Mary Tess Rooney, Author at Mary Tess Rooney

EP159: Detour Worthy

Naturally, you could feel that having a direct path to your goals would be nice, but what about the times it’s not? Most people don’t mind taking the long way if it means fulfilling the end goal. Is there a goal in your life that’s worth a longer journey? This episode talks about finding what’s detour worthy.

Good news: I’m home from the hospital! There were a couple rough days. I encountered a few challenges where I needed to self-advocate in the middle of trying to focus on recovering. We may go on a Wise Walk about that topic later, but what’s on my mind today is the power of detours when we choose to take them.

I’m here to spend quality solo time with you for EP159’s Wise Walk as we discover our True Stride. Choosing a detour could be the best option for you when you realize it supports your overall well-being. There really are times where a detour is what you need, so the actual concern is about knowing which detours are worthy versus the detours you can ignore.

On our Wise Walk, I talk about figuring out what experiences and which relationships are detour worthy. It depends on what you define as worthy and weighing the effort you think you can handle. Come with me as we reflect on these Wise Walk questions:

- What detours in your life are you choosing to take?
- What detours support your overall goals?
- Are you aware of those detour worthy moments in your life?
- Do you make time for the experiences that light you up?
- Can you plan a new experience that’s important and supportive for you?

Striders, you are detour worthy as far as I’m concerned.

It’s okay to explore the more scenic or more supportive detour of your overall journey. Choose your detour worthy route with these Wise Walk questions:

- Who are the people in your life that are detour worthy?
- If you need support, can you be honest and ask for help?
- Can you embrace who is willing to show up for you?

Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow and review the True Stride podcast as we continue to exchange our light and Heart Value with each other.

In this episode:

[00:23] – Welcome to the show!

[02:45] – Mary Tess shares how she determines what’s detour worthy in her life.

[05:34] – Do you make time for the experiences that light you up?

[07:47] – Mary Tess recalls this funny habit of spontaneous detours with her mom.

[10:40] – Are there people in your life that are detour worthy?

[12:29] – “I am detour worthy.”

[15:28] – “In every crisis, there is the opportunity to grow together.”

[17:12] – Thank you for listening!

Memorable Quotes:

“In every crisis, there is the opportunity to grow together.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

EP158: Surrender & Receive

You can have a lot more help if you’re ready to ask for it. You’d be surprised how willing people are to show up for you. This episode talks about learning to surrender and receive.

In full transparency, I think this episode might be a little different. Tomorrow morning I am going to be admitted to the hospital. It took me some time to surrender to the idea of being admitted for 4-5 days, and I want to share how empowering a sense of surrender can be for our True Stride.

I’m here to spend quality solo time with you for EP158’s Wise Walk as we discover our True Stride. When speaking with the doctor, most of my thoughts were on managing the responsibilities and commitments in my life, like my pups and Striders. However, I reached out for support and people are showing up wonderfully. I’m going to the hospital with peace of mind knowing that I’m prioritizing my health and will show up much stronger for these relationships.

On our Wise Walk, I talk about allowing surrender and being open to receiving support. Sometimes we overthink situations, and removing obstacles that hold us back can help us fully surrender. Come with me as we reflect on these Wise Walk questions:

- What do we need to surrender in order to be fully present?
- What’s holding us back from dealing with our #1 priority?
- What opportunities are available to us once we surrender?
- Is there a big decision in your life that you are grappling with right now, and do you feel resistance?
- Is the resistance physical or emotional?
- What is the resistance about?
- Is it an obstacle you can accept or make peace with?
- Can you notice what becomes available when you address that obstacle?

Find ways to stay open for what flows to and through you from surrender. This allows you to gain a wealth of resources and move forward with an open heart.

Be vulnerable enough to seek new solutions. Empower your surrender with these Wise Walk questions:

- Are there areas in your life where you’re leaning into your ego or not asking for help?
- Can you surrender your ego?
- Where in your life is there an opportunity for you to ask for help?
- As you ask for help, can you be open to how people are able to show up?
- Where in life can you benefit from expert help?
- Are you open to expert help?
- Can you see this surrender as an investment in yourself?

Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow and review the True Stride podcast as we continue to exchange our light and Heart Value with each other.

In this episode:

[00:23] – Welcome to the show!

[02:43] – What’s holding us back from dealing with our #1 priority?

[05:17] – Mary Tess shares how her community is stepping up as she prepares for the hospital.

[08:02] – Surrender the part of you that doesn’t like to ask for help. PART 1

[10:32] – Surrender the part of you that doesn’t like to ask for help. PART 2

[12:56] – Be open and inquisitive in communicating your needs and letting people show up for you.

[15:18] – Are you open to expert help?

[16:59] – Thank you for listening!

