Energy Works

Our energy doesn’t just dip as we age, it gradually depletes. That lingering fatigue, low back tension, brittle bones, or quiet undercurrent of fear might not be random symptoms. In this solo episode, Blaine gets personal about the Water Element in Traditional Chinese Medicine and why it plays a central role in how we age. This isn’t a lecture on drinking more water (though that’s part of it). It’s an invitation to consider how your body's shifts might be connected to something deeper, and what it means to tend to the source instead of chasing the symptoms.

Listen in if you’ve ever wondered
- Why am I so tired even when I rest?

- What does TCM have to do with aging?

- Is there a connection between bladder issues and burnout?

- What the heck is Jing, and do I need more of it?



In this episode
Blaine shares three metaphors that reframe aging through the Water Element.

She breaks down how kidney and bladder energy affect your bones, brain, and emotional steadiness.

You’ll get practical ideas for food, movement, and daily choices that don’t drain your well.



Let this one be the gentle nudge to stop pushing so hard and start listening a little closer. To your body, your energy, and yes, even your bladder.

🔗 Press play to explore how Traditional Chinese Medicine reframes aging not as a decline—but as an opportunity for deeper alignment and care.
 

✨ Like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who’s looking for a softer, wiser way to age.

You know your body has a rhythm, but are you actually living in sync with it?


In this solo episode, Blaine introduces the 24-hour Qi cycle from Traditional Chinese Medicine, a time-tested system that maps out how your body’s energy moves throughout the day. This ancient framework overlaps with what we now understand through circadian biology and may explain a lot about your energy highs, afternoon crashes, and restless nights.


Blaine walks through each two-hour window in the cycle, showing how your organs take turns leading the show, and what you can do to support their natural flow. From digestive ease in the early morning to deep repair during the overnight hours, this episode invites you to look at your day in a new light.Whether you’re trying to sleep better, improve your focus, or simply feel more at ease in your body, aligning with this daily rhythm can be a powerful place to start.

What she covers:

The 12-organ meridian cycle
Each organ system peaks during a specific two-hour window. Blaine breaks down how energy moves from organ to organ over 24 hours, and why it matters for things like digestion, sleep, and emotional balance.

The three-part rhythm of your day
Blaine introduces a way to break up your day and understand how your energy is naturally designed to rise, settle, and restore throughout the day.

Why your bedtime has a bigger impact than you think
Late nights can throw off more than your sleep, they disrupt your body’s repair time and may leave you feeling off in ways you haven’t connected back to rest.

A root-cause view of the body
Traditional Chinese Medicine reminds us that symptoms don’t always point to the source. You’ll hear how energetic imbalances in one organ may show up somewhere else entirely.


Blaine’s message:

You don’t need to overhaul your schedule—you just need to tune in. When you understand the natural flow of your energy, you stop working against yourself and start feeling more supported by your own body.


🔗 Press play to learn how your internal clock may be guiding more than you realize—and how small adjustments in timing can have a big impact.

✨ Like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who’s craving more alignment and ease.

What if happiness and connection aren’t just personality traits or good luck, but actual skills you can build, like biceps or baking bread? In this episode, Lauren talks with bestselling author and researcher Dawson Church about the neuroscience of what he calls “spiritual intelligence.”

They get into the nuts and bolts of how consistent practices like meditation and compassion-based training can physically change your brain, and why that matters for your everyday joy, focus, and ability to not lose it in traffic.

Whether you're deep into meditation or just trying to sit still for five minutes, there’s something here that’ll land.

You’ll hear about:
How meditation rewires your brain in as little as 30 days

Why compassion speeds up brain growth (and might make you nicer to your barista)

What the “Enlightenment Network” is and why it matters for your health

The science behind joy and resilience—not as fluffy ideas, but as actual brain shifts

Why Dawson believes we’re becoming more compassionate as a society (even if it doesn’t look like it on the news)




Key Takeaway:

Spiritual intelligence isn’t something reserved for monks or mystics. It’s something you can build. With the right tools and some consistency, you can train your brain to be happier, more grounded, and more connected. No chanting required.
You can purchase Spiritual Intelligence here:  https://spiritualintelligencebook.com/?orid=559172&opid=179

✨ Tune in to learn how small daily practices can build a bridge between your brain, your heart, and the world you want to live in.


🌱 Like, subscribe, and share your reflections on awakening your spiritual intelligence.

You don’t need another expert telling you to “get off your phone” or “try magnesium.” You probably already know what helps with sleep. The harder part? Actually doing it—consistently, night after night.
In this solo episode, Blaine lays it out straight: better sleep isn’t about chasing the next trick—it’s about showing up for the simple things that work. She connects the dots between light exposure, bedtime routines, old wisdom, and modern behavioral tools that (surprise!) all say the same thing: your body wants rhythm, not randomness.

