The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast

Have you ever had someone choose to step away from a relationship with you? In this heartfelt episode of The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast, Candace shares an unexpected conversation that began with a simple question about her sister's garden and unfolded into a meaningful discussion about family, boundaries, and personal growth. When Candace's son asked why someone might not want a relationship with a...

In this episode of The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast , Candace shares a moment from a publishing conference, speaker from Penguin said it looked like he was wearing shoulder pads throughout the 80s, but really his shoulders were simply stuck up by his ears from stress. The comment sparked a deeper reflection about the ways we carry tension in our bodies—not just from our busy lives, but perhaps from o...

In this episode of The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast, Candace shares a memorable conversation from a recent publishing conference that sparked a powerful reflection on advice, wisdom, and self-trust. When someone tells us what not to do, they're often sharing lessons learned through trial, error, heartache, and hard-earned experience. There can be tremendous value in listening to those stories and con...

After returning from the Vancouver International Publishing Conference, Candace finds herself riding the beautiful wave that follows a truly inspiring experience. But alongside the excitement comes something equally important: rest. In this episode of The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast, she shares why giving ourselves space to recharge, reflect, and integrate life's magical moments can be just as valua...

In this heartfelt episode of The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast, Candace shares a beautiful conversation with her friend Magda about creating a life and home that feels intentional, soulful, and truly your own. Magda has been lovingly beautifying her forest home — bespokeing every detail, handcrafting spaces with care, personality, and warmth. From the outside, everything looked peaceful and stunning....

This episode was inspired by a teenage boy Candace keeps seeing on her drive to work — running full speed down the street trying to catch the bus before it turns the corner. Every time she sees him, she wonders the same thing: what if he simply left the house one or two minutes earlier? That tiny adjustment could completely change the energy of his morning. No panic. No sprinting. No racing agains...

What if not knowing was actually part of the magic? In this episode of The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast , Candace shares her experience of entering the unfamiliar world of ball hockey after signing up her son. Instead of feeling embarrassed about not knowing the “rules” of the arenas, routines, or small-town stops along the way, she discovered something surprising: being new at something can wake us...

In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, Candace Dunaway dives into the powerful concept of becoming “bespoke.” Inspired by rediscovering the meaning of the word, she reflects on how often people shape themselves to fit expectations, trends, or the comfort of blending in—living lives that are more “off the rack” than soul-aligned. Candace gently challenges this pattern, reminding listeners...

In this reflective and soul-soothing episode, Candace explores the powerful metaphor of “treading water” and how it applies to our everyday lives. Inspired by a story of an endurance swimmer who paused to tread water during a 48-hour swim, she shares how these moments of stillness aren’t signs of weakness—but of wisdom. Candace invites listeners to reconsider the constant pressure to move forward,...

In this heartfelt episode of The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast , Candace explores what it truly means to show up as yourself—fully, honestly, and unapologetically. Inspired by a TV show where each family member expressed themselves freely (even when it created tension), this episode reflects on the contrast so many of us feel in our own lives. The pressure to keep things smooth. The habit of walking o...

This episode is a reminder I needed for myself. After listening to a conversation featuring Ivanka Trump on The Diary of a CEO , something really stayed with me—the idea that if you don’t know who you are, the world will tell you… and over time, you might start to believe it. And it made me pause. Because even with space, time, and all the tools I know support me—like journaling, slowing down, and...

There are moments in life that feel like little winks from the universe… quiet confirmations that you’re on the right path, even when you didn’t realize you needed reassurance. This episode was born from one of those moments. I brought a story I’ve been writing—something that’s lived in my heart for years—into my classroom. It wasn’t polished. It wasn’t illustrated. It wasn’t even finished. Just s...

While looking around her home at the plants she’s lovingly placed in carefully chosen pots, Candace has a realization—she doesn’t actually want them to grow. Because growth means change. It means needing a bigger container and more space. In this episode, she reflects on how this mirrors our own lives. So often, we place ourselves in comfortable containers—identities, routines, or environments tha...

