Guest: Kat Anselmo – Health Coach, Yoga Teacher, Wellness Guide

In this week's episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer sits down with wellness coach and yoga teacher Kat Anselmo to explore how small daily practices—like movement, mindfulness, intention setting, and self-reflection—can completely transform your mental and emotional wellbeing.

Kat shares her deeply personal healing journey, the moment she realized that life can shift in an instant, and how she rebuilt herself through consistent movement, meditation, and radical self-honesty. You’ll learn mindset tools, wellness habits, and practical strategies you can start today to build confidence, reduce stress, and reconnect with your true self.

Episode Breakdown 

Kat’s Story: Healing, Heartbreak & the Turning Point

Kat shares how her wellness journey began when her boyfriend became ill and yoga unexpectedly became a lifeline. Years later, during her own season of heartbreak, she turned back to those tools and rebuilt her life.

The Power of 10 Minutes: Why Tiny Habits Create Big Change

Kat explains why movement is the foundation of wellness and how her simple “10 minutes a day” rule helped her shift from feeling lost to feeling empowered.

Self-Love & Identity: The Root of Real Success

A powerful conversation on how loving yourself influences relationships, decision-making, purpose, and emotional clarity. Kat explains why most people know others better than they know themselves.

The Book of Life: Creating a Personal Guide to Inner Success

Kat describes how she built her “Book of Life,” which includes goals, values, affirmations, rituals, and her vision board — a living document she updates each year to stay aligned and focused.

Mindset Strategies: Meditation, Affirmations, Nature & Everyday Wellness

Practical, accessible tools for reducing stress, building confidence, and creating a sustainable wellness lifestyle. Kat shares tips for meditation, journaling, nature healing, self-care, and more.

Episode Summary

This episode is a heartfelt guide for anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start on their wellness journey. Kat brings a grounded, compassionate perspective on how movement, mindfulness, and intention can slowly reshape your life from the inside out.

You’ll walk away with tools you can start practicing immediately — 10-minute movements, affirmations, 3-minute meditations, wellness rituals, and journaling prompts — along with the encouragement that healing doesn’t require perfection, only small, consistent steps.

✨ Connect with Kat

Website:  www.katsyoga.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kat.anselmo/

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Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
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In this powerful episode of The Daring Well Podcast, I had the honor of sitting down with Nikki Allen, award-winning author, filmmaker, R&B artist, and spiritual disruptor.  Nikki is candid and opens up about her healing journey from heartbreak and abuse to radical self-awareness, self love, and personal empowerment. Through storytelling and soul work, Nikki shows us that healing isn’t always about going back to who we were — sometimes, it’s about meeting the version of ourselves we've never met before.

From emotional trauma to identity loss, self-worth, and boundary-setting, Nikki takes us behind the scenes of her book Loved You, Hated You and the inner work she calls “soul surgery.” We talk about why women stay, how trauma impacts identity, and how to rebuild life on your own terms.

This episode is full of truth-telling, inspiration, and actionable insight for anyone who has ever felt stuck, silenced, or disconnected from themselves.

Top Takeaways:

• Abuse isn’t always loud — sometimes it hides in kindness and charm.
• Healing requires going deeper than coping skills — we must uncover the root.
• Your frequency attracts your relationships — when you elevate, your circle shifts.
• Boundaries are not selfish — they are sacred acts of self-protection.
• Self-discovery isn’t going back — it’s choosing who you’ll become next.

Chapter Breakdown / Episode Segments

1. Why Women Stay – Understanding the Patterns 
2. Breaking the Charm–Harm–Harm Cycle 
3. Soul Surgery – Healing the Root vs. Band-Aid Fixes 
4. Boundaries & People Pleasing 
5. Identity After Healing – Meeting Your True Self 

💬 Powerful Quotes

“I had to sit down and do some soul surgery.”
“If you can’t help yourself, you can’t help anybody else.”
“I’m not reclaiming myself—I’m meeting myself for the first time.”

🔗 Connect With Today’s Guest — Nikki Allen

Website : https://officialnikkiallen.com

Order the Book, https://www.amazon.com/Loved-You-Hated-Nikki-Allen/dp/B0FF2BHB21

(Books, music, filmmaking projects, philanthropy, and more)

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, I sit down with Jeff Patterson, founder of the Northwest Fighting Arts Academy and creator of The Yielding Warrior Method. With over 36 years in meditative and martial arts, Jeff shares how his journey began in an unexpected place — a boxing gym — and ultimately led to a lifelong mission to help others cultivate clarity, presence, and performance through the meditative arts.

We explore the three pillars of yielding — physical, mental, and emotional — and how they help us navigate stress, conversations, relationships, burnout, and even high-performance environments. Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, leader, or someone seeking deeper peace, this episode offers practical tools to reconnect with your body, regulate your energy, and build a sustainable inner practice.

