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What if midlife isn’t a crisis, but a wake-up call?
In this episode of Creating Sunshine, Sarah sits down with Andrea Mancuso, a licensed mental health counselor, midlife and leadership coach, author of The Space Between, and founder of Intentional Healing and Wellness.
Together, Sarah and Andrea have a powerful conversation about healing, midlife, shame, support, and what it really means to come home to yourself. Andrea shares why she believes midlife is not a crisis, but a homecoming, a season where women begin to question how they are spending their time, energy, and lives.
They also talk about the “messy middle,” that uncomfortable space between where you are and where you want to be. Andrea explains why uncertainty, fear, distraction, and doubt do not mean you are failing. They may actually be signs that you are finally going after something that matters.
This episode is for the woman who looks like she is holding it all together on the outside, but deep down knows something needs to change. If you have ever thought, “I should have this figured out by now,” this conversation will remind you that you are not broken, you are not behind, and you do not have to do life alone.
Sarah and Andrea also discuss the importance of mentorship, emotional support, intentional living, and why investing in yourself can change the way you show up in every area of your life.
Plus, Andrea shares practical mindset tools you can use right away, including the “driver’s seat” analogy and a powerful movie theater exercise to help you look honestly at the life you are currently living and decide what you want to rewrite.
In this episode, we talk about:
Connect with Andrea:
Giveaway:
To enter this month’s giveaway, share this episode to your Instagram stories and tag both Sarah and Andrea. One listener will win a copy of Andrea’s book, The Space Between.
Thank you for listening to Creating Sunshine! Your support means the world to me, and I'm so grateful you're part of this community.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help other listeners discover Creating Sunshine and find the encouragement they need on their own journeys.
Don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss an episode- there's so much more sunshine to create together!
Let's stay connected:
Remember, even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to create a little sunshine. Until next time, keep shining bright!
Money can feel heavy, emotional, and honestly… kind of shame-filled when we’ve made financial choices we wish we could go back and change. But what if your past money mistakes didn’t have to define your future?
In this episode of Creating Sunshine, Sarah sits down with Melissa Mittelstaedt, financial consultant and creator of the Money in Motion container, for an honest conversation about money mindset, debt, financial shame, and learning how to build a healthier relationship with money.
Melissa shares the four eras of her own money journey, from growing up in a home where money wasn’t talked about, to taking on student loans and credit card debt without fully understanding what she was signing up for, to becoming debt-free and realizing that the numbers alone were not enough. Her story is a powerful reminder that getting out of debt is not the finish line. Healing your relationship with money also requires mindset work, forgiveness, and learning how to approach your finances from a place of clarity instead of shame.
Sarah and Melissa also talk about the language we use around money, especially with our children, and how phrases like “we can’t afford it” can unintentionally pass down scarcity mindset. Sarah shares how she has shifted those conversations with her daughters by focusing on values, needs, intentional spending, and financial honesty.
If you have ever felt embarrassed by your debt, overwhelmed by your bank account, frustrated by budgeting, or stuck in a cycle of trying to “do better” with money, this episode will help you feel less alone and give you practical steps to start moving forward.
Melissa also shares three practical steps for beginning to forgive financial mistakes:
This conversation is for anyone who is ready to stop carrying shame around money and start creating a healthier, more grounded relationship with their finances.
Connect with Melissa:
Books Mentioned:
Thank you for listening to Creating Sunshine! Your support means the world to me, and I'm so grateful you're part of this community.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help other listeners discover Creating Sunshine and find the encouragement they need on their own journeys.
Don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss an episode- there's so much more sunshine to create together!
Let's stay connected:
Remember, even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to create a little sunshine. Until next time, keep shining bright!
There is no such thing as overnight success. What looks like a sudden breakthrough is almost always years of quiet building, and in this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on twenty five years of mine.
This week, everything came full circle. Our best women's event of the year. Unexpected opportunities landing in my inbox instead of me chasing them. And one five-word message that stopped me in my tracks: "I heard you're the merch girl." Because the business behind those words was born from one of the most painful losses of my life, and it just became a doorway to serve people I never imagined reaching.
In this episode, I'm sharing the real story behind the highlight reel: the seasons that felt scattered and pointless, the fear that used to hijack every wave of momentum, and the mindset shift that finally let me trust myself, slow down, and follow my own intuition instead of chasing someone else's definition of success.
If you feel behind, scattered, or like you were supposed to pick one thing by now, this conversation is for you. You are not behind. You are building.
In this episode, we talk about:
Ready to start your own shift?
The Sunshine Start, my 5-day mindset challenge, kicks off August 10th. We run it together on WhatsApp with a live kickoff call, daily practices, and a community of women doing the work alongside you. You don't need to have it figured out. You just need to be open.
Join the Challenge
Thank you for listening to Creating Sunshine! Your support means the world to me, and I'm so grateful you're part of this community.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help other listeners discover Creating Sunshine and find the encouragement they need on their own journeys.
Don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss an episode- there's so much more sunshine to create together!
Let's stay connected:
Remember, even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to create a little sunshine. Until next time, keep shining bright!
