The Rising with Janel Gonzalez

Some people out there have scary energy and the holidays are full of them. In this episode of The Rising, Janel breaks down what energy vampires are, how to spot them, and exactly what to do before walking into any event this season so you can show up as your best self.

We live in a world where the holiday calendar fills up fast, and with every event comes an energetic cost. From grounding techniques to recovery time, Janel walks through the tools that keep you protected, present, and actually enjoying the season instead of just surviving...

Have you ever felt deeply hurt by someone who didn’t even seem to notice or care?

In this October Rising After Dark episode, Janel dives into Patrick Gaines’ book Sociopath and explores what it really means when someone in your life seems emotionally detached, unapologetic, or incapable of empathy. This isn’t about labeling people. It’s about understanding them, releasing unrealistic expectations, and giving yourself permission to stop taking it personally.

Because sometimes people can only give you what they have and that’s all they have.

In this episode:
• What a socio...

What if the thing holding you back isn't a lack of motivation — it's the shadow side of the very principles you're trying to live by?

This October, Janel goes dark. In this special episode she walks through each of the four RISE principles and explores their shadow — what it looks like when reflection turns into rumination, intention turns into sleepwalking, simplicity turns into overconsumption, and enjoyment turns into waiting for life to be perfect before you live it.

This season, find the light — even when everything around you feels dark.

In this episode:

Nobody asks how the caregiver is doing. It's time to change that.

When journalist Juana Libedinsky's husband suffered a traumatic brain injury during a family ski trip in the Patagonia Andes, she didn't fall apart — she became a machine. In this powerful episode, Juana shares the story behind her book Downhill, what really happens to the person doing the caregiving, and why the caregiver's journey is just as important as the patient's.

This one is for every person carrying something heavy in silence.

In this episode:

We were never meant to find meaning in our stuff — and deep down, we all know it.

Joshua Becker — bestselling author, pastor, and the man behind Becoming Minimalist — joins Janel for a powerful conversation about why we keep accumulating, what we're really chasing, and how his newest book Uncluttered Faith is helping people make space for the things that matter most. From human nature to faith to the RISE principles, this episode goes far deeper than decluttering tips.

It's a reset for your home, your heart, and your life.

In this episode:

Back-to-school season can bring new routines, packed schedules, overstimulation, and plenty of unexpected changes—but the energy we bring into our homes can make a difference.

In this episode, Janel explores what it means to raise your vibe as a parent and as a family. Inspired by Vibrate Higher Daily by Lalah Delia, she shares practical ways to create a calmer, more positive home where both parents and kids have space to reset after the demands of the school day.

From starting the morning with gratitude and music to slowing down after school, Ja...

Your calendar should reflect your values — not everyone else's expectations.

Janel is back with another back to school essential, and this one is for every parent who said yes to too much last year and paid for it by December. In this episode she breaks down how to approach the school year calendar with intention, protect your family's rest, and stop letting the schedule run your life.

Because the calendar cannot be your family's boss.

In this episode:

What do you do when your child comes home and tells you another kid has been mean to them?

In this episode, Janel continues her Back to School series with a practical conversation about bullies, mean kids, and difficult situations at school. Inspired by Jefferson Fisher’s book The Next Conversation, she shares tools parents can teach their children to help them respond with greater confidence, self-control, and resilience.

From pausing before reacting and confidently addressing hurtful comments to knowing when to walk away or ask a trusted adult for help, Janel explores ways to he...

What does it really mean to raise a teenager well — and what does success actually look like?

In this special episode, Janel sits down with her son Alex Gonzalez for a freshman year recap that every parent and teenager needs to hear. From drumming with Tommy Lee to navigating a new school, building discipline, and figuring out what actually matters — this conversation is honest, funny, and full of heart.

Spoiler: it's not about the GPA.

In this episode:

Back-to-school preparation is about more than school supplies, new clothes, and getting back into a routine. It’s also an opportunity to prepare kids with the social skills, manners, and character they need to navigate the school year with confidence.

In this episode, Janel sits down with world-renowned etiquette expert Carla Shellis for a much-needed Back-to-School Manners 101 refresh. Carla shares practical etiquette tips every child should know—from making eye contact, greeting adults, and saying please and thank you to respecting teachers, practicing good hygiene, and noticing the people who are often overlooked. 

They also go be...

Why is it so hard to put your phone down?

