In this episode, I explore two important questions we can ask ourselves (these will shake up your brain cells!):

1) Do I feel my life has meaning?

2) Would I like to have more meaning in my life?

After attending a powerful event led by Arthur Brooks and reflecting on the teachings of Viktor Frankl and other thought leaders, I share why meaning is not just a “nice to have”, it is essential.

We’ll talk about:

• What meaning is and why it's essential to a vibrant life
• Why a lack of meaning may be at the root of so much unhappiness and loneliness today
• The five places we most often find meaning (get ready to take notes!)

Because the truth is, meaning isn’t something we wait for. It’s something we build and sometimes re-build. If you’ve been feeling a little disconnected, restless or unsure of your “why,” this episode is for you.

Here are links to the books I mentioned:

1) The Meaning of your Life by Arthur Brooks

2) Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

3) The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner

Onward and upward. xo

In this episode, I share a couple of real-life experiences that got me thinking about how we navigate people who aren’t showing up at their best—from a snippy ticket booth attendant interaction to a confusing moment at a tavern (with an unexpected twist).

Drawing on insights I have learned from the classroom of life, I walk through three practical ways to handle these moments with more clarity and calm:

1. Don't take it personally, even when it feels that way
2. Set boundaries without losing your kindness
3. Choosing your response instead of reacting

Because the truth is, we can’t control how others show up, but we can decide how we do.

If you’ve ever walked away from an interaction feeling thrown off, frustrated, or questioning yourself, this episode will give you a new way to think about those moments.

Link to Episode 9: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/9-when-life-pushes-your-buttons-the-inner-work/id1868855299?i=1000754810778

Hello everyone! I thought social media was my problem.

So for Lent, I deleted it all. But what I discovered surprised me… social media wasn’t the problem. My phone was. Even without Apps, I was still reaching for my phone: scrolling, checking, searching, distracting.

In this episode, I share what I’m learning about breaking free from that constant pull, what the research says about our habits, and a few simple changes that are helping me feel more calm, present, and connected.

If you’ve ever felt tethered to your phone, you’re not alone. This episode might be just the nudge you need.

Here's what I cover:

• My 40-day Lenten social media fast

• The surprising realization about phone dependency

• Eye-opening research on screen time and behavior

• Small shifts that are changing my daily life

• Three simple challenges to help you unplug

Onward and upward… 🎙️💕

Life will always bring challenges. Some are everyday frustrations. Others are truly heartbreaking. What often shapes our lives most is not the challenge itself, but how we respond to it.

In this episode, I share two real situations from my own week that tested my emotional reactions and helped me to grow. One involved a difficult dinner with a friend when both of us were struggling. The other was an unexpected conflict with someone who reacted aggressively during a disagreement.

In both moments, I found myself observing my reactions in real time and learning something important about emotional regulation.

Three reflections from this episode:

• Self-awareness is a super power. When we develop the ability to observe our own reactions, we create space to choose a better response.

• Boundary setting is the anecdote to people-pleasing. It is possible to stay calm, hold your perspective, and avoid escalating conflict.

• Growth often comes after imperfect moments. Sometimes the lesson appears only after we reflect on how we handled a difficult situation.

Responding with intention instead of reacting emotionally is a skill we build over time. And every hard moment gives us another opportunity to practice.

Onward and upward!

In this episode, I share a personal story about starting over, rebuilding connection, and the unexpected ways community can begin.

• Relationships as the strongest predictor of happiness and well being

• The surprising power of small, meaningful moments

• How stepping outside your comfort zone creates connection

• How helping others connect can heal our own sense of disconnectedness

Community is not something we simply find. It is something we create, nurture, and grow together. A lifelong journey.

If you are feeling disconnected or are starting over socially, this episode is your encouragement that one small step can change everything.

Until next time, onward and upward.

In this episode, I share my experience from signing up for an adult beginner ballet class six months ago (and I've stuck with it!).

What started as a simple idea to try something new quickly turned into a humbling crash course in French dance terminology, awkwardness, comparison and the uncomfortable reality of being a true beginner again. Not easy, for us high achievers!

Just a few weeks in, I learned we would be performing this past December in a recital. Yes. On a stage. In front of people. Dancing to the "Waltz of the Flowers" segment of The Nutcracker.

I wanted to quit more than once. But I kept showing up.

And when I finally stepped onto that stage, heart pounding and getting light-headed, I discovered something powerful.

Doing hard things on purpose builds confidence in a way comfort never can.

If you have ever thought, “I am too old,” “I am too late,” or “I will probably look ridiculous,” this episode is for you.

Because sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is simply show up, wobble through it, and keep going.

And here's the link to The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter (such a great read!).

Onward and upward.

In today’s episode, I am joined by a very special guest, my dear friend Beth Walker, who recently retired after nine years as an elected official on West Virginia’s highest court (including Chief Justice).

Beth's story personifies resilience, grit, strong leadership and making hard decisions that affect positive behavior change.

In this heartfelt conversation, Beth shares how she triumphed over challenges and adversity. She takes us on her journey of embracing a healthier lifestyle, including (like me!) permanently removing alcohol from her life. Beth speaks candidly about how that decision transformed her clarity, leadership and overall well-being.

Two of my favorite "Beth Walker quotables" from this interview:

“I actually learned there was not enough Tito’s vodka to fix every problem...”

“...be a lighthouse, not a tug boat.”

These powerful insights capture the heart of this episode: learning to stand strong, lead with clarity and release that which no longer serves us.

This episode is for anyone who:

1. Is navigating adversity (personal or professional)
2. Wants to accomplish major health goals, one step at a time (and it takes time!)
3. Is curious about taking break from alcohol or quitting all together

Beth’s story reminds us that at any point in life, we can make decisions to become a steady light that guides the way for ourself and others. And she sure is a steady light to so many!

If you would like to hear my own juicy journey of going alcohol-free, you can listen here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-quit-drinking-for-90-days-eight-years-later-im-still/id1868855299?i=1000749405020

Thank you so much for tuning in. I am so grateful...

Today is a big day for me. I am exactly eight years alcohol-free.

What started as a 90-day challenge during Lent turned into one of the most life-changing decisions I have ever made.

In this episode, I share the personal story of my relationship with alcohol, how it quietly shaped my choices, my coping mechanisms, and my identity, and what ultimately led me to stop. For decades, drinking was woven into every chapter of my life. School. Social life. Work events. Grief. Looking back, nearly every poor decision I made had alcohol somewhere in the picture.

Quitting was hard. It required white-knuckling, redefining relationships, and navigating very real adult peer pressure. But on the other side of alcohol, I found clarity, peace, resilience, and a grounded sense of self I never knew was possible.

I did not quit drinking to make my life easier. I quit drinking to make my life better.

Eight years later, I am filled with gratitude for the inspiration of Andy Ramage, Father Richard and many other amazing people who I've met on this incredible journey.

Here's a link to Andy Ramage's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/andy-ramage-podcast/id1572654044

And you might also be interested in following my friend Andy Garwood. We were in the One Year No Beer Challenge group together and--trekked Mount Kilimanjaro in 2022 with five other friends. https://andygarwood.com/

Onward and upward!

Life does not come with a roadmap. Getting through hard things is a skill we build that serves us throughout our entire lives

In this episode of The Resilience and Grit Podcast, I share four lessons on navigating life’s challenges. They are inspired by my own personal journeys, including a hiking accident that left me with two broken bones, seven weeks in a bright pink cast, four weeks in a brace, and months of physical therapy.

We talk about the courage it takes to ask for help, the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people, making peace with the messy middle, and holding on to belief when things feel uncertain. I also share a powerful rally cry from motivational speaker Les Brown that reminds us that no matter how hard things get, we can make it through: "No matter how bad it is...or how bad it gets...I am going to make it."

If you are facing something difficult right now, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone and that growth often begins in the middle of hard things.

Hello there everyone! I am a talker. Always have been. So choosing to spend three days in complete silence at a monastery felt equal parts intriguing and terrifying. No talking. No phone. Eating in silence. No distractions. Just quiet, chapel bells, wooded trails, hospitable Monks, and my own thoughts.

In this episode, I take you inside that experience. What it felt like to arrive, how the silence affected me physically and emotionally, and why returning to the noisy world afterward was harder than I expected. I also share why silence has since become one of the most grounding practices in my life and how you can begin to explore it for yourself.

Retreat Website for Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, Kentucky (...on Monk Road, don't you love it?) https://monks.org/visit-us/retreats/

Retreat Website for Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, Virginia https://www.virginiatrappists.org/retreat-house/

Thank you for tuning in!