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Woman of Influence
From Ambition to Alignment: Lindsey Simcik on Growth, Grace, and Reinvention
01:04:15
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- [00:00]
Julie Solomon
The amount of assernment and awareness and courage that you really have to have to know where you leave off and others begin, I think is huge. Welcome to the Influencer Podcast. I'm your host, Julie Solomon. If you found yourself here, it means you are ready to unleash the powerful visionary that lives inside you, turning you into an authentic leader who creates influence, impact and change. Let's get started. Hello, my friends. Today on the podcast we have a very special guest, my friend, Lindsay Simonik from the Almost 30 podcast. I just feel so honored to have this conversation with Lindsay today, especially because we have known each other for many years now in the online space. She started her podcast almost 30 with our other dear friend, Krista Williams. And I started the Influencer podcast around the same time and we were both these little podcast babies that were in Los Angeles at the time and just by the grace of God, got to meet very early on and got to just really love and support one another along the way. I have always loved who they are, what they stand for, and what they do over at almost 30. If you have listened to this podcast for a while, you probably know who Krista and Lindsay are. They just wrote an incredible book also titled Almost 30, which we're going to be talking about a little bit today. But what we really drop into today is a beautiful conversation of what it it means to lead yourself, of what it means to give yourself permission to evolve and to grow and to truly be whole in this new age of leadership. And so if you're anything like my clients that you've been around the block for a little while, this is not your first rodeo when it comes to online space. You're going to really appreciate this conversation because Lindsay and I are able to drop deep into just a deeper level of conversation that I think experience will lend you to. And it's been a really just beautiful flow of seeing this evolution and just kind of having her perspective on the game that we're all playing. That is life. So with that, let's get started. Beautiful Lindsay, welcome back to the show. So good to have you here.
- [02:13]
Lindsay Simonik
Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to sit down with you. I recently saw you in Nashville. You are a just amazing friend and supported us on our book tour. And I was like wanting more. I'm like, can we. We have three hours till the airport. Can we go to lunch? Can we have a Kiki? But you're just the best. So thank you for having me.
- [02:32]
Julie Solomon
Oh, you're just the best. And I love that we get to drop in today. We miss our Krista.
- [02:36]
Lindsay Simonik
Yes.
- [02:36]
Julie Solomon
But I was looking back and I had you both on. I mean, we met years ago. We met, I think, in 2018 when we were both starting our podcast Journey. And I had you both on then and then, I think since then, because, you know, you went to New York, you got married, you had a baby, you were growing, growing your. Your beautiful life and your business. And so I've dropped in with Krista on the podcast since, but you and I haven't dropped in. So I'm excited. I'm excited to drop into this. Goodness.
- [03:02]
Lindsay Simonik
Me too.
- [03:03]
Julie Solomon
And you just mentioned I got to see you in person, which was such a gift at your bookstop in Nashville. You and Krista just launched your first book out into the world, almost 30. And I want to share. I want you to share a bit about how that journey's been. I don't even want, I mean, any. I know that you have been on this book launch rodeo for a hot minute now, and there's a lot that goes into it, but I want to know how you're feeling post launch of the book. And now that it's been out in the world for several weeks, you've been able to hear from incredible women that have been dropping in and taking the words and the stories and the brilliance that you and Christa were so just beautifully gracious to share with all of us. And how has that been since it dropped out into the world?
- [03:56]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, I've been very reflective over the last week. I don't know what it is, but I know you know this because you've written books. It's. It is such a marathon and such a push leading up to book launch. And even during that first week, there's so much energy and so much pressure and so much excitement. You know, this is a project that Krista and I have been working on for nearly two years, really, in the grand scheme of things, like this whole tenure process with almost 30, but two years writing. And it's just such a strange thing for it to be the moment when it's out and it's like, what are you supposed to feel? You know, it's this weird contradiction of like, okay, I should feel. Should I just keep pushing? Should I actually sit and really receive this? And I think my experience has been interesting because I decided about two weeks before the book came out, I committed to celebrating. I was like, from this point forward, we had done so many podcasts and all this press, and we were kind of winding that down and leading up to the actual launch of the book. And I was like, you know what, Linds? You get to celebrate now. Because the reality is, I'm so proud of this book. We. We wrote a book which is just an incredible feat, and it came from our hearts and our experiences and from people like you who have just given us so much wisdom and insight over the years. And I get to celebrate, and I get to be in that joy. And I think what happens when you create something and it's about to be shared with the world, There are a lot of different ways in which your joy can be stolen. Whether it's, you know, the publisher pressuring you to do this or the expectations to have this amount of sales here and land this type of press, and all of that is important. I'm not saying it's not, but I think there's a point at which you really have to be so clear about what you want to experience, especially as it, you know, enters the world and it really meets people. Because if I'm worried about the numbers, then I'm not able to see the messages from hundreds of people saying, oh, my gosh, like, I found this book at the right time. My friend gifted it to me. I just turned 30. Or I'm moving through a season of change in my 40s, and this is actually incredibly applicable. I'm feeling so seen. So I chose. I don't know what wise part of me did that, but I chose to be in my joy and to celebrate and to be present for it, because I don't know if this is going to happen again in my life. And so I just. I didn't want anything to steal that joy. So, yeah, right now, coming off the tour, the tour was amazing. It was sweet, it was intimate. It wasn't like our big blowout world tour that we did. It was sweet and intimate and different. And I had many moments where God was like, this is what it's about. Just so you know, I know you're feeling pressure over here and, like, you didn't do enough over here, but this girl in front of you who's telling you her story and how the podcast or the book has influenced her or impacted her, this is what it's about. So I've just had many moments of that where it's just this total reframe of, like, this is what's important. Important. When you move through something like this, it's not all that external and the numbers and that, those certain ideas of success. The success is you wrote a book, and the Success is. It's impacting people, period. And.
