In this final part of the series on relationships, I dig into the hardest questions, are we willing to do the hard things for the relationships that truly matter? Whether it's a difficult boss or a loved one, relationships require effort, accountability, and openness. I share personal stories about standing up for myself, learning how to apologize, and navigating the gray areas of connection that often lead to the deepest bonds. This work isn’t easy, but it’s the key to building the kind of relationships that bring meaning and magic to our lives.

Episode Highlights:

1. The hard things in relationships. Are you showing up and putting in the work, even when it’s uncomfortable?

2. The power of speaking up. How addressing the way someone labelled me changed supported my needs.

3. The importance of acceptance and repair. Why staying open, learning how to apologize, and embracing differences leads to stronger, more fulfilling connections.

Quotables:

[00:08:11]

"I want you to see what's possible in relationships that feel difficult. Because oftentimes, it's those relationships where we've been through tough times where we've had to repair, we've had to rebuild respect and trust."

[00:13:01]

"Sometimes we learn the hard way who's really meant for us and who's not, but we aren't going to figure that out if we don't share ourselves fully with another person."

[00:17:30]

"We can easily dismiss someone within seven seconds of meeting them because we just didn't get a good vibe."

Tosca’s Links and Resources:

Sign up for Tosca's Newsletter:https://toscadimatteo.com/optin/

Tosca’s Website

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Giving Flowers To:

Theme music by:Adrian DiMatteo

Podcast edited by:Landis Podcast Editing

Building meaningful relationships isn’t just about who’s in your life, it’s about how you show up in them. In this episode (part 2 of 3), I dig into the difference between being relational versus transactional, the importance of self-awareness, and the power of generosity in connection. I’m fired up about this topic because relationships, whether personal or professional, require intention, time, and investment and is the true foundation of our feeling connected and fulfilled. We live in a world that pushes productivity over people, but what happens when we slow down and actually prioritize the people in our lives? What shifts when we assess who’s lifting us up and who’s draining us? If you’re ready to build stronger, more fulfilling relationships, this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights:

Quotables;

[00:03:22]

"Knowing what your patterns are is so helpful because you can start to either take advantage of what your strengths are or work on what isn't working."

[00:07:50]

"My biggest counsel in all of this honestly is to slow freaking down in your life and take the time, build meaningful relationships, because gosh, we're human and how we feel fulfilled is about feeling connected to other people."

[00:15:17]

"Doors will open when you are helping open doors for other people. Open doors to your heart and open doors to opportunities."

Tosca’s Links and Resources:

Sign up for Tosca's Newsletter: https://toscadimatteo.com/optin/

Tosca’s Website

Get in Touch with Tosca

LinkedIn

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Giving Flowers To:

Theme music by: Adrian DiMatteo

Podcast edited by: Landis Podcast Editing

In this episode of The Unlock Lab, I introduce the idea of building intentional relationships, a topic that’s been a major theme throughout my life and work. Relationships shape how we feel about ourselves, if we feel a sense of support how, and reflect how we move through our personal and professional journeys. I dig into why setting intentions for your relationships is essential and how doing an honest assessment of the people in your life can bring clarity. Whether it’s about creating stronger bonds or letting go of what no longer serves you, I share practical tips and personal insights to help you align your relationships with your goals for the year.

Episode Highlights:

Quotables:

[00:05:52]

"Personal growth leads to professional breakthroughs and what that means is on your journey of personal growth, not everyone is meant to come to the next level with you."

[00:12:57]

"The next step after your intent is to do an honest assessment. Are you in relationships for the potentiality of what they could be? Or are you in relationships based on who they are being right now in your life?"

[00:20:55]

I love this conversation because it's so important, you deserve to be surrounded by people that support you and uplift you."

Tosca’s Links and Resources:

Sign up for Tosca's Newsletter: https://toscadimatteo.com/optin/

Tosca’s Website

Get in Touch with Tosca

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Giving Flowers To:

Theme music by: Adrian DiMatteo

Podcast edited by: Landis Podcast Editing

In this first episode of 2025, I reflect on what it means to navigate life when it feels like everything is burning down around you. Inspired by the fires in Los Angeles, I talk about the bigger themes of loss, grief, and how we can reclaim our power in the face of life's hardest moments. This episode is about finding your way forward when everything feels uncertain. It’s about learning to let go, honoring what you’re bringing with you from your last chapter and stepping into new beginnings. It’s an episode for you whether you’re not sure which way is up or down, ready to jump into what’s next or feeling the weight of the world.

