With Love and Aloha - A Life Coaching Podcast

Happy Aloha Friday! 🌴 ✨ In today’s mini episode, I want to teach you a Hawaiian word, hoʻomanawanui — which carries a powerful meaning of cultivating deep patience, steady perseverance, and quiet inner strength. 🤍  We talk about how to pronounce it, and breakdown the meanings within the word: hoʻo (to cultivate), manawa (time, breath, the present moment), and nui (great, abundance).  And then a...

Today I’m honored to be joined by David Smith — a 15-year veteran police officer, former SWAT sniper, and now a dedicated wellness coach helping first responders take back their health, purpose, and emotional well-being🤍   In this episode, David opens up about the challenges of life on the front lines — the pressure, the trauma, the constant adrenaline — and shares his personal journey of how ste...

Gratitude is usually tied to the moments that went well 🤍 But in reality, all of our experiences shape who we’re becoming 🌿 The good, the hard, the unexpected, the in-between — each offers a lesson, a perspective shift, or a deeper understanding of ourselves.   In this episode, I share a more expansive view of gratitude - one that honors the full yin & yang of life. 💛   I also talk about a...

This week’s Aloha Friday mini-episode was inspired by both my recent trip to the Big Island 🤍 and the cups of coffee I made with Jamey’s coffee enhancer earlier this week ☕️🩵 It got me thinking about Hawaii coffee, and especially the stories behind our famous Kona coffee 🤍 In this episode, I share the meaning of the word “kona” in Hawaiian and a little history of how Kona coffee began here in...

This week I’m joined by the very intelligent Dr. Jamey Maniscalco, whom I met at a Wellness Summit earlier this year 🩵 Jamey is a neuroscientist, university professor, wellness coach, and founder of Manifest Wellness. 🌿   With a powerful background in psychology and neuroscience, he has a deep understanding of how the brain and body work together — and he blends scientific expertise with practic...

In this Aloha Friday educational episode, I’m sharing volcano safety tips and what to keep in mind when visiting Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.  I share tips on how to stay informed, what to pack and bring, and what to be aware of that is unique to the volcanic environment (Pele’s hair, volcanic gases, etc). It’s an environment where you need to be prepared for anything and everything - so I’m h...

This week’s episode centers around a theme that’s I believe is core to living with peace and fulfillment.  To enjoy the journey and all the moments along the way, not just the destination 🌿   This idea was inspired by my trip to Kīlauea, our active volcano on the Big Island. I arrived on November 1st, with the eruption window predicted for the 1st through the 10th… and it happened to erupt on the...

This week I’m on the Big Island to visit our amazing active volcano, Kilauea 🌋🩶   In this fun fact aloha Friday episode, I share about how to pronounce Kilauea, its meaning as well as some of its history and ties to the mythology of Pele, Hawaii’s volcanic goddess 🌋🩶   Tune in to learn more about our awe-inspiring volcano that is capturing hearts (and cameras!) with its mesmerizing eruptions...

Today I’m joined by a very good friend of mine, Maryann Ramirez - who shares stories and learnings from her personal health journey as a diabetic & her 20 years working at Disney (She just had her 20th anniversary!) 🐭 🏰✨   We talk about topics like happiness is a choice, putting yourself and health first, and the importance of community & finding your people 🤍   Maryann also shares les...

Happy Halloween! Or as said in Hawaiian: Hauʻoli Lā Heleuī 🎃 And for all the trick-or-treaters: Kiliki o Lapu (“Trick or treat!” 🍬) In this Aloha Friday mini episode, I share how to say these Halloween phrases in Hawaiian and explore the history of Halloween and Trick-or-Treating. From ancient Celtic traditions and honoring ancestors to how trick-or-treating, I talk about how the sweet tradition...

In this episode, we explore one of nature’s most calming gifts — lavender.   I share how I first began using it to help me sleep 🛌, and how it’s now woven into small rituals in my everyday life — from sipping blueberry lavender tea 🍵 to surrounding myself with its peaceful, soft color that helps bring me back to center 🧘🤍   We explore the science behind lavender’s calming and healing propertie...

In this episode, we’re celebrating the nēnē, Hawaii’s beloved state bird. 🪶🌺 We explore the meaning of its name, the history of how it came to the islands, and why it’s one of the rarest and most unique birds in the world. Once nearly extinct, the nēnē now stands as a beautiful symbol of resilience, gentleness, and harmony with the ʻāina. 🎧 Listen now on this aloha friday's episode of With Love...

