Omega: You’ve been working together as a mother-daughter duo for more than a decade. How do you keep the process fresh and fun, and still meaningful? Do you each bring a different perspective to the process?

Barb: What makes our work so unique and meaningful is not just the mother-daughter dynamic but also the way we blend our intergenerational perspectives. Through Barb Knows Best, our weekly podcast, we take our real-life experiences—our challenges, lessons, and moments of growth—and use them as opportunities to reflect, learn, and share practical tools for navigating life’s ups and downs. This keeps our work fresh because we’re always evolving, always learning.

I love that Michelle and I bring different viewpoints to the table. I come from a background rooted in years of spiritual practice and mindfulness traditions that I introduced to Michelle from a young age, including daily affirmations and the power of presence. Now, I get to see those teachings come full circle, as Michelle integrates them in her own way and even teaches me new perspectives on navigating today’s world.

Michelle: One of the most meaningful things we’ve done together is building Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life, the nonprofit we founded in 2011. It’s been an incredible journey to create a platform that provides mindfulness and emotional  well-being tools to people of all ages. Over the years, we’ve expanded our reach—offering workshops at universities, creating leadership programs for young students, and working with medical students to incorporate mindfulness into their training.

What keeps our work exciting is that we’re constantly adapting to the needs of the world around us. My perspective is shaped by growing up in the digital era, where stress and mental health challenges look different than they did in past generations. I bring that awareness to the work we do, making sure we create content and conversations that feel relatable and accessible. 

Omega: Was there a turning point when you decided to work together as mother and daughter? 

Michelle: Writing has always been my passion. I studied journalism in college, and later, I completed my yoga teacher certification. I knew I wanted to make a meaningful impact in the world, and working alongside my mom just felt like the natural next step. After living in Chicago and New York City for more than five years, I moved back home to Florida and began focusing on writing content, building our social media presence, and developing online resources that could help people navigate life’s challenges. Everything aligned at the right time.

Barb: I couldn’t be more proud to work with my daughter every single day. We’ve always had a close bond, so when the opportunity arose to create something meaningful together, it felt like a dream come true. Founding our nonprofit and working side by side to bring mindfulness and self-care practices to people around the world has been one of the greatest joys of my life. Watching Michelle step into her voice, share her wisdom, and make an impact has been an incredible honor.

Omega: How do you utilize your mother-daughter dynamic to convey some of the key points in your teaching styles?

Barb: Our mother-daughter dynamic is one of the key elements that makes our work so special. We bring different perspectives, and that balance allows us to reach a broader audience. As a mother, I bring years of experience, wisdom, and a calm, grounded approach to our teachings. Michelle, on the other hand, brings a fresh, relatable voice, particularly when it comes to connecting with younger generations and navigating the modern world. Together, we show that mindfulness and self-care are universal tools that can be applied in many different ways, no matter your age or stage in life. It’s this blend of experience and modern-day relevance that makes our message impactful.

Michelle: Working with my mom has been a natural extension of our relationship. She has a deep rooted understanding of mindfulness that I admire and learn from every day. I tend to bring a more practical, everyday approach to our teachings, especially when it comes to how people—especially younger people—can integrate mindfulness into their busy lives. Whether it's through stress management techniques or helping people build confidence, our dynamic allows us to offer a variety of approaches to the same key teachings. Together, we create a space where everyone can feel seen, heard, and empowered, no matter their background or life experience.

Omega: What have you learned from your daughter that surprised you?

Barb: Michelle continually surprises me with her wisdom and relatability. She has an incredible ability to connect with people of all ages and backgrounds, which I find truly inspiring. Her approachability and authenticity make her a powerful communicator. On top of that, she brings a sense of humor and fun to our work every day, which makes everything more enjoyable. Her ability to balance depth with lightheartedness is something I’ve come to deeply admire.

Omega: Was there a key moment in your life when you realized that “Barb Knows Best” and you wanted to start the podcast?

Michelle: A key moment when I realized “Barb Knows Best” was when I saw how her wisdom could reach and impact so many people. At that time, podcasts were becoming a powerful tool for sharing knowledge and connecting with audiences in a meaningful way. I suggested we start a podcast so she could answer the DMs, provide more in-depth guidance, and offer resources in a longer format. It was my way of helping her extend her reach, and it turned out to be the perfect platform for her to share even more of her incredible wisdom.

Omega: What advice can you offer to bridging gaps between mother-daughter relationships and finding common ground for a Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life?

Barb: Mother-daughter relationships are deep, beautiful, and, at times, complicated. It’s easy to believe that love alone makes everything smooth, but like any lifelong relationship, there are inevitable ups and downs. Michelle and I have faced our own challenges, but what has always brought us back together is our practice—staying present, listening with an open heart, and allowing space for each other to grow. Conflict is natural, and healing takes time, but the key is to keep showing up for each other, even when it’s hard.

One of my favorite episodes of our podcast, Episode 117: “Lessons Learned from Each Other,” explores the reality of mother-daughter relationships—not just the love, but also the effort it takes to truly understand one another. In this episode, Michelle and I share intimate stories, lessons, and insights from our journey together. I also offer my biggest tips for parenting and raising strong, centered children. 

Michelle: One of the greatest gifts my mom gave me growing up was a safe space—one where I always felt seen, heard, and loved, no matter what. She never judged me, which gave me the confidence to be open and honest with her. That foundation of trust has been everything.

Of course, we’re not perfect! We spend a lot of time together, and like any relationship, there are moments of disagreement. But what I’ve learned is that it’s okay to take space when we need it, to step back, reflect, and come back together with love and understanding. What makes our relationship so strong is that we respect each other’s individuality while also fully showing up for one another.

We share so much—our love for sports, our friends, and the community we’ve built together. And at the end of the day, no matter what, we prioritize trust, humor, respect, love, and at the same time, space when we need it.

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