1. You had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Compassionate. Soulful. Purposeful.
2. You’ve made a unique transition from brand marketing to transformational work. What were the key moments that led to founding Glow Living?
I didn’t fully leave marketing. It’s still part of my work and identity. However, in 2011, I felt a deep internal calling to expand. I was going through a difficult time with relationship struggles, the exhaustion of new motherhood, and burnout from trying to do it all. I felt overwhelmed and unfulfilled, and I knew I needed a new path for my personal growth. That led me to pursue a coaching certification. Through that process, I realized I wasn’t alone in these feelings and wanted to help others navigate their challenges. Glow Living became a bridge between my creative professional world and this deeper transformational work, something that feeds my soul while still honoring my background. From there, my book Root-to-Rise: How to Love Life was conceived.
3. Root-to-Rise blends nature metaphors with neuroscience and human needs psychology. What inspired you to combine these elements into one framework?
Nature has always been my greatest teacher. The tree metaphor came to me in a moment of deep reflection during a yoga class. I saw how strong roots are essential for withstanding life’s storms and reaching toward purpose. At the same time, I was immersed in studying human needs psychology, emotional resilience, and the mind-body connection. I began to understand how our emotional needs aren’t just abstract concepts; they’re wired into our nervous system. I also learned how we can use tools like journaling, reframing, and body awareness to literally shift our brain states and strengthen emotional resilience. Root-to-Rise emerged as a synthesis of these powerful ideas. It’s designed to feel intuitive, soulful, and grounded in both inner wisdom and brain-based strategies that actually work.
4. The five “life roots”—health, family, relationships, career, and friends—are foundational in your book. How did you identify these, and how do they influence personal growth?
These roots emerged organically through my coaching work and my own journey. I noticed that when someone felt stuck, overwhelmed, or unfulfilled, it was often because one or more of these areas wasn’t getting the nourishment it needed. They’re universal touchpoints. No matter your background or goals, these five roots shape the quality of your daily life and your sense of fulfillment.
5. You’ve openly shared personal stories, including navigating burnout and single motherhood. What gave you the courage to be so transparent, and how have readers responded to that honesty?
It didn’t feel like a choice. It felt necessary. If I was going to ask people to look honestly at their lives, I had to lead by example. Sharing the raw moments—the breakdowns, the parenting struggles, the losses—was scary at times, but the response has been deeply affirming. People tell me they have the experience that I’m talking personally to them. That’s everything.
6. Journaling and structured self-reflection are central tools in your method. Why are they so powerful in driving meaningful transformation?
Because self-awareness is where all transformation begins. When we write things down and reread them later, we get an objective view of our thoughts. We create space for clarity, pattern recognition, and intentional change. Journaling isn’t about having the right answers; it’s about asking the right questions and showing up for yourself honestly.
7. How do you support people through the emotional or uncomfortable spaces that often arise in deep personal work?
I create a space of compassion and tell people that discomfort is a signal that growth is happening. We move at the pace of trust. I also offer grounding tools like the Emotional Triad (Physiology, Focus, Meaning) to help them regulate and re-center when things get tough.
8. You’ve worked with people across creative, corporate, and entrepreneurial spaces. What common emotional patterns do you see, regardless of background?
Perfectionism. People-pleasing. Fear of not being “enough.” Imposter Syndrome. Whether it’s an artist questioning their worth or an executive terrified of losing control, the underlying emotional needs are often the same, especially security, significance, connection, and growth. When we get curious about those needs, we can shift the patterns.
9. Root-to-Rise is described by readers as warm, grounded, and authentic—like a conversation with a trusted guide. How did you cultivate that tone in your writing?
I wrote the book the way I coach…direct, compassionate, and without pretense. I imagined I was speaking to someone I care about deeply, someone who’s been through a lot and deserves to feel seen and supported. I didn’t want to preach. I wanted to walk beside them.
10. What were some of the most memorable “aha” moments that clients or readers have shared with you after engaging with your work?
