Girl Chat w/ Fi: Dating, Ozempic, New Job & Austin Life
The "Pursuit of Wellness" podcast offers an intimate glimpse into the hosts' personal journeys and evolving priorities. In this episode, Mari candidly shares the emotional and physical toll of her ongoing IVF treatment, while Fiona finds reprieve through adult ballet classes. The discussion highlights their transitions, including Fiona's pursuit of a real estate license and Mari's shift to a more casual podcast format to accommodate her IVF needs.
The hosts also reflect on their friendship dynamics, lessons learned from past intense careers, and the significance of empathy in relationships. As they navigate major life changes, Mari and Fiona emphasize the importance of self-care, balance, and aligning commitments with personal values and well-being.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Feb 6, 2025 episode of the Pursuit of Wellness
Sign up for Shortform to access the whole episode summary along with additional materials like counterarguments and context.
1-Page Summary
Personal Growth and Self-Care
Mari's IVF Journey Is Consuming Her Life
Mari candidly shares the extreme physical and emotional toll of her ongoing IVF treatment. As she awaits embryo transfer, she feels her life is paused, describing herself as a "science experiment." Despite nearing her goal after two years, the excruciating wait takes solace in prayer and gratitude.
Fiona Finds Peace in Ballet
Fiona reveals how taking adult ballet classes offers a mentally and physically refreshing break from technology's distractions. The phone-free practice allows Fiona to learn a new skill that boosts her confidence and rekindles a childlike sense of wonder.
Career Transitions and Professional Development
Fiona's Texas Real Estate License
Fiona dedicates roughly five hours daily to her 180-hour coursework, already passing four of six exams. Her Bloom experiences boosted confidence for this career change. She looks forward to joining a local team to gain practical skills.
Mari's Podcast Evolves With Her Priorities
To accommodate her IVF needs, Mari shifted to more casual solo episodes and "Girl Chats" with Fiona rather than intensive guest interviews. However, a high-profile guest facilitated by Fiona is upcoming.
Relationships and Dating
Fiona Navigates Dating Intentionally
Drawing from past mistakes, Fiona guards her privacy when dating. She seeks partners aligned with her values who understand her experiences, having learned the significance of empathy and mutual support.
Mari and Fiona's Relaxed Friendship
Without career ties, Mari and Fiona's bond is more authentic, allowing vulnerability. Their dynamic provides comfort during major life transitions like IVF and real estate endeavors.
Reflections on Past Experiences and Lessons Learned
Careers Harmed Mari and Fiona's Well-Being
Reminiscing on relentless schedules at Bloom, both recognize the unsustainability of that intense lifestyle's toll on their health, despite the experiences helping their growth.
Mari and Fiona Value Balance and Self-Care
Now selective with commitments, Mari and Fiona prioritize needs like sleep and hobbies. Fiona underscores empathy's role in their healthy relationship dynamics and overall wellbeing.
1-Page Summary
Additional Materials
Actionables
- You can explore new hobbies that offer a mental break by signing up for a local class unrelated to your current interests or profession, like pottery or gardening, to find a refreshing escape and potentially discover a new passion.
- Dedicate a specific time each day for personal development by blocking out a 30-minute slot in your calendar for an online course or skill-building activity that aligns with your long-term goals, ensuring consistent progress without overwhelming your schedule.
- Create a "values profile" for your personal relationships by listing the qualities that are most important to you and referring to it when meeting new people, to help guide your interactions and ensure alignment with your core beliefs.
Get access to the context and additional materials
Personal Growth and Self-Care
In a deep dive into the importance of self-care and personal growth, we explore Mari's intense journey through IVF and how Fiona uses ballet as an outlet for peace and self-expression.
Mari's IVF Journey Is Impacting Her Life
Mari shares her deeply personal and challenging experience with IVF treatment, reflecting on the physical and emotional toll it takes.
Life on Pause as Mari Awaits Embryo Transfer
Mari expresses that her IVF process is consuming her life, making it feel as though everything is on pause. She details the exhaustive countdown to her embryo transfer, noting how it has become the central focus of her existence, rendering other aspects of her life seemingly irrelevant.
IVF's Physical and Emotional Toll Makes Mari Feel Like a "Science Experiment."
Discussing the demanding nature of her treatment, Mari describes feeling like a "science experiment," facing a barrage of pills, patches, suppositories, and injections. This overwhelming regimen contributes to her feeling exhausted and detached from her usual routine and even life itself, as she navigates the pressures of attempting to conceive.
Despite Nearing Her Goal, Mari Must Wait, Which Is Excruciating, but She Takes Solace in Prayer and Gratitude
Though nearing her goal of having a baby after about two years of trying, Mari finds the waiting process excruciating. She copes by engaging in prayers of gratitude, seeking solace in her faith to guide her through the challenging experience and holding on to hope.
Fiona's Hobbies Help Her Find Peace
Across from Mari's story, Fiona shares how engaging with ballet as a hobby has led to improved mental and physical well-being and enhanced self-confidence.
Fiona Finds Adult Ballet Mentally and Physically Refreshing
Fiona has embraced adult ballet classes at Ballet Austin, which serve as a mentally and physically refreshing activity for her. Not only is she enjoying the physical aspect of it, but ballet also presents an opportunity to learn something new, engage her mind, and take a break from the constant distractions of techn ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Personal Growth and Self-Care
Additional Materials
Actionables
- Create a personal ritual to navigate emotionally taxing experiences, like writing in a journal or taking a daily walk, to provide a sense of control and normalcy. By establishing a routine that's comforting and predictable, you can create a safe space for yourself amidst the uncertainty of challenging life events, similar to how prayer and gratitude offered solace during the waiting periods of IVF.
- Explore a new hobby that requires physical engagement, such as gardening or pottery, to find mental clarity and a break from digital distractions. Engaging in a hands-on activity can serve as a therapeutic outlet and a way to learn new skills, much like ballet did by offering a phone-free environment and a boost in confidence.
- Set asid ...
Get access to the context and additional materials
Career Transitions and Professional Development
Fiona and Mari share insights into their personal development and shifts in their professional lives, highlighting dedication to education and pivoting priorities in response to lifestyle changes.
Fiona's Texas Real Estate License
Fiona's journey towards earning her Texas real estate license exhibits her commitment to professional growth.
Fiona's Dedication To Completing 180-hour Coursework and Exams
Fiona has put in a considerable amount of effort to fulfill Texas's requirement of 180 hours of coursework for a real estate license—far more than in other states like Maryland, which requires only 60 hours. She allocates roughly five hours each day, Monday through Sunday, for studying and takes weekly tests, which are proctored and intense. Fiona has successfully passed four out of the six course exams. Despite the demand of the coursework, her aim is to finish by the end of February or the first week of March, and she even plans to take a break to travel and refresh.
Fiona's Bloom Experiences Boosted Her Confidence for a New Career Path
Leveraging her past experience with building a podcast studio and organizing events at Bloom, Fiona feels prepared to start a new career. Although the prospect of working in real estate initially made her apprehensive, the encouragement from others who believe she will excel has been reassuring.
Fiona Is Excited to Join a Real Estate Team and Build Practical Skills From Experienced Agents
Fiona is eager to join a brokerage and a real estate team in Austin, where she will shadow experienced agents, attend open houses, and become familiar with listings. Her practical skills, she believes, will be honed better through in-field observation and participation. Having signed a lease for another year in Austin, Fiona is enthusiastic to build on her robust skillset and embrace the challenges in the new domain with confidence.
Mari's Podcast Evolves With Her Lifestyle and Priorities
Mari's shifting priorities are reflected in the evolution of her podcast as she navigates through personal milestones.
Mari Is Prioritizing Solo Episodes and "Girl Chat" With Fiona
Recently, Mari has turned to focus more on solo episod ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Career Transitions and Professional Development
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Fiona's Bloom experiences involved building a podcast studio and organizing events, providing her with valuable skills in project management and event coordination. These experiences boosted her confidence in transitioning to a new career in real estate by showcasing her ability to take on new challenges and adapt to different environments. Fiona's time at Bloom equipped her with transferable skills that she believes will be beneficial in her upcoming role in the real estate industry.
- Mari's IVF journey has been consuming, leading to a natural decrease in guest interviews for her podcast. This personal experience has prompted Mari to prioritize solo episodes and "Girl Chat" sessions with Fiona, adjusting her podcast content to align with her current circumstances. The emotional and physical demands of the IVF process have made Mari more selective with her podcast commitments, allowing her to focus on her well-being and the evolving priorities in her life.
- Mari's podcast featuring a high-profile guest facilitated by Fiona signifies a significant mileston ...
Get access to the context and additional materials
Relationships and Dating
Fiona's journey in the world of relationships and dating is one of personal growth, careful consideration of privacy, value alignment, and an evolving, supportive friendship with her friend Mari.
Fiona Navigates Dating With an Intentional Approach
Fiona has adopted a cautious and intentional approach to dating, drawing on lessons from her past relationships to guide her current dating life.
Fiona Cautiously Avoids Public Personal Life Sharing After Past Mistakes
Fiona is reticent when it comes to disclosing details about her personal life and dating experiences. She reflects on a previous relationship that she may have shared publicly a little too soon. Fiona seems hesitant to speak about a trip that involved a man, indicating a more cautious approach to how she shares aspects of her personal life.
Fiona Seeks Partners Aligning With Her Values and Experiences, Not Molding Them
Recognizing the importance of shared experiences in a partnership, Fiona expresses the need for a partner who can relate to her on a deeper level, specifically someone with a similar upbringing. She places a premium on understanding and connection, particularly with someone who has experienced what it's like coming from a divorced family.
Fiona's Past Relationships Taught Her Empathy and Acceptance
Fiona cherishes empathy in a relationship and has learned the significance of mutual emotional support. She identifies herself as very empathetic and seeks a partner who values and reciprocates this trait. Her past experiences with a narcissistic and avoidant partner have fueled her empathy and highlighted the importance of feeling supported and understood.
Mari and Fiona's Friendship Evolved After Work
The friendship between Mari and Fiona has blossomed in a new direction since they stopped working together, becoming a source of personal comfort and support.
Friends Feel Relaxed and Authentic Without Career Pressures
Without the pressures of a shared workplace, Mari and Fiona's inter ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Relationships and Dating
Additional Materials
Actionables
- Create a personal values checklist for dating to ensure alignment with potential partners. Before going on dates, take some time to write down your core values and experiences that are important to you in a relationship. Use this checklist as a guide when getting to know someone new, to see if there's a match in what you both consider essential.
- Start a 'reciprocity diary' to track empathy in your relationships. Keep a small journal where you note instances where you've shown empathy and when your partner has reciprocated. This can help you become more aware of the balance in your relationship and whether your need for empathy is being met.
- Establish a 'comfort circle' with a close friend, si ...
Get access to the context and additional materials
Reflections on Past Experiences and Lessons Learned
Mari Llewellyn and Fiona Attix share their experiences, reflecting on how high-demand careers strained their well-being, and discuss the ways they now prioritize balance and self-care.
Careers Harmed Mari and Fiona's Well-Being
Mari and Fiona reminisce about their earlier careers, revealing how a relentless schedule and performance pressure without boundaries led to significant strain on their mental health and overall well-being.
Mari and Fiona Reminisce About Their Nonstop Schedule, Performance Pressure, and Lack of Boundaries
The women recall a time when being the best and the busiest was synonymous with productivity and success. Mari shares a specific moment of feeling overwhelmed to the point of tears after an event in London, demonstrating the constant push to always say yes and keep working with no regard for personal limits. This hectic lifestyle of continuously packed schedules included Mari's routine of a pre-dawn workout followed by a day hyper-scheduled into 30-minute segments, while Fiona looks back on that time as a different life altogether.
Burnout at Bloom Revealed the Lifestyle's Unsustainability
Their reflections on flying to London for Bloom events, involving photo shoots and meet-and-greets, showcase how these experiences illuminated the unsustainability of their past lifestyle. Both acknowledge their burnout and the taxing nature of unceasing work at Bloom, with Fiona explicitly stating that last year's end evidenced that the prevailing work dynamic was broken. Their eventual move to Austin from LA was a significant shift, symbolizing a step back from drowning in work.
Grateful for Growth, Unlikely to Replicate Intensity
Although challenging, Mari and Fiona express gratitude for how their past intensity facilitated personal growth and learning. They recognize the unsustainability of their previous lives but also appreciate the doors it has opened, such as Mari's capacity to take breaks now. Fiona's leap into real estate, while daunting, is met with confidence from her experience at Bloom, signaling the ability to embark on new ventures thanks to past trials.
Mari and Fiona Value Balance and Self-Care
Today, Mari and Fiona place a high premium on balancing their professional lives with self-care and personal fulfillment, setting an example for others facing similar challenges.
Women Prioritize Their Needs and Boundaries By Being Selective With Time and Commitments
Mari and Fiona reveal how they've adapted life post-Bloom. They greatly value their individua ...
Here’s what you’ll find in our full summary
Reflections on Past Experiences and Lessons Learned
Additional Materials
Actionables
- You can create a "No Meetings" day each week to ensure you have uninterrupted time for deep work or self-care. By blocking out one day with no meetings, you give yourself the space to focus on tasks that require concentration or to engage in activities that replenish your energy, like reading a book or taking a long walk.
- Start a "Boundary Buddy" system with a friend or colleague where you hold each other accountable for maintaining work-life balance. This could involve regular check-ins to discuss challenges and successes in setting boundaries, sharing tips on how to say no to additional commitments, and providing support when one of you feels pressured to overcommit.
- Implement a "Pleasure Points" journal where you record daily the simple pleasures that bring ...
Get access to the context and additional materials
Create Summaries for anything on the web
Download the Shortform Chrome extension for your browser