From the seven-link system to the five paths of meditation, Jeff breaks down big concepts into accessible wisdom that anyone can apply. We end with the unforgettable Stonecutter Story — a powerful lesson in consistency and transformation beneath the surface.

🔑 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How boxing unexpectedly led Jeff into meditation and Tai Chi
• The real definition of yielding — and why it’s a strategy, not surrender
• The 3 pillars of yielding: physical, mental, & emotional awareness
• Why high performers burn out — and how meditation helps regulate energy
• The five paths of a meditation journey (performance, therapeutic, medical, philosophical, spiritual)
• What it means to tap into flow state — and how to access it
• Why morning rituals are more powerful than routines
• The Stonecutter Story — a metaphor for consistency and unseen transformation
• How meditation helps you reconnect with who you truly are
• Ways to begin your own meditation practice — with purpose & structure

🧘‍♂️ The Three Pillars of Yielding - What It Teaches

Physical Yielding | Body awareness, breath, balance, responsiveness
Mental Yielding | Communication, negotiation, emotional intelligence
Emotional Yielding | Inner regulation, response > reaction, clarity

📌 Quote Worth Remembering

“It wasn’t that strike that broke the stone —
it was the thousands of strikes before it.”

— The Stonecutter Story (Jeff Patterson)

🔗 Connect with Jeff Patterson

Visit: https://theyieldingwarrior.com/
📚 Free book :https://book.theyieldingwarrior.com/new-free-plus-shipping
🎥 Online programs + two-week free trial
📍 In-person academy located in Portland, Oregon

💭 Reflective Question for Listeners

What might change in your life if you started each day with presence instead of pressure?

🧭 Episode Timestamps

Time          Topic

00:10:58 | Jeff’s boxing story & surprising advice
00:13:30 | What is a Yielding Warrior?
00:19:10 | Burnout & h

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Follow us on social media:
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Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this soul-nourishing episode of The Daring Well Podcast, host Rita Mercer, licensed counselor and holistic wellness & mindset coach, invites you to embrace the sacred practice of “wintering” — a season of rest, renewal, and deep self-connection.

Through the lens of nature’s wisdom, Rita explores how every season of life — joy, loss, abundance, and stillness — holds purpose and meaning. Just as trees shed their leaves to prepare for spring, we too must honor our seasons of slowing down to restore our minds, bodies, and spirits.

Rita shares her own journey through perimenopause, learning to listen to her body, honor her energy, and set healthy boundaries with compassion and courage. You’ll discover how pausing isn’t weakness, but a powerful act of healing and preparation for new growth.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What it truly means to “winter” and why rest is essential for growth
• How to recognize signs that your body and mind need to pause
• Ways to cultivate inner peace through reflection, boundaries, and self-care
• Gentle reminders to redefine productivity and self-worth
• How to trust life’s seasons and flow with grace

🌸 Whether you’re navigating transition, burnout, or emotional fatigue — this episode is your invitation to slow down, tune in, and find the sacred beauty in stillness.

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
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In this week's episode, host Rita Mercer reminds listeners that hope is never lost, even when life feels heavy, uncertain, or overwhelming. Through grounded wisdom and gentle encouragement, she explores how our focus shapes our reality—what we focus on grows—and how to shift from anxiety and worry toward peace and inner strength.

Rita also shares practical tools to reframe hopelessness, regulate your nervous system, and rediscover your anchor of faith, gratitude, and purpose. This is a compassionate reminder that you are not alone, you are not defined by your struggles, and there is still light ahead.

Key Takeaways

• What You Focus On Grows: Learn how to redirect your attention from fear and anxiety toward gratitude, faith, and possibility.
• Understanding Anxiety: Explore how our nervous system reacts to stress and how to bring it back into balance.
• Hope as a Healing Practice: Discover small yet powerful ways to cultivate hope—even when you can’t see the full path ahead.
• Practical Grounding Technique: Use the heart-centered breath practice shared in this episode to calm your mind and body.
• Faith & Connection: Remember that peace is not the absence of problems, but the belief in something bigger—hope, love, and spiritual connection.

🌸 Affirmations from This Episode

• I choose to focus on what I can control and let go of what I cannot.
• I trust that better days are coming.
• Even when I don’t have all the answers, I can find moments of peace.
• My heart is steady. My spirit is strong.

Resources

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US): Call or text 988 for immediate support.
• For international crisis resources, visit: https://blog.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines/, or check your local listings.
• Connect with Rita: www.DaringWell.com
  
  
• Follow Rita on YouTube: @DaringWell
  
  

🎧 Listen & Share

If this episode spoke to your heart, please share it with a friend who might need a reminder to keep going. Leave a review to help others find hope and encouragement through The Daring Well Podcast.

