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Why 2025 Had to Break You Before 2026 Could Rebuild You

If 2025 felt heavy, disorienting, or downright relentless, this episode will help you make sense of it.

This wasn’t a year of failure.
It was a year of completion.

In this powerful conversation, Michelle Rios sits down with master numerologist and transformational mentor Aniston Riekstins to unpack the deeper energetic forces behind what so many people experienced in 2025—and why the breakdown was necessary before the rebuild.

You’ll learn why 2025 marked the end of a nine-year cycle focused on shedding, truth-telling, and dismantling what no longer fits… and why 2026 ushers in a bold new beginning centered on leadership, innovation, and identity evolution.

This episode explores:

• Why so many things fell apart—or stopped working—in 2025
• The universal nine-year cycle and what “completion” really means
• What the 2026 “Year One” energy is activating for you personally
• How to stop outsourcing answers and start trusting your inner knowing
• Why the next chapter of your life requires a different version of you
• How understanding your personal year number can bring clarity, timing, and self-trust

If you’ve been questioning who you are becoming, feeling the pull toward something new, or sensing that the old ways no longer apply—this conversation will feel like a deep exhale.

2025 wasn’t here to defeat you.
It was here to prepare you.

Your rebuild begins now.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• New Course Alert - Extraordinary Wealth: Mastering the Art of Selling With Soul: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/Extraordinary-Wealth-Selling-With-Soul
• Book: https://michelleriosofficial.com/book. (Coming in early 2026. Join the Waitlist)
• The Energetic Blueprint for Financial Freedom (Free Audio): https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/extraordinary-wealth-the-energetic-blueprint
• My Daily Wealth Affirmations: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/opt-in (Free)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.rios.official/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.c.rios
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michelleriosofficial
• Website: https://michelleriosofficial.com

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If your life looks successful but doesn’t feel successful, you’re not broken — you’re out of alignment.

In this foundational episode of the new Live Your Extraordinary Life Podcast, Michelle Rios reveals the deeper reason so many high achievers, leaders, and purpose-driven people feel restless, disconnected, or unfulfilled… even when they’ve “done everything right.”

Michelle takes you back to the moment authenticity was lost in childhood, explains the neuroscience behind identity patterns, and shares how misalignment silently shapes your relationships, success, energy, clarity, and sense of self. Blending personal storytelling, spiritual wisdom, and energetics, she shows you why alignment is impossible without authenticity — and how to return to the deeper truth of who you are.

This episode will help you recognize the signs of misalignment, understand why your life may not feel like it fits you anymore, and begin the journey back home to yourself.
A powerful, emotional, and deeply grounding start to your extraordinary life.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• New Course Alert - Extraordinary Wealth: Mastering the Art of Selling With Soul: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/Extraordinary-Wealth-Selling-With-Soul
• Book: https://michelleriosofficial.com/book. (Coming in early 2026. Join the Waitlist)
• The Energetic Blueprint for Financial Freedom (Free Audio): https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/extraordinary-wealth-the-energetic-blueprint
• My Daily Wealth Affirmations: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/opt-in (Free)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.rios.official/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.c.rios
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michelleriosofficial
• Website: https://michelleriosofficial.com

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What if your body isn’t broken—and never was? Dr. Karen Shanks joins us to rethink chronic pain, complex illness, and the cultural stories that keep us stuck. Drawing on 40 years in internal, functional, and integrative medicine, she lays out a humane, evidence-informed path that treats you as a whole human, not a malfunctioning machine. In her new book: Unbroken: Reclaim Your Wholeness, Dr. Shanks explores why imaging can look “normal” even when pain is real, how labels can end conversations that should be starting points, and why uninterrupted patient stories often reveal more than a battery of tests.

We dig into trauma’s imprint on biology and behavior, showing how the nervous system’s drive for safety can shape symptoms, immune signaling, and energy. Instead of chasing downstream fires, we turn upstream to the terrain of healing: sleep quality, protein and nutrition, strength training, breath, relationships, and the narratives we repeat. Dr. Shanks makes the case that the body is always seeking the best equilibrium possible—and that small, consistent changes can shift that equilibrium toward resilience at any age.

Midlife gets a reframe too. Rather than a glide path to decline, it becomes an opportunity to build capacity with smarter inputs and kinder self-talk. You’ll hear practical presence practices—like a two-minute hand-to-heart check-in—to send safety signals to the brain, listen for what the body needs, and let your next steps surface without a rigid protocol. If you’ve ever felt dismissed by a “nothing’s wrong” verdict or trapped by a diagnosis, this conversation offers a way back to agency, clarity, and momentum.

Listen now, share it with someone who needs hope, and tell us: what belief about your health are you ready to let go of? If this resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it along so more people can reclaim their wholeness.

