Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I would just look at
myself in the mirror and be like
I don't even know who you are.
It was almost like anout-of-body experience and it
was really hard for me to getpeople to listen to me, to
understand that.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
All right, friends,
we're back, and today I'm so
excited to get to meet, for you,to get to meet my new friend,
because I now officially havedecided, athena, that you are my
friend.
We are actually friends in reallife, but not really we just
met and I'm so excited becauseshe is going to share some
really awesome stuff with ustoday.
So, before I just let her justjump in and tell us all the
(00:35):
things, let me give you a quickrundown.
This is Athena Estelle, which,first of all, I just told her.
How did she get so lucky tohave like the best name ever?
I mean, it's so romantic andlike celebrity style.
I wasn't blessed like mom anddad, like listen to this.
Like Athena Estelle, hello,anywho.
Okay, she fought a very seriousand long battle with postpartum
(00:59):
depression and postpartumanxiety.
She is now on the other side ofher journey and progressing
through her healing.
She started the deliveredpodcast to share awareness,
debunk the PPD stigma andpromote healing through the
stages of postpartum depressionand postpartum anxiety, and
today we're going to see wherethe conversation takes us.
But she's all about self worthand body image and power,
(01:21):
positive thinking, and so she isjust the perfect person to be
on this podcast.
So, athena, welcome to thepretty powerful podcast.
Thank you, I'm so excited to behere, yay, okay, so give us a
rundown Like who is Athena?
What, who, where?
How did you end up here?
You, I obviously like yourstory led you to your podcast,
(01:45):
but then that give us a littlebackground on you and how we got
here.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Sure, so I just think
a lot of people would describe
me as someone who is, you know,super outgoing.
I could probably talk to a wall.
I have no problem.
You know opening up and makinga new friend, which I think is
hard as adults.
You know like what.
As you're growing up, you knowyou meet a person on the street.
They play the same sport as you, they go to your school, you
(02:11):
know whatever it is.
You start talking to them,you're like instant friends.
I feel like in adulthood it'sso different because everyone is
like so established in theirfriend group, like these are
these friends, these are thesefriends.
And it's kind of like okay, doyou want to be friends?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
I know I feel like
it's almost like dating.
Like I have to be.
Like, do you want to be friendswith me?
Like let's be friends on socialmedia.
Keep in touch, yeah, so I lovethat, yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
So you know, just
outgoing like love to just love
life and make connections.
And I value my friendships andmy family a lot.
So I am Greek by background, soI am super close to my family,
both sides of my family.
My dad is not Greek, he is anEnglish but he is like English,
irish, scottish and then alittle Native American Indian,
(03:02):
so he's a whole conglomerationand I'm very close to his side
as well.
But just having that, you know,very tight knit family vibe,
it's definitely a big part ofwho I am.
So that's just a little tidbitfor you.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yeah, I love it, okay
, and so tell us then what?
Okay, let's just assume thatpeople listening are kind of
like me.
I have never had childrenbefore, so I cannot say that
I've experienced this, and thisis why I was so excited.
When I read your like to bepart of the podcast, I was like,
oh my gosh, yes, because I justhad a woman.
(03:39):
You know, I'm all about youknow body image and I coach
women through that and wellnessand all the things.
But I had a woman recently whosaid I am going through
postpartum depression and I'mreally struggling with my body
image after having my firstchild and it's really really
challenging for me.
And you know, obviously I canhelp with body image, but I've
(04:00):
never personally experiencedthat.
So tell us, like how did you alittle bit of that story, of
what you went through, and alsothen what made you decide to use
that story right to start yourpodcast and really start sharing
, where a lot of women, right,we don't talk about that.
So, anyways, okay, I'll asklots of questions later.
(04:21):
So the first one was tell us alittle bit about that story and
like what kind of what youexperienced, if for those of us
who have never experienced itbefore, Sure.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Okay, so I will keep
it as brief as I can because it
is a very lengthy story, but themain potatoes is I was pregnant
at the height of COVID, whichhad its own anxiety because I do
work in healthcare.
