Your value is an accrual of experiences! Embrace the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright complicated to awaken your joy!
– Mary Tess Rooney
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Free Resource: Feel-Choose-Act Amplifier
Heart Value Practice
If you feel disconnected from your heart’s calling or confused about what lights you up, I have a valuable gift for you!
EP58: What Lights You Up with Ryan Cwick
What if you release the idea that you had for the life that you or others expected for yourself? Doing what lights you up will conquer any expectations without even meaning to and is ultimately the best way to be kind to yourself.
Ryan Cwick, our guest for EP58’s Wise Walk, likes to take on the world with the intention of spreading love and kindness. He doesn’t back down from a challenge, and I admire how he views the world. We both share the mindset that it’s important to do what lights you up.
On our Wise Walk, Ryan and I talk about how a shock in life provides freedom to explore something new. Why there is not an optimal sequence to life, and how to recreate life at any point. We discuss the balance of giving to others and giving to yourself.
We share our thoughts and create space for you to reflect on these Wise Walk questions and more:
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- Where can you shock yourself so you can fully connect to experiences that light you up?
- In what ways can you offer help or give on a day-to-day basis?
- If you give up something (because it no longer makes your heart happy), what will you choose instead to align with what will light you up?
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On the True Stride podcast, we take a Wise Walk to slow down and check our reality. True Stride is that feeling you get when you’re aligned in your heart with all that you do, and you feel energized and happy with each and every step that you take. I’m your host, Mary Tess Rooney, and I connect with Ryan Cwick on this episode. You definitely want to listen!!
Ryan Cwick says he fulfilled lots of odd jobs in his journey and stumbled into personal development. Ryan contributes to the world through his experiences as a travel enthusiast and an industrial engineer interested in solar energy. He operates as a Travel Coach through TripsWithCwick and gives back to communities by raising money through social media challenges. He organizes his spontaneous ideas into meaningful events that inspire change.
The things that light us up actually make an impact in the world, whether the impact is directly or indirectly connected to our efforts. Tune in to hear ways to:
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- Explore the thread of our True Stride through different aspects of life
- Intentionally follow our heart
- Break the norms and habits we grew accustomed to that no longer serve us
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Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow Ryan as he continues to spread his bright light and Heart Value with others.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[02:05] – Mary Tess talks about her thoughts on the feedback from Striders as everyone pursues their own path.
[04:04] – Ryan Cwick says that making others smile is what lights him up.
[05:50] – What led to Ryan’s sudden move across the country, and how did this move alter his life?
[07:51] – Ryan talks about the influence a series of miscellaneous jobs had on his perspective of communication and growth.
[09:53] – This social media challenge inspired Ryan to explore the intersection of work, interests, and service to others.
[12:15] – Ryan thinks it’s imperative for people to break the norms they are accustomed to in everyday life.
[14:16] – Mary Tess and Ryan discuss how having time to pause gives people space to explore and seek new things.
[16:00] – What happens when life doesn’t go as planned? Mary Tess speaks on her own personal experience of life taking a turn from what she once envisioned and how she chose to recreate life.
[17:44] – Enjoy the present while still challenging the next level of the future.
[19:54] – In the future, Ryan says he is looking to be more involved with the nonprofit and solar industries.
[21:50] – Ryan recalls the funny reason his third give-back Venmo challenge almost didn’t happen.
[24:16] – This moment made Ryan realize how he could amplify his impact with intention.
[27:02] – Ryan says the Venmo challenge is not about the dollar amount, but the way the challenge can be a symbol of hope.
[28:57] – How many challenges did Ryan complete thus far?
[31:35] – Ryan says he began to focus on providing value to others as he understood himself more and more.
[33:19] – Mary Tess and Ryan discuss the balance of giving to others and giving to yourself.
[36:06] – Ryan shares his favorite aspects of Heart Value by Mary Tess, such as action steps for awareness.
[38:09] – Mary Tess emphasizes the change she noticed once she found ways to implement insights she learned. Ryan points out the trap of ruminating on “How to do it”.
[40:46] – Listen to Ryan reminisce about his “Forrest Gump” challenge to raise money and highlight exercise.
[43:24] – Where did the Forrest Gump part come into play for Ryan’s challenge?
[46:18] – Look around and seek those moments where you can help or give.
[48:51] – Where can you shock yourself to give yourself the freedom to explore?
[51:27] – Ryan says seeing others spreading love and kindness brings him joy.
[53:05] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “When a stranger pays a kindness unexpectedly, there is something about that exchange of energy that charges you differently.” – Mary Tess
- “Once I turned that corner of when I was shocked, and I opened my awareness to everything that I was doing, it really focused me on doing more for others.” – Ryan
- “Not everything has to happen overnight. We set ourselves up for success so much more when we are kind to ourselves.” – Mary Tess
- “You see the stuff you do everyday without thinking about it. It’s so ingrained in you, you can’t see it. When you do see it, that might be a great opportunity to shock yourself and start doing something different.” – Ryan
Links and Resources:
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EP57: How to Drop into Your Heart with Joe Hawley
The key to shifting our energies, regardless of gender, is to honor our emotional and energetic vibrations so we evolve with our feelings (instead of ignoring or resisting them).
