The Motion of Gratitude®

Giving Yourself Permission

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2020248/fan_mail/new] After a few months away, Shannon returns to the mic — not because it was scheduled, but because something was pulling her back. In this heartfelt solo episode, Shannon reflects on her intentional pause from recording, social media, and the constant intake of information, and shares what that stillness has revealed. This episode was inspired by Shannon's final deep dive breathwork class at her Pennsylvania wellness center before her family's upcoming move to Florida. What unfolded in that room — the vulnerability, the connection, and one powerful theme — felt too important not to share. That theme? Permission. So many of us are waiting for someone to walk through the door and tell us it's okay — to slow down, to set boundaries, to pursue what lights us up, to prioritize ourselves. In this episode, Shannon explores why that permission was never theirs to give in the first place, and how simply naming that pattern can be the first step toward reclaiming your own authority over your life. In this episode, Shannon shares: * Why she stepped back from the podcast and social media at the start of 2026 — and what that stillness gave her * What conscious connected breathwork does and why it creates space for deep inner exploration * How the theme of permission emerged in her final breathwork class * Why we outsource permission to people who may never actually give it to us * The powerful question to ask yourself: Whose permission am I waiting for? * What's next for the Motion of Gratitude podcast in this new season Reflection question for you: What have you been waiting for permission to do — and what would change if you simply gave it to yourself? Connect with Shannon: 🌐 www.themotionofgratitude.com [http://www.themotionofgratitude.com] 📲 @TheMotionofGratitude There's more to life than going through the motions. Stay Connected: • Subscribe to our podcast to stay updated on future episodes. • Follow us on social media @TheMotionofGratitude for more content related to holistic well-being.

Healing from the Inside Out with Amanda Soukoulis

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2020248/fan_mail/new] What if the symptoms you've been managing are actually signals your body has been trying to send you for years? In this episode, Shannon sits down with functional health practitioner Amanda Soukoulis — a former collegiate dancer, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader finalist, and self-described health detective — who went from the peak of her physical performance to watching her health collapse almost overnight. What followed was a years-long journey through dismissal, confusion, and eventually, a complete transformation in how she understood the body. Amanda now works with high-performing individuals across the country — from MLB players to lawyers to grandmothers re-entering the workforce — helping them uncover the root cause of what's happening beneath the surface, rather than just managing what's showing up on top. This conversation weaves together functional medicine, nervous system awareness, peptide therapy, gut health, and the surprisingly simple things that make the biggest difference. Shannon and Amanda also find common ground in breathwork, the power of a morning routine, and what it actually means to heal — not just optimize. If you've ever felt dismissed by conventional medicine, stuck on the health hamster wheel, or like you're doing everything right and still not feeling like yourself — this one is for you. **Connect with Amanda Soukoulis:** - Website: amandasoukoulis.com - Instagram: @amandaSoukoulis - LinkedIn, TikTok & YouTube: search Amanda Soukoulis Stay Connected: • Subscribe to our podcast to stay updated on future episodes. • Follow us on social media @TheMotionofGratitude for more content related to holistic well-being.

When Alcohol Stops Serving Your Life: With Abby Calabrese

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2020248/fan_mail/new] What if you didn’t have to “hit rock bottom” to decide alcohol isn’t serving you anymore? In this episode of The Motion of Gratitude Podcast, Shannon sits down with Abby Calabrese (aka Alcohol Free Abby) for an honest, real-life conversation about what it actually looks like to shift out of drinking culture—without judgment, preaching, or perfection. Abby shares her story of how alcohol was woven into everything: college, NYC work culture, marriage, motherhood, suburb life… until the anxiety, shame spirals, and “this isn’t who I want to be” moments became too loud to ignore. From blackouts that were normalized by culture to a defining Halloween night that planted a seed, Abby takes us behind the scenes of what led her to stop drinking on 11/11/23—and what happened next. Together, Shannon and Abby talk about: * Why so many women feel stuck in the “wine = relief / wine = fun” loop * The surprising physical detox symptoms Abby experienced—even without “daily” drinking * The social pressure and awkwardness of not drinking (and why it can make other people uncomfortable) * How to navigate questions like “Are you pregnant?” and “Why aren’t you drinking?” * Why “Dry January” doesn’t create true change if you isolate instead of integrate * How alcohol impacts your nervous system baseline—and why anxiety can feel like “just who you are” * The biggest unexpected gift of not drinking: mornings, peace, presence, and real ease * Simple tools that help when you’re in autopilot (including Abby’s morning pages + slowing down) This conversation is for you if you’ve been curious about exploring an alcohol-free season, feel like alcohol isn’t “a problem” but also isn’t helping, or you want to feel more present in your life without losing your sense of fun. Connect with Abby * Instagram: @alcoholfreeabby * Podcast: Alcohol Free Rebellion (video available on Spotify) Stay Connected: • Subscribe to our podcast to stay updated on future episodes. • Follow us on social media @TheMotionofGratitude for more content related to holistic well-being.