In this episode, Janel dives into the science of dopamine and how our constant search for stimulation is affecting our focus, creativity, relationships, and overall well-being. Drawing inspiration from Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke, she shares practical ways to slow down, embrace boredom, reconnect with nature, and restore balance to your brain.

Topics discussed:
• Dopamine and instant gratification
• Social media and device addiction
• Why boredom sparks creativity
• Breaking unhealthy habits
• Nature as a nervous system reset
• Living with more intenti...

Does summer always seem to come with pressure to spend more money?

From expensive vacations and concert tickets to dining out and keeping up with everyone else's plans, summer can quickly become one of the most expensive seasons of the year. But what if you could create a memorable, joyful summer without draining your bank account?

In this episode, Janel shares practical mindset shifts inspired by Morgan Housel's The Art of Spending Money and explores how to overcome summer FOMO, spend with intention, and create meaningful memories—without breaking the bank.

In this ep...

Why do so many moms feel like they have to do it all?

In this heartfelt conversation, Janel sits down with children's author Emily Busby to discuss modern motherhood, mom guilt, overwhelm, asking for help, postpartum struggles, social media pressure, perfectionism, and the importance of building real support systems.

Emily shares the story behind her new children's book, Mommy Is Not an Octopus, and why mothers need permission to stop trying to juggle everything alone. Together, they explore the realities of parenting, raising children in today's world, and why honesty, grace, and community matter more...

What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t other people—but the stories you keep telling yourself?

In this powerful conversation, psychotherapist and author Chad Taylor joins Janel to discuss addiction, recovery, ego, self-awareness, personal responsibility, emotional healing, and why lasting transformation begins when we stop blaming others and start looking inward.

Drawing from his own recovery journey, Chad shares the wisdom behind his book It's You, Oh Fck, It's Me* and explains how awareness, community, gratitude, and self-reflection can help us break free from destructive patterns and create meaningful change.

In t...

What are you using to escape your reality?

In this episode, Janel explores the ways we numb, distract, and disconnect from our lives through unhealthy escapism—whether it’s overworking, staying busy, alcohol, devices, fantasy thinking, or avoiding our emotions altogether. This honest conversation is about learning how to stop running from discomfort and start reconnecting with the life that’s actually in front of you.

Through reflection, gratitude, acceptance, and mindset shifts, Janel shares how to stop living in a false reality and begin creating peace within your current one.

In this episod...

Are you steering your own life—or letting everyone else choose the direction for you?

In this episode, Janel explores what it really means to become the captain of your own life. Through the metaphor of navigating a ship at sea, she shares a powerful conversation about personal responsibility, emotional resilience, boundaries, rest, peace, and learning how to reconnect with your own internal compass.

This episode is an invitation to stop drifting through life on autopilot and start intentionally choosing the direction you want your life to take.

In this episode:
• How to s...

What if this season isn't asking you to do more—but to release what no longer fits?

In this episode, Janel explores the concept of identity evolution and why shedding old versions of yourself isn't a crisis—it's a calling. Through the lens of the RISE principles—reflection, intention, simplicity, and enjoyment—this episode is an open invitation to audit who you are now, reconnect with your authentic self, and step boldly into a new season.

Spring cleaning isn't just for your home. It's for your identity too.

In this episode:
• Why an identit...

Motherhood can be beautiful, overwhelming, joyful, exhausting—and all of those things can exist at the same time.

In this special Mother’s Day episode, Janel opens up about the duality of motherhood, navigating overstimulation, mom guilt, burnout, emotional exhaustion, and learning to find joy in the messy, imperfect seasons of raising children. This honest conversation explores how the RISE principles—reflection, intention, simplicity, and enjoyment—can help mothers reconnect with themselves while still showing up for their families.

From setting boundaries and simplifying your calendar to learning how to truly be present with your children...

In this episode, we explore what it really means to experience joy—even in the middle of anxiety, grief, and life’s most challenging seasons. Joy isn’t about everything being perfect. It’s about finding moments of light, even when life feels heavy.

Janel is joined by Yanina Oyarzo as they talk through navigating stress, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm while still choosing joy in everyday life. From simple practices like spending time in nature to unexpected tools like watching funny videos to reset your mind, this conversation is both honest and practical.

You’...

Janel returns with a powerful conversation alongside Yanina Oyarzo on healing, identity, and showing up authentically.