Episode Highlights:

Quotables:

[00:08:12]

"I've been watching all these images from the LA fires and I've been in deep reflection about that. To lose all your belongings. How do you rebuild? How do you grieve? What is that process? How do you find hope?"

[00:14:27]

"This idea of what now is about taking your power back. It's about giving yourself space to grieve and cry it out when things have happened in your life that you have no control over. It's about remembering that tomorrow is not yet created, and it doesn't serve us to write a story before it's been written."

[00:15:12]

"What now is about finding glimmers of gratitude in your life, even in the hardest moments as a grounding, as a recentering, as an honoring that in this moment."

Tosca’s Links and Resources:

Sign up for Tosca's Newsletter: https://toscadimatteo.com/optin/

Tosca’s Website

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Giving Flowers To:

Theme music by: Adrian DiMatteo

Podcast edited by: Landis Podcast Editing

In this final episode of 2024 I talk about how to rediscover hope during life’s hardest moments. I share tools that help me stay grounded, and how I have found light and possibility even when everything feels dark. From connecting with others to embracing nature, I talk about what keeps me moving forward and why hope is always within reach. If you’re struggling or know someone who is, this episode is my way of saying, “You’re not alone, and brighter days are ahead."

Highlights:

Quotables:

[00:04:43]

"When I think of hope, I think of it as something that's hard fought. It's not something that we circumvent and bypass our hard feelings, our difficult emotions. But it's something that we cultivate because we know the journey is difficult and we also know that there's great possibilities."

[00:08:33]

"Just remember that if you are listening and you're feeling so down and out, that this is just a blip in a moment of time. That when you look at the wholeness of your life experience this is going to be just a minute moment in time. It's not going to last forever."

Tosca’s Links and Resources:

Sign up for Tosca's Newsletter: https://toscadimatteo.com/optin/

Tosca’s Website

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Giving Flowers To:

Theme music by: Adrian DiMatteo

Podcast edited by: Landis Podcast Editing  

In this week's episode of The Unlock Lab, I talk about how to close out your year - or any chapter of life that you may be in. Finding closure helps us to be able to start new chapters of our life in new, elevated energy. With this intent, we will explore the power of reflection, gratitude, and celebrating, while finding the lessons in and letting go of what didn’t go so well. I’ll walk you through practical ways to find closure and set yourself up for an exciting new beginning, whether it’s in your career, relationships, or personal growth. Let’s tie this season up with a bow and make space for what’s next.

Highlights:

Quotables:

[00:06:45]

"So first and foremost in this, it's really important to remember what your priorities were for the season and also realizing when those priorities may have shifted. Because what can happen is we get to the end of the year or the end of the chapter, and we start beating ourselves up on what we didn't do and what we didn't accomplish."

[00:10:10]

"Sometimes we can be hard on ourselves because we're like, 'but nothing major happened this year'. But if you had little things come up here and there and there, they add up. And they became these quote, unquote 'distractions', but you also had to address them, then we must honor that."

[00:15:48]

"One way that we can close our chapter is to be in gratitude for what you have, for what is, for what you appreciate. You can create laundry lists here and acknowledge what you have, because we so often focus on the lack. Our inner critics can have us focus on the scarcity and what we don't have."

Tosca’s Links and Resources:

Sign up for Tosca's Newsletter: https://toscadimatteo.com/optin/

Tosca’s Website

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Giving Flowers To:

Theme music by: Adrian DiMatteo

Podcast edited by: Landis Podcast Editing  

This week’s episode of The Unlock Lab takes a look at how personal growth is the game-changer for unlocking those big professional wins and shifts you desire. Personal growth is all about focusing inward, responding to our triggers constructively, shifting our self-talk, and honoring what matters most. Showing up in the world with alchemized energy is what leads to breakthroughs in the professional goals we seek. In this episode I share real examples how small shifts in our actions and internal dialog can bring massive change.

Highlights:

Quotables:

[00:03:37]

"I had to really get close to and understand what is it I really wanted, what were my limiting beliefs and what was possible if we chose to do this for ourselves."

[00:11:15]

"If you've been butting up against big resistance to one modality, then my invitation is to say, well, what feels a little bit better for you? What feels a little bit more accessible? What feels like a way in that maybe brings just a tinge of hope, enthusiasm, or optimism?"

[00:15:50]

"I want you to know you have it within you to trust yourself, to honor the whispers of what is it that really needs to be addressed right now? In order to get to where I want to be, in order to feel the way I want to feel, in order to end this year in a way that I can feel like I'm being my own best friend versus beating myself up over where I am."

