Holidays with Happiness, Not Drama with Niro Feliciano

Get 40% off at Little Things Studio - SHOP NOW!   We’re back with another episode in our Health & Wellness Series, and today we’re diving deep into emotional health with one of my favorite people on the planet, Niro Feliciano. If you’ve been around here for a while, you know Niro is a powerhouse of wisdom. She’s a licensed therapist, author, speaker, and the kind of friend who always knows exactly what to say when life feels overwhelming.   Her new book, All Is Calm(ish), couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s the guide every woman needs before the holiday whirlwind begins. Because let’s be honest—this season that’s supposed to be full of joy? It often leaves us frazzled, overcommitted, and wondering how we got so far from peace.   In this episode, Niro and I get real about the emotional toll of the holidays. We talk about the invisible pressures we put on ourselves, the myth of perfection, and how to rewrite the script before December even starts. You’ll hear us laugh, share stories, and dig into the science behind stress—and how faith can be the anchor that steadies us.   You’ll leave this conversation with practical, grace-filled strategies to help you show up with more calm than chaos, more presence than pressure, and a peace that doesn’t disappear when the wrapping paper does.   Timestamps: (01:21)- The Reason the Holidays Feel So Hard (04:39) - How to Set Boundaries That Protect Your Peace This Holiday Season (14:46) - The Super-Toxic Expectations We Quietly Pile on Ourselves (22:34) - Clear Signs You Need to Set Boundaries Before Burnout Hits (26:28) - Navigating Grief During the Holidays    WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Niro’s Book - All Is Calmish: How to Feel Less Frantic and More Festive During the Holidays Niro’s Song Recommendation - Been So Good Niro’s TV Recommendation - Ted Lasso Niro’s Book Recommendation - The Tell Niro’s Product Recommendation - Curls Rock Get 40% off at Little Things Studio  I am proud to co-own Little Things Studio, a wonderful woman-owned small business in Nashville, TN. We create each piece with great care and can't wait for you to experience the love that goes into every item. Whether you visit our store or shop online, you'll find that all our products are crafted with love right here in the USA.   I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars. Your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!    xo, Alli

Join the Catalyst Mastermind !    You know what to do, so why aren’t you doing it? You’ve got the plan, the Pinterest board, and the color-coded calendar to prove it. Maybe it’s the business idea that’s been “almost ready” for six months, the book still inside you, the course you’ll launch someday, or the hard conversation you keep postponing.   I’m not judging. You’re in good company. Every ambitious woman I know has had that 2 a.m. moment of frustration: I know exactly what to do, so why can’t I make myself do it? We tell ourselves it’s a motivation problem, but what if it’s actually something deeper?   Here’s the truth: it’s not about willpower, laziness, or even time. It’s about identity. The gap between who you believe you are and who you’re becoming is where resistance lives. That’s why it feels so hard—you’re stepping into a new version of yourself, and your old identity is fighting to stay in charge.   But here’s the good news: you don’t have to stay stuck. You can close that gap. You can start showing up as the woman who already does the thing, even before it feels natural. That’s how transformation works—it’s not about waiting until you feel ready, it’s about acting like the future you right now.   So today, let’s stop rehearsing the plan and start living it. Let’s stop waiting for perfect timing and start trusting that God has already equipped you for this moment. You don’t need more motivation—you need to believe you are the kind of woman who follows through. And once you believe it, you’ll finally do the thing you were made to do.   Timestamps: (00:47) - The Real Reason You’re Not Doing What You Already Know to Do (03:46) - What the “Identity Gap” Really Is (and Why It Changes Everything) (05:16) - The Most Common Identity Gaps Keeping Ambitious Women Stuck (07:43) - Three Powerful Identity Shifts That Can Change Everything (09:56) - Three Simple Actions to Close the Gap and Move Forward This Week WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE     Links to great things we discussed:  Alli’s Product Recommendation - These Are the Good Old Days Banner Start your Free 30-day trial of Uplift! I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars—it means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!    xo,   Alli

Join the Catalyst Mastermind!    We’re in our Health & Wellness Series, and today we’re diving into a topic that’s way more important than most of us realize. If you’ve been feeling tired, bloated, anxious, or just off—even when you’re “doing all the right things”—this episode is for you.   We’ve already chatted with Dr. Nicole Cain about how gut health affects way more than digestion (hello, anxiety and mood swings). But today, we’re going deeper with holistic health coach Hannah Aylward. She’s on a mission to help women heal their digestion, balance their bodies, and finally feel like themselves again.   Hannah’s breaking down what’s really going on when your gut is out of whack—and how it’s messing with your energy, hormones, and emotional health. We’re talking about the foods that help, the ones to avoid, the truth about probiotics, and simple steps you can take today to get your gut working for you, not against you.   This episode could totally shift how you think about your health. Because when your body starts working in harmony? You don’t just survive—you thrive.   Timestamps: (05:48) - The Biggest Myth Women Still Believe About Gut Health (and What’s Actually True) (08:04) - Why You Still Feel Bad Even When You’re Eating Healthy (23:22) - The Ways Gut Inflammation Impacts Your Mood, Hormones, and Health (23:32) - Affects of Inflammation in the Gut (27:19) - The One Health Practice Hannah Never Skips—and Why You Shouldn’t Either   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:  Hannah’s TV Recommendation - Bachelor in Paradise Hannah’s Book Recommendation - Mind Your Body Hannah’s Skincare Recommendation - Naturium Glycolic Acid Resurfacing Gel The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days. I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars—your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!    xo,   Alli