Joe Hawley, our guest for EP57’s Wise Walk, has inspired me for several years with his ability to follow his heart and stay open to the Universe’s signs and paths that call him. I even mentioned him in my book, HEART VALUE, because his brave example encouraged me during a time I needed it.
On the True Stride podcast, we take a Wise Walk to slow down and check our reality. True Stride is that feeling you get when you’re aligned in your heart with all that you do, and you feel energized and happy with each and every step that you take. I’m your host, Mary Tess Rooney, and I connect with Joe Hawley on this episode. You definitely want to listen!!
Joe Hawley brings value through his writing, speaking, coaching, and hosting the Quantum Coffee Podcast. He played Offensive Line in the NFL for 8 seasons with both the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Then in 2017, Joe walked away from football for a journey to self discovery. In 2020, he founded the Härt Collective, an online community and group coaching program for former athletes.
On our Wise Walk, Joe and I talk about releasing our “shoulds, ought-tos and what ifs,” and giving ourselves the “freedom to choose again.” We discuss how taking time for yourself nurtures you so that you have more to give this world.
Joe shares his insights and a tool to drop into your heart-center to gain awareness and support your nervous system. We share our thoughts on these questions and more:
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- What do you fear and how does that limit you?
- Where in your life are you settling for less, and as a result, feeling resistance?
- Do you have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset?
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We also explore how situations from a young age can affect our nervous system development, which influences how we interact and interpret the world. Tune in to hear ways to:
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- Fully express and release energy
- Identify unhealthy stored energy to prevent taking on other people’s experiences
- Courageously move forward to meet the magical experiences ahead
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Join this inspiring community to uncover a new sense of freedom, and be sure to follow Joe as he continues to spread his bright light and Heart Value with others.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[03:18] – Joe Hawley gives the bullet points of his journey to self discovery after being a professional athlete.
[06:06] – How does the Härt Collective flip the script on the topic of men’s emotional health?
[07:58] – Joe discusses the early development of the nervous system influencing how people interact and interpret the world.
[10:42] – Instead of externalizing our experience, drop-in by being in awareness through stillness.
[12:19] – Follow along as we slowly bring awareness into this present moment. PART 1: Happy Place.
[14:57] – Follow along as we slowly bring awareness into this present moment. PART 2: Facing Fear.
[16:43] – Joe says society would benefit from feeling more into the nervous system and developing tools to manage life in real time.
[19:00] – Feel from a place of abundance.
[21:38] – If you take time for yourself, you have more to give the world.
[24:20] – Notice what stories you are telling yourself, and notice the feelings around those stories.
[26:54] – When it comes to your comfort zone, it can slowly suffocate you. What does Joe suggest for expanding the comfort zone?
[28:52] – Joe talks about learning to reframe, lean-in more, and connect to somatic experiences.
[31:21] – Humans have an ability to choose how to perceive an experience. How can we become an observer?
[34:02] – Joe talks about not taking on other people’s experiences, and Mary Tess explores the mindfulness of lovingly releasing energy that’s not needed.
[36:34] – Joe encourages people to reflect on the “should” and “shouldn’t” labels they place in their life.
[38:30] – Joe shares a personal story of addressing his true internal feelings after settling for less.
[40:58] – Mary Tess and Joe discuss the calmer understanding of impermanence and a sense of urgency.
[43:34] – Mary Tess and Joe explain going through the risks and gaining the benefits that come from Expansion Experiences.
[46:08] – Joe reflects on how his family dynamics played into his romantic relationships.
[48:58] – What was the realization Joe gathered from his last romantic relationship?
[50:52] – Mary Tess discusses finding energetic equals as people progress through life.
[53:37] – Joe expresses his thoughts on the continual process of forging a path to new experiences.
[56:07] – Joe creates space for people to drop into their hearts and share their experiences.
[57:33] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “It takes deep work to heal past experiences that activate your nervous system in these unconscious ways. We all have our experiences of life that shape the lens in which we view reality.” – Joe
- “We know when we’re in our Stride, and we know when we’re not. So, how do we more consciously and intentionally appreciate those moments of True Stride and try to replicate them?” – Mary Tess
- “Impermanence is the only absolute truth I found in this life.” – Joe
- “I don’t believe anything is a failure. I believe it is designed to help us expand, and the added benefit of that on an emotional level is that when you encounter those moments of challenge, stress, or impact, you know that you want more for yourself.” – Mary Tess
Links and Resources:
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
EP56: What’s Possible in One Year with Leigh Farrow
What daily habits elevate your Joy Frequency? How can you cultivate authentic joy? The truth is that you have the freedom to choose, the freedom to choose again, and the power to connect with others in a circle of trust. Now is a good moment for a Wise Walk.
