In the Middle of Stillness: The Work of Not Escaping

A Conversation Between Women: Becoming Ourselves

In this episode I sat down with 4 women who have walked through their own unraveling, women who have faced themselves, questioned who they were, and rebuilt from the ground up. This isn’t a polished conversation. It’s not advice. It’s not a highlight reel. It’s real. We talk about what it actually means to come home to yourself— the parts that break you, the parts you outgrow, and the parts you’re still figuring out. In this episode, we explore: * what it means to lose yourself and find your way back * the pressure to become someone you’re not * healing, not as a destination, but as an ongoing process * the complexity of womanhood, identity, and growth * what changes when you finally start choosing yourself A space for real conversations, real people, and the truth of becoming. Take what resonates. Leave what doesn’t. And when you’re ready— let’s open our hearts and open our minds and lets dive in. SPECIAL GUESTS Brittney McKinley AKA BEE Founder of Contained Stems Floral Wellness Designer Trauma-Informed Breathwork Coach Host of Dangerous Discussions in Bed with Bee, Author of Details of a Dangerous Woman. Socials @beealexisms [https://www.instagram.com/beealexisms/?hl=en#] @containedstems [https://www.instagram.com/containedstems/?hl=en#] Website https://containedstems.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnSxcss0kFyHmk4IZx7nsG2fB45SIt6upOU41tNdFrpwDWIC3giz0DtIFjMaE_aem_Xx4CWLbnXbMq4CG78hLNGw [https://containedstems.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnSxcss0kFyHmk4IZx7nsG2fB45SIt6upOU41tNdFrpwDWIC3giz0DtIFjMaE_aem_Xx4CWLbnXbMq4CG78hLNGw] Tria Bustalino Board certified Health Nurse Coach & Wellness Coordinator Founder of Rooted In & Founder of Space Holders Co. Socials @tria.bustalino [https://www.instagram.com/tria.bustalino/?hl=en#] rootedin.coaching [https://www.instagram.com/rootedin.coaching/?hl=en#] @spaceholders.co⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/spaceholders.co/?hl=en#] https://linktr.ee/tria.bustalino?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnpKOxg-4PrJEIwpMMzqwGVGZ7B-HbZ07AagswZI03UVzWlBY7fk-A7FXjOAI_aem_xwr9s-IcyfCRLGafUmAwhg [https://linktr.ee/tria.bustalino?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnpKOxg-4PrJEIwpMMzqwGVGZ7B-HbZ07AagswZI03UVzWlBY7fk-A7FXjOAI_aem_xwr9s-IcyfCRLGafUmAwhg] Kelsey Fallon Founder of Glow House of Senses, Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in Women’s Pelvic Health Trauma-informed yoga & meditation teacher, Reiki practitioner, and intuitive somatic mentor. Socials @⁠glowhouseofsenses⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/glowhouseofsenses/?hl=en#] @kelsey__fallon [https://www.instagram.com/kelsey__fallon/?hl=en#] Website https://www.glowhouseofsenses.com/ [https://www.glowhouseofsenses.com/] Brittany Morales Founder of Wild Woman Provisions & Founder of The Beauty Ritual Socials @the.beauty.ritual_ [https://www.instagram.com/the.beauty.ritual_/?hl=en#] @wildwomanprovisions [https://www.instagram.com/wildwomanprovisions/?hl=en#] Youtube https://youtube.com/@thebeautyritual1?si=3HvgjjVGqmEDEwMB [https://youtube.com/@thebeautyritual1?si=3HvgjjVGqmEDEwMB] Website https://wwpbm.my.canva.site/wild-woman-provisions?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnbOeyTIkNhHpo20CO32k_CBykfXQFBEr20NBbUDuPST7VRFQvrIwM_-afDw0_aem_jVxQzZmDA5p3pWoDpUNXjQ [https://wwpbm.my.canva.site/wild-woman-provisions?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnbOeyTIkNhHpo20CO32k_CBykfXQFBEr20NBbUDuPST7VRFQvrIwM_-afDw0_aem_jVxQzZmDA5p3pWoDpUNXjQ]

Where Doubt Took Me: moving through it in real time

Episode Summary: There’s been a pattern in my life where people questioned me so much… that I started questioning myself. Not just once, but in different seasons, different decisions, different versions of me. And what I didn’t realize at the time was how much that was pulling me away from what I already knew felt right. This episode is me walking through one of those moments — and what it actually felt like to move from doubt, to live through the consequences of that, and to come back to myself in a deeper way. Not from a place of having it all figured out, but from being right in the middle of it. We talk about what happens when outside voices get louder than your own, how doubt can shape your decisions without you even realizing it, and what it takes to stand on yourself without needing to be understood. You don’t have to be understood to know where you stand. Key Topics * being questioned into self-doubt * navigating major life transitions * coming back to your own authority * standing on your decisions without needing validation Takeaways * other people’s questions can become your doubt if you’re not grounded in yourself * self-trust is built through lived experience, not just knowing * you don’t have to be understood to know where you stand 🎧 Where Doubt Took Me: moving through it in real time Keywords: self-trust, life transitions, personal authority, alignment, self-doubt

