Journey To Launch

In this week's solo episode, I'm diving into something many of us feel, but don't always say out loud holiday money anxiety. This season can be full of joy, nostalgia, and family connection, but it can also bring up guilt, pressure, overspending, and emotional triggers that hit our wallets hard. So today, I'm sharing honest reflections on the expectations we carry, the emotional weight of holiday giving, and how I personally navigate the overwhelm of gifting, family obligations, and wanting to "do enough" without draining my finances or my energy.

I walk you through practical strategies for shifting your mindset, breaking old patterns, and giving yourself permission to rethink how you show up this season.

• Guilt-free gifting: How to focus on intention instead of price tags, and ways to simplify gifts especially for kids who may value the moment more than the item itself.
• Setting family & personal boundaries: What to say when you want to keep things simple, stick to a budget, or opt out without shame.
• Overspending triggers: Why boredom, stress, nostalgia, and scarcity mindset push us to buy more and how to create friction to avoid impulse purchases.
• Reframing the season: How to shift from "stuff" to connection, small rituals, meaning, and presence.
• Planning ahead for next year: Using what you spent this season to set realistic expectations and savings goals for the future.

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

In this week's solo episode, I open up about the reflections, questions, and inner shifts I've been navigating as I enter a new season of life. With the three-year anniversary of Your Journey to Financial Freedom, I'm sharing candid thoughts on growth, purpose, motherhood, and the constant evolution that comes with designing a life of freedom.

I talk about the tension between feeling grateful for the life I intentionally built and the uncertainty of what comes next. I also invite you to think deeply about your own season of life; what to keep, what to release, and how to cultivate fulfillment beyond productivity and "shoulds."

• The three-year anniversary of my book and why time feels so different now
• What it feels like to reach the goals I once dreamed of and still wonder, "What's next?"
• How financial freedom is deeply connected to inner freedom
• Why you can start over or choose differently any day, not just at the new year + more

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

In this week's solo episode, I reflect on the biggest patterns, mindset shifts, and lessons I've learned from helping hundreds of people start (and restart) their financial independence journeys. I walk through the three most common struggles people think are unique to them, the life transitions that often spark the desire for FI, and the deeper motivations that truly drive long-term change. I also share the emotional and practical mistakes I see people make again and again from trying to do it all alone to waiting for the "perfect" plan and why clarity and community matter more than tactics.

I also break down what consistently works for people who actually build momentum: personalized roadmaps, accountability, small wins, and the mindset and grace needed to stay the course.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Why so many people feel "behind" and why their struggles are actually normal
• How life transitions career changes, burnout, debt, and parenthood often trigger the FI awakening
• The deeper "why" behind pursuing FI, including freedom, safety, options, and control
• The common mistakes people make, like going it alone or waiting for the perfect moment
• What truly moves people forward: community, clarity, flexible plans, mindset shifts, and celebrating small wins

In this week's episode, I sit down with longtime Journeyer and two-time Journey to FI program member Latoya Rowe. Latoya shares how she pivoted into a higher-earning career, discovered financial independence during her grad-school commute, and rebuilt her financial foundation while juggling motherhood, debt, and major life changes. She opens up about the emotional and financial impact of selling her rental properties, how community reignited her belief that FI is possible, and why mindset became the key that unlocked her momentum.

We also talk about the power of visualizing your ideal life, how Latoya is shifting into coaching while reducing stress in her clinical career, and what it really looks like to choose balance and flexibility on the FI journey. Her story is a beautiful reminder that progress isn't linear and that clarity, community, and courage can completely transform your financial path.

In this episode, Latoya and I discuss:

• How she changed careers and discovered the FI movement
• Why she sold her real estate and how it freed her financially
• The mindset and community support that helped her regain focus
• How visualizing her future inspired her coaching career shift

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

In this week's episode, I'm chatting with Alejandra Rojas, entrepreneur, Forbes contributor, and founder of Brown Way to Money, a financial mentoring platform that helps women overcome financial trauma and improve their relationship with money. Alejandra's story is such a powerful reminder that financial freedom isn't just about numbers, it's about emotional healing, self-awareness, and redefining success on your own terms.

Originally from Colombia, Alejandra left home at 19 on a scholarship and went on to live and study in Spain, the U.S., and New Zealand. She shares how her journey from financial burnout in Washington D.C. to finding balance in New Zealand completely changed how she views money, success, and happiness. We talk about what it means to truly know yourself with money, and how understanding your emotional patterns can help you build wealth that feels aligned and sustainable.

Alejandra also breaks down her B.R.O.W.N. Framework, a tool she uses to help women heal from financial trauma and create lasting change.

• How Alejandra's global journey and scholarships shaped her view of money and opportunity
• The moment she realized her financial burnout was connected to deeper emotional patterns
• What she learned about consumer culture and self-worth while living in the U.S.
• How life in New Zealand helped her slow down, reconnect, and build a new definition of success