Travel & Transformation

Think you're too old to start trekking? Think your asthma or injuries make mountain summits impossible? Think again.Muzna Amin took her first five-hour hike at 40 and summited Kilimanjaro at 47—injured. She shares how starting fitness goals in midlife led to a 14-day solo trek to K2 Base Camp in Pakistan, conquering altitude sickness with asthma, and discovering that going slower might actually be the secret to summiting successfully.In this episode, you’ll cover practical wisdom on backcountry camping, dealing with elevation sickness, traveling solo to unfamiliar countries, and how an injury actually became her greatest advantage. If you've been putting off your adventure goals because you think it's "too late" or your body "can't handle it," Muzna's story will change your mind.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Starting trekking at 45 with no athletic backgroundBackcountry camping basics for beginnersSolo traveling as a woman to Pakistan, Peru, and TanzaniaManaging asthma at high elevations (5,000-6,000 meters)How going slower prevented altitude sickness on KilimanjaroBalancing full-time work with adventure goalsBuilding fitness accountability for trek trainingRESOURCES MENTIONED:Instagram | @muzrocksandrunsBEST MOMENTS:"I think you don't think those things when you are actually in it because then it would be hard to actually execute your plan.""Please do not shy away from it. There are ways to accomplish these things. And you feel amazing, you feel accomplished, you feel so exhilarated.""When you do something like this, you're not going to be terribly scared because if you are, you're not going to do it. So you have to have some sort of gutso inside you."CONTACT THE HOSTWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Ever wonder why you people-please even when it hurts? Or why you can't fully show up as yourself in relationships?In this conversation, I sat down with Cynthia Harrison, she is the founder of the Academy of Conscious Evolution, who spent 20 years working with communities nobody else wanted to help. She discovered something profound: our behavior is a language most of us can't read. Cynthia shares why we operate from wounds we don't even know we have, how fear of unconditional love keeps us playing small, and the subtle ways we abandon ourselves daily without realizing it.Cynthia translates the unconscious patterns running our lives—from people-pleasing to suppressed emotions—and offers a path to becoming "consciously unconscious."Listen now and understand what your behavior is telling you about unmet needs and old wounds. Cynthia offers a free Fear to Love process to help you start recognizing and working with what's actually happening in your body. Lead with Unconditional Love https://cynj.kartra.com/page/LULGiftTOPICS DISCUSSED:How behavior functions as language and what it reveals about our inner worldThe difference between fear of fear (survival) and fear of love (expansion)Why people-pleasing is a trauma response, not a personality traitThe "good girl" wound and attachment styles that shape adult relationshipsHow suppressed emotions create a suppressed nervous systemThe gong model: navigating from your true center through your experiencesRESOURCES MENTIONED:Website | https://cynj.kartra.com/page/MysticCynthiaFacebook | www.facebook.com/CynthiaJaneHarrisonBEST MOMENTS:"Everything you know about fear is a lie.""If we're truly loved, we have to step into our purpose, and that's what's terrifying.""Fear is love forgetting.""Be fluent in your own body's language."CONTACT THE HOSTWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Did you know there are 40-120 symptoms of perimenopause and your doctor probably won't tell you about most of them? If you're experiencing brain fog, fatigue, joint pain, or weight gain and keep being told "it's just stress" or offered antidepressants, this episode is for you.I sit down with Karen Cerezo, a health coach, fitness trainer, and menopause mentor with 11 years of experience who went through her own perimenopause wake-up call at 46. After feeling like "garbage literally overnight" while still eating right and training for a half marathon, Karen discovered what her doctor never mentioned: perimenopause affects everything from your hair and eyesight to your workouts and sleep patterns.We discuss why women's health remains medicine's best-kept secret, how to track your symptoms so doctors can't dismiss you, and the difference between perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause (hint: it's not just one year). Karen shares practical advice on when to test your hormones, what hormone replacement therapy really involves, and why lifestyle changes matter just as much as any prescription.If you've ever felt like you're failing yourself or losing your mind because your body suddenly stopped responding to everything that used to work, this conversation will validate your experience and give you actionable next steps.