Episodit
-
This week I introduce a new segment Iâm launching, and I share a fun story of a friend I made in an unlikely place. I also talk about the new Netflix documentary series (and my subsequent deep dive) about the Murdaugh murder story.
Iâm so excited to introduce âAsk Your BFF.â I have spent the last 20 years of my life externally processing every situation of mine and my friends lives through thousands of hours of beautiful conversations. Talking through my emotions, feeling seen and making sure my friends keep me in check has been one of lifeâs greatest gifts.
AndâŠ. everyone deserve a best friend to talk through their problems or issues with! So, thatâs where I come in. Do you have a tricky scenario that youâre playing on loop in your mind that youâd love to get an unbiased opinion on? Something you just want a little extra validation about? Nothing is off limits, and Iâm seriously SO excited. Oh, and donât worry itâs 100% anonymous. Head over to https://www.findingsparklechasinglight.com/ask-your-bff and fill out as many submissions as youâd like and as often as youâd like! (Please!! And tell your friends!!)
I mentioned that Iâm heading on a three week trip, and Iâd love for you to follow my journey on my personal instagram @nicolebreanne and of course over at @findingsparklechasinglight. If you have anyone in Calgary or whoâs going to Alt Summit whoâd be down for a real, honest, candid conversation on my podcast please send me an email at [email protected].
The epic customer service came from my (now) pal Michelina over at Warby Parker. The Edgemont frames were by artist, Geoff McEtridge.
Be sure to check out Netflixâs âMurdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal.â
To listen to the episode of My Favorite Murder I mention in the episode, you can do so here.
-
Todayâs episode is all about vulnerability, and how itâs part of my secret sauce to a deep and meaningful friendship. I chat about the joy of meeting my besties at Jack Astors, and also share a meaningful message I received from a close friend on last weekâs episode (spoiler: it will help you feel better about your current friend pauses). I share some of the reasons why being vulnerable comes easy to me, including not drinking alcohol for about 8 years and how my primary friend group was my amazing Mormon friends. I also talk about Pamela Andersonâs new documentary, âPamela, A Love Storyâ and one of my favourite peopleâs journeys to have witnessed in real time: the inimitable Charly Goss.
If you didnât listen to last weekâs episode on Friend Pauses you can listen on Apple podcasts here and Spotify here.
Listen to my raw podcast recorded with Briana Johnson, amidst my moving boxes during my separation (now renamed to Dawnbreakers).
Listen to my episode about learning to trust my heart again after divorce on The Papaya Podcast.
The quote my ex-husband sent me was from âHow Should A Person Be?â by Sheila Heti. Visit her site here.
Be sure to check out Pamela Andersonâs new documentary âPamela, A Love Storyâ on Netflix, and her memoir âLove, Pamelaâ
And if you donât already follow Charly Goss and her amazing team, I highly recommend. Follow Charlyâs witty, stylish, sassy, vulnerable self on instagram, as well as her styling teamâs instagram.
And lastly, if you donât already follow me on instagram you can do so @findingsparklechasinglight and @nicolebreanne. Thanks so much! Donât forget to rate and leave a review - it means the world!
-
Puuttuva jakso?
-
Todayâs episode is about friendship, identity, and grief. I talk about how society and culture are built for romantic love and we are all quite ill-prepared for the heartbreak of platonic, friendship love. I share some of my thoughts on friendship contracts: the unconscious signing of contracts when we first become friends with someone, and what that means as we grow and change as people. But most importantly, I vulnerably share how Iâm in the thick of my own heartbreaking and confusing friendship pause* with one of my lifelong best friends.
*my new definition because âfriend breakupâ sounds so heartbreaking and finite. Plus, we canât predict the future of our relationships so Iâm choosing to use the gentle term âfriend pause.â
I took a quote from the queen BrenĂ© Brownâs podcast, âUnlocking Usâ called âPlaces We Go When the Heart is Open from Atlas of the Heart,â and you can find that episode here.
I also referenced a piece from The Atlantic called âItâs Your Friends Who Break You Heart,â which is well worth the read.
Lastly, I am obsessed with Anderson Cooperâs podcast âAll There Is,â especially the episode with Stephen Colbert (one of my favourite humans). Be sure to check it out.
Finally, if anything from this episode resonated with you, I would be so grateful if you shared on social media and sent to someone in your life. And be sure to follow along on instagram at @nicolebreanne and @findingsparklechasinglight.
