Now What? Podcast

ODd Network

Now What? is a podcast for single mothers, solo mums by choice and women navigating separation, co-parenting, dating again and blended families. Formerly Mothering On My Own, the show has evolved to reflect how single motherhood keeps shifting and reshaping over time. Hosted by Rachel Maksimovic, it’s a space for honest conversations, expert insights and real stories that help you feel less alone as you navigate each new chapter and ask yourself… now what?

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English

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Yesterday · 1 hr 18 min
Raising Boys as a Single Mum: What Your Son Really Needs- with Dr Billy Garvey
When I found out I’d be raising my son on my own, one of my biggest worries was what it would mean for him not to have a dad around. So I was so excited to sit down with Dr Billy Garvey to talk about it. Billy is a developmental paediatrician, co-host of Pop Culture Parenting and author of two books on children’s mental health and raising boys. He was also raised by a single mum, who came over from Ireland on her own and worked three jobs to keep a roof over her boys’ heads. We talk about what kids actually need from us (spoiler: it’s not a second parent), why the quality of male role models in a boy’s life matters more than how many there are, and what you can do when you can’t control what’s happening in the other house. We also get into the “golden boy” dynamic, why mums need to stop putting themselves last, and why you can let go of the guilt about screens. Billy finishes with a message to single mums that had me in tears. If you’re a solo parent raising a boy, this one’s for you. Content note: This episode includes discussion of family violence and abuse, and Billy briefly talks about a time he didn’t want to live. Please look after yourself while listening. Dr Billy Garvey Buy Billy's latest book: Ten things I wish you knew about raising boys See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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October 13 · 47 min
You Can Want Love and Still Choose Yourself — with Meghan McTavish
Meghan McTavish is a writer, mum and founder of The Plotline Journal, who’s been called a “divorce influencer” for her honest, often hilarious take on life after marriage. Having rebuilt her own life after divorce, she talks openly about losing herself in a relationship, dating again, and learning to stop shaping herself around what someone else wants. In this episode, we get into the real stuff: the difference between wanting to stay and being scared to leave, why Megan has stepped away from dating apps, and how becoming friends with men has been healing for her in rebuilding her trust in men. We also talk about her shift from shared care to full-time parenting, the pressure to be chosen, and whether you can love your life as a single mum and still want partnership. There’s room to want love, protect your peace, and still be figuring it all out. Meghan McTavish: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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October 6 · 49 min
Leaving Domestic Violence, Grief and the Love of a Solo Mum- with Zoe Marshall
This episode talks about domestic and family violence, including sexual violence, as well as grief and loss. Please look after yourself while listening. Zoe Marshall was barely an adult when two things happened at once. Her mum, a solo mum and her whole world, was dying of cancer, and she'd just met the man who would go on to abuse her. This week I sat down with Zoe, author, speaker, podcast host and founder of Arise, to talk about how abusive relationships actually start, and why strong, smart women still end up in them. Zoe shares what it was like to be controlled down to what she wore and how she did her hair, the pros and cons list that finally helped her see it clearly, and what it really takes to leave when you have no money, no car and nothing that's yours. She also has a message for anyone who has a friend or sister who keeps going back. Please don't stop answering the phone. Then we get into the good stuff. Zoe talks about being raised by a solo mum, and her words for every single parent worried they're putting too much on their kids honestly made us both cry. We also talk about identity, people pleasing, why healing is never really "done" and how to start when you don't know where to begin. This one is raw, honest and full of hope. I hope it lands for you the way it did for me. Find Zoe: Ariise Content note This episode talks about domestic and family violence, including sexual violence, as well as grief and loss. Please look after yourself while listening. If you need support: 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 (24/7) Lifeline: 13 11 14 If you're in immediate danger, call 000. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 29 · 54 min
Dating after Divorce? An Honest Take on Dating as a Single Mum- with Lauren Hunter
Lauren Hunter is the founder of Cinqe Matchmaking Australia, and after years of sitting across from single men and women, she's seen exactly what's going wrong in dating, and what actually makes it work. Lauren is also a mum of two who went through her own divorce and had to learn to date again after marriage and motherhood. In this episode, we get into the real stuff: what dating looks like after divorce and as a single mum, why the apps have people so burnt out, what men and women are actually asking for (and how different that is from what we assume), chemistry versus real compatibility, and whether the checklists we build for ourselves are actually helping us or just keeping us stuck. Lauren doesn't sugarcoat any of it, and this conversation will hit differently depending on where you're at in your own story. Find Lauren Hunter's instagram here: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 22 · 48 min
"You're Not Leaving to Find a Better Man, You're Leaving to Find Yourself"- with Amy Appleton