Memorable Quotes:

“All of us need help from time to time.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

EP157: Embrace Your Anomalies

No two people are the same, so of course, our traits and experiences are slightly different from each other too. What makes this interesting is that we all have something that makes us rare. This episode talks about embracing your anomalies.

In 1998, I was living in California, training for an Alaska Anchorage marathon. My physical fitness was in top shape at the time. I had just finished a 20-mile long training run from San Francisco to Tiburon. I was actively playing soccer while training with the Leukemia Society’s marathon TNT team. My Leukemia Society coaches warned me to stop playing soccer, but I didn’t listen to their advice. Not long after, I experienced an injury that was a super rare fracture.

I’m here to spend quality solo time with you for EP157’s Wise Walk as we discover our True Stride. I had to go to multiple doctors to have a few opinions. Turns out the fracture was so rare that many medical professionals had zero experience with this type of injury. Luckily, I found one doctor who had one isolated case. I’m happy it turned out well, and actually, it reminded me that this doctor and I are people who share this unique one in a million experience.

On our Wise Walk, I talk about embracing your anomalies. We all have rare experiences in one form or another that shape what we consider to be our own normal. Come with me as we reflect on these Wise Walk questions:

- Where in your life are you unique and can see the beauty of it?
- Do you have rare behaviors or habits?
- Can you own your extraordinary anomaly?
- As you look at your unique traits, do you know the baseline for your specific experience?
- Can you get more clarity around your norms?
- Can you accept your norm and gather the support you need?

Always feeling like an outlier can be uncomfortable until you learn the importance of defining and communicating your norm.

Recognize your own unique experiences to create your own baseline. Embrace your uniqueness with these Wise Walk questions:

- How can you shift to a better norm if you don’t feel your best?
- Where in your life are you defying what’s considered “normal” by most standards?
- Do you take time to appreciate or honor the anomalies in your life?
- Can you be supportive of other people’s unique traits?
- Can you encourage others to step into their rare experiences?

Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow and review the True Stride podcast as we continue to exchange our light and Heart Value with each other.

In this episode:

[00:23] – Welcome to the show!

[03:18] – Do you have rare behaviors or habits?

[05:50] – Mary Tess talks about the importance of defining and communicating YOUR norm.

[08:03] – Can you get more clarity around your norms?

[09:40] – Mary Tess talks about finding what works for you.

[11:40] – “Wow, I didn’t know that was possible.”

[14:31] – Thank you for listening!

Memorable Quotes:

“Each of us is unique in so many ways.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

EP156: Signs, Needs & Actions

“HEADS UP!” If you heard this from any direction, you’d immediately be on alert. You respond quickly to signs that seem loud or urgent, but there are quieter and seemingly neutral signs that call for just as much attention. This episode talks about signs, needs, and actions.

I recently saw a video where two brothers were interacting with each other. The two are toddlers and the younger brother is upset about something while the older brother tries to figure it out. The younger isn’t saying exactly what’s wrong, so the older brother is observing the situation. In the end, the brothers came to a good conclusion since the older brother asked questions about what the younger brother needed.

I’m here to spend quality solo time with you for EP156’s Wise Walk as we discover our True Stride. In the interaction of the two brothers, the older brother’s attention to his younger brother’s needs helped him understand how to show up as someone who cares. The video was a sweet and short reminder of being curious about how we can support each other’s needs and our own.

On our Wise Walk, I talk about signs, needs, and actions. You decide what gets your attention and what doesn’t. It’s helpful if you give attention to signs that guide you towards alignment. Come with me as we reflect on these Wise Walk questions:

- What signs are showing up in your life right now?
- Do you understand the root cause of your needs?
- Are you taking action to support your needs?

Once you recognize a sign, and take action, it may take you on a new journey. Sometimes the results we get change life in beautifully unexpected ways.

Give yourself a moment to notice the signs around you. Understand how the signs are guiding you with these Wise Walk questions:

- Do you understand the signs that are appearing in front of you?

Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow and review the True Stride podcast as we continue to exchange our light and Heart Value with each other.

In this episode:

[00:23] – Welcome to the show!

[03:20] – Mary Tess talks about paying attention to the signs and being proactive.

[05:51] – Not all signs look the way we expect them to.

[08:32] – Signs appear to us for a reason, but do we understand them?

[11:32] – Sometimes the results we get change life in beautifully unexpected ways.

[13:36] – “This is the new me!”

[16:12] – Thank you for listening!

Memorable Quotes:

“I want to be my best self not just here in the present, but for my future self.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

EP155: Relationship Rides & Intuition

Communication involves energy, especially in dynamics where you don’t speak. Learning to communicate within a dynamic can change the level of trust everyone develops. This episode talks about relationship rides and intuition.

