Let's be honest - the holidays can be magical AND stressful.

Between burnt cookies, mall meltdowns, and the pressure to make everything perfect, it's easy to lose the joy in the season. But what if you could rewrite your holiday experience? Not by controlling every detail, but by controlling the one thing you actually can: how you respond to the chaos. In this solo episode, I'm sharing the simple PEN framework that will help you stay calm, present, and joyful this holiday season - even when your child is lying on the floor of the mall in their Christmas best, refusing to get up.

Because here's the truth: your family feeds off your energy. When you're frazzled and stressed, they become frazzled and stressed. When you're calm and intentional, everything shifts. The PEN framework stands for Pause (regulate before you react), Examine (get curious about the story you're telling yourself), and New Narrative (rewrite the story to support the experience you actually want). It's not about toxic positivity or pretending everything is perfect. It's about being intentional with your thoughts and responses so you can create the magical, memorable holiday season you actually want - not the stressed-out survival mode most of us default to. Because the pen is always in your hand. You're the author. And you get to decide what happens next.

Key Takeaways:

• Your family feeds off your energy - when you're stressed, they become stressed
• You can't control external circumstances, but you can always control your response
• The pause is where the power is - creating space between trigger and response
• Awareness is everything - you can't change what you're not noticing
• Rewriting your story trains your brain to choose calm over chaos
• "Doing less lets me be more present" - perfection isn't the goal, connection is
• Every choice and word is an opportunity to be intentional
• The PEN framework: Pause (regulate), Examine (get curious), New Narrative (rewrite)

Download the FREE Holiday Rewrite Mini Workbook:

This workbook walks you through the PEN framework with helpful prompts to shift your mindset and energy all holiday season long. Get intentional about creating the magical, memorable Christmas you actually want.

What happens when you realize you can help people, but you can't help them heal to the level you know is possible? Dr. Taylor Smeenk, chiropractor and founder of Empact Wellness, faced this exact moment after building what looked like a successful practice - full schedule, loyal patients, steady growth. But she felt capped. She was trying to be everything for everyone, which wasn't sustainable for her or truly effective for patients. That realization led her to build something radically different: a holistic wellness sanctuary with chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopaths, psychotherapists, reiki healers, IV therapy, and red light therapy - all under one roof, all communicating with each other to ensure no gaps in patient care. But getting here wasn't smooth. Her first attempt at opening her own space ended in eviction after signing a lease she shouldn't have signed with someone she barely knew. She admits she was "young and dumb," more comfortable living in other people's shadows than stepping into her own light. The crash and burn gave her three months to figure it out - and what she created in that pressure cooker moment blows her away to this day. Now she's in the middle of another rewrite: learning to thrive in peace instead of chaos. As someone who performs well under pressure, her physical body has had enough of that pattern. She's teaching herself to lead from a soul-led place instead of forcing and pushing. Her latest tool? Horseback riding. Because when you're galloping and panic, you lose your focus - just like in life and business. The only thing you can control is your inner environment, not all the external factors. This conversation is about recognizing when "successful" isn't sustainable, building teams that truly collaborate for patient care, and understanding that the next level requires releasing the limiting beliefs that got you here.

Key Takeaways:

• Success without sustainability isn't real success - you can't be everything for everyone
• Sometimes you need to crash and burn to build something truly aligned with your vision
• Being comfortable in other people's shadows keeps you from stepping into your own power
• Thriving in chaos is a strength, but your body will eventually demand you learn to thrive in peace
• Perfectionism and imposter syndrome delay starting - messy action beats perfect inaction
• The only thing you can truly control is your internal environment, not external chaos
• Horseback riding teaches profound lessons about calm leadership under pressure
• Building a soul-led business means prioritizing healing depth over schedule density

Connect with Dr. Taylor:

• Personal Instagram: @drtaylorsmeenk
• Personal Website: drtaylorsmeenk.com
• Business Instagram: @empactwellness
• Business Website: empactwellness.com
• Services: Chiropractic, Functional Medicine, Massage Therapy, Naturopathic Medicine, Psychotherapy, Reiki, IV Therapy, Red Light Therapy

