French Kissing Life

Shawnna Stiver
  • 5.0 (52)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

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?!

  1. 4d ago

    Ep 134: What If Your Curiosity Knows Something You Don’t? | Sara Kobilka

    Could anyone really narrow their passions down to one answer? And why do we assume they're supposed to? As kids, being interested in everything is a good thing. Playing the trumpet, joining the science club, trying theater, deciding to be a marine biologist on Tuesday and a novelist by Friday. Then the message changes. Pick a major, find your niche, stay in your lane. But what if some of us were never meant to? Today's guest, Sara Kobilka, calls herself a Renaissance woman. She's been a meteorologist, journalist, science educator, executive director, fitness instructor, career coach, and community builder, with probably a few more titles added since this conversation was recorded. This conversation is about what happens when that complexity stops being treated like a problem to solve. It covers the pressure to specialize, the grief of never having time for every curiosity, why not now doesn't mean not ever, and the freedom in being what Sara calls a walking Venn diagram. Maybe the goal was never landing on one thing. Maybe it's building a life big enough for everything that makes a person feel alive. Topics Covered: Why Sara chose Renaissance woman over multi-passionate, and where that identity took root in high school.The pressure inside higher education and specialized careers to go deeper, not wider.Grieving the things there's never enough time for, and thinking in seasons instead of one fixed identity.Small ways Sara fills her own cup, like a monthly choir drop-in or five minutes of exercise with an accountability group.Why multi-passionate people find each other, and how sharing resources became a kind of love language.The exhale that comes with dropping the pressure to fit into one box.Sara's Renaissance community and offerings for people finding their own golden thread.Connect with Sara! Website: https://renwomanconsulting.com/ LinkedIn | Sara Kobilka: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-kobilka/ LinkedIn | Renaissance Woman Consulting: https://www.linkedin.com/company/renaissance-woman-consulting LinkedIn | Connecting the Dots with The Renaissance People: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/connecting-the-dots-with-the-renaissance-people/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RenWomanConsulting Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_ren_woman Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/renwoman.bsky.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@therenaissancewoman ______________________ Contact French Kissing Life Podcast DM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at frenchkissinglifepodcast@gmail.com  Until next time, muah!  ______________________ French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today! Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/ Email: shawnna@ampersandcopyandcontent.com

  2. Aug 11

    Ep 133: What the Convenience of Modern Life Is Quietly Costing Us | Brian Feister

    Remember when poking someone on Facebook was considered a legitimate form of communication? Today's guest is Brian Feister, a community builder, engineering leader, and the founder of Meet Near Me, a platform built to help people discover local gatherings and actually show up for real life. At first glance, this conversation is about friendship and community, but underneath that, it's really about something much bigger. Somewhere along the way, we became obsessed with optimizing everything, our schedules, our productivity, even our relationships. Technology promised to save us time, yet somehow many of us feel busier, lonelier, and less connected than ever. Brian and I explore why making friends as adults feels surprisingly difficult, what happened to the lost art of simply hanging out, why third places matter more than we realize, and whether convenience has quietly replaced community. Along the way we also land on one of the funniest detours I've ever taken in an interview, yes, Facebook pokes make an appearance. Topics Covered: Why human connection became a lifelong pursuit for Brian, tracing back to being bullied and a hard truth from someone he was dating.The difference between community, friendship, and what it actually means to feel understood.The "you're guaranteed to let your kids down" advice that changed how Brian thinks about sacrifice.Why social media became a failed experiment in trying to stay connected to everyone at once.What third places are and why losing them made adult friendship so much harder.How a culture of optimization quietly made it feel impossible to just hang out.The idea behind Meet Near Me and building what Brian calls anti-social social media.Brian's one habit anyone feeling disconnected could start this week.Connect with Brian! Website: https://meetnear.me/  Podcast: https://realmeetpodcast.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeister/ ______________________ Contact French Kissing Life Podcast DM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at frenchkissinglifepodcast@gmail.com  Until next time, muah!  ______________________ French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today! Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/ Email: shawnna@ampersandcopyandcontent.com

  3. Aug 4

    Ep 132: Why You're Never Too Old to Reinvent Yourself | Yvonne Hemmings

    What if the scariest decision you make is also the one that finally makes you feel like yourself again? My guest today is Yvonne Hemmings, a life coach, virtual assistant, digital marketer, and full-time van lifer. Just two years ago, at 58, she sold her house, gave away nearly everything she owned, and moved into a camper van. Not because she'd always dreamed of van life, but because staying the same had started to feel more frightening than starting over. We get into what led to that decision, what freedom actually feels like once you have it, why boredom isn't something to avoid, and how it's never too late to redesign a life that no longer fits. This one is about choosing yourself, embracing uncertainty, and remembering that the biggest adventures don't come with an age limit. Topics Covered: Why staying the same finally became scarier than starting over.Leaving a 24-year marriage as the first step in a much longer transformation.What freedom actually felt like in the first weeks on the road.Letting go of people pleasing and learning how to just be.Finding an unplanned home on a small olive farm in central Portugal.Why she stopped avoiding boredom and what it gave back to her.Building real connection and community while living on the road.Her plan to turn the Portugal property into a retreat for women.Connect with Yvonne! Free house vs. van financial worksheet: https://stan.store/lifebetweenthewheels/p/the-vanlife-decision-guide Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifebetweenthewheels TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifebetweenthewheels Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61585356466813 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonne-hemmings ______________________ Contact French Kissing Life Podcast DM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at frenchkissinglifepodcast@gmail.com  Until next time, muah!  ______________________ French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today! Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/ Email: shawnna@ampersandcopyandcontent.com