If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a little while, you know that I love horses. I started taking lessons a few years ago, and I’ve been riding on and off. These days I’m comfortable with my skill set. Each time I interact with the beautiful horses, I learn something new about myself.

I’m here to spend quality solo time with you for EP155’s Wise Walk as we discover our True Stride. Anytime I work with a new horse, I go into it knowing we have to build trust in this relationship. Horses have a heightened sense of intuition to help them survive, so there is a period of getting to know each other. It almost feels like I’m being held accountable for my energy as I interact with them.

On our Wise Walk, I talk about relationship rides and intuition. Each participant brings an energy into the dynamic, and it helps to be mindful of how that energy shows up. Come with me as we reflect on these Wise Walk questions:

- How are you showing up to your different relationships?
- Are you using your intuition?
- If you are using your intuition, do you hold yourself accountable for the energy you bring to the dynamic?
- Do you take time to ask questions when a dynamic feels off?
- If you’re energy is off, can you communicate where you’re at clearly?

If something in a dynamic feels off, trust your intuition to ask questions. You can open a conversation to uncover what’s possibly happening.

Let’s be open to remaining fully present and communicating in relationships. Trust your feelings and communicate clearly with these Wise Walk questions:

- What types of relationship rides are you seeking and inviting into your life?
- As you show up in that relationship, do you keep an open heart for honest communication?
- Are all participants in the dynamic listening to each other?
- As you get in alignment, are you acknowledging the good of keeping open communication?

Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow and review the True Stride podcast as we continue to exchange our light and Heart Value with each other.

In this episode:

[00:23] – Welcome to the show!

[02:14] – How are you showing up to your different relationships in life?

[04:32] – Mary Tess talks about when dynamics start to shift in relationships.

[07:21] – Do you take time to ask questions when a dynamic feels off?

[09:23] – Trust is essential in relationships.

[11:44] – Mary Tess talks about figuring out new ways to communicate when dealing with different dynamics.

[14:24] – Thank you for listening!

Memorable Quotes:

“All relationships are this give and take. We have to trust our feelings. We have to be willing to read the situation with an open heart and open mind.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

EP154: Explore Your Reactions

Situations throughout life can stir a reaction from people. It could be a pleasant or unpleasant experience, but how you respond to your own reaction is more important. This episode talks about exploring your reactions.

Last week, I had a lot of dental work so the dentist gave me numbing agents while there. As I was sitting in the chair, my heart started pounding, my hands were shaky, and I felt like I was freezing. I had a reaction to what was administered, and I didn’t know why until I looked into it later, finding out the exact agent that doesn’t work well with my body. Now, I know to check for it the next time I go to the dentist.

I’m here to spend quality solo time with you for EP154’s Wise Walk as we discover our True Stride. What was interesting was that the dentist originally asked me if the reaction I had was from anxiety or something similar. It wasn’t, it was physical. Still, emotions can cause strong reactions from us, so I started thinking of how reactions show up differently in our daily lives.

On our Wise Walk, I talk about exploring your reactions. Exploring your reactions includes recognizing where the triggers and reactions exist. Come with me as we reflect on these Wise Walk questions:

- When you feel yourself having a reaction, do you slow down to ask yourself questions about the reaction?
- Do you know what’s triggering you or what brought the trigger in?
- Do you trust that you recognize triggers and reactions?
- Can you share and communicate what support you need?

As you work on your reactions, you’ll notice they can be healed or managed. You can step into your personal power to face your reactions and responses.

“You can come to your own rescue.” Explore your reactions with these Wise Walk questions:

- Can you be honest about if you’re reacting to something in your present or from your past?
- Can you describe what you’re feeling?
- Can you approach your reactions and triggers from a place of self love?
- Are you open to exploring your responses?
- What will help your body heal from the reaction so you can be your best self?
- Do you distance yourself from anything?
- Can you identify the real issue behind your reactions?

Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow and review the True Stride podcast as we continue to exchange our light and Heart Value with each other.

In this episode:

[00:23] – Welcome to the show!

[02:00] – Do you trust that you recognize triggers and reactions?

[04:13] – Mary Tess talks about her journey of getting more focused on bodily health.

[06:37] – Mary Tess talks about emotional reactions and emotional triggers.

[09:02] – Use self-love to get curious about understanding yourself.

[11:54] – Are you open to exploring your responses?

[14:38] – Thank you for listening!

Memorable Quotes:

“Just get curious.” – Mary Tess
“You can come to your own rescue.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

EP153: Celebration of YOU

Inside of you is a unique purpose and Heart Value that helps this world stay bright. Please celebrate YOU, your gifts, your contributions and your evolution towards what your life’s purpose means to you. This episode talks about setting intentions to honor and celebrate YOU.

My birthday, August 31, is a time of great reflection for me. I spend time looking ahead and thinking about what intentions I’m going to set so that I can show up and be my best self. Not only for myself, but I want to show up for all the people that I choose to surround myself with, including Striders.