What happens when your coworker says "she's always smiling" and your husband looks confused because he doesn't recognize that version of you? That's the moment Sarah Kinlin realized her corporate job was getting the best of her while her family got the worst. After 20+ years following all the rules, leading teams of 70 people working 24/7 in manufacturing, she was the happy, smiling leader at work - and grouchy, stressed, exhausted at home. The wake-up call at that Christmas party changed everything. She took a lateral move from 70 people to 2, got paid the same money, and suddenly had TIME. Time to ask "who is Sarah Kinlin?" Time to put herself first. Time to build a business as a speaker and coach. She started with one mindset coach, then another for business strategy, another for speaking craft, and eventually a spiritual coach to trust her own intuition. Her original plan? Manufacturing consultant. But that wasn't what lit her up. What she really wanted was to be a world-renowned speaker - and now she's living it. She went from needing to qualify herself with "I used to work at Johnson & Johnson for 25 years" to simply saying "I'm Sarah Kinlin. I get paid to show up and light up rooms." The most profound part? Her vision for the future isn't speaking to 20,000 people in an arena - it's facilitating experiences outside, with people's bare feet in the grass, more silence than speaking. Because she's learned that getting outside, grounding herself barefoot before every speaking engagement, is her secret to showing up fully. This conversation is about recognizing when success is costing you what matters most, understanding that putting yourself first strengthens every relationship, and knowing that your best life comes from balancing grit (relentless pursuit) with grace (forgiveness and rest).

Key Takeaways:

• When work gets your best self and family gets your worst, something needs to change
• Taking a lateral move can buy you time to build what you actually want
• Putting yourself first isn't selfish - it strengthens all your relationships
• You might need multiple coaches for different aspects of your growth journey
• Your business evolution might surprise you - trust what lights you up over what makes logical sense
• Letting go of your corporate identity takes time, but eventually you just become YOU
• Think "I get to do this" instead of "I have to do this" - reframe everything
• Grit (relentless action) + Grace (loving yourself, taking breaks) = achieving big scary goals with ease
• Your vision might need to evolve - if you can't hold it, it might not be the right one

Learn More About Sarah:

Sarah Kinlin is a professional speaker, coach, educator, and author who helps leaders move from overwhelmed to focused with the right balance of grit and grace. After 20+ years in corporate manufacturing and warehousing leadership, she left to build Pearl Performance Inc. (named after her daughter's middle name). She speaks to audiences about living their best lives, coaches on mindset and leadership, and works with youth hockey teams on mental performance. Her book "Grit, Grace, and Goals: Lessons from my Dad, Leader of Nine Kids and a Nuclear Station" published in April 2025. Sarah's unique grounding practice: taking her shoes off and walking barefoot outside before every speaking engagement. She lives just outside Guelph, Ontario with her husband Steve and three kids (ages 21, 18, and 11).

Connect with Sarah:

• Website: sarahkinlin.com
• Instagram: @pearlperformanceinc (active daily)
• Book: "Grit, Grace, and Goals" available on Amazon and sarahkinlin.com
• FREE: Audio of first chapter (read by Sarah): share.hsforms.com/1gYudCk_0Ri65WsbBsrdx6Qqwt29
• Upcoming: Grit, Grace & Goals Workshop Series - November 18, 25 & December 2

What happens when you spend nine years building a business you love, only to have motherhood completely shake your foundation? Puja Malhotra, founder of Roop Creative Agency, thought she had it all figured out. Corporate dropout turned boutique branding expert, building beautiful brands for entrepreneurs - she was living the dream. Then came IVF during a pandemic, pregnancy hidden from clients out of fear they'd think her less ambitious, and a baby that shattered the Instagram fantasy of laptop-in-one-hand-baby-in-the-other success. The false advertising of motherhood hit hard. Suddenly she was falling out of love with the business she'd spent nearly a decade building - not because she lacked ambition, but because she'd lost sight of what she wanted that ambition to look like. Two years into motherhood, something had to change. She hired a coach, restructured her priorities (putting herself first for the first time), and made the bold decision to drop an entire service offering. Social media management was bringing in income, but it was draining her soul and keeping her from the design work that lit her up. Now she only works on branding and websites - the parts of her business that make her excited to show up. She's building systems that let her pick up her son from school every day (a non-negotiable inspired by her own grandmother), protecting her boundaries fiercely, and surrounding herself with a village of ambitious moms who get it. This conversation is about relearning what success means when your life changes, understanding that freedom is the real luxury of entrepreneurship, and discovering that saying "no" to good opportunities creates space for aligned clients who light you up. Puja's journey proves that you don't have to do it all - you just have to do what matters most.