One of the most memorable moments came from a woman who was navigating deep grief after the loss of her best friend. She told me that Root-to-Rise helped her realize she didn’t have to let go of her friend completely. Instead, she could integrate the very best parts of her into her own being. As she reflected on her friend’s warmth, humor, and fierce loyalty, she began consciously embodying those traits in her own life. It became her way of keeping the connection alive, not through sorrow, but through action.
That was such a profound moment. It reminded me that growth isn’t always about striving forward. Sometimes it’s about reaching inward, honoring love by becoming more of who we admired in others. I truly believe that the people we lose can become part of our rise when we carry forward their spirit in the way we live.
11. Many people hesitate to begin personal growth work, fearing it might be overwhelming. How does your approach meet people where they are?
That fear is completely valid. Many people worry that if they open the door to personal growth, they’ll unleash something too big to handle such as old pain, uncomfortable truths, or changes they’re not ready for. It can feel like standing at the edge of a deep well, unsure what will happen if you look too far down.
That’s why the Root-to-Rise approach is designed to meet people exactly where they are, and with gentleness, compassion, and structure. It’s not about ripping up your life or forcing transformation. It’s about tending to your foundation—your “roots”—one layer at a time, at a pace that feels safe and grounded.
Instead of rushing people into change, I invite them into awareness first. We explore what’s working, what feels off, and what deeper needs might be quietly driving their choices. From there, they can make empowered shifts, and not because they have to, but because they want to.
The framework offers just enough structure to feel supported, yet it’s flexible and intuitive. Whether someone’s navigating burnout, grief, relationship challenges, or simply feeling stuck, the work honors their timing and emotional bandwidth.
Growth doesn’t have to be a breakdown. It can be a becoming. That’s the heart of Root-to-Rise—meeting yourself with compassion, getting clear on what truly matters, and rising with intention from there.
12. You chose to self-publish Root-to-Rise. How did that creative freedom influence your ability to share your vision authentically?
Self-publishing gave me the freedom to be fully authentic and to stay true to my voice and my readers without worrying about meeting a publisher’s expectations. That said, I would have stayed true to myself either way. But it was incredibly liberating not to have to negotiate my vision or dilute the message to fit a market formula.
I didn’t have to justify the balance of spiritual elements, personal stories, or coaching tools. I could include what I felt would genuinely help people. The only real struggle I had was deciding how much of my personal story to include. The book is ultimately for the reader, not about me. I knew that being vulnerable and relatable was part of how I could build trust and connection. So I shared enough to create that bridge, without letting it overshadow the reader’s journey. Self-publishing let me make those calls from the heart. And I think readers can feel that honesty on every page.
13. Your course, coaching, book, and community events each meet people at different stages. How do you help someone choose the right starting point?
The book is the most comprehensive and immersive way to experience the Root-to-Rise Framework. It goes deep into the philosophy, the practical tools, and the emotional journey behind each stage of growth. If someone wants to understand the full system and work through it on their own terms, the book is the best place to start. And, a companion workbook is coming soon.
That said, not everyone wants to dive in all at once, so I’ve created different entry points depending on what someone needs. For a quick insight, the Hidden Forces Quiz is a great starting point. It helps people identify which of the six core human needs is quietly driving most of their life decisions, and that alone can be a huge “aha” moment.
The online course is a lighter experience than the book in terms of written depth, and includes helpful videos of me explaining the concepts directly. And for those who want support or community, the workshops and coaching provide space to share, reflect, and apply the framework in a more personal and interactive way.
So really, there’s something for everyone. Wherever someone is in their journey, I help them find the entry point that meets them with care, clarity, and the right amount of support.
14. How do your one-on-one coaching sessions and self-paced courses complement each other in guiding transformation?
The courses offer structure and tools. Coaching offers customization and accountability. When someone works with me privately, we use the Root-to-Rise Framework to uncover blocks, and we also tune into their intuition and lived experience. It’s a powerful combination of inner wisdom and outer support.
