Buongiorno… or perhaps Buonasera—depending on where you are in the world.
Today's episode is a heart-opening love letter to Florence, Italy. And if you've ever stepped foot in a foreign city and felt inexplicably at home—like your soul had been there before—this story will speak to you.
I'm joined by the beautiful and wise Melinda Gallo, writer, intuitive expat, website developer, and author of the exquisite new book Messages from Florence—a collection of soulful reflections, photography, and poetic messages received through her 21-year journey of living in Florence.
Melinda didn't plan to live in Italy. But after arriving for what was meant to be a three-month break to learn Italian and find inspiration, the city had other plans.
Within weeks, she had an apartment, a job, and a whole new life—and she's been guided by Florence ever since.
Inside this romantic, soulful episode, we talk about:
-
How Melinda followed her intuition (and left a successful tech career in Paris) to start over in Italy
-
Why Florence became her muse, her teacher, and her greatest guide
-
The story behind her book Messages from Florence and how it was divinely downloaded over years of quiet communion with the city
-
The creative rituals and intuitive practices that shaped her path
-
What it truly means to lead a heart-centered life
-
A beautiful $10-off gift for Messages from Florence—link below!
Melinda's story reminds us that reinvention doesn't always begin with a plan. Often it begins with a feeling… and the courage to follow it.
🎧 Listen now on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon, YouTube or:
👉 www.marladiann.com/ep94
🛍️ Grab Melinda's stunning book with $10 off:
Available via the Portal of Joy → www.marladiann.com/podcast/portal
Resources + Links:
www.melindagallo.com
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInFlorence/
https://www.instagram.com/melindagallo
Marla's favorite mentoring - Helping ambitious women redefine and integrate new success metrics that honor their feminine arts & wisdom blended with masculine strategies creating a new identity, next chapter and new relationship with money.
Her next 90-day Soul-Led Next Level Portal begins in late January 2026. Curious? Book your Soul-Led-Next-Chapter Call: https://tinyurl.com/soul-led-call
Loved this episode? Don't stop here, unlock the tools, resources, and free downloads mentioned during the episode. Click here to access the portal of joy. https://marladiann.com/podcast/portal/
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.