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Life Happens with Barb & Michelle

Life Happens with Barb & Michelle

By: Michelle Maros & Barb Schmidt
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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 Parenting & Families Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships Social Sciences Spirituality
Episodes
  • 252 — How Forgiving Too Fast Kept Me Stuck for 20 Years

    252 — How Forgiving Too Fast Kept Me Stuck for 20 Years
    Apr 7 2026
    What if the thing you've been told will set you free is actually keeping you stuck? What if forgiveness isn't even the goal?In this episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, our hosts challenge everything we've been taught about forgiveness. Not the textbook version we learned as kids, but the real, messy, evolving kind that shows up after serious trauma, toxic relationships, and years of bypassed emotions. This is a raw conversation about what happens when you stop forcing yourself to forgive and start focusing on what you actually feel.💬 Barb opens up about replacing forgiveness with acceptance after her divorce, her history of sexual abuse, and why at 69 years old she's done pressuring herself to forgive people who caused real harm.💬 Michelle gets vulnerable about being a self-described "sucker" who forgave a major trauma too quickly because the person said the right words, and how she's learning to sit with her own feelings before letting anyone else influence her process.✨ In This Episode, We Discuss:Why Barb swapped the word "forgiveness" for "acceptance" and how that shift changed everythingThe danger of forgiving too quickly and bypassing the emotions that actually need to be feltMichelle's experience of forgiving a severe trauma as a kid because the person said all the right things, only to realize decades later she'd never actually processed itHow other people's apologies and influence can cloud what you truly feel and needWhy taking accountability doesn't mean someone gets a pass or gets let back inThe connection between premature forgiveness and the inability to set boundaries later in lifeNedra Glover Tawwab's quote on forgiveness and releasing the power harm has over you"I don't wanna wait that long. And also, is that really even the goal?"If you've ever felt the pressure to forgive before you were ready, or wondered if forgiveness is even what you need right now, this episode is going to feel like permission to breathe. Barb and Michelle aren't here to tell you what to do. They're here to sit with you in the mess and remind you that healing doesn't have a deadline. Come listen.📘 Go Deeper with Dear FriendIf this episode on Forgiveness and Acceptance resonated with you, you may also love Michelle’s USA TODAY bestselling book, Dear Friend, a daily reflection companion designed to help you reconnect with your inner voice, honor your needs, and find clarity and strength one day at a time.Because resilience doesn’t begin with changing your circumstances.It begins with strengthening your relationship with yourself.And that may be the most important relationship you’ll ever build.👉 Order your copy: https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg🎧 Listen to the audiobook and step into a year that truly loves you back: https://amzn.to/459zSdtEpisode Breakdown ⬇️0:00 – Intro / Teaser clip0:58 – Welcome & introducing the forgiveness topic7:18 – Barb shares where she is today with forgiveness (2026)8:04 – Barb opens up about childhood sexual abuse10:15 – Is forgiveness even the goal anymore?18:57 – Why we put the onus on the person who was harmed23:24 – Should you remove the other person from the equation?24:44 – The danger of being easily swayed by an apology25:18 – How being a "sucker" affects your healing process41:01 – Walking through what actually works: staying in your own essence46:21 – Closing thoughts: accountability ≠ forgiveness49:55 – Outro & Nedra Tawwab quote on releasing forgiveness💬 We’d love to hear from you! What insight or moment resonated most with you in this episode? Share in the comments—we truly read every one.📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕🎙️ Host by:https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/Join our community⬇️YouTube: 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/ 🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqgOur Sponsors:* Check out Time4Learning: https://www.time4learning.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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    50 mins
  • 251 — My Mom Hid a Family Secret for 20 Years…

    251 — My Mom Hid a Family Secret for 20 Years…
    Mar 31 2026
    Have you ever found out someone you love wasn't telling you the whole truth, and even though it wasn't malicious, something inside you shifted? That quiet crack in trust can change a relationship more than any dramatic betrayal ever could.In this episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, this mother-daughter duo gets deeply personal about dishonesty. Not the headline-grabbing kind, but the everyday white lies, the withheld truths, the stories we tell ourselves about "protecting" the people we love. From family secrets revealed years later to the small manipulations that slowly erode trust, Barb and Michelle unpack what honesty really costs and what it makes possible.💬 Barb shares how she navigated telling Michelle about her bulimia, a family affair, and the alcoholism in their lineage, and why she trusted life to present the right timing rather than forcing the conversation. 💬 Michelle opens up about what it felt like to learn major truths about her family as a young adult, how those revelations triggered a "what else don't I know?" spiral, and why her mom's non-judgmental space made all the difference.✨ In This Episode, We Discuss:The difference between withholding truth to protect versus withholding to manipulate and controlHow Michelle learned about her dad's affair through a Facebook message years after his death, and how Barb handled the falloutWhy Barb believes "life will present the timing" for hard conversations with your kidsThe real damage of small, repeated white lies versus big one-time revelationsHow calling someone a "liar" or "gaslighter" can short-circuit a conversation, and what to say insteadCreating a safe space where your child (or anyone) can tell the truth without being punished firstWhy trust can be broken in a moment but takes patience and intention to rebuild"I truly believe the truth will set you free. I become tethered to lies."Whether you're a parent wondering what to share and when, or someone rebuilding trust after it cracked, this episode will make you feel less alone in the mess of it. Barb and Michelle don't pretend to have perfect answers. They just show you what it looks like to keep choosing honesty, even when it's uncomfortable. Pull up a seat and listen in.0:00 - Cold Open0:57 - Welcome to Life Happens with Barb & Michelle1:15 - Introducing Today's Topic: Truth & Dishonesty2:12 - Truth Used to Be a Core Value — What Changed?11:21 - Parent-Child Honesty: When & How to Share Hard Truths13:45 - The "True Hat" Rule: A Family Trust Agreement19:41 - Finding Out About Dad's Affair Through Facebook22:18 - Letting Life Present the Right Moment to Tell the Truth28:38 - Are White Lies More Harmful Than Big Ones?29:33 - Work Colleague Story: When White Lies Become Control34:01 - Lying About Drinking as a Teen & Creating Safe Spaces41:09 - "Raised by Cave People" — Extending Grace to Our Parents47:07 - Don't Use "You Are" — Use "I Feel" Language49:27 - Creating Safe Spaces & Repairing Broken Trust51:16 - Closing & Thank You📘 Go Deeper with Dear FriendIf this episode on Dishonesty and Trust resonated with you, you may also love Michelle’s USA TODAY bestselling book, Dear Friend, a daily reflection companion designed to help you reconnect with your inner voice, honor your needs, and find clarity and strength one day at a time.Because resilience doesn’t begin with changing your circumstances. It begins with strengthening your relationship with yourself.And that may be the most important relationship you’ll ever build.👉 Order your copy: https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg🎧 Listen to the audiobook and step into a year that truly loves you back: https://amzn.to/459zSdt💬 We’d love to hear from you! What insight or moment resonated most with you in this episode? Share in the comments—we truly read every one.📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕🎙️ Hosted by:https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/Join our community⬇️YouTube: 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/ 🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqgAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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    52 mins
  • 250 – Why Betrayal Hurts Like a Physical Wound

    250 – Why Betrayal Hurts Like a Physical Wound
    Mar 24 2026
    What happens when the person you trusted completely becomes the source of your deepest wound? And what does it mean when you're the one who caused that kind of pain for someone else?In this episode of Life Happens with Barb & Michelle, our hosts go deep on one of the most universally painful human experiences: betrayal. This is a raw, honest conversation about what betrayal actually does to us, how it lives in our bodies, and what it really takes to move forward (hint: it's not just forgiving and forgetting).💬 Barb opens up about how betrayal has quietly shattered her sense of safety and belonging over the years, including within family relationships, and shares what she's learning about the difference between repairing a relationship and repairing yourself.💬 Michelle gets real about a time in her younger years when she found herself cast as the villain in a messy web of loyalty, secrets, and broken trust. She reflects on how she eventually made peace with it, even without resolution from the other people involved.✨ In This Episode, We Discuss:Why betrayal isn't just disappointment and why it activates the same regions of the brain as physical painThe difference between a mistake and a betrayal, and why that line mattersWhat it looks like to "clean up your own side of the street" after you've hurt someoneThe pressure of "blood is thicker than water" and why family loyalty doesn't obligate you to stay in unsafe relationshipsHow to know whether a broken relationship is worth repairing or whether it's okay to let it goThe sneaky way gossip can be a gateway to bigger betrayalsWhat self-betrayal has to do with all of it (and why that's a whole other episode)"What society thinks and what other people are telling you is true... blood is thicker than water, you have to forgive and forget... none of that applies. How do you feel about it?"If you've ever felt like you had to choose between protecting someone and protecting yourself, this episode will meet you right there. You'll walk away with a clearer sense of what you actually owe other people and what you owe yourself. Come sit with us for this one.📘 Go Deeper with Dear FriendIf this episode on Loyalty and Betrayal resonated with you, you may also love Michelle’s USA TODAY bestselling book, Dear Friend, a daily reflection companion designed to help you reconnect with your inner voice, honor your needs, and find clarity and strength one day at a time.Because resilience doesn’t begin with changing your circumstances.It begins with strengthening your relationship with yourself.And that may be the most important relationship you’ll ever build.👉 Order your copy: https://amzn.to/3Us9eqg🎧 Listen to the audiobook and step into a year that truly loves you back: https://amzn.to/459zSdt💬 We’d love to hear from you! What insight or moment resonated most with you in this episode? Share in the comments—we truly read every one.📅 Subscribe & Join Us Next Tuesday for another heartfelt episode of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle! 💕🎙️ Host by:https://www.instagram.com/peaceful_barb/https://www.instagram.com/michellemaros/Join our community ⬇️YouTube: 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/ 🎙️ New episodes of Life Happens with Barb and Michelle are released every Tuesday✨ Available Now✨ Order Dear Friend to receive daily doses of clarity, hope, and heartfelt encouragement.💌 https://amzn.to/3Us9eqgOur Sponsors:* Check out Time4Learning: https://www.time4learning.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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    41 mins
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