Chasing Happy

Today I’m sitting down with my friend Katie Seller — entrepreneur, badass jewelry designer, and single-mother-by-choice trailblazer. We get into everything : the decision to pursue motherhood solo, the expectations we internalize from society, the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatments, and the very real logistics of donor selection, IUI, IVF, and doing it all without a partner. Katie sha...

In this month’s diaries episode, I’m closing out season one of Chasing Happy with a really honest, really tender life update. I share why I’ve decided that 25 episodes and six months feels like a natural pause point, what’s coming up with my move to California, and how I’m thinking about coming back even better in season two. I also finally spill the “nausea-level nervous” news I teased on Faceboo...

In this episode, I’m chatting with my friend Christyne Gray , founder of She Profits Now . Christyne’s not your typical accountant — she helps business owners and creatives take control of their money in a way that actually supports their happiness and peace of mind. We talk about what financial wellness really looks like, how systems like Profit First and envelope-style banking can totally change...

In this solo, I get honest about my relationship with meditation — from a 10-day silent retreat to the seasons where I “don’t have time” and feel like I’m doing it wrong. I give a quick origin story (it’s older and broader than you think), what meditation is actually for (attention training, presence, emotional regulation), and then the fun part: all the non-traditional ways to get the same benefi...

This Halloween, I’m sitting down with my internet friend turned real-life kindred spirit, Candace Cravalho . We dive into the chaos and comedy of modern dating — including one story that still has me laughing (and cringing). Candace shares her journey from divorce to relocation, from starting over in business to finally finding a love that feels peaceful and real. We talk about what it means to st...

This is the first “personal diary” update I’ll be doing each month. I’m unpacking three threads: settling into Denver (and why I’m choosing seasonal expectations), navigating pregnancy loss while planning my next IUI with more care, and the CEO decision to invest back into my business by lowering my personal draw for a season. I share the simple checklist that’s actually helping (screens off by 8,...

This week I sit down with my friend Sam Chaknova , who I met during a Joshua Tree retreat, for one of the most honest, grounded conversations I’ve had on the podcast so far. We talk about the messy middle of self-work—how chasing healing can become its own addiction, what happens when we lose our sense of self, and the real-life lessons that come from silent meditation retreats, psychedelics, and...

You know that feeling when there are so many options that you end up doing... nothing? Yeah, same. In this episode, I’m talking about the paradox of choice — the idea that while having options gives us freedom, too many can actually make us anxious, indecisive, and straight-up unhappy. I share how this shows up for me (from ordering at Cheesecake Factory to deciding where in the world to live), an...

Kelly Franko has lived ten business lives—teacher → maker → boutique owner → broker—and she’s here to talk pivots, burnout, and building a business you can actually leave . We dig into the CEO mindset, what makes a boutique sellable, and how to design a company that supports your life (not the other way around). Resources mentioned Elite Collaborative — Kelly’s brokerage (free business evaluations...

In this episode of Chasing Happy, I share a season of depletion, why pushing through on empty doesn’t serve us, and the hard but powerful practice of letting go. From family visits and back-to-back travel to big decisions about moving and motherhood, I talk about what it means to surrender without feeling like you’ve failed. Resources Mentioned: None this week, just a lot of real talk and reflecti...

A raw, honest conversation with my friend Brittany Ashton about pregnancy loss—what it felt like in our bodies, how we processed it, and what moving forward looks like. We also get into love, partnership, trying again, and redefining happiness as gratitude, presence, and nervous-system-level peace. Resources Brittany on Instagram Brittany on TikTok Shopanova (where you can work on scaling your bou...

In this episode, I sit down with my friend and client Kinsey to talk about what it really means to be the CEO of not just your business—but your life. From burnout to boundaries to building freedom on your own terms, this conversation is packed with real talk and practical lessons. Resources: Kinsey on Instagram: @boutiquebestiesolutions Kinsey on TikTok: @boutiquebestiesolutions Boutique Bestie S...

In this solo episode, I dive into perfectionism, self-doubt, and the trap of trying to please everyone. I share a recent story about posting my new business launch in a mastermind group — and how the feedback I got on my photo choice revealed so much about whose opinions actually matter. If you’ve ever held yourself back out of fear of judgment or felt conflicted about what it means to be “profess...

Resources: Veronika Noble, LMFT → nobletherapist.com Instagram: @nobullmama Psychology Today Therapist Directory → psychologytoday.com Apps/Tools mentioned: BetterHelp, meditation apps, tapping apps, ChatGPT Books mentioned: Existential Kink by Carolyn Elliott Ever wondered what all those therapy letters mean—or how to know if you’re sitting across from the right person? In this candid conversatio...

What if the heaviest cages we live in aren’t made of steel, but of the stories we tell ourselves? In this episode, I explore how old narratives about struggle, hardship, money, or even what we believe we deserve can quietly keep us trapped, even when the door is wide open. I share how a recent pregnancy loss stirred up some of my own deeply rooted stories and how mindset shapes the weight we feel...

Resources: Follow Chrystal: Insta or Facebook Chrystals Course Info Embodied Baddie Podcast (look for my guest episode) About this episode: In this episode, I’m joined by my friend and embodiment coach Chrystal Rose for a deep, real-talk conversation about what happiness actually is—and why so many of us are stuck chasing it instead of feeling it. We explore nervous system regulation, embodiment,...

The last few weeks have knocked me down. In this quick, unfiltered check-in, I open up about my ectopic pregnancy and the emotional mess of trying to be kind to myself in the aftermath. If you’re navigating grief, burnout, or just feeling stuck, this one’s for you. Takeaways Angela shares her experience with pregnancy loss. She emphasizes the importance of self-kindness during tough times. Navigat...

In this episode of Chasing Happy, I’m joined by my friend Mary Lynn, who I met while walking the Camino de Santiago—a 500-mile pilgrimage across northern Spain that’s as much an inner journey as it is a physical one. We talk about what drew each of us to the Camino, the brutal days that nearly broke us, the surprising friendships we made along the way (including a guy carrying a cat the entire dis...

Everyone says they “just want to be happy,” but… what does that actually mean ? In this solo episode, I get personal—reflecting on my fertility journey (spoiler: I’m pregnant!), the pressure to be “ready,” and how my own definition of happiness has shifted. This isn’t about fireworks or the perfect body or everything finally falling into place. It’s about presence. Self-trust. And maybe, finally,...

In this first-ever guest episode, I sit down with my magical, multi-passionate friend Calliope to dive into the topics we always spiral into: intuition, creativity, shadow work, and the idea that life is a damn matrix. We talk about what it actually means to listen to your intuition — how it speaks, how to hear it louder, and how fear often tries to hijack the wheel. We explore personal stories of...

What if the uncertainty, the in-between, the WTF even is this phase ... was the point all along? In this episode, I’m talking about the discomfort of not knowing — where you’re headed, what’s working, what’s next — and the real cost of always trying to get out of the waiting room instead of learning how to be in it. From fertility and business to moving and starting over (again), I’m sharing what’...

You say you want more—more success, more peace, more love, more money—but what happens when it actually starts to show up? In this episode, we dive into the concept of the upper limit problem and why we subconsciously sabotage ourselves when life gets too good. I share a personal story that wrecked me in the best way, and we explore what it really takes to expand your capacity for joy, instead of...

What if wanting more isn’t the problem—but the way we chase it is? In this episode, I explore the beauty and burnout of always reaching for “happy,” through stories of surviving rock bottom, walking the Camino de Santiago, sitting in silence at a 10-day Vipassana, and doing the deep work through psychedelics. This is chasing happy—in all its mess, meaning, and everything in between. Takeaways Chas...

What happens when you get everything you thought you wanted… and it still doesn’t feel like enough? In this episode, I unpack the darker side of the chase. From building the dream business to buying the dream home to traveling the world solo—on paper, I had it all. But behind the scenes, I was burned out, disconnected, and drowning in champagne and credit card bills. We’ll explore what happens whe...

What do hot dogs in mac & cheese, building a dream business, and silent meditation retreats have in common? They all live somewhere on Maslow’s hierarchy. In this episode, I’m breaking down this classic psychology concept—minus the textbook vibes—and exploring how it actually shows up in our real, messy lives and businesses. From survival mode to self-actualization (and all the funky middle zo...