Slow Living | Creating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle Driven World

What if success isn't about being more productive, more organized, or more business-minded—but about creating a life that actually works for you?

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea continues her 3-part series on her own 21 Success Secrets, inspired by Brian Tracy's 21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires.

These ideas have been percolating in Stephanie's brain for about 20 years. After reading hundreds of self-help and personal development books, she often found herself wishing there were more advice written for someone like her—not quite the traditional homemaker, and not quite the stereotypical businessperson.

Stephanie shares the success principles that have actually resonated with her and become true in her own life.

This episode covers Success Secrets 6 through 15, with practical ideas you can consider, question, and apply to your own life.

Because success doesn't have to look like someone else's version of success.

• Stephanie's personal definition of success
• Success Secrets 6–15 from her personal list
• Why traditional self-help advice doesn't always fit real life
• How to think about success beyond money, business, or productivity
• Practical ways to create a life that feels successful to you
• Why you don't have to become a different person to build a successful life

You don't need to fit someone else's definition of success. You get to decide what a successful life looks like for you.

📖 Slow Living: Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle-Driven World

Get the book on Amazon

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Find all podcast notes at stephanieodea.com/podcastnotes

Have a question you'd like Stephanie to cover, or a Slow Living Story of your own you'd like to share? Leave a voicemail.

What does it actually mean to be successful?

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea shares the first five of her 21 Success Secrets for creating a successful life.

This is the first episode in a three-part series inspired by Brian Tracy's 21 Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires. After years of building businesses, writing books, working online, coaching clients, and creating a life she genuinely loves, Stephanie realized that she had developed her own set of success secrets.

So she made a list.

These aren't abstract ideas or complicated formulas. They're lessons Stephanie has learned through real-life experience—and they're designed to help you think differently about what success actually looks like.

Because success isn't just about money, accomplishments, or checking things off your list.

It's about creating a life that works.

Take a listen, take notes, and start thinking about what success means to you.

• What it really means to be successful
• The first five of Stephanie's 21 Success Secrets
• Why your definition of success matters
• How your everyday choices contribute to the life you're building
• Why success doesn't have to mean doing more and more
• How to start creating your own version of a successful life

This is Part 1 of a three-part series. Be sure to listen to Parts 2 and 3 for the rest of Stephanie's 21 Success Secrets.

📝 Daily Journaling Worksheet: stephanieodea.com/daily

✨ New Year, New You Honest Assessment: stephanieodea.com/newyou

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Coaching: stephanieodea.com/coaching/

Find all podcast notes at stephanieodea.com/podcastnotes

Have a question you'd like Stephanie to cover, or a Slow Living Story of your own you'd like to share? Leave a voicemail.

What does coaching actually look like—and could it help you create a life that feels more like your own?

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea talks with Katherine B., a former one-on-one coaching client, about her experience working with Stephanie.

After years of doing things for other people, Katherine reached a point where she realized it was time to do something for herself.

Together, Stephanie and Katherine talk about what led her to seek coaching, what the coaching process was like, and what changed as a result.

Coaching isn't about someone telling you how to live your life.

It's about having the support, perspective, and accountability to figure out what you actually want—and then creating a realistic plan to get there.

If you've ever wondered what life coaching is really about, whether coaching could be right for you, or what it's like to work with Stephanie one-on-one, this episode is a great place to start.

• Why Katherine decided it was time to seek coaching
• What one-on-one coaching with Stephanie actually looks like
• Why coaching can be a powerful form of self-care
• How having an outside perspective can help you see possibilities you may have overlooked
• Why doing something for yourself isn't selfish
• How coaching can help you create a realistic plan for the life you actually want
• Whether you might be a good candidate for one-on-one coaching

You don't have to keep putting yourself at the bottom of your own list.

Learn more about working one-on-one with Stephanie at stephanieodea.com/coaching

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Coaching: stephanieodea.com/coaching/

Find all podcast notes at stephanieodea.com/podcastnotes

Have a question you'd like Stephanie to cover, or a Slow Living Story of your own you'd like to share? Leave a voicemail.

Could intermittent fasting be simpler than you think?

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea introduces her 2, 4, 6 EAT approach to intermittent fasting and explains why she believes fasting can be about much more than losing weight.

When Stephanie first heard about intermittent fasting around 2016 or 2017, she thought of it as a starvation diet—or simply another way to hack calorie counting.

She was wrong.

Stephanie shares what changed her mind, what she really thinks about intermittent fasting, and how a simpler approach to eating can fit into a slower, more intentional life.

This episode is based on Stephanie O'Dea's book 2, 4, 6 EAT.

• What intermittent fasting actually means
• The basic idea behind the 2, 4, 6 EAT method
• Why Stephanie believes fasting can be about health—not simply weight loss
• How changing when you eat can simplify your daily routine
• Why you don't need another complicated diet plan
• How to approach food and health in a way that supports the life you actually want

Slow Living isn't about following more rules. It's about finding simple approaches that help you feel better and live more intentionally.

📖 2, 4, 6 EAT: On Amazon

📝 Daily Journaling Worksheet: stephanieodea.com/daily

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Coaching: stephanieodea.com/coaching/

Find all podcast notes at stephanieodea.com/podcastnotes

Have a question you'd like Stephanie to cover, or a Slow Living Story of your own you'd like to share? Leave a voicemail.

You spend about a third of your life asleep. Are you getting the rest your body actually needs?

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea talks about something we often try to squeeze into the margins of our busy lives: sleep.

If you wake up tired, struggle to fall asleep, wake throughout the night, or find yourself dragging through the day, it may be time to rethink how you're approaching rest.

Stephanie shares her own struggles with sleep apnea, along with practical ideas for creating better sleep habits and planning your days and weeks in a way that supports your energy instead of constantly working against it.

Because Slow Living isn't just about doing less.

It's also about giving your body the time and space it needs to recover.

• Why sleep is such an important part of a Slow Living lifestyle
• How understanding your own sleep patterns can help you plan your days more realistically
• Stephanie's experience with sleep apnea
• Practical tips for getting a better night's sleep
• Why exhaustion can make everything feel harder than it needs to be
• How to stop treating rest as something you have to "earn"
• Why working with your body's needs can help you get more done—with less stress

You don't have to push through exhaustion. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is stop and rest.

📝 Daily Journaling Worksheet: stephanieodea.com/daily

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Coaching: stephanieodea.com/coaching/

Find all podcast notes at stephanieodea.com/podcastnotes

Have a question you'd like Stephanie to cover, or a Slow Living Story of your own you'd like to share? Leave a voicemail.

Sometimes the problem isn't your motivation, your discipline, or your ability to get things done. Sometimes your body is asking for something different.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea talks about hormones, energy, and planning your life around your body's natural rhythms.

If you've ever started the day with the best intentions, fully convinced you're going to knock everything off your To-Do List—only to find yourself completely exhausted and glued to the couch—you may have wondered, What is wrong with me?

Stephanie's answer: maybe nothing.

Understanding your hormonal cycle can help you recognize patterns in your energy, mood, motivation, and capacity. Instead of constantly pushing yourself to perform at the same level every day, you can begin planning your days and weeks in a way that works with your body rather than against it.

Stephanie also talks about premenopause and why understanding what's happening hormonally can help you stop blaming yourself when your energy and capacity change.

• Why your energy and motivation can change throughout your hormonal cycle
• How understanding your cycle can help you plan your days and weeks more realistically
• Why you shouldn't expect yourself to operate at 100% every day
• What premenopause is and why it can affect the way you feel and function
• How to stop setting yourself up for failure with unrealistic expectations
• Why working with your body—not constantly fighting against it—is an important part of Slow Living

You don't have to force yourself through every day at the same speed. Learning to listen to your body can be a powerful form of slowing down.

28 Days: What Your Cycle Reveals About Your Moods, Health and Potential

Find it on Amazon

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause

Find it on Amazon

Hormonology

Visit Hormonology

📖 Slow Living: Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle-Driven World

Get the book on Amazon

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Coaching: stephanieodea.com/coaching/

Find all podcast notes at stephanieodea.com/podcastnotes

Have a question you'd like Stephanie to cover, or a Slow Living Story of your own you'd like to share? Leave a voicemail.

Who you believe you are—and how you actually live—need to match.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea explores the intersection of identity and integrity and what happens when the two aren't aligned.

Your identity is how you define yourself—and how you present yourself to the world. Integrity is doing what you believe is right, even when nobody is watching.

But sometimes there's a disconnect between the person we say we are, the person we believe we should be, and the person we're actually allowing ourselves to become.

Stephanie shares her own experience with negative self-talk, mindset, and feeling misaligned, including how she spent years talking herself out of celebrating her own accomplishments and fully owning her wins.

This episode is an invitation to take a closer look at your own identity and ask: Does the way I'm living match the person I say I am?

• The difference between identity and integrity
• Why your “elevator pitch” can reveal how you see yourself
• How negative self-talk can create a disconnect between who you are and who you believe you should be
• Why celebrating your accomplishments is part of owning your identity
• How to recognize when your thoughts, actions, and beliefs are out of alignment
• How to begin creating a life that feels more authentic and intentional

You don't have to become someone completely different. Sometimes you simply need to recognize—and start honoring—the person you already are.

