You’re not burned out. You’re disconnected.

This episode cuts through the noise of trendy “mindfulness hacks” and dives deep into something far more useful: how to actually wake up in your life, your job, and your head.

Dr. Shalini Bahl is a former marketing professor with a PhD, a top-tier publication record, and the courage to walk away from it all. What made her trade career accolades for meditation cushions? It wasn’t a TED Talk or a productivity book. It was pain, disillusionment, and a shamanic journey that rewired her identity from the inside out.

But this isn’t just a self-help story. It’s a roadmap.

We unpack:

• Why most people are living on autopilot (and how to stop)

• The real cost of ignoring your emotions—and how to build a daily practice that doesn’t feel like fluff

• How to deal with your inner critic, even when it sounds like your mom, your boss, or your high school rival

• How to bring presence into high-pressure environments (yes, even a 200-cover steakhouse)

• The science behind ego depletion and why willpower isn’t your problem

• What to do when you feel shame about the work you do (and why your job doesn’t define your worth)
  

If you’ve ever felt stuck—like you’re performing your life instead of living it—this conversation is your invitation to stop outsourcing your peace.

You don’t need to go to Costa Rica or get a certification. You just need to pay attention.

Link to her website HERE.

Service starts now.

I talk to people in and around the service industry space, and people that I wish I could have heard from when I was coming up in restaurants. Altogether I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.

Classic Episodes You May Like:

-#3:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My 1st and Most Powerful Conversation with Shane Alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#10:⁠Nat Harry, cocktail expert!⁠

As always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.

Cheers