Best Feelbetter Podcasts (2024)

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143. Culty Behavior Part 1: Red Flags 36:24

1y ago36:24

36:24

It's no coincidence there are so many documentaries, podcasts, and books focused on cults at this time. While they have existed forever, our ability to connect and share information quickly is new. Rapid communication online supports the exposure of toxic and harmful practices with possible justice...and it also helps the same practices to spread. …

1
142. Guided Meditation: Relax, Accept, Break Bad Habits, and Learn to Be Happy 44:29

1y ago44:29

44:29

Let's take a trip together, shall we? A trip inside....for 30 minutes [and more, if you desire]. **THIS IS A GUIDED MEDITATION. DO NOT LISTEN WHILE DRIVING, WALKING, etc.** Just LISTEN. You deserve to take some time to yourself. So please lay your body down, relax, and listen to my voice for about 30 minutes. Before you begin, please bring kind and…

1
141. Death, Dying, and Advocacy with Maureen Kafkis 50:16

1y ago50:16

50:16

“It’s not so much what’s going to happen when we die. It’s about how we are going to live…and what our legacy is going to be while we’re here.” This episode featuring Maureen Kafkas is a philosophical conversation between friends. Few aspects of life are as certain or as difficult to face as death, yet Maureen’s experiences have ultimately created …

1
140. You Worry Too Much 19:53

1y ago19:53

19:53

So many humans are filled with unnecessary worry. Worry steals your time and energy. It sends you spinning all the threads of possibility or potential devastation around things that haven’t even happened yet. It is a vibration rooted in fear. No matter what it is that you may be worried about today, I assure you that there is a better way to approa…

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139. Take Back Your Power 31:40

1y ago31:40

31:40

Get ready for some real talk that incorporates the spirit within you. We are all feeling the squeeze and the burden of the times we are living. We may even feel powerless to change anything in our personal lives, much less for the collective. The good news is that no single person bears responsibility to “fix things” on this planet. We may ask why …

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138. Save Yourself 31:07

1y ago31:07

31:07

CW: brief reference to gun violence If you have ever felt your emotions spiraling out of control, this episode is for you. I recently faced a dark night of the soul and am sharing three key approaches that I took to get back on solid ground. What we often do when faced with deep challenges in life is to try to tamp it down and keep forging ahead wi…

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137. Shame, Suicide, and Sushi with Charlotte Maya 1:03:26

1+ y ago1:03:26

1:03:26

"It’s okay to have a glitchy conversation. I would rather have a glitchy, imperfect conversation than no conversation at all." Charlotte's husband and the father of her children didn't give her that option in 2007. He simply opted out of a family outing on a typical Saturday and said he was going to take a nap. Only that's not at all what he did. T…

1
136. It's Not Too Late To Celebrate This New Year 28:55

1+ y ago28:55

28:55

I don't know about you, but I'm already primed for a "do over" of welcoming the new year. And I've decided to make it so, because the LUNAR new year is upon us. I am personally grappling with some things, so I giving myself grace and acknowledging that I get to decide what is true about me and I get to decide when, where, an how to celebrate...me. …

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135. Dry January! No One Talks About This Part 6:16

1+ y ago6:16

6:16

More and more Americans seem to be getting on board with the concept of Dry January, which is abstaining from alcohol for the entire month. With drinking solidly ingrained into our culture, that can be difficult for some. This episode does not go into all of the benefits and tactical approaches (like "mocktails"). While Dry January continues to gro…

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134. Three Ways to Connect With Your Inner JOY 19:37

1+ y ago19:37

19:37

I am... Let us be here now. I love being present. We are now here or nowhere. We got this. Let's DO THIS. Join the What Lights You Up Facebook group to engage with like minds! Other ways to connect with me here. Intro/outro “Feeling Free” by Martin RiopelBy Sunny The Life Coach

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133. Navigating Traditions and Self-Care During the Holidays 18:09

1+ y ago18:09

18:09

As we enter the frenzy of the holiday season (holi-daze), I want to offer you some alternatives to the way you have been experiencing this. We are often gathering with extended family and some relationships may be strained. We frequently find ourselves saying yes to everything offered (because what would they think if we said “no”??) only to find o…

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132. Let Them Hold Opposing Beliefs 19:33

2y ago19:33

19:33

It’s that time of year…election time! A “woo hoo” response could be sarcasm or it could be the knowing that sweet relief from campaign ads is right around the corner. Also, some of you do truly enjoy this season (and it shows). In episode 131, I introduced the concept of a “Let Them…” series. What better way to kick it off than with the sticky subj…

