Running a business often feels like a balancing act between putting on a professional "brave face" and wrestling with self-doubt behind closed doors. When the day ends and the house goes quiet, many business owners find themselves staring at the ceiling, wondering if they are doing enough or if their efforts are making a real impact.

In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with Claudia Milner (Soul Work Sanctuary) and Christie Sears Thompson (Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Relationship Coach) to drop the masks and discuss the raw realities of building a client-centered business.

• The Comparison Trap: Why comparing your journey to others creates anxiety and how to drop back into your core purpose when self-doubt hits.
• The Solopreneur Myth: Why building a business in isolation doesn't work, and the importance of finding safe, vulnerable connections in your network.
• Recognizing Burnout & Physiological Triggers: How your body warns you when you’re out of alignment, and why stepping away (or taking a 20-minute nap) can unlock clarity.
• Pivoting vs. Persevering: How to spot a "locked door with no key" in your business or career and give yourself permission to shift directions.

Guest Info & Links:

• Claudia Milner: Connect at ClaudiaMilner.com or Facebook (@ClaudiaMilnerCoach).
• Christy Sears Thompson: Search Christy Sears Thompson on Facebook for relationship coaching and therapy inquiries.

Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker.

Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering.

Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night.

Powered by: CK Mason Consulting

https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

Ever wondered how much your late-night aches, fatigue, or brain fog tie directly back to your digestive health?

In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason chats with health coach Regina Polk, founder of The Well Stop. Regina details her journey from a painful rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis to discovering leaky gut syndrome and natural healing protocols.

• What leaky gut actually is and how gap junctions affect your immune system.
• Navigating elimination diets (gluten, dairy, nightshades) without losing your mind.
• How to avoid "supplement burnout" and advocate for yourself with your doctors.
• Managing dietary slip-ups with grace, humor, and self-compassion.

Regina Polk is a certified health coach helping adults overcome chronic gut and inflammation issues through her practice, The Well Stop.

LISTEN & FOLLOW

Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker.

Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering.

Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night.

Powered by CK Mason Consulting: https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

Struggling to find quiet peace amidst chaotic days and 3 AM anxiety spirals?

In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason chats with Connie Warden—author, acupuncturist, yoga instructor, and host of Mindful, Kindful Living. Connie shares how a moment of road rage forced her to confront her own cognitive dissonance, inspiring her book Speeding to Compassion.

Key Topics Covered:

• Moving from road rage to self-awareness and grace
• Formal vs. informal mindfulness practices that build nervous system resilience
• Using gratitude and heartbeat-listening to quiet 3 AM overthinking
• Overcoming imposter syndrome and embracing self-compassion

Guest Info & Links:

Connect with Connie for yoga, acupuncture, and podcast updates at ConnieWarden.com or email her at Connie@ConnieWarden.com. Grab her book Speeding to Compassion on Amazon!

LISTEN & FOLLOW

Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker.

Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering.

Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night.

Powered by: CK Mason Consulting

Does your brain flatly refuse to hit the pause button at night? Are you constantly hunting for the perfect time management framework, only to watch it fail your neurodivergent brain weeks later? In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with San Diego-based ADHD coach and author Barb Hubbard to dismantle the rigid mainstream expectations surrounding business operations and establish realistic, shame-free frameworks for modern visionaries.

Barb spent years as a special educator before launching her independent coaching practice eight years ago. Today, she works directly at the intersection of structure and creative chaos, mapping out intentional solopreneur environments that leverage neurodivergent traits as genuine professional strengths.

For years, business gurus have claimed that identical, daily routines are the primary gateway to elite success. Barb completely rejects this premise for the ADHD community. Because neurodivergent brains intrinsically demand novelty, any singular organization or tracking tool is bound to eventually lose its dopamine-inducing luster. Barb encourages solopreneurs to accept their natural ebb and flow, giving themselves permission to pivot between different paper planners, digital software, and morning workflows without spiraling into negative self-talk or guilt.

When tasks fall to the wayside, the instinct for high achievers is often to hide behind a mask of hyper-vigilant busyness or harsh internal discipline. Barb shares how to shift out of judgment and step into scientific curiosity. She introduces the concept of the "evidence list"—a tangible record of wins designed to counter our evolutionary negativity bias. By expanding our definition of success to celebrate micro-wins, like spending 10 minutes researching a project or typing a single email response, business owners can intentionally rebuild their confidence and find the motivation necessary to restart.

https://barbhubbardcoaching.com/

LISTEN & FOLLOW

Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker.

Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering.

Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night.

Powered By CK Mason Consulting, LLC

https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

We are officially at the mid-season mark of Wide Awake and Wondering! In this special solo episode, host Kristin Mason hits pause on the usual guest interviews to step out from behind the spreadsheets and into the quiet hours of the entrepreneurial mind.

