The Calming Ground Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

What if the richest, most meaningful moments of your life are already here, hidden in the ordinary?

In this episode of The Calming Ground, host Elizabeth Mintun explores “the sacred and the mundane.” Not necessarily religious or spiritual (though it can be), sacredness is that deep feeling of aliveness, wonder, or tenderness that makes you pause and think, this matters.

But most of life is ordinary, filled with tasks such as folding laundry, answering emails, and making the bed. Elizabeth talks about why we often miss meaningful moments and offers simple practices to invite more of the extraordinary - or the sacred - into your everyday life. 

Key Task

• Getting caught in autopilot living and overthinking can often lead to more experiences of the mundane than the extraordinary. 
• There is a perhaps surprising link between presence and sacredness.
• Small practices, such as “micro thank-yous” and reframing ordinary tasks as meaningful acts of care can make a significant difference.

✨ Reflection Question:

If you approached one daily task as sacred this week, what would you choose—and what might shift for you if you did?

Learn more about 1:1 Coaching here. 

Contact Elizabeth: elizabethmintun@thecalmingground.com

DM Elizabeth on Instagram or Facebook @TheCalmingGround

If you found this episode supportive, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with a friend. Every bit of kindness helps this podcast reach more people who could use a moment of calm.

Does January feel like it was forever ago? If so, you’re not alone. 

Mid-year is the perfect time to pause, reflect, and gently re-align with what truly matters for the rest of 2025 - and that’s exactly what host Elizabeth Mintun does in this episode. Elizabeth guides you through a calming mid-year reflection, celebrating what’s worked, gently acknowledging what feels heavy and ready to be released, and setting mindful intentions for the months of 2025 still to come.

Key Takeaways

• Mid-year is a natural time to pause and realign. You don’t have to wait for January to check in with your goals and your well-being.
• Reflection creates clarity. Asking gentle questions like “What am I proud of?” or “What felt draining?” can help you move forward with intention, not autopilot.
• Your inner life matters. Noticing how you're really doing (without judgment) is an act of self-care in itself.
• Visualization connects you to your future self. Imagining how you want to feel at the end of the year can help you make aligned choices today.

Resources

Join the Stress Resilience Formula: 6-Week Reset – If stress has been running the show lately, this small-group coaching program will help you feel calmer, clearer, and more in control… no matter what life throws at you. Doors close Friday, July 25, and we start next week!

The Calming Ground Self-Care Membership – Get ongoing seasonal mindfulness practices, guided reflections, and self-care tools. Learn more here.

Learn more about 1:1 Coaching here. 

Contact Elizabeth: elizabethmintun@thecalmingground.com

DM Elizabeth on Instagram or Facebook @TheCalmingGround

If you found this episode supportive, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with a friend. Every bit of kindness helps this podcast reach more people who could use a moment of calm.

In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun is joined by Carley Weissert, a self-love and body image coach for women, who helps her clients create peace with their bodies, find freedom with food, and dismantle the rules and beliefs that keep them stuck in cycles of shame, perfectionism, and restriction.

Carley shares her own transformational journey, from years of disordered eating and self-criticism to hitting her rock bottom. Through candid storytelling, she walks us through the moment she got “sick of herself” and how working with a coach opened the door to body peace and self-trust. Carley’s honesty, warmth, and lived experience make this episode a must-listen for anyone who’s ever struggled with their relationship to food, their body, or the internalized need to be "perfect."

Key Takeaways

• Inner-child and - especially - inner teen work can uncover hidden beliefs that could be significantly contributing to body image issues. 
• Self-compassion, including common humanity (the idea that we’re not alone) is a key component of healing body image struggles. 
• Shame keeps us silent, and bringing our shame into the light is one of the first steps to healing. 

🎧 Quotable Moments 

“Your body has always been your friend. You just have to come back to her.”

“Body peace isn’t a destination. It’s a daily practice.”

“You’re not here to be small and perfect. You’re here to live your life.”

Resources

Free Guided Meditation: https://www.thecalmingground.com/free-guided-meditation

Contact Elizabeth: elizabethmintun@thecalmingground.com

Visit Carley’s website: https://www.carleyweissert.com/

Find Carley on IG: https://www.instagram.com/carleyweissert/

Take the Quiz: Food Freedom + Body Love Quiz

Join Carley’s Free Body Peace Boost Challenge: Body Peace Boost Challenge

Is luck something that simply happens to us, or can we actually influence how lucky we are?

