EP285: Courage to Embrace Change: Small Steps = Big Shifts

As a follow-up to last week, I chose to attend my friend’s 50th birthday party and go all in on that experience, and I’ll tell you what, it totally paid off. We danced, we laughed, we had some sentimental moments. It was just a beautiful thing. I haven’t danced in a long time and I love dancing, so it was really fun to connect with myself, and I felt even more connected to my friend and her family too.

And here’s the thing, I got inspiration at that party. I was talking to my dear friend’s sister, Ingrid, and she was sharing how much she loved her new gig. She had been a school teacher and now she’s working in corporate America, and to see her on the other side of that major shift, was powerful. She just looked vibrant and happy. Her choice to reinvent her career path and the action she put behind it, that is the essence of embracing change with courage.

So on today’s Wise Walk, let’s slow down and consider how you are facing changes in your life. Are you able to face them with courage, with tenacity, with self-belief? Because I truly believe that when you embrace change with the courage that already exists within you, you will get to the other side.

  • Can you tap into the brave part of yourself and trust that if you embrace change with courage you will get to the other side?
  • How are you supporting yourself as you explore the change you are being called toward?
  • Whatever change you are seeking, whether it is career, relationship, a move, retirement, a hobby, or something else entirely, can you hone in on your intention?
  • What is driving you to embrace this change?
  • Can you find a way to move forward with courage, bravery, self-belief, and tenacity?
  • Can you look at where you are today and commit to taking just one small step?
  • Can you acknowledge just how far you have come with each step you have already taken?
  • Can you recognize the power of your own ability to get unstuck when you feel stuck?
  • If you do feel stuck right now, what is one thing that will support you in seeking the freedom and true independence that comes from within?

Thank you for taking this Wise Walk with me and for sharing your stories. I love how when we come together and get vulnerable, we give each other the gifts of self-belief, tenacity, and courage to move forward.

So tap into that deep inner knowing and muster up the courage to take just one small step today, whatever that looks like for you. And until next Thursday, prioritize fun, read the signs, direct your path, and get your Stride On.

In this episode:

  • [04:01] There are many times in our life where we may feel stuck. When it’s time to implement change, we need to be careful with how we think about it and who we let influence our decisions.
  • [05:10] Embracing change can be scary. We have internal struggles and opposing external sources influencing us.
  • [06:08] True freedom comes from doing our own thing and following our heart. We have the freedom to choose and pivot.
  • [07:22] Fear can show us that it’s something we actually care about. Taking one small step at a time can lead to big shifts and big results.
  • [10:16] If Ingrid is listening, please take this time to acknowledge yourself and the life you’ve created. Thank you for the inspiration.
  • [11:03] I’m also facing a change and planning to look at property in Northern Georgia. I’m drawn to this area for multiple reasons.
  • [12:31] I’m going to immerse myself in the community, look at properties, and keep taking small steps.
  • [13:08] I’m protecting this intention and not sharing it with just anybody. You Striders are important.
  • [16:17] “I never lose. I either win or learn.” Nelson Mandela
  • [17:05] When we embrace change, we don’t lose. We win when we better ourselves.
  • [18:39] If I go through a change and make a major shift in life, I can always pivot if it doesn’t play out the way I want.

Memorable Quotes:

    • “True freedom comes from doing our own thing. When we follow our heart, set an intention, and follow through, that is very freeing.” – Mary Tess
    • “Anytime I have fear, I go, okay, this is scary, but I know that this is also important to me. When I get that fear response, it means this is something I actually care about, something I really want.” – Mary Tess
    • “We are so busy taking those small steps that we forget to acknowledge just how far we’ve come.” – Mary Tess
    • “You already have what you need. Go after whatever your heart is calling you to do and see what’s possible for yourself.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

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EP251: Energy By the Minute

As I get ready to move out of my St. Augustine home, I’ve been thinking a lot about the value of our time and energy. I’ve been preparing for this transition by hiring movers, boxing things up, and letting go of what no longer serves me. This has given me a chance to notice where I’m spending my energy and whether it aligns with what matters most. Even a simple conversation with a mover helped reframe things for me. When he broke down the cost of their services by the minute, it really hit home how every minute counts. Not just in dollars, but in how we feel, what we carry, and what we choose to release.

In this week’s Wise Walk, we slow down and get real about the minute-to-minute choices we make. From relationships to routines to random clutter, everything we touch, physically or emotionally, takes a piece of our energy. Whether it’s a short but soul-filling trip to Tahoe or skipping a big party in favor of deeper connection, I’m leaning into decisions that feel true for me in this season.

  • How often do you evaluate how you’re investing your time, energy, resources, and money by the minute?
  • When you consider that investment, does it feel worthwhile and aligned with what you value?
  • Is your energy investment fueling you, or giving you a sense of safety, security, or peace of mind?
  • How does your investment by the minute make you feel?
  • What do you want to own by the minute, and what do you want to delegate to others?
  • Looking at your life right now, how can you protect your energy by the minute?
  • What are the things you need to say no to in this season of life?
  • Are there experiences you want to engage in differently to honor your current energy?
  • How can you create space for more quality connections instead of quantity?
  • How can you hold space for your energy and your minute-by-minute investments?

Thanks for spending this time with me. I hope this episode got you thinking about where your energy goes and how to make each minute count. 

 

I always love hearing your thoughts, so reach out and let me know how you’re protecting your energy these days. Until next time, keep prioritizing fun as you read the signs and get your stride on.

 

In this episode:

[04:03] I moved multiple times in my life. I got used to hiring movers when I lived in Manhattan.

[05:43] I love the fact that I can hire help for this move, and I know what I want them to do and what I can do.

[06:34] I love this idea of what is our investment energy-wise or resource-wise, time-wise, by the minute?

[07:06] I’m getting ready to go on a trip to Tahoe to see my good friends. I know this will replenish me, and it’s an investment in our relationship.

[08:50] We need to figure out what the “energy by the minute” is that makes sense for us.

[10:47] It’s important for me to have quality connections.

[13:18] You can also look at this as an investment in things. These things occupy precious space in my life so I’m letting a lot of them go.

[14:10] How many times do we touch something in our life where it was worth our “energy by the minute”?

 

Memorable Quotes:

  • “Sometimes, the investment itself is the education. You don’t know what’s worth your energy until you’ve experienced it.” – Mary Tess
  • “Every object we hold onto takes up space either physically or emotionally. If it doesn’t serve you, why keep touching it?” – Mary Tess
  • “You have to figure out what is the ‘energy by the minute’ that makes sense for you. What feels aligned in your heart, in your body, in your mind, and in your soul?” – Mary Tess
  • “Moving is so stressful and so I rely on professionals to help me manage the things in my home that I want to preserve.” Mary Tess

 

Links and Resources:

Mary Tess Rooney

Email

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Heart Value

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