The Spark Sisters Flame Schoeder and Jeanne Ivy

What happens when a season of personal hardships collides with a grief-inducing event—and is it possible to hold onto authenticity during such “perfect storms?” In this impromptu discussion, which may be the most raw Spark Sisters’ most raw episode yet, Jeanne shares how a recent grief has impacted her. Together, she and Flame discuss the value of remaining authentic even when times are tough.
Related resource: Jeanne mentions The Live Your Values Deck by Lisa Congdon and Andreea Niculescu.

Rugged individuality is often characterized as a hallmark of the American way of life, but is it authentic? How are they the same? How are they different? In this episode, Jeanne and Flame explore all this, plus a vision for society that builds on the best of all of it.

Have  you ever felt like the most well-meaning advice didn't apply to you? In this episode, Jeanne and Flame explore why that might be and how to approach advice. They answer the question , "who is the best person to give you advice and why?"

The Spark Sisters kick off their second season by discussing the "quiet quitting" phenomenon and how it relates to productivity and authenticity.

Related reading: Jeanne mentions a thought-provoking Twitter thread by Anne Helen Petersen, the co-author of the book Out of Office.

In this episode, Jeanne shares how she began identifying and trusting her authentic self—and how that process involved a dark reckoning.* She and Flame also discuss the value of courage, clarity, community and play, as well as the role that systems have in people’s capacity to be their authentic selves.

 * This included an incident of near-suicidal thoughts. If you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call 800.273.8255 or chat with a counselor online. 

Hear what Flame's path of authenticity looks like. In her search for happiness, she found her own path, guided by the events of her seemingly random life. Ultimately, her core values and quest to be unconditional love became the foundation for her authentic life.