Episode 448: Why Perfect Conditions Made Trees Collapse (and What That Means for Your Money & Financial Journey)

In this solo episode, I share a powerful reminder that the very challenges and obstacles we face on the journey to financial freedom are often what make us stronger. I start by revisiting a story I mentioned in my book, Your Journey to Financial Freedom, about the Biosphere 2 experiment where trees grew quickly in perfect, windless conditions but fell before maturing because they never developed the strength to sustain themselves. That missing “wind” reminded me of how important challenges are in our own growth. Just like those trees, when we try to avoid friction or rush toward quick wins, we might grow fast but not strong. The “wind” in our lives, the job losses, tight budgets, market downturns, and unexpected setbacks builds the stress and resilience we need to stand tall and stay grounded when life pushes back. In This Episode, I Talk About: How stress and challenges build strength and how the moments that slow you down, like money, stress or tough life changes, are what prepare you for long-term success. Why sustainable growth matters more than speed. Quick wins feel good, but real freedom comes from patience, consistency, and a strong foundation. How to reframe “going slow”. Going slow isn’t failure, it’s building roots deep enough to handle life’s wind. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Get your copy of Your Journey To Financial Freedom & Turn to page 102 to read more about the Biosphere 2 story and other lessons that can shift your money mindset. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here! Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

I'm sharing a special episode this week, from Dr. Sharon Malone. On Dr. Sharon’s new podcast, The Second Opinion, women take back the conversation on health with straight talk, real experience, and the care we all deserve. You’ll hear prominent female advocates, experts and patients just like you sharing how they confronted gaps in our healthcare system and got second opinions that saved their lives. Alongside each guest, Dr. Sharon tackles the questions and topics we’ve been conditioned to ignore the ones we search for at 3 a.m. but never bring up at the doctor’s office. From dismissed symptoms to systemic failures, she pulls back the curtain on what’s really going on in women’s health and gives women the tools to advocate for themselves and each other.   In this episode, Dr. Sharon talks to journalist Elaine Welteroth about Elaine’s birthing journey, how she's working to make birth joyful again, and how her new non-profit, birthFUND, is helping families get access to life-saving midwifery care. Find more episodes of The Second Opinion with Dr. Sharon Malone here. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Listen to the Second Opinion Podcast with Dr. Sharon Malone, here. Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

In this solo episode, I’m breaking down one of the most important concepts on the path to financial freedom, the difference between saving and investing, and why you need both. I share how growing up with a single mom and grandmother who were natural savers taught me early lessons about money, and how those habits helped me buy my first condo at 22. But I also talk about how saving alone wasn’t enough, I needed to learn how to make my money work for me through investing. I walk you through what saving and investing really mean, how they serve different purposes, and how using both intentionally can help you build stability now and freedom later. In This Episode, I Share: How saving creates safety and peace of mind, while investing builds long-term wealth and freedom. Why inflation quietly eats away at your savings if you’re not investing. My simple rule of thumb, build your emergency fund, pay off debt, invest consistently, and keep saving for short-term goals. The real difference in growth; how $10K can become about $10.5K in savings but over $46K when invested long term. Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

This week on the Journey to Launch Podcast, I’m diving into the money rules that have guided me and the ones I’ve intentionally broken along the way. Rules are meant to serve as frameworks, not prisons. Over the years, I’ve adapted, reshaped, and sometimes completely tossed out rules that no longer served me. I want you to walk away from this conversation inspired to define your own rules, question the ones you’ve been following, and give yourself permission to evolve as your journey unfolds. In this episode I share: ✨ Why I treat my financial goals like mandatory expenses and how that mindset changed everything for me ✨ The role of automation in reducing stress and keeping me consistent with saving and investing ✨ The importance of building a safety net and FU money, and how it’s given me the freedom to take risks ✨ The rules I’ve broken, like budgeting every penny, never using credit cards, and saving every last dollar and how shifting away from them actually helped me grow Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

In this week’s episode of the Journey to Launch Podcast, I’m joined by two amazing women, Roshida Dowe and Stephanie Perry, co-founders of the Exodus Summit. Both of them walked away from traditional careers, Roshida as a lawyer and Stephanie as a pharmacy technician, to create lives centered around freedom, travel, and joy. We talk about how they each made the leap to move abroad, what it really takes to prepare financially and emotionally, and how you can start creating more options for yourself, no matter your current circumstances. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Roshida and Stephanie turned career breaks into permanent lifestyle shifts abroad What it really takes to prepare financially (even on modest salaries) The mindset shifts needed to let go of fear, attachments, and over-planning Why building community is key, and how the Exodus Summit helps Black women design lives of freedom abroad Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out The Exodus Summit happening on October 10-13, 2025, created by Black women, for Black women and their families to learn how to make money to move abroad. Go to journeytolaunch.com/exodus.  Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with ExodUS Summit: Website: ExodusSummit.com Instagram:@ExodusSummit Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Hey Journeyers! I’m back on the mic after taking the summer off. In this solo episode, I’m reflecting on what it means to truly live financial freedom, not just chase it. Over the last few months, I’ve stepped back from hustle mode to embrace rest, family time, and the flexible lifestyle I’ve worked so hard to create. I’m sharing candid updates about my summer sabbatical, how I balance business with family life, and the lessons I’ve learned about honoring the season you’re in. From budgeting less rigidly to leaning into the “commander stage” of financial independence, I talk about the power of preparation, setting boundaries, and redefining productivity. This isn’t an episode packed with hard financial tips, but it’s full of observations, encouragement, and reminders to honor where you are on your own journey. In this episode I share: ✨ Why I intentionally take summers off and how I plan for it ✨ The freedom (and challenges) of embracing slower, less productive seasons ✨ How I budget and set up my finances to allow for sabbaticals ✨ The importance of knowing your current “Journeyer Stage” ✨ Lessons on comparison, privilege, and building financial flexibility ✨ My reflections on what’s next for Journey to Launch Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide  

