The Daring Well Podcast - Holistic Health & Wellness, Growth Mindset, and Personal Development

Have you become so accustomed to surviving that you've forgotten what it feels like to truly thrive?Sometimes, the patterns that keep us overwhelmed aren't new. They're the behaviors we witnessed growing up, the expectations we've carried for years, and the habits we've developed to feel needed, wanted, or accepted. Over time, we can become so focused on caring for everyone else that we neglect the very person who needs our attention most: ourselves.This week's episode of The Daring Well Podcast, is part 2 of the conversation on building resilience where podcast host Rita Mercer sits down with Rev. Dr. Pamela Adams for an encouraging conversation about breaking unhealthy cycles and learning to prioritize your own well-being.Together, they explore how survival mode can become a familiar way of life, why the need for external validation can keep us in draining relationships and situations, and how healthy boundaries help us protect our emotional capacity. Dr. Pam shares practical ways to strengthen self-love, self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-awareness while making intentional changes that support a healthier life.You'll also discover why meaningful growth doesn't require a perfect plan or another lengthy to-do list. It begins with acknowledging where you are without judgment, identifying what matters most in this season, choosing one realistic next step, and seeking the support you need to move forward.As the holiday season approaches, this conversation is also a reminder that you can love others without overextending yourself, sacrificing your peace, or spending beyond your means.You don't have to keep repeating the same patterns. You can choose a different way forward.In This Episode, You'll Learn:How to recognize when you're operating in survival mode rather than thriving.Why self-love, self-esteem, and self-confidence are essential to personal growth.How the need to feel wanted and needed can lead to unhealthy relationships and burnout.Why setting healthy boundaries means learning to say no, pause before committing, and honor your capacity.How to stop judging yourself and start making meaningful, realistic changes.Why professional support can help you break patterns and build resilience.How to approach the holidays with healthier boundaries, greater intention, and financial wisdom.If you've been putting everyone else first, consider this your invitation to start showing up for yourself, too.____________If this conversation encouraged you to prioritize your well-being, share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that they matter, too.Subscribe to The Daring Well Podcast for more conversations about mindset, emotional wellness, healthy relationships, and practical coping skills to help you live well, love well, and lead well.Remember, my dear: You can care deeply for others without abandoning yourself. You deserve the same love, patience, and intentional care that you so freely give away.Connect with Dr. Pamela AdamsVisit Faithful and Favored website at faithfulandfavored.com to learn more about Dr. Pam, explore her work, and find her podcast listener resource for breaking patterns and creating change.Free Podcast Resource:  https://www.faithfulandfavored.com/podcast-resourcesSend us Fan MailSupport the showFollow us on YouTube & TikTok: @DaringWellFor free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills. https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

Have you been so busy showing up for everyone else that you've forgotten how to show up for yourself?Sometimes life brings challenges we never planned for. We experience unexpected setbacks, carry responsibilities that stretch us beyond our capacity, and keep pushing forward even when we're emotionally, mentally, and spiritually exhausted. We tell ourselves to be stronger, do more, and keep going—but what happens when constantly pushing through leaves us feeling disconnected from who we are?This week's episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer welcomes Rev. Dr. Pamela Adams for an honest, encouraging conversation about resilience, burnout, self-confidence, and rediscovering your purpose.  There was so many nuggets of practical wisdom and mindset motivation that I had to split this episode into two so you can have time to digest it all.   