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Understanding the 40-120 symptoms of perimenopauseWhen and how to test your hormones effectivelyHormone replacement therapy: what it is and who needs itWhy tracking your symptoms changes everything at the doctor's officeThe three stages: perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopauseRESOURCES MENTIONED:Book: Navigating Menopause: A Wellness Tracker (available on Amazon)Website | www.midlifehealthcoach.comInstagram | @midlife_health_coachBEST MOMENTS:"Common doesn't mean that it's not treatable. Just because it's common doesn't mean we don't use band aids.""Track it. Track your stress, track your symptoms, track your sleep, track your cycle. When you go in with that book and all of this data, they can't dismiss you. They can't gaslight you.""You are not alone. And the biggest thing that we can do for each other is to talk about it and have that sisterhood."CONTACT THE HOSTWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Have you ever thought you had to hit rock bottom before you could change your life? What if your "doable bottom" was enough to spark a complete transformation?In this episode, I sit down with Shannon Whaley, an anti-hustle business coach living in Italy. Shannon shares her journey from being a blackout-drunk hairstylist in the Cayman Islands at 34 to building a location-independent business and moving to Tuscany—all while navigating 12 years of sobriety, divorce, and midlife reinvention. We talk about the moment she decided to get sober without treatment, how spite became fuel for transformation, and why she refuses to let women live small, people-pleasing lives. Shannon breaks down her approach to business coaching that includes identity work, somatic practices, and unlearning good girl conditioning. We also discuss her Mild Women Adventures retreat in Italy, designed for women in their midlife revolution who want to travel but feel intimidated by the logistics.Tune in to learn how to stop making excuses disguised as "signs," why clarity comes from doing (not thinking), and how to run after your dreams like your pants are on fire.Mild Woman Adventures with Shannon https://trovatrip.com/trip/europe/italy/italy-with-shannon-whaley-apr-2026TOPICS DISCUSSED:Shannon's journey from party girl to sober entrepreneur across three countriesThe "doable bottom" moment that changed everything (passing out at a bus stop)How she piecemealed her recovery using yoga, fitness, and Buddhist practicesWhat anti-hustle business coaching really meansWhy we attach meaning to everything and use "signs" as cop-outsThe Mild Women Adventures retreat in Tuscany for women who want to travel soloRESOURCES MENTIONED:Website | www.antihustlebiz.comInstagram | @theshannonwhaleyFacebook | www.facebook.com/shannonkwhaleyLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/shannonkwhaleyBEST MOMENTS:"You can't run and grow a business, a big business, if you're trying to please everyone, if you don't know who you are, if you're not confident to speak up about your beliefs and your desires and claim what is yours and then run after it like your pants are on fire.""Everything's a sign if you want it to be a sign, period. We give meaning to things and we make it mean what we want to make it mean. So what if it's not 'Oh, maybe I'm not supposed to do this'—maybe it's, how bad do you want this thing?"CONTACT THE HOSTWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Feeling stuck despite all the health changes you've made? Your body might be holding onto more than you realize.Coral Buchanan, a cogno movement practitioner and somatic activated healing coach with over 10 years of wellness experience, shares how she transformed from being neurotic, depressed, and agoraphobic to discovering a modality that changed everything. We explore how suppressed emotions become physical symptoms, why cognitive movement works when traditional approaches fall short, and how cross-body movements can release patterns that keep you playing small.Coral opens up about how her own sciatica vanished without directly addressing it, and why focusing on feelings instead of symptoms creates lasting change. Tune in to discover how releasing held tensions can transform not just your physical symptoms, but your entire way of being in the world.TOPICS DISCUSSED:How suppressed emotions become physical symptoms and diseaseThe connection between sciatica and hopelessnessWhy cognitive movement addresses root causes, not just symptomsCross-body movement and bilateral brain integrationEye movements and their connection to nervous system patternsWorking with a practitioner versus self-guided sessionsThe onion layer approach to healing traumaRESOURCES MENTIONED:LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/coral-buchanan-349373232Website | https://coralbuchanan.comBEST MOMENTS:"When the body can actually breathe, it