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 2 AM wondering if your business is sustainable, if you are doing enough, or if it’s all going to fall apart tomorrow—this episode is your permission slip to take a deep breath. Kristin dives into why the math is rarely the actual problem in business, how to identify the "monsters under the bed," and the exact psychological framework she uses to help entrepreneurs move out of panic and into a state of wealthy abundance.

Whenever midnight anxiety or heavy negative self-talk begins to swirl, halt the spiral by immediately asking yourself these three grounding questions:

1. Is it true? (Look at the objective facts, not the emotional projection.)
2. Is it real? (Is this happening right now, or is it a hypothetical future narrative?)
3. Is it yours? (Are you carrying your own truth, or absorbing the external noise and expectations of others?)

• Website: https://ckmasonconsulting.com/
• Instagram: @ckmconsulting124
• Enjoying the show? Share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who needs a late-night reminder, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

(Grab your favorite comforting iced latte, find a cozy spot, and let’s keep wondering together.)

Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker.

Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering.

Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night.

Powered by: CK Mason Consulting

https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

Reclaiming Your Energy: Building Systems of Sanity and Defeating Burnout with Chris Vasiliadis

It’s 3:00 AM. You're completely exhausted, your body feels heavy, but your mind is running a full marathon. If you are sitting in the dark staring at your bedroom ceiling wondering how to balance big goals without running yourself into the ground, you are in the right place. In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with "burnout buster," author, and health coach Chris Vasiliadis to unpack the root causes of our systematic exhaustion and reclaim a healthy relationship with rest.

Chris is the author of Ignition: A Professional Woman's Guide to Energized, Burnout-Proof Living. By teaching women how to stop moving at a frenetic, unsustainable pace, she helps high-achieving leaders implement customized frameworks to protect their well-being, recover their health, and step into their own best self-advocate.

The Physiology of Frenzy: How Emotions Show Up in the Body

Why do we struggle to name our boundaries until we are completely overstretched, overwhelmed, and "over it all"? Chris explains that long before our logical brain attempts to interpret an emotional shift, our physical body experiences it first. Anger might manifest as a tightening chest, anxiety as a pounding heart, and worry as a knot in the stomach. Kristin and Chris look at how our society often discourages us from expressing these tricky human emotions, leading to chronic workaholism, toxic hustle-grind mindsets, and a severe lack of personal recovery time.

The Sandbox Mindset: Designing a Choose Your Own Adventure Life

Following her own life-altering diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2008, Chris realized that long-term success cannot coexist with perpetual burnout. She dives deep into the writing structure of her book, Ignition, describing it as an evergreen, individualized tool modeled after a custom coaching engagement. Rather than enforcing a rigid, black-and-white checklist for self-care, Chris invites readers into a figurative sandbox of play and experimentation. Listeners will learn how to identify five essential elements of well-being, craft practical 30-day integration plans, and discover the true magic of letting the mind wander.

https://prioritywellness.com/

Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker.

Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering.

Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night.

Powered by: CK Mason Consulting

https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

Have you ever had the realization that you are moving through life on mute? Perhaps you have spent years silencing your own voice just to keep the peace, or maybe you have forgotten just how powerful it actually is.

In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with Catherine Sipher, a Boston-based poet, author, and journaling guide. Catherine’s debut poetry memoir, Barely a Whisper, became a number one new release because it strikes a chord so many of us feel: the deep, burning desire to stop self-betrayal and finally listen inward.

Catherine opens up about her ultimate comeback story—the grueling, beautiful journey of returning to herself after leaving an 18-year marriage and a suppressive religious community simultaneously, all while raising six children.

Catherine takes us back to 2019, a period where she found herself drowning in extreme exhaustion, overwhelm, and isolation. As a stay-at-home, homeschooling mother of six within a rigid, evangelical Christian community, she was taught that her own heart was "deceitfully wicked" and could not be trusted. Catherine candidly shares the breaking point—seven words spoken in the middle of deep emotional distress—that exposed the rift in her marriage and catalyzed a massive personal paradigm shift.

When the global pandemic hit in 2020, it provided an unexpected gift: a forced physical isolation that allowed Catherine to completely unravel away from the heavy social expectations of her former community. She terms this her "gooey cocoon phase," where her old identity disintegrated so a new, authentic self could emerge. It was during this dark season that she picked up a notebook and discovered Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. Through daily stream-of-consciousness writing, she finally found a direct line to her own thoughts, eventually rebuilding her financial independence by starting a virtual piano studio and stepping into her power as a writer.

Now, years into her freedom, Catherine details how somatic practices like yoga, breathwork, and intuitive movement allowed her to process deep-seated emotional trauma stored in her body. Kristin and Catherine explore the concept of "rebecoming"—not transforming into someone entirely new, but stripping away the "shoulds" to return to who you always were in the first place. Catherine closes the episode with a moving live reading of her title poem, Barely a Whisper.

https://www.catherinesipher.com/

Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker.

Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering.

Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night.

Powered by: CK Mason Consulting

https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast