In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, host Rita Mercer invites listeners to reflect on a powerful question: What do you need to be whole?

Building on last week’s discussion about betting on yourself, Rita explores how understanding your core needs—based on Dr. William Glasser’s Choice Theory—can help you live with greater balance, self-awareness, and fulfillment.

Rita breaks down the five basic human needs—love and belonging, power, freedom, fun, and survival—and reveals how our daily choices often reflect our attempts to meet them. She guides listeners in identifying where they might be confusing wants with needs and how this mix-up can lead to exhaustion or emptiness.

This encouraging episode reminds us that wholeness isn’t about perfection—it’s about living in alignment with your true self. When your wants align with your needs, your choices start to serve you instead of stress you.

🪞 Key Topics Covered

• Choice Theory & Wholeness: Understanding the five core human needs that drive behavior.
• Wants vs. Needs: Why confusing them can leave you feeling unfulfilled.
• Emotional Awareness: How journaling and reflection build self-connection.
• Alignment Over Perfection: Making choices that nurture, not drain you.
• Wholeness as a Practice: Meeting your needs with love, grace, and authenticity.

✨ Reflection Questions

• What have you been chasing lately—success, love, validation, or security?
• Which of the five needs (love, power, freedom, fun, survival) does it truly meet?
• Is this pursuit bringing you closer to or further from balance and wholeness?
• How can you honor your real needs with compassion this week?

🌸 Quote from the Episode

Wellness Spotlight

For 100% soy wax candles, wax melts, solid lotion bars, and aromatherapy nasal inhalers, visit:
👉 DaringWellShop.com

💖 Connect & Support

If this episode inspired you, please:

• Share it with a friend who needs the reminder to bet on themselves.
• Leave a review to help spread positivity and holistic wellness worldwide.
• Follow Rita Mercer for more episodes that blend mindset, healing, and purpose.

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

What’s holding you back from living your fullest life? Is it fear, comparison, or the weight of old patterns from your family of origin? In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita Mercer dares you to believe in yourself, release self-doubt, and bet on YOU.

In this episode, Rita unpacks the biggest battle we all face—the war in our minds. She explores how fear, negative self-talk, and comparison traps rob us of joy and peace. Through powerful reflection, she reminds us that while self-image may shift with circumstances, our self-worth is rooted in unchanging God-given value.

This episode is filled with encouragement, practical steps, and reflection questions to help you recognize the roots of doubt, quiet the inner critic, and step into freedom. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, motivation, or tools to grow in confidence, this episode will remind you that you are worthy of living fully—right now.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why doubt and fear often hold us back from our dreams
• How family patterns shape our self-image and belief systems
• The difference between self-image and self-worth
• Why comparison is a trap that steals joy
• Practical steps to begin betting on yourself today

Reflection questions to take with you:

1. When doubt creeps in, can I trace it back to its root—fear, comparison, or family influence?
2. Am I sabotaging my happiness with negative self-image, or am I choosing to bet on myself with hope and belief in my worth?

✨ Listen in and be reminded: you matter, your dreams matter, and today is the perfect day to bet on you.

Visit me in person at the:

27th Annual Fall Arts & Crafts Show

Saturday, October 18, 2025 9:00 AM-3:00 PM

BOONE COUNTY EXTENSION ENRICHMENT CENTER

1824 PATRICK DR., BURLINGTON, KY

Download Flyer: https://www.daringwell.com/44280/files/68dca4503dc93_1759290448_549733992-10161201343250146-6574036114877823989-n.jpg

* All proceeds for this event will go to support those with cancer in Northern KY. So it’s a win / win.

Shop for wellness products for your home and everyday life:

100% Soy Wax Candles, Wax Melts, Solid Lotion Bars, and Aromatherapy Nasal Inhalers.

https://www.daringwellshop.com/

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies

In this episode of The Daring Well Podcast, Rita sits down with Anadel Alberti, CEO and founder of Audaciously Authentic, international speaker, and professional certified coach. Together, they explore what it means to live and lead authentically—both in the workplace and in life.

Anadel shares her powerful journey from corporate burnout to rediscovering her authentic voice and creating a mission-driven business that helps organizations thrive. She highlights why burnout is a systemic issue, not just an individual problem, and explains how leaders can shift their focus from transactional checklists to transformational impact.

Listeners will discover:

• Why psychological safety and authenticity are essential in leadership
• The staggering costs of burnout and how to prevent it
• Practical strategies organizations can use to support employee well-being
• The qualities of an audaciously authentic leader
• How passion, gratitude, and legacy create lasting impact

Whether you’re a leader, entrepreneur, or professional seeking more purpose, this conversation will inspire you to ask the powerful question: “How am I showing up?”

Connect with Anadel Alberti:
Website: www.au2movement.com/

Instagram & LinkedIn: @AnadelAlberti

Send us a text

Follow us on social media:
@DaringWell

Are you looking for ways to feel more calm and happy? Do you want more stress management tools and techniques? Sign up to get on the email list to get more details for our upcoming wellness retreat (in-person and online).
https://www.daringwell.com/retreat

For free wellness resources. Click the link to tap into new ways to reset with mindfulness, holistic wellness tips, and coping skills.
https://www.daringwell.com/freebies