Podcast Archives - Mary Tess Rooney

Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul

EP243: In Service of…

What does it truly mean to be in service to others, your community, and yourself? Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to speak in front of 150 mental health therapists and group practice owners. They are compassionate leaders who manage dedicated teams committed to helping individuals navigate life’s challenging moments with thoughtfulness, healing and care. Witnessing their dedication inspired deep reflection on how we show up not only for others, but also for ourselves.

In this episode, I share insights from this meaningful experience, exploring the importance of efficient structures and mindful self-care practices that allow these professionals to sustain their vital work. Drawing from my own personal journeys through divorce, miscarriage, managing the impacts of alcoholism, and living with cancer for the past 23 years, I highlight the universal need for feeling seen, heard, and supported.

Join me on today’s Wise Walk as we ask ourselves these questions.

- Are you in service of yourself or only focused on serving others?
- How are you honoring your emotions and what calls to you?
- Are you giving yourself space to heal from past experiences you still carry?
- What does being in service of your own healing and needs look like right now?
- How can you support your emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being today?
- As you walk forward, what area of your life is calling for more attention?
- How can you be in service of others and still hold space for yourself?
- Are there areas of your life that feel out of balance?
- Have you gone all in at work and postponed your personal needs?
- Have you created the space and structure to return energy to yourself?
- What does commitment to yourself look like in real terms?
- What can you map out or follow through on to meet your current needs?
- How are you setting intentions and creating boundaries that support you?
- Are you currently balanced in serving others and serving yourself?
- Do your efforts feel sustainable or are they tipping too far in one direction?
- Is it time to set a new intention or reevaluate your current focus?
- Are you clear on your needs and creating awareness around them?
- How are you setting boundaries that honor your commitments and values?
- How can others support you when you’re clear about what you need?

Thank you for joining me on this Wise Walk. As you move through the week, remember to honor your needs, set clear intentions, and stay aligned with your heart. I’ll see you next Thursday until then, get your stride on.

In this episode:

[06:11] Over the past few months, I feel like I’ve been called to be in service of my family and to support them. It felt aligned, because I love my family and want what’s best for them.

[07:15] I now feel fatigued, and I’m going to take the next month to be in service of myself. It’s time to get back to my own supportive healing practices.

[08:49] My family has needs, but I need to set up healthy boundaries so I don’t lose myself in the process.

[11:03] I love how this collective of 150 brilliant humans were committing to themselves just by attending the conference.

[12:06] I also loved the opportunity to network.

[13:53] Cherish the successes, the whoopsies, and everything in between.

[16:18] How we care for ourselves and others are all interwoven.

[17:52] Another amazing thing that happened is we got more Striders.

[19:05] There’s a heartbeat behind these self-reflective questions, because this is an opportunity to go within and find the answers within your own beautiful heart.

Memorable Quotes:

“You are perfect exactly as you are. Whatever you’re going through, support is always a gift.” – Mary Tess
“When we are honoring who we are, when we are aligning with who we are, we have more to give this world.” – Mary Tess
“Being in service to others doesn’t mean losing yourself in the process.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

Mindsight Partners

Kasey Compton

EP242: Feel Without Explanation

I’ve come to realize that not every decision needs to be backed by logic or explained away with reasons. When I was recently invited to take on a regular yoga teaching role, I immediately started listing all the practical benefits. But something felt off. The more I tried to rationalize a yes, the more I knew in my heart it was really a no. That experience reminded me how powerful it can be to pause, listen inward, and honor what feels aligned, even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else.

On today’s Wise Walk, I’m sharing how I’ve been learning to let my heart lead, how that shift has created more balance and peace in my life, and how I’ve stopped over explaining my feelings just to make others comfortable. Together, we’ll explore how to trust that inner knowing, hold space for our emotions, and let our feelings guide us forward.

