In this episode, Angie and Shelly talk about the people we surround ourselves with and how much influence they actually have on our lives. From the idea that you are shaped by the five people you spend the most time with to the reality that those five can change over time, this conversation is about being intentional, protective, and honest about your relationships.

They dig into friendships that are easy, friendships that push you to grow, relationships that no longer fit, and why it is okay to reassess who gets access to your time and energy. The conversation also touches on grief, safety, world stress, and why laughter with trusted people feels more important than ever right now.

⏳ Time Is the Real Currency
Why time is the most valuable thing you give anyone and why it deserves intention

👥 The Five People Rule
How the people you spend the most time with shape your mindset, confidence, and growth

🐶 What If Three of Them Are Chihuahuas
A very important and hilarious question about how pets fit into the five

✂️ Pruning Relationships
Why it is okay to gently step back from people who no longer add to your life

🌱 Reason Season Lifetime
How some people are meant for a moment, some for a chapter, and some forever

🤍 Friendships That Feel Easy
What it looks like when a relationship does not require effort, negotiation, or recovery time

🧠 Safe People Matter
Why having people you feel emotionally safe with is critical, especially during stressful times

🌍 The Weight of the World Right Now
How outside stress amplifies exhaustion, fear, and anxiety and why community matters

🎭 Celebrity Loss and Real Grief
Why losing public figures can still feel personal and meaningful

📈 If You Are the Smartest Person in the Room
Why growth often requires finding rooms where you are not the most skilled

🚪 Leaving Jobs Groups or Relationships
Why walking away can be an act of self respect

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💬 Who are the people that make up your five right now. Who helps you feel safe, supported, challenged, and seen. And who might need a little less access to your time. We would love to hear your thoughts.

In this episode, Angie and Shelly dive into the idea of success and how wildly different it can look depending on where you are in life. They talk about why measuring success only by money misses the point, how goals need to be personal and flexible, and why so many of us set ourselves up to fail by aiming for things that were never realistic in the first place.

This is an honest conversation about redefining success, setting goals that are attainable and sustainable, and giving yourself permission to measure your life by what actually matters to you.

💰 Why Success Is Not Just About Money
How financial stability can reduce stress but does not guarantee happiness or fulfillment

🧠 Success Changes With Seasons of Life
Why what felt like success at thirty may look completely different at fifty

❤️ Time as a Measure of Success
Having time for people you love, rest, travel, and experiences that fill you up

🌍 Experiences Over Things
Why travel, culture, food, and shared memories matter more than stuff

📋 Working Backwards From a Goal
How starting with the end in mind helps you break big dreams into realistic steps

⚖️ Big Goals vs Real Life
Why setting goals that ignore your current reality almost always leads to burnout

🍽️ The Weight Loss Example
How unrealistic expectations and all or nothing thinking sabotage progress

🔁 Micro Adjustments Add Up
Why small consistent changes matter more than dramatic overhauls

🪜 Saying Yes Means Saying No
How every commitment costs time and energy and why that matters

🧘 You Only Have So Many Spoons
Why you cannot do everything every day and how choosing your priorities helps

📝 Counting What You Did Do
Why acknowledging your daily wins changes how you see yourself

💬 People Pleasing and Authenticity
Why not everyone has to like you and why that is actually okay

🌱 Grace and Patience With Yourself
Why change takes longer than we want and why that does not mean you are failing

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In this episode, Angie and Shelly get cozy at home after their Napa travels and dig into the feel-good things that help them (and maybe you) cope with stress, anxiety, burnout, and just… being a human in 2025. It starts with food (of course), but quickly expands into comfort rituals, pet snuggles, and the power of knowing your sensory language.

🍲 Comfort Food Deep Dive – From casseroles, mashed potatoes, and mom’s potato salad to hot coffee spiced like a hug and sandwiches that slap

🍪 Cookie Therapy is Real – Shoutout to Sweet Tease Bakery for saving lives with strawberry cookies the size of your face

🐶 Petting the Stress Away – How Bunny and Ahsoka know when we need them, and why pet snuggles are emotional CPR

🧠 Dopamine, ADHD, and Food Cravings – The real reason you want mac and cheese when life gets overwhelming

🎨 Diamond Painting & Lego Love – Focus-based therapy using small plastic things and sparkly art you don’t have to hang

📺 TV Is a Chill Tool – Science says your brain is more active while asleep than when watching TV. So yes, binge-watching can be a self-care tool

💤 Power Naps & Hair Brushes – From short resets to people playing with your hair, we break down weirdly effective ways to self-soothe

🎵 Distraction as Medicine – Why music helps with anxiety loops and the value of knowing your go-to calming sense (touch, taste, sound, sight, or scent)

📢 Follow & Support the Podcast 🎧 Podcast Episodes: https://hotflashchroniclespodcast.podbean.com 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hot-flash-chronicles/id1802239722 🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5f8iMNCItgjL79nC1jXA5w 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HotflashChronicles 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HotFlashChronicles 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotflashchroniclespodcast 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotflashchronicles 🌐 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hotflashchronicles

💬 What’s your go-to comfort food or self-soothing ritual? Are you a casserole queen? A diamond-painting diva? A nap ninja? Let us know—we want to hear what works for you when life starts to rumble.

Angie and Shelly are back with the second half of their Napa adventure. This time, it’s personal. We’re talking balloon launches with no doors, near-death descent moments, beauty in the clouds, allergic reactions mid-salad, a hot dog that deserves its own documentary, and the sweet surprises of planning less and living more.

🎂 Turning 60 in the Sky – Shelly’s hot air balloon birthday ride: majestic, terrifying, slightly inappropriate

🧍‍♀️ No Door, No Dignity – How climbing in and out of a 4-foot wicker basket became the day’s greatest athletic feat

😬 Mid-Air Percolation Panic – The unspeakable fear of letting one rip at 3,000 feet. You’re welcome for the visual

🍷 Beautiful Balloon Views + Controlled Crashes – Nature’s magic meets “luck is on our side”

🚨 Allergic Reactions & Emergency Benadryl – When your salad fights back but the wine must go on

🌭 The Legendary Gas Station Hot Dog – Voted best in the county for a reason. Kobe beef, bakery-fresh bun, and pure bliss

💄 Lipstick + Leo Vibes – Custom colors, birthday glam, and names like “Don’t Cage the Lion”

🍔 Gott’s Burgers & Unexpected Bliss – Because the best days mix classy wine with a greasy cheeseburger

💬 Why Loosely Planned Trips Are the Best – The magic of letting moments unfold, listening to locals, and not needing every hour filled

📢 Follow & Support the Podcast 🎧 Podcast Episodes: https://hotflashchroniclespodcast.podbean.com 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hot-flash-chronicles/id1802239722 🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5f8iMNCItgjL79nC1jXA5w 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HotflashChronicles 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HotFlashChronicles 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotflashchroniclespodcast 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotflashchronicles 🌐 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hotflashchronicles

💬 What’s the wildest thing that’s happened to you while traveling? A hot dog epiphany? A balloon mishap? A core memory you never saw coming? Drop it in the comments—we’re here for all of it.

Shelly and Angie are on vacay this week so we are re-releasing some of our faves!

In this laughter-filled episode, Angie and Shelly unpack their favorite guilty pleasures—aka, the simple, sensory joys that help us decompress. From trash TV and midday naps to buttered popcorn and Manhattan cocktails, we’re peeling back the layers of “shame” and calling these what they really are: self-care moments in disguise.

💄 Pampering Without a Purpose – Manis, pedis, flutters, and the casual glam that makes us feel human again

📺 Trashy Reality TV and Cozy Movie Days – Background noise or a full-blown binge, either way we’re not sorry

🧁 Baking as Therapy – Sourdough stretching, cookie icing, and why the doughy details just feel so damn good

🛋️ Lazy Day Protocols – Jammies, popcorn, old musicals, zero productivity, and naps with the dogs

🥃 Manhattans, Eggnog, and the Cost of Drinking at Home – When the only thing stopping a six drink Tuesday is the price tag

📚 Books That Make Us Blush – From Sarah J. Maas to accidental 151-proof eggnog, the things we read, sip, and secretly love

💧 Why Crying at British Baking Shows Is Totally Normal – Dumping the emotional bucket one happy tear at a time

📢 Follow & Support the Podcast 🎧 Podcast Episodes: https://hotflashchroniclespodcast.podbean.com 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hot-flash-chronicles/id1802239722 🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5f8iMNCItgjL79nC1jXA5w 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HotflashChronicles 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HotFlashChronicles 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotflashchroniclespodcast 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotflashchronicles 🌐 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hotflashchronicles

💬 Let’s normalize joy that doesn’t require permission. What’s your not-so-guilty pleasure these days? Tell us below—or message us with your favorite nap + snack combo. We might just steal it.

In this episode, Angie and Shelly dig into the many roles women hold in everyday life. Mom, sister, wife, daughter, grandma, friend, boss, partner, caregiver—each one comes with a different version of us. Sometimes we’re the one seeking wisdom, other times we’re the one giving it. We talk about the pressure to "do it all," the joy (and stress) of multitasking, and how exhausting it can be trying to juggle so many identities without losing yourself in the process.