I'm a full-time physicaltherapist.
So I was working at a skillednursing facility at the time and
(04:52):
you know I never treated aCOVID patient being pregnant.
That's just protocol.
But you know, 10 feet from mein the room next door could be a
COVID patient.
And then there were specificparts of our building that were
becoming almost like a COVIDunit.
So if you had to walk throughit to get patients you're
talking 10 COVID patients in arow that I'd have to walk by to
(05:13):
get to mine.
And knowing that it's airborne,meaning you catch it through
the air and through likeparticles in the atmosphere yeah
, that was just so stressful tome because you don't have to
touch anybody, you don't have tobe near them, it is literally
in the air.
So that was the first level ofanxiety that I started to feel.
(05:33):
And then, getting closer andcloser to birth, I was not
progressing at all.
So I went in at my 40-weekappointment.
They said we are so confusedwhy you're still pregnant.
And I was like, what do youmean?
And they said you know you'reactive.
I was still I will not call itrunning because it was not
justified running.
It was like a Yogg, like awalk-jog situation and I was
(05:57):
very proud of that.
I was still able to do that.
So for me, I was very confusedwhy I was still pregnant as well
.
So I had no movement, nothingwas going on.
I went in a week later for my 41week Again no movement, nothing
.
But they said you know,unfortunately we're going to
have to induce you.
So I went straight to thehospital.
They let me in.
(06:17):
It sounds so silly, but youknow we're so used to the
hospital being like hustling andbustling and people in the
lobby, people in you know rooms,family members everywhere.
Well, covid times, it was aghost town.
So I get to the hospital andthere's no one waiting, no one's
allowed, there's no one even inthe lobby.
(06:37):
The whole food court is closed,nothing's open.
It is two security guards andmyself, and my mom was visiting
from Ohio, so she was helping mecarry my bags into the hospital
.
Well, the security guard stopsare right at the door and he's
like ma'am, I'm sorry, but youknow you can't come in.
And I look at him, I'm likewhat do you mean?
He's like you know we're notallowing any escorts, we're not
(06:58):
letting any families.
And I said, but what about mystuff?
We all kind of started laughingand I'm like I really don't
care about my stuff.
But my husband got his way fromwork and I will not be okay if
I have to go on alone.
So he apologized, he got me awheelchair and a nice nurse came
down.
So my mom had to go home andthat was its own emotional
(07:18):
experience.
And then, you know, long storyshort, I had my daughter.
She was very healthy, she wasfine, but she was just very
undersized.
So they estimated that she wasgoing to be seven pounds six
ounces and she was born fivepounds 13 ounces, wow.
So almost a two pounddifference, which is that's a
(07:40):
lot.
So I I encourage, you know,girls that are not pregnant and
women that are currentlypregnant do not get attached to
that number, because it is afull-blown estimation and
Certain technology is betterthan others, absolutely, but
that's a big variable number.
So, with that being said, it wasreally hard to get weight on
(08:04):
her.
It was really hard for her tokeep weight on.
She was in like the number one,like literally 99% of people,
heavier than her, for a monthand then, I think, around her
six week appointment she was inthe third percentile.
So extreme, extreme, small.
So Getting weight on her was mybiggest battle and that came
(08:29):
with breastfeeding challengesand part of that was pride
Because I was not ready to letthat go.
But I think for me I reallywanted to try the hardest that I
could and I felt like that wasthe best for her.
So Couple months later we go in.
She's.
Finally I think she was in theninth or tenth percentile.
And Then at that appointmentthe pediatrician mentioned that
(08:52):
he noticed a flat spot on herhead and I was like, are you
joking?
I literally just got someweight on this kid.
I'm finally sleeping, she'ssleeping.
What are you talking about?
So we took her to physicaltherapy to stretch out one of
the muscles in the side of theneck.
It's called tortoise and it'swhen the muscle that connects
(09:13):
your skull to your neck.
