Making Sense of Ourselves

What happens when life doesn’t match your values — and what does it take to course-correct?

In this reflective episode of *Making Sense of Ourselves*, host Abby Covert is joined by Sensemakers Club members Mike and Jessica for an intimate conversation about values—where they come from, how they show up, and the moments we realize something in our life is no longer aligned.

We talk about:

- Leaving a job that made you physically ill — and the courage to start again

- How people-pleasing and over-functioning can mask misalignment

- The subtle ways we overvalue or undervalue what we care about most

- Why it's okay to hold values you don’t live up to all the time

Then Abby is joined by co-host Alfi Oloo for a debrief, unpacking the gut-check moments that signal change, the real-life constraints that complicate values-based choices, and the freedom that comes with clarity.

💬 Join the conversation:

This season we’re recording live with our community. Want to be part of a future episode? [Join The Sensemakers Club](http://www.thesensemakersclub.com/) and pull up a chair.

Themes we heard:

📌 Living your values isn’t about perfection—it’s about noticing when something feels *off* and being brave enough to name it.

📌 Overalignment can be just as dangerous as misalignment—especially when it leads to martyrdom, burnout, or feeling “invaluable.”

📌 Most of us are holding multiple roles and responsibilities that shape what’s even possible in the moment. Context matters.

“I knew what we were doing wasn’t right. I physically couldn’t do it.” – Mike Creech

“If I’m hiding my work, I know something’s out of alignment.” – Abby Covert

Season 2, Episode 1 — Support Systems: The Right People at the Right Time

What does it really mean to be supported — and how do we build the kind of community that shows up when it counts?

In this first-ever live episode of *Making Sense of Ourselves*, host Abby Covert is joined by members of The Sensemakers Club for an open discussion about support systems — the people we lean on (and the ones who surprise us), how friendships evolve in adulthood, and what it takes to feel truly held.

We talk about:

- The difference between friends, acquaintances, and “dirty dish” people

- What it means to "take the stairs" to friendship instead of the elevator

- Why some of us go deep with strangers but struggle to maintain connections

- The quiet power of being known by your community, even if it’s accidental

Then Abby is joined by co-host Alfi Oloo for a debrief exploring the biggest takeaways, lingering tensions, and personal reflections on building support that lasts

💬 Join the conversation:

This season we’re recording live with our community. Want to be part of a future episode? [Join The Sensemakers Club](http://www.thesensemakersclub.com/) and pull up a chair.

In this series for our podcast “Making Sense of Ourselves” we will be focused on new voices, featuring interviews with discussion leaders from this amazing community we are building here.

In this episode Sarah Rice & Mari-Megan Moore talk about their experience starting one of our 20+ monthly discussion groups, Consultant Support (now Independent Senemakers), why the opportunity to lead at the club made sense in this season, why this topic, and the primary lessons learned from monthly discussions with our members.

“Independent Sensemakers” is one of 20+ monthly peer-led discussion groups at the club, so if this group sounds like something you might want in on — chances are there maybe be a few more that might make you curious.

⁠⁠www.thesensemakersclub.com

In this series for our podcast “Making Sense of Ourselves” we will be focused on new voices, featuring interviews with discussion leaders from this amazing community we are building here.

In this episode Joe Elmendorf & Suzan Quick talk about their experience starting one of our 20+ monthly discussion groups, Making Sense of Mindfulness & Modeling, why the opportunity to lead at the club made sense in this season, why this topic, and the primary lessons learned from monthly discussions with our members.

“Making Sense of Mindfulness & Modeling” is one of 20+ monthly peer-led discussion groups at the club, so if this group sounds like something you might want in on — chances are there maybe be a few more that might make you curious.

⁠www.thesensemakersclub.com

In this special two part episode Abby and Alfi dig into their own frameworks, and reflect on revisiting them two years after production on their course started.

In this second part, Abby walks us through three of the six growth paths in the program:

In this special two part episode Abby and Alfi dig into their own frameworks, and reflect on revisiting them two years after production on their course started.

In this first part, Alfi walks us through three of the six growth paths in the program:

• Identifying Your Strengths and Passions
• Understanding Your Role and World
• Conducting a Network Health Check

In this episode of Making Sense of Ourselves, Abby and Alfi explore the contrasting levels of connection in our personal networks through a new tool: The Network Health Check.

Topics in this Episode:

🎯 Origins and Purpose

🔄 The Three Rings Framework

🌱 Practical strategies for strengthening connections at each level, and knowing when it's time to make changes

✂️ A candid discussion about the challenging but necessary practice of managing relationship changes

💭 Abby and Alfi share their own revelations about relationship patterns and community building

📢 Special Event Announcement

Join us February 12th at 12pm Eastern for an exclusive preview event of the new and improved Making Sense of Yourself program. RSVP Now

In this series for our podcast “Making Sense of Ourselves” we will be focused on new voices, featuring interviews with discussion leaders from this amazing community we are building here.

In this episode Natasha Godwin talks about her experience starting one of our 20+ monthly discussion groups, Making Sense of Change, why the opportunity to lead at the club made sense in this season, why this topic, and the primary lessons learned from monthly discussions with our members.

“Making Sense of Change” is one of 20+ monthly peer-led discussion groups at the club, so if this group sounds like something you might want in on — chances are there maybe be a few more that might make you curious.

www.thesensemakersclub.com

In this episode of Making Sense of Ourselves, Abby and Alfi engage in a deep exploration of the contrasting roles that safety and risk play in personal growth and community development. With their different upbringings and worldviews, Abby and Alfi bring unique perspectives on how these concepts influence our sense of self and our relationships with others.

Topics this episode:

🛡️ Safety vs. Risk: Framing the Discussion Abby and Alfi set the stage by using a metaphor to contrast safety and risk, likening safety to walls built for protection and risk to stepping outside those walls. They explore how these contrasting environments shape personal development.

🏡 Defining Safety Through Upbringing Abby and Alfi share how their upbringings influenced their relationship with safety. Abby, having experienced safety as a scarce resource, values its creation in both personal and community spaces. Alfi, on the other hand, reflects on growing up with a strong sense of safety at home but also dealing with unexpected health issues that challenged his perception of how safe the world truly is.

💬 Exploring Safe Spaces vs. Protected Spaces They delve into the difference between a "safe space" and a "protected space." Abby defines safe spaces as environments where individuals are respected and feel secure to make mistakes. Alfi adds that protected spaces are more rigid, preventing harm but potentially limiting growth.

🐻 Man vs. Bear: A Safety and Risk Thought Experiment In a playful yet insightful exercise, Abby and Alfi revisit a thought experiment about whether one would feel safer encountering an unknown man or an unknown bear in the woods. This discussion highlights the subjective nature of safety and how deeply rooted societal fears influence our sense of danger.

⚖️ The Thin Line Between Safety and Overprotection Abby and Alfi discuss the balance between providing enough safety to foster confidence and growth, and the potential danger of overprotecting individuals, which can stifle personal development and the ability to take necessary risks.

📈 Building Confidence Through Safe Spaces Abby shares how safety has been a key factor in building her confidence over the years, emphasizing the importance of creating environments where individuals feel seen and supported. Alfi counters with a discussion on how confidence can also be built by overcoming risk and emerging stronger on the other side.

🧱 Safety as a Temporary Measure for Growth The episode wraps up with a discussion on how safety should be viewed as a temporary measure to enable individuals to gather the strength to take risks. They discuss how to recognize when safety is holding someone back from growth and how communities can foster both safety and risk-taking.

💬 Final Thoughts: Abby and Alfi challenge listeners to reflect on their own relationship with safety and risk, and to consider how these dynamics play out in their personal growth and in the communities they participate in.

In this minisode Alison Gretz and Michelle Keller talk about their experience starting our group “Teams of One Support”, why they signed up to lead at the club, why they wanted to lead in this topic, as well as what they have learned from monthly discussions with our members.

In this discussion they cover …

“Teams of One Support” is one of 20+ monthly peer-led discussion groups at the club, so if this group sounds like something you might want in on — chances are there maybe be a few more that might make you curious.