This conversation explores what it looks like to navigate personal growth, emotional healing, and becoming more aligned with who you truly are. Together, they unpack the tension between who we’ve been and who we’re becoming—and how to move forward with clarity, honesty, and intention.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:
• What it means to show up authentically in every season
• Navigating healing, identity, and personal growth
• Letting go of expectations and embracing who you are be...

Do you have to wait for life to feel perfect before you experience joy? In this episode of The Rising, Janel closes out the Back to Basics series by exploring the fourth RISE principle: Enjoyment — and why joy is not something reserved for easy seasons of life.

Janel shares how joy and pain can coexist, why joy is actually a birthright, and how learning to notice small “micro moments” can transform your emotional and spiritual wellbeing. From simple daily practices to becoming a “joy maker” for others, this episode offers practical ways to invite more presence, healing, and gratit...

What if simplicity wasn’t about deprivation… but freedom?

In this episode of the Back to Basics series, Janel explores Simplicity, the third principle of the RISE Living Toolkit — and why learning to travel lighter can transform your mental clarity, home environment, and overall well-being.

Simplicity goes far beyond decluttering your home. It’s about removing what distracts you so you can focus on what truly matters: peace, presence, and meaningful connection.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why minimalism creates more freedom, not restriction
• How physical clutter impacts your nervous system
• T...

What if the reason you feel stuck isn’t lack of motivation — but lack of intention?

In this episode, Janel breaks down the second RISE principle and explains how living intentionally helps you stop wandering through life and start aligning your choices with what truly fulfills you.

Discover how setting intentions each morning and clarifying your core values can shift your energy, decision-making, and long-term direction.

Inside this episode:
• How intention transforms daily decisions
• Why clarity creates momentum
• The power of choosing what you want to call into your day

In this episode of The Rising Refresher Series, Janel introduces the first RISE principle—Reflection—and explains how it helps you reconnect with yourself in a world full of noise, pressure, and distraction.

Reflection can look like journaling, walking in nature, meditating for a few minutes, sitting quietly with a cup of tea, or stepping away from screens to breathe and reset.

Janel shares how grief, research, and personal transformation shaped these tools—and why they’re accessible to everyone.

You’ll learn:
• What reflection really means
• Why it builds emotional awareness
...

What if the next chapter of your life started by returning to yourself?
In this episode, Janel introduces her new Back to Basics series and shares how years of grief, study, healing, and deep inner work led to the creation of her four guiding pillars: Reflection, Intention, Simplicity, and Enjoyment—the RISE Principles.

These tools aren’t about perfection. They’re about alignment, self-trust, and learning to rise into the person you’re becoming—one day at a time.

In this episode, you’ll explore:• The emotional origin story of The Rising• Why Janel immersed herself...

In this conversation, TK Coleman breaks down why scrolling (not social media itself) is quietly reshaping our attention, creativity, and sense of purpose—and how to reclaim your life with simple, repeatable practices that reconnect you to your body, your curiosity, and what matters most.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
 • Why “scrolling is the new smoking” and how it shifts us from searching with intention to dopamine-driven scrolling
• How to speak truth in a way that calls people forward, not calls them out
• The difference...

Decluttering tips are everywhere… but why do we keep returning to the same patterns? In this episode of The Rising, Janel interviews TK Coleman of The Minimalists to unpack the deeper layer: emotional clutter—the feelings and beliefs underneath the mess.

This episode is for anyone who wants simplicity, peace, and freedom… but feels blocked by anxiety, old narratives, or the pressure to “get it right.”

You’ll learn:
• Why your relationship to “stuff” is tied to identity, fear, and memory
• How to shift from shame-bas...

If you’ve been living in your head, second-guessing every decision, and feeling disconnected from yourself—this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Rising Podcast, Janel sits down with Anna Gannon, an intuitive psychic and intuitive development coach, to demystify intuition and teach practical ways to access your inner guidance in the year ahead. Anna explains intuition as information received through the body—not the logical mind—and shares how to begin building a relationship with your intuitive senses through simple daily practices. 

Jacklynne Marder is a licensed, trauma-focused psychotherapist and trauma-informed yoga instructor based in Los Angeles. She integrates somatic therapy, neuroscience, and mind-body practices to help clients heal trauma, regulate their nervous systems, and feel safer in their bodies. Her work is rooted in the belief that true healing happens not just through insight—but through embodiment.

If you’ve been trying to think your way out of stress, anxiety, or burnout—but your body still feels stuck—this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Rising, Janel sits dow...

