It's hard to believe that this month marks six years since we launched this podcast. When I started True Stride, I was focused on what I could bring to each episode. I wanted our Wise Walks to be useful, and I put quite a bit of pressure on myself to make sure there was something worthwhile in every conversation. What I didn't think about was how showing up every week might change me. Now I catch myself paying more attention to feelings I might once have brushed aside. I notice the pauses when someone is talking, and I'm more likely to ask another question instead of rushing in with an answer.
Some of the changes haven't been quite so easy. I spent a lot of time early on thinking about downloads, social media, and whether I was doing enough to make this podcast successful. I even wondered about quitting during a stretch when I wasn't hearing much from listeners. I had to ask myself whether I was still enjoying these conversations and whether they mattered to me, even without the feedback. That helped me recognize how much of my old corporate definition of success I was still carrying around. I've become more comfortable letting go of those expectations and allowing these conversations to be whatever they need to be.
On today's Wise Walk, we're reflecting on the things we've stayed with long enough to notice a change in ourselves. It could be a relationship, a career path, a hobby, or something we started without any idea where it might lead. We're considering what we've learned, what we've given up along the way, and how our reasons for continuing may have changed. Six years later, I still look forward to showing up for our weekly conversations, and I'm grateful for how much they've taught me. I hope you'll take some time to appreciate the ways your own commitments have helped you grow, too.
- What is something in your life you've stuck with long enough for it to change you, whether it's a career, hobby, interest, or relationship?
- How have you changed since you first started, and what do those changes feel like to you?
- In what ways have those changes supported you over the years, and what might you do differently if you could start over?
- Have you noticed any changes in how you process everyday challenges or emotions?
- Are you more curious about your feelings and better able to lean into your heart rather than relying solely on logic?
- How has connecting your heart and head changed the way you navigate life's ups and downs?
- How has sticking with something helped you follow your heart and make a positive impact on yourself or others?
- What do you appreciate most about how you've grown and evolved over the years?
- What have you had to give up in other areas of your life to stay committed to something, and has it been worth it?
- Have you ever considered quitting, and what kept you going?
- How has your definition of success changed since you first started?
- Does what you're doing still align with your personal definition of success?
- When you experience doubt, worry, or insecurity, how can you use what you've learned to encourage yourself to keep going?
- How can you appreciate the changes you've experienced and the sacrifices you've made along the way?
- What keeps you going when you feel like giving up, and does that commitment still resonate with you?
- If something has changed you for the better but no longer feels aligned, might it be time to let it go?
- What would moving on from that experience look like for you?
I still have so much to learn about myself, and I love our weekly Wise Walks and how they've enriched my life and our conversations. I want to keep getting better at defining success on my terms and continue striding forward.
I'd love to hear what you took away from today's episode, so please feel free to reach out. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being on this journey with me and helping me become a better human for myself and others. I look forward to next Thursday's Wise Walk.
In this episode:
- [01:59] When I first started this podcast, I never imagined it would last six years. I wasn't thinking about the different ways it would change me or you.
- [03:10] I never realized how the weekly check-ins would change my own ability to assess my choices. I also listen differently now.
- [04:11] I didn't realize how this process of dropping into my heart would fundamentally change my ability to consider options.
- [05:25] It's pretty cool to realize how much this practice has changed how I show up for myself and others.
- [07:33] I initially thought every episode had to have a huge meaningful impact, but I realized it's real down-to-earth life conversations that matter.
- [08:37] I don't have to try overly hard to impress you with impact and thoughtfulness. I just share real life examples and explore the shifts.
- [09:45] When we get real about where we are and what's going on, it almost gives others permission to do the same.
- [10:06] I've also become much more comfortable with being vulnerable.
- [12:10] You listeners are my people. Where else in life can we find our people? I love our weekly Wise Walks and conversations.
- [13:26] Reflecting on what I've had to give up on this six year podcast journey, my definition of success has changed. The real purpose of this journey was to get out of my head, not stuck looking at stats.
- [15:34] It's been worth it for me. I've given up trying to achieve other people's versions of success.
- [16:36] I want to live my life in a way that reflects my own life.
- [18:24] I want to be in service to you. Please let me know what resonates with you.
- [20:44] The great news for you and I is that I have no intention of sunsetting this podcast anytime soon. Today and for however long it is, this still feels extremely resonant with me.
Memorable Quotes:
"I am self-reflecting more consistently in the day-to-day events of life. These weekly Wise Walks have changed how I look at my own feelings." - Mary Tess
"This practice that we've been exercising consistently as a community has helped me hold space differently for myself and others. " - Mary Tess
One of the things that has changed for me is that I'm not putting so much pressure on myself to be something that I'm not. We don't have to be more than we are to be taken seriously. - Mary Tess
"When we just show up with our authentic selves, people can resonate with that because that's what they're trying to do, too. - Mary Tess
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