On the True Stride podcast, we take a Wise Walk to slow down and check our reality. True Stride is that feeling you get when you’re aligned in your heart with all that you do, and you feel energized and happy with each and every step that you take. I’m your host, Mary Tess Rooney, and I connect with Leigh Farrow on our Wise Walk for this guest episode.
Leigh Farrow contributes to the world with a leadership career spanning multibillion-dollar corporations in the media, advertising, and Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industries. Her experiences enable her to empower those around her with her writing and Animated Wisdom speaker series. Leigh is a super special guest that was here a year ago for episode 18 when launching her book “Leadership Nuts”. On our Wise Walk, Leigh and I share our thoughts on these questions and more:
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- Are you investing in your Value Vault?
- Are you voicing your value, and how is that supporting you in your day-to-day activities?
- Are you prioritizing fun in your day-to-day activities and elevating your Joy Frequency?
- Are you supporting yourself with a circle of trust that can nourish and encourage you?
- What’s the energy that you are transferring and receiving throughout your experiences that influence your heart-aligned actions?
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Leigh and I both resonate with the journey of publishing a book. Regardless of any challenges, we can celebrate the perseverance and vulnerability of completing a project. We found community in each other as we faced a similar journey. What lights you up is not always a lifelong commitment, but a period to continue to own your story, choices, and intentions. How are you choosing to voice your value?
Take a Wise Walk with us to uncover a new sense of freedom and explore what it looks like to move forward within an inspiring community.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[01:55] – Leigh talks about the parallels between Mary Tess’ creative story and her own journey.
[04:07] – Leigh shares about the 100-day project of a mosaic brick wall to get into a creative flow.
[06:01] – Regardless of any challenges, Mary Tess and Leigh can celebrate the perseverance and vulnerability of completing a project.
[08:45] – Leigh talks about how she connects to the idea of “voicing your value”.
[11:32] – Listen to Mary Tess explain why there is an emotional connection to “voicing your value”.
[14:08] – Learning to voice your value means you reclaim your power and cultivate a circle of trust.
[16:30] – Mary Tess and Leigh discuss why the Sun is a poetic example of trust. How can you tell if a relationship belongs in your circle of trust?
[18:37] – People have more freedom to choose than they realize. Mary candidly speaks about choosing to hold onto her intentions when navigating her author journey.
[20:12] – Mary Tess and Leigh tell personal stories of moments where they decide to “choose again” in the face of resistance.
[21:43] – How can you intentionally choose habits to elevate your Joy Frequency?
[24:42] – Mary Tess and Leigh discuss how to approach decisions around living an intentional life.
[27:11] – Are you mindful of the energy you bring to each step of your True Stride?
[29:26] – Despite the good intentions of others, remember to celebrate success on your own terms.
[32:02] – Make informed choices that are authentic and watch them unfold. Listen to Leigh explain the power of documenting your intentions.
[34:21] – Mary Tess shares time spent on creating a vision board for her book to illustrate her intentions.
[37:12] – Mary Tess talks about how Striders and guests fuel and inspire her growth as everyone walks on this adventure together.
[39:51] – Leigh describes how her book “Leadership Nuts” can benefit Striders, such as the 52 different topics that readers can leverage.
[43:47] – Mary Tess comments that “Leadership Nuts” can also be helpful with having a playful approach to fun and tough conversations.
[46:02] – Mary talks about Strider’s language and creating community around words to express our journey.
[47:48] – Join the book club experience! Mary dives into how the book club will give a more intimate experience.
[50:38] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “When you honor your value, you approach life with such a different lens.” – Leigh
- “I know that everybody goes about it differently; and there’s nothing wrong with anyone else’s strategies, or plans, or visions, but I do think it’s important for us to define success on our own terms. Honor it and see how it plays out” – Mary Tess
- “It’s so important to hold fast to what you see as your vision and to not let people deter you from it. You allow for input and you allow for commentary, but at some point, you also hold your hand up and say, ‘Okay. That was enough. I’ve got this. I feel good about this. I own whatever happens. It’s mine.’” – Leigh
- “Take heart-aligned action.” – Mary Tess
Links and Resources:
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
EP55: Ways to Herd Up and Face Your Storm with Tim Douglas
From the earliest signs of civilization, nature is observed and used as analogies to teach life lessons. A popular example is the analogy to the “storms” of life. Do you find yourself in the midst of a storm? How do you face your storms? Now is a good moment for a Wise Walk.
On the True Stride podcast, we take a Wise Walk to slow down and check our reality. True Stride is that feeling you get when you’re aligned in your heart with all that you do, and you feel energized and happy with each and every step that you take. I’m your host, Mary Tess Rooney, and I connect with Tim Douglas on our Wise Walk for this guest episode.
Tim Douglas talks about finding the inspired way, which shares the same name as his podcast The Inspired Way. Tim comes from a background in civil engineering. After 30+ years in the field, a mentor recognized he had excellent people skills and suggested he work with people instead. Tim took that opportunity to shift his efforts to more people-centric work. On our Wise Walk, Tim and I share our thoughts on these questions and more:
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- What did you learn from your toughest storm?
