What People Actually Need When They Are Struggling Mentally!

Letting Go of Perfection and Embracing Compassion

In this meaningful episode of The Secrets of Being, I am joined by Dianna Collier, a certified positive psychology coach and licensed school psychologist, for a compassionate and honest conversation about burnout, resilience, and the healing power of self-compassion. Dianna shares the personal experiences that led her to shift her professional path and discover the life-changing principles of positive psychology. After years of working in a demanding role supporting others, the stress began to affect her own health and well-being, including struggles with fertility that ultimately became a wake-up call. That experience led her to reevaluate how she was caring for herself and inspired her to explore new ways of supporting both her own mental health and the well-being of others. Our conversation centers on the idea that burnout is not simply about being overwhelmed. It is often about forgetting to extend the same compassion to ourselves that we freely give to others. Dianna introduces the concept of self-compassion and explains how it can help us navigate stress, emotional exhaustion, and the pressure to be perfect. She shares the three essential components of self-compassion: mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness. These principles remind us to acknowledge our suffering without judgment, recognize that we are not alone in our struggles, and offer ourselves the same kindness we would offer a dear friend. During the episode, Dianna also walks us through a powerful practice known as the self-compassion break, a technique developed by researcher Kristen Neff. This simple yet transformative exercise invites us to pause during moments of stress, acknowledge what we are feeling, and respond with warmth and understanding rather than criticism. Through guided reflection, we explore how self-compassion can help us regulate our emotions, respond more thoughtfully in challenging situations, and show up more fully for our families, our work, and our communities. Another important theme in our discussion is the courage it takes to feel our emotions rather than dismiss them. Dianna reminds us that resilience does not come from ignoring pain or pushing it aside. Instead, resilience grows when we allow ourselves to experience difficult emotions with honesty and tenderness. By acknowledging our humanity and giving ourselves permission to be imperfect, we open the door to healing and personal growth. This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen inward, and offer yourself the compassion you deserve. If you have ever felt overwhelmed, exhausted, or caught in the cycle of striving for perfection, Dianna’s insights will remind you that caring for yourself is not a weakness. It is an essential part of living with balance, resilience, and authenticity. With love, Dawn P.S. You can connect with Dianna here: https://diannacollier.com/

Embracing Imperfect Action on the Path to Growth

In this heartfelt episode of The Secrets of Being, I am joined by bestselling author, entrepreneur, and podcast host Sarah Barnes Humphrey for a powerful conversation about self-worth, authentic leadership, and the courage it takes to find your voice. Sarah’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and embracing the imperfect path of growth. From starting her career in her family’s logistics and supply chain business to becoming a recognized thought leader, author, and podcast host, her journey is a reminder that progress often begins with a leap into the unknown. Sarah shares how her career began straight out of high school when she stepped into the family business with dreams of eventually leading the company. After more than two decades in the industry, she found herself at a turning point when the company closed its doors. Suddenly without a job, a team, or a clear roadmap forward, Sarah leaned into creativity and determination. What began as a podcast experiment, inspired by listening to other creators, turned into a platform that connected voices across industries and eventually grew into a thriving media company supported by a team of talented professionals, many of whom are women-led entrepreneurs. Throughout our conversation we explore the deeper theme that guides Sarah’s work today: self-worth. She speaks openly about the ongoing process of learning to find and reclaim her voice over and over again. Rather than seeing self-worth as a fixed destination, Sarah describes it as a lifelong journey shaped by experiences, setbacks, growth, and reflection. Together we talk about the power of progress over perfection, the courage to pursue ideas that feel aligned with your soul, and the importance of allowing yourself to evolve beyond society’s expectations of what success should look like. Sarah also shares the inspiration behind her memoir and how writing the book became a therapeutic process that allowed her to revisit difficult experiences with compassion and perspective. Through storytelling, she discovered new layers of understanding about her own journey and the role self-worth plays in shaping the way we show up in our relationships, our careers, and our leadership. We discuss the importance of awareness and self-reflection when navigating difficult moments, including the role of therapy, mindfulness, and honest conversations in helping us better understand ourselves. Sarah emphasizes that growth often comes from taking inventory of our experiences without judgment and learning to give ourselves grace along the way. She also offers insight into building authentic communities, blocking out unnecessary noise, and focusing on meaningful connections rather than constant consumption. One of the most powerful ideas Sarah shares is the concept of discovering your “superpower.” Instead of searching endlessly for a single purpose, she encourages listeners to reflect on how they naturally show up in the world and how their strengths can create impact. For Sarah, that superpower lies in creating safe spaces for conversation where people feel seen, heard, and valued. This episode is a reminder that self-worth is not something we achieve once and hold forever. It is something we rediscover again and again as we grow. When we embrace authenticity, allow ourselves to learn from our experiences, and have the courage to begin even when things are not perfect, we create space for transformation. If you have ever struggled with self-doubt, questioned your path, or wondered how to step more fully into your authentic voice, this conversation will offer encouragement and perspective. It is an invitation to move forward with courage, compassion, and the understanding that progress is always more powerful than perfection. With love, Dawn P.S. You can connect with Sarah here: https://sarahbarneshumphrey.com/

You Don’t Need a Title to Lead!

In this episode, I am honored to sit down with Leonard Weingarten, a leader whose career spans professional sports, the LA Olympics, nonprofit partnerships, civic engagement, and higher education. Leonard’s journey is a powerful reminder that leadership is not about titles. It is about integrity, courage, creativity, and the way you treat people along the way. We talk about his early days working with the Oakland Raiders and how he learned firsthand that respect and empathy matter just as much as strategy. Leonard shares how he leveraged creativity and bold networking to land opportunities with the LA Olympics and major institutions, demonstrating what it really means to think outside the box. His career path was never linear, but it was always guided by purpose, passion, and preparation. One of the most powerful themes in this conversation is risk-taking. Leonard believes that personal growth requires stepping into the unknown and trusting yourself enough to act. He shares practical advice about visualizing your goals, writing down your passions, and spending quiet time in reflection to discover what truly matters to you. We explore how preparation, resilience, and proactive thinking can open doors that others might never see. Leonard also speaks about his current role as vice president of a lifelong learning program at a community college that offers free education for individuals over 50 and is expanding to all ages. His commitment to lifelong learning, mentorship, youth employment initiatives, and community impact reflects his belief that growth never stops. Education, leadership development, career guidance, and civic engagement are all threads woven throughout his life’s work. This episode is about more than career success. It is about character. It is about choosing integrity over ego. It is about treating people with kindness, even in competitive environments. It is about taking risks that align with your values and trusting that your path will unfold when you show up prepared and open. If you are navigating a career pivot, seeking leadership wisdom, exploring civic engagement, or simply wondering how to live with more courage and purpose, this conversation will speak directly to you. With love, Dawn P.S. You can connect with Leonard here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonard-weingarten/ Learn about ESCOM: https://escom.marin.edu/

Why We Trade Away Our Happiness Without Realizing It

Welcome back to The Secrets of Being. In this episode, I sit down with Cynthia for a deeply grounding and illuminating conversation about yoga, trauma-informed practices, embodiment, and the subtle ways we trade away our present moment joy. Cynthia shares her personal journey into yoga, which began in childhood and evolved into a lifelong devotion to movement, breath, and body awareness. Her work today centers on trauma-informed yoga teacher training and her book Embodying the Goddess, which invites readers into a more intimate and empowered relationship with their bodies. One of the core themes we explore is what Cynthia calls bartering the heart. This is the pattern of making quiet contracts with life that delay happiness into the future or trap it in the past. We talk about how this shows up through longing, regret, nostalgia, shame, and the belief that peace will arrive once something changes. Cynthia offers practical ways to bring awareness to these patterns, including noticing our internal bargaining language and reclaiming agency through conscious choice. We also discuss present-moment awareness beyond meditation, and how mindfulness can be woven into everyday life through movement, curiosity, and listening to the pulse of the heart. Cynthia reframes the idea of triggers as activations and encourages curiosity instead of judgment. She also introduces the idea of shifting from rigid boundaries to personal standards rooted in self-trust and clarity. This conversation is an invitation to stop waiting for life to begin and to come home to yourself right now. If you have ever felt caught between who you are and who you think you need to be, this episode will gently meet you where you are and remind you that peace is available in this moment. With love, Dawn P.S. You can connect with Cynthia here: https://www.cynthiaabulafia.com/

What People Actually Need When They Are Struggling Mentally!

Welcome back to The Secrets of Being. In this episode, I’m honored to be joined by Rachel Corbett, CEO of SupportGroups.com, for a thoughtful and timely conversation about mental health, technology, grief, and the power of connection. Rachel shares how her personal experiences with loss and her background in behavioral health led her to create a platform designed to make mental health support more accessible, affordable, and less intimidating for people who might otherwise never reach out. We talk about the evolution of SupportGroups.com, which offers free peer-to-peer discussion forums, professional-led support groups, and innovative AI-powered mental health coaching. Rachel explains how the platform’s AI avatar is not meant to replace human care, but to support it. She describes AI as “ancestral intelligence,” a way of compiling collective human experience to help people feel seen, heard, and guided while still encouraging real-world connection and community support. Our conversation also touches on the deep importance of community as an antidote to isolation, addiction, and mental health struggles. Rachel speaks openly about treating the whole family in the healing process and the stigma that still prevents many people, especially men, from seeking help. We discuss provider burnout, boundaries, and why mental health professionals must care for themselves just as intentionally as they care for others. Along the way, we discover shared roots in La Cañada and La Crescenta, reflecting on how community shapes who we become and why small-town connection still matters in a digital world. We explore the challenges of reaching younger generations who prefer online interactions and how technology can meet people where they are without losing the soul-to-soul connection that healing requires. This episode is a reminder that innovation and compassion can coexist. Whether support comes through a screen, a support group, or a single honest conversation, what matters most is knowing you are not alone. If you’ve ever wondered how AI fits into mental health care, how community heals grief, or how to find support in a world that feels overwhelming, this conversation will offer clarity, hope, and perspective. With love, Dawn P.s. You can connect with Rachel here: https://supportgroups.com/