Key Takeaways:

• The false advertising of motherhood can shake even the most established entrepreneur's foundation
• Capacity is something you have to learn to honor - sometimes saying "no" to the right opportunities is necessary
• Your priorities must shift when life changes: self first, then partner, then kids, then businessBuild your life first, then build a business to support that life - not the other way around
• Freedom is the real luxury of entrepreneurship that we often take for granted
• Dropping services that drain you creates space for aligned work that lights you up
• Process and boundaries aren't rigid - they're protective structures that honor your capacity
• Going the extra mile for aligned clients matters more than discounting your services
• Your clients' success becomes your success when you genuinely care about their growth

Learn More About Puja:Puja Malhotra is the founder and creative director of Roop Creative Agency, a boutique branding studio helping entrepreneurs and creatives build aligned, impactful brands through strategy-led design. With over 15 years of experience in marketing, branding, and web design, Puja blends clarity and creativity to help clients transform their ideas into timeless, intentional brands. A former corporate marketer turned entrepreneur, IVF mom, and passionate advocate for honest conversations around ambition and motherhood, she's built a business that grows with her life rather than against it. Her work focuses exclusively on branding and websites, allowing her to show up fully for both her clients and her son.

Connect with Puja:

• Website: roopcreativeagency.com
• Instagram: @roopcreativeagency & @thepujamalhotra (more unhinged on Threads!)
• Services: Brand Kits, Website Intensives, Full Branding & Website Packages
• New Offerings: Designer Dates (quick mentorship sessions) & The Corporate Dropout (3-month intensive mentorship)
• Shop: roopcreativeagency.com/shop

What happens when mysterious bug bites on a relaxing Mexico vacation turn into shingles, months of misdiagnosis, and a complete life unraveling? For Ameera Virani - who spent over two decades producing global events for icons like Oprah, Deepak Chopra, and Tony Robbins - it became the wake-up call that saved her life. After years of pushing through the "perfect" nine-to-five while building a side business, being the perfect mom, and stretching herself impossibly thin, her body finally said "enough." What doctors thought might be Lyme disease (but thankfully wasn't) sent Ameera into a spiral of doomsday thinking, especially given her history of losing loved ones young. But here's where her story gets profound: instead of just treating the physical symptoms, she went back to everything she'd learned from those spiritual mentors and started questioning her deepest beliefs. Why was she so afraid of dying? Where did that come from? And most importantly - what did she truly desire to feel in her life? The answer wasn't just "health" - it was safety, abundance, and peace. But when she dug deeper, she discovered that the very thing she wanted most (money for safety) conflicted with her subconscious belief that money was unsafe. No wonder she kept cycling through earning and spending, mounting debt she couldn't explain. Through this illness and later through the sudden death of her eldest brother (her symbol of safety and security), Ameera learned that rewriting isn't a one-time event. Old patterns resurface with new challenges. But when you know how to do the inner work, you collapse the timelines and create a life that feels peaceful, abundant, and fulfilling - not despite the challenges, but because you've learned to hold the success your nervous system once pushed away.

Key Takeaways:

• Your body will force you to stop when you won't listen to the subtle signs of burnout
• The thing you desire most might conflict with your subconscious beliefs about that thing (like wanting money for safety while believing money is unsafe)
• Affirmations alone don't work when your body doesn't believe them - you have to embody the feeling first
• Rewriting limiting beliefs isn't one-and-done; life will test you again, but you'll collapse the timelines each time
• Grief and loss can trigger all your old patterns, but the inner work you've done becomes your lifeboat
• What you desire, what you value, and what you believe must align for your nervous system to feel safe holding success
• Protect your energy during healing - consume only uplifting content and surround yourself with positivity
• Celebrate others' success because in doing so, you're calling yourself higher and affirming your own worthiness

Learn More About Ameera:

Ameera Virani is a life and business design coach with over two decades in leadership, strategy, and entrepreneurship. She's produced and hosted global events featuring icons like Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, Maya Angelou, and Tony Robbins. Through her personal journey of burnout, misdiagnosis, and profound loss, Ameera discovered that brilliant, accomplished women were excelling on paper yet quietly feeling overextended and unfulfilled. Now she teaches women how to magnetize success and wealth that doesn't cost their peace, guiding them to align mindset, energy, strategy, and action so they can design lives that feel clear, confident, abundant, and deeply fulfilling. Host of The Designed Life podcast.

