Grief Doesn't End, But Neither Does Joy with Alexa Norton

On this weeks episode of Twenty Something, Gina Beus is sharing her story of surviving a six-year abusive relationship, losing herself along the way, and eventually finding the courage to use her voice. Years after escaping, Gina learned that her abuser had been arrested for what he did to another woman. When authorities asked other victims to come forward, Gina faced a terrifying decision: stay silent or tell the truth about what had happened to her. She chose to speak. Her words were ultimately used in his sentencing, and today, her abuser is in prison. Gina opens up about the red flags she ignored in the relationship, the fear and manipulation that kept her stuck, the shame that made her hide what was happening from the people she loved, and the moment she looked in the mirror and realized she didn’t recognize herself anymore. Olivia and Gina discuss why people stay in relationships they know aren’t healthy, how people-pleasing can slowly teach you to ignore your own boundaries, what abuse can look like when there aren’t obvious signs from the outside, and how to support someone you love who may not be ready to leave. But Gina’s story doesn’t end with what happened to her. Olivia and Gina also talk about rebuilding confidence, learning to trust yourself again, strengthening your voice through small everyday moments, and deciding what you will and won’t accept in a relationship. Gina shares how she found her way back to herself, eventually found a safe and healthy love with the man who is now her husband, how she teaches her daughter about healthy love, and why knowing your own worth can change the relationships you choose. Whether you’ve experienced abuse yourself, watched someone you love go through it, or simply want to better understand what these relationships can look like, this conversation is an important one. You have a voice. And it is never too late to find your way back to yourself.

This week, Olivia sits down with one of the most influential mentors in her life, Natalyn “Natty” Lewis. Natty first came into Olivia’s life as her high school soccer coach, but the lessons she taught her then have followed Olivia well into her twenties. Natty is a speaker, executive coach, entrepreneur, and business strategist who has spent more than 26 years studying human behavior, leadership, and what helps people move forward when fear tells them to stay exactly where they are. Together, Olivia and Natty talk about why uncertainty can feel so uncomfortable in your twenties, what’s actually happening when your brain starts sounding the alarm, and why being afraid doesn’t necessarily mean you’re on the wrong path. They also unpack one of Natty’s biggest lessons: stop focusing so much on the outcome and start paying attention to who you’re becoming along the way. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why your twenties can suddenly feel more anxious and uncertain

Grief doesn’t only happen when someone dies. It can show up after a breakup, a major life change, losing a job, losing a version of your future, or saying goodbye to a person or chapter you thought would always be there. In this episode, Olivia sits down with Patrick McCarthy (@misterpjm) for an honest conversation about what grief actually does to us — emotionally, physically, and even in the way we see our lives. After losing his mom, Patrick began sharing openly about grief online and quickly found that thousands of people were carrying versions of the same pain. Together, he and Olivia talk about what it means to stop running from grief, how to live alongside it, and how loss can eventually reshape the way you love, connect, and choose to live. In this episode, you'll learn: Why grief can feel so lonely, even when loss is universal What happens when you avoid, suppress, or outrun grief How grief can show up physically in your body Why there is no “right” way or timeline to grieve How to handle jealousy when other people still have what you lost Why you may feel guilty for laughing, feeling joy, or not being “sad enough” How grief can make it scary to love and attach to people again Ways to keep someone’s memory alive after they’re gone How to support someone you love who is grieving Why grief can change what matters to you — and sometimes become a source of meaning, courage, and deeper love

Can I be a good mom and still miss my old life? Can I love my kids more than anything and still want time alone? Can I be ambitious, love my career, and not feel guilty for wanting something outside of motherhood? These are the hard questions so many moms ask themselves — and the ones we don’t always say out loud. In this episode, Olivia sits down with Kylee Noorlander, founder of Come Home Collective, to talk about what it actually looks like to become a mom without losing yourself in the process. Kylee became a mom at 21, and she opens up about loving motherhood while also grieving parts of the life she thought she would have in her twenties. Together, they talk about the guilt of wanting more, the pressure to be everything to everyone, the identity shift that comes with motherhood, and why taking care of yourself is about so much more than “self-care.” They also get into career and motherhood, comparison, nervous system regulation, learning to trust yourself, letting go of the life you thought you were supposed to have, and figuring out what you actually want your life to look like. Because maybe the question isn’t whether you can do motherhood perfectly. Maybe it’s: How do you build a life where you can deeply love your kids and still recognize yourself inside of it? Kylee recently launched the Come Home Method, a program designed to help women do exactly what this episode is all about: get more connected to who they are, what they need, and how they want to live. Twenty Something listeners can use code TWENTYSOMETHING for 20% off the Come Home Method. Follow Kylee on Instagram at @comehome.collective. Learn more: https://comehomecollective.com/

In this episode, Olivia sits down with Richard Ostler, host of the Listen, Learn & Love podcast, to have an honest conversation about LGBTQ+, faith, and the LDS Church. Richard is the author of Listen, Learn & Love: Embracing LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and has spent years listening to and sharing the stories of queer Latter-day Saints through his podcast, which now has more than 900 episodes and 8 million downloads. Richard shares how serving as a YSA bishop changed the way he understood and supported queer Latter-day Saints, and why listening to people’s lived experiences became such an important part of his own faith journey. Together, Olivia and Richard talk about shame, belonging, personal revelation, same-sex marriage, church participation, suicide prevention, allyship, and what it really looks like to become a safe person for the people around you. They also get into the questions that don’t always have easy answers: What do you do when someone you love feels like their identity and their religion are asking them to choose between two parts of themselves? How do we support people without trying to decide their path for them? What can we do to make our homes, churches, and communities safer places for queer people? And with rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation so high, what does meaningful support actually look like? This conversation isn’t about having every answer, but it is about listening better, loving people more deeply, and making room for honest questions, complicated experiences, and real faith. Connect with Richard: Instagram: @papa_ostler Podcast: Listen, Learn & Love Connect with Olivia: Instagram: @twentysomething_podcast TikTok: @twentysomething_podcast YouTube: @TwentySomething-OliviaBurnett