Episode 90 - Firecracker Lilly, a Childfree Italian Expat who Found a New Path

Dr. Fern Wickson is an Australian citizen who has been living and working in Norway for 15 years. With a PhD across natural and social sciences and a keen interest in how we think about, talk about, and enact the relationship between humanity and nature, Fern identifies as a transdisciplinary ecologist. Her work aims to advance sustainable and resilient futures for the whole community of life on Earth through understanding and facilitating interactions between science, ethics, and politics in environmental conservation and management. Fern is currently the Scientific Secretary of NAMMCO (the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission) - an intergovernmental organization that provides advice on the conservation and management of whales and seals. Previously, she has worked as a Research Professor of environmental governance, leading a group on the sustainable and responsible development of emerging technologies (i.e., biotechnologies and nanotechnologies). As a Lead Facilitator for Homeward Bound, a global leadership initiative for women in STEMM, Fern has participated in the largest all-female expedition to Antarctica, twice. She is also a yoga and meditation teacher running her own studio, The Peaceful Wild, in northern Norway. When she is not working, Fern enjoys hiking, snowboarding, kayaking, reading, and hanging out with her pets. You can find more information about Fern here: https://www.fernwickson.com/ And more about Homeward Bound here: https://homewardboundprojects.com.au/ Fuel that Fire!

Angie Cibis is a 41-year-old freelance graphic designer living in Los Angeles with her husband and rescue pup. A dedicated urbanite despite (or maybe because of) growing up in rural IL, she lives in the middle of Los Angeles by way of Chicago. She has a BA in Graphic Design and a MA in Psychology and credits being childfree for making it simpler to start her own business, be an activist, and travel internationally. And while Angie's gotten plenty of negative comments about being childfree, she's ever-grateful for a life not defined by parenthood. You can get in touch with Angie here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angiecibis/   https://www.instagram.com/angiecibisdesign/   https://www.instagram.com/the_flyingsquirrel/   https://angiecibis.com/   Fuel that Fire!

Nirupama grew up in India and lived there until last year when she moved to the UK. She has been a content writer by profession in the past, but this last year has made her slow down and realize that her interests lie somewhere else, mainly in writing and in learning new languages. She’s happily married for 9 years to a person she fell in love with 10 years ago. While they never sat down and decided to talk about children, the decision to be childfree was smooth and organic for the both of us. They love being with each other and don’t feel ‘incomplete’ without children. It wasn’t until a friend recently called her courageous and brave that she realized the decision to be childfree requires strength. Because she is choosing to stand up for herself, to question societal norms. She wishes everybody would prioritize themselves over anything else, especially when it comes to big life decisions. You can find Nirupama’s pieces on Medium here: https://nirupama-kondayya.medium.com/ And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/niruvaana/ Fuel that Fire!

Hanna was born in Australia, but right now you can find her in Berlin, or somewhere on the road with her campervan @_herbertthevan, her curly-haired husband, and their two dogs, Felix and Baloo.  She’s a yoga teacher, but don’t let that put you off! She keeps it real, and funny, and she started a YouTube channel called 'Real Yoga,' in order to promote a style of yoga that allows you to be yourself. For real. She practices what she preaches and encourages true authenticity both on and off the mat. She is a Disney-freak, a vegetarian, an ally and a moon-lover who only wears stretchy pants. You can find more about Hanna here: https://www.realyoga.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/_realyoga/ https://www.instagram.com/_herbertthevan/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsXOiV3I3uhsp2hiLvIheTw https://www.facebook.com/realyoga.com.au/   Fuel that Fire!

Christina and Nadine were born in NYC. They are both childfree by choice, and they also belong to the LGBTQ+ community. Their stories of coming out of the closet, and "coming out" as childfree, are a must-listen!  Christina is a 31-year-old, queer, vegan, traveler who realized she did not want kids after getting married to a cis-man at 19 and divorced at 22. After spending time traveling across the world alone, she began to embrace her freedom and believes we should take care of the people already on this planet, rather than continuing to overpopulate it. She recently went through a breakup after being with her partner for 5.5 years over the topic of children and is more vocal about her choice than ever. Now living in Denver with her twin sister and fur babies they are living fulfilling childfree lives. Nadine is a 31-year-old, lesbian and moto enthusiast living in Denver with her partner of 5 years. Nadine knew from a young age that she never wanted children due to her own complicated relationship with her mother. Having relied on her twin sister more for support, Nadine never felt the mother/daughter bond, nor the desire to have her own. Instead, Nadine chooses to embrace her financial freedom and independence, while pursuing a career in fashion. Fuel that Fire!

Nicola is a Certified Shamanic Practitioner who specializes in Shadow Work for Women who is passionate about exploring the hidden side of the female psyche and why women behave and believe, react and act, and live and relate the way they do. Through her work at The Feminine Principle, she supports professional women who are experiencing a mid-life identity crisis and are struggling with uncomfortable emotions and unhealthy patterns that trigger anxiety, stress, and discomforting memories. She helps them to break free from the ghosts of the past by helping them to know who they truly are beneath the surface beneath all the layers of their conditioned and wounded self so they can start to live a life full of power and freedom with a clear sense of purpose and inner confidence. Explore the Shadow Work for Women 9-Month Program and Book a Free Consultation with Nicola at https://thefeminineprinciple.com Fuel that Fire!

Dr. Angela L. Harris is the Creator of Harris 316 Consulting & Services, LLC, which houses both her mental health advocacy and childfree lifestyle brands. Dr. Harris is a Speaker, Author, Blogger, and Podcaster. As a Childfree Lifestyle Motivator, Dr. Harris is the Visionary and Founder of #NoBibsBurpsBottles, a supportive community for childfree African American women. Dr. Harris offers 1:1 coaching, an intimate group empowerment course, childfree pride merchandise, is the host of a popular podcast and blog about childfree living, and author of the book, “#NoBibsBurpsBottles: The Stories of African American Women without Children.” As a Mental Health and Wellness Advocate, Dr. Harris offers mental health and wellness workshops to Black churches and agencies that serve marginalized communities. She strives to help decrease the stigma of mental health, and promotes the intersection of spirituality, mental health and wellness. Dr. Harris received her doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. She has over 20 years of experience working as a higher education administrator and is currently the Assistant Dean of Students at a small liberal arts college. Connect with Angela by clicking on these links: www.NoBibsBurpsBottles.com www.instagram.com/NoBibsBurpsBottles www.twitter.com/NoBibsBurpsBott www.facebook/com/DrAngelaLHarris   Fuel that Fire!  

Raised in Pensacola, Florida, and living throughout the Southeastern U.S., Eliza has grown up living in a conservative and religious society where girls are groomed to want to become mothers. Women who do not want to become a mother are seen as lesser than, and undesirable. Growing up Eliza did want a biological child like every other girl, not really thinking about what motherhood is actually about and just assuming something one would do one day since "you are a girl." It was not until her mid-20s that it dawned on her that she actually did not want children.   Between reading stories from online communities for the childfree, regretful parents and sitting down with herself to figure out what she wanted in life, having kids was not on the list. Slowing down and looking back on her younger years as she planned her future ahead, a child was never really part of her story. The desire was actually never really there. There comes a point in life where you have to stop living for others and live for yourself, regardless of the mindset of the people you grew up with and live around.   After getting out of a long-term relationship, Eliza has finally decided to put herself first and no longer waver to the desires and opinions of others. With a Bachelor's of Science in Agriculture, she has studied the impact of how human consumption and demand affect the environment in detrimental ways. She has done research papers on how the human population affects those demands and how the Agriculture industry is struggling to keep up with said demand due to land use tension between Animal Agriculture and space for humans to live. Eliza wishes to pursue a Master's in Marine Biology to study how Animal Agriculture, from animal waste to pesticides from water runoff affects the behavior of species in the ocean and in turn affects how these species interact with humans. As a Vegan and Environmentalist, Eliza wishes to shed light on how the human populace is an overwhelming parasite to the earth's ecosystem- something she doesn't want to contribute to. She believes not having a child is one of the most impactful ways to do this.   Fuel that Fire!

Genea spent her early childhood in Portland, Oregon where she suffered multiple childhood traumas. As a result, she started studying people, noticing and cataloging the subtlest changes in their behavior, tone, and body language. The ability to intuit what is hidden beneath the surface became an invaluable superpower in her life and her practice. In her mid-twenties, after a devastating heartbreak, Genea took her first conscious step towards healing. She chose for the first time in her life to feel her feelings. In the years to follow, she explored traditional talk therapy, hypnotherapy, bodywork, and transformational work. Her commitment to purpose, healing, and daily meditation practice keep her grounded, connected, and clear. As an Elevation Guide, Genea is committed to the elevation of humanity. She works with individuals and groups to create greater effectiveness and ease in their lives. By working directly with the subconscious mind, she is able to quickly and gently eliminate and neutralize self-sabotaging behavior, emotional triggers, unwanted patterns, and limiting beliefs. She increases self-esteem and self-worth by up to 80%, reduces excessive emotional reactions by 70% or more, and facilitates the cultivation of the foundational building blocks needed to achieve current and future goals. Connect with Genea here: Website: https://geneabarnes-elevate.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genea-barnes/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geneabarneselevate Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geneabarnes/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/geneabarnes/ Self-Sabotaging Sagas podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-sabotaging-sagas/id1558786918?fbclid=IwAR3D_Aibx_2VnBcec7D2G9S0OdRMwgqKvXr3J5oi3P-LAGkttKyOLJM4Ib8 Fuel that Fire!

Born and raised in Italy, she has been living in the United States and Canada for the past two decades. In her 20s and 30s, she thought she would dedicate her life to working for international NGOs supporting girls’ education and women’s rights around the world. Instead, due to health challenges, she had to reassess her career objectives, as well as her personal objective (having kids), and turn them into something manageable for her health. She decided to become a certified coach using her direct experiences from living and working internationally to support women with self-development, relocation, and their internal journey of re-defining themselves when life plans change due to unexpected turns. Because it took her years to find her self-worth independently from societal expectations, church expectations, or any other external expectations, she wants to share her story as a platform to support women who, similar to her situation, had to learn to be self-confident and unapologetic about who they are, and who they are not, with their family, in their communities, and society at large. You can find Lilly by clicking on these links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilianavercellotti/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/2904737776479797   Fuel that Fire!