In this episode, I sit down with Amy Appleton, the founder of Steps of Style, who built a fashion and styling career out of the hardest chapter of her life. What started as a blog during infertility and IVF became a full creative business, and eventually her exit plan from a nineteen year marriage. We talk about what it really looks like to leave a long marriage without framing it as a failure, why financial independence matters even when things feel stable, and how ageing became a source of power for her rather than something to fight. Amy is refreshingly unfiltered about anger, dating after divorce, raising kids solo, and why she stopped chasing relationships altogether. If you've ever felt like you lost yourself somewhere inside a marriage or a family role, this conversation is a reminder that rebuilding is possible, and that finding yourself is the whole point, not a consolation prize. Amy Appleton: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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September 2 · 51 min
Stepmum vs Single Mum: Why We're Fighting the Wrong Fight- with Karissa Byrnes
This episode dives into one of the messiest and most misunderstood dynamics in modern parenting, the relationship between a mum and the woman who steps into her kids' life. Step parent coach Kris joins the conversation to unpack the assumptions that get made on both sides before anyone's even met, the moments that quietly break trust, and the role dads and partners actually play in how these relationships unfold, which turns out to be a lot more than they usually get credit for. Real experience gets shared throughout, including what it's like to step into a partner's kids' world without any of the rulebook, and neither guest holds back on the harder, messier parts of it. For anyone who's ever felt threatened by, competitive with, or unsure how to navigate the other woman in their children's life, this conversation offers a rare, honest look at both sides. Find our guest: Kris, Step Parent Coach Find our host: Rachel Maksimovic See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 26 · 56 min
The Doorway Divorce Opens, with Megan Dalla-Camina
Today's guest is Megan Dalla-Camina, author, women's leadership expert and PhD researcher, whose work explores what happens when women start questioning the lives they've built and begin reconnecting with themselves. Her latest book, She Who Remembers, makes the case that so many women aren't actually lost, they've just become disconnected from who they are beneath years of expectations, achievements and caregiving. Megan and I get into what it really means to stop "fixing" ourselves and start remembering ourselves instead, especially in the wake of divorce or separation, when identity can feel completely fractured. We talk about honouring where you're at before you try to figure out who you're meant to be next, why motherhood (and single motherhood especially) can intensify all of this, and how the collapse of a relationship can actually become a doorway back to yourself rather than just a failure. Megan also shares the daily rituals that have made the biggest difference in her own life, sleep, meditation, nature and nourishment, and why protecting your energy from mindless distraction matters just as much as any of it. If you've ever felt like you don't know who you are anymore, this conversation is a really gentle, honest place to start. Megan Dalla-Camina: Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 18 · 57 min
The Truth About Child Support in Australia- with Terese Edwards
Child support. Say those two words and most people think it's simple, one parent transfers money to the other, end of story. But if you've been through it, you know that's not even close to the truth. In this episode I sit down with Terese Edwards, CEO of Single Mother Families Australia, who has spent over 15 years fighting for single parents at the highest levels of government. We talk about how child support can be weaponised, why so many women end up trapped in a system that was supposed to protect them, and what's actually changing after the biggest reforms since 1988. Terese pulls back the curtain on the reports, the research, and the real stories behind the numbers, including why 25% of child support payments are $10 a week or less, and how private collect arrangements quietly leave women with no record and no recourse. We also get into the emotional side of all this, the guilt, the pressure to just be the bigger person, and why so many women stay silent. This one is heavy in places but it's also full of hope. Terese has been in the room when the changes were announced, and she shares what's coming, what to hold on for, and why she genuinely believes we're in a turning point. If you've ever felt like the system was working against you instead of for you, this conversation will make you feel seen. Single Mother Families Australia Single Mother Families Australia (Facebook) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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August 5 · 44 min
It Shouldn't Be This Hard: Emotional Abuse, Capacity and Trusting Yourself Again- with Leah Aguirre
This week I'm joined by Leah Aguirre, licensed therapist, relationship expert and author of Is This Really Love. Leah has built a huge following talking honestly about emotional abuse and boundaries, and what makes her work land is that she's not just speaking from the clinical side, she's lived it too. We get into so much in this one. The way our bodies often know something is wrong long before our minds catch up. The difference between someone who is genuinely abusive and someone who just doesn't have the emotional capacity to show up for you, and why that distinction matters so much when you're trying to make sense of what happened. Trauma bonds and why it can feel almost impossible to walk away from someone who hurts you and then loves you so tenderly straight after. We also talk about the questions we're too afraid to ask when we're dating, the small moments that actually tell you everything about someone's character, and how to start rebuilding trust in yourself again after you've been made to question your own reality. If you've ever looked back at a relationship and asked yourself how did I not see this, this episode is for you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 21 · 52 min