Tosca’s Links and Resources:

Sign up for Tosca's Newsletter: https://toscadimatteo.com/optin/

Tosca’s Website

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Giving Flowers To:

Theme music by: Adrian DiMatteo

Podcast edited by: Landis Podcast Editing  

In this week’s episode of The Unlock Lab, I talk about how we can live our life (and not just certain times of year, or in the wake of major events) in the energy of gratitude and service. This is about practicing a healthy perspective on life, building habits that keep you steady, and spreading love through even the smallest acts of kindness. Whether it’s handling tough times (election, COVID, etc.) or learning to roll with what life throws at you, this episode is about acknowledging what is, while also choosing hope and abundance.

Highlights:

Quotables:

[00:03:59]

"In times like these, when things feel like they're on the downward spiral, we gotta take a step back and of course, process our feelings, process our emotions."

[00:15:05]

"Inner critics can come in and make us feel bad about our life, about our situations. This is where going back to the truth of what is present in your life, of what you are appreciative of, what you are thankful for, can be really helpful in not letting that those inner critics run the roost this week, or this month, or this season for that matter."

[00:27:55]

"We can be hopeful for a future that we're not sure how we're gonna get there. And we can also set an intention for ourselves and our actions and our thought patterns that will help us make that manifest."

Tosca’s Links and Resources:

Sign up for Tosca's Newsletter: https://toscadimatteo.com/optin/

Tosca’s Website

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Giving Flowers To:

Theme music by: Adrian DiMatteo

Podcast audio edited by: Landis Podcast Editing  

In this week’s episode of The Unlock Lab, I sit down with Marina Ganzarolli to talk about her amazing journey in transforming her career and creating real change. Marina, founder of the #MeToo Brazil Movement, shares how she left a secure public sector job to build a mission driven career supporting survivors of sexual violence and championing gender equity. We dig into the big risks she took to follow her purpose, the challenges and fears she powered through, and how she created a career on her own terms. Marina’s story is a lesson in the power of experimentation, resilience, and trusting our past successes to fuel new leaps. This conversation is a reminder that influencing change can start with simply listening and holding space for others.

Highlights:

Quotables:

Marina [00:06:30]

"I am a survivor of sexual violence and I elaborated my trauma through helping other women. And I have been doing that for almost 20 years, two decades now. It's been 18 years of providing support to victims with no charge, as a volunteer work, as a civil work. And at that time I was already a specialist, an expert on the subject."

Tosca [00:40:50]

"I think people put a lot of pressure on themselves, that they have to create something new. And that when we just keep our eyes open and we see what's out there and where we can fill in the gaps and find connections in different arenas. Maybe it's different geographies or even different disciplines that we can put things together in new ways without having to recreate the wheel."

Marina [00:43:04]

"I think my special sauce is the ability to listen and to make people open themselves. I don't know really how, but apparently I inspire a lot of truth because people really share very traumatic, very personal, very sad, profound things about their lives with us."

Marina's Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/mariganzarolli

https://www.instagram.com/brasilmetoo/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marina-ganzarolli-ela-ella-she-22b59756

https://www.linkedin.com/company/brasilmetoo

Tosca’s Links and Resources:

Sign Up for Tosca's Newsletter: https://toscadimatteo.com/optin/

Tosca’s Website

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Giving Flowers To:

Theme music by: Adrian DiMatteo

Podcast audio edited by: Landis Podcast Editing  

In this third and final part of the Influencing Change series on The Unlock Lab, I share some thoughts on common patterns that impact our ability to effectively influence change - like leaving too soon and overstaying our welcome. I also remind you that influence needs space and time and change is never on the timeline that we want. Let's also not forget the importance of celebrating every little win along the way. Tune in to learn how we can all show up, stay patient, and make the changes we’re aiming for, one step at a time.

Highlights:

Quotables:

[00:02:41]

"We are still going to participate in this world that we live in. At least that's my hope for you. My hope is that regardless of what's going on, that you continue to say, I'm here to Drive change."

[00:08:01]

"I can't put you in a pressure cooker and you pop out 30 minutes later and it's like, oh my God, I'm a whole new person. No, first of all, you don't need to be a whole new person. But you pick up what I'm putting down."

[00:16:52]

The next thing to do is to claim that you're powerful and to know that you're powerful and to activate your power, to say, you know what? I can change things for myself. I can make them better. I can make a new choice. I can try something new.

Tosca’s Links and Resources:

Tosca’s Website

Get in Touch with Tosca

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Giving Flowers To:

Theme music by: Adrian DiMatteo

Podcast audio edited by: Landis Podcast Editing