Advertise on podcast: The Alli Worthington Show

Why You Feel Guilty When You're Having Fun (And how to fix it) Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org Have you ever had a free afternoon and spent it thinking about what you should be doing instead? You sit down with a book, but the laundry nags you from the next room. You're catching up with a friend over lunch, but your mind is already making tomorrow's to-do list. Many of us started treating fun like a reward we have to earn. Today, we're digging into why it's so hard to enjoy ourselves without feeling guilty. I'll share what the research says about downtime, a surprising study involving cat videos, a simple way to quiet that little voice reminding you about chores, and why not every hobby needs to become a business. Plus, I've got a challenge for you that might give you something fun to look forward to this week, because enjoying yourself is reason enough and no productivity required. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why thinking of leisure as a waste of time can actually make enjoyable activities less funHow to recognize your "laundry voice" and stop letting unfinished tasks steal your downtimeWhy having fun when someone you love is struggling doesn't make you selfishHow to rediscover what you enjoy now, even if your interests have changed over the yearsWhy you need to stop trying to monetize every hobby (yes, even your homemade bread!)The surprising reason scheduling fun too precisely can make it feel like another obligationOne simple thing you can do this week to practice enjoying your life without guilt Timestamps: (01:28) — Meet the "laundry voice" that makes you feel guilty for relaxing (03:04) — Why fun doesn't need to be productive to matter (04:45) — The question to ask when your laundry voice starts talking (05:14) — What Ecclesiastes teaches us about enjoying God's gifts (even with dishes in the sink) (05:58) — Why we say we don't have time for fun but somehow find time to doom-scroll (07:12) — How to enjoy yourself when someone you love is going through something hard (08:04) — Big output requires protecting your inputs (09:26) — You're allowed to change what fun looks like in this season of life (10:06) — Pottery classes, bad bowls, and rediscovering what makes you happy (12:42) — Why putting too much structure around fun can ruin it (13:37) — Your challenge: Choose one fun thing to do this week (15:04) — A simple prayer for enjoying the good things in life Links to great things we discussed: Alli’s Product Recommendation: Hu dark chocolateCatalyst MastermindYour Catalyst GuideFunction Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testingWise Woman Method on SubstackTake the Secret Superpower QuizJoin the Uplift CommunityFollow Alli on InstagramDon’t forget to watch Alli Worthington on YouTube! I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars. It means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org Have you ever caught yourself trying to manage someone else’s emotions, replaying a conversation on a loop, or holding back your thoughts because you're worried about how they'll be received? It happens so easily. Before we know it, we're letting other people's opinions shape decisions that were never theirs to make. My friend Mark Batterson is back on the podcast with his new book, Not My Circus, and we talk about the fear of man, what deserves our time and energy, and how to disagree with someone without taking on their anger. Mark shares practical wisdom on boundaries, discernment, and the courage to speak with both grace and truth, while letting go of responsibility for reactions that don't belong to us. And because it's us, we also wander into a few side conversations about naps, sleep, artificial intelligence, and red light therapy. There's a little something for everyone in this one! What You'll Learn in This Episode: How to figure out what is actually your circus and stop spending energy trying to manage what isn’tThe question Mark’s therapist asked that changed how much energy he gives criticismWhy fear of what other people think can keep you silent when it’s actually time to speakThe four principles of peacemaking that help you disagree without losing your convictions or your compassionWhy pre-decisions are one of the best ways to create healthy boundaries (especially if you’re a people pleaser)How Mark protects his time for his family, writing, and the work he’s actually called to do Timestamps: (01:15) — How Not My Circus became Mark’s next book (03:32) — Romans 12:2, Circus Maximus, and the fear of man (05:01) — How to know when something actually is your circus (06:36) — Practical ways to develop discernment in a noisy culture (08:38) — “How much energy do you want to invest in that?” (11:07) — The three-ring circus: blaming, shaming, and faming (12:51) — How to disagree without absorbing someone else’s anger or anxiety (13:30) — Biblical tolerance and the four principles of peacemaking (16:54) — The boundaries Mark uses to protect his time and energy (17:09) — Why people pleasers need to exercise their “no” muscle (19:40) — Grandkids, priorities, and getting the big rocks in first (20:44) — What writing this book taught Mark about the “sin of silence” (22:00) — Grace and truth: having hard conversations without losing compassion (24:11) — Fun questions: documentaries and the Ed Sullivan Show (25:12) — Brown noise, power naps, and Mark’s productivity reset (27:46) — Why Mark is reading everything he can about AI (30:01) — Writing for the next generation and why hard conversations matter now (34:30) — Mark’s favorite health products: sleep tracking and red light therapy (35:43) — Why Mark believes we need Not My Circus right now Links to great things we discussed: Not My CircusMark’s TV Recommendation: The Ed Sullivan ShowMark’s App Recommendation: Brown Noise Sound AppMark’s Book Recommendations: Co-Intelligence & 1984Mark’s Product Recommendations: Oura Ring & Lume BoxFunction HealthUplift AppJoin me on Substack: Wise Woman MethodAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars because your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org Years ago, I had a Pinterest board called Best Self Ideas. It was full of better prayer habits, a morning routine for someone with more energy than me, and about a thousand ways to organize a life I didn't actually have. I never clicked on most of those pins. Saving them still felt productive enough. That's the sneaky thing about procrastination. Sometimes gathering ideas feels so much like taking action that we trick ourselves into thinking we've already started. As we wrap up this momentum series, I want to leave you with one simple step to take this week using what you already know: pick one small move and do it today. No new system. No more research. Decide now when you'll return to it when life gets noisy, and your attention is pulled in many different directions. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why collecting advice feels like progress, and how to stop measuring yourself against a woman who uses every good idea she's ever heardHow to build confidence by tracking your wins with a simple journal of successWhat James 1:22 teaches about hearing God's voice and obeying the last thing He told youThe 2 minute rule for getting unstuck, and how to protect 20 minutes on a real calendarHow to find accountability with women who understand your calling Timestamps: (0:00) - My Pinterest board for the woman I was going to become (2:32) - The night I heard, "Why are you gathering ideas when I'm asking you to move?" (3:31) - The woman who uses every good idea does not exist (4:03) - The Gap and The Gain: measure how far you've come (4:45) - The journal of success I give every client (5:43) - James 1:22 and obeying the last thing God said (6:37) - Step 1: Protect 20 minutes on your calendar (7:34) - Step 2: Find your 2 minute start (8:53) - Step 3: Arrange support and accountability (9:42) - When friends look at your dream like you have a third eye (09:18) - Why I built Catalyst (10:30) - This week's recommendation: Your Catalyst Guide (11:35) - You already know enough to move Links to great things we discussed: Catalyst MastermindYour Catalyst GuideFunction Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testingWise Woman Method on SubstackTake the Secret Superpower QuizJoin the Uplift CommunityFollow Alli on InstagramAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars because your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org Money has a way of getting under our skin. When Crystal Paine surveyed nearly 4,000 women about money, every single one named some version of fear, whether she was struggling or thriving. If your relationship with money hasn't caught up with the life you've built, listen in to see why. Crystal, the original Money Saving Mom and one of my business coaching clients, joins me to talk about her new book, The 7 Habits of Financially Healthy Women. We talk about a $3 Starbucks gift card she still won't waste, the financial choices her younger self would never believe, and a question from one of our coaching sessions that changed how she thinks about the future. I also share one of the wildest things I do with money, so listen in to hear it all. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why money anxiety shows up for women at every income level, and where that fear startsThe first step when you've been avoiding the numbers (Crystal calls it turning on the light)How to build a spending plan by trimming one budget category 1 to 3 percent a monthThe time-is-money test Crystal uses to decide when hiring help is worth itThe 90-year-old question that reshapes how you spend, save, and giveHow budgeting for the fun stuff lets you enjoy it without guilt Timestamps: (00:00) Why Christian women get weird about money (and the Disney myth) (03:06) The 4,000-woman survey: every woman named fear (05:07) Why so many women won't look at the numbers (06:35) Money baggage from childhood and the Amazon cart dopamine hit (07:36) Alli's puppy sitter revelation (09:00) Time is money: Crystal's smartest spending (10:40) The hourly-wage test for saving money (hand soap vs. $5 tomatoes) (11:46) Where Crystal is still surprisingly frugal (14:38) Where to start: turn on the light (16:15) One small tweak a month (16:49) Step two: a spending plan (17:57) Alli's money confession (19:01) The drugstore game, all five levels (23:52) The 90-year-old question (25:56) What Crystal's younger self would find outrageous (30:11) Budget for it, then enjoy it freely (30:57) Fun questions: TV, music, and books (34:02) What's making Crystal happy (35:19) Where to find