- When you consider options in your life, do you lead with logic or drop into your heart to listen?
- Do you have enough experience to trust your heart’s wisdom, or is that still a muscle you’re building?
- Do you tend to lead from your intellect more than your heart, and is that something you want to reflect on?
- When someone offers you an opportunity, can you check in with your heart and honor how it feels?
- If it doesn’t feel right, can you communicate a simple no without explaining or justifying it?
- Do you find yourself trying to make others comfortable with your “no” by offering logic or reasons?
- Can you give yourself grace and stop explaining your heart-centered decisions to others?
- Can you accept your own inner knowing without needing outside validation or agreement?
- When someone doesn’t understand your perspective, can you simply share your feelings and hold space?
- Are you able to let your feelings speak for themselves, even without words or logic to explain them?
- Where can you hold space for someone stuck in “should” thinking and gently ask how they feel instead?
- Can you fully accept someone’s emotional truth without needing them to justify or explain it?
- Can you allow a feeling—yours or someone else’s—to stand on its own and be accepted as it is?

Thank you for walking with me today. I’m so grateful we can hold space for each other as we lead with our hearts.

In this episode:

[02:46] I reflect back on times when logic has taken over my decisions. Sometimes logic and rationale will get us to the place we need to go.

[03:34] There are times when it’s not an intellectual decision or about rationale. We need to give ourselves permission to listen and lead with our hearts.

[04:34] I was rationalizing saying yes to teaching yoga when in my heart I knew the answer needed to be no.

[05:28] There was a heart knowingness before I even made the decision.

[06:01] My heart did feel good about teaching yoga every other week.

[07:32] In the past, I would try to come up with rationale when something didn’t feel right.

[09:59] Wise Walk big takeaway: Accept and allow my feelings to speak for themselves without having to explain or justify.

[11:10] I don’t have an explanation. I’m just trying to accept and honor my feelings.

[13:07] Because we’ve all been raised with belief systems and expectations, it makes holding space for our feelings challenging.

[16:04] This week I’m going to be very aware of when people make “I should” instead of “I feel” statements.

Memorable Quotes:

“What feels aligned to you matters more than what makes sense to someone else.” – Mary Tess
“I love how when we feel our way forward, there is this expansiveness and we also don’t have to justify our answers.” – Mary Tess
“Just make peace with your feelings and hold them sacred in your own heart.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

EP241: Leading Your Way

I’ve always believed that good leadership starts with staying true to yourself. Back when I was managing high-stakes corporate projects, I learned that the only way to turn things around was to lead in a way that felt natural to me, not just copy someone else’s approach. That lesson came back to me recently during a challenging moment in a volunteer role that I had held for years.

Someone criticized the way I had been running things, and instead of pushing back, I chose to step aside. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it gave me the space to reflect on what leadership really means and how sometimes the strongest move is to let someone else step in and learn, even if they stumble a bit along the way.

As we go on this week’s Wise Walk together, I’m sharing what that experience taught me about boundaries, authenticity, and the value of stepping away when something no longer feels aligned.

- Where are you currently being asked to lead in your life?
- When you take on a project, initative or event, do you have full freedom and support to carry it out in a way that feels authentic to you?
- Do you stay true to your vision when others try to steer you toward a path that feels misaligned?
- Is there a leadership role where it might be time to step aside for someone more passionate and vocal?
- Have you led something successfully yet begun hearing restless feedback about doing it differently?
- If people bring fresh ideas, are you willing to invite them to lead and let their vision unfold?
- Can you hand off the reins smoothly, set the new leader up for success, and settle into a supportive back seat?
- How does it feel to ride along, caring about the destination but no longer steering the bus?
- Can you give the new leader space to stumble and learn just as you once did?
- As they take charge, can you appreciate how far you’ve already brought everyone on the journey?

Thanks for joining me on this Wise Walk. I hope it reminded you that staying true to yourself is always the best path forward. Until next time, read the signs, direct your path and get your stride on.

In this episode:

[08:01] I felt judgment and under attack when this individual criticized how I was leading a project. It was also disheartening because my efforts and leadership benefited many individuals for over 6 years.

[09:18] It was hurtful to hear criticism instead of collaboration and helpfulness.

[10:03] I reflected on my professional experience and decided it was time to pass the baton.

[11:52] I knew when it comes to leading something that matters, that I can only drive the bus the way I know.

[12:34] I want people involved to be part of the solution and not criticize afterwards.

[13:14] Taking a step back has freed me to do other things in my life.

[15:53] It’s important for me to remember the fact that they don’t know what they don’t know.

[17:14] It’s always easier to come in on things that you don’t have full visibility to.

[19:30] I am so grateful for our Wise Walks that give me the ability to self-reflect and process some of these things that go on in my own life and welcome in other’s experiences, challenges and perspectives.

[20:20] The biggest takeaway for me is to lead your way. Lead authentically and if it’s not in alignment, take a step back or get off the bus entirely.

Memorable Quotes:

“Clarity comes when you give yourself permission to step back and trust what feels right.” – Mary Tess
“Lead in a way that aligns with your truth, not someone else’s expectations.” – Mary Tess
“Giving others space and grace allows them to stumble, learn, and eventually shine.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources:

EP240: Mission Possible

Have you ever started a big project and wondered how you would ever pull it off? I felt that way recently when it came time to prep my house for sale, and just thinking about all the steps involved made the whole thing feel heavy. But then something beautiful happened. A good friend stepped in, and with her help, what once felt impossible started to feel exciting and even fun.

On today’s Wise Walk, we are talking about what it means to find your “mission impossible” partner, the person who shows up with energy, ideas, and that can-do spirit that makes a daunting task feel doable. We will explore how to spot what is holding you back, how to create space for your dreams, and why the right support can completely change your experience of a challenge.

Let’s slow down and get real about the power of asking for help, the magic of clearing emotional and physical clutter, and the joy that comes from turning what once felt overwhelming into something light, energizing, and full of possibility.

Are you feeling called to do something that feels heavy emotionally, physically, energetically, or spiritually, like a mission impossible?
As you sit with that idea, is there someone you can call and say, this is what I am envisioning, dreaming, and being called to do?
Can you ask them to help you mission impossible the crap out of it and block time together to make it happen?
Are you willing to give yourself the space and time to turn that mission from impossible to possible?
When you think about what feels impossible, what is holding you back or weighing you down?
Is there a way to lighten that physical, emotional, energetic, or spiritual block so you can move forward?
Do you have a sounding board or expert you can call upon for support and fresh ideas?
Are you sharing your mission with others who might have time or energy to help you?
Who in your life can make your mission not just possible, but fun, light, and energizing?
Are you asking the right people who genuinely want to support you and see your mission succeed?
Do you have fun-filled people in your life who can help you turn the impossible into possible?
Are you willing to share your vision so those who care about you can help bring it to life?

I hope you are dreaming big, clearing any blockages, and leaning on the friends and sounding boards who lift you up.

Whenever the timing feels right, take those steps toward making your mission possible.

As always, I would love to hear what you took away from today’s episode.

In this episode:

[03:46] I’m ready to put my house back on the market. It’s stressful being on call to show the house.

[05:11] I’ve been trying to process the type of experience I want to have. When the realtor calls, I want to take the dogs and go.

[06:05] I reached out to my friend Katie. She volunteered to help me mission impossible.

[08:00] She has a great eye for real estate. We have been clearing any distractor.

[10:35] I don’t love the idea of storage units. In this scenario it’s helpful.

[12:24] I’m donating stuff to bring other people joy. It feels expansive and lighter.

[14:38] I love the fact that Katie is just as excited to make it happen.

[15:10] We can do this in any part of our life. If we figure out the mission and the barriers and who or what can help us.

[17:23] I’m super grateful because Katie and I still have five days to continue to our work.

Memorable Quotes:

“Making the decision sometimes is the hard part. But following through and clearing things, that’s another hard part.” – Mary Tess

“We are getting creative. We are working together. And we are making this mission possible.” – Mary Tess

“We don’t need to change who we are, but we can free up space so others can see the potential for themselves.” – Mary Tess

Links and Resources: