Let’s be honest—dating can feel like a minefield. Especially when you're trying not to fall for the hot guy in cowboy boots who turns out to be a walking red flag. (Yes, that story is in here. And yes, I’m cringing with you.)

In this episode, I’m sharing the new rules of dating I live by—rules I’ve learned the hard way. I talk about what it really means to date from a place of self-worth instead of desperation, how to stop obsessing over whether he likes you, and why it’s time to stop ignoring your own damn green flags. If you’ve been feeling discouraged, tired of ghosting, or tempted to settle, I made this one for you.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• When you know your values and needs, you’ll make better dating decisions. Write them down so when another smooth talker shows up, you don’t get swept away by the charm.

• Stop asking if he liked you and start asking: Did I like him? Let go of that “pick me” energy and remember: you are the prize.

• Chemistry isn’t everything. It’s something, sure—but kindness, consistency, and emotional intelligence are what make a relationship last.

Wake Up to Your Life is an award-winning podcast hosted by Colleen Odegaard. On this show, you’ll hear from experts (and learn from my own hilarious stories) on how to rediscover yourself in a new season of life, no matter what that looks like for you. 

Connect with Colleen: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube

What if this is the summer of your life—and you’re missing it?

If you’ve ever said no to the pool, the beach, the boat, or the group photo because of how you think you look, this episode is your wake-up call. It’s time to get in the bathing suit. Get in the picture. Get in the moment. This summer is happening right now, and your body, just as it is, is already invited.

Ashley Moser joins us for a powerful conversation about what it really means to feel good in your body. Together, we unpack where our body shame comes from, how to challenge automatic critical thoughts, and why shrinking your body won’t expand your life—but showing up will.

Ashley Moser is a licensed therapist with The Renfrew Center and owner of Next Steps Counseling & Consulting, where she helps people heal their relationship with food, body, and self.

Resources mentioned:

• The Renfrew Center

• Next Steps Counseling & Consulting

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• Your body is already a summer body. It exists. That’s enough. The idea that you need to shrink or smooth or hide to be worthy of summer fun is a lie—mostly sold to you by diet culture and the beauty industry.

• If you’re not ready to wear the suit, start with the story in your head. Catch the automatic thoughts (“I look gross,” “I can’t wear this”) and practice replacing them with neutral truths like, “I have a body. It’s here. It lets me live.” That’s a powerful shift.

• Confidence doesn’t show up before the moment, it grows in the moment. Say yes to the invite. Put on the suit. Jump in the water. Show up. You’ll live to make the memory—and maybe even love it.

• Get in that damn photo. These pictures aren’t about your thighs. They’re about your life. Stop cropping yourself out of your own memories.

• Why are we even still talking about what our bodies look like? Your size and shape say nothing about your worth, your wisdom, or your capacity to love and be loved. 

Wake Up to Your Life is an award-winning podcast hosted by Colleen Odegaard. On this show, you’ll hear from experts (and learn from my own hilarious stories) on how to rediscover yourself in a new season of life, no matter what that looks like for you. 

Connect with Colleen: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube

Living a long life is great. But living a long, healthy, and vibrant life? That’s the goal.

In this episode, I’m joined by the fabulous Dr. Ryan Shelton of Tryon Medical Partners to talk about how to increase your healthspan - the years of your life you feel strong, energetic, and disease-free. We get into the habits that truly move the needle on your energy, longevity, and over-all well-being, and *spoiler alert* none of them involve expensive supplements, fad diets, or becoming a gym rat overnight.

From hydration hacks and exercise tips, to food that actually nourishes you, Dr. Shelton breaks down what works, what doesn’t, and how to take better care of your future self… starting now. If you’re in your 30s, 40s, 50s or beyond and want to feel good in your skin for years to come, this one’s for you.

Dr. Ryan Shelton is a board-certified internal medicine physician at Tryon Medical Partners, where he focuses on preventative care and helping people feel better - now and in the long run.

Resources mentioned:

• Redmond Re-Lyte

• F45 Training

• F45 Training - South End Charlotte

Some key takeaways from this episode:

• If you’re only drinking water once you’re thirsty, you’re too late. Add electrolytes to your morning water to improve hydration and help your body retain fluids more effectively, especially as you age.

• Sometimes meals are boring because they’re good for you. Prioritize meals made at home with whole foods, and plan ahead to avoid defaulting to takeout. You don’t need perfection, just consistency.

• Aim for 150 minutes of movement per week. Blend your minutes with both cardio and strength training to preserve muscle mass, balance, and mobility as you age.

Wake Up to Your Life is an award-winning podcast hosted by Colleen Odegaard. On this show, you’ll hear from experts (and learn from my own hilarious stories) on how to rediscover yourself in a new season of life, no matter what that looks like for you. 

Connect with Colleen: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube

You’ve seen the memes. The TikToks. The instagram posts. The influencers spinning around in a bikini with an iced coffee and calling it “main character energy.”

But what if I told you that real main character energy has nothing to do with being extroverted or seeking attention - and everything to do with knowing who you are, what you value, and being brave enough to live that out loud?