It gets so tight it causes thechild's head to tilt to that
side and it can rotate theirhead so it can bring their ear
Behind their shoulder or if it'srotated to the other side, it
can rotate it toward the frontof their body.
So it's very obvious when achild has corticolus, most of
(09:35):
the times they grow out of it,but you want to start stretching
as soon as you can.
It didn't work as well as itshould have, so she needed a
helmet and it's not theaesthetics of the helmet for me,
because, you know, in physicaltherapy I have patients with
braces, I have amputations, withprosthetic limbs, you know
those type of things.
(09:55):
But it was more so Anotheraspect of failure of something
that I didn't notice, something.
Maybe I didn't stretch herenough, maybe I let her lay in a
certain position too long.
So it was just all these littlethings of failure that kept
popping up for me and I think itJust destroyed my mental health
(10:17):
.
And I think part of that isjust Awareness that I didn't
have at that time to know youknow you're a new mom, you're a
first-time mom like, giveyourself some grace, you know
those type of things.
And so I went on for 37 dayswith my husband.
We saw several psychiatrist,psychologist, therapists, and it
(10:38):
became a full-blown Hunt tofind the right doctor that could
help, that would listen to meabout the anxiety Because for me
it started as pure anxiety,severe, crippling anxiety.
I was not sleeping, I hadinsomnia set in and not toward
(10:59):
the very end did it kind of turninto the depression.
And for me, that's really wherethe body image is.
The body image really took atanking.
Like I said before, I'd alwaysbeen athletic and in tune with
my body and eating healthy andworking out, and then for me I
would just look at myself in themirror and be like I don't even
(11:21):
know who you are.
Like.
It was almost like anout-of-body experience and it
was really hard for me to getpeople to listen to me to
understand that.
So I was eventually admitted tothe hospital because we just
could not get the rightmedication cocktail that would
work for me as far as theanxiety and the insomnia.
So I was in the hospital for 12days and then I went through a
(11:45):
very intense day program forseven weeks, then finally
reintegrated back to work abouttwo weeks later.
So I was off work for 11 weekstotal and went back to work was
somewhat successful.
It took me about a year to getmy groove back and things were
going really well.
So that was all the beginningof 2021 through the fall of 22.
(12:11):
This past January rolls aroundJanuary of 23.
I had been meeting with thesame psychiatrist for about a
year and a half and I told her.
I said I don't think these medsare working anymore.
You know, I feel great.
I don't think I need to takethem anymore.
I think I'm ready to come offof them.
She said well, I respect that,but it's been a very long
journey.
I need to go very slow.
(12:32):
So we began the weaning processin January and, as of June 13th
2023, I came off all my meds, Icompleted all my therapy and I
feel like I'm in such a betterplace I mean, I might be in a
better place now than I wasbefore I had the baby.
So it's just been a huge, hugeblessing.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Okay, there were so
many nuggets there that I'm like
, okay, I need to remember whatyou said.
Okay, first of all, I love Imean not love, because I mean I
wish that you would have neverhad to go through any of this
right, but I appreciate youmentioning, you know, failure,
right, like you mentioned that acouple times like I just felt
like I was failing right withfeeding her, getting weight on,
(13:15):
and then right now, I didn't payattention, I didn't see could I
have later differently, could Ihave right and all of it.
That, coming to, I'm failing asa mom, right, and I can only.
I mean that makes sense to meas someone who's never been a
mom.
I'm like I could totally seethat.
You know, I think as women ingeneral, we're always wanting to
(13:36):
be perfect.
We're always expecting, right,that we should have noticed
something, that we, you know, wepay attention to details.
You know, like if our friendsdating someone, we're gonna find
out he's cheating.
Like you know, like you werejust those type you know, that's
who we are and and we're soaware of other people and taking
care of other people, and so Ican only imagine that like and
(13:58):
then you become a mom and nowyou're like totally in control
of another human's life toexpect that you're gonna be
perfect and that, and whenyou're not, and it's out of your
control like literally it wasnot in your control that you
know she was birthed underweight, you know, and then all
everything that happened, likenone of that was in your control
, and yet you still felt like afailure, and so I just think it
(14:21):
sucks that that was your reality.
And then it's a reality for somany people, especially women.
But I think that's such like aconnecting piece that you know
so many people, whether you'veexperienced postpartum or not,
that whole idea of I shouldn'tbe failing at this and yet I am,
and then how that affects youknow life.
(14:42):
So I really appreciated youlike calling that out and also
celebrating the fact that youknow, because I could see it in
a switch in your face whenyou're you know, you're telling
your story, and then you say andjust, you know, just a few
months ago, right, I'm off mymeds, I'm feeling better.
It's like all this stuff, andso celebrating that number one
(15:02):
is amazing, but also going backand celebrating the fact that
you made the decision to to askfor help.
You know so many people aresitting around not asking for
help because they are afraidwhat people will think or, you
know, they think that theyshould be able to figure it out
themselves or whatnot.
So I think even a bigger Ishouldn't say bigger but equally
(15:25):
important is celebrating thefact that you made the decision
to ask for help and to dosomething about it, and you know
and take that journey and thatprocess.
So I just had to call that out,okay, so now that we got like
the background of how we likegot here, obviously you asked
(15:45):
for support, you got medication,you went to the hospital, you
went through a program.
You did all those things.
For someone who might belistening, who's like I am not
ready yet to go through that, Idon't feel like I need to go to
the doctor, I don't feel like Ineed to do that, but I do feel
like I have symptoms and I dofeel like I'm struggling with
anxiety or postpartum depressionor whatnot, and they're not
(16:08):
ready to take that next step.
What are some things that youdid that just anybody can do
that really helped you with thatself-worth part of it, the
whole positive, like what ispower of positive thinking to
you?
And like how did you practice?
What are some things that youdid tangibly that other people
could try?
Speaker 1 (16:24):
starting now, yeah, I
think for me I got to the point
where I would tell my husband.
Back then I said, when I feellike I can't live my life,
that's the problem For me.
It was the switch where I waslike I cannot do this anymore.
I feel like I have no controlover anything and I was like
(16:47):
barely functioning For me.
That's when I was like, oh no,this is really bad, I need a lot
of help.
But I think before then, what Iwould absolutely recommend is
find someone, whether it's yourpartner or your spouse or your
best friend or your mom orsomebody that you can tell
everything.
(17:08):
I mean everything the ugly, thebad, the suicidal thoughts,
whatever the worst is that'sgoing on in your brain.
You need to have at least oneperson that you can go to and
really tell them about it.
Because I think for me, I wasquiet for a very long time
because, like you said, thestigma is so huge and strong and
(17:31):
even if you don't want to admitthat it's there, it's just part
of society, unfortunately.
So I think you have to be ableto honor where you are and we're
all human, we're all going tomake mistakes, but we all
deserve peace at the end of theday.
So, whatever that looks like,whether that's for me, that was
(17:55):
confiding in my husband at firstand then telling my dad and my
mom.
But it was also journaling I ama firm believer in.
I have a gratitude journal.
That is just gratitude.
I do a daily, like three thingsa day.
So something my therapisttaught me but I recommend it for
everyone is you write downthree things every day and every
(18:17):
Saturday you go back and lookand see how your week was.
So you write down one thingthat made you happy, one thing
that made you angry and onething that you're grateful for.
And some days I mean my mostbasic of basic, the thing that
made me happy would be likesunshine, like the sun was
(18:39):
shining today, and then thething I was grateful for would
be like my dog or like asandwich or like something.
But yeah, at the end of the day, I think when you are so
wrapped up in for me, like Isaid, it was just like the
failure, the negativity it'sreally hard to reach for a
positive.
But I think, like I said, weare all on journeys to have
(19:02):
peace and balance in our lives.
So I think you have to giveattention to the good and the
positive things that are aroundyou every single day.
Even if you don't want to admitit, there is positive things.
I mean, for me my partner wasextremely supportive, so that
was something in the moment Iwas just so far gone I couldn't
(19:25):
even really appreciate that forwhat it was.
But looking back I'm like, bro,I'm lucky that you didn't leave
.
So, yeah, yeah, it's wild.
So I would say find someone toconfide in, absolutely.
Second journal whether you'rejust writing some days, I would
call it my vomit journal, myother journal.
(19:45):
So I'd have a gratitude journaland then like a daily, and
sometimes that vomit journal wasjust like I am so mad because
da-da-da-da-da-da-da.
So those two things I would saywere huge.
The third I would say for mepersonally is I do believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ.
I'm a very involved person inour church.
(20:06):
It's a huge part of my life, myrelationship with Jesus.
So I would write down differentBible verses that I've either
known my whole life or that Icurrently read, or a new verse,
and I put it on an index card.
But then I also have a coupleof friends.
They would put either positivemantras or they would put just
positive phrases like you gotthis, keep going.
(20:27):
Like the sun will rise tomorrow, and I would carry around those
index cards in my purse at thetime.
So if I had to go to a meetingor a therapy or wait for the
doctor, if I was feeling superanxious, I could just whip those
cards out real quick and lookat and see the sun will rise
tomorrow.
Like take a breath, breathe,you know.
(20:47):
So just little things like that.
I don't know how helpful thatis, but it's helpful for me.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Sister, no, that is
so helpful.
Like you said, you know,there's small things.
They might seem small butthey're actually really big
because, number one, they helpedyou.
So proof is there and you knowit.
Just, you know it goes back tothat whole power of positive
(21:14):
thinking and, like you said, youknow, we get so wrapped up.
You know, I think about it.
You know, in regard to like yourspouse or your whoever, your
significant other, even a bestfriend or roommate, whoever,
someone that you spend so muchtime around, think about all the
times, right, when you're youstart cleaning and you're like,
oh, I wish they would havepicked up that dish, or that,
you should have done that, orthey could have done that.
(21:34):
And then you're like, you know,you get wrapped up in that
mindset of, oh my gosh, why do Ihave to do everything?
They don't do anything right,and it's the, everything, the
anything, the, you know, likethe most dramatic things, like
our brains.
Just go there.
And then, when you stop andyou're like, okay, calm down,
they actually just did thelaundry yesterday.
They actually did that, youknow they're, they actually
(21:54):
cleaned that, so I didn't haveto, they did that.
They brought me some snacks,they you know and then you're
like, oh okay, so it wasn'teverything or nothing, or you
know all the time or no, never.
You know and you're, and so ourbrains just naturally go to
those most dramatic places andthey can take us down that road.
And so, essentially what you'resaying, again, those are three
(22:17):
very small things, but threevery small things that take your
attention back to the positive,that allow you to get out those
feelings and get out thosethoughts and allow space for the
positive that has been takenaway.
So don't discredit that, sister.
Those are brilliant ideas thatlive in.
What I love about those two isthat, again, regardless of
(22:40):
anybody's position, I think alot of times too, we wait until
we get to that dramatic spotright when we really don't feel
good.
We're really down a hole, likewhen, if we did the things that
you just said, in small amounts,every single day, they would
help help prevent some of that.
You know the exciting stuffthat could come later, and so I
(23:03):
just appreciate those three,like those were, those were big
things, sister.
So, with that being said, youknow you mentioned that you
looked in the mirror because,again, body image and self love
and all the things are liketotally my jam.
So you mentioned that after youknow so much time, you looked
in the mirror and you're like Idon't know who.
You are right, cause your bodyis different.
(23:24):
Your experiences are different.
If they're different things,it's you talking to people as
well.
How do you think, or did itlike what?
Did you have a switch momentwhere you went from that to
being like oh it's me, I lovemyself again, my body is great,
no matter what, or I mean,obviously we're all still on a
journey of trying to love andappreciate our bodies every
single day, so there's not aright answer here.
(23:45):
But is there something like didyou have a switch?
Or are there things that you'vedone that helped you look in
the mirror and be okay or loveyour body after having a child?
Speaker 1 (24:00):
So at first, I would
say right before I started
struggling so she was about fourmonths old, she was finally
gaining.
I did know that she might needa helmet.
The pediatrician mentioned itto us.
It was around that time wherethe anxiety kind of started
crawling up like a rollercoaster like kind of like
(24:20):
tracking up.
And you know, I would justfinished breastfeeding her,
which that's its own mind gameof joy, which it is amazing, I
will say.
Breastfeeding is an amazingjourney.
It has its place.
It's definitely not foreverybody, but I would say for
me and my pride.
I said I'm going to do this aslong as I can, and when I can't
(24:40):
anymore I will wave the whiteflag.
And that's what I did and I'mproud of that and that's fine.
But you know, when you stopbreastfeeding it's not really
friendly to the girls.
So that was its own mental game, because I would just look at
them and be like, oh, my poorbody, you know.
(25:02):
And then you're kind of softand, like you know, I lost a lot
of muscle because I was in thehospital and I, you know I
hadn't worked out forever.
So it was definitely very hardto look in the mirror.
I avoided the mirror for a verylong time it probably I moved
the one mirror out of our masterfor a year and I said I don't
(25:22):
even want to see it.
I mean, obviously, in thebathroom, you know you have to
like look in the mirror and washyour hands and put your makeup
on, but I was like ugh.
But I would say about a yearlater, around the time of her
first birthday.
So that would have been summerof 21.
I was out of the hospital, Ifinished my day program, I was
(25:45):
back to work and we were at herone year birthday party and I
don't know if it was a switch,but I would say it was the
beginning of finding that piecethat I had prior.
Because someone said to me atthe party like you know, you
look really good, you lookreally healthy, you know you're
not thin like how you werebefore, because when I had that
(26:09):
postpartum, I mean I wasn't justnot eating, eating was not a
priority, it was not on thetable, nothing tasted good, it
just meant nothing to me.
So hearing someone say that waskind of like the first, like oh
, okay.
And then my husband's sistergot married, antiqueira.
She got married that July and Iremember at her wedding.
(26:29):
The whole time I was like Ilook atrocious, like that to
these people, like I need to go,and no one really knew how much
I was still struggling becauseI was there.
So I was present, right, like Iwas in the moment.
I was at the event, I did thethings, but in my brain complete
spasmatic, freak out for threedays, you know it was.
It was hard.
But looking back, thatChristmas we got the pictures
(26:52):
and I was like, oh, I guess Ikind of do look pretty like,
okay, mama's all right.
And then, you know, I kind ofstarted tapering off the therapy
spring of 22.
Things had gotten a lot better.
I had started feeling more likemyself and I had started to be
able to establish a more solidworkout routine.
So that was great.
(27:12):
But I think something that mytherapist taught me in the very
beginning her name is Lauren,she is, I love that, I love her
so much but something that shetold me in the very beginning
was the phrases should and couldare deadly and I think when we
start to attach ourselves tothem like I should be working
(27:32):
out more, I could have workedout more, I shouldn't have
breastfed, I could have doneformula.
You know all these differentscenarios, which none of them
have happened.
They're all hypotheticalphrases, right?
So I think when you startletting your mind go to those
rabbit holes and you're alreadysaying like, oh, I should have
(27:54):
done this, I should have donethat, I could have done this,
you know, that is just she usedto call it, oh, I'm going to get
it wrong.
It was something to the effectof like the brain's way of
tricking you into thinking thatyou've done something wrong when
you were just living and makingchoices based on what you knew
(28:14):
at the time.
So that really stuck out to meand I would always say, oh, I'm
going to remember that.
So that really helped me.
As far as the body image, andthen I think you know, to this
day I'm still not where I wish Iwas pre-baby.
But I think, after goingthrough something like
postpartum depression and theanxiety and the insomnia, I'm
(28:36):
just so happy to be afunctioning, joyful adult that's
present that it doesn't reallycarry as much weight for me as
it did before.
If that makes any sense.
It makes complete sense.
Yeah, it makes a lot of sense,it makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
It's interesting,
yeah, you know, because so often
we take those things forgranted, right.
Number one that we have we areable-bodied.
That's one that we even havethe option to get up in the
morning, that we, you know, wetake for granted, Like you said,
even something as small as thesunshine right, or the flowers,
or just the fact that we canopen our eyes, that we have
people that love us, that welove other people.
(29:16):
You know, we just take allthose things for granted.
And the very breath that wetake right Every single day, the
fact that our hearts arebeating, we take that for
granted and we're so especiallywhen it comes to body image for
women.
We're just told our wholeentire lives that that's our
number one goal is to try tolook pretty, and we haven't been
taught how to just be gratefulfor having a body, for having a
(29:40):
body that moves and allows us tobe happy and smile and laugh
and, like you said, be joyful,right, and so it's all about
that.
For me, it's always about thatbody.
Gratitude of just bringingourselves back to my body loves
me, my arms allow me to pet mydog right, or hold the babies,
or, you know my legs allow me tohave a dance party and walk
around and take a walk with mydogs, and so, you know, I do
(30:03):
think, when I love that mindsetthat you shared, you know, just
after all of this it's I'm justgrateful that my body is here
and I can be joyful, right, andso I love that.
And also I have to go back.
I didn't want to interrupt youbecause it was.
You were sharing such goodstuff.
But one thing you said I wantto call out again because I just
(30:24):
think it's so powerful is.
You mentioned that I think itwas in regards to breastfeeding
and you said you know, I saidthat I would do it as long as
you know it worked for me, andwhen it didn't, I would make
that decision.
And you said I am proud of thatdecision that I made.
Right, it was right for me, andI think through this and
through anything that any of usgo through in life, we really
(30:47):
have to just stay focused onthat right.
What is the choice that's rightfor me right now and what can I
do to just make myself proud,right?
And again, that kind of relatesto that like should, could,
type of thing, like it's notabout what I should do or could
do.
It's about what makes the mostsense for me, and not everyone
is going to get that, noteveryone is going to approve,
not everyone's going to like it,but it's my life and I got to
(31:09):
do what's best for me and it'sgoing to help me with my mental
health, with my physical health,what makes sense for me and my
family.
And be take, make that choiceand then say I'm proud of that
choice because it was right forme.
So snaps to that.
I love that.
You said that and I justbecause, again, I mean it's just
so powerful, right, like, andwe say those things and don't
think anything of it.
But how many women don't makechoices that would be right for
(31:33):
them because they're afraid ofwhat other people think, or what
their mom would have done, orwhat their sister should, would
do, or what they should do orcould do or whatever, and so I
just love that.
You know, you said that was theright decision for me and I'm
proud of that.
So I think we all get to makemore decisions like that.
Thanks, girl, yeah, okay.
So, girl, this was so good Ithank you for.
(31:56):
You know this isn't an easytopic right To talk about.
Like you said, there's so muchstigma around it, and so I just
really appreciate you sharing it.
So can we, are you?
I forgot to warn you of this.
At the end of every episode, Ilike to do fun rapid fire
questions like totally random.
Are you down for that?
Yeah, okay, all right, okay, solet's see, and I always just
(32:17):
kind of go random.
My first question always,though, is if you could only
choose one food for the rest ofyour life, like your final meal,
like the meal that is, likeyour go to, what would you
choose?
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Oh man, I'm Greek.
That's not fair.
I like a lot of food.
Okay, let's see.
Okay, it's going to be superlame.
There was this Italianrestaurant that was here in
Florida and it was one of myfavorites, and they made a
braised short rib with orchetynoodles which is like this
(32:49):
little disc, like Italian noodlein like this creamy sauce.
Oh my God, if it still existsthen I would go order it right
now.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
It was so detailed,
that's so good.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Okay, what is a
workout that makes you feel
powerful?
Oh, weightlifting, for sure.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Yeah, not like
CrossFit style, more so just
like your old school, like repsand sets for weight, increasing
weight as you go more tight.
I like it.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
One song that makes
you feel powerful.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
Oh, Survivor,
Destiny's Child oh okay, I like
it.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
It's all my playlist,
so I listen to it regularly, so
I'm here for that.
Okay, let's see who is onepowerful woman that has inspired
you in your life.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Oh, reese
Weatherspoon.
I know, I know it is aninteresting choice, but I think
she has produced some reallysolid books.
I think that she has becomepart of a really cool publishing
team with her Hello Sunshinebrand and she's done a couple
(34:01):
good shows and movies.
So, yeah, and she seems justlike a great mom and someone I'd
like to get a couple coffeewith.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
I love this answer
because I'm going to be honest,
I love me some ReeseWeatherspoon.
I've seen movie, like I'm a fan, but I'm not aware of the books
and the team.
I'm intrigued now.
Now I need to go do moreresearch.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Go look up the book
after this.
It all fires everywhere.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Okay, I will.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
And it's based in
Ohio, which, since we're both
from Ohio, you will like that.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Interesting.
Okay, I'm going to go find itnow, I mean after this.
I will say bye to you first,then I'll go find it.
No, I love that.
Okay, so good.
Okay, if there is one powerfulpiece of advice that you could
leave for your daughter, whatwould it be?
Speaker 1 (34:54):
Don't sell yourself
short.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
You're worth more
than you know, that's good, I
feel like I can just do like amic drop now and just like be
done.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
I feel like that was
like a good cutting Goodbye.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
Yeah, no, that was
okay.
I love that.
Okay, what is a daily orconsistent habit that helps you
step more into like your selflove, self worth, confidence
that you do regularly?
Speaker 1 (35:22):
A good face mask, and
then this one solid exfoliant
that I'm obsessed with.
Yeah, ooh, okay, it's likesuper gritty.
Speaker 2 (35:32):
Ooh, okay, I love
this answer.
You have really good answers.
This is real good.
This is good.
Okay, let me just let's wrap itup here.
Do you have did I miss anythingwhere you're like, oh my gosh,
I really wanted to share thiswith people?
Any last words that you'd liketo leave for people before we
say goodbye?
Speaker 1 (35:51):
I'll just leave it
with one thing.
I think that obviously it'svery hard to talk about any
mental health.
You know it's very, it'semotional and it's heavy and
it's raw and it's real.
But I think if you arestruggling with anxiety or
depression or suicidal thoughts,you know whatever it might be,
(36:11):
I think if it is affecting yourlife and it is affecting your
relationships and your day today, then you owe it to your
best version of yourself to goget help.
And that might just meancalling your OB.
If you're postpartum, thatmight mean calling your general
practice doctor, that might meanfinding a doctor.
(36:33):
But your best version ofyourself deserves that and I
think when you're so lost it'sso easy to forget that.
But you are worth it.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
So good If people,
when people listen to this
episode, they're going to belike, oh my gosh, danielle, can
you share your new best friendwith me too?
And I'm going to say, I mean Iguess so where would you like
people to find you?
Learn more information aboutyou hang out with you.
Where would you like them?
Is there social media or do youjust want to send them right to
the podcast?
Tell us.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
Yeah, so I do update
my Instagram most frequently.
It is Athena, underscoreEstelle, and then the name of
the podcast is delivered findingvictory after postpartum
depression.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
So good, and we will
drop those in the show notes too
, so people can just click andthey don't have to worry about
spelling.
So we'll make it easy foreveryone to come hang out with
you.
So, athena, thank you so muchfor being here.
This was, I mean, like you said, a challenge, like a difficult
topic to talk about, but Ireally appreciate it and you
know the tips, the tricks andthe strategies and just sharing
(37:43):
your story.
I know it's going to relatewith so many people, and so
you're just amazing.
So, thank you, you now have tobe my best friend.
You didn't know that, but nowyou know.
So thank you so much for beinghere.
I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
Thank you so much for
having me.
I'm so glad I got to be here.