Episode 128: How to Bring Your Authentic Self To Your Friendships - With Helene and Christina from the It's Your Birth Day podcast

Medium Lady Talks: Burnout Recovery for Millennials and Mothers

Hello, hi and welcome to the first interview for Season 5 of Medium Lady Talks! In this episode, I chat with Helen Schrute and Christina Cohen, therapists and hosts of the It’s YOUR Birthday Podcast. We’re talking all about friendship, partnership, trust and navigating the messy middle of life with your bestie by your side.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, you’ll hear more from my guests about:
- The incredible story of their individual challenges and how navigating a cancer diagnosis and grief after the death of a parent brought them even closer to supporting one another.

• Christina and Helene share the nuance of the closeness of their friendship and balancing the risk of a creative enterprise together - effectively becoming business partners- and how they navigate that.
• Even when you have an easy connection with a friend, it still requires your time, attention and energy to keep nurturing the relationship, in addition to boundaries and commitment!
• The Its YOUR Birthday Podcast is all about teaching women to navigate external expectations, to let go of pressure and celebrate who they want to be.
• Why deep friendship requires a bit of risk and authenticity
• Christina and Helene share the concept of “the messy middle” and why you have to tackle it before you get to a place where you can celebrate yourself daily - but don’t worry we’re also there to guide you with the tools and mindset to see the mess for the gift that it is.
• Using the “traffic light” visual to help you place where you are on your journey and how to meet your needs.
• The messy middle can also be kind of a “comfy” place for people reluctant to take their first vulnerable step towards change - we talk about some medium effort ways to make those moves and advance on the green light of your own life.
• We wrap up with a discussion about self-celebration: how do you acknowledge when you’re getting what you want out of life? How do you make that a true party?

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel equipped and inspired to choose a guiding need for 2025 that aligns with your values and supports your well-being.

Other Episodes you might like:

Episode 117: Medium Effort Advice: Help, I’m doing too much, and none of it well!

Episode 68: Is Friendship a Type of Self-Care with Roz and Erin in the Valley

Don’t miss my episode on It’s YOUR Birth Day : Episode 30: The Gift of Finding YOURSELF

Medium Lady Reads Episode 35 - We’re Back with our 2025 Reading Goals!

Connect with Helene and Christina

• Instagram: @itsyourbirthdayofficial
• Website: www.yourbirthdaypodcast.com

Connect with Erin:

• Instagram: @medium.lady
• Email: [email protected]
• Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
• Instagram: @mediumladyreads