  4. Jul 28

    Ep 131: Who Handles Life Better: Millennials or Gen Z? | Londyn Loree Stiver

    My niece told me what she thinks millennials get wrong about life, and honestly, I was shocked. Every generation assumes the one before it doesn't get it, and the one after it has completely lost the plot. I decided it was time to actually put that theory to the test. So my niece and I sat down and graded each other's generations: communication, fashion, work ethic, dating, boredom, privacy, resilience; no category was off limits. We started with a round of would you rather that gave away more about our generations than either of us expected, then moved straight into handing out actual grades, with plenty of rebuttals along the way. Fair warning: millennials may never fully recover from what she has to say about Disney adults. Topics Covered: A would-you-rather round that exposes real generational habits.What "funny," "genuine," and "authentic" mean to a Gen Z teenager.Millennials sorted into strangely specific categories, from blue collar to Disney adults.Report card grades for communication, fashion, work ethic, dating, boredom, privacy, and resilience.The generational verdict on dating apps.A defense of millennial resilience featuring 9/11, the 2008 crash, and Y2K.Gen Z's surprising take on privacy. ______________________ Contact French Kissing Life Podcast DM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at frenchkissinglifepodcast@gmail.com  Until next time, muah!  ______________________ French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today! Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/ Email: shawnna@ampersandcopyandcontent.com

  5. Jul 21

    Ep 130: What Nature Understands About Summer That We Don’t | Emma Sullivan Uebele

    Somewhere along the way, summer stopped being a season and started being a performance. There's pressure to travel, to be outside, to make memories, to say yes to every invitation and somehow have the best summer ever. Emma Sullivan Ebley joins me for the third installment of our seasonal series on creative rituals to talk about what nature can teach us about doing summer differently. We get into why the season invites joy, play, and savoring instead of constant striving, how creativity helps keep us present, and why something as simple as drawing a tomato or chasing the memory of an ice cream truck might reconnect us with parts of ourselves that got left behind somewhere along the way. Topics Covered: Why summer has "incredible PR" and how that quietly turns a season of rest into a performance.What nature's slow, staggered ripening has to teach about pacing instead of chasing the perfect summer.The difference between creative fire that energizes and creative fire that burns out.How play expands what the nervous system can actually hold, and why that doesn't stop mattering after childhood.A simple timed drawing practice for slowing down and really tasting what's in front of us.Why giving ourselves permission to play without making anything can feel so uncomfortable, and why that discomfort is normal.What the pattern across all three seasons of this series reveals about creativity as a companion, not a project.Connect with Emma! Grab the summer workbook (Summer Bounty: A Guided Art Journey for Nourishing Delight) https://emmasullivan.art/shop Hop on my newsletter: https://emmasullivan.art/newsletter Website: http://www.emmasullivan.art/ Expressive arts workbooks: https://emmasullivan.art/shop Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmasullivanart/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-sullivan-uebele/ ______________________ Contact French Kissing Life Podcast DM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at frenchkissinglifepodcast@gmail.com  Until next time, muah!  ______________________ French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today! Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/ Email: shawnna@ampersandcopyandcontent.com

  6. Jul 14

    Ep 129: The Most Unexpected Parenting Trend of the Year | What I'm Loving This Month