If your closet is packed but you still feel stuck in the same three outfits, this conversation is for you. In this episode of The Rising Podcast, Janel welcomes personal stylist and mom of four, Elly Brown, to talk about practical, down-to-earth style—no celebrity budget required.

Elly Brown is a personal stylist, content creator, and founder of Uptown With Elly Brown, where she shares relatable style that actually fits women’s everyday lives. With over a decade of experience in the fashion space, she’s known for her honest approach, her “tough-love-but-make-it-cute” styling ad...

If the holidays leave you drained, resentful, or spread too thin, this episode is your reminder that you’re allowed to step back. Janel shares why constant yeses lead to burnout — and how choosing yourself can bring more joy, rest, and presence into your season.

Inside this episode you’ll learn:
✨ How to say no with kindness
✨ Why protecting your energy matters
✨ The power of rest (and why it’s not something you earn)
✨ How to communicate boundaries without guilt
✨ Why your peace is more important than pleasing people

Let thi...

When life feels heavy or uncertain, gratitude can become the anchor that steadies you. In this heartfelt Thanksgiving episode of The Rising Podcast, Janel shares how to turn thankfulness into a daily practice — one that grounds you, lifts your spirit, and helps you rise above life’s challenges with peace and perspective.

She reminds us that gratitude isn’t reserved for perfect seasons or holidays — it’s an elevated state of being that we can return to, even in the midst of grief, busyness, or change.

Learn how to:
✨ Shift from surface-level thankfulness to true, felt g...

In this week’s episode of The Rising Podcast, Janel shares practical tools to help you shop smarter — and more intentionally — during the holiday season. As Black Friday and endless sales roll in, it’s easy to get caught in the rush. But what if you approached spending differently this year?

Janel explores how to pause before purchasing, reflect on your “money story,” and bring awareness to what truly adds value to your life. Inspired by The Art of Spending by Morgan Housel, this episode will help you reconnect to gratitude, simplicity, and purpose.

L...

When life feels heavy or uncertain, gratitude can become the anchor that steadies you. In this heartfelt Thanksgiving episode of The Rising Podcast, Janel shares how to turn thankfulness into a daily practice — one that grounds you, lifts your spirit, and helps you rise above life’s challenges with peace and perspective.

She reminds us that gratitude isn’t reserved for perfect seasons or holidays — it’s an elevated state of being that we can return to, even in the midst of grief, busyness, or change.

Learn how to:
✨ Shift from surface-level thankfulness to true, felt g...

At 45, Janel has learned that true peace doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from presence. In this reflective Rising Podcast episode, she opens up about the powerful lessons life has taught her: to accept what is, to stop trying to fix or change others, and to honor her own pace without apology.

She shares how releasing control and embracing simplicity can lead to a fuller, freer life — one rooted in authenticity, compassion, and quiet strength.

You’ll discover how to:
 ✨ Find joy even when life doesn’t look like you imagined<...

Ever leave a conversation feeling exhausted, anxious, or heavy — even though nothing “bad” happened? You may have encountered an energy vampire. In this episode of The Rising Podcast, Janel shares how to recognize these subtle drains on your energy and protect your emotional well-being.

She explains how energy vampires show up in daily life — from the constant complainers and quiet competitors to the manipulative personalities that slowly deplete your peace — and how you can rise above it all.

Learn how to:
✨ Recognize negative energetic patterns in your environment
✨ Protect yourself with grounding...

In this episode of The Rising, Janel talks about how clutter can weigh us down and keep us from becoming our best selves. She offers gentle, actionable steps to declutter your home, quiet your mind, and live with more intention.

You’ll hear how:

If you’ve been craving clarity and calm, this episode will help you start fresh—one small step at a time.

Let’s rise together:
S...

Looking for confidence? Janel reminds us that it starts from within. In this episode of The Rising Podcast, she shares how to stop relying on others for approval and instead build unshakable self-worth through self-love, mindfulness, and purpose.

Discover how to:

This message will leave you feeling grounded, confident, and ready to rise above the noise.

 
Let’s rise together:
Share thi...

Feeling overwhelmed by your closet? In this episode of The Rising Podcast, Janel walks you through the process of creating a capsule wardrobe — a small, curated collection of clothing that saves you time, money, and stress.

You’ll learn:

In this episode of The Rising Podcast, host Janel closes out her series on non-attachment by highlighting the gifts that come when we release control and let go. Building on previous conversations, she unpacks how practicing non-attachment transforms not just our mindset, but the way we live, love, and grow.

Listeners will discover: