Ep 80: This one's from about two and a half years ago, back when Crystal was homeschooling her four kids while circumnavigating the globe with her family, working online from wherever they landed. We talk about what that life actually looks like day to day — and then I share what I found digging into her paternal family history. Why did her great grandfather change his name? What happened to his mother? Those are the mysteries we get into.

Grab my free guide, The Pattern That Isn't Yours: ⁠https://knowyourancestors.co/pattern⁠

Find Crystal on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/its.crystal.noelle/

⁠If this one landed for you, I'd love a rating and review — it's still one of the best ways to help people find the show.

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Ep 79: This was maybe my absolute favorite one of these interviews I've done and am so excited to share it again, almost 3 years later.

I've known Cristy since elementary school, and going into her family tree, I thought I'd be sharing something lighter. Instead we ended up with a marriage that unraveled more than once, and a little boy who left home alone at twelve and crossed a border to start over.

There's a lot more underneath it — where it all traces back to, and what it means for how Cristy sees her own story now.

You'll have to listen to get there.

Grab my free guide, The Pattern That Isn't Yours: https://knowyourancestors.co/pattern

Find Cristy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cristyleeduce

If this one landed for you, I'd love a rating and review — it's still one of the best ways to help people find the show.

Follow me on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganhillyer

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@meganhillyer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowyourancestorsco

Ep 78: This week we're bringing back one of our favorite conversations! In this encore episode, I sit down with ancestral healing guide Torie Feldman of Sacred Ancestry as we explore the stories hidden in her family tree.

Together we uncover immigration journeys, courageous women, ancestral homes in Europe, and the power of combining genealogy with personal reflection. Whether you're just beginning your family history journey or have been researching for years, this conversation will inspire you to see your ancestors in a whole new way.

In this episode you'll discover:

• The remarkable stories behind Torie's Jewish and Czech ancestors
• How genealogy can bring your ancestors' lives into focus
• Why understanding family patterns can deepen your sense of identity
• The value of preserving your family's stories for future generations

✨ Free Resource: If you've ever wondered whether a pattern in your life actually started with you, download my free guide,

The Pattern That Isn't Yours: https://knowyourancestors.co/pattern

Connect with Torie:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacredancestry
• Website: https://sacredancestry.com

Connect with me:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganhillyer

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meganhillyer

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowyourancestorsco
  

Ep 77: This summer I'm bringing back some of my favorite guest episodes from Know Your Ancestors — conversations where we really dug into identity and what it means to understand yourself better through your lineage.

Julie Taylor has always felt deeply called to a piece of land in Provo, Utah. She moved her family back from Connecticut for it. She kept her last name after marriage because of it. In this episode, we find out exactly why — and it goes back a lot further than she realized.

If this episode resonates with you and you're curious about what you might be carrying from your own lineage, grab my free guide — The Pattern That Isn't Yours — at https://knowyourancestors.co/pattern

You can find Julie on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/thejulietaylor

If you enjoy the show, I'd love it if you took a minute to leave a rating and review — it helps so much.

Follow me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganhillyer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowyourancestorsco

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meganhillyer

Ep 76: This summer I'm bringing back some of my favorite guest episodes from Know Your Ancestors — conversations where we really dug into identity and what it means to understand yourself better through your lineage. And I couldn't think of a better place to start than episode one.

Brittany MacLeod was our very first guest, and this episode is one of my favorites simply because of how much we were able to uncover. She came in knowing almost nothing about her family history — and by the end of the episode, she had a lot more to sit with.

If you've ever wondered whether there's a reason you are the way you are, this episode is for you.

You can find Brittany on Instagram at @brittanymacleod_ and her agency at @macleodmedia_

If you enjoy the show, I'd love it if you took a minute to leave a rating and review — it helps so much.

Follow me on:

Instagram: @meganhillyer

TikTok: @meganhillyer

Facebook: @knowyourancestorsco

Ep 75: I get this question all the time: "But what if there's barely anything about my ancestor?" So in this episode, I'm showing you exactly what's possible. I chose my second great-grandmother for the Ancestor Power Project — a woman with one photo, no memories passed down, no journals. Just records. And what I discovered is that even when you can't find more records, you can find context. The world she lived in, the language she spoke, the community around her — all of it brought her to life in a way I didn't expect. I'm reading you the story I wrote about her, and I think it'll change how you see those "dead ends" in your own family tree.

If you've been wanting to learn how to do this kind of research yourself, this is your last chance to grab Family Tree Foundations. I'm retiring the course, so it's on sale for $97 (normally $197) until June 12 at midnight — after that, it's gone forever. You'll keep lifetime access to everything.

Check it out at https://knowyourancestors.co/foundation

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you left a rating and review — it really helps others find the show.

Come find me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganhillyer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowyourancestorsco

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meganhillyer

Ep 74: Some seasons just pile on. In this episode I'm getting a little real about a hard few weeks — and the moment I grabbed a book of ancestor biographies off the shelf and let my grandparents remind me what I'm built from.

If you've got a family history book collecting dust, this is your sign to open it. And if you don't have stories like that yet — I'd love to help you find them.

Start here: knowyourancestors.co/origin

Come find me:

• Instagram: @meganhillyer
• TikTok: @meganhillyer
• Facebook: Know Your Ancestors

Ep 73: I've been seeing a lot of content lately about reconnecting with ancient, pre-colonial ancestry — and while I love that conversation, I think something important is being skipped over.

The ancestors who shaped us most are the close ones. Our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. Their patterns, tendencies, and traumas live in us whether we acknowledge them or not. In this episode, I share why their stories matter, what we can learn from them even when those stories are messy, and how looking closely at their lives can help us understand — and heal — ourselves.

If you're enjoying the podcast, I'd love it if you left a rating or review — it really helps the show grow! And if you have ideas for topics or guests you'd like to hear, send me an email at hello@knowyourancestors.co. I'd love to hear from you!

Connect with me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganhillyer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knowyourancestorsco

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meganhillyer