In this episode, we unpack the feeling of losing yourself and why “How do I find myself again?” might be the wrong question. We explore neuroplasticity, how life experiences and repeated choices shape the brain, and why the woman you were at 25 isn’t someone you need to get back to. This is a conversation about identity, the choices that build who you become, and how to stop looking in the rearview mirror and start casting votes for the woman you are becoming.

In this episode:
Why women feel like they’ve lost themselves during major life transitions
Why “How do I find myself again?” might be the wrong question
Neuroplasticity and the brain’s lifelong capacity to change
How emotionally significant experiences can reshape the way we see ourselves and the world
Why life events don’t automatically change us — and why our choices matter
The difference between finding yourself and building yourself
James Clear’s idea that every action is a vote for the person you want to become
The solar plexus, identity, will, and personal power
The sacral chakra, creation, joy, and following what pulls you

Summit takeaway: “Start casting votes for the woman you are becoming.”

In this episode, we explore what summer is actually asking of us. We unpack the science behind why we naturally feel different during the longer days, why our nervous systems crave more light, movement, and connection, and how working with the energy of the season can leave us feeling more alive instead of more exhausted. Through a personal story from a recent trip to Banff, we talk about the difference between productivity and presence—and why joy isn't something you earn.

In this episode:

• Why every season has a different purpose and how nature offers a blueprint for our own lives
• How longer daylight regulates your circadian rhythm and influences hormones, mood, energy, and sleep
• The role of serotonin and why natural light supports emotional well-being
• Why humans are biologically wired to expand during the summer months
• Summer as the season of bloom: visibility, expression, joy, community, and connection
• The surprising lesson that came from leaving work behind and embracing an unplanned adventure
• Why the "90s Summer" trend reflects our longing for presence, not just nostalgia
• Reflection questions to help you participate more fully in this season of life

Summit takeaway: "You don't need to earn summer. Nature isn't asking you to accomplish more right now—it's inviting you to participate more. Summer isn't the season to force the harvest. It's the season to bloom, to be seen, and to experience the life you've been working so hard to build."

If this episode resonated with you, I'd love if you shared it with someone who needs permission to slow down this summer. Tag me on Instagram @alannacrawford_ and let me know what's on your summer bucket list—I genuinely love seeing how you're bringing these conversations into your everyday life.

If you're enjoying The Summit Effect, leaving a rating and review on your streamer. It is a great way to support the show and help more people discover this community. Thank you for being here, and I'll see you next Wednesday.

In this episode, we welcome the very first guest to The Summit Effect: my dear friend, Aneta Pietruszko, owner of Burlington Power Yoga Canada and co-owner of Soulfull Yoga and Wellness Retreats.

Aneta's journey didn't begin in a yoga studio. It began in the corporate world, where anxiety and panic attacks became the breadcrumbs that ultimately led her toward a completely different life. Together, we explore how our bodies often speak long before our minds are ready to listen, why movement can become medicine, and how healing isn't always something that happens on a treatment table. This conversation is about the science of nervous system regulation, the spirituality of following your intuition, and the many forms that energy work can take. Whether you've ever rolled out a yoga mat or not, this episode is an invitation to notice the breadcrumbs your own life has been leaving for you.

In this episode:

• The difference between success on paper and feeling aligned in your life
• How yoga became more than exercise—it became a pathway back to herself
• What it feels like to hold space for hundreds of people in a yoga class
• The many ways people process emotion through movement
• How teaching yoga is a form of energy work
• Why Reiki helped expand—not create—Aneta's understanding of healing
• How music, intention, and presence can change the energy of a room
• The art of creating playlists
• Community as medicine
• Learning to trust the breadcrumbs that continue to guide us throughout life

Summit takeaway: Your life rarely changes because of one big moment. More often, it changes because you finally decide to follow the breadcrumbs your body has been leaving for you all along.

You can find Aneta on instagram: @anetapie_ or @burlingtonpyc or @soulfullyogawellness