Dating in your 40s, after divorce, after heartbreak, or after years of putting yourself last can feel confusing, overwhelming, and honestly exhausting. Between dating apps, mixed signals, text message decoding, social media advice, and the fear of wasting more time, it can be hard to know where to even begin.
In this episode of Creating Sunshine, Sarah sits down with Morgan Barkus, a confidence coach based in Chicago with a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, to talk about dating, confidence, attachment styles, situationships, and what it really means to choose someone who actually shows up.
Morgan shares why she does not consider herself a dating coach. Instead of focusing on how to decode texts, perfect your dating profile, or play games to keep someone interested, Morgan helps women come back to themselves. Her work centers on confidence, clarity, self-worth, and helping women understand what they truly want so they can stop settling for breadcrumbs and start choosing relationships that feel aligned, safe, and consistent.
Sarah and Morgan talk about what dating can look like when you are no longer available for low-effort connections, why situationships often stem from low self-worth, and how to stop dating someone’s potential instead of their actual behavior. They also dive into anxious attachment, secure attachment, and practical tools for calming the spiral when dating starts to activate old fears.
This conversation is honest, validating, funny, and full of truth for any woman who is ready to stop chasing, stop overthinking, and start trusting herself again.
About Morgan Barkus
Morgan Barkus is a confidence coach based in Chicago with a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. After exploring therapy, fitness, medical device sales, and entrepreneurship, Morgan officially launched her coaching business in November 2024.
Her coaching helps women build confidence in the areas where they feel stuck, whether that’s dating, body image, career, relationships, or leaving behind patterns that no longer serve them. Morgan’s approach is direct, deeply human, and rooted in helping women reconnect with who they are and what they want.
Morgan also hosts the Confidence Club, a free weekly online community for women who want to build confidence, connect with others, and receive support in a welcoming space.
Connect with Morgan
Website: MorganBarkus.com
Instagram: @MorganBarkus
Confidence Club: Visit MorganBarkus.com and click Confidence Club
Thank you for listening to Creating Sunshine! Your support means the world to me, and I'm so grateful you're part of this community.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help other listeners discover Creating Sunshine and find the encouragement they need on their own journeys.
Don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss an episode- there's so much more sunshine to create together!
Let's stay connected:
Remember, even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to create a little sunshine. Until next time, keep shining bright!
What if building a successful business didn’t have to mean copying someone else’s strategy, burning yourself out, or waiting until life feels perfectly calm?
In this episode of Creating Sunshine, Sarah sits down with Naomi Rothstein, fitness professional, business mentor, and founder of Fit Biz Mastermind, for an honest conversation about entrepreneurship, motherhood, mentorship, and creating a business model that actually fits your life.
Naomi shares how her journey began in the fitness industry, from falling in love with the gym in high school to becoming a personal trainer, building her blog One Fit Foodie, leaving Equinox to go independent, and eventually pivoting into mentoring fitness and health coaches online. She opens up about the early struggles of trying to build an online business alone, the moment she invested in mentorship, and how support helped her go from struggling to sell a $60 workout program to selling out a $1,200 online course.
Sarah and Naomi also talk about the real-life balance of motherhood and business. Naomi shares how becoming a mom forced her to become more intentional with her time, why she closes her laptop at 4:30 PM, and how she protects her energy during busy seasons. Together, they explore the pressure many women feel to build, parent, show up online, stay consistent, and somehow do it all without burning out.
This conversation is full of practical takeaways for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women who feel a dream on their heart but are overwhelmed by where to start. Naomi breaks down simple first steps, including setting one focused 30-day goal, choosing one six-month vision, stopping the endless cycle of information consumption, and finding one person to learn from instead of trying to piece everything together alone.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re too busy, too behind, too overwhelmed, or not “ready enough” to start building the thing you feel called to create, this episode will remind you that you don’t need someone else’s blueprint. You need clarity, support, intentional action, and permission to build a business that fits your life.
In this episode, we talk about:
Connect with Naomi
Follow Naomi on Instagram: @iamnaomirothstein
Learn more about the Fit Biz Mastermind: Fit Biz Mastermind
Thank you for listening to Creating Sunshine! Your support means the world to me, and I'm so grateful you're part of this community.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help other listeners discover Creating Sunshine and find the encouragement they need on their own journeys.
Don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss an episode- there's so much more sunshine to create together!
Let's stay connected:
Remember, even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to create a little sunshine. Until next time, keep shining bright!
In this solo episode of the Creating Sunshine Podcast, Sarah shares why she’s adding Monday-motivation solo episodes alongside guest interviews—and why nervous system regulation is the “tangible” result that changes everything. You’ll hear reflections from a recent family trip that highlighted what it looks like to live with less chaos and more presence, plus an invitation to an intimate in-person community event in San Clemente, CA on August 2 (2–5 PM).
In this episode:
The Sunshine Reset:
I’m hosting a quarterly in-person gathering with Rae from @positiveliferituals —connection, creative practice, and a floating sound bath.
