Becoming

How to Identify and Overcome What's Holding You Back

Have you ever had a strong reaction to something, convinced yourself it wasn't for you, or found yourself pushing back against an idea before you fully understood why?

Sometimes, the things we resist most are connected to something we haven't yet given ourselves permission to see, acknowledge, or pursue.

In this episode of The Becoming Podcast, I'm sharing four personal experiences when facing my own resistance opened the door to something I hadn't expected. From learning to give myself permission to pursue what matters to me, to finding greater alignment in my work and recognizing the importance of connection and support, each experience helped me see a possibility I hadn't fully recognized before.

These moments taught me that what feels uncomfortable isn't always something to push away. Sometimes, it's an opportunity to understand ourselves more deeply, move beyond the barriers we've created, and discover a new way forward.

You don't always have to know what's holding you back to begin exploring what's possible.

What if the thing you're struggling with is also a doorway to something more?

Read my companion blog at: 

https://www.totaltransformation.life/blog

When you're building a life you love, it can be surprisingly difficult to know when it's time to stop.

This week, I'm exploring what happens when we give ourselves permission to rest—not because we've failed or run out of motivation, but because rest is part of the process.

I'll share what I've been learning through my own experience this week, what my clients have taught me about rest and recovery, and a piece of personal writing called Roots that has reminded me how much growth can happen beneath the surface.

Sometimes we get so focused on what's next that we forget to notice how far we've already come.

Maybe rest isn't about stopping.

Maybe it's about stepping back far enough to see what's already taking root.

Question for this week: When is it time to rest—and what might you notice if you gave yourself permission to do it?

Read my companion blog at: 

https://www.totaltransformation.life/blog

How do you know when you're ready for change?

Sometimes we know something in our lives needs to shift long before we know what we're going to do about it. We notice something isn't quite right. We feel stuck, restless, or unsettled. We become aware of patterns that no longer fit—and then we wonder: Am I supposed to do something about this now?

In this episode, Carrie returns to a question that first surfaced in one of the very first Becoming Circles: How do you know when you're ready?

Together, we explore the space between awareness and action, the fear that can exist alongside knowing, the difference between intuition and urgency, and what it means to trust yourself when you don't have the whole path figured out.

You'll also be invited into a simple practice to help you slow down, listen to what you're noticing, and consider what “ready enough” might look like for you.

Because awareness doesn't have to be an emergency. And you don't have to force yourself to be ready.

Sometimes, the next step becomes clear when we give ourselves enough space to hear it.

The question to carry with you this week:
What is changing in you—and are you willing to trust yourself enough to let the next step reveal itself?

Read my companion blog at: 

https://www.totaltransformation.life/blog

We spend so much of our lives somewhere other than where we actually are—thinking about what happened, planning what comes next, checking our phones, preparing what we're going to say, or simply moving through the day on autopilot.

But what happens when we actually stop and pay attention?

This week's conversation took an unexpected turn during one of my workshops when a simple question came up: What are you doing while someone else is talking to you?

From listening and feeling heard, to relationships, nature, and the way we experience our own lives, this conversation became an exploration of what it really means to be present—and how presence can become a practice rather than another thing we have to get right.

You don't have to slow your entire life down.

You might just need to notice when you've left the moment you're in... and learn how to come back.

So, how do you slow down enough to be fully present in your life?

Read my companion blog at: 

https://www.totaltransformation.life/blog

What Is It Time to Let Go Of?

This week, I’m doing something a little different.

Instead of simply talking about an idea or sharing something I’ve been thinking about, I’m inviting you to do a little Becoming work with me.

The question we’re exploring is simple:

What is it time to let go of?

In this episode, I’ll walk you through a reflection exercise you can actually do alongside me. You’ll have the opportunity to pause, notice what feels heavy, name what you may be carrying, get curious about why you’re still holding onto it, and consider what might become possible if you were willing to put it down.

And I’m doing the exercise too.

I don’t know what my answer is going to be when I sit down with the question. I’m not going to pretend I do. I want to discover it alongside you—and see what happens when I give myself the same space and attention that I invite you to give yourself.

Because Becoming isn’t about reaching a place where you have everything figured out. Life still gets heavy. We still question ourselves. We still lose our motivation and sometimes have no idea what the next step is.

The practice is having somewhere to return to when we don't know.

And as we step into autumn—the Season of Expression, courage, and showing up more fully as who we are becoming—we’re also reminded by nature that some things are ready to fall away.

What is it time to let go of?

You may be surprised by what comes up.

And remember: you don't have to have the answer before you sit down to ask the question... in fact maybe it is better if you don't. 

Read my companion blog at: 

https://www.totaltransformation.life/blog

Are You Ready to Get Back to Your Routine?

As summer gives way to fall, many of us feel ready to settle back into familiar routines. But what if a change of season isn't always about going back to the way things were? What if we've changed, too?