- [07:43]
Julie Solomon
And far more than I think you'll. You'll ever even know, to be honest. You know, just you. You just get. You just get little glitters of the bigger sunshine that it's sprinkling down from.
- [07:57]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, for sure. Yes. Do you feel like when you create something, like it's. It's almost. It is like a baby, and then you put it out into the world and you're like, you got to go do your thing. You know, it's. It's. There's almost a point at which I have to, like, not make it my business to control every way in which this book is going to reach people and be out in the world. And that's been very liberating too, where I'm like, I'm interested to see what she does, and I'm going to. I'm going to watch this. This is going to be fun, you know, so good.
- [08:28]
Julie Solomon
Well, I want to drop into that more because I think it's only so natural and so common, especially for women who they love to achieve and they love to be successful and, you know, they love to. To tangibly and even metrically see the impact that they are creating, and we can all get lost in that. I mean, I think that that's a. There's a good part that our ego needs of that, and then there's that shadow part. So I would love to know through your process, because when you do anything like this, you got all kinds of people that I got all kinds of ideas about how you should do it. So, and. And some of it is. Is amazing and great, and some of it may not apply to you. So for you, how did you root into kind of taking what you liked and leaving the rest when it came to the ideas, reflections? Here's what you should do and need to do. Here's the guy that you need to talk to about this thing if you want to get that. How did you stay embodied and aligned in your own truth and authenticity with that?
- [09:40]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, it's such a good question and something that I've had to really hone over the years. And I think one insight that has helped me so much to discern for myself, whether it's for me or not and just kind of how I chew on something, how long I need, you know, the feeling that I should have is human design. Our friend Jenna Zoe's been on the podcast. My friend Aaron Claire. They're both people that I look to as. As experts in this space. I'm A manifesting generator. Emotional authority 5:1 profile. Anyway, that might be gibberish to some and that's totally okay. But it is a really interesting study that has helped me to understand myself better. And the part of my chart that's interesting is the emotional authority related to what you just asked. So I am prone to having emotional waves. So many times throughout this book process, you know, say our publisher or my dad or, you know, someone else would give their either, you know, critical feedback or a suggestion or you should do it this way or, you know, you're not doing enough of this. Try this. And I would have an emotional reaction like, what the. They don't know like that, you know, for doing this and they're not seeing that I would have this like, big emotional reaction and just feel so hot. And what I know now about that emotional reaction is, yeah, I'm going to have those. I'm going to have the highs, the lows, kind of this wavy, wavy, wavy experience. But there's going to be a point probably within 24 to 36 hours where the wave kind of settles and the, the water is a bit more peaceful and I'm able to actually feel into what my truth is. And oftentimes it's not the same as what the emotional reaction was telling me was true. Usually it's a bit more balanced. It might be that, you know what, they don't have the experience. And so I'm not going to take what they said as full truth. However, there is a little truth in what they observed. And so I'm going to take that. I'm going to take the charge out of it and just see if I can use that for myself to make it better or approach in, in a different way. So knowing that about myself has been so, so profound, like, so profound other people, like my son is a sacral authority. I believe Krista is too. And they are meant to, like, they'll make decisions they know in a moment, you know, so they might hear someone give feedback or a suggestion and they might know and they probably will know in that moment if it's for them or not, and that's it. And they can kind of keep it moving. So I just find it so interesting because, you know, we try to prescribe ourselves all of these different methods and things without actually knowing, like our internal makeup of like, how we're meant to make decisions or maybe how we're meant to move through emotions or, you know, all of these different things. So that I think one, one thing has been a profound insight for me, whether it's professionally, personally, inter, relationally has just helped so, so much.
- [13:07]
Julie Solomon
I love the awareness there too, of what that gives you because then it kind of takes the self judgment that we can all have of, yeah, I'm not doing this or other people do it, therefore I should. You know, it kind of cleans all of that out.
- [13:23]
Lindsay Simonik
Yes.
- [13:23]
Julie Solomon
Which I think is really important when you are doing something as vulnerable, putting a book out into the world. Of course, another thing that I have gotten to obviously know about you and Krista both and the work that you do is the creative process that comes with that and the evolution that comes with that through podcasting, through retreats, through live events, through being able to plug into the incredible community that you all have. I would love to know what did writing this book either teach you or surprise you about your own creative process and journey?