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this inspiring episode of The Daring Well Podcast, I sit down with Rob Rene — a faith and health warrior, founder of QE Strong and Exodus Strong, and host of The Biohackingville Podcast. Rob’s story is one of transformation, divine purpose, and rediscovering health through faith.

A former elite athlete whose life changed after a devastating accident, Rob shares how God redirected his path from competitive sports to spiritual healing. Through his journey, he explores the connection between biblical wisdom, natural health, and frequency medicine, revealing how faith and science can work together for total wellness — mind, body, and spirit.

Together, we dive into what it means to align your health with God’s design, how to discern truth in a noisy world, and the five simple, free things anyone can do today to start their healing journey.

💬 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How Rob’s near-death experience became the catalyst for his spiritual awakening and purpose.
• The truth about frequency medicine — what it is, how it works, and why it’s rooted in God’s creation.
• The biblical blueprint for wellness: how ancient herbs, natural elements, and Scripture still guide modern healing.
• How Exodus Strong combines faith and science using biblical herbs and molecular hydrogen for whole-body health.
• The role of prayer, intention, and spoken words in activating the body’s natural healing potential.
• Five free wellness habits anyone can start today — water, grounding, sunlight, breathwork, and nutrition.
• Why true healing is about freedom: from fear, dependency, and imbalance — and returning to divine alignment.

🕊️ About Rob Rene

Rob Rene is the founder of QE Strong, a company pioneering faith-based frequency medicine, and Exodus Strong, a biblical supplement line promoting natural, holistic health. He’s also the host of The Biohackingville Podcast, where he interviews experts in natural healing, biohacking, and biblical wellness.

Rob’s mission is to empower one million people to grow closer to God through their health — combining prayer, Scripture, and science to help people reclaim the freedom and vitality God intended.

🌿 Connect with Rob:

• To learn more about Rob and Exodus Strong, go to exodusstrong.com. 
• He will soon be launching his biohacking website at biohackingville.com

Key Quote from Rob Rene

“God made frequencies, He made energy, He made it all. Let’s not let the enemy corrupt what was meant for healing.”

Episode Highlights

00:25:10 – From Athlete to Faith Warrior: Rob shares how his accident became the turning point toward purpose and faith.
00:31:00 – Truth and Discernment: The importance of seeking unbiased truth and divine wisdom in modern media.
00:38:06 – Frequency Medicine Explained: How God’s energy and the body’s natural vibrations work together for healing.
00:44:32 – The Bible as a Healing Blueprint: Rediscovering ancient herbs and nutrients through Scripture.
00:53:26 – Five Free Ways to Hea

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Follow us on social media:
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Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
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What happens when burnout sparks innovation?

In this inspiring Daring Well Podcast episode, Rita Mercer sits down with Dan Hartshorn, co-founder of Flow Greens and Scent Expresso, to explore his journey from burnout to wellness and how that transformation inspired the creation of a revolutionary wellness product.

Dan shares his Daring Well Story—how he turned exhaustion and stress into innovation by combining scent and technology to design Scent Expresso, an aromatherapy diffuser that transforms your daily shower into a mindful, restorative ritual.

Together, Rita and Dan dive deep into the “messy middle” of entrepreneurship, the healing power of aromatherapy, and how balance, presence, and purpose can guide both personal and professional growth.

Whether you’re a wellness advocate, creative visionary, or entrepreneur navigating burnout, this episode offers practical wisdom and heartfelt inspiration to help you slow down, realign, and live well.

🕊️ Key Talking Points

• The story behind Flow Greens and how Scent Expresso came to life
• Moving from burnout to wellness through purpose-driven innovation
• Navigating “the messy middle” of business and personal growth
• The art and science of aromatherapy and its emotional benefits
• Using scent and mindfulness to reduce stress and increase focus
• The power of community and support in wellness entrepreneurship
• How the Kickstarter journey helped bring wellness technology to life
• Dan’s advice: “Do what’s purposeful—and do it with people you love.”

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

00:21:51 – Meet Dan Hartshorn: Rita introduces Dan and his mission to merge scent, technology, and wellness.
00:24:14 – The Messy Middle: Why resilience and learning live in the in-between seasons of growth.
00:26:08 – From Burnout to Breakthrough: How burnout led to creating a wellness solution for everyday life.
00:33:10 – The Power of Aromatherapy: Exploring scent’s role in calming the mind and supporting emotional health.
00:38:35 – Living What You Preach: How Dan maintains wellness while building a wellness company.
00:52:45 – “Say What You Mean”: Dan’s parting wisdom on authenticity, courage, and purpose.
00:55:03 – Connect with Scent Expresso: How to support and join the wellness movement.

