In this deeply human conversation, I sit down with author and computer science professor Cal Newport — the mind behind Deep Work, Digital Minimalism, and Slow Productivity — for a wide-ranging discussion on building a meaningful, focused, deeply fulfilling life in a world that constantly pulls us away from ourselves. Cal reveals his full origin story: the early spark of wanting his life to matter, losing his sport to a heart condition, the quiet years of writing obscure study books, and the improbable birth of Deep Work — a book that launched with little support, no bestseller status, and yet went on to sell over 2 million copies, change global conversations on focus, and revive all of his earlier books in its wake.

Together, he and I explore:

🔥 Deep Work, Slow Productivity & The Deep Life • The real story of how Deep Work was created • Why technology makes us faster in the small but slower in the big • His "physiological wiring" — why busyness literally makes him sick • The three pillars of Slow Productivity (take more time, reduce concurrency, protect attention) • Why modern knowledge work is burning everyone out — and the simple fixes • How companies measure the wrong things (activity ≠ productivity) • How brains actually work, and why switching contexts destroys output

🔥 Parenting, Technology & Raising Deep Thinkers • Why kids should not have smartphones (and the exact ages he recommends) • The Newport family's tech rules — simple, clear, sanity-saving • Why addictive iPad "learning apps" are not actually learning • The only types of video games he considers safe • How to help kids build real focus and resilience • The importance of reading as "calisthenics for the brain"

🔥 Education, Attention & The Future of Work • Why schools rely too heavily on screen-based tools • How chess develops the "life of the mind" • What AI is doing to our attention and creativity • Why long thinking is disappearing — and how to bring it back • The future of meaningful work and what must change Cal also speaks candidly about marriage, fatherhood, writing, academic life, and how he has shaped his entire schedule around his nervous system — modeling a life pace that honors depth over frenzy. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, overstimulated, or pulled in a thousand directions, this conversation will feel like a deep exhale.

https://calnewport.com

Today I sit down with the incredible Hal Elrod — author of the international bestseller The Miracle Morning and a living embodiment of the hero's journey. From losing his baby sister as a child, to being pronounced clinically dead after a wreck, told he might never walk again, walking through financial collapse, and then facing a rare, aggressive cancer with only a 30% chance of survival… Hal has turned every Dark Night of the Soul into deeper purpose, service, and love.

Hal shares the "5-Minute Rule" that helped him move through overwhelming adversity, how every painful emotion is amplified by resisting reality, and how accepting what we can't change frees us to change what we can. He breaks down the SAVERS of The Miracle Morning — Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing — and how a simple daily practice of personal development can transform your inner world, your relationships, your finances, and your sense of purpose, no matter where you're starting from.

You'll also hear a real, intimate look inside Hal's family life: how he supports his wife, Ursula, on her own heroine's/goddess journey, how he uses his morning practice to show up as the husband and father his family deserves (even when they don't do the Miracle Morning themselves!), and how he's learning to love without withdrawing when his impossible standards aren't met. We swap stories about parenting teens, big visions, impossible standards, ranch life, and what it really means to "elevate the consciousness of humanity" starting at home.

If you've ever wanted a fresh start, a deeper level of emotional freedom, or a more grounded way to rock your goddess life one morning at a time, this conversation is for you.

Learn more about Hal and The Miracle Morning at MiracleMorning.com and explore his new book, The Miracle Morning After 50, also at MiracleMorningAfter50.com

http://MiracleMorningMovie.com

In today's deeply inspiring episode, I sit down with Unique Hammond—holistic nutrition practitioner, Crohn's thriver, and author of Your Tastebuds Are A**holes—for a powerful conversation about healing the gut, balancing hormones, and reclaiming your vitality through food, consistency, and compassion.

Unique shares her remarkable journey from debilitating Crohn's disease to complete remission, and the evidence-backed Bean Protocol that transformed her physical and emotional health. Together, Alexandra and Unique explore how fiber, lean protein, mineral support, and nervous system regulation work together to support the gut, reduce inflammation, stabilize blood sugar, and create long-term resilience. You'll hear grounded wisdom and real-life tools for:

✨ Healing the gut and supporting the microbiome

✨ Using food as information—not punishment

✨ Navigating menopause with clarity and confidence

✨ Creating emotional safety + healthy boundaries

✨ Understanding genetics, methylation, and detox load

✨ Letting go of "quick fixes" and choosing sustainable habits

✨ Rebuilding trust with your body at any age or stage.

