Mindful Money

Jillian Johnsrud never expected to be able to retire early, so she hatched a plan to retire often. Inspired by the idea of sabbatical years, she set out to sprinkle retirements throughout her life. At 40, she has taken more than a dozen mini-retirements. These allowed her to pursue dreams like living abroad, traveling to 27 countries, adopting four kids (plus two biological kids), investing in real estate, and touring the U.S. in a camper. Jillian has taught, coached, and written about mini-retirements for almost a decade. She hosts the "Retire Often" podcast and is a popular speaker and consultant for mini-retirements. I talk with Jillian about her philosophy of “retiring often” through mini-retirements—planned career breaks that promote purpose, balance, and long-term well-being. Jillian shares her personal journey from scarcity to financial freedom, how burnout affects us more than we realize, and why stepping away can actually accelerate your growth and income. We discuss the emotional and cultural hurdles that keep us chained to nonstop work and how to reframe rest as a strategic advantage. Whether you’re self-employed or climbing the corporate ladder, Jillian’s insights will inspire you to build a more intentional life. In this episode: (00:00) – Intro (03:22) – The money moment that changed Jillian’s life (04:55) – “I realized money gives you options” (06:58) – How a 19-year-old found inspiration in the Old Testament (08:24) – What is a mini-retirement (and why you need one)? (09:22) – Three smart ways to take a break without blowing up your career (11:35) – Why everyone needs a mini-retirement “go bag” (14:30) – Why waiting for burnout is the worst strategy (16:56) – Breaking the workaholic mindset and rewriting the narrative (21:24) – Rest = rocket fuel for your career (24:33) – Will I lose momentum if I step away? (29:24) – The fear that stops most people—and how to face it (32:39) – Mini-retirements aren’t just for the wealthy (36:51) – Why it’s harder (but more powerful) for entrepreneurs (40:34) – The invisible story holding you back (43:25) – The mindset shift that changed everything for Jillian (47:40) – How to connect with Jillian and learn more Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney.

Nadjeschda (Nadja) Taranczewski is a psychologist and works as a coach and facilitator. As a coach, her specialty is supporting high-net-worth individuals to become money-conscious and align money, investing, and purpose. Through her company Conscious U, Nadja supports organisations in reinventing themselves as a Conscious Tribe—a thriving community where people invest in inner work, understand the big picture, live deep connections, and cultivate conscious rituals.  In this episode of Mindful Money, I talk with Nadja about the deep psychological roots of our financial behaviors. Nadja explains how we unconsciously project parts of ourselves—like freedom, fear, or shame—onto money, and how this creates limiting beliefs that trap us in patterns of scarcity or greed. We unpack how childhood experiences, generational trauma, and hidden identity fragments influence our money mindset. Nadja shares practices for self-discovery and integration, showing how becoming conscious of these dynamics is the key to financial and emotional freedom. This conversation was eye-opening, personal, and incredibly powerful. In this episode: (00:00) – Intro (02:34) – A childhood surrounded by artists, comedians, and entrepreneurs (05:33) – Choosing psychology to heal generational wounds (09:29) – The stories that define us (and how to change them) (15:40) – The hidden traps in how we see ourselves (20:23) – What we really see in money (hint: it’s not about money) (28:24) – Shadow work: greed, fear, and the parts we deny (32:09) – What if manipulation isn’t a bad word? (36:05) – Money is identity work (41:04) – Unlocking the inner house (44:40) – Practices for reclaiming the self (48:09) – One small step toward wholeness (51:54) – The last thing Nadja changed her mind about (53:16) – How to connect with Nadja Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney. 

Aaron Thomas is a nationally recognized family law expert, Harvard Law graduate, and three-time winner of Atlanta’s Best Divorce Attorney. With over 1,000 clients—including NBA Hall of Famers, Super Bowl champions, and Grammy-winning artists—he has built a career helping high-profile and everyday couples navigate marriage, divorce, and financial security. In this episode of Mindful Money, I talk with Aaron about the modern case for prenuptial agreements. Far from being a sign of distrust, Aaron reframes prenups as a tool for clarity, fairness, and long-term harmony. We discuss how finances reflect deeper relationship dynamics, the importance of transparency before marriage, and how prenups can evolve as couples grow. Aaron shares practical strategies to prevent conflict, protect both partners, and avoid the heartbreak and financial devastation of a messy divorce. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:21) - Meet Aaron Thomas (03:02) - Lessons learned about money growing up (04:56) - What led Aaron to Family Law (06:41) - What inspired The Prenup Prescription? (07:40) - Why divorce rates spike during hard times (08:33) - Prenups aren’t just for the rich: Changing public perception (14:03) - With or without a prenup: What really changes in divorce (16:58) - How prenups can reduce conflict and build stronger relationships (29:14) - What happens when life outgrows the prenup? (33:18) - How shifting norms are reshaping modern prenups (34:44) - Why millennials are embracing prenups like never before  (37:33) - Helping couples avoid the pitfalls no one warned them about (39:06) - The one thing couples should do before getting married (41:59) - How to connect with Aaron Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney.

