What actually helps people stay consistent over time?
Not more motivation — but a different way of defining success.

In this episode, I share a simple framework I’ve found helpful for holding goals and habits in a way that leaves room for real life, without lowering your standards. It’s not about doing more — it’s about setting things up so you can keep going, even when life doesn’t cooperate.

It’s a gentle addition to your goal-setting — not a reset, not a redo — just a more supportive way to stay with what matters.

Don't forget to subscribe so you're notified when new episodes drop every Wednesday!

Connect With Carolyn:

Website: https://simplyalign.com/

Instagram: @simplyaligncari

It’s a new year, the perfect time to take a fresh (and very doable) look at food and how it can bring more energy and light into everyday life.

In this episode of Catching Sunshine, I sit down with Ali Essig, creator of Plant Whys.

Ali shares the moment that changed everything—her husband’s stroke at age 37—and how it led her to study nutrition and embrace a more plant-based way of eating rooted in curiosity, not extremes. We talk about food, energy, and the simple idea that plants begin with light—and how choosing more whole, plant-based foods can be one practical way to lighten up!

For delicious plant based recipes check out Ali’s YouTube Channel: PlantWhys

and catch her podcast Eat Meat Sparingly:

Don't forget to subscribe so you're notified when new episodes drop every week!

Connect With Carolyn:

Website: https://simplyalign.com/

Instagram: @simplyaligncari

A simple, heartfelt Christmas reflection on a familiar part of the Nativity story—one that invites us to see it with fresh eyes and consider what it might mean for our own lives.

Don't forget to subscribe so you're notified when new episodes drop every Wednesday!

Connect With Carolyn:

Website: https://simplyalign.com/

Instagram: @simplyaligncari