- Are you coming from a perspective of accountability or victim?
- How to channel the impact within ourselves?
- What experiences in your life do you view as a failure that actually are an investment in your Value Vault?
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Tim helps everyone assess what it means to face your storms and face yourself. A key step in facing any storm is having clarity about how you want to show up in the world. Mary Tess and Tim discuss why your collection of life experiences ultimately serve as an addition to your Value Vault by becoming knowledge equity.
Take a Wise Walk with us to uncover a new sense of freedom and explore what it looks like to move forward within an inspiring community.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[02:40] – Tim Douglas shares reflections on his career transitions, even after 30+ years in a specific industry.
[05:29] – Tim describes the inspiration for the analogy that he uses in how he helps his clients face challenges.
[08:08] – Face your storms, so you can look back and appreciate that time in a new light. Tim shares a time where he faced his own storm in acceptance, despite feeling fear.
[10:22] – Listen to Tim explain a method to gain clarity on deciding how to show up in the world.
[12:30] – Mary Tess talks about using wonderment to shift tense team meetings into positive outcomes and finding common ground.
[14:32] – Tim poses the question: How do you want the world to treat you when you’re in their presence?
[16:36] – Take time to wonder what lesson you can take from your storms.
[19:30] – Tim talks about how our experience is influenced by the three parts of the soul. He speaks from his own reflections of a situation in the past.
[21:38] – It can be easy to walk away from a storm, but is walking away worth it?
[23:19] – Mary Tess shares why the collection of experiences ultimately serve as an addition to your Value Vault. Are you coming from a perspective of accountability or victim?
[25:50] – Empathy is about putting yourself in the path of another person’s story.
[27:49] – How does the story of empathy change when you identify as an empath? Mary Tess talks about maintaining energetic boundaries.
[29:34] – Tim expresses his thoughts about being observant of the energy around you and when to comment on an energy shift.
[32:45] – If we all took the time to lead with our heart instead of lead with our head, then we would have very different emotional conversations. [The emotions that may appear on the surface aren’t always the full story.]
[34:45] – Here are the questions Tim encourages you to ask yourself to really lock in the crucial lessons of this conversation.
[37:38] – If you have a habit you are trying to change, Tim advises that you try this internal hack.
[40:03] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “If we all took the time to lead with our heart instead of lead with our head, then we would have very different emotional conversations or we would show up differently.” – Mary Tess
- “The more that we do difficult things. The easier they will become.” – Tim
Links and Resources:
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EP54: How to Make a Profit Doing What You Love with Susanne Mariga
Investing in a business or project requires a full process with components and aspects that may exceed our original cost expectation. You never know what you’re fully getting into until you walk through the experience. How can entrepreneurs stabilize life, business, and abundance? Now is a good moment for a Wise Walk.
On the True Stride podcast, we take a Wise Walk to slow down and check our reality. True Stride is that feeling you get when you’re aligned in your heart with all that you do, and you feel energized and happy with each and every step that you take. I’m your host, Mary Tess Rooney, and I connect with Susanne Mariga on our Wise Walk for this guest episode.
Susanne Mariga built her background as a certified public accountant (CPA), and owns a practice in Houston, TX. Her business, Mariga CPA PLLC, achieved recognition as a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business and attained the E-10 Award from the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council. Taking from her entrepreneurial journey, Susanne is the author of Profit First For Minority Business Enterprises. On our Wise Walk, Susanne and I share our thoughts on these questions and more:
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- How can you follow your heart and create abundance in your life?
- If you lean too much towards emotion or logic, what are 2-3 things you can do to find the balance?
- What’s one action you can take to build financial stability while you bring what lights you up to the world?
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Susanne says she left the corporate world and began her business to have more time with her soon-to-be-born daughter. Now, 14 years later, Susanne can share lessons on balancing profit and life in a way that fits her True Stride. To begin the process of financial stability in business, Susanne suggests a profit-first mentality and clarity on personal alignment to give business strategy a direction.
Take a Wise Walk with us to uncover a new sense of freedom and explore what it looks like to move forward within an inspiring community.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[03:22] – Susanne Mariga says balance is always moving and reminisces of her earlier days as a corporate woman.
[06:16] – Susanne talks about starting a business and what happened as the business that once gave her freedom began to grow.
[08:45] – Mary Tess reaffirms the predicament of balancing life and business. Sometimes an imbalance causes a reality check.
[10:44] – Hear Susanne share how a “profit-first” mentality impacted this life-business balance for her own entrepreneurial journey.
[13:16] – How did Susanne decide to write her book about leaning towards a profit-first mentality?
[15:27] – Here are the aspects of business to gain clarity on before moving onto a strategy of financial stability.
[17:45] – What happens when entrepreneurs lean too far to the “logic” strategy of business? Susanne shares her insight from client experiences she noticed.
[20:30] – Mary Tess and Susanne express ideas around what it takes to publish a book.
