Why Kindness Is My Greatest Act of Strength.
Life has thrown some heavy curveballs lately. And instead of letting them harden me, I’ve been leaning on kindness.
This is my final Madame After Midnight episode before a short break — but soon, you’ll find me on The Madame Donut vlog, sharing my journey as I get back on the road, technically houseless, how I’m turning a painful move into an opportunity to help a friend, and circle back to what truly matters.
In this episode, I talk about:
- How kindness became my therapy
- The true cost (and reward) of being kind
- Choosing compassion over retaliation
- Why kindness is strength in disguise
Whether you’re facing conflict, burnout, or just need a reminder to keep your heart open you’re not alone.
💬 What’s your take — is kindness a strength or a weakness? Comment below!
📺 Don’t miss my next chapter, Coming Soon: The Madame Donut (Vlog) – https://www.youtube.com/@themadamedonut
☕ Support the show:
www.ko-fi.com/madamedonut
#KindnessMatters #MadameAfterMidnight #SelfGrowth
What’s the point of chasing my goals?In this episode of Madame After Midnight, I open up about something real:While packing up my apartment recently, to start anew, again -- I hit an emotional wall. I found myself sobbing — not just from exhaustion, but from grief. Grief over goals I felt I couldn't reach, over dreams I poured my soul into that now feel like they're slipping away.For years, I believed Donut Dynamite! was my destiny. I embraced the Madame Donut identity so fully that I even legally changed my name. But I kept hitting a wall, one broken lead to another, which has left me feeling defeated. And as my ability to keep that business afloat dwindled, so did my sense of purpose — or so I thought.In the midst of that quiet breakdown, I was reminded:My donuts were never the purpose. They were just the expression of it.The real purpose was joy, creativity, kindness, community, and keeping the hope alive for me and others -- and those things live in me, with or without a storefront.This episode is for anyone who feels like their dreams are crumbling, for anyone redefining their identity, and for anyone needing a reminder that you are *so much more* than your job, your productivity, or your plans.In this episode, we’ll unpack:* Why goals without purpose can feel empty* How to reconnect with your deeper "why"* How purpose sustains you through every setback, reinvention, and detour✨ This one’s from my heart. I hope it helps you reconnect with yours.Subscribe for more late-night reflections.☕ Support the podcast: [ko-fi.com/madamedonut](https://ko-fi.com/madamedonut)#PurposeVsGoals #MadameAfterMidnight #HealingOutLoud #SelfDiscovery #ReinventionMadame After Midnight Season2 Ep10Goals vs Purpose
Maui will always be home, but this visit has reminded me of something deeper: to move forward, I have to let go — of the version of me that started here, of connections that no longer fit, and of a chapter that shaped me in every way. This trip to Maui brought back memories, friendships, and feelings I didn’t know I needed to process. It reminded me that holding on too tightly to the past can weigh me down.
This episode is about embracing bittersweet goodbyes with gratitude, even when it hurts. Growth isn’t linear. It’s circular. And sometimes the only way to honor where you’ve been is to step into what’s next.
💛 If this resonates, support the show:
ko-fi.com/madamedonut
🎧 Subscribe for more midnight reflections and soulful storytelling.
#GoodbyeMaui #LettingGo #MadameAfterMidnight #HealingJourney #Growth #GrowthisnotLinear #CircularLife
Why Do Adult Bullies Pick You? (And How Do You Stop Them?)Bullying doesn’t stop with age. It grows up, gets quieter, and hides behind passive-aggression, micromanagement, control, and gaslighting.In this episode of Madame After Midnight, I’m getting personal — because like many of you, I’ve been on the receiving end of adult bullying. And I know how confusing and isolating it can feel.We’re covering:The psychology of adult bulliesEmotional manipulation, control, and toxic power playsWhy certain people become targets and how to build quiet defenseWhat bullies really need (and why you shouldn't give it to them)This is your gentle wake-up call — and your reminder that their behavior says more about them than it ever will about you.🎧 Listen now. You deserve peace.#EmotionalAbuse #PsychologyOfBullies #HealingOutLoud #Boundaries
Let Them Misunderstand You -- The Power of Letting Go.We’ve all been there — explaining ourselves into exhaustion, justifying ourselves as if it needs a presentation, a mood board, and a peace treaty. Stop chasing closure and let go without that “final word”.This episode of Madame After Midnight is about reclaiming your power through silence — the kind that follows a firm, clean “No.” Period. The End.
We’re talking:- Why “No” is a full sentence (and a powerful one at that)- Why closure is often just control in disguise- The mental drain of trying to explain yourself to people already committed to misunderstanding you- Letting go without needing a final conversationThis week on Madame After Midnight, I’m letting go of the pressure to explain myself — and maybe you’ll feel empowered to take this as your cue to unsubscribe from difficult people, drama, and reclaim your voice — one boundary at a time.🎙️Real talk. Real strength. Real boundaries.And yes... I finally launched my Ko-fi page 🥰If you are enjoying the podcast and want to fuel my mission to keep creating while moving through major life transitions, visit:👉 https://ko-fi.com/madamedonutIt’s a no-cost way to support me by liking, commenting, and sharing this episode.Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss our next talk!I appreciate you! 💛#NoIsASentence #BoundariesAreSexy #MadameAfterMidnight #LetThemMisunderstandYou #PodcastWithTeeth #HealingOutLoud
Stop People-Pleasing: Here’s What Happens When You Don’tWhat actually happens when you stop twisting yourself into a human pretzel just to keep the peace?In this episode of Madame After Midnight, I talk about what it really feels like to let go of being “for everyone.” Not everyone’s going to get you. Some will misread you, shrink you, or flat-out not vibe with your joy. But guess what? That’s not your job to fix. I share some stories (and a few scars), a little philosophy, and a whole lotta freedom — for anyone who’s ever felt “too much,” “not enough,” or just plain misunderstood.✨ Let them misunderstand you. You were never meant to be mass-produced. Find the joy in not being for everyone!Watch and 🎧 Listen in if you:Are tired of walking on eggshellsNeed a reminder that your light is not negotiableWant to feel strong in your “nope, not for you” era—🌀 Like what you hear?Subscribe for more soulful, spicy episodes every Monday.Leave a review if this one lit something up in you.And send it to a friend who gets you 💌#MadameAfterMidnight #StopPeoplePleasing #SpiritualGlowUp #TooMuchAndProud #YouTubePodcast #AuthenticLiving
You Can Start Over Again (And Again)
What do you do when life keeps falling apart before you can even catch your breath?
In this episode, I share the real, raw truth of starting over — not once, but multiple times — through wildfires, heartbreak, creative shifts, and misjudgments that weren’t mine to carry.
I left Maui shortly after the devastating Lahaina fire… rebuilt my life on the road with nothing but donuts, dreams, and grit… then found a dream job cooking in this house with a beautiful vegetable garden in Malibu — only for a wildfire to claim that too.
And still… I’m here.
We talk about what it really means to begin again. How to choose your peace when others misjudge your worth. And why reinvention isn’t failure — it’s freedom.
✦ For the ones rebuilding in silence.
✦ For the strong women who won’t apologize for thriving.
✦ For the creatives who are tired… but not done.
💬 What’s something you’ve had to start over from? Share in the comments — let’s hold each other in the ashes and the bloom.
🔔 Subscribe for weekly late-night reflections, voice notes, and truth that lingers long after midnight.
#reinvention #startingover #community #boundaries #malibufire #lahainafire #resilience #madameaftermidnight #videopodcast
I’m speaking directly to anyone who’s ever been misjudged, misunderstood, or painted into someone else’s story.
Welcome to Madame After Midnight — the podcast where we talk life, loss, resilience, and the persistent pursuit of sustainable happiness.This episode is about perception — how people decide who you are before you’ve even spoken.It’s about what happens when others try to write your narrative… and how to reclaim your own pen to write your own.✨ We talk:Why people project their fears onto othersHow to protect your joy and peaceThe power of reframing and sacred rebellionTurning frustration into creation — with love, with cooking, with truthIf you’ve ever been mislabeled or boxed in by someone else’s assumptions, this episode is for you.🌀 Let them project.You? You protect — your light, your truth, your future.🎧 Listen in, breathe deep, and circle back to what matters most.And if this resonates, share it with someone else who might need a reminder of their own power. 💛🔔 Subscribe for more late-night soul talks.🗣 Drop your reflections in the comments. Let’s build something healing, together.#MadameAfterMidnight #ItsNotMeItsYou #SelfWorth #Reframing #SoulfulResistance #PodcastTherapy #LateNightTalks
Rental Rules and the Sizzle that Won't FizzleWhat happens when your passion gets banned by a lease?In this episode of Madame After Midnight, I share the raw and real story of what it felt like to have frying — yes, deep frying — banned in my own kitchen, just three months after moving in. This isn’t just about oil and donuts. It’s about creativity, identity, freedom… and what it means to work around limitations with heart and humor.You’ll hear about the tears, the pivot, and the fryer I hauled to my friend’s house — and why it turned into one of the most liberating cooking days I’ve had in a long time.🔥 This episode is for anyone feeling boxed in, creatively or otherwise. You are not stuck. You are adaptable. And your joy can’t be leased.✨ Topics covered:• How creative people survive restriction• Turning a problem into play• The emotional cost of limited freedom — and the healing in workaround joy🎧 LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE to Madame After Midnight for more conversations about life, creativity, food, and resilience.🎙️ Madame After Midnight is a podcast hosted by Madame Donut, Creator, Cook, and forever resilient Life Artist.📍Follow me on IG: @themadamedonut🍩 More from my world: www.themadamedonut.com#MadameAfterMidnight #CreativeResistance #RentalRules #DonutLife #PodcastStorytime #ResilientCreative #YouCantBanMyJoy
You don’t need more — more money, more time, more tools — to make something meaningful.
In this episode of Madame After Midnight, I’m talking about my creative process — not from a pedestal, but from the kitchen table. From scraps. From the in-between moments. From care.
This is for anyone out there trying to make something with what little they have. Whether it’s a meal, a business, a story, a video — I hope this reminds you:
✨ Perfection is a direction, not a demand.
🌿 Abundance is a mindset, not a bank account.
💪 Excellence is still possible — even when the ingredients are humble.
I’m sharing how I stay grounded in my work, why I insist on finding beauty, and what I’ve learned about failure, adaptation, and doing the most with the least — beautifully.
—
⏱️ What’s inside:
• Creating with scraps (and soul)
• Why “more” isn’t the answer
• The power of micro-adjustments• Beauty vs. perfectionism• Failure as refined compost (yes, really)
🎧 Madame After Midnight is my after-hours podcast — a quiet corner for thoughtful creatives, dreamers, and doers who believe in making beautiful things, even when resources are tight.
🌀 Stay connected:
→ Instagram: @themadamedonut
→ More food + craft: @themadameslarder
→ Website: www.themadamedonut.com
💬 Comment below: What do you make when you feel like you’ve got “nothing”?
#MadameAfterMidnight #CreativeProcess #frugalfinesse #IntentionalCreativity #AbundanceMindset #ArtUnderPressure #TheMadameDonut #CreativeResilience #DoMoreWithLess
Episode 1: Reintroducing Myself
10 things you didn’t know about me — or forgot.
I’ve worn many hats — donut maker, performer, small business owner, storyteller.But these days, I’m leaning into something deeper: creative sustainability, beauty from scraps, and embracing the chaos of reinvention with grace.
In this "first" episode of Madame After Midnight, after a two-year hiatus, I’m reintroducing myself through 10 things you may not know about me.Some are funny. Some are vulnerable. All of them are real.Because before we go deeper, I want you to know where I stand — and how I got here.
🌀 New episodes every Monday night.
🔔 Subscribe and come back when the world gets quiet.✨
CONNECT on Instagram: @themadamedonut
Website: www.themadamedonut.com
💌 Leave a comment below — which one surprised you the most?
#Podcast #MadameAfterMidnight #CreativeLife #Reinvention #DonutLife #PersonalGrowth
My guest tonight is a problem solver. And he uses an artistic mindset to do so through his sculptures, jujitsu and fighting crime.
It may seem like Jacob Bonnell started some of his endeavors at a fairly later age than typical, to become a master in his chosen crafts -- whether it be his art, sports, or joining the Police Force. He is a successful Sculptor, a Blackbelt & Jujitsu Instructor, and now a Police Officer.
But before you start counting those kind of numbers, maybe all you need to know is when to jump off that ledge to start anything at any age.
Solve the problem of ensuring proper landing first, of course. 😉
Madame After Midnight Ep 33
Jake Bonnell
I couldn't come up with a great title except that I think the gist of this episode is how important family is to contentment and sustainable happiness.
Nylos is the only "Chef's Tasting Menu Only" restaurant on Maui. Spell it backwards and it's their family last name.
And yes, it is a family affair for the Solyns. Jeremy runs the back of the house and Paulina manages the front as well as raising their children and cats and dogs. I know first hand how difficult it is to run a business with your significant other, and the Solyns are no stranger to that. Yet, somehow they seem to have managed to figure it out, though at times rocky. It's a continuing process of learning and relearning how to balance it all -- the drive to succeed and keep your loved ones close to you.
I am so grateful to hear their story and our conversation was real, fun, passionate and poignant in many ways.
❤️❤️❤️
Madame After Midnight Ep 32
Jeremy and Paulina Solyn
Top Chef and CIA Alums - Chef Spike Mendelsohn and Chef Marcel Vigneron have had some real bromance going on for well over a decade.
They first met at a Bar outside of culinary school and reconnected and bonded as fellow competitors on Bravo TV's famous cooking competition show, Top Chef.
I couldn't pass up the opportunity to catch up with them while they're on Maui. Because seriously, it was a hoot!
Watch or listen in to our conversation, highlighting some of their funniest moments in the show as well as their supportive and mutually beneficial professional relationship and deep-rooted friendship.
Madame After Midnight Ep 31
Spike Mendelsohn and Marcel Vigneron
Mamma mia! This woman makes me so hungry!
Rosa Mariotti was born and raised in the green heart of Italy - Umbria, and has been a Maui based Chef for the past 7 years. She got her formal Culinary and Hospitality training in Oregon. For the past 20 years she has worked as a Kitchen Manager, Recipe Developer (recently for Mochi Foods), and her recipe for the Musubirthday cake made all the way to the Rachel Ray magazine!
As a professional baker, she assisted the internationally acclaimed Nick Malgieri during his book tours. Her approach to Italian Cuisine involves lesser known traditional Italian classic recipes, all made from scratch, with a deep analysis on origins of the Dishes and their geography, food history and sustainability. She specializes in Pasta, which she has been making for over 50 years with her grandmother as her first mentor.
Rosa has ongoing classes in Kona and Maui where she also teaches at UHMC. Check out her fun and delicious blog on IG at @molto.ono and you will most probably get hungry, too… 😋😋😋
Madame After Midnight Ep 30
Rosa Mariotti
Meet the man behind Swagyu Chop Shop - Chef Steve Brown. He lives, breathes Wagyu - the sexiest beef around! And Swagyu Hawaii's Managing Partner, Nic Gadouas who found the brand compelling enough to pursue and bring to the Valley Isle.
I have to admit, I felt a little dirty when I found myself so excited about this sexy meat. Isn't indulging in this ultra luxurious beef too elitist? However, after talking story, it was surprisingly enlightening how reasonably sustainable it could be!
Get in on our conversation and discover the passion and integrity behind Swagyu Chop Shop. And when can, visit their new Food Truck/Chop Shop that is now open on the west side of Maui.
Just be ready to get your minds blown!
Madame After Midnight Ep 29
Steve Brown and Nic Gadouas
I have to admit, I'm not a tech person so I took the opportunity to talk story with my guest, Adelle Brianne, to enlighten me more about the world of website building and marketing. Because I just want to make donuts and get some play time in. This website and marketing thing in order to do business? I'd prefer someone who knows and loves geek world to take care of it so I can sustain my happiness and focus on what I do best!
You need help with your own website? Visit www.amazingandhelpful.com/donuts to get a FREE Audit by Adelle to give you guidance on how to improve your website immediately! Hurry before offer runs out!
Madame After Midnight Ep 28
Adelle Brianne
Tasha Ina Church has had practically a lifelong practice in several modalities in Martial Arts. However, while her flying axe kicks are beautiful to behold in a Jackie Chan movie, it wasn't what saved her when she was drugged and taken by a man she knew.
She has since been a passionate educator and a coach in (female) empowerment. She developed programs for schools for young girls to uplift, build confidence and self worth. She also specializes in helping women (as well as other vulnerable communities) to find their voices and teaches violence prevention strategies.
This was a conversation that brought up triggers, even for myself, that I have apparently blocked out for years. Violence against women happens more than you think.
Madame After Midnight Ep 27
Tasha Ina Church
This week's guest is Ben Kopf, co-Owner and Mastermind Brewer behind Mahalo Aleworks.
Mahalo Aleworks serves up some of the freshest and unique Sours, Ales and Beers in Hawaii. Artisanal, small batch and made with fresh local fruits sourced right here on Maui. They are even starting to grow an orchard so that soon, the Beers come from Farm to Pint!
It was a quick chat, but because it's so much fun, my little Donut Shop, Donut Dynamite! is collaborating with Mahalo Aleworks this coming Sunday, September 18 for another Donut and Beer Event! If you are on Maui, come join us!
Madame After Midnight Ep 26
Ben Kopf
Sex with Strangers or Friends with Benefits?
Neither was the real subject of the conversation but it made good clickbait. 😉
Beyond the lure, the very talented Lin McEwan and I talked story about success in finding your own joy, funneling your talents into doing more acts of service, growth and constant life lessons.
Now, back to Sex with Strangers - the Play is back for Encore Performances this weekend at ProArts Playhouse, Maui.
Don’t Miss it!
Madame After Midnight Ep 25
Lin McEwan