In this episode of The Becoming Podcast, we explore the seasons of our lives—how we recognize when something is shifting, why we sometimes resist what we already know, and what we can learn by looking back before moving forward.

You don't have to know exactly what comes next. Sometimes, you simply have to notice that something has changed and become curious about what the next season might be asking of you.

What are you ready to return to—and does it still fit the person you've become?

Read my companion blog at: 

https://www.totaltransformation.life/blog

Do You Feel Seen?
What could happen when you see yourself—and allow yourself to be seen?

In this episode of Becoming, I sit down with Sean McNally for a conversation I couldn't fully prepare for.

Sean's story includes addiction, recovery, identity, self-worth, and the difficult work of rebuilding a life—but ultimately, this is a story about learning to see yourself as a person of value—and then building a life that reinforces that belief.

We talk about what it means to give yourself a chance, recognize your own worth, allow yourself to be truly seen, and keep moving forward when the road behind you has been difficult.

And because this is Sean, there's plenty of personality and unexpected fun along the way—including the original song he wrote and sent to me on his way to our conversation: Moving Forward.

This is a conversation about being seen, but maybe even more importantly, about learning to see yourself.

Do you feel truly seen?

A Resource from Sean

If Sean's story resonates with you and you're looking for support, Sean recommends SMART Recovery, a science-based approach to overcoming addictive behaviors.

Sean's SMART Recovery Meeting:
https://meetings.smartrecovery.org/meetings/9503/

Read my companion blog at: 

https://www.totaltransformation.life/blog

What happens when you give yourself four weeks to slow down, pay attention, and begin asking better questions?

In this episode, you'll hear directly from the people who went through Foundations Four—their goals, their struggles, the weeks when life got messy, the things they discovered about themselves, and what began to change by the end.

Because sometimes change isn't a dramatic transformation you can measure from the outside.

Sometimes it's learning to stay engaged when life doesn't go according to plan.
Sometimes it's recognizing what you can control and releasing what you can't.
Sometimes it's realizing, I deserve to be happy. I deserve to have a life that I want.

And sometimes four weeks doesn't give you all the answers, but it does give you enough space to begin asking better questions.

This is a conversation about Foundations Four, but it's also a conversation about something much bigger: what happens when we give ourselves permission to slow down, pay attention, and become more intentional about the lives we're living.

How could your life change in four weeks?

Listen to the people who lived it.
Real people. Real steps. Real change.

Read my companion blog at: 

https://www.totaltransformation.life/blog

Can six months change your life?

It's a question most of us want to answer with "yes." But we also wonder something else...

What does it actually take to make that answer true?

Six months ago, Amanda joined me on the Becoming Podcast just as she was beginning her journey. She had recently completed Foundations Four and was taking her first steps into creating lasting change. This week, she returns—not because she's reached a finish line, but because enough time has passed to look back and ask what really happens when someone keeps showing up.

This isn't a conversation about perfection.

It's not a before-and-after story.

It's an honest conversation about the middle—the part we often skip over. The part where habits are built, setbacks happen, confidence grows, and little by little, we begin to see ourselves differently.

Together, we explore what changed over the past six months—not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, and in the way Amanda now sees herself and her future.

If you've ever wondered whether lasting change is really possible...

This conversation is for you.

In this episode, we explore:

• Can six months really change your life?
• The difference between motivation and consistency
• Why showing up matters more than being perfect
• Building confidence one choice at a time
• How emotional wellness and physical wellness work together
• The power of keeping promises to yourself
• What happens when you stop quitting on yourself

Because sometimes the biggest transformation isn't becoming someone new. It's finally becoming the person you were capable of being all along.

Read my companion blog at: 

https://www.totaltransformation.life/blog

Every one of us has a story.

Some stories are filled with setbacks. Others are filled with triumphs. Most are a little bit of both. But every story has the power to remind us that we aren't walking this journey alone.

In this episode, I'm joined by Johnnie Flynn and Reuben Barkley of Body by Johnnie and R&J Fitness for a conversation that goes far beyond the gym. We talk about the role of community, the courage it takes to begin something new, and why lasting change is about so much more than motivation or willpower.

Together, we explore what happens when people feel welcomed instead of judged, why collaboration is more powerful than competition, and how every person's story has the potential to encourage someone else to keep going.

Whether you're just beginning your own journey or you've been walking it for years, I hope this conversation reminds you that your story matters.

And maybe...

someone else is waiting to hear it.

You can connect with Johnnie and Reuben at: 

Facebook: R&J Fitness: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578130778520

Facebook: BBJ Bootcamp & Fitness Center: https://www.facebook.com/BBJFitness2020

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rj33461

Email: [email protected]

Read my companion blog at: 

https://www.totaltransformation.life/blog