What happens when you stop checking boxes and start asking why?

On this episode, Dr. Katie sits down with Wende Whitus — keynote speaker, author, and founder of Personal Retreat Day — for a powerful conversation about breaking free from hustle culture and rediscovering what truly matters.

Wende shares how a stress-induced health scare became her wake-up call to create space for rest, reflection, and reorientation — the foundation of her Personal Retreat Day framework. Together, Katie and Wende explore how asking the deeper why questions can uncover purpose, heal exhaustion, and bring clarity to the chaos of everyday life.

From redefining productivity to embracing stillness, this episode invites you to pause long enough to listen to what your soul’s been trying to say all along.

Key themes:

• The power of asking “why” instead of “what”
• Overcoming fear, shame, and resistance to self-reflection
• How to design your own Personal Retreat Day
• Rest as an act of courage and leadership
• Creating space (Yutori) for peace, creativity, and clarity

If you’ve ever felt stuck on the treadmill of doing, this conversation will remind you that meaning, purpose, and peace live beyond the to-do list.

EPISODE RESOURCES:

• Connect with Wende on LinkedIn
• Explore more at Wende's Personal Retreat Day website

GUEST BIO:

Wende Whitus, founder of Personal Retreat Day, helps busy people on the brink of burnout develop a system for deep rest and reflection. Whether it’s through speaking, coaching, or writing, Wende is clearly passionate about teaching others how they can design their best lives by preserving one day each month to reflect, rest, and reorient. Wende is the author of a guided journal called Your Rhythm of Rest and Reflection. She and her husband Greg reside near Charlotte, North Carolina and they are the proud parents of two grown daughters who live nearby.

Connect with Katie on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also get free resources to help you on your purpose journey at www.katiesandoe.com.