15. How do you guide people in building emotional resilience and identity awareness throughout their Root-to-Rise journey?
We start by identifying their unmet emotional needs and the core beliefs driving their current choices. From there, we explore how their identity has been shaped by culture, family systems, trauma, and the conditioning that often comes from chasing external definitions of success. I help them untangle who they truly are from who they’ve been told to be.
As they reconnect with their authentic self, emotional resilience begins to grow naturally because they’re no longer operating from survival patterns, but from self-awareness and alignment. We also spend time building tools to help them weather life’s storms with more grace and strength.
The Root-to-Rise journey also includes a visioning process where we answer three key questions: What do you want? Why do you want it? And what are you willing to do about it? That clarity helps them rise, not just into a better version of themselves, but into the life they want to be remembered for.
Ultimately, this work is about connecting to a higher purpose and getting on track to start living their legacy, on their terms, and in alignment with who they truly are.
16. What strategies from your Strategic Intervention coaching background do you find most effective in helping people move past fear or disconnection?
Asking powerful questions. Interrupting limiting patterns. Understanding human needs psychology. And using The Triad—physiology, focus, and meaning—to shift state in the moment. Sometimes, it’s not about digging deeper; it’s about shifting faster.
17. For wellness professionals or coaches, how can Root-to-Rise be used as a tool in their own client work?
Root-to-Rise gives wellness professionals and coaches a powerful language and framework to help clients connect the dots between emotions, needs, and actions. It’s not just about mindset shifts; it’s about guiding clients into full-body, whole-life alignment with what matters most.
Coaches can use the root assessments, emotional needs breakdowns, and life mapping tools to support clients in identifying where they’re stuck, what’s driving their decisions, and how to create lasting change from the inside out.
It’s also particularly valuable for yoga instructors who want to go beyond the physical practice and offer workshops or retreats that integrate nature-based wisdom and emotional growth. The framework is grounded in personal transformation but flexible enough to complement a variety of modalities.
I’m currently developing professional teaching tools and trainings so that wellness leaders can confidently bring Root-to-Rise into their own client work, events, and curriculum. Whether they’re working one-on-one or leading groups, this framework gives them a soulful, strategic foundation to support deep transformation.
18. What does personal or professional “success” look like to you when guiding someone through their Root-to-Rise journey?
To me, real success, personally or professionally, happens when someone says, “I feel like myself again,” or “I finally know what I want, and I’m not afraid to go for it.” That’s the moment we rise.
It’s about building the emotional clarity and resilience to pursue what truly matters. Root-to-Rise helps people understand their core needs and how to prioritize them, so they can create meaningful goals, set healthy boundaries, and restore live-work balance.
In a leadership or team setting, this leads to stronger communication, better decision-making, and more sustainable performance rooted in purpose.
19. After someone completes your program or finishes the book, what is the one emotional shift or core message you hope stays with them?
That they are not broken. That their emotions make sense, and are rooted in real needs that can be met in healthy ways. And, in one single decision, they can completely change the course of their life…so the reality is they are (and never have been) stuck.
I want them to walk away knowing they have the emotional resilience to weather anything, the tools to rebalance their roots, the awareness to prioritize what truly matters, and the empowerment to believe in themselves.
And most of all, I hope they remember that the need for Transcendence—to serve, contribute, and leave a legacy—is a healing force that uplifts all the other needs. That’s how we rise.
20. If someone wanted to reach out to you for a project or collaboration, what’s the best way for them to get in touch?
They can reach me through glowliving.com, chandra@glowliving.com, or connect with me on Instagram @glowliving. I’m always open to meaningful collaborations that help people love life. They can also grab the book on Amazon at https://a.co/d/aXfgo6m.
Download the FREE Kindle version of Chandra Lynn’s new book Root-to-Rise: How to Love Life during her special Amazon Birthday Promo – available July 14–18 only
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