Amy Says…
When my kids were little a big part of my Fall and Winter traditions was creating and sending holiday cards.
There was the fun of planning and taking a family photo, designing and printing the card including a fun letter about what we were all up to.
When the bigger kids launched into their grown-up lives, getting everybody together in color-coordinated shirts for a family photo felt more complicated and less fun.
Now, not only do I not send holiday cards, I think I only receive one or two. For a long time, I didn’t miss them because I felt like most of my friends updated photos and status updates on social media. Currently, a lot of my long-time friends are moving off social media and I recently had a flash of a thought about restarting my holiday card tradition. Not this year. Maybe next year. BUT Only if it’s easy and fun.
These are my final interview episodes of 2025. There will be a wrap-up episode from me next week. Then I’m on hiatus until the first week of January.
It’s been an amazing first year for this show and I’m truly filled with gratitude for all the guests and the loyal audience that helped to make this a reality.
If you enjoy the newsletter and enjoy the show you can support me and the show with a tip through my hosting company. It will be much appreciated.
The star atop my seasonal shrub is not looking its best. So far, I haven’t been motivated enough to pull the ladder back out and fix it.
Table of Contents
Brain | A Mother's Journey Raising a Child with Mental Illness
Claudette Fette
The moment Claudette's five-year-old son told her about the hallucinations, she entered a labyrinth with no clear exit. Like thousands of parents raising a child with mental illness, she discovered that love, determination, and even access to professional help don't guarantee good outcomes when the systems designed to support families are fundamentally broken. What followed was decades of navigating misdiagnoses, inadequate resources, and treatment options that sometimes caused more harm than the illness itself.
Special offer from Claudette for the audience:
Claudette invites listeners to explore her and Aaron’s book, "No Saints Here," offering authentic, practical insight into family mental health. For podcast listeners, she extends an offer to connect and share resources, stories, and support. Order on Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/a/87491/9781965766064
📆 Upcoming Community Events
Michelle Wincell O'Leary (episode 118) is a contributor in a new book, She Found Her Superpower Available now. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G5LB17RH?tag=usalinktagdefault-20&th=1&psc=1&geniuslink=true
Intuition | What Happens When You Ask the Universe Who You Are?
Missy Toy Ozeas spent decades building a successful career in television and comedy production. She had climbed the ladder, earned respect from her peers, and by most measures had achieved what many would consider professional success. But when her boss approached her with an opportunity for promotion, something unexpected happened. The word "no" came out of her mouth before she could stop it.
That single syllable became the first domino in a chain reaction that would eventually lead her away from the entertainment industry and toward a completely unexpected calling as an energy healer. The transformation didn't happen overnight, and it didn't arrive through logic or careful planning. Instead, it emerged from four months of dedicated meditation practice and culminated in a moment that challenged everything she thought she knew about herself: hearing a voice tell her, "You are a healer."
Missy Toy Ozeas
Special offer from Missy for you:
Unlocking Abundance - $190. Unlocking Abundance is a self-paced program that helps you release hidden energetic blocks and rewire limiting beliefs so you can confidently attract more wealth, freedom, and joy into your life. For your listeners I'm offering 50% off the price of the program. (It will be $95 with the discount.) Use the code IMPERFECT at checkout. Here is the direct link to the Unlocking Abundance sales page: https://www.missyenergyhealing.com/UnlockingAbundance
🥰 Community Spotlight
Thank you Emily Marie for these kind words about the show. We think you’re pretty great too!
Amy has a gift for fostering fresh, interesting conversation with her guests. Excellent stories and perspectives on new ways to live, and enjoy this life!
Would you like to see your name here? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or just hit reply and share your feedback
First Job | Making Life Work When Your College Dream Doesn’t
Megan Okonsky
When Megan Okonsky graduated with a degree in strategic communications, she had her post-college plan mapped out: the Peace Corps. She'd completed the application, chosen the agriculture track, and prepared herself mentally for a transformative experience serving abroad. Then the rejection letter arrived. What happened next wasn't in any graduation handbook. She bought a plane ticket, packed a single backpack, and disappeared into Europe for what would become a two-year journey across multiple continents. That initial rejection, devastating as it felt at the time, became the catalyst for a life she couldn't have imagined during her senior year.
This story illustrates something many recent graduates face but few talk about openly: the gap between who we think we should be at 22 and who we actually have the space to become when our original plans collapse. Okonsky didn't have a backup plan when the Peace Corps said no. She had student loans, worried parents, and the weight of being a first-generation college graduate.
Special offer from Megan for you:
A complimentary 30-minute discovery call to podcast listeners interested in memoir or business ghostwriting. Mention The Art of Imperfect Adulting when you book via her website at https://www.meganokonsky.com for priority scheduling.
📕 🎧 Things Worth Your Time
This is where we share the cool suggestions for books, podcasts, gadgets that make life better and other fun stuff that our guests share during their interviews.
Claudette has a dream vacation of visiting holiday markets in Bamberg, Germany…what’s your dream vacation?
Missy suggests: Eating your favorite childhood meal, hers is shrimp with lobster sauce, yum!
Megan recommends reading the book Play Nice by Rachel Harrison. In fact, she recommends all of the books by that author.
Got Traditions? 😠
This newsletter should arrive in the middle of the winter holiday hustle and bustle. Hit reply and share a family tradition with us from your house. You might just see your name and tradition in the next edition.
We’ll be back in your inbox next week.