Why so many women stay stuck in fight-or-flight and how to learn to pause and exhale

Many women are managing careers, families, aging parents, partnerships, and their own expectations, often in a constant state of inhale (fight or flight), never taking a pause or remembering to exhale.

In this episode of Spark Me, we sit down with Stacy Fritz, speaker, wellness strategist, and inventor, to talk about breath and self-regulation not as soft ideas, but as practical tools for staying well over time.

Stacy shares how her deep work with breath and nervous system regulation grew not only from years in corporate wellness, but from trying to teach her terminally ill brother how to breathe to manage pain and anxiety. That experience ultimately inspired her to invent a guided breathing tool called the vidaBALL. Along the way, she discovered that breath was not just a wellness practice, but a way through grief, stress, and sustained caregiving.

Rather than offering another list of things to fix or optimize, Stacy reframes self-care as protection. Caring for yourself now is not indulgent. It is how you stay healthy, resilient, and present for the life you are still living and the future you want to reach.

This is a Spark Me conversation about pause, nervous system awareness, and learning how to protect yourself without stepping away from the people and responsibilities you care about.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why so many women live in a constant state of “inhale” and how that keeps the body locked in fight-or-flight

• What Stacy learned trying to teach her terminally ill brother how to breathe and how that changed her work forever

• Why “protection” of your future health matters

• How to exhale and use breath as a practical tool in moments of pressure, conflict, and overwhelm

Resources mentioned in this episode

• vidaBALL – A guided breathing tool Stacy created to help people regulate their nervous systems in under two minutes - https://thevidaball.com Code: CHRISTINE

• Believe Big – A nonprofit supporting individuals and families navigating cancer through integrative and conventional care - https://believebig.org

• Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia, MD – A book referenced in the episode that reframes health around longevity, protection, and long-term decision making - https://a.co/d/bpdWU7C

• Stacy Fritz – Speaker, wellness strategist, and founder of FIT2Order
  
  
  

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What if the thing we reach for to relax is actually exhausting us—and quietly reshaping our kids’ brains along the way?

Social media is woven into nearly every part of modern life, but in this candid Spark Me conversation, Liz Graham and Michele Dempsey take a hard look at the unintended consequences of constant scrolling—for adults and kids. From dopamine hits and “bed rotting” to comparison culture and lost creativity, this episode pulls back the curtain on why so many of us feel worse the more connected we are.

Liz and Michele unpack how even grown adults struggle to self-regulate their screen time, and why that reality makes unrestricted access especially dangerous for developing brains. They explore how boredom, quiet, and presence—once natural parts of life—are being squeezed out, and what we lose when they disappear.

The conversation deepens with a powerful sidebar featuring Rachel Olszewski Conrad, who shares how she and her husband are already setting boundaries around technology for their young children. Together, they discuss parenting strategies, societal responsibility, and why this isn’t just a “parent problem,” but a cultural one.

This episode isn’t about shaming or fear—it’s about awareness, intention, and starting a movement toward healthier relationships with our phones, our kids, and ourselves.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• Why social media is engineered to deliver dopamine hits—and why that matters

• How boredom and quiet are essential for creativity, emotional regulation, and self-awareness

• Why kids’ developing brains are especially vulnerable to social media addiction

• The hidden emotional toll of comparison culture (even for adults)

• Why some platforms are uniquely dangerous for kids and teens

• Practical boundary-setting strategies for phones and screen time

• How modeling adult behavior shapes kids’ relationship with technology

  Why real change will require a societal—not just individual—shift

  
  

• Resources

  
  

• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036

• Bark – Parental monitoring and safety tools bark.us

• Common Sense Media – Research and guidance on kids & media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/parents-ultimate-guides/social-media

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If this conversation resonated with you:

• Follow Spark Me wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss a Spark Short

• Share this episode with a parent, educator, or friend navigating screen time struggles

• Leave a rating or review — it helps more women discover the show

• Tag us when you’re listening and tell us: What boundaries are you setting with social media—for yourself or your kids?