When Life Doesn't Turn Out the Way You Planned- with Dr. Sarah Jane
What do you do when life doesn't turn out the way you imagined? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Sarah Jane, creator of Spinal Energetics and author of the new book Your Spine Holds the Answer. This conversation is about so much more than healing. It's about navigating the gap between the life you thought you'd have and the life you're actually living. We talk about divorce, recurrent pregnancy loss, single motherhood, getting older, and the quiet grief that can come from watching other people live the life you once imagined for yourself. We also explore why so many of us understand our attachment style, our triggers and our patterns, yet still find ourselves stuck in the same emotional loops. Why isn't awareness always enough? And what role does the body play in helping us move through experiences that our minds alone can't seem to resolve? For the single mums listening, we also dive into chronic stress, living in survival mode, the fear of letting your guard down, and whether it's actually possible to feel safe again after life has knocked you around. This conversation is an invitation to make space for grief without letting it define you, to loosen your grip on how life "should" look, and to remember that a meaningful life isn't reserved for those whose plans worked out. In this episode we discuss: • The grief of letting go of the life you imagined • Divorce, infertility and rebuilding after loss • The pressure women feel around age and timelines • Why knowing your patterns isn't always enough to change them • Chronic stress, survival mode and the nervous system • Learning to feel safe in your body again • Opening yourself up to love after heartbreak • Finding hope when life hasn't gone to plan Find Dr Sarah Jane: @drsarahjanechiro @spinalenergetics Pre Order her book "Your Spine holds the answer" Rach: @rachel.maksimovic See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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July 9 · 1 hr 1 min
The Mommune: Inside the Household Where Two Single Mums Raise Their Kids Together- with Bernie Sinclair
When she became a single mum, Jen made a promise to herself: she was not going to live a smaller, harder life just because a relationship had ended. Years later, that promise turned into a "mommune" — a shared home in New York City with her best friend Annabelle, also a single mum, where they split rent, share dinners, divide the mental load of parenting, and raise their kids as one family unit. No romantic partners live in the house. No calendars or chore charts either. Just two women who decided that trust, presence and showing up for each other beats waiting around for a man to do it. In this conversation, Jen unpacks how the mommune actually started (hint: it wasn't a business decision, it was years of shared play dates and swapped babysitting), how she and Annabelle split money and domestic labour without ever discussing finances directly, how dating still fits into her life without ever entering the home, and why she believes isolation, not money, is often the real crisis facing single mums. This episode is for anyone who has ever sat alone on a Friday night after the kids are asleep and wondered if there's another way to build a home, a family and a life that doesn't hinge on finding "the one." In this episode: How a years-long friendship turned into a shared household Splitting rent, groceries and bills without pooling finances Why trust replaced micromanaging once a man was out of the equation The "no men in the home" rule, and how dating still works around it The moment Jen realised the mommune had given her her mental space back Advice for anyone wanting to build this kind of support system, with or without moving in together See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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June 4 · 48 min
What Nobody Tells You About Doing It Completely Alone- With Jemima Fallows
Jemima found out she was pregnant at 39. The father made it clear from the beginning — if she continued, she was on her own. She continued. This conversation covers what nobody prepares you for when you're doing it completely alone from the start — the shame of a pregnancy you're hiding in plain sight, the identity shift that hits harder when there's no one to hand the baby to, the sleep deprivation, the finances, the friendships that quietly disappear, and the strange grief of losing a spontaneous life you didn't realise you'd miss. Jemima is two years in, finally back at work, newly dating, and still figuring out who she is on the other side of it. She doesn't sugarcoat any of it — and that's exactly why this one is worth a listen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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May 12 · 1 hr 1 min
What if you're not done with love. You're just scared of it?- With Hannah Rose Keys
Four months out of a relationship breakdown, Rachel finds herself saying something she never thought she'd say: I'm never doing this again. She gets it now. The bitterness. The wall. The absolute certainty that closing off is safer than trying again. But she also knows there's a question worth sitting with — one that's harder than it sounds: is this protection, or is this avoidance? Because they feel identical from the inside. And the research says they have very different costs. Hannah Rose Keys is back. Six months ago she was done with men entirely. Something shifted. This is that conversation. Now What is hosted by Rachel Maksimovic. Follow @hannahrosekeys Follow @rachel.maksimovic & @nowwhat.podcast on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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April 29 · 37 min
I am grieving a marriage I needed to leave- with Tara Pavlovic
Tara Pavlovic is a Gold Coast-based content creator and mum of two who recently announced her separation — and the response from women everywhere made it clear this conversation needed to happen. Rachel and Tara get into what the lead-up to leaving actually looks like from the inside. The years of therapy. The panic attacks. The couples counselling that didn't save the marriage but mattered anyway. The Fiji holiday they booked because they knew they could still have a good time together. And the moment Tara's body made the decision before her mind was ready to. They also go somewhere neither of them planned — into what it does to a woman's sense of self when she realises her version of the marriage and his were two completely different realities. And what it means to lose trust in yourself so completely that you can't imagine ever choosing again. Honest, raw, and at times genuinely surprising. This one will probably make you cry at least once. In this episode: Why the hardest part of leaving isn't what comes after — it's the decision itself What couples counselling actually does when it doesn't save the marriage How alcohol can hold a relationship together — and what happens when it's gone The moment the panic attacks became impossible to ignore Why she doesn't believe anyone will truly love her now What it feels like to lose all trust in yourself after a marriage ends What Tara would say to any woman sitting in that dark place right now Find Tara: @tarapavlovic Now What is hosted by Rachel Maksimovic. Follow @rachel.maksimovic & @nowwhat.podcast on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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April 7 · 44 min
When the Second Breakup Hits Harder Than the Divorce- With Kylie Lately
Rachel sits down with Kylie to talk about the parts of single motherhood and dating again that don't get said out loud enough — the fallout when a significant relationship ends and your kids are caught in it, the survival mode that masquerades as a personality, and the stories women tell themselves to excuse behaviour they should be walking away from. Kylie is five years out from her separation, has lived through a second major breakup, and speaks with the kind of hard-won clarity that only comes from actually doing the work. This is an honest conversation about blended families, self-trust, and what it really takes to be open to love again without losing yourself in the process. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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April 1 · 55 min
Which Ball Do You Want Me to Drop? Catie Gett on Nourishment, Survival Mode and the Real Cost of Doing It All Alone.
Catie Gett is a Melbourne-based naturopath, founder of The Staple Store, and single mum to her daughter Scout. She has spent her career making food and health accessible to people who can't afford a 20-step morning routine — and this conversation goes places neither of them expected. Rachel and Catie get into what survival mode actually costs you. Why the wellness industry has made health aspirational instead of accessible. Why telling women to self-care without changing any of the actual conditions they're living in is just another layer of guilt. And what it feels like to look back on your daughter's early years and realise you don't remember them — because you were so deep in stress you weren't really there. Rachel also gets honest about where she's at right now. And somehow, by the end of it, finds one thing she can actually change. This one is for every woman standing at the bench feeding her kids breakfast while she has nothing but a coffee. It's practical, it's honest, and it will probably make you cry at least once. In this episode: Why the wellness industry has made health a purchase, not a right What survival mode does to your body — and your memory The breakfast change that shifted everything for Katie Why "have you tried yoga?" is some of the most expensive free advice women get The specific cruelty of heartbreak when you're parenting alone Find Catie: @thestaplestore Now What is hosted by Rachel Maksimovic. Follow @rachel.maksimovic & @nowwhat.podcast on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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March 4 · 42 min
The Divorce Diaries: Surviving Court, Betrayal and Starting Again, with Stephanie
In this episode, Rachel sits down with Stephanie, the creator of The Divorce Diaries, who began documenting her divorce and court experience in real time from the US. Together they unpack what it’s really like to navigate a legal system when money, representation, and support feel out of reach, and the financial whiplash of going from being a stay-at-home mum to having to provide again almost overnight. Stephanie shares the turning points that made her leave, the layers of betrayal she uncovered, and why choosing to “settle” wasn’t giving up, it was a decision to step out of the chaos and protect her kids’ wellbeing. They talk co-parenting when communication is tense, how to stay grounded when things are done to derail your day, and the practical ways Stephanie rebuilt her strength through small daily acts of self-care, perspective, and boundaries. This is a candid conversation for anyone entering separation, facing court, or trying to rebuild a life that feels stable, safe, and yours again. Find Stephanie @stylewith.stephanie See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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February 24 · 39 min
Building a life on your own terms, with Amy Robinson
Amy didn’t set out to become a voice for single mums online. She started by sharing her running. Then she posted one honest video about single motherhood and it blew up, not because it was dramatic, but because it told the truth: stop feeling sorry for her. Her life is good. And 18 months ago, she was in the hardest place of her life. In this episode, Amy speaks candidly about the slow heartbreak of postpartum expectations not being met, the moment she realised she couldn’t stay, and the stigma she had to unlearn about what being a single mum means. She also shares what it was like growing up raised by a single mother herself, how that shaped her fear of repeating history, and why she now sees her choice to leave early as its own kind of cycle-breaking. There’s no sugar-coating the early months. Amy describes them as hell: moving constantly, sleep deprivation, living out of bags, and navigating a legal battle while trying to stay present for her son. She talks about the unexpected things that helped her heal, including community, friendship, and a relationship that showed her what respectful love can look like, even if the timing wasn’t right to keep it. The conversation goes deep into the parts of single motherhood that aren’t always said out loud: weekend triggers, watching families together, grieving the dream you had when you fell pregnant, and the ongoing ache of knowing your child didn’t choose this. It also explores identity, boundaries, and the conscious decision not to make your child your whole world, especially when you know the pressure that can put on a son. Amy shares what her co-parenting structure looks like, how she uses the little time she gets to refill her cup, and what she’d say to a newly single mum who feels like dreams and goals are a lifetime away. This episode is for the woman in the thick of it. The woman comparing her life to the families at cafes. The woman just trying to survive the day. It’s a reminder that single motherhood is brutally hard, but it can also be the making of someone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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February 18 · 42 min
Becoming a Solo Mum by Choice: What No One Tells You Before You Start- with Anna Riches
**Melbourne IVF fertility specialist Dr Daniel Lantsberg has offered the Now What community an exclusive discount for anyone in Melbourne considering becoming a solo mum by choice. They are offering half-price off the initial consultation — usually $400, reduced to $200 — for those who register via the link below. The initial consult is the most important first step, even if you’re only in the thinking stage. It gives you clarity on your fertility, your timelines, your options and the realistic pathway ahead, so you can make informed decisions without losing valuable time. If this is something you’ve been quietly considering, this is a practical place to begin. Leave your details to start your journey with Melbourne IVF: https://www.jotform.com/assign/260467361728059/260471128781054 In this episode, Rachel sits down with Anna Riches (you may know her from Big Miracles) for an honest, reassuring conversation about becoming a solo mum by choice- and what people don’t tell you about the road to getting there. Anna takes us through the turning points that pushed her from “I’ve got time” to freezing her eggs, then choosing a donor, then diving into treatment with Dr Daniel Lantsberg — including multiple failed IUIs, IVF, a chemical pregnancy, a pregnancy loss, and the third transfer that finally brought River into her life. They talk money (because IVF isn’t optional-cost), the long, mandatory counselling and donor waitlist process, how she chose her donor, why she didn’t use a friend as a donor even when offered, and what it feels like when you’re the only adult at 4am with a crying baby and no one to tap in. It’s also a conversation about the emotional aftermath: the hormonal shock, the loneliness that hits in different seasons, the grief for your old life even when you got the life you wanted, and the non-negotiable need to protect your mental health - including building in paid help even if it means living lean. If you’re considering solo motherhood by choice, this episode cuts through the noise: start earlier than you think, expect it to take longer than you think, and don’t confuse fear with a “no.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Dec 24, 2025 · 11 min
Christmas as a Single Mum: Holding the Love and the Grief
The holiday season can be beautiful — and brutal — especially when you’re a single parent. In this end-of-year episode of Now What, Rachel speaks directly to the quiet, complicated realities that so many single mums carry through the festive period. The grief of waking up without your children on Christmas morning. The sting of moments you assumed were guaranteed. The comparison traps — to the other parent, to two-parent households, to families with bigger budgets, bigger holidays, bigger support systems. This conversation is an honest acknowledgement that Christmas doesn’t magically become easier just because time has passed. Whether it’s your first Christmas post-separation or your fifth, the feelings can still surface — and that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. Rachel explores how to hold both love and grief at the same time, how to release the pressure to “replicate” old traditions, and how to gently redefine what this season can look like now. She reminds us that children don’t care about dates on a calendar — they care about how they feel, how loved they are, and the moments we create with intention. This episode also speaks to the mums spending Christmas without their kids, offering permission to take up space, to create rituals that soothe rather than distract, and to honour your own experience without shame or self-blame. It’s a conversation about comparison being the thief of joy, about letting go of perfection, about creating magic within the reality you’re in — not the one you imagined. And about choosing, again and again, to feel the feelings without getting stuck in them. If this season feels tender, heavy, or quietly lonely — this episode is for you. You are not broken for finding it hard. You are human. Rachel closes the year with reflection, compassion, and a reminder that you get to decide what comes next. Wishing you a gentle, intentional holiday period — however it looks for you. Now What will be back in your ears in January 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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