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

Where are you right now? Where are you headed? And what might be holding you back?

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O’Dea shares the questions she uses with her coaching clients to help them take stock of their lives and begin mapping out their dream life.

While this is a wonderful exercise for the New Year, you don't need to wait for January to do it. Taking time to pause, reflect, and honestly look at where you are—and where you want to go—can help you stop running on the metaphorical hamster wheel and start making intentional choices about your future.

Stephanie walks you through the process of looking at your current life, your goals, your direction, and the things that may be holding you back.

The goal isn't to completely reinvent yourself overnight. It's to figure out what matters, make a realistic plan, and keep moving forward with itty-bitty baby steps.

• The questions Stephanie asks her coaching clients when they are ready to map out their dream life
• How to take an honest look at where you are right now
• How to identify where you want to go next
• How to recognize what's holding you back
• Why you don't have to have your entire life figured out before you begin
• How small, consistent steps can help you move toward your goals
• Why slowing down and paying attention can help you create a life that actually feels like yours

Stephanie's approach to goal-setting isn't about cramming more into an already-overpacked life.

It's about stopping, taking stock, making a plan, and moving forward at a pace you can actually sustain.

You are not behind. You don't have to rush. You can start exactly where you are.

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

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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.

Can you be a little bit “woo” and still be practical? Absolutely.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea gets personal about her own beliefs, intuition, spirituality, and the ways she incorporates them into everyday life.

Stephanie admits she was a little nervous to record this episode. Would people think she was too “out there”? Would she seem too unconventional—or not “Christian enough”? But ultimately, she decided to talk about it anyway, because this is genuinely how she thinks, believes, and lives.

Stephanie shares what she calls her “spaghetti method” when it comes to religion, belief, spirituality, and the law of attraction: take what resonates with you from different places and traditions, and leave the rest.

But belief alone isn't enough.

Stephanie believes in the importance of intersecting belief with action. Dreaming, visualizing, trusting your intuition, and believing that good things are possible can help shape the life you want—but you still have to take the next step.

• What Stephanie means when she describes herself as “woo”
• How her “spaghetti method” influences the way she thinks about religion and belief
• Why you don't have to fit neatly into one particular belief system
• How Stephanie thinks about the law of attraction and visualization
• Why belief and action work best together
• How to use your own beliefs and intuition as inspiration for taking practical action

You don't have to have everything figured out. You can follow what feels right, stay curious, and still put your feet on the ground and do the work.

📖 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.

Are you living your Dream Life? If not, why not??

In this episode Steph chats about how she planned out her life in 5 year chunks starting at about age 20 —

and how, somehow, even if it doesn’t really “make sense” — everything she's always planned out has come true.

learn how in one of her 5 year chunks of planning out her life she went from being in debt to buying their first suburban home and essentially becoming self-made millionaires by age 30.

listen how one of her dreams was to stay home with her children and how a high-profile court case pushed that dream into fruition — even though “on paper” — quitting this well-paid county job didn’t make any sense?

~~ ~~ ~~

does this mean that everything has always been sunshine and roses and sparkly unicorns??

No. Life is always unpredictable and has twists and turns and forks in the road.

Bad things happen. Sickness happens, death happens, natural disasters happen.

but that doesn’t mean you give up on your plan.

I hope you enjoy this episode and it sparks your own internal flame to get your own dream life mapped out.

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.

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

Do you have a goal or dream that you keep putting off because you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin?

Maybe you want to improve your health, get your finances in order, create a more organized home, strengthen your relationships, or finally make progress on a dream you've been carrying around for years.

You don't have to do everything at once.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea explains how to make meaningful progress toward your goals using her Peace Pyramid—a framework for looking at the major areas of your life together rather than focusing on just one.

The Peace Pyramid includes:

• Time Management
• Health
• Finances
• Organization
• Relationships

Because what's the point of reaching a financial goal or building the business of your dreams if you destroy your health or your relationships along the way?

Slow Living doesn't mean giving up on your dreams.

It means giving yourself enough time and space to pursue them without creating unnecessary collateral damage in the process.

Stephanie also talks about why taking itty bitty baby steps can be more effective than trying to overhaul your entire life overnight.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to get unstuck when you're not making progress toward your goals
• Why you don't have to change your entire life at once
• How the Peace Pyramid can help you look at your whole life—not just one goal
• Why your health and relationships matter just as much as financial or career success
• How to break a big dream into small, manageable steps
• Why slowing down can actually help you move forward
• How to keep your wild and crazy dreams alive without burning yourself out

You are not destined to run on a hamster wheel.

There is plenty of time.

Take the next little step.

Then the next one.

Segment #1: Getting What You Want When You Want It

Timestamp: 40-second mark

Segment #2: Best Resources & Planning for Success

Timestamp: 10-minute, 30-second mark

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

Get the book on Amazon

Totally Together

Stephanie's book about organization and simplifying your life.

Younger Next Year

A resource focused on healthy aging and making the most of the years ahead.

Rich Dad Poor Dad

A personal finance book about money, investing, and financial independence.

The 21 Success Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires

A resource about success, goal-setting, and financial independence.

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.

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

What do you do when life suddenly changes—and you don't know what comes next?

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea answers a listener question from Laura, who was experiencing deep grief and overwhelm after the unexpected death of her husband.

There is no easy way through grief. Losing someone you love can turn even the simplest everyday tasks into enormous challenges, and the uncertainty of life afterward can feel completely overwhelming.

Stephanie offers a gentle reminder: you don't have to figure everything out at once.

Sometimes Slow Living means taking life one small step at a time, especially when circumstances are difficult and you don't have control over what happens next.

In this episode, Stephanie talks about:

• How to keep going during uncertain times
• What to do when you're feeling overwhelmed by circumstances you can't control
• Breaking old habits and moving forward
• Taking small steps when life feels impossible
• Giving yourself permission to slow down during periods of grief
• Finding a little breathing room when everything feels like too much
• Why you don't have to have the entire future figured out

If you're going through a difficult season, please know that you don't have to rush your way through it.

One day at a time. One little step at a time.

And for Laura—and anyone else listening who is grieving—Stephanie sends the very best bubbles of kindness, support, and cyber hugs.

Segment #1: Breaking Habits & Moving Forward

Timestamp: 40-second mark

Segment #2: Listener Questions & Dealing With Grief

Timestamp: 8-minute mark

This episode originally included a recommendation for Widows in Motion, a resource for women navigating life after the loss of a spouse.

Widows in Motion

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

Get the book on Amazon

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.

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

The holidays are supposed to be joyful—but they can also be incredibly stressful.

Between family obligations, packed schedules, last-minute invitations, pushy relatives, shopping, traditions, and expectations, it's easy to find yourself rushing through the season instead of actually enjoying it.

And the holidays can bring up a lot emotionally, too. Memories may be joyful and nostalgic, but they can also bring up sadness, anxiety, and difficult family dynamics.

So here's your reminder:

You do not have to be everything to everybody.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea shares practical ways to slow down during the holiday season, set healthy boundaries, and make a plan before the holiday chaos begins.

Stephanie's favorite strategy? Make your plan when you're feeling calm and clear-headed—not when you're already overwhelmed.

Think about what you actually want your holiday season to look and feel like. Then make decisions that support that vision.

In this episode, Stephanie talks about:

• How to slow down during the holidays
• Setting boundaries with pushy relatives
• Handling last-minute invitations
• Planning ahead so you aren't making decisions under stress
• Giving yourself permission to say no
• Letting go of the pressure to make everyone happy
• Creating a holiday season you genuinely enjoy
• What to do when the holidays bring up difficult emotions

You don't have to enjoy every single moment of the holidays.

But you can decide what matters most to you—and protect space for it.

You do you.

Segment #1: MOP Session Takeaways & Planning for the Holiday Season

Timestamp: 40-second mark

Segment #2: Listener Questions

Timestamp: 9-minute mark

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

Get the book on Amazon

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.

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

If you have a slow cooker sitting in your kitchen but aren't quite sure how to make it work for you, Stephanie O'Dea has answers.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie answers some of the most common slow cooker questions she's received over the years—including why a slow cooker might be cooking too quickly and how to slow cook when you're cooking for two.

Stephanie got her start writing online in 2008, when she made a New Year's resolution to use her Crock-Pot slow cooker every day for an entire year and document the experience at A Year of Slow Cooking.

What started as a challenge turned into a much bigger adventure.

After making roughly 1,000 slow cooker recipes, Stephanie learned an awful lot about how these handy kitchen appliances work—and she still thinks they're amazing.

In this episode, she shares practical slow cooker tips that can help make meal preparation easier, less stressful, and more manageable.

• What to do if your slow cooker seems to be cooking too quickly
• Tips for slow cooking when you're cooking for two
• How a slow cooker can make meal planning easier
• Ways to use your slow cooker to simplify dinner
• How Stephanie went from a mom experimenting with a Crock-Pot to writing about slow cooking online full-time

Stephanie's slow cooker philosophy is simple: make dinner easier so you have more time and energy for the rest of your life.

Want all of Stephanie's slow cooker recipes?

Visit A Year of Slow Cooking, where Stephanie documented her original year-long challenge and shares her extensive collection of slow cooker recipes.

Visit A Year of Slow Cooking

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

Get the book on Amazon

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.

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Speaking: stephanieodea.com/speaking/

How do you raise calm, peaceful, confident kids when everything around them seems to be moving faster and faster?

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea talks about Slow Parenting and practical ways to help children slow down, build self-esteem, become more self-reliant, and feel connected to the people who love them.

This topic is especially close to Stephanie's heart. Before becoming a mom herself, she ran a preschool center housed in a homeless shelter in the heart of Silicon Valley. Her background in early childhood education has shaped the way she approaches parenting, discipline, and connection.

Stephanie shares:

• Her favorite way to connect with her children
• The discipline approach she has used with her own children and the kids she works with
• How to encourage self-esteem and self-reliance
• Three things she says to her children every day—no matter what
• The Stay Listening Method for connecting with your kids
• Why slowing down can help create calmer, more peaceful family life

This episode also includes Stephanie's first listener question, beginning a tradition of answering questions from listeners on the podcast.

Slow Parenting isn't about being a perfect parent or creating a completely stress-free household.

It's about slowing down enough to really see your children, listen to them, and enjoy them.

You don't have to do everything perfectly.

You don't have to fill every minute.

Sometimes the most important thing you can give your child is your time and attention.

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

Get the book on Amazon

123 Magic — 123 Magic

Hand in Hand Parenting — Hand in Hand Parenting

Second Step — Second Step

Kimochis — Kimochis

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.

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

Slow Living doesn't mean sitting around waiting for life to happen.

Step 4 is about taking action—and Step 5 is about adjusting as you go.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea breaks down the final two steps of her five-step approach to Slow Living:

Step 4: Take Teeny Tiny Baby Steps — Move forward bit by bit instead of trying to change everything at once.

Step 5: Tweak & Fine-Tune — Pay attention to what's working, what's not, and make adjustments as needed.

Creating the life you've dreamed about doesn't require one giant transformation. Small, consistent actions can move you forward, and you can always modify your plan along the way.

In this episode, Stephanie talks about the importance of taking action, moving forward slowly, and giving yourself permission to change course when something isn't working.

• Why taking small daily actions can be more effective than trying to change everything at once
• How to move toward the life you actually want, one step at a time
• Why Slow Living doesn't mean standing still
• How to recognize when something in your plan needs to change
• Why it's okay to tweak, modify, and fine-tune your plans
• How small, consistent steps can create meaningful change over time

You don't have to have the entire path figured out.

Take the next small step. Then see what happens.

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

Get the book on Amazon

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.

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog

If you want to slow down, it helps to know where you're going.

In this episode of the Slow Living Podcast, Stephanie O'Dea breaks down Steps 2 and 3 of her five-step approach to Slow Living:

Step 2: Program Your GPS — Get clear about where you're headed and what you actually want your life to look like.

Step 3: Stay Present and Positive — Stop worrying so much about what's already happened or what might happen next, and learn to focus on where you are right now.

When you're trying to transform your life, you don't have to change everything overnight. It's better to take it slowly, work through each step, and make small, sustainable changes.

In this episode, Stephanie breaks Steps 2 and 3 into bite-sized pieces and explains how knowing your direction—and staying present along the way—can help you create a slower, calmer, more intentional life.

• Why it's important to know where you're headed before you start making big changes
• How to "program your GPS" for the life you actually want
• Why staying present can help you slow down
• How to cultivate a more positive mindset
• Why you don't have to figure everything out at once
• How taking small steps can help you create lasting change

Stephanie has written more about the idea of finding and calibrating your inner GPS:

Calibrating Your Inner GPS:

Read Stephanie's article

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

Get the book on Amazon

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.

Website: stephanieodea.com

Podcast: stephanieodea.com/podcast

Blog: stephanieodea.com/blog