Connect with Dr. Shanks:
New Book: https://www.karynshanksmd.com/unbroken/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karyn-shanks-md-9ba2a520/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarynShanksMD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karynshanksmd/

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• New Course Alert - Extraordinary Wealth: Mastering the Art of Selling With Soul: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/Extraordinary-Wealth-Selling-With-Soul
• Book: https://michelleriosofficial.com/book. (Coming in early 2026. Join the Waitlist)
• The Energetic Blueprint for Financial Freedom (Free Audio): https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/extraordinary-wealth-the-energetic-blueprint
• My Daily Wealth Affirmations: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/opt-in (Free)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.rios.official/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.c.rios
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michelleriosofficial
• Website: https://michelleriosofficial.com

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The love you want isn’t unlocked by “trying harder.” It’s unlocked by teaching your nervous system a new story. Michelle sits down with psychotherapist and bestselling author Jessica Baum to unpack why we repeat painful relationship patterns, how anxious and avoidant strategies differ, and what it takes to build earned security that lasts. If you’ve ever chased butterflies, confused intensity for chemistry, or felt “too much” or “not enough,” this conversation reframes it all with compassion and science.

We break down the difference between anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment in real life—not as labels but as adaptations to early caregiving. Jessica explains why talk therapy alone often stalls and how somatic memory lives in sensations like tight chests and dropped stomachs. You’ll learn how co-regulation with safe “anchors” rewires your capacity to self-regulate, why safety can feel unfamiliar at first, and how to tell when you’re stuck in a trauma bond built on fantasy and control.

Jessica also introduces her wheel of attachment, a practical map for spotting where you slide under stress and how to find your way back to security. We share daily practices to extend your exhale, widen the gap between trigger and reaction, and make better choices without abandoning yourself. Along the way, Jessica opens up about her own path—staying with the work even when a partner wouldn’t—and the hard, hopeful truth: real change is possible, but not by bypassing the body.

If you’re ready to stop reenacting the past and start creating relationships that feel calm, clear, and connected, press play. Then share this with a friend who needs a steady anchor today. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what’s one pattern you’re ready to rewrite?

To order Jessica's newest book SAFE: Coming Home to Yourself and Others, and access the Wheel of Attachment referenced in our interview please use this link: https://jessicabaumlmhc.com/interview.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• New Course Alert - Extraordinary Wealth: Mastering the Art of Selling With Soul: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/Extraordinary-Wealth-Selling-With-Soul
• Book: https://michelleriosofficial.com/book. (Coming in early 2026. Join the Waitlist)
• The Energetic Blueprint for Financial Freedom (Free Audio): https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/extraordinary-wealth-the-energetic-blueprint
• My Daily Wealth Affirmations: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/opt-in (Free)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.rios.official/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.c.rios
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michelleriosofficial
• Website: https://michelleriosofficial.com

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What if the biggest lever for your health and happiness isn’t your bank account, diet, or step count—but the quality of your closest relationships? We unpack landmark findings from the Harvard Study of Adult Development to show why warm, trusted bonds predict longer life, better mood, sharper thinking, and stronger immunity. You’ll hear how chronic loneliness acts like a biological threat—spiking cortisol, disrupting sleep, and fueling inflammation—and why even one secure, supportive relationship can help regulate your nervous system and change your health trajectory.

We dig into what actually counts as connection: not follower counts or constant busyness, but emotional safety, consistency, and being truly seen. Marriage, friendship, family, neighbors, and community all qualify when the ties are warm and low in conflict. We talk through the midlife realities—kids leaving home, shifting careers, aging parents—that quietly erode social scaffolding, then share a practical, repeatable playbook to rebuild it: audit your circle, protect two weekly touch points, set anchor rituals, apply an executive energy filter, and treat loneliness like a health warning that deserves a fast response.

To make it easy, we walk step by step through a seven-day friendship challenge: identify your core five and next ten, send a voice note, book a walk, connect two people, join a group, ask deeper questions, and schedule a recurring ritual. Along the way, we answer listener questions about online friendships, “successful but lonely” lives, and the minimum effective dose of connection. The message is simple and powerful: protect your people. Good relationships buffer stress, guard your heart and brain, and add years to your life. If this resonates, hit play, share with someone who needs it, and subscribe so you never miss an episode—then text one friend right now and start your ritual of connection.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• New Course Alert - Extraordinary Wealth: Mastering the Art of Selling With Soul: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/Extraordinary-Wealth-Selling-With-Soul
• Book: https://michelleriosofficial.com/book. (Coming in early 2026. Join the Waitlist)
• The Energetic Blueprint for Financial Freedom (Free Audio): https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/extraordinary-wealth-the-energetic-blueprint
• My Daily Wealth Affirmations: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/opt-in (Free)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.rios.official/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.c.rios
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michelleriosofficial
• Website: https://michelleriosofficial.com

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Ever wondered why positive life changes sometimes hurt more than you expected? That quiet ache when your child heads to college, the strange emptiness after leaving a job you outgrew, or the disorientation of entering a new chapter—these feelings aren't signs of weakness or ingratitude. They're evidence of transition grief.

Transitions drop us into liminal space—that sacred threshold between what was and what's becoming. When familiar patterns break, our brains interpret uncertainty as threat, triggering emotional responses that can feel overwhelming, especially for high-achievers accustomed to solving problems and moving forward. The tears that come at odd moments, the foggy thinking, the identity questions—these aren't malfunctions but necessary parts of transformation.

What makes midlife particularly challenging is what psychologists call "cumulative life disruption"—multiple significant transitions happening simultaneously. Your child leaves home as your parents need more care, while your body changes and your career no longer fits. This convergence isn't a crisis; it's a clarifier, asking you to examine what no longer serves and imagine what could be. But you can't move forward if you're shaming yourself for feeling sad or trying to bypass grief with forced gratitude.

Through personal stories and practical wisdom, this episode offers a roadmap for navigating life's thresholds with grace and self-compassion. You'll learn to name what you're grieving, mark transitions with meaningful rituals, allow your identity to evolve naturally, seek proper support, and reframe discomfort as becoming rather than breaking down. Because what you're becoming has the potential to be extraordinary—but only if you honor the process that gets you there. Ready to transform how you experience change? Your extraordinary next chapter awaits.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• New Course Alert - Extraordinary Wealth: Mastering the Art of Selling With Soul: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/Extraordinary-Wealth-Selling-With-Soul
• Book: https://michelleriosofficial.com/book. (Coming in early 2026. Join the Waitlist)
• The Energetic Blueprint for Financial Freedom (Free Audio): https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/extraordinary-wealth-the-energetic-blueprint
• My Daily Wealth Affirmations: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/opt-in (Free)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.rios.official/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.c.rios
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michelleriosofficial
• Website: https://michelleriosofficial.com

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What if the key to living your extraordinary life isn't found in doing more, but in remembering who you truly are? In this illuminating conversation, I'm joined by energy healer Siri Baruc Thornton, founder of Sage & Blush with over 26 years of experience in transformative modalities.

Siri gently demystifies three powerful healing practices that can help even the most logical, high-achieving leaders reconnect with their authentic selves. We explore Reiki as universal life force energy that creates homeostasis in your body, breathwork as a pathway to release what's stored in your tissues, and Akashic Record readings as "spiritual therapy" offering soul-level perspective on your deepest questions.

What makes this conversation particularly compelling is our shared experience at a recent retreat where I witnessed firsthand how these practices created profound shifts for a group of accomplished entrepreneurs. Siri beautifully articulates why it's so challenging for high performers to fully feel—explaining how our survival brain prioritizes safety over expansion, and why creating new neural pathways requires courage but leads to liberation.

For skeptics, Siri offers reassurance that these practices don't require belief to be effective—just curiosity and openness. "You don't have to believe in Reiki to feel the benefits," she explains, comparing it to trying a new food. The discussion reveals how these modalities provide safe opportunities to move beyond living on autopilot into full embodiment and self-expression.

Whether you're navigating leadership challenges, building a business, or simply seeking more meaning in your everyday experience, this conversation offers practical wisdom about accessing your intuition and expanding your capacity to feel good—in all its messy, beautiful complexity. As Siri puts it, "We are not here just to survive. We are here to thrive."

Ready to explore energy healing for yourself? Listen now and discover how these practices might be the missing piece in your journey toward living fully expressed and aligned with your authentic power.

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• New Course Alert - Extraordinary Wealth: Mastering the Art of Selling With Soul: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/Extraordinary-Wealth-Selling-With-Soul
• Book: https://michelleriosofficial.com/book. (Coming in early 2026. Join the Waitlist)
• The Energetic Blueprint for Financial Freedom (Free Audio): https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/extraordinary-wealth-the-energetic-blueprint
• My Daily Wealth Affirmations: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/opt-in (Free)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.rios.official/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.c.rios
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michelleriosofficial
• Website: https://michelleriosofficial.com

Send us a text

WAYS TO CONNECT WITH ME:

• New Course Alert - Extraordinary Wealth: Mastering the Art of Selling With Soul: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/Extraordinary-Wealth-Selling-With-Soul
• Book: https://michelleriosofficial.com/book. (Coming in early 2026. Join the Waitlist)
• The Energetic Blueprint for Financial Freedom (Free Audio): https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/extraordinary-wealth-the-energetic-blueprint
• My Daily Wealth Affirmations: https://michellerios.mykajabi.com/opt-in (Free)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.rios.official/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.c.rios
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michelleriosofficial
• Website: https://michelleriosofficial.com