali and her orphanage grows into a community effort and, eventually, a newborn hospital project in a region with limited medical options. Janelle describes it like “surfing on a wave,” where you still take steps, but you’re not the one supplying the power. We also talk about obedience close to home, the courage to loosen control, and a relationship with a friend named Donna that proves community can be both hard and holy. If this story nudges you to take one next step, don’t ignore it. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Subscribe to Janelle Aby's newsletter for encouragement and inspiration here: https://janelleaby.myflodesk.com/ Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/ Learn more at StephanieNelson.com Follow us on Instagram  @stephanie_nelson_cm Follow us on Facebook at CouponMom Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential

    A Single Yes Can Be Life-Changing. What’s Your Next Yes?

  7. May 14

    A Diagnosis Changes Everything: Suddenly Brave Together

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! We talk with Jessica Patay about the moment a diagnosis changes a family’s life and what “bravery” looks like when caregiving becomes a daily reality. We share how community support can protect caregiver mental health and why her book, "Suddenly Brave Together" aims to meet moms right at the defining moment. • founding We Are Brave Together to reduce isolation for caregiving mothers • defining bravery as showing up, facing grief and advocating • naming altered motherhood and the hidden roles moms take on • using a private online group, connection circles, retreats, podcast and books for support • explaining the “suddenly” shift after diagnosis and the learning curve that follows • describing Prader-Willi syndrome, food security and anxiety-driven behaviors • navigating adulthood after school services end and the shortage of supports • shifting from "why me?" to "what now?" through validation and community • building confidence through doing, writing, networking and fundraising • funding retreats and scholarships through donors, grants and sponsors Find her website at WeAreBraveTogether.org You can order this book and previous books directly from their website. And if anyone out there listening has any ideas about how to get this book  into the hands of NICUs and pediatricians and geneticists, reach out to Jessica at WeAreBraveTogether.org Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/ Learn more at StephanieNelson.com Follow us on Instagram  @stephanie_nelson_cm Follow us on Facebook at CouponMom Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential

    A Diagnosis Changes Everything: Suddenly Brave Together

  8. May 4

    Why Adult Friendships Can Be Hard—and How to Build Ones That Last

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! We sit down with Bailey T. Hurley to get honest about why adult female friendships feel so complicated and how to build the kind of connection that actually lasts. We talk practical questions, realistic expectations, and faith-driven ways to stop chasing approval and start showing up with courage. • why time gets scarce in adulthood and how to use it well  • the “cost” of meaningful friendship and what we have to give up  • simple questions that move a relationship past small talk  • replacing outdated friendship expectations with a new definition  • handling rejection and lack of reciprocity without spiraling  • initiating without keeping score and knowing when to redirect energy  • having honest conversations that create clarity and closure  • easy friend-date ideas that do not require hosting perfection  • Bailey’s new Friendship Devotional and what it is designed to do  If you would like a chance to win a free copy of Bailey's new book, you can send an email to me on my website, stephanienelson.com, sign up for the newsletter, and you'll be entered to win. Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/ Learn more at StephanieNelson.com Follow us on Instagram  @stephanie_nelson_cm Follow us on Facebook at CouponMom Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential

    Why Adult Friendships Can Be Hard—and How to Build Ones That Last
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5
out of 5
28 Ratings

About

Join us in conversations with inspiring, wise and kind guests. Their insights and experiences motivate us to find purpose, contentment and peace in every life situation. Our guests include authors, artists, leaders, coaches, pastors, business people and speakers who are making a difference in the world. Listen in and learn from their wisdom to improve your life each day.

Information

  • Creator
    Stephanie Nelson
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    153
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Pivotal People
  • Show Website
    Pivotal People

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