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Letting go creates space.
Discernment decides what fills it.

In this episode of Red Thread: The Fire Within, we move beyond release and into the quieter, more deliberate work of choosing what stays.

I’m recording this episode just after running the Chevron Houston Marathon — an experience that became a living metaphor for discernment. Marathon training required saying no to things I wanted to do, not because they weren’t good, but because they weren’t aligned with what I was choosing in that season. And that same principle shows up everywhere in life — relationships, careers, leadership, and personal growth.

In this episode, I share:

• How discernment showed up in my own life — from marathon training to stepping into people leadership
• Why saying yes to everything slowly drains what matters most
• How commitment and intentional choice create clarity, not restriction
• Why the goals that fulfill us often require letting other things fall away

This conversation isn’t about doing more.
 It’s about choosing with care.

Listener Invitations (Reflection + Action)

As you listen, you may want to pause and reflect on these questions:

• Notice your yes-es
  What are you currently saying yes to that quietly pulls energy away from what matters most?
• Pay attention to what you protect
  Finish this sentence: “The thing I am most protective of right now is ______ — and that tells me something important.”
• Consider the trade-offs
  If you fully committed to what matters most in this season, what would naturally fall away?
• Name what you’re choosing
  What are you willing to structure your life around right now — not out of pressure, but out of purpose?
• Practice discernment as self-trust
  Write down: “The next season of my life requires me to be more intentional about ______.”

These aren’t tasks — they’re invitations to listen more closely to yourself.

Why This Matters (Research Foundations)

This episode is grounded in lived experience and supported by research on motivation and choice:

• Intrinsic motivation & values-aligned goals
  Psychologists Edward Deci, PhD, and Richard Ryan, PhD, creators of Self-Determination Theory, show that goals rooted in personal values — rather than external approval — are more sustainable and fulfilling.
• Choice, commitment, and satisfaction
  Behavioral psychologist Barry Schwartz, PhD, author of The Paradox of Choice, explains how too many options and external pressures can disconnect us from satisfaction, while intentional constraints create clarity.

Discernment isn’t rigidity.
It’s honesty.

If you’re standing at a crossroads, deciding what stays and what goes, this episode is for you.

Pull the thread.
Your fire knows what matters.

Support the show

Thank you for being here and for pulling on the thread with me.

Every download, share, review, and moment you spend listening helps this community grow into something real, grounded, and heart-led. If this episode spoke to you, please follow the show, leave a review, or support the podcast through Listener Support on Buzzsprout.

Your energy keeps this fire burning and I’m deeply grateful you’re part of this unfolding story.

Pull the thread. Your fire is waiting.