- [13:59]
Lindsay Simonik
I think writing the book was such a deep reminder that I adore focusing on one thing and going deep on one thing. I had forgotten that with almost 30, it's been the gift of a lifetime to be able to feel so inspired all the time, have so many ideas and be able to like, basically try almost all of them and sometimes doing the most doesn't allow you to go deep on many things. So it was so welcomed by Krista and myself at the time because we were just craving kind of a slowing down of sorts, being able to like narrow our focus. Right before we started writing the book, we said, okay, we're going to focus on the book and the podcast. That's it. We sunsetted our membership, which was a incredible place that we created during the pandemic so people could connect and learn and grow. And we sunsetted that. Not because it wasn't doing well, but we were very clear that this is where our focus needed to be for the foreseeable future. You know, we've tried retreats, which are amazing. We've gone on world tours, we've done programs and courses, all these things. And all of them have been so fun and fulfilling in their different ways. And being able to do one thing for, you know, a year long period of intensely writing was so cool and reminded me that, you know, not everything is going to be a quick launch. Not everything is going to be created in a month and launched in month two. Like some things need a proper gestation period. A lot of things do. I just don't know if we give it to them. And I understood in the process of writing the book that showing up when I didn't want to and Writing, even when I didn't want to, was the part of the process that actually allowed the gems to come forward. The writing that I really felt was, okay, this is. This is something. This is really great, and this is flowing. But I had to show up every single day. I would wake up at 5. I would write from 5:30 to 8:30 before, quote, the world woke up. I was pregnant at the time. I just felt very special. And there were days where I felt blank, but I just still wrote. I was like, I don't know what I'm writing. Keep writing. Like, just allowing the faucet to run until what needed to be spilled out onto the paper come out. And that was also a lesson. And, yeah, you're not going to always want to show up, you know, and the consistency is key, and trusting in this process is so key. And not needing to rush it and not needing it to be great every single day is so key because it's a compounding experience, you know, And I think over the course of that year or so, we were able to put a book together that's really incredible, but there was a lot that was not incredible and that we had to cut and just leave on the editing room floor. And I had forgotten that, you know, I was in such a quick pace of creating for nearly 10 years. And this was just a reminder of how slow and focused it can be and how fulfilling that is.
- [17:35]
Julie Solomon
I love that, that, that some. Some things need that slow and low. And. And James Taylor said a quote once. He said, the best writing will always come in isolation. And that slow and low kind of also reminds me of that too. And so, you know, I would love to know a. If you agree with that and what that looked like for you. But also I think there's kind of a cool flavor to it with your experience because you were writing it with someone else. Krista, who also had her own stories and her own experience and her own form and way of writing and creative process to bring to the table. So I would love to kind of hear a little bit more about. About that as well.
- [18:17]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, it was a really unique experience. I think, you know, dual authoring can go really well, or not, especially in the way that we were going to approach this. We at first thought it was going to be a universal we, and then we just were like, no, we have very individual, distinct voices and stories and experiences that we've heard on the podcast for years, but it's always. There's a beautiful chemistry to it, and we just trusted that it would work. In a book. But as with anything I do with Christa, there always comes just lessons, you know? And I think one of the themes in my experience of our friendship that I experienced very early on and we worked through, but it kind of reared its head in this process was like, comparing myself and just not feeling good enough at times, or feeling like I'm comparing her writing to my writing. I went through just these waves of, like, I feel really good and confident, and then waves of feeling like, oh, no, this isn't even good. I'm going to like, this is silly. Like, hers is better. And I had to really call myself out on that because one. That's an expired story. I'm like, that was something that I dealt with, you know, back in 2016, 17, 18, with our relationship and what I've learned since then and the work that we've done. Oh, no, no, no. The truth is that we are both so unique and bring different gifts and styles to our writing, and both are amazing. And I had to just remind myself of that. And it helped at times not to read her writing, you know, until the end, to be honest. I had to trust our editors. But I just wanted to be in my own experience because I can be very porous. You know, like, even we went on a writing retreat together. We just like. We're like, let's go to the Catskills and right in the middle of nowhere. And it was beautiful. And I felt myself just, like, picking up on her energy. Not that it was bad, but I'm like, I need to be by myself. I'm thinking about her. Is she writing more right now? Is she more in flow than I am? So knowing that about my mind, I do agree with James Taylor. Like, I do believe that my flow is caught when I am in my own energy, when I am able to be. Be in silence and be with myself and allow enough time to pass and blank space to be there in order to, like, get comfortable with that and see what wants to come through. Otherwise, if I'm with other people, my mind's running. I'm thinking too much about them. I'm taking thinking, and I'm picking up energetically on things that I can't even make sense of with my mind. So I prefer to be by myself when I'm creating.
- [21:13]
Julie Solomon
And what a gift that you've even learned or experienced. More of the depths of what that means for you, too.
- [21:22]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah. Which you would have.
- [21:24]
Julie Solomon
You know, a book lends so much to that. So thank you for walking us through that, because I Know that I have writers that listen to this podcast. I have aspiring writers that listen to this podcast, and for them to be able to witness that through you is huge.
- [21:39]
Lindsay Simonik
Do you want. I'm curious about yours, just for a minute, like, your process. Do you feel like you flow best when you're alone?
- [21:46]
Julie Solomon
A million percent, yeah. Why Million percent? I can. I can do it with other people. I can kind of, like, make that happen. But I feel like my channel is the clearest and my soul is the purest when. Because, like. Like how you said, I can be very personable. Energetically.
- [22:09]
Lindsay Simonik
Yes.
- [22:10]
Julie Solomon
And so when I am. Just When I have that space, it allows for so much of my own clarity and wisdom to drop through and for that channel to be so clean and clear for that to come through. So I'm not, you know, inadvertently or even sometimes unconsciously, just. Just kind of tapping into things that may not even be mine.
- [22:34]
Lindsay Simonik
Yes. Yes. And it's so hard to discern. You think? It's like, is this my anxiety? Is this. You know, it's like, we get so hard on ourselves in those moments.
- [22:43]
Julie Solomon
Yeah. I make it really working about me.
