EP 017: From Hollywood to Home: Building a Life That’s Real (Even When You're Terrified) with Sarah Carter

What happens when standing for your principles means losing everything you’ve built? Dr. Julie Ponesse, an ethics professor for 20 years, faced exactly that choice when her university policies fell out of alignment with her personal ethics. With a newborn baby and no backup plan, she refused—not because the decision was easy, but because staying silent would have meant abandoning who she was. In this profound conversation, Julie unpacks the difference between having “no choice” due to fear versus having no choice if you want to remain in integrity with yourself. She speaks candidly about moral injury, the loss of trust, and the recovery time she now needs. But she also shares the unexpected gifts that came from having clarity about her core values, and a surprising new path helping others achieve financial freedom. This is a story about being faithful to yourself even when the cost is everything. Essential listening for anyone who’s ever wondered if they have the courage to choose their principles over their security. Full show notes Money Mastery - A wildly practical approach to financial literacy, empowered money mindset, and wealth building for a life of joy and freedom (use code PIVOT30 at checkout to save 30% on the course). 

What if the biggest barrier to your courageous pivot isn't fear of failure, but fear of being truly seen? In this deeply revealing episode, Meghan explores how the masks we wear to feel safe and accepted actually keep us trapped in lives that don't fit anymore. Drawing on wisdom from spiritual teachers like Michael Beckwith and research from the HeartMath Institute, she reveals why hiding our authentic selves isn't just emotionally costly—it's literally making us less intelligent, less creative, and less capable of creating the lives we want. Essential listening for anyone ready to stop managing perceptions and start living authentically. Links + Resources Full show notes

What happens when you outgrow the life you worked so hard to build? In this episode, Meghan explores the unexpected grief that comes with positive change—the mourning that happens when you release a successful career, comfortable identity, or accomplished version of yourself that no longer fits who you’re becoming. This isn’t about traditional loss. It’s about the complex emotions of saying goodbye to dreams you’ve achieved, identities that served you well, and the version of yourself that others could easily understand and categorize. If you’ve ever felt guilty for being sad about letting go of something you chose to release, or you’re navigating the tender space between who you were and who you’re becoming, this episode offers validation and wisdom for honoring both your growth and your grief. Essential listening for anyone in transition who needs permission to mourn their former selves with grace. Links + Resources Full show notes

This is essential listening for creative professionals and entrepreneurs who have found external success but are discovering that showing up authentically in their work feels more terrifying than any career risk they've ever taken. What if your most successful career moves were actually the easy part, and showing up as your authentic self was the real challenge? In this deeply vulnerable conversation, actress, producer, and director Sarah Carter reveals why launching her new website - simply being honest about who she is and what she does - has left her more terrified than any of her Hollywood pivots. Despite leaving university after booking her first six auditions, starring in hit series like "Falling Skies," and successfully transitioning from actor to award-winning filmmaker, Sarah describes experiencing a "vulnerability hangover" from finally showing up authentically. Links + Resources Full show notes

Essential listening for anyone who's letting money fears keep them stuck in a life that's slowly draining their soul. What if the biggest financial risk isn't making a change—but staying where you are? In this honest exploration of money and pivoting, Meghan dismantles the stories that keep us trapped and reveals the hidden costs of misalignment that nobody wants to calculate. From the "misalignment tax" we pay when living out of integrity to practical frameworks for financially sustainable transitions, this episode offers both the reality check and the roadmap you need. Discover why your energy and aliveness are your greatest assets, learn to distinguish between fear-based and trust-based money decisions, and find out how living in alignment often simplifies your relationship with money entirely. Whether you're contemplating a career change, relationship shift, or geographic move, this episode provides the tools to make your pivot financially intelligent—not just emotionally necessary. Links + Resources Full show notes Money Mastery - A wildly practical approach to financial literacy, empowered money mindset, and wealth building for a life of joy and freedom (use code PIVOT30 at checkout to save 30% on the course). 

In this raw and timely reflection, Meghan addresses the toxic state of online conversation and our fundamental capacity for critical thinking, our willingness to understand opposing views, and our ability to hold conflicting ideas with grace. With her characteristic blend of urgency and heart, she explains why she’s moving deeper conversations to Substack and focusing on helping people find their way back to themselves. Essential listening for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the current cultural climate and ready to prioritize coherence over chaos, depth over dopamine hits, and authentic connection over performative engagement. Links + Resources Full show notes Learn: Try my FREE Coherence session

What if the secret to a fulfilling life isn't finding your one true calling, but embracing the courage to constantly reinvent yourself? In this inspiring episode, classically trained chef Christine Flynn shares her remarkable journey through multiple pivots—from fine dining kitchens to viral internet fame as Jacques La Merde, from single motherhood with twins to building a self-sufficient farm life in Nova Scotia. Christine's story reveals how each career change, each challenge, and even a near-death experience became stepping stones to greater authenticity. Now raising three children while sewing clothes, growing food, and writing cookbooks, she demonstrates that true success comes from aligning with who you're becoming rather than clinging to who you were. Essential listening for anyone feeling called to live more authentically, parents seeking to model courage for their children, or anyone ready to embrace the beautiful uncertainty of constant growth. Links + Resources Full show notes  

Essential listening for anyone ready to stop playing it safe and start leading with courage. What happens when a respected ICU doctor realizes that staying silent about what he's witnessing costs more than speaking up? Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng shares his powerful transformation from following medical protocols to courageously advocating for prevention-based healthcare—even when it meant facing threats, professional backlash, and personal PTSD. In this raw conversation, Dr. Kyeremanteng reveals how the COVID crisis became his catalyst for speaking truth about metabolic health, the devastating impact of lockdowns, and why the healthcare system desperately needs root-cause healing. He opens up about the price of courage to teaching his three sons that adversity is okay when you're fighting for what's right. If you've ever felt the tension between staying safe in your profession and speaking your truth, this episode offers a powerful framework for leading fearlessly when the stakes are highest. Links + Resources Full show notes

What if your greatest success has become your most beautiful prison? In this powerful episode, Meghan Telpner tackles the hardest part of any pivot: letting go of what you've built, invested in, and poured your heart into—especially when it still looks successful from the outside. Drawing from the liberating concept of sunk cost fallacy, Meghan reveals why we often choose the certainty of familiar unhappiness over the uncertain possibility of fulfillment. If you've ever felt like an employee in a life you wouldn't have applied for, or wondered why you feel trapped despite your apparent success, this episode offers both permission and a pathway. Meghan transforms the narrative around "letting go" from loss to liberation, showing how releasing what no longer serves you becomes a sacred act of trust. Essential listening for anyone feeling the quiet rebellion of their own heart. Links + Resources Full show notes Learn: Try my FREE Coherence session Shop: 30% off Rise + Shine: Guided Path to Heart-Led Living and Leadership

What happens when questioning what to feed your baby leads you to question everything you've built your life on? Former NICU nurse Kristen Nagle's journey from healthcare worker to losing her 14-year career, facing $100,000 in fines, and finding profound freedom is one of the most courageous pivots you'll ever hear. In this raw and powerful conversation, Kristen shares how becoming a mother cracked open her worldview, leading her from fear-based decisions to heart-led knowing—even when it meant standing alone against every institution she'd once trusted. This isn't just about medical freedom—it's about the courage to change your mind, the strength found in losing everything, and the unexpected gifts that emerge when you finally stop living for others' approval. Essential listening for anyone questioning the path they're on or ready to discover what freedom actually feels like. Links + Resources Full show notes Learn: Try my FREE Coherence session Shop: 30% off Rise + Shine: Guided Path to Heart-Led Living and Leadership