Catalina Gonzalez, founder of Catalina Rises and motivational speaker, shares her remarkable journey from being born to a teenage drug dealer and prostitute, spending 13 years in foster care, and experiencing homelessness, to becoming a sought-after speaker helping others transform trauma into purpose.

In this episode, Catalina reveals how the breakup that devastated her became her greatest teacher, why she's selling all her Giants gear, and what it really means to show up 100/100 in relationships instead of the tired 50/50 model.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• How guardian angels and small acts of belief changed the trajectory of her life
• The pivotal moment when someone said "you're smart" for the first time
• Why she stayed 17 years with someone who became her "home"—and what happened when that home disappeared
• Self-abandonment: molding yourself to earn love you don't give yourself
• The voices in your head—whose are they really?
• Why you don't have to set yourself on fire to keep others warm
• Being present with your children even when your mind is elsewhere
• How to transform pain into purpose by facing your shadows
• The difference between surviving in chaos and thriving in wholeness

Connect with Catalina on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/catalinarises

Want to learn more about Catalina’'s work? Check out her website at www.catalinarising.com

Catalina does motivational speaking, workshops for foster youth and leadership teams, and town halls for businesses and organizations.

CONTACT THE HOST

• Website | www.thereikihealingcoach.com
• Instagram | @sophia_i_got_ig
• Instagram | @createlifeyourway
• Facebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754
• LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Subscribe to Travel and Transformation for more conversations about personal growth, style, and living authentically.

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

Mary Michele Nidiffer, the Visibility Stylist and creator of the Style Finder ID system. With over 15 years helping women reclaim their confidence through style, Mary Michele shares her personal journey from 35 years of struggling with self-worth to discovering the transformative power of self-acceptance.

Mary Michele reveals why the mirror became her breakthrough tool, how one moment after childbirth changed everything, and what she learned about breaking generational patterns.

If you're tired of feeling invisible, stuck with a closet full of clothes but "nothing to wear," or ready to stop waiting to lose weight before investing in yourself, this episode will inspire you to embrace your authentic style today.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• How to flip the script on negative self-talk using mirror work and gratitude
• Why loving the body you're in right now changes everything
• The "invisibility trap" keeping women stuck between who they were and who they want to be
• Practical wardrobe-building strategies that actually work (starting with color and shoes!)
• How to shop your own closet and create new outfits from what you already own

Connect with Mary Michele on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/marymichelenidiffer.

Want to learn more about Mary Michele's work? Check out her website at womenlivingwildlyalive.substack.com.

Interested in the Paris retreat? Join the waitlist for Fall 2026!

CONTACT THE HOST

• Website | www.thereikihealingcoach.com
• Instagram | @sophia_i_got_ig
• Instagram | @createlifeyourway
• Facebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754
• LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Subscribe to Travel and Transformation for more conversations about personal growth, style, and living authentically.

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

Think you're too old to start trekking? Think your asthma or injuries make mountain summits impossible? Think again.

Muzna Amin took her first five-hour hike at 40 and summited Kilimanjaro at 47—injured. She shares how starting fitness goals in midlife led to a 14-day solo trek to K2 Base Camp in Pakistan, conquering altitude sickness with asthma, and discovering that going slower might actually be the secret to summiting successfully.

In this episode, you’ll cover practical wisdom on backcountry camping, dealing with elevation sickness, traveling solo to unfamiliar countries, and how an injury actually became her greatest advantage. If you've been putting off your adventure goals because you think it's "too late" or your body "can't handle it," Muzna's story will change your mind.

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• Starting trekking at 45 with no athletic background
• Backcountry camping basics for beginners
• Solo traveling as a woman to Pakistan, Peru, and Tanzania
• Managing asthma at high elevations (5,000-6,000 meters)
• How going slower prevented altitude sickness on Kilimanjaro
• Balancing full-time work with adventure goals
• Building fitness accountability for trek training

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Instagram | @muzrocksandruns

BEST MOMENTS:

"I think you don't think those things when you are actually in it because then it would be hard to actually execute your plan."

"Please do not shy away from it. There are ways to accomplish these things. And you feel amazing, you feel accomplished, you feel so exhilarated."

"When you do something like this, you're not going to be terribly scared because if you are, you're not going to do it. So you have to have some sort of gutso inside you."

CONTACT THE HOST

• Website | www.thereikihealingcoach.com
• Instagram | @sophia_i_got_ig
• Instagram | @createlifeyourway
• Facebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754
• LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

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