Guest Bio

Dan Hartshorn is the co-founder of Flow Greens and Scent Expresso, a wellness company that merges scent, science, and technology to promote mindfulness and stress relief. His mission is to help people rediscover calm in their everyday routines through innovative, sustainable wellness design.

🌐 Learn more at www.scentxpresso.com and https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/scentxpreso/scentxpresso-instant-immersive-natural-shower-aromatherapy

📱 Follow @ScentExpresso on Instagram, TikTok, and Fa

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

“You don’t burn out from doing too much — you burn out from doing too much of what you don’t love.”

In this inspiring episode of The Daring Well Podcast, host Rita Mercer sits down with Carly Pepin, an international business coach and human behavior specialist, to explore what it truly means to lead with alignment, authenticity, and balance.

Carly shares her powerful story — from launching her first business at 18, to thriving in the fashion industry, to helping others design businesses and lives that reflect what they love. She explains how burnout doesn’t come from doing too much — it comes from doing too much of what you don’t love. Together, Rita and Carly unpack the deeper truths about leadership, pride, shame, confidence, and the power of personal growth.

Listeners will walk away with practical mindset strategies to:
✨ Reconnect with your purpose and values
✨ Recognize and overcome burnout and misalignment
✨ Balance pride and humility through gratitude and fulfillment
✨ Build authentic confidence through self-certainty
✨ Redefine leadership both in business and at home

Whether you lead a company, a classroom, or a household, this episode will remind you that aligned leadership starts with knowing who you are — and loving what you do.

About the Guest – Carly Pepin

Carly Pepin is an international business coach, human behavior specialist, and speaker based in Southern California. She helps entrepreneurs, executives, and leaders create sustainable business systems, emotional resilience, and aligned success.
🔗 Connect with Carly: https://www.westcoastgrowthadvisors.com/

💼 Follow her on LinkedIn: Carly Pepin https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlypepin/

________________________________________

Connect with The Daring Well 

🎧 Listen on all platforms: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
🌿 For all things wellness - candles, wax melts, room sprays and more at www.DaringWellShop.com

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, host Rita Mercer invites listeners to reflect on a powerful question: What do you need to be whole?

Building on last week’s discussion about betting on yourself, Rita explores how understanding your core needs—based on Dr. William Glasser’s Choice Theory—can help you live with greater balance, self-awareness, and fulfillment.

Rita breaks down the five basic human needs—love and belonging, power, freedom, fun, and survival—and reveals how our daily choices often reflect our attempts to meet them. She guides listeners in identifying where they might be confusing wants with needs and how this mix-up can lead to exhaustion or emptiness.

This encouraging episode reminds us that wholeness isn’t about perfection—it’s about living in alignment with your true self. When your wants align with your needs, your choices start to serve you instead of stress you.

🪞 Key Topics Covered

• Choice Theory & Wholeness: Understanding the five core human needs that drive behavior.
• Wants vs. Needs: Why confusing them can leave you feeling unfulfilled.
• Emotional Awareness: How journaling and reflection build self-connection.
• Alignment Over Perfection: Making choices that nurture, not drain you.
• Wholeness as a Practice: Meeting your needs with love, grace, and authenticity.

✨ Reflection Questions

• What have you been chasing lately—success, love, validation, or security?
• Which of the five needs (love, power, freedom, fun, survival) does it truly meet?
• Is this pursuit bringing you closer to or further from balance and wholeness?
• How can you honor your real needs with compassion this week?

🌸 Quote from the Episode

“When your needs are met — love, belonging, power, freedom, fun, survival — you don’t have to chase wholeness. You become it.”

Wellness Spotlight

For 100% soy wax candles, wax melts, solid lotion bars, and aromatherapy nasal inhalers, visit:
👉 DaringWellShop.com

💖 Connect & Support

If this episode inspired you, please:

• Share it with a friend who needs the reminder to bet on themselves.
• Leave a review to help spread positivity and holistic wellness worldwide.
• Follow Rita Mercer for more episodes that blend mindset, healing, and purpose.

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

What’s holding you back from living your fullest life? Is it fear, comparison, or the weight of old patterns from your family of origin? In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer dares you to believe in yourself, release self-doubt, and bet on YOU.

In this episode, Rita unpacks the biggest battle we all face—the war in our minds. She explores how fear, negative self-talk, and comparison traps rob us of joy and peace. Through powerful reflection, she reminds us that while self-image may shift with circumstances, our self-worth is rooted in unchanging God-given value.

This episode is filled with encouragement, practical steps, and reflection questions to help you recognize the roots of doubt, quiet the inner critic, and step into freedom. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, motivation, or tools to grow in confidence, this episode will remind you that you are worthy of living fully—right now.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why doubt and fear often hold us back from our dreams
• How family patterns shape our self-image and belief systems
• The difference between self-image and self-worth
• Why comparison is a trap that steals joy
• Practical steps to begin betting on yourself today

Reflection questions to take with you:

1. When doubt creeps in, can I trace it back to its root—fear, comparison, or family influence?
2. Am I sabotaging my happiness with negative self-image, or am I choosing to bet on myself with hope and belief in my worth?

✨ Listen in and be reminded: you matter, your dreams matter, and today is the perfect day to bet on you.

Visit me in person at the:

27th Annual Fall Arts & Crafts Show

Saturday, October 18, 2025 9:00 AM-3:00 PM

BOONE COUNTY EXTENSION ENRICHMENT CENTER

1824 PATRICK DR., BURLINGTON, KY

Download Flyer: https://www.daringwell.com/44280/files/68dca4503dc93_1759290448_549733992-10161201343250146-6574036114877823989-n.jpg

* All proceeds for this event will go to support those with cancer in Northern KY.  So it’s a win / win.  

Shop for wellness products for your home and everyday life:

100% Soy Wax Candles, Wax Melts, Solid Lotion Bars, and Aromatherapy Nasal Inhalers.

https://www.daringwellshop.com/

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
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In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita sits down with Anadel Alberti, CEO and founder of Audaciously Authentic, international speaker, and professional certified coach. Together, they explore what it means to live and lead authentically—both in the workplace and in life.

Anadel shares her powerful journey from corporate burnout to rediscovering her authentic voice and creating a mission-driven business that helps organizations thrive. She highlights why burnout is a systemic issue, not just an individual problem, and explains how leaders can shift their focus from transactional checklists to transformational impact.

Listeners will discover:

• Why psychological safety and authenticity are essential in leadership
• The staggering costs of burnout and how to prevent it
• Practical strategies organizations can use to support employee well-being
• The qualities of an audaciously authentic leader
• How passion, gratitude, and legacy create lasting impact

Whether you’re a leader, entrepreneur, or professional seeking more purpose, this conversation will inspire you to ask the powerful question: “How am I showing up?”

Connect with Anadel Alberti:
Website: www.au2movement.com/

Instagram & LinkedIn: @AnadelAlberti

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
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What does it really mean to live in alignment with your truth? In this episode, Rita Mercer talks with Amy Lenius about turning pain into purpose, building self-belief and self-worth, and redefining success on your own terms. Get ready for an inspiring conversation filled with practical wisdom and honest insights.

In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer is joined by Amy Lenius, Director of Group Coaching at Next Level University, professional speaker, and personal development coach. Amy opens up about her powerful journey of overcoming chronic illness, rebuilding her identity, and helping others align with their truth.

Together, we talk about the messy middle of growth, why hard days are actually a sign of progress, and how to cultivate both self-belief and self-worth. Amy shares why honoring your cyclical nature allows you to show up with more grace, and how to define success in ways that reflect your values—not external expectations.

We also dive into the “circle of control” and explore how sustainable, adaptable habits lead to real transformation.

Whether you’re navigating personal challenges or seeking more alignment in your life, this conversation will inspire you to pause, reflect, and start small.

Connect with Amy Lenius: Instagram/Facebook @AmyLenius
Join her community: Next Level Nation on Facebook

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
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In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer invites you to explore the power of language and how the words you choose shape your reality. So often we walk through life feeling weighed down by the words “I have to”—whether it’s work, relationships, or responsibilities. But what if you shifted your perspective and replaced those draining words with empowering ones?

✨ Instead of “I have to,” you begin saying, “I get to.” ✨

Through gentle reflection and a guided meditation, Rita will help you move from obligation to gratitude, from burden to privilege. This practice will encourage you to see opportunities instead of chores, freedom instead of limits, and love instead of guilt or shame.

Inside this episode, you’ll discover:

• How shifting one simple phrase can change your mood, energy, and outlook
• Reflection questions to help you explore wants vs. needs, obligations vs. opportunities
• A calming guided meditation to practice affirmations that reframe “I have to” into “I get to”
• Practical examples you can use daily—from work, family, and self-care—to help you embody gratitude and abundance

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel lighter, more empowered, and equipped with affirmations to carry through your day.

If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who might need a reminder of the power of words. Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and keep daring well.

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Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
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Welcome back, wellness seeker!  In this week's episode, we're exploring the hidden power of your your belief system and how the words you choose—especially absolutes like “always,” “never,” and “should”—can either make you feel trapped or more freedom.

This is not about guilt or shame—it’s about self-awareness and choosing to speak life and truth over yourself. You’ll learn how shifting just a few simple phrases can lighten your mental load and reshape your entire mindset. 

Whether you're navigating burnout, striving for growth, or just want to speak to yourself more kindly, this episode is your invitation to pause, reflect, and reframe. You'll also get a taste of next week's episode with a powerful affirmation segment designed to lift your spirit and ground you in truth.

