Turning Tragedy Into Purpose with Jeff Johnston
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
Release Date: 11/06/2025
Building A Creative Vision Without Quitting Your Day Job with Rashan Brown
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
In this conversation, I sit down with Rashan Brown—spoken word poet, founder of Poetry Me Please, and someone who's masterfully building his creative vision alongside a full-time career. What started with heartbreak in high school and a fascination with battle rap has evolved into a platform that's bringing spoken word poetry to stages like Brooklyn's Kings Theatre. Rashan's journey is the perfect example of what's possible when you commit to your authentic path without sacrificing financial stability. We dig into the real challenges of entrepreneurship—the events that profit, the ones...
info_outline
Learning To Trust Your Intuition with Isik Tlabar
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
In this episode, I sit down with Isik Tlabar to explore one of the most powerful tools we all have access to but rarely learn how to use: our intuition. Isik shares the remarkable story of how she discovered her calling. After leaving architecture, she found herself in Turkey with a lost passport, desperate to return to London. Through a series of synchronistic events—from finding the right cab driver who got her a passport in an hour to landing at a Tony Robbins meetup where she met someone who introduced her to intuitive training—the universe literally guided her exactly where she needed...
info_outline
The End Of An Era with Ang Castelli
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
In this episode, I'm joined by a special guest, my wife, Ang, as she prepares to close Roman and Leo, the boys' clothing boutique she's poured her heart into for years. This is one of the most honest conversations I've had about what it means to walk away from something you've built, even when you've mastered it. Ang opens up about the fear of leaving behind what's familiar—a business where she's refined every process, developed real expertise, and created something beautiful. But mastery and success aren't always enough. She talks about sensing it was time for a new chapter, even without...
info_outline
My Favorite Things from 2025 (and the Shift That Changed Everything)
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
I wanted to share my favorite things from 2025—some physical items, but also the internal shift that really changed everything for me. The biggest one is embodiment. I went from believing I could become a future version of myself to believing I am that person. It wasn't intentional—it happened because I kept showing up authentically. But the catalyst was starting to write the AlignedLife blog as an author, not just a blogger. Writing with more conviction shifted something internally, and within weeks the world started reflecting it back: speaking inquiries, perfect clients for AlignedLife+...
info_outline
The Art Of Authentic Networking With Nisiar Smith | Convos With Friends
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
In this conversation, I sit down with Nisiar Smith, aka Nas, to explore something that doesn't get talked about enough: the art of building genuine relationships and the power of your network in shaping who you become. Nas shares his journey from corporate America to founding Courtside Wealth Partners, a financial planning firm serving athletes, entertainers, and entrepreneurs. But what makes this conversation special isn't just his professional success—it's how he got there. Through intentional relationship-building, authentic connections, and genuine curiosity about people, Nas has built a...
info_outline
Stop Living in Your Head (And Start Feeling Your Body) With Lindsay Troxell | Convos With Friends
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
In this episode with Lindsay Troxell, we explore the intersection of business coaching, mindset work, and somatic healing—going far beyond traditional financial services talk. Lindsay shares her 20-year journey in financial services, from insurance sales to becoming a coach who integrates somatics into her work with clients. We dive deep into what somatic work actually is and how our bodies experience the world alongside our minds. Lindsay explains how to start practicing—beginning with simply sitting still and noticing internal sensations without judgment. We discuss body scans,...
info_outline
Finding Freedom When We Reframe and Rewire with DonJay Rice
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
In this episode, I sit down with DonJay Rice, a financial advisor who specializes in financial behavior and helping clients reframe their relationship with money. We explore his powerful insight that "there is freedom when we reframe and rewire" – the idea that the stories our brains tell us about money, success, and life itself may not always be accurate, and that we have the power to reprogram our thinking. DonJay shares his remarkable journey through a stage 3 cancer diagnosis and how this experience transformed his perspective on life, gratitude, and what truly matters. We discuss the...
info_outline
Turning Tragedy Into Purpose with Jeff Johnston
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
After losing both his son and wife, Jeff Johnston, founder of Brightn, transformed unimaginable pain into a mission to help others heal. In this powerful conversation, Jeff and I explore the intersection of mental wellness, resilience, and purpose, diving into what it means to truly flourish as a human being. Jeff opens up about his journey through grief, addiction, and self-discovery, sharing how empathy, mindfulness, and love became his compass through loss. Together, they discuss the need to rethink mental health—moving beyond stigma toward a vision of human flourishing that values...
info_outline
We're Still Out Here with Samuel Deane | Convos With Friends
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
In this conversation, I'm joined by one of my closest friends Samuel Deane. We discuss the evolving landscape of financial planning, emphasizing the importance of an empathetic approach that integrates clients' personal lives with their financial goals, and we contrast this with the future of financial advisory in the age of AI and the necessity for advisors to build trusting relationships with their clients. We also explore the challenges of balancing work and family life, the significance of understanding clients' true desires, and the role of financial advisors as guides in the life...
info_outline
Conscious Accomplishment with Scott Britton
AlignedLife with Justin Castelli
I’ve been following Scott Britton for the last couple of years, and when I saw he was looking to talk about his new book, Conscious Accomplishment, on podcasts, I shot my shot. He quickly responded with a resounding “yes.” In this episode, Scott and I discuss his journey towards consciousness, exploring the themes of intuition, the true self, and the role of the heart in accessing higher intelligence. He explains the distinction between clean and dirty fuel in ambition, emphasizing the importance of inner work for sustainable success. We also touch on the concept of conscious...
info_outlineAfter losing both his son and wife, Jeff Johnston, founder of Brightn, transformed unimaginable pain into a mission to help others heal. In this powerful conversation, Jeff and I explore the intersection of mental wellness, resilience, and purpose, diving into what it means to truly flourish as a human being.
Jeff opens up about his journey through grief, addiction, and self-discovery, sharing how empathy, mindfulness, and love became his compass through loss. Together, they discuss the need to rethink mental health—moving beyond stigma toward a vision of human flourishing that values health, wealth, and purpose as essential “human asset classes.”
The episode also introduces Brightn, Jeff’s new app empowering users with AI-driven tools for mental wellness, and explores the challenges and possibilities of technology’s role in emotional healing.
A story of hope, healing, and choosing love over despair, this conversation reminds us that even in our darkest moments, we can create light for others.
Takeaways
- I am the path, building it stone by stone.
- Grief can feel like a mental wellness workout.
- Navigating heavy days requires realistic expectations.
- The importance of being present in the moment.
- Finding meaning in suffering is a personal journey.
- Empathy can lead to healing and understanding.
-The system often fails those in need of help.
- Choosing love and hope over despair is a conscious decision.
- Alcoholism can mask deeper issues of grief and trauma.
- Creating change starts with personal experiences. Investing in human asset classes is crucial for personal growth.
- The term 'mental wellness' is evolving towards 'human flourishing'.
- Normalizing mental health discussions can reduce stigma.
- Personal experiences with loss can lead to profound insights.
- Mindfulness helps in appreciating the present moment.
- The Brighton app aims to provide preventative mental health resources.
- AI can enhance mental health support but must be used responsibly.
- Building a business from passion can lead to meaningful impact.
- It's important to acknowledge and accept destructive thoughts.
- Resilience is key; surviving past challenges prepares us for future ones.