will heal itself.""These tight feelings in the body create the thoughts. So when you can change the body, the thoughts naturally change.""You don't have to know what you're working on. You can have stuff release in your body without knowing.""It takes some courage to really face ourselves and go in instead of externally being external.""Don't be afraid to try something. But if you're in that mind frame and you're willing, sky's the limit.""We get to give ourselves permission. And that's the most important permission you can give."CONTACT THE HOSTWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Tired of letting self-doubt hold you back from the life you actually want?Elaine Kramer, author of How to Change Mindset to Boost Confidence, joins the show to share how she joined the military at 34 (against everyone's advice), deployed three times, earned a doctorate, and rebuilt her confidence after divorce, all while raising four kids. With 22 years of military experience and a Doctor of Education degree, Elaine brings battle-tested strategies for overcoming fear and self-doubt.We dig into what it really takes to silence the voices telling you "you can't," why waiting for permission keeps you stuck, and how to build unshakeable confidence through action, not affirmation alone. Elaine opens up about writing her book in secret, setting standards in relationships, and teaching women over 40 to turn their passions into income.Tune in to learn how to stop proving yourself to others and start taking courageous action toward the life you deserve.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Joining the military at 34 despite family oppositionOvercoming self-doubt and fear of rejectionBuilding confidence through experience, not just affirmationsSetting standards in relationships (and sticking to them)Turning passions into secondary income after 50Why you need to give yourself permission, not wait for itRESOURCES MENTIONED:Book: How to Change Mindset to Boost Confidence Email: elainekramer@stuck2ceo.comBEST MOMENTS:"I wanted to set an example for my kids that you can do whatever you want to do despite what others think that you can or can't do.""Don't wait for permission. Give yourself permission to do it. Because if it's an idea or dream that you have, that means you've got the desire to do it.""Confidence comes from experience, comes from practice. You're not going to be confident about something until you actually do it and see that, yes, you can do it.""You can either be a victim of those circumstances or you can adapt and overcome and find another solution."CONTACT THE HOSTWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Have you ever wondered why you keep making the same money mistakes even though you know better?Taryn McNamee Ferrer, known as Team Money, joins the show to share her journey from growing up in a financially abusive environment to becoming a financial wellness coach. She opens up about hitting rock bottom after leaving her nine-to-five, then turning things around by raising her credit score 240 points and saving $2000 in two months. We talk about financial abuse and how childhood experiences shape our money habits. Taryn breaks down practical strategies for paying off debt, building savings with purpose, and starting to invest even when you're risk-averse. She also shares her thoughts on credit repair companies, debt consolidation, and why our gifts and talents deserve to be paid for.Tune in to learn how to shift your relationship with money from shame and scarcity to confidence and abundance.How to Save $2,000 in 2 Months - A free guide from Taryn McNamee Ferrer: https://www.manifestmoneyhoney.com/how-to-save-2-000-in-2-monthsTOPICS DISCUSSED:Growing up in a financially abusive householdTaryn's journey from broke to financial coachUnderstanding your relationship with moneyDebt payoff strategiesCredit repair and what companies can actually doStarting to invest when you're risk-averseRESOURCES MENTIONED:Instagram | @heytmoneyhoneyLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/taryn-mcnamee-ferrerWebsite |www.manifestmoneyhoney.comFacebook | www.facebook.com/heytmoneyhoneyBEST MOMENTS:"I wanted as many women to experience that as possible. I wanted to prevent as many women as possible from experiencing financial abuse. And I wanted women to really feel free and confident when it comes to money.""Money is a currency, but it's also energy. And so when we are giving someone money for something, we are exchanging energy.""Everything has its max point when it comes to saving...There's a deadline there. Like, there's an amount where, okay, we've hit it, and. And now we can move on to something else."“save with a purpose.""In order to build it, you have to invest in something."CONTACT THE HOSTWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Have you ever thought you were having a heart attack, only to realize it was an anxiety attack brought on by hormonal changes?