-
In honour of the season finale airing this Sunday December 11th, todayâs episode is all about my obsession with The White Lotus. If youâre not familiar with the show, it follows idyllic vacationers during a weeklong stay at a White Lotus hotel, this season being in Sicily. The episodes begin with relaxed, privileged guests and each week peels back dark layers in some of the most thrilling character development Iâve ever watched. It explores themes of fantasy, lust, affairs, dysfunctional relationships and eventually death. Major kudos to writer/director Mike White for his epic attention to details, his intentional storytelling, but also his many nods to various iconic film scenes from the ages. And bless the internet for catching so many details and clues that often go right over my head!
I have scoured reddit and tiktok for all the various thoughts and theories and share everything here. I would love for you to take a listen and share your thoughts with me on instagram at @findingsparklechasinglight and my personal account @nicolebreanne. Oh, and Iâm trying to share more of my love for pop culture over on tiktok, so follow me there for more!
-
I canât believe this is my 10th podcast episode! Thank you so much for being here. Today Iâm sharing some thoughts about Season 3 of Love is Blind on Netflix. If you havenât watched the show, itâs basically 30 singles who âdateâ via pods where they canât see each other, unless they get engaged and get to physically meet. All engaged couples live together for 3 weeks and meet each otherâs family and friends, and then decide at their wedding if they want to say yes. Itâs as wild as it sounds, and there are some definite twists and turns, and red flags in my opinion but Iâm really rooting for one couple the hardest!
Also, Iâm so excited to have one of my best friends on for part of this weekâs episode. Alyssa is a brilliant photographer, the first person to hold Remy at 4 hours old, and she and her fiancĂ©, Chris, were the photographers and witnesses for our elopement in LA. In honour of Halloween and spooky season we chat about some haunting and beautiful stories from our childhood. We want to hear more of your spooky universe stories, so be sure to message me on instagram!
Lastly, I wanted to share a documentary I watched on the weekend called âInto the Deep: The Submarine Murder Caseâ and Iâm embarrassed to admit I had not heard of this story until now! In August 2017, Swedish journalist Kim Wall goes on a submarine ride with Peter Madsen and essentially goes missing. But whatâs wild is a film crew had been following him and his team for awhile, so this documentary has footage from before it all happened, the day she went missing, and everything that followed. It was captivating from start to finish and I highly recommend it.
Oh, and if you want to learn about my RF microneedling skin treatment Iâve been getting, click here.
Special thanks to Alyssa for joining me for our chat, and of course to Lucas for producing the show. Big thanks to Mike Halyk for the music. If you have a spooky story or a wild universe story, send me a DM on instagram or write to [email protected].
-
Todayâs episode is all about full circle moments. The last time I was in New York was when Lucas and I rang in 2020 with quite the adventure. But, I was back last week to shoot Alt Summit, which had been on pandemic-hiatus since March 2020. Yes, the last place I was before the world shut down was with some of my favourite people shooting a conference, yes doing our elbow greetings and not touching our faces, in Palm Springs.
It was so special being back with inspiring women, and old friends and on todayâs show Iâm sharing 5 of my top takeaways from the conference this year.
âJust because youâre not the best yet doesnât mean you donât belong.â Be sure to follow Kate Voegele on instagram and check out her blog she started with her sister, We The Dreamers.
âStart where you are with what you have â then take the next stepâ I was so inspired by Julie Lewisâ story. I highly encourage you to learn more about the 30/30 project, and give her a follow on instagram. Oh, and visit her website stillpositive.com to learn more about her book coming out in 2023.
âGrief and joy can exist together.â I met Cyndie Spiegel at both of our first Alt Summitâs several years ago. She had imploded her own life, and had this beautiful gift of making everyone around her feel so seen and loved. I have joyfully and proudly watched her build communities, start businesses, and write a book, and most recently have unfortunately watch her experience the worst tragedies imaginable. She showed up with love, vulnerability, grace and humour. Give her a follow on instagram, and check out her website. If you want to learn more about her inclusive community for 35+ women be sure to check out Dear Grown Ass Woman. I couldnât be more excited to read her new book, Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life Is Not Okay, which is available for pre-order now!
âThe growth and opportunity is in the fear.â I am a big fan of My Unorthodox Life on Netflix so I was very excited to meet, photograph, and listen to Julia Haartâs keynote. Be sure to follow Julia on instagram, check out their show (I think Season 2 is coming out soon!) and check out her book, Brazen.
âOnline friendships can be just as beautiful and special as in person ones.â I am so fortunate to have built really incredible relationships over the years at Alt Summit. We may only see each other once a year in person, but we are able to stay connected throughout the year and have seen each other through some big life stuff. I wasnât sure what the 2.5 year break would do - but we all picked up exactly where we left off, and I am endlessly grateful for it! Alt Summit is coming back to Palm Springs in March 2023 and registration is open now, and I would LOVE to see you there.