- [22:46]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, exactly. We're making meaning out of that. And then it's really just that we're picking up energy. We're energetic beings. Like, we're picking up stuff that we don't even know. We can come home from being. I can come home from being in the city all day, like I am today, and I'm like, oh, okay, I gotta. This is not my.
- [23:01]
Julie Solomon
Take a bath.
- [23:02]
Lindsay Simonik
I gotta cleanse. Whoo. You know?
- [23:05]
Julie Solomon
Well, and I think, especially as mothers.
- [23:07]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, we're.
- [23:08]
Julie Solomon
Whether we want to or not. I am constantly tapping into my husband, who's a reflector, by the way, so he's just out in the world, just sampling, you know, with his tentacles. I'm a man. Gin.
- [23:22]
Lindsay Simonik
Okay. Me too. Okay, cool. Yeah. Yep.
- [23:25]
Julie Solomon
And I'm sacral authority. And then he's over here taking 28 days to make a decision. I'm like, you're, like, three months behind, buddy. You know, Hello. Hello. Let's get with it. But I have to give him his process, you know? And so, like, I've got that going on, and then I've got. I've got two kids, and just, you know, as. As a mom, like, we are. We're picking up so much and carrying so much of what isn't ours, because that's just the season that we're in, especially when our children are so young. And so it is the amount of assignment and awareness and courage that you really have to have to know where you leave off and others begin, I think is huge.
- [24:06]
Lindsay Simonik
Yes.
- [24:07]
Julie Solomon
And, and that, you know, that actually lends me to another question that I had that you, you were talking about earlier, that you made the decision to close down the membership and to really give yourself that space to go all in on the writing, which I just want to say first off, that takes so much courage and I don't think that people talk about that enough to literally say, I'm going to take this thing that is running, that is making us recurring revenue every single month that our community loves, that we have already poured so much time and energy and money and team support into, and we're just gonna, we're gonna sunset that so we can go all in here. The amount of awareness and courage, and not just awareness, but, but accepting that reality and then taking action from that is huge. I would love for you to speak upon that because I know for a fact that there are so many women in my world who have known for whatever reason, maybe it's to make space for another creative process. Maybe it's because, you know, their time is done with that and it's like they feel that inkling, they feel that, that, that hit, that it's time to let something go or pause something or maybe evolve something into something else, burn something down, whatever that may be. And how was that process for you and doing that and giving yourself the gift of the courage to do that?
- [25:33]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, you know, I'm lucky to have Krista, you know, in these decision making processes because it's emotional, you know, like it was something that we created so purely at a time when people really needed connection. And we had, like you said, just poured so much into it and really was on the pulse of what people in our community were needing and desiring. And I felt like it was a unique place. And then when you entertain the idea of, well, maybe we should sunset it to be able to focus on something else, all of a sudden you start to think about or make meaning of what that means. It's like people are going to think it was a failure. Do we think it's a failure? You know, what does it mean to stop that part of our revenue stream? What does it mean to end something completely and have that hole in our ecosystem? Just so many questions came up and we didn't make the decision overnight. We really had to think about it and weigh out our options. But ultimately, and I think this is a really hard part of being an entrepreneur and especially Being in this space, and I know you know this very, very intimately in what you do is that sometimes what you have created has a expiration date. You know, sometimes it's meant to be out in the world for a season and a reason, you know, sometimes, like it's not meant to go on forever and sometimes it's meant to go out on a high note. You know, I think Krista and I, at moments in our career were notorious for just holding on too long, mainly with like, early on employees where we're like, probably should have let her go a couple months ago. But, you know, you kind of have to learn through that process. But I think when it comes to products, experiences that we've created, we really trust our intuition, you know, and we trust that we have always, I feel like, been a little bit ahead of the curve. And not to say we were the first membership or anything like that, but like, I, I, I think that we need to make room for what's next. So if we're just always adding on things just for the sake of making more money or reaching more people or making more impact, it's actually taking up more space that we truly need in order to call in what is really aligned for almost 30, you know, so it was hard, actually. And I remember being pretty sad about it and just conflicted and a little embarrassed, but in my heart of hearts, I knew it was the right thing. And so we just had to, we had to move forward with it.
- [28:41]
Julie Solomon
And now looking back, I'm so. Amazing decision.
- [28:45]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, it's an amazing decision. It allowed us to write the book, to be honest with you. You know, we were really involved with the membership. We were in there all the time doing classes and workshops and it was wonderful. But it wouldn't have allowed us to have the capacity to write the book. And also, I think what we, like, don't think about enough as people who create for others in this way is that sometimes your audience is like, it is time. We're ready. We've been in here, we've learned so much, we've grown so much. We're actually ready to move on. And not that they like said that to us directly. And we're like, peace out, we're done. It was like, energetically. I kind of felt that love from them of like, yeah, it's time. We're ready to like, be in our lives and like, use what we've learned in the membership or from each other and connect with each other. And so I think we also need to think about that too. You know, there's a beautiful relationship happening and so maybe it's also time for them to move on.
- [29:49]
Julie Solomon
When I first launched my online coaching business, I was juggling everything like so many of us. Writing the content, managing the DMs, setting up the offers, doing all the backend funnels, figuring out how to make it all look and feel aligned not only from a brand perspective, but from a customer experience perspective. And honestly, it was so overwhelming. I remember thinking back at that time how I wish that I had had a business partner that could really support the backend while I focused on what I do best, which is messaging, strategy and serving my clients. But as we know, being able to do our best requires us to have a lot of systems and processes to support that. And that is why I love to recommend Shopify. Shopify powers millions of businesses globally including coaches, service providers and creatives. Building personal brands and businesses with beautiful, ready to use templates and very smart AI tools that write product descriptions and headlines for you. Shopify makes it really easy to build a brand, a line storefront that actually sells so you can focus on what you do best. Turn your big business idea into With Shopify on your side, sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today@shopify.com influencer. Go to shopify.cominfluencer shopify.cominfluencer. you know, when I started my business.
- [31:23]
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- [32:25]
Julie Solomon
Yeah, I think that's a beautiful way of looking at it because I think a lot of things they can leave a bit of energetic residue because as you're Growing and evolving, and this community is growing and evolving, but it's still in this container that started from this one place. It leaves this residue that kind of can keep us in a place of not neutrality, but it's like, where's the momentum of the forward motion? Or maybe the original intention is complete, at least from my experience. And so by doing that, you make space for what's to come, and then their evolved places of where they are in their life. And then your evolved places can actually even sometimes remit and reconvene in this new way that wouldn't have ever existed had you not let that completion be what it was.
- [33:17]
Lindsay Simonik
I completely agree, and I think we owe it to them. If I'm just keeping the membership going just because it's, like, comfortable and all these things, I don't think it's serving them in the way that it used to. You know what I'm saying? Like, there comes that point where you're like, is this actually serving them right? You know, So I completely agree, Completely agree. It was something that you had to sunset or something that you were like, I think it's time.
- [33:44]
Julie Solomon
Yeah. So I retired my Pitch It Perfect, which was the first program I ever created, and recently. Yeah, well, what's interesting, Lindsay, is that I retired it internally. Like a year and a half ago. Like, I. I drew a line in the sand internally, and with my team, and there. There were just new things that we were creating. And so it was like, okay, you know, no more launches for this. Yeah, like, we're not focused on this. Like, we can leave it on the website if people trickle in, whatever. But what I noticed again is that energetic residue. And as I got more into this year, I was like, no, I feel like I need to really publicly draw a line in the sand and, like, let people hear from me, let people know this is happening, this is why it's happening. This is where I'm. Where I'm moving to, who, you know, how and who I am serving at this phase. And I think that there is something to be said about that and kind of, you know, touching on what you talked about. If I'm being, you know, really honest, when I got honest with myself, I was like, I think there was a part of me that was afraid of, like, well, who am I am if I'm not this person, and if I'm not known for this offer, and who am I, you know, making that mean something about me? And, you know, do I really want to let it go? Because then what if, you know, You've got all those fears of the embarrassment that you mentioned, the failure, all of those things. But I can't tell you how much of a relief and a release that it is once you say it out loud, speak it into existence. And. And like you said, like, really doing them a service, like bringing this incredible community that. That trusts you and that has invested time and energy and resources into the great work that you do. Be a part of. The evolution doesn't have to be perfect of, like. Well, now that I have it all figured out, I'm here to give you the. It's like, no, like, let them come on the Jo with you, because it might even give them the reflection or the mirror that they need to do something in their. In their life.
- [35:49]
Lindsay Simonik
Yes. It's so true. And, you know, I take that seriously because, you know, we're in the influencer world, right? Like, we are influencing people in one way or another. And so if I'm not in integrity, which I try to be most of the time, but there are moments when I'm. I'm not. I really consider that, like, a disservice to people, you know, if it's a public thing. And so, yeah, I think it's really important that we allow ourselves to evolve and change. We don't have to do everything publicly, but allow it to be something that, you know, your audience or your community does get access to at times and. And being unafraid of the blowback or the criticism or whatever, because. And I. I'm hoping you. You're. I think your community is the same. Is what I'm. I'm picking up is, like, they just. They love you, you know, and so if you're real and you're. You're moving through your life in integrity and creating things you love and then, you know, putting them away when they're done, like, they're in. They're like, amazing, you know? So I think of my friend PETA Kelly often when I talk about this, because she'll create something, and then she's like, I'm gonna launch it this Friday. And then she comes Friday. And she's like, actually, no, no, today. No, it's not the day, actually. You know, she'll be very honest. She's like, it needs more, you know, or I'm still in that process or whatever. And she's so just transparent about it, and it actually inspires me. I don't know what she's like. Most of the time, I'm like, I'm not exactly sure what you're creating, like, I know generally, but I think the process of her sharing, or her sharing, her process is what inspires me.
- [37:44]
Julie Solomon
Yeah, that's what I, you know, I, I say this a lot to my community, that your presence is the product. And so the more that you are present with yourself, with your people, with your creativity, with. With the path in which you are going down, that. That's the thing. It's not this offer, this membership, this course, this whatever. And I think that, that the more that, that we embrace that, I think the more that it does allow our communities to truly understand us and, and. And our work and where we're going in a much more meaningful way. And it's. It's not like, oh, Lindsay and Krista, aren't they. They're the almost 30 membership girls, you know, it's like, no, it's so. It's so much more than that, and it's so much richer than that. And, and let me share why and how that is, and I think that that is huge. Okay. I want to talk about the book.
- [38:44]
Lindsay Simonik
Mm.
