EP279: How Love and Impact Live On
True Stride
Over the past eight months, I’ve lost two dear loved ones who had a profound impact on my life. They lived fully, with vibrant energy, wisdom, kindness, and deep care for others. While I’m heartbroken that I no longer get to experience their physical presence here on earth, I also feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the love I was able to receive from them, love that was unconditional and deeply shaping. One of them passed just yesterday, so forgive me if my emotions rise as I share, but in the midst of the sadness, I find comfort in knowing that even though I can no longer see...
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EP278: Release, Readiness, and What Comes Next
True Stride
I feel like there’s been a lot of conversation lately about the Chinese zodiac and the year we’re moving out of, which is the Year of the Wood Snake. That year comes to an end on February 16, and then on February 17, according to the Chinese zodiac, we move into the Year of the Fire Horse. Even if you don’t follow the Chinese New Year, I’ve really appreciated how this way of marking time gives us an opportunity to slow down, reflect, and check our own reality. In this episode, I share why the energy of the Wood Snake has felt so accurate for this past year, with its focus on shedding,...
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EP277: Shape Your Vision with Creativity and Intention
True Stride
I’ve been thinking a lot about intention setting lately and how many different ways there are to get clear on what we want to attract. Some people love choosing a word for the year, others don’t resonate with that at all, and that reflection led me to revisit the tools I’ve used over time to stay grounded and inspired. What matters most isn’t the method itself, but whether we’re carving out space to reflect, get creative, and really listen to what’s calling us forward. Today, we’ll dive into how vision boarding has supported me in the past and how a simple, pen-and-paper practice...
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EP276: Looking Back Through Pleasure and Expansion
True Stride
At the start of a new year, I always notice a shift. It’s subtle, but it’s there. A little lightness. A sense that I can pause, take stock, and step into something new. Even though it’s just one calendar year turning into the next, it still feels like permission to begin again. To set new intentions. To let the past be the past. I don’t overthink it. I just pay attention to that sense of possibility. As I look back on the year behind me, it wasn’t especially easy. There were moments that felt heavy, uncertain, and stretching in ways I didn’t expect. Yet, when I slow down and really...
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EP275: A Word to Ground, Guide, and Inspire You
True Stride
I can’t quite believe that yet another year of us going on Wise Walks together has come and gone. In our last episode, I invited you to reflect on your previous Word of the Year, and I’ve been doing that too. Looking back, I can see how my word, Co-create, supported me in ways I couldn’t have fully anticipated at the time. Sometimes we choose a word with a clear sense of direction or intuition about what will help us feel more aligned and in our True Stride. When I think about why this practice matters to me, I always come back to the idea of choosing a word for the year not as something...
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EP274: Reflecting on the Year Through One Word
True Stride
As this year comes to a close, I wanted to slow things down and really look at how my word for 2025 actually showed up in my life. I’ve shared before that I no longer set New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I choose a word that helps ground me in how I want to show up and what I want to experience. This year, that word was co-create. As someone who has always relied on planning, structure, and execution, this word challenged me to loosen my grip and trust timing instead of forcing outcomes. It became a way to check myself when things felt rushed, heavy, or resistant, and to ask whether I was...
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EP273: Leaning Into Your Inner Athlete
True Stride
It’s funny how aging has a way of quietly changing the conversation we have with our bodies. I notice it when I’m moving or when a familiar pose needs more support, or when strength and flexibility show up differently than they used to. For a long time, I thought that meant I was losing something. What I’m realizing now is that it simply means that I’m being asked to listen more closely. There’s still a part of me that loves a challenge, that enjoys feeling capable and engaged, even if the expression of that looks different than it once did. Lately, I’ve been paying attention to...
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EP272: Freedom Waiting Beyond Your Limits
True Stride
Lately I have been spending time out on my Aunt’s ranch in Joshua Tree, California, and the rhythm of the animals has offered me a new perspective on how we respond to the boundaries in our lives. Watching the horses move through their space, communicate their needs, and express their energy reminded me how easy it is to accept certain limits without ever pausing to ask whether they still feel aligned. Their behavior became an unexpected mirror, showing me where I have honored barriers that were never truly mine or that no longer support who I am becoming. Their exuberance and clarity...
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EP271: Honoring Your Rites of Passage
True Stride
A conversation on a recent hike surprised me in the best way. My friend and I wandered into a chat about how we grew up and what shaped us, and it pulled up old memories I had not thought about in a long time. I shared a bit about my upbringing and the sense of community that came with it, but what really landed for me was how many different ways people mark the big moments in their lives. It does not matter if it comes from a formal tradition or something more personal. We all have these turning points that nudge us forward and help us understand who we are right now. Lately I have been...
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EP270: What Gratitude Makes Possible
True Stride
Happy Thanksgiving, fellow Striders. If you’re celebrating here in the U.S., I hope you’re surrounded by loved ones, friends, or even your fur babies, and that you’re feeling a sense of appreciation for the blessings in your life, the ones you’re experiencing now and the ones that have shaped you along the way. This time of year is a good reminder to pause, take a breath, and really acknowledge the good that is already present. As I’ve been reflecting on gratitude, I keep coming back to how much shifts when we look at what’s working instead of what’s missing. When we notice the...
info_outlineAs I mentioned in the last episode, I got an offer on my St. Augustine home. After completing the inspection process, we’ve come to an agreement, and I’ll be closing down the house at the end of July. While this move feels exciting, especially since I’m not exactly sure what’s next, the unknown can feel overwhelming too. This got me thinking about what it means to close a door in our life, especially when that door has brought so much joy, healing, and comfort.
Over the years, I’ve had to let go of things I loved, and it wasn’t always easy. Sometimes the things that once energized us start to feel misaligned, and even though we hesitate, we know in our hearts it’s time to move on. As I pack up this home that’s been such a sacred space, I’m reminded that clarity and new opportunity can surface when we stop lingering in what was and begin focusing on what’s possible now.
So on today’s Wise Walk, I thought we would slow down, check our reality, and explore the doors in our life that we are ready to close, whether they are emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual.
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Are there doors in your life you're ready to release so you can gain clarity and be fully present in what's possible now?
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Have you recently closed a door but still feel emotionally tied to it, and what would it take to truly move forward?
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Are you holding on to a joyful chapter that no longer serves you, and is it time to make peace and let it go?
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Can you let go emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually so new opportunities have space to appear?
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Which open doors in your life are draining your energy or focus, and are you ready to close them, for now?
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Can you identify which doors support your alignment and which are distracting you from your best stride?
Thank you so much for your support and for sharing your own journey of growth and change. Every time you reach out, you open doors for connection, reflection, and expansion.
I’d love to hear what resonated with you from today’s episode, and I hope you’ll join me for next Thursday’s Wise Walk.
In this episode:
[02:19] "When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." - Helen Keller
[03:17] Sometimes we can't be fully present with what's ahead, because we're still looking back.
[04:16] Letting go and transitioning from running to hiking and walking.
[06:00] I love the beautiful nature and scenery when I'm walking and hiking.
[08:00] My biggest takeaways are when one door closes, another one opens. It is this idea of using energy to focus on the present.
[09:44] I feel like this change I've been called to is about closing this door, so that a new door can open for me.
[10:06] I can easily get swept up with other people's needs. This may be distracting me from seeing where I need to be going.
[12:22] I have a friend who feels called to close some doors on some long-term relationships. The energies of the relationship dynamics are taking away what's possible for her.
[14:00] I'm an individual who embraces change. It somehow gives me an adrenaline rush. I seek out change after a certain period of time.
[17:23] Big takeaway for me is that I need to embrace change and have to let go of the past. I need to thank the past, so I can discover new opportunities. Also I can release some of the distractions and noise that have been swirling around with this big life change.
[18:27] Any door we close is forward movement, and I'm excited to be moving forward.
Memorable Quotes:
- “You want the doors that are open to you to be close and to be fulfilling and to really just help you move forward in that special and meaningful and aligned way.” - Mary Tess
- “Even when you can’t see what’s next, honoring your intuition and releasing distractions can bring the clarity you need.” - Mary Tess
- “What is meant for you will find you. It will not pass you by if you are open to it.” - Mary Tess
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