This episode is not about motivation. It’s about ownership.

Rob McCarthy got tired of hating the person he saw in the mirror and decided to stop living a life that wasn’t his. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Rob breaks down how we inherit scripts from family, society, debt, and social media, and how those scripts quietly run our lives until we’re willing to confront them.

We talk about small wins, fear, comparison, money, self-help lies, faith, discipline, and why real change doesn’t come from quotes or manifesting, but from brutal honesty and consistent action. If you’re done pretending and ready to take responsibility for your life, this episode will hit hard in the best way.

04:00 – Rob’s breaking point: hating the person in the mirror

06:45 – Living a life designed by everyone else

09:20 – Why most people care too much about opinions that don’t matter

12:10 – Criticism, fear, and releasing the book quietly

15:00 – Auditing your circle and cutting dead weight

18:30 – The biggest lies sold by the self-help industry

22:00 – Why motivation quotes don’t change lives

25:10 – Fear, excuses, and calling yourself out

29:30 – Debt, consumption, and financing self-worth

33:00 – Redefining success on your own terms

36:40 – Social media, comparison, and the modern “Colosseum”

40:30 – Faith, work, and personal responsibility

44:45 – Small wins and why they matter more than big goals

48:30 – “You don’t need a miracle. You need a mirror.”

51:30 – What to do when you don’t know where to start

55:00 – Where to find Rob’s book, podcast, and resources

✨Connect with Rob McCarthy:

• Book: F the Script: How to Own Your Sh*t and Rewrite Your Story
• Available on Amazon
• Podcast: F the Standard
• Stand Store: https://stan.store/fts25

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

• Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
• Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
• LinkedIn: Michele Simms
• Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

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This conversation with Tonya Peck is one of those episodes that hits you in the chest in the best way possible. Tonya grew up in chaos, carried shame that never belonged to her, and spent years trying to outrun the emotional imprint of feeling unwanted. Her turning point came when she discovered the power of the Primal Question; the single emotional need that shapes how we love, lead, react, and relate.

Now she’s a Primal Question Coach, a longtime healthcare professional, and a fitness instructor who teaches women how to break belief barriers and finally step into their God-given gifts. This episode dives into healing, identity, faith, emotional awareness, and why small shifts can change the entire direction of a life. It's honest, hopeful, and incredibly human.

04:40 — Tonya’s journey from a chaotic childhood to becoming a coach

08:10 — Teen pregnancy, loss, and the years she carried silent shame

13:05 — The moment she realized her story could help someone else

17:20 — What the seven Primal Questions are and why they matter

22:45 — Identifying your dominant emotional need

27:10 — Breaking belief barriers and stepping out of comfort zones

32:00 — How physical health ties directly to emotional healing

36:50 — Faith, forgiveness, and rebuilding self-worth

41:30 — Leadership, community, and accountability

45:40 — What Tonya wishes every woman knew about her own strength

50:00 — How to start healing your story today

✨Connect with Tonya Peck:

• Website: https://motionandmindset.com/
• Instagram: @motionandmindset

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

• Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
• Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
• LinkedIn: Michele Simms
• Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

💬 Rate & Review

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Beauty in the Mess, Michele sits down with Rachel Sachs, co-director of The Marriage School. Rachel and her husband Daniel went from newlywed chaos and emotional disconnect to rebuilding their marriage with tools that actually work, not theories, not quick fixes, real skills.

Rachel shares how they hit a breaking point after having kids, how their six-month program gave them a new foundation, and why so many couples think they’re failing when really, they’re just under-equipped. She talks about humility, communication, faith, the importance of community, and why genuine change only happens when both partners stop pointing fingers and start doing the work.

If you’ve ever wished relationships came with a manual, this episode is your sign that help exists, and there’s nothing wrong with needing support.

 00:02:10 – Rachel’s background: opera singer turned marriage educator

 00:06:10 – The moment Rachel and Daniel realized they needed help

 00:10:10 – “We realized we loved each other, but we didn’t know how to do marriage.”

 00:14:10 – What The Marriage School is and why it works

 00:18:10 – The pressure on couples after having kids

 00:22:10 – Why emotional skills aren’t taught, and what happens when they are

 00:26:10 – “No one ever changes when you point the finger at them.”

 00:30:10 – Communication, humility, community, and real transformation

 00:35:10 – How couples can start making shifts today

✨Connect with Rachel Sachs:

• Website: https://www.themarriageschool.org
• Programs & Workshops info: Available through their site

✨ Connect with Michele Simms:

• Website: thebeautyinthemess.com
• Instagram: @the.beauty.in.the.mess
• LinkedIn: Michele Simms
• Facebook Group: The Beauty in the Mess Podcast

💬 Rate & Review

· Loved this episode? Please consider leaving a 5-star review and sharing it with a friend!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.