A LOT with Audra

Have you ever accomplished something big — or even something small — and immediately moved on to the next thing without stopping to celebrate?That's exactly what happened to a group of leaders at a recent learning event, and it sparked a conversation that changed everything. We were all feeling that mid-afternoon slump when someone said, "I've just been running for months straight, and I really just need a day for me." That moment led to creating what I'm calling a Celebrate Me Day — a dedicated day to pause, reflect on your wins (big and small), and intentionally pour into yourself. We talk about why we skip celebrations, how humility and self-pride can coexist, and how a simple weekly practice of tracking three wins can rewire the way you see your life. I also share exactly what my own Celebrate Me Day looked like and how you can make this a quarterly ritual.HighlightsThe mid-afternoon slump that sparked the idea of a Celebrate Me DayHow we move from one win to the next without stopping to acknowledge the goodWhy blanket advice about "staying humble" can keep us from celebrating ourselvesEach and every one of us has things to celebrate — we just have to pause and look backThe weekly practice of pulling out your top three wins from the Full Focus PlannerWhat a Celebrate Me Day actually looks like: slow mornings, yoga, a massage, and Harry PotterMaking it a quarterly ritual: pick a day at the start of a month and pour into yourselfShare your own Celebrate Day in the commentsChapters0:00 — Midday Slump Reflection2:20 — Why We Skip Celebrations3:14 — Introducing Celebrate Me Day3:24 — Humility and Self Pride4:43 — Weekly Wins Practice6:03 — How I Spent My Day7:16 — Make It a Quarterly Ritual7:49 — Share Your Celebrate DayResourcesFull Focus Planner — mentioned as the tool used for the weekly three-wins practice

What if the thing you want most is the thing you keep talking yourself out of?This weekend, a walk with my husband turned into a full-on dissection of why we resist our own desires. Whether it's a bigger house, a new role, a book we want to write, or even something as simple as ordering a certain dessert — we are so quick to tell ourselves all the reasons we don't really want it. But what if underneath that dismissal is something worth listening to? What if the real reason we push our desires away isn't logic, but fear — specifically, the fear of how we'll feel if we go for it and don't get it? That's what we're unpacking today: how to get curious about what we truly want, examine the stories we tell ourselves, take aligned action, and build the emotional capacity to handle whatever outcome comes our way. Because the journey toward something we genuinely desire? That's what it's all about anyway.Highlights:Why we don't trust our own desires — and how influenced we might be by outside voicesThe common stories we tell ourselves to talk us out of wanting what we wantUsing the "bigger house" example to dig down to the real why behind a desireHow fear of failure (and fear of the feelings that come with failure) keeps us from tryingWhy resilience matters — and how this applies to business owners, entrepreneurs, and aspiring authorsHow emotional agility work (inspired by Susan David) changed the way I see feelings and actionThe practice of getting curious about a desire, finding the core intention, and taking aligned actionWhy failure is part of the game — and why the journey itself is the rewardChapters:1:03 — The Walk That Sparked It All1:55 — Why Is It So Hard to Admit What We Want?3:04 — Examining the Stories We Tell Ourselves3:39 — Fear of Failure and the Bigger House Example4:10 — Why We're Really Not Trying5:52 — Resilience, Business, and the Book You Want to Write6:15 — Emotional Agility and the Power of Managing Feelings7:55 — Get Curious and Take Aligned Action8:39 — Failure Is Part of the Game9:44 — Farewell and Happy OctoberResources:Susan David — Emotional AgilityWant to learn more?The ThreadBe sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedInThis show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

Has your relationship with health and fitness become more about punishment than care? That's the question at the heart of today's conversation. Kendra Moody returns to the show—not in her role as COO of The Thread, but as founder of Restore Health Coaching—to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable wellness lifestyle, especially for women navigating their second act. We cover why so many women put their health on hold, the mindset shift from punishing your body to nourishing it, and practical steps for eating more protein, moving daily, and staying hydrated. Kendra also breaks down GLP-1 medications and what women in their 40s and 50s should prioritize for longevity.HIGHLIGHTSWhy women tend to neglect their health while raising families or climbing the career ladder—and when that pattern finally shiftsThe mindset shift from "how hard can I go and how little can I eat" to "how do I care for my body, not punish it"Why eating more protein (not less food) is one of the most common changes Kendra helps women makeHow meal prepping is really about making it easier for your future self to stay committed to your goalsWhy the all-or-nothing mindset is a trap—and how to enjoy treats without throwing in the towelThree priorities for women in their 40s and 50s: protein, movement, and hydrationWhat GLP-1 medications actually do, why they aren't a forever solution, and why building foundational habits alongside them mattersA rapid-fire round of "Do This, Not That" covering intermittent fasting, hard workouts, lifting weights, and rest daysWhy lifting weights won't make women bulky—and why it's essential as we ageHow to find 20 minutes you didn't know you had (hint: check your phone)CHAPTERS1:38 — Why Health Gets Neglected3:48 — What Wellness Really Means5:35 — Mindset Shift to Restore7:36 — Eat More Protein9:00 — Meal Prep and Treats13:32 — All or Nothing Trap15:29 — Where to Start Today17:57 — Protein, Movement, Hydration21:51 — GLP-1s Explained26:26 — Do This, Not That32:19 — Find Restore HealthRESOURCES MENTIONEDRestore Health Coaching — Kendra Moody's health coaching practice (also on Instagram at @restore.healthcoaching)Want to learn more?The ThreadBe sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedInThis show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

What happens when achievement starts costing you aliveness? Dr. Kristen Strom joins the show to share her story of chasing success as a professor, wife, and mother—only to realize that the life she'd built was slowly draining the life out of her. From missing her kids' sporting events to feeling numb at the mention of a university teaching award, Kristen opens up about the red flags she ignored, the wake-up calls she couldn't, and the small, daily habits that quietly rewrote her entire future. We talk about what it really takes to stop hustling, start listening to your body, and build a life where you don't have to sacrifice the people you love to do the work you love. If you've ever looked in the mirror and not recognized the woman staring back, this conversation is for you.HIGHLIGHTSKristen's realization that she was succeeding professionally but losing herself personally—missing her kids' events, running on empty, and ignoring years of physical red flagsThe numbness that set in even after receiving a student-nominated teaching award and a national publication—achievements she'd worked her whole career forHow her son's words in the car one morning became a mirror reflecting her own stress back at herThe two wake-up call moments: a vacation photo where she didn't recognize herself, and a mirror moment at 38 wondering what her 40s would feel like if nothing changedThe health reset Kristen and her husband undertook together—from nutrition and fitness to mindset and emotional wellnessKristen's 10-minute power practice: brain dumping, setting three intentions, and expressing gratitude before the day beginsWhy high achievers should think smaller, not bigger, when creating change—and how tiny habits compound over timeThe identity work required to believe you're worth the investment—and to envision a future self worth becomingHow fear and discomfort are not signs to stop but signals that you're in the growth processKristen's transition from professor to speaker and transformational life coach, and her mission to help women thrive without turning healing into another achievementThe power of getting quiet enough to hear what you actually want—and the freedom of saying no to good opportunities that don't alignCHAPTERS2:22 — Professor Life Pressure Cooker3:59 — Red Flags And Burnout5:56 — Numb To Achievements7:54 — Kids Mirror The Stress11:02 — Restoring Marriage And Home11:56 — Health Reset And Mindset15:38 — Two Wake-Up Call Moments17:16 — What Do You Want Instead18:37 — Small Habits That Stick21:21 — Ten Minute Power Practice23:45 — Dream Smaller, Compound Wins26:52 — Identity, Beliefs, And Future Self29:22 — Fear, Peaks, And Resilience31:13 — Turning Healing Into Purpose35:07 — Quiet Clarity And Saying No38:04 — How To Work With Kristen39:08 — Final Thanks And Wrap-UpRESOURCES MENTIONEDDr. Kristen Strom's websiteWant to learn more?The ThreadBe sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedInThis show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.

Have you ever felt that subtle shift — the one where something inside has moved, but you can't quite name it yet?That feeling is exactly what today's guest, Keveney Avila, founder of The Interior, helps people navigate. After a decade practicing law — including pro bono work with unaccompanied immigrant children and human trafficking survivors — Keveney's life pivoted in a way she never could have planned. Her dog's seizures became a wake-up call that her own stress and frustration were literally affecting the energy around her, and that moment set her on a completely new path.We talk about what energy work actually means (in language that's accessible whether you come at it from science, faith, or somewhere in between), the low-grade grief that so many high-achievers carry without naming it, and why the journey has to eventually turn inward. Keveney shares what it means to build an inner container strong enough to hold both joy and sorrow at the same time, why you can never outthink the energy in your gut, and one simple practice you can try today the next time you feel stirred up. If the life you've built no longer fits, or you're standing at a crossroads wondering what comes next, this conversation is for you.HIGHLIGHTSHow a lawyer's decade of practice — including work with human trafficking survivors — led her to energy workThe story of Keveney's dog having five seizures overnight and how it became the catalyst for leaving corporateWhy Keveney made more money her first year as an entrepreneur than she ever did in corporateHow energy can be understood through science, faith, prayer, or quantum physics — and why it's accessible no matter your belief systemWho Keveney's clients typically are (most are in their 50s to 60s) and why they seek her outThe concept of "low-grade grief fever" — grieving an identity you thought you'd haveWhy we need people who can sit in the darkness with us without flinchingThe law of sacrifice and why we can't have everything, even in a culture that says we canThe "golden thread" — how seemingly unrelated chapters of your life connectWhy you can never outthink the energy in your gut, no matter how many affirmations you doBuilding an inner container to hold both the greatest joy and deepest sorrow simultaneouslyDiscernment: how to tell whether you're intuiting from your ego or your bodyThe simple pause practice — how to check in when you notice your body stirred upWhy meditating while stressed can actually amplify that energy, and what to do insteadCHAPTERS1:52 — From Law to Intuition2:37 — Dog Seizures Wake Up Call4:32 — Quitting Corporate Leap5:10 — Animals to Human Healing7:44 — Energy Made Practical10:36 — Success That Stops Fitting12:21 — Naming Hidden Grief14:48 — Sitting In The Dark17:04 — Choosing One Life19:10 — Sacrifice And Flow23:19 — Gut Energy Over Mindset25:46 — Building The Inner Container28:57 — Discernment And Old Stories31:28 — Simple Pause Practice36:18 — Rinsing Off Energy38:17 — Where To Find Keveney39:46 — Closing ThanksRESOURCES MENTIONEDKeveney Avila’s Website - keveneyavila.comKeveney Avila on LinkedIn Want to learn more?The ThreadBe sure to follow me @audradinell on Instagram and LinkedInThis show is part of the ICT Podcast Network.Disclaimer: we may receive a small commission on any products purchased through the links used in this episode. I only recommend tools and resources I actually use and find valuable.