In this episode, we’re reclaiming what it means to be the main character of your own life. We’ll talk about cultivating confidence from the inside out, setting boundaries (without the guilt), and taking small daily steps that build trust in yourself. This isn’t about being selfish - it’s about showing up in the world with your whole heart and helping others shine while you do.

Whether you’re stuck on autopilot or just feel like you’ve lost your spark, this episode will help you come home to yourself - and take the lead role in the story you’re meant to live.

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• Define your values. You can’t lead your life with intention if you don’t know what matters most. Get clear on your top five values and let them guide how you show up.

• Build self-esteem by doing esteemable things. Start small. Set daily intentions and actually honor them. Every time you follow through, you prove to yourself that you're trustworthy - and that builds real confidence.

• Main character energy isn’t about ego - it’s about alignment. When you stop living for other people’s schedules, needs, and expectations, and start doing things that make you feel alive, you create a life that feels full, not forced. 

Wake Up to Your Life is an award-winning podcast hosted by Colleen Odegaard. On this show, you’ll hear from experts (and learn from my own hilarious stories) on how to rediscover yourself in a new season of life, no matter what that looks like for you. 

Connect with Colleen: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube

I know when you think about your favorite fun things to do, networking is at the top of the list, right? 👀Okay, I know networking is usually awkward and uncomfortable, but my guest Todd Buelow swears it doesn’t have to be! In this episode, Todd shares how he built up the skills to network anywhere with anybody, and the incredible opportunities that have come from it, from free international trips to being an extra on a movie set. If you want to get better at connection and find more adventure in your life, this episode is for you! 

Todd Buelow is Co-Founder and Partner at Dualboot Partners, an Inc. 5000 entrepreneur, and 3x Charlotte Business Journal Fast 50 Honoree. He lives with his family in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Links mentioned:

• 10% Happier Podcast | How to Network with Jordan Harbinger

• Charlotte Rescue Mission

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• Approach networking as giving, not getting. When you approach the conversation from a place of service, you’ll build a genuine connection that could present amazing opportunities in the future. And if nothing comes from it? You still put tons of value and goodness into the world.

• If you’re shy and trying to meet people, go volunteer in your community. If you choose a cause you’re passionate about, you will meet other people who are also passionate about that cause and you’ll have something in common with them. 

• Be genuinely curious about other people and use that curiosity to drive the conversation forward. You will meet so many interesting and inspiring people this way without falling into the boring small talk conversation starters.

Wake Up to Your Life is an award-winning podcast hosted by Colleen Odegaard. On this show, you’ll hear from experts (and learn from my own hilarious stories) on how to rediscover yourself in a new season of life, no matter what that looks like for you. 

Connect with Colleen: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube

We all have a little voice in our heads that talks to us throughout the day. Maybe your voice is gentle and sweet and cheers you, or maybe your voice is right there whenever you make a mistake or feel jealousy, reminding you that you’re not good enough. In this episode, I want to explore where that voice is coming from, whether what it’s saying is true, and how you can befriend it instead of fighting it. If you’re tired of your inner critic running your day, this episode is for you!

Resources mentioned:

• Watch Ep. 126: The Booty Call to Self-Love Pipeline

• Self-Compassion with Dr. Kristin Neff

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• Not everything that you think is true - and thank God for that! Before you try to figure out if your intrusive thought is true or not, first get curious about where the thought is coming from and what exactly triggered it.

• The goal with our inner critic isn’t to shut it down immediately. Actually, befriending that voice instead of fighting it will help it quiet down and not have such a grip on you. What you resist persists. 

• Self-compassion is not the same as making excuses. It is possible to be direct and honest with yourself while doing so with compassion. If you know you’re not making the best choices, you can turn the ship around without bullying yourself about it.

Wake Up to Your Life is an award-winning podcast hosted by Colleen Odegaard. On this show, you’ll hear from experts (and learn from my own hilarious stories) on how to rediscover yourself in a new season of life, no matter what that looks like for you. 

Connect with Colleen: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube

Booty calls, flaky friends, and bosses that take advantage of you are all breadcrumbs, the leftovers that no one wants at the end of the day. But you, my friend, deserve the entire loaf of freshly baked sourdough. In this episode, my producer, Kristen Stegall, interviews me about how I stopped accepting booty calls and started accepting myself, just the way I am. We also talk about getting ghosted by your friends and being too much of a people pleaser at work, so no matter where you’re currently accepting breadcrumbs, we’ll get you back on track by practicing self-compassion. 

Resources mentioned:

• Watch Ep. 120: Calm Your A** Down with Rachel Walt

• Watch Ep. 119: We Are SO Back | Why I Took a Break & Life Updates

• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD, and Amelia Nagoski, DMA

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• Don’t settle for breadcrumbs, whether it’s in dating, friendships, work, or any area of your life. Hard times have a tendency to reveal what’s most important to us and who is really in our corner. Everything and everyone else are not worth putting a ton of energy into.

• We can all think of someone who has wronged us in the past, and sometimes forgiveness feels too hard. However, you owe it to yourself to find ways to release the tension and anger you feel about that situation, even if you can’t forgive them.

• Compassion is the name of the game. Whether that’s doing Lovingkind meditations, or simply using gentler words with yourself when you feel activated, practicing compassion lightens the load and makes dealing with life so much easier.

Wake Up to Your Life is an award-winning podcast hosted by Colleen Odegaard. On this show, you’ll hear from experts (and learn from my own hilarious stories) on how to rediscover yourself in a new season of life, no matter what that looks like for you. 

Connect with Colleen: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube

Parenting can be challenging, but parenting tweens and teens is a straight-up Olympic sport. Luckily, my friend Michelle Icard is a parenting expert that specializes in getting tweens and teens to talk to us about… pretty much anything. In this episode, she shares her best communication strategies, her hot takes on overreaching and overreactive parenting, and why “Botox Brow” is your secret weapon for talking to your tweens and teens.

Michelle Icard has degrees in English and Education and has worked with parents, children, and teachers for more than 20 years, creating curriculum, books, and programs that help them better understand and navigate early adolescence. 

Michelle is the author of three books on this subject:

• 8 Setbacks That Can Make a Child a Success

• Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen

• Middle School Makeover

Connect with Michelle:

• Website

• Facebook

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• If you see your child is struggling or having behavioral issues, try Michelle’s 3-step approach: contain, resolve, and evolve. She walks through each step in the episode!

• Microchanges can make a huge difference for your kids, but you can’t force your kids to do them. Let them choose their own microsteps at their own pace, and be open for their questions without nudging them about it constantly.

• Practice what Michelle calls the “Botox Brow” when you’re having an important conversation with your kid. Our kids’ brains can easily misread emotions in our facial expressions, so keeping a neutral expression helps them feel safe to open up.

Wake Up to Your Life is an award-winning podcast hosted by Colleen Odegaard. On this show, you’ll hear from experts (and learn from my own hilarious stories) on how to rediscover yourself in a new season of life, no matter what that looks like for you. 

Connect with Colleen: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube

Let’s talk about sex in perimenopause, baby! Because who doesn’t want to get it on when you’re experiencing hot flashes, weight gain, and mood swings, right? Well, you do! At the very least, you deserve to feel connected to your body and to your partner during this time, and Dr. Alyse Kelly-Jones, MD,  FACOG, IF, is here to tell us how! 

Dr. Kelly-Jones is an OB/GYN and “sexpert” who is on a mission to help more women have better sex in perimenopause and beyond, and not settle for painful, pity sex to keep their partners happy. Whether you’re in perimenopause, postmenopause, or still a young spring chicken, this episode is full of wisdom to improve your sex life!

Resources mentioned:

• OMGYES

• Rosy App

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• The key to better, hotter sex is communication. Based on your upbringing, sex and pleasure can feel shameful to talk about, but keeping open and honest communication with your OB/GYN, therapist, and partner can completely transform your sex life.

• Painful sex in perimenopause is common, but it is not something you have to live with. There are so many options you can discuss with your doctor, from vaginal estrogen products to pelvic floor therapy. Please don’t suffer in silence; let your doctor know so they can walk you through the options.

• Try implementing a “couple’s contract” with your partner if you’re not feeling super aligned in the bedroom. Decide on an interval of how often you’ll have sex, and trade off who initiates so you’re both responsible for getting things going.

Wake Up to Your Life is an award-winning podcast hosted by Colleen Odegaard. On this show, you’ll hear from experts (and learn from my own hilarious stories) on how to rediscover yourself in a new season of life, no matter what that looks like for you. 

Connect with Colleen: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube

Life can be a bumpy ride that we have zero control over - or at least that’s what it can feel like through seasons of transition. Page Fehling has been there. She left her longtime television gig to embark on the not-so-predictable journey of entrepreneurship (and she’s killing it!), and over the last year she’s transformed her health with the help of GLP-1 medication. In this episode, Page graciously shares her biggest lessons learned about leadership, going all in on yourself, and focusing on what you can control instead of what you can’t.

Page Fehling is a third generation speaker and facilitator who grew up just outside of Washington, D.C., and graduated from UNC - Chapel Hill. Her favorite role, however, has always been as a teacher. Helping guide fellow humans into being their best selves both at work and at home makes Page tick.

Connect with Page:

• Website

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

Some key takeaways from this episode include:

• As a leader, you need to clarify the definition of “done.” Whether that’s for your team at work or for your kids at home, be crystal clear about what “done” looks like so they know exactly what is expected of them.

• When it comes to being yourself online, show up as you are, even if you’re unpolished. Release yourself of the pressure to be fully made up and dressed up, and instead focus on bringing energy and value to your audience. 

• If a big decision is on your heart, the people in your life may not automatically be on board with it (even though they love you!). At the end of the day, you have to trust your gut and make the decision that’s best for you - whether that’s finally starting your business, getting on a GLP-1, or investing in training to grow as a leader.

Wake Up to Your Life is an award-winning podcast hosted by Colleen Odegaard. On this show, you’ll hear from experts (and learn from my own hilarious stories) on how to rediscover yourself in a new season of life, no matter what that looks like for you. 

Connect with Colleen: 

• Instagram

• Facebook

• YouTube