Transform Your Life - Just Count Me In

Sari Stone
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Just Count Me In is a podcast designed to help us navigate and flow with our lives through conscious awareness. When we live with less resistance and more receptivity it is easier to express who we came here to be and enjoy life. We are all walking each other home. 

  1. 6d ago

    #86: The Neuroscience of Joy: Finding The Joy Within You

    Send us Fan Mail LinkedIn Influential Women Verified What if joy isn't something we have to wait for until life gets better? What if joy can exist alongside grief, disappointment, uncertainty, and even tragedy? In this episode, Sari explores a different way of understanding joy—not as forced positivity or pretending everything is fine, but as one of the ways we reconnect with life itself. Inspired in part by the work of Stanford psychologist Dr. Kelly McGonigal and by recent experiences in her own life,  Sari explores why joy may be much more fundamental to our well-being than we realize. She shares deeply personal stories about finding joy despite the circumstance.  You'll explore: Why joy and grief can exist at the same timeWhy joy isn't the same thing as happinessHow movement and the body can become a doorway into emotional well-beingHow memories can reconnect us with moments of joyWhy beauty and attention matter when life feels overwhelmingHow to identify your own personal "doorways" into joyWhy shutdown can be a protective response rather than something to shame ourselves forHow we can prepare for difficult seasons before they arriveWhy joy is valuable in the workplace—not a distraction from productivityHow our environment can remind us who we are and what mattersWhy another person's joy can sometimes trigger envyHow envy can become information about what we valueWhy joy isn't selfishHow sharing joy can create connection and spread through families, relationships, communities, and workplacesYou don't have to pretend that everything is okay. You don't have to force yourself to be happy. You don't have to deny what hurts. You can simply learn what brings you back to yourself. Because sometimes joy is not a big feeling. Sometimes it's a split second. A memory. A laugh. A flower. A sunset. A song. A person you love. A moment of connection. A reminder: I'm still here. And maybe that's what joy is really giving us. A reason to stay connected to life. A question to take with you: What is one thing you already know gives you joy—and have you made room for it in your life? Connect with Sari Sari Stone is a holistic coach and K–12 tutor who helps children, teens, parents, adults, and leaders reconnect with themselves, find alignment, and create lives that feel authentic and expansive. Facebook-Just Count Me In Instagram- Just Count Me In Thank you for joining me! If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend who needs a little inspiration today!

  2. Sep 6

    #85: When Tragedy Strikes, How One Girl's Life Sparked Connection

    Send us Fan Mail LinkedIn Influential Women Verified This episode is dedicated to the 5 year old girl who lost her life here in Pawleys Island last weekend, and the community of caring people that I am blessed to live amongst and be a part of. The beauty of coming together and seeing the person in front of you. A tragedy happened in a community—and in the aftermath of unimaginable heartbreak, something else happened too: people came together. Neighbors reached out. People showed up. Connection grew. Compassion expanded. In the middle of something horrific, the community reminded us of something profoundly human: we have a choice about what we give our attention and energy to. We cannot change what happened. We cannot erase the pain or pretend the horror isn't real. But we can ask a different question: What do we want to expand from here? Because when we continually focus on fear, crisis, outrage and everything that is wrong, we can unintentionally keep giving those things more of our energy. This episode isn't about ignoring tragedy or bypassing grief. It's about acknowledging what happened—and then consciously choosing to put our attention toward what we want more of. More connection.  More community.  More compassion.  More resilience.  More love.  More joy.  More life. We often think resilience means learning how to survive difficult things. But what if resilience is also about our ability to redirect our energy toward what we want to create? What if we stop asking only, “How do we manage the crisis?” and begin asking: “What kind of world, community, relationships and life do we want to create—and what are we willing to give our attention to in order to expand it?” This is an invitation to notice where your attention is going—and to remember that what we focus on expands. In This Episode The tragedy that inspired this conversationHow a community responded by coming togetherWhy acknowledging horror doesn't mean we have to remain focused on itThe relationship between attention, energy and what we experienceWhy crisis management can keep us anchored in what we fearThe difference between denying something and choosing where to place your attentionHow connection and community can become part of the response to tragedyMoving from fear and reaction toward conscious creationWhat resilience looks like when we focus on what we want to expandCreating more connection, compassion, joy and a thriving love of lifeA Question to Take With You What am I giving my energy to—and is that what I want to see expand? Because we can't always choose what happens. But we can choose what we nurture next. Subscribe & Connect If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe to Just Count Me In and share this episode with someone who needs the reminder that even when we can't change what happened, we can still participate in creating what comes next. Flow. Evolve. Transform. Thank you for joining me! If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend who needs a little inspiration today!

    #85: When Tragedy Strikes, How One Girl's Life Sparked Connection

  3. Aug 28

    #84: Why Is It So Hard To Ask For Help?