Connect with Ameera:

• Website: ameeravirani.com
• Instagram: @ameeravirani
• LinkedIn: Ameera Virani
• Podcast: The Designed Life
• FREE Workshop: Visioneering (November 19th with replay available) - visioneering.showit.site

What happens when you check all the boxes life told you to check - school, marriage, job, house, kids - only to discover the script you were following wasn't meant for you? Britt Holmes knows this story intimately. After years of climbing the corporate ladder, enduring the thankless grind of agency life, and rushing through the "checkbox life" to hit arbitrary timelines, everything changed at 24 weeks pregnant. What was supposed to be a fun extra ultrasound turned into a devastating genetics appointment where she was told her unborn child had zero chance of survival - and she had to decide that day whether to continue the pregnancy. That traumatic experience delivering a stillborn baby while battling hyperemesis so severe she couldn't keep pain medication down, then leaving the hospital with an ugly painted box instead of a car seat, broke her wide open. But it also taught her that everyone is fighting an invisible battle. Four pregnancies, two living daughters, a loveless marriage where she did 90% of the parenting, the loss of her best friend (her dog of 13 years), and finally the courage to leave after 18 years together - Britt's story is about getting knocked down repeatedly and choosing to get back in the ring every single time. Now as a divorced single mom running Merit Media Inc., she's rewriting what success looks like by asking herself daily: "If I could do anything today, what would I do?" Her journey from corporate robot to loud, outgoing entrepreneur who refuses to dim her light is a masterclass in resilience, intentional living, and the power of choosing differently every single day.

Key Takeaways:

• The "checkbox life" (school, marriage, job, house, kids, happily ever after) isn't a guarantee of happiness
• Everyone is fighting an invisible battle - be kind, because you never know what someone is carrying
• Child loss and pregnancy trauma change you at your core and teach profound compassion
• Going from 100% time with your kids to 50% custody requires relearning your entire identity
• Financial independence gives you the power to leave situations that no longer serve you
• If you have the same problem for six months, it's not a problem - it's something you've accepted as your truth
• Small daily choices about how you spend your time compound into a completely rewritten life
• Build a life you don't need to escape from, rather than constantly planning your next vacation
• Your mom's wisdom: "You're a fighter. Get back in the ring." - Ding, ding.

Learn More About Britt:

Britt Holmes is a loss mom, corporate dropout, and divorced single mom of two who's rewriting what success looks like. After walking away from the agency world where she spent years being told her work wasn't good enough while working 12-16 hour days, she built Merit Media Inc. from the ground up. Her agency specializes exclusively in advertising, using her corporate experience to cut out the BS and provide cost-effective solutions for small businesses - particularly in the health and wellness space. Juggling motherhood, healing, and entrepreneurship, Britt shows the unfiltered reality of building a business and life that doesn't fit the default script. Her ultimate dream? Building her business to the point where she can work as a recreational coordinator at a retirement home, planning pub nights and crafts with elderly people.

Connect with Britt:

• Website: meritmedia.com
• Instagram (Personal): @britthomeslive - "the fun one that's really bright and colorful and says it like it is"
• Instagram (Business): @meritmediainc
• Specialization: Advertising for small businesses, particularly health and wellness

What if the thing blocking your business growth isn't your strategy, but your relationship with money? Intuitive and spiritual coach Binu Dhindsa spent years helping women with their relationships, only to discover that money blocks showed up in every single conversation. Despite running programs and coaching clients, she'd break even on her taxes year after year, spending thousands on her own growth while her bank account refused to match her energetic success. The breakthrough came when she finally spoke the truth out loud at an event: "I feel so successful energetically, but the money doesn't match." That vulnerable admission launched a complete rewrite of her money story. From binging books off her successful brother's shelf (including "The Science of Getting Rich" from the 1970s), to reprogramming her subconscious mind through YouTube videos, to having honest conversations with her accountant husband about her spending, Binu embarked on a journey to understand money as spiritual energy. Now in her fifties with three adult children, she's on a mission to help spiritually-inclined women leaders release their money blocks and understand that money in the hands of good women changes worlds. This conversation explores why we're conditioned to think talking about money is greedy, how childhood conditioning creates our money blueprint by age 10, and why the simple mantra "I love money and money loves me" can transform your entire relationship with abundance.