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131. Let Them...[Fill in the Blank] 16:21

2y ago16:21

16:21

Let them judge you. Let them talk about you. Let them be catty. Let them… …because they are going to do it ALL anyway! I will soon be kicking off a series of “let them” moments that we are all too painfully familiar with. Sign up links are coming soon. In the meantime, check out this episode and be sure to join the What Lights You Up Facebook Group…

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130. When to Throw in the Towel and Call it Quits 20:15

2y ago20:15

20:15

In this life, we are often faced with decisions. In fact, we make them all day, every day. Yet there are times when those decisions are very heavy and life-changing. How do you know when to call it quits? This is a very personal and individual approach. Few in your life will tell you this. I am willing to do that. To be clear, not make the decision…

1
129. When Someone Triggers You, Look In The Mirror 23:35

2y ago23:35

23:35

Society has been telling us for years now that we should be aware of what may trigger others and plan accordingly. That may work with friends and family, but how does this play out in an online space, for example? Are we to take full responsibility for the reactions of others that we don’t even know or may never meet? Some do believe this, but that…

1
128. Do You Have An Unquenchable Thirst for Validation? 24:01

2y ago24:01

24:01

Let us take a moment today to not only acknowledge the mundane parts of life or those things that might send your emotions into a frenzy; let us also notice that WHEN things arise in our lives that aren’t playing out according to your plan, how do you react? Do you lash out or do you feel more grounded in certainty? Will you try to promote your wor…

1
127. Estrangement and Rejection 28:13

2y ago28:13

28:13

If you have ever been cut off or rejected by a family member, this one’s for you! I see you. Perhaps no one in your life has shared with you that you are more powerful than you know. Perhaps others have held you back from what you really wanted to do because they were bitter or fearful. This is your opportunity to break the cycle, and it’s why I’m …

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126. Love Me, Hate Me - Either Way, I'm In Your Head 20:58

2y ago20:58

20:58

#TBT from December 2020: Have you ever found out that people are talking about you? Of course, you have! It’s what people do to entertain themselves and we have surely been doing it since the dawn of time. This really only becomes a problem when you allow yourself to create a story about you around their talk. Still, we will bend over backwards to …

1
125. Evolving Beyond Who You Used To Be 21:20

2y ago21:20

21:20

Can you identify the ways that you have already evolved in your life aside from your appearance? Sometimes, it’s not easy to pinpoint when it comes to the things that we can’t see. We may now do things differently than we did when we were much younger. We may have evolved the way that we think and how we perceive others, which is in line with the p…

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124. "Thirteen Lives" and the Resilience of the Human Spirit 26:32

2y ago26:32

26:32

Join me for Sunny’s version of a film study as I share my recent viewing of the movie, “Thirteen Lives” and making connections with humanity throughout the telling of that story. The film follows the true story of the harrowing rescue of twelve boys and their soccer coach from a complex and intricate cave system in Thailand. This was a worldwide ne…

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123. Repeat After Me: I Am A Big Deal 17:06

2y ago17:06

17:06

Mastered the art of avoiding conflict? Does the thought of confrontation make you super uncomfortable? Often, we’ll only speak our truth out loud if we have a high degree of certainty that it’s going to work out in our favor. We don’t want to feel bad, nor be responsible for someone else feeling bad. Yet when we start to allow ourselves to recogniz…

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122. Coming Into Awareness: An Energetic Exchange with Meg Lamm 1:13:49

2y ago1:13:49

1:13:49

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121. When Did The World Tell You To Tone It Down? 21:15

2y ago21:15

21:15

This is a rhetorical question as most of us don’t have a single moment. The toning down has been more of a slow burn over a lifetime thus far. It comes at us from all angles. When we are children, we don’t even notice it. As adults, we may catch ourselves and wonder why we aren’t being real at times. We may not see it at all, because it hasn’t been…

1
120. Your Choice: Force or Freedom 20:40

2y ago20:40

20:40

You may recognize the force with which some things have been taught. Can you see the ways in which you may be doing the same to others? Whether or not we take action or say words, we are still creating that tension internally. This is an introduction to a theme that is certain to be included in future episodes and events. Let’s get familiar with wh…

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119. Deconditioning the BS from Childhood 22:48

2y ago22:48

22:48

One of the most valuable gifts we can receive is the awareness of the conditioning that runs deep within us. Many of us don’t even recognize where our behaviors are coming from, much less consider exploring them. In this episode, I will provide real-world examples of how conditioning is often overlooked yet very impactful. Our conditioning helps to…

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118. Too Much And Never Enough 26:31

