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EPS 32. When Life Got Dark: Trauma, Addiction and the Illusion of Success
- Christi Gmyr Coaching
- Feb 10
- 22 min read
***This episode includes discussion of sensitive topics, including trauma, addiction, and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.***
What happens when life appears to be shining brightly on the outside but darkness is lurking underneath?
In this deeply honest conversation on Overcaffeinated and Out of Effs I'm joined by Leah Johnson, a former political strategist whose impressive resume includes national campaigns, public office and “mom”. But behind the appearance of success, Leah was burned out and struggling with trauma and addiction. Forced to step back, she re-evaluated her priorities and started fresh in many ways. Now she lives with the freedom to be herself and know how far from perfect she is.
In this episode Leah opens up about the dark season that forced her to step back and re-evaluate everything she thought success was supposed to look like. We talk about the dark side of Leah's success; the role of her past trauma and path to addiction; why stepping away from success felt terrifying and necessary; the importance of letting go of perfection; and what it means to advocate for yourself and choose joy again. Leah's story is raw, compassionate and deeply human.
***This episode includes discussion of sensitive topics, including trauma, addiction, and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.***
If these topics feel triggering or overwhelming for you, I encourage you to skip this episode or return to it at another time. Please prioritize your emotional well-being and listen in a way that feels supportive to you.
This podcast is intended for informational and supportive purposes only and does not replace therapy, medical care, or professional mental health treatment. If you experience distress while listening, consider pausing the episode and reaching out to a trusted person or a qualified mental health professional.
If you are in immediate danger or experiencing thoughts of self-harm, please contact your local emergency number. If you are in the United States, you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Support is available, and you do not have to navigate this alone.
Leah Johnson is a speaker, retreat leader, and imperfect mom of two who spent over 25 years in campaign politics and public affairs before being forced to re-evaluate everything she thought she wanted. Through spiritual awakening, trauma healing, and radical self-honesty, Leah now helps women reconnect with joy, authenticity, and self-advocacy including leading spiritual journeys for women to Teotihuacan.
Find Leah at:
IG: @findingfantasticjoy
[00:04] Christi Gmyr: Welcome to Overcaffeinated and Out of Effs, the podcast for burned out, career-minded moms who are ready to stop pretending everything's fine and feel like themselves again.
[00:15] I'm your host, Christi Gmyr, burnout coach for moms, licensed therapist and mom of two. And I'm here to help you reclaim your energy, your identity, and your peace of mind.
[00:25] Whether you're lying awake thinking about the 87 things you didn't get done or silently resenting the people you love most,
[00:32] This is your space to feel seen, supported, and not so alone.
[00:36] So grab your coffee, hot, cold or day old, and let's get into it.
[00:47] Before we begin, I want to share an important note for listeners.
[00:52] This episode includes discussion of sensitive topics including trauma, addiction and suicide.
[00:58] Listener discretion is advised.
[01:00] If these topics are triggering or feel too heavy for you right now, I encourage you to skip this episode or come back to it at another time.
[01:08] Please listen in a way that prioritizes your emotional well being. There is no obligation to continue listening.
[01:15] This podcast is intended for informational and supportive purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy, mental health treatment or professional advice.
[01:24] If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or distressed while listening, I encourage you to pause the episode and reach out to a trusted person or qualified mental health professional.
[01:34] And if you are in immediate danger or experiencing thoughts of harming yourself,[01:38] please contact your local emergency number or if you're in the U.S.
[01:43] call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
[01:48] You deserve support and you don't have to go through this alone.
[01:55] Hey everybody, it's Christi.
[01:57] Welcome to Over Caffeinated and Out ofEffs. In today's episode, I'd like to welcome our guest, Leah Johnson.
[02:04] Leah's resume includes the words Obama, Kay Hagan and City Councilwoman, but what she has come to find out is that mom is the best title she's ever added.
[02:14] After a career that fueled her addiction to success and other things,
[02:19] life was dark and something had to change.
[02:21] Forced to step back, she reevaluated her priorities and started fresh in many ways.[02:27] Now she lives with the freedom to be herself and know how far from perfect she is. As an imperfect mother of two, she sometimes says bad words, frequently forgets to pack snacks for school, and on occasion her kids eat popsicles for breakfast.
