From Near-Drowning to Choosing Joy: Single Mom of 7 on Reinventing Your Life | The Essence of You

What does it take to stop just surviving and start truly living? In this episode of The Essence of You, host Steph Lokelani sits down with Mindy Love - entrepreneur, community builder, and single mother of seven - for a deeply honest and joyful conversation about life after hardship, the power of thinking differently, and what it really means to know yourself.

Mindy shares the near-drowning experience on the Boise River that forced her to ask: What do I actually want to do with my life? From a difficult upbringing, to marrying young and raising seven children, to finding herself on the other side, Mindy's story is one of radical self-awareness, resilience, and choosing joy on purpose.

Steph and Mindy cover everything from the life-changing lessons of improv comedy, to morning routines, bachata dancing, solo travel in Europe, the realities of social media vs. real life, raising self-sufficient kids, entrepreneurship, and the mindset shift that makes all the difference.

If you've ever felt like you don't fit in one box, this episode is for you.

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In this episode, you'll hear about:

- How improv comedy helped Mindy come out of her shell and find her people

- The near-drowning accident that changed everything and the peace she found underwater

- Why Steph believes having a "backup plan" means not believing in yourself

- Morning routines, intentional scheduling, and self-care for the chronically busy

- Raising seven kids as a single mom and Mindy's unique "zone of ownership" system for the home

- Why Mindy thinks differently about money, happiness, and what it means to truly live

- The work-life balance lessons Mindy learned traveling through Amsterdam, Paris, and Spain

- Navigating social media, comparison culture, and sharing your real story

- The deep question: Who are you at your core, when all the labels fall away?

About Mindy Love:

Mindy Love is a multifaceted woman who is passionate about empowering others to step into their full potential. She sees the world through a unique lens and loves sharing her ideas, thoughts, and encouragement in a way that inspires real change.

With a degree in English and Anthropology, her path has been anything but traditional—she’s held many roles over the years, from cosmetologist to ESL teacher to business owner, and is also a licensed real estate professional in Idaho. A lifelong learner and world traveler, she brings curiosity and perspective into everything she does.

No matter where life has taken her, she always comes back to storytelling—whether that was writing for a small-town newspaper, sharing positive community stories, or studying and speaking on radio in college.

She’s also a single mom of seven, determined to create a life she truly loves, and finds joy in reading, writing, dancing, and anything that connects her to freedom—especially horses.

Chapters:

00:00 – Cold Open: "I just want to create a fun, happy life that works for me"

00:55 – Welcome & Introduction: Meet Mindy Love

01:51 – Why Mindy Got Into Improv Comedy

04:57 – Thinking Differently: Mindy's Unique Perspective on Life

06:23 – The Near-Drowning Experience on the Boise River

09:17 – 45 Days of Recovery and the Question That Changed Everything

10:37 – Shifts Mindy Made: Morning Routines and Intentional Time

11:51 – Dancing as Joy: Bachata, Swing, and Finding Your Happy Place

15:00 – After Divorce: Solo Trip to Florida and Starting Over

18:00 – Prioritizing Fun and Scheduling Joy Into Your Week

20:30 – Community, Loneliness, and What We Really Need from Each Other

24:30 – Kids, Screen Time, and Getting Off Electronics

26:50 – Social Media, the Highlight Reel, and Showing Your Real Life

27:20 – What Experience Most Shaped Who You Are Today (Childhood & Faith)

33:00 – Curiosity, Empathy, and Understanding Both Sides

36:00 – Giving Grace to Strangers and Staying in a Good Mood

40:00 – Self-Care When You Only Have 15 Minutes a Day

44:00 – Progress Over Perfection and Tiny Improvements

45:40 – Travel and European Work-Life Balance (Amsterdam, Paris, Spain)

49:50 – Growing Up in Hawaii and the Healing Power of the Ocean

54:00 – Parenting Seven Kids as a Single Mom: Survival Mode to Thriving

57:00 – The "Zone of Ownership" System for Running a Household

59:00 – Mental Health, Motherhood, and Teaching Kids Life Skills

01:01:00 – Entrepreneurship, Ideas, and Passive Streams of Income

01:03:47 – Closing Question: Who Are You at Your Core?

01:05:43 – Final Words of Encouragement from Mindy