Okayness: Finding Freedom Where You Are with Caverly Morgan

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2020248/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The Motion of Gratitude Podcast, Shannon sits down with spiritual teacher, author, and nonprofit founder Caverly Morgan for a conversation about what it really looks like to live a practice—inside a monastery, inside a school system, and inside everyday life. Caverly shares her unexpected path into meditation (and eight years of Zen monastic training), how practice became something she could filter her entire life through, and why leaving the monastery was both liberating and deeply challenging. From there, we move into the origin story of Peace in Schools—and how a single invitation from a teacher led to a credited mindfulness course inside public high schools, long before mindfulness in schools was widely understood. This conversation is honest, practical, and full of hope—especially for parents, educators, and anyone feeling stretched beyond capacity who knows it’s time for new tools. In This Episode, We Explore * Caverly’s path from first retreat to eight years of Zen training * Leaving the monastery and bringing practice into everyday life * How Peace in Schools began—and why teens are so receptive to these tools * What’s shifted in schools pre- and post-COVID (more openness and more barriers) * The idea of “okayness” and starting practice from love, not self-improvement * Working with autopilot through “yes” and “thank you” * Caverly’s book The Heart of Who We Are and her upcoming community practice collective Resources + Links * Peace in Schools (education partnerships + training institute): peaceinschools.org * Caverly Morgan (retreats, workshops, online offerings): caverlymorgan.org * Book: The Heart of Who We Are: Realizing Freedom Together * Upcoming: Practice collective moving through the book in community (starting around February—see Caverly’s website for details) Stay Connected: • Subscribe to our podcast to stay updated on future episodes. • Follow us on social media @TheMotionofGratitude for more content related to holistic well-being.

From Surviving to Flourishing: Nervous System Regulation, Alignment, and the Courage to Pause with Florence Shaffer

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2020248/fan_mail/new] In this deeply resonant episode of The Motion of Gratitude Podcast, Shannon sits down with Florence Shaffer, founder of Start Becoming and a leader in human flourishing, to explore what it truly means to move beyond survival and into a life of alignment, presence, and sustainable performance. Florence shares her personal journey from global executive leadership to guiding individuals and organizations through profound inner recalibration — including the pivotal moment of a stage four cancer diagnosis that became a catalyst for radical listening, surrender, and transformation. Together, Shannon and Florence unpack nervous system regulation, emotional awareness, spiritual alignment beyond religion, and why many high performers fear “losing their edge” when they slow down — only to discover that clarity, creativity, and true performance actually expand. This conversation is an invitation to pause, listen inward, and remember that flourishing is not something we chase — it’s something we return to. In This Episode, We Explore: * The difference between surviving, striving, and flourishing * Why nervous system regulation is foundational for sustainable performance * The fear high performers have around slowing down — and why it’s misplaced * How chronic stress and misalignment show up in the body * The role of emotions as signals, not weaknesses * Moving from hyper-independence to healthy interdependence * Why presence and alignment create better decisions, relationships, and outcomes * Florence’s powerful story of healing, surrender, and recalibration * Integration: how to carry transformation back into real life * Simple, accessible tools for returning to baseline when life feels overwhelming Notable Moments & Themes: * “You don’t have to give up success to be at peace.” * The nervous system of the leader as the nervous system of the family or organization * Why optimization alone isn’t enough — and what integration offers instead * The body’s wisdom and its role in healing and course correction * Gratitude as one of the fastest ways to shift state and perspective Connect with Florence: 🌐 Website: https://www.startbecoming.co [https://www.startbecoming.co] 💬 Free Discovery Call available via the website 🔗 LinkedIn: Search Florence Shaffer Stay Connected: • Subscribe to our podcast to stay updated on future episodes. • Follow us on social media @TheMotionofGratitude for more content related to holistic well-being.