Crystal and the book Links to great things we discussed: The 7 Habits of Financially Healthy WomenCrystal’s TV Recommendation: The Mole & Million Dollar SecretCrystal’s Song Recommendation: You Cover MeCrystal’s Book Recommendation: Soul CareCrystal’s Product Recommendation: HU ChocolateFunction HealthUplift AppJoin me on Substack: Wise Woman MethodAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars because your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org You know this moment: you make a plan on a quiet Sunday, with a cup of tea, convinced this is your week? Then Wednesday hits, everyone needs something from you, and your goal slips to the bottom of the list. If you're great at showing up for everyone else but struggle to follow through for yourself, this episode is for you. I'll share why motivation can help but won't carry you far, how to choose one action small enough to finish, and the skill that keeps you moving forward when life throws everything off track: learning how to return. Because growth isn't about never falling behind. It's about coming back again and again. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why motivation feels amazing and still can't carry your goal across the finish lineHow to pick one goal and name a single action small enough to actually finish this weekThe difference between busywork that keeps you near the goal and the action that builds real momentumHow to build a plan that survives sick kids, aging parents, and the week going sidewaysThe skill of returning: what to do the day after everything falls apartHow to quiet the fear of "no" when your worth is already settledWhy asking one person to hold you accountable changes everything Timestamps: (00:00) - The January goal you still haven't touched (01:06) - Pick one goal you'll know moved by Friday (01:40) - Why we expect more from motivation than it can give (02:51) - You already have a plan. You're waiting for Monday to come back (03:14) - Ask your plan one question: what happens on a day I don't feel like it? (04:10) - Name one action you can actually finish (04:36) - The trap of busywork that keeps you near the goal (05:15) - What momentum actually is (05:35) - Building a plan that works around interruptions (06:19) - Get really good at returning (07:15) - The quilter's UFO and the note to your future self (07:45) - When you keep avoiding the same thing (08:43) - Meet Becky, your amygdala (09:07) - When your worth is settled, "no" becomes information (09:34) - Ask someone to hold you accountable (11:11) - Why Catalyst runs for a full year (12:31) - Early bird pricing and how to apply (12:51) - Your action plan, step by step (13:31) - Alli's "old lady" tip of the week Links to great things we discussed: Catalyst MastermindAlli’s Product Recommendation: Voltaren Arthritis CreamFunction Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testingWise Woman Method on SubstackTake the Secret Superpower QuizJoin the Uplift CommunityFollow Alli on InstagramAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars because your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org You want something. Maybe you've carried it quietly for years. Maybe you've talked yourself out of it more times than you can count. Somewhere along the way, you started measuring that desire against a long list of questions: Is this selfish? Am I grateful enough? Shouldn't I just be content with what I already have? Jordan Raynor is back on the show to help you tell the difference between a God-given desire and a distraction, understand why so many faith-filled women stay stuck in overthinking instead of moving forward, and see what it looks like to pursue a goal without losing sight of God. Listen in and discover that the dreams on your heart were never something to apologize for. They may have been part of His invitation all along. What You'll Learn in This Episode: The backyard-and-fence analogy that finally answers "how do I know if this goal is God's will" (and why God's silence might be His yes)Why striving isn't the enemy of faith, and how to tell the difference between striving because you want something and striving because you need itThe three-step exercise for interrogating your real motives so mixed motives stop keeping you on the fenceHow to measure your goals the way Jesus did (upward and backward before forward) so comparison stops crushing youWhy "garbage goals" make you want to quit by mid-quarter, and the one shift that keeps you movingWhat it looks like to hold your goal sacred while you stay free to change the plan for getting there Timestamps: (02:19) - Why "Redeeming Your Goals" got messy, and making Jesus the ultimate authority for your goals (03:52) - Measuring forward, sideward, inward (the three ways that drain you) versus the way Jesus measured (05:56) - "How do I know if what I want is what God wants, or if it's my own selfishness?" (07:30) - The backyard, the fence, and the 10-year-old asking permission she already has (09:28) - Alli's assassin test for whether a goal is God's will (10:03) - Mixed motives, sustainable fuel versus false fuel, and the three-step exercise (11:18) - Jordan gets honest about the goal driven by "I don't like to lose" (13:30) - Where the guilt about wanting more actually comes from (15:03) - Faithfulness versus fruitfulness, the Red Sea, and why "let go and let God" gets it wrong (17:42) - "God will get me through a million finish lines, but He expects me to lace up my shoes" (18:00) - The rabbit trail: the fear of the word striving (19:27) - Paul was borderline bragging about how hard he worked, and Christ strove too (21:10) - The lie that your "secular" goals don't count, and why your goals are sacred (22:32) - Psalm 37:23 and a God who delights in every detail of your goals (23:36) - The goal Jordan's chasing right now (and why you don't have to share yours with everyone) (25:30) - Garbage goals: why measuring activity instead of achievement makes you quit (27:25) - Hold the goal sacred, change the plan freely (27:41) - Fun questions: The West Wing, "Open," "Prodigal Son," and the one product Jordan can't stop recommending Links to great things we discussed: Redeeming Your Goals Jordan’s TV Recommendation: The West WingJordan’s Movie Recommendation: Saturday NightJordan’s Book Recommendations: The Return of the Prodigal Son, Open, & Shoe DogJordan’s App Recommendation: ReadwiseFunction HealthUplift AppJoin me on Substack: Wise Woman MethodAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars. It means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org Some women grow faster than others, and after having a front-row seat to it all year, I was surprised by the reason. It had very little to do with talent and even less to do with who worked the hardest. What made the difference was who got close enough to help them see what they couldn't see for themselves. In this solo episode, I unpack the three places women tend to get stuck, why it's so difficult to spot them on your own, and the simple shift that can help you clear something off your list before Sunday. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why growth has less to do with talent and more to do with who is close enough to spot your blind spotsThe "you can't smell your own house" effect, and how your brain quietly files your biggest problem under "normal"How to decide what actually deserves your time when you have ten good ideas and feel stuck between themWhy moving before you feel ready beats waiting for confidence, and how a deadline outside your own head changes everythingHow to know what counts as progress when you're an unreliable narrator of your own lifeThe one text and one date that can move a thing off your list this week Timestamps: (00:00) — Tracy's video that sat in her camera roll for most of a year (00:46) — Why some women grow faster: it isn't talent, and it isn't hard work (01:59) — What every woman in these stories had in common (03:04) — The three places women get stuck (and why your brain hides them) (03:26) — Back to Tracy: same skills, same idea, so what actually changed (04:53) — You can't smell your own house: the golden retriever effect (06:05) — Stuck point 1: Decide what deserves your time (05:40) — Stuck point 2: Move before you feel ready (07:05) — Stuck point 3: Know what counts as progress (07:27) — Laura the litigator who walked the dog and stayed calm in the room (08:30) — Suzanne's hardest year and the podcast she finally launched (10:18) — Your assignment before Sunday: one thing, one woman, one deadline (11:38) — Inside Catalyst: soul strength and strategy (13:20) — The two worries women bring (14:28) — The three bonus tools: Strategic Week Planner, Boundary Script Builder, Clarity Coach (16:41) — Imagine who you'll be by next October Links to great things we discussed: Catalyst MastermindFunction Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testingWise Woman Method on SubstackTake the Secret Superpower QuizJoin the Uplift CommunityFollow Alli on InstagramAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉If you haven’t already, make sure you tap that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. And guess what? We're on YouTube now too! If the show has been a bright spot for you, leaving a review or a few stars is such a gift. It truly means the world to me. Take good care of yourself, and keep showing up with joy. Share this episode with a friend who might enjoy it too! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org A handwritten list of everything he thought was wrong with Jess Connolly landed in her hands, and the man who felt like family walked out. Her knees hit the floor. That kind of fear, the one that whispers you are the problem, is something so many of us carry quietly. In her most personal book yet, Jess talks about fear, faith, and the nervous system, and shows how that can help you face fear without shame. She explains what happens in your body when panic shows up, why fear isn’t a sin, and one simple practice to name what scares you before it grows. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why naming your fear on paper takes most of its power away, and the free timed exercise Jess swears byWhat is happening in your body during a panic attack, and why your nervous system is actually on your sideThe biblical case that fear is not a sin, and how that changes the way you experience GodHow to catch an old fear before it snowballs into a full spiralWhat an unregulated Enneagram 8 does to a room, and how self-regulation changes everythingWhy it is your unprocessed fear, not the fear itself, that holds you back from abundance Timestamps: (01:44) — How Jess knew fear was her next book (a tale of two retreats) (03:31) — The stray thought that snowballed into a four-hour panic attack (05:53) — The biggest surprise in her research: fear is not a sin (06:43) — Anxiety and panic as your body trying to help you (08:16) — What writing this book actually cost her (10:47) — The hurtful post about faith leaders and the nervous system (12:10) — The handwritten list of grievances (14:42) — Staying out of the spiral: remembering you kept breathing (19:15) — The prayer that named self-hatred (20:46) — Enneagram 8 women, regulation, and the temperature of a room (23:13) — The free step for fear: name it on paper (24:48) — Fun questions: a song and a comfort show (26:04) — Faith, wisdom, and using AI well (29:00) — Books and skincare Jess is loving right now (34:11) — Why you need this book Links to great things we discussed: You Can't Be Brave Until You're ScaredJess’ Product Recommendations: The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil, Medicube Pore-minimizing pads, & Dr. MetaCine Instafacial Plasma Serum Jess’ Song Recommendation: JoyJess’ TV Recommendation: The West Wing Jess’ Book Recommendation: The Tao of Intimacy and EcstasyFunction HealthUplift AppJoin me on Substack: Wise Woman MethodAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars. It means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org Most of us grow only when something finally gives way. You learn to set a boundary after you’ve been flattened. You find your confidence a few minutes before the conference call. It works, but it means growth depends on pain showing up first. This episode is about a different way to grow: building capacity in midlife before anything breaks, so you’re already ready when life asks more. When I talk about this, I call it the difference between repair and capacity. Repair is what you do when something breaks, and that’s nothing small. Capacity is quieter. It’s the woman who grows as a leader before she has the bigger team. It’s the woman who strengthens her judgment before the decision costs real money. It’s preparation as stewardship, the kind no one notices and no one applauds, because no one can see it happening yet. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why being "fine" stops more women from growing than failure ever does, and how to feel the edges of your own comfort before life forces you toThe difference between repair and capacity, and why the most competent women are the hardest to moveHow to protect your ability to be a beginner again, even when you have a reputation to protect (this is what women who keep growing past 40 have in common)The prayer shift that changes everything: from "God, open the door" to "God, make me a woman who can carry what's on the other side of it"A 10-minute exercise for meeting yourself three years from now and naming exactly what she has that you don't yet Timestamps: (02:17) — Two ways women invest in themselves: repair and capacity (03:08) — Preparation as stewardship: the obedience nobody sees (03:33) — Why the competent woman is the hardest to move (04:40) — The real cost of being too successful to be a beginner (05:00) — What women who keep growing past 40 have in common (05:35) — The prayer that changes shape (06:00) — The quiet midlife fear nobody talks about (07:12) — You believed in your kids' potential. When did you last believe in your own? (07:45) — The 10-minute exercise: meet yourself three years from now (08:08) — Name one thing she has that you don't, and write it down (09:00) — Stop letting pain be your driver (09:22) — Inside Catalyst: who it's for and how it works (10:22) — The four seasons of Catalyst 2027 (13:55) — Back to the parking lot, changed (15:11) — You can't break a woman who gets her strength from God Links to great things we discussed: Catalyst MastermindFunction Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testingWise Woman Method on SubstackTake the Secret Superpower QuizJoin the Uplift CommunityFollow Alli on InstagramDon’t forget to watch Alli Worthington on YouTube! I hope you loved this episode! 🎉If you haven’t already, make sure you tap that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. And guess what? We're on YouTube now too! If the show has been a bright spot for you, leaving a review or a few stars is such a gift. It truly means the world to me. Take good care of yourself, and keep showing up with joy. Share this episode with a friend who might enjoy it too! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org You’re doing the things. You bought the probiotic, you’re eating cleaner, you’re trying to sleep. And somehow your energy still isn’t where you want it. In Part 2 of this conversation, Dr. Josh Axe and Dr. Will Cole go deeper into gut health, cellular energy, and the surprising truth that how you feel isn’t only about what you eat. It’s also about what you carry. This one is about healing that actually lasts and learning how to hold onto your energy for the long haul. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why a GI Map test tells you more about your gut health than guessing at a probiotic off the shelfHow probiotics actually work (hint: most of them don't move in and stay), and what to eat to feed the good bacteriaThe reason probiotics can nearly double your B-vitamin absorption, so a spoon of sauerkraut can beat a multivitaminHow your mitochondria and your microbiome talk to each other, and what happens to your energy when that line gets scrambledWhy loneliness, shame, and old trauma show up in your cells even though no lab can measure themWhat the ACE score reveals about the link between childhood experiences and adult inflammation, hormones, and burnoutThe both/and approach to healing that treats your body, mind, and spirit as one system God designedWhat Dr. Josh Axe and Dr. Will Cole actually recommend for stubborn tendon pain, plus why rest and Sabbath are part of the plan Timestamps: (00:51) — The probiotic myth, and why a GI Map matters before you supplement (02:14) — Your bowel movements as a daily window into gut health (02:35) — How probiotics really work: transient, but they change the environment (03:12) — Feeding the good bacteria with soluble fiber, polyphenols, and fermented foods (04:31) — Why probiotics can double your B-vitamin absorption (05:18) — Supporting the gut lining with zinc and L-glutamine, plus glutamine for immunity (07:20) — Dr. Will Cole on slow GI motility and what "normal" really means (08:39) — Mitochondria, the microbiome, and the crosstalk that drives your energy (09:50) — The full life cycle of the biome: pre, pro, para, and postbiotics (10:59) — Why you can't supplement your way out of a poor diet (12:16) — How loneliness and lack of purpose show up in a single cell (13:47) — The ACE score: childhood experiences and adult disease (15:27) — The communication theory of aging and the scratched-record analogy (17:14) — Dr. Josh Axe on his mom's cancer and the emotional, spiritual side of healing (18:56) — Confession as the ultimate detoxification (19:43) — Alli's tennis elbow: PRP, BPC-157, and the peptide stack (23:28) — Don't underestimate rest and Sabbath for recovery (24:10) — Lightning round: what to put in your cart for mitochondria and energy Links to great things we discussed: Heal Your CellsFunction HealthUplift AppJoin me on Substack: Wise Woman MethodAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉If you haven’t already, make sure you tap that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. And guess what? We're on YouTube now too! If the show has been a bright spot for you, leaving a review or a few stars is such a gift. It truly means the world to me. Take good care of yourself, and keep showing up with joy. Share this episode with a friend who might enjoy it too! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org Your phone is holding what you meant to come back to: a plan, a half-finished application, and an email from someone whose work you love, still marked important. In this episode, I talk about what it feels like to be the woman who keeps circling the thing she wants to start. I unpack why waiting rarely feels like a real choice. I show how procrastination gets heavier the longer you carry it and how to put a real number on what waiting has already taken from you. If you have been stuck in the overthinking loop for months or years, this one is for you. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why waiting is one of the most expensive decisions women make, and why the price tag stays invisible until you count itHow your brain rewards a waiting season and quietly trains you to keep procrastinatingHow to tell the difference between real discernment and "praying about it" as a hiding place (hint: peace answers plainly, avoidance gets defensive)Why the dream you never launch stays perfect, and why part of you likes it that wayThe willpower vs. environment truth that changes how you make decisions: willpower gets you through a day, environment carries you through a yearA simple index card exercise to price your waiting and turn a stuck "maybe" into a clear yes or a dated no Timestamps: 00:00) — The plan you keep circling (01:00) — The parking lot where dreams go to die (01:35) — The hidden price tag on waiting (01:55) — Meet Becky, (aka Alli's amygdala,): why your brain loves a waiting season (02:41) — How postponing quietly becomes a habit (03:15) — When "praying about it" is really avoidance (04:52) — Why waiting keeps the dream safe and untested (05:36) — Alli's story: three months of coaching herself in the mirror (08:57) — Willpower vs. environment (09:35) — The index card exercise: put a number on your waiting (11:48) — Why a "no" with a date on it is a decision (13:15) — Inside Catalyst Mastermind, and how Suzanne finally launched (15:10) — Becoming her by default or by decision Links to great things we discussed: Catalyst MastermindFunction Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testingWise Woman Method on SubstackTake the Secret Superpower QuizJoin the Uplift CommunityFollow Alli on InstagramAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉If you haven’t already, make sure you tap that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you never miss an episode. And guess what? We're on YouTube now too! If the show has been a bright spot for you, leaving a review or a few stars is such a gift. It truly means the world to me. Take good care of yourself, and keep showing up with joy. Share this episode with a friend who might enjoy it too! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org You’ve done everything you’re supposed to do. You eat well, move your body, take supplements, and still feel exhausted, foggy, and off. If you’ve ever been told your labs look fine when you know something isn’t, this conversation is for you. Alli sits down with two of the most trusted voices in natural medicine, Dr. Josh Axe and Dr. Will Cole, to talk about why real healing starts at the cellular level and why common has never meant normal. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Part 2 airs next Monday. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why people who look the picture of health can still be quietly at risk, and what uneven organ aging actually meansThe first step to take when your labs say fine but your body says otherwise, especially in perimenopauseHow medical gaslighting keeps women stuck, and how to start reading the signals your body is already sendingWhy tracking and wearables changed everything for Alli, plus the one small change that finally gave her deep sleepWhat your biological age can (and can't) tell you about how you're really agingHow quickly your gut, liver, and skin can regenerate when you give them the chance Timestamps: (02:44) - What losing their fathers taught them about hidden risk (05:57) - The Stanford study on uneven organ aging (09:19) - When your labs say "fine" but you feel terrible: the first step (10:44) - The cellular report card and medical gaslighting (13:24) - Wearables, tracking, and Alli's glycine sleep experiment (15:09) - Where you are, where you're headed, and the map to get there (17:22) - Biological age: Alli's numbers and what they mean (20:00) - How fast your organs regenerate (and Dr. Axe's recovery story) (23:15) - Alli's seven-year gut journey off Dexilant Links to great things we discussed: Heal Your CellsFunction HealthUplift AppJoin me on Substack: Wise Woman MethodAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars because your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org You've read all the books about raising a confident son or daughter. You want your kids to believe they can do hard things. But the minute a grown woman says the same thing about herself, out loud, that she’s ambitious and chasing more and not one bit sorry, it suddenly feels vain. This episode is about that gap, because our kids' confidence has almost nothing to do with the pep talk in the car and everything to do with what they see us do with our own calling. Kids learn confidence the same way they learn everything else: by watching. And whatever they see becomes their whole idea of what life is like for a grown woman. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why confident motherhood is caught more than taught, and what your kids are actually absorbing when you talk yourself out of your own growthHow to spot the moment so many women quietly decide they're "finished becoming," usually somewhere after motherhoodWhat it teaches your kids when you fail in front of them and get back up anywayWhy we'll invest in tutors, coaches, and $200 soccer cleats without flinching but stop investing in ourselvesOne small, concrete move to make this week that models a life of growth for the people watching you at home Timestamps: (00:29) - The double standard: we cheer a nine-year-old's ambition and call our own vain (01:07) - Our kids are learning from us whether we mean to teach it or not (01:31) - Confidence is caught, not coached: how a child imprints on "normal" (02:00) - The moment a lot of us decide we're finished becoming (02:32) - Kids catch all of it: how we talk about ourselves, the apologies we tack on (03:35) - Building things in front of your kids that don't work (05:00) - The parable of the talents and the growth we bury (05:20) - Why we invest in everyone but ourselves (05:31) - Picture your own mom taking her dream seriously (06:12) - This week's challenge: name the risk, make one small move by Sunday (07:27) - It'll feel indulgent. Do it anyway. (07:50) - Why Alli built Catalyst and what's happening to the women in it (09:33) - The embarrassing sneaker story (and the shoes Alli swears by) (11:49) - You keep becoming, because God has a fresh calling for every season Links to great things we discussed: Catalyst MastermindAlli’s Product Recommendation: The New Balance Women's Fresh Foam 880sFunction Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testingWise Woman Method on SubstackTake the Secret Superpower QuizJoin the Uplift CommunityFollow Alli on InstagramAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars. It means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org There’s something you keep coming back to: a city, a business, a first appointment, the email you’ve avoided since spring. You’ve explained why it can’t happen for you so many times that the explanation started to sound like wisdom. In this conversation, Annie F. Downs and I talk about the difference between fear and wisdom, why so many of the nos we live by never came from real evidence, and what it looks like to keep moving when you feel uncertain, discouraged, and not at all sure how the story ends. If you’ve been telling yourself no for years without ever finding out whether the no is real, this conversation can help you question that no and keep moving forward. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why the fear that feels like wisdom is usually just fear, and how community helps you tell the differenceHow to move past the "I could never" story by researching step one instead of panicking about step tenWhat it looks like to keep going, or "plod," when you're discouraged, uncertain, or being criticizedWhy building anything worthwhile takes a healthy relationship with uncertainty, not certaintyHow faith reframes the whole thing: you can't break a woman who gets her strength from God Timestamps: (02:34) — The painting at the Met and the moment she realized "you are not a portrait yet" (08:38) — The lie about herself that died while she was writing (11:09) — Alli's one regret, and Annie's reminder that "there's a yes available" (13:52) — The seven-year sabbatical, and why going quiet isn't the same as being forgotten (15:55) — How New York changed her: stop saying no without doing the research (18:37) — The Craigslist desk, the fourth-floor walk-up, and "I can do hard things" (21:22) — When fear starts sounding like wisdom (24:51) — Is your fear chemical or spiritual? Why she says talk to your doctor (25:57) — The thing you're afraid of is step ten. Find step one. (28:13) — Where the title came from: a Broadway run-through and the 1% who didn't stop (31:44) — Getting called a hack in 2008, and being discouraged without stopping (34:07) — Plodding, the armor of God, and "when you've done everything to stand, stand" (36:57) — Building companies and making peace with uncertainty (38:43) — The one thing she wants you to remember: just try (39:35) — Fun questions: Enneagram, Ella Langley, The Pit, and a Trader Joe's find (44:47) — Why you need this book: the world needs you living wide open Links to great things we discussed: Annie's new book: Don't Let That Hold You BackThat Sounds Fun PodcastAnnie’s Music Recommendation: DandelionAnnie’s TV Recommendations: The Pitt, Ted Lasso, & The DinkTrader Joe's Dewy Skin Serum, Marula Facial Oil, & Marula Oil Cream CleanserFunction HealthUplift AppJoin me on Substack: Wise Woman MethodAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you never miss a thing. And guess what? We're on YouTube! If you're loving the content, show us some love by leaving a review and giving us some stars. It means the world to me! Take care, and stay fabulous! xo, Alli

Apply Now to Join the Catalyst Mastermind - catalystmastermind.org Have you ever prayed for growth, watched God answer, and then wondered why everything suddenly felt harder instead of easier? When the moves that always worked stop landing, that doesn’t mean you missed God or took a wrong turn. It’s one of the clearest signs you’re growing. In this solo episode, I talk about the core takeaway: the habits and beliefs that built your current life won’t always carry you into the next, and you need to set down what’s finished so your hands are free for what God is giving you next. What You'll Learn in This Episode: The difference between a failure problem and a promotion problem, and why the women I coach aren’t stuck. They’ve outgrown what worked before.Why people-pleasing, perfectionism, and doing everything alone made sense in an earlier season, and how to recognize when a strategy has reached its shelf life.How to spot the hidden cost of an old habit before it quietly drains your capacity, the subscription you forgot you signed up for.Why releasing an old version of yourself can feel like grief, and how to honor her instead of shaming her.The one question I ask the fastest-growing women I coach: What version of me finished her assignment?A simple practice for this week: name one strategy to set down, then watch the space it opens. Timestamps: (00:00) - Praying for growth and watching it get harder, not easier (00:28) - When your reliable playbook quits on you (and why that's a sign of growth) (01:06) - The habits that built this life won't build the next one (01:25) - Failure problems vs. promotion problems (02:04) - New levels, new devils: why growth needs a different version of you (03:00) - Honoring what got you here: people-pleasing, perfectionism, and going it alone (03:46) - Are these strategies still serving you, or are you serving them? (04:49) - Sarah's story: the habit that made her couldn't free her (06:04) - Why letting go feels like grief, and the little funeral nobody warned you about (07:10) - The question the fastest-growing women learn to ask (08:11) - The fear underneath: what if the next version of me is less sharp? (08:30) - Growth is subtraction (08:40) - Your assignment this week: name one thing and set it down (09:31) - Who the Catalyst Mastermind is for (10:12) - This week's recommendation: check your inputs (11:40) - The becoming happens in the ordinary days (12:42) - Coming home to yourself in a new season Links to great things we discussed: Apply NOW for the Catalyst MastermindFunction Health - Use code AWORTHINGTON10 for a discount on comprehensive lab testingJoin me on Substack: Wise Woman MethodTake the Secret Superpower QuizJoin the Uplift CommunityFollow me on InstagramAlli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode! 🎉 Don't forget to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you’re always in the loop. And hey, while you're at it, why not pop over to our YouTube channel and check us out? If you're feeling the love, leave a review and sprinkle some stars because your support truly means the world to me! Take care, and keep shining bright! xo, Alli