Behind The Before & After Photo: A Candid Conversation on BPD, Codependency and External Validation | Mari Llewellyn

Ep 128. Have you ever met a true kindred spirit whose story mirrors your own to a T? In this episode, Mari Llewellyn, founder of Bloom and host of the Pursuit Of Wellness Podcast, joins Oliva to share her story of going from rock bottom to owning a massive wellness empire. Over the years Mari shifted her focus from the "before and after photo" to valuing balance more than perceived positive extremes. She also dives into her mental health struggles with BPD and OCD, breaking free of codependency, and what her real lived experience looks like behind the scenes. This episode is a true masterclass in what it means to find your why and trust yourself enough to see it through. HERE'S THE JUICE: The wild similarities between Olivia's and Mari's stories and how they turned their lived experiences into powerful platforms for healing and community How to spend time alone without the fear of loneliness Cultivating a level of self-awareness and curiosity in order to think about your behavior instead of just behaving How to identify tools to nurture a balanced life and invest in the long term Why avoiding pain is NOT the answer & the power that comes with learning to sit in the pain as opposed to numbing out The unspoken sense of grief that comes from knowing that you're not for everyone Why Mari is choosing to embrace the weirdness in her life vs a curated aesthetic The importance of learning that no one is coming to save you – it's up to you to change Connect with Mari: IG: @marillewellyn Podcast IG: @pursuitofwellnesspodcast YT: Mari Llewellyn Connect with Olivia: Organic Olivia's IG Olivia's personal IG Organic Olivia's TikTok Read Olivia's blog posts Shop my full line of herbalist-formulated medicinal blends: HERE