2y ago26:31

26:31

We have all heard that we are one or the other. Some of us hear it with frequency 😉. It is fascinating to witness how we will adjust or tailor responses to our audience. We are always acting in our personal movie. What if we decided to drop the role playing and simply be ourselves? It can be wild to think of and simply consider what that would even…

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117. Breaking the Cycle of Destructive Family Relationships 21:26

2y ago21:26

21:26

Your family of origin will definitely teach you some life lessons, and they may not have always been pleasant. While you may think you have moved on, forgiven, and healed, there could be ways in which you show up in your daily life that carry forward the cycle. Whether you are navigating fractured family relationships or simply exploring your part …

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116. The Power of Magic for Deeper Connections with Others 27:32

2y ago27:32

27:32

This episode is simply magical! During a recent retreat, I experienced such deep connections with everyone I encountered, I returned LIT UP! I was also inspired to consider and share how to keep these high vibes going in “real life.” There are three ways that you can enhance your experiences, your relationships, your expectations of yourself and ot…

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115. The Difference Between Guilt And Shame 20:19

2y ago20:19

20:19

I have noticed patterns of shame creeping into my sphere in indirect ways recently, so I thought it would be a good time to point out that there is a difference between the two. Guilt and shame are close cousins, but they are not the same. Listen up as I break down three primary ways that we humans tend to experience shame throughout our lives. Reg…

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114. Of Hammers And Heartbreak with David Winkler 55:53

2y ago55:53

55:53

“If anyone tells you that people can’t change…you do. It’s just that you might have to be hit over the head with a hammer and my hammer was heartbreak.” I’ve spoken with several authors and creatives here, but never like this! Please join me for this conversation with producer David Winkler (“Creed,” “Rocky Balboa,” “The Gambler”, etc.) about his e…

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113. When The World Seems Dark And Words Are Hollow 19:19

2y ago19:19

19:19

Our planet has certainly seen (and is still seeing) its share of dark days over the past few years. CW: I am going to address the recent school shooting in Uvalde, TX this week and as a parent, I am not mincing words. In fact, it is times like these that words can be simply hollow and inadequate. You will hear my mom rage on this episode. What you …

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112. I'm Just Thinking Of The Right Words To Say 16:06

2y ago16:06

16:06

We humans often torture ourselves by spending time and energy trying to come up with the right words to say. So much so, that we might not even say them at all. We’ll just carry on, spinning in uncertainty and mastering our skills of avoidance along the way. The truth is that what we are really seeking is harmony within ourselves. We think that we …

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111. To Grow Closer or Die Trying with Kurt and Ellie Johnson 1:01:59

2y ago1:01:59

1:01:59

“It’s like graduation. You have a vision of what that’s going to look like, but no one tells you that you’re going to be sitting there for six hours in a hot gown while all of these people question you about your future.” This is just one of several analogies that you are going to hear during this episode with Kurt and Ellie Johnson; the father and…

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110. I Just Want Somebody To Love Me 23:08

2+ y ago23:08

23:08

If you have ever uttered this phrase, this is your episode. I have certainly stated this many times during my life so far because no one really explained how love works. We learn about love first from our parents and then from all of the life experiences that follow. We learn about love through the ways that others treat us. What we don’t learn is …

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109. How I Manifested A Human (An Adoption Story) 31:56

2+ y ago31:56

31:56

This is such an important episode, because not only am I going to share parts of our adoption story (from my perspective), I will also share how I came to understand and accept this was my personal path to follow. This is not a story about visualizing your future self. This is a true story about the one thing that needs to happen before you can man…

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108. Permission To Share Your Story 21:05

2+ y ago21:05

21:05

Let’s talk about why we are hesitant to share our stories. We will often hear things like, “It’s not yours to tell.” Is that true? The experiences that shape us are often those we want to share in some form, yet we are afraid of the consequences if we do. I’m going to examine these rules of right and wrong, where they came from, and why they keep h…

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107. Family Trauma Drama and Allowing Both the Ugly and Beautiful to Exist 23:30

2+ y ago23:30

23:30

While there are many ways that family trauma and the associated drama can show up in our lives, this episode is going to touch specifically on the adoption experience and social media engagement. I have recently learned some things about the expectations within an adoption community that left me a bit wobbly and confused. Specifically, is it allowa…

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106. All of the Regrets...And None at All 23:31

2+ y ago23:31

23:31

In this solo episode, I’m sharing some of the updates and changes that are on my professional horizon. I invite you to listen as I share some regrets that I have and also why they are not a problem. The power of making meaningful connection is something we all strive for, whether we are aware of it or not. I want to challenge you as I have been cha…