    Picture handing a kid a phone with a cord attached and watching pure confusion take over: turning it over, unsure which end even goes where, treating it like it just beamed in from another planet. That's not a hypothetical. It's happening in kitchens across the country right now, as parents start reintroducing landlines to kids who have never once seen one. This month I'm loving that trend, and the surprisingly big movement behind it. It started with a sidewalk conversation outside a Seattle school and has since turned into an actual company, a hundred-family pod in Denver, and a meeting in Alabama that was supposed to draw a dozen people and drew sixty. I get into how it all started, why it's spreading so fast, and what it says about the rest of us too, because by the end, this stops being a story about kids at all. Topics Covered: The Seattle sidewalk conversation that turned into a company building retro landline phones for kidsThe dumb phone movement spreading right alongside it, from a hundred family pod in Denver to 170 communities across the countryThe screen time numbers that make this whole trend impossible to ignoreWhy millennials have nicknamed themselves Generation MuteThe surprising research on why a phone call feels so much better than expected, and what it actually does in the bodyWhat handwriting does for the brain that typing never willFour small challenges for anyone who wants a little more of this energy in real lifeMentioned in this episode: Tin Can Phone: https://tincan.kids https://www.geekwire.com/2025/well-hello-from-landlines-to-dumb-phones-these-startups-are-dialing-up-new-options-for-kids/ https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/parents-opt-kids-school-laptops-ask-pen-paper-rcna257158 CDC/NCHS Data Brief No. 513 (screen time, ages 12–17, anxiety/depression stats): https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db513.htm American Heart Association newsroom, on the JAHA study (screen time & cardiometabolic risk): https://newsroom.heart.org/news/excessive-screen-time-among-youth-may-pose-heart-health-risks U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory (2023), official PDF: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf NPR coverage of the Surgeon General's Advisory (dementia risk, 15–24 age group's 70% drop in in-person time): https://www.npr.org/2023/05/02/1173418268/loneliness-connection-mental-health-dementia-surgeon-general Harvard Graduate School of Education / Making Caring Common: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/24/10/what-causing-our-epidemic-loneliness-and-how-can-we-fix-it Cigna — "Loneliness in America 2025" newsroom: https://newsroom.thecignagroup.com/loneliness-in-america ______________________ Contact French Kissing Life Podcast DM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at frenchkissinglifepodcast@gmail.com  Until next time, muah!  ______________________ French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today! Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/ Email: shawnna@ampersandcopyandcontent.com

  7. Jul 7

    Ep 128: How to Bet on Yourself Before You Feel Ready with Ashley Bryant

    Picture this. You're thirty seconds into the talk you've been building toward for months, and your mind goes completely blank. You've forgotten your own story, live, on stage. That's exactly what happened to today's guest, Ashley Bryant, founder of AB Strategy, where she helps mission-driven brands trade vague messaging for clear communication that builds trust and inspires action. But this conversation isn't about what Ashley writes for her clients. It's about the story she had to tell herself, and the imposter syndrome, endless rewrites, and uncomfortable realities she ran into once the person she was writing for was her. Her talk, Don't Bitch Out, became more than a title. It became a philosophy for choosing courage over comfort, and we get into what that actually looked like, betting on herself before she felt ready, the identity shifts that come with refusing to play small, and why the most meaningful transformations often begin long before you ever step on a stage. Topics Covered: Why saying yes to a TEDx felt like calling her own bluff.The moment her mind went blank in the middle of her own story.What it's like writing your own message when you built a career writing everyone else's.The identity shift that comes with refusing to shrink yourself down.What bravery actually felt like backstage, before, during, and after.Why she wrote a full thriller in seven days without meaning to.The everyday moments where bitching out shows up long after the stage lights go dark.Connect with Ashley! Website: https://www.ashleybryantstrategy.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleymbryant Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsashleybryant TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thatsashleybryant YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thatsashleybryant ______________________ Contact French Kissing Life Podcast DM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at frenchkissinglifepodcast@gmail.com  Until next time, muah!  ______________________ French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today! Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/ Email: shawnna@ampersandcopyandcontent.com

  8. Jun 30

    Ep 127: The Unexpected Calm of Starting Over in Barcelona with Jennifer Yates

    Imagine packing up your entire life, selling your house, bringing your dogs, and moving halfway around the world, only to discover that the biggest transformation had nothing to do with the actual destination. That is exactly what happened to Jennifer Yates. You may remember her from one of my earliest episodes, and she is back on the mic to give us every scoop on uprooting her life in Michigan and starting over in Barcelona, pee-soaked travel pants and all. From beauty school dropout to punk rock bassist to four-time founder, Jennifer has never been afraid to reinvent herself, and this might be her boldest reinvention yet. We get into what it really takes to start over, why changing your environment can shift so much more than your address, and the quiet, unexpected things Jennifer noticed once the noise of her old life fell away. Topics Covered: How a casual question in the kitchen turned into selling everything and moving abroad in three and a half months.The risky visa path they chose and the two-month wait that tested their nerves.What it really takes to fly internationally with two small dogs.Becoming Jenny, the new name and the alter ego of a whole new life.Choosing to live as immigrants rather than expats, and the humility of learning a language out loud.The internal buzzing she did not even know she was carrying until it was suddenly gone.Her shifting relationship with the scale, the mirror, and the mental noise that finally went quiet.Ways to bring that on-vacation feeling into your everyday life without moving anywhere.Connect with Jennifer! Website: https://www.workwithroux.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferayates/ ______________________ Contact French Kissing Life Podcast DM us at @shawnnarstiver on Instagram or FacebookConnect with Shawnna Stiver on LinkedInEmail us at frenchkissinglifepodcast@gmail.com  Until next time, muah!  ______________________ French Kissing Life is sponsored by Ampersand Copy and Content. Ready to convert browsers into buyers? If you want to master your messaging, stand out in a saturated market and become a crushed-on, go-to brand, contact us today! Website: https://ampersandcopyandcontent.com/ Email: shawnna@ampersandcopyandcontent.com

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out of 5
52 Ratings

About

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?!

Information

  • Creator
    Shawnna Stiver
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    135
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 French Kissing Life
  • Show Website
    French Kissing Life