Deeply Rested: Anti-Capitalist Conversations for Entrepreneurs

This pop-up podcast is only available until February 1st! Download the free Sabbatical Toolkit, including a roadmap, planning checklist, financial guide, and quiz to determine the best way to spend your time off: youneedasabbatical.com/toolkitThe thought of stepping away from your business can feel overwhelming, stirring worries about clients, revenue, and whether all your hard work will unravel. For solopreneurs, the pressure to constantly produce can make even the idea of a month off feel risky.In this lesson of Sabbatical School, Maegan helps you see that fear clearly, while exploring the natural cycles that sustain real business growth. You’ll learn practical strategies to protect your business while you step back, and why slowing down doesn’t mean losing momentum—it means regenerating it.This episode helps you trust your business ecosystem, create systems that support you while you’re away, and step into your sabbatical with confidence rather than anxiety.What you'll learn in this episode:How to recognize the layers of fear that make stepping away feel risky. [03:34]Why natural cycles of growth, integration, and rest are essential for sustainable business momentum. [05:31]How scheduling content and communications in advance helps maintain your presence while away. [08:02]Ways that automating essential business systems can allow your operations to run smoothly without your daily attention. [08:49]How to invite light-touch support or set up simple out-of-office systems to protect your peace. [09:08]Why trusting the roots you’ve already planted—relationships, reputation, and impact—is the most powerful way to maintain momentum. [10:20]Sabbatical School is a seven-month program designed to help solopreneurs prepare their business and nervous system for a real month-long sabbatical. The second month focuses on understanding your relationship with time and building the systems to keep your business running while you step away. You’ll receive live coaching on practical steps, alongside deeper work on releasing conditioning, re-imagining your relationship with time, and learning to rest fully.Join Maegan’s full Sabbatical School program → youneedasabbatical.com

This pop-up podcast is only available until February 1st! Download the free Sabbatical Toolkit, including a roadmap, planning checklist, financial guide, and quiz to determine the best way to spend your time off: youneedasabbatical.com/toolkitSaying out loud, “I’m going to take a month off,” can trigger a flood of worry: who will cover my bills, what about my clients, and how will I survive financially? For solopreneurs, the thought of stepping away often feels impossible.In this lesson of Sabbatical School, Maegan helps you navigate that fear and explore practical strategies to make a sabbatical financially possible. She breaks down how to assess your unique financial starting point, calculate your bare minimum funding goal, and creatively fund your time off. You’ll hear stories from her own first emergency sabbatical and learn why intentional financial planning transforms a sabbatical from a risky dream into a doable, sustainable practice.This episode helps you see that taking a break isn’t a luxury—it’s a strategic investment in yourself and your business.What you'll learn in this episode:How to locate yourself on the financial spectrum and understand what’s realistic for your sabbatical. [03:02]How to calculate your bare minimum funding goal, separating essential business and personal expenses. [06:09]The power of solopreneur flexibility and agency in making a sabbatical possible. [07:19]Five creative funding strategies, including a sabbatical savings fund, business savings, personal contributions, conscious use of debt, and optional revenue sprints. [08:03]Why your first sabbatical might not be perfectly funded and how to build a sustainable sabbatical practice over time. [13:01]A simple first exercise to explore which funding strategies feel possible for you right now. [14:13]Sabbatical School is a seven-month program designed to help solopreneurs prepare their business and nervous system for a real month-long sabbatical. The very first month of the program is all about money. We’re bringing in guest teacher Linzy Bonham, founder of Money Nuts and Bolts, to teach us how to bring our financial systems up to speed. You’ll receive live coaching on practical steps, alongside deeper work on releasing guilt, re-imagining your relationship with time, and learning to rest fully.Join Maegan’s full Sabbatical School program → youneedasabbatical.com

This pop-up podcast is only available until February 1st! Download the free Sabbatical Toolkit, including a roadmap, planning checklist, financial guide, and quiz to determine the best way to spend your time off: youneedasabbatical.com/toolkitDo you remember the freedom you imagined when you first started your business? The spaciousness, the creativity, the sense that you’d finally be able to shape your days in a way that felt good. For many solopreneurs, that feeling fades as work grows and responsibilities pile up. What once felt energizing can start to feel heavy.In this first lesson of Sabbatical School, Maegan invites you to rethink what a break can look like when you work for yourself. She shares how the typical academic model misses the heart of what a sabbatical is meant to offer, and why a shorter, intentional pause can create real spaciousness without risking your stability. You’ll hear the story of her first accidental sabbatical, why it changed everything, and why permission is the first and most important step.This episode helps you consider the possibility that rest isn’t something you have to earn. It’s something you can build into your business on purpose.What you'll learn in this episode:How sabbaticals for solopreneurs differ from traditional academic sabbaticals and why a shorter, one-month sabbatical can be deeply effective. [01:23]The core purpose of a sabbatical: a planned pause to reconnect with yourself and your business without pressure to produce. [04:18]Why one month can be the perfect balance to reset your nervous system, spark creativity, and have a transformative experience without risking financial security. [05:30]Maegan’s personal story of burnout and the first sabbatical that led her to create Sabbatical School. [06:39]A simple first step to begin opening to the possibility of your own sabbatical, even if you’re unsure how it will happen. [10:53]Sabbatical School is a seven-month program designed to help solopreneurs prepare their business and nervous system for a real month-long sabbatical. You’ll receive live coaching on practical steps like finances and systems, alongside deeper work on releasing guilt, re-imagining your relationship with time, and learning to rest fully.Join Maegan’s full Sabbatical School program → youneedasabbatical.comEnrollment opens January 2026

It’s normal to question yourself when you feel an intuitive nudge to slow down, especially when life does not give you a logical reason to do so. In this episode, Maegan shares what happened when she followed that nudge into what began as Silent September and quietly became much more.She opens up about profound personal loss, the layers of grief that followed, and how retreat space helped her reconnect to herself, her creativity, and her sense of purpose without bypassing the pain.From that space of reconnection, Sabbatical School was born. This episode marks both a return to the podcast and the beginning of a new offering that invites listeners to imagine a different relationship with rest, creativity, and time.What you’ll learn in this episode:How intuition signaled the need to slow down before life demanded it. (00:02:23)What it was like to grieve two pets within months of each other. (00:05:19)Why listening to intuitive nudges builds self-trust even when the mind resists. (00:07:20)How retreat space helped Maegan reconnect to her creativity and purpose. (00:12:06)How Sabbatical School emerged after years of waiting for the right timing. (00:17:11)Why this mini-series is being created as an alternative to the traditional webinar launch. (00:22:03)

How do you know when it’s time to pause, and how do you trust yourself enough to do it?In this solo mini episode, I’m sharing the behind-the-scenes story of why I’m pressing pause on podcast episodes, newsletters, and my inbox in September. I also share what it took to give myself that permission. Spoiler: it’s way harder than it sounds.From grief and mold exposure to big creative growth, my life and business have been full. In this moment, I’m choosing to protect what matters most by temporarily setting a few things down. I walk you through the reflection questions, mindset shifts, and logistical steps that are helping me honor this pause, not as giving up, but as preparing for what comes next.What you’ll discover:The emotional cost of continuing when everything feels like too much (02:05)Why pausing creative output is sometimes the most strategic move (06:08)Scarcity fears that show up for entrepreneurs when we stop producing (10:43)Reflection prompts to explore your relationship with rest (14:06)An invitation to treat your next pause as a living experiment (17:38)If you've been craving a break but feel afraid of losing momentum, this episode is your reminder that rest is not a detour. It’s part of the path.You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qAiu997zsWY

Have you ever buried a dream because it didn’t go perfectly the first time? When my first official wellness retreat for business owners didn’t go as planned, I almost walked away entirely, even though it was a vision 10 years in the making.In this mini episode, I share what it’s like to pour your heart into something, face disappointing results, and find your way back through a simple but powerful reframe: seeing your work as a draft, not a final product. That perspective shift turned last year’s disappointment into this year’s sold-out retreat, with more joy and ease than I ever expected.What you’ll discover in this episode:How binary thinking keeps us stuck in success or failure mode (01:13)The story behind my first-ever wellness retreat for business owners (04:31)The reframe that brought my creativity and energy back (06:28)The unexpected path to selling out this year’s retreat with ease (08:57)A guided reflection to help you pick your dream back up (10:53)If you’ve been holding back because of a past disappointment, I hope this episode reminds you that progress comes one draft at a time.You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kqMP1tkM02E

How would your business shift if you trusted process over polish?This new kind of solo mini episode feels like a vulnerable one, and it’s been a long time coming. In today’s episode, I unpack why I’ve been avoiding recording something like this, what finally shifted, and how perfectionism tries to keep us stuck in the myth of finality.Whether you're evolving your message, planning a new offer, or just trying to show up more fully in your work, I hope this reflection helps you soften into the idea that you don’t have to have it all figured out to begin.In this mini episode, I explore:How internalized systems (capitalism, patriarchy, colonialism) shape our perfectionism (05:25)The energetic drain of chasing “the final version” (08:59)Why your business deserves to evolve in drafts, not just final products (09:46)A few honest questions to help you notice where you’re holding back (12:14)If waiting until things are polished is wearing you down, this episode is your reminder that sharing the messy middle might be the most powerful thing you can do.You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4chKng-BfJ0

How do you stay grounded when everything around you is shifting?This month, Nancy and I reflect on the threshold we’re standing on, individually and together, as we move into a new season of the Deeply Rested podcast and our shared work. From physical moves to program pivots to emotional recalibration, August is bringing in change. It’s not the kind of transformation that announces itself with trumpets; it’s the kind that asks for presence, for slowness, and for trust.Together, we talk about what it means to stay honest while still evolving. We share how we’re navigating business from a place of deep listening, and we discuss the uncomfortable but viable path of being seen in your in-between. If you’re longing for clarity in the midst of change, this conversation will help you soften into the becoming.What you’ll hear in this episode:The real story behind this season of personal and professional transition (13:33)How we’re learning to stay visible even when we’re still in process (20:26)Rebuilding from collapse without slipping back into overdrive (29:56)The difference between forcing clarity and allowing emergence (38:11)My go-to practice for hearing my own voice again (40:59)What’s evolving in our work, and what’s staying rooted (50:45)If change is swirling around you and you’re not sure what comes next, this episode offers the gentle reminder that you don’t have to rush the answer. You just have to keep listening. Tune in to hear some concrete ways that we're doing that amid our own transitions. You can watch Nancy and I chat on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMHb1IU6oCI Take Our Listener SurveyWe’d love to know what you think! Take a moment to fill out our listener survey, and share your thoughts about the podcast. We’re so excited to co-create with you. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv4fzIkSLdI-6raR7ydlX00LFYx4hu_KfJwpxgf6jsej0xAg/viewform?usp=headerMentioned in this episode:Want deep rest inspiration delivered directly to your inbox? Join the Deeply Rested newsletter for weekly emails that will help you deprogram from hustle culture and opt out of urgency in your life and business. Plus, you'll be the first to hear about new podcast episodes, Deep Rest Retreats, and other offerings from Maegan. Subscribe today by clicking the link.Join Our Newsletter

If you’re anything like me, you’ve daydreamed about writing a bestselling book.You imagine expanding your impact, getting your ideas into more hands, and maybe even spotting your name on a hardcover at your local bookstore. (Swoon.)So… why haven’t we done it yet?If you’re stuck, it’s probably because of one of these mindset blocks: ⌛ “It’ll take too much time—and I’m already overwhelmed.” 😓 “I’m not smart enough to write a good book.” 📚 “Everything I want to say has already been said.”Sound familiar? Then you’re going to love this episode of Deeply Rested with Dr. Cindy Childress, The Expert’s Ghostwriter®.Cindy is a book coach for entrepreneurs who want to make money and an impact—and she’s refreshingly honest about what it really takes to write a book without burning out.In this conversation, Cindy shares how to: ✅ Avoid burnout with a systematic writing process ✅ Get past perfectionism and write that messy first draft ✅ Choose the right genre to keep imposter syndrome at bay ✅ Simplify the publishing process so your book actually gets into readers’ handsWe also dig into how much money authors actually make—and brainstorm tons of creative ways you can leverage your book to grow your business and visibility.If writing a book is on your heart, this is the pep talk (and practical advice) you need.Connect with Cindy ChildressDiscover Your #1 Bestselling Author Personality Quiz: www.cindychildress.com/quiz Mentioned in this episode:Want deep rest inspiration delivered directly to your inbox? Join the Deeply Rested newsletter for weekly emails that will help you deprogram from hustle culture and opt out of urgency in your life and business. Plus, you'll be the first to hear about new podcast episodes, Deep Rest Retreats, and other offerings from Maegan. Subscribe today by clicking the link.Join Our Newsletter

What if your next breakthrough only comes when you finally stop pushing so hard?My guest, George Bryant, built a million-dollar brand, achieved top-tier success, and mastered the game of hustle, only to realize he didn’t know who he was without it. In this powerful episode, George and I sit down for a conversation about breaking cycles of intensity, honoring the body’s wisdom, and learning to live from a place of presence instead of performance.Through stories of personal healing, emotional breakthroughs, and spiritual realignment, George shares how letting go of success as defined by others allowed him to reclaim his humanity and rebuild his business from a foundation of integrity and rest.Together, we explore how small daily choices rooted in devotion and alignment can lead to expansive transformation.What you’ll discover in this episode:How trauma and survival shaped George’s relationship with work (03:00)The moment George gave away his business with no backup plan (27:00)Releasing identity tied to hustle and choosing to live from presence (18:00)Reparenting, nervous system healing, and learning to trust your body (34:00)The Wedge of Expectations: a structure for compassionate progress (48:00)Redefining success through slowness, celebration, and daily devotion (56:00)If you're feeling lost amid the endless chase toward the next goal post, this episode is for you. Tune in to discover how George is changing his approach, and his life, by taking small steps daily toward what truly matters to him.You can watch this conversation with George on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-Hyryd4y0HcConnect with George Bryant on Instagram: instagram.com/itsgeorgebryantTake Our Listener SurveyWe’d love to know what you think! Take a moment to fill out our listener survey, and share your thoughts about the podcast. We’re so excited to co-create with you. Mentioned in this episode:Want deep rest inspiration delivered directly to your inbox? Join the Deeply Rested newsletter for weekly emails that will help you deprogram from hustle culture and opt out of urgency in your life and business. Plus, you'll be the first to hear about new podcast episodes, Deep Rest Retreats, and other offerings from Maegan. Subscribe today by clicking the link.Join Our Newsletter