PRETTYSMART is a love letter to women with something to say: those with bold thoughts and inquisitive minds. In thought-provoking conversations with some of tod...
Secrets to Overcoming Fear and Pushing Limits with Michelle Khare
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to turn the wildest "what ifs" into reality, this episode will leave you inspired to embrace your own boldest dreams. Danielle sits down with Michelle Khare—YouTube sensation, Streamy Award-winning creator, and the woman behind the wildly popular Youtube series Challenge Accepted. Michelle shares how she’s pushed herself to the limit with challenges like escaping from a water tank Houdini-style, training with NASA, and even becoming a black belt in just 90 days, and even transforming into a Victoria’s Secret model. Together, they explore: How to tap into your inner daredevil and confront fear. The surprising mental and physical toll of taking on extreme challenges. Why Michelle believes "everything you want is on the other side of fear." How Tim Ferriss’ 4-Hour Workweek shaped her fearless philosophy. The behind-the-scenes reality of creating high-stakes, docu-style YouTube videos. How rejection, resilience, and resourcefulness have shaped her career. The life lessons she’s learned from clowns, FBI hostage negotiators, and circus performers. Book Reccomendation: The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris Follow Michelle on Instagram Watch Challenge Accepted on Michelle’s Youtube channel
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Reversing Aging and Rethinking Health: What Harvard’s ‘Mother of Mindfulness’ Wants You to Know: Dr. Ellen Langer
Dr. Ellen Langer, known as the “mother of mindfulness,” and the first woman ever tenured in psychology at Harvard University and joins PRETTYSMART for an unforgettable conversation that will challenge everything you think you know about health, aging, and control over your life. With decades of groundbreaking research, Dr. Langer has reshaped our understanding of the mind’s power to transform the body and revolutionized how we approach healing, decision-making, and resilience. In this eye-opening episode, we explore: The one phrase she lives by (it changed Danielle’s life). Why the traditional “mind-body connection” is outdated—and how embracing mind-body unity can unlock extraordinary healing potential. The startling study that showed reversing aging isn’t science fiction—it’s science. How simple shifts in perception, like seeing daily work as exercise, can dramatically improve your health. What her groundbreaking research reveals about the illusion of control—and how to reclaim it in your own life. Why language, like the term “in remission,” shapes how we experience illness and healing. Her personal stories, from her mother’s miraculous recovery from terminal cancer to the fire that destroyed nearly everything she owned—and how she found meaning and growth in both experiences. Book Reccomendation: The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health by Dr. Ellen Langer Follow Ellen here
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The 2025 Leap: 5 Life-Changing Moves for the Year Ahead
Transform your life in 2025! Danielle unveils her 5-step action plan to help you make this your most extraordinary year yet. Recorded with love and intention, this episode goes beyond goal-setting—it’s about designing a life that truly lights you up. Highlights include: The Annual Reflection: Why writing down your highlights and lowlights from 2024 can set the stage for clarity and momentum in the new year. The 5-Step Action Plan: Danielle’s meticulously designed, free resource to help you set meaningful goals and create a blueprint for success. Joy Over Discipline: Why joy is the secret ingredient to achieving your goals and how to align your aspirations with what truly excites you. Dream Without Limits: How to let go of limiting beliefs and give yourself permission to want what you really want. The Power of Questions: Key questions to ask yourself, including, What would you do this year if you knew you could not fail? This episode is packed with personal stories, research-backed insights, and practical tools to help you dream bigger, reflect deeper, and set yourself up for a transformative year. Plus, Danielle reveals her own goals, her word of the year, and the mantra guiding her into 2025. Download your FREE 2025 Action Plan at DanielleRobay.com and let’s make this the year you go all in on YOU. Grab the QUESTION EVERYTHING card game here!
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46:04
Reality Check: What TV’s Guilty Pleasures Teach Us About Ourselves
Natasha Scott and Justine Kay, the dynamic duo behind the podcast Two Black Girls, One Rose, join us for a deep, hilarious, and thought-provoking conversation about reality TV and its impact on culture. What started as a love for shows like Laguna Beach and The Bachelor has evolved into a platform for dissecting race, relationships, and representation in pop culture. Natasha and Justine share personal stories, insights on building their brand, and why their podcast has become more than just commentary—it's a community. Whether you’re a reality TV junkie or a casual fan, this episode will leave you laughing, reflecting, and rethinking how we consume pop culture. In this episode, we dive into: Why Laguna Beach gave them their first glimpse into a world of wild teenage freedom. How Rachel Lindsay’s groundbreaking season of The Bachelorette exposed blind spots in traditional reality TV recaps. The nuances of race in reality TV: what producers get wrong and what needs to change. Why Couples Therapy is a must-watch for empathy lovers everywhere. The cultural phenomenon of Love Is Blind and how reality TV sparks real-life connections. The not-so-guilty lessons they’ve learned from reality TV—on love, friendship, and human nature. Follow Natasha + Justine. Book Recommendations: Natasha: Thick: And Other Essays" by Tressie McMillan Cottom Justine: The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin Download your FREE 2025 Action Plan at DanielleRobay.com and let’s make this the year you go all in on YOU. Grab the QUESTION EVERYTHING card game here!
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The Seven Words That Saved My Life with Jessica Hoppe
Jessica Hoppe is a Honduran-Ecuadorian writer and creator of @NuevaYorka. She recently released her first memoir “First in the Family: A Story of Survival, Recovery and the American Dream” Today she joins PRETTYSMART and shares: Her battle with alcohol addiction—and why she took her story public. How society’s view of addiction differs for white people vs. people of color. The systems failing those struggling with addiction—and the changes we desperately need. The 7 words a stranger said that saved her life. How shame fuels addiction, and why we need to ask better questions. The weight of American Exceptionalism—and her own personal reckoning with it. Why your core beliefs might not be yours at all—and how to uncover what you truly stand for. Why she believes her story still makes some people uncomfortable. Follow Jessica Here Buy First in the Family Here Book Recommendation: Magical Realism by Vanessa Angelica Villarreal and Heavy by Kiese Laymon Grab the QUESTION EVERYTHING card game here! Download Danielle’s 2025 Goals + Manifestation Map here for FREE
PRETTYSMART is a love letter to women with something to say: those with bold thoughts and inquisitive minds. In thought-provoking conversations with some of today’s most dynamic voices – from entrepreneurs and authors to politicians and celebrities – journalist Danielle Robay digs into the hearts, souls, and stories of people who put a new spin on Pretty.
Each week, they tackle a new idea, and hold up a mirror to our culture, asking questions about what works for us and what we can work to change. No topic is off limits – come as you are and join Danielle every Thursday to feel pretty inspired, pretty seen, and best of all: Pretty Smart.
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