When life feels heavy and the days start to blur together, it’s easy to slip into survival mode without even realizing it. In this episode, Dr. Phyllis shares encouragement for anyone walking through a difficult season and wondering how to keep believing when life feels too much.

God meets us in the hard places not to break us but to restore us. Faith is easy to talk about when things are going well, but it’s in the testing that our faith grows deeper. Even when you feel stretched or unsure, this season will not last forever.

Dr. Phyllis also walks through a simple self-coaching practice called the 3 Rs to help you move from numbness to renewal: Recognize where you’ve gone numb, Remember God’s presence, and Rebuild through small, steady steps of faith.

You’re not failing. You’re growing. Don’t rush to get back to normal. Allow yourself to move through the process, trusting that God is in control. With His guidance, you’ll continue to grow, and He will do a new thing in you.

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You might notice something different about the podcast—new name, new season, new energy. Welcome to Awake and Aligned, where Dr. Phyllis guides you to step out of auto-pilot and start living fully present in your life and purpose.

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis shares her own journey of being out of alignment and what it taught her about living awake. Purpose isn’t about striving or checking off boxes—it’s about choosing alignment for yourself, noticing when life has been on auto-pilot, and taking intentional steps to live fully engaged.

We explore what it really means to listen between the lines of your life, why auto-pilot isn’t just a scheduling issue but a soul issue, and how small, mindful choices can bring you into alignment.

This week’s reflection: Find a quiet moment and ask yourself, Where in my life have I been running on routine and auto-pilot instead of being fully engaged?

Key Takeaways:

• Alignment is a choice, not a chase.
• Auto-pilot is a soul problem, not just a schedule problem.
• Living awake is possible when you slow down, notice, and act intentionally.

Tune in to hear Dr. Phyllis share stories and insights that will inspire you to step into your next chapter fully awake and aligned.

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We all have those days where nothing goes according to plan and life feels messy and out of rhythm. But what if those moments are not setbacks, but invitations to shift your focus?

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis reminds us that sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is keep showing up. It is not about being perfect, it is about being persistent.

She shares how she had to let go of perfectionism and learn to realign with what truly matters. Through prayer, pause, and perspective, she invites us to reset, simplify our expectations, and focus on faithfulness instead of flawlessness.

You will hear practical ways to pause and invite God into the moment, let go of unrealistic expectations, extend grace when you fall short, and refocus on what actually needs your attention today.

God never asked us to be perfect, only present. When life feels like it is unraveling, choose to show up anyway. Breathe, reset, and remember that you cannot walk in peace if you are punishing yourself for being human.

Listen in for encouragement, truth, and a reminder that persistence is its own kind of progress.

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When life feels heavy, our heads naturally bow. Our shoulders tense, our hearts race, and we try to push through. But what if the most sacred thing you could do in that moment isn’t to keep going — it’s to pause and look up?

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis invites you to take what she calls a holy pause . A simple act of releasing control and reconnecting with peace. She shares her personal story of learning to breathe again when life felt out of control and how one intentional look up changed everything.

Through her powerful B.R.E.A.T.H. practice:

Be still. Release control. Engage your breath. Acknowledge. Thank Him. Hold peace.

Dr. Phyllis reminds us that every breath can become a sacred reset for your soul.

Before you dive into your to-do list, take a moment to pause and breathe. This short practice could transform the way you move through your day and remind you who’s truly holding it all together.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or stretched thin, this episode will help you slow down, lift your gaze, and find peace right where you are.

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Ever felt like you’re doing all the right things, serving, praying, showing up, and still feel spiritually tired? Like your faith is running on autopilot? You’re not alone. Many of us find ourselves moving through the motions, doing for God but forgetting to simply be with Him.

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis shares what happens when faith becomes performance driven instead of presence filled. She talks about that inner tension between our Martha and Mary selves, the part of us that loves to serve and the part that longs to rest at Jesus’ feet. Both matter, but sometimes one needs to pause so the other can breathe.

Dr. Phyllis also shares her simple yet powerful SIT framework to help you slow down and reconnect with God in a meaningful way.

S means Stop the Spin

I means Invite God In

T means Take a Seat

This isn’t about doing more, it’s about being more present. Because being busy for God isn’t the same as being with God. When we pause long enough to listen, stillness turns into strength, and faith begins to flow from a place of overflow instead of depletion.

If you’ve been running on spiritual empty, this conversation will remind you that God doesn’t need your performance, He wants your presence.

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Have you ever sat down, ready to rest — maybe with your coffee and Bible in hand — and before you know it, you’re scrolling through your phone, your mind already chasing the next thing? You wanted peace, but somehow ended up feeling more restless.

In this episode, Dr. Phyllis opens up about a struggle so many high-achieving women face: wanting stillness but finding it hard to stop. She shares how her own moments of “rest” often turn into distractions and how losing her mother deepened her understanding of what it really means to pause. Through honest reflection and gentle wisdom, Dr. Phyllis helps us see that rest isn’t the absence of activity but it’s the presence of awareness.

You’ll learn practical steps for reclaiming rest in your everyday life: preparing your space, removing distractions, acknowledging the discomfort of stillness, uncovering the deeper “why” behind your urge to stay busy, and surrendering that constant search for more. Instead of resisting silence, Dr. Phyllis invites you to welcome it — to let God meet you there and fill those pauses with peace instead of noise.

If you’ve ever found yourself reaching for your phone instead of your breath, or filling your quiet moments with more doing, this episode will remind you that true rest is possible and it starts with learning how to simply be still and know.

Quotes from Today’s Episode:

“When we fill our pauses with scrolling, planning or busyness, we unintentionally trade presence for distraction and call it downtime."

"I believe that when we do this, we're avoiding stillness. Just like me, I was feeling the pause instead of feeling it. God was right there waiting for me at that moment. But I was looking everywhere else."

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Have you ever woken up already exhausted, wondering how you’ll make it through a day that feels heavier than the one before? Have you ever felt like you’re walking in the shadows, carrying more than your soul can handle, and wondered if God even sees you there?

Dr. Phyllis shares a deeply personal message about walking through the valleys of life and leaning on God’s presence when the weight feels unbearable. Drawing from her experience as a healthcare leader during the height of the pandemic, balancing unexpected caregiving responsibilities for her mother, and navigating the emotional fallout of personal and professional challenges, she opens up about what it truly means to hold on when life feels overwhelming.

Through this story, Dr. Phyllis reflects on the autopilot mindset many of us fall into—reacting to life instead of being fully present—and the moment she realized she couldn’t carry everything alone. Psalm 23:4 became a guiding light.

If you’ve ever felt overburdened, isolated, or unsure of how to move forward, this episode is a reminder that you are not forsaken. You’ll hear honest, heartfelt encouragement to pause, release the weight you’ve been holding, and lean fully into God’s guidance—even in the seasons that feel darkest.

She introduces the “HOLD” approach for getting through tough seasons:

• Honor the weight you feel
• Open your heart to God's presence
• Lean on small steps of faith
• Declare the valley as temporary

Whether you’re juggling multiple roles, navigating personal loss, or simply need hope in a difficult season, this conversation will inspire you to keep moving forward, one step at a time, with faith that you are seen, held, and supported.

Quotes from Today's Episode:

“God's presence makes the difference in your life. And so I want you to remember that you may be feeling burdened, but you're not forsaken. It's just a season.”

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​​In this episode, Dr. Phyllis opens up about navigating a season of life that looks very different from what she once imagined—balancing the care of a loved one, managing her household, stepping into retirement after decades in medical practice, and tending to her own personal and spiritual growth. With so many demands pulling her in different directions, she’s faced the reality of an ever-growing to-do list.

Dr. Phyllis shares how she’s learning to shift her perspective: rather than measuring her worth by what gets done, she’s embracing “grace for the gaps”—the space between what we plan and what actually happens. She encourages listeners to be fully present, release unrealistic expectations, and allow God’s timing to shape their days instead of living on autopilot.

Dr. Phyllis reminds us that showing up with love, embracing interruptions, and serving others is deeply fulfilling and aligns with God’s rhythm.

Practical guidance in this episode includes her FLOW method:

F: Filter the frustration – acknowledge it, but don’t let it control your day.

L: Let go of the list – your worth isn’t determined by unchecked boxes; release them to God.

O: Open to the opportunity – notice what did happen and the ways God might be working through unexpected moments.

W: Walk in grace – reset your day according to God’s rhythm, not resentment.

Dr. Phyllis encourages listeners to journal one thing they need to release and one unexpected blessing they can be thankful for. She closes with Proverbs 16:3, a reminder that trusting God with our plans brings peace and purpose.

This episode is a heartfelt reminder to give yourself grace, stay present, and trust that God fills the gaps with His perfect timing.

Quotes from Today’s Episode:

"It's so easy says to measure our worth by what got checked off instead of how present we were with what really mattered."

"When we measure the day only by what didn't get done, we stay stuck in resentment and frustration. But when we shift into God's rhythm, we can reset, release the gaps, and recognize the grace and flow of life."

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00:00 Unexpected Retirement Challenges

04:35 "Finding Home and Presence"

09:59 Embrace God's Rhythm for Fulfillment

14:52 "Staying Joyful and Fulfilled"

18:04 "Commit to the Lord's Guidance"