In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun draws on insights from psychologist Dr. Richard Wiseman’s decade-long study on the nature of luck. She explores how lucky people think, act, and respond to life differently - and how you might do the same. Elizabeth also shares a personal story from her winding career path that illustrates how what can look like “bad luck” might really be a redirection in disguise.

Key Takeaways: 

• Research has shown that our brains filter our perception of opportunities that come our way (confirmation and negativity bias). 
• Openness, emotional flexibility, and mindfulness can possibly increase your chances of “lucky breaks”.
• Different cultures offer unique perspectives on luck, from qi and harmony to being in right relationship with the natural world. 
• A practice for the next week could be to approach each day as if something beautiful is about to happen. Stay open, follow a nudge, say yes to a gentle stretch, and see what unfolds.

Resources

Learn more or inquire about Inner Compass Coaching: www.thecalmingground.com

💌 Contact Elizabeth directly: elizabethmintun@thecalmingground.com

🎧 Like this episode? Share it with a friend or leave a review - it helps this work reach more hearts and minds.

Learn more about Dr. Richard Wiseman’s research at richardwiseman.com

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “I’ve done the work... So why do I still feel stuck?” 

In this heartfelt and grounding episode, Elizabeth Mintun explores what it means to be in the “in-between” - that quiet, uncertain space where transformation is happening under the surface, even if it doesn’t look like it on the outside. Elizabeth shares personal reflections and nourishing insights into why the stuckness we feel isn’t a sign of failure, but actually a sign of becoming. Whether your nervous system is integrating, your old tools are no longer working, or you’re simply in a season of rest, this episode offers compassionate guidance and practical practices to support you.

Key Takeaways

• Progress and plateaus are a natural rhythm of growth. 
• Our nervous system requires time to adjust to a new sense of safety.
• Shifting the ways we relate to our stuckness can improve our sense of wellbeing and trust in the process. 

Resources

If you’re interested in receiving the free journal prompts, contact Elizabeth: Elizabethmintun@thecalmingground.com

Or DM Elizabeth on Facebook or Instagram @thecalmingground and say “JOURNAL PROMPTS” 

💌 Support and Connect:

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who might need a little encouragement in their “in-between”.

Books can nourish us just like friendships do, can’t they?  

In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun shares 10 stories and reflections that have nourished her spirit over the years. They are ones that have comforted her in hard times, expanded her perspective, supported her professional growth, and reminded her of what truly matters. The books aren't ranked in any particular order; each one holds a special place. 

Key Takeaways

• "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." —Paulo Coelho
• "All flourishing is mutual." —Robin Wall Kimmerer
• "You don't have to see the whole path. Just take the next step." —James Norbury
• "The flower doesn’t dream of the bee. It blossoms and the bee comes." —Mark Nepo
• "Living in rhythm with the seasons is a way of remembering who we are." —John Kirkwood

 Resources

Contact: Elizabethmintun@thecalmingground.com

Find The Calmingground on IG & Facebook @thecalmingground

Books Mentioned: 

1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
2. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury
4. The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo
5. The Way of the Five Seasons by John Kirkwood
6. Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay Gibson
7. Qigong and Psychotherapy by Patrick Dougherty
8. ​​Stop Overthinking by Nick Trenton
9. Meditation Secrets for Women by Camille Maureen and Lorin Roche

Xiu Yang: The Ancient Chinese Art of Self-Cultivation for a Healthier, Happier, More Balanced Life by Mimi Kuo-Deemer

Key Takeaways

• In ancient Chinese medicine, our organs aren't just physical structures; they're part of an interconnected system that includes our emotional, mental, and energetic health.
• In western medicine, the liver is known for its detoxification and processing what's no longer needed. In Chinese medicine, the liver is also believed to filter our emotions, our plans, and our direction in life.
• When the wood element of springtime is in balance, according to ancient Chinese medicine, we experience flexibility along with the wisdom of clear vision, propelling us forward, notifying us of barriers, and allowing us the clarity to find our way.

Resources

Free reflective journal prompts: https://www.thecalmingground.com/reflection-prompts-selfcare

Episode 53: Breathe, Balance, & Release: Aligning with Fall through the Metal Element

Episode 64: The Art of Wintering: Embracing Rest & Renewal this Winter

What if you could shed the barriers that get in your way and truly allow your inner essence to shine through? 

In this episode, Elizabeth Mintun talks with business and life coach Renee Vogel about her perspective on how to return to and live from the inner beauty within. Renee shared about her own essence and how she helps others break through the layers that keep themselves from living more authentically and freely as they are (rather than as they feel they should be). 

Key Takeaways 

• It’s important to notice and explore our “essence”. In other words, who you are beyond the survival mechanisms that have been put in place throughout your life. Your essence is your truest self. 
• Play can help support our return to our essence. 
• Coaching can help support and guide you to your goals, however if there are deep seated traumas creating barriers, therapy would be a better first step. 

Resources 

Contact Elizabeth Mintun with any questions, comments, or concerns: elizabethmintun@thecalmingground.com

Learn about The Calming Ground: https://www.thecalmingground.com/

Free reflective journal prompts: https://www.thecalmingground.com/reflection-prompts-selfcare

Contact Renee via email: beingcoachrv@gmail.com, ph: 614-306-2026

What if menopause could be experienced and celebrated as a new beginning, an invitation to look within, to realign one’s health, beliefs and connection to one’s truest self?

That’s just what perimenopause doula Bean Bindloss suggests in this conversation with Elizabeth Mintun. Bean talks about the value in supporting women in perimenopause and menopause with nutritional therapy, integrative hypnosis and spiritual support. She works with women who value a body-heart-mind-soul approach to their health and wellbeing and who don’t want to sleep walk through this major midlife transition, The widely-held narrative of menopause being a miserable, chaotic ending, couldn’t be more limiting. This phase is in fact a new beginning, an invitation to look within, to realign one’s health, beliefs and connection to one’s truest self. This transition has the potential to become a spiritual awakening and a launchpad for the most empowered time of life yet. 

Key Takeaways

• During the fertile years of a woman’s life, her hormones are protective. As hormones change during the time of perimenopause and menopause, a woman can make lifestyle shifts to offer herself and her body the protection she needs and deserves. 
• The widely-held narrative of menopause being a miserable, chaotic ending, couldn’t be more limiting. This phase can represent a powerful new beginning, an invitation to look within, and to realign your health, beliefs and connection to your truest self.
• The menopause transition has the potential to become a spiritual awakening and a launchpad for the most empowered time of life yet.

Contact Elizabeth Mintun with any questions, comments, or concerns: elizabethmintun@thecalmingground.com

Learn about The Calming Ground: https://www.thecalmingground.com/

Free reflective journal prompts: https://www.thecalmingground.com/reflection-prompts-selfcare

Find Bean on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenutritionalbean/

Bean’s Website: https://www.thenutritionalbean.com/ 

When any of you listeners sign up for Bean’s upcoming course “Perimenopause Foundations”, you’ll receive a FREE 60-minute consultation. Just use the code: CalmingGround

Perimenopause Foundations course: https://www.thenutritionalbean.com/perimenopause-foundations

What if you had a roadmap to understand yourself and others on a deeper level? The Enneagram isn’t just a personality test—it’s a powerful tool for self-discovery, personal growth, and improving relationships.

In this episode, Elizabeth talks with Certified Enneagram coach Alyssa Nicole about how the Enneagram can be used as a powerful tool for personal development, relationships, and workplace dynamics. Alyssa shares insights on how understanding Enneagram types, wings, and growth paths can help individuals build self-awareness, strengthen relationships, and improve communication.

Key Takeaways

• The Enneagram is a tool for growth rather than a tool that simply offers a fixed personality type
• The Enneagram can be used to recognize stress patterns and develop healthier behaviors
• The Enneagram can be helpful for pinpointing reasons why you might be getting stuck. 

Contact Elizabeth Mintun with any questions, comments, or concerns: elizabethmintun@thecalmingground.com

Learn about The Calming Ground: https://www.thecalmingground.com/

Free reflective journal prompts: https://www.thecalmingground.com/reflection-prompts-selfcare

Alyssa Nicole’s podcast

Here is one of Beatrice Chestnut’s books mentioned in this episode

Find Alyssa on IG and Facebook: @enneagramleadershipco