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 get ready to move out of my St. Augustine home, I’ve been thinking a lot about the value of our time and energy. I’ve been preparing for this transition by hiring movers, boxing things up, and letting go of what no longer serves me. This has given me a chance to notice where I’m spending my energy and whether it aligns with what matters most. Even a simple conversation with a mover helped reframe things for me. When he broke down the cost of their services by the minute, it really hit home how every minute counts. Not just in dollars, but in how we feel, what we carry, and what we choose to release.
In this week’s Wise Walk, we slow down and get real about the minute-to-minute choices we make. From relationships to routines to random clutter, everything we touch, physically or emotionally, takes a piece of our energy. Whether it’s a short but soul-filling trip to Tahoe or skipping a big party in favor of deeper connection, I’m leaning into decisions that feel true for me in this season.
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How often do you evaluate how you're investing your time, energy, resources, and money by the minute?
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When you consider that investment, does it feel worthwhile and aligned with what you value?
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Is your energy investment fueling you, or giving you a sense of safety, security, or peace of mind?
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How does your investment by the minute make you feel?
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What do you want to own by the minute, and what do you want to delegate to others?
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Looking at your life right now, how can you protect your energy by the minute?
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What are the things you need to say no to in this season of life?
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Are there experiences you want to engage in differently to honor your current energy?
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How can you create space for more quality connections instead of quantity?
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How can you hold space for your energy and your minute-by-minute investments?
Thanks for spending this time with me. I hope this episode got you thinking about where your energy goes and how to make each minute count.
I always love hearing your thoughts, so reach out and let me know how you're protecting your energy these days. Until next time, keep prioritizing fun as you read the signs and get your stride on.
In this episode:
[04:03] I moved multiple times in my life. I got used to hiring movers when I lived in Manhattan.
[05:43] I love the fact that I can hire help for this move, and I know what I want them to do and what I can do.
[06:34] I love this idea of what is our investment energy-wise or resource-wise, time-wise, by the minute?
[07:06] I'm getting ready to go on a trip to Tahoe to see my good friends. I know this will replenish me, and it's an investment in our relationship.
[08:50] We need to figure out what the "energy by the minute" is that makes sense for us.
[10:47] It's important for me to have quality connections.
[13:18] You can also look at this as an investment in things. These things occupy precious space in my life so I'm letting a lot of them go.
[14:10] How many times do we touch something in our life where it was worth our "energy by the minute"?
Memorable Quotes:
- “Sometimes, the investment itself is the education. You don’t know what’s worth your energy until you’ve experienced it.” - Mary Tess
- “Every object we hold onto takes up space either physically or emotionally. If it doesn’t serve you, why keep touching it?” - Mary Tess
- “You have to figure out what is the ‘energy by the minute' that makes sense for you. What feels aligned in your heart, in your body, in your mind, and in your soul?” - Mary Tess
- “Moving is so stressful and so I rely on professionals to help me manage the things in my home that I want to preserve.” Mary Tess
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