Drawing from her experiences in ministry, healthcare, higher education, and counseling, Dr. Pam shares how unexpected detours and difficult seasons helped shape her calling. She reminds us that resilience isn't about pretending everything is okay or handling every challenge alone. It's about learning to face our circumstances, care for ourselves along the way, and seek the support we need without losing ourselves in the process.Together, Rita and Dr. Pam explore the warning signs of burnout, the pressure to always be needed, and the importance of setting healthy boundaries. They discuss how survival patterns can influence our relationships, decisions, and sense of self-worth—and why breaking those patterns requires intentional self-work, self-love, and self-confidence.You'll also discover practical ways to begin building resilience today, from acknowledging your current reality without judgment to identifying what matters most in this season and choosing one realistic action step.In this episode, you'll discover how to:Build resilience as a skill rather than treating it as something you're simply born with.Recognize the emotional and behavioral warning signs of burnout before reaching a breaking point.Give yourself grace when life doesn't match your expectations or timeline.Identify what you can control and respond thoughtfully to what you cannot.Set healthy boundaries and stop overcommitting at the expense of your well-being.Break survival patterns rooted in the need to feel wanted, needed, or validated by others.Rebuild confidence through self-awareness, self-care, and intentional personal growth.Ask for help and recognize when professional support can help you move forward.Take small, realistic steps toward healing, resilience, and a more purposeful life.A gentle reminder: You don't have to fix everything today. Start by acknowledging where you are without judging yourself. Identify what matters most right now, choose one realistic next step, and reach out to someone trustworthy when you need support.You have spent so much energy caring for others. What might change if you began investing that same care in yourself?Connect with Dr. Pamela AdamsVisit Faithful and Favored website at faithfulandfavored.com to learn more about Dr. Pam, explore her work, and find her podcast listener resource for breaking patterns and creating change.Free Podcast Resource:  https://www.faithfulandfavored.com/podcast-resourcesContinue your Daring Well journeyRemember, my dear, resilience doesn't mean you never struggle. It means you can learn to navigate life's challenges while caring for yourself along the way.Give yourself permission to pause, ask for help, establish healthy boundaries, and grow at a pace that honors your capacity.You deserve to live fully and freely—and you don't have to do it all alone.Listen, reflect, and take one small step toward daring to be well.Send us Fan MailSupport the showFollow us on YouTube & TikTok: @DaringWellFor free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills. https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

Have you ever achieved something you worked hard for, only to discover that success didn't bring the fulfillment you expected? Maybe you've spent years meeting expectations, climbing the ladder, caring for others, and being the person everyone can count on—yet somewhere along the way, you've lost touch with yourself.In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer welcomes Nathalie Cordell, an accredited leadership coach, psychologist with a master's in psychosynthesis, and author of Awakening the Sleeping Queen, for a thoughtful conversation about burnout, identity, and the journey back to your authentic self.After 20 years in corporate pharmacy as a high achiever, Nathalie experienced her own turning point and began exploring what it means to live beyond external expectations. She shares how psychosynthesis can help us understand the different parts of ourselves, recognize the protective patterns we developed to belong, and reconnect with the deeper truth of who we are.Together, Rita and Nathalie explore why success can leave us feeling disconnected, how we learn to wear masks to gain acceptance, and how these once-helpful patterns can contribute to exhaustion and self-abandonment.You'll discover why taking off the mask doesn't have to happen all at once. Instead, reconnecting with yourself can begin with small moments of awareness, curiosity, honesty, and self-compassion.In this episode, you'll learn:Why achieving external success doesn't always lead to inner fulfillment.What psychosynthesis is and how it helps us understand the different parts of ourselves.How childhood experiences and social conditioning influence identity, emotions, and behavior.What self-abandonment looks like and how protective masks can contribute to burnout.How to recognize when your actions are no longer aligned with your authentic self.Why slowing down can feel uncomfortable—and how to begin reconnecting with yourself.How curiosity, kindness, and self-compassion can help you move toward a more fulfilling life.A powerful reminder from Nathalie: You are not broken, and you don't need fixing. The journey is about honoring the different parts of yourself and reclaiming a deeper relationship with who you truly are.If you've been feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or uncertain about what comes next, let this conversation remind you that you don't have to keep performing to prove your worth. You can begin with a pause, a little curiosity, and the courage to listen to what is true for you.Connect with Nathalie CordellNathalie supports people navigating life transitions, particularly women in midlife. She also facilitates workshops and writes about the inner journey of self-discovery.Explore her book, Awakening the Sleeping Queen, and find her professional links, writing, and other resources through her Linktree: linktr.ee/NathalieCordellWebsite: https://www.cordellcoaching.com/Continue Your Daring Well JourneyIf this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and subscribe to The Daring Well Podcast. Share it with someone who may need the reminder that they are more than their achievements, roles, and responsibilities.Keep living, keep loving, and keep Daring Well!Send us Fan MailSupport the showFollow us on YouTube & TikTok: @DaringWellFor free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills. https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

What if the next level of your purpose requires more than working harder? What if it requires becoming someone new?Welcome back to The Daring Well Podcast! In Part 2 of Make Room for Your Purpose: Live, Love, Lead from Your Overflow, Rita Mercer explores the difference between chasing success to fill an inner void and living with the confidence, clarity, and capacity to give from a place of overflow.If you’ve ever shown up for everyone else while feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or emotionally depleted, this episode is for you. You were never meant to serve others with only the leftover pieces of yourself.Rita shares how to reverse engineer your life, start with the end in mind, and intentionally fill the space you’ve created through personal growth with healthy relationships, empowering beliefs, meaningful habits, strong boundaries, and values that align with who you’re becoming.You’ll discover the difference between a scarcity mindset and an abundance mindset, why your next assignment requires a new capacity, and how to stop seeking external validation and start walking confidently in your purpose.In this episode, you’ll learn how to:Identify what you need to release to make room for personal growth and purpose.Define who you want to become and work backward to build the habits, mindset, and skills that support that vision.Recognize the cost of pouring from a place of stress, burnout, and emotional depletion.Shift from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset.Develop the emotional, mental, relational, spiritual, and leadership capacity needed for your next season.Serve others from a place of wholeness, wisdom, confidence, and overflow.Your Reflection QuestionsTake a quiet moment to journal about these four questions:What am I ready to empty?What am I making room for?Who am I becoming?What do I need to begin doing today to become that person?Episode Chapters1. Stop Chasing Success and Start BecomingRedefine success, recognize the need for inner fulfillment, and understand why bypassing the growth process can leave you feeling empty.2. Empty, Then Fill: Reverse Engineer Your LifeDiscover who you want to become and identify the beliefs, habits, values, boundaries, skills, and relationships that will help you get there.3. From Neediness to Overflow: Shift Your MindsetExplore the difference between scarcity and abundance, and learn why your worth doesn’t depend on external validation or achievements.4. Your Next Assignment Requires a New CapacityBuild the emotional, mental, relational, spiritual, and leadership capacity to grow, serve, and lead without depleting yourself.5. Make Room for Purpose: Your Reflection and Next StepsReflect on what you’re ready to release, what you’re making room for, and the next intentional step toward becoming who you’re called to be.Send us Fan MailSupport the showFollow us on YouTube & TikTok: @DaringWellFor free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills. https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

What if the next season of your life requires you to release some of what carried you through the last one?In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita explores what it really means to make room for your purpose. When we desire something new—a healthier life, deeper relationships, a new career, greater impact, or a stronger sense of purpose—we may need to first release the things that are taking up space.Sometimes, before we can be filled with something new, we have to get empty.But emptying isn't the destination. It’s preparation.Rita invites you to examine the fears, worries, limiting beliefs, unhealthy patterns, relationships, identities, and expectations that may no longer serve the person you are becoming. She also challenges the idea that growth is simply about getting more. True growth requires us to count the cost, embrace change, and intentionally decide what we will replace the old with.Your past self helped you survive. You can honor that version of yourself without allowing it to determine your future.Maybe your next season requires you to speak instead of stay silent.Maybe it requires boundaries instead of people-pleasing.Maybe it requires receiving instead of doing everything alone.Maybe it requires you to stop chasing achievement and recognize that your worth isn't something you have to earn.The goal isn't simply to empty yourself.The goal is to refill yourself with healthy relationships, beliefs, habits, values, purpose, and practices—so you