Rejection can feel heavy, triggering, and deeply personal—but what if it’s actually guiding us somewhere meaningful? In this episode, Candace shares a recent experience of feeling rejected and the awareness that followed. Where she once would have felt emotionally overwhelmed and dysregulated, she instead noticed something new: space, steadiness, and the ability to observe without spiraling. This...

In this lighthearted yet meaningful episode, Candace explores the idea of “passing the remote” as a metaphor for life. After noticing how different each family member’s viewing habits are, she reflects on how easy it is to stay in our own comfort zones—watching the same types of shows, consuming the same kinds of stories, and living within our own familiar perspectives. But when we pass the remote...

In this episode of The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast , Candace reflects on a conversation she heard while listening to Hilary Duff on Jay Shetty’s podcast. Hilary spoke openly about how life can feel incredibly good in some areas while being very difficult in others—and how those realities can exist at the same time. That insight immediately resonated with Candace and reminded her of a past conversati...

In this episode of The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast , Candace reflects on a nostalgic reel her friend Miranda sent her that read: “Born in the 80s, raised in the 90s, partied in the 2000s… no camera phones, no regrets, no proof.” While the message might spark a laugh or a sense of freedom from a time before everything was documented, it also raises a deeper truth. Even if there were no cameras captur...

In this episode of The Spiritual Cupcake Podcast , Candace shares a simple but meaningful story about her friend Magda and a surprising discovery she made while transporting bricks in her tiny car. What started as a practical task quickly turned into a moment of joyful realization—Magda discovered that her little car had far more space and capability than she ever imagined. By simply folding the s...

Sometimes we imagine that happiness will arrive when everything finally looks perfect—when we’re in the right place, the weather is beautiful, and life unfolds exactly as planned. But the truth is, even in paradise, not every day is going to be sunny. In this heartfelt episode, Candace reflects on a text conversation with her dad while her parents were spending time in Hawaii. Despite being somewh...

When Andy Grammer put out a call asking fans to nominate someone who has made an impact in their life — someone deserving of a personalized song — Candace did something unexpected. She nominated herself. In this episode, Candace reflects on what it means to thank yourself. To forgive yourself. To let go of perfection. To move beyond surface-level self-love and into something steadier, truer, and m...

After spotting a mug on a friends Instagram story that read “Just Keep Swimming — XO Dory,” Candace found herself reflecting on how that simple line holds deeper meaning than we often realize. In seasons where clarity feels far away and everything feels heavy, overwhelming, or uncertain, maybe we’re not meant to have all the answers. Maybe we’re just meant to keep going. In this episode, Candace e...

We’re still in winter — even if part of us is itching to rush ahead. In this episode of The Spiritual Cupcake , Candace explores the quiet, in-between season where spring hasn’t arrived yet, but the urge to speed up is strong. Instead of pushing forward, she reflects on what it looks like to resist the rush and choose stillness — even when it feels uncomfortable. Through small, intentional practic...

Sometimes we hear someone speak with certainty — passionate, confident, convinced they’ve found the way. And often, their way does work beautifully… for them. In this episode, Candace shares a moment from a meeting that opened a quiet but powerful reflection. One person’s success was framed as a universal solution, and yet Candace knew — from her own lived experience — that doing things differentl...

In this episode, Candace reflects on a powerful moment from Jay Shetty’s podcast with climber Alex Honnold — a reminder that success is often just a brief moment at the end of years of repeated failure. As a climber, Alex shares that failing is constant. Projects can take five or six years of trying, falling short, adjusting, and returning — all for a few minutes of completion before moving on to...

What if one of the greatest ways we learn to understand each other… is through story? In this episode, Candace reflects on a moment from Open Book with Jenna Bush Hager, where author Emily Henry shares that the heart of fiction is learning to understand people who aren’t like you. That idea opens a doorway into a deeper conversation about empathy, perspective, and the quiet ways books can shape wh...