Thank you for listening to Creating Sunshine! Your support means the world to me, and I'm so grateful you're part of this community.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help other listeners discover Creating Sunshine and find the encouragement they need on their own journeys.
Don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss an episode- there's so much more sunshine to create together!
Let's stay connected:
Remember, even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to create a little sunshine. Until next time, keep shining bright!
In this episode of Creating Sunshine, Sarah sits down with psychic medium and spiritual mentor Holly Hart (Heartfelt Healings) for a grounded conversation about grief, signs from loved ones in spirit, and how to feel more receptive without overthinking every moment. Holly shares practical guidance for recognizing subtle signs, why “demanding” a specific sign can block connection, and how to trust what you’re receiving.
In this episode, you’ll learn
About today’s guest: Holly Hart
Holly Hart is a psychic medium, educator, and mentor who has been connecting with spirit since the age of 13. After 11 years as a teacher, she followed her calling into professional mediumship and has been working with clients for years helping people find healing, validation, and connection through spirit communication.
Topics we cover
Connect with Holly:
Thank you for listening to Creating Sunshine! Your support means the world to me, and I'm so grateful you're part of this community.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help other listeners discover Creating Sunshine and find the encouragement they need on their own journeys.
Don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss an episode- there's so much more sunshine to create together!
Let's stay connected:
Remember, even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to create a little sunshine. Until next time, keep shining bright!
What if the life you’re living right now is already your worst-case scenario — and the best thing you can do is choose yourself anyway?
In this episode of Creating Sunshine, Sarah sits down with Noelle Kustas, founder of Rise to Shine Co., to talk about what it really looks like to leave a long, “safe” career, rebuild without a perfect plan, and find the kind of community that changes everything.
Noelle shares her story of teaching for 25 years in California, reaching a breaking point during the pandemic, and taking a leap of faith toward a new chapter built on freedom, coaching, and connection. Sarah also opens up about how 2020, burnout, and a cancer diagnosis reshaped what mattered most — and why waiting until retirement to start living isn’t the move.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, lonely, or like it’s “too late” to pivot, this conversation will remind you that your skills are transferable, your next chapter is possible, and you don’t have to do it alone.
What you'll hear in this episode:
Key Takeaways:
This episode is for you if you:
Connect with Noelle (Rise to Shine Co.)
Thank you for listening to Creating Sunshine! Your support means the world to me, and I'm so grateful you're part of this community.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help other listeners discover Creating Sunshine and find the encouragement they need on their own journeys.
Don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss an episode- there's so much more sunshine to create together!
Let's stay connected:
Remember, even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to create a little sunshine. Until next time, keep shining bright!
In this episode of the Creating Sunshine Podcast, Sarah sits down with Meg McDaniel, NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Precision Nutrition L2 Master Coach, for a powerful conversation about strength training for women, navigating grief, and learning what self-love actually looks like in real life.
Meg shares how they found weightlifting during one of the hardest seasons of their life, newly sober and grieving the loss of their mom, and how lifting became more than a workout. It became a path back to confidence, consistency, and a healthier relationship with their body.
You’ll also hear a grounded, non-preachy approach to plant-based nutrition, why “lifting makes women bulky” is one of the biggest myths out there, and the health benefits of strength training that matter most as we get older, including bone density, longevity, and feeling strong in your everyday life.
If you’ve been stuck in all-or-nothing thinking, struggling with body image, or you’re ready to stop waiting for motivation and start taking care of yourself again, this episode will meet you right where you are.
In this episode we cover:
About Meg:
Meg McDaniel is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Precision Nutrition L2 Master Coach and the founder of Electric Lettuce Coaching. Meg is on a mission to help women become their strongest selves inside and out through lifting weights, eating more plants, and a whole lot of self-love. After years of body dysmorphia, disordered eating, and alcohol abuse, Meg found strength training during grief and sobriety, and now helps others choose being strong over chasing a number on the scale.
Thank you for listening to Creating Sunshine! Your support means the world to me, and I'm so grateful you're part of this community.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help other listeners discover Creating Sunshine and find the encouragement they need on their own journeys.
Don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss an episode- there's so much more sunshine to create together!
Let's stay connected:
Remember, even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to create a little sunshine. Until next time, keep shining bright!
In this episode of Creating Sunshine, Sarah sits down with Kaytlyn Gilner, host of the Not So Dumb Blonde podcast, to talk about what trauma really looks like in everyday life and how it impacts anxiety, relationships, and self-trust. Kaytlyn shares practical tools (including DBT skills) to help you step out of people-pleasing, stop self-gaslighting, and learn the difference between anxiety vs intuition and red flags vs fear.
In this episode, we talk about:
Connect with Kaytlyn
Thank you for listening to Creating Sunshine! Your support means the world to me, and I'm so grateful you're part of this community.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love it if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Your reviews help other listeners discover Creating Sunshine and find the encouragement they need on their own journeys.
Don't forget to hit that follow button so you never miss an episode- there's so much more sunshine to create together!
Let's stay connected:
Remember, even in the darkest moments, there's always a way to create a little sunshine. Until next time, keep shining bright!
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