Lastly, my Late to the Party segment featured none other than the inimitable Gabrielle Blair. From starting her blog, Design Mom, in 2016 (and being named Time Magazineâs Website of the Year among other awards), to founding Alt Summit, and becoming a NYT best-selling author for her first book, Design Mom: Living With Kids. Most recently she has entered a new kind of fame for her viral twitter threads, and her first one gained so much praise and traction that it has become a BOOK! Yes, Ejaculate Responsibly is about to change the world by flipping the abortion debate on its head. There are 28 digestible, compelling arguments about why men are actually responsibly for unwanted pregnancies, and if we want to reduce abortions we need to have men responsibly ejaculate. Itâs available everywhere books are sold, but I ordered my copies locally in Toronto here.
You must follow Design Mom on instagram, where youâll have a nice balance of beautiful renovations of the Blair familyâs 1600âs home in Normany, France mixed with rage-y, funny, and mic-drop worthy tweet roundups. You should absolutely also follow Gabrielle on Twitter, at Design Mom. And, if youâre not a big twitter user youâre still in luck, because she curates the best of twitter on her instagram page, @twitterbydesignmom!
I had so much fun recording this episode, and I hope you enjoyed listening to it. Be sure to leave a review and share with someone in your life who might enjoy it. And, stay connected with me on instagram, @findingsparklechasinglight and of course my personal account, too. Big thanks to Lucas for producing and editing the show, and of course Mike Halyk for the music. See you next week!
-
I know, I know, Reality TV is supposed to be a mindless, âguilty pleasureâ we love to hate, but what happens when we learn some beautiful life lessons from it? On todayâs episode Iâm proud to share my most recent favourite scene from The Amazing Race Canada finale (watch it and cry with me), and then, in honour of Season 2 of The Kardashians starting, I share 10 lessons I learned from Season 1. I hope youâll have a listen if youâre not a fan of the Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and the fam because I really think there are some lovely lessons to learn.
But seriously, even if you havenât watched the whole season of The Amazing Race Canada, I promise the finale is worth watching. I am beaming with love for Craig and Catherine from Team Broadway. Be prepared to feel all the feels if you do! And, of course, give The Kardashians a chance, maybe youâll catch yourself learning something, or even liking them more than you thought!
Donât forget to follow me on instagram, @findingsparklechasinglight and @nicolebreanne. Donât forget to write a review, and if any episodes resonate with you please share with your friends or followers! Thank you, always!
-
This week Iâm talking all about how I made my decision to have a baby, pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting during these uncertain times. I talk about everything from how I knew I was ready, to how to deal with climate change. It gets deeply personal, a little bit heavy (I address my lifelong fear of dying in childbirth), hopeful, and I even cry at the end. Sometimes saying things out loud makes them more real, and the feelings start flowing.
I mentioned Alt Summit, the leading creative conference happening in New York on October 7th, and how Iâll be back photographing it this year! Well, they generously gave me a discount code for $50USD off! Thereâs a gifting party Thursday night, and then Friday is a full day of keynotes, round table discussions, a market place, lunch (included!) and more! You can connect with like-minded individuals, learn from the experts, make a ton of new meaningful friendships, and leave feeling hugely inspired. Register here and donât forget to use the code ARNYC12 at checkout.
If youâre local and looking for incredible midwives, look no further than Kensington Midwives. I could do an entire podcast episode about them (should I?) and the beautiful relationship our family built with them during that sacred time in our lives. I also had the privilege of using an incredible doula, named Mara. She helped prepare me for my birth, held my legs as I pushed, massaged my feet, fed me honey and cared for Remy post-partum. What a gift. Oh, and my acupuncturist Anne from Energy Tree Studios is the best of the best!
Thank you for supporting to the podcast.Iâm really proud of this episode Iâm grateful for the all questions you submitted, and I hope to do another Q&A in the future. Be sure to stay in touch on instagram at @findingsparklechasinglight and @nicolebreanne. Huge thank you to Lucas for all of his editing, and to Mike Halyk for producing the music.
-
I was totally obsessed with Selling Sunset (and Selling Tampa), so naturally I was excited to see another Oppenheim office opening up in Orange County with new real estate agents to love (or hate). This week I not only watched the entire season, but went down a rabbit hole learning everything I could - and some stuff I almost wish I didnât - about each of the new agents. Warning: there are some Selling the OC spoilers in this episode, but I think youâll still enjoy watching after listening. Plus, my âLate to the Partyâ segment is totally someone youâll want to check out: Molly Burke.
If you want to see the highlights of my beautiful Nova Scotia trip, I saved them here on instagram.