I’m here to spend quality solo time with you for EP153’s Wise Walk as we discover our True Stride. I want to do this year’s reflections as a two-part episode so we can have this experience together. Last week, we focused on looking back at the previous year. Today, we’ll ask ourselves about the upcoming year and our intentions to show up as our best self.

On our Wise Walk, I talk about the celebration of YOU. We can decide how to move forward so we become more of who we are and who we’re meant to be. Come with me as we reflect on these Wise Walk questions:

- Do you acknowledge that you are a miracle?
- Do you take time to celebrate yourself?
- Can you set a new intention for the upcoming 12 months?
- How do you want to show up?
- Who is it you want to be?
- How can you stay grounded in your calling?
- What examples can you find for yourself to stand in your power?

You deserve to be celebrated and honored. You were born for a reason and the universe is excited for what you have to offer.

Honor your existence for the miracle that it is. Step into inspired action with these Wise Walk questions:

- What questions can you ask yourself to stay grounded?
- As you feel your way through the questions, what inspired actions will you take to be aligned with your intentions?
- Are you willing to acknowledge that there is only one you?
- Will you share your celebration and intentions with others?

Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow and review the True Stride podcast as we continue to exchange our light and Heart Value with each other.

In this episode:

[00:23] – Welcome to the show!

[02:08] – Do you acknowledge that you are a miracle?

[04:40] – The universe is excited to welcome what you have to offer.

[07:19] – “That’s a big question.”

[08:54] – Appreciate your pursuit of your life’s purpose.

[11:33] – Mary Tess explains how vulnerability is part of her intention to be bold.

[14:25] – Mary Tess talks about asking yourself hard questions to live a more intentional life.

[17:07] – Be brave enough to put yourself out there and live your purpose.

[19:27] – Mary Tess answers a Strider’s question while talking about celebrating birthdays.

[22:17] – “You have value.”

[24:33] – Surround yourself with as much love as you can.

[27:32] – Are you willing to acknowledge that there is only one you?

[29:32] – Thank you for listening!

Memorable Quotes:

“I want to boldly stand out to those that really matter in my life.” – Mary Tess
“Each of us entered this earth on our birthday with a unique life’s purpose, gifts, and abilities that are miraculous.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

EP152: Past Year Reflections

Time is always moving. From year to year, what has changed the most for you? This episode talks about past year reflections.

Next week, August 31 marks the day a healthy and happy 10 lb 13 oz baby girl was born… that was me. Every time my bday comes around, I get very introspective about the past year I lived. I also start to think about the year to come. It helps me hold myself accountable to wonder if I’m living intentionally, what are the big developments I made, and what do I need to change.

I’m here to spend quality solo time with you for EP152’s Wise Walk as we discover our True Stride. I want to do this year’s reflections as a two-part episode so we can have this experience together. Today, we’ll ask ourselves about the past year and where we’ve been. Next week, we’ll look at intentions for the next year and what that looks like in action.

On our Wise Walk, I talk about reflecting on how we showed up for the past year. We can rewrite our story at any given time, but we should know where we came from so we can make more aligned choices going forward. Come with me as we reflect on these Wise Walk questions:

- As you review the past 12 months of your life, do you feel younger or older than your age?
- Are you taking care of yourself so you can be your best self at any age?
- What else in life are you nurturing: your relationships, your profession, your education, or your interests?
- Do you see examples from the past year of time you nurtured yourself well?

Regardless of the years gone by, my birthday has always represented a moment for me to take stock of who I am, where I wanna go, and what I truly feel called to do in life.

Reflect on what you’ve learned this past year so you can confidently step back into your power for the next chapter. Prepare to move beyond this year with these Wise Walk questions:

- Are there things you need to let go of to be your best self?
- What are ways you can incorporate fun into your life?
- How are you getting creative to show up for yourself and others?
- As you think about the past 12 months, what has surprised you the most?
- As you think about that surprise, what lessons has it taught you?
- What makes those moments memorable?
- How are you reclaiming your power?

Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow and review the True Stride podcast as we continue to exchange our light and Heart Value with each other.

In this episode:

[00:23] – Welcome to the show!

[02:20] – Mary Tess explains how this two part episode series will play out.

[05:24] – What age does Mary Tess feel?

[07:52] – When you take care of yourself, you have more energy to live intentionally.

[09:09] – Mary Tess talks about being adventurous the past year by going out more and trying new experiences.

[11:58] – Mary Tess shares a big lesson she learned every time she spoke her truth.

[14:46] – As you think about the past 12 months, what has surprised you the most?

[16:36] – Thank you for listening!

Memorable Quotes:

“We should be able to be ourselves and be with people who love and support us.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources: