The Feisty Heroine

What happens when you trust your gut—even when the world tells you not to? In this episode of The Feisty Heroine Podcast , Rachel talks with writer Marla Stein , a 53-year-old New Yorker turned Valencia, Spain local, about two defining “feisty heroine” moments: advocating for herself at 32 after a doctor dismissed a breast lump (which proved to be cancer) and, years later, rebuilding a life abroad...

What if happiness isn’t measured by square footage, matching furniture, or a scripted timeline? In this Feisty Fridays episode, Rachel Beck dives into inspiring stories of women rewriting what it means to live well — from the Birdnest community in Texas (11 women, 9 dogs, no husbands) to the growing love for tiny homes, minimalism, and having fewer things but more peace. Rachel shares her own jour...

What if you stopped living the life you “should” and followed your inner voice instead? In this episode of The Feisty Heroine Podcast , Rachel Beck talks with Joanna , a 41-year-old licensed marriage & family therapist from San Francisco, who is choosing reinvention : an open-ended journey abroad with her dog, a Lisbon-to-Budapest road trip, and a plan to claim EU citizenship through Hungarian...

The headlines called it her fairytale ending — but what does Taylor Swift’s engagement really say about how we view women’s worth? In this Feisty Friday mini-sode of The Feisty Heroine Podcast , Rachel unpacks why society still treats engagement as the ultimate achievement for women, even for someone as wildly successful as Taylor. ✨ You’ll hear: How the media frames powerful women as “complete”...

In this powerful and unapologetic episode of The Feisty Heroine Podcast , host Rachel Beck sits down with Abreya—a self-proclaimed “black sheep” from the Midwest who refuses to shrink herself to fit into anyone’s mold. From being raised by a single mother in Des Moines to choosing permanent child-free living through a bilateral salpingectomy (just 10 days before Roe v. Wade was overturned), Abreya...

From “Ozempic face” to red-light masks to the endless pressure to stay young, thin, and flawless — beauty culture is everywhere. But what happens when self-care turns into self-surveillance? When beauty stops feeling like joy and starts feeling like a bully? In this week’s Feisty Fridays , Rachel Beck dives into the toxic cycle of self-optimization and why women are constantly told they’re “not en...

In this powerful episode of The Feisty Heroine Podcast , host Rachel Beck sits down with renowned social scientist and author Dr. Bella DePaulo to explore what it really means to live a full, empowered, and joyful life as a single woman. Together, they challenge the cultural myths around marriage, partnership, and “happily ever after.” Bella introduces her groundbreaking concept of being Single at...

In this Feisty Fridays mini-sode, host Rachel Beck dives into the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth I—known as the “Virgin Queen”—and the bold choice that defined her reign: never marrying. Drawing from the BBC’s Why the Virgin Queen Never Married , (link to the article here. ) Rachel explores how Elizabeth defied the intense pressure to wed, navigated political and personal challenges, and built...

In this deeply personal solo episode of The Feisty Heroine Podcast , host Rachel Beck shares her cautionary tale of falling back into a relationship with a narcissistic ex—and how it nearly cost her her sense of self. From subtle red flags to emotional manipulation, Rachel takes us inside the emotional toll of dating a covert narcissist. She opens up about the gaslighting, the conditional affectio...

In this week’s Feisty Fridays, we’re talking about… pockets . Yep. But don’t let the topic fool you—this one’s about freedom, function, and feminism . Rachel dives into the surprising history behind why women’s clothes still lack real pockets—and why that matters more than you think. From fake pockets at work to navigating New York City without a bag, she weaves in her own experience and the work...

In this powerful episode of The Feisty Heroine Podcast , Rachel sits down with Cheri Bergeron—author and founder of the nonprofit Cheri’s Choice —to unpack the messy, beautiful truth about motherhood on your own terms. From navigating fertility treatments and donor conception, to challenging toxic relationships and outdated societal timelines, Cheri shares her personal journey to becoming a solo m...

In this Feisty Fridays mini-sode, Rachel dives into the growing tension between two extremes of modern womanhood: the boss babe hustle and the tradwife trend. Both claim to empower women—but do they really offer freedom? With the rise of right-wing female influencers and performative femininity on one side, and burnout culture on the other, Rachel calls for a new path—one where women reclaim their...

