Episode 93: Permission To Be Your Unique Self & Let Your Light Shine, With Emily Blodgett

In today’s episode I have the best conversation with Emily Blodgett, AKA Bus Stop Mama. 3 Years ago, a giant unicorn head made its way into her life and well, the rest is history. Emily spends her days at the bus stop dressed in elaborate costumes and empowers people to let their own unique light shine. Listen in to an inspiring conversation today that will leave you feeling empowered to take action and use your unique gifts and talents to bless your life and others.

In this episode:

(1:34) How Bus Stop Mama Got Started
(6:19) Embracing Your Unique Gifts
(9:25) Don’t Compare Yourself
(19:57) Candle Analogy
(22:29) Modeling Confidence For Others
(25:37) Battling with Depression
(30:54) Making Choices and Taking Action

Links and other helpful things:

Join the Positively You Community on Facebook
Become Friends with Bus Stop Mama
Other episodes on confidence:
Episode 81
Episode 77
Episode 51

Still want the goods but can’t listen right now?
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The full episode is typed out below.

Jessie: Emily. Hi, thanks so much for coming on.

Emily: Hi, thanks for having me.

Jessie: So Emily, for those people who don't know you or what Bus Stop Mama is, they're listening to that. They're like the bus stop. Mama. What does that even mean? What do you do?

Emily: I dress up every day at my kid's bus stop. So just, it's kind of just like a fun way to, to welcome them home and make them smile. And it just give them something to look forward to after a long school day and, and just put a smile on their face when they get here. 

Jessie: I love it. When did you start doing this? 

Emily: So I started three and a half years. Um, it's funny. I had been at the store with my daughter and she'd seen this giant unicorn head and she was so young that she's in preschool. And so this thing was like half the size she was, and she put it on, I start with down to her waist, but, uh, but she put it on in. And so I wore it when I picked her up from preschool that day, just to be funny, it made her laugh. And so then I thought I'm going to wear it when the kids come home to. And, and so I did, and then I posted this video on Facebook and people just went crazy and they were like doing another.

And so I did, and it just kind of kept going from. 

Jessie: Oh, my gosh. So three years ago, a unicorn had randomly appears in your life and now this is what you do. Yeah. I love it. How old? So your little girl was in preschool. How old were your kids when you started? 

Emily: Oh, that's a lot though. Okay. They were like, how old are they now?

I guess if that's easier. Yeah, no, I think for my oldest was in sixth grade, so then it would have been sixth and third and second and preschool. And so, so now they're saying. Fifth sixth and ninth grade. 

[00:01:35] Jessie: Okay. So everyday at the bus stop, do you do this every 

[00:01:38] Emily: single day? Just about, I haven't been as consistent the last couple of months because our buses.

It's who've had the struggle bus. The bus has been coming late and, , just because there's just a bus driver shortage right now. And so I've been picking them up a lot. Cause it was cold. But now that it's warmer, I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no, you stay there. I'm doing a bus stop. I have 

Jessie: things to do at the bus stop.

Emily: Yeah. Well that 

Jessie: is, that is really impressive, especially because I've seen some of the costumes that you do and they can be elaborate. Like what I want to know. Top five. What are your top five favorite costumes that you've done? 

Emily: Ooh, that's a good question. Okay. My Cinco de Mayo is definitely in the top five.

I made a it's a, it looks like a pinata dress., a lot of people make paper and that was way too much work. So I just made it out of felt. , okay. So I've got the pinata dress. I did elf on the shelf, kind of all of them. Um, although I have some days that are better, but are like favorites above others, but, um, so I have on the shelf.

I did do the perfect parent one day. That is still in the all time favorites, because I was like, so to Cleaver and it was perfect and, oh, it was so funny. It was so over the top, nobody's like that when their kids, I mean, maybe some people are, I'm not like that and I'm not. Um, gosh, I'm trying to think of this, edit my thinking.