🧠 The Myth of Having It All – Why the "do everything" mindset is burning us out and what we actually need instead

👵 Grandmas vs. Moms – Why it’s not about handing the kid back when they cry, it’s about not carrying the mental load 24/7

🧺 Invisible Labor – From planning the meals to knowing the dentist appointments, the "command center" role women often take on

👯 Being a Sister, Aunt, Step-Mom – Each role activates a different version of us and teaches something new

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Co-Parenting and Blended Families – The awkward, the beautiful, and the complicated

🧘 The Case for Grace – How to stop measuring your worth by your output and give yourself credit for showing up

😵‍💫 Mental Exhaustion is Real – It’s not just about sleep—it’s about how much you’re carrying inside your brain every day

📢 Follow & Support the Podcast 🎧 Podcast Episodes: https://hotflashchroniclespodcast.podbean.com 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hot-flash-chronicles/id1802239722 🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5f8iMNCItgjL79nC1jXA5w 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HotflashChronicles 💖 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hotflashchronicles 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HotFlashChronicles 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotflashchroniclespodcast 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotflashchronicles 🌐 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hotflashchronicles

💬 Which role do you love most right now? Which one drains you the fastest? And how do you refill your cup when you're wearing a dozen hats? Come join the convo—we're all in this together.

In this honest, relatable, and unfiltered episode, Angie and Shelly talk about the unpredictable rollercoaster that is menopausal moods. From irritability and sadness to weird moments of unexpected joy and total apathy, they’re unpacking it all—the science, the stigma, and the surprising freedom that comes with this season of life.

💫 It’s Not Just You – Why your emotions feel cranked up to 15 and how hormones hijack your calm.

🧠 Puberty Part Two – How menopause is basically another round of “figure your brain out all over again.”

😅 The Brain Fog is Real – When you can’t remember basic words (like Seth Rogen’s name) and why it’s not early dementia, it’s hormones.

🚫 People Pleasing No More – How menopause flips the switch on caring what other people think, and why Angie officially hung up her “good girl” cape.

🌊 The Emotional Highs and Lows – Some days you’re totally fine, some days it’s mini meltdowns, and sometimes you’re crying because you ran out of bread.

🧘 Grace, Humor, and Community – Why finding your people is essential, and how laughing your way through menopause makes it slightly more bearable.

📢 Follow & Support the Podcast 🎧 Podcast Episodes: https://hotflashchroniclespodcast.podbean.com 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hot-flash-chronicles/id1802239722 🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5f8iMNCItgjL79nC1jXA5w 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HotflashChronicles 💖 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hotflashchronicles 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HotFlashChronicles 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotflashchroniclespodcast 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotflashchronicles 🌐 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hotflashchronicles

💬 Whether you’re riding the wave, stuck in the mood swings, or questioning why your brain feels broken—just know you’re not alone. It gets better. Give yourself grace and come laugh through the chaos with us.

In this laugh-out-loud and wildly relatable episode, Angie and Shelly take a stroll down memory lane—and scroll through how social media and technology have transformed literally everything. From calling friends on a rotary phone to doomscrolling recipes at 2 AM, they explore how we used to connect, survive, and socialize before everything fit into our back pocket.

📞 Life Before Texting – Remember calling someone’s house and hoping they were home? And the panic of missing them at the grocery store because you forgot the hot dog buns?

🗺️ MapQuest, Printed Directions & Getting Lost – Angie recalls driving around with a binder of printed maps. Miss a turn? Good luck.

📚 Encyclopedias & the Dewey Decimal System – When research meant hauling yourself to the library and hoping the info wasn’t 20 years out of date.

🧠 Has Tech Made Us Smarter or Just Scrollier? – They talk brain rest, Candy Crush, Kindle vs. books, and the lost art of actual human connection.

📲 How Tech Has Changed Relationships – From being “always available” to ghosting, client texts at midnight, and learning to Do Not Disturb your own life.

🎥 The Scroll Spiral – Why TikTok is both a time warp and a visual learning tool. (Yes, they now know how to grow sweet potatoes in a cup. Yes, it was worth it.)

👵 From Boomers to Bingers – How every platform has been taken over by “old people,” and why they’re okay with that. (Looking at you, TikTok.)

📢 Follow & Support the Podcast! 🎧 Podcast Episodes: https://hotflashchroniclespodcast.podbean.com 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hot-flash-chronicles/id1802239722 🟢 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5f8iMNCItgjL79nC1jXA5w 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HotflashChronicles 💖 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/hotflashchronicles 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HotFlashChronicles 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotflashchroniclespodcast 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotflashchronicles 🌐 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hotflashchronicles

💬 So tell us—what did YOU do before social media? Did you wait for reruns? Read cookbooks? Print out MapQuest? Drop a comment, share your favorite tech memory, and remember: if your grandma can go viral on TikTok, so can you.