📖 Slow Living: Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle-Driven World

Get the book on Amazon

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Coaching: stephanieodea.com/coaching/

Find all podcast notes at stephanieodea.com/podcastnotes

Have a question you'd like Stephanie to cover, or a Slow Living Story of your own you'd like to share? Leave a voicemail.

Financial independence isn't about chasing a bigger and bigger number. It's about knowing what number is enough to support the life you actually want.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O’Dea talks about money, wealth, financial independence, and the FIRE movement—Financial Independence, Retire Early.

Stephanie likes to add a “B” to FIRE: Financial Independence BEFORE Retiring Early.

Money can be an uncomfortable subject, but Stephanie believes it’s important to talk honestly about what numbers matter, what numbers are simply vanity, and how chasing more can sometimes come at the expense of the things that matter most.

After years of working for herself and spending time in the online business world, Stephanie has watched people become so focused on financial milestones, business growth, and appearances that they lose sight of their relationships, health, homes, and families.

Slow Living isn't about giving up on financial goals. It’s about designing your Dream Life first—and then figuring out how your money can support it.

• What the FIRE movement means and why financial independence matters
• Why Stephanie adds “BEFORE” to Financial Independence, Retire Early
• What financial numbers are actually worth paying attention to
• The difference between meaningful financial goals and vanity metrics
• Why earning more money isn't always the answer
• How chasing wealth can sometimes come at the expense of health and relationships
• Why knowing your personal “number” can help you create a slower, more intentional life

The Millionaire Next Door

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The Simple Path to Wealth

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Your Money or Your Life

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LuLaRich

Find LuLaRich on Amazon

Mr. Money Mustache

Visit Mr. Money Mustache

📖 Slow Living: Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle-Driven World

Get the book on Amazon

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Find all podcast notes at stephanieodea.com/podcastnotes

Have a question you'd like Stephanie to cover, or a Slow Living Story of your own you'd like to share? Leave a voicemail.

You don't have to feel motivated to take action. Sometimes you just have to do the thing.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O’Dea talks about motivation, taking action, and what to do when you really don't feel like doing the thing you said you were going to do.

When tension and stress are high, it’s easy to wait for motivation to magically appear before getting started. But if you keep waiting to feel motivated, you may end up talking yourself out of taking action altogether.

Stephanie explores why motivation is often a choice—and how taking one small step can help you get unstuck, break out of the same old patterns, and start moving toward the life you actually want.

You can hope, dream, and pray for something to change, but at some point, you have to meet that “something” halfway.

• Why motivation doesn't always come before action
• How waiting to feel motivated can keep you stuck
• Why doing the thing—even when you don't feel like it—matters
• How small actions can break the cycle of living the same day over and over
• Why you don't need a giant burst of energy to make meaningful progress
• How to start moving toward what you want, one small step at a time

Stephanie’s Daily Journaling Worksheet is designed to help you get clear about where you are, where you want to go, and what you can do today to move forward.

Download the Daily Journaling Worksheet

📖 Slow Living: Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle-Driven World

Get the book on Amazon

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Find all podcast notes at stephanieodea.com/podcastnotes

Have a question you'd like Stephanie to cover, or a Slow Living Story of your own you'd like to share? Leave a voicemail.

Do you love New Year's resolutions—or hate them? Stephanie O'Dea is firmly on Team Resolution.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie talks about how to make goals and New Year's resolutions that are actually aligned with your purpose, vision, and the life you want to create.

Making arbitrary rules for yourself doesn't usually work. If you've tried resolutions in the past and failed to stick with them, it may not be because you lack willpower—it may be because the goal wasn't connected to what you truly want.

Lasting change starts by going within and looking honestly at your habits, actions, beliefs, and priorities. From there, you can make thoughtful, methodical changes that actually fit your life.

• Why Stephanie is a fan of New Year's resolutions
• How to create goals that align with your purpose and vision
• Why arbitrary rules and resolutions often fail
• How your habits and actions connect to your inner belief system
• How to make changes that are realistic and sustainable
• Why taking small, intentional steps can help you create lasting change

Stephanie's New Year, New You worksheet is the same exercise she uses with her coaching clients to help clarify goals and create a plan for moving forward.

Find it at stephanieodea.com/newyou

You don't have to reinvent yourself. You just have to get clear about where you want to go—and take the next tiny step.

📖 Slow Living: Cultivating a Life of Purpose in a Hustle-Driven World

Get the book on Amazon

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Find all podcast notes at stephanieodea.com/podcastnotes

Have a question you'd like Stephanie to cover, or a Slow Living Story of your own you'd like to share? Leave a voicemail.