We all have ups and downs, and it’s no secret that life throws hard things into our path. After all, why do you think the saying, “Bad things happen to good people,” exists? Yet, when those hard things occur, how we connect to them and how we fix our mindset plays a significant role in the moment and our overall life satisfaction. It also impacts one other major element in our lives. Can you guess what it is?

If you guessed inner peace, you are right.

So, let’s take a one-on-one deep dive into our mindsets and whether or not you play the victim in your daily life. This is an extensive conversation about identifying the small daily behaviors and habits that create the biggest divide between feeling empowered and feeling negatively impacted, I’m handing over the signs that you are living in full victim mode, and of course, we’ll be talking about how to change course from victim to victor.

Trauma, dysregulated emotions, high levels of stress and anxiety, all have a way of rewiring and changing your nervous system. The changes are so significant they can cause disease as you witness and carry your dis-ease; they cause coping mechanisms and self-harm, and a host of other significant life impacts. Yet, there is a way to retrain the autonomic nervous system and your relationship to your experiences.

I sat down with trauma and addiction therapist, Polyvagal Institute Course Developer, teacher, and author Jan Winhall to talk about how to shift out of flight/fight/fold and freeze, and how we can connect with ourselves and change and get out of the impending danger we feel that keeps us from relaxing and enjoying our lives.

As 2023 winds down, we are turning our intentionality, focus, and desires to what is next. In every new chapter, there is something that must come to a close or be grown upon to take you to the next experience, the next level of where you want to be.

In doing so, there are often a few hard pills that you must swallow to get to that place. While growth is not the most comfortable thing we do, it is one of the most powerful. Today, you and I are taking a one-on-one deep dive into those hard pills and what to do about them so that you can build a life of accountability and self-authority, refusing to abandon your needs and desires, and find a space of stability that you simply haven’t had the tools to touch before now…

Sometimes we crumble under the pressure of “toomuchness,” where you feel the need and desire to slow down but ALSO don’t feel like you can or simply don’t know how.

If you feel like you are constantly running into a wall, you are not alone! Slow living is a conscious, effort-driven choice. That many of fail to remember is always available to us. The thing is, even the most mindful person can still struggle with giving themselves permission to slow down.

Today, you and I are taking a one-on-one deep drive into some of the signs it’s time for you to take a break and I’ll offer some grounded ways for you to care for yourself when you need it the most.

Anxiety, stress, and depression are all active in our world today, and none of us are actual strangers to any of these issues. Many people are living in fight or flight, in survival mode right now, and reaching inner peace feels nearly impossible, especially during the holiday season.

So today, you and I are going to take a one-on-one deep dive into turning inward and finding inner peace. It is not something that you can simply turn on. It’s not something that you decide to do, and then just do it. Inner peace is a state to be achieved.

It’s no secret that trauma changes us. What is a secret is how it changes your behavior, thought process, nervous system, and how it helped you develop ways to keep yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically safe.

I opened my computer and logged in to find an article that caught my attention on MSN entitled 10 signs that Indicate a Person Has Lived a Hard and Challenging Life (msn.com)

The article confirmed many of the behaviors I’ve encountered both with clients and even myself from my trauma. That’s why I thought you and I should take a one-on-one deep dive into the interesting things you may be doing without realizing it’s telling more of your life’s story than you may realize.

With the holidays here, there’s often an uptick in depression and loneliness.

So, this week we’re taking a one-on-one deep dive into what loneliness is, how it smothers our self-love, the difference between being alone and feeling lonely, and how to make small shifts to release feeling this negative emotion. Sometimes it’s as simple as realizing we are not as lonely as we think.

Healing and beginning the journey of therapy is often a scary one for many—especially when unsure of which type of therapy to choose or what is involved. Knowing where to start and what to choose is a crucial element of any healing journey. Then add trying to approach your life, unless guided mindfully, can confuse, and then you may do what so many do, which is call this journal quits!

That’s why therapist Adalina East and I sat down to chat about mindfulness and therapy on her podcast, Cosmic Leadership. She was gracious enough to allow me to share it here with you. You are in for a real treat as we talk more about the five masters of our lives, the six elements of mindfulness that highly improve your life, calming anxiety through breathwork, EFT, and how to avoid stopping your self-growth journey!

If you have ever wondered what therapists talk about when they are alone, this is a great conversation to let you inside.

"What if" these two small words significantly impact your mental and emotional health, yet the question isn't complete. What if you finished with the words, "you did…" Rounding out the sentence to sound like, "What if you did?" That simple exchange takes the mind in a whole new direction—from looking for the negatives in any given situation to looking for possibility, openness, and what could be.

I sat down with executive coach Julee Gracey to talk about opening ourselves up to possibilities, a way to shift out of impostor syndrome, and breaking down how to think in new patterns regardless of the situation. It's a fantastic conversation that is filled with little nuggets and tools to help you own your truest self.

What would happen if you gave yourself permission to put yourself in the first position and prioritize yourself? Many deem the first position a place of selfishness. But it’s is really? When done correctly, it absolutely is not! What does that look like and how do you get there in a way that is sustainable and long-lasting?   

I sat down with Karen Casitlon to talk about her journey to prioritizing herself that started with these words: Now it’s your turn. In this beautiful conversation, Karen guides each of us through making shifts in our lives, finding our inner stillness and power, and leaning into the growth you’ve always been meant to find from the top of your priority list.

I’m so excited to be a part of the Prioritize You virtual retreat. It’s 5 straight days of conversations, practices, and tools to give you ideas, inspirations, and practical tips about how to make time for yourself, even if you only have a few minutes a day!

The Prioritize You virtual retreat is completely FREE, but you have to save your seat to get access. Claim your ticket to the online retreat here: https://prioritizeyouretreat.com/danielle

And, remember, YOU are worth it!

Because, let’s get real — if not now, when?

From the Get Confident Podcast with Johnelle Hoskings

Sit back and listen to a wonderful conversation with Johnelle Hosking.

We have an incredible guest, Danielle Vann, who shares her powerful journey of finding her voice and permitting herself to live authentically. Danielle opens up about her experiences, from asking for permission from others to the transformative process of giving herself permission. We'll dive into the five areas where we seek permission: emotional, mental, physical, spiritual, and financial and how they impact our well-being.

What is the purpose of life? Big question. Some believe it’s to live humbly, have a few experiences, and do their best. For others, they think they’re here to leave a massive mark on the world. They believe purpose is found in the doing. While others believe the purpose of life is to be enlightened. Spiritual enlightenment is a state of awareness of the world and the true nature of oneself and the universe around them. It’s a conscious act of releasing pain, suffering, fear, and the ego. We find alignment, self-realization, and the real self in this ever-changing process.

But the question is how? How does one do this, especially if life has been fraught with hardships?

I sat down with Michele Blood, a singer from Australia with an international following, as she recounts moments after a car accident that changed her path and how her voice has helped thousands transform their lives through affirmation and find their way into the purpose of life—true enlightenment. Michele’s story reminds us that each of us has a purpose; our voice creates powerful movements in our lives, and we have an inner knowledge we have the power to tune into.

Trauma, dysregulated emotions, high levels of stress and anxiety, all have a way of rewiring and changing your nervous system. The changes are so significant they can cause disease as you witness and carry your dis-ease; they cause coping mechanisms and self-harm, and a host of other significant life impacts. Yet, there is a way to retrain the autonomic nervous system and your relationship to your experiences.

I sat down with trauma and addiction therapist, Polyvagal Institute Course Developer, teacher, and author Jan Winhall to talk about how to shift out of flight/fight/fold and freeze, and how we can connect with ourselves and change and get out of the impending danger we feel that keeps us from relaxing and enjoying our lives.

When was the last time you listened to your inner conversation? Is it serving you, or does it take you down? Most women struggle with their inner critic and tend to beat themselves up. Is this you? If so, there’s one essential life practice that can silence the inner critic, help you release the need to trash yourself and your worth, and is the ultimate foundation of self-love.

What is it? It’s self-empathy.

While you may be familiar with having empathy for others, turning this practice inward changes the inner conversation and opens the door to cultivating inner peace, happiness, and gives you the courage to be the woman who loves themselves fiercely.

What does the term “coping mechanisms” mean to you? The term has taken on an understanding that doesn’t fully explain a coping mechanism or how it can take you into dark places in your life. After all, they are more than just the things you do because at the base of every coping mechanism is a hope that you have a sense of safety and control, even if it isn’t a true security blanket.

When we use our coping mechanisms against ourselves, we create less than fulfilling lives. This is especially true if your coping mechanism is something that requires work. An example of that work is emotional eating.

While many of us do not look at our eating habits and relationship with food as disordered, it can be without even realizing it. Any disordered habits create disordered thinking, which upsets our emotional balance. That’s why I sat down with the founder and leader of Escape From Emotional Eating Jessica Procini to talk about the root of this coping mechanism and how to tackle it if this is a struggle for you. Jessica even hands over a priceless tool you can use right now!

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Control is an illusion.” And for all points and purposes, it absolutely is. It is also one of the greatest paradoxes we experience in life. We are to be in control, but not try to control every situation, while finding a sense of control to keep ourselves safe. It’s no wonder we screw this up and use control in ways that often negatively impact us.

That’s why you and I are taking a one-on-one deep dive into control. We’ll take a journey into the three root causes of control, and we’ll talk about repairing your relationship with specific outcomes, no matter what situations you may be facing. By the end of this conversation, you’ll have a new understanding of why the art of surrendering is so damn important!

So, let’s dive right in!

One of the best things we can do for ourselves is dig deep and uncover why we do what we do. This work is an intentional act that takes getting to know yourself, releasing connections to things that do not serve us, and choosing the energy and practices we want to grow through. An unhealed life often feels like an overwhelming sense of danger, powerlessness, and fear. Healing creates safety and empowers self-authority.

And yet, the question always is: how do we get there?

I sat down with Dr. Jane Tornatore to talk about the “how.” She and I share our best-used tools for healing in a fantastic conversation that will leave you with many starting points and excellent practices and tools you can try right now to create or move you forward in your journey.

Grab a pen and a piece of paper! You’re going to need it!

What you carry, you must pay for in one way or another. That’s true whether it’s actual financial debt, physical debt of not respecting your body, mental debt from not thinking thoughts that serve you, or emotional debt from suppressing your emotions. We talk so much about trauma and impactful events, but what we often truly fail to address is how the debt, the weight, shows up in our lives as a symptom to something greater.

That’s why you and I are taking a one-on-one deep dive into emotional debt, what it is, and then we’ll examine one of the most significant symptoms we feel—feeling disconnected.

If you ever feel emotionally exhausted, weighted down by the stories in your head, or feeling disconnected, you are not alone, but this is the conversation for you.

According to the World Health Organization, bipolar disorder is one of the top three causes of hospitalization in people aged 15 to 44. It’s estimated that 5% of the world’s population is on the bipolar spectrum and of that 5%, only 1 to 2% are diagnosed. And while those percentages may seem small, with over 8 billion people currently in the world, we are talking about over 400 million people with bipolar brains.

It’s far more common than you think. In the US alone, around 4.4% of adults deal with or develop bipolar disorder, and the numbers show it impacts more females than males.

I sat down with author and fimmaker Sara Schley to talk about her experience with bipolar disorder and how she has turned what she calls her broken into a blessing as she serves the world by spreading knowledge and resources for those who believe there’s little hope out there. In fact, that’s the furthest from the truth. So, whether you have a diagnosis, know someone who does, or has it genetically within your family, this moving, impactful conversation is filled with understanding, truths, science, and community.