In Part One of Episode 13 of Trail Talks, we welcome Erica Kelly for a deeply moving conversation on persistence, survival, and purpose.

Erica shares her journey from surviving severe childhood trauma and poverty in Guatemala, immigrating to the United States, and eventually rising to become the 17th Command Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Reserve Command. This episode explores what persistence looks like when it’s not motivational—but necessary.

We talk about:
• Staying down when life hits too hard
• The courage to tell your story
• Leadership shaped by lived experience
• Why healing doesn’t always look like “bouncing back”

This episode is raw, honest, and powerful—and a reminder that awareness is powerful, but support is transformational.

🎙️ Episode 12: The F Word — Feelings

What if the reason you feel stuck isn’t a lack of discipline… but the way you’ve been taught to treat your feelings?

In Episode 12 of Trail Talks, we’re talking about the real F word — feelings. 🧠💛
The emotions we were never taught how to name, process, or trust — and how they quietly influence our goals, decisions, relationships, and leadership.

In this episode, we explore:
✨ Why feelings often feel like facts
✨ How emotional intelligence shapes consistency and discipline
✨ The difference between feeling through emotions vs. around them
✨ Why motivation is unreliable — and standards matter more
✨ Practical tools to name, process, and manage emotions without suppressing them

Feelings are real. They’re valid. But they don’t have to be in charge.

This conversation connects emotional intelligence, cognitive behavioral tools, and real-life examples to help you stop waiting for the “right” feeling — and start showing up with intention, even when it’s uncomfortable.

🎧 Whether you’re navigating goals, leadership, relationships, or personal growth, this episode will help you build awareness, consistency, and trust in yourself.

Awareness is powerful. Support is transformational.

We all say it: “I just don’t have enough time.”
But what if time isn’t actually the problem?

In this episode of Trail Talks, we dive into our relationship with time — why it feels scarce, why we feel behind, and why productivity hacks alone don’t work. We explore the neuroscience behind time perception, how our brain processes urgency and focus, and why managing your mind matters more than managing your calendar.

We talk about:

• Why you can’t “create” more time — and what actually helps instead
• How your brain experiences time pressure and overwhelm
• The difference between being busy and being intentional
• Why clarity beats hustle every time
• Practical mindset shifts to stop feeling rushed and start feeling grounded

This episode isn’t about doing more — it’s about thinking differently so you can lead, live, and show up with purpose.

🎧 If time feels like it’s always slipping through your fingers, this one’s for you.

We love setting goals… but no one talks about what happens after you decide to change something.

In this solo episode of Trail Talks, Kelly breaks down The Gritty Eight — the real parts of the goal journey most people aren’t prepared for: the joy, setbacks, the messy middle, triumphs, momentum shifts, how to stay the course, and who you become along the way.

Grounded in neuroscience, emotional intelligence, and grit, this episode helps you understand why the journey feels the way it does — and gives you practical tools to keep going when motivation fades.

Plus, a fun detour into pop culture with Kelly’s Top 8 entertainment moments of the year, because growth doesn’t have to be heavy all the time.

🌿 The goal may get you started — but the journey is what changes you.

In this episode, Kelly and Terra explore why goals aren’t just a New Year ritual — they’re the compass that keeps us from drifting through our days, our careers, and our lives. 🧭

We break down the neuroscience behind goal setting 🧠, why the brain needs direction, and what actually happens when we don’t choose a path.

You’ll learn how goals create clarity ✨, momentum 🚀, and purpose — and how reflecting on the past year can help you set more aligned, meaningful goals for the future.

Real talk, real science, and a few detours along the way. 🌿
Let’s move from drifting to deciding.

In this week’s Trail Talks episode, we unwrap something almost all of us carry around during the holidays: the Holiday Manual — that invisible rulebook we expect other people to follow… even though we never actually tell them.

We dive into:
 🧠 Why our brains create expectations in the first place
 💬 How unspoken “manuals” shape our relationships and stress
 ✨ When expectations cross the line into disrespect — and why the Golden Rule always wins
📘 The difference between healthy standards and secret demands
🌟 Five simple tools to ditch the manual and enjoy the season with more connection

Then for the detour: my cousin Jill joins us with the hilarious story of the year her kids opened every single Christmas present without her 🤣🎁 — and we wrap things up by tier-ranking holiday movies.

Whether you love the holidays, dread them, or sit somewhere in between, this episode brings perspective, laughter, and the freedom to rewrite your own manual.

In this heart-centered (and surprisingly fun) episode of Trail Talks, Kelly and Terra slow things down and explore what the holidays are really about: presence, connection, and the moments our brains actually remember.

We break down the neuroscience behind why gifts give us a quick dopamine spike, but presence creates deep, lasting emotional memories through oxytocin — the bonding hormone.

We also talk about why the holidays can feel stressful or heavy for some people, how old memories stored in the hippocampus can resurface this time of year, and why none of that means anything is “wrong” with you. Most importantly, we share how you can rewrite your holiday experience, create new emotional patterns, and build traditions that feel safe, joyful, and meaningful.

And because we always take a detour…
 you better believe we brought the fun:
 🎄 Holiday Hot Takes
 🎁 Christmas “This or That”

This episode is real, uplifting, science-backed, and full of laughter — the perfect reminder that presence truly is the greatest gift.

If today’s conversation helped you, made you laugh, or gave you something to think about, please share it with a friend and leave us a review.
 Learn more about coaching with Kelly at kellymichelecoaching.com.

In this episode of Trail Talks, we’re diving deep into one of the most powerful — and most misunderstood — leadership tools: gratitude. Not the Instagram version, not the polite “thanks,” but the kind of gratitude that rewires the brain, strengthens culture, builds trust, and transforms teams.

Kelly and special guests CMSgt Courtney Strickler and SMSgt Jenny Sanchez break down the real science behind gratitude — dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and why your amygdala literally calms down when you feel appreciated. We explore Stoicism, Seneca, Carl Jung, identity, impact, and what it truly means to lead with presence and purpose.

And because it’s Coffee & Camo, we take a detour into full Thanksgiving chaos — favorite foods, wild family stories, military holiday memories, and the gratitude moments that shaped us.

We also give a huge shoutout to friends Jen, Julie, Ashley and Michelle, to the Coven (you know who you are) and Jenny's son Logan. We also gave a shoutout to our producer, Vanessa, who makes this show possible. And we missed you Terra! 

You’ll walk away with:

• A deeper understanding of gratitude as a leadership discipline
• How gratitude activates the brain for creativity, trust, and resilience
• Practical tools you can use tomorrow to elevate your team
• A whole lot of laughter and holiday warmth

Whether you’re leading Airmen, leading a team, or leading yourself — this episode gives you the mindset and tools to make gratitude a daily leadership practice.

Grab your coffee. Grab your camo. And settle in — Part 3 starts now.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of War, or the U.S. Government.

Change. The word everyone avoids… until it shows up on your doorstep, your desk, or your deployment roster.

In this second installment of our Coffee & Camouflage series, Kelly and Terra sit back down with Chief Courtney Strickler for a raw, real, and unexpectedly funny conversation about leading through change — the messy kind, the personal kind, and the kind that hits before your coffee even cools.

Together, we explore:
 • Why the brain resists change (hello, amygdala 👋)
 • How leaders can create calm in chaos
 • What healthy change looks like at work and at home
 • Our biggest personal transformations
 • And a hilarious detour into smartphones, AI, and “how did we survive dial-up?”

This episode blends neuroscience, leadership wisdom, and misfit humor for a grounded, relatable take on navigating the C-word.

Whether you’re leading Airmen, leading a team, or just leading yourself through a new season of life, this one will leave you laughing, reflecting, and remembering that change doesn’t have to break you — it can build you.

Grab your mug and hit play. ☕

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of War, Department of the Air Force, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Grab your mug and pull up a chair — this episode kicks off our Coffee & Camouflage series, where leaders get honest about what it means to serve, lead, and grow through the chaos.

In Part I, Kelly and Terra sit down with Courtney Strickler for a candid conversation about authenticity in leadership, vulnerability behind the rank, and the lessons learned from both life and service. Between the laughter, the stories, and a few spilled coffees, they unpack how staying human is the key to leading with strength.

Whether you’re in uniform, leading a team, or just trying to lead yourself through change, this episode will leave you inspired, grounded, and reminded that leadership isn’t about perfection — it’s about connection.

🎧 Tune in for:
• Real talk on leadership and life in uniform
• Why authenticity still wins — even in tough environments
• Lessons from the “mother of misfits” "catwoman" and the “powerhouse Chief”
• A few laughs, a few truths, and plenty of caffeine