What happens when a successful attorney trades the office for the open road? In this episode, Sara Wardlow (@justiceonthemove) shares her journey into van life and solo travel, revealing how a nomadic lifestyle opened the door to deep personal growth, healing, and radical self-discovery. We talk about challenging societal expectations, redefining success, and the freedom that comes from living on...

This week, I’m sharing what happened when I finally sat down to watch Barbie with my mom—and why it didn’t go the way I hoped. From smashed baby dolls to America Ferrera’s monologue, the film hit me in all the ways it was meant to… but for my mom? Not so much. In this episode, I unpack the generational gap between women who grew up surviving patriarchy and those of us now daring to question it. We...

In this episode of the Feisty Heroine Podcast, Rachel Beck speaks with Janel Forsythe about her experiences as a single woman in her early thirties navigating societal expectations and cultural pressures regarding marriage and relationships. Janel shares her journey of self-discovery, the impact of literature on her perspective, and the importance of community and self-love. They discuss the evolv...

Have you ever been called "too much" for simply showing up as your full self? In this Feisty Friday mini-sode, host Rachel Beck dives into what that label really means—and why it’s often more about others' discomfort than your truth. From leveling up in life to facing fragile egos at work and in relationships, Rachel unpacks the pressure women face to shrink, soften, and silence themselves. She sh...

In this powerful episode, Rachel Beck sits down with Casey Engles, a young widow, mother, and soon-to-be podcast host, to explore her deeply personal journey through grief, cancer, widowhood, solo parenting, and healing. After losing her husband Joel to cancer, Casey found herself navigating motherhood alone at 35 years old, while also confronting the emotional toll of caregiving, fertility preser...

In this empowering episode of Feisty Fridays , Rachel Beck unpacks the emotional undercurrents of weddings, love, and societal expectations—especially for women who are single, healing, or simply choosing a different path. Drawing from her personal story and cultural critique, Rachel challenges the belief that marriage equals worth and shares why real fulfillment starts with self-acceptance and pe...

In this empowering solo episode of The Feisty Heroine Podcast , host Rachel Beck reflects on what it really means to turn 45 in a world that tries to convince women their value has a deadline. From burning bridges that no longer serve you to embracing reinvention and rewriting your story, Rachel shares five raw and transformative lessons she's learned on her journey. Whether you're approac...

In this episode of Feisty Fridays , host Rachel Beck shares what it felt like to get a message from a man who disappeared without a trace—18 months later. Old Rachel might’ve read it with hope. But the woman she is now? Unbothered. Clear. And not here for weak comebacks. This mini-sode is a love letter to every woman who’s ever felt flattered by crumbs—and is now reclaiming her peace, her power, a...

After two long marriages, decades of caregiving, and putting everyone else first, Sandra Anderson reached a powerful turning point: she decided to finally choose herself. In this inspiring episode, Sandra joins Rachel to talk about what it means to redefine your life at 69 . From navigating divorce and financial challenges to embracing solo travel, personal boundaries, and the joy of living alone...

In this unapologetic Feisty Fridays episode, host Rachel calls out the disturbing trend of governments incentivizing motherhood through money, medals, and messaging that ties a woman’s worth to her womb. From historical manipulation to modern-day control, this conversation explores how reproductive value has been used as a political weapon — and why women must reclaim their autonomy now more than...

What do marathons and healing after heartbreak have in common? A lot more than you might think. In this episode, Rachel shares her powerful journey through 9 marathons—including the Boston Marathon on the 50th anniversary of women running the race—and how running became her lifeline after divorce. Her journey to complete the 6 Abbott World Major Marathons took a decade of her life. From chasing fi...

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month—and in this raw and powerful Feisty Friday , host Rachel shares a deeply personal story that reflects a truth many women know too well: sometimes, the scariest thing isn’t the unknown—it’s being followed, watched, or dismissed. From a chilling experience in the NYC subway to a viral debate where women chose a bear over a man in the woods, this episode dives...

What happens when you stop chasing approval and start choosing yourself ? In this empowering episode, I sit down with Jennifer Kirk—aka The Happy Maverick —to talk all things independence, singlehood, and the radical joy of doing life on your own terms. From walking away from traditional gender roles to embracing solo travel and financial freedom, Jennifer shares her journey of breaking the mold a...