Join the Catalyst Mastermind !    If you’ve ever been told you’re too much—too sensitive, too intense, too ambitious—this message is for you. Maybe you’ve left a room feeling like you should’ve shrunk yourself to fit in and played it safe.    Smiled and nodded instead of speaking up. And somewhere along the way, you started to wonder if the problem was you. But hear me loud and clear: You are not the problem. You’re not too much. You’re just in the wrong rooms.   Let’s talk about the right ones—the rooms where your energy isn’t drained, it’s doubled, where your “unrealistic” dreams spark something in others. Where your passion is seen as purpose, and your depth doesn’t make people uncomfortable—it makes them come alive. Because the right people? They don’t ask you to tone it down. They look at you and say, “More of that, please.”   So if you’ve ever second-guessed your voice, your ideas, or the way God wired you, lean in. This conversation might be the permission slip you’ve been waiting for. Because the right room doesn’t just accept your fullness—it celebrates it. And, it’s time you walked boldly into that space.   Listen in to learn more:   (02:42) - The Real Reason You Feel Like Too Much (06:03) - The Three Kinds of Wrong Rooms That Drain Your Confidence and Dim Your Light (07:28) - You Were Designed With Purpose (08:44) - What the Right Rooms Look Like (10:52) - Your Blueprint for Finding and Creating the Right Rooms   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Alli’s TV Recommendation - Only Murders in the Building I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars—it means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!    xo,   Alli

Join the Catalyst Mastermind today!    Some truths are just too good to hear only once. That’s why I’m bringing back the most powerful moments from my favorite solo episodes—because real transformation doesn’t happen in a single “aha” moment. It’s built through repetition, reflection, and showing up again and again. We don’t just need inspiration—we need truth on repeat until it moves from head knowledge to heart habit. These aren’t just feel-good soundbites. They’re practical, proven strategies rooted in science and soul to help you manage stress, reclaim your joy, and step boldly into who God created you to be. Because when your mind, body, and spirit are finally aligned? You don’t just get by—you lead with clarity, create with confidence, and live with purpose. So take what speaks to you, leave the rest, and come back anytime you need a reset. You’re not behind. You’re becoming.   Timestamps: (01:10) - Simple Action Steps to Build a Life You Actually Love (09:03) - Why a Physical Reset (and a Change of Scenery) Might Be Exactly What You Need (11:26) - How to Manage Stress Before It Manages You (15:47)- The 10-Minute Happiness Hack That Can Literally Rewire Your Brain (21:48) - Game-Changing Steps to Start Partnering With Your Body This Week   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Catalyst Mastermind I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars—your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!    xo, Alli  

Join the Catalyst Mastermind - Sign up today! Is this you? You’re the go-to girl, the one who holds it all together. But at 2 a.m., you’re wide-eyed, Googling “how to feel like myself again.” Your Instagram feed is curated, but yesterday you cried in the Target parking lot. (No judgment—I’ve been there. More than once.)   Here’s the deal: you’re not broken. You’re just living a life that was never meant to run on hustle and hustle alone. Most women aren’t overwhelmed because they’re doing it wrong—they’re overwhelmed because no one ever told them they could stop and ask, What do I actually need?   Between soccer practice and science projects, we’ve mastered productivity. But peace? That feels like a luxury. If your life looks full but feels bone-dry, that’s not failure—it’s a flashing neon sign saying, Something’s gotta change. So today, we’re not tweaking your to-do list. We’re reimagining it.   Timestamps:   (00:52) - The Hidden System You Built Without Realizing It (04:30) - Why “Low Maintenance” Is Secretly Holding You Back (05:02) - What Strategic Living Really Looks Like (and Why It Matters) (05:31) - The Cost of Living When Your Time Isn’t Your Own (09:08) - 3 Powerful Actions You Can Take Today to Reclaim Your Life WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE Links to great things we discussed:    Catalyst Mastermind Alli’s Skincare Recommendation - Aestura ATOBARRIER365   I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars—your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!    xo,   Alli

