The Myth of “Almost Okay”
Understanding the Best Time to Shift
A few days ago, I had a conversation with Brian Keane that changed the way I think about misalignment.
He was talking about the moment he knew—knew—he was in the wrong life.
Not because something dramatic happened.
But because, as he told it:
“Thirty minutes into my first day teaching, I felt it in my bones. I wasn’t supposed to be there.”
He didn’t crash.
He didn’t burn out.
He simply listened.
And that stuck with me.
Because the truth is, most people don’t change at rock bottom.
They change when life is almost okay—
When things look fine on the outside…
But feel a little off on the inside.
That’s where the wellness gap begins.
This Week on Passion Struck:
Episode 646: Reclaiming Wellness — Healing From the Inside Out
We’re kicking off a new four-part series on whole-person wellness.
And this first episode is the doorway in:
Why burnout isn’t always about overwork—it’s about under-alignment
How wellness became another performance we’re expected to perfect
What your nervous system is trying to tell you (and how to listen)
Why true wellness doesn’t start with biohacks—but with honesty
If your body feels tired but your labs are “fine”…
If your calendar is full but your days feel empty…
If you’ve optimized everything and still feel off—
This one’s for you.
👉 Listen to Episode 646 here ad-free
The Dangerous Myth: “You’re just not trying hard enough.”
We live in a world where wellness is sold as a checklist.
Drink the green juice.
Crush the routine.
Own the morning.
But here’s the lie underneath it:
If you don’t feel good, it must be your fault.
That’s not wellness.
That’s shame in a hoodie.
We’ve been trained to think that burnout is personal weakness—
When in reality, it’s often biological misalignment.
Your body’s not broken. It’s just unheard.
And that’s why in this episode, we redefine wellness through a new lens:
Fuel: How you nourish, rest, and recover
Feel: How you regulate emotions + calm your nervous system
Fulfill: How your work aligns with your values
Flow: How your identity, purpose, and legacy come together
This is not a productivity series.
It’s a return-to-self series.
Try This: The “Almost Okay” Inventory
Take 5 minutes. Answer honestly:
Where in your life feels just a little off?
What part of you is performing instead of participating?
Where are you “fine”… but not actually well?
Now ask:
What’s one shift I could make—not to fix—but to feel more aligned?
Small honesty is the start of big healing.
Upcoming Guests: What’s Coming in This Series
Each week, we’ll dive into one pillar of wellness—with science, soul, and strategy.
Fuel – Dr. Drew Ramsey on food + mood. Dr. Erika Schwartz on hormones and recovery.
Feel – Dr. Kevin Tracey on vagus nerve healing. Wolfgang Linden on behavioral biology.
Fulfill – Christopher Michaelson + Jennifer Tosti-Kharas on work that actually matters.
Flow – Shaka Senghor + Jodi Blinco on identity, redemption, and spiritual healing.
If you want to build a life that works with your biology—not against it—this series is your blueprint.
Free Companion Guide:
Want tools to make this real?
Download the Inside-Out Wellness Workbook:
Weekly recaps
Journaling prompts
Integration check-ins
Bonus practices not in the podcast
🎧 In Case You Missed It
Episode 643 – Helen Ye Plehn
Aura, Alignment, and the Billion-Dollar Question
What would you still do if you had it all? In this raw and revealing conversation, Helen Ye Plehn helps John confront his own perfectionism, rediscover his intuitive gifts, and reimagine success through the lens of energy and authenticity. From Aura Color Wheel revelations to spirit guide moments, this episode invites you to listen to the quiet whispers of your soul—and follow where they lead.
Episode 644 – Brian Keane
Fear Anchoring, Identity Stacking, and the Discipline You Don’t See
Discipline isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s dragging a torn Achilles across 86 kilometers of Arctic ice. Other times, it’s choosing alignment over urgency in the middle of a chaotic day. Ultra-endurance athlete Brian Keane shares what it really takes to show up when no one’s watching—and how fear, when anchored correctly, can become your most powerful catalyst for change.
Final Word: You Don’t Have to Break to Begin
You don’t need a crisis to make a change. You just need to stop pretending “almost okay” is good enough.
This August, let’s stop performing wellness—and start living in wholeness.
One honest decision at a time.
I’ll see you inside Episode 646.
Let’s begin again—this time, from the inside out.
Live Life Passion Struck,
John