Beyond Broke and Hungry

Summer doesn't have to be a choice between healthy habits and actually living your life — and that's exactly what this episode is about. This is Part 1 of the Beyond Broke & Hungry Summer Series, and today we're laying the full foundation: the mindset, the practical tools, and the faith perspective that will carry us through the next several weeks.We're covering:Why the all-or-nothing approach to summer wellness keeps you starting over every SeptemberThe real difference between balance and excuses (and how to tell which one you're doing)Hydration non-negotiables — especially when heat and alcohol are in the mixHow to keep food prep light, realistic, and actually enjoyableWhy summer is the best season to move your body outside the gymMorning sunlight and circadian rhythm — what it is, why it matters, and how to use itHow to vacation without guilt or a two-week recovery periodUsing summer as a financial building season instead of a slow oneProtecting the moments that actually make summer feel like summerDrink the margarita. Go to the beach. Take the trip. But also drink your water, move your body, save some money, and spend time with God — because the goal isn't to survive summer and start over in the fall.📲 Instagram: @beyondbrokeandhungry | @mrsdaracarlisle

This is a replay from our archives — originally recorded in 2020 with our former host and the team at Oasis Wealth Planning in Nashville. While some details may be dated, the financial wisdom in this conversation is timeless and arguably even more relevant in today's economy.If you're juggling a side hustle, working multiple jobs to chase your creative dream, or just trying to get a grip on your finances — this episode is for you.Dara and former host, Ellen, sit down with Mel and Steve from Oasis Wealth Planning in Nashville, Tennessee, two seasoned financial advisors with a combined 50+ years of experience, to break down money fundamentals for creatives and young professionals. They cover:💰 Why your income is "lumpy" — and how to budget around it🛡️ Why your emergency fund might need to be bigger than you think📱 How to pick a budgeting app (and why community matters more than the app itself)💳 Credit cards: friend or foe? What young people need to know📈 How much of your income should actually go toward retirement savings🔥 The FIRE movement — and whether retiring early is realistic for creatives🧘 Balancing financial goals with actually enjoying your lifeWhether you're barely scraping by or just landed your first salaried job, this conversation will help you build a foundation that lowers your money anxiety and gives you the freedom to take bigger creative risks.Beyond Broke and Hungry is a podcast for creatives, dreamers, and hustlers navigating financial wellness on their own terms.

What if the thing you've been trying to fix with more effort actually just needs rest?In this episode, Dara gets real about the years she spent perfecting a beautiful morning routine — only to realize she was pouring water into a cracked cup. The problem wasn't her mindset, her productivity system, or even her ADHD. She just wasn't sleeping.We're diving into what sleep deprivation is actually doing to your body and brain (backed by research from the CDC, the National Sleep Foundation, and Dr. Matthew Walker), and why no supplement, morning ritual, or motivational podcast can outrun a chronically exhausted nervous system.Dara shares the exact evening framework she uses now — a hard stop time, a simple shutdown ritual, and the small, consistent signals that finally helped her nervous system feel safe enough to rest. No ten-step skincare routine required.You'll also hear a perspective shift on rest from a faith lens — because if the Creator of the universe built rest into the rhythm of existence, maybe it's time we stop fighting it.In this episode:What the science says sleep deprivation does to your body, gut, and brainWhy your morning routine isn't the problem (and what actually is)How to build a nighttime wind-down that fits your real lifeA note for those navigating ADHD or neurodivergent wiringA closing prayer for the ones lying awake when they should be sleepingYou are not a machine. Rest is not laziness. Now go sleep.📲 Follow on Instagram: @beyondbrokeandhungry | @mrsdaracarlisle⭐ Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review — it helps more people find this space.

Have you ever lost a client, a contract, or an opportunity and wondered if God dropped the ball on you? You're not alone.In this episode of Beyond Broke and Hungry, we're getting real about what it actually looks like to let God lead your business — not just on Sundays, but on the Monday when the invoice doesn't get paid and the bank account doesn't match the vision board.We're covering four things today:How to pray over your business — before things break, not just afterTrusting God with your finances — even when it's terrifyingWhat pruning seasons are really for — and why losing clients might be a blessingRedefining success — because peace, purpose, and faithfulness are metrics tooThis episode includes a personal story about losing multiple clients in one season, what God revealed on the other side of it, and why the success we think we want isn't always the success God has for us.If you're in a hard season of your business right now, this one is for you.📖 Scriptures referenced: Proverbs 3:5-6, James 1:5, Matthew 6:33, Malachi 3:10, John 15:1-2, Isaiah 43:19, Jeremiah 29:11, Colossians 3:23

WELCOME TO BEYOND BROKE & HUNGRYLife can feel like a constant balancing act.Career, relationships, health, finances, faith, and somewhere in the middle of all that, trying to pursue the dreams God placed on your heart.That’s what Beyond Broke and Hungry is all about.Here, we talk about real life wellness. Not perfection, not extremes, but the everyday habits, mindset shifts, and faith that help us build strong, meaningful lives.Sometimes I’ll be sharing conversations with wellness experts. Other times it will just be me reflecting on what I’m learning as a wife, entrepreneur, and someone trying to live well in every area of life.If you’re figuring things out as you go, you’re in the right place.

Diet culture never died — it just rebranded. And it's back on your For You page whether you went looking for it or not.In this episode, Dara gets real about the resurgence of "SkinnyTok" — ultra-thin body ideals, alarming "what I eat in a day" videos, and the cycle of restriction that diet culture keeps selling us. She shares her own story of being told she was "too big" at nine years old, her journey through disordered eating, and what it actually looks like to break free from the lie that smaller equals worthy.Then she shifts into something she loves — practical, sustainable healthy habits that work for real women with real responsibilities. No perfection required.In this episode:Why diet culture never dies, it just rebrands (and what that means for you right now)The truth about "what I eat in a day" content and why it won't make you look like whoever is posting itHow to eat well on a budget without restriction being the "solution"6 real-life healthy habits: walking, hydration, simple meals, movement over perfection, protecting sleep, and faith timeThe mental math on how much time women spend in shame and comparison — and what to do with it insteadWhy finding your identity in God changes everything about how you see yourselfThis one gets emotional — in the best way. Whether you're struggling with body image yourself, or loving someone who is, this episode is for you.📖 Psalm 139:14 | Romans 12:2 | Matthew 11:28📲 Follow Beyond Broke & Hungry on Instagram for more real talk on food, faith, and finances.

Life doesn't pause for perfect conditions — and neither does wellness. In this heartfelt solo episode, Dara gets real about what the past several months have actually looked like: preparing for her wedding with slow, sustainable habits (no crash dieting!), surviving the post-wedding fog, pushing through one of Florida's coldest winters on record, and settling into married life with Doug.This episode covers:Why Dara started her wedding wellness journey over a year out — and what that actually looked like day to dayThe post-wedding blues nobody warned her about (and how she gave herself grace through it)What a "listening to your body" phase really means — and why pausing isn't the same as quittingNavigating newlywed life as two Christians building a faith-anchored homeHow she's learning to communicate needs clearly (and why specificity is everything)Running and scaling her marketing agency while protecting her health and marriageWhy your house doesn't need to be a model home — and how simple systems beat perfectionism every timeWhether you're a bride-to-be, a newlywed, an entrepreneur, or just someone in a hard season trying to stay consistent — this one's for you.💼 Need help with your digital presence? Visit aurumagency.co and use code BBHTRIBE for 15% off.📲 Leave a review if this episode resonated — it helps more people find the show!🔁 Share this with a friend who needs the reminder that consistency isn't perfection — it's just coming back, every single time.BeyondBrokeHungry.com

After two years of silence, Dara Carlisle (formerly Sweatt) is back — and a lot has changed.In this returning episode of Beyond Broke and Hungry, Dara gets real about everything that happened since she went quiet: working two full-time remote jobs while trying to build a marketing agency, two layoffs that felt more like God's plan than a setback, a brand refresh, a marriage (!!), and finally learning that rest is not laziness — it's obedience.Dara also opens up about why she moved Beyond Broke and Hungry into the Christian category, what it means to give God the credit for every breakthrough, and how serving on the production team at the Church of Eleven22 in Jacksonville helped her slow down and build a life with real intention.If you've ever been curled up on the floor wondering how you're going to make it, this episode is for you.In this episode:Why the podcast went quiet for two yearsGetting laid off twice — and feeling peace both timesLaunching her marketing agency and going all in on faithMoving BBH into the Christian category and why it mattersLearning to hear God's voice (Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer)How serving at church helped her finally slow downWhy rest is obedience, not lazinessGetting married on January 10, 2026 🤍Closing out in prayer togetherScriptures referenced: Jeremiah 29:11 | Psalm 46:10 | Matthew 11:28