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In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Crissy Fishbane about using physical challenge as a tool for transformation during major life transitions. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Crissy shares how leaving her teaching career amid Burnout led her to embark on the famed Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. The episode explores overcoming uncertainty, embracing change, and learning to accept what can’t be controlled.
About Crissy Fishbane:
Crissy Fishbane is a writer, speaker, and co-founder of HER+ Health Collective, a community and resource hub supporting mothers through connection and collaboration. A former high school teacher with a background in psychology, she now leads inclusive communities and conversations about belonging, uncertainty, and personal Growth. Crissy is also the co-host of the award-winning podcast Mama Needs a Moment. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her Family and believes meaningful change often begins by letting go of certainty.
Main Topics Covered:
Quote from the Episode:
“There is so much outside of my control and I’m trying to manipulate and figure it all out and have all the answers and make everything look just so, because that’s what society says it should be…and it was this moment of realizing that is all this stuff that I have no right trying to manipulate or control, because I can’t. It’s not about me. It’s just what is. So I need to accept that and I need to focus on what I can control, which is this moment right in front of me.”—Crissy Fishbane
Timestamps:
[00:00:18] Crissy introduces herself and talks about calling Raleigh, NC home
[00:02:08] Decision point: Burnout in teaching and the emotional weight of the profession
[00:04:14] Teaching psychology in high school and why teens love self-discovery
[00:08:14] Detailing the stressors that drove Crissy to leave education
[00:14:39] The transition—how the idea to walk the Camino de Santiago emerged
[00:16:40] The pivotal moment: Crissy’s husband encourages her to quit and walk the full Camino
[00:19:32] Was the pilgrimage religious or secular, and what spiritual meaning did it hold?
[00:21:00] Walking the Camino: traveling with no technology, carrying everything, and the day-to-day experience
[00:24:11] Transformation on the Camino and a lesson in giving up control
[00:28:19] Facing adversity during travel: a separate story of losing everything in Costa Rica
[00:31:35] A moment of transformation: Accepting “what is” on a solo stretch of the Camino
[00:33:11] How the Camino transformed Crissy’s relationship with control, Stress, and identity
[00:36:15] Practical ways gratitude and acceptance shape her daily life now
[00:38:01] Why Crissy shares her transformation story and the healing power of storytelling
[00:40:16] Founding her + Health Collective: building a mom support network and tackling loneliness
[00:43:21] Hybrid community-building and serving moms nationwide
[00:44:54] Fun insights: generational identity, book recommendations, and travel snack habits
ABOUT THE SHOW: The Art of Imperfect Adulting elevates the voices of experience by sharing real stories from real people figuring out adult life. Every episode features honest conversations about life’s choices, changes, and challenges—interviews with individuals (not celebrities) who share their personal experiences and insights. Through these authentic stories, listeners find validation, motivation, and inspiration for navigating their own path through modern life. Because there’s a big difference between expert advice and shared experience, and hearing another person’s lived experience helps us feel less alone in our own situations.
CONNECT WITH THE GUEST: https://herhealthcollective.com/ Mama Needs a Moment – https://herhealthcollective.com/podcast/
GET CRISSY’S SPECIAL OFFER: HER+ Health Collective Email Newsletter — a free weekly email featuring expert insights on women’s health, parenting, and mental well-being, along with updates on community events and ways to get involved with HER+ Health Collective. Value: Free access to curated, expert-led content and insider community updates. Special Offer: Free newsletter subscription for podcast listeners. How to Redeem: Sign up anytime at https://herhealthcollective.com/connect/
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Why subscribe?
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We invite you to join our email community and let us bring the podcast directly to you! As a subscriber, you’ll receive notifications about new episodes, exclusive offers from our amazing guests, and easier access to any of the important links mentioned on the show—no more scrambling to write down websites or remember special codes.
Why subscribe?
Are you ready? Join us at https://www.imperfectadulting.com
Here are a few resources that Amy uses to make all this great content. These are affiliate links 🙂
For livestreaming and recording ECamm https://www.ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive/?fp_ref=amy69
Podcast hosting and distribution: Captivate FM https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=ntczmwi
Website hosting with Siteground https://www.siteground.com/?referrer_id=9115590
Ai Transcription Tool: Castmagic https://get.castmagic.io/ugrmjjrt8ofj
For Email I recently switched to Beehiiv https://www.beehiiv.com?via=Amy-Stone
before that I used Kit.
Books I like and books written by show guests on Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/lists/podcast-guest-authors