Key Takeaways:

• Money blocks show up in every area of life, especially relationships and business growth
• By age 10, your money blueprint has been set by childhood conditioning - but it can be rewritten
• Talking about money is the first step to healing your relationship with it
• Money is neutral energy meant to be used and circulated, not hoarded or given all away
• The question "Are you running a hobby or a business?" can be a powerful wake-up call
• Your "why" for making money doesn't have to be globally profound - it just has to be meaningful to you
• Money in the hands of good-hearted women creates positive change in the world
• When you make money, everybody benefits - this mantra shifts scarcity mindset

Learn More About Binu:

Binu Dhindsa is an intuitive and spiritual coach, inspirational speaker, podcast host of High Vibes with Binu, and certified hypnotherapist. A mom of three adults with a master's in epidemiology and biostatistics, her love for researching human behavior started in academia and evolved into helping spiritually inclined women leaders release self-judgment, shatter subconscious illusions, and open up to infinite possibilities. She specializes in helping women understand money as spiritual energy and teaches that abundance at an energetic level allows you to manifest and attract more wealth to help more people. Her mission: to be a leader of leaders and eradicate judgment while empowering women to live extraordinary lives.

Connect with Binu:

• Instagram: @binudhindsa
• Podcast: High Vibes with Binu
• FREE: Spirituality & Money Group on Telegram - t.me/+pnnH0Yh73840Njlh
• Signature Program: Limitless Mentorship & Mastermind (6 months, for spiritual entrepreneurs)

What if the physical pain you've carried for years isn't actually physical at all? Sarah Lambert discovered this truth the hard way when she realized her debilitating stomach issues - painful enough to make her faint in public - were actually suppressed emotions manifesting in her body. But this revelation came after watching her mother collapse from chronic fatigue at age 41, unable to lift her head from the pillow for 15 years. Growing up as the last child dropped off and picked up from the babysitter, Sarah witnessed firsthand what happens when you try to do it all without tools to regulate your nervous system. Her mother - a VP at a major ad agency going through divorce, grief, and a midlife crisis - simply burnt out. That moment became Sarah's "why" for building a business that prioritizes nervous system health alongside business growth. During maternity leave in 2018, she launched a photography course that made six figures in year one, allowing her to quit corporate and rewrite the script her mother's life had written. Now as a business mentor and embodiment strategist, Sarah helps other moms scale to seven figures without sacrificing their wellbeing. Her signature "fuck off Fridays," intentional calendar design, and emphasis on feeling emotions rather than suppressing them have created both financial success and the freedom to show up for her kids in ways her parents couldn't. This conversation explores the dangerous cost of being "strong" by hiding emotion, why burnout isn't just about needing rest, and how your biggest hardships become your greatest wisdom and life's purpose.

Key Takeaways:

• Your body keeps the score - suppressed emotions manifest as physical illness and pain
• Burnout isn't just about rest; chronic fatigue and illness can result from years of nervous system dysregulation
• The strongest thing you can do is feel your emotions, not suppress them behind a mask of strength
• You can love your parents and honor their struggles while consciously choosing to do things differently
• Movement creates momentum - too much space without purpose can drain energy just as much as overwhelm
• Being in "state" (aligned nervous system energy) matters more than the number of hours you work
• Marketing is shifting from pain-focused to desire-focused as people become more proactive about wellbeing

Learn More About Sarah:

Sarah Lambert is a business mentor and embodiment strategist for successful coaches, healers, and course creators who want to scale without sacrificing their lifestyle, flow, or alignment. She built her business during nap times on maternity leave in 2018 - proof that big visions don't need perfect timing, they need bold decisions. Through her signature frameworks and intuitive strategy, she helps established entrepreneurs build 7-figure offer ecosystems, collapse launch pressure, and sell in a way that feels as good as it converts. Her work turns content into currency and authority into autopilot sales, without hustle or high-stakes strategy. When she's not supporting clients in creating freedom-based income, she's being mom to her two kids and living a spacious lifestyle with her husband.

Connect with Sarah:

• Instagram: @thesarahlambert
• Current Offer: Big Fucking Deal Program ($33 - three trainings plus daily audio activations)
• Special Training: $22 training worth thousands