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Life Happens with Barb & Michelle

Life Happens with Barb & Michelle

By: Michelle Maros & Barb Schmidt
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Summary

Life Happens with Barb and Michelle is your guide to navigating the twists, turns, and beautifully messy moments of life. Hosted by Barb and Michelle, a dynamic mother-daughter duo and the Co-Founders of Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life®, this podcast dives into the growth, shifts, and self-discovery that define our journeys. Together, they explore what it truly means to live authentically, strengthen mental health, embrace change, and rise after every stumble. Tune in for heartfelt conversations, insights, and inspiration to help you thrive in every chapter of your story.

Thanks so much for being with us, we love being with you and sharing life with you all! Join our YouTube community and see our episodes on video by subscribing to our channel @lifehappensthepodcast

*The information and opinions expressed in this program are for educational purposes only, are not intended as medical or other health advice, and solely reflect the personal experiences of the host and guests. You should not act or rely upon any information contained in this program without seeking the advice of a qualified medical provider. Any reproduction or rebroadcast of this program, in whole or part, is prohibited without the prior written permission of Michelle Maros™, LLC. © 2022 Michelle Maros, LLC*

© 2022, Michelle Maros LLC, All Rights Reserved Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • Redefining Personal Growth: From Self-Doubt to Bestseller at 40

    Redefining Personal Growth: From Self-Doubt to Bestseller at 40
    Nov 3 2026
    “I just love those kinds of moments where people feel like this book is written for them, because it was.” - MichelleOn this episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, the mother-daughter duo are celebrating the first anniversary of Michelle’s book, Dear Friend: Daily Love Notes for Contemplation, Connection, and Clarity (365 Days), and the personal growth that came with it. They reflect on this meaningful milestone and why it’s so important to take time to celebrate our wins before moving on to the next thing.Michelle shares how Dear Friend grew out of the weekly blogs she started writing for Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life® in 2012, and the morning reading ritual Barb began when she was little. The book was released on Michelle’s 40th birthday, and a year later, she’s still taking it all in. She also gets honest about doubting herself and learning to advocate for work she believes in.Barb shares why a close friend calls Dear Friend her “forever book” and how returning to the same passage year after year can help you recognize your own personal growth. Michelle reflects on writing about grief as a reminder of love, hearing from a reader who found her “following the breadcrumbs” entry helpful, and spotting a stranger carrying the book through an airport.Barb and Michelle also discuss:Why everyone has a story worth sharing, and how journaling helped Michelle find her voice as a writerWhy reaching a goal doesn’t necessarily make everything easier, and how to keep believing in yourself even when facing rejectionThe power of giving yourself a deadline and sharing your dreams with people you trustThe importance of being present for the milestones you’ve worked toward, whether it’s publishing a book or celebrating a weddingMichelle encourages you to keep at it little by little and to believe in yourself. And if Dear Friend has been part of your personal growth this year, tell Barb and Michelle how in the comments.✨Mentioned in Today’s Episode✨Journaling and self-compassion are two of the practices inside The Emotional Well-Being Toolkit. It soft launches November 10. Join the interest list at https://peacefulmindpeacefullife.org/toolkit/Get Dear Friend: Daily Love Notes for Contemplation, Connection, and Clarity (365 Days): https://link.amazon/B04t1aCS1Read Michelle’s blog, How I Manage My Relationship with Grief: https://peacefulmindpeacefullife.org/how-i-manage-my-relationship-with-grief-3/Watch the Life Happens with Barb and Michelle episode, ‘Grief Isn’t Linear – How to Navigate Loss and Feel Your Feelings (Without a Timeline)’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwzEJKnR3n8🎙️Life Happens with Barb and Michelle is a weekly mental health podcast, with new episodes dropping every Tuesday.Make sure you subscribe & join us next week for another episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle!Hosted by:💕Barb Schmidt https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/💕Michelle Maros https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/Join our community! ⬇️YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcastListen to our podcast anywhere → https://michellemaros.com/podcast/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    37 mins
  • Why Are People So Mean? How to Protect Your Mental Health

    Why Are People So Mean? How to Protect Your Mental Health
    Oct 27 2026
    CW: this episode mentions the Cornell Seven and includes a discussion of sexual abuse. Please take care while listening.“We’re going to come across mean people. It’s part of life. But you have the power to decide how that’s going to impact you, and you don’t have to carry that with you.” - MichelleMean people are draining your mental health, and on Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, the mother-daughter duo are revisiting this popular topic. This week, they get into why people lash out and how to stop internalizing it.Michelle opens with the everyday stuff: a honk the second the traffic light turns green, the nasty comment from a stranger, the dig at the holiday dinner table, and why we carry it around all day like it belongs to us. Barb adds a new layer this time around: a lot of today’s meanness comes down to control and power, and she wonders what living with it is doing to our mental health.Barb shares how she pictures a shield in front of her, blocking the nasty comments that come in, and what she saw at an airport after a three-hour delay. Michelle explains why imagining the honking driver’s whole day helps her take it less personally.Barb and Michelle also discuss:Why meanness is rarely about you: control, insecurity, impatience, and people who are simply at the end of their ropeProtecting your energy and your mental health when you can’t control what other people say or doHow to check in with yourself in the moment, from HALT (hungry, angry, lonely, or tired) to remembering that feelings aren’t factsWhat to do when you’re the mean oneAs Barb said, “we are worth having our own energy back.”Want more help putting this into practice? The Emotional Well-Being Toolkit covers self-compassion, boundaries, and ways to stop taking things so personally. It soft launches November 10. Join the interest list at https://peacefulmindpeacefullife.org/toolkit/Episode Breakdown ⬇️00:00 Episode Intro: Why We Carry Other People's Meanness 02:00 Connecting Meanness to Control, Power, and Lost Energy 06:00 Stop Taking It Personally: Deciding Not to Give Away Your Power 11:30 Understanding Why People Latch Out: Insecurity, Overwhelm, and End of the Rope 18:30 When Meanness Stems from Exhaustion & Living in an Unfair World 22:30 Dealing with Public Vitriol & Social Media Backlash 26:30 Visualization & Emotional Protection: Imagining a Shield 28:30 Checking In with Yourself: HALT & Feelings Aren't Facts 29:30 What to Do When You're the Mean One: Stopping Gossip & Making Amends🎙️Life Happens with Barb and Michelle is a weekly mental health podcast, with new episodes dropping every Tuesday.Make sure you subscribe & join us next week for another episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle!Hosted by:💕Barb Schmidt https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/💕Michelle Maros https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/Join our community! ⬇️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcastListen to our podcast anywhere → https://michellemaros.com/podcast/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    40 mins
  • Q&A with Barb and Michelle: Toxic Family, Self-Love, and Overwhelm

    Q&A with Barb and Michelle: Toxic Family, Self-Love, and Overwhelm
    Oct 20 2026

    “It’s not about you needing to be fixed. It’s about you needing to understand that you already are worthy.” - Barb

    Self-love, toxic relationships, and feeling overwhelmed: these are just a few of the topics in this week’s episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle, where the mother-daughter duo are back with one of their favorite formats, a Q&A from their community.

    Barb shares how she gets through difficult family gatherings, from volunteering for the grocery run to taking the grandkids out for ice cream. Michelle reflects on Scott Peck’s line that life is difficult, and how once you accept that, it can take the edge off when someone rubs you the wrong way.

    They then get into how to build self-love and how to keep it even when it feels like life is knocking you down.


    Barb and Michelle also discuss:

    • Handling toxic family and workplace dynamics, loving people from afar, and building emotional resilience
    • Why self-love and confidence take daily practice: from talking back to untrue thoughts to morning affirmations
    • How to build a mother-daughter bond, and why no relationship is perfect
    • Coping with overwhelm: three questions to ask yourself and “be where your feet are”


    If you’re struggling with your relationships, your workplace, or the relationship you have with yourself, you’re not alone in figuring out life’s challenges.


    Want Barb to visit your town for a book event? Let us know in the comments and on Instagram where you’d like to see her!

    🎙️Life Happens with Barb and Michelle is a weekly mental health podcast, with new episodes dropping every Tuesday.

    Make sure you subscribe & join us next week for another episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle!


    Hosted by:

    💕Barb Schmidt https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/

    💕Michelle Maros https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/


    Join our community! ⬇️

    YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LifeHappensThePodcast

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifehappensthepodcast/

    Substack: https://lifehappensthepodcast.substack.com/

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifehappensthepodcast

    Listen to our podcast anywhere → https://michellemaros.com/podcast/

    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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    50 mins
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I love you guys! Thank you so much. I have a debilitating illness which leaves me housebound and would love an episode on how to cope with loss of everything when you get sick. Thank you big love

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