- [38:45]
Julie Solomon
It's such a magical, special piece of just life, your life's work. And I know that it was such a long time coming. I mean, I feel like that we were talking about this, like, in just like, 2020. I was like, five years ago, you guys were like, we've got this book that's coming. It's coming, it's sometime, and here it is. And I. There. I want to first talk about, you know, to. You can share with our, with our audience a little bit of the premise. I'm going to give them information about all that after this conversation, but more so why you knew that it was time. Like, why this topic? Because your body of work for you and Krista and your incredible podcast and the amount of conversations and experiences and life that you both have lived. You could have written a book about so many different things, but you chose this. And so why this and really why now? And it's not just for people that are almost 30. And so I also want to talk about who is this really for when you envision that reader, you know, whether she's sitting on the beach or she's sitting, you know, on her porch with a blanket and her tea, and she's opening the pages of. Of that book. Who is she and why is she opening those pages now and what is she about to receive?
- [40:16]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, I'll start with the first part of that question. We. We've always had a book on our heart from, like, the early days of almost 30. Both Krista and I love to write and we were just so inspired by what we were learning and what we were moving through. You know, we, we shared it live on almost 30. You can all go back and listen. It's an archive of almost 800 episodes of our life over the last 10 years, plus incredible guests who have just imparted amazing wisdom that have, has helped us in all areas of our life. And you know, we, we joke about talking about it in 2020 and you know, we've talked about it for years but never felt like it was truly time, you know, and Chris and I consider it, quote time, when all of a sudden, like there's this divine, if you want to call it, we consider it divine orchestration that starts to happen. It's almost like a little ground shaking where you're like, oh, wow. So an agent approached us, our girl Tess, who just who she was a fan of the show. And she's like, do you guys want to write a book? Like, yes, we do. And she just saw us understood she was so in that world. And she's like, yes, this is the book. Like, I would love to help you. And it just felt right. And then we, you know, dove into the proposal, wrote it in two weeks and it just flowed. It felt so good. And the process from there of, you know, talking to various publishers and having a bidding war and all these things, like it just flowed. And so I think if we were to have pushed it to happen anytime before that it might not have flowed. And also, I don't think we were ready as far as our life experience goes to write this book. There were some very important pieces of our life experience over the last, especially five years that needed to be a part of this book. You know, Krista went through a divorce. She went through, you know, her dad's sickness is going through her dad's sickness. We dealt with moving apart from each other. I'm in New York, she's in la. I came out of my seven year single season and got married. I had a child, just lots of change. And so all of those experience were very. Experiences were very necessary to aptly, you know, shape this book. And I, I'm so thankful that we didn't push it and that we waited. So for anyone feeling like, oh gosh, I have this idea, but doesn't quite feel like the stars are aligning yet. Like it's okay, you know, hold it in your heart. If it's strong enough and clear enough, hold it in your heart. Maybe you can Just do a little something for it every single day. Maybe you write in a notebook or you meditate, meditate on it every single day. But there is such a thing as divine timing. I believe in it wholeheartedly. So I, I believe we really flowed in the process because of that. And we were really, really ready. I'm forgetting the second half of your question.
- [43:35]
Julie Solomon
It was for the woman that picks up the book.
- [43:39]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah.
- [43:39]
Julie Solomon
Why? Why this book? Why now? And why is she opening it?
- [43:44]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah. You know, we wrote the book that we wish we had, especially in our late 20s when we were moving through what we now know was our Saturn return. And I can explain that in a moment, but this is, yes, a book for people moving through that time in their life, but also for anyone moving through a season of change. You know, moving through a season where you can feel like you're questioning a lot of things about your life. Like, should I be with this person? Where do I want to live? What do I want to do? What is my purpose? You know, like, maybe you're questioning like, I really want to be more connected to my body or I want to finally like take care of myself in a way that feels good and nourishing and it can feel like chaos. I can feel like everything's falling apart, but it's this beautiful, super ripe time to get aligned, to get centered, to understand who you really are not. Not the person that everyone told you you needed to be or what society expects you to be or, you know, the track that you placed yourself on. Like, who are you really without all of that stuff, like who did you come into this world as? You know. And so this book, I hope, is really a guide to becoming that person who you really are. And I consider it kind of like a walk back to yourself, a slow walk back. And this book is not one you're going to read overnight. It will be a full meal over quite some time. And I feel like every chapter is just kind of this, like, oh yeah, okay, I remember that I am worth it to actually take care of what I am putting in, on and around my body, what I'm consuming both internally and what I'm consuming in my mind and my heart. Like just all of these sweet rememberings that I hope will serve as like a foundation so that in the rest of your life, which you know, you will inevitably encounter change, you'll be able to get excited around change or at least more confident and consider it more of an opportunity to, to get to know yourself better, to maybe use as like a portal of transformation, you know, and I. I think a lot of women at. At points of change, so many women are focused on the timeline of their life and they feel like they're behind. They get so frustrated, understandably, like, seeing everyone, you know, settle down and get the house and the baby and, you know, all these things. And if I've learned anything, it's that my life is right on time. And what is for me will absolutely never, ever, ever, ever miss me. And I'll. I forget it. You know, I forget it in moments, but I am constantly, constantly reminded. And it just makes life so much more joyful and I'm able to be so much more present, and I just trust myself and my life so much more.
- [46:53]
Julie Solomon
That's so good. And it's so. Like you said, those moments are needed. I mean, yes, in that Saturn return that you mentioned, which you can share more about, but also in those other stages, you know, because like you said, you and Chrissy, you've gone through so much. You've. Divorce, moving across country, babies, marriage, you know, health issues with. With our parents, which is like a whole, you know, other thing that happens in life. And so that's what I really love about this book, too, is that even though it's meaty, it's like you can kind of drop into these different chapters when they're called to you or when you need it. And that's what I would love to know from you. I'm not going to ask you what's your favorite chapter. That's like asking someone what, which. Which is your favorite finger. You know, it's like a child kind of want all of them. But what is a chapter that you wrote and what is a chapter that Christa wrote that once it was complete and you got to see it in its completion, you were like, yeah, that really. The vision that I had for that, you know, it really landed. Plus, more than I could imagine.
- [48:03]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, I think for Krista, I loved her. You are a Soul chapter. I just think, you know, if, you know, almost 30, we're going to get into the spiritual. And so it's definitely not the absolute backbone of the book. And you can read this book if you don't consider yourself spiritual. But, man, when I realized that the relationship with my soul was something that I could nurture and collaborate with, you know, I could collaborate with my soul, my life changed, you know, and so the way in which she wrote that and just shared her experience with that and gave us really tactical and tangible ways in which we can, like, actually connect with our soul. I just got really excited because I'm like, for someone to understand this and truly believe this, it's going to change their life. They won't put all the pressure on themselves to figure it out. You know, this is truly a collaboration with a part of you that is divine. A part of you that already knows, you know. And then a chapter that I love that I wrote, Surprisingly, I loved the money chapter because it was. It was like, hard for me to admit, you know, I was like, oh, this is so wise. Thank you. It's. It's something that I had so much shame around for so long. I was the person in my 20s who wouldn't look at my bank accounts. They would be in the red. I would spend money I didn't have. I was in credit card debt. I didn't respect my money. I didn't know how. And I blamed my parents. And you can't blame your parents for everything. You know, you really have to take it into your own hands. And that's when my life changed, you know, when I was like, can't blame them. They were doing the best with what they knew. And I'm going to change that. So it's been a journey, and it's a whole other layer now, being in a relationship. My husband is the breadwinner. What does that look like? As someone who's always made her own money and always been independent and, you know, like, it's going to be a theme in my life that I am going to revisit and a chapter that I'm going to revisit. But I do believe that our relationship with money is saying so much more about our relationship with ourselves and our life. And if we can do the unsexy things to get in right relationship with our money, then we're going to be able to experience money on a more energetic, spiritual level that I think is, like, so fun. It just adds a whole other dimension to this experience on earth. So I did love that chapter.
- [50:42]
Julie Solomon
It was such a good one. And I think it's so applicable to so many stages of life and business too, especially if you come. We have a very similar background with the money, and there's always another layer to it. Like, it's not like, you're okay, like, okay, I've figured all this out. And now, like, there. There's so much that goes into that, and there's always another layer to it. And so it's for anyone that's listening that feels connected to that, because I know you do. Because we've talked about it on this podcast. That is a chapter in the book that I would absolutely recommend diving feet first, head first, body first, into. And the way that you break it down also so applicably. I mean, the mind, body and spirit connectivity to the money and what that means, but then also kind of helping the reader very easily and simply intangibly take those steps to feel safer and to also feel smarter about their money. Like we, like, we can actually kind of own this thing that feels so foreign and so distant from us.
- [51:49]
Lindsay Simonik
And it doesn't take much to feel that confidence around it. You know, it's pretty. And I just like stiff armed it for so long. I was like, no, I'm not good with money so I can't learn that. It seems too hard. And then when I built the foundation, I was like, oh, this is actually really simple and most of it is automated, you know, so having that, I was like, oh, I'm winning. Like, this is incredible. So yeah, I would definitely dive in there. There's a lot of tactical things that you can do literally today that I think are really, really valuable. But I did want to just briefly mention in case anyone's like, hey, what is a Saturn return? Because I feel like I've. We've mentioned it, but I just want to briefly bring this up because I think if anyone's moving through this late 20s period, it can be really such a relief to understand that astrologically everyone goes through this around 29 and a half. And it's basically when the planet Saturn comes back to the place it was in the sky when you were born. And why this is significant is because Saturn, he's kind of like the cosmic dad. And he comes into the room and he's like, okay, I love you, but we gotta look at these particular areas of your life because it seems like there's some misalignment there. And I need you to get honest and I need you to take action and do it differently. And it can feel just so daunting. Confronting it can feel overwhelming. Like it feel like your life's falling apart. It's just a lot, a lot of people, you know, during this time they might lose their job, they might start a new career, they might lose someone close to them, they might get divorced, they might start a marriage. There's just a lot of like big life events that can happen around this time. And it's really a beautiful time to become more of who you are. That's the opportunity here. It's not supposed to be perfect, but the hope is that you get in right relationship with your soul, with yourself, so that as you navigate, you know, anything throughout your life, you have that foundation of I know who I am, I know what my values are, I have my relationship with something greater than me, whether it's God, source, universe, whatever you believe in. And I just want to remind people that this, this time is happening for your greatest good. I know it can feel like it's the absolute worst, but it is temporary. And if you actually face it, look at it and lean into it, you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams. So good.
- [54:27]
Julie Solomon
Thank you for that, Lindsay.
- [54:28]
Lindsay Simonik
Thank you.
- [54:29]
Julie Solomon
I have one more thing that's coming through before we wrap this up. It's been a beautiful conversation now that you, you know, we've talked about just the journey of you as a leader, a businesswoman, a creative, a mom, a wife. And you've been able to do so much that so many people dream of doing. You know, you have an incredibly successful podcast, you wrote an incredibly successful book, you've had courses and memberships, you've got this community that loves you, you've got a beautiful family and a sweet two year old little boy and a husband that is incredible and a beautiful life in New York. Do you find, and especially after the book, because I know that was something that was on your heart for a long time. And so now that that's into the, in, in the world, do you find that your ambitions are changing or evolving? And if so, how so? And how is that? Or do you know yet how that will start to inform the next chapter and the next phase that is, Lindsay, in the almost 30 ecosystem?
- [55:49]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, I'm in that now. Like, I just, I'm kind of living the question of, you know, what do I. I think it's a question of what do I want to create next? I think it's a question of where do I want to direct my energy and a question of like, what is really important to me. You know, I think because I've done so much that I hold myself to that standard of doing so much all the time. And it's changing, you know, like I'm. I'm a different person after becoming a parent, you know, And I know, you know, deeply, like, there are just aspects of who I am in my experience now that will never be what it was. And so to do things like I've always done them would be inauthentic. So I'm kind of just, I'm wondering, like, what does that look like now though, you know, I think what I'm grappling with is, do I always have to be, like, pursuing something, if that makes sense, or just leaning so hard into work? Can I actually transfer that energy to taking care of my family and creating a home and creating that space and environment for my family that's nurturing and just kind of what the feminine does so well? Will I miss working and creating? You know, there's just all these questions and I don't know the answer. I'll probably experiment, you know, with what that looks like, but I'm very at peace with the unknown right now. I'm. I trust deeply, and it just feels so much better to trust than to doubt or have fear about what's next. So I choose what feels a little bit better and I'm excited to see, like, what is revealed and what comes to me. Because so long as I'm. I'm being myself and being true to myself, I know again, and it's corny and I'll say it again, what is for me will never, ever miss me. And I really believe that. So I'm kind of in that in between now. And I'm curious how it will translate with almost 30. I'm curious how it'll translate outside of almost 30, but I, you know, that's the adventure of life. If everything was mapped out and predicted, I would. I think I would be bored.
- [58:32]
Julie Solomon
Yeah. And I think that reminds us too, that we are actually. Even if we dream big, we're still so limit. Limited.
- [58:40]
Lindsay Simonik
Yes.
- [58:40]
Julie Solomon
To what is actually possible. And so I was, you know, talking to my husband about it last night. I was like, we, we have to remember to allow ourselves to be surprised and delighted.
- [58:52]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah.
- [58:52]
Julie Solomon
And if we don't make space for that and like you said, just be at peace with just the unknown and be at peace with. With being in this kind of season of. I don't know.
- [59:05]
Lindsay Simonik
I'm not sure. Yeah.
- [59:06]
Julie Solomon
Yeah. Then we don't make space for that. So. Yeah. Expect the miracles, really, of what can come.
- [59:13]
Lindsay Simonik
I truly am. What type of season do you feel like you're in right now?
- [59:17]
Julie Solomon
110%. Exactly what you just explained.
- [59:20]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah. Yeah.
- [59:21]
Julie Solomon
A million percent of just, you know, what does this look like? What parts of me still feel in alignment? What parts don't? Like you said, the authenticity piece. Is it okay to do it? Bored. Of course it is. But is that, is that the question? You know, it's, it's. It's all of that and, and I think the, the patience in just letting more be revealed and and reminding myself of the surprise and delight piece and remembering that there's so much more available to me than I give my own small brain credit to remember, to be honest.
- [60:02]
Lindsay Simonik
Definitely. Yeah. It becomes really exciting when you shift.
- [60:05]
Julie Solomon
To that and just be curious because then that's when the gifts from the universe can drop in. The unexpected call from someone, the opportunity, meeting someone. I mean, you just. You never know.
- [60:20]
Lindsay Simonik
Never know. Well, I'm excited for you. I'm excited for us.
- [60:23]
Julie Solomon
I am. I'm excited for you too. Thank you, my friend. And thank you for staying. We almost did an hour, which is amazing. So thank you for being here and just giving us your heart and your soul and your gift and your presence.
- [60:36]
Lindsay Simonik
Thank you.
- [60:37]
Julie Solomon
Thank you. Thank you for that and for all those who want to dive into this book. You want to listen to the podcast, Lindsay, I'm going to let you give the spiel, but we have the show notes below as well.
- [60:49]
Lindsay Simonik
Yeah, it's book is anywhere books are sold, Barnes and Noble, Target, you know, all the places online, in person, Amazon. We would so appreciate your support. That means the world and it makes a great gift for anyone moving through seasons of change. We have the audiobook as well on Audible. And then if you haven't listened to the Almost 30 podcast, where anywhere you listen to podcasts and I'm Lindsay Simic on Instagram, I'd love to connect with your audience. You guys are the best. I mean, anything you create, Jules, is just. Yeah, I know. People are going to be really coming as fully embodied women because you embody that. And I just. I love you dearly. You're an incredible interviewer. Not everyone is incredible. Let me just say that you were incredible. So present, so thoughtful. I love you.
- [61:34]
Julie Solomon
Love you too. Thank you for your gift.
- [61:38]
Lindsay Simonik
Love you.
- [61:41]
Julie Solomon
As always, thank you so much for joining me today and every week here on the Influencer podcast. If you're wanting to dive deeper into the topics and discussions that we have here, I would encourage you to head over to juliesolomon.net and sign up for my weekly newsletter. It is in our amazing newsletter community that we are able to really support you on a much larger scale. And I love to do a ton of amazing things that I send inside your inbox every single week. So just head over to juliesolomon.net you. You'll see a little spot there that you can add your information in and you will get on the list and start receiving all of that good stuff.