The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days   We’re diving back into our Health & Wellness Series today, and I’ve got a treat for you—Dr. Allison Cook is back! She’s one of your all-time favorite guests (and mine too), and every time she joins me, it’s like a masterclass in emotional health with a side of grace. Allison is a brilliant therapist who helps women understand their emotions without shame—no guilt trips, no fluff, just real, practical wisdom. She has an incredible way of making life's messy parts feel manageable and even hopeful. In this episode, we’re diving into a topic that's always relevant: how to handle emotions in a way that’s actually helpful. It's not just about managing them; it's about learning to make them work for you, not against you. This conversation is one you won't want to miss and will likely find yourself revisiting because it’s that good.   Timestamps: (04:33) - Untangling the Messy Mix of Emotions We All Carry (05:17) - Why Quick-Fix Emotional Solutions Can Be So Dangerous (11:38) - How to Name, Frame, and Brave Your Way Through Hard Emotions (13:28) - The Life-Changing Gift of Conscious Awareness (17:16) - Spotting and Stopping Self-Gaslighting in Your Daily Life WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Alison’s Song Recommendation - Fortnight Alison’s TV Recommendation - Couples Therapy Alison’s Movie Recommendation - Inside Out 2 Alison’s Book Recommendation - Wayfaring Alison’s Product Recommendations - LMNT Drink Mix, L'Oreal Paris Root Cover Up, Brooklinen Down Comforter I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars—your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!    xo,   Alli

The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days Let’s start with a little truth bomb—because you know I’m all about cutting through the noise. You don’t need more information. You need movement.   We live in a world that worships knowledge, but here’s the kicker: knowing doesn’t change your life. Doing does. You can have a brain full of brilliant ideas, bookmarked podcasts, and underlined books—but still feel stuck. Like you’re hustling hard and getting nowhere.   Sound familiar? You’re not broken. You’re not lazy. You’ve just been chasing the wrong fix. This episode is your permission slip to stop consuming and start creating. You don’t need another strategy or self-help quote—you need structure, courage, and a whole lot of grace to act on what you already know.   We’re talking about how to let your emotions serve you instead of control you, how to move through the hard stuff without shame, and how to build the life God designed for you to live, finally. It’s practical, powerful, and packed with wisdom you’ll want to revisit again and again. Let’s go!   Listen in to learn more:  (03:00) - Why Knowing Alone Won’t Change Your Life (and Why Doing Always Does) (03:40) - Escaping the Knowing Trap and Stepping Onto the Real Path of Growth (04:08) - How Overconsumption Breeds Guilt Instead of Growth (06:05) - The “Application Gap” Where Your Growth Secretly Dies (7:50) - Practical Steps to Move From Just Knowing to Truly Becoming   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE     Links to great things we discussed:    Catalyst Mastermind Alli’s Hair Recommendation - Magic Grip Hairpins   I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars—it means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!    xo, Alli

The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days We’re in our Health & Wellness Series, and today I’ve got my dear friend and favorite repeat guest, Lisa Whittle, back on the show. Honestly, at this point, she’s basically my co-host—and every time she joins me, the conversation is fire.   Lisa just released her new Bible study, Body and Soul, and we’re diving into what she calls “whole body theology.” It’s powerful, it’s eye-opening, and it’ll make you rethink everything you thought you knew about faith, health, and how God designed your body.   We’re talking about how the enemy twists body image into a weapon, how to break free from those lies, and what Scripture really says about honoring your body—not out of vanity, but out of reverence.   If you’ve ever struggled with how you see yourself, this episode is for you. It’s truth-packed, grace-filled, and might change the way you walk through the world.   Listen in to learn more:  (01:55) - Why So Many Women Still Feel at War With Their Own Bodies (03:00) - Whole Body Theology: What It Really Means for Your Faith and Health (05:14) - The First Step to Living Out Whole Body Theology in Daily Life (11:08) - How the Enemy Uses Shame and Comparison to Keep Women Stuck (18:52) - The Truth About Writing a Book, Launching a Podcast, or Stepping Onto a Stage   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Called Creatives Lisa’s Book - Body & Soul Join Catalyst Mastermind I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars—it means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous!    xo, Alli

The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days Think back to the person you were five years ago. The routines you swore by, the songs you couldn’t stop playing, the things you thought mattered most. Funny right? That version of you feels familiar, but also like someone you barely recognize. Now rewind twenty years. You’ll probably see a completely different woman—different dreams, different struggles, different victories. And you know what? That’s not a mistake. That’s growth. That’s grace in motion. We don’t just wake up one day and arrive at who we’re meant to be. Most of us drift, wondering how we got here. But what if you didn’t drift? What if you chose? Partner with the Lord, bring intention to your days, and design the next version of you with purpose.    Listen in to learn more:  (00:36) - The Illusion of Permanence: Why We Think Today’s Version of Us Is the Final Draft (03:09) -Present Self vs. Future Self (05:40) - Legacy, Not Hustle: How to Build a Life That Outlasts the To-Do List (06:50) - One-Year Vision Exercise (08:57) - Practical Steps Your Future Self Will Thank You For Links to great things we discussed:  Catalyst Mastermind Alli’s Sunscreen Recommendation - Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Alli’s Makeup Recommendation - IT Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow Protecting yourself from skin cancer as a truck driver   I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars—your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright!    xo, Alli