[23:28] – Susanne poses these two questions for creating a quality book. Mary Tess shares her commitments and inspirations in her purpose as an author.
[26:26] – Susanne’s book contains a layer of social impact for girls in Zimbabwe.
[28:08] – Here is what Susanne discovered in a study involving the outliers of success. Why is personal narrative so crucial?
[31:03] – Choose your story and voice it. Mary Tess emphasizes voicing your value, attracting the ones you connect with, and shifting the dynamic of appreciation and abundance.
[33:01] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “I really started to align my intentions and the things that I really wanted with my actions. I used a profit-first mentality in order to now have the firm that I want.” – Susanne
- “You can absolutely shift your mindset, and follow what lights you up. You don’t have to succumb to the external pressures that we’re conditioned to.” – Mary Tess
- “I was raised to believe that you have the company, and the 401k, and the benefits, and then all of a sudden, it’s like ‘There’s another world out there.’ I can pursue that if I’m brave enough to, and right now, I am.” – Mary Tess
- “At the end of the day, the stories that we choose to accept about ourselves are the ones that influence where we’re going to go.” – Susanne
Links and Resources:
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
EP53: How Meditation, Mindfulness and Nature Manifest Positivity with Michelle J. Lamont
When someone enters your life and creates conflict or awkwardness, do you ever wonder if they were placed in your path so you could learn a valuable lesson and expand? We all cross paths with negativity, but it’s how we respond to it that matters. How can we take responsibility for our own energetic maintenance? Now is a good moment for a Wise Walk.
On the True Stride podcast, we take a Wise Walk to slow down and check our reality. True Stride is that feeling you get when you’re aligned in your heart with all that you do, and you feel energized and happy with each and every step that you take. I’m your host, Mary Tess Rooney, and I connect with Michelle J. Lamont on our Wise Walk for this guest episode.
Michelle J. Lamont contributes to the world as a motivational speaker, life coach, mindfulness expert, Manifestation guru, PR professional, author, and podcast host of Manifesting Miracles. She is a life-long entrepreneur who started her first business at 8 years old, wasn’t afraid to keep her dreams alive while working at Domino’s pizza, and continued to strive even after she built a million-dollar company. Michelle can say she interviewed Oprah Winfrey, was named DFW Women’s “Influence” award winner, and appeared on numerous TV networks. On our Wise Walk, Michelle and I share our thoughts on these questions and more:
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- If you’re energetically off track, how can you regroup and get back on track?
- What’s one practice you can incorporate into your life to get you grounded in nature and meditation?
- Where can you slow down and take time to interpret your actions as an energy or frequency that can teach a lesson?
- What can you do to nurture and recharge your energy?
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Michelle helps people break mental barriers they didn’t even know they had. Building a new mindset allows people to not react to life, but to create life. In this episode, I want to explore how our mindset really comes into play, how people’s energy affects everything we do, and how to prevent unwanted energy from affecting us.
Take a Wise Walk with us to uncover a new sense of freedom and explore what it looks like to move forward within an inspiring community.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[02:35] – Michelle J. Lamont helps people to step into the creator role for their life to flourish.
[04:05] – Michelle gives details regarding the upbringing she experienced, starting from being dropped off at an orphanage as a child.
[05:38] – Using the power of affirming words, Michelle got her childhood bully to open up to her.
[08:05] – After Michelle’s bully opened up, Michelle says she decided to not end up like her bully.
[10:57] – Michelle points out past hurdles she needed to develop past. She spends time explaining her journey through a low vibrational romantic relationship.
[13:54] – This is the request Michelle made to turn her life around. She talks about the changes she witnessed.
[16:50] – Listen to Michelle talk through what she discovered about energy and existing on earth.
[19:30] – Michelle says to focus on shifting through emotions when feeling stuck.
[22:23] – It’s possible to block growth by misinterpreting energy and growing pains.
[23:54] – People that cause conflict along our path are also on a journey. By remembering this, it’s easier to give others grace.
[25:20] – Take responsibility of your personal energy, and understand how to deal with external energy.
[28:04] – Michelle mentions three strategies that increase the ability to be more intentional, aware, and proactive.
[31:50] – Connecting with nature rebalances the energy in your system.
[34:08] – Michelle suggests everyone starts the day off with appreciation and what happens when this becomes a habit.
[36:30] – What is the difference between appreciation and gratitude?
[39:22] – I talk about the difference between the validation of value and the appreciation of value.
[41:20] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “Nobody’s ever really angry at you. They’re angry at themselves and you’re the target of it.” – Michelle
- “Whatever our mindset is, if it’s on this negative spiral, that’s what we’re carrying forward.” – Mary Tess
- “When you’re stuck in a chapter that looks cloudy, go to the next vibration possible.” – Michelle
- “When we think about being ‘mindful’: What is the energy we’re stepping into, and how are we introspective on it?” – Mary Tess
Links and Resources:
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
EP52: How to Support Your Body and Energy Flow with Dr. Melissa Jordan
Is your body fully aligned? Is your energy fluid? Are you taking time to support your body and your energy flow, and really encourage your vital life force to support you in all your doing on a consistent basis, or are you waiting until you’re in crisis mode? Now is a good moment for a Wise Walk.