Key Takeaways:

• The danger of absolute language in your self-talk (e.g., never, always, should, have to)
• How words influence your mindset—either fixed or growth-based
• The connection between scarcity vs. abundance thinking
• A simple language shift that creates freedom and possibility
• A grounding affirmation segment to help you practice reframing
• Reflective questions to help you build awareness around your internal dialogue

Learn how to reframe phrases like:

• “I have to go to work” → “I get to go to work and share my gifts.”
• “I should’ve started earlier” → “I choose to begin from where I am, now.”

Stay Connected:

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need the reminder that their words matter. Your voice helps spread wellness and healing around the world.

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Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
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What happens when the people we trust the most break that trust? Betrayal trauma cuts deeper than other wounds—it shakes our identity, self-worth, and ability to trust again. In this powerful episode of The Daring Well Podcast, host Rita Mercer sits down with Dr. Debi Silber, founder of the Post Betrayal Transformation Institute, to explore how unhealed betrayal impacts our health, relationships, and work—and how we can transform pain into personal power.

Dr. Debi shares her groundbreaking research, including the discovery of Post Betrayal Syndrome and the five predictable stages of healing that guide people from shock and survival to healing and rebirth. With stories, statistics, and practical wisdom, this conversation offers both hope and a roadmap for anyone stuck in the aftermath of betrayal.

✨ What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why betrayal is a unique form of trauma that impacts identity and trust
• The symptoms of Post Betrayal Syndrome and how it shows up physically, mentally, and emotionally
• Four self-reflection questions to uncover if you’re stuck in numbing or avoidance
• The five stages of betrayal recovery—and why so many stay stuck in Stage 3
• Practical steps you can take today to begin your healing journey
• Why betrayal can actually serve as an invitation to transformation and self-discovery

Whether you’ve experienced betrayal in relationships, work, or family, this episode will help you understand your pain, recognize the patterns keeping you stuck, and embrace a path toward healing.

Connect with & learn more about Dr. Debi Silber and her programs at The PBT Institute

https://thepbtinstitute.com/
.

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
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In this week's episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer welcomes Dr. Julius Torelli, a cardiologist and holistic wellness advocate, to explore the power of gratitude, mindset, and a holistic lifestyle in shaping our health.

Dr. Torelli shares his journey from traditional medicine into developing the Gratefully Well Model, which blends the best of Western medicine with holistic practices. He explains how emotional overwhelm, stress, and limiting beliefs often show up as physical symptoms—and why addressing the whole person is essential for true healing.

Listeners will discover:

• The pivotal patient story that inspired Dr. Torelli to rethink medicine.
• How thoughts and beliefs directly impact the body’s physiology.
• The science-backed benefits of gratitude for mental and physical health.
• The Traceback Method of Gratitude, a practical tool for shifting stress into calm and appreciation.

Benefits of developing the Gratefully Well model as part of a healthy lifestyle includes:

• Improve recovery from illness and medical procedures
• Reduce symptoms of high blood pressure, pain, and illness
• Strengthen immune function
• Enhance sleep quality
• Increase resilience and stress coping skills
• Lower anxiety and depression

Whether you’re struggling with stress, managing chronic illness, or seeking more balance in life, this conversation will inspire you to live gratefully well every day.

✨Connect with Dr. Torelli:

• Dr. Torelli’s Website: www.gratefullywell.com
  
  
• Book: Holistic Health Pathways (Amazon) 
• Substack Newsletter: Gratefully Well
• Free 7-Day Gratitude Challenge

🎧 Tune in and discover how gratitude can transform your health, your mindset, and your life.

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

This is one of the top 5 most downloaded episodes from last year —because it’s just that powerful and just that good! In this heartfelt conversation, host Rita Mercer, your wellness coach, licensed counselor, and virtual friend, guides you through the healing and restorative benefits of nature therapy.

If you’ve been feeling stressed, anxious, disconnected, or feeling stuck creatively, this episode is your gentle reminder to slow down, step outside, and reconnect with the natural world. Rita explores:

• What nature therapy is and the different forms it can take (forest bathing, grounding, eco-therapy, and more)
• The deficits we face when we don’t spend enough time in nature—like increased stress, emotional instability, and reduced creativity
• The physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits of engaging with nature mindfully
• Simple cues that signal you might need a nature reset
• Practical, beginner-friendly tips to make nature a regular part of your life

Rita also shares the fascinating research behind how much time in nature makes a measurable impact on your well-being—and spoiler: it’s easier to fit into your week than you think.

Whether it’s a barefoot walk in your backyard, quiet reflection by a stream, or a gentle hike in the woods, you’ll learn how to make nature your reset button for mind, body, and spirit.

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, we dive into what it really means to complete the stress cycle and restore balance in your nervous system. If you’re feeling constantly on edge, overwhelmed, or exhausted—this conversation is for you.

You’ll learn how the fight-flight response works, why we get stuck in it, and how it impacts your mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. We also explore the power of the parasympathetic nervous system (your body’s rest-and-digest mode) and the simple tools you can use daily to reset, recharge, and feel safe again.

Rita walks you through practical ways to regulate your nervous system using breathwork, gentle movement, journaling, and the power of sacred rest. Plus, she shares an exclusive invitation to her upcoming Sacred Rest Online Retreat—a gentle wellness experience designed to help you release stress and reconnect to peace.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• The science behind the fight-flight response and sympathetic nervous system
• Signs of a stuck stress response across mind, body, and spirit
• How to activate your parasympathetic nervous system for healing
• Simple and sustainable tools to complete the stress cycle
• How to reclaim rest as a necessary rhythm for wellness

🧘‍♀️ Join the Sacred Rest Online Retreat:

Ready to restore your nervous system and return to calm?
Visit: www.daringwell.com/retreat
Use code FRIEND2025 to bring a friend for free!

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this transformative episode of The Daring Well Podcast, host Rita Mercer sits down with energy healer and acupuncturist Banya Lim, Acupuncturist, Energy Healer & Founder of the Chi Mastery System to explore how emotional energy impacts physical health—and how we can reclaim our well-being by listening to the wisdom of the body. Banya shares her inspiring personal healing journey from chronic illness and depression to vitality and joy using movement, meditation, and energy healing.

She also explains how emotions like fear, anger, and sadness create energetic blockages within specific meridians and organs, and how acupuncture, breathwork, and Qi-focused practices can help release those blockages. Learn the basics of Qi (energy), how to recognize where emotions live in the body, and what simple daily practices anyone can use to begin healing from the inside out.

Whether you're new to energy medicine or deep in your healing path, this episode offers profound tools and insights that can shift your mindset, improve your physical health, and awaken your emotional intelligence.

🔑 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• How Banya Lim healed her own chronic conditions through emotional and energy work
• What Chi (energy) is and how it functions in the body
• The connection between mind, emotion, and physical pain
• Why meditation and movement are critical to emotional healing
• How to begin building a relationship with your body
• The importance of self-awareness in identifying internal blockages
• Why your thoughts can shape your health and reality

Connect with Banya Lim, Chi Mastery System

Interested in exploring energy healing or working with Banya? She’s offering a free clarity session for The Daring Well podcast listeners. Learn more or schedule at:

Website: www.banyalim.com

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this inspiring episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer is joined by licensed mental health therapist, speaker, and mom coach Vanessa De Jesus Guzman to explore how mindfulness and intentional self-care can transform your life. 

Vanessa shares her deeply personal story of burnout, the wake-up call that led her to start Amiga Moms, and the practical ways both men and women can reconnect with themselves through mindful living.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The real-life signs of burnout and how to catch them early
• How your baseline shifts through life stages—and why it matters
• Why mindfulness doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated
• Practical tools to build self-awareness and compassion
• Vanessa’s “3-step mindful day” recipe: Intention → Allowance → Gratitude
• The power of asking, How do I want to show up today?

Connect with Vanessa De Jesus Guzman

• Website: https://www.freetobemindful.com
• Instagram & YouTube: @CounselorVDeJesus
• Amiga Moms: A community for Latina mothers blending mental health and motherhood support
• Free to Be Mindful Podcast: Insights on parenting, wellness, and mindful living

#MindfulLiving

#SelfCareForMoms

#MentalHealthAwareness

#BurnoutRecovery

#WomenWellness

#AmigaMoms

#IntentionalLiving

#HolisticSelfCare

#FreeToBeMindful

#MindfulnessInMotherhood

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

“It’s not about not feeling fear. It’s about choosing how you show up in spite of that fear.”

In this powerful episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer is joined by international speaker, mentor, and firewalk guide Harriet Bratt for a heart-opening conversation on what it truly means to embody a warrior's mindset.

Together, they explore how to overcome fear, break through self-doubt, and develop the inner confidence needed to live courageously and create lasting impact — in life, love, leadership, and beyond.

Harriet shares personal stories, neuroscience-backed mindset insights, and her practical B.A.F. tool — Breath, Awareness, Focus — to help you stay grounded and empowered every day. Whether you’re battling limiting beliefs, learning to speak up, or seeking to live more aligned, this episode is filled with wisdom, authenticity, and fierce encouragement to choose courage over comfort.

Instagram & Facebook: @HarrietBratt

Free Facebook Group: Femme Vox Fireside – Empowering women to speak and lead with confidence

#warriormindset #overcomingfear #innerconfidence #courageousliving #mindsetpodcast #selfdoubttoconfidence #holisticempowerment #personalgrowthjourney #selftalkmatters #fearlessliving

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, host Rita Mercer dives into the often unspoken truth about personal growth—it requires letting go. Growth isn't always pretty or glamorous. It comes with grief, hard goodbyes, and the courage to release people, places, habits, and beliefs that no longer serve you.

Discover how to navigate the discomfort of growth, move past fear and comfort zones, and embrace a mindset of healing, self-love, and transformation. This episode is your reminder that real change takes grit, grace, and a whole lot of heart.

✨ Learn how to:

• Let go to grow
• Heal emotionally and spiritually
• Develop a growth mindset
• Break free from limiting beliefs
• Step into your purpose

🔗 Visit DaringWell.com to learn more about Rita’s wellness and coaching programs.

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this message spoke to you!

#GriefAndGrowth #MindsetShift #HealingJourney #PersonalDevelopment #SelfLove #FaithAndHealing #DaringWellPodcast

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this powerful and heartfelt mini-episode, host Rita Mercer delivers a spoken word message of strength, healing, and resilience for anyone who has ever felt broken. Broken & Healed reminds us that scars are proof that we survived the fight, and that we carry within us the power to rise again despite any obstacle or setback—wiser, stronger, and more grounded than ever before.

Rita speaks to the truth hidden behind our pain, the sacred pause before our pivot, and the unshakable belief that what was meant to break us actually built us. Whether you find yourself in a season of stillness, loss, or silent rebuilding—this episode is your soul’s encouragement to keep going.

🔑 What You’ll Hear:

• The truth about pain and the purpose behind brokenness
• Permission to pause, cry, pivot—but never quit
• A reminder that healing brings wisdom, peace, and joy

📌 Takeaways:

• You are stronger than your circumstances.
• You are allowed to be human and rest, but don’t give up and don’t quit.
• Every scar—seen and unseen—is part of your story, your healing journey.
• There’s purpose and power in your pain.

🎧 Listen Now:

Tune in and reclaim your truth. Share this with someone who needs to hear: You were built for this.

👉 Subscribe & Leave a Review

#Healing #MentalHealth #Resilience #BrokenToHealed #Motivation #Faith #EmotionalHealing #PodcastEpisode #Overcome #Inspiration #YouGotThis

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this empowering episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer sits down with Dr. Tamar, pharmacist, health coach, and founder of LYFE Balance Inc., to explore a radically different path to wellness—one that starts with your DNA. A pharmacist turned holistic health coach, Dr. Tamar breaks down the science of nutrigenomics and explains how our nutrition, environment, and daily habits can affect the way our genes express themselves.

Together, Rita and Dr. Tamar discuss the importance of self-advocacy in healthcare, how stress manifests on a cellular level, and why self-love is a non-negotiable part of healing. From understanding root causes to reimagining self-care as a daily ritual, this episode is a must-listen for women ready to reclaim their health, energy, and peace.

💡 In This Episode, We Explore:

• What nutrigenomics is—and why it matters living well
• Why Dr. Tamar shifted from pharmacy to functional wellness
• How stress impacts hormones, metabolism, and sleep
• The power of personalized nutrition and genetic testing
• Daily self-care strategies that take 5 minutes or less
• How to reframe your relationship with doctors and advocate for your health
• Why self-love is the foundation of lifelong wellness

🎁 Special Offer:

Mention this podcast when joining Dr. Tamar’s 90-day coaching program and receive a FREE Nutrigenomics Test (a $500 value)!

🔗 Connect with Dr. Tamar:

Website: https://thelyfebalance.com
Instagram: @drtamarlawful

📣 Connect with Rita Mercer + Daring Well:

YouTube: @daringwellcoach
Website: https://www.daringwell.com

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this empowering episode of The Daring Well Podcast, host Rita Mercer sits down with Amita Sharma, founder of NourishDoc, to explore how women can embrace holistic wellness at every stage of life—from PMS and PCOS to Perimenopause, Menopause and beyond. Amita shares her personal health journey, the importance of implementing healthy habits early, and practical tips rooted in Ayurveda to support mind, body, and spirit.

After listening to this episode, you'll walk away with real, actionable wisdom on gut health, hormonal balance, stress management, and how self-acceptance is the foundation for a nourishing life.

🔑 What We Talk About in This Episode:

• The power of starting holistic health practices in your 20s
• Why gut health is the key to overall wellness
• Introduction to Ayurveda and how to live in rhythm with nature
• Herbal tools and self-care routines for daily healing
• How stress, hormones, and lifestyle affect sexual health
• PCOS explained—and how it can be managed naturally
• The role of self-acceptance and body image in wellness

Featured Guest:
Amita Sharma
Founder of NourishDoc | Holistic Wellness Advocate
Website: www.nourishdoc.com
Connect: @nourishdoc on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies