To Your Health

393. Women Who Did: Competed in Mrs. America, featuring Brenda

April 20, 2026

Brenda Ridgley never imagined herself competing in a pageant, but a chance conversation in 2020 led her to enter Mrs. America and step far outside her comfort zone.In this episode of the To Your Health podcast, Brenda shares what it looked like to go from an immediate “no” to fully committing, including six months of preparation, hiring a coach, and navigating the vulnerability of putting herself out there in a completely new way.We also talk about what surprised her most about the experience...

392. Women Who Did: Learned How to Pole Dance, featuring Whitney

April 13, 2026

Whitney Merchant was nearing 40 when her life unraveled—within weeks, she experienced a divorce, the loss of her pets, and a sudden layoff. Searching for an outlet to process grief and rediscover herself, she made an unexpected decision: she signed up for a pole dancing class.What began as a bold step outside her comfort zone evolved into a transformative journey of healing, confidence, and self-expression. In this episode, Whitney shares how embracing curiosity helped her reconnect with her ...

391. Women Who Did: Hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro, featuring Melanie

April 06, 2026

Melanie Michaelchuk spent nearly 30 years thinking about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro before she finally decided to go for it. When she committed, she didn’t have perfect timing, unlimited resources, or peak fitness—she had doubts, obstacles, and a goal she couldn’t ignore any longer.In this conversation, Melanie shares what it actually looked like to follow through, from rebuilding her fitness step by step to navigating the very real fears and logistics of traveling alone and doing something f...