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_outlineWe just spent a wonderful five days in Flagstaff, Arizona, and things were beautiful, including the weather. I was so excited to escape the Florida heat, pack up the van, and take the dogs out on some beautiful hikes. But the second we rolled in, the altitude made itself known. I was winded just walking to the trailhead, and the dogs looked at me like, what’s your problem, mom? Even the bag of chips I brought along puffed up like it was ready to pop, which cracked me up because it felt like the universe was saying, “yep, everything’s under pressure up here.”
Instead of charging ahead like I planned, I had to back off. We took shorter hikes, stopped more often, and drank water like it was our full-time job. I had this vision of big adventure days, but once I stopped fighting it, I noticed the little things. One pup, Trooper, bounding over rocks like a champ, the other, Cali, carefully navigating her way around them, and me realizing maybe I don’t always have to be in go-mode to enjoy myself. Slowing down wasn’t what I pictured, but it actually made the trip better.
That’s what today’s Wise Walk is about. It’s those times when life forces you to downshift, and how the pause can end up being exactly what you needed all along.
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- Where in your life are you experiencing high intensity times?
- Are you juggling so much that you’re just trying not to drop anything?
- When you’re in go-mode, are you remembering to retreat and rest?
- Are you giving your body time to adjust instead of pushing through?
- Where are you pushing yourself harder than feels sustainable?
- What does it look like for you to take a reprieve from demands?
- How can you create moments of stillness to check in with yourself?
- Are you nurturing your heart, mind, body, and spirit with what they need?
- Are you remembering that high intensity modes are temporary?
- Where can you build in time to rest and restore before the next push?
- Are you aware when you’ve slipped into high intensity mode?
- Can you pause long enough to say, “this is not sustainable”?
- What helps you balance intensity with stillness?
- How do you allow yourself to recharge after a big effort?
- What practices help you feel grounded in the middle of chaos?
- Where in your life can you retreat or slow down right now?
- What shifts when you notice your surroundings with fresh eyes?
- How can you meander without purpose and still find perspective?
- Where have you gained clarity by stepping back?
- How can you apply that clarity the next time intensity rises?
As always, I would love to hear what you took away from today's episode, so please feel free to reach out, and then I look forward to next Thursday's Wise Walk, so be sure to tune in, share this episode if it resonates with you, and until then, please be sure to prioritize fun as you read the signs, direct your path, and get your Stride On.
In this episode:
- [03:27] Previously I talked about flying into Reno to visit some friends in Tahoe, California, and I forgot about the elevation differences, and I did get altitude sickness on that trip.
- [04:10] Our bodies have to adjust. Everything has to adjust from the dogs to my bag of potato chips.
- [05:18] We allowed time to hydrate and let our bodies adjust. We didn't push ourselves to a point of exertion that would make us sick.
- [06:11] In those high intensity moments, it's hard to know the internal needs of our own bodies, minds, and hearts.
- [07:34] The dogs and I had a magical time in Flagstaff, Arizona. We did some intense hiking and then slept hard.
- [08:49] Periods of exertion are healthy.
- [11:12] I also saw this idea come to life driving from Flagstaff, Arizona to Sedona, Arizona. There were swerving roads and hills and driving was a high intensity moment.
- [13:50] Life is like that when you have those high intensity moments. I was gripping the wheel and then when I got to the other side I could just breathe.
- [14:39] High intensity moments are just life, and I need to balance them out with time to decompress.
- [15:58] This awareness has reminded me that I need to create space to get out of my own environment.
- [17:11] On my trip to Ireland, I was able to get out of my environment, and it's the same for this trip.
- [19:39] The other big gift this trip has given me is perspective from seeing the contrast in my life from intense to recovery.
Memorable Quotes:
- “We can do high intensity as long as we balance that with some downtime, some downshifting, some restorative time.” - Mary Tess
- “We don’t have to live in go-mode all the time. Downshifting is how we keep moving forward with joy.” - Mary Tess
- “Rest doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. It means you’re preparing for the next climb.” - Mary Tess
Links and Resources: