In this podcast episode Mare and Tara have a Conscious Conversation with Veronika, an artist and hairstylist, about manifestation, dreams, and revisiting a “living intention” dream list Mare helped her create (about 100 items across categories). Veronika describes rereading the list after it “hibernated,” noticing some dreams changed while others progressed, including improved self-love and having experiences at a local restaurant where she later held her wedding dinner. She recalls being surprised that “be a playwright” was on the list and shares recent steps in theater and film work, including a major movie hair job with Missoula’s Storyhouse. Veronika outlines two play ideas: “Post COVID,” a Post Malone jukebox musical, and a more personal musical about her husband Dalton’s polygamist family, with a long-term goal to restore a family compound. Facing fear, she is coached to contact a Storyhouse owner and sends a message during recording; they discuss accountability, expanding intentions, and aiming for a Tony. Note: Veronika did reach out and is negotiating next steps regarding her Post Covid musical. Do you want support for dreams?

1.  Do you want support for your dreams?: Learn more here:https://www.connectionproject360.com/

2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J.Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

3. Playwright Veronika: Website under construction

In this podcast episode Tara and Mare have a Conscious Conversation with international Best Selling Author Peter J. Hughes (At-One-Ment and coauthor of Discover the Gift of Joy) based on Action Point 9: “Allow yourself to be awkwardly awesome.” They discuss how exploring the unknown feels unbalanced and vulnerable, and Tara shares a story of her daughter persisting through repeated failed softball curveball attempts until it finally worked, highlighting how expectations of “already knowing” can fuel frustration. The group connects awkwardness to joy and willingness, with Mare describing finding joy while traveling amid children’s curiosity. Peter recounts a book launch where he paused mid-talk, trusted guidance, and felt the room’s energy shift, reframing awkward pauses as “divinely graceful.” They emphasize joy as a birthright and practice, releasing attachment to outcomes, and invite listeners to Connection Project 360 and to participate weekly in free “Dream Lifting Office Hours.” How good can you stand it?

1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here:https://www.connectionproject360.com/

2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J.Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

3. Discover the Gift of Joy: Co-authored book. Editors Shajen Joy Aziz and Kim Somers Egelsee

In this podcast episode Tara and Mare have a Conscious Conversation regarding action point five from Peter J. Hughes’ At-One-Ment card deck: “Get excited about something, anything,” emphasizing that excitement fuels engagement, motivation, curiosity, and forward focus, and that creating different results requires accountability and shifting limiting beliefs. Tara shares challenges expressing enthusiasm due to conditioning and fear of judgment, but notes growing excitement about a potential job that offers valued contributions, autonomy, and flexible options, and about small health wins from gradually increasing daily steps despite pain. They explore how inherited beliefs and negativity filters dampen enthusiasm, how gratitude can retrain attention toward what’s working, and how safe relationships help emotions emerge. Mare shares her own conditioning (Catholic school, gendered money norms) and finds joy in simple delights like dandelions and a new puppy. How much enthusiasm do you allow in your daily life?

1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here:https://www.connectionproject360.com/

2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J.Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

In this podcast episode Tara and Mare have a Conscious Conversation with Atira, who is a behind-the-scenes team member in Stacey’s Do The Thing community, she helped build challenges like the Dream Nudge Challenge and works on standardizing them so others can use them. Atira shares her path to hypnotherapy after talk therapies didn’t help her childhood trauma, describing hypnosis as a meditative, suggestible state that targets subconscious beliefs driving emotions and behavior, and she leads a brief “lemon” visualization to demonstrate mind-body response. Tara recounts a prior hypnotherapy session that created a calming “bench” anchor for her relationship with her daughter. The group discusses Atira’s dreams of promoting hypnotherapy as a frontline tool, balancing tech work with a small client load, building YouTube sleep/programming content, and bringing “peace and calm” to systems and community. Atira also describes her experience with Mare's team dream lifting as an amazing bonding experience with her work team. What is Dream Lifting? Learn more at Connection Project 360.
1.  What is Dream Lifting?: Learn more here:https://www.connectionproject360.com/

2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J.Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

3. Hypnotherapy with Atira: https://hypnotherapybyatira.com/

In this episode Tara and Mare have a Conscious Conversation with Jaime, a member of their Conscious Connection dream circle, about how she joined after meeting Mare on a Department of Labor grant project in 2017 and how the group shifted to monthly Zoom meetings during COVID to share dreams and support. Jaime describes starting with shallow bucket-list goals, using humor as a protective mask, and gradually becoming more vulnerable as other women showed up authentically. She recounts struggling with job security in Grant funded positions, moving through grant work into a higher-paying corporate job that left her overworked and experiencing racism and sexism, alongside a bad relationship and relocations as hard life transitions. Moving back to Colorado Jaime found an office manager role to help pay the bills until finding a fulfilling intake coordinator job serving people with developmental disabilities, a position that allows her skills to be valued, appreciated and a source of joy. Jaime Credits “bat signals” in the group text and the support of this Conscious Connection circle as a lifeline during hard times. She also shares three of her current Living Intentions, and advises newcomers to lean in as they are. Hope and support is available to those who choose to play with Connection Project 360 tools.

1.  What is a Dream Nudge Challenge?: Learn more here: https://www.connectionproject360.com/dream-nudge-challenge/

2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J.Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

In this podcast episode Tara and Mare have a Conscious Conversation reviewing their April “Living Intentions” and discussing their May focus. Tara is focused on turning 50 with health, home, and wealth. She describes home wins by breaking projects into 15-minute chunks, completing a closet cleanout, donating items, and fixing a sagging closet rod while recognizing all-or-nothing thinking and busyness patterns. For health, she joins a supportive paid community found via a TikTok creator and practices eating only when physically hungry, stopping before full, addressing clean-plate conditioning, and creating “friction” to reduce overeating. For wealth, she pays off credit card debt early, then books upcoming travel and begins negotiations for a possible full-time role with a favorite flexible women-led client. Mare’s April Living Intention is being a lifelong learner; she becomes a Do the Thing bootcamp cohort leader and does dream-lifting work. In May, Tara aims to finish the closet, decide on the job, and build a walking habit; Mare plans to facilitate workshops and host a May 5–12 Dream Nudge Challenge. Learn more about how you can participate in the Dream Nudge Challenge to move your life Living Intentions forward with the assistance of others at Connection Project 360.

1.  What is a Dream Nudge Challenge?: Learn more here: https://www.connectionproject360.com/dream-nudge-challenge/

2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J.Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

In this podcast episode Tare and Mare have a Conscious Conversation with author Peter J. Hughes (At-One-Ment: Reclaiming Our Humanity). Together they discuss Action 1 from Hughes's card deck regarding the benefits of practicing common courtesy and basic manners by implementing “please” and “thank you” as habitual expressions of appreciation. Tara shares that her stepfather died that morning, triggering regret that she didn’t express gratitude despite recognizing the stability and support he provided alongside painful memories; she connects this to a similar regret after her uncle’s death and to how withholding appreciation can become a form of punishment that ultimately harms oneself. Peter offers the perspective of how the mind filters shape gratitude. He describes an exercise of balancing “thumbs down” with “thumbs up,” and making the practice technical until it becomes automatic. Peter also announces his upcoming book Discover the Gift of Joy (Launching May 16). Finally Peter describes finding joy while grieving, plus a tool for shifting from thinking to listening to guidance to conscious choice as a path to well being amid world events. How are you navigating life's complex emotions in these current times? We invite you to have more Conscious Conversations and get your copy of Peter J Hughes's books and card deck. Please and Thank You! Details below:

1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here:https://www.connectionproject360.com/

2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J.Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

In this podcast episode Tara and Mare have a Conscious Conversation with 18-year-old guest Avery Crumrine, author of “Intention into Action,” to the Connection Project 360 podcast after she completed Mare’s Dream Nudge Challenge and launched her own podcast during it. Avery explains how she unexpectedly wrote and published her book quickly after noting the idea on a road trip, and how her message—shaped by speaking at the Billion Dollar Impact event and by her mother Stacey Lauren (founder of Do The Thing and The Billion Dollar Impact)—focuses on moving from intention to action and continuing after motivation fades. The conversation explores overwhelm, breaking goals into tiny first steps, accountability in groups, imposter syndrome, and reframing rejection as necessary data, drawing on Avery’s experiences selling Girl Scout cookies and doing street interviews. Avery shares her podcast “The Follow Through,” her two-week one-on-one “Two Week Follow Through” program (often used to write books), upcoming plans for a results-focused second book, and her interest in finance. Do you want to write a book?

1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here:https://www.connectionproject360.com/

2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J.Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

3. Avery Crumrime is the author of Intention Into Action: Wanting Something Enough to Follow Through

Learn more here: https://averycrumrine.com/

In this podcast episode Tara and Mare have a Conscious Conversation with guest Taran Renee who plays in one of the Dream Connection Accelerator groups. Taran describes her podcast and business, “Memes, Metaphors and Magic,” which helps people re-see everyday magic using memes, metaphor research from her PhD in Leadership and Change, and tools like astrology, numerology, and CliftonStrengths. She shares three core dreams: being a transformative coach and successful entrepreneur, generating multiple income streams, and attracting clients with ease through playful communication, and says the Dream Connection Accelerator increased her confidence and willingness to make offers. She explains self-authorship theory, how metaphors shape “mental maps,” and how astrology/numerology provide patterns and data while preserving free will. Mare recounts taking Taran's group sessions and how the “roadmap” supported her confidence in her calling. Taran Renee shares the powerful gifts of the Dream Connection Accelerator’s deep support and community. You can learn more about the Dream Connection Accelerator at Connection Project 360.

1.  What is a Dream Connection Accelerator?: Learn more here:https://www.connectionproject360.com/

2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J.Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

3. Learn more about Taran Renee: 

• Website: https://memesmetaphorsandmagic.com/
  
• Podcast: Memes Metaphors and Magic
  
• Substack: https://memesmetaphorsmagic.substack.com/
  

In this podcast episode Tara and Mare have a Conscious Conversation reviewing March Living Intentions and setting their April Living Intentions. Tara continues pursuing three pillars—home, health, and wealth—leading up to her 50th birthday. Tara describes March as a rollercoaster focused on her relationship with food, noticing she uses food to soothe anxiety and “not good enough” feelings triggered by family visits and perceived judgment about her house and body; she also observes she ate less when engaged and connected. She highlights wins in decluttering and donating rather than hiding mess, and practicing letting parts of her home be imperfect. For April, Tara wants present-moment health choices and healthy self-regulation, recommitting to her gratitude/acknowledgement practice, changing herself-story, and using a “bat signal” for support. Mare shares how March included getting a puppy, and sets an April intention to be a lifelong learner as she experiments leading a cohort, asking for help and reprogramming “judgment dragons.” They both align on “unapologetically being” themselves and use the stretch–risk–die framework, inviting listeners to join them at Connection Project 360.

1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here:https://www.connectionproject360.com/

2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J.Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/