
The AWEd Life
Tune in weekly for personal stories and thoughtful conversations with the purpose of inspiring women to live more Awake, Well, and Empowered. Welcome to your AWEd Life!
Episodes
Reading the feed…

Tune in weekly for personal stories and thoughtful conversations with the purpose of inspiring women to live more Awake, Well, and Empowered. Welcome to your AWEd Life!
Reading the feed…
The conversation continues! In this episode, we’re talking social media and all that comes with showing up online in a very public way, navigating friendships in midlife, as well as what events she’s got up her sleeve! Don’t miss out on Part 1 of this conversation if you have’t listened yet!
I know. I’m just as shocked as you are that I’m speaking to THE MaryJo Anderson on today’s episode. But also, this has been a long time coming. MaryJo and I “met” on Instagram through Landyn Hutchinson (Living with Landyn), everyone’s favorite influencer and MJ quickly became one of my favorite people. She shares the beautiful view from her deck most mornings, perhaps a stroll through “The Beloved Garden”, or a video of one of her kids swinging in their living room. Yes, she has a swing in her living room. While all the beautiful moments she shares are quite lovely, the best things about her a
We’re back in Kansas City from our two-month stay in Colorado and I have some thoughts! Actually, they’re things I’ve learned since doing this a couple of times and I thought I’d share my tips on how to make your long-term stay memorable, meaningful, and time well-spent. I’m sharing my top things to keep in mind as well as ideas to make the most of your time away from home. The empty-nest era is a great time to try out some new places without having to sell and move everything. Long-term renting is a great way to try before you buy and heck, you may never buy if you can just live in the best p
When I discovered Helen, it was from an Instagram Reel where she shared who she was (a retired SAHM) and that she had gone away for a month to spend time with herself now that she was an empty-nester. I knew instantly I needed to chat with her, both as my new favorite person and as a potential podcast guest. She is delightful in so many ways. She has a wicked sense of humor (my love language), is courageous, relatable, and does NOT do bullshit. Did I mention she is delightful? I can’t wait for you to listen and be inspired for your empty-nest years, whenever they may be.
Today, I’m sharing some insights into living in Colorado part-time, taking in what we learned from last year and what we want to do differently this year. We came out here last year to be closer to our boys during baseball season and make it easier on us to see them play each weekend. It was a wonderful experience and we wanted to replicate that again this year but also try to do things a little differently. Come along as I share what life is like living part-time in beautiful Colorado and why it’s been something we will continue to do forever.
I started a local group in Kansas City for sober women who also want to be social. The reason why? I was lonely but I’m also intentional with who I wanted to spend my time with. And these days, I really enjoy the company of women who choose a sober life. I’m sharing the story of how and why behind it to encourage you to create what you need, whatever it may be.
This week, I’m having a conversation with Sara Stansberry, writer, podcaster, life coach, and mother who found her true self after blowing up her life. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not living the life you’re meant to, you’ll relate to her story. Maybe you're in an unhappy job or career. Maybe you feel like you’re living in the wrong place. Maybe you’ve had to walk away from your family of origin. I hope Sara’s story inspires you, encourages you, and helps you feel less alone in the hard thing you’re going through. More than anything, I hope this conversation gives you the strength you need
I sat down at the beginning of the year and examined how I wanted to feel this year. What I kept going back to was a gorgeous hike I’d done last fall and realized I wanted to recreate exactly how I felt on that hike. I think it may be the way I want to live the rest of my life, actually. Take a listen and see if you agree. As always, thank you for being here and for sharing these episodes with your friends. It means the world!
This week’s conversation is with Kim Costa, one of Atlanta’s top realtors who is also a TV host, podcaster, and soon to be author! We talked about how a home should be a reflection of self but what happens when we’re out of alignment? Kim shares how getting in alignment directly affects how we feel about our home as well as tools she uses to help her clients figure out where things are “off”. These tools and information help her clients decide whether they should stay in their current home, renovate their space, or move to a new home in order to match who they are to a space that feels the mos
It's been a couple of months since I've been paying attention to a new health measurement, HRV, which stands for Heart Rate Variability. The reason I'm paying attention to it is because HRV reflects my nervous system's adaptability and how well I respond to stressors, both physical and mental. It just may be the truest measure of my health because if my nervous system isn't resilient, my body won't be either.
Yes, I'm still living alcohol-free but it's not without some bumps and bruises. I'm sharing some recent experiences that have left me with feeling both frustrated and grateful. I know that sounds like an impossible combination but you'll have to listen to find out how I managed to do it. :)
I wholeheartedly believe we are all creative beings, just in different ways. Some people paint, some write, some design gardens, and some design buildings. Creativity is what helps us fully express ourselves, all with some serious side benefits like reducing stress and anxiety. Yes, please. Today, I’m sharing my own story of how I “found” my creativity, what it’s done for me, and what it can do for you. Expressing ourselves through our creativity will never be time or effort wasted, I promise you.
Wow. Mallory and I had the best chat about the deconstruction and reconstruction of herself, her marriage, her religion, and so much more. She’s rebuilding her life in a way she’s always wanted and she's such a great example of what can happen when we choose ourselves. I hope you find her story as relatable and inspiring as I do.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how I show up for people and if I’m doing it enough. Maya Angelou said it best…”'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” And I can’t help think that if we focused a bit more on how we can positively impact others, through acts of kindness, encouraging words, thoughtful gifts, etc., then we’re going to be leaving this world better than we found it. Today, I’m reflecting on my own actions and if I’m doing enough as well as how it’s being received. I’d appreciate you
My guest today is Kate Moon, yoga teacher, mentor, and retreat leader, whom I met last spring at a women’s retreat at Sansara Resort in Panama. Kate was the retreat liaison for guests while we were there and I instantly knew Kate was someone I wanted to get to know more. I kept in touch with her via DM’s on Instagram and once I learned more about her life story, I knew I had to bring her to your attention. As the title says, Kate has been to hell and back but now takes her clients around the world and back on her amazing retreats. I can’t wait for you to listen to her incredible story and hope
Season 4 is finally here! Today, I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s been like as a podcast host for the past three seasons and what’s coming up next season. Join me for a cup of coffee as I share the challenges, rewards, and goals I have while also discussing a bit of what to expect moving forward. I’m also celebrating with some gifts for a lucky listener, so tune in to find out what I’m giving away and how to enter.
FINALLY! I’m giving you my recap of our trip to Portugal this past June. I’m sharing a bit of our itinerary, what we loved, what we learned, and whether we will go back again.
You may be thinking, "Duh, more freedom," but that’s not it. Freedom actually has nothing to do with what I’m sharing in this episode. Even if you’re not an open nester yet, I’m sharing some things I’ve learned to help you love your open nest era someday, too. This one’s short and sweet. You’re welcome! :)
Have you ever met someone who makes you say “I’ll have what she’s having”? Well, Sarah’s one of those people. Today, I am talking with Sarah about her “Wholey Schmidt” moments in life and how she’s arrived at the most free and joyful she’s ever been. Sarah is the host of the podcast, Wholey Schmidt, and a wildly successful investor and philanthropist. Can philanthropists be successful? Who knows but if they can, Sarah tops the list. We chat about her early adulthood cancer diagnosis, how it changed her, what life has looked like since, and how she arrived at her best life now at the age of 53.
In this week’s episode, I’m finally sharing my experience of living in Colorado this past spring. We learned a lot, loved a lot of things, and also had our share of disappointments. But I would do it all over again and plan to next spring! We were able to be only an hour from our boys during their college baseball season (they played on the same team!) and it was such a memorable time for our family. I’m giving you a glimpse of what life was like living in two different rental homes as well as how we spent our time when we weren’t watching baseball or working.
In today’s episode, I’m sharing what I think may be the hardest task I’ve ever undertaken: learning how to love myself. I’ve spent my entire life trying to learn how to love deeply (especially myself), and I found a book recently that’s helping me put this task back on my radar. The reason I want to focus on learning to love myself is so that I can better love others in my life. I know it’s a significant obstacle to having the type of relationships I desire, deepening the ones I currently have, and in how I show up for myself. I’m sharing what book I’m reading and what I’ve read so far that’s
Today, I’m sharing a brief recap of my yoga and meditation retreat in Panama. Ironically, the yoga and meditation ended up not being the main events for me. I walked away with some unexpected gifts from places, people, situations, and even disappointments. I hope you take a listen and perhaps my experience may help you reframe something you might be going through now or down the road.
I am so very honored to have THE Libby DeLana on the podcast today. I’ve been admiring her for a long time for how she shows up in her life—for herself, for her friends, for her community, and out in the wild, wild world. Libby is a creative director, author, cold joy enthusiast (listen to the episode to figure out what that means!), world traveler, adventure seeker, daily walker, fly fisher, podcaster, aspiring pilot…the list goes on and on. Today, we talk about the inspiration behind her daily walks, why she continues to do it, her travels, her methods and mindset to overcome hard things, an
I used to let fear run my life and not in a good way. (Yes, there's a good way to use fear.) I avoided things that I was afraid of: deep water, confrontation, sucking at something, and speaking in front of people. It wasn't until I let that fear guide me that I found true empowerment in my life. Don't get me wrong--I'm still afraid of many things but I no longer allow that fear to keep me from doing hard things in my life. It actually serves as a guide as to what I need to explore. In today’s episode, I’m sharing stories of what I’ve been fearful of and how I used to to help me rather than hin
This week I’m sharing about our time in Colorado (we’re renting for 2.5 months!) and how I’m retraining my brain to search for the things I want in life rather than spending all its time conversing energy. I want it to spend energy helping me, not hurting me. Come listen to see what I’m talking about and how you may be able to do the same.