This Was Supposed to be Easy Podcast

S2 Episode 44: We Thought Bringing in the New Year and Setting Intentions Would be Easy

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It’s officially 2026, and we’re starting the year the way we love best, together. Amy and Cheryl are joined by two of our favorite returning guests, Dr. JoDell Heroux and Dr. Holly Hoffman, for a warm, funny, and unexpectedly grounding conversation about intention-setting, growth, and how we want to show up in the year ahead.

This episode feels like a cozy “book club meets reflection circle,” full of laughter (including orange peels that are not pizza), gentle wisdom, and questions you can take with you into the rest of the year.

Guest introduction

Dr. JoDell Heroux returns with her signature blend of insight, honesty, and heart, sharing what it looks like to live in your values, make space for creativity, and reject the pressure to always be productive.

Dr. Holly Hoffman brings her joyful, connection-first energy and reminds us that meaningful relationships can be found everywhere, even on a flight when you didn’t pay to pick your seats.

Key topics and takeaways

  • A question to start your year: What’s something new you want to learn or try in 2026?
  • Creativity as care: JoDell shares how doodling became a mindfulness practice, and how giving yourself permission to create (without producing) can unlock new energy and ideas.
  • The power of “unproductive” moments: Quiet drives, clay play, doodles, rest… and how those things can make us more connected and more present.
  • Travel dreams and “homebody eras”: New Zealand kindness foundations, Sweden/Finland/Estonia adventures, Ireland and Scotland dreams, and the very real joy of staying home with your dogs.
  • Reflection across the year: What are you proud of from 2025, and what do you hope you’ll be proud of when 2026 ends?
  • Values in action: Living in alignment with your core values can create contentment, clarity, and a deeper sense of balance.
  • How do you want others to feel after interacting with you? The group shares intentions like valued, important, authentic, and truly connected.

    • Memorable lines (quotes)

    • “The more we take time to be what we would consider unproductive, the more productive we end up being.”-JoDell
    • “I want people to feel valued… like their time, their brilliance, their person was valued.”- JoDell
    • “I want them to know that they’re important… their ideas, their presence is important.”- Holly
    • “Somebody in my presence would feel like they could be exactly who they are, and that that’s okay.”- Amy
    • “How can I bring time back in and offer it to others?”- Cheryl

      • A challenge for the week

      Pick one question from this episode and write your answer down, no overthinking, just honesty.

      Try one of these:

      1. What’s something new you want to learn or try this year?
      2. Where is somewhere new (or different) you’d like to go, or how do you want to experience “home” differently?
      3. What do you want to be proud of when this year ends?
      4. How do you want people to feel after interacting with you?

        5. Bonus: share your answer with someone you trust, or with us.

         

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          • Stay curious, stay connected, and keep wondering.

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          This Was Supposed to be Easy PodcastBy supposedtobeeasy