This week on the Journey to Launch podcast, I’m welcoming back Jillian Johnsrud, author of Retire Often, to share how you can intentionally step away from work every few years, giving yourself the space to recharge, explore new possibilities, and create meaningful memories. Jillian has taken more than a dozen “mini retirements,” allowing her to live abroad, travel to 27 countries, adopt and raise six kids, invest in real estate, and pursue personal passions all without waiting until traditional retirement age. In this conversation, we dive into how you can design your own cycle of work and rest, why taking extended breaks doesn’t derail your finances (and may even accelerate your career), and how to navigate the emotional and practical challenges of stepping away from work. In this episode you’ll learn: What “retiring often” means and how mini retirements differ from vacations How to financially plan and budget for sabbaticals—even with debt Strategies for negotiating time off, re-entering the workforce, and handling family or personal expectations Tools and frameworks to help both employees and entrepreneurs rest, recharge, and avoid burnout Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Check out Retire Often, by Jillian Johnsrud Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Jillian: JillianJohnsrud.com Instagram:@JillianJohnsrud Facebook.com:@jillian.johnsrud Twitter.com:@JillianJohnsrud Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Vanessa Van Edwards, a best-selling author and behavioral researcher on professional communication and leadership, joins the Journey To Launch podcast to discuss science-based communication insights and give actionable social skills tips to advance your career, relationships, and overall life. We also chat about navigating stereotyping and biases , the importance of making definitive decisions about personal connections, leveraging cues to shape perception, and more. More than 50 million people have seen Vanessa on YouTube and in her viral TED Talk. She has been featured in Entrepreneur, CNN, CBS, and more. Her book, “Captivate: The Science of Succeeding With People,” has been translated into 17+ languages and her latest book, “Cues: Master The Secret Language of Charismatic Communication," was an instant best seller.  In this episode you’ll also learn more about: Actionable posture tips and desk setups to optimize how others perceive you How to recognize if you have weaker people skills and what you can do to improve them  Why we should go into interactions wondering how we can like the other person more The Halo Effect, the definition of a “sticky person,” why charisma is just as important as a lucrative idea + more Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic How to Win Friends & Influence People A Model of (Often Mixed) Stereotype Content: Competence Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Vanessa: ScienceOfPeople.com Instagram:@VVanEdwards Facebook.com:@VVanEdwards Twitter.com:@ScienceOfPeople Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide

Christine Platt, author of ‘'The Afrominimalist Guide To Living With Less,’ and pioneer behind The Afrominimalist, joins the podcast to talk about how she’s carving out space for BIPOC within the minimalist movement. We discuss her journey towards living with less and how she outlines the differences for historically marginalized communities, which radically change the movement and minimalist community. Inclusion and representation matter, and this episode demonstrates the importance of recognizing this fact and celebrating these leaps forward within the minimalist movement. In This Episode You’ll Learn: How minimalism is different for BIPOC Where Christine started on her minimalist journey Why minimalism isn’t living with less, it’s living with intention How you can have luxury and also live with less + more  Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode: Grab Christine Platt's book here.  Apply to Share Your Journeyer Story, here. Join the Journey to Launch Book Club to dive deeper into financial freedom with guided discussions and resources here!  Get your copy of my book: Your Journey To Financial Freedom Join The Weekly Newsletter List to get updates, deals & more! Leave Your Journey To Financial Freedom a review! Get The Budget Bootcamp Check out my personal website here. Leave me a voicemail– Leave me a question on the Journey To Launch voicemail and have it answered on the podcast! YNAB –  Start managing your money and budgeting so that you can reach your financial dreams. Sign up for a free 34 days trial of YNAB, my go-to budgeting app by using my referral link. What stage of the financial journey are you on? Are you working on financial stability or work flexibility? Find out with this free assessment and get a curated list of the 10 next best episodes for you to listen to depending on your stage. Check it out here! Connect with Christine Platt: Facebook:@Christine.P.Patrick.1  Connect with me: Instagram: @Journeytolaunch Twitter: @JourneyToLaunch Facebook: @Journey To Launch Join the Private Facebook Group Join the Waitlist for My FI Course Get The Free Jumpstart Guide