Pivotal People

Stephanie Nelson
  • 5.0 (27)
  • 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. Why Adult Friendships Can Be Hard—and How to Build Ones That Last

    1D AGO

    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friendship and what we have to give up  • simple questions that move a relationship past small talk  • replacing outdated friendship expectations with a new definition  • handling rejection and lack of reciprocity without spiraling  • initiating without keeping score and knowing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

    41 min
  2. Why Your Gut Health Might Be the Missing Piece to Feeling Better

    APR 23

    Why Your Gut Health Might Be the Missing Piece to Feeling Better

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! We sit down with health coach Jen Trepeck to explain the gut microbiome in plain language and why it affects immunity, mood, hormones, skin, and cravings. We also share practical ways to rebuild gut balance with food, smarter supplement choices, and one small habit you can start right away. • what the gut microbiome is and why it matters beyond digestion  • dysbiosis explained as an imbalance of helpful and opportunistic bacteria  • common signs of gut imbalance including bloating, fatigue, brain fog, mood shifts, skin flare-ups, frequent illness, cravings  • how antibiotics can disrupt gut bacteria and why rebuilding can take time  • fiber from fruits and vegetables as the most reliable prebiotic strategy  • why plant diversity and more colors on the plate support resilience  • when stool testing may help and why foundations come first  • supplement quality, dosing, and why guidance matters  • how added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and ultra-processed foods affect gut health  • why calorie counting misses nutrient quality and real-world variables  • a realistic starting habit: more vegetables plus more water Connect with Jenn to get a free 15-minute discovery call at her website: https://asaladwithasideoffries.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

    42 min
  3. What If Connection Is The Real Strategy?

    APR 16

    What If Connection Is The Real Strategy?

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! We talk with DEI strategist and leadership coach Israel Greene about why most DEI efforts don’t stick and what it takes to build cultures of real connection. We explore how listening, emotional intelligence, and business-aligned leadership practices turn inclusion into something durable instead of divisive.  • Israel’s path from tech to founding Mosaic Works  • Why DEI fails when it is not tied to business imperatives  • How to engage quiet sabotage with curiosity  • The 101% principle and finding common ground  • A focus group example where skeptics become implementers  • How language choices can trigger DEI backlash  • Why people feel less connected after COVID and remote work shifts  • Emotional intelligence as a core leadership skill  • Psychological safety and trust as drivers of performance  • Practical steps to connect with coworkers and difficult people  • The leadership question that matters most: how people feel after you leave  Learn more, get more information and connnect with Israel Greene via his website: https://www.israelgreene.com/ or at his company website mosaicworks.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

    31 min
  4. What Sports Are Doing to Our Kids’ Identity (And How to Fix It)

    APR 8

    What Sports Are Doing to Our Kids’ Identity (And How to Fix It)

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! We talk with sports counselor Brooke Ewert about what athlete mental health really looks like behind the highlights and why support often starts with identity, grief, and better conversations at home. We share practical tools for anxiety, injury, perfectionism, and retirement transitions that apply to elite athletes and to the rest of us too.  • the difference between performance-focused sports psychology and sports counseling centered on mental health  • how athletes and teammates help break stigma and normalize therapy  • asking “Who are you away from your sport?” to build identity beyond athletics  • using CBT to challenge negative self-talk and reduce black-and-white thinking  • why injury can trigger anxiety and depression and how support changes recovery  • integrating faith as a source of strength and stability during transition points  • making room to grieve failures before rushing to lessons and silver linings  • goal setting with micro-goals and visible reminders to prevent skipping joy  • setting parent boundaries around postgame feedback and car-ride conflict  • what parent motivations can be under the surface and how that impacts kids  • how quitting or getting cut can shake identity and community, especially in college  For more information or to contact Brooke about counseling,  reach out to Rocky Mountain Sports Counseling Center in Englewood, Colorado  https://rockymountainsportscounselingcenter.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

    31 min
  5. Rethinking Addiction: From Shame To Dignity, From Isolation To Community