On the True Stride podcast, we take a Wise Walk to slow down and check our reality. True Stride is that feeling you get when you’re aligned in your heart with all that you do, and you feel energized and happy with each and every step that you take. I’m your host, Mary Tess Rooney, and I connect with Dr. Melissa Jordan to go on our Wise Walk for this guest episode.
Dr. Melissa Jordan is a practitioner for life force in different modalities. Dr. Melissa pulls much of her insight from an advanced Doctorate in Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine with a focus on Integrative Oncology, specifically Breast Cancer, and the utilization of Acupuncture to enhance quality of life and tolerability to oncological treatment. Her background as a healer also includes her completing a dual enrollment in a Naturopathic Medical Program and the Masters of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine (SIOM), and also a national board certification in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM ®). She works with maintenance in the body and energy systems, alongside being an avid gardener and passionate cook. On our Wise Walk, Dr. Melissa and I share our thoughts on these questions and more:
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- What is one thing to do to support life energy?
- What are some of the things we notice when it’s time to check, and how can you support it in a way that makes sense?
- What simple modalities work for – clients?
- What feeds your mind, body, and spirit?
- What fills you with joy?
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Place energy towards a new productive beginning. Take an opportunity to open yourself to becoming more aware of the energy balance you carry throughout life. Acknowledge all the feelings, and turn those feelings into something useful. If you want to start, discover a useful question to guide you towards the most effective awareness.
Take a Wise Walk to uncover a new sense of freedom. Within that freedom is the opportunity to voice our value and a path to connect with an inspiring community. From there, we can explore what it looks like to move forward in our journey.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[02:24] – Dr. Melissa describes her intention of being a healer stretching back to her childhood.
[04:51] – Dr. Melissa explains what reiki and Qi relate to in life force.
[06:11] – Energy force is the body’s intelligence to communicate how we are operating.
[08:16] – Dr. Melissa encourages everyone to balance for optimal harmony as we move through life.
[09:59] – Are you holding onto any tightness in your body?
[11:41] – Mary Tess and Dr. Melissa talk about the need for consistent energetic maintenance like a car needing regular maintenance.
[13:26] – Shift energy and life force after a pause. Dr. Melissa talks about the balance of rest and stillness in response to movement.
[15:10] – Take an opportunity to open yourself to receiving. Acknowledge all the feelings, and turn those feelings into something useful.
[25:35] – Dr. Melissa encourages everyone to listen to their body. Mary Tess reminds everyone about the importance of being intentional.
[27:03] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “I hope we all have this place where you close your eyes and you get in that part of yourself that just knows, like that old, ancient, wise part.” – Dr. Melissa
- “Feel whatever is in alignment, or out of alignment, with your body, with your energy, with your surroundings, because we’re not just affected internally by what’s happening with our system and our energy cycles, but we’re also highly influenced by what’s around us.” – Mary Tess
Links and Resources:
EP51: Why Getting Overlooked Creates Positive Possibilities with Jeffrey Shaw
Have you ever felt stuck in a cycle of being overlooked? Situations can arise that make people feel invisible or inadequate. Afterwards, it’s possible to feel drained or replay everything that’s wrong when endlessly thinking of that cycle. Have you ever thought being overlooked could be a blessing in disguise? Now is a good moment for a Wise Walk.
On the True Stride podcast, we take a Wise Walk to slow down and check our reality. True Stride is that feeling you get when you’re aligned in your heart with all that you do, and you feel energized and happy with each and every step that you take. I’m your host, Mary Tess Rooney, and I connect with Jeffrey Shaw to go on our Wise Walk for this guest episode.
Jeffrey Shaw contributes to the world as a photographer, author, and speaker. He uses his experiences of business, branding, and marketing to advocate for self-employed business owners, small business owners, and progressive-minded companies. Jeff is host of the Self-Employed Life podcast, along with being the author of LINGO: Discover Your Ideal Customer’s Secret Language and Make Your Business Irresistible and The Self-Employed Life: Business and Personal Development Strategies That Create Sustainable Success. Listen to Jeff speak about feeling overlooked, effort and surrender, internal capacity development, and alignment. On our Wise Walk, Jeff and I share our thoughts on these questions and more:
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- Where is a moment you felt overlooked, but it ended up being a blessing?
- What was the next series of choices once realizing you’re not aligned with people or a situation?
- How do we evolve between being overlooked and being visible?
- What are the key messages of a self-employed life?
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Inside the moments of feeling overlooked or unseen, there is a chance to look internally at ourselves to notice something that might be not aligned or misguided. Where in our life do we feel overlooked or invisible? Can we figure out if overlook is from lack of effort or lack of surrender? What choices become available to help us take one action in our True Stride?
