Libsyn Directory

EP279: How Love and Impact Live On

Release Date: 01/29/2026

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

More Episodes

This episode is a reflection on that truth that love and impact don’t disappear when someone is gone. They continue through memory, through values, through the ways we show up for others because of what we were given or what we received. On today’s Wise Walk, I invite you to slow down with me and reflect on the people you’ve loved and lost, and consider how their presence still guides you, shapes you, and lives on through you.

As you reflect on the loved ones you have lost, how does their love and impact continue to live on in you today?
In what ways were they a role model for you, and which of their qualities are you consciously choosing to carry forward for yourself or the next generation?
What messages do you still receive from them, and how do you notice their guidance when you are at a crossroads or facing an important decision?
What stories from your past bring their presence alive, and how can you retell those stories so others can appreciate how they lived, showed up, and influenced you?
Is there someone in your life who has recently experienced a loss, and how might you invite them to share a meaningful story about the person or animal they loved?
If you are unsure what to ask, what real-life challenge could you share while inviting their loved one’s wisdom through a question like, what advice do you think they would offer me now?
What other ways come to mind for helping someone you care about honor a memory and keep it alive through conversation, curiosity, or shared reflection?
How are you showing up and leading by example for the people you interact with each day?
In what ways is your love and impact staying with others, long after the moment has passed?
How are you mentoring others and sharing your wisdom from a place of openness, authenticity, and unconditional care?
How are you living your values in a way that inspires others to find their passions, live by what matters most to them, and step into their highest and best self?

I hope that whatever you and your loved ones are going through, that you have the ability to start looking at the love and impact around you, both living and passed on. Cherish it, because that's what this is all about.

As always, I would love to hear what you took away from today's episode, so feel free to reach out and tune in next Thursday for another Wise Walk.

In this episode:

[02:59] There's a saying that we die twice. The first time is when we physically die, and the last time is when people stop saying your name or the memory of your spirit and impact dies.
[04:00] I'm grateful we get to keep memories alive by holding our loved ones in our hearts, sharing what we learned from them, and continuing values and traditions they impressed upon us.
[05:02] My loved ones are mentors that have kept me grounded and kept me in check. I love the acceptance and willingness to be vulnerable with each other.
[06:04] My friend's dad recently passed, and she's been sharing stories about her connection with him. We have the ability to keep each other's loved ones' memories alive by being curious.
[08:09] I asked my new friend a question about her father, and she started telling me stories about his time in the Navy. He respected rank, but he wasn't afraid to put his foot down and even told an Admiral why something wouldn't work.
[09:12] It was wonderful to hear her voice light up when she shared a story about her father who showed up and was able to lead by example.
[10:15] When I reflect on the love and impact of my loved ones, I think of their magical confidence and how they led by example.
[11:29] The lesson my uncle was trying to teach me is if you have self-belief anything is possible.
[12:02] I hope I can instill love and impact in others. The beautiful thing about loss is that you take stock of what you have.
[13:38] The other big takeaway is how each of us have the ability to make each other feel special. Feeling seen, heard, and understood is impactful and carries legacy.
[14:29] There is no direct path for healing from grief. If you are experiencing any grief, any loss, just know that you have love and support even in the Striders community and it takes as long as it takes.
[15:05] Show up and be curious and caring for those that you care about.
[16:03] I'm going to approach the services of Aunt Ronnie with the mindset of looking around the room and gathering stories about how her love and impact touched so many.

Memorable Quotes:

- “I'm grateful for the fact that we get to keep the memory of whoever we cherish alive by talking about them, by holding them in our heart, and sharing what we learned from them.” - Mary Tess
- “My loved ones have served as mentors, both when they were here in this earthly presence, and they continue to do so, because I can still hear their voices in my head.” - Mary Tess
- “One of the things that I cherish about some of the loved ones that I have in my life is this acceptance and willingness to be vulnerable with each other. When we do that, we can learn from each other.” - Mary Tess
- “We're not striving for perfection. We're striving for being authentic, for really stepping into our own power and just loving and having positive influence in each other's lives.” - Mary Tess

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