The Daily Ascent

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 94 | Stop Waiting for Permission to Take Back Your Space Mar 12, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, I'm talking about what happened when I stopped waiting on my brother to tell me what my own life was going to look like - and took down the dog crate myself.

I share how listening to what people do (not what they say) can set you free - and how taking action gave me back not just my space, but my peace.

We'll explore why resentment lives in the gap between what we need and what we're willing to do for ourselves.

Question to carry into your day: What are you waiting on someone else to decide - that you could decide for yourself?

Want to chat about working together? Me too! Visit https://link.allyone.io/widget/bookings/mc-discoverycall to schedule a free call about my Stop Starting Over System.

Let's Stay Connected:

Subscribe on YouTube
Instagram: @mollycarmel
Check out my Pocket Sages on my Amazon Storefront
Questions or want to share your story? Email me at dailyascentpod@gmail.com

An Operation Podcast production | @OperationPodcast

Ep. 93 | Your Best Is Already Better Than You Think Mar 11, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, I'm talking about a story Ana Gasteyer told on Amy Poehler's podcast Good Hang that I haven't been able to shake — about playing Elphaba in Wicked, obsessing over every performance, and then hearing twenty recordings that all sounded nearly identical.

I share why perfectionism isn't your highest self trying to help you — it's fear wearing a lab coat.

We'll explore why the gap between your "good enough" and your "perfect" is probably invisible to everyone but you, and what it would look like to trust yourself instead of grading yourself.

Question to carry into your day: What are you overthinking right now that's probably already good enough?

Want to chat about working together? Me too! Visit https://link.allyone.io/widget/bookings/mc-discoverycall to schedule a free call about my Stop Starting Over System.

Let's Stay Connected:

Subscribe on YouTube
Instagram: @mollycarmel
Check out my Pocket Sages on my Amazon Storefront
Questions or want to share your story? Email me at dailyascentpod@gmail.com

An Operation Podcast production | @OperationPodcast

Ep. 92 | What My Podcast Producer Keeps Teaching Me About Grace Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, I'm talking about the emails I keep writing to my podcast producer Shantale — and how her consistent, unflappable kindness is teaching me more about grace than any book ever could.

I share why I can be hard on people when they don't meet my expectations, and what it's like to be on the receiving end of someone who meets your shame with warmth instead of judgment.

We'll explore why gentleness isn't weakness — it's actually what makes people want to rise.

Question to carry into your day: Who in your life keeps showing you grace when you expect judgment — and what are they teaching you?

Want to chat about working together? Me too! Visit https://link.allyone.io/widget/bookings/mc-discoverycall to schedule a free call about my Stop Starting Over System.

Let's Stay Connected:

Subscribe on YouTube
Instagram: @mollycarmel
Check out my Pocket Sages on my Amazon Storefront
Questions or want to share your story? Email me at dailyascentpod@gmail.com

An Operation Podcast production | @OperationPodcast

Ep. 91 | How to Stop Fawning and Start Asking for What You Want Mar 09, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, I'm talking about the phone call I got from a friend in the middle of a breakup — and why the most important question I asked her was the one she hadn't thought to ask herself: "What do you want?"

I share what fawning actually is, why it's one of the most overlooked trauma responses, and how it shows up in our relationships when things get painful.

We'll explore why wanting something for yourself isn't selfish — it's necessary — and how you can hold your power in conflict without losing your compassion.

Question to carry into your day: What are you making yourself small in right now — and what would it look like to take up your full space?

Want to chat about working together? Me too! Visit https://link.allyone.io/widget/bookings/mc-discoverycall to schedule a free call about my Stop Starting Over System.

Let's Stay Connected:

Subscribe on YouTube
Instagram: @mollycarmel
Check out my Pocket Sages on my Amazon Storefront
Questions or want to share your story? Email me at dailyascentpod@gmail.com

An Operation Podcast production | @OperationPodcast

Ep. 90 | The Danger of Making Anyone Your Authority Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, I'm talking about something a healer used to say to me all the time — "healers are humans" — and why the way we unconsciously elevate people is one of the most common ways we give our power away.

I share why this isn't just about spiritual teachers — it's about anyone we compare our insides to, from Instagram influencers to the friend who always seems to have it together.

We'll explore what sovereignty really means and how to stay in the driver's seat of your own spiritual life.

Question to carry into your day: What are you giving someone else authority over that actually belongs to you?

Want to chat about working together? Me too! Visit https://link.allyone.io/widget/bookings/mc-discoverycall to schedule a free call about my Stop Starting Over System.

Let's Stay Connected:

Subscribe on YouTube
Instagram: @mollycarmel
Check out my Pocket Sages on my Amazon Storefront
Questions or want to share your story? Email me at dailyascentpod@gmail.com

An Operation Podcast production | @OperationPodcast

Ep. 89 | Why Blind Faith in Spiritual Leaders Can Cost You Everything Mar 05, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, I'm talking about an article that shook me — and what the Epstein files, the silence of the wellness industry, and the courage of one doctor who refused to stay quiet mean for every one of us on a spiritual path.

I share why the silence of 21 major wellness influencers with 250 million combined followers isn't neutrality — it's complicity — and why I believe Lissa Rankin's article is one of the bravest things I've ever read.

We'll explore why accountability is at the core of every spiritual tradition — and why practicing it, in the wellness world and in our own lives, is one of the most sacred things we can do.

Question to carry into your day: What are you avoiding taking an honest accounting of — in your own life, in your own relationships — that deserves your attention?

Read the article: Lissa Rankin, MD — "Blowing the Whistle on Deepak Chopra, the Epstein Files, Cancel Culture, and Holding My Influencer Peers (and Myself) Accountable"

Want to chat about working together? Me too! Visit https://link.allyone.io/widget/bookings/mc-discoverycall to schedule a free call about my Stop Starting Over System.

Let's Stay Connected:

Subscribe on YouTube
Instagram: @mollycarmel
Check out my Pocket Sages on my Amazon Storefront
Questions or want to share your story? Email me at dailyascentpod@gmail.com

An Operation Podcast production | @OperationPodcast

Ep. 88 | The Power of the Pause Before You React Mar 04, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, I'm talking about what happened at my dog's daycare that taught me about the space between impulse and action.

I share how I got self-righteous about a pass extension, and then a snowstorm showed me how wrong I was.

We'll explore why the pause is everything - and how to find the grace to not react when we're agitated.

Question to carry into your day: Where in your life are you reacting without pausing - and what would it look like to find the space between your impulse and your action?

Want to chat about working together? Me too! Visit https://link.allyone.io/widget/bookings/mc-discoverycall to schedule a free call about my Stop Starting Over System.

Let's Stay Connected:

Subscribe on YouTube
Instagram: @mollycarmel
Check out my Pocket Sages on my Amazon Storefront
Questions or want to share your story? Email me at dailyascentpod@gmail.com

An Operation Podcast production | @OperationPodcast

Ep. 87 | What If Promoting Yourself Is Actually an Act of Service? Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, I'm talking about the text my bff Lauren's mom sent me from a dinner in Florida that called out my lack of social media presence — and the realization I had in my therapist's office the same week that changed how I think about promotion.

I share why I've been hiding from visibility and how Tosha Silver's concept of "offering" completely reframes what it means to put yourself out there.

We'll explore the difference between humility and hiding, and why making your work available to the people who need it might be one of the most spiritual things you can do.

Question to carry into your day: What are you holding back from sharing that someone out there might be waiting for?

Want to chat about working together? Me too! Visit https://link.allyone.io/widget/bookings/mc-discoverycall to schedule a free call about my Stop Starting Over System.

Let's Stay Connected:

Subscribe on YouTube
Instagram: @mollycarmel
Check out my Pocket Sages on my Amazon Storefront
Questions or want to share your story? Email me at dailyascentpod@gmail.com

An Operation Podcast production | @OperationPodcast

Ep. 86 | What a Moped Driver in Marrakesh Taught Me About Overthinking Mar 02, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, I'm talking about what I learned from watching moped drivers navigate the wild, chaotic streets of the Marrakesh Medina — and why their secret isn't skill or speed, it's full commitment.

I share how standing on the sidewalk analyzing your life is not the same as living it, and what Marsha Linehan's DBT concept of "participation" can teach us about getting out of our heads.

We'll explore why overthinking isn't preparation — it's a way of staying on the sidelines — and how clarity comes from moving, not from figuring it all out first.

Question to carry into your day: What are you standing on the edge of that's asking you to stop thinking and start moving?

Want to chat about working together? Me too! Visit https://link.allyone.io/widget/bookings/mc-discoverycall to schedule a free call about my Stop Starting Over System.

Let's Stay Connected:

Subscribe on YouTube
Instagram: @mollycarmel
Check out my Pocket Sages on my Amazon Storefront
Questions or want to share your story? Email me at dailyascentpod@gmail.com

An Operation Podcast production | @OperationPodcast

Ep. 85 | Why the Shedding Never Stops (And Why That's the Point) Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, I'm talking about a voice memo my friend sent me in the middle of eclipse season — and why I couldn't sugarcoat my answer when she asked me when the change would stop.

I share why change is the only constant we have, and why the shedding isn't the problem — it's actually the point.

We'll explore why the ego wants stability but the soul wants to keep moving — and how to be in motion without panicking.

Question to carry into your day: What are you waiting to stop changing — that might actually be trying to transform you?

Want to chat about working together? Me too! Visit https://link.allyone.io/widget/bookings/mc-discoverycall to schedule a free call about my Stop Starting Over System.

Let's Stay Connected:

Subscribe on YouTube
Instagram: @mollycarmel
Check out my Pocket Sages on my Amazon Storefront
Questions or want to share your story? Email me at dailyascentpod@gmail.com

An Operation Podcast production | @OperationPodcast

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