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 the year winds down and the holidays approach, I feel a quiet pull to lighten my load. November always feels like a bridge between what’s been and what’s next, and I’ve been asking myself what I can release before stepping into a new season. There’s something deeply satisfying about clearing space, whether that’s finishing something I’ve been avoiding, resolving an annoyance that’s been draining me, or simply letting go of the pressure to do it all.
In this episode, I share how discernment helps me emerge better. It’s so easy to carry unnecessary weight like chasing perfection or holding onto small frustrations that siphon energy from what truly matters. From everyday logistics, like finally sorting out an insurance issue, to bigger lessons about trusting myself as a student and letting my work be imperfect, I’m learning that ease arrives through acceptance, not over-effort. Living simply in Joshua Tree keeps reinforcing that peace doesn’t come from adding more. It comes from doing less, more intentionally.
I’m also noticing how this applies to relationships. Some connections feel light and energizing while others carry worry or judgment that isn’t mine to hold. Giving those spaces room to breathe feels like a gift to both sides. On this Wise Walk, I invite you to reflect on where your energy goes, what no longer fits, and how to lovingly set it down, so you can step forward with clarity, ease, and a little more spaciousness.
- As you think about what’s weighing on you right now, what do you want to tackle and what can you release to set yourself up for success next year?
- What feels heavy on your heart or impossible to complete, and what would make you feel proud to finish before the year ends?
- Are there things that feel heavy but don’t truly need to get done, and can you give yourself permission to release them?
- Will you take time to journal and hold space for the idea of unburdening yourself?
- As you take yourself on a Wise Walk, are there areas in your mental or emotional life where you could unburden yourself?
- What thoughts, worries, or energetic weights are not serving you anymore?
- Can you let them go, or deal with them now so they don’t follow you into the new year?
- When you think about your physical environment and your calendar, what feels heavy or unnecessary?
- Is there something you’ve always done out of habit that doesn’t matter as much anymore?
- What can you lovingly say no to in order to support your well-being and make space for creativity and rest?
- Can you say yes to more of what truly nourishes you and let go of the things that no longer resonate?
- As you reflect on relationships that feel a little heavy right now, which ones might you release from constant engagement because there’s a disconnect or energetic misalignment?
- Can you make peace with that, knowing it doesn’t have to be forever?
- Maybe the relationship will shift, or maybe it won’t—but can you allow yourself to let go, trust the season you’re in, and free up space for what feels aligned?
I’m so grateful for this space we share and for every Strider who walks alongside me. Five years in, it still amazes me how light and energizing our Wise Walks feel, and how this community continues to grow. Your support truly fuels me.
So please, keep reaching out and letting me know what resonates. You never burden me; you remind me why this journey matters. As we move through the rest of this year, may we keep releasing what doesn’t serve us and make room for more of what does. I can’t wait to walk with you again next Thursday.
In this episode:
- [03:00] The three main areas I need to unburden are mental and emotional space, physical environment, and relationships.
- [04:18] I need to take care of an auto insurance issue that is weighing on me and work on my perfectionism.
- [05:17] My perfectionism made me want to rerecord audio I created for my shamanic Reiki. I realized there was no need other than my perfectionism to redo the whole thing.
- [06:18] I was proud of myself for making the choice to unburden myself.
- [07:33] I also needed to unburden my physical and environmental calendar. Managing clutter is a priority, especially in my 300 square foot casita in Joshua Tree. There are also dust issues in the desert.
- [09:24] I have a favorite quote that focuses on doing less of what doesn't matter.
- [11:08] I love the idea of being mindful about what we can unburden and have less in our life of what doesn't matter.
- [13:39] The last category I've been reflecting on unburdening is relationships. I'm meeting new people and trying to balance spending time with new people and those that I already love.
- [14:36] I want to discern who is supporting me.
- [17:16] I am so grateful for you. Our relationship and going on Wise Walks together feel so light and energizing.
Memorable Quotes:
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- “Discernment is the quiet courage to say no when something no longer feels aligned.” - Mary Tess
- “Every time you clear what feels heavy, you create room for joy to return.” - Mary Tess
- “Sometimes the most powerful step forward is the one that frees us from what we no longer need to carry.” - Mary Tess
Links and Resources: