The LiveNow Journal
A podcast for people who want to live with clarity, confidence, and intention — not autopilot.
Hosted by Dakota Chandler, a behavioral financial planner and values-driven storyteller, The LiveNow Journal is where we pause long enough to notice the parts of life we usually rush past.
Each episode blends:
- Meaningful stories from everyday life
- Behavioral insight that explains why we think and feel the way we do
- Practical guidance for aligning your choices with what truly matters
This isn’t another “hustle harder” show.
It’s a quiet space to reconnect with your values, rethink success, and build a life you don’t have to escape from.
Whether we’re exploring grief, change, intentional living, or the small moments that often carry the biggest lessons, every episode invites you to slow down… reflect… and move forward with purpose.
Welcome to The LiveNow Journal — where success, family, freedom, and meaning finally coexist.
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Episodes

Jun 8, 2026
Jun 8, 2026
6 min
We're physically present more than ever — and mentally somewhere else almost all the time.
In this episode, we talk about what I call the invisible commute — the constant mental drift away from wherever your feet are planted. At work, you're thinking about home. At home, you're thinking about work. On vacation, you're already dreading Monday.
The cost isn't dramatic. It's quiet. And it adds up.
Three simple words changed how I show up every day: Be where your feet are.
In this episode we cover:
Why presence feels harder than it used to — and why that's not an accident
The invisible commute and what it's actually costing you
Practical ways to slow the drift and actually arrive in your own life
Why the moments you're rushing through are the ones that matter most
Because one day you'll look back and realize the ordinary moments were the whole thing.
Be present. Everything else can wait. This moment can't.

May 13, 2026
May 13, 2026
5 min
Most people think they know their values. But when was the last time you actually wrote them down — and then looked at your bank account to see if they matched?
In this episode, Dakota Chandler walks you through the same values clarification exercise he uses with every coaching client. You'll learn why most people don't have a spending problem — they have an alignment problem — and how five minutes of honest reflection can change the way you spend, decide, and live.
Dakota shares his own four values, the quarterly family trips that reflect them, and the everyday spending he cuts without hesitation once his filter was clear. Inspired by Bill Perkins' Die With Zero, this episode will challenge you to stop budgeting and start living by what actually matters.
If you've ever felt like your money is going one direction and your life is going another — this episode is for you.

Apr 26, 2026
Apr 26, 2026
3 min
We just got back from the Great Nooga Escape — rock climbing, an underground waterfall, kayaking, and two wide-eyed kids who didn't want to go home.
But here's what I kept thinking about the whole trip: there's research showing that vacation happiness peaks at hour 43. After that, the novelty fades, the mind drifts back to Monday, and you're physically present but mentally somewhere else.
In this episode, I unpack what that data actually means — and why it has nothing to do with vacation logistics and everything to do with how we're wired for presence, meaning, and joy.
We talk about hedonic adaptation, why shorter trips work better than longer ones, and what our family's four-day travel philosophy taught me about the gap between the life we're waiting to live and the one available right now.
If you've ever come home from a trip feeling like you needed a vacation from your vacation — this one's for you.

Feb 26, 2026
Feb 26, 2026
2 min
Wars. Rumors of wars. The mark of the beast. Sound familiar? When the world gets loud and unstable, old narratives come rushing back — and most of us don’t even notice.
In this episode, I unpack how I inherited a fear-based understanding of Revelation, why it’s resurfacing in culture right now, and what a different way of reading it might actually offer.

Feb 10, 2026
Feb 10, 2026
2 min
We often stay stuck not because better options don’t exist, but because letting go feels riskier than moving forward.
In this episode, I explore why the fear of loss weighs heavier than the hope of gain, how it quietly shapes our decisions, and what it looks like to choose alignment over certainty.
If you’re facing a decision and feeling hesitant, this reflection will help you understand why.

Feb 1, 2026
Feb 1, 2026
2 min
Doing nothing can feel strangely uncomfortable — even when rest is exactly what we need.
In this episode, I explore why stillness triggers tension, how action bias shows up in everyday life, and why discomfort isn’t always a sign that something is wrong.
If you’ve ever felt restless when slowing down, this reflection will help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface — and how to respond with clarity instead of urgency.

Jan 24, 2026
Jan 24, 2026
2 min
Before I became a parent, I had strong opinions about how things “should” be done.
This episode reflects on how real life — and real responsibility — quietly replaced certainty with humility.
If parenthood, leadership, or life itself has ever challenged what you thought you knew, this conversation will resonate.

Jan 12, 2026
Jan 12, 2026
2 min
Big goals are supposed to motivate us — but sometimes they quietly do the opposite.
In this episode, I unpack how setting goals that are too big can create pressure, stall momentum, and disconnect us from the life we’re actually living.
If you’ve felt stuck, overwhelmed, or behind despite “aiming high,” this reflection will help you realign and move forward with clarity.

Dec 19, 2025
Dec 19, 2025
2 min
Sometimes the things we loved most didn’t disappear — they were just waiting for us to come back.
This reflection explores what happens when old passions resurface later in life, and why reconnecting with them can feel like coming home to yourself.
If you’ve felt a quiet pull toward something you once loved, this episode is for you.

Dec 16, 2025
Dec 16, 2025
2 min
In this episode, I reflect on the seasons of waiting we all resist — the pauses, delays, and unanswered moments that feel unproductive but quietly shape who we’re becoming.
Waiting isn’t wasted time. It’s often where clarity is formed, patience is built, and purpose begins to take root.
If you’re in a season that feels still or uncertain, this conversation is an invitation to trust the process and notice the growth happening beneath the surface.