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do in your second act is walk away from a life you thought you were “supposed” to live.

This week on Spark Me, Liz and Michele sit down with Rachel Olszewski Conrad, founder of Fear Less Publicity, for a deeply honest conversation about reinvention, resilience, and trusting yourself when life takes an unexpected turn.

Rachel shares her journey from growing up in Chicago to building a life in Northeastern Pennsylvania — a path shaped by love, loss, and courage. She opens up about her first marriage, navigating divorce in her early 30s after her husband suffered a life-altering stroke, and the quiet shame and self-judgment that often accompany experiences we don’t talk about enough.

Together, the conversation explores how trauma can change people, why listening to your gut matters more than checking the boxes society hands you, and how healing often comes through unexpected paths — including therapy, community, and connection to the natural world.

This episode is a powerful reminder that starting over isn’t failure — it’s often the first step toward building a life that actually fits.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• Why divorce can feel isolating — even when it’s the right decision
• How trauma and major life events can reshape identity and relationships
• The courage it takes to trust your gut when everything feels uncertain
• Why shame keeps so many women silent — and how naming it can be freeing
• How therapy (including somatic approaches) can support both kids and adults
• What it looks like to rebuild confidence in your second act
• Why redefining success can lead to more meaningful work and life
• How unexpected paths often lead to the most aligned futures

Resources:

• Fear Less Publicity: https://fearlesspublicity.co

• Marley’s Mission (Equine Therapy Program – Clark Summit, PA): https://marleysmission.com

• University of Dayton: https://udayton.edu

• Penn State University: https://www.psu.edu

• Rushing Women's Syndrome by Dr. Libby Weaver: https://a.co/d/11Xsbkq

• DOAC - Chris Williamson: If You Don't Fix This Now, 2026 Is Already Over!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_vZ4H3uW28

Keep Sparking.

If this conversation resonated with you:

• Follow Spark Me wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode
• Share this episode with a woman navigating divorce, reinvention, or a major life pivot
• Leave a rating or review — it helps other women in their second act discover the show
• Follow us on Instagram at @sparkmepodcast and tag us when you’re listening
• Tag us when you’re listening and tell us: What part of Rachel’s story sparked something in you?

What happens when a story refuses to be forgotten?

In this Spark Short, we talk about a book that took decades to become real — not because it was being written, but because it was being lived.

What started as cassette tapes mailed back and forth between a father and daughter slowly became a memoir spanning war, reinvention, service, and legacy. From fighter pilot missions in Vietnam to starting a brand-new business at 56 — and publishing a book at nearly 90 — this is a reminder that reinvention doesn’t belong to the young.

We talk about:

• Why so many people carry a “book inside them” but never release it

• How technology (and AI) made preserving this story possible

• Why some projects are meant to be labors of love — not profit

• The power of finishing something meaningful

• And what it looks like to keep creating sparks, no matter your age

This conversation is about memory, courage, service, and honoring the stories that shaped us — before they disappear.

✨ If you’ve ever thought “one day, I’ll write it” — this one’s for you.

Check out the book "One Of The Few: A True Account of Courage and Stepping into the Fight" On Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/One-Few-Account-Courage-Stepping/dp/B0DWYRT8YR

Keep Sparking

If this conversation resonated with you:

• Follow Spark Me wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss a Spark Short

• Share this episode with a friend navigating loss, caregiving, or a changing family dynamic

• Leave a rating or review — it helps other women in their second act discover the show

What if grief wasn’t something to “get over,” but something we learn how to carry — together?

This week on Spark Me, Liz and Michele open up about a chapter of life many of us enter quietly and unprepared: losing our parents. Over the past year, both have navigated profound loss while continuing to show up for work, family, friendships, and this very podcast.

They talk honestly about what grief actually looks like in real life — not just in the immediate aftermath, but in the months that follow. The empty chairs at holidays. The moments you instinctively reach for the phone to call someone who isn’t there anymore. The strange comfort of talking to loved ones after they’re gone, and the different ways faith, spirituality, science, and belief can help us make sense of it all.

Liz shares reflections on caregiving, anticipatory grief, and how loss reshaped her perspective on happiness, travel, and time. Michele reflects on losing both parents in the same year, finding comfort in signs, conversations, and legacy — including a powerful reminder to “Be Roberta,” honoring a beloved caregiver whose kindness left a lasting mark.

Together, they explore not just grief, but gratitude. Not just loss, but the light that can still exist alongside it. And they begin a larger conversation about how we prepare — or don’t — for aging, caregiving, and the end of life.

If you’re navigating grief, caring for aging parents, or simply feeling the weight of this chapter of life, this conversation is for you.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• Why midlife often becomes the season of losing parents — and why it can feel so disorienting

• What grief looks like after the funeral, in everyday moments and quiet spaces

• Different ways people stay connected to loved ones after they’re gone

• How faith, spirituality, science, or personal belief can coexist in grief

• Why the “firsts” after loss — holidays, traditions, routines — can be especially hard

• How caregiving and anticipatory grief quietly shape our emotional lives

• Why talking about death, aging, and planning ahead can actually be an act of love

• How honoring someone’s legacy can become a daily practice (“Be Roberta”)

• A powerful perspective shift: letting grief deepen gratitude instead of diminishing joy

  
  

Keep Sparking

If this conversation resonated with you:

• Follow Spark Me wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss a Spark Short

• Share this episode with a friend navigating loss, caregiving, or a changing family dynamic

• Leave a rating or review — it helps other women in their second act discover the show

• Tag us when you’re listening and tell us: What has helped you navigate grief or honor someone you’ve lost?

  
  

What if life feels fuller when we notice just how much there is to be grateful for in every part of it?

In this heartfelt Spark Short, Liz and Michele share how this holiday season is bringing surprising joy, deeper connection, and fresh starts—even in the middle of big life changes.

From a relaxed, sun‑soaked Thanksgiving at a North Carolina beach house to a bustling family gathering back home with all the classic recipes, they show how traditions can evolve and still feel just as rich and meaningful.

Liz talks about trading a 20‑person Thanksgiving for a smaller, more intimate celebration that left space for real conversation, laughter, and the cherished ritual of toasting loved ones who are no longer at the table—making her even more grateful for everyone who still is.

Michele celebrates a house full of family, the joy of her son choosing EMDR work so he can “let go of his past and get to his future” and the gratitude she feels for the everyday moments with her dad that became some of her most meaningful memories.

Work and purpose are in a season of growth too. Michele shares the excitement of her firm’s new merger and the energy of collaborating with trusted partners, plus the honor of earning recent AIA design awards on projects that celebrate community and courage. Liz reflects on cheering on the latest Amplify women’s leadership cohort, the unexpected delight of being told her work and this very podcast are changing lives, and the quiet power of helping women step into their leadership.

The conversation wraps with two perfectly timed book recs for the season: Liz’s pick, Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, a warm, hope‑filled novel about a mysterious stranger whose quiet kindness and gift of “seeing” people transforms an entire town. Michele’s pick, The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, offers empowering, practical ideas for parents and communities who want to help kids (and themselves) spend less life on screens and more life in the real world.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• How to reimagine traditions so they reflect who you are now

• Simple ways to turn errands, walks, and dinners into lasting memories

• Why naming what you “see” in someone might be the greatest gift you give this year

• How work, purpose, and healing can all flourish—even during the holidays

Resources & Mentions

Books:

• Theo of Golden — Allen Levi

• The Anxious Generation — Jonathan Haidt

Links:

• LayerX Architecture — https://layerxstudio.com/

• Amplify Women’s Leadership Program — https://leadershipnortheast.org/programs/amplify-womens-leadership-certificate-program/

Keep Sparking

If this conversation resonated with you:

• Follow Spark Me wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss a Spark Short
• Share this episode with a friend navigating grief, shifting traditions, or seeking presence this season
• Leave a rating or review — it helps other women in their second act discover the show
• Tag us when you’re listening and tell us: What are you most grateful for right now?