As You Are

Welcome to another episode of As You Are Podcast. This episode we’re chatting money. Often taboo, hidden, and something that can give us the “ick”, money is part of life, so Whit and I tackle it head on, as we are, right now.

We Talk About:

* Our personal money stories, wounds, and healing processes

* The inherited beliefs and intergenerational narratives about money

* The energetic difference between masculine and feminine approaches to money

* How spiritual bypassing shows up in the money world

* Moving from fear-based financial strategies to safety and trust in the body

* Using Human Design and nervous system awareness to re-pattern scarcity

* How capitalism distorts creativity and connection

* The myth of “worthiness” in earning and receiving

* Honest reflections on charging for spiritual or healing work

* Shifting from urgency and hustle to aligned receiving and embodiment

* Rewriting your money story from a place of grounded integrity

* Recognising trauma-informed layers in financial behaviours

Useful Links

* Suzanne Eder and her book What You Want Wants You

* Denise Duffield-Thomas, great books and programs

* The Ladybird Purse • Opening up about money

by Keris Fox

* Elizabeth Ralph, The Spiritual Investor, great podcast and programs

* Female Invest, app, UK based, excellent tips, courses and programs, by women, for women

* Kate Northrup, books and programs based on nervous system love and money

Whit Stewart

You can find Whit online at Madrona Coaching, on Substack at madronajournals.substack.com or on Instagram @madronacoaching

Offline, when she’s escaped the city, you’ll find her in the woods or on the shore.

Lisa Bolin

You can connect with Lisa at Flourish Mind and Body, on Substack Flucking Flourishing and Northern Notes, and on Instagram @lisabolin_flourish

Offline, she’s connecting with nature, taking a dip, or reading a good book.

As You Are Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thanks for reading As You Are Podcast! This post is public so feel free to share it.

In this episode Lisa and Whit dive into the topic of play — not as frivolous, but as a transformative, grounding, healing and necessary. Lisa shares her journey of intentionally focusing on play as a monthly theme, discovering how even simple, lighthearted actions helped her move through heaviness and connect more deeply with herself and others. Both hosts reflect on childhood experiences with play — or the lack of it — and explore how redefining playfulness as adults can bring joy, connection, and resilience. The conversation offers an invitation: to notice what brings lightness, to redefine fun in personal terms, and to set an intention for play to be part of daily life, however that looks for you.

In this episode, we dive into a personal story of manifesting a dream home, the emotional rollercoaster of getting close, and the power of trusting intuition when faced with uncertainty. Through the twists and turns of finding what seemed like the perfect house — only to discover hidden deal-breakers — we explore how following your gut, embracing abundance, and seeing “driftwood” signs along the way can lead you closer to your true desires. It’s a reflection on trust, surrender, and the beautiful balance of dreaming big while staying grounded in self-belief.

In this episode of As You Are, we dive deep into self-love—what it really means and how to actually cultivate it in everyday life. Spoiler: it's not just bubble baths and massages (though those are nice too). We talk about the difference between surface-level self-care and the deeper work of truly accepting yourself, even when it’s uncomfortable. Self-love isn’t a destination; it’s a practice—one that evolves, shifts, and grows.

Key Takeaways

* Self-love is an ongoing practice, not something you “achieve.”

* It’s about accepting and being kind to yourself, even in tough moments.

* The way self-love is marketed tends to focus on pampering, but real self-love goes deeper.

* Your inner voice matters—learning to talk to yourself like a best friend can shift everything.

* Many of us have spent years abandoning ourselves; self-love is about staying with yourself no matter what.

* Checking in with yourself daily (even for 10 minutes) makes a huge difference.

* Setting boundaries and saying no is self-love in action.

* The more we practice, the more it shows up in every part of our lives.

* When we love ourselves well, we have more capacity to love others.

* Reflection: "What’s one way you can show yourself love this week?" We’d love to hear from you!

Whit Stewart

You can find Whit online at Madrona Coaching, on Substack at madronajournals.substack.com or on Instagram @madronacoaching

Offline, when she’s escaped the city, you'll find her in the woods or on the shore.

Lisa Bolin

You can connect with Lisa at Flourish Mind and Body, on Substack Flucking Flourishing and Northern Notes, and on Instagram @lisabolin_flourish

Offline, she’s connecting with nature, taking a dip, or reading a good book.

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This episode of As You Are Podcast with Lisa and Whit explores the role of fear in both life and business. They discuss how fear manifests in different ways, such as procrastination, perfectionism, or busyness, and how it can often be a disguised survival mechanism. The conversation covers how fear impacts decision-making, particularly around success, failure, and judgment from others. They also highlight the importance of nervous system regulation, self-awareness, and small acts of courage to move through fear. The episode ends with a reflection prompt, encouraging listeners to take one bold move despite their fears.

Key Takeaways

* Fear disguises itself in many forms – procrastination, perfectionism, busyness, and feeling "not ready."

* Fear is a survival response – the nervous system reacts to unfamiliar situations as if they are threats.

* Fear of judgment is deeply ingrained – people often make choices based on how they will be perceived rather than what truly fulfills them.

* Both fear of failure and success exist – fear of failing can lead to perfectionism, while fear of success can stem from not wanting to stand out or be judged.

* Self-awareness is crucial – recognising fear-based behaviours allows for change.

* Daily acts of courage build resilience – confidence grows through action, not by waiting to feel ready.

* The nervous system plays a key role – breathwork, time in nature, and other calming practices help regulate fear responses.

* Reflection prompt – "What is one bold move you can take this week, even if you feel fear?"

Whit Stewart

You can find Whit online at Madrona Coaching, on Substack at madronajournals.substack.com or on Instagram @madronacoaching

Offline, when she’s escaped the city, you'll find her in the woods or on the shore.

Lisa Bolin

You can connect with Lisa at Flourish Mind and Body, on Substack Flucking Flourishing and Northern Notes, and on Instagram @lisabolin_flourish

Offline, she’s connecting with nature, taking a dip, or reading a good book.

As You Are Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thanks for reading As You Are Podcast! This post is public so feel free to share it.

In this episode, Lisa and Whit have a deep and insightful conversation with Atena Panaite, the creator of Path to Swellness, about her journey into health coaching, the root causes of burnout, emotional and energetic healing, and her holistic approach to recovery. Atena shares her personal health struggles, the importance of integrating emotional and spiritual healing with physical health, and her upcoming programs aimed at helping women recover from burnout.

This episode introduces Lisa Bolin! And her work as a mindfulness teacher, writer, and mentor. Lisa shares her journey of moving from Australia to Finland, navigating personal reinvention during midlife, and developing tools for mindfulness, creativity, and connection. She discusses her blogs, mentorship programs, and her unique approach to mindfulness, including embracing imperfection and individuality. Lisa emphasises practices like journaling, art, and rituals, along with her playful, sassy tone reflected in projects like “Flucking Flourishing.” She advocates for mindfulness as a practical, accessible practice tailored to each individual’s needs.

In this episode, Daven Lee dives deep into her unique work as a sex and intimacy coach, focusing on connecting individuals with their "sexual soul," a concept rooted in Taoist principles of yin and yang energy. She explores the transformative power of yin—embracing the subtle, intuitive, and non-linear aspects of life—and how reconnecting with this energy can help individuals rediscover their true desires, sovereignty, and sense of self. Daven shares her journey of personal transformation, the importance of self-connection before entering or improving relationships, and her approach to guiding clients through deep healing and empowerment using her Power of the Yin framework. The conversation touches on the cyclical nature of life, the role of boundaries, and how small, conscious choices can lead to profound changes.

Key Points:

* The Sexual Soul: Our unique essence, rooted in Taoist principles, guides us through desires and pleasures.

* The Power of Yin: Embracing yin energy—subtle, intuitive, and often misunderstood—leads to balance and self-connection.

* Self-Connection First: True intimacy starts with reclaiming trust, safety, and sovereignty within yourself.

* Small Steps, Big Changes: Transformation begins with small, conscious choices that rebuild self-trust.

* Cycles of Life: Life is cyclical; embracing these rhythms fosters harmony and growth.

* Practical Tools: Daven integrates somatic work, the Wheel of Consent, and Qigong for self-reconnection.

* Takeaway: This work helps you reconnect with your essence and reclaim your life.

Daven is a sex and intimacy coach for individuals and couples. But she has a very unique approach to sex and sexuality. She is passionate about supporting people to connect with their sexual energy, or what she calls the Sexual Soul.

Her practice is unlike any other approach to sexuality: She orients to the Sexual Soul as the taproot to our deepest truth, our creative essence and the key to our sovereignty and freedom, as well as our delight and pleasure.

As a guide and teacher, she offers a deeply feminine view of the world that is both empowering and nurturing, grounded in the body and trusting of the soul.