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Deidra Manns, an integrative physical therapist, life coach, and certified menopause health coach who knows firsthand what it's like to navigate menopause after cancer treatment. We talk about the 40-60 symptoms that can show up during this transition—from brain fog and sleep disturbances to joint pain and vaginal dryness. Dr. Deidra shares her personal story of mourning her reproductive years and explains why perimenopause is the gateway to accelerated aging for women. We dig into why hormone replacement therapy is only about 10% of the solution and how lifestyle changes make up the other 90%. If you're in perimenopause, postmenopause, or just want to be prepared for what's coming, this episode is packed with information you need to hear. TOPICS DISCUSSED:How both Sophia and Dr. Deidra experienced menopause following cancer treatmentThe 40-60 potential symptoms of perimenopause and menopauseWhy perimenopause is the gateway to accelerated aging for womenThe limited role of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)Lifestyle medicine as 90% of menopause managementHow midlife choices impact quality of life in your 70s, 80s, and 90sRESOURCES MENTIONED:Website | www.drdiedra.comFacebook | www.facebook.com/Dr.DiedraInstagram | @drdiedraLinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/drdiedraBEST MOMENTS:"Your body is not going to be operating the same way as it did before you started the perimenopausal process. It's almost like there's a body before perimenopause and there's a body after perimenopause.""Perimenopause is the gateway to accelerated aging for women.""Suffering is optional during the perimenopause menopause process. It's optional.""90% of what you do and how you treat your body is your lifestyle and what you put in your mouth, what you think, how you manage your stress.""What you decide to do right now in these years of your life, during your midlife years is going to directly impact your quality of Life in your 70s, 80s, and 90s.""Lifestyle changes are a little bit at a time. They're incremental. And so it's a marathon. It is not a race. It's not a sprint."CONTACT THE HOSTWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock

Have you ever wondered why you keep bringing things into your home but struggle to let them go? In this episode, we explore the connection between good girl conditioning and the clutter that takes over our spaces.Dorota Kuldo shares her journey from working 15 hours a day and living in an overwhelming mess to decluttering 70% of her belongings in six months. We talk about how saying yes to everyone else means saying no to yourself, why retail therapy becomes a coping mechanism, and how your nervous system might be the real reason you can't stick to your decluttering goals. Dorota explains the relationship between people pleasing and clutter accumulation, the importance of building self trust through small actions, and why starting with trash is the safest way to begin. We also discuss how feeling like you don't have time often means you don't feel safe to try because past attempts haven't worked.Listen to this episode to learn practical strategies for decluttering that work with your nervous system instead of against it, and discover how letting go of stuff can help you set better boundaries in all areas of your life.TOPICS DISCUSSED:The connection between good girl conditioning and clutter accumulationHow people pleasing and saying yes to everything drains energy and creates clutterThe role of retail therapy and shopping as a coping mechanism for emotional needsWhy nervous system regulation is essential for sustainable declutteringHow the nervous system perceives change as danger and creates resistance through procrastination and self-criticismRESOURCES MENTIONED:Website | https://dorotakuldo.podia.com/Instagram | @dorotakuldodeclutteringFacebook | www.facebook.com/dorotakuldoSpace to Breathe and Be (Spotify) - Guided meditations by Dorota KuldoBEST MOMENTS:"If you say yes to everything, it means that you say no to yourself, right? And if you drain yourself to the point of exhaustion, where you give yourself away to everything and everyone around you, then you come back home and the last thing that you want to do is now take care of your space because you exhausted, you have right to rest.""Clutter is just a symptom, is a mirror of our behaviors, our how we cope with triggers.""We expect so much from ourselves. Good girls expect way too much from our, from themselves. And bring the bar all the way to the bottom, all the way. And start trusting yourself. Build that trust. It's like exercise.""Our nervous system cannot tell the difference between a perceived danger and actual danger."CONTACT THE HOSTWebsite |  www.thereikihealingcoach.com Instagram | @sophia_i_got_igInstagram | @createlifeyourwayFacebook | www.facebook.com/sophia.e.754LinkedIn | Sophia Elcock