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105. The Oscars and Uncomfortable Conversations with Mark Joseph 1:09:29

2+ y ago1:09:29

1:09:29

“I have the capacity and the presence to sit with this and to allow us to grow together.” How often can we state something like this with certainty? This conversation will challenge you in many ways, but it all comes down to this. What is my personal capacity to grow and to transform in a society that is very clearly doing just that? Am I willing t…

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104. Creating A Messy Girl Murder Mystery with Carol Finizza 1:04:09

2+ y ago1:04:09

1:04:09

“The process of life is becoming who we are today, and we have everything still to learn.” Join me for a conversation with author Carol Finizza about her newly published work of fiction, “Murder on Hollywood Beach.” This story itself was personally a fantastic escape for me from the realm of self-help. Even more intriguing is the story behind how t…

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103. Outgrowing the Wonderment 19:49

2+ y ago19:49

19:49

Reflecting on my recent family trip to Las Vegas, I realized that I had outgrown the experience of wonderment when it came to that particular place. What does it feel like to outgrow an experience or a place? How could this later relate to our relationships? This topic is about internal and personal change that we choose, not always consciously. Th…

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102. The Heart of a Seeker: Creating a Yoga Practice to Heal with Kate Lawyer 1:10:26

2+ y ago1:10:26

1:10:26

“Know that there are teachers who just want to let the light come on inside of you and that’s where your healing is going to come.” Join me and my friend, Kate, for a lively conversation about ALL of the things in this episode! Kate is a longtime certified yoga instructor, and we discuss how a yoga practice can be used to heal emotional trauma. We …

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101. When You Feel Conflicted 21:00

2+ y ago21:00

21:00

Life has a way of challenging us to connect with other humans in unexpected ways. When we feel conflicted, it is usually coming from a place that guides us to re-examine our deeply held values and beliefs. See it as an invitation to explore yourself instead of snapping to judgement of others. This approach can work with major world events like pand…

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100. This Life Turns Me On 37:51

2+ y ago37:51

37:51

What if there were a perspective so extraordinary that one could simply reflect on the darkest moments of life and find reason or meaning? What if it could be true that we can reflect without becoming immersed in the memories of awfulness? These are the questions I am asking in my solo celebration of 100 official episodes. There is certainly a lot …

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99. When You Feel Like A Failure 40:03

2+ y ago40:03

40:03

This is not the episode that outlines how to not be a failure or to do it better next time. Rather, this is ownership of how and why there are times that we need to tap into our soul’s calling and perhaps push back on all of those ideals you’ve been programmed to believe over a lifetime. What if? What if we could do things differently? What if it c…

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98. The Trauma of Being Human with Lisa Schwartz 1:09:46

2+ y ago1:09:46

1:09:46

“I’ve kept my story locked away for so long because it’s so painful…and I will break the cycle.” The subject of trauma has been showing up for me personally with more frequency than ever which I view as a positive trend. A huge component of healing includes our willingness to get vulnerable and open in safe spaces. Lisa Schwartz not only has her ow…

1
97. Life After Child Loss with Liene Ciguze 1:04:14

2+ y ago1:04:14

1:04:14

“The scariest thing for me to say as a mom is that…I’m okay now.” This episode is for those who are ready to heal. Those who truly wish to face their greatest fears. My sweet friend, Liene, shares all of those fears and more in this episode where I call her to be real with me. She engages like the boss that she is. “It’s not too painful. It gives m…

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96. Examining Our Attachments 25:36

2+ y ago25:36

25:36

Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly around attachments. Where do they come from? How did we get there? Why do we keep them around? And are there actually “good” attachments? Yes, of course! Attachments can be super-sneaky when we don’t have full awareness of the origin, not to mention truly taking a look at what we think we may be …

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95. Here's Your Sign 34:53

2+ y ago34:53

34:53

Today, we’re going to acknowledge the signs and signals that happen in our lives. What is the message? What are our interpretations? This is my personal experience with both inviting and receiving gifts through various channels. I have found it interesting and engaging to notice the significance of the small details when we shift our energy focus. …

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94. Until You Get Bold, You Do Not Get Better with Lauren Duke 1:24:16

2+ y ago1:24:16

1:24:16

“Secrets keep you sick. Secrets keep you ashamed.” Lauren Duke is a writer, educator, entrepreneur, community activist, and all-around amazing human. Her recently published memoir, “Sh!thouse,” details her painful upbringing by parental figures. Grownups who were carrying their own traumas, exposing her to their addictions, criminal activities, and…

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