In this episode of The Bring Your Big Energy Podcast, Stacey K sits down with Mandy Merrifield — transformational coach, founder of The Confidence Hour, and author of F*ck the Fairytale: Find Your Own Magic — for a raw, powerful conversation about identity, recovery, and rewriting the “should” life.
Mandy takes us back to her biggest Intensity Point: the day she stopped drinking after years of alcoholism that escalated to a breaking point.
She shares what it was like to lose everything — career, stability, identity — and how she rebuilt her life from the ground up with radical honesty, support, and one foot in front of the other.
Together, Stacey and Mandy explore:
The moment Mandy knew: “I can’t do this anymore.”
How perfectionism and the “good girl” identity can quietly destroy us
Why “alcohol is not just accepted — it’s expected” (and how to navigate that culture)
The power of telling the truth and “owning the narrative”
Letting go of pride and ego during the rebuild
Depression, nervous system support, and the real tools that helped her keep going
Where the “fairytale” conditioning starts — and how to question the shoulds
If you’ve ever felt like your life looks “right” but feels wrong… if you’re exhausted by expectations… or you’re standing at an Intensity Point and don’t know what comes next — this episode will meet you there with honesty, hope, and momentum.
📚 Mandy’s book: F*ck the Fairytale: Find Your Own Magic 🎧 Listen in — and let this one ignite your next brave step.
Want exclusive insights and behind the scenes with Bring Your Big Energy and Stacey K, sign up for the Exclusive Energy Hype Squad newsletter at www.bringyourbigenergy.com.
Trigger warning: This episode includes discussion of addiction/alcoholism and depression.