    APR 1

    Rethinking Addiction: From Shame To Dignity, From Isolation To Community

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! We explore how identity, language, and harm reduction shape recovery and what friends and families can do that actually helps. Caroline Beidler shares her story, practical tools, and evidence-based resources that save time and protect dignity. • early trauma and the search for peace • finding faith, fellowship, and recovery purpose • identity-first language that reduces stigma • why labels delay help and fuel shame • harm reduction as a life-saving on-ramp • navigating social pressure and judgment • how to host inclusive, alcohol-free options • curiosity over control when offering help • mental health support for anxiety and trauma • fast access to treatment with Recovery.com • preorder bonuses and community resources Preorder “When You Love Someone in Recovery” (out April 7th) at CarolineBeidler.com for a candid video with her husband, a family recovery planning guide, and the opening of the audiobook. 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

    32 min

  6. MAR 24

    The Power Of Regret: How to Use Regret as a Tool For A Better Life

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! Regret feels like a weight, but we treat it as a signal that points to what we value most and what we still can change. We break down Daniel Pink’s research on regret, share a personal reconnection story, and offer a simple way to turn regret into one small next step. • reframing regret as a useful emotion and a values signal • findings from the American Regret Project and how common regret really is • foundation regrets and the power of small repeated choices • boldness regrets and why we often regret inaction • moral regrets tied to identity plus guilt and shame • connection regrets and why relationships drift quietly • a real example of reaching out and restoring pivotal relationships • self-compassion as the middle path between ego and self-criticism • questions to extract the lesson and choose one forward action If you'd like a free worksheet to walk you through the process of reframing and learning from specific regrets,  just go to stephanienelson.com, go to the Contact button and send me an email. Tell me that you'd like this worksheet and I'll send it to 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

    22 min
  7. Community And Hope For Single Parents

    MAR 19

    Community And Hope For Single Parents

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! We talk with Elizabeth Cole of SoloParent.org about how community, safe groups, and faith help single parents move from isolation to strength. She shares practical ways advocates can help, why no-fix listening heals, and how consistent support shapes healthier homes for kids. • scale of single-parent homes and isolation • story of finding hope in a first group • why advocates matter and how to help • grief as ongoing process alongside joy • faith as a frame for healing and resilience • Solo Parent Essentials and recovery-model groups • no-crosstalk rule and psychological safety • Solo Parent Nation syncing with weekly podcast • how to start or join groups in churches, companies, and communities • links, schedules, and how to connect at soloparent.org You can join Elizabeth's online group Monday nights at 8 p.m. Central on Zoom via soloparent.org . Get more information about resources for starting a group of finding a group as well. 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

    31 min
  8. Turning Pain Into Purpose: Willow Weston’s Story of Healing and Faith

    MAR 10

    Turning Pain Into Purpose: Willow Weston’s Story of Healing and Faith

    Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend! A raw, hope-filled conversation with author and ministry leader Willow Weston about childhood pain, a radical encounter with Jesus, and the honest work of forgiveness that turns wounded collisions into healing ones. We explore naming hurts, stopping reinjury cycles, and saying small yeses that God multiplies. • Collide’s mission to create spaces where women meet Jesus and find healing • Willow’s early trauma and surrender to Christ at 21 • The closet moment that led to counseling and change • How wounded collisions become healing collisions with Jesus • Small obediences that grew into a nationwide ministry • A decades-long prayer that revealed God’s pursuit • Forgiveness as a freeing process, not a single act • Naming pain to break bitterness and stop sideways hurt • Reinjury, identity lies, and letting Scripture tell the truth • How to connect with Collide events and resources Everyone has to get this book. We're giving away 5 copies of the book to people who enter our giveaway at stephanienelson.com.  Sign up for the email newsletter to get a chance to win! Connect with Willow West on at https://www.willowweston.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

    39 min
See All (146)

5
out of 5
27 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
    146
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Pivotal People
  • Show Website
    Pivotal People

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