Creating You!

Heather

Hello to you if you are a first-time listener, and welcome back if you have been here before.      Welcome to the podcast!   This podcast is all about talking to others about how they have Created joy and purpose in their lives and what is important to them. Also, just some fun conversations for the sake of a great conversation! All of this, along with my own insights and educational chats.  Start living your life!!!! I want you to create a life full of people, places, experiences, and actions that truly fit who you are and want to be.   As a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a Master Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, I have witnessed hundreds of people create extraordinary lives for themselves. Sometimes we remain in patterns that, although they once were necessary, no longer serve us. Your transformation starts right here, right now!  Your call to action is to thank yourself for showing up. Come on in! Life can be challenging, but we can figure it out together. For more content, you can find me on. https://www.instagram.com/heathersmcmahon/ Heather S McMahon *NOTE: This podcast is not meant to replace therapeutic interventions. Please reach out to a healthcare professional if you need support.

  1. 3d ago

    Keeping it Real with Sherri Dindal : Reinvention, Menopause & Truths about being Gen X .

    Wholesome Hippy Link To All Things Slim Sherri What happens when a Gen X woman hits burnout, quits her corporate job without a backup plan, and bets on herself at 43? You get Sherri Dindal — aka The Real Slim Sherri — entrepreneur, content creator, and co-founder of The Wholesome Hippie. I know I always gush over how honored I am to have each guest on the show, and this episode is not different. And yet it is different. Thank you, Sherri, for your raw, honest, healing conversation. You are an inspiration on many levels! In this episode, Sherri joins me for an honest, hilarious, and deeply resonant conversation about reinventing yourself in midlife, navigating perimenopause without anyone talking about it, and building a business rooted in purpose — not profit. From creating a magnesium-based Calm Cream for her daughter (that went viral on TikTok) to accidentally becoming a comedian on a 25-city tour, Sherri is proof that your best chapter may still be ahead of you. We talk about why Gen X craves connection, what it really means to stop performing strength, and why self-care isn't selfish — it's essential. Plus: hot flashes, battery-operated fans, and why a prison sentence sounds less horrifying than you'd think when someone snores next to you. Topics covered: The Wholesome Hippie origin story & the Calm Cream that changed everythingPerimenopause symptoms nobody warned us about (frozen shoulder, anyone?)How to advocate for yourself when doctors won't listenReinventing yourself at 40, 50, or beyond — it's never too lateThe Gen X Tour: real humor from real lived experiences Thank you, listeners, for being here. Check me out, your host Heather here. Please share this episode with others!

    1h 12m
  2. May 31

    "Dad, Can You Not? Chip Leighton on Cringe, Teens, and the Micro-Celebrity Life"

    He's back! Chip Leighton — the internet's favorite "teenager text message guy"  — returns for another hilarious, humble, (Chip is sooo Humble!) and heartfelt conversation. This time, Chip is celebrating his brand-new book, Dad, Can You Not? Dad's Guide to Being Less Cringey, the perfect follow-up to his New York Times bestselling debut, What Time Is Noon? We chat about what it's really like to build a social media platform from scratch after a corporate career, what his own kids think of his viral fame (spoiler: they're not that impressed), and why leaning into the cringe might actually be the most relatable thing a dad can do. Chip shares stories about the "dad meter" — a thermostat-shaped quiz that rates just how extra you really are — plus some of the wildest, most universally funny texts that parents and teens have sent him from all over the country. We also get real about the magic of humor as connection, what happens when your kids start asking you for actual advice (it's a whole metamorphosis), and why Chip's shared philosophy of "run your own race" might be the best parenting — and life — advice out there. Whether you're a parent, a former teenager, or just someone who needs a laugh during a long day, this episode is for you. nd yes, it's a phenomenal Father's Day gift. Get the book! Find Chip: TikTok, Instagram & Facebook: @TheLeightonShowWebsite: theleightonshow.comLive Event Portsmouth, NHGoogle: "teenager text message guy" — he'll pop right up

    41 min
  3. Feb 4

    Changing the World One Interaction at a time, with Sandy Austin B.I.O.N.I.C Building Caring School Communities

    Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of school violence, suicide, bullying, and loss, with a focus on healing, prevention, and community support. Did you know that a single interaction can make all the difference in the life of a student and an adult? From Columbine to Worldwide Impact: How One School Club is Preventing Tragedy This week is National School Counseling Week. One School counselor has been making a particularly impactful difference for over 21 years. Sandy Austin, Executive Director of the nonprofit, B.I.O.N.I.C (Believe It Or Not I Care). In this profoundly moving conversation, Sandy Austin, founder and nonprofit director of the Bionic Team (Believe It or Not, I Care), shares how personal tragedy transformed into a global movement of compassion. After experiencing the Columbine shooting and four student suicides at her own school, Sandy created a revolutionary peer support program that empowers students to reach out to classmates who are struggling. Sandy explains how the Bionic Team teaches kids to recognize and respond to peers who are new, sick, bullied, hospitalized, or grieving—creating safety nets that prevent isolation and despair. From simple gestures like welcoming new students to delivering pies to grieving families, these young people are learning that small acts of caring can save lives. Now operating in schools from elementary through college worldwide, the Bionic program is expanding into senior living centers, businesses, and communities. Sandy shares unforgettable stories—including a lonely elderly resident who cherished a student-made blanket until his death —and how kids are learning to step toward tragedy instead of avoiding it. This episode is a powerful reminder that we're all built for connection, and that teaching young people to say "I see you, you matter, and you're not alone" can change the world. Connect with Sandy Austin and the Bionic Team:Learn more at https://www.bionicteam.org/Free resources: giftfromsandy.com

    1 hr
  4. Jan 19

    Gen X Nostalgia: Unlock some memories with GenXJono, John Kotrides.

    "We were 30 at 10, and we'll be 30 at 60. That X variable is also our age." What happens when a Gen X-er from Buffalo turns a COVID lockdown into 60 million monthly views, celebrating the forgotten generation? Well, we are no longer forgotten; it is the most popular generation right now. Leave your bikes on the front lawn and enjoy the conversation. John Kotrides— GenXJono—didn't set out to become an internet personality. He just wanted to make TikToks with his 9-year-old daughter. But when he turned the camera on himself one night and answered a simple question—"Why are Gen Xers so tough?"—something clicked. Millions of people who grew up with metal playground equipment, unsupervised summers, and Columbia House finally had someone speaking their language. In this conversation, we dive into: The Gen X paradox: How we were simultaneously ignored and watched by everyone. How we had no technology, yet created it all. We're cynical skeptics who somehow became the most connected generation.Why nostalgia isn't about going back: John makes a compelling case that everything we miss about the '80s is still here—we just need to bring forward the people we were, not the decade itself.The cost of division:  John shares why he refuses to pick sides and how Gen X might be the generation that brings people back together.Meeting your heroes: The convention circuit, celebrity encounters, and what John is up to lately. GO meet your Heros!This episode will "unlock memories" you forgot you had. You'll laugh at the Columbia House penny scam, remember the game "Perfection" and the fun we had with that type of anxiety, and maybe—just maybe—realize you don't need a DeLorean to reclaim what made those decades special; it is all still inside of us. GO Follow John and be transported to a magical time and place that still lives within the generation! Guest: John Kotrides (GenXJono) - Content creator, internet personality, professional Gen X spokesperson  Connect: @GenXJono on all platforms genxjono.com  Merch: https://genxjono.dashery.com/

    53 min

About

Hello to you if you are a first-time listener, and welcome back if you have been here before.      Welcome to the podcast!   This podcast is all about talking to others about how they have Created joy and purpose in their lives and what is important to them. Also, just some fun conversations for the sake of a great conversation! All of this, along with my own insights and educational chats.  Start living your life!!!! I want you to create a life full of people, places, experiences, and actions that truly fit who you are and want to be.   As a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a Master Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, I have witnessed hundreds of people create extraordinary lives for themselves. Sometimes we remain in patterns that, although they once were necessary, no longer serve us. Your transformation starts right here, right now!  Your call to action is to thank yourself for showing up. Come on in! Life can be challenging, but we can figure it out together. For more content, you can find me on. https://www.instagram.com/heathersmcmahon/ Heather S McMahon *NOTE: This podcast is not meant to replace therapeutic interventions. Please reach out to a healthcare professional if you need support.