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What happens when you’ve spent most of your life believing your voice doesn’t matter… and then you decide to use it anyway?

In this milestone Episode 200 of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with podcast host and sustainability advocate Amy Bolduc for one of the most raw and honest conversations yet. From navigating a challenging childhood and years of self-doubt to building a podcast and showing up consistently despite insecurity, Amy shares what it really looks like to grow through the mess... not after it.

Together, Amanda and Amy unpack the reality of doing things before you feel ready, learning to trust yourself after life-altering decisions, and the quiet but powerful realization that… people actually care. This episode is a reminder that your voice matters, even if you’re still learning how to believe that.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How childhood experiences can shape self-worth and identity
💭 What it feels like to live with deep-rooted insecurity and still move forward
🎙️ The reality of starting a podcast (and hitting record) before feeling ready
🔥 Why “do it anyway” can be the most life-changing mindset shift
🌱 How growth often comes from uncomfortable, unexpected life transitions
💔 Navigating big life changes like divorce, relocation, and starting over
🧭 The powerful realization that your voice matters more than you think

⏱️ Timeline Summary:

[1:30] Celebrating Episode 200 & how Amanda and Amy connected
[6:00] Amy’s childhood, family dynamics, and early instability
[14:30] School struggles, insecurity, and not following a traditional path
[24:00] Early adulthood, relationships, and career journey beginnings
[34:30] Job transitions, COVID struggles, and emotional burnout
[43:00] Starting her podcast despite fear and self-doubt
[52:00] The mindset shift: “do it anyway” & finding her voice
[1:00:00] Realizing people care & reflections on growth and self-worth

TAKE THE SURVEY TO WIN A $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD & A MANDERS MINDSET TEE: https://form.jotform.com/mandersmindset/200-episodes-of-manders-mindset

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

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To Connect with Amy:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groundedinmainepodcast_/

Listen to Grounded in Maine Podcast: https://www.groundedinmaine.com/

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What happens when life pulls you so far away from who you once were… that finding your way back feels almost impossible?

In this deeply personal episode of Manders Mindset, host Amanda Russo sits down with Dr. Crystal Harrell, Yale-trained public health researcher, bestselling author, and CEO to explore her journey of losing and rediscovering herself. From growing up in public housing as one of ten children to experiencing the devastating loss of her father at just 11 years old, Crystal shares how that pivotal moment reshaped her sense of safety, identity, and connection to the world around her.

Together, Amanda and Crystal unpack how grief, constant change, and emotional survival led to years of feeling disconnected and lost… and what it truly took to begin the journey back home. Through reflection, resilience, and a deep commitment to self-discovery, Crystal reveals how she’s been reclaiming the joyful, fearless version of herself she once knew and what that process looks like in real life.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How early life experiences shape identity and emotional patterns
💔 The impact of losing a parent at a young age and how it shifts everything
🏠 What it’s like growing up in public housing as part of a large family
🔄 How constant change and instability can lead to feeling lost
🌱 The journey of reconnecting with your younger, authentic self
🔥 Why healing isn’t about becoming someone new but returning to who you were
🧭 What it really takes to come back home to yourself after years of disconnection

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[2:10] Growing up as one of ten children in public housing
[6:45] Losing her father at 11 and the emotional impact that followed
[11:30] How her mother changed through grief and survival
[18:20] The beginning of feeling unsafe, isolated, and disconnected
[26:40] Navigating mental health struggles and identity loss
[35:15] The turning point toward self-discovery and healing
[44:50] Reconnecting with her younger self and finding joy again

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!

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What if the anxiety, overwhelm, and patterns people struggle to break aren’t random, but the result of a nervous system that has been conditioned over time?

In this powerful episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo sits down with Rachel Lundberg, owner of Thrive Yoga and Wellness and co-founder of Yoga Oak. With over two decades of experience in yoga and nervous system work, Rachel shares her deeply personal journey through anxiety, identity shifts, and ultimately discovering the science of brain retraining and alignment.

Together, Amanda and Rachel explore how the nervous system, subconscious patterns, and repeated thoughts shape everyday experiences, and why lasting transformation requires more than surface level change. From leaving a lifelong religion to healing chronic anxiety, this conversation sheds light on what it truly means to live in alignment and how small, intentional shifts can begin to change everything.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How nervous system dysregulation can contribute to anxiety, panic, and chronic overwhelm
🔁 The role of neuroplasticity in rewiring thoughts, behaviors, and emotional responses
⚡ Why repeated thoughts and focus can reinforce patterns that no longer serve
🧩 The FAR method and how focus, associations, and repetition shape reality
🧘‍♀️ What alignment-based yoga is and why it goes beyond physical movement
🌱 How internal alignment can influence relationships, choices, and everyday life
🫁 The ABC method for creating pause and making more conscious decisions

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[03:10] Rachel shares the qualities that define her at the core: wisdom, compassion, and freedom
[07:20] The decision to leave Mormonism and navigate the impact it had on family relationships
[12:45] Anxiety, panic attacks, and the moment the nervous system reached its limit
[18:30] The search for healing through counseling, medication, and alternative approaches
[24:10] Discovering brain retraining and understanding the science of neuroplasticity
[29:40] Breaking down the FAR method: focus, associations, and repetition
[35:20] What alignment-based yoga really means and how it supports all bodies
[40:10] The ABC method for creating space, breathing, and making aligned choices

To Connect with Amanda:

Schedule a 1:1 Virtual Breathwork Session HERE

📸 Instagram: @thebreathinggoddess

Follow & Support the Podcast:

📱Instagram: @MandersMindset
👥 Join the Manders Mindset Facebook Community HERE!