Take a Wise Walk to uncover a new sense of freedom. Within that freedom is the opportunity to voice our value and a path to connect with an inspiring community. From there, we can explore what it looks like to move forward in our journey.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[01:24] – Jeffrey Shaw and I talk about the paradox of being overlooked leading to being visible, and similar scenarios, like the pandemic.
[03:35] – Who is Jeffrey Shaw? Listen to Jeffrey talk about advocating for self-employment and explaining how his story supports his passion.
[05:41] – Where is a moment that Jeff felt overlooked, but the situation ended up being a blessing? Jeff speaks about being in alignment externally.
[08:07] – When our life is missing alignment externally, we absorb the undesired side effects of disconnection.
[09:46] – Jeff suggests an approach of action after realizing life lacks alignment externally. He gives an analogy between business and life about forcefulness versus mindfulness.
[11:28] – Looking back, Jeffrey says the delays of giving his first TED Talk were actually helpful for when the opportunity arrived.
[12:59] – Jeffrey touches on the balance of effort and surrender that he believes brings things into his life at the right timing.
[15:59] – Overlook can come in many forms. I describe how the theme of “overlooked” gives clarity around effort and surrender.
[17:29] – Sometimes surrender comes a little later than it should have, and it usually comes by force or without choice.
[19:09] – Instead of forcibly holding onto what isn’t working, heed and recognize the feelings that come up.
[21:32] – In the times of feeling overlooked, there’s a chance to be seen on a level past our understanding.
[23:28] – Being overseen can be an emotional trigger, and there’s usually a reason for the trigger. Jeffrey encourages everyone to give themselves grace.
[25:45] – Jeffrey says being overlooked can also be a sign that something within ourselves needs to shift or change.
[28:15] – Reclaiming individual power opens the opportunity to be visible.
[29:52] – Jeff explains why life in self-employment and personal development is backward.
[32:17] – I turn the tables on Jeff and go through his podcast questions in the S.E.L.F. acronym.
[35:23] – Jeff and I complete questions to the S.E.L.F. acronym.
[36:40] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “The gift of being overlooked comes because we’re trying to make something work that isn’t meant to work.” – Jeffrey
- “When you’re not aligned with someone — whether that’s a relationship, or a business transaction, or a partnership — there’s that disconnect, and you can feel invisible or unseen. Then, that discomfort or that un-alignment, it forces you to take responsibility for yourself, and say: ‘Okay, this is not working. What’s a different choice I can make?’” – Mary Tess
- “We so often live our lives trying to fit what we want into it, instead of stepping back and deciding ‘what’s meant for me’.” – Jeffrey
- “The one voice you can always overlook consistently is ‘self-doubt’ because you have everything that you need within you.” – Mary Tess
Links and Resources:
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
EP50: Ways to Commit to What Lights You Up with Emily Adams
Feeling restless is typically a subconscious coping method for mental stress. In those times of mental stress, the mind passes through each moment so focused on the external world that the guidance calling from inside goes unnoticed. Taking inventory of our inner world allows us to recognize a bigger picture, see where we should fill a void, and identify a few unsettled feelings. Now is a good moment for a Wise Walk.
On the True Stride podcast, we take a Wise Walk to slow down and check our reality. True Stride is that feeling you get when you’re aligned in your heart with all that you do, and you feel energized and happy with each and every step that you take. I’m your host, Mary Tess Rooney, and I connect with Emily Adams to go on our Wise Walk for this guest episode.
Emily Adams contributes to the world as a coach, inspiring speaker, and writer. She spends time helping other women see their own potential, do healing work and inner work, and scale their business. She shares the story of her exit from Amish culture at 17 years old, and reflects on lessons of aligning with an authentic life. On our Wise Walk, Emily and I share our thoughts on these questions and more:
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- Where in life did you realize you needed healing, and how did you go about that?
- When aspects of your life no longer align with your core self; what are the questions and conversations that move you closer to alignment?
- Which reflections can help someone process the feelings that come up during a Wise Walk?
- How do you overcome fear to step into your present power?
- How can you connect with a community or support system that propels you more into what lights you up?
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Everything starts from realization. Where are you restless, stuck, or struggling? What’s one choice you can make in order to feel the feelings? How can you create or join a community to build confidence once you commit to yourself?
Take a Wise Walk to uncover a new sense of freedom. Within that freedom is the opportunity to voice our value and a path to connect with an inspiring community. From there, we can explore what it looks like to move forward in our journey.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[03:04] – Emily Adams comes to share her life of wide experiences.
[05:01] – Emily shares the moment of realizing the difference of noticing the need for healing and being ready to do the healing.
[07:06] – The first step is to acknowledge where you are at and commit to going somewhere else.
[09:19] – Emily explains her mindset during her exit from Amish culture at 17 years old.
[11:41] – In hindsight, Emily realizes a previous coping method also protected her individuality from the surrounding circumstances.
[13:50] – Feel the fear, thank the fear, then still encourage yourself to take the next steps.