Um, use your half because I said that. Oh, I did it. There was one I did like, not too long ago. And I was like, this is definitely like top five. Like it was so funny and I, for the life of me cannot think of one. That's terrible. I to do a jazz bear costume. That was a really good one. Jazz 

bear. Did he, did he get wind of that?

Emily: He did actually. He commented on it. I was like, this is the best I'm coming for your job. 

Jessie: That's awesome. I loved the Chick-fil-A dress that you did. 

Emily: Oh, thank you. That one that is definitely one of the top five. 

Jessie: Not saying that like we frequent the Chick-fil-A a lot, but we do. And so that one, that one touched very close to me. Um, where do you get your ideas for the bus stop and like how much time and effort do you put into that? Cause I, yeah, the Chick-fil-A dress, the Cinco de Maya, like these are not just like, I'm super impressed. 

Emily: Thank you, you know, here's, what's so funny about it is it's like, like I literally can't help myself.

It's that like, you know, it's like, To look out for yellow cars today, you're going to start seeing yellow cars. And I think that's what happens with me. And, and I've got ADHD, which is one of my favorite things about myself. And so everywhere I go, I'm like, I've always thought the bus stop in the back of my mind because I'm like, how can I make the kids laugh today?

What's going to be funny. What is the national, what's the, the national random Oreo day, like, you know, what is it today? And there's always something for every, and. Some are easier than others to do a costume for. And so if I'm kind of low on ideas, I do that, but I actually have a file on my phone that has, oh, it's probably 75 bus stop ideas.

I'm just constantly refreshing it and using them and, and, um, you know, it's, it's just everywhere. I look, I see something and I think, okay, how can I turn that into a costume? And, and how could I make this ridiculous and. That's kind of a goal is how can I make this ridiculous? And sometimes with what I have, and other times like, I'll, I'll spend some money on it, but then my husband says, I exceed my budget for it, like literally every month, because by usually like the third day of the month, he's like, well, you're going for this.

Jessie: I love it. You're like, this is my thing. This is my passion, what I love. And you know what I think. Like, I'm so happy that you have found this because we all have these talents inside of us that are our unique way of like brightening the world. And I don't think, I don't know. We have like these paper things of like a checklist of like the quote unquote normal and like standard talents or ways we contribute to the. They don't know that dressing up at a bus stop is usually on those lists per se. But that's why I love it so much because it is so unique and it is bringing so much joy. Like I'm sure your kids love it because if they didn't, I don't think you'd be out there three years later still doing this everyday.

Emily: Definitely. I would not say actually my son's at the sweetest thing to me the other day. And he said, you know, some of the kids are kind of asking when you're going to do a bus stop again. I'm like, Stop asking me to pick you up. You have to wait at the school for me to do it, but he just, but I, when, when he said it, I asked him, I'm like, do you, do you like it?

When I do it, he's like, I really miss it. And he's in fifth grade. And so you think that's the age that he'd start being like, I'm too old for this. And, and, but he really still loves it too. And that it just meant the world to me, but they do. They love it. They love helping me with ideas. They love helping come up with ideas.

Oh, top five. Why? My giant. Oh, yes. Sorry. We're back. Okay. There we go. Go to, you 

Jessie: know, that, because I think so often, you know, as our kids get older and get into like those teenagers, there's kind of this narrative that I'm not a huge fan of. They don't like us as parents and they're embarrassed of us and like all of this stuff.

And so I really love that the narrative that you've done here is kind of flipped the script. Like I'm sure if it was something where your kids were like, oh my gosh, my mom's out there again. And they were like, hiding that you wouldn't keep doing that. But instead it's become this thing, like, oh my gosh.

I'm just like imagining in the future, when your kids are telling their kids about the things that their mom used to do and like what a fun legacy and a fun story that this gets to be for them, you know, like I'm just, 

Emily: I'm not to try to make you cry.

Jessie: Um, my goal is to make all of my guests cry. 

Emily: I'm an easy target. I've been and very easy target. But like, 

Jessie: I think it, things like that are so much bigger in the grand scheme of things than we sometimes think. And so I'm so happy that I'm like touching a nerve with you because I want you to know that what you're doing is not just silly.

It really is important. And it really is like your unique gift. I couldn't do it. My son asked me to sow a little rip on the seam of his sweat pants today. And I was like, yeah, bud, sorry. Like, sure. I'll 

Emily: help you. I'll help you. It's easy. You know, that's one thing that I just want people to remember that what I do is it's not for everybody.

Like, listen, my husband would rather die than go stand out on the bus up. Although I will say he has done it a few times and. But, but it's taken a couple of years before he finally felt comfortable to do that. It's just not his way that he likes to shine. I like to tell everyone to let your light shine, because don't worry about what I'm doing and don't worry.

I'm not comparing myself to you. Don't compare yourself to me. Like if we want to compare, cause we always compare like our faults to somebody else's like their best things and, and you can't do that. I mean, I could show you where my house and it's, I will, I will go figure out a costume long before I will go clean for fun, you know?

And so, but we've all got something that that's, that's fun and exciting to us and, and things we're passionate about. I'm passionate about my kids, knowing that I love them and this speaks to them, but it might not speak to your kids or someone else's kids. And so we can, if we all just worry about ourselves really, and.

Let our light shine in our own way. I bet. You know, well, you're just a great friend and you're, you're easy to talk to you and you tell people's stories and, and you're organized and I can tell you not, you seem very organized to me. So let's see. That's my outside perspective is that I looked at him like, look at you, you do this podcast and you do these things and you've got things together.

And so I think we all just look at each other from such different perspectives that if we just step back and realize we're all just doing our. And they all look very different and that's fantastic. Just let your light shine. And honestly, if everyone's light was the same and the way we love people was the same.

It would be, we'd be back to black and white TV. And nobody wants that. Like, we are like 4g, GHD, whatever all of those things are. And that's what makes this world so beautiful and vibrant is everybody's differences and the different light they bring to the world. So. 

Jessie: Mic drop. Amen.
I love even the thought when you're going to like the perspective of how we see other people and comparing ourselves like our weaknesses to their strengths and how we can get more in that mindset of just admiring. Like, instead of comparing like, like what I just said, you're amazing at this and I can leave it at that.

I don't have to say, and I'm not I'm or try to like build myself up or find where I'm good. I think if we can just leave it at that. Straight like admiration. Like, wow, that's really cool that she does that. And that's her talent. End of story. And if we can even do that to ourselves too, just letting our light shine and then acknowledging the light in others.

Like what a vibrant, beautiful world we live in. 

Emily: I totally agree with you. You know, as you're saying that I'm thinking about some friends that I've met because of the bus stop, they saw my page and they're like, we, they, we have this other hashtag it's a bus stop costumes United, and there's six of us.

Don't ask me. Um, but there's, there's several of us that do it. And they're there all across the country. And these ladies have been doing it for, for longer than I have. I didn't know about them. And, um, and they, they do it all for October, but they only do it in October and. And it's interesting because I look at them like I watched them and I watched what they do and, and I'm like, how are they put so much into this?

We're all doing the bus stop, but there's are theirs are different from mine. I'm doing it more throughout the year and they concentrate all their efforts to one month. And so it's easier. I think, I think when I'm finally going to back down from this, I'll just go like, let's just do October and Christmas.

Like let's just do those two. And it is easier to kind of put everything into it for a short period of time. And, but it's easy for me to compare myself to someone who's doing the same thing. And I just think I love that they do that, that I'm stealing that idea and you know, and it's just great. It's just, we're all, even when we're doing the same thing, we're doing it different.

And both are both things are fantastic. 

Jessie: Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I love, you know, coming back to the point, your son telling you, like, Hey, the kids are asking me about this and that's just the feedback that you're hearing. I'm sure there's feedback. That's being thought in heads and not being said about what they feel about it and, and the difference that it's making.

And even just like, you don't know. Um, parent who's maybe driving by and sees you and just gets a little like chuckle or a smile on their face, or someone's had a real bad day at school. And like that just brightens it. It's just a little spot. Like you don't even know the difference that that's making.

And I think with all of us, like, we don't know the difference that we're making in the lives of people around us. And so. It just comes back to what you said, like let your light shine because a lot of times we do get the feedback and we do get to know, and like right now I'm just like pouring into you and like letting you know all this crazy.

But so often we don't, and I think that's when we can start like doubting ourselves and wondering if we're even making a difference in the world and like, to you listening, I just want to let you know, like you are making a profound impact in the world. Whatever it is that you do. And if you feel something to do and you might think it's silly, like, I'm sure you have thoughts, Emily.

Like, this is dumb. Why am I doing this? , you know what I mean? Cause we all do. I'm not saying that it is. I'm just saying, I even do it with like, with this podcast, why am I even doing this? No one cares. I know that when we pour into others and we use the talents and the things that are unique to us, we make a huge difference. 

Emily: Okay. That I relate to, you know, when I hear, I see people like, you know, business people and, and they are like telling you all these things. I'm like, but you don't understand the things I struggle with. And then I finally found someone, do you follow Shalene Johnson? Like a woman? Like I am telling you we are long lost BFS.

I love her. We need to be best friends. Also, we have earrings that are almost identical and they're kind of random. And so like, it just made my whole day. Um, but like I followed her and I'm like, oh, okay. She's like this good Jillian air. I can go be successful. Even though like, in her ADG is very, very similar to mine and I'm like, I just feel seen and understood.

 I think when people feel seen and understood. Then they just relax a little and they're like, okay. It's like validation for the thoughts they have about themselves. And they're like, well, I want to do this. But I think people are going to think these things about me, but they actually think amazing things about you.

And they're so grateful to you. And I have times, I think one gift that people have is that it's follow through because they have a thought about someone and they, they, they hear this like, oh, I should call this person. And then they do it. And I've had times where people have called me. And I didn't realize I needed it.

And then I'm like, it just like breaks me down to tears. And I'm like, what made you call me? Like, I don't know. I just thought about you. And I thought I'm going to call and, and that's such a gift to people. And so here I am on a stage and, you know, I've made a bigger scene about. Well, what are you? What, what are you, what are you people?

That's what I was gonna say, but what are you doing? And all of us, we're all doing something on these small stages that nobody ever sees. And I think those things honestly make a bigger difference than what I'm doing by leaps and bounds because you're touching someone personally and literally changing their lives and helping them.

And you're, you're assisting them in ways that, that you only know about because of those really close, personal. 

Jessie: Yeah. Well, and I think that that touches on a point of, you know, bringing it back to your whole point of letting your light shine. If we all showed up the same way, we wouldn't be reaching everybody.

You know, and so I think that that's important to recognize too, is that yeah, we're going to show up and be supportive to people in our own ways. Like someone might be a really good listener and that's what I need, or I might need just a good laugh or like, I might need someone to like beat the crap out of me in a workout.

And just like, you know, like there's all these different things. Where people meet us and where they help. And I think that that's important and knowing that, because it can be easy to be like, well, they're making a big difference or they're on this big stage making this difference. And I think knowing that those smaller stage moments matter just as much, if not more.

Cause I do think that it's the small things in the consistent things that go unnoticed that make the bigger difference in our life. 

Emily: They really do. Isn't that like the best feeling to just feel seen and to feel. That someone knows you're there and that even if you don't talk every day, that you're just like, Hey, I know we don't talk all the time, but I think about you.

I just want you to know, I love you the end, that's it. And that makes such a big difference. And I also think it's funny to me cause I'm, I'm always asking friends, Hey, do you want to come to the bus stop? And I have friends that will come and they love it. And others that are like, no, I will come and help you.

But I do not want to be on camera. And I think. That's the boring stuff, like come to the, this is the fun stuff, like office things like you, that's the boring stuff. And you know, not everybody has the same interest. And that actually took me awhile to be like, why wouldn't you want to come be on stage?

And I took it personally. Like they don't want to come and be with me. Are they embarrassed by me? Or, you know, I've thought up all of these things that it meant. They don't like being on camera and, but there, but people are great to be supportive in other ways. And, and, you know, we all have a different role.

Not everyone can be on stage, thankfully not everyone wants to do. 

Jessie: Yeah, exactly. I think that opens up another interesting thought too, about the things that we. I think other people are thinking if that makes sense, like they don't want to come. And suddenly you make that all about you when it has nothing to do with you. I mean, when we were. For this about like judgment, you know, I was saying like, oh, don't judge me. I'm like in my daughter's room today and all this stuff. And then I just asked her and I was like, I mean, you can, because I know it actually doesn't mean anything about me.

And I don't know, that's, that's a spot to get to, but I think when you can get to that and you can be able to brush aside judgments that does help you let your light shine a little bit more. Cause you're like, listen, I'm me and I'm going to show up and you're you, and you can like it. You can hate it, whatever I'm going to keep showing up there.

Emily: I was speaking to this group of women a couple of weeks ago, and I thought the best analogy I was like, oh, so if we all just think about it, that we all have a candle and, and some people are like really great and they can decorate their candle. And they like, you know, artsy, Craftsy it and dazzle it and whatever.

And, and some people carve things into it, you know, and whatever. And other people just have like a plain old candle, but when you light it, It's still shining the same. And so just because the outside looks different and how we're shining and the way we're presenting ourselves, but we all still have this beautiful light that we're giving to the world.

And do you know, do you know the, in the dark, you can see a candle from 1.6 miles away, one single candle, 1.6 miles away. Like that's, that's a really long way and that's just to the naked eye, but you can see it that far away. And if you think about that, your one single candle can do that. What if we got two and 10 and 30 people together and we're all just being like ourselves unapologetically awesome.

Or even mediocre. Let's just be pretty good if we're just doing pretty good and just lighting the candle. Can you imagine. Like the light that would come from that from how many, I mean, you know, just like, like in a stadium when you've got people in their cell phones and, and, and just, I mean, there's nothing better than that.

Right. But, and how beautiful that is and the darkness and how one light causes somewhat just shine their light and someone else lights theirs. And the next thing, you know, you've got this stadium full of people who are, who are just shining any work, just who are just having. And they're just, they just. 

Jessie: I love that.

I love that so much because I was I'm thinking now I'm visualizing that analogy. I'm thinking of the last time that I was at a concert and that does happen and you're right. It is one person turns theirs on and suddenly it's like this little ripple effect and I get chills. I have them right now. I get chills every single time because it is, it's like, Amazing how bright and lit up that gets.

And if you're listening, you know, this, that, I'm a sucker for analogy. So like I'm getting out on this because I love it so much, but that is that's so true. And I love what you said about the candles too. About the different ways we decorate them, but really the light. 

Jessie: oh. Oh, love it. Love it. Love it all.

I had another thought too, as we were sitting here talking, bringing it back to the bus stop and back to the kids who are seeing you in back to your own children. I, and their ages of where they're at. There it's such a pivotal point in trying to figure out their place and trying to fit in and trying to figure out who they are.

And I think seeing someone who's so unapologetically out there being outrageous, being silly gives them permission as young kids. To do that themselves. And I don't know if you've thought about that and I'm going to get like, , 

Emily: I've thought about it for other people, but I've never thought about it with my kids.

Jessie: I mean, missionaccomplished. I totally made you cry off your makeup and everything,

Jessie: Well, I think I'm just thinking about our, our, about our kids. I've got, um, I'll have a sixth grader next year, and then he's off to the, you know, the big, bad junior high and.Just thinking about the examples that I want him to have. And I think having adults who are secure enough to show up and. Like I that's, what I love about it is that it is silly. It's not something that most adults do. Right. We're all like, yeah. But I think like the message that's sending to these kids that they're probably not even getting, but like, hopefully subconsciously it's like getting planted somewhere.

Is that like, you get to be, you. And like, it can be as outrageous. It can be as quiet too. Like I think sometimes we think like, if you're not loud, then you're like, we need the people who are introverted and introspective too, because they bring about such amazing thing. But I think it just. 

Emily: And people who like math, we need them to, yes, we do.

Jessie: I was not one of them either, but I think that that's a powerful just example that it even very subconscious, subconscious level of like that grown-up is secure in who they are. And that's really cool.

Emily: I'm just going to say thanks. And just compose myself for me to here. 

Jessie: Cut for a cry break. 

Emily: I told you I miss the target. Um, can I tell you a story? Yes. So, um, this would have been five years ago. Yes. Don't call me on that. I think it was five years ago, um, that I was. Depression is I dealt with depression for a long, long time.

And, um, I guess what it started about six years ago. And I started to kind of, to work on my health and being like, like what's going on? I had a hysterectomy and my hormones went crazy and my depression got worse, food allergies. I mean, it's like, my body was just in disarray. And so I'd been working for like, you know, about nine, 10 months on, on trying to like heal my gut and figure out what's going on.

And then, and then, um, there was a point. December of this year, this one year that I just felt like I was at rock bottom. And, and I just, I remember praying so hard and, and I, I visualize everything. And I remember, I remember thinking my worlds felt like I was at the bottom of the ocean and I'm holding on to this rope, this giant, you know, giant rope barely could hold around it.

And there's a knot at the bottom. And then I'm standing. On the bottom. That's the one point I'm just even sitting on this, on the bottom of this, not on the bottom of the rope and, and all that's left is this rock underneath me. And that's, that's how I liked felt. And, and I remember thinking this one day, you know, you think these things like the world would be better off without me.

My kids would be better with a different mom and these horrible things that just aren't. So they're just not true. And, but I, I actually believe these things and just felt like my kids. Well, one thing that that was true is that my kids did deserve a mom who was happy, but it didn't mean that they didn't deserve me.

They just deserved a mom who was happy and I deserve to be happy. And so I remember this Monday, I prayed and I, and I have this friend she's like, I will pray with you. And, and we prayed together. We prayed separately and I just prayed to God and begged him to please, if you will just get me out of.

Darkness and this pit that I'm in, if you'll just pull me out of this so I can stand up, I promise that I would do whatever I could to spread his light for the rest of my life. And, and a few days later, um, a friend helped me like, you know, with like helping to heal my body and changing some habits so that I could, um, You know, help to heal my body.

A lot of our depression has to do with in our gut, actually, almost all of it has to do with our gut and what we're eating and the gut microbiome. And so I started learning about this and, and, and I was able to change to change things. And then all of a sudden, within like a few weeks, I was a completely different person and my kids would come home and they're like, wow, like, so like, it's just so good to see you smile.

And, and it felt good. Like, I was just happy. Yeah. In ways that I hadn't been in years. And I was like, what is this? And it was through no fault of my own. It was just, I was doing my best and my best didn't understand what I know now. And so it was, um, about eight, nine months I got live in like nine months after that is when I did that very first bus stop.

And the funny thing is that day I did it. I was like, oh, this unicorn is like 20 bucks. Like I didn't have 20 bucks. And. It's making her smile. And for whatever reason, I felt possessed, I bought the thing and then everything that's happened has come from that one choice. And I just, I, I didn't know why I was like, well, let's just buy it.

Like it made no sense, but I did it anyway. And then, and so much goodness has come from it and joy. I just want, I just want people to just have and be joy. I want them to just know that life is life. That's what life is for. We're not here to just struggle, like. We have to have struggle. That's, you know, we build muscles by tearing them apart.