Conversations About God: What Death Teaches Us About Being Alive FT JESS MORALES

Content Note This episode contains open discussion about grief, death, and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. If these topics feel heavy for you, please take care while listening. If You or Someone You Know Needs Support If you are struggling or experiencing thoughts of suicide, you are not alone. In the United States, you can call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for free and confidential support 24/7. Episode Summary What does death have to do with teaching us about life? In this episode of The Open Soul Podcast, I sit down with motivational speaker and life coach Jess Morales for a deeply reflective conversation about God, grief, trust, and what it means to truly be alive. Together, we explore the difference between fear-based religion and faith rooted in love, the role personal experience plays in shaping spirituality, and how learning to trust ourselves becomes the foundation for trusting anything beyond us. Our conversation moves through themes of loss, death, discernment, and inner authority—asking what it looks like to listen to the quiet voice within when the world is loud with opinions. Through personal stories of grief and transformation, Jess and I reflect on how experiences with death can shift our understanding of life, deepen our appreciation for being here, and remind us that sometimes the most powerful spiritual lessons come through the hardest moments. Sometimes it is loss that reminds us what it means to be alive. Key Takeaways  • Personal loss often becomes the doorway to deeper self-understanding. • Faith rooted in love creates a different relationship with God than faith rooted in fear. • Trust is foundational to spirituality—trust in ourselves often precedes trust in God. • Grief is complex and deeply personal, shaped by the unique relationships we hold. • Self-trust is an essential part of personal and spiritual growth. • Compassion and honesty must exist together in meaningful relationships. • Death is not only an ending—it can deepen our understanding of life. • Learning to listen to our inner voice helps us navigate a noisy and opinion-filled world. • Healthy relationships require balance between empathy and emotional boundaries. • Personal growth often means redefining ideas like selfishness, responsibility, and care. Additional Notes & Resources Book Mentioned in This Episode Jess shares how a book helped shape the beginning of her personal journey: The Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Burchard Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-motivation-manifesto-brendon-burchard/1137597732 [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-motivation-manifesto-brendon-burchard/1137597732] Goodreads Quotes https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/42461694-the-motivation-manifesto-9-declarations-to-claim-your-personal-power [https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/42461694-the-motivation-manifesto-9-declarations-to-claim-your-personal-power] ThriftBooks https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-motivation-manifesto_brendon-burchard/9050823/item/5903664/ [https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-motivation-manifesto_brendon-burchard/9050823/item/5903664/] https://www.instagram.com/tre.coachjess?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== [https://www.instagram.com/tre.coachjess?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] https://substack.com/@trecoachjess [https://substack.com/@trecoachjess] Erica of Earth - @itsericaofearth https://www.instagram.com/itsericaofearth/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/itsericaofearth/?hl=en] Thank you for being human with us.

The Balance of Self: Selfishness vs Selflessness

In this episode, I’m reflecting on something I realized about myself over the past year. For a long time, I thought I was just being selfless. But what I eventually realized was that I didn’t understand what selflessness was actually costing me. When you don’t see yourself clearly, it’s easy to cross your own boundaries without realizing it. You say yes too often. You carry things that were never yours. You give before you’ve even taken a breath for yourself. Eventually, the cost shows up. Exhaustion. Resentment. Burnout. In this conversation, I’m exploring the balance between selfishness and selflessness, and why understanding that balance is essential if we want to live honestly with ourselves. In this episode, I talk about: – How we cross our own boundaries without realizing it – Why selflessness without awareness can lead to burnout – What it looks like to start seeing yourself clearly – Why balance between selfishness and selflessness matters The lesson wasn’t to become selfish. The lesson was balance. Because sometimes the hardest thing to see in life… is yourself.

In the Middle of Stillness: The Work of Not Escaping

This episode is a real-time reflection on stillness. Not the aesthetic version. Not the peaceful, candle-lit version. The uncomfortable version. In this space, I’m learning: • How often I try to control outcomes • How quickly I want to run when things feel uncertain • What strength actually looks like when I don’t escape • Why stillness is not the absence of movement • How doubt surfaces when you stop distracting yourself Stillness, for me, has felt painful. But I’m realizing it isn’t stagnation. It’s the decision to stay and face what keeps coming up. Everything we try to outrun eventually catches up to us. This episode is about choosing to stop running. If you’re in a season where you feel restless, uncertain, or tempted to escape, this conversation is for you. Thank you for being human with me.