This conversation is equal parts science, soul, and practicality.

Whether you're navigating gut issues, hormone shifts, burnout, or simply wanting to feel better in your body, Unique's story and teachings remind us that healing is possible—and that small, consistent changes truly add up.

Watch the full episode on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts. And if this conversation speaks to you, feel free to share it with someone you love. 💛

https://www.youregreat.com

https://www.instagram.com/uniquehammond/

ttps://www.youtube.com/@beanprotocol

Founder of Masala Body Nagina Sethi Abdullah joins me to flip weight loss on its head—more protein, smart carbs, spices, sleep, strength.

No deprivation. Real results, especially for women 40+.

What if sustainable fat loss in midlife starts with adding - not restricting?

Metabolism coach Nagina Sethi Abdullah sits down with me to share her science-backed approach that helped her lose 40 lbs (and keep it off for 15+ years): stabilize blood sugar, lower inflammation, and build muscle—while eating foods you actually love. She breaks down her 4-Pillar Fat-Burning Food Framework ("Protein More," fiber-rich fruits/veggies, healthy carbs, and healthy fats), why under-eating and chronic low-carb can tank thyroid and cortisol, and how cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne can quietly boost results. They cover sleep as the #1 self-care lever for cravings, time-saving strength training (legs/back focus) to raise resting metabolism, and an abundance mindset that makes the plan stick.

Plus: how to enjoy treats (yes, strategically) without derailing progress. You'll learn: how to hit ~30g protein at breakfast, pair carbs for steady energy, use spices to support metabolism, design 3 meals + a snack that kill cravings, and lift smarter (not longer) for lasting body recomposition.

Nagina shares her "Sweet Spice Cheat Sheet" with the spice that is in your kitchen cabinet! It helps to lower blood sugar and curb sugar cravings.

The cheat sheet includes: 3 health benefits of using this spice 5 ways to use it in your day. An easy recipe using this spice:

https://masalabody.com/SweetSpicePDF/

www.MasalaBody.com

instagram.com/masalabody

https://www.youtube.com/@NaginaAb

Sweet Spice Cheat Sheet:

https://masalabody.com/sweetspicepdf/

Founder & CEO of Spartan Race and NYT bestselling author Joe De Sena joins me to break down real grit—why comfort kills growth, why business is "chewing glass," and how to choose the hard thing every day. What if toughness isn't a personality—it's a daily practice? Spartan Race founder Joe De Sena sits down with me for a raw, energizing conversation on resilience, leadership, parenting for character, and the freedom that lives outside your comfort zone.

Joe unpacks his "Fire–Ready–Aim" philosophy (learn faster, fail smarter), why environment is greater than talent, and how to manufacture adversity for ourselves and our kids (yes, including the coach who broke Phelps' goggles on purpose).

They cover business reality ("some days it's chewing glass"), the invisible load of motherhood, Queens-in-the-80s work ethic, viral ideas (start with one customer), and transformation through sunlight, weather, community, and struggle—the "lions out of the zoo" effect.

Plus: a Veterans Day Badwater story in the making and Joe's take on inspiring people to pick up the broom and lead. You'll learn: how to rewire your brain toward hard things, create accountability circles, design safe adversity for kids, and ship before you feel ready. 🔥

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit RockYourGoddessLife.com for more inspiration and free resources.

What really makes us happy — and can we actually train ourselves to become happier?

In this deeply inspiring conversation, I sit down with Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, one of the world's leading researchers on the science of happiness, to explore the habits, mindset shifts, and daily practices that help us flourish.

Dr. Lyubomirsky shares how her own search for happiness led to decades of groundbreaking research — from gratitude and kindness experiments to uncovering how genetics, environment, and intention interact to shape our emotional well-being. Together, they unpack what science reveals about joy, resilience, and why happiness is a skill we can all learn.

✨ Tune in to discover simple, evidence-based ways to raise your own happiness set-point — and to remember that the path to joy is one we create, moment by moment.

Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit RockYourGoddessLife.com for more inspiration and free resources.

This is a video on how to open and soften your heart (with guided meditation included). Hope you enjoy!