And so it's okay to have struggles. Nobody has a life without it. And if you do, then you're a winner. Like you don't build those strong muscles. And so our hardships make us who we are, but there's always a light at the end of that tunnel. And in life hasn't been sunshine and rainbows ever since that, you know, it's been hard.

There's been a lot of hard things and, and things that, you know, they could have broken me at any time. But I, I came out once and then I've, you know, I've come out again and again and again. And I, and I just feel like, like, what I do now is my promise to just spread God's light and God's love every single day.

And to just let, let others know that they have that same thing within them. And so if you're, if you're listening to this and you, you feel like, like, if you relate to any of this, just know that that. So many people who love you. And even though you may not be shining on a stage that what you do makes such a difference.

It makes such a big difference. And, and there are people who are people who need to have, and it's a lot more people than, you know. Yeah. Yeah. 

Jessie: I love that you shared this story because listening to it, sometimes it's easy to see people when they're shining. Right. And be like, oh, well, yeah, she's this like bubbly person who loves to be in front of people who loves to be on stage.

Like, of course this is her thing. And I always find it in. I love. Peeling back the layers and finding not people's trauma. Like I'm not like statistic or anything, but like I love peeling it back and being like, but where is this coming from? Because when you feel that like desire so deep, I, I know it's from some sort of pain just in the conversations that I've been able to have since starting the show and all the different people that I've been able to talk to.

There's always a personal element to. And so I love that you shared that because I think sometimes it's easy when we're feeling in pain to look at the people who are shining brightly and being like, well, yeah, it's easy for that. And being like, okay, but they did climb out from somewhere. Like all of us have had stuff, like you said, like we do have struggle, but I also like that you, there is action and there is choice.

And you made a choice to buy a unicorn head one day. And sometimes we make choices where we take a step and we're like, I don't know where the step is. And I might fall in the water. I might fall off a cliff and then a step appears. 

Emily: Right. And it makes me, 

Jessie: it makes no sense. Right. And I think we just have to be willing to make the choice to say, Kay, I don't want to stay in this darkness.

And I'm going to take a step and like, please let there be something that I'm in a land, my foot off, you know? And so 

Emily: thank you for sharing. Oh, I'm so sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt. Like when, when you're saying now, I think if like Indiana Jones walked out on the ledge. Exactly. It's just like, he can't see that there's a ledge, but it's there just like take that leap of faith and you don't.

I mean, he thought he was gonna fall, but he had to do this to save his dad. And, but really who was he saving? And I feel like he just saved himself.

Jessie: . Well, Emily. Oh, my gosh, this conversation was so much more than I was even expecting it to be. And I'm so grateful that you showed up in vulnerability and like wanting to just talk and have a really good conversation.

This was so life-giving for me. And I hope those of you listening that you pull. I mean, I don't even have to hope. I know this has touched you and you've pulled something from this, whatever it is that's going to help you move on with your day. 

Emily: . I just want to tell you, thank you so much for creating this space that, that I could, I could be vulnerable and that, that I can have my story told, like it just, it just means a lot to me and, and makes me feel so valued.

Jessie: Oh my gosh. No, that means a lot because you know, just with anything that we do, we wonder. Like we've talked about this whole episode, if it's making a difference. And that's what, one of my, um, like mission statements and core values that I have for this is, helping people feel seen, heard, and valued.

And you said that today feeling seen and that's with my guests, that's with my listeners. And so it, it has been quite a joy to bring on people and get them to share their stories. I feel honored to be able to be a vessel for that. But for those who are like, okay, I need more bus stop mama in my life. I need to see these shenanigans.

I need to see what she's up to. Where are you most active and where can they find you? 

Emily: I'm most active on Instagram and it's under bus stop. Mama and mama is ma. Okay. 

Jessie: Awesome. And I will link her there. I will also link to a couple of my favorite posts with some of the outfits that she shared that were her favorite.

So you guys can go check out all of those, but Emily. Oh my gosh. Thank you so much, 

Emily: Jessie. Thank you so much for having me. It seriously means the world.