October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month, and while I spent the official day privately honoring my little ones, I also wanted to share my story 💜  to bring more light, understanding, and compassion to this topic 🤍   This year, I experienced both a failed IVF transfer and a miscarriage (early losses of two baby boys). And I wanted to share to bring awareness of what it really feels...

In Hawaiian, ānuenue means “rainbow” — a symbol of harmony, transformation, and connection. In this episode, I share how to pronounce the word, the symbolism and meaning it holds in Hawaiian culture, the different types of rainbows and moonbows, and why geographically they’re so common across our islands. You’ll also hear a few fun facts from Hawaiian history — including how the rainbow became par...

Today I’m joined by my colleague at AWS, Dan Girard — an IT professional with over 30 years of experience and a deep passion for car racing. From working at iconic companies like AOL to becoming a seasoned security specialist at AWS and running his own business that merges his love for technology and motorsports, Dan’s story is one of true transformation 🏎️   Growing up, Dan had a rough go. He was...

In this episode, I teach how to pronounce it's famously long name, the origin name, fun facts and unique traits of the fish. From its vibrant colors to its quirky behaviors, the humu humu has captured hearts - not just for its fun-to-say name, but for its deep connection to Hawaiian culture and history 🌴💙   I also talk about it's history in becoming Hawaii’s official state fish, which has fun an...

Today I’m joined by Matt Ley for an enlightening conversation around fulfillment and the complex relationship between happiness and money 💰   Matt is a proud dad & husband, author of Manage Your Gaps, and co-founder of IPN Advisors, where he serves as a consultant and facilitator helping individuals and organizations through his signature framework, Fulfillment ROI.   In our conversation, we...

Today I’m honored to be joined by Joana Castro, a food therapy expert — who tuned in all the way from Portugal! 🇵🇹💫   Joana is passionate about the science behind food and healing 🌱- blending modern research, ancient wisdom from Traditional Chinese Medicine, and her own lived experience. She reached out to share her story of what led her to focus on food medicine, and I found it very inspiring (...

Episode 21: Life of a Maui Girl - Meaning of “Opalite” 💃✨ (Life of a Show Girl 🧡)   Today I was inspired to make a mini episode inspired by Taylor Swift’s new album, Life of a Showgirl. I gave it a listen last night and also caught an early screening of the theatrical release today, where she gave her own commentary before each song. 🎬✨   And one song that caught my eye, even just by name at...

Episode 20: 🌴 Aloha Friday 🌴 Words of Nature — Āina, Kai, Mauna, and Lani   In this Aloha Friday episode, we explore Hawaiian nature words that connect us to the land, ocean, mountains, and sky — and the deeper wisdom they hold. 🌿   I share four nature words — ʻāina, kai, mauna, and lani — along with related words that expand their meaning. These are all powerful and spiritual words, and these...

Episode 19: Sommer Bennett – Sound Healer & Sound Bath Facilitator 🧘🩵   Today I’m joined by the lovely Sommer Bennett, who I met on a trip to the Grand Cayman 🏝️🐠   Sommer is an experienced sound healer who facilitates sound baths as a form of meditation and therapy. Through her work, she helps people connect with the power of sound to calm the mind, restore balance, and support healing 🤍...

Welcome to my first Aloha Friday mini-episode! 🌺 Each Friday will be a fun special edition episode where I share something about the Hawaiian language or words, fun facts about the islands, and or cultural history to bring a little island spirit to your day. Today we’re exploring four beautiful Hawaiian words — aloha, kōkua, kuleana, and pono — all about kindness, respect, giving back to others,...

Today I’m joined by the inspiring Dr. Allysha Maragh-Bass, a wellness and leadership coach with a background as a behavioral scientist and professor.   Allysha reached out to share her story of losing 150 pounds — not once, but twice — and how that transformation led her to the coaching work she does today 🌟 She opens up about finding the “right way” to lose weight for her, what caused her to boo...

Episode 16: Disconnecting in a Connected World 🌍📱   In this episode, I share how to find a healthy balance with technology and social media in a world where we are very connected. 🌐   I talk about my personal journey in building a healthier relationship with these digital tools and what I’ve learned about setting boundaries, managing screen time, and staying focused on what truly matters. 🤍  W...

Today I’m excited to welcome my special guest, Bobby Ansari, who is a Spiritual Wellness professional I recently met at the Annual Wellness Summit in Austin. At the summit, she led a session on spiritual wellness that I found both fascinating and eye-opening, as it’s an area of health that often gets overlooked but can enhance every other aspect of our well-being.   In this episode, Bobby shares w...