    Send us Fan Mail LinkedIn Influential Women Verified Why asking for help is so hard—and why sometimes the first step isn't getting better. It's being met where you are. What happens when you're doing everything you're supposed to do—and you still don't feel better? This summer, I worked with a 12-year-old boy I'll call Max. He started making changes almost immediately: drinking more water, exercising, improving his sleep, reducing screen time, changing his morning routine, and paying attention to his self-talk and beliefs. And at first, it worked. He felt better. Then he crashed. And eventually he said: “None of this is working.” That moment taught me something important. Getting better isn't always a straight line. And sometimes, when we become so focused on feeling better, we accidentally start believing that having a bad day means we're failing. Max needed something different. He needed to be met where he actually was. Not told to “think positive.” Not given another list of things he was doing wrong. Not pushed to pretend he was okay. He needed someone to acknowledge where he was and hold out a hand. And that's where this episode begins. Because asking for help is hard. For children. For teenagers. For parents. For successful adults. For people in the workplace. For people who are used to being the ones everyone else depends on. Sometimes we're afraid we'll look weak. Sometimes we're embarrassed. Sometimes we don't even know what kind of help we need. Sometimes we're afraid we'll be misunderstood. And sometimes we've asked for help before—and received advice instead. But what if we changed the way we think about help? What if asking for help wasn't failure? What if knowing when you need another person was actually a form of strength, self-awareness and problem-solving? And what if we focused not only on becoming better at asking for help—but on becoming people who are safe to ask? In this episode, we explore: Why asking for help can feel like failureWhy children and teenagers may hide what they're experiencingThe role of stigma, embarrassment and self-relianceWhy people may fear being misunderstoodWhy “help” and “advice” aren't always the same thingHow parents can make it safer for children to speak honestlyWhy getting better isn't always linearWhy adults often hide workplace stress until they're burned outHow loneliness and connection affect our well-beingHow to ask for help earlierHow to become someone other people feel safe askingThe connection between human interaction, synchronization and the energy we bring to one anotherFive practical ways to notice, ask, listen and connectSeptember is National Suicide Prevention Month, making this an especially important time to have conversations about connection, support and asking for help. But this episode isn't about sitting in the problem. It's about what we can do. Notice. Ask. Listen. Connect. Reach out. And remember: You don't have to climb out of the well before someone is allowed to reach a hand down. If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress, having suicidal thoughts, or you're worried about someone else, call or text 988 in the United States for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. RESOURCE NOTE FOR THE EPISODE If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress, having suicidal thoughts, or you're worried about someone else, in the United States you can call or text 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You do not have to wait until a situation becomes an emergency to reach out. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. Research referenced: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; World Health Organization; peer-reviewed research on adolescent help-seeking and interpersonal synchrony. Thank you for joining me! If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend who needs a little inspiration today!

  4. Aug 23

    #83: Are We Raising Kids To Be Impressive-Or Be Themselves?

    Send us Fan Mail https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14rPgv4xHGb/ LinkedIn Influential Women Verified What If Success Isn't What We Think It Is? What if success isn't about becoming impressive? What if it's about becoming yourself? In this episode of Transform Your Life: Just Count Me In, Sari Stone explores a question that has been coming up through her work with young people, parents, and leaders: Are we helping people discover who they are—or unconsciously asking them to become who we think they should be? This isn't an episode about criticizing parents. It's a celebration of the parents who are becoming more conscious, more curious, and more willing to let their children have their own journeys. It's also a much bigger conversation about success, identity, authenticity, and the lives we choose to create. Sari shares her own story of graduating from high school, taking time to travel, crossing the country, and eventually moving to Colorado before going to college—a path that wasn't what her parents had envisioned for her. Looking back, she recognizes something important: Her job wasn't to complete the part of her parents' lives that they hadn't been able to complete. Her life was hers. And perhaps our children aren't here to complete our unfinished stories either. In this episode, we explore: The young person who leaves a six-figure job to figure out who he really isThe young person who discovers genuine happiness working with plants rather than following a traditional professional pathYoung people questioning the pressure to participate in alcohol and drug cultureWhy a different path isn't necessarily a lesser pathThe difference between guiding a child and designing their lifeHow parents can begin examining their own fears and expectationsDr. Shefali Tsabary's philosophy of conscious parenting and the idea that our children can become our teachers and awakenersWhy our children's accomplishments don't define our success as parentsThe difference between an impressive life and a meaningful lifeHow this same issue shows up in adults, entrepreneurs, and business leadersWhy a successful business, impressive title, or large income doesn't necessarily mean we're living an aligned lifeHow this connects to Sari's previous episode about numbers and the ways we measure ourselvesThe question: "Are we measuring the things that actually matter?"What it might look like to raise—and become—people who know themselvesA question for parents: Would I still want this for my child if nobody else ever knew about it? Who is my child actually showing me that they are? And for all of us: Who are you when nobody is impressed? Who are you when the numbers disappear? Who are you when the title disappears? Who are you when the résumé disappears? Are you living the life you were supposed to live—or the life that is actually yours? Maybe success isn't becoming impressive. Maybe success is becoming yourself. A note from Sari This episode is dedicated to the parents and young people I have the privilege of working with right now. I'm watching parents become more open, young people become more authentic, and families begin to question some of the definitions of success we've inherited. And I find that incredibly hopeful. Thank you for teaching me. Connect with Sari Sari Stone is a holistic coach, educator, and tutor who works with children, teens, young adults, business leaders, and parents, to help people come back to themselves, navigate change, and live with greater authenticity and alignment. Transform Your Life: Just Count Me In is about the conversations that help us Flow. Evolve. Transform. Facebook-Just Count Me In Instagram- Just Count Me In Thank you for joining me! If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend who needs a little inspiration today!

  5. Aug 19

    #82 What If Your Numbers Have Nothing To Do With Your Worth?

    Send us Fan Mail LinkedIn Influential Women Verified Why Your Grades, Revenue, Followers & Downloads Don't Get to Define You What happens when a number that is supposed to give us information starts telling us who we are? A grade becomes, “I'm not smart.” A slow month becomes, “I'm bad at business.” A number on the scale becomes, “I'm not good enough.” A drop in followers becomes, “Nobody cares.” And yes—even podcast downloads can become a measurement of our worth. In this episode, Sari shares a very personal realization: while coaching others not to become controlled by external validation, Facebook-Just Count Me In Instagram- Just Count Me In Thank you for joining me! If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend who needs a little inspiration today!

  6. Aug 8

    #81: Is Your Environment Keeping You Stuck?

    Send us Fan Mail LinkedIn Influential Women Verified What Are You Surrounding Yourself With? The Hidden Influences Shaping Your Energy, Sleep & Well-Being What if your environment is influencing how you think, feel, learn, work, sleep, and connect more than you realize? And what if creating a better environment isn't about optimizing your life? It's about becoming more aware. In this episode of Just Count Me In, Sari Stone explores the environments we move through every day—from our homes and bedrooms to classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, digital spaces, and relationships. We talk about the light we wake up to, the noise we live with, the importance of silence, the chairs we sit in, movement breaks, exercise, creativity, nature, technology, and even the emotional environments we create for one another. With a new school year beginning, this conversation is especially relevant for teachers and school leaders thinking about classroom environments, parents creating supportive spaces at home, and business leaders thinking about how offices and meeting spaces can better support the humans inside them. And there's one question at the heart of the entire episode: What small change could we make in this environment to better support the humans inside it? In this episode, we explore: Why Sari believes awareness is more useful than constant self-optimizationHow light interacts with our circadian rhythms and sleepThe health effects associated with excessive environmental noiseWhy silence and periods without constant stimulation may be worth reconsideringHow physical spaces can influence attention and experienceWhy prolonged sitting matters and why movement belongs in schools and workplacesWhat research says about classroom movement and active breaksThe relationship between physical activity and executive functionWhy creativity deserves a place in children's environmentsHow ergonomic design can better support people at workHow nature may help restore attentionThe effect of digital interruptions and notificationsWhy our relationships are part of our environment, tooHow to think about feng shui and intentional spaces without turning them into another set of rulesUsing August 8 as a personal moment for reflection and intentionWhy the goal isn't to create the "perfect" environment—but a more human oneA question to take with you: What small change could you make in your environment to better support the human being inside it? You don't have to change everything. Notice one thing. Then choose. Research & Further Reading Light, circadian rhythms & sleep Chellappa et al. — Recommendations for daytime, evening, and nighttime indoor light exposure to best support physiology, sleep, and wakefulness in healthy adults. Read the research on PubMed Böhmer et al. — Are we still in the dark? A systematic review on personal daily light exposure, sleep-wake rhythm, and mood. Read the systematic review on PubMed Environmental noise World Health Organization — Guidance on environmental noise and associated health effects, including sleep disturbance, cardiovascular risks, and cognitive impacts. Read the WHO guidance Movement, exercise & the brain Mao et al. — 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis examining cognitively engaging physical activity and executive function in children and adolescents. Read the research on PubMed Teng et al. — 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis examining cognitively engaging physical activity and executive function in children and adolescents. Read the 2025 research on PubMed Brain breaks & schools Reyes-Amigo et al. — 2025 systematic review of school-based active breaks, classroom behavior, executive functions, and physical fitness. Read the systematic review on PubMed Sitting, chairs & ergonomics Rhodes et al. — Systematic review examining sedentary behavior and health in adults. Read the research on PubMed Leyshon et al. — Systematic review of ergonomic interventions for office workers. Read the ergonomic research on PubMed Channak et al. — Systematic review examining chair interventions and lower-back pain/discomfort among office workers. Read the chair research on PubMed Nature & attention Stevenson et al. — Systematic review examining Attention Restoration Theory and exposure to natural environments. Read the research on PubMed Creativity & well-being Hugh-Jones et al. — 2025 systematic review examining arts and creative activities and adolescent mental health and well-being. Read the research on PubMed Digital interruptions Research examining communication notifications found that reducing notification-related interruptions was associated with improved performance and reduced strain in a workplace field experiment. Read the study on PubMed The takeaway: You don't need to optimize your life. You can begin by noticing. Notice the light. Notice the noise. Notice your body. Notice your surroundings. Notice what enters your mind. And then ask: Does this environment support the human being I want to be? Facebook-Just Count Me In Instagram- Just Count Me In Thank you for joining me! If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend who needs a little inspiration today!

  7. Aug 1

    #80: The Cost Of Belonging: How Far Will You Go To Fit In?

    Send us Fan Mail LinkedIn Influential Women Verified Buzzsprout-Just Count Me In Have you ever said yes when your heart wanted to say no? This may be the most important episode I've recorded because it isn't really about alcohol. It's about every time we've abandoned ourselves to belong. This isn't an episode about judging people who drink. It's an invitation to ask yourself one powerful question: "Am I making this choice because it aligns with who I am...or because I'm afraid of what people will think?" If you've ever felt pressured to be someone you're not, this conversation is for you. For many people, alcohol isn't really about alcohol. It's about belonging. It's about fitting in at work, at family gatherings, on first dates, at celebrations, and even among friends. Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that saying "no" meant risking judgment, exclusion, or being labeled as different. In this episode of Transform Your Life: Just Count Me In, Sari Stone explores the deeper psychology behind social drinking, people-pleasing, and the fear of standing out. You'll hear powerful real-life stories, including: The Wall Street executive who hid the fact that he doesn't drink because it could have impacted his career.A 15 year old whose relationship with alcohol landed her in the hospital.Why so many intelligent, successful people ignore their own intuition simply to fit in.The neuroscience behind belonging and social acceptance.How living authentically creates confidence that no external approval ever can.Journal Questions • What would I choose if I knew no one would judge me? • Where in my life am I performing instead of being authentic? • What parts of myself have I hidden in order to belong? • Who am I when I stop trying to earn acceptance? • What would change if I trusted myself more than I trusted other people's opinions? If this episode resonates, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs permission to be fully themselves. Authenticity is contagious. Facebook-Just Count Me In Instagram- Just Count Me In Thank you for joining me! If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend who needs a little inspiration today!

  8. Jul 24

    #79: Why Gratitude Isn't Enough

    Send us Fan Mail Have you ever stopped to wonder if you're truly appreciating your life—or simply reacting to it? In this episode of Transform Your Life: Just Count Me In, Sari Stone explores the profound difference between gratitude and appreciation and why this simple shift in perspective can transform your relationships, leadership, parenting, and even the way you experience yourself. Appreciation isn't toxic positivity. It's not pretending everything is okay or putting a smiley face on an empty gas tank. It's learning to see clearly, respond intentionally, and recognize the value that already exists—even in life's challenges. Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, leadership principles, and spiritual wisdom, Sari shares how appreciation helps us move beyond constant reaction and into conscious awareness. In this episode, you'll discover: Why appreciation goes deeper than gratitudeHow your brain's negativity bias influences your relationshipsWhy appreciation is one of the most powerful leadership skillsHow appreciating children builds confidence and resilienceThe role appreciation plays in healthier marriages and friendshipsWhy difficult emotions can become valuable messengersHow "God's Got It" became a daily reminder to release control and trust the next stepThis episode is an invitation to stop focusing on what's missing and begin seeing the gifts, strengths, and opportunities that have been there all along. Reflection Questions Am I appreciating life or simply reacting to it?What person in my life needs to know they are appreciated for who they are?What challenge is inviting me to grow instead of just survive?Where am I focusing on what's missing instead of what's already present?What do I appreciate about myself today?If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who could use a new perspective. Because sometimes the greatest transformation doesn't happen when life changes... It happens when we change the way we see life. LinkedIn Influential Women Verified Instagram- Just Count Me In Facebook-Just Count Me In Thank you for joining me! If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend who needs a little inspiration today!

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Just Count Me In is a podcast designed to help us navigate and flow with our lives through conscious awareness. When we live with less resistance and more receptivity it is easier to express who we came here to be and enjoy life. We are all walking each other home. 

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