She works one-on-one (and with couples) guiding sensitive, intuitive clients with intimacy and relationship challenges to trust the knowing of their bodies, the wisdom of their desires, and the power of their gifts.

Her gentle and potent coaching and healing practice is grounded in what she calls the Power of the Yin.

In a world where the yang has been overvalued for its emphasis on competition, linear thinking, action and immediate results, we haven't been conditioned to understand, cultivate and embody this kind of power.

Instead we've been trained to see it as weak, irrational and insubstantial.

How do we begin to access a power that is ineffable, centered in the body, both ancient and emergent?

Daven thinks of herself as a "priestess of the yin" holding space and gently guiding people to find the answer to this question within themselves.

And she's created a gorgeous, 58-card guidance deck so people can develop, engage with and embody their yin power, The Power of the Yin Oracle Deck.

Links:

https://www.poweroftheyin.com/

https://hellosexualsoul.com/

https://yinoracle.com/

Instagram: @davenly@poweroftheyinoracle

@hellosexualsoul

LinkedIn

Upcoming Hello, Sexual Soul 6-Week Online Series beginning Jan 28: https://hellosexualsoul.com/6-week-series

Direct email: [email protected]

Whit Stewart

You can find Whit online at Madrona Coaching, on Substack at madronajournals.substack.com or on Instagram @madronacoaching

Offline, when she’s escaped the city, you'll find her in the woods or on the shore.

Lisa Bolin

You can connect with Lisa at Flourish Mind and Body, on Substack Flucking Flourishing and Northern Notes, and on Instagram @lisabolin_flourish

Offline, she’s connecting with nature, taking a dip, or reading a good book.

As You Are Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thanks for reading As You Are Podcast! This post is public so feel free to share it.

In this episode of As You Are, Lisa interviews Whit to explore the heart of her work as a Holistic Life Coach. Whit opens up about her transformative journey through sensitivity, depression, and struggles with addiction—both within her family and her own life—and how these experiences have profoundly shaped her approach to empowering women. She delves into how her coaching integrates nervous system regulation, emotional awareness, and breathwork to help clients reconnect with their true selves and create meaningful, lasting change in their lives.

Tune in to discover how embracing all parts of yourself can lead to profound growth and empowerment.

Episode Overview:

* Whit’s Journey: From struggle to empowerment, and how her story inspired her holistic coaching path.

* Coaching Approach: A blend of emotional work, life coaching and breath coaching, regulation and self love practices tailored to each client.

* Philosophy: Women can step into their power by starting exactly where they are, learning to embrace their full selves.

* Breathwork: Gentle practices that signal safety to the body and unlock creativity, curiosity, and possibility.

* Key Takeaway: Your journey begins when you honour yourself as you are, without waiting for the “perfect moment.”

Hello all, I’m Whit! Lovely to meet you!

Some details and ways to reach me if this episode about my work spoke to you…

I work with clients privately in 1 to 1 sessions. To contact me for a consultation or to book a session follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/e4ky2vbf

To learn more about my work you can visit madronacoaching.co.uk or reach out to me directly at [email protected]

I am developing new projects and workshops, sign up for my newsletter to stay informed on all my beautiful offerings coming soon! https://tinyurl.com/2f2v9b48

All my links are here: videos, posts, freebies, all the goods, so take it in and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or just want to say hello!

https://linktr.ee/madronacoaching?utm_source=linktree_admin_share

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Much love!

xxxWhit

❤️

Whit Stewart

You can find Whit online at Madrona Coaching, on Substack at madronajournals.substack.com or on Instagram @madronacoaching

Offline, when she’s escaped the city, you'll find her in the woods or on the shore.

Lisa Bolin

You can connect with Lisa at Flourish Mind and Body, on Substack Flucking Flourishing and Northern Notes, and on Instagram @lisabolin_flourish

Offline, she’s connecting with nature, taking a dip, or reading a good book.

As You Are Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thanks for listening to As You Are Podcast! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This episode focuses on how understanding human design can improve collaboration, in life and business. Rea Valkanos, a nature intuitive and human design reader, explains how the five energy types—Manifestors, Generators, Manifesting Generators, Projectors, and Reflectors—each bring unique strengths. By recognising and respecting these differences, we can foster greater harmony in our relationships and teams. Rea emphasises the importance of decision-making strategies and authorities, leveraging energy dynamics for efficiency, and creating space for rest and reflection. Practical insights are shared on using human design to build more aligned, effective, and collaborative partnerships.