When I put my table together in my mind, I realize something. Most of the...
The Old Barb and the New Barb are different. I am still the same person,...
Poetry helped shape me. It has changed meaning as I have gone through the seasons...
I listened to the story of Debbie, a woman who was sexually abused in childhood and I truly resonate with. From the way we were both told to be quiet about our abuse, our journeys of healing, and our coping mechanisms. In this episode, I look at...
Episode 128: Living with POTS after COVID with Rosie & Lauren
Rosie came on with her partner Lauren to tell her story of getting POTS after having COVID and how it’s affecting her life now. She’s currently in the process of trying to get a service dog which will hopefully help give her more independence. In...
When I talk to my friends about aging we’re all in this spot where we feel somewhat unfulfilled by life, like somethings missing. It makes me wonder what’s wrong and where in my life I need to improve. In this episode, I look at where I am in...
As January ends, I realize I need to reevaluate when I make goals and what a routine looks like for me. I also take time off coaching, slow down, and try to enjoy the moment which is difficult for me. But through it all I am working on creating the...
Thrifting clothes is such an important way to be both sustainable and give back to the community. I talked to students and teachers at my local high school to discuss their on site thrift shop, the change it’s making in their community, and the...
I feel a lot of anger in my life and I’m diving deep to see what I’m holding on to. Along the way I discover my healing crisis and how anger fits into the 5 stages of grief. In this episode, I’ll find strategies to deal with my anger and what I...
As we do the kitchen renovation, we’ve found layers upon layers of wallpaper and flooring. This is much like the multitude of layers of my person. I keep saying I’m going to change things and instead I rush around. So now I’m finding new ways to...
While doing our home renovation we discovered a whole treasure trove of things in the walls. One of those things was a book on humane education by an amazing woman, Irene Hart who changed the history of education for New Hampshire and helped to...
I recently watched a documentary on living to 100 and what special things people did in certain communities to allow them to live that long. Some of it was not surprising and other parts were. There was so much information that I took from this...
The holidays are upon us again and as always it’s a rollercoaster. The MollyB basket went differently this year than it had previously and that was an adjustment for us all. On top of that, I’ve had to navigate how to spend Christmas with Jack...
My business coach introduced me to double binds and it makes so much sense. I’ve created them, but a lot of other people in my life have too and it has wreaked havoc. I can now look back on past relationships and why it wasn't working. In this...
Episode 118: Starting CrossFit as an Older Woman with Leda Peterson
Leda Peterson is a wonderful CrossFit athlete helping women over 50 get into CrossFit. She knew she had to change her life and get in shape, but she was nervous about starting CrossFit at an older age. In this episode, we discuss how she overcame that...
I’m tired of people telling women to be quiet. In today’s age, so many minority groups pit themselves against another minority group and I sometimes don’t understand whose benefit that is. This is part of why I wrote Motherland. I was tired of...
In the 70s when my best friend died, I didn’t know because it wasn’t talked about. This had a lifelong impact on me full of grief and reflection. This is why when Molly died I decided to let all her friends know what was happening and allow anyone...
It seems like everyone around me is dying as I grow older. It’s a lot to process and has led me on a journey of looking into the 5 stages of grief and finding a 6th stage too. I think about the stage that I’m in versus others around me and how...
The kitchen updates continue to terrify and excite me as I remember all the times that we spent as a family in the kitchen where Molly sat. I also had my book launch and so many people I wasn’t expecting came out to support me. Key...
I’ve been thinking lately about the people I surround myself with, what that means, and the wonderful support I receive. It’s interesting to look back and see the toxic people I spent time with and how much my life has changed since then. ...
We recently had to chop down a tree that has been on our property for years. It brings me great sorrow because change is difficult for me. I have so many memories of Gracie and Molly playing under the tree and now that it’s gone it’s like a piece...
Episode 111: Writing Motherland with Virginia Macgregor
Virginia uses societal issues and turns them into beautiful stories. For the past few years she has helped me write my own story, Motherland which you can pre-order online. We spent hundreds of hours exchanging voice messages and crafting the story of...
The phrase “everything happens for a reason” drives me crazy. I found a new friend, Caitlin to commiserate with over this topic. We did CrossFit together and had the most wonderful conversation surrounding the timeline of grieving and society's...