can live, love, and lead from a place of overflow rather than overwhelm, lack, or neediness.In This Episode, You'll Explore:How to recognize what you truly want in your next seasonWhy preparation is essential to stepping into your purposeThe importance of releasing what no longer serves youWhy growth requires letting go of old identities and coping patternsHow fear and scarcity can keep you stuckWhy your past self deserves gratitude—not shameThe difference between emptying yourself and healthy fulfillmentHow to intentionally choose what will refill youWhat it means to live, love, and lead from the overflowChapter Breakdown00:00 — Welcome: What Happens When the Old You No Longer Fits?Exploring the feeling of being between seasons and recognizing that becoming who you were created to be requires preparation.[Chapter 2] — What Do You Really Want?A powerful invitation to dream, get honest with yourself, and identify what you want for your next season of life.[Chapter 3] — Emptying Is Preparation: Release to Make RoomWhy we sometimes need to release fear, worry, doubt, validation, unhealthy patterns, and old identities before we can make room for something new.[Chapter 4] — The Cost of Growth: You Can't Take Everything With YouGrowth requires change. Explore why your past coping strategies may have helped you survive but may not be what you need to thrive in your next season.[Chapter 5] — What Are You Replacing It With?Emptying is only the beginning. Discover why healthy fulfillment comes from intentionally choosing what you will use to refill your mind, body, spirit, relationships, and life.A Question to Reflect OnWhat are you holding onto that is taking up space for what you are asking for?And once you release it, ask yourself:What am I going to replace it with?Because getting empty is preparation. Healthy fulfillment is the goal.Send us Fan MailSupport the showFollow us on YouTube & TikTok: @DaringWellFor free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills. https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

What do you do when you don’t know what to do?Whether you’re facing uncertainty in your career, relationships, health, finances, business, or simply wondering what’s next in life, it’s easy to get overwhelmed trying to figure out the whole path.In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita explores a simple but powerful mindset shift: when you don’t know what to do, start with what you know.You don’t need to have every answer, every step, or your entire future mapped out. Sometimes finding your purpose begins with getting quiet enough to hear what is already true within you.Rita talks about uncovering the desires, gifts, values, and dreams that can become buried beneath fear, busyness, stress, perfectionism, and other people’s expectations. She also explores why change is a necessary part of growth and why the difficult experiences we’ve walked through don’t have to be wasted.Most importantly, this episode offers a reminder that you will know as you go. Small, intentional steps can provide the clarity you need for the next step.And when you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself:What do I know for sure?Then start there.This episode also includes journaling prompts to help you reflect on your values, relationships, energy, desires, and what you may need to release or embrace in this season of life. I created the Path to Purpose Journal to help you slow down, get quiet, and reconnect with what you already know within yourself.Download FREE Journal https://www.daringwell.com/freebiesSend us Fan MailSupport the showFollow us on YouTube & TikTok: @DaringWellFor free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills. https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

What if the stress you're trying so hard to avoid is actually your body trying to get your attention?In this episode of the Daring Well Podcast, Rita sits down with former elite athlete and movement coach Katia Sereno for a powerful conversation about stress, anxiety, resilience, self-trust, and the wisdom of the body.Katia shares her journey from years of performing, training, and pushing her body beyond its limits to discovering a different way of living—one rooted in slowing down, listening, and paying attention to the signals her body had been sending all along.Her story is a powerful reminder that sometimes we don't recognize how much pressure we're carrying because pushing through has simply become part of our identity. Katia talks openly about motherhood, anxiety, exhaustion, and the moment a serious fall forced her to stop and acknowledge the signs she had been overlooking.Together, Rita and Katia explore what it means to move from "I have to" and "I should" toward greater awareness and intentionality.You'll also discover practical ways to reconnect with yourself without adding another overwhelming task to your already busy schedule—including the power of five-minute pauses, mindful check-ins, movement, breathing, journaling, and small daily micro-shifts.Katia reminds us that your body is your first home—a place you can always return to, especially during seasons of transition, fear, anxiety, and uncertainty.If you've ever said, "I don't have time to take care of myself," this conversation may offer a different perspective: You may not need another hour in your schedule. You may simply need to reclaim five minutes and use them intentionally.In This Episode, You'll Discover:How pushing through can become part of your identityWhy our bodies may communicate with us before we consciously recognize what's wrongThe connection between motherhood, fear, anxiety, and self-worthHow slowing down can help you reconnect with your intuitionWhy you don't have to navigate difficult seasons aloneSimple five-minute practices for checking in with yourselfHow to create sustainable self-care through small "micro-shifts"Why your body can serve as a compass during times of changeHow to identify your true motivation before trying to make a changeWhy movement should feel supportive—not like punishmentThe importance of becoming aware before trying to fix everythingHow changing the way you speak to yourself can influence your daily experienceA Simple Practice to TryKatia encourages listeners to check in with themselves three times a day and simply ask:"How do I feel?"Instead of immediately asking What should I do next?, pause and ask:"What does my body need right now?"You don't have to fix anything. Start with awareness.Even five intentional minutes can become a meaningful micro-shift toward greater self-care and connection.Connect with Katia Sereno:https://katialifetransform.com/Send us Fan MailSupport the showFollow us on YouTube & TikTok: @DaringWellFor free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills. https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

Are you facing adversity?  Are you ready to quit and throw in the towel?  Don't throw in the towel yet.  What if adversity isn't just something we have to survive—but something that can help us discover who we truly are, what matters most, and why we're here?In this powerful conversation, Rita sits down with Terry Tucker, author, speaker, former SWAT hostage negotiator, business owner, hospital administrator, NCAA Division I basketball player, and a voice for motivation, mindset, resilience, and personal development.Terry shares the deeply personal lessons he has learned through a life that has taken many unexpected turns—including living with terminal cancer for 14 years and undergoing amputations of his foot and leg.Rather than focusing only on what has been lost, Terry speaks about what he is choosing to give: love, service, positivity, and encouragement to others.At the heart of the conversation is a powerful shift from success to significance.Terry explains that success can be about what we accomplish for ourselves, while significance is about the positive difference we make in the lives of others. He challenges us to stop living as though we are empty and need to continually fill ourselves with accomplishments, possessions, titles, or recognition.Instead, he encourages us to discover the gifts and strengths already within us—and then "empty ourselves out" in service to ourselves, our families, our communities, and the people we encounter along the way.Terry also shares the Four Truths that serve as foundational principles in his life:Control your mind, or your mind will control you.Embrace pain and difficulty and use them to become stronger and more resilient.What you leave behind is what you weave into the hearts of other people.As long as you don't quit, you can never be defeated.This conversation explores resilience, purpose, mindset, discomfort, meaningful connection, faith, and the choices we make every day.Terry reminds us that we don't have to wait for a major life crisis to practice resilience. We can intentionally step outside our comfort zones, do small things that make us uncomfortable, develop healthier habits, and learn to focus our energy on what we can actually control.One especially practical exercise Terry shares is to write down everything occupying your mind—and then cross out everything you cannot control. What's left is where you can direct your energy and action.And perhaps one of the most memorable mindset shifts of the conversation is this:Do I have to—or do I get to?Do I have to go to work, or do I get to go to work?Do I have to drive my children to school, or do I get to?The circumstances may not change, but the way we approach them can.This episode is a heartfelt reminder that adversity does not have to be the end of our story. Sometimes, the places where life breaks us can also become places where strength, purpose, compassion, and resilience grow.In This Episode, You'll Discover:Why your purpose may evolve throughout different seasons of lifeThe difference between success and significanceWhy constantly chasing achievement may never truly satisfy usTerry's Four Truths for building a quality lifeHow to develop greater mental resilienceWhy stepping outside your comfort zone can prepare you for life's bigger challengesA simple exercise for separating what you can control from what you cannotHow meaningful human connection can change someone's experienceWhy your legacy is found in what you weave into the hearts of othersThe powerful shift from "I have to" to "I get to"How small daily choices and habits shape the life we createWhy continuing to take one step forward can be a victory in difficult seasonsA Gentle InvitationMy dear, as you listen, consider:What are you chasing—and is it bringing you closer to significance?What gifts, strengths, experiences, and wisdom already live inside of you?And how might you use them to make a positive difference in someone else's life?You don't have to have everything figured out.You don't have to change the whole world.You can simply make a positive dent in the world around you.Keep living. Keep loving. Keep Daring Well.Connect with TerryLearn more about Terry Tucker, his books, motivation, and daily thoughts at https://www.motivationalcheck.com/About the Daring Well PodcastThe Daring Well Podcast is a space for heart-centered conversations about mindset, coping skills, wellness, relationships, purpose, and living fully and freely.Hosted by Rita Mercer, wellness coach and licensed counselor, the podcast encourages you to care for your whole self—mind, body, and spirit—and to live well, love well, and lead well.Send us Fan MailSupport the showFollow us on YouTube & TikTok: @DaringWellFor free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills. https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

What if becoming your best self requires you to let go of the person you used to be?In this replay episode of The Daring Well Podcast, we explore the grief that comes with growth—the people, places, situations, habits, and beliefs we sometimes have to release as we step into a new season of life.Growth isn't always exciting or comfortable. Sometimes it requires courage, difficult goodbyes, and the willingness to leave behind what feels familiar. Rita explores how loyalty, guilt, fear, hope, and limiting beliefs can keep us stuck in our comfort zone.But real growth takes grit, preparation, and grace. It's about continuing to show up for yourself, honoring your values, and trusting that something greater may be waiting on the other side of the uncomfortable season.In This Episode, You'll Reflect On:What you may need to let go of in order to growHow fear and guilt can keep you stuckWhy growth requires grit and intentional actionThe connection between preparation and graceWhat abundance can look like beyond financesWho you're being called to becomeReflection:What are you holding onto that may be keeping you from becoming the person you're called to be?You were created for more. I dare you to grow.Keep living. Keep loving. & Keep Daring Well.Send us Fan MailSupport the showFollow us on YouTube & TikTok: @DaringWellFor free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills. https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

You don’t have to postpone joy.  Choose Joy today!What if, before the demands of the day begin, you gave yourself permission to pause, breathe, and intentionally choose how you want to show up?In this gentle guided morning meditation, Rita invites you to slow down, release tension, and create space for hope, peace, gratitude, self-compassion, joy, and happiness.This episode is a reminder that you may not be able to control everything that happens during your day—but you can become more intentional about where you place your attention, what you focus on, and what deserves your energy.Through calming breaths, intention-setting, and affirmations, you'll be encouraged to reconnect with your worth, release doubt and worry, honor healthy boundaries, and step into your day with greater confidence and hope.And perhaps most importantly, you'll be reminded that you can always reset and begin again.One breath can change the direction of a moment.One intentional thought can shift your focus.And one small choice can help you create a different kind of day.✨ In This Episode, You'll Explore:How to begin your morning with intention instead of immediately jumping into your to-do listUsing breath to release tension and create a sense of calmChoosing hope, peace, love, and gratitudeThe power of focusing your attention on what you want to growTaking small, intentional steps toward becoming the person you want to bePracticing self-acceptance, compassion, and graceRemembering that your worth isn't defined by accomplishments or possessionsCreating healthy boundaries around your energyChoosing joy and happiness even when life isn't perfectUsing a simple breath as a reset for your mind, body, and spirit💛 A Morning ReminderChoosing happiness doesn't mean ignoring the difficult things in your life.It means refusing to let the hard things become the only things you see.You can acknowledge what's difficult while still looking for what's beautiful.You can experience uncertainty while still choosing hope.You can have a hard day and still make space for joy.And when you need to?Reset. Breathe. Begin again.Send us Fan MailSupport the showFollow us on YouTube & TikTok: @DaringWellFor free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills. https://www.daringwell.com/freebies