Episode: 242: Making Ambitions Sustainable with Kathy Oneto
Release Date: 06/12/2025
How to Manage Social Anxiety: Science-Backed Tools to Feel Calm & Confident
Centered in the City
Social anxiety can feel exhausting — the racing heart, overthinking conversations, replaying moments on a loop, and the urge to avoid social situations altogether. If you’ve ever wondered “Why am I like this?” or “How do I stop feeling so anxious around people?” — this episode is for you. In today’s episode I break down what social anxiety really is and shares research-backed strategies to help you calm your nervous system, build confidence, and feel more at ease in social situations. You’ll learn how your brain is actually trying to protect you, why overthinking happens...
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The 5 Gates of Grief: A Compassionate Guide to Processing Loss
Centered in the City
Grief is not just about losing a loved one—it shows up in many forms throughout our lives. In this episode, we explore Francis Weller’s 5 Gates of Grief and how they help us understand the full spectrum of loss, change, and heartbreak we experience as humans. You’ll learn: What the 5 Gates of Grief are and how they show up in daily life Why grief is a natural, healthy response—not something to “fix” How to be with grief instead of pushing it away Ways to process grief through the body,creativity, community and self-compassion How to honor your grief without letting it...
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What Healthy Striving in 2026 Looks Like (Without Burning Out)
Centered in the City
In a culture that glorifies hustle, productivity, and “doing more,” it can be hard to know the difference between healthy striving and overexertion that leads to burnout. In this episode I explore what it truly means to strive in a way that supports both growth and well-being. Healthy striving isn’t about lowering your standards or giving up on your goals—it’s about learning how to move toward what matters without abandoning yourself along the way. In this episode, you’ll explore: What healthy striving actually looks like and ways to practice it The difference between...
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The Pause Between Years
Centered in the City
January 1 often arrives with urgency—new goals, new habits, a quiet message that we should already be moving forward. However, I am here to remind us, today is a sacrid day to pause, not push. In this episode, I invite you into the space between what was and what’s next—a liminal moment where reflection, rest, and belonging matter more than becoming someone new. You’ll explore why the nervous system needs time to integrate, how constant self-improvement can pull us out of self-trust, and what it means to start the year by belonging to yourself first. This is a conversation—and a...
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Receiving Meditation Plus Silent Meditation Retreat Reflections
Centered in the City
Happy Christmas! Today I want to give you a 9 minute meditation on receiving which is helpful to not only feel resourced during the holiday season, but it gives yourself the best gift! Plus I share some reflections after going on my own at home 5 day silent retreat. If you are feeling called to dip your toe into the mindfulness and meditation world, I welcome you to apply for the Winter Mindfulness Retreat I am hosting this January. Learn more and sign up: Retreat.CenteredintheCity.org Share your takeways with me about the meditation practice or reach out with any questions on ...
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Navigating Holiday Overwhelm Based on Your Archetype
Centered in the City
The holidays don’t overwhelm everyone in the same way. For some of us, stress shows up as trying to control everything. For others, it looks like pushing through exhaustion, spinning in our heads, overgiving, avoiding, or checking out altogether. In this solo episode, I break down the six common overwhelm styles I see again and again — not to label or fix you, but to help you understand yourself with more kindness. You’ll learn how overwhelm shows up for you during the holidays, why it makes sense, and a few gentle ways to move through this season with more ease and less...
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Episode 266: Design is Spiritual™ with Rachel Grochowski
Centered in the City
In today’s episode, I sit down with Rachael Grochowski, founder of RHG Architecture + Design, for a conversation about the deeper purpose of the spaces we inhabit. Rachael invites us to rethink design not as decoration or function alone, but as a pathway to connection, meaning, and self-discovery. Together, we explore how the environments we create can nurture our well-being, support who we’re becoming, and help us feel more grounded in our daily lives. Rachael shares: Three key areas of the home where intentional design can have the greatest impact How thoughtful details and unique...
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Wintering with Intention: Ways to Support Your Well-being in the Darker Colder Months
Centered in the City
As the days grow darker and the world speeds up, many of us feel overstimulated, tired, or disconnected from ourselves. In this episode, I invite you to “winter with intention”—to soften the pressure of productivity and shift into a more grounded, replenishing rhythm that supports your nervous system and well-being. How to embrace this season to enhance our holistic life. Through gentle reflection, mindful practices, and the Mindful Hand of Self-Care framework, you’ll discover how to care for your mind, body, and energy during the winter months and why this season can...
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Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude with a Gratitude Walking Meditation
Centered in the City
Happy Thanksgiving! However you are choosing to celebrate this holiday, may we use this holiday as a time to focus on cultivating more gratitude in our life. Research demonstrates how being grateful improves our well-being. Take yourself and or your family on a 4 minute or longer gratitude walk. Take a picture of yourself on your walk and share it with me on Want more guided walking meditations? You will received 29 different walking meditations to meet you where you are and support you getting out of your head and into your body.
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Simple Mindful Eating Practices to Stay Grounded and Nourished During the Holidays
Centered in the City
If you find yourself stress-eating, overeating at family gatherings, holiday parties or losing your healthy routines in the swirl of the holiday hustle (ie. travel, sugar, and social pressure) this episode will help you reconnect with your body, your breath, and your intention. Using research-backed mindfulness tools, behavioral psychology, and a grounded, compassionate approach, I share how to stay present with your body without the shame or restriction. This episode gives you simple, doable practices to stay centered and nourished during the busiest time of the year. Want to go...
info_outlineIn today's podcast, Kathy shares with us many different frameworks to think about how to create life and work ambitions that fit your life at this moment. Ambition is something we can own that doesn't have to be directly correlated to our careers. Life ambitions matter too!
Kathy inspires us to:
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- Create a horizon map to help you get clear on what you want to focus on now versus what is further off on the horizon
- Have systems and structures in place to support ambitious goals
- Coordinate goals so there is less friction
Listen to the whole episode and share your takeaways with us on Linkedin Kathy Oneto and Wade Brill or Instagram @OneWade and @Sustainable Ambition
Sign up for the Summer of Self-Care group coaching program. Save 20% with code selflove20.
Episodes mentioned:
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- Learn more about the book: https://
sustainableambition.com/books -
Get a free State of Ambition Guide and take the quiz: https://
Listen to the Sustainable Ambition Podcast: https://bit.ly/sustainableambition.com/state sustain-pod - Connect with Kathy on LinkedIn: https://www.
linkedin.com/in/kathy-oneto - Follow Sustainable Ambition on Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/ sustainableambition/ - Kathy's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/
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