[16:39] – Emily warns about what avoiding feelings can lead to and explains why acknowledging feelings redirects to freedom.
[18:11] – When equipped with the right mindset and support, people can move closer to their full potential.
[19:15] – Emily competes in powerlifting. She describes what ignited her fitness journey and how it interconnects with her spiritual journey.
[21:34] – Having a sense of community can help empower the commitment to yourself.
[23:31] – Communities empower you, but can also help you build confidence and push forward.
[25:12] – Emily talks about how investing in herself and her business propelled her into a new space.
[27:46] – Here are questions Emily suggests to get on track in the journey to freedom and embracing your True Stride.
[29:11] – Invest in your Value Vault so you can attract the people into your life that want to connect with you.
[32:00] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “We’re always on this journey of healing because we’re constantly learning and we’re constantly evolving.” – Mary Tess
- “When we grow and evolve, we not only do it for ourselves, but we do it for everyone around us. We become that light; we become that person.” – Emily
- “Who we are and what lights us up, is what gives us the ability to connect with someone else.” – Mary Tess
- “Do not wait to do the work. Do not wait to see your own value. When you see your own value, your entire life shifts.” – Emily
Links and Resources:
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest
EP49: How to Become a Minimalist from the Inside Out with Dana Knox Wright
Throughout life, unsolicited expectations and identity beliefs influence us. The key is to carefully evaluate if those things are true or worth keeping to prevent clinging onto things that drain us. On this Wise Walk, Mary Tess Rooney and Dana Knox Wright take a moment to slow down and check our reality to honor your choice to stop showing up in ways that don’t serve you and let go.
Where in your life do you hold onto fear, and where in your life do you need to release things in order to invite in the experiences that you actually want? Mary Tess and Dana talk about the idea of living minimally internally, honoring transparency, and growing from expansion experiences.
After being forced to let go, and then feeling the release, Dana Knox Wright reviews lessons in her book “Hanging on Loosely: Opening My Hands, Lightening My Load, and Seeing Something Else” to give everyone tools to reframe life into something more fulfilling. Tips on how to turn unfavorable viewpoints loose are woven into this book as a collection of parables based on real experiences. Every chapter in Dana’s book reveals an “Aha!” moment from encounters that left an impact in her life. Having those memories allows her to pass the message on to everyone else.
How can you figure out the way to turn yourself loose of things you need to release? Maybe you need to release one big thing or a million little tiny things to set yourself free. Sometimes you need to look beneath what is apparent. When you recognize what’s gnawing inside of you and causing dissonance, you can begin to see things differently. Therefore, you give yourself space to choose differently.
In this episode:
[00:23] – Welcome to the show!
[02:20] – Dana Knox gives her background and shares what in her life lights her up.
[04:48] – Dana introduces her book and explains why her new book is a collection of parables based on real experiences.
[06:43] – Humans take and carry expectations and meanings without carefully evaluating them for ourselves.
[08:40] – Dana mentions that there is a middle path between the extremes in our lives.
[10:46] – Expansion experiences can help us connect with people on a much more intimate level.
[12:17] – Dana shares the concepts of “Turn it loose” and “The Great Humbling”.
[14:55] – Every chapter in Dana’s book reveals an “Aha!” moment from encounters that left an impact in her life. Having those memories allows her to pass the message on to everyone else.
[17:21] – Dana hopes readers of her book consider the idea that they can find joy in life after releasing what is weighing them down.
[19:21] – Slow down to recognize the state of your life. There may be things you didn’t notice yet.
[21:52] – Dana guides everyone through an approach to handle dissonance.
[24:25] – How can anyone step into being fully immersed and excited for living an authentic life?
[26:24] – Embrace the package that you are. If you shy away from who you are, you are missing out on experiences.
[29:13] – Dana shares why living simply connects with letting go. What does it mean to live minimally on the inside?
[31:13] – Dana encourages more transparency in the way people handle the events of life.
[33:17] – Reclaim your power by letting go. Hear Dana’s hack to moving forward in life.
[35:36] – Thank you for listening!
Memorable Quotes:
- “I don’t think we’re meant to walk through life with our stomachs clenched, and our fists clenched, and holding tightly onto things. Through a series of events that sort of led me to this place of wandering and wondering, led me to this place of ‘I think there’s a better way, and I really want to see it’.” – Dana
- “We can only expand through testing ourselves and through seeing what we’re made of, or really getting in tune with the emotional contrast that surfaces as a result of whatever it is we’re going through.” – Mary Tess
- “If you’re delivering value consistently, but it’s to please others… it’s probably not a joyful experience. If you’re delivering value and it lights you up, then you are in the presence of joy. Then, everybody else gets to benefit from your energy.” – Mary Tess
- “We are these wonderful, unique individuals created with our own special sauce.” – Dana
Links and Resources:
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram
https://danaknoxwright.com/contact/
Hanging on Loosely: Opening My Hands, Lightening My Load, and Seeing Something Else by Dana Knox Wright