As a new year begins, we're often told it's time to set goals, push harder, and become "better" versions of ourselves. But what if that pressure is actually what keeps us feeling stuck?

In this episode, we explore the difference between goals and intentions and why rigid goal-setting can sometimes feel more like a cage than a catalyst. We talk about honoring your own timing, releasing comparison, and learning to listen to what your life is asking for right now.

This is a gentle conversation about letting go of external expectations, trusting your unique path, and stepping into the new year with more compassion, presence, and self-respect — instead of self-pressure.

No hustle. No fixing. Just an honest invitation to move forward in a way that actually feels like you.

In this episode, we're stripping all the fluff off the idea of intuition and getting down to what it really is: your built-in guidance system that's been trying to talk to you for years. We'll dig into the subtle ways intuition shows up — the tiny hits in your body, the random thoughts that feel like they came out of nowhere, the gentle nudges you keep brushing off — and how to tell the difference between true inner wisdom and plain old fear.

You'll hear why your intuition often feels quieter than everything else, why so many of us learned to override it, and what starts to shift when you choose to trust it again. This is not about being "spiritual enough" or having some magical gift. It's about remembering you already have a deep, steady knowing inside you… and learning how to follow it in real-life, messy-life decisions.

If you've ever said, "I knew it," after the fact — this episode is your permission slip to trust that knowing sooner.

The Winter Solstice is the oldest holy day humanity has ever marked. Long before calendars, clocks, or religions, people watched the sun.

They noticed the days growing shorter, the nights stretching longer, and then—on one sacred pause—the darkness stopped deepening. The sun stood still. Solstice literally means "sun stands still."

For ancient cultures, this was not a celebration of light yet, but a reverence for survival, rest, and trust. The earth appeared quiet, dormant, even barren, but beneath the surface, life was reorganizing.

At its core, the Winter Solstice reminds us:
You don't grow by forcing.
You grow by resting long enough for truth to return.

5 Gentle Things to Do for the Winter Solstice

1. Honor the Darkness Instead of Escaping It
Turn off unnecessary lights one evening. Sit with candlelight or firelight. Notice what emotions surface when things slow down. Darkness isn't the enemy; it's where honesty and feelings live.

2. Release What No Longer Needs to Come With You
Write down what feels complete:
Patterns, roles, identities, expectations, or relationships you're done carrying.
Burn the paper safely, or tear it up.
This is a season of letting go before becoming.

3. Rest Without Explaining Yourself
The solstice asks us to stop performing wellness.
Take a nap. Go to bed early. Cancel plans without guilt.
Rest is not laziness—it’s biological wisdom.

4. Create a Simple Solstice Ritual
It doesn't need to be elaborate.
A candle.
A warm drink.
A quiet moment to ask: "What wants to be reborn in me, even if I don't know how yet?"

5. Set Intentions Softly, Not Rigidly
This isn't about New Year goals. It’s about orientation.

In this heartfelt and relatable conversation, Christy and Marti unpack what really lies beneath the habit of being too busy and overly responsible.

If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I just can’t stop,” or “If I don’t do it, who will?” this episode is your permission to pause.

Together, we explore how busyness can become a coping mechanism, a way to feel safe, needed, and in control, even as it drains our energy and disconnects us from our true selves. We also dive into the nervous system response that happens when we finally stop “doing,” and share practical, somatic tools to help your body learn that stillness can be safe.

This episode is a gentle invitation to stop carrying what was never yours to hold and to rediscover the joy of being rather than doing.

Rest isn’t laziness, it’s repair. Your worth isn’t measured by how much you do, but by how deeply you’re willing to be with yourself.

In this episode, we sit down with Master Coach Brandon Barber — one of the most grounded and authentic voices in the coaching world today.

We talk about what's really happening in the industry since Covid — why fewer people are signing up for programs, and how so many have lost trust after being swept up in the "table rush" culture of big promises and flashy marketing.

Brandon shares his mission to help coaches return to what truly matters: authenticity, integrity, and real transformation — not manipulation or sales theatrics.

If you've ever felt jaded by the hype or wondered how coaching can evolve into something more honest and human… this conversation is a breath of fresh air.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

If you're interested in looking into what Brandon and his wife Michelle are doing now, you can find them here: https://www.brandonandmichellebarber.com/

Resentment has a way of creeping quietly into relationships, building walls where we long for closeness. Left unspoken, it can turn into distance, disconnection, and even silence. But resentment doesn't have to be the end of love — it can be the beginning of deeper healing.

In this episode of Beyond the Grudge: Healing Resentment, Restoring Connection, we explore how resentment forms, why it lingers, and the powerful steps you can take to release it. You'll discover how to move past the weight of old hurts, communicate with honesty and compassion, and open the door to genuine connection again.

Whether you're navigating a romantic partnership, a friendship, or even family ties, this conversation offers tools and insights to help you let go of the grudge and step into a relationship that feels lighter, freer, and more alive.

Resentment can quietly erode even the strongest relationships. But when we face it with honesty and compassion, it can become a doorway to healing and deeper connection.

In this episode of Beyond the Grudge, we explore how to release resentment, rebuild trust, and restore the closeness you’ve been craving.

Long-term relationships aren't just about love, companionship, or commitment — they're also powerful mirrors. The way we show up with a partner can reflect back our deepest patterns, strengths, and even our blind spots. In this episode, we'll explore how relationships become teachers, helping us see where we've grown, where we still struggle, and how our connections shape the people we become. If you've ever wondered why love can feel both beautiful and challenging, this conversation will shine a light on what relationships are really here to reveal.

Shame may be learned, but it doesn't have to be lived…this is where the cycle begins to break.

In this episode, we explore how shame gets passed down, how it shows up in our lives, and most importantly…how to finally break free from it. We're cutting through the lies, breaking old patterns, and reclaiming freedom that shame has tried to steal. If you've felt weighed down by shame that isn’t even truly yours, this conversation is for you.

Breaking free from shame isn't just possible…it's powerful.