[02:40] But she knows she is doing the best she can and that all people can do and that's all people can do on their journey.
[02:47] She had a whole lot of traumas early in life that made the middle part Tough.[02:52] But through an intense spiritual awakening, a reevaluation of priorities, and kicking a few addictions, Leah has confronted her trauma, found a way to pull herself out of the depths of sadness, and finds herself on a lifelong journey to build a self advocacy campaign to.
[03:09] To constantly find fantastic joy.
[03:12] So I've invited Leah here today to share her personal story about parenting, her time working in politics and public affairs, and how she pulled herself out of some really challenging and dark places.
[03:27] So Leah, thank you so much for being here today.
[03:32] Leah Johnson: Thanks so much for having me, Christi.
[03:33] Christi Gmyr: Can you start just by telling us a little bit about yourself and your family? Yeah.
[03:41] Leah Johnson: So I'm a mother of two. My kids are 8 and 12 now. Just had a middle schooler start. That's a whole new world and journey. But we live in Colorado,
[03:57] we travel a lot and really lean into to that as a experience for family growth and bonding. And yeah, we just, we create a lot. We're creators.
[04:13] I. Part of my transformation has been morphing into an artist and so that we spend a lot of time creating in our house as well. So.
[04:24] Christi Gmyr: Okay, so when you talk about creating in your house and you know, doing a lot of art, it sounds like that's really a shared interest with the whole family.
[04:34] Leah Johnson: Yeah, for sure, my daughter and I.
[04:37] And then, you know, the, the boys jump in as. As they can and do.
[04:44] But yeah, you know, it's. We. It started with like a room in the back of our house and now it's like turned into that room and a room in the garage that's my studio.
[04:55] And so we just,
[04:58] it's. It's surrounding us one way or another.
[05:02] Christi Gmyr: Sounds like it's taken over quite a bit of the house.
[05:06] Leah Johnson: In the best way possible.
[05:07] Christi Gmyr: Yes, in the best way possible.
[05:09] So I wanted to hear. I was hoping that we could talk a little bit about, you know, your career. So you've had, you know, you've had this impressive career working in politics and public affairs.
[05:20] You did that for over 25 years.
[05:23] But you mentioned that it fed your addiction to success and other things and that life was dark. And I was wondering if you could just tell us a little bit about that time and what was going on for you then.
[05:36] Leah Johnson: Yeah,
[05:38] so for a long time I certainly I, I was seeking this external validation and external.[05:50] It's how I believed that I would find love and happiness and all of the things that I think were seeking in life. Right. And so,
[05:59] you know, I had started out young in politics, really young,
[06:03] working in high school. And then I just Kept going. I. I didn't stop. But in the middle of that, too, I had all these other accolades and success, right? Like student body president, captain of the golf team, both in high school and college, prestigious university,
[06:18] just all of the things that, you know, on paper, I looked like I was successful.
[06:26] But after my mother passed away and we had a really challenging relationship,[06:32] I think so much of my journey in that professional space and those accolades was about seeking her approval and getting that love that I was seeking. And when she passed away,
[06:46] it was like I was doubling down and I was looking for an even bigger pool. And, you know, I ran for local office,
[06:54] and I was successful at that,
[06:58] but.
[07:00] But I was deteriorating inside. I was falling apart. I was miserable. I was depressed. I had chronic ptsd,
[07:08] and I had my second child while I was on council, and so I had postpartum depression.
[07:14] So I was in a very public role and. And internally just falling apart. Um,
[07:20] and so.
[07:21] But I believed that the next success, that's what would make it better.
[07:26] To the point where I was in such depths of darkness,
[07:30] I attempted suicide. And even after.
[07:34] I mean,
[07:35] it was close, right? And it was scary, but even after that, I found myself a couple weeks later sitting in a room with community leaders talking about me running for higher office,
[07:46] because that's what I thought would fix it. That's what I thought would make it better.
[07:52] And finally,
[07:54] you know, in when inevitable failures claim, which they obviously did, I drank to fill the voids. And so I was just perpetuating these cycles of generational trauma and addiction that my mom had experienced.
[08:08] And I was.
[08:09] You know, my kids were very little at this point, but I was reliving that.
[08:15] That life.
[08:16] And if I was successful at taking my own life, not only was I going to perpetuate the cycles, I was going to make it worse.
[08:23] And so something clicked. You know, my husband was like,[08:28] is this really how you want to live? Is this how you want your kids to live? And he. He said it so pointedly, and it just landed.
[08:38] Something shifted,
[08:41] and moment forward, I actually went to a rehab facility,
[08:46] and there I wrote my press release to withdraw from my reelection campaign,[08:52] which was the single hardest thing I. To date still, I've ever done. And that was almost seven years ago now.
[08:59] Christi Gmyr: Wow.
[09:00] Leah Johnson: And, you know, it was interesting. Once I wrote that and then actually sent it out,[09:09] all the other things, like alcohol became a non.
[09:12] Like, I didn't really ever have a desire to drink again because I wasn't trying to fill this void of. Of failure that I felt. And that's the thing. Like, through the whole thing, all I did was wake up every day.
[09:24] And in my mind I was like, I'm a failure. I'm the worst mother. I'm the worst, you know, community member. I'm not doing enough. I don't have it together enough.
[09:33] I, you know,
[09:34] and all I wanted to do then was end my own life because I was so miserable and I hated myself so much.
[09:45] But as I leaned into that, releasing it, it shifted everything so well.
[09:50] Christi Gmyr: And as I'm listening to you talk, I mean, one of the things that you, you know, I heard you mention a few times is really this idea of,
[09:57] you know, success versus failure. Failure. Right. Like, you talked about looking for this external validation. You talked about,
[10:04] you know, looking successful on the outside while really you were struggling on the inside,
[10:09] you know, and then you were talking about circumstances where you were feeling like a failure. Right.
[10:16] And so it sounds like.
[10:19] It sounds like that was something that really kind of shifted for you. And I'm curious, you know, so,
[10:25] like, how did you notice, like those definitions, like, how did success change for you once you had that realization and once you started to, you know, make these changes?
[10:37] Leah Johnson: Yeah,
[10:38] well, success really got flipped on its head, right? Because, like,[10:42] turned around. Because suddenly I realized success was being healthy. So success was healing.[10:53] Success was forgiving my mom and myself.
[10:59] And when I started to define success differently,
[11:04] it,
[11:05] you know, and it takes time, right? Like, it's, it's not a. Like, sure, there's like the lightning bolt moments of, you know, finally writing that press release, but the, the.
[11:16] The little bitty things that I had to do with myself to build self love and self compassion to get there.
[11:26] It's, you know, it was a daily,
[11:28] sometimes hourly journey, right? Like to,
[11:31] to lean into.
[11:33]
I am not a terrible person. I don't have to live in this shame. I don't have to live in this guilt.[11:40] And I started doing this little practice where, like, when things would come up,[11:46] I would feel like. I would feel,
[11:50] literally try and get it out of myself,
[11:52] the cringe moment, so to speak. And I would hold it and just wrap it in love and grace and I. Some memories. I mean, I still have to do that with some things.
[12:03] It just, it won't go away.
[12:05] Um,
[12:06] but you know, over time, like when you do these little practices that. And you know, sometimes I would do that daily and then I would do it for months back into it again.
[12:17] But it was years of that beforehand that allowed me to finally crack that open and say,
[12:27] this isn't working.
[12:28] I'm not happy. I don't want to live like this.
[12:32] And as a woman who is, you know, in a very public, professional space, like,
[12:38] then it became important to me to tell that story because we think we have to have it all together and we don't.
[12:47] Christi Gmyr: Yeah, well. And you know, and to your point, you know, so many high achieving moms, you know,
[12:53] really there is this focus on success and, and it means different things to different people, but for so many of them, it really,
[13:00] this idea of success becomes part of their identity. Right. And you know, you talk about,
[13:07] you know, how, you know, writing this press release was, you know, the hardest thing that you've had to do in your life, you know, and I'm curious, like, what was it like for you when you did begin to realize that all of these things that you had worked so hard for and it needed to change?
[13:27] Leah Johnson: Well, I will say it took a lot more time because even after I wrote that press release and sent it out, I still worked behind the scenes in politics for, for another five years.
[13:38] I.
[13:40] It wasn't until about a year and a half ago that I, like, was like, okay, I for real quit. I'm out.
[13:46] No more.
[13:48] But I think that's the thing, right? Like, it just takes so much time to shed off all the supposed tos and all the layers of what I was told I should be and finally realized who I was.
[14:07] Not seeking approval, not seeking validation, not seeking awards or accomplishments,
[14:16] just being me.
[14:19] I mean, it took a long time and it was my identity. That was the only thing that I knew. I mean, I started in politics when I was 14 and I literally worked on a campaign every November until I didn't for 25 years.
[14:33] Christi Gmyr: Yeah, well, and I. Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead.
[14:36] Leah Johnson: No, no, yeah, go ahead.
[14:38] Christi Gmyr: Well, I was just gonna ask, you know, you had mentioned that it was really your husband who had said to you, you know, had brought this to your awareness and was like, is this how you want to live?
[14:47] Is this what you want for yourself and your family? And was that sort of the moment? Was that sort of the final thing that led you to decide, yes, I am going to quit?[14:58] Like, yes, I am going to start doing things differently, or was it something else?[15:03] Leah Johnson: No, it was that. It was that when,
[15:06] you know,
[15:07] like when you're not in a good place, you know,
[15:10] I mean, you do, you don't. You don't you rationalize it? Yeah, I got really good at rationalizing, but I mean, it was bad. And you know, multiple suicide attempts and just the that feeling of like, you're just the scum of the earth, like, this unworthiness, like,[15:33] I just felt like there had to be more.
[15:37] And,
[15:39] you know, I'm sure that he'd said it many times before.
[15:42] Yeah,
[15:43] but it's also, like, when you're ready to hear it, too.
[15:46] Christi Gmyr: Yeah, yeah. No, absolutely.
[15:49] Well, and you had said, you know, that deep down you are. You knew, like, he said it out loud, and maybe it took a while for you to really be able to hear it, but deep down you knew.
[15:58] And you also talked about how even.
[16:01] Even.
[16:02] Even knowing the. To the degree that you did, it was part of your identity. Right. And so the change was still really hard. And so I'm curious, like, once you did decide to make that change, what were some of the biggest emotional challenges,
[16:17] you know, four of you that you faced?
[16:20] Leah Johnson: Yeah, I mean,
[16:24] so then it became interesting. You know, I think forgiving others is easier than forgiving yourself.
[16:34] And so the forgiveness of others came first.
[16:38] And then I had.
[16:42] I had that.
[16:43] So now the only person that I had to confront was me.
[16:53] And.
[16:54] And,
[16:54] you know,
[16:55] that's a lot. And,
[16:58] you know, it's easy to play the victim. Like, all those things happened to me, and that's why I was reacting the way I was. But at some point, I was making choices, too,[17:09] that we're not healthy and we're perpetuating cycles of trauma and addiction. And,[17:17] you know, you get in those trauma cycles and it feels like an endless, you know, merry go round. You can't get off. But.
[17:24] But doing the one little thing, like that little exercise, right? Like just one little thing to make it stop just for a second.
[17:33] And then again,
[17:34] it just. It slows down the.
[17:38] The speed of that cycle.
[17:41] And if you can get yourself into enough of those places to where you can even maybe take a step off for a minute,
[17:50] like, that's.
[17:52] But to confront the.
[17:57] The shame and guilt were two really huge emotions that I felt.
[18:03] It took a lot of.
[18:04] And it was a lot of tears.
[18:08] And then in the last two years, it's. I've oftentimes feel nauseous,
[18:15] especially for, like, leaning into the political space and,
[18:20] you know, just how it works and compromising my soul in the name of progress and letting go of some of the patriarchal things that are there. It just.
[18:32] But I know that the more I release it,
[18:36] the more space it creates for new and amazing things to come in, because I've seen that work.
[18:44] So I just keep leaning in.
[18:46] Christi Gmyr: Yeah,
[18:48] well.
[18:48] Oh, go ahead. No, no,
[18:50] I was saying, you Talk about, you know, a lifelong journey to build, you know, a self advocacy campaign to constantly find fantastic joy.
[18:59] So what does that mean? Like, what does fantastic joy mean to you now?
[19:05] Leah Johnson: Contentment.
[19:07] I mean, like I say often, you know, to my kids, like, it's okay to be happy and sad at the same time.
[19:13] And the reality is, like, if you're not happy and sad at the same time, like,
[19:18] are you living? Like that's life,
[19:20] like,
[19:21] like just becoming.
[19:23] I think it's acceptance,
[19:26] acceptance and gratitude.
[19:31] Like, that's what joy means to me. And like life isn't always great.
[19:37] It's hard sometimes.
[19:40] But like recognizing that is, you know, not spiritually bypassing recognizing it's hard,
[19:47] but choosing optimism. Anyway,
[19:49] one of my favorite authors and thought leaders, Brad Stolberg, calls it tragic optimism.
[19:55] And so leaning into that idea a lot.
[19:59] Christi Gmyr: Well, no, and I, and I agree with you. You know, and it's something that I say a lot to people too, this idea that you can be happy and sad at the same time.[20:06] Like both of those things can exist at the same time.
[20:09] Right. It doesn't have to be one or the other. And also to your point, like, yes. I mean, having these emotions, experiencing things like sadness is,
[20:17] you know, that is part of life, that is part of being human. And you know,
[20:22] feelings of sadness, which is separate from, you know, severe depression, but feelings of sadness is something that people do, they experience, they deal with all the time and they, they can get through it.
[20:34] Right. And that's, that is part of life. Right. So to your point, just sort of like acknowledging that, embracing that, accepting that and it sounds like really having. And then to your point, having that gratitude and appreciation for the other things in life.[20:50] Leah Johnson: Well, and choosing healing too, right? Like, yeah,
[20:55] it is a choice. I mean, life is hard.
[20:57] The heart's inevitable.
[20:59] The healing choice. Right. And so leaning into that,
[21:05] it, it just, it creates a lot more joy.
[21:09] Christi Gmyr: Yeah, no, absolutely. Well, so, you know, the people who are listening to this podcast are primarily burned out working moms.[21:18] And that's obviously going to be a little bit different for all of them. But I'm curious, like, what do you feel like are some simple ways that these burned out moms can start to reconnect to themselves and their own joy.
[21:33] Leah Johnson: So my,
[21:35] the most critical component of my transformation has been the power of creativity.[21:41] And so I leaned in. I mean, I've been journaling and doodling and writing and all the things in a,
[21:49] in different places over the years since I was a teenager. It's always been a way I've processed my trauma.
[21:57] But as I leaned into,
[21:59] who am I if I'm not Leah the politician? Who am I if I'm not? Like.
[22:05] And I started to realize, like,
[22:08] I'm an artist. I'm an author.
[22:10] I'm a creator, and we all are creators. And I think that the thing we forget, right? Like, we think we have to create something with a purpose.
[22:21] But the power of creativity to transform your life cannot be overstated enough. Like, it is such a powerful tool. And so,
[22:31] for me, I mean, I've leaned into intuitive painting and intentional creativity and even getting trained as an intentional creativity
cura with my teacher and mentor, Shiloh Sophia and Emily Greaves, and,
[22:46] you know, like, leaning into that magical space that allows me to connect to me and channel the divine that's in me and connect to my higher power, whatever. And whatever.
[23:00] Christi Gmyr: Whoever.
[23:00] Leah Johnson: Whatever that is for you, it's the universe, Jesus, whatever.
[23:05] But connecting to that through your own self,
[23:09] through the power of creativity. So for me, that's been critical. And you can do little things. Like,
[23:15] I would say prayer dots is the most amazing little exercise that if you're sitting somewhere in a meeting and you're burned out and frustrated, you know,
[23:25] start making little hearts or little stars on your paper, but with intention,
[23:31] with releasing that energy you're feeling, or find gratitude for things that you are grateful for,
[23:38] or do little prayer dots into love, whatever it is. But the literal act of then taking that energy and turning it into matter shifts something in you. And so,
[23:50] you know, and those are very little things I've leaned into big,
[23:54] huge, massive paintings and big, huge projects that have allowed that release in really big ways, but from a very small thing.
[24:06] That's a tool that I do as well.
[24:08] Christi Gmyr: Yeah. No, and that's. That's really interesting, and that's really helpful, and I appreciate, you know, you. You talking about that.
[24:14] You know, one of the things that we've been spending a lot of time talking about is obviously, you know, the impact of your political career,
[24:24] you know, on your life, on your burnout, you know, and needing and wanting to make these changes. And then, of course, the other important part of this is your role as a mom, Right?
[24:35] Like, that's all tied into this, too.
[24:38] So one of the things that, you know, you have said before and you talk about is being an imperfect mom, right? And so I'm wondering, like, how has embracing imperfection changed the way that you show up for your kids?
[24:54] Leah Johnson: Well, there's a lot less pressure. Like, if the baseline is, I'm gonna mess Up. Like, well, good. We're starting in a really great place.
[25:08] Christi Gmyr: Okay. Well. Yeah, no, go ahead.
[25:12] Leah Johnson: In all seriousness.
[25:14] No, it allows me to show up more authentically. Right. Like, that was one thing I felt like I never heard a lot as a kid was,
[25:24] I'm sorry.
[25:25] Like, I. I messed up, like,
[25:28] from.
[25:29] From the adults in my life. Right.
[25:32] And. And demonstrating that to my kids. Like, I'm not perfect.
[25:36] My daughter just started middle school.
[25:39] I told her, I'm not gonna navigate every situation with you. Exactly. Right. Like, it's hard.
[25:46] Being in middle school is hard.
[25:48] And.
[25:50] But what I'm going to do is I'm going to try and I'm going to show up and I'm going to be there and I'm going to mess up.
[25:58] But when I do, it's only because I'm trying and I'm learning, too, and we can learn together.
[26:04] And I'm not perfect. And so just trying to approach everything like that and then own. When I make mistakes. You know, we're moms. We lose our patience. We.
[26:16] We sometimes yell when we don't mean to yell, like, stop fighting with your brother.
[26:23] But.
[26:24] But just owning those moments, like, you know, I wasn't quite regulated there.[26:29] That was on me, and I'm sorry. So.
[26:32] Christi Gmyr: Well, and to your point, I mean,
[26:34] acknowledging that we're not perfect, which nobody is, right. Perfection does not exist. You know, and so you talk about, like, taking that pressure off. Right. And being more authentic, which,
[26:44] you know, I imagine is really helpful for you and for her, you're really sort of focusing more on that,
[26:51] on the relationship, on the connection. Right. But then the other part of that, too, is not only is that maybe, you know, helpful for you because there's less pressure, but it's also showing her that it's okay to not be perfect.
[27:05] Right. And it's okay to make mistakes. Mistakes. And that, you know. You know, we're all human. Right. And that we can make mistakes, and we can a lot of times repair those mistakes.
[27:15] Like, we can,
[27:17] you know, we can make choices after those mistakes to kind of.
[27:23] Yeah. To essentially, like, repair things.
[27:26] Leah Johnson: Yeah. Well, I mean, it's just being human, right?
[27:29] Christi Gmyr: Yeah, absolutely. No, and it is. It's just being human. But also I think that a lot of moms do put a lot of pressure on themselves to be perfect, whether they realize it or not.
[27:39] Not. You know, and I do think that it's really important just to sort of,
[27:43] you know, be continuing to have those conversations and that constant reminder that we're not perfect.
[27:48] And it's okay. And it's okay for a lot of different reasons, you know,
[27:53] so.
[27:54] So then how do you, you know, you talk about being present with your family, you know, having that connection.
[28:01] So how do you balance that with still prioritizing your own healing and growth?[28:10] Leah Johnson: Well, I think part of that too is as a mom, giving myself permission to say, like, sometimes I need time to take care of myself.
[28:20] And again, it's demonstrating to my kids that I know that my taking care of myself is an important priority, because when I do, I'm a better mom and I'm a more present mom, and I can do all the things better.
[28:37] And I think we're often told that that's not okay. Right. Like, we just have to give and give and give to everybody else.
[28:46] And there's a lot of that still. But.
[28:49] But setting that boundary to say, you know, I need to take some time for myself and whatever that looks like, obviously it looks different for every person,
[28:58] but,
[28:59] um, leaning into that and recognizing that, that's okay. Like, it's giving yourself permission to take care of yourself as a priority. Sam.
[29:10] Christi Gmyr: Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely.
[29:13] So you've obviously, you know, moved away from politics. Right? I think you said it's been about seven years now.
[29:21] So what. So can you tell us a little bit about, like, what is the work that you do now?[29:26] Leah Johnson: Yeah, well, really, it's only been a year and a half, so. Because I. I stayed behind the scenes because I just couldn't quite let it go.
[29:35] Christi Gmyr: Yes. Okay.
[29:38] Leah Johnson: But,
[29:39] yeah, so now I.
[29:41] I'm an artist, so I do paintings, artwork,
[29:44] and then I also teach intuitive painting,
[29:49] intentional creativity,
[29:51] which is essentially spiritual medicine, painting, again, no art skills required, just allowing people to connect and create, to create and process and move energy and trauma and create space for happiness and joy and all of the things,
[30:10] and just reconnect to our power of creativity. Right. And so I do that. I live in Colorado, so I do in person stuff here in Colorado, as well as retreats in Teotihuacan, Mexico, which is where I've been going for 15 years now, and where my.
[30:29] The. The crack was opened at the very beginning of this whole journey.
[30:36] And so I've returned many times and then after my book came out in 2022,
[30:41] started leading my own groups there to really share the wisdom and inspiration that I've been taught and then experienced myself through this really profound transformation to help women connect to themselves, find that divine their own voice, their own creativity.
[31:02] Christi Gmyr: So, yeah, that's amazing. So for women who are wanting to learn More about you and your work. I know you said, you know, you do in person things in Colorado, and obviously for people who don't live locally, you do offer, you know, these retreats and whatnot.
[31:18] You talk about your book, like, where people, where can people go to learn more about all of those things you and the work that you do.
[31:23] Leah Johnson: Yeah, my website is just finding fantasticjoy.com so pretty easy. And then on social media, you know, Leah Johnson, finding fantastic joy.
[31:36] Christi Gmyr: You'll.
[31:36] Leah Johnson: You'll find me.
[31:37] Christi Gmyr: Okay, but.
[31:40] Leah Johnson: And, and one of the things on 2026 I am going to working towards is creating some intentional women's circle online, intentional women's circles that leverage that power of creativity regularly. So that's an offering that's coming here soon, too.[31:59] Christi Gmyr: Oh, great. Okay. Well, so. And I will include all of that, you know, in the show notes for anybody who's interested in learning more.
[32:08] So before we kind of wrap up for today, you know, if you could leave the moms who are listening, you know, with one final message, one final piece of advice, what would it be?
[32:16] Leah Johnson: Yeah, so I say this often.
[32:19] After working in politics for 25 years,
[32:22] I am overtly aware of how the world is,[32:26] but I choose to live in it as I want it to be. And that's with joy and contentment and creativity. And so I say live in the world as you want it to be,
[32:39] not as a date.
[32:41] Christi Gmyr: I feel like that is advice that could be helpful to a lot of people right now,
[32:45] not just working moms, but. Yeah, no, that's.
[32:50] That's really great. I appreciate you saying that.
[32:52] So this has been. I mean, this has all been really interesting. I really do appreciate you sharing your story. I think it's so helpful. I think it's wonderful the work that you're doing.
[33:00] You know, you're taking these past experiences that you've had and you're turning them into,
[33:05] you know, your turning your work into a
way to help these other women,
[33:10] which I think is so wonderful.
[33:13] And again, I do appreciate you taking time out of your day in your life to. To share that with us.
[33:19] So for the moms who are listening, you know, as always, if any of this resonates, if you found any of this to be helpful, you know, please look Leah up in,
[33:31] you know, online and the work that she does. I'll include that information in the show notes.
[33:35] And I also encourage you to please share this podcast with any other moms that you could use some additional support because we are all in this together.
[33:46] Leah Johnson: Thanks for having me, Christi.
[33:51] Christi Gmyr: Before we wrap up, I want to take a moment to check in with you. If anything in today's conversation brought up strong emotions or felt heavy, or if you're feeling overwhelmed,
[34:01] I encourage you to pause, ground yourself and reach out to someone you trust or a qualified mental health professional.
[34:08] And if you are in immediate danger or experiencing thoughts of harming yourself,[34:13] please contact your local emergency number.
[34:15] If you're in the United States, you can call or text to 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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