Dr. Ellen Hendriksen is a clinical psychologist who will help you calm your anxiety and be your authentic self. She serves on the faculty at Boston University's Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD) and is the author of How to Be Enough: Self-Acceptance for Self-Critics and Perfectionists as well as How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety. In this episode of Mindful Money, I talk with Ellen about the deep connections between perfectionism, money anxiety, and our sense of self-worth. We unpack how cultural and familial messages lead us to measure value by performance, especially financial. Ellen shares powerful tools for shifting from rigid rules to freely chosen values, embracing imperfection, and practicing self-compassion without lowering our standards. We also dig into perfectionistic self-presentation, psychological safety, and the tension between striving and accepting ourselves as we are. This conversation is full of insight—and surprisingly liberating. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:27) - Meet Ellen Hendriksen (02:12) - Ellen's background and upbringing (03:35) - Lessons on money from childhood  (05:37) - Ellen's career journey to clinical psychology (07:55) - Why money anxiety isn't really about money (13:32) - The cost of comparison: how social media warps value (16:00) - The Venn diagram of doing and being (16:44) - Shifting from rules to values (26:10) - How perfectionism and self-presentation isolate us (30:07) - Chasing growth, losing connection (33:28) - Managing perfectionism and self-criticism (37:21) - Can mindfulness beat perfectionism? (40:29) - A first step in unwinding perfectionism Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney.

Leisa Peterson is a money mindset coach, author, and financial educator who helps people transform their relationship with money. With more than 25 years of experience in financial services, she founded WealthClinic to help people overcome financial anxiety and build wealth from a holistic perspective. Leisa is the author of The Mindful Millionaire, and hosts The Art of Abundance podcast and The Mindful Millionaire podcast. She combines practical financial strategies with mindfulness practices to help clients create lasting abundance. In this episode of Mindful Money, I talk with Leisa about her courageous shift from nonfiction to fiction in her new book, The Money Catalyst. We unpack her deeply personal journey from scarcity to abundance, the emotional awakenings sparked by a trip to Paris, and how creating a fictional character helped her heal old wounds. We also dive into journaling prompts, mindset shifts, and the power of embracing “no.” Leisa’s vulnerability, insight, and generosity offer a fresh perspective on wealth—one that’s as much about inner transformation as it is about financial success. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:38) - Meet Leisa Peterson (03:19) - Writing from personal experience (06:45) - Struggling with a scarcity mindset (10:11) - How writing transformed Leisa’s closest relationships (11:58) - Writing fiction vs. nonfiction (14:29) - How storytelling shifts the money conversation (16:06) - How Leisa’s books complement each other (16:48) - Narrative, identity, and the limits of perspective (22:24) - How reflection shapes abundance (24:51) - Learning from financial setbacks (26:28) - The AWAKE process in action (29:49) – Understanding the RAIN mindfulness method (30:48) - A powerful takeaway for improving your financial life (33:39) - One thing to stop doing to get better results (34:42) - A place that deeply impacted Leisa (36:45) - How to connect with Leisa Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney.

Daniel Umfleet is the Chairman and CEO of the Kindbridge Group, Founder of Kindbridge Behavioral Health, and a member of the Kindbridge Research Institute's Board of Trustees. His work involves expanding Kindbridge’s mental health and responsible gambling initiatives, partnering with government and corporate entities, and leading innovative solutions such as AI-driven responsible gambling tools and athlete mental health programs. In this episode of Mindful Money, I talk with Daniel about the rising tide of gambling-related financial harm—especially among young adults. Daniel shares insights from his work with Kindbridge’s partnership with UCLA, the psychological roots of gambling addiction, and the financial systems unintentionally enabling it. We discuss the role of dopamine, how gamification affects decision-making, and why financial literacy alone isn’t enough. This conversation will open your eyes to the silent damage happening behind closed doors—and what we can do, as individuals and a society, to address it head-on. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:59) - Daniel's background and upbringing (04:23) - From consulting to coffee shops to Kindbridge (09:48) - The invisible crisis: gambling addiction in America (12:19) - Raising awareness around gambling addiction (14:57) - What counts as gambling? Defining risky behavior (18:18) - How gamification is rewiring our relationship with money (25:00) - Warning signs of problematic gambling (28:55) - How to talk to a loved one about gambling (32:54) - Entertainment or addiction? Rethinking "healthy gambling" (37:19) - Gambling in a 24/7, app-based world (39:32) - Strategies for combating impulsive decision-making (46:13) - Personal reflections and where to connect with Daniel Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney.

Hanna Horvath is a Certified Financial Planner who specializes in decoding the psychological forces driving our financial decisions. Through her newsletter "Your Brain on Money," she explores how unconscious scripts, cognitive biases, and emotional triggers shape our relationship with money. In this episode of Mindful Money, I talk with Hanna about the unconscious beliefs that shape our financial decisions, the psychological roots of money anxiety, and why so many people feel stuck despite having financial knowledge. Hanna explains how our upbringing, environment, and generation influence our money mindset—and how becoming aware of our internal money scripts is the first step toward financial well-being. We also explore practical ways to bring spending in line with personal values and reclaim mental space from money stress. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:07) - Meet Hanna Horvath: financial journalist and expert (02:13) - Hanna’s background and early career (03:46) - The turning point: from wealth accumulation to money psychology (04:34) - The disconnect between financial knowledge and behavior (05:19) - Navigating financial journalism and starting a newsletter (12:20) - Generational perspectives on money (16:27) - Understanding money scripts and psychological drivers (18:34) - The influence of childhood on money perception (20:20) - Money as a tool for expressing values (21:14) - Dealing with financial media and overwhelm (22:22) - Practical tips for financial management (26:52) - Aligning spending with personal values (32:56) - How to connect with Hanna Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney.

In this episode of Mindful Money, I talk with Summer Berlin, our new course manager, about her personal path out of poverty and into financial empowerment. Summer shares how growing up in a small Ohio farm town shaped her money mindset—and how exposure to positive messages about wealth slowly helped her transform it. We explore how mindset, not just money skills, drives lasting change. Summer also discusses her free personal finance booklet, created to help others start their own journey. It’s a conversation about worthiness, abundance, and why representation matters when learning to believe a better life is possible. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:36) - Summer's upbringing and early financial journey (06:52) -Unlearning the scarcity mindset (07:52) - How to navigate financial advice (08:33) - Is early career growth mostly about luck? (11:12) - "Learned helplessness" and forging a different path (12:22) - How growing up in a small town shapes our beliefs about money (16:31) - The role of influencers in teaching financial literacy (18:43) - The biggest hurdles facing Millennials and Gen Z (20:00) - Can social media be a tool for financial education? (22:27) - How people responded to Summer’s personal finance booklet (24:04) - The importance of budgeting and awareness of credit card debt (26:13) - Summer's perfect day Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney.

Anne Lester is the author of Your Best Financial Life: Save Smart Now for the Future You Want, and a leading voice on retirement and financial wellness, especially for those under 45. She spent two decades as Head of Retirement Solutions at JP Morgan and co-founded the Aspen Leadership Forum on Retirement Savings. In this episode of Mindful Money, I talk with Anne about how our emotions shape our financial choices. We unpack her personal journey with money shame, the lessons she taught her kids about saving, and the traps many fall into with impulse spending and DIY investing. Anne shares why defining “good enough” can lead to financial peace, why advisors need to stop sounding like “Charlie Brown’s teacher,” and what Gen Z should prioritize right now. It’s an honest, empowering look at money, mindset, and sustainable success. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (03:06) - Anne's early life and financial lessons (07:04) - Raising financially savvy kids (14:17) - Anne's road from Princeton to Wall Street (17:21) - Rethinking how we talk about money in America (26:58) - The power of automation in financial planning (29:04) - Smarter ways to approach saving for retirement (33:10) - Why emotions play a bigger role in money decisions than we think (35:02) - Helping clients navigate fear, shame, and uncertainty around finances (36:13) - How Gen Z can make sense of money and the modern economy (39:49) - The emotional traps of online shopping vs in-store shopping (43:06) - Anne’s new book and where to connect with her online Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney.

Sylvia Solit is an investment expert rewriting the rules of wealth, legacy, and leadership by connecting consciousness to capital to empower families, founders, and high-net-worth individuals to create wealth that is both expansive and energetically aligned. She is a rare force in finance — a CFA charterholder (a rarity among women), a CIO who has managed $1B+ in assets, with expertise in family office investments, early stage investing, and litigation funding, and an indigenously trained shaman with 30 years of experience. In this episode of Mindful Money, I talk with Sylvia about her fascinating journey from spiritual awakening in India to guiding high-net-worth families as a CIO. Sylvia shares how conscious stewardship, emotional awareness, and spiritual integration are the future of financial advising. From AI’s impact on the advisory role to the transformative potential of plant medicine and prayer, Sylvia offers a new paradigm for relating to capital with intention and soul. It’s a powerful reminder that money, too, is part of the spiritual path. In this episode: (00:00) – Intro (01:05) – Meet Sylvia Solit: shaman and chief investment officer (01:48) – Growing up with immigrant values in New Jersey (02:33) – Lessons from her parents’ divorce and financial fragility (04:33) – Seeing work as a sacred responsibility (05:48) – Early spiritual longing and doubts about enlightenment (06:58) – A life-changing awakening experience in India (16:43) – Blending spirituality with wealth management (18:59) – Why conscious stewardship goes deeper than ESG investing (24:40) – Family office retreats and spiritual governance (33:19) – Tuning into intuition instead of fear when investing (40:04) – Final reflections and Sylvia’s upcoming book Get full show notes and links at https://mindful.money.  Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MindfulMoney.