And if you want to fall in love with Molly Burke like I have, be sure to follow her on instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Finally, our podcast music composer, Mike, has released his first song! Itâs called âTalk About Itâ by LĂžrday and is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
I am so grateful for your time each week. I hope this podcast brings you some joy, maybe gets you on a walk, and introduces you to someone or something you didnât know about before. Stay connected on instagram @findingsparklechasinglight, and be sure to leave a review if you havenât already. Thank you so much!
-
In honour of our wedding anniversary this past weekend, I figured Iâd have Lucas back on this week to share a bit more about our love story and play a little game of âwould you rather?â We hope to make you smile as we share some funny stories and lessons weâve learned along the way. We also answered a bunch of questions from my instagram so make sure youâre following @findingsparklechasinglight to join in the community fun!
Oh, and as per the show, here are Lucasâ two favourite hair products: Bona Fide Matte and Victory Claymore both from his fantastic barber, Dexter, at Town Barber in Toronto.
Special thanks to Mike Halyk for the music, and Alyssa Nicole from Suech and Beck for the wedding photo on the episode cover.
-
After watching a documentary this week, I was reminded of my own story of being catfished. At the time I was so embarrassed and ashamed that I didn't reveal the entire story to anyone... until now. I also introduce a new segment called The Rabbithole where I bring you down whatever rabbithole I've gone down - this week it's a "where are the Love Is Blind season 2 stars now?!" And, I finish it off with a basic lesson about Virgos as we enter their season! I hope you enjoy.
Special thanks, as always, to Lucas for helping write, produce, and edit this podcast. And of course, a shout out to Mike Halyk for composing the music you hear.
You should absolutely check out Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist. Watch the trailer HERE. And be sure to watch Manti T'eo's instagram video as well. He is such a great human.
And if you were a fan of Love Is Blind (season 2) like I was, and If you haven't watched the trailer for After the Altar, you can HERE.
Don't forget to follow along and join the community on instagram at @findingsparklechasinglight. See you next week!
-
Have you ever had an experience that left you feeling like the biggest failure ever, but with time and clarity youâre able to see the silver lining? And that maybe it was even the best thing to happen to you? This week we explore the theme of failure and I share one of my greatest public failure stories: the time I tried to work for Ellen DeGeneres.
I wasnât going to attach the link here (out of pure embarrassment) but Iâm going for it. Watch my Ellen video here.
Do yourself a favour and follow Maddie Zahm on Instagram, TikTok, and of course listen to her EP âYou Might Not Like Herâ on Spotify and Apple Music. And cry like me during her video âYou Might Not Like Her.â
Iâm teasing the FSCL merch this week, and some polls and question boxes for future episodes of the show, so please follow @findingsparklechasinglight on instagram. And of course, if you have the capacity to leave a podcast review on Apple or Spotify it means a great deal to me. Thank you so much!
-
This week Iâm chatting about a bit about myself in my first solo episode - turns out you want to know more about who I am and my life story, which is fun! Iâm also sharing a pretty personal, but beautiful, story about the universe giving me a sign when I really needed it. I hope it inspires you to trust in the universe, too. Iâm also sharing a new segment called âLate to the Partyâ which couldnât be more fitting for me, haha!
Oh, and last week I ended the podcast singing a tune and couldnât remember how I knew it. I was right, it was from an Olsen twin movie, specifically Mary-Kate and Ashleyâs Ballet Party. Listen to Butterflies in Your Stomach here.
If youâd like to watch a few of my Daily Vice pieces I mentioned in the episode, you can check them out here.
And donât forget to follow my new favourite human EVER: the one and only Dylan Mulvaney. Follow her on TikTok too! I also found a couple cool facts about her on her website, and on this E News online piece.
You can also see a couple owl pictures from the story on the blog here.
As always, thank you for being here! If youâd like to stay in touch between episodes, you can follow me at @findingsparklechasinglight (DM your universe stories here!) or @nicolebreanne.
-
I am kicking things off with the help of my husband, Lucas! We chat about the story behind the podcast, my personal quest that led to choosing the title, Finding Sparkle Chasing Light, and what I hope to achieve through this new platform.
Special thanks to my husband Lucas for recording with me, and learning to edit just so he could help me! Heâs actually a talented designer and you can check out his instagram and website to support!
Iâd also like to thank Mike Halyk for composing the music for the podcast!
Oh, and the song I sing at the end totally is from a Mary-Kate and Ashley movie: watch the video here
And as always, thank you for being here! If youâd like to stay in touch between episodes you can follow me at @findingsparklechasinglight or @nicolebreanne