This episode is equal parts practical, grounded, and honest. If your sleep is off and you’re ready to stop treating it like a side project, press play.

What she covers:


Why light is your body’s favorite sleep medicine

Not a supplement. Not a sleep spray. Natural light—especially in the morning and evening—can re-sync your internal clock more powerfully than most people realize. Blaine explains how to work with it, not against it.
The little habits that quietly sabotage rest

From screen time to late dinners, these might seem harmless, but they add up. This part isn’t about shame—it’s about noticing what’s actually making it harder to wind down (and what’s not worth stressing over).

A behavioral approach that skips the fluff

 CBT-I is one of the most researched methods for sleep. Blaine gives a down-to-earth overview of how it works and why it might be worth looking into if your nights are consistently rough.

What waking up at 2 a.m. might be telling you

Traditional systems like Chinese medicine have long understood the body’s nighttime patterns. Learn why those specific hours might not be random—and what you can do with that information.

Blaine’s Core Message:

If you want better sleep, you have to commit to change. Routine, consistency, and respect for your body’s rhythms—not quick fixes—are what lead to lasting rest and healing.

🔗 Listen now and discover the deeper causes of your sleep struggles—because you deserve real rest.

✨ Like, subscribe, and share how this episode changed your perspective on healing and sleep.

In this episode, Blaine and Lauren return to a central theme in both Energy Medicine and Five Element Theory: how we ground ourselves during times of transition. Whether you're moving through seasonal shifts, emotional changes, or simply trying to stay steady amid everyday stress, this conversation centers the Earth element not as a passing phase, but as the anchor that’s always present.

Drawing from Chinese medicine, breath practices, and personal experience, they explore what it means to care for your own center when everything else feels in motion. You’ll hear practical ways to reconnect with yourself, through food, breath, and a shift in perspective, along with a gentle reminder: the Earth element isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you can return to, again and again.

Listen to learn:
A reframe of the Earth element as the constant in Five Element Theory

What transitions do to the nervous system—and how to support yourself

Everyday grounding practices you can do anywhere

A breath technique to reconnect with your body

What “sweet” means in Chinese dietary therapy—and how to work with it

The role of self-love in staying centered

Takeaway:

You don’t need the “right” season to find your footing. The Earth element is always available - and grounding isn’t a luxury. It’s a way back to yourself.
✨ Tune in to explore a new lens on Earth element energy, and the power of feeling your feet beneath you.


🌱 Like, subscribe, and share your reflections on staying steady in the swirl of change.

Lauren and Blaine are back with a follow-up to an episode that stirred up a lot. This time, they’re sitting with the phrase “I want to”—and why it can be surprisingly hard to say out loud.

For Lauren, that phrase didn’t feel empowering at first. It felt loaded. Like stepping on a landmine of guilt, old stories, and a nervous system trained to downplay desire. In this conversation, she shares what came up, what softened, and how staying with the discomfort opened a new door.

Together, Lauren and Blaine unpack the difference between performative motivation (“I get to!”) and the kind that actually sticks. They also walk through a grounding energy practice to help you reconnect with your center when want feels like a risk.

This one’s honest, personal, and practical—in that way healing tends to be: a little messy, a little awkward, and a whole lot of worth it.


In This Episode:

The emotional charge behind “I want to”—and where it comes from.

How trauma can mess with your relationship to desire.

A simple energy technique to settle your system when you feel unworthy or untethered.

Why real behavior change starts with telling the truth—to yourself.

Takeaway:

Wants aren’t indulgent. They’re information. Naming them isn’t self-centered—it’s self-honoring.
The Energy Works episode from the past that Lauren and Blaine refer to in this episode is called “The ‘Should’ Trap: How to Build Habits You Actually Want”
🔗 Listen now and explore the power of wanting—because you deserve to want what you want.

✨ Like, subscribe, and share your own reflections on desire and motivation.

In this episode of Cool People Big Ideas, Lauren sits down with Dan Millman, best-selling author of Way of the Peaceful Warrior, The Journeys of Socrates, and Peaceful Heart, Warrior Spirit. They cover everything from the trap of revenge to spotting misinformation and why a four-minute daily practice might be all you need to stay grounded. Dan shares stories from his years of training with spiritual teachers, lessons he learned the hard way, and how to move through life with both strength and peace.


What You’ll Learn About:


Why stories matter – How fiction and parables teach us more than facts ever could.

Breaking the revenge cycle – The lessons hidden in The Journeys of Socrates.

Truth vs. misinformation – How belief systems shape our world (and not always for the better).

What wisdom actually looks like – Dan’s 20-year search for answers.

Finding calm in chaos – Practical ways to build resilience, even when life feels like a mess.

A practice that lasts a lifetime – Why Dan’s four-minute daily movement routine has stuck with him for over 50 years.



Takeaway:

✨ Life is both a training ground and a classroom. Through his books and teachings, Dan Millman reminds us that true wisdom is not just about seeking knowledge but living it—embracing daily challenges with both peace and strength.

🔗 Tune in now to hear Dan Millman’s powerful insights on self-discovery, resilience, and the path of the peaceful warrior.


✨ Like, subscribe, and share how Way of the Peaceful Warrior has impacted you!



Episode Notes & Resources
Dan’s website: peacefulwarrior.com

Sign up for Dan’s newsletter for insights, quotes, and teachings.
Explore his Four-Minute Daily Practice, which he has done for 50 years.
Books mentioned:

Way of the Peaceful Warrior
The Journeys of Socrates
Peaceful Heart, Warrior Spirit
No Ordinary Moments
The Creative Compass (co-written with his daughter, Sierra)

Other references:

The spiritual search in the 1970s and 80s, featuring figures like Ram Dass.
The role of discernment in spiritual teachings—finding what truly resonates for you.

What if the flavors you crave aren’t random but clues from your body about what it needs?

In this solo episode of Energy Works, Blaine breaks down the five flavors in Food Energetics and explains how each one supports your body in specific, medicinal ways.

Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent… these aren’t just taste sensations. In Chinese Dietary Therapy, these flavors have energetic properties that influence digestion, energy, mood, and even emotional patterns.
Blaine shares practical examples of how to notice these patterns in your own cravings and meals, how to use the flavors of food more intentionally, and why this ancient approach to eating still makes so much sense in modern life (especially if your “what should I eat?” brain feels a little frazzled)..
What You'll Learn:
The Basics of Food Energetics: What it is, and why it matters.

The five flavors of food (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent) and their energetic properties

What each flavor does in the body

Simple ways to experiment with flavor for balance and well-being

Why eating this way is about support, not restriction

Takeaway:

Food isn’t just fuel. It’s energy, language, communication, and self-care.
When we understand the energetics of flavor and how it makes us feel, we can move from autopilot to awareness, use meals as medicine, and build a more nourishing relationship with ourselves and our bodies.


🔗 Listen now and begin your journey toward more intentional, balanced eating.

✨ Like, subscribe, and share your own experiences with food energetics!

The food on your plate does more than just keep you going—it influences your mood, energy, and overall well-being. In this solo episode of Energy Works, Blaine breaks down food energetics, showing how what you eat affects not just your body but also your emotions and mental clarity.

From warming and cooling foods to the subtle ways your diet shifts your energy levels, Blaine explains how to eat in a way that supports your body’s natural rhythm. If you’ve ever felt sluggish, overwhelmed, or out of sync, small shifts in what you eat could help you find more balance. Tune in for practical, easy-to-apply tips that make a real difference.
What You'll Learn:

Food as Energy: How different foods affect your mood, digestion, and vitality.Warming vs. Cooling Foods: Why some foods rev you up while others help you unwind.Eating for Your Body’s Needs: How to listen to your cravings and what they might be telling you.Balancing Yin and Yang in Nutrition: Ancient wisdom meets modern eating habits.Practical Tips for Energized Eating: Simple changes that can make a big difference.
Takeaway:

Food isn’t just fuel—it’s information. Learning to read what your body needs can help you feel clearer, more balanced, and energized every day.

🔗 Listen now and start eating in a way that supports your energy and well-being!

✨ Like, subscribe, and share your experiences with food energetics.

When does pushing through turn into pushing too hard? In this episode of Energy Works, Lauren and Blaine discuss the fine line between commitment and burnout. They also talk about the role of rest, the risks of overtraining, and the messages our bodies send when we’re not listening.


Lauren shares how ignoring her body’s signals led to an injury - and how looking at the emotional side of her pain helped her heal faster. Blaine, an experienced athlete and coach, breaks down how to balance movement and recovery, why rest days don’t always mean doing nothing, and how paying attention to your body can keep you moving for years to come.
What You'll Hear:

The Rest Day Myth – Why full recovery doesn’t always mean total stillness and how gentle movement can actually help.


Balancing Commitment and Intuition – When pushing through becomes a problem and how to recognize the warning signs.


Emotional Lessons in Injury – How Lauren connected her back pain to deeper emotional patterns.
 The Power of Yin – Why slowing down matters, especially as we age.
 Practical Tools – Quick body check-ins, breathwork, and small habits to stay in tune with what you need.


Takeaway:

Injury doesn’t usually come out of nowhere - it starts with whispers before it turns into a shout. The more you tune in, whether through movement, rest, or breath, the better you’ll feel in the long run.


🔗 Listen now and learn how to trust your body’s signals for better health and clarity.

 ✨ Like, subscribe, and share your experience with finding the right balance between movement and rest!