Wide Awake and Wondering

About Wide Awake and Wondering

Wide Awake and Wondering is a podcast dedicated to the thoughts, worries, and "aha!" moments that only seem to surface at 2:00 AM. Hosted by Kristin Mason, the show explores the full spectrum of the human experience—from the cosmic and the financial to the hilariously mundane. Whether you’re questioning the expansion of the universe, wondering about the difference between a Roth and a Traditional IRA, or simply trying to figure out if black and brown actually go together, Kristin tackles it all with humility, honesty, and grace. This is a space for the curious and the sleepless to find connection in their shared "insatiable wondering." Stop tossing and turning alone. Hit follow before you hit the snooze, and join Kristin in the middle of the night to shine a light on what keeps us all awake.

Publisher

Kristin Mason

Category

religion & spirituality · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 Apr 2026

Latest episode

2 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

12 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   2 Nov 2026

   Pivoting, Pressure, and the Myth of the Solopreneur with Claudia Milner & Christie Sears Thompson

   Overcoming Entrepreneurial Anxiety & Burnout with Claudia Milner and Christie Sears Thompson Running a business often feels like a balancing act between putting on a professional "brave face" and wrestling with self-doubt behind closed doors. When the day ends and the house goes quiet, many business owners find themselves staring at the ceiling, wondering if they are doing enough or if their efforts are making a real impact. In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with Claudia Milner (Soul Work Sanctuary) and Christie Sears Thompson (Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and Relationship Coach) to drop the masks and discuss the raw realities of building a client-centered business. Key Highlights & Discussion Topics The Comparison Trap: Why comparing your journey to others creates anxiety and how to drop back into your core purpose when self-doubt hits. The Solopreneur Myth: Why building a business in isolation doesn't work, and the importance of finding safe, vulnerable connections in your network. Recognizing Burnout & Physiological Triggers: How your body warns you when you’re out of alignment, and why stepping away (or taking a 20-minute nap) can unlock clarity. Pivoting vs. Persevering: How to spot a "locked door with no key" in your business or career and give yourself permission to shift directions. Guest Info & Links: Claudia Milner: Connect at ClaudiaMilner.com (https://claudiamilner.com/) or Facebook (@ClaudiaMilnerCoach). Christy Sears Thompson: Search Christy Sears Thompson on Facebook for relationship coaching and therapy inquiries. LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by: CK Mason Consulting https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

2. 

   19 Oct 2026

   "Looks Like What You're Doing Is Working": Reclaiming Mobility Through Root-Cause Health with Regina Polk

   Ever wondered how much your late-night aches, fatigue, or brain fog tie directly back to your digestive health? In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason chats with health coach Regina Polk, founder of The Well Stop. Regina details her journey from a painful rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis to discovering leaky gut syndrome and natural healing protocols. What leaky gut actually is and how gap junctions affect your immune system. Navigating elimination diets (gluten, dairy, nightshades) without losing your mind. How to avoid "supplement burnout" and advocate for yourself with your doctors. Managing dietary slip-ups with grace, humor, and self-compassion. Regina Polk is a certified health coach helping adults overcome chronic gut and inflammation issues through her practice, The Well Stop. LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by CK Mason Consulting: https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

3. 

   5 Oct 2026

   From Road Rage to Radical Grace with Connie Warden: Why a Mindfulness Coach Wrote a Book About Being a Jerk

   Struggling to find quiet peace amidst chaotic days and 3 AM anxiety spirals? In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason chats with Connie Warden—author, acupuncturist, yoga instructor, and host of Mindful, Kindful Living. Connie shares how a moment of road rage forced her to confront her own cognitive dissonance, inspiring her book Speeding to Compassion. Key Topics Covered: Moving from road rage to self-awareness and grace Formal vs. informal mindfulness practices that build nervous system resilience Using gratitude and heartbeat-listening to quiet 3 AM overthinking Overcoming imposter syndrome and embracing self-compassion Guest Info & Links: Connect with Connie for yoga, acupuncture, and podcast updates at ConnieWarden.com (https://www.conniewarden.com/) or email her at Connie@ConnieWarden.com. Grab her book Speeding to Compassion on Amazon! LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by: CK Mason Consulting (https://ckmasonconsulting.com/)

4. 

   21 Sept 2026

   How to Integrate Grief and Joy: Navigating Abrupt Life Transitions Intentionally with Suzanne Jabour

   Navigating the Landscape of Loss: Why Your Grief is Normal with Suzanne Jabour Have you ever found yourself wide awake at 3:00 AM, replaying a major life transition and wondering how you are supposed to piece your identity back together? Grief is a chaotic, unpredictable monster that society frequently pushes us to hide away. In this raw and deeply necessary episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with Vancouver-based grief educator, coach, and speaker Suzanne Jabour. Together, they strip away the shiny platitudes and explore the gritty, complex reality of reconstructing a beautiful life around catastrophic loss. Dismantling the Traditional Grief Hierarchy We live in a culture that loves to judge and categorize pain. However, Suzanne explains that comparing losses fails to serve anyone. Whether you are navigating a capital-B "Big Grief" like the death of a loved one, or a small-g grief like a career shift, relocation, or relationship pivot—change brings loss, and loss requires mourning. Instead of tracking a rigid timeline, we need to examine how deeply an event disrupts a person’s daily framework. Embracing the Dual Process Model One of the most liberating tools discussed in this episode is the Dual Process Model of grieving. Rather than viewing healing as a linear progression through rigid stages, this model frames grief as a natural vacillation. One moment you are forward-thinking—focusing on strategy, family dynamics, and business goals—and the next moment, a wave hits and you are fully inside the heavy "soup" of sorrow. Suzanne shares how learning to honor this flow keeps your emotional baseline moving, preventing long-term stagnation and physical burnout. The Physical Reality of "Grief Brain" If you are struggling to focus at work, forgetting multi-step processes, or fighting severe insomnia, you aren't losing your mind—you are experiencing normal biological grief. Suzanne opens up about her personal battle with intense brain fog following the passing of her son, Ben, in 2020. She highlights the heavy $200 billion annual toll unaddressed workplace grief takes on the economy, urging entrepreneurs and corporate leaders to trade standard, rigid tracking systems for human-centric flexibility. Rebuilding intentionally means learning to tend to your emotions instead of boxing them away in the attic of your mind. Meet Our Guest: Suzanne Jabour Suzanne Jabour is a dedicated grief coach, consultant, author, and speaker based in Vancouver, Canada. After navigating the catastrophic loss of her son Ben in September 2020, Suzanne turned her deep personal journey into a global mission to shift workplace cultures and support individuals through intense transitions. She is a featured co-author of the book 20 Shades of Grief and has shared her powerful insights on the TEDx stage. Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode: Connect with Suzanne: Visit SuzanneJabour.com (https://www.suzannejabour.com) Free Resources for Grievers: Access custom guideposts and chapter excerpts at SuzanneJabour.com/grievers (https://www.suzannejabour.com/grievers) Suzanne’s Book: Find 20 Shades of Grief on Amazon. Book Recommendation: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski. Learn More About Kristin: Explore financial and accountability coaching for business owners at CK Mason Consulting. Ready to Keep Wondering? If this raw, unfiltered conversation brought comfort to your late-night thoughts, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Share this episode with a friend or fellow business leader who needs a gentle reminder to drop the perfectionist shield and lean into self-compassion tonight. LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by: CK Mason Consulting https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

5. 

   7 Sept 2026

   Consistency is a Lie: Why Routine-Flipping is Your Real Business Superpower with Barb Hubbard

   Embracing Spontaneous Structure: ADHD, Shame-Free Productivity, and Chasing Dreams with Barb Hubbard Does your brain flatly refuse to hit the pause button at night? Are you constantly hunting for the perfect time management framework, only to watch it fail your neurodivergent brain weeks later? In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with San Diego-based ADHD coach and author Barb Hubbard to dismantle the rigid mainstream expectations surrounding business operations and establish realistic, shame-free frameworks for modern visionaries. Barb spent years as a special educator before launching her independent coaching practice eight years ago. Today, she works directly at the intersection of structure and creative chaos, mapping out intentional solopreneur environments that leverage neurodivergent traits as genuine professional strengths. The Myth of Consistency: Embracing Sporadic Productivity For years, business gurus have claimed that identical, daily routines are the primary gateway to elite success. Barb completely rejects this premise for the ADHD community. Because neurodivergent brains intrinsically demand novelty, any singular organization or tracking tool is bound to eventually lose its dopamine-inducing luster. Barb encourages solopreneurs to accept their natural ebb and flow, giving themselves permission to pivot between different paper planners, digital software, and morning workflows without spiraling into negative self-talk or guilt. Building Your Evidence List: Flipping the Negativity Bias When tasks fall to the wayside, the instinct for high achievers is often to hide behind a mask of hyper-vigilant busyness or harsh internal discipline. Barb shares how to shift out of judgment and step into scientific curiosity. She introduces the concept of the "evidence list"—a tangible record of wins designed to counter our evolutionary negativity bias. By expanding our definition of success to celebrate micro-wins, like spending 10 minutes researching a project or typing a single email response, business owners can intentionally rebuild their confidence and find the motivation necessary to restart. https://barbhubbardcoaching.com/ LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered By CK Mason Consulting, LLC https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

6. 

   18 Aug 2026

   Is It True, Real, or Yours? Overcoming the Midnight Mindset Blocks Holding Back Your Business

   Why 2 AM Anxiety Is Important To Your Business Strategy We are officially at the mid-season mark of Wide Awake and Wondering! In this special solo episode, host Kristin Mason hits pause on the usual guest interviews to step out from behind the spreadsheets and into the quiet hours of the entrepreneurial mind. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at 2 AM wondering if your business is sustainable, if you are doing enough, or if it’s all going to fall apart tomorrow—this episode is your permission slip to take a deep breath. Kristin dives into why the math is rarely the actual problem in business, how to identify the "monsters under the bed," and the exact psychological framework she uses to help entrepreneurs move out of panic and into a state of wealthy abundance. The 3-Question Mindset Framework Whenever midnight anxiety or heavy negative self-talk begins to swirl, halt the spiral by immediately asking yourself these three grounding questions: Is it true? (Look at the objective facts, not the emotional projection.) Is it real? (Is this happening right now, or is it a hypothetical future narrative?) Is it yours? (Are you carrying your own truth, or absorbing the external noise and expectations of others?) Connect With Kristin Website: https://ckmasonconsulting.com/ Instagram: @ckmconsulting124 Enjoying the show? Share this episode with a fellow entrepreneur who needs a late-night reminder, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! (Grab your favorite comforting iced latte, find a cozy spot, and let’s keep wondering together.) LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by: CK Mason Consulting https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

7. 

   3 Aug 2026

   Untangling the Yarn: What an MS Diagnosis Taught Her About the Magic of Space

   Reclaiming Your Energy: Building Systems of Sanity and Defeating Burnout with Chris Vasiliadis It’s 3:00 AM. You're completely exhausted, your body feels heavy, but your mind is running a full marathon. If you are sitting in the dark staring at your bedroom ceiling wondering how to balance big goals without running yourself into the ground, you are in the right place. In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with "burnout buster," author, and health coach Chris Vasiliadis to unpack the root causes of our systematic exhaustion and reclaim a healthy relationship with rest. Chris is the author of Ignition: A Professional Woman's Guide to Energized, Burnout-Proof Living. By teaching women how to stop moving at a frenetic, unsustainable pace, she helps high-achieving leaders implement customized frameworks to protect their well-being, recover their health, and step into their own best self-advocate. The Physiology of Frenzy: How Emotions Show Up in the Body Why do we struggle to name our boundaries until we are completely overstretched, overwhelmed, and "over it all"? Chris explains that long before our logical brain attempts to interpret an emotional shift, our physical body experiences it first. Anger might manifest as a tightening chest, anxiety as a pounding heart, and worry as a knot in the stomach. Kristin and Chris look at how our society often discourages us from expressing these tricky human emotions, leading to chronic workaholism, toxic hustle-grind mindsets, and a severe lack of personal recovery time. The Sandbox Mindset: Designing a Choose Your Own Adventure Life Following her own life-altering diagnosis with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 2008, Chris realized that long-term success cannot coexist with perpetual burnout. She dives deep into the writing structure of her book, Ignition, describing it as an evergreen, individualized tool modeled after a custom coaching engagement. Rather than enforcing a rigid, black-and-white checklist for self-care, Chris invites readers into a figurative sandbox of play and experimentation. Listeners will learn how to identify five essential elements of well-being, craft practical 30-day integration plans, and discover the true magic of letting the mind wander. https://prioritywellness.com/ LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by: CK Mason Consulting https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

8. 

   6 Jul 2026

   The Seven Words That Broke a Marriage (and Saved a Life)

   The Journey of Rebecoming: Breaking Silences and Rebuilding Self-Trust with Catherine Sipher Have you ever had the realization that you are moving through life on mute? Perhaps you have spent years silencing your own voice just to keep the peace, or maybe you have forgotten just how powerful it actually is. In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with Catherine Sipher, a Boston-based poet, author, and journaling guide. Catherine’s debut poetry memoir, Barely a Whisper, became a number one new release because it strikes a chord so many of us feel: the deep, burning desire to stop self-betrayal and finally listen inward. Catherine opens up about her ultimate comeback story—the grueling, beautiful journey of returning to herself after leaving an 18-year marriage and a suppressive religious community simultaneously, all while raising six children. Stepping Out of the Silence Catherine takes us back to 2019, a period where she found herself drowning in extreme exhaustion, overwhelm, and isolation. As a stay-at-home, homeschooling mother of six within a rigid, evangelical Christian community, she was taught that her own heart was "deceitfully wicked" and could not be trusted. Catherine candidly shares the breaking point—seven words spoken in the middle of deep emotional distress—that exposed the rift in her marriage and catalyzed a massive personal paradigm shift. The Creative "Gooey Cocoon Phase" When the global pandemic hit in 2020, it provided an unexpected gift: a forced physical isolation that allowed Catherine to completely unravel away from the heavy social expectations of her former community. She terms this her "gooey cocoon phase," where her old identity disintegrated so a new, authentic self could emerge. It was during this dark season that she picked up a notebook and discovered Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. Through daily stream-of-consciousness writing, she finally found a direct line to her own thoughts, eventually rebuilding her financial independence by starting a virtual piano studio and stepping into her power as a writer. Connecting to the Body and Voice Now, years into her freedom, Catherine details how somatic practices like yoga, breathwork, and intuitive movement allowed her to process deep-seated emotional trauma stored in her body. Kristin and Catherine explore the concept of "rebecoming"—not transforming into someone entirely new, but stripping away the "shoulds" to return to who you always were in the first place. Catherine closes the episode with a moving live reading of her title poem, Barely a Whisper. https://www.catherinesipher.com/ LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by: CK Mason Consulting https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

9. 

   5 Jun 2026

   From Corporate Machine to Solo Powerhouse: How to Set Boundaries That Save Your Business (and Family)

   Overcoming the 12-Hour Corporate Grind: How This CPA Built a Business and Reclaimed Her Family Time Are you lying awake at night, wondering how to scale your business and secure your finances without sacrificing your family or your sanity? In this episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with Bridget Harton, a CPA tax professional and owner of Bridget Harton Fitness. Bridget shares her powerful journey of leaving the high-pressure world of public accounting to carve her own path as a self-employed entrepreneur, PTA president, and yoga instructor. Breaking Free from the High-Pressure Corporate Machine For years, Bridget experienced the intense demands of traditional accounting firms: 12-hour days, constant overtime, and severe burnout. Despite loving her clients and the "puzzle" of tax work, the constant guilt of missing precious moments with her family became too heavy to bear. Bridget discusses the pivotal mindset shift required to move away from financial scarcity and panic, step into her power, and intentionally choose a self-employed path where she controls her client volume and schedule. Setting Non-Negotiable Boundaries in a Virtual Workspace Transitioning to entrepreneurship offers immense freedom, but without strict parameters, it can lead to toxic hustle. Bridget reveals the specific boundaries she enforces to protect her mental clarity, such as leaving work by 3:30 PM to greet her kids at the bus stop, keeping work emails completely off her personal phone, and ensuring her business phone line automatically shuts off at the end of the day. Blending Financial Strategy with Mindfulness and Yoga As a fitness and yoga instructor, Bridget emphasizes that prioritizing physical wellness and mental health is the ultimate secret to a successful life. She details how prenatal yoga entirely transformed her perspective on stress management, offering her breathwork tools and focal points that she still relies on during late-night moments of business worry. Learn how making just a "1% daily change" toward what brings you joy can completely transform your entrepreneurial journey. bridgethartonfitness.com https://tuxedo-tax.com/ LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by: CK Mason Consulting https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

10. 

    29 May 2026

    4 Lifetimes, 40 Years of Waiting, and the Love Story Worth Living For

    How Forgiveness, Past Lives, and a 40-Year Cosmic Connection Sparked Healing with Melissa Dumond What if your soulmate has been walking alongside you for lifetimes, just waiting for the universe to align? In this deeply moving episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason sits down with amateur author and medical professional Melissa Dumond to discuss her incredible survival story, the power of energetic connections, and her journey of healing after severe trauma. A 40-Year Love Story Written in the Stars Melissa and her husband, Jeff, met when they were just 17 and 19 years old. Though they felt an instant, otherworldly connection—what some might call love at first sight—fear and a "10-year plan" kept them in the friend zone for nearly four decades. As they lived separate lives, got married, and moved across the country, the universe continuously threw up "detour signs," pushing them back into each other's orbits. Melissa shares a stunning moment when a spiritual medium confirmed their deep connection, even while Jeff was serving as an Apache pilot in Afghanistan. Surviving the Brutal Chapters to Find Ultimate Peace Life between their initial meeting and their marriage six years ago was anything but easy. Melissa opens up about surviving a severely abusive relationship in Florida that left her with a traumatic brain injury and fractured bones. She details her harrowing 1,700-mile drive back home to New Hampshire with nothing but a prayer and $192 in her pocket. Melissa explains how writing her digital book, Still Becoming: Embracing Growth Without Shame, allowed her to process the trauma, stop ruminating, and finally step into a life of absolute safety, alignment, and love. LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by: CK Mason Consulting https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

11. 

    28 May 2026

    Mistakes Are Not Your Identity: The Art of Showing Up Messy with Sarah Ward

    Overcoming Overthinking: How to Reframe Anxiety, Fight the Fear of Looking Incompetent, and Embrace the Gray Area Have you ever lain awake at 2:00 AM running a full-scale post-game analysis on a five-minute conversation you had at the grocery store? If your brain constantly searches for a step-by-step survival plan for every curveball life throws your way, welcome to the club. In this inaugural episode of Wide Awake and Wondering, host Kristin Mason steps away from the chase for perfection and steps into self-awareness, compassion, and honest conversation. To kick off the podcast, Kristin welcomes her very first guest—her cousin, best friend, and former educator, Sarah Ward. Together, they dive straight into the deep end of the mental pool to decode hyper-vigilance, professional pressure, and the heavy mental load carried by high performers, entrepreneurs, and overthinkers alike. Core Memories and Cosmic Storms: The Roots of Hyper-Vigilance Why do our minds crave predictability in an unpredictable world? Sarah opens up about how childhood environments and specific "core memories" shape our nervous systems. She shares the terrifying reality of growing up in a house repeatedly struck by lightning, and how that intense environment wired her for high energy and hyper-vigilance. The duo explores how these early anxieties morph into adulthood, especially when managing high-stakes responsibilities like lifeguarding, teaching middle schoolers, or leading a corporate team. The Post-Game Analysis: Separating Anxiety from Fact When a real-time mistake happens—like showing up late to a client Zoom or missing an alarm for work—the immediate knee-jerk reaction is often humiliation. Kristin shares a raw, vulnerable moment of making a schedule slip-up, reminding listeners that mistakes are not connected to your identity, character, or worth. Sarah gives actionable advice on how to halt the exhausting mental replay of social interactions by asking for the "data." By looking for real evidence instead of letting a perfectionist mindset control the narrative, we can gracefully navigate the massive gray area between our "A-game" and failure. LISTEN & FOLLOW Thanks for spending a part of your night—or your morning—with me. If today’s episode helped you feel less alone in the dark, follow Wide Awake and Wondering on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow midnight thinker. Remember, whether you’re pondering the cosmos or your bank account, the questions are big, but we’re in this together. Don't forget to hit the follow button, before you hit the snooze so you never miss an episode of Wide Awake and Wondering. Until next time, keep wondering, and I’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by: CK Mason Consulting https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

12. 

    2 Apr 2026

    Wide Awake and Wondering - Trailer

    Wide Awake and Wondering is the ultimate late-night companion for the curious, the ambitious, and the restless. Hosted by Kristin Mason, this podcast pulls back the curtain on the quiet hours of the night—those moments when our minds drift between the profound, the practical, and the perfectly ridiculous. We’ve all been there: staring at the ceiling, caught between existential dread and mundane to-do lists. This show is built on the belief that our "insatiable wondering" isn't a burden, but a bridge to connection. Whether you are questioning the literal expansion of the universe or the metaphorical expansion of your business, Kristin meets you in the middle of the night to explore the thoughts we often keep to ourselves. Each episode shines a light on the questions that keep us tossing and turning, delivered with a unique blend of humility, grace, and a necessary dose of fun. No topic is off-limits as we navigate the diverse landscape of the human experience: Life is big, the answers run deep, but—as Kristin reminds us—life is also wonderfully silly. Wide Awake and Wondering is more than just a podcast; it’s a space to realize that you aren’t alone in your midnight musings. Don't let your best ideas (or your biggest worries) vanish at sunrise. Hit the follow button before you hit the snooze, and join Kristin Mason as she turns the light on for all of us. We’ll see you in the middle of the night. Powered by